Young Voters Help Obama Turn Palmetto Purple

Barack Obama swept to victory here in South Carolina, giving this once-red state a purple hue. Over 520,000 people voted tonight in the Democratic primary - walloping the turnout of 440,000 voters in last week's Republican primary. Barack Obama earned more votes tonight than were cast for all candidates combined in the 2004 Democratic primary.

By winning a Southern state by an overwhelming margin, in the face of opposition from the venerable establishment, a populist native son (John Edwards), the longtime favorite (Senator Clinton), and the former President of the United States (Bill Clinton), Barack Obama earned a historic victory.
While much was made of the race and gender politics this week, it was Obama's investment in young people that helped win the day. With the establishment supporting Clinton, Obama had to build his own grassroots army. He found willing recruits among young people.

We discussed this yesterday at an inspiring campaign boot camp for about 50 aspiring leaders at South Carolina Democratic Party HQ. When Palmetto State native son Donnie Fowler and I talked about how Democrats utilized house meetings to win Congress in 2006, we were told that the Obama campaign had introduced a house meeting strategy to South Carolina in 2007. They worked across the state, encouraging people to bring friends together, watch a DVD, and discuss the candidate's position on the issues. They used new technology to text their friends and mobilize online social networks. Recruiting volunteers through volunteers was bottom-up management that worked, propelling Obama to victory and driving the largest Democratic primary turnout in South Carolina history. For the next 8 months, state chair Carol Fowler and her team will be harnessing this positive new energy for change into support for the Democratic ticket up and down the ballot, driving the national vote for change.

Going forward to Super Tuesday, let's hope all campaigns will ride the energy of turning palmetto purple. Take a lesson from House Democratic Whip James Clyburn and "chill." Tell those surrogates to halt; to put aside the politics of personal destruction and lift up the aspirations of the American people. Inspire young and young-at-heart people to leadership roles in your campaigns. Don't drive us to cynicism - invest in our power to shape the future. Our cell phones are on - we're waiting for your text.

Follow Christine Pelosi on Twitter: www.twitter.com/sfpelosi

Comments

[LeonBNJ]

That Sen. Obama seems to have a base in those under 30 including whites, suggests that they are far more accepting of Blacks in general i their lives. Unlike those over 30, they saw more blacks become part of the middle class, more likely to be in suburban communites, more likely to be in their college class. They are less likely to see blacks as negative stereotypes as previous generations. Those under 30 are more likey to have blacks as fellow employees in the same positions they have and there as fully qualified, not due to affirmative action pressures.
Sen. Obama also is selling hope not a rerun of a Clinton Presidency with all of it's terrible flaws. He speaks in a way that under 30's feel comfortable with and not down to them, citing issues they are concerned with.

[krissymax]

I wish they would post the actual numbers here. I have heard that African American voters represented over half the vote and that Obama won at leat 81% with Clinton received 17% and Edwards 2% of the African American vote. I also understand that African Americans represent 20% of the vote in the General Election. What were the other numbers. Clearly race was a factor in this election as gender usually is tipping toward Hillary. Does anyone know where to find the total breakdown??

[stillrockin]

Hi Christine,
Do you have any pull with your mom? If so, please ask her to start doing what she was elected to do: end the occupation of Iraq.

[jpginla]

Granted, Bill Clinton is a powerful presence, as any ex-president might be expected to be, but to say that Obama ran "in the face of opposition from" Bill Clinton in addition to Hillary Clinton and John Edwards is sort of belaboring the point. The voters didn't have the opportunity to choose Bill, after all.

[BUSHsurvivor]

With all due respect, have you seen the voter breakdown in South Carolina?