Is Barack Obama The Most Electable
Obama’s Super Tuesday Delegate Wins Definitely Indicate Electability
Record turnouts are attributed to the vibrant candidate from Illinois. His ability to excite voters across a broad spectrum will be an issue for the general election.
After a good showing across America on Super Tuesday and 10 consecutive state wins since, Barack Obama is now exploiting his ability to garner voters from not only the Democratic base but also Independents and Republicans. Pundits and journalists are touting this ability and saying he is the most electable come November 2008. Susan Page from USA Today wrote in her article Poll: Electability key among Democrats: “Democratic voters…are focused on nominating the most electable presidential candidate…and Illinois Sen. Barack Obama fares better than New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton against prospective Republican rivals.”
Obama has been reinforcing his message to campaign workers and members of the Democratic Party that he is the most electable. NBC’s Aswini Anburajan reported that Obama said: "It's time for new leadership that understands that the way to win a debate with John McCain is not by nominating someone who agreed with him…" Thomas J. Bico from the Moderate Independent, an independent journal, stated: “…when Obama speaks, he speaks to and for the entire nation….when it comes to presidential elections…people vote for the person.”
Yet, the true significance of this election is stressed in Poll results released a few days ago. They show that Obama beats all Republican rivals while Clinton looses to most – especially McCain. Barack feels he is a more diverse candidate, that he can attract Independents and Republicans to his campaign and is looked upon with fewer negatives than Clinton. "We can attract Independents and Republicans in a way that Sen. Clinton cannot….I don't think there's any doubt that the Republicans consider her a polarizing figure," Obama said of Clinton on CBS' Face the Nation Sunday.
Obama Positives
- National Regions: Obama’s wins have come from all regions of the USA; however, those large states where he has lost to Clinton he was remarkably close. In the case of Nevada he lost the state popular vote but did significantly well in Republican areas and among Independents. So well as to actually received more delegates to the convention in Denver.
- Red States: Julianna Goldman of Bloomberg quoted Governor Kathleen Sebelius as saying: “Kansas hasn't backed a Democrat for U.S. president since Lyndon Johnson…Obama may break that streak. `People are clearly willing to vote outside their party lines if they believe in the vision and in the person’." Goldman continues, “Obama has snared endorsements from numerous Red State Democratic officeholders.”
- Republicans: As evidence, Obama pointed to last month's vote in the Nevada caucus, where he bested Clinton among many Republicans as well as yesterday’s victory where he won the election in five Republican strongholds -- Alaska, Idaho, North Dakota, Colorado and Kansas. However, the most powerful endorsement came from Sarah Baxter of The Sunday Times: “Disillusioned supporters of President George W Bush are defecting to Barack Obama, the Democratic senator for Illinois, as the White House candidate with the best chance of uniting a divided nation.”
- Independents: In the 2000 election John McCain was very strong among Independent voters but then again so is Obama today. The Nation Magazine said: “…he won independents by large margins in most regions; including states in Clinton's column…He won them by 15 points in Clinton's home state of New York, and by 30 points in California. In…Missouri, independents flocked to Obama by…37 points.”
- Voter Turn Out: The Nation Magazine reported: “Across the country, over three million more voters turned out in Democratic primaries than Republican contests -- a trend that persisted even in traditionally conservative states….” This may be the most powerful legacy of Barack Obama, whether he becomes the 44th President of the USA or not. He has definitely electrified a nation!
