Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) will become the first Democratic candidate for president to win a majority of the votes cast in this presidential primary season. Early projections show Obama will collect about 51% of the vote in South Carolina's Democratic primary today compared to a distant second place finish by Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) with less than 30% of the vote. Former Sen. John Edwards (D-NC) will finish third with about 20% of the vote. This is a critical win for Obama leading into Tuesday's Florida primary and the Super Tuesday primary on February 5 the following week.
By the numbers, Obama won more than 80% of the black vote. If Sen. Clinton's and her husband ex-President Bill Clinton's desire was to polarize voters in their hard-hitting attacks on Obama, they certainly succeeded in South Carolina. Obama managed to collect 25% of the white vote, while Clinton appeared to get a small win among white voters over Edwards. The attacks on Obama energized black voters to come out in large numbers today. They represented at least one-half of the voters in the primary. The polls going into today's vote clearly under-counted Obama's strength. He was averaging just below 40% in polls leading up to the election. By comparison, Clinton and Edwards are finishing about where they stood in the most recent polls.
If you look ahead to the next states on the presidential calendar, Clinton leads in states like Florida, New Jersey and California. I suspect the under-counting of African-American voters in the polls makes those races closer than they appear. Also, I expect the polarization of voters will make Obama the victor on Super Tuesday in southern states with a large percentage of black voters, such as Alabama, Georgia and Tennessee. Obama will crush Clinton in his home state of Illinois on that same day. At this point, there is every reason to believe that Obama's chances of success in this race are just as good as Clinton's.
I would also offer some advice to Obama the next time Clinton decides to hit him for his relationship with Democratic fundraiser Tony Reczko. Remind voters that Clinton's old Arkansas pals, the McDougals and Webster Hubbell, all did time in jail because of shenanigans she cooked up to enrich she and her husband. As Hubbell put it, he "rolled over" for her. How many of Obama's friends went to jail for his misdeeds?
On one other note, the Clinton campaign used robocalls in recent days in South Carolina targeting Edwards for what it claimed were trade policies he supported in the U.S. Senate which cost the state textile jobs to China. What a phony claim. The Clintons are the ones who've been repeatedly caught illegally raising money from Chinese nationals. And President Clinton implemented the very trade policies which led to the exporting of those jobs to China. In a turn on Bill Clinton's own words, what a fairytale. The Clintons are once again proving themselves to be the dirtiest people in American politics.
15 comments:
First off, I would NEVER vote for Hillary. No way, no how.
I have to say I was raised not to see color. So I don't understand what the big deal is about someones skin color when the real issue is what they stand for. Now, with that said, I have looked at African Americans and thought it was, no doubt, extremely difficult growing up where too many people do judge you by your color.
I heard the clips the television stations played on Martin Luther King, Jr. day and realized there is a huge block of people who can't get past skin color. Did MLK fight and die so people can use race to divide? I don't think so, but maybe I am wrong.
"I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character."
Actually numbers Obama 55%
Clinton 26%
I am a life long Democrat but I will NOT vote for Hillary. I will stay home first.
I would suggest that anyone wanting to know about this man Obama, read his first book. It illustrates the depth of thought that has gone into his whole life. And I believe he knows the struggle and pain of many levels of American society and can speak to the world of deeply held American values.
Maybe I'm an idealist. But I think he's the real deal. The Billary machine needs to realize that Bill is a huge liability.. that she needs to watch it with trying to slime anyone or it will backlash on her. She's not ENTITLED to ANYthing except a chance.
A tight race on both sides.. as well it should be!!!
Hillary is the ONLY one that can run this country... I live in The O.C. why is it that many of us have never heard of Obama until now. He is way over his head and will continue to destroy this country. The man is full of it!!!
CNN and the entire media will give Obama the pass whereas other candidates are represented unfairly by them. Judging by the S.C. primary results I have to say voters picked based on race. Despite what some commentators and the Democratic leaders there have tried to spin it ,i.e., “the voters voted for Obama due to pride” it is still voting based on race and it is racism. I, for one will no longer vote for Obama.
well the media has done there job for the republicans, as you can see with the comments of ill never vote for Hillary from Obama supporters, and the Hillary supporters saying the same thing i will not vote for obama... so hooray here comes 4 more years of republican's in the white house
What's "The O.C." ?
604, don't assume. I am a R, but would consider a D. NOT if it is Billary. If the wives of Obama, Huckabee, Edwards or McCain ran around acting like Bill Clinton everyone would be jumping up and down. What a double standard!
Anon 5:30 tell the truth...you would never have voted for Obama........quit playing games with us
I encourage everyone to do their own research on Barack Obama and learn his approach to the issues at the following website:
evehttp://www.barackobama.com/issues/
We are going to get bombarded with all kinds of mis-truths about this man, which is why it is most important to seek the facts. This is the man that will bring our country together again for a common cause (no more red state vs. blue state and dumbed-down politics).
the only people talking about race in this election are the ones that want it to be about race.
Obama will run much stronger in Indiana than Hillary [Billary] ...He will win our meaningless primary...of course, no Dem will carry Indiana in November.
The only good thing about the Clinton machine's disgraceful race-baiting in this campaign is that it is causing previously naive Democrats and Independents to realize the sleaziness of Bill and Hillary Clinton and those who surround them. I was at the MLK Center in Atlanta on MLK Day listening carefully to the conversations among the event participants. Believe me, they have awoken to the reality of the sliminess of "the first Black President." Democrat after Democrat have told me that they will never vote for Hillary Clinton. If McCain is the Republican candidate, most would vote for him. The rest simply won't vote. Perhaps the chickens have finally come home to roost for the smelliest political duo since Nixon and Agnew.
The Clinton's sense of entitlement is revolting. Their lack of shame is repulsive. They are a most malevolent couple. Go Back! Go Back to the 90's!
No. GO OBAMA!!!
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