By now you either know or have predicted this, but for those of you have didn’t or haven’t: Barack Obama swept through the Mississippi primary yesterday.
The Senator from Illinois took 59% of the votes, while competitor Hillary Clinton came in much lower with 39%. These numbers aren’t surprising: Mississippi’s got a large black population, which has become integral to Obama’s success. The Clintons know that, of course, and have repeatedly been accused of diminishing black Americans’ voice in this election, as Bill Clinton did when he reminded rally voters that Jesse Jackson won Mississippi. The former president made similar comments in South Carolina.
That said, blacks definitely helped Obama’s victory along yesterday, with an estimated 90% of melanin-blessed voters leaning toward the young upstart. What’s most interesting about the results, however, are these statistics:
: Six in 10 Obama supporters said he should pick the former first lady as his vice presidential running mate if he wins the presidential nomination. A smaller share of Clinton’s voters, four in 10, said she should place him on the ticket.
So, Clinton’s calls for a joint ticket aren’t really directed her voters, nor are they necessarily for Obama’s supporters. Most of Obama’s supporters are too enamored with their candidate to back Clinton, and her supporter likely see experience as a selling point. It seems to us that Clinton’s not addressing voters at all, but the superdelegates who will likely decide this race.
Dan
Obama and EDWARDS.
Obama should choose Edwards as VP. It’s a logical pairing: young, progressive; and Edwards has the solid platform that Obama only suggests, and delegates that would put them well beyond her range. Such a pairing would satisfy Nader’s demands for genuine change, and he might pull out and support them.
Her behavior and the PR hacks that run her campaign leave her entirely undeserving of any place. Nor do Americans, or the rest of the world, deserve her.
So yes:
OBAMA AND EDWARDS. the logical choice.
NightHawk
Queerty’s selective quoting of the exit poll information left out a more important point: more Clinton supporters will not back Obama than Obama supporters will not back Clinton, by significant margins. I know it’s hard to believe from the chatter on the Internet, but poll after poll has shown this trend. If Obama is the nominee, he shouldn’t count on the blind support of Clinton backers.
Michael Duquette
I completely agree with NightHawk. Obama will not get the majority of Clinton’s supporters if he gets the nomination. We’re voting on experience not persona and we don’t feel Obama is the right person for the job. Obama will lose to McCain and I believe that without a doubt. Clinton’s supporters will more than likely vote for McCain or not vote at all. Speaking for just myself, I don’t believe too much that comes out of Obama’s mouth and will never vote for him and I do not stand alone. Hillary deserves the presidency.
leomoore
I voted for Hillary in our primary, but will vote for Obama if or maybe I should say when he takes the nomination. My first presidential vote was for George McGovern. I expect a similar outcome this time.
fredo777
Ah, yet again, Obama’s success due to the “black voters” + that’s “not surprising”. Interesting.
allstarecho
Well, it’s true. As a Mississippian, I can tell you that 3 things happened here: There were races around the state for our Representatives in D.C. This brings out the Repubs even though McCain already secured the spot as the Repub candidate. 2)Since Mississippi Repubs were out voting anyway, they decided to vote Democrat and did so for Obama because they feel McCain can beat Obama but not Hillary 3)In the end, it was the black vote that won out.. mostly because Rep. Bennie Thompson (who incidentally supports gay rights except if it’s an reelection year) was running for reelection so the black vote was coming to the polls, with or without Obama on the ballot.