Is the South Carolina Democratic primary a must-win state for Obama?

Dark_crow · #1 Jan 25, 2008, 10:35 AM

If he wins is there a danger he will go into Super Tuesday as the "black candidate," allowing Clinton to pick up all other demographic groups?

Wondergirl · Jan 25, 2008, 10:36 AM

Nope. No danger.

Dark_crow · Jan 25, 2008, 10:45 AM

It wouldn’t matter in the general election anyway; given it is a republican state. But charges have been made that that is a strategy of the Clinton campaign so that Hillary can pick up all other demographic groups.

tomder55 · Jan 25, 2008, 11:28 AM

That is the D*ck Morris scenario ;that the Clintons will continue to play the race card. He all but suggests that the Clintons are going to sacrifice SC to further polarize the Democrat vote.
RealClearPolitics - Articles - How Clinton Will Win the Nomination by Losing S.C.

There is no doubt that she is actively courting the Hispanic vote and has all but ceded the black vote (with the exception of calling in cards to get some high profile black endorsements. ) . But she reasons she is solid in the White vote so she can lose the black vote according to Morris.

tomder55 · Jan 25, 2008, 11:41 AM

Tuesday Hillary drew large crowds in Salinas, CA courting the Latino vote and drawing the endorsement of the United Farm Workers of America, an influential group founded by Cesar Chavez. She even joined in with the crowd chanting "Si, se puede! (Yes we can!)" A poll shows her with a 59%-19% advantage with Latinos likely to vote Feb. 5th. The L.A. Times opined that Obama has "little name recognition" among the ethnic bloc.

Cesar Chavez, a 23-year-old Hartnell student named after the activist but who is not related, said he hadn't decided to vote for Clinton until learning the UFW was endorsing her. Holding a stack of "America con Hillary" bumper stickers, the Salinas resident said his father and grandparents were UFW members in the Salinas Valley. "When I looked at her plans, I felt she had more experience," Chavez said.Politics - Clinton gets UFW backing - sacbee.com

Dark_crow · Jan 25, 2008, 11:47 AM

Yeah Tom…it smells of a President Clinton strategy. Got to hand it to him, he has really got a political mind in terms of campaigning using strategic courses of action that help them be successful despite the negatives associated with them

George_1950 · Jan 25, 2008, 11:47 AM

South Carolina is not a must win for Obama, but the manner in which he wins and claims victory is enormous. He needs to defuse the racial schism; it is ironic that a Democrat candidate is threatening to divorce part of the FDR coalition that has remained so faithful for 75 years.

Choux · Jan 25, 2008, 11:51 AM

Framing Obama as the "black candidate" was a Clinton strategy in South Carolina, but they are abandoning that tactic according to what I heard on tv. Obama lost a significant number of white voters, but Edwards gained many of these Obama losses.

The strategy was just plain divisive and wrong.

George_1950 · Jan 25, 2008, 11:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Choux

Framing Obama as the "black candidate" was a Clinton strategy in South Carolina, but they are abandoning that tactic according to what I heard on tv. Obama lost a significant number of white voters, but Edwards gained many of these Obama losses.

The strategy was just plain divisive and wrong.

As we have heard for 16 years, the Klintons will not allow anyone or anything to get in their way. To the extent that the Klintons are engaging in racially divisive conduct, it is deplorable.

Dark_crow · Jan 25, 2008, 12:00 PM

Whatever the case it was a Clinton strategy that won the day. Clinton gloated Obama into a fight which is contrary to his fundamental position: His whole campaign is about transcending that stuff.