Mark Penn: Obama Independent Support Would "Evaporate" In General Election

Election Central:

On a conference call with reporters just now, Hillary pollster Mark Penn sought to make the case for her electability by dredging up bad memories of the GOP and right-wing media's successful efforts to redefine Al Gore and John Kerry, arguing that Hillary wouldn't succumb to such tactics....

...Penn said that Hillary has "withstood" this process, while Obama would find that his independent support "would evaporate relatively quickly once he faced the Republicans." Penn added that the GOP "is already playing the national security card against Obama."

Read the whole story: Election Central

Comments

[afrochic]

Penn said that Hillary has "withstood" this process, while Obama would find that his independent support "would evaporate relatively quickly once he faced the Republican­s."


His support would evaporate, kinda like her support did to him?

[GhiaccioPronto]

Penn is correct that they will play the old surrender card. It has always worked going back to HHH and McGovern, and Kerry. That is why they have consolidated around a militarist, and gung ho nationalist. They will use it against either HRC or BHO.

I think either Democrat will win this time, but it does worry me.

[Lalo]

For once, he's totally right

[ReasonIsMyReligion]

Good in depth article from American Demographics on Independents (2004):

Bear in mind, this was 2004. I dare say the indpendents may have moved farther "left" since then:

"The bad news for conservatives is that a majority of independents line up on the liberal-to-moderate side of the ideological spectrum. Twenty-one percent of independents in the Zogby poll described themselves as liberal or progressive, while 37 percent called themselves moderates. In contrast, 30 percent of independents describe their politics as conservative, with only 4 percent calling themselves "very conservative" or libertarian.

Zogby asserts that the polls indicate independents are trending more liberal in this election year as opposed to 2000."

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m4021/is_3_26/ai_114558708/pg_1

[GhiaccioPronto]

I smoked the zogby, but I didn't inhale.

[Ides]

"And in the 1990s, Bill Clinton infuriated traditional liberals but won the presidency twice by appealing to the socially moderate, fiscally conservative instincts of suburban soccer moms."


And Bill Clinton won election with only 43% of the vote in 1992 and 49% in 1996. Translation: more than half of the electorate refused to vote for him.

[Bushgirlsgonewild]

.


Because of Perot - otherwise he would have gotten a majority.

In 1992, most of the elctorate were fed up with Reagan / Bush so Perot got a lot of votes.

In 1996, Bill got more votes that Dole andPerot together.

Bill still won.

[mommadona]

Another truly "Bob Shrum" moment.

Truly.

[lungfish]

If Obama can handle HRCs slime game, he can handle the GOP who are simply transparently slimey.
I gave HRC a chance to prove some things about herself and she certainly did. She proved to me that she is a career politician with no principles. Her evasion on the war vote, her claim of "35 years experience" that turned out to be corporate pandering, her lack of a backbone in confronting the Cheney regime, etc have pushed me away from her camp. I would vote for a shit fly before I would vote for her.

Not that Obama has much to offer other than the hope that he won't be as bad as Dubya and HRC have already proven to be.

In a perfect world principled candidates would be there for our vote but the DNC and the RNC will have nothing to do with principles. Too much money at stake, too many special interests, too much of all the wrong stuff wrapped in a flag and touted as "American".

If I could vote for someone who could actually damage both parties I would but its either a vote for the neo-Neocon McCain or one of the two "sanctioned" Dem candidates­... "when choosing between to weavels, always choose the lesser."..­..

[horacekent]

Obama is whoop'in up on the Clintons pretty good - yet Hillary's questioning wether Barack could handle McCain & the republicans.

I think Billary should concern themselves with the fight their LOSING RIGHT NOW, instead of shrilling about how they 'won't get knocked-out' & 'are ready to take on McCain anywhere, anytime".

The Billary campaign is getting its clock cleaned by the junior senator from Illinois.

My advice to them - Get up off the ground, pick you teeth up, & get ready for some more a$$ whoop'in from Barack.

Go Obama!!

[pollster08]

Poor thing. Now they are just saying anything. If anything Obamas Independent vote will INCREASE during the general. He has more time to get to know more people one on one. He will put MCcain to shame just by standing next to him at a Debate....­lol. It will be just like Kennedy and Nixon.....

[NCYvonne]

Obama currently has a lot of Independent support. Penn says it will evaporate in the general. Clinton currently has *no* independent support, so does that mean she will get negative 15% independent support in the general? I'm confused.

[Seattlelite]

So right, Clinton doesn't have the independent to even lose.

See this is the lame stuff the Clinton camp has to come up with, they've tried the republican dirty game book but it back fired on them. Kind of nice for a change -- they have to fight on the issues. But sorry try again this is not one.

[zendem1]

Mark Penn is no Karl Rove. He's all the fat, but half the political brains. Pay him no heed. He's overpaid Hill Swill. Marky needs to shut up, cut out the carbs, and worry more about his candidate and less about the cameras.

[geobushono]

Yeah mark......­..many of us actually went to the open housing marches...­..and the civil rights marches...­.....and yeah mark, we know a bigot when we find one. You are the disgraceful wing of my Democratic Party. We hear you loud and clear.

Obama 08

[ProudNeoCon]

I am having fun. When Republicans where talking how currupt Clintons are, the liberal democrats were crying "right-wing conspiracy". Now they see it for themselves Clintons in action.

Fight Democrats fight...

[zendem1]

Hmm.."Repu­blicans where talking how.." Your screenname says it all. Why not change it to "imafuckin­gmoronandi­suck", and spare the translation?

[ProudNeoCon]

wow - how mature... And to think that you can vote...

[joselopez]

MARK PENN SHOULD BE FIRED. HE IS TOO STUPID. His argument against Obama is that the indpendent voters may (he says will) leave Obama. How can you use that argument when Hillary Clinton has shown she could not win the independent voter in any contest so far. MAKES NO SENSE!!!!

[Bushgirlsgonewild]

.

"Currupt"?

You can't even spell it.

If you've been reading about the retardicans for the past 7 years, you should have learned how to spell it by now.

.

.

[ProudNeoCon]

ESL

[TerryFL]

.

Would you buy a used car from Mark Penn ?

.

[mrJJ]

Yeps Indepents just love the idea that Sen Hillary Clinton gave Bubble Boy Bush the authority to take military action in Iraq...

Disappear? you mean like these poor kids??

Sen Clinton downplays everything especially her Vote to take military action in Iraq...

To Date the DOD confimes a total of 3960 Dead US Troopers in Iraq & an additional 28770 maimed and injured US Troopers.

http://icasualties.org/oif/

[horacekent]

Mark Penn is the love child of,

Eddie Haskell & Fat Bastard (from Austin Powers fame).

[illinoisan]

LOL! I love any allusion to Eddie Haskell.

"That's a lovely housecoat you're wearing, Mrs. Clinton."

[horacekent]

Mark Penn is the love child of,

Eddie Haskell & Fat Bastad (from Austin Powers fame).