The Firewall: Obama Wins NC primary

During a week of reverberations over the sayings of Reverend Wright, the political calculus in Clintonland hopefully reckoned that white voters would swiftly abandon the good ship Obama in a flight of fear following a paroxysm of soul-searching racial uncertainty.

The highly paid strategists of the Clinton campaign sharpened their pencils and carefully calculated their arcane political equations. Following a series of deft tactical maneuvers designed to manufacture a withering crisis, the MSM would subject Obama to another week on the defensive against the phantasmagorical sayings of Rev. Wright following his madcap spree of ill-advised press conferences manufactured to stimulate the undercurrents of racial intolerance still roiling just beneath the surface tension of America.

The Clintonian rationale for this round of "strategy" was at once stark and simple. The Reverend Wright machinations would be especially effective in the Jim Crow-obsessed South and that great state of Indiana, once the home of the national headquarters of the Ku Klux Klan where 30% of the white male population donned the iconic white hoods and robes of the Rolls Royce of race baiting organizations to march 500,000 strong down Pennsylvania Avenue proudly brandishing banners proclaiming their brand of lily white masculine supremacy.

The Clinton campaign's happy coincidence was simplicity itself for the North Carolina and Indiana primaries fell on the very same date. This miraculous synchronicity provided the sacred crucible for the latest media-driven experiment in race-baiting. In gambling terms - and that is precisely what the strategists were doing - they bet the house on the Reverend Wright gambit and then rolled the proverbial dice.

The results are now in hand. The latest CBS-New York Times poll indicates that Obama's support has held relatively firm in spite of the provocative statements of Reverend Wright. The majority of Democrats are now satisfied with Obama's handling of his former pastor.

Even more importantly, the early voting results in North Carolina suggest that Obama will carry that Southern state decisively. According to analyses from North Carolina's political experts, Obama is trouncing Clinton via a new and unanticipated surge in black turnout that was almost certainly triggered by the massive MSM overreaction to the stage-managed appearances of Reverend Wright.

In a nutshell, the Reverend Wright strategy backfired. Polls indicate that the early voting in Indiana is heaviest in counties where Obama has commanding leads. While Indiana is another "open primary" state, and Rush Limbaugh's legions of followers could effect yet another Clinton upset via Operation Chaos, it will not matter.

With a population of nearly nine million, North Carolina is the very last large state to hold its primary this year. If Hillary Clinton had upset Obama in North Carolina, the nomination calculus could have been rewritten. The Clintons mustered the governor, Mike Easley, to endorse her campaign last week in hopes of creating a surge of "white flight." The Clintons said that Easley's endorsement was politically significant especially with white, working class voters, but the final tally is not even going to be close.

That sagacious North Carolina Congressman, G. K. Butterfield kindly warned the Clintons that they were in danger of permanently alienating the black vote. Between Governor Easley (now serving the final months of his last year in office) and the eloquent Congressman Butterfield, it is simply no contest. The trophy goes to Butterfield for intelligent candor.

The Southern state of North Carolina is going to be remembered as Barack Obama's firewall against the latest gasp of the politics of racial intolerance. The state that gave us the now rather unfashionable James K. Polk of manifest destiny fame who presaged the neoconservative visions of Leo Stern and William Kristol and Andrew Johnson who preceded Bill Clinton in the annals of impeachment, is also the home of Terry Sanford who nominated JFK and Sam J. Ervin, Jr. who removed Richard Nixon from his high office.

The Clinton calculus now goes into overdrive and moves into parliamentary procedure and resorts to Roberts Rules of Order to seat the outlaw delegations from Michigan and Florida. Hillary Clinton is winding down her campaign with hopes for minor state wins in West Virginia and Kentucky while Obama will roll on to win the majority of delegates in the remaining states.

In North Carolina, the last large state to cast its votes this primary season, Obama's firewall holds in the South, and none other than Dick Morris says that his nomination is now bankable.

Follow Michael Carmichael on Twitter: www.twitter.com/alchemistoxford

Comments

[LeeinJax]

Thank you Michael. Your post buoyed me up during a tense afternoon, and I appreciate it.

[XCITIZEN]

By the way, you are a great writer.

"Following a series of deft tactical maneuvers designed to manufacture a withering crisis, the MSM would subject Obama to another week on the defensive against the phantasmagorical sayings of Rev. Wright following his madcap spree of ill-advised press conferences manufactured to stimulate the undercurrents of racial intolerance still roiling just beneath the surface tension of America."

A flawless sentence that goes on for an entire paragraph. So rare nowadays, and so nice!

[THINKB4USPEAK]

Havig thought, now I will "speak". Blacks tend to support Obama. Wow' there's a stop-the presses newsflash... Just in case it escaped anyone's attention, being so busy mortgaging their home to buy a gallon of gas, racism, sexism, and all thse "isms" are still alive and well in the USA' as is the exact same class division which drove our founders from the old country.Perhaps I am overly pessimistic, but as I look over an obvious abyss, and see no bridge, I fear we have already taken the final step over the edge.

[Insightful]

And now if we stop to think about it --just who started the race card. It never was Bill Clinton-it was Obama Hussein himself. He has always ignored his white heritage. He has campaigned as black and now we have an election that will bring us back to the past to re-live it.

That is not CHANGE! It is all about anger and bitterness no matter what his advantages have been.

We are over the edge and so many of you are blindly following the plan. I resent having to share this disaster with you Obama lame brains. I still love my country but you are sinking us further.

[bfbenn]

You appear to be historical­ly-challen­ged. Perhaps you could offer some supporting evidence? No...I thought not.
And just who is this "Obama Hussein" character you refer to? Oh, I get it, you mean Senator Obama! Gosh, you're really clever, what a way with words!

[Alessan]

Now the republicans get their wish, and perhaps another four to eight years in the White House.
Dumb Democrats, you did it again.

[knighthowl]

You haven't been paying attention. The republicans, led by the likes of Rush Limbaugh, wished to run against Hillary. They did not get their wish. Every indication is that they will go down to their biggest defeat in history.

[pointus]

"republicans get their wish"? If the republicans are so eager to run against Obama, why have Limbaugh, Hannity, and all the right-wing weenies on fox 'news' been trying to tear him down and make Hillary the nominee?
Obama will wipe the floor with McCave.

[sdbsingle1]

pointus you said it all, because in Nov. the Reps. have less that no shot against Obama, and they know it.

All the fans of the GOP party know it as well, so this is just a Fox News type conversation that will result in a lot of nothingness in the fall.

peace!

[londubh]

Here's the deal. Be nice to Hillary. Split the MI and FL delegates 50/50.

[valkyrie607]

I noticed, also, in that poll, that 34% thought Hillary "says what she believes most of the time," and 62% think that she "says what she thinks people want to hear." For Obama, those numbers are, respectively, 53% and 43%.

[rsg5354]

I know that's right.

[valkyrie607]

Hillary lost this for herself. She's no longer the "more electable" candidate--African Americans won't vote for her.

And by portraying herself, as another commenter so colorfully put it, as the "three-testicled wonder," she's negated the whole gender thing--but in exactly the wrong way. I don't know how other feminists are feeling, but this is not exactly what I consider a victory for feminism: a woman proclaiming her "testicular fortitude" and threatening genocide against a country that hasn't attacked us.

[LeeinJax]

As an old school feminist, my working theory has been that if Bill's wife stole this election and whooped old Mac in November, I would STILL be waiting for the first woman president to be elected.

[juangault]

Regardless, she's hurting the chances of truly qualified leaders of the female gender in the future. Too much drama, dirty laundry, and distraction. Women don't need to do this to win. I hope other future candidates are "anti Hillary" in style.

[NightRider]

Michael you were right early on!

Thank you for your honesty. Keep up the good work.

[cla62]

Yes, the racist black dem. vote in N. C. will carry the rock star there tonight. But there isn't enough big cities up north for them to make a difference!!

[snarkopolitan]

There is a difference between voting FOR somebody and voting AGAINST somebody. If a member of your ethnic group is in a position to win high office for the first time in history, it's natural to be excited, to want to see that person win.
But if you are voting AGAINST somebody because of that person's ethnicity, that is a signal difference.
There is no evidence that anybody's voting AGAINST Hillary because she's white. Some may vote against her because she's a woman, but since she's being advertised as the Three-Testicled Wonder, I doubt gender is much of a problem for her in the primaries.
Look for it to matter in the general, if she manages to wangle this nomination.

[britethere]

Poor Thang.....don't be bitter.
...so the old ladies and back-woods cast from "deliverance" did not get to the polls...tsk tsk!

Obama '08

[bowserbois]

I'm white as is my family Cla62, guess that makes us racist blacks because we voted for Obama? Get a life.

[Kingbreaker]

I am so white I am transparent. I'm allergic to sunlight due to my Norwegian genes. GoBama.

Obama won because he is the better candidate.

Clinton basically tied in IN whatever the final numbers are.

[IM2THEPOINT]

So blacks who have voted for white candidates since they've been "allowed to vote " when whites were the only ones on the ballot are not racist but if they happen to vote for a black candidate they're racist? And would that same logic apply to whites like you who will only vote for someone purely because he/she is white like you and never, under any circumstance vote for a black. Are you admitting that you are in fact the racist?

[SeanGardner]

This will all be a distant memory when Obama makes Kathleen Sebelius will be the Vice-Presidential pick.

Why? Five reasons:

(1) Obama's mother's side of the family is from Kansas. Both families go back decades and decades in Kansas.

(2) Gov. Sebelius reportedly has Democrats and Republicans in her family.

(3) Gov. Sebelius' kids are products of the Topeka school system which was a flashpoint in the early Civil Rights Movement with the Brown v Board of Topeka, Kansas Supreme Court decision. This may not seem like much in any old year, but when you thrown in the fact that Barack Obama (the likely nominee) will give the Democratic Presidential Address, in prime time, on the 45 anniversary of the March on Washington, then the Topeka Kansas Supreme Court case takes on tremendous relevance.

(4) Kansas, a state Obama won, is not necessarily a "swing state", but it does border Colorado, a "purple state" Obama won, and, it borders both Missouri and Iowa, two states Obama won which are always put in the "battle ground category". Indeed, Sebelius would help Obama expand the electoral map. Sebelius will help Obama win RED STATES like Wyoming and Montana - which both have Democratic Govenors.

(5) Most of all, it would help Obama win back some of the "middle-aged" white female supporters of Hillary Clinton who will no doubt have bruised feelings because of the intense nature of the campaign right now.

[TeriMcCarthy]

She sounds good, but I like Jim Webb :)

[SeanGardner]

I love Jim Webb!!!!! But while Virginia is definitely in play because its a "Purple" State, I believe Obama will look out West. Democrats have made incredible gains out here.

That's where Sebelius comes in. So leading up to his decision to pick her, he should also interview these four Democrats:

(1) Gov. Brad Henry of Oklahoma (who endorsed Obama)

(2) Gov. Brian Schweitzer of Montana

(3) Gov. Dave Freudenthal of Wyoming (who endorsed Obama)

(4) Gov. Janet Napatilano of Arizona (who endorsed Obama)

Jim Webb is a U.S. Senator like Obama. For balance on the ticket, Obama needs a Govenor. So he should publicly float these names, interview them, but ultimately pick Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius.

Interview Gov. Brian Schweitzer, Gov. Dave Freudenthal, and Gov. Brad Henry because Montana, Wyoming and Oklahoma are all RED STATES. Obama, unlike Clinton, has a "50 State Strategy", so focusing attention on marginally RED STATES would force Republicans to defend them. And, interview Gov. Janet Napatilano of Arizona because Arizona is effectively a "Purple" state and very much in play like Virginia.

Sen. Webb is cool though.

[Jazzbeau]

The name I keep hearing from the various pundits is Wesley Clark. That would provide some military credibility and perhaps foreign policy chops but it sounds like a mediocre pick to me. Also, isn't he a southerner? I never was able to develop an overly warm feeling for him and I definitely ain't the only one.

How about Chris Gregoire, Governor out in Washington? Nice race, sex and geographic balance, doesn't potentially cost a Senate seat.

Let's see, who else?....

[fanchon1288]

Thank you Kansas from your neighboring state. But why did you all have to have Obama, Sebelius, and Pitt. That just isn't fair.

[fitconnection]

It's Obama all the way in 2008!

[kittyma]

I don't trust the Clintonista camp. Are there voting machines in North Carolina and Indiana? They will do anything to win. This news may just set them on their path to do just that.

[jr7]

3AM: The Clinton admin turned down the Sudan's 1996 offer to hand over bin laden.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn?pagename=article&contentId=A61251-2001Oct2
"The FBI did not believe we had enough evidence to indict bin Laden at that time, and therefore opposed bringing him to the United States," said Samuel R. "Sandy" Berger, who was deputy national security adviser then.

http://www.villagevoice.com/news/0143,166999,29537,1.html
Other ex-officials doubt the sincerity of Sudan's offer because of its track record of supporting terrorism. "It's like an alcoholic saying he won't have another drink," says Susan Rice, a former assistant secretary of state for African affairs who was then senior director for Africa on the NSC. "At the time we had no basis to prosecute Bin Laden in a U.S. court. It would have been a huge mistake to try him and let him go free, and the Saudis didn't want him. Our desire was not to let him remain in Sudan, which was an active state sponsor of terrorism. There was no government operating in Somalia. We wanted him to go somewhere where he wouldn't disappear into the ether. We had no discussion of him going to Afghanistan."

[Susan] Rice also says Sudan made the offer knowing the U.S. couldn't accept it. "They calculated that we didn't have the means to successfully prosecute Bin Laden. That's why I question the sincerity of the offer."

[jr7]

Furthermore, Michael Scheuer, in a National Geographic Special said that the Clinton admin stopped an attack on Bin Laden when he was on a hunting trip in the late 90's because they were worried the son of a UAE sheik would get killed in the attack and that would kill their deal to sell billions worth of F16's to the UAE.

[cla62]

No way, we all know it's George Bushs' fault. Quit blaming a dem. for all the worlds problems, when we have George Bush to blame.

[justmeandnikki]

Do you think "Zanti" argues with stop signs?

[kj11]

Great blog. I have been disgusted by the degree to which Clinton has been willing to racialize the campaign. She had half the black vote and lost it. Then she decided to really push racial buttons by focusing on the "white working class" or blue collar voters who supposedly cannot relate to Obama. Why is it okay to racialize the electorate this way? Sick. And the MSM loves it.

[KimberlyKay]

I read above that Reverend Wright's performance last week was "manufactured." Was it? If it was, could you provide detail.

I am already supporting Senator Obama, but still have some shreds of respect left for Senator Clinton and her husband. But, if the Clinton campaign manufactured that nonsense last week that will be the final straw. There is no doubt in my mind that Reverend Wright intended to tell all of us that we are naive to think we can unite as a people around a common purpose and I must admit that is very similar to the "celestial choir" ridicule Senator Clinton hurled at us in Rhode Island. But, if there is a direct connection, I would like to know.

Really, however, it was clear to me almost two weeks ago that Senator Obama was the presumptive Democratic nominee. I discovered it by the actions and comments of the Republican talking heads who had so clearly and completely turned the Republican attack machine up to full blast and aimed it all of its mud straight at Senator Obama. There is NO way this would have been done if the Republican Party did not know that Senator Obama would be the Democratic nominee.

Still, I would like to know if the Clinton campaign manufactured this. That would irrevocably show me that the Clintons have so engaged in the ends justify the means that they are entirely tainted by this morally bankrupt philosophy.

[mesuki]

When this campajgn started I really didn't know Hillary that well and I liked Bill Clinton ,but ..as the campaign dragged on I have grown to hate Hillary and Bill for their unjust,dishonest and pathetic tactics against Obama. I don't think I've ever seen anyone so greedy and underhanded as Hillary,she would sell her daughter if she thought it would win her the election. She is shameless,and will never get my vote .

[BIllyDelyon]

While I've never hate either Bill or Hillary, they both have tarnished their reputations greatly in this campaign in the past 2 to 3 months.

Gas tax holiday?

Underlying racial tone of their surrogates and them at times.

Bill putting on the total hickshow on the stump talking to folks.

Anything to get elected...

Mercy....

[AMJordan]

It wasn't Rev. Wright's performance that was "manufactured" it was the hysteria afterwards. Even yesterday on "Road to the White House" th first words out of Joe Scarborough's mouth were about Rev. Wright and the damage he's supposedly done to the Obama campaign.

Think about it, whenever I hear anything about the Rev. Wright, it's wither someone like William Kristol, Joe Scarborough, Pat Buchanan, Rush Limbaugh, Bill O'Reilly, a Clinton supporter OR a Repulsive operative. Why is that?

[Softnsweet]

Rev. Wright's performance was not manufactured. Do you actually believe that Wright would put himself through what is happening now. He cannot go anywhere. The life he is living is terrible. Why would you even believe something like that?