One of the previous posts I linked to comments on a Marist poll from last year that showed only 50% of the electorate would consider voting for a woman for president. I think it would hard going for *any* woman to be elected, but especially this woman who brings so much baggage.

I appreciate the enthusiasm you feel for Obama, it’s clear that he touches a deep chord in people and that’s not insignificant. But I think it’s too soon for him. I doubt he would have the practical ability to put his ideals into practice and I don’t think he will win against McCain, though it would be good for the country if he ran.

I know what enthusiasm for an idealistic challenger feels like — the first election I ever participated in was 1980, when I volunteered for Kennedy.

Am I to understand that you think the fix is in, and the Dems will lose possibly the easiest election that has ever been granted them in modern history? I wholeheartedly hope you are wrong! As a confirmed (and controversial in insignificant quarters!) Independent, I sincerely hope you are wrong. I think Carter is just as irrelevant now as he has always been, any attempt to associate him with Obama would require significant argument on your part.

And I can’t help but feel that this post has garnered a notable amount of comment here, which I feel works in Obama’s favor. There is an engagement factor at work this time around that our country hasn’t felt for quite a while.

Suggesting that by considering the effect Obama’s challenge has on the putative front-runner in his party is somehow keeping down “uppity blacks” is itself repugnant… and patronizing.

Would you have said criticizing Kennedy’s challenge of Carter was an example of keeping down “uppity rich white Irish”? Was criticism of Ralph Nader’s challenge to Gore keeping down “uppity Jewish consumer advocates”?

The white vote wasn’t divided evenly among the 3 main candidates as you suggest. One quarter went to Obama and 3/4 was divided among his rivals. The significance lies in the disproportionate support he received by racial group: 78% of blacks vs. 24% of whites. That’s significant. I agree with you that many of his voters might transfer their support to Clinton in the event that she prevails in the primaries — but to the extent that they don’t, Obama risks looking like a spoiler (think of Kennedy and Carter in 1980). But then, he might be the Democratic candidate. We’ll see.

And I never said Hillary is electable in a general election — I don’t believe she will ever be president. My point is that the challenge from Obama makes her election even less likely were she to be the Democratic candidate.

1. The leading Democratic candidate has baggage that will complicate her chances in the general election.

2. A younger, less-encumbered Democrat may win the nomination instead (thereby fracturing the party).

3. This is a bad thing because he’s black and therefore southern white Democrats won’t vote for him.

This is ludicrous–just turn each of the arguments around to see why. Are we supposed to just accept that Hillary will be our nominee without actually going through a nomination process? Do we prohibit uppity blacks from campaigning if they actually might win?

For heaven’s sake, why can’t we just conclude that Obama’s winning because he’s inspiring voters and has a solid organization? This idea that Obama’s supporters are hurting Dem chances this election are, in my view, wrong and frankly repugnant.

The nomination process is working and is generating a lot of excitement and interest. That’s a *good* thing–get over it.

Your logic is absurd. Barack, Edwards and Hillary have been running fairly even for awhile now and among white voters in SC,they broke not far outside that range yet again.

Indeed, Hillary got less than a 3rd of the Democratic white vote in SC. That means more than 2/3rds voted for the other guys.

2/3rds voted against her! 3/4 voted against Obama. So this means Hillary is electable in Nov but Obama is not?

Sorry, the issue is will those voters who voted against either of them come back in November and vote for the nominee if it’s not the one they voted for yesterday. Some might not come back and vote for Barack, but there are a lot of Hillary haters who won’t come back and vote for her either.

Remember this country allowed black men the right to vote about 75 years before they allowed white woman to. Sadly, the same might be true for the POTUS.