GOP Southerners Fear Obama Wave

New York Times:

The sharp surge in black turnout that Senator Barack Obama has helped to generate in recent primaries and Congressional races could signal a threat this fall to the longtime Republican dominance of the South, according to politicians and voting experts.

Should Mr. Obama become the Democratic nominee, he would still have to struggle for white swing voters in the South and in border states like West Virginia, where he lost decisively to Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton in Tuesday's presidential primary. In West Virginia, where more than three-fourths of white voters chose Mrs. Clinton, 20 percent of the white voters said the race of the candidate mattered in their choice.

Read the whole story: New York Times

Comments

[watchingthings]

Instead of fear and worrying about tomorrow because of what Republicans tell them, Obama comes in like a breath of fresh air and tells them that together they can be happy. The Republican yoke needs to be dropped nation-wide....it was based on lies...like most Republican phylosophy.

[SadSong]

Ya got that exactly correct.

[VolvoBirkenstock]

Someone flushed whizzer!

[donaldw6]

Whizzer circles down the drain. Sad, sad. But fitting, somehow.

[VolvoBirkenstock]

"Call Tr0ll-O-Rooter, that's the name"

"And away go tr0ll posts down the drain"

"TR0LL0 ROOTER!"

[qdog112]

It's not just the southern GOP - it's the GOP period that FEAR Barack's movement. The GOP is on life support. They got fat and happy and while they counted their money no one sensed what was happening to the people. (or cared)

They always figured they could throw in a wedge issue or two and we would be too busy to notice our worsening conditions. NOT THIS TIME!

In typical GOP fashion they are using the south hoping to divert from the larger national picture. Things are bad for them everywhere. Recent developments in the south is a precursor for the carnage to come. Just like rich folk get police and soldiers to do their dirty work, they want the southerners to take Barack down using a racial divisive strategy.

That way they look clean. In 2 years nobody will even admit to being Republican. It;s over and not just in the South.
.

[kevenseven]

In America, self-identification by voters as being Republicans is down to 27%.

That is a 35 year low. This is going to be a historic election. Obama by 320+ electoral votes, and a landslide congress, an absolute mandate by the American people that Democrats should rule America for the next four years.

We will be out of Iraq and have universal health care before the next congressional election.

[Sneaky]

God help us if we see a political party (read: lobbyist group) as a party to rule instead of represent. A telling statement.

[ddharder]

I agree. But perhaps one advantage here would be if they were emboldened enough to hold war crimes hearings on the Bush admin. I doubt it, but I can dream can't I?

[AbstractImp]

ELEPHANT PSYCHOSIS

The bizarre belief that only republicans know what is best for America, and also for everyone else in the world.

Look at the balance sheet:

They "found" weapons of mass destruction that weren't there and so invaded Iraq.

But they can't FIND Yosama Bin Laden who IS there, and even when THEY KNOW WHERE HE IS.

Limited resources invested in Afghanistan allowed the enemy to escape into the Pakistan hills.

Massive overinvestment in Iraq, on falsified intelligence, constituting a humanitarian war cime of unfathomable proportions.

So the psychotic elephants are out in droves, trying to stampede America to STAY OFF COURE...

Bush is speaking up to deflect attention from M'Cane.

Only problem is that, whenever the Jiggle-stick in the white house speaks, HE ONLY ADDS TO THE HEAT.

Obama might win the south - undermine them from within!

GObama

[McPander]

If you live in the south....organize...register people....Obama needs to put these states in play

The Democrats under the Clinton's gave up on half the population of this country....they where wrong
There ideas are to be more Republican than republicans....Thank you Howard Dean for taking our party back.
All of America is Democratic....they just have believed the lies of Republicans

Poor people and Middle Class people struggle under the weight of the Republican Corporate party.

[kevenseven]

Triangulation sucks.

[Sneaky]

I see. And from who do you think the tax dollars will come to implement the policies Democratic candidates seem to continually push for...?

[researcher]

oh if we can only have reagan back. he would have the middle class eating out of his hands again.

pure genius. raped the middle class and they voted him into office twice. god bless him.

both demos and repubs still continue his economic policies as the middle class goes down the tubes. all they did was whine and whine.

come back reagan come back and save the repubs.

there are still a few middle class left in america. you and i know they must go. they are a wall to keep the have mores from having more. god bless you reagan.

capitalism forever baby. it is the american way. 47 million without health care. prisons overflowing. drugs everywhere. open borders. printing money like crazy. borrow from the chinese. banks going bankrupt. who cares. privatized health care.$$$$$$$$$

this is a country you can get super rich in and control the media. control the media control a nation. god bless america.

signed
a have more

[McPander]

McPander....came in with the Reagoooon revolution.....Learned his pandering tricks from a second rate actor who sold out his fellow union members to McCarthy in the 50's

Ron Regooon is it as hot as they said it will be there?

[Podewumun]

I just laughed so hard I tossed my late night snack onto the screen!!!

[stell]

A poison creates it's own antidote. The seeds of the destruction of the system of racism are sown in it. Barack Obama saw this coming before he became the presumptive nominee, the state of Georgia reportedly has 500k black unregistered voters. Obama is right when he says that a candidate must mobilize and inspire the American people. He knew that if he could consolidate the black vote, and combine it with that of justice-minded whites, Latinos, Asians, etc., that he could build a working majority, which is how you get things done.

[kfdan]

The GOP certainly has something to fear ~ they are, after all, the masters of fear mongering! Obama is riding on a wave of support for change in Washington and the GOP is at the center of the corruption, waste, and out-right idiocy that pervades Washington politics! They have much to FEAR ~ FEAR~FEAR!

[McPander]

Disagree....I hope this doesn't become democrats aren't corrupt campaign because that is not true

Its time for a change in both parties

[kevenseven]

You're not a Democrat?

[eracerx]

Look at the primary vote count numbers of the democrats and then look at the same numbers for the republican, state by state, then tell me why you think McCain will do so well in the south. The numbers are truth, mathmatics are truth - E=MC.... Listen now - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pgz_mu2FBBg

SMILE 4 Me Now!

[asemaany]

If Mc Cain scares people of Obama, Obama should also scare people of anoher war if Mc Cain gets elected. Here is an Iranian perspective on your presidential race. Take a look and promote: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iuVYlGZmtYg

[Podewumun]

HELL YES, they're scared out of what little wits they have!

We live in the "Heart of Dixie" (Nothern Alabama), and one Republican candidate for Congress, Sheryl Braswell Guthrie, has been running ads in heavy rotation during the noon news on all of our local stations. One starts out, "Obama says small-town people are bitter...". Immediately after Obama won North Carolina, the newest one begins, "A lot of people have been talking about change...".

The DNC needs to get off the pot and FIGHT FOR the South. We can't afford another Republican shellacking like they gave Harold Ford, Jr. in Tennessee. C'mon, Dr. Dean, we're counting on you!

SOUTHERN AMERICANS ARE READY FOR A CHANGE!!!

[McPander]

God Bless you

[Podewumun]

Thankee...:).

[KarateKid]

The GOP have good reasons to be fearful in addition to the signals sent by their losses in Louisiana and Mississippi.

Thanks to Barack Obama, more than 3.5 million new voters have been registered by the Democratic Party, and there is a voter registration ongoing in all 50 states, particlularly in the red states like the south. I think we'll get much more than the 1 million that is the goal. I have signed up 240 in three weeks, and there are millions more volunteering their time.

This is the backbone of Obama's campaign, along with the 1.5 million donors who have contributed over $250 million and the Obama campaign, unlike the Clinton campaign, is still flush with cash, with more coming in. The Obama campaign has been well run; how much more proof do you need that Obama is a great manager?

So, all you Republicans and Clinton supporters, still want to call Obama a wimp? We'll see you in November.

[Daisy1111]

Somewhat related -- for all those who proclaimed the Clintons as racists, I'd like to provide some background:

Bill Clinton made history when he appointed nine African Americans to cabinet posts. He also appointed Carl Stewart, the first African-American ever appointed to the Court of Appeals serving Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas.

Bill appointed hispanics, Henry Cisneros, Federico Peña, Bill Richardson to caninet posts. Plus Castillo, the first Hispanic federal judge in Illinois, and Lisi and Currie the first women to serve on the federal trial benches in their states.

Maggie Williams, currently running Hillary's campaign, served as chief of staff for Hillary Clinton when she was First Lady. Maggie Williams was the first African American woman to ever hold that position.

Patti Solis Doyle was the first female Hispanic to manage a presidential campaign, she was replaced by Maggie. Hillary hired Addisu Demissiem, a Yale graduate of Ethiopian descent, as her Political Director in Connecticut.

Hillary also hired African American Bob Nash as her deputy campaign manager. Nash had worked as the director of White House personnel for President Bill Clinton for six years. Also, Minyon Moore, former CEO of the DNC and White House advisor to Bill Clinton. Nash and Moore are two of about a dozen of African Americans in the Clinton inner circle.

[tiredofhillary]

That's all well and good. However, how do explain their tactics during these primaries? I've was a big supporter of Bill (never liked HRC much), so my feelings regarding this issue is somewhat of a surprise even for me.

As an African American woman, I was and still am very disappointed in the "white american" comment and the Jesse Jackson comment along with the way they tried to dismiss Sen. Obama's run for POTUS. There is no doubt that in the past two months, they have tried to run a divisive campaign. That has become very evident.

[McPander]

Don't worry, if she's elected the Clinton's will throw a few bones to African-Americans, then oversee the largest prison expansion in Americans history. Just like the 90's

[kennedy]

There are no tacits in your sense of the word. They have treated Obama the same way anyone running for office would treat anyone else. Did you see anyone else being treated with kid gloves or like they were a child? And if you ever really liked the Clinton's you would know that.

I want to know why you as a AA are voting for Obama? He has no experience, no ideas and no plans that are not Hillarys first.

Then why in the world would you EVER vote for this unknown???????????????

Hum??????????????

Everyone in America knows why AA are voting for Obama. Just admit it and stop making stuff up about the Clinton's.

Hillary has the experience, greats ideas and plans for our great country. But almost all AA refuse to vote for the better candidate that is right in front of your eyes. You rather sell American down the river to an unknown. Obama will NEVER put food on table for anyones family but your families don't eat do they?

[McPander]

I don't think HRC is a racist, she just plays one on TV.

Seriously, I know it disappoints her rabid followers, but "Hard working Americans, White Americans" but get over it.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/08/AR2008050802807.html

[kennedy]

McPander,

You must be so proud of your cult. You cult lovers are the rabid insane followers.

And your insulting hard working Americans, white Americans AGAIN.

You cult butt kissers get over it. You fake DEMS get out of the proud DEM party. You guys are useless. And if your cult GOD steals the nomination, us Hillary supporters and others are going to TAKE OBALIAR DOWN at the voting booths across the country. Your cult will NEVER be in charge of ANYTHING.

Real DEMS can't wait to see you frauds GONE.

[McPander]

Yes we know how they can pander for votes.

Can you provide a definition for "Sista Soldier Moment"

Clintons are Race baiter's always have been!

[deecee22]

Vote Republican again, and all the United Sates will be RED. Red with the blood of our soldiers. Homeless, Jobless, hungry, shooting and eating each other. We as a nation will never recover. Our nation will be renamed "united china".
Any woman having a miscarriage will be jail for life. All the women will be working for .25 an hour.
All those flag draped caskets you might as well writh your grandchildrens names on them.
Think about it.
Vote Bi-racial. Obama 08.

[Sneaky]

Wait, what? How will McCain, who isn't even familiar with Executive Branch powers, do all of that?

I'm thinking about it, but it's not processing. You and I must live in very different Americas.

[Podewumun]

You sound terribly naive, sneaky.
Perhaps you need to familiarize yourself with Bush's many Executive Signing Orders.

[clpasm55]

Mark my words.....the MSM doesn't get it, yet.

A little perspective--16 months ago, Obama was a nobody, freshman senator from Illinois that had no chance against the "Clinton Machine". He didn't have the name recognition, the organization, the money, the "experience", or the "Washington" know how to gain any traction. Today...well, we all know where he is today. It is only a matter of time before the the rest of the Democratic party gets behind him...not to mention disaffected Repulicans and Independents.

The differences between McCain and Obama are stark--Roe v Wade, talking to our "adversaries", a real energy policy (vs a STUPID gas tax!), looking back vs looking forward--to name a few.

At the end of the day, this election will be the continuation of the the mid-term election cycle of two years ago. Obviously, the majority was transferred, albeit marginally, to the Democratic party. But, that was a whisper of a mandate for change. This election season will finish it off..and Obama is the finishing touch to the peoples angst...and the answer to our need for change.

The MSM will pick up on this theme.....but probably not until mid-November!

[pbfishtaco]

The Republicans were counting on the dems wimping out on defense and security, but McBush has too much baggaage, Obama (and Clinton) push back immediately, and we haven't even really started exposing all his hypocrisy. Also, the GOP isn't raising $ like before, so they have a big disadvantage there as well.
Wedge issues and character assassination just isn't working for the right any more. That spot in people's brains is just deadened from the repeated stimulus of the last 15-20 years. Even my 2nd amendment-loving brother-in-law just has had it with the reactionary right.
There is such a pent up energy for change in this country. I think alot of people who are silent now are REALLY ready to respond to Obama's message, when the Corporate Media can't ignore the positive response from the general public. Let's HOPE so.