Minority Turnout Was Critical to Obama's Election, Data Show

[bemildred]

Source: WSJ

Census Bureau data released Monday show the extent to which strong minority-voter turnout in the 2008 election helped President Barack Obama win over swing states and make inroads into Republican strongholds.

About five million more people voted for president in November than four years earlier, with minorities accounting for almost the entire increase. About two million more black and Hispanic voters and 600,000 additional Asians went to the polls.

While the figures reflect a long-term demographic shift, they also attest to the success of the Democrats' extensive campaign to register their supporters and get them to the polls. Overall, the 64% turnout was unchanged from four years earlier.

The data also show an increase in turnout by young voters. Those between 18 and 24 had a 49% turnout rate, up from 47% in 2004 -- the only age group to see a statistically significant jump at the polls.

Read more: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124813588601666995.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

[Spazito]

1. Well, in a nutshell, it seems...

More Dems, including democratic minorities and young voters, came out than ever before AND more republicans stayed home. It is interesting the article states clearly the first part of my previous statement but leaves out the second part. They simply say this: "Overall, the 64% turnout was unchanged from four years earlier."


Oh, wait a minute, it's the WSJ....never mind.

[bemildred]

2. I thought it was good compared to some of the other OPs on this subject.

Makes the situation clear, who it was that got Obama elected and why, and in the WSJ too.

[Spazito]

3. I have no argument re better than some...

it's just fascinating how the WSJ and other MSM outlets are very quick to point out the effect from only one side of the equation while ignoring the other side, that being that more republicans stayed home.

[bemildred]

4. Well, yeah, that's sort of why this one struck me.

It was so clear and balanced and to the point. Usually in the WSJ I expect smoke and mirrors and howling wind.

[Make7]

5. Didn't Obama win by almost ten million votes? ( n/t )

[Wednesdays]

6. K&R

:kick:

[lindisfarne]

7. I never understand these articles "minority turnout important". Well, of course it was. It was even

for McCain. An extra few % of votes in a few key states in a presidential election decides (almost) all presidential elections. For the same reason, the disabled vote was important as well.

[Cha]

8. And, I thank "the minorites" for

being a hellava lot smarter than the whatevers who voted for the ugly mccain-palin ticket.

[Mz Pip]

9. Yeah, McCain/Idiotwoman

would have won if all those young people, Black people and Hispanics would have just stayed home. :sarcasm: Like they don't really really count.

Here's a newsflash.

The world is run by people who show up. Good for us for showing up.

[Sick_of_Rethuggery]

10. Kind of silly to think that 3 million more minorities

helped him win, when he actually won by close to 10 million votes -- all those extra minorities could have sat home and he would have still won by 6+ million votes...