Huge Win For Obama In South Carolina Primary Saturday!

[Nehkara]

No one had posted about this so I thought I would mention it.

Barack Obama, my personal favourite among US Democrats seeking the democratic nomination, won very convincingly in the South Carolina primary on Saturday night.

Percentage of the votes:

Obama 55%
Clinton 27%
Edwards 18%

Number Of Pledged Delegates:

Obama 25
Clinton 12
Edwards 8


Source: CNN.com Election Center 2008


The next, and truly massive, test for the candidates is Super Tuesday on February 5th. Nearly two DOZEN states will have their caucuses or primaries on Super Tuesday. It is likely that whomever wakes up on February 6th with a significant lead in the delegate race, will win the democratic nomination.

I, for one, really hope that Barack Obama's momentum from South Carolina carries him to victory.

[peter12]

If he HADN'T have won big in South Carolina, his candidacy would have been in doubt. The state has a large black population which was all but expected to go his way.

[Nehkara]

Originally Posted by peter12

If he HADN'T have won big in South Carolina, his candidacy would have been in doubt. The state has a large black population which was all but expected to go his way.

As recently as a month ago, Obama was polling to lose South Carolina.

Since November, he has gone from polling at 27% to winning at 55%.

While I do admit that he has been, for the past few weeks, expected to win South Carolina... I'm not sure how many people thought he would win by 28%!

[peter12]

Originally Posted by Nehkara

As recently as a month ago, Obama was polling to lose South Carolina.

Since November, he has gone from polling at 27% to winning at 55%.

While I do admit that he has been, for the past few weeks, expected to win South Carolina... I'm not sure how many people thought he would win by 28%!

Alot of pundits were predicting a rollover victory the week before the primary. I agree with you that it's a huge win and Obama is A MUCH better Democrat candidate than Clinton (Is it Bill of Hilary who's actually running?).

The guy's got a statesman quality. Even though some of it might be a little BS, he does come across as honest and clear about how he would lead America.

[flylock shox]

Originally Posted by peter12

The guy's got a statesman quality. Even though some of it might be a little BS, he does come across as honest and clear about how he would lead America.

Not to mention he's a much better face for America than they've had in 8 years. Every time I see Bush a part of me thinks: "God I hate America."

It would be nice to shut that part up. And it would be REALLY nice for America to stop behaving in such hateable ways.

[peter12]

Originally Posted by flylock shox

Not to mention he's a much better face for America than they've had in 8 years. Every time I see Bush a part of me thinks: "God I hate America."

It would be nice to shut that part up. And it would be REALLY nice for America to stop behaving in such hateable ways.

I hope that America bases their choice upon what Presidential candidate they would like for the present and future, not as a reaction or measuring up against past Presidencies.

Obama is still struggling. He's been virtually silent on the economy and occasionally he is vague about what his vision for America would be. And he's still got to beat Billary, which is looking harder and harder as each day on the campaign progresses.

Sucks for the Dems. If Billary takes the nomination, then it's another Republican victory. This one that they had NO business winning.

[Displaced Flames fan]

I don't understand why so many dems still throw their support blindly behind Hillary. I have a theory that it is because they think they will be getting more of Bill, which is a long way from the reality.

Obama is the only candidate who can beat John McCain. If McCain wins the Republican nomination Hillary has no chance. He draws very heavily from the independants and moderate democrats.

Obama, I believe, will draw from the same group. Hillary can't.

[peter12]

Originally Posted by Displaced Flames fan

I don't understand why so many dems still throw their support blindly behind Hillary. I have a theory that it is because they think they will be getting more of Bill, which is a long way from the reality.

Obama is the only candidate who can beat John McCain. If McCain wins the Republican nomination Hillary has no chance. He draws very heavily from the independants and moderate democrats.

Obama, I believe, will draw from the same group. Hillary can't.

Yeah, I agree. McCain will take support from the other candidate's groups once they drop out and has also been pretty perceptive as to which of the democrats he can steal.

I was reading something about southern Californian Blacks, traditionally a HUGE solid blue voting bloc, which as started to turn to the Republicans over the immigration business. McCain is rumoured to be only Republican who has picked up on it.

Wow, if McCain takes California. Just huge.

[Displaced Flames fan]

Originally Posted by peter12

Yeah, I agree. McCain will take support from the other candidate's groups once they drop out and has also been pretty perceptive as to which of the democrats he can steal.

I was reading something about southern Californian Blacks, traditionally a HUGE solid blue voting bloc, which as started to turn to the Republicans over the immigration business. McCain is rumoured to be only Republican who has picked up on it.

Wow, if McCain takes California. Just huge.

One interesting aspect of McCain's candidacy would be, potentially anyway, his choice of running mates. A guy his age can't take that decision lightly and I, as a moderate, would be watching that very closely. It'll be of increased significance IMO.

[peter12]

Originally Posted by Displaced Flames fan

One interesting aspect of McCain's candidacy would be, potentially anyway, his choice of running mates. A guy his age can't take that decision lightly and I, as a moderate, would be watching that very closely. It'll be of increased significance IMO.

That'd be an interesting choice. I don't think you can pick Romney, as he has set himself as the moderate, "corporate" candidate, but in the meantime has taken on almost all of the other candidates in incendiary character attacks.

I'd say... Huckabee would be a good choice. Middle of the road. Proven to be a player. Can draw some of that moderate evangelical crowd which forms an important part of Republican support. Helps them in a place like Florida where a lot of moderate evangelicals vote Democrat.

[Displaced Flames fan]

Originally Posted by peter12

That'd be an interesting choice. I don't think you can pick Romney, as he has set himself as the moderate, "corporate" candidate, but in the meantime has taken on almost all of the other candidates in incendiary character attacks.

I'd say... Huckabee would be a good choice. Middle of the road. Proven to be a player. Can draw some of that moderate evangelical crowd which forms an important part of Republican support. Helps them in a place like Florida where a lot of moderate evangelicals vote Democrat.

See, Huckabee would turn me off. Here's an off the wall idea...Joe Lieberman. That's a ticket I could get excited about.

The dems choices will be interesting too. No John Edwards please. What would Obama do? Who could put on a happy face about working for Hilary?

[peter12]

Originally Posted by Displaced Flames fan

See, Huckabee would turn me off. Here's an off the wall idea...Joe Lieberman. That's a ticket I could get excited about.

The dems choices will be interesting too. No John Edwards please. What would Obama do? Who could put on a happy face about working for Hilary?

Yeah, Hilary will not take anything less than a Presidential nomination. What a nightmare it would be running with her on the Dem ticket.

I still think the Dems will have Hilary as their "guy". There's been rumblings of a growing anti-Clinton movement among Dem voters, but I don't see that happening.

[Nehkara]

Obama has won the most votes and delegates to this point. He seems to have some significant momentum heading into Super Tuesday but this week will be very important for him... he has to campaign very very hard and not make any mistakes.

[blankall]

I'm not so sure why people are predicting a democrat loss if clinton gets the nomination.

She polls almost exactly the same as Obama against McCain

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epo...obama-225.html

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epo...inton-224.html

[Displaced Flames fan]

Originally Posted by blankall

I'm not so sure why people are predicting a democrat loss if clinton gets the nomination.

She polls almost exactly the same as Obama against McCain

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epo...obama-225.html

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epo...inton-224.html

Polls mean nothing because the swing votes...ie undecideds...are largely made up of moderates and independents. I explained why I feel that helps McCain earlier, especially against Clinton.

[blankall]

Originally Posted by Displaced Flames fan

Polls mean nothing because the swing votes...ie undecideds...are largely made up of moderates and independents. I explained why I feel that helps McCain earlier, especially against Clinton.

Well you didnt really give any reasons. You just kind of concluded that Obama and McCain would draw more from swing votes. Swing votes are the only votes that anyone really draws though. Since non-swing votes by definition are those voters who only vote a certain way. That doesnt really make any sense since Hillary is the most centrist of all three candidates. McCain could not really be any further right.

Obama's views are rated 87% liberal according to the Almanac of American Politics
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Politic...f_Barack_Obama

While Hillary's are rated 75%
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hillary...ical_positions

Also, I don't know why you conclude that polls don't take into account swing votes. I agree w/ you that polls are often inaccurate and can change at the last second, but it seems like you are just making facts off the top of you head in terms of how they relate to the swing votes.

Personally, I don't care either way who wins. The presidency is always more of a figurehead position. I'm just kind of curious why so many Canadians seems to blindly follow Obama despite knowing very little of his political positions. People talk about him being less devisive than Hillary?

data like this (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7210389.stm):

"Key to Mr Obama's victory was the support of African-American voters, who made up about half the electorate and four-fifths of whom supported him, according to exit poll data. About 17% supported Mrs Clinton.

Mr Obama also won about a quarter of the white vote, compared to just under 40% each for Mrs Clinton and Mr Edwards (this was Edwards home state)."

Obama gets 80% of the black vote and 25% of the white vote and this is unity? I also don't see how this is a victory for Obama. He will need to consistently win the white vote (which included most hispanics) in order to win the nomination.

seems pretty devisive to me

[Flame Of Liberty]

Sometimes when I read these comments it looks to me like the only thing Obama has going for him is that he is a nice guy with a matching tie.

God bless people who think that is enough to become a president...

Still better than Hillary though.

[FlamingLonghorn]

Well with the Kennedy's backing Obama now I think the race might be his to lose...

[Cowperson]

The USA is moving back to the middle politically, hence a Democrat (Hillary) who wouldn't withdraw immediately from Iraq and a Republican (McCain) who can attach his name to a number of "liberal" causes as the near front-runners and likely winners.

Obama has Jimmy Carter written all over him, nice guy, right place maybe, wrong time.

Interesting story in the New York Times on the weekend, the world fascinated with the American race for the White House.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/26/wo...cs&oref=slogin

Below, a columnist in the Times: "The Billary Road to Republican Victory."

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/27/op...a0d&ei=5087%0A

Cowperson

[troutman]

I'm not sure why Dems are considering Clinton - I think she could be a good President, but I don't think she would get elected. She is too polarizing. Obama must be the Dems best chance.