Obama's Crossover Appeal

[illinoisprogressive]

and yet the democrats are so stuck in misty romanticism of yesterday they cannot see what is right in front of their faces. That Obama can bring in new voters and not only win the white house but, strengthen the party with a larger voter block than we have had since 1976.


Aug. 24, 2007 | WASHINGTON -- It was sort of like finding a Christmas tree in a cornfield. In late July and early August, Iowa Republican voters were asked to name their choice for president in a University of Iowa poll. Mitt Romney, who leads most Iowa surveys, got 22 percent of the total. Rudy Giuliani came in second with 10 percent. But third place went to a Democrat, Barack Obama, who got nearly 7 percent -- more than Mike Huckabee, John McCain and Sam Brownback combined.

Not to worry: The Obama campaign isn't likely to join the Grand Old Party, and pollsters are convinced that Obama has exactly zero chance of winning the Republican caucus in Iowa. But something is going on. "I don't want to make too much of it," says David Redlawsk, the professor who commissioned the poll. "But I do think that the message Obama is putting out right now is the most likely to reach across party lines."

There are other signs of Obama's crossover appeal. Over the last several months, Frank Luntz, a Republican pollster, has been holding focus groups for various media organizations like Fox News to find out what the public thinks of the presidential candidates. "I would ask Republicans, 'Which Democratic candidate would you accept? Who would you consider to vote for?'" Luntz says. "Obama would get more than everybody else combined. Hillary and Edwards have no crossover voters."

A recent poll by the Washington Post and ABC News revealed a third data point in Obama's favor: When asked in July which Democratic candidate has the best chance to defeat a Republican in a general election, Republicans and independents were more likely than Democrats to pick Obama over Clinton. In fact, among Democrats, only 22 percent said Obama was the best general election candidate, while 54 percent flagged Clinton as the best in the general election. But among Republicans, 33 percent said Obama was the best candidate, and 37 percent said Hillary. In other words, Republicans were about 11 points more likely than Democrats to see Obama as the best shot for a Democratic White House.

http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2007/08/24/obama_gop/

[Kagemusha]

1. Expect more loud, rolling laughter because Democratic partisans are enough.

There's plenty of people here who don't want filthy Republicans and Independents voting for a Democratic candidate to begin with and who needs them - just get someone in who'll govern like a 50% + 1 vote winner, except using the other side's banner rather than Bush's.

[mikekohr]

2. OBAMA '08

In the heady days after bursting onto the national stage after his electrifing key-note speech at the 2004 Democratic Convention, Barack Obama came to speak at the tiny village of Depue, Illinois (pop. 2800) in July 2004.
Barack spoke with us gathered there, not at us. He thought before answering every question put to him and ACTUALLY answered the question asked. He spoke of hope. He spoke of empowering working people. And he stayed and shook every hand, signed every autograph request and was among the last people to leave the VFW hall where the gathering was held.
I was the last in line. As he signed a copy of his speech from the convention that I had downloaded from the internet, I told Barack of the hope people saw in him and said, "Don't get the big-head Barack." Without hesitating a moment he gestured toward his wife Michele and said, "She won't let me."
Obama is not just eloquent, measured, thoughtful, and principled, he's authentic. He is our best hope, for our party, for our country, and for our future.

-Replace the abomination in the White House with an ObamaNation in 2008-


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mike kohr

[AtomicKitten]

6. nice

:toast:

[maximusveritas]

3. Why are Democrats so bad at picking Presidential candidates?

The fact that 54% of Democrats would think Hillary is our best candidate for the general election just boggles the mind.

[bigdarryl]

7. Thats why the party keeps loosing

[TheFarseer]

4. I think anyone that actually sees him speak in person

will have a good chance of voting for him.

[alteredstate]

5. Great article!

recommended!