Graceless loser?

Via Fox: David Axlerod attributes Hillary's better numbers in Indiana to Rush Limbaugh.

It was an open primary. 11% of voters in the Democratic primary said they were Republicans -- half of those said they voted for Hillary. There's no support for the theory that this 5.5% listened to Rush. It's just as likely they are sick of Bush and don't like McCain and prefer Hillary to Obama. 5.5% voted for Obama. Maybe they listened to Rush but decided Obama is the more unelectable against McCain and wanted him to be the nominee to help McCain win in November. Six of one, half dozen of the other.

Obama urged Republicans and Independents to register as Dems and vote for him in earlier open caucuses and primaries. I guess what's good for the goose isn't good for the gander in Obama's world.

Another election night proves what I have written too many times to count - demography is political destiny. As Jeralyn's post below demonstrates, Donna Brazile and many Obama supporters (see Chris Bowers for instance) think Democrats can win in November without white working class voters. I believe they are wrong.

Barack Obama's "big night" was not fueled by solving this electability problem. He lost whites in North Carolina by 61-37. He lost whites in Indiana by 60-40. He won African Americans 91-7 in North Carolina. He won African Americans in Indiana by 92-8.

Obama won North Carolina because African Americans were 33% of the vote. Obama kept it close in Indiana because African Americans were 15% of the vote. In terms of the electability problems Obama is facing, nothing changed tonight. And West Virginia next week will confirm that. More . . .

CNN says Hillary Clinton is expected to address her supporters shortly. I'll live-blog when it happens.

Not too long ago my opponent made a prediction. I would win PA, he would win North Carolina, Indiana would be the tiebreaker.

We've broken the tie and now it's full speed onto the White house.

Talks about gas problems, "tonight is your victory right here."

Commends Obama on N.C. win but "we are on same journey." It began long before we were born. Tonight once again I need your help to continue our journey. More...

They are hand counting the absentee ballots in Lake County, Indiana where Gary is situated. The networks are waiting for those results to call the race.

One million votes are in and HIllary leads 52% to 48%. Fox's Britt Hume says they know what is going on they just aren't ready to say so.

Obama's lead in North Carolina right now is 14%.

This is an open thread for all thoughts on tonight's primary results and the Democratic nomination.

Update: Here's Donna's comment right before the fracas:

BRAZILE: Well, Lou, I have worked on a lot of Democratic campaigns, and I respect Paul. But, Paul, you're looking at the old coalition. A new Democratic coalition is younger. It is more urban, as well as suburban, and we don't have to just rely on white blue-collar voters and Hispanics. We need to look at the Democratic Party, expand the party, expand the base and not throw out the baby with the bathwater.

***

Here's the transcript of the big blowout tonight between Donna Brazile and Paul Begala, with Campbell Brown confronting Brazile about her Obama bias. (received by e-mail from CNN:)

It begins with comments by Alex Castellano, a Republican member of the panel.

More...

Of course, he said her "apparent" win, but I think it was a concession.

Is anyone watching Obama? He's speakng now.

9:41 pm: Indiana vote: Almost 950,000 votes in, Hillary has 52%, Obama 48%. Fox and CNN still have not called it.

Comments now closed, new threads are up.

Our servers crashed for a half hour or so. We're back now.

Update: 830,000 votes are in and Fox and CNN are still not calling it. Hillary now has 53% of the vote. Gary (Lake County) is not in. I don't agree that Gary, Indiana makes the difference between a win and a loss. We'll see.

Let's continue. In Indiana, more than 650,000 votes are in and Hillary is holding her 54%, 8 point lead.

CBS has called Indiana for Hillary Clinton. The media and Obama's campaign are focused on North Carolina, the outcome of which was never in doubt. They are trying to make it sound like Hillary's votes are Rush Limbaugh generated.

Hillary got 59% of the white vote in North Carolina according to the exit polls. David Axlerod claims Obama got 65% of the white voters under age 65. Can both of those be correct? [Comments now closed.]

(BTD) The NC exits. Obama wins. Whites (63%) go Clinton by 59-36 (5% missing?). African Americans (33%) go Obama by 93-7.

4% of the vote is missing from this exit poll. Right now it shows 55-39.

Comments now closed.

Update: 450,000 votes in, Hillary still at 56%. CNN's Indiana exit polls are here.

Update: 8:00 pm ET: 400,00 votes in, Hillary now at 56%. I'm back on CNN since Fox went to pundits.

Update: 350,000 votes in and Hillary is still leading 57% to 43%. Why won't they call it for Hillary? They will tell us after the commercial. I'll tell you right now: Indianapolis only partially in and Gary isn't in at all. But, neither is South Bend, and that one I think will go to Hillary.

Update: I just dumped CNN for Fox. I won't go near MSNBC. 280,000 votes in, Hillary still at 57%, Obama 43%. The CNN county map is here. Neither Indianapolis nor Gary is in yet.

More...

CNN calls North Carolina for Obama as soon as the polls closed. I'm still following Indiana, as i think that's the more important state for Hillary Clinton, but I'll post results here. You can keep each other updated in comments.

BTD will do a separate thread with new exit poll data from N.C.

(BTD) - The Indiana exit polls are up. I'll blog about them here.

Clinton won (45%) Men 51-49, (55%) Women 53-47, Whites (81%) 60-40. Lost African Americans (15%) 8-92. According to this, Clinton won Indiana by 4.

Obama does better in Indiana for one reason, African Americans came out strong. Demography remains political destiny. Let's see what the last numbers say.

Update: All polls close in 3 minutes. I'll start a second results thread. 62,000 votes in, Hillary at 59%. Obama is ahead in one county, Allen. Maps here.

Update: 46,000 votes in, Hillary 61%, Obama 39%.

Update: 40,000 votes in. Hillary now at 60%, Obama 40%. They may include some Indianapolis returns as Wolf Blitzer said a few minutes ago some just came in. 2% of vote. Hillary ahead in every county reporting so far, about 15 of them.

Update: 38,000 votes in, Hillary 61%, Obama 39%.

Update: First results, Hillary 66%, Obama 34%, less than 1% or 4,000 votes in. Hillary is winning rural Clinton county and five others. Very small counties. Now, Hillary 63%, Obama 37%, around 9,000 votes.

The first polls have closed in Indiana. The rest close in one hour. Maps are here.

I'll put the first returns here, along with new exit polling data. More below.