Obama's Surging Black Support May Tilt South Carolina Primary

[ariesgem]

Jan. 17 (Bloomberg) -- A Barack Obama sticker decorates the bumper of Helen Quarles's car. It fit neatly over the Hillary Clinton decal Quarles, a retired auto worker from McCormick, South Carolina, displayed until recently.

Quarles, a 69-year-old African-American, once was a Clinton volunteer. Her shift to Obama is part of a trend among black voters that may cause problems for Clinton, the national front- runner in the Democratic presidential race.

With South Carolina due to hold its Democratic primary Jan. 26 and blacks expected to account for 50 percent of party ballots, polls show Obama now leading Clinton.

Patricia Clark, a 47-year-old administrative assistant from Charleston, said she has vacillated between Clinton, 60, and the senator from Illinois and now leans toward Obama. Though ``Hillary's been there for us,'' she said, ``I'm looking for someone who can make some changes.''

South Carolina illustrates a broader shift in states with large concentrations of black Democrats. On Feb. 5, several states with big black populations, including Georgia and Alabama, where more than 40 percent of Democratic primary voters are black, hold nominating contests.

Iowa Breakthrough

Obama's triumph in the Iowa caucuses was a catalyst for the change in sentiment, political analysts say, because it demonstrated he can garner white support and compete in the general election.

``Now I'm voting my heart, with Obama,'' said Cheryl Ewing, a 47-year-old program manager from Philadelphia. Only six weeks ago at a focus group conducted by pollster Peter Hart, Ewing, who is black, said she was in Clinton camp's because America wouldn't vote for a black president. ``Iowa made me change my mind.''

National and state polls show a dramatic reversal in support among African-Americans in recent months. Obama now leads Clinton among blacks nationwide, 57 percent to 32 percent, according to a Jan. 10-13 USA Today/Gallup poll. Less than two months ago, Clinton was ahead in the same survey 56 percent to 33 percent.

In state polls, Obama is also beating Clinton among blacks, leading by 23 percentage points in South Carolina, according to the most recent Rasmussen Reports survey. He's ahead by 38 percentage points among Maryland blacks and by 39 points in Georgia, according to polls by the Baltimore Sun and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=a6aWZAnp5M08&refer=home

[David Dunham]

1. Good signs

[ShadowLiberal]

2. Good progress, but he'll need to make gains with voters of other races to in order to win

Still, this is a great start to turning things around and beating Hillary.