Letters to the Editor
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If the argument is that Obama can't win in November
I'd have to say that Mrs. Clinton can't win either.
And while you may bemoan the fact that Mr. Obama wins with a steady support of black voters, the truth is that's how Democrats win in the general as well.
No Democrat since the civil rights era has won the white vote, including Bill Clinton. In fact I believe Clinton received only 38% of the white vote in '92 and 40% in '96.
If you want to talk about the ability to win in November remember this, were she the nominee Hillary Clinton must have 90% of the black vote to beat McCain. If she only get around 80%, she loses in a landslide.
Here's some more reality, the Democratic party is steadily losing its base. It's core support is getting older and union membership is dwindling. Add this to the fact that in 2004, Republicans began making inroads into the black vote. Had Kerry received the black votes Gore got in Ohio, he would have been elected in 2004.
Obama may not be stealing the old line Democrats from the Clintons, but he is bringing new and younger voter into the Democratic party, scaring the bejesus out of Republicans.
He puts states into play that Hillary Clinton could only dream of winning. SurveyUSA has polling that shows Obama beating McCain in Nov WITHOUT MO, PA, FL, MI, and NJ!! And those states are a statistical tie. With the cash Obama has he can out spend McCain and force Republicans to spend cash in states(like GA) that they have always taken for granted.
Obama will be the Democratic nominee and his campaign at the grassroots in traditional Democratic strongholds as well as western as southern states (VA and GA) will breath new life into the Democratic party.
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Ya' Gotta Be Kidding Me
Sorry Salon, after reading this article (if you want to call it that) you have no hopes of me re-subscribing to your Premium service. Better keep selling those ads cuz' you're not getting my money. I sent that subscription fee to the Obama campaign instead.
Facts:
- Obama, once again, improved his initial poll numbers in a state where he had virtually no chance of winning.
- Obama is still way ahead in pledged delegates and it is impossible for Clinton to change that fact.
- Clinton has offended so many in this primary with her tactics that even I am having doubts about voting for her if she does win the nomination.
- Clinton has aligned her own supporters against Obama to the point where CNN showed terrifying candidate abandonment statistics throughout the entire evening.
Neither Senators Clinton or Obama lost the primary last night, the democratic party did and Salon has been complicit in this erosion of trust.
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Slow boat to Guyana
Keep on spinning Obamabots. This guy has been a phony all along. Americans in general and Democrats in particular suffer from PTSD in the wake of Bush. So they turn to a Jim Jones-style quasi religious speech giver who promises "hope" and sends in paid thugs to win red state caucuses. Thanks for destroying the Democratic party.
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There's a sucker born every minute.
What a bad title. The Clintons were ahead 20 points and you say Obama cannot close the deal? I looks as though you take us for suckers Pa. should have been her's in a landslide. Women, all the older population, the low income bracket and you headline that Obama cannot close the deal.
What a party. The Clintons, the Washington mob, Pelosi and Reid will hand the election to McCain. When people wake up they will be standing in bread lines.
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More like 8.5% - not 10%
The media's 'rithmetic is fascinating. They sure do like those round numbers. Any way you slice it, this was not a double-digit win. I have to admit that the difference isn't that great, but I don't think rounding up 1.5% is exactly honest reporting.
If you don't believe me, check here: http://www.electionreturns.state.pa.us/
I am posting this with only 99.07% reporting, so it could change a little, but 54.3% doesn't round up to 55% and 45.8% doesn't round down to 45%.
Clinton did well tonight, but the story-line is just whacky. Results are what matters, not an argument that cannot be proved. Obama has won more states, more delegates, and still leads the popular vote. He has done this in the face of overwhelming odds and a strong political machine. It's not likely that Hillary will make up much more ground, if any, in the upcoming contests. This was her last best chance to make a serious dent, and she did not.
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More clowning from Salon
For all the scorn heaped on the institution of superdelegates (795 party leaders who go to the convention automatically without pledging to a candidate in the primaries or caucuses), Obama mathematically cannot come close to reaching a majority without a significant boost from these political free agents.
Really? What's close? Within 100? Because he definitely will come within 100. And by that rationale, Clinton will be even farther behind (probably ~250). Clinton didn't even net 10 delegates from her 10 point victory.
This was Clinton's deal to close, not Obama's. Obama is the underdog, upstart candidate. Clinton is the establishment, with the party machine behind her. Obama needs more votes than her. That's all, and he wins. The double standard here at Salon is really disgusting.
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Obama Can't Close the deal...
because PA is filled with people who won't vote for the black guy. This state has changed a lot but not enough apparently. I have higher hopes for Indiana and NC.
I have to admit it though. As poor a candidate as Clinton is, she has been able to muster the uneducated white, yet disaffected vote well. I have no idea where that leaves the Democratic party since this is no longer our true base. This situation is amazing to me since this is the type of issue I tossed at the Repubs months ago as McCain/Romney/Huckabee shredded traditional coalitions. Now, it's apparent that this is true for the Democratic Party.
Given the levels of dissatisfaction for both Obama and Clinton, I question now if a Democrat can win in November. I know I won't cast a vote for McCain but I doubt I'll do it for Hillary, if she ends up the nominee. I really don't believe that she reflects the values of the Democratic Party. Not the Party I want to vote for anyway. Her recent pandering to gun rights groups and the comments about Iran have pushed me over the edge. I don't even know if she's serious with this type of talk. All I know is that I don't want to be a part of that.