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Wednesday, April 16, 2008 12:00 AM

Bitter as hell in Pennsylvania

Folks agree with Barack Obama in at least one Pennsylvania trailer park. But will angry voters help or hurt Democrats in swing states this fall?

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  • Tuesday, April 15, 2008 07:11 PM

    could we dispense with

    the myth that conservative, white voters are the key constituency in national elections? This constituency is exactly as large as it is, and it is hardly a swing constituency.

    Or...let me put it another way. Gore ignored rural, conservative white voters and focused on winning a higher percentage of Latino voters, esp. in Florida. And, depending on who you believe about the recount, this was in fact a winning strategy.

    The idea that "NASCAR dads" or "Focus on the Family" voters somehow control the nation is a myth created entirely by the people who expect to win this constituency in the election. This is pure intellectual laziness on the part of pollsters like Mark Penn and Karl Rove. Demographic analysis by stereotype is not particularly impressive.

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