Carolina Blues: Democrats Can Lose It All In The Tarheel State
In the 2004 general election, George W. Bush carried North Carolina, garnering all of the red state's electoral votes. But he didn't win without a fight. Not by a long shot. There was a significant region of Carolina Blue: John Kerry, with 52 percent of the vote, won the densely populated Charlotte metro area.
Sprawling over most of Mecklenburg County, home to Bank of America, Wachovia and much of NASCAR's motorsports industry, Charlotte is the largest city in North Carolina. With an estimated 2,491,650 Tarheels living in the metropolitan area, the Queen City is the 17th largest city in the nation. Charlotteans are independent as hell. Plenty of them are even true blue liberals.
Post-Pennsylvania primary, North Carolinians will have their say about which Democrat will face John McCain in the real race for the White House. The one that ends with "Hail to the Chief." Prevailing wisdom and pollsters tell us Barack Obama is in the lead here. He's expected to win the majority of North Carolina's Democratic delegates.
Not all the news, however, bodes well for the Democratic Party. Or for Obama.
John F. is an executive assistant with one of Charlotte's busiest hotels. He's a liberal, born and raised in the Carolinas. He works with a staff of about fifty women, many of them in sales and catering or administrative positions. They are all, he says, liberals. Every one of them. They are working single women, working wives and mothers. They're an ethnically diverse group of women, all of whom have attended college. Most of them are college graduates.
"As far as I know," he says, "these women are among those Charlotteans who voted Kerry in 2004. They've been Clinton supporters--100 percent behind her. She's a woman. She's a smart woman. She had 'the experience' to do the job."
There seemed to be a kind of stick-to-it solidarity. But something changed. "Things turned," John says. The desperate, angry tone of the Clinton campaign didn't sit well. Rather than positive talk of Hillary's experience, there was murmuring about "What experience?" There was restlessness in the Southern ranks.
Then candidate Clinton "misspoke" about snipers in Tuzla, was exposed for telling a whopper and these North Carolina women turned off altogether. "She lied," John said, "and when it was clear she had lied to them, Clinton support was gone. Gone. They said they couldn't trust her. That hasn't changed. They won't go back."
They turned to Obama. "I think they really did for a while get very excited--inspired by what Obama had to say," John continued. "But the Jeremiah Wright uproar followed so closely on the Tuzla disaster. Now they don't particularly like Obama, either."
"Were they that deeply offended by the things Reverend Wright said?" I asked John. "Do they really believe he's some kind of militant black separatist and that Senator Obama is guilty by association?"
John says that's not the case. These women had believed, wholeheartedly, in Hillary Rodham Clinton and she lied to them. They felt betrayed. Jeremiah Wright's words were not what soured them on Barack Obama. They felt, John said, that Obama had not been completely honest when he claimed he'd never heard, in nearly twenty years of Sundays spent at Trinity Church of Christ, that kind of hateful message from the pulpit. After their disappointment in Hillary, it was all too easy to mistrust--and abandon--Obama.
Once burned, twice shy. It seems Hillary Clinton may have poisoned the veracity well. Fifty Democratic Charlotte women are now saying "We can't trust either one of them."
I asked John about the possibility of racism. "No way," he answered. "Race has never been, and is not now, an issue with them. It's trust." Had he ever heard them refer to Obama as a Muslim? The answer to that was a definite no, as well. They believe the senator from Illinois is a Christian. The "BitterGate" misstep? It, too, is a non-issue.
"So," I asked, "what are they going to do now?"
"Believe it or not," John answered, "some may not vote at all. Primary season has really turned them off. Others are saying McCain is looking better and better. They don't like his stance on the war or the economy--or on much else. But they feel that he, at least, hasn't lied to them. There's been no bad press about him, no sound-bites about lies."
I had one final question: "Then what about the media's responsibility in all this?"
John laughed. "Hasn't it occurred to you that the whole election process is media-led? They put it out there--the sound-bite campaign--and the voters just follow along. Who do you think picks a new president?"
What could go wrong in North Carolina? Bush is unpopular. So is the war. The economy is bad. McCain represents more of the same policies that got us here and few deny it. Carolina Blue should be the color du jour. But Democratic primary season, like Ben Franklin's "fish and visitors", has overstayed its welcome and begins to smell rank. Stir in a little irresponsible, sensationalized media coverage (on the Dem side), a heaping handful of media neglect (on the GOP/McCain side) and you'll find Tarheels seeing red. Sadly, you may be apt to find a surprising number of true blue North Carolina liberals among them.
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There are over 82,000 new registered Dems in NC. 6700 in Durham County alone. When I went to our county convention only 2 delegate candidates were for Clinton. She will get CRUSHED in NC.
McSame just voted against Women's equal pay because their recourse would be used, their ability to sue employer for abuse. That is exactly what Women are looking for in a president someone who can control them... well, I think NOT.
This story is a little short on facts and long on conclusions. Looking at the polls going back several months, it appears that the number of undecideds has steadily decreased. I do agree that television news services do a disservice to the American public.
Oh, and just one thought for America's voters; I'm sure Jesus wouldn't mind if you sit this election out and do nothing to end this war. I'm sure that Jesus would understand not getting involved, not going out on a limb, not speaking and working for peace. What Christian duty? Hint: hypocrites don't need to feel or do anything.
John McCainn hasn't lied...maybe not, but what he has said is worse than a lie. Continuing the occupation of a country we wrongfully invaded, while our young men and women in uniform die, while innocent Iraqis continue to get killed. Hell, we may even stay for 100 YEARS! I understand the importance of the truth, and in McCains case, the truth stinks.
vote OBAMA!
Linda Hansen here.
Let me address a few issues at once:
These women are bright, hardworking, ambitious liberals. They are neither unintelligent nor "hiding behind" a superior (male) in the workplace. John F. works with them--they do not work for him. It is an extremely close group of co-workers. Many of them are in sales/PR. Clients include big businesses. So, they will remain anonymous. They owe no apologies.
Like many American women, this group responded positively to the notion of a woman in the White House. This "discussion" has been going on for months. The Tuzla debacle--and the fact that their candidate would lie about such a thing--hit hard.
Point of story: A "little" dishonesty (HRC calls it "mispeaking", her surrogates call it "an honest mistake") goes a long way. And so does a campaign gone negative coupled with a scurrilous media. There's plenty of blame to go around.
Everyone should get off this bus until apologies and disclosure are made.
As a resident of Charlotte I can tell you that there is tremendous support for Barack here. We had over 700 volunteers who showed up the day that HQ opened. It is not nearly as dire as the writer makes it sound. Most voters who have an issue about Wright are republicans who would not have voted democrat anyway. Barack is going to carry Mecklenburg County, the only question is by how much. As far as North Carolina being a Red State...well guess what we now have more registered democrats than republicans in NC we just might become a blue state again.
One has to hope that most of the people who are irritated at the on-going soap opera of the primary season will remember, in November, that they can vote FOR their economic interests or AGAINST THEM. Things will not get better with McBombBomb as president, and it's likely they'll get a lot worse. What will it take to wake people up about the failed economic policies of the Republicans? Another Hoover and another 1929?
Carolina, don't fail us! Louisiana voted for Obama so so long ago, and she is still in our face! I'm Irish Catholic and middle-aged to boot. He's won me over. We do want a female president, just not this female
"They turned to Obama. 'I think they really did for a while get very excited--inspired by what Obama had to say,' John continued. 'But the Jeremiah Wright uproar followed so closely on the Tuzla disaster. Now they don't particularly like Obama, either.'"
Except the Tulza disaster happened after the Jeremiah Wright uproar, not before.
What this means, I don't know, but the account doesn't jive with reality.
One wonders (one does) why such hearsay is being reported anyway. Why not just ask these women what they experienced instead of asking the only man in the room to interpret it?
I mean, let's hope this is an interpretation and not as sign of the mass cognitive dissonance of the woman of North Carolina.
Not to worry North Carolina, the Carolina Blues are going to win big - Obama is the leader for all of us, including the rest of the world. If the ladies are looking for the truth then they need to view the entire video of Reverend Wright, not the bloody soundbite that has enraptured all the dumbells who gave up thinking and individuality long ago.
If the truth matters uppermost to the North Carolinians, then I am moving there yesterday! I want to be where the value system is based on truth, wisdom and sanity, kindness and love. The Clinton lies live in all of her stories which don't begin and end only with Bosnia jive. The thought anyone would excuse her vile practices and tactics as a joke or clever attack is INSANE. Now she is willing to BOMB IRAN??????? This does not a world leader make.....she abused her husbands power in office in the 90's - she favors illegal strategy for any gain she is seeking, even votes!
And they will vote against Sen. Obama so McCain can reverse ROE .V. so be it.. We have got somthing going on, the first President who beleive in the people.
I hope all those women working in that hotel have sons to give to this country.
Cause the Hill is going after Iran....along w/Bush/Cheney War Inc.
NC, IN & PA are three of the most populous & diverse states in the Union, and the Dems are crying & whining about them having a say in the primaries. I can never remember NC even having a meaningful primary.
This nonsense of Iowa & New Hampshire "setting the stage" for the rest of us has gone on too long; the whole process needs to be redone.
Hey Nebraska you don't count no more than florida and Mi! Niether, does any other states that Obama won! Only the states that Hillary Won really counted you see! Thats what I hear from the Clintons every time I turn around! This is getting just stupid! Now s.carolina was very important to them untill of course they lost that state, too! It"s Just tearing the party apart! The Ben Laden Ad was a scare terrorist tactic that is right out of the Republicans book! I think Hillary should be ashaned of herself and what she is doing to this proud party! If I was a delegate, I wouldn't put up with it any more! I'd do what Richards did and state that very reason! If I want to be terrorized on my tv set every time I see a ad all I have to do is watch the murders in Iraq war that Hillary voted for and helped instagate and where she helped kill over 4,ooo military people and now talk about bomb bomb or was it ablitherate Iran? Ya, our bomb bomb Iran Mccain is now Bomb bomb Iran Clinton! Same agenda!
"I can never remember NC even having a meaningful primary."
I can. 1972. Everett Jordan wanted one more term as Senator but Nick Galifinakis was too in love with himself to think of party and state first, so he opposed Jordan in the primary, winning it, but making the election of Jesse Helms inevitable.
I live in North Carolina.
I'd be happy to not hold a primary if it meant that a Democrat wins in November. Priorities are important.
And your source is John F., an executive assistant with one of Charlotte's busiest hotels. Who cares?
The media is run by white men. I rest my case.
ok Nora
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