Is Georgia In Play For Obama?

Georgia will be a turnout state. The Republicans there are social conservatives, and McCain doesn't really do much for them. How motivated will they be to go to the polls? Bob Barr is polling there at about 6-8% as of right now. Obviously, African-Americans and college students are huge potential voting blocs for Obama. If the Obama campaign can get a huge ground organization there, there's a chance they could steal Georgia. Common sense says it goes Republican, but a state so rich in potential Obama votes can't be written off.

 

Does anyone really think Barr will get 6-8 percent? Half that maybe. Plus, the ultra-conservatives in Georgia who love Barr so much aren't going to like the idea of taking away votes from someone who can prevent an African-American from winning the White House. I'm guessing the Barr supporters fall into the ultra-redneck category.

Then again, a bunch of ultra-liberals in Florida kept Gore out of the White House, so we shouldn't even underestimate the stupidity of the American voters.

 

I'll just add that any candidate counting on the youth vote is probably going to lose.
Historically speaking, young people don't vote.

 

True. Historically speaking, neither do minorities. Although I don't think that will be the case this year.

Old people always vote. Hopefully, they'll vote for their own.

 

John Kerry and Al Gore didn't connect with younger voters the way Obama has. The primary numbers speak for themselves.

 

Thank you, Mark Penn.

 

At the Iowa Jefferson Jackson Dinner:

At least two of Hillary Clinton’s upper-echelon advisers, Mandy Grunwald and Mark Penn, were decidedly unimpressed .

“Our people look like caucus-goers,” Grunwald said, “and his people look like they are 18. Penn said they look like Facebook.”

Penn added, “Only a few of their people look like they could vote in any state.”

Iowa caucus results:

Barack Obama 940 37.6%
John Edwards 744 29.7
Hillary Rodham Clinton 737 29.5

 

And historically speaking, non-fist-bump presidential candidates didn't have people the Black Eyed Peas create a YouTube video featuring relevent 20-something actors, actresses and musicians that appeal to younger demographics during a campaign (though Clinton on Arsenio did stand out at the time).

Obama has definitely tapped MySpace, Facebook, YouTube and other resources on the Web to reach out to younger voters that other candidates never got before, that other candidates always believed to be out of reach.

 

I spent five years combined living in Hahira and Rome, and picked up a bachelor's degree from Kennesaw State along the way. It was OK, but I much prefer Alabama, Tennessee or the Florida Panhandle, thanks.

And Bob Barr is hardly the ultra-redneck candidate. His base of support (such as it might be) is Cobb County. The good ole boys in the swamps and hills aren't the ones hitting the touchscreen (evil GOP conspiracy alert!) for the Libertarians.

 

Haha, the first time I read that I thought it said "fist bump" not "first bump".

 

Well, if Fergie and Will.I.Am are supporting him then they might as well just hand him the White House right now.

 

Are there going to be any "social conservative" issues on the ballot in November? That could draw the GOP base out.

Just a hypothetical situation.