Past Seven Primaries Have Seen One Million New Democrats

They lined up shoulder to shoulder inside the gray high-rise downtown, their politics as diverse as their backgrounds. An ex-felon who needs health insurance, followed by a high school student seeking empowerment, followed by a Marine Corps veteran who wants to prevent his country from crumbling.

Like hundreds of others, their quests led them to the Wake County voter services office earlier this month to register as Democrats for the first time. The line of newcomers that snaked across the checkered tile floor was emblematic of those that have formed across the country this year: black voters, young voters, lifelong Republicans switching parties -- all registering in record numbers, and all aligning as Democrats.

Elections Director Cherie Poucher waited for them behind a counter with a jar of pens and a 10-inch stack of registration forms. She had hired 10 people from a temp agency to help handle the rush on this final day of North Carolina voter registration. Now, as she watched four more people file through the door, Poucher wished she had hired more.

"In 20 years," she said, "I've never seen anything quite like it."

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[ghostofgrrrl]

let's just keep the momentum alive
no matter what happens in this Primary
all of these Dems need to show up in November

[BlueOnBlue]

One thing about the South is that bigots like Landsberg will stand right up there at Voter Services and identify themselves. Here in Pennsylvania, they won't admit it until they get in the voting booth.

[sawdustinhershoes]

This says it all. There's no question that a democrat will win the next election. These primaries are truly a contest to see who will be our next president. The republicans couldn't win if they were running Jesus Christ for prez. And McCain ain't a saint.

What's interesting is that the fanfare this HUGE ISSUE should generate is nowhere to be found. THe people of this country hate president Bush. They hate what he and the republicans have done to this country. By now, it's even evident to brain dead republicans that the administration has let corporations rule our country.

It's time for everyone with a platform to trumpet it to the masses!!. Even this blog has it at the bottom of the page for god's sake. Wake up and stop letting the MSM act like we aren't having a brillant upwelling of true democracy by the masses, BECAUSE they want to keep their beloved country intact.

[Liam]

I really hate to burst your bubble, but there are so many things in play here, there's just no way to be sure how much any one of them actually affects.

We know there are cases of Republicans, knowing that their own contest is already settled and at the behest of Rush Limbaugh, changing their registration to Democrat in order to vote in the primary and "keep things going", to keep the Democratic party in disarray, or because they believe one candidate will be easier to beat than the other.

We also know that in the early primaries, where this wasn't an issue, there was record turn-out for the Democratic primaries and not for the Republican...

So there's certainly some of what you say, but don't get too wrapped up in the inevitability of the Democratic candidate. HRC got wrapped up in her own inevitability as the candidate and it looks likely to have cost her the nomination.

Liam.

[sawdustinhershoes]

I agree. It's not like we can rest on our laurels, but people are coming out in droves to vote for democrats. It's Not because Rush the Obese Drug Addict got many people to cross over.

You know, in the 2006 elections, the same thing was happening and it was played down. Look how those elections turned out.

Another thing to remember is that McCain hasn't received nearly as much money as the democrats.

Lastly, I live in the center of Texas. The people around me ALL voted for Bush BOTH times. Those same people are telling me they'd vote for Hillary before McCain.

[nativeeyes]

MCWAR is reaching and trying to rehash this old story too..


When small minds think alike it will destroy our Country as we know it..

It's because of these small minded brainwashers, our economy is in going down the tubes..

Bush and Mcwar are twin demons for the same cause, TO STAY RICH AND YOUR POOR..

Keep the Rich, Rich and the poor, broke as he!! has work in all communist regimes and it's working here..

They don't care as long as they stay rich they will let the American people scarmble and starve.

The rest of the World is now affected by this clamity..

Get these Republicans out office before we have to ration our food supply, OPS TO LATE.. Cosco,BJ's and other box stores are NOW rationing Rice.. Corn is next and then Wheat..

And these fools are going at Rev Wright like his running for the White House.

Small minded insecure White People will be scared as hell as other minorities are saying this why our Country sucks right now..

WAKE UP IF YOU ARE REALLY AN AMERICAN.

DON'T LET THESE REPUBLICANS FOOLS TAKE YOUR MIND DOWN TO THEIR LOW LEVELS..


Wow, Billary Clintoons are Americas biggest Frauds.. They are Enron and WorldCom all wrapped into one huge LIE!!

Hillary is the poison of the Earth..


http://vodpod.com/watch/268188-tired-of-electing-thieves-liars-and-murderers-yet


This says it all....

Vile human she is...

[BoGardiner]

Do you work for John McCain? Or are you just off your meds?

You are scary.

[SaskiaStars]

70 Obama supporters, 20 Clinton supporters and 10 big-fat-idiot's wackadoos

[SaskiaStars]

meant - 70% Obama supporters; 20% Clinton supporters and 10% big-fat-idiot's wackadoos - just my opinion.

[justobserve]

"From what I can tell, if he becomes president he will refuse to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance and we will leave Iraq unprepared," Landsberg said. "I'm not going to sit at home and let that happen."
I usually see this kind of talk from Clinton's supporters. It is unbelievable that someone would pass this kind of information and really make decision based on it. If you decide to vote then at least make a well-informed vote so you don't vote for a swindler or a pathological liar.

[SaskiaStars]

It is frightening that there are people out there who think this way. What a total moron to say that the reason he wont vote for Obama is because he "wont stand for the pledge" - idiotic!!

There will always be that 20% stupid factor.

[shengirl]

"make a well informed vote"? Surely you jest. Vote for whoever appeals to your gut. The brain has nothing to do with it. America by truthiness.

[dawlishgal]

The corporate media are pandering to the terminally stupid again by insisting that it is "elitist" to pay attention and know what is going on. In PA, about 15 percent of Hillary's former supporters caught on to the fact that they were being had, and supported Obama instead, yet the media are now behaving as though it was a wipeout of Obama.

My late MIL voted for Bush because she liked Laura's hairdo better than she liked Tipper's. Of course, she had never voted for a Democrat in her entire life, and apparently nobody in her ELITIST fundamentalist senior residence had either, so she had to scrabble to find SOME/ANY reason for her stupid vote or else WHY VOTE? But at least she came to that decision on her own, without Laura going around sliming Tipper's hairdo.

[Liam]

Hmmm. Hasn't Rush Limbaugh been urging his listeners to go out and register as Democrats so they could vote for Hillary, on the grounds that she'd be easier to beat in the general, or that the longer the Democratic primary remains an open issue, the more it hurts Democrats?

Seems to me he's been doing that since at least TX.

So all these new Democrats could simply be proving that people listen to Rush, which we know. My own father-in-law hasn't uttered an original political thought in years, and wouldn't agree that the sun will rise tomorrow, if Rush said otherwise.

Liam.

[Hillrick]

Rush called it operation chaos but from what I heard from Pa is that 6 out of 10 of those switchers voted for Obama...

[Liam]

Perhaps that is so. However, it still waters down the numbers in the article. And there's still some question as to how many of the other 4 voted for HRC because they actually wanted her, and how many voted for her because Rush thinks she'd be easier to beat, or because Rush thinks it helps the Republicans for the Democrats to beat each other up as long as possible.

It would be interesting to know (not that we ever will) how some of the recent contests would have gone if it had not been for that influence. How close would PA have been, or OH, or TX, if all of those who switched parties just to screw up the Democrats had stayed Republicans?

But your point is well taken, if 6 / 10 "new Democrats" voted for Obama, then either Limbaugh isn't having that great an influence on the count of newly registered Democrats, or his people are too stupid to vote for the CORRECT Democrat when they try to follow their leader's instructions.

Liam.

Liam.

[shengirl]

Bingo. Why does the MSM keep ignoring this point?

[torrrep]

Wow. After reading some of those interviewed for this article I wouldn't be bragging about numbers registered. Here are a few points:
Felon: You can't vote
Father who circumcised baby: If you can't take care of the your kids then you have no business having them.
Student: Learn to do math. If you're spending $40 a week to drive 1.6 miles back and forth to work then there is something wrong with your car. Also, no one is forcing you to work as a receptionist at a haircut place.
Kid complaining about no money or jobs: Well if you don't have a job then you obviously don't have money. Second, you probably can't get a job because you can't read. There are plenty of jobs and plenty of trades you can learn. Why don't you learn how to read the job sites, pick up a skill or both.

It's amazing how many people claim there are no jobs when all you have to do is look. If there are no jobs in your immediate area then move. Sitting around waiting for a job to come to you will never solve your problems.

[ejay579]

torrrep

1. the article said the law in North Carolina allows felons to vote once the sentence is completed. You are the one who should learn to read. Hopefully, you will learn this while studying for your GED.

2. The guy works and the guy does not provide health insurance. The thought which occured to me is that he is working under the table or else his injury would have been covereed by workerman's compensation. So we have to arrest his employer for engaging in illegal activities first.

3. Again, study extra hard for that GED and learn to read. The article stated that it was 1.6 miles from the young lady's school to the voter registration office. It did not mention how far it is from her home to her place of employment.

4. You berate whomever for not being able to read while you seem to be challenged in this regard yourself. You go on to state that it is obvious that if one does not have a job one does not have money. Yet someone who does not have money is suppose to move to get a job. Are you volunteering to move them?

[qdog112]

Your argument is simply, "let them eat cake". Can't find a job - move. Car getting poor mileage - get a new car. Jobs are plentiful despite the actual reported numbers. Nike could have used you a while back. "Just Do It".

[AlphaDoc]

>Felon: You can't vote<

Did you actually READ the article? If so, then I am truly worried about the future of this country, and am left believing that you, too, are worried about the "fact" that Embowa won't stand for the Pledge of Allegiance. Yikes.

>It's amazing how many people claim there are no jobs when all you have to do is look.<

Finding a job that pays minimum wage with no healthcare is a whole lot easier than finding a job that pays a living wage and won't leave you broke the first time someone in your family gets sick or injured. Working 2 or 3 minimum wage jobs, only to find yourself sinking deeper and deeper into a hole has become an American nightmare.

[Annette]

Felons can vote in many states.

The rest of your tirade is every bit as ill informed.

[dadw5boys]

BE WARY!!!!!!

One of Karl Rove's plan was for Republicans to vote for Obama then for Reublican in November.

The reasoning there they can vote against Hillary TWICE!

STOP HILLARY AND STOP NATIONAL HEATH CARE!!!!!!

[Cyndee1113]

Hillary did not get national health care right the first time. What makes you think she will get it right this time.

[Liam]

Uh... I don't recall hearing that of Karl Rove.

However, we do know, clearly, that Rush Limbaugh has been urging his listeners to register as Democrats and vote for HRC.

The Rove thing, unless you have some additional information I've missed, was speculation, never confirmed.

My guess is that if anyone is benefiting from Republican "support" in the primaries, it's Clinton.

Liam.

[imusintheevening]

Limbaugh is trying to claim them as "chaos credit" but I noticed that 2.3 Dems voted for every repug in the open primaries so it seems likely the new dems are motivated by hating the current administration not "chaos"

[Liam]

Technically, the statistic isn't "2.3 Democrats for each Republican", it's "2.3 votes in the Democratic Primary for every one in the Republican one".

So both statements could be true.

I admit that in the earlier states, that overwhelming plurality of voters on the Democratic side probably was because of disapproval of the last 8 years. But that doesn't mean the race is not staying as "close" as it is because of Limbaugh supporters trying to create chaos on the Democratic side.

Liam.

[sawdustinhershoes]

Limbaugh is an illusionist. He'll make claims that simply can't be disputed, because they have nothing to do with him, and says he affected the outcome of an election. I say, dream on, Limbaugh. It is illegal, in some states, to switch parties just to vote in a primary. I don't imagine a whole lot of people are switching just because of the fat, drug addict's rantings.

Read the story. Believe the story. It's true. How can anyone live in this country today and not believe people are voting in record numbers to insure a democrat becomes the next president. Even the republicans can see Bush has sent us down the crapper.

Why would anyone believe Rush Limbaugh had anything to do with people breaking all records to vote democratic? Stop believing the propaganda.

[Liam]

I'm not believing Limbaugh's claims as to result. I'm believing (because it is factually provable) that he's been exhorting his listeners to do exactly what you say, legal or not, and I know from personal family members that there are listeners of his out there who would walk off of a cliff if Limbaugh told them not doing so would allow Liberals to gain some power in America.

And by the way, voting in record numbers in the Democratic primary does nothing to ensure that a Democrat becomes the next President, it only affects WHICH Democrat will actually be on the ballot. To actually ensure that a Democrat becomes the next President can only be done by voting in the election... and that has nothing to do with party (there's no need to change your party affiliation just to vote for someone in the other party).

We don't know how much of an effect Limbaugh has had, about all we can know for sure is that it's probably somewhere above zero but somewhere below where Limbaugh claims it is. And knowing that, we have to take stories of wild numbers of "new Democrats" in context and recognize that some of them aren't, actually.

Liam.

[Lisette]

The Dems can thank Obama for the new voters.
The Clinton's never caused new voters-ever!!

[Cyndee1113]

Lisette,

Rush Limbaugh stared operation chaos in Ohio and Texas. Obama as done an excellent job bringing in new voters.

[Lazycrockett]

K who every wrote this needs to get their facts straight or stop creating stories. Ex Felons cant vote.

[qdog112]

Felon voting rights is determined state by state. Look it up.

[Lazycrockett]

my bad nevermind

[fignozzle]

WE THE PEOPLE!

[going2ireland]

All of this is absolutely no thanks to Hillary Clinton.

Yet she feels she is entitled to all of those new voters who registered BECAUSE of Obama.

[Liam]

Um...

I don't believe most of them are "new voters". They're "new Democrats". There's a difference.

Yes, there are a lot of new voters coming out Democratic, and most of them seem to be going for Obama, from what I've read.

But there are also a lot of new Democrats (previous Republicans) coming out and they seem to be largely voting for Clinton. At a time when Rush Limbaugh is urging his listeners to keep the Democrats in disarray and perhaps even give a win to Clinton, because she'll be easier for McCain to beat in November.

Liam.

[DemocraticRN]

This is politics at any cost. Read this before you decide.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/01/magazine/01axelrod.t.html?_r=1&oref=slogin&pagewanted=all
Published: April 1, 2007
When Barack Obama decided in January that he would run for president in 2008 and quietly began calling up his staff members and close supporters to tell them so, the choice had many effects, but one of the most immediate and parochial was that it sent Obama"s chief political and media adviser, a Chicago consultant named David Axelrod, into his editing studio. For four years Axelrod has had camera crews tracking virtually everything Obama has done in public " chatting up World War II vets in southern Illinois, visiting his father"s ancestral village in western Kenya " and there were days when the camera crews have outnumbered the civilians.

[going2ireland]

What is your point? Or is there one???