Turn Appalachia Blue!
By V on May 17, 2008 at 4:49 PM in Appalachia, Clinton, Current Affairs, Electability, Electoral College, Hillary Clinton, New York Times
Here’s a beautiful illustration of Hillary’s strength in Appalachia and Barack’s big problem in November. (Click and drag the slider to turn Appalachia blue!)
The New York Times’ new columnist, Charles W. Blow, a specialist in race baiting those who support anybody but Barack, has achieved a new level of absurdity, arguing that Obama doesn’t need key states for the general election but at the same time will win them anyway.
How’s that? Blow says that Obama is toast in greater Appalachia, which extends over eastern and southern Pennsylvania and southeastern Ohio. Of course, forget about West Virginia and Kentucky. Obama has already dismissed those voters as demented bigots.
Blow does not report that Hillary beats McCain handily in West Virginia, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Arkansas, Missouri, and is competitive in Kentucky.
Instead, Blow disses voters across 12 states as “uneducated” for not voting for Obama. But wait, it doesn’t matter that they won’t vote for him. Why? Because, well, they will vote for him!
Blow writes in a rush of wishful thinking:
If he (Obama) wins New York and Pennsylvania (he lost both in the primaries) and flip-flopping Ohio (another primary loss) he will be in good position.
The electoral votes of the other heavily Appalachian states could be offset. For instance, if he wins Virginia (where a corner sits in Appalachia and which seems to be in play although it hasn’t swung Democratic in more than 40 years) and Florida (which almost swung — or maybe did swing — Democratic in 2000), he will have won more electoral votes than in Tennessee, North Carolina, Kentucky and West Virginia combined.
So, Obama won’t win these states, except that he will! Because Charles W. Blow says he will! Just because. Brilliant! It’s magic! Got that, superdelegates?
Good argument in her favor.
Go Hillary!
Where do they get these flakes? Really? I mean the guy just doesn’t understand politicking at all. You can’t win the GE without the South, and you can’t rely on 12% of the vote to carry these Southern states. Even in my district, they make up only 40% of the vote, and we have a high concentration of Blacks (and the poorest in the state even). That’s still 60% up for grabs.
The math doesn’t add up, no matter how it’s diced.
And the sinker: If it’s a flaming liberal candidate, forget it. Does not relate to values at home. Put a fork in that fantasy.
Kerry thought he could win without the South. That worked out well. :/
Charles W. Blow’s brain blows! Thanks, V, for a very good story, and reminder of how well our girl Hill is doing.
Here’s something else people might be interested in, from HillaryClintonForum.net:
UPDATE!!! Clinton Supporters Count Too Protest & Boycott Plan - May 20′th Here’s the Info! Its Time For Action!
——————————————————————————–
I have just spoken with one of the organizers of this again this morning. Here is the first phase of the action plan and the message they are putting out:
Quote:
Men and Women are organizing in all 50 States as I write this.
Please stay tuned for further updates.
We are asking that you boycott MSNBC, NBC and all of their affiliates on May 20, 2008. Please arrive with as many people as you can, at your local station, any time during the day, even after work hours, with signs etc..
The message is Stop the Sexism: HILLARY is the BEST candidate for PRESIDENT FOR ALL AMERICANS: MALE and FEMALE.
Please try to get video of your boycott efforts and put them on YouTube
Their e-mail addies are overflowing with an amazing outpouring of support from people all over the country and further plans are under way. This is the time to make sure your voice is heard.
This is not about women only. Let me be very clear that this is for every person who has voted for Hillary in the Democratic Primary, which is almost 17million in total, and that includes Florida and Michigan, who deserve to be treated fairly. The sexism is one issue, but the complete lack of respect shown for Hillary AND her supporters by the media and the DNC extends to everyone who voted for her, male & female. We are a voting bloc and we can turn an election!
Our voices will be heard. Please organize in your home towns. The time is now to act! We cannot wait any longer.
If Hillary can do 5-6 campaign stops in one day, then we can get out there on Tuesday and show strength in numbers. If we can GOTV (Get Out The Vote) for Hillary, then we can GOTP - Get Out The Protest!
We will be updating with more info and a website is in the works. What is needed are people on the ground to get the ball rolling in your own neighborhoods. These ladies have taken the first step and it is up to all of us to make this work.
http://tinyurl.com/5obkok
Just want to add they are asking folks not to watch NBC/MSNBC on Tuesday night.
Thanks, swanny!
Who the heck wants to watch that crappy station? I’ve been boycotting them for quite some time.
I seen this article from Kentucky.com. It really pisses me off because I never got one of the emails being passed around and I’m from Ky. I’m sure I would have enjoyed reading it.
Obama conceded that, if he’s the Democratic nominee, he has a steep challenge in Kentucky — where he trails Clinton by 27 points in the Herald-Leader/WKYT Kentucky Poll –and West Virginia, where voters chose Clinton over Obama by 40 points on Tuesday.
“What it says is that I’m not very well known in that part of the country,” Obama said. “Sen. Clinton, I think, is much better known — not only because of her time in the White House with her husband — but also coming from a nearby state of Arkansas.”
Obama has been trying to introduce himself to Kentuckians using a series of biographical TV ads, as well as fliers, including one that shows him at a pulpit in front of a church’s cross and pipe organ.
He acknowledged that he’s trying to “reverse a lot of misconceptions” about his background. He is a Christian, although some e-mail chains have said he is a Muslim.
“Part of it is because there have been these e-mails that have been sent out very systematically, presumably by various political opponents, although I don’t know who,” he said. “And there are a lot of voters who get their news from Fox News. Fox has been pumping up rumors about my religious beliefs or my patriotism or what have you since the beginning of the campaign.”
Obama’s problem is not yhat he is “not very well known in that part of the country.” His problem is that he is well known there.
Sorry, “that”, not “yhat”.
and also, he hasn’t even tried to get to know them. that’s one of the problems i have with this, is that basically he seems like he is a procrastinator… i procrastinate, but i don’t think a president should be this at all. he needs to do things now and quickly. or else he will come off like bush showing up in new orleans so many days later. and also laziness because though he is supposedly the nominee now, he should have fought for those states and closed the deal… he is so weak. and if anything his money machine should have shut her down already…
And in some cases, he became well known AFTER the primary and plenty of them would love another chance.
The guy’s name is “Blow?” Oh my god.
He is living up to his name!
“What it says is that I’m not very well known in that part of the country,”
Nice try but no cigar. What it says is the good people of Kentucky know an asshole when they see one.
My email to Blow today:
Dear Mr. Blow;
I am puzzled by your May 17 OpEd piece “Skirting Appalachia.” Perhaps a few paragraphs were left out or struck by your editor?
You seem to take it as a given that Barack Obama would win Florida, Ohio, and Pennsylvania, without explaining how this might happen-despite the fact that he lost all three primaries by significant margins. Not to mention actively blocked strategies to seat Florida’s delegation. Likewise your apparent conclusion that were Sen. Clinton to drop out of the race, the Democratic Party would simply unite around Obama as the nominee. This sort of magical thinking seems congruent with a lot of what the Obama (and now McCain) campaigns are promoting: lots of bright shiny futures without any mention of how we’re going to get there. This type of substance-free, rah-rah, “trust me” argument is eerily reminiscent of the 2000 campaign of George W. Bush. We all know how well that turned out.
I think that your thinking readers deserve better. Better a thoughtful analysis of the reasons for Sen. Obama’s losses in Appalachia, with or without a strategy for winning over those voters, than a fluff piece like this one. Obama’s weaknesses are a lot bigger than just blue collar folks (the traditional Democratic base) and as this campaign has gone on, positions have hardened significantly-in a lot of ways that don’t look good for him if he is the nominee.
this is what i have been saying all along, that obama is the gw of the democratic party… see the dnc can control obama like a puppet, but they can’t control hillary because she already has her plans set to go and she wants to be a real leader who has to make tough decisions.
What it says is that I’m not very well known in that part of the country,”
maybe because he never goes there??
He has an excuse for everything that doesn’t go his way. He didn’t win Florida because he didn’t campaign there. He didn’t win Michigan because his name wasn’t on the ballot, he didn’t know his pastor/mentor/father-figure was a whack-job cause he didn’t happen to be in church that day, he didn’t know Rezko was a crook because…well, he was just boneheaded. And now, he doesn’t go to WVA or KY to campaign because he’s not going to win anyway, so he can say he didn’t win because he didn’t go. Wanna bet he doesn’t go to PR either?
I guess he doesn’t know we’re onto him either. I guess he doesn’t know he’s gonna get whomped up side of the head.
awesome!!! i love your comment.
One of the best comments I’ve read in a while; excellent Clara Barton, very sharp and right on.
Now I cannot get this image out of my head and stop laughing !!
You are right Clara. Everything is somebody else’s fault with this guy.
In this case he is wrong again, and he is also wrong when he says he is “condfidant” that Hillary voters will vote for him. What an arrogant ass.
Did you see his official remark about WVA? Said it was due to bad press. LOL*
Clara Barton,
Would you consider this a testament to BO’s self-professed sound “judgment”?
Perfect Clara and it deserves it’s own post.
The slacking student who claims his dog ate his laptop then heads off to Spring break.
these people and the way they think do not make sense to me especially when their argument right now is all about how infallible the numbers are. well, this argument is beyond fantasy land, especially when they say they are going to win florida.. what a joke. obama is seen as being the one who has stopped the votes from going forward while hillary is trying to get them counted. so i think if anyone has a chance to aactually steal it from mccain it would be hillary not obama, especially since eventhough it did not count so far, he lost it to hillary. i still think obama will be lucky to illinois in november.
Sorrry bo-bo, but I wouldn’t even count on IL. Considering there is a move for a recall vote of the Gov who - along with yours truly - robbed the city of Chgo blind via Rezko fraud…and at least one paper, Chgo Sun Times with ongoing reports on Rezko…and the people love Pros. Fitgerald for taking you guys down…and the corrupt IL legislature gave their guys the weekend before IND vote, to cross state lines and campaign for you …where you lost even though your crooked pals in Lake County IND helped up the vote there until after the whole state of NC came in… and there’s at least one major AM radio station across IL and northern IND that’s on your case all the time.(especially the AA woman DJ who calls you on what you are)..no, bo-bo, I wouldn’t necessarily count on IL. either.
Everybody want to do a Vision Quest? Envision Fitgerald indicting bo-bo…it’s not beyond the realm of possibility. We all know you’re guilty as hell. The question is only a matter of finding enough prosecutorial evidence.
Jury’s out now on Rezko. Watch for updates at http://www.rezkowatch.com
I read the article earlier, and was amazed by his presumptions about Obama’s ability to get votes in states he has lost. His argument seemed so weak, that I was wondered why that newspaper would even bother to print it. Some days, I feel as though we have all been dropped onto Fantasy Island-there is no reality to the boneheaded arguments these idiots keep making. Obama is unelectable, and these types of articles just look ridiculous.
I still wanna know where Snobama and his astroturfing Svengali Axelgrease are REALLY getting all that money.
It is unbelieveable how this race has turned into a debate of “if your opinion is not my opinion then you are an idiot” and therefore deserve to be ridiculed.
His article is what it is….an opinion derived by facts supported by visuals.
Reality is I absolutely love Hillary and it is past time that she concedes defeat. We all need to do the math and face reality. The superdelegates have taken their blinders off but when will we? Truth is that the party does need to rally and support the obvious winner to prevent another four years of the past eight.
“Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude.”
Sorry, but I see no point in choosing Obamacrat Kool-Aid over Elephascist Kool-Aid. If Snobama is nominated, I’ll vote for McKinney in November.
Yes, I agree. Let’s face the math.
She’s already ahead in popular vote and is about to increase that Tuesday.
So let’s do talk math.
Hillary is ahead in the popular vote. Most of Obama’s pledged delegates are from caucuses and absolutely do no reflect the will of the voters. Many of us want her to continue to the convention because we know we will never cast our vote for Obama. Why? Because we have actually taken the time to look at his voting record and read about his corrupt politics. In addition we will not vote for him as a protest vote to the DNC and the party elders that contributed to hijacking this primary process. Never before has a candidate with Hillary’s performance dropped out or been TOLD to drop out prior to the convention. Ted Kennedy took it to the convention when he was more than 700 delegates behind. If you think about this perhaps you can understand our anger and why we will not “unite”. Hell most of us are leaving the Democratic party.
No, sweetie, his opinion was pulled out of his ass just like all the other “journalists” at the New Whore Times do.
Nice try, “Sweetie”.
OMG another pod has surfaced…”I absolutely love Hillary”…sure… and we’ll all worship and vote for obama, too - WHEN HELL FREEZES OVER.
You hit the wrong blog at the wrong time, buddy. I teach Positive Mental Attitude and am here to tell you it isn’t defined by self victimization, evasion and manipulation.
Now everybody wait and wonder will 1womandopinion get what I just said? Exhale. Let go. Never happen. Move on.
I had thought that centrists and leftists [I’m some of both] belonged to the reality-based community [except for Mad Leftists such as Ayers and Dohrn], and only right-wingers went in for leader cults. This year has taught me that’s not true.
Obama is just confused as to the geographical relation to AK and IL. There seems to be one or two of the 57 states somehow stuck in between.
Dadgummit! AK is Alaska! AR is Arkansas. (Pet peeve of mine!)
Speaking of states..thought about Larry’s post - Will Obama throw Mama under the Bus… and realized he does that to so many so often, we can hardly keep track. Then I realized HE JUST THREW HIS HOME STATE UNDER THE BUS and nobody seemed to notice
“been to 57 states and counting…I wanted to go to Alaska and Hawaii but my staff couldn’t justify it.”
HA: His only childhood home in US, which solidly voted for him - and he couldn’t “justify” going there (no, wait, it wasn’t his fault, his staff wouldn’t let him.)
HOWEVER, he could justify taking a weekend vacation in some other islands… just not the ones he’s from who voted for him. He could also spare numerous other campaign interruptions to fly back to Chgo and do damage control on Rezko trial.. but we all know his staff could certainly justify that.
And then, he got around to some family graves in IND, days before their primary, when there was plenty of press around. Before that, the only ancestors that mattered were the ones in Africa he could justify visiting (After all, campaigning for cous’ odinga was also a necessity to the master plan.)
But, gee, I think that IND family grave was a short drive from where he’s been living for many years - and, pretty sure Africa is a long plane trip.
Go figure. I can see the new poster of sullen bo, head hanging down, slogan beneath says:
SOMETIMES I FEEL LIKE THROWING THE WHOLE WORLD UNDER THE BUS.
We get that, barry. Cause that’s how you make the rest of us feel too.
What Chuckie Blow fails to realize that if your candidate’s precious liberal elitism and dismissive cultural arrogance causes you to completely write off the Scotch-Irish/Hillbilly/NASCAR DAD/Bubba/RedNeck and proud vote, you do a lot more than loose the dozen Apalachian states. As if that is not bad enough.
You also make it real tough to win Indiana, Ohio, Michigan and Wisconsin as well. You even put down state Illinois at risk. Why because for last hundred years generations of people from Appalachia have been settling in the Upper Midwest looking for a better life.
Has Chuckles Blow ever been to Kenosha WI, Peoria IL, Central or Southern Indiana, Central and Upper Michigan, especially towns like Ypslanti, Toledo and Columbus Ohio???
Dam these Obamabots sure are dumb.
Obama is going to win, it is inevitable. Hillary has gotten a grand total of zero superdelegates since the win in West Virginia.
If Hillary doesnt get those supers now, she’s never going to get them.
You guys are dreaming if you think she’s going to go from losing 90% of the superdelegates to winning 90% of them (which is what she would have to do to beat Obama in total delegates)
Oblamer is tanking is the swing states too. Color me blue and them red if Clinton doesn’t get the nomination.
You know, the truth is that I’m amazed more of her previously accumulated SDs aren’t jumping ship.
Amazing, given the Obamaspin is that it’s over.
I think a better question might be: How in the world is this woman hanging onto her SDs?
Now, that would be an interesting thesis.
Ever get the idea that there’s something right beyond your grasp that you just don’t get quite yet?
I suggest that my question to you is a clue. Think about it.
It’s been a shocking year to see the liberal elitism in the editorials, on TV, in the remarks made by the politicians.
It’s embarassing to see everyone talking as though their college degree means that they are smart enough to have a vote. I come from a family of college teachers, married one, grandparents, even…..and I can picture them all hooting up a storm over this myth.
In my family, the famous saying was, “Remember, a college kid in his first year is only 3 months older than that obnoxious senior who thinks it’s clever to throw toliet paper on trees.”
Let’s clear up that myth, once and for all. MSM uses lines like that for an intended effect: show you are smart/vote obama. What they are really talking about - in their preferred spin jive is the SUBURBAN VOTE.
One night after a primary, Fox slipped and called it what the talking heads more accurately call that demographic when the public can’t hear them: the TV VOTE! Worn out suburban commuters are infamous for couching in front of the boob tube when they finally make it home, and tend to rely on TV for their information. (Poor fools)
Honestly, that happened. One slipped and said it: the TV voters. Karl Rove quickly turned paler than usual and jumped in with a correction. So, if we’re now into calling a spade a spade:
Educated voters=suburban vote = TV vote = not too smart!
Gee, that makes a lot of sense! I never watch the TV guys. U-tube is so much nicer. That way, someone has clipped something entertaining. But there’s no way I could ever listen to all that caterwauling.
By the time Kentuckians and WV get to know you in November Senator Obama the margin of defeat will be even greater.
They know him well enough, just as we all know him better than we ever wanted to. …blaming Fox for his troubles, ha!ha!
Fox didn’t talk about bitter, frustrated rural voters that turn to guns and religion. YOU DID. Fox didn’t say never before proud of my country… YOUR WIFE DID…. Fox didn’t say GOD DAMN AMERICA…. your ’spiritual mentor’ did. Fox just helped the people in these states hear what you all said.
Never thought I’d see the day, but have to say (for now) thank God for Fox!
I am from Western Pa, now live in Ohio. In between I lived in Florida. He is not going to win.In rural PA the split was 70/30. It will be a tough fight for Obama to win the rural vote in PA. Forget Ohio, Forget WV and Forget Florida.
That 57 state strategy is getting smaller and smaller
Sen.Jim Webb can help Sen.Clinton do this!
Obama is out of touch.
except, he DIDN’T, and she DID!
Here’s another critique of the Blow op-ed.
Charles Blow Skirts The Appalachia Issue