Chuck Todd: African-American Turnout Putting Deep Red States In Play (VIDEO)

Appearing on Meet the Press, NBC's Chuck Todd noted that early voting is "through the roof," and that turnout is threatening John McCain even in states that lean his way, including Georgia and North Carolina. Turnout among African-Americans might be "somewhere between 95 and 100 percent in some of these states," he noted, upturning some red-leaning southern states. According to Todd, GOP strategists are now asking, "Is South Carolina now in single digits? What's going on in Mississippi?"

Todd also said that Obama has built enough strength in other states that he can likely lose Pennsylvania, Florida, and Ohio and still get to 270 electoral votes.

Watch:

Comments

[robXdion]

Tom Brokejaw is so pathetic in his attempts to find some positive news for McCain.

[Icantbelieveher]

Here's some: I'm positive he's going to lose!

[tashekor]

Favorite quote from Brokaw on McCain's outlook going into the final week: "Still a woiyyior."

[TiffanyHusseinBanned]

He is such a jerk.

[AZvet2008]

I agree. Tim would have had McCain for breakfast AND lunch.

[stell]

Brokaw has ruined MTP. I sleep in now on Sunday mornings. It's clear that at the very least he's over compensating for the perceived bias and MSNBC. The irony is that now he is practically a McCain surrogate. If no voters are disenfranchised, this should be landslide like Reagan's in 1980. African Americans owe no one an explanation for their vote. I'm remembering how incredibly patronizing it was for H.i llary to basically say that she's letting blacks vote for Obama because she doesn't want little black kids to have an excuse not to succeed in life. When that's out of the way all of them can vote for her in 2012.

[RTIII]

The ONE thing that really struck me from this is how approaching 100% turnout among African American voters was happening.

ABOUT FRIGGEN TIME! AND, Thank You, my African-American friends, for showing the way on how it's done - ALL groups (emphasizing free-thinking, "liberal" and "progressive minded") should get out in such mass numbers, ESPECIALLY the young and those who don't like "the system."
.

[JerseyGirl4Obama]

Yes, it is about friggen time!

I do not waste my chance to vote on the memories of the ones who died trying to me me the right.

[JerseyGirl4Obama]

I meant "died trying to get me the right to vote.

[kankankan]

HuffPost's Pick

African Americans have always been saving democracy for us all, including my fellow white people.
African Americans were the only demographic that turned down Bush in 2004 consistently. Despite all the crap about religious Black folk turning republican to fight gay marriage in Ohio etc...
The Black vote was 90 percent for Kerry and its not because they felt a personal affinity for that rich WASP, its because they did not fall for Bush, they knew how bad he was for them and the country, they saw through him in away no other demogrpahic that was also hurt by Bush did. Women, Latinos, Jews, even gay people, were much for Bush than Black folks. White people are suckers for underachieving white people that seem like them rather than fairly evaluating a candidate's abilities and seeing the interests of their organization, business or country. And now Black folks get accused of voting for Obama just cause he is Black even though he is clearly a top 1 percenter in intellect and personality.
If white people just voted like Black people, we would all be better off. Thank you African Americans, for your undying activism in spite of all the things done to you and yours, for your work and for your voting choices that have done much for white folks and this country in general, thank you.

[robXdion]

*FIST BUMP* ;)

[Oregon Ivy]

At the end of the day, we all b l e ed the same color. We are all Americans. And we are finally taking back our country.

Hallelujah and amen!

[BIG JOHN]

AMEN AND HIGH FIVE.

[firewmn]

******
these guys focus on the AA vote ...but...it is much more than that..

It is the MINORITY vote......­.(Hispanic­, asian, latino, etc.. (anybody who has made to feel different) .... a cross sections of diversity who feel they now have a chance to have a bigger voice for change for them.

Barack is a President fo the ENTIRE United States...
**

[dct1999]

Agreed. They keep discussing America in terms of black and white when those days are over forever (if they ever actually existed). I think the Latino vote is going to be one of the biggest factors in this campaign.

And I hope that black people will continue to vote at such high percentages when the candidates at the top of the ticket are not black. Low black voter turnout is the reason for a lot of republican success.

[fallsgonnakillya]

I agree with the general points both of you make, and I completely agree and hope that all people of all colors will continue to exercise their rights to vote. It matters a great deal!

I do want to make a personal point too, though. That is, I'm a white middle-aged woman living in the south who is voting for the best candidate too, Barack Obama. Don't forget about us! :-)

Everybody VOTE! Don't let this one get away~

[uheardme]

Blacks hope Dems start turning out candidates that deserve a high turnout of Black voters. We can really change this thing but its going to everyone.

[luvobama]

Don't forget women!!! We give life and we want it to be peaceful and good.

[starfire426]

I absolutely agree, we AAs, even voting at 100% still would not be able to get Senator Obama across the finish line...it's taking everybody from all walks of life...every age, ethnicity, gender, religion, political affiliation etc. to make this happen.

Although I'm still "waiting to exhale" (on the evening of Nov. 4th)...I must say, I never expected to see this in my lifetime. I'm completely awed and humbled in the manner in which the greatest majority of Americans have come together in such a cohesive fashion for a common goal...to take our country back from 8 years of almost devastating ineptitude!

[TrueThis]

Everyone at that table are republicans. Please go out and vote before 11/1/2008, hopefully for Obama. Don't believe the hype! All nationalities are getting out the vote for Obama including AA. Even Robert Kennedy Jr. say that it's best to vote early rather than on 11/4 or using absentee ballotts because they can easily be thrown away or confusion at the polls.

McCain had months before Obama was the democratic nominee to prepare for the general election so don't blame Obama for opting out for not using campaign funding. Hillary should've been a big eye opener for McCain when she ran out of funds during the primary. Obama has a better campaign strategy on the ground as far as getting out the vote.

[UnderdogSRD]

Yes!!!

Fifty state sweep!!! 50 state sweep!!!

As in the last 2, the only way for Repugs is to steal it...

[firewmn]

Montana polls...

Barack 44%

McCain 40%

and Bob Barr 4%..

(Bob Barr is the McCain spoiler in Montana and we love it...!!)


Obama is turning Montana BLUE..
*

[karmagirl1061]

I keep hearing about diebold machines flipping votes from Obama to McCain, are there monitors at these poling sites? Who is monitoring the polls to help ensure our votes are counted and not stolen? I know about taking video and such but what else? Surely the DNC is aware of the early voting problems?
I have been asking this question on a lot of threads and no one has answered thus far.

[reliant1]

If it flips to the wrong party all you have to do is let a poll worker know..they will either fix the problem or give you another machine. No one has to accept a bad vote.

[NeoStar9]

I think this was only in West Virgina and maybe some places in North Carolina. Either way I'm making sure I have enough memory on my SD card in my cell phone to record my entire vote when I step up to the machine.

[starfire426]

Great idea!!! I'm taking my digital camera and doing the same...then for historical purposes, I'm uploading it to my iMac and plan to use it as my desktop wallpaper as a constant reminder of a portion of Dr. King's "dream" realized on Nov. 4th!!!

[Tenley]

I was impressed with the voting machines in Tennessee this year. You not only can clearly see who you voted for, it requires you to confirm this is your vote and once you do THEN red lights flash for you to officially place your vote.

[Icantbelieveher]

Tennessee wasn't one that republicans thought they would have to steal!!!

Obama is in Denver right now -- I'm so proud of everything he and Joe Biden are doing! And like Michelle -- I'm finally proud of my country!!!!!!! The last eight years are shameful!! Bush/McCain/Palin should be ashamed of themselves!

[hirhodes]

karmagirl1061,
From what I've read there will be monitors in the battleground states. The Obama campaign has enlisted over 2000 volunteers to go to these troubled states. Many of the volunteers are either law students or are lawyers already. I think I also read that the U.N. will be sending monitors (I'm not too sure about this though). The volunteers will mainly be there to challenge paid republicans who are there to challenge the legitimacy of some voters.

[BluePrideSMW]

Sentient being of every ethnicity are swelling the numbers, I suspect!

This is a special Moms Mabley version: Abraham, Martin & John
http://current.com/items/89450598_obama_08_abraham_martin_john

[JerseyGirl4Obama]

Very nice.

[Oregon Ivy]

We all stand in line for movies or to buy a Wii for hours on end.

Let's stand in line for America's future!

[firewmn]

Good Point..

[alvdh1]

Don't wait to stand in line, vote early if you can.

[Tenley]

Even the lines for early voting are one-hour long here. Vote!

[Whatashame]

We don't want to lose anything. We want to win them all. We're not taking any chances.

[alvdh1]

Chuck Todd, the illusionist, never ceases to amaze me with his electoral map. He has the following states as lean Obama: Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Michigan and New Hampshire.
All of these states have double digit leads for Obama in the Real Clear Politics Poll Averages. A five percent lead in the national polls is a likely landslide for Obama. A double digit lead in an individual state is a landslide for the state.

Therefore, the illusion is to make it look close when in fact the race appears over for McCain. I am in no way saying the race is over given the nonstop vicious smear and fear campaign being run by the RNC/GOP/Mc­Cain/Palin­. Real Clear Politics has the race at 309 Electoral Votes for Obama and 157 for McCain. Without the toss up states RCP has it 375 Obama and 163 McCain. FiveThirtyEight.com
has it 349 Obama to 184 McCain. At Intrade Prediction Markets an Obama contract is trading at $88
and a McCain contract is trading at $12.60.

If anyone can post Chuck Todds email address, I would appreciate it . I have not been able to find it.
I would like to discuss the disparity in the Electoral map with him.

[NeoStar9]

I think Chuck Todd is being overally cautious. He's been that way through this entire election I believe. I also wouldn't be surprised if he's taking into account a possible "Bradly effect" where people say that would vote for Obama but might not in the end. He could be factoring this in himself just to be safe and that could be why he's keep certain states as lean no matter what the polls say.

I think one should do that and apply the 5 point rule in Obama's case. Which is that he has to be 5 points ahead in order to actually be even. It might not be true in the end but to be safe that's how I look at things as to not be overconfident.

[TrueThis]

Please give whites credit that most of them will vote for Obama based on the issue than the color of his skin. I'm sick of so much division or optimist hoping that this will help McCain.

[firewmn]

Chuck... the guy who was caught off mic saying Palin was a gimmick and McCain was going o lose has no creds.
**

[reliant1]

Chuckie has been conservative thru out the primaries and general - I am never sure why. Sometimes it seems he is playing it safe but at other times I sense he is just trying to maintain the
illusion of a close race so as to keep his masters happy.

I am annoyed at times but I tell myself if it gets all the voters out - then so be it. If all the media called as being over right now - I'm sure how many would decide they didn't need to vote.

[kimhoulian]

Why is race such an issue in this race? Don't most AA vote democrat every slection year. This is a fooilsh conversation

[luvobama]

Exactly. You would think AAs had never voted. They focus on the absurd. What they should be paying attention to is the fact that record numbers of every group are voting for Obama. The other party has all but ruined our country. This has been done to all of us Americans. Not just one segment of our population.

Barack Obama is everyone's President.

[BlackMagicWoman]

TURNOUT, not party. Record turnout is happening.

[JerseyGirl4Obama]

The Media keeps the focus on race partly I think because it is definitely history in the making. But
what they should also note, is that MANY different minorities are turning out. Senator Obama can not win with just our AA vote. Look at the darned make-up of his huge crowds and that will tell you who is voting for him - EVERYONE! LOL

[Mikeeee]

They don't believe the press has treated them fairly? They're either lying or delusional.

[libratine]

Both. They believe their own lies.

[southernsepia]

This is the sleeper issue of this election. I am in NC and I can tell you every day of the early vote here is packed. Mostly African Americans in line ( when I went Wednesday the wait was 2 hrs, but we had a good time).

What an irony - the south will rise again, due to Black voters!

[NC4Obama]

Both early voting places near me have constant lines as well, in a heavy Obama area.

[Tenley]

I'm in Tennessee, a deep red state, and went to early voting Thursday -- a week into early voting here. And yet the wait was more than an hour long. I was absolutely thrilled at this fact and by the diversity. People are turning out.