Ignoring "The Problem"
Posted on Wed May 07, 2008 at 01:42:03 PM EST
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In the Left blogs today, it is considered a mortal sin to point out that Barack Obama has trouble connecting with white working class voters. It is a mortal sin to point out that in the South Carolina campaign, the Obama campaign fed the narrative that the Clinton campaign was race baiting. Indeed, the Left blogs themselves led the charge with this smear, notwithstanding the fact that it was utterly illogical. In South Carolina, the last thing the Clinton campaign would have wanted was African American voters rallying to Barack Obama.
In February, Obama was able to nimbly straddle appealing to African American voters while maintaining a broader appeal. Wisconsin and Virginia appeared to be watersheds, where Obama won both the white and African American voters (he has consistently lost Latino voters.) But from Ohio on, it became clear that Obama would not be able to sustain that. Jeremiah Wright was the biggest reason why. More . . .
The Problem remains unresolved and a deep concern for November. Discussing that concern is a mortal sin according to the Left blogs. I for one will not play the ostrich. I will consider the problem and ways Obama can solve it.
What the Clinton campaign is doing is saying that Obama has electability problems, and using their support from white voters as evidence of that. That's a wee bit problematic, and not just because it doesn't follow logically any more than the other electability arguments such as Obama can't win the election because he can't win the primary in big states.
Why is it problematic? Why does it not follow logically? Atrios does not explain. On the contrary, it make perfect logical sense. African American voters have been a staple of the Democratic coalition. While no constituency should ever be taken for granted, there seems to me no doubt, all things being equal, that holding white Democrats is more of a problem than holding African American Democrats. There is a long history on this issue.
What was exciting about Obama was he really appeared to be one of the first African American candidates where this would not be an issue. Since Ohio and especially since Jeremiah Wright, that was not so clear. Indeed, it remains a major concern.
That is a reality. And pretending it is not one will not make it disappear. The reality based community, if it ever existed, exists no longer.
Barack Obama will almost certainly be the Democratic nominee. I hope the professionals in his campaign are not going to be as silly as the Left blogs have proven to be on this issue.
By Big Tent Democrat, speaking for me only
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