Sen. Hillary Clinton (NY) won the Dem primary in PA – an important swing state - with a respectable 10-point margin (55 percent to 45 percent) over her opponent, Sen. Barack Obama (IL).
Both Hilary and Obama held onto their core supporters, and neither made inroads into the other’s base. Women, senior citizens and less educated voters went for Hillary, whereas men, those under age 30 and highly educated voters clung to Obama. But considering that Obama spent $11.2 million on TV ads - more than twice the amount his rival spent - he should have been able to “close the deal,” as Hillary put it.
Exit poll data from voters in 40 precincts across PA showed that one in 10 – half of them Republican, half of them independent - changed their party registration so they could vote in the state’s closed primary. Sixty percent of them said they voted for Obama.
Other exit poll results:
† Although the candidates spent six weeks campaigning in PA, 20 percent of voters decided for whom to vote within the last week. Nearly 60 percent of them supported Hillary, suggesting that his weak performance in last week’s debate and the ensuing tit-for-tat advertisements the two candidates ran had a negative effect.
† According to 2005 census data, PA is 86 percent white, and Hillary won 60 percent of these votes, including two-thirds of those without college degrees and an equal number of those whose household income was less than $50K. She also beat Obama amongst white men by a 10-point margin. For his part, Obama won 9 out of 10 black votes overall, and had a strong showing in Philadelphia - which has a large black population - as well as in the city’s suburbs, home to well-educated, liberal whites.
† Gun owners – roughly four out of 10 voters – regular churchgoers and those living in rural areas of the state residents all supported Hillary by 60 percent to Obama’s 40 percent.
† With the candidates bashing each other’s brains out all week, Dems are becoming increasingly polarized between the two. Roughly half of each candidate’s supporters say they could support the other candidate in the general election.
Hillary overwhelmingly won the votes of Reagan Dems in the NE part of the state – particularly in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre area – voters who are the likeliest to cross over to John McCain (R-AZ) in the general election, should Obama be the alternative. Hillary’s win adds weight to her claim that she is better able to defeat McCain in the fall. The pressure is now on Obama to win decisively in IN and NC on May 6th – meaning, he must significantly erode Hillary’s blue collar support regardless of the margin – so as to render moot her argument to the superdelegates that he is unelectable.
Note: The Stiletto writes about politics and other stuff at The Stiletto Blog, chosen an Official Honoree in the Political Blogs category by the judges of the 12th Annual Webby Awards (the Oscars of the online universe) along with CNN Political Ticker, Swampland (Time magazine) and The Caucus (The New York Times).
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3 users commented in " Hillary “Rocky” Clinton Makes It To The Next Round "
Follow-up comment rss or Leave a TrackbackIT’S TIME AMERICA:
It’s time for everyone to face the truth. Barack Obama has no real chance of winning the national election in November at this time. His crushing defeat in Pennsylvania makes that fact crystal clear. His best, and only real chance of winning in November is on a ticket with Hillary Clinton as her VP.
Hillary Clinton seemed almost somber at her victory speech. As if part of her was hoping Obama could have defeated her. And proved he had some chance of winning against the republican attack machine, and their unlimited money, and resources. In all honesty. I felt some of that too.
But it is absolutely essential that the democrats take back the Whitehouse in November. America, and the American people are in a very desperate condition now. And the whole World has been doing all that they can to help keep us propped up.
Hillary Clinton say’s that the heat, and decisions in the Whitehouse are much tougher than the ones on the campaign trail. But I think Mr. Obama faces a test of whether he has what it takes to be a commander and chief by facing the difficult facts, and the truth before him. And by doing what is best for the American people by dropping out of the race, and offering his whole hearted assistance to Hillary Clinton to help her take back the Whitehouse for the American people, and the World.
Mr. Obama is a great speaker. And I am confident he can explain to the American people the need, and wisdom of such a personal sacrifice for them. It should be clear to everyone by now that Hillary Clinton is fighting her heart out for the American people. She has known for a long time that Mr. Obama can not win this November. You have to remember that the Clinton’s have won the Whitehouse twice before. They know what it takes.
If Mr. Obama fails his test of commander and chief we can only hope that Hillary Clinton can continue her heroic fight for the American people. And that she prevails. She will need all the continual support and help we can give her. She may fight like a superhuman. But she is only human.
Sincerely
Jacksmith… Working Class
Hillary Clinton is what this country needs to keep us from going into a depression, because that is where we are heading, she may be a woman and I’m sure that some people have a problem with that but what is good for the country comes first, she has backbone, strength, and experience what more do you want.Obama is still too new to the world of politics to be a leader, this is no time to learn as you go…………………………
I agree, but prefer a more seasoned, professional VP nom for Hilary. Especially since obama does not want to work under a woman. His remarks to ask someone of her experience and caliber to go home and quit the race are sexist.
Much is made about a black candidate when HERSTORY is the real history being made.
After all more than half the population of the world is women. By rights that is the real barrier. Not a minority jump where less people are being underserved and there are many types of cultural and racial minorities.
Why can’t we have a first Hispanic or Asian president before an African American? Having a women president is a much bigger move in terms of discrimination.
People under estimate the fact that Obama was not raised in the USA. American’s have every right to decide to maintain a homegrown president where one’s allegiance is clear.
Literally and figuratively we can’t afford to have a Junior Senator as a beginner in the white house.
For all the self-admitted, bone-headed character flaws in judgment that Obama has shown it does not matter what color he is - he would be a loser. He is a RADICAL hard left LIBERAL and that does not unite people. It risky with all the money he raises coming from the web, which is so easy to manipulate.
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