A Possible Reason Obama is not doing well with working class voters.

[Tony_FLADEM]

Barack Obama is running a campaign that is attempting to appeal to all voters based on factors that transcend class or race. Hillary Clinton is running a campaign that appeals to working class voters more exclusively than other groups. In other words, it's the type of campaigns both candidates have chosen to run, that has caused Clinton to do better with working class voters. Some people feel they need to be catered to exclusively.

Tony

[Wetzelbill]

1. that could be a part sure

That sounds like it has some influence. I think also, Hillary is a known quantity, lots of these voters like Bill, probably few of them are political junkies who study each candidates policies and voting records that much. They know Hillary and Bill, they like her, she's made an effort to target them and Obama didn't quite make his case with them.

I do think it's worth it to note that, Hillary is a great candidate. I think Obama's supposed troubles with working class voters are overblown. It's not that he's all that bad, it's that Hillary is mostly that good. She's famous, she's and icon and she's been an obviously formidable candidate. Against nearly every other candidate, Obama gets those voters or splits them.

[Quixote1818]

2. However, Obama has won Working Class voters in at least 25 states. nt

[ShortnFiery]

3. This is "the big lie" ... HRC wins working class voters in SOME states. eom

[The_Casual_Observer]

4. They liked the Clintons. Perhaps Obama will gain their respect too.

Who knows?

[smalll]

5. "Some people feel they need to be catered to exclusively." LOL

Yeah, damn those spoiled, center-of-attention drama queens that are the American working class. Obama is "attempting to appeal to all voters based on factors that transcend class or race" -- to everybody, in other words. So of course the ever-so-humble, low-maintenance latte liberals are voting for him. And the African-Americans of course as well. They're just voting for Mr. General-Populace Unity, that's all... :eyes:

Um, Obama IS black, so he has the AA vote. And by his whole life-story, his language, his cool (rather than warm) nature, his stylish internationalism, and a little dash of anti-Americanism for flavor (at least amongst his closest friends, allies and, ahem, wife) - he's basically dog-whistling to the well-off, college-educated "left."

[catnhatnh]

6. Enjoy it while you can, Butch....

very shortly accusing the Democratic candidate of anti-Americanism will earn you the granite cookie you so richly deserve.

[TexasObserver]

7. she is the Pander Bear

[Triana]

8. False Premise: Obama is doing fine with working-class voters.

Don't buy the meme. There's aways room for improvement and I have no doubt his campaign will be working on that, but the flap about his doing badly with the WWC vote is grossly overstated and is being used as an excuse to marginalize him.

Grok this, from one of Obama's senior aides:


“Put your brains back in your head and look at the national polls instead of local, primary polls,” a senior Obama aide told me Tuesday in a phone interview. “In national polls, we win every income group against John McCain except those people making $100,000-plus, where we lose by one point, which is a tie.

“Among white, non-college voters, McCain leads Obama 52-40 and he leads Clinton 52-44. A four-point difference between us and Clinton, well within the margin of error.

“Overall in head-to-head matchups, we are beating McCain by more than she is. And, most importantly, we are winning independents 51-42 against McCain, and Clinton loses independents 49-46 against McCain. So we are plus nine among independents and she is minus three.”

Obama’s second argument is that the slicing and dicing of the electorate into neat little groups misses what he is about: He is unifying figure. He represents change, he says, and he will attract the votes of people who want change, regardless of the neat boxes that pollsters put them in.

Third, Obama believes he is the victim of a dirty trick. He used that phrase. And all he needs to do, he believes, is get the truth out in order to build his numbers.

_ _ _ _ _

EDIT: AND see this incredible analysis by one of our fellow DUers about the "Obama can't win the white working-class vote", "Obama is unelectable" bullshit:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=5930533&mesg_id=5930533

[VotesForWomen]

9. give it up. O is not 'different.' He's nothing but a politician, just like the rest of 'em. nt

[quantass]

10. Good lawd..what you must think of Hillary (head explode).

Obama is different and the world loves him....Canada certainly does.

[Summer of 41]

11. Obama does not transcend race, he played the race card

with "fairy tale" long before "Obama is jessie jackson".

His nomination is based on "you can't take the nomination away from Obama because it will spurn the african american vote". Completely.

Since 3am ad before Texas, Hillary has dominated Obama in electability. She has run over him like a runaway beer truck. NC was early voting, pre Wright goes bonkers. Hillary is destroying him.

Hillary was the policy wonk long ago, talking to "all voters". But they lost the black vote when saying "I am like LBJ" became "I am like David Duke" in the minds of the pro obama huffington post goon media.

[cali]

13. You seem confused. Obama NEVER p[layed the race card

but Hilly did indeed employ the southern strategy in an attempt to frame him as a fringe minority candidate. His nomination is based on the FACTS: Obama has won more pledged delegates by 120+. Obama has won more states. Obama has won a greater share of the popular vote. Hillykins got fewer pledged delegates out of TX. She won PA and OH by single digits. She lost NC and won Indiana by less than 1 pt. Hilly ran a for shit campaign and lost because of it. And your suggestion that Obama is merely an affirmative action candidate is disgusting.

[HughBeaumont]

12. And, as I've continually asked throughout her campaign regarding this issue and this group . . .

WHY?

Based on her past statements and votes, Hillary Clinton is about as pro-working class and pro-labor as I am pro-war.

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/HughBeaumont/32

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=5313426

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/GC01Df03.html
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/538674.cms
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/593175.cms

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UhLBSLLIhUs
Hillary pushes for more h1-b visas and outsourcing

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLNOSGM2jK4
Hillary Clinton's hypocrisy (part 1)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jgdrh2Bc95M
Hillary Clinton's hypocrisy (part 2)

The host didn't make these statements. Hillary did. This "champion of the working people" is a total load of horseshit. More like "Champion of the leftover Reagan Democrats" (wink wink, nudge nudge).

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=5648636#5648832

[eridani]

14. Maybe the Repuke noise machine repeating for 30+ years--

--that Dems are the real "elitists," whereas the haves and have mores are jus' plain folks would have something to do with it? And the Clinton campaign helpfully bleating out the same thing? If she doesn't think the same shit won't be pulled on her in the GE, she's delusional.