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Obama as the Next McGovern? | 198 comments (198 topical)
So, um... (none / 0) (#57)
by sphealey on Sat Feb 16, 2008 at 07:26:24 PM EST
So, um.... why didn't Senator Clinton's campaign organize to win in the caucus states?  Why didn't she organize to win big in Missouri - including St. Louis and Kansas City?

Could it possibly be because she underestimated her opposition?  If so, is that a good trait in a Presidential candidate?

sPh

[ Parent ]

Something tells me that organizing (5.00 / 2) (#69)
by RalphB on Sat Feb 16, 2008 at 07:41:28 PM EST
in St Louis wouldn't have done much good considering the racial makeup of the participants.  Frankly, I'm kind of surprised she did so well in the rest of the state, outside the urban areas.

Even so, there's no doubt the Clinton campaign made some strategic errors and I think the biggest one was thinking this race would be over early.  That's really bitten them hard.

[ Parent ]

I don't know (5.00 / 1) (#72)
by badger on Sat Feb 16, 2008 at 07:44:05 PM EST
But the answer to that isn't especially relevant to this discussion. Clinton winning the caucuses wouldn't prove her viability as a candidate anymore than Obama winning them did.

On the issue of electability, caucuses are pretty meaningless - they certainly aren't any kind of evidence that, for example, Obama will carry NE in the general election (or even IA).

Primaries won't prove that either, but at least the represent a broader base and in open primary states include independents too.

The problem that occurs is when Democratic activists or factions within the party are out of sync with the electorate generally - that's what happened in 1972 (or 1964 for Goldwater and the GOP). Whether that's happening this year is anybody's guess, but I think it's worth considering.

The evidence for it isn't especially strong. It's mostly Obama's inability to carry large state primaries. I think there are some other factors, but they could just as well be anti-Obama bias at this point.

What evidence do you have that that isn't the case?


[ Parent ]

Obama parlayed his (none / 0) (#66)
by ding7777 on Sat Feb 16, 2008 at 07:38:12 PM EST
knowledge from being a grassroots Community acivist into caucus building.  

[ Parent ]
I don't think it was (5.00 / 2) (#78)
by Jeralyn on Sat Feb 16, 2008 at 07:51:01 PM EST
Obama, I think it was Axelrod.

[ Parent ]
From the LA Times (none / 0) (#174)
by ding7777 on Sat Feb 16, 2008 at 10:10:11 PM EST
The precinct-level operations were to employ theories of community organizing Obama practiced in Chicago before getting into electoral politics.

more..

[ Parent ]

MONEY (none / 0) (#140)
by delandjim on Sat Feb 16, 2008 at 09:07:03 PM EST
She was running out of money and the campaign made foolish decisions on whether to contest caucus states.

[ Parent ]
one reason (none / 0) (#182)
by sas on Sat Feb 16, 2008 at 10:27:44 PM EST
money

[ Parent ]

Obama as the Next McGovern? | 198 comments (198 topical)

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