Letters to the Editor
bernbart
Published Letters: 1713 Editor's Choice: 20
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Obama
[Read the article: Which Democrat can beat McCain?]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Obama has the best chance to win against McCain. Both candidates will be able to out debate McCain. Obama can do a better job of it. First I don't see how anyone could think she would make a better commander and chief, as she has no more experience than Obama, and she is a HAWK herself.
1.I have spoken to many Democrats, mostly male who say, they will either sit out this election or vote for McCain if Hillary is the candidates. It is not about sexism either. This is about not wanting the Clintons back. She is running on Bill's experience, so Bill will be a liability for her. Those who remember the Clinton Hate of the 90s, just don't want it back. Besides many males link Bill's lack of integrity to Hillary.
2. It is Obama who has brought in a new "excited" base of Voters for the Democratic party. Can Hillary get the new Obama voters ? Will they stay excited, or will they once again, like the generation(40-56) before them, become apathetic and not vote?
3. Anyone see the CPAC conference this last weekend... The far right of the republican party? They are fired up and ready to fight Hillary. Instead of having T-shirts, button ,etc in support a R candidates, they had all kinds of "Hillary Hate" merchandise for sale. Hillary hate is a big fund raising tool among this group. This branch of the R party does not like McCain, and may not vote for him, but if Hillary is the candidate it will fire up this base of the R party to give the Democrats a defeat.
4.Independents, and some moderate republicans like Obama. He will get their votes. Hillary will not. Those votes will go to McCain making the popular voter so close the electoral college will decide and McCain will win.
5.Then there are the long time progressive Democrats like me, who have not been fired up in decades. Obama has fired us up! I will vote for Hillary, but hold my nose and do it. Many of us older progressives have the time and money to work on the Obama campaign. Many of us will not work on the Hillary campaign.
6. For years Democrats have complained about the lack of voter turn out among blacks. This year they are voting in great numbers for Obama since Bill pissed them off. Will they do the same in the general for Hillary?
7. Will Hillary be able to get a decent Vice president? Who wants to deal with the competition of Bill, like Gore had to with Hilary.
8. Obama is the best hope for the future of the Democratic party. If Hillary does win, it kills off new leadership and new voters in the D party. The right will raise funds, against Clintons, build a bigger base and there will be a BIG victory for republican in the 2010 congressional races like there was in 1994.
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Obama vs Hillary...the voters
[Read the article: Hillary's time of troubles]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Why do pundits like Shapiro keep bring up black vs white vote in states like LO, but not in states that are mostly white where Obama has won by BIG margins:IA, MN,NE,ID. You can't get much whiter than those states Even WA has a large White population. Besides the Dmecrats are going to need those Black votes in the general election and Obama, not Hillary will deliver them.
As far as the comment about Hillary wining Hispanics vote 2-1.
NOT TRUE EVERYWHERE. In AZ where Hillary won, the majority of Hispanics voted for Obama. The New Mexico vote is still within 1`pt.
As far as Obama not being able to get the votes in big states in the general. Not true. Obama cut into Hillary's state of NY by more votes than Hillary cut into his voters in IL. In CA Hillary won because of early "vote by maiL" (10-12 pts). In votes at the polls she either lost or the spread or won by only 1-2 pts. Besides Obama will unite the party, and he has more of the NEW voters. In addition Obamas's wins have been by much bigger point margins than Hillary's. However Obama will have to do well in Primaries going forward, where there are a lot of uninformed voters who will vote for Hillary.
As a older white women, and a feminists I find it amazing that women beleive Hillary has done a lot of work on behalf of women. Working and Middle class who vote for Hillary are voting against their own best interests. Hillary votes with Republicans more often than not on issues that affect them negatively.
Obama number of new donors since Jan has increased to over 370,000 as of today.
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Still a race
[Read the article: How will it all end?]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Even tough I hope for BIg wins in the primaries for Obama I think OH an TX will be close. Obama has an advantage in caucus states because caucus goers are more informed on the issues and teh candidates. In primaries you have a lot of people going to the polls who just see the name Clinton and hit the button.
However I think Obama will have more time to spend with voters this time around, voters come to his side after they get to know him and based on his recent victories. In CA Hillary won the primary by a mere 10 pts. However in looking at precincts, Hillary win for her, Clinton got her 10 pt lead from "voter by mail " voters, who voted before Obama started doing well. In those same precincts if you look at the votes at the polls. Obama did very well.
Obama already has a grassroots org. Set up in both OH and TX,
and his "nation phone banking" get out the votes. He also has aqured a lot of new money in Feb.