Quote Of The Day: On Clinton, Obama And Democratic Disunity
From blogger columnist Dick Polman:
Now, Clinton and Obama will inflict themselves on the voters of Indiana and North Carolina and continue to make themselves less attractive to the general electorate. Obama’s weakness among working-class whites – glaringly exposed in Pennsylvania – raise questions about his viability in Rust Belt swing states. Clinton’s incessant attacks may have helped her win Ohio and Pennsylvania, but they have come at a price – driving up her negatives in the national polls, broadening the perception that she is untrustworthy, and generally damaging her standing with independents who like McCain already.
And the longer Obama and Clinton battle, the more invested in victory – and resistant to unity – their partisans will become. Right now, as many as 25 percent are vowing to support McCain or stay home in November if their candidate is denied the nomination. Some of that is probably just angry talk, the kind that is cheap in April. I suspect we’ll know more in June. If the primary season concludes with a scintilla of clarity, perhaps the fence-sitting superdelegates will tilt decisively and end this thing.
But if there is no clarity in June, and if (for example) Clinton spends the summer grasping and clawing at a wounded Obama, like the Terminator after its skin had been stripped and its legs blown off . . . well, we know what could happen at convention time, and beyond.
Democrats are probably in no mood to take advice from a founding Republican, but Abe Lincoln’s famous warning to the nation seems apt at the moment. He said, “A house divided against itself cannot stand.” And he would know. He was instrumental in consigning the fractious Whigs to the dustbin of history.
3 Responses to “Quote Of The Day: On Clinton, Obama And Democratic Disunity”
[...] Michael Luo wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptQuote Of The Day: On Clinton, Obama And Democratic Disunity April 27th, 2008 by JOE GANDELMAN, Editor-In-Chief From blogger columnist Dick Polman: Now, Clinton and Obama will inflict themselves on the voters of Indiana and North Carolina and continue to make themselves less attractive to the general electorate. Obama’s weakness among working-class whites – glaringly exposed in Pennsylvania – raise questions about his viability in Rust Belt swing states. Clinton’s incessant attacks may have [...]
[...] The Moderate Voice – Domestic and international news analysis, irreverent comments, original reporti… wrote an interesting post today on Quote Of The Day: On Clinton, Obama And Democratic DisunityHere’s a quick excerptQuote Of The Day: On Clinton, Obama And Democratic Disunity April 27th, 2008 by JOE GANDELMAN, Editor-In-Chief From blogger columnist Dick Polman: Now, Clinton and Obama will inflict themselves on the voters of Indiana and North Carolina and continue to make themselves less attractive to the general electorate. Obama’s weakness among working-class whites – glaringly exposed in Pennsylvania – raise questions about his viability in Rust Belt swing states. Clinton’s incessant attacks may have [...]
I like Dick Polman a lot, but I get tired of all the Rust Belt state talk. Does anybody think Hillary Clinton can win PA or OH or MI while getting only 55% of the black vote? It's as if white working class voters are the only voters that matter there.
Here is the formula for winning those states:
1. Absolutely dominate among black voters – at least 88%. And get high turnout.
2. Win at least 65% of single white women.
3. Win at least 55% of working class married white women.
4. Win over 50% of Independents.
5. Win at least 45% of white union male voters.
6. Win at least 35% of white men overall.
You need to do all these things to win in all three states as a Democrat – especially in Ohio.