Read more reactions from Huffington Post bloggers to the Pennsylvania Primary
Hillary Clinton won Pennsylvania, but many Democratic primary voters say they'll vote for McCain in November.
So get ready for lots of chatter about this PA exit polling from Tuesday:
In a Clinton-McCain race, 11 percent of primary voters say they'd back McCain.
In an Obama-McCain race, 15 percent of primary voters say they'd back McCain.
The Times trumpets these McCain voters in today's article about the "bruising" of the Democratic Party -- though only in reference to Obama:
About 15 percent of Democratic voters said they would vote for Mr. McCain over Mr. Obama in a general election.
Curiously, the article does not provide the same comparison for Clinton. If it did, the data would sound something like:
About 11 percent of Democratic voters said they would vote for Mr. McCain over Ms. Clinton in a general election.
But even if you equal out the coverage, these numbers are probably overblown, anyway. As you can see below, this hypothetical "support" for McCain is mostly comprised of voters unhappy with a question about their candidate losing. For example, in the Clinton match-up, two out of every three McCain voters are current Obama supporters. It would be highly unusual for so many Democratic primary voters to actually back the GOP candidate. (How many Obama supporters do you know who would pull the lever for McCain?) Maybe emotions just run high when you waltz out of the voting booth and find a pollster. Voters are obviously divided in this campaign, but exit polling is no guarantee for what the electorate will do after months of an actual race against McCain.
Photo Credit: Trebonius
Read more reactions from Huffington Post bloggers to the Pennsylvania Primary
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But please don't be taken in by the idea that ANY of the people currently running for President are actually telling you the truth about the problems we face in America or what we realistically need to do to begin to solve those problems. Obama came dangerously close the other night in the ABC debate while answering a question from Gibson about increasing the Social Security (payroll tax) witholding cutoff for people making more that $100K. He actually started to make the comment that "you don't get something for nothing" but fortunately Gibson interrupted him before he could finish the thought. I fear that most of us are unwilling or unable to make the sacrifices that will be needed no matter who the winner is in November. We have met the enemy and it is us.
The best argument against democracy is a five minute conversation with the average voter. ...
Winston Churchill
If Hillary wins Obama should only give her as much support as the Clintons gave to Kerry and Gore.
69% of Obama supporters would vote for Clinton whereas only 53% of Clinton supporters woild vote for Obama. That is the exit data from PA . And it is consisent with other polls. In Massachusetts Obama is in a dead heat with McCain while Clinton whacks McCain. Massachusetts!
Electoral College scenarios should Clinton winning 290-330 electoral votes. Obama winning 240-260. You need 270 to win. The creative class is really kind of obtuse. You don't seem to understand working class people. You call us racists for voting for Clinton and never actually might consider that we prefer Clinton. You're arrogant just like Obama. Face it, the luster is off and the wheels are coming off which is why you are clinging to your math just like we cling to guns and religion.
Unfortunately, we understand all too well the preferences of the group of people who gave us Bush, twice. I am not particulary wild about Obama myself, but fully realize that he is the best of a bad situation. Apparently "working class people" cannot figure out that much...again. Perhaps we need the total economic collapse that is on the horizon to get your demographic to understand that it is not all about foolhardy, anti-social toughness and who you want to have a beer with.
http://www.bostonherald.com/news/opinion/op_ed/view.bg?articleid=1088709&format=text
http://www.bythefault.com/2008/04/23/clintons-supporters-hardening/
http://www.washingtontimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080423/NATION/956430340/1001
Pulling lever for Clinton or McCain!
As to your point: Clinton I ran as a liberal Dem and governed as a conservative Dem/liberal Republican. Clinton II stole Edwards' platform and routinely votes with the Republican caucus on the very issues that have brought us to "where we are today." What gives you the impression that her rhetoric trumps her actions? History would seem to prove otherwise. I wasn't complicit for the last eight years, I will not be complicit in the next Clinton Presidency.
Simply not voting is not an option for me. It never has been.
As a Obama supporter with Pennsylvania working class relatives who voted for Nixon in '72, the class divide in the DP is still there, lemme tell 'ya.
Carol
Hillary's vote would not have stopped the war Bush wanted and if Obama had been in the Senate at the time his vote would not have stopped it either. He would have considered public opinion just like Biden, Edwards, Dodd and every Senator who wanted to run for president. He was not in the Senate at the time, he was a local politician still.
There is no difference in foreign policy between the two parties, it is only the difference of stupid and smart. Morality in politics is another question.
I support Hillary but not because she is a woman. I believe she is capable and Obama will have 8years to grow some more and run again and be the first black president.
There is a big difference between McCain and Hillary, she stands for Democratic policies and he stands for nothing but tax cuts and war. Should be an easy choice, Hillary or Obama but no way McCain.
This process can often sound like an American Idol contest. We chose sides and, when our "idol" loses, we HATE the one who beat them. So, as a culture, it's time to GROW THE F*** UP!
Was he honest when he said the bush tax cuts offended him? Or is he honest when he said he wants to keep them in place.
Just needed to clear that up. McCain at one time may have been honest, but he's under the hood of the far right now, and that straight talk express has crashed and burned.