Letters to the Editor
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So it's a wash?
Are we honestly still discussing the pros and cons of Obama v. Clinton in the general election as if there may be no difference who the nominee is? This is foolish; thousands of Republicans followed orders in MS, and maybe TX and OH, to support Senator Clinton. They made up 25% of her total vote count in Mississippi. They hit their knees every night that Clinton wins.
Let's go with the one with crossover appeal, fewer negatives, a greater upside and will drive up voter turn out.
How lacking in common sense are we?
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Wait a minute...
...what are you saying? Go for who? Go for Obama? I'm all for that.
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From out of the Excedrin haze...
Wow, that is a bit dizzying. One thing here: it would seem that Obama's support from "independents and some Republicans", which his campaign has indeed talked about incessantly, may well be lessening as we speak. This, as a result of the past week's 'revelations' in re to the Rev. Wright, and Rezko's significantly larger than previously reported role in Obama's campaign finance history.
This weekend, I've spent a fair amount of time perusing reader comments on mainstream news stories and opinion pieces related to these topics. Many of the comments would seem to be from beer label voters, but a good number have a more, uh, fruity tang to them. Judging by the sometimes voluminous reader comments, it looks like Obama might well encounter a lot more voter resistance ahead than he has heretofore experienced. Is there any reason to believe Republicans and independents would not be among those less inclined to vote for him?
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I don't don't know about independents at large...
But this independent is on for Obama.
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well, there's another myth
from supporters: that Republicans vote in droves in open primaries for the weaker candidate, in order to give McCain a better shot in November.
Like so many other contests, I suspect these stealth Republicans split pretty evenly between Clinton and Obama, depending on the state.
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@joemartin
You say: "thousands of Republicans followed orders in MS, and maybe TX and OH, to support Senator Clinton"
An equal amount of noise has been made in the opposite direction - Republicans who have no intention of supporting Obama in the general, voting for him in primaries in a number of states. In fact, the NYTimes documented one of these instances - two Texas Republicans who backed out of the deal at the last minute, when a poll worker informed them they would be listed in the Democratic column for the next year. It's doubtful the Times would've written about this instance if they had judged it an isolated one.
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@Kate Richard Simmons school of Politics? One and Two and Stretch!
[...] and Rezko's significantly larger than previously reported role in Obama's campaign finance history.
Having read through the entire Tribune article (link below) where Obama details his relationship with Rezko, I think that there is even less to Rezko than I thought before. Judge for yourself:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-obamafullwebmar16,1,6766557.story
And the man himself:
www.callclareity.com/nar2004/simmons.jpg
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Wow -- Thank You!
Wow -- what an incredible article. I am so excited to read this. You are not a ranting, biased reporter...go figure. I read your article with more interest and clarity than any in the past few months because of this fact.
I am interested in seeing in the month before Penn where the polls trend. I do believe that Obama's bubble may be bursting with the recent headlines and scandals...I have noticed that his numbers when in competition with McCain have dropped steadily over the past few days until now, McCain is ahead of him. Clinton seems to be staying the same -- a statistical tie. (Real Clear Politics Poll).
I can't see Obama losing NY or Ca -- or winning Mississippi or Alaska in the general -- so I appreciate your comments on these factors...but it seems PA and Ohio and Florida -- and as you say, even NJ, are much in play -- and important.
I am shocked at the timing factor that has played so much into this election. What states vote when -- causing one candidate or another "momemtum." This actually seems a foolish way to run an election..especially with scandals coming out mid-stream. What a fiasco this has been.
Here's to a democrat in the White House -- whoever they may be...and to your article...you lonely (aside from the barrage of incoming seductive emails) unbiased man.
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memo to Tom
quit annoying me.
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You know what would be awesome?
If we could get 200 comments on this article by the end of the day Monday from armchair campaign managers who make hyperbolic predictions based on cherry-picked facts and anecdotal evidence. Because what the Democratic party and primary needs right now is some more "nuh-uh/yah-huh."
We can do it! Go team!
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Uncle Fester
This is the best article I've read yet as a reaction to the Wright story:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/frank-schaeffer/obamas-minister-committe_b_91774.html
I grew up with kooky religious parents so I like the idea that the right wing kooky religious nuts can be subject to the same amount of scrutiny. I mean God D*** America sounds horrible, but I grew up in a church linked to the right wing that basically said precisely the same thing except it was for being too good to gay people and feminists who had abortions. And Pat Robertson I thought made the same comment about 9-11 right here:
http://tpmelectioncentral.talkingpointsmemo.com/2007/11/flashback_robertson_agreed_that_america_deserved_911.php
Freedom of religion is freedom of religion. If they start going after Obama's religion they will only open up their own vulnerabilities...I wish the IRS would investigate evangelicals to deny tax exempt status for talking politics from the pulpit.
(don't think it will happen though)
And incidentally, I like the photo of Richard Simmons
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@Uncle
This looks like more, not less:
"In an extensive 80-minute interview with the Sun-Times, White House hopeful Barack Obama laid out just how close he and indicted Chicago businessman Tony Rezko grew personally and financially.
Rezko could have donated as much as $250,000 to Obama's campaigns over the years -- much more than the $60,000 to $70,000 Obama's campaign initially estimated, Obama said..."
http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/obama/843582,obama031408a.article