Another reason to nominate Obama

[Hailtothechimp]

When he won the Senate primary and general election in Illinois, they were by whopping margins. The sort of margins where you didn't need to wonder about who would prevail.

This has also happened in a number of primaries that Obama has won so far this season. He's won 60% + in many states, and has even topped 70+ in some states. Hillary has topped 60% just once.

So if there is any doubt in the fall's turnout, you just know that the Bush gang of 2000 is drawing up plans to do Florida (or Ohio or some other state) all over again. And with Roberts and Alito on the Court this time, how do you think it will turn out?

So not only is Obama the better candidate, but he can also bring the kind of decisive results that will prevent what we've seen before.

Tell me why I'm wrong on this.....

[Benhurst]

1. Obama has had pretty much of a free ride so far.

I supported him in his run for the Senate seat in my native state, but I was always bothered by his being handled with kid gloves by those who oppose all the Democratic Party stands for.

His victory is not so impressive when you consider it was over Alan Keys. One doesn't need a tin-foil hat to think Keys was an extremely strange pick for the Republican leaders to make for a candidate once Jack Ryan, who was beating Obama in the early polls, resigned after the exposure of his mistreatment of his former wife, actress Jeri Ryan. Does anyone really believe the Illinois Republicans had nobody at all to run and had to go out to Maryland to find a candidate, an African American one at that, who was not a native or Illinois and had never even lived there? I still can't help thinking there must be a story there and some some sort of deal cut.

As for his high-percentage wins, most were in states we are not going to win in November. The South remains divided by race. South Carolina DEMOCRATS had gone for Jesse Jackson in the past. We, in North Carolina, nominated a very good African American candidate Harvey Gantt to the U.S. Senate twice only to have him overwhelming defeated both times. If you want to predict the chance of success in the red states of any of our candidates, check out the United States senators representing them. Here in North Carolina, despite our having fielded very good candidates, we have Republicans Elizabeth Dole and Richard Burr. A quick Google of their records in the Senate will show the kind of person likely to win down here in the Fall.

If Obama is nominated, Resko will become a household name, and God only knows what else, true or not, the Republicans will be feeding the corporate press.

The primary fight will look like a picnic once the general election starts. No matter who our nominee is, it's going to be touch and go. The campaign is going to be down and dirty, KKKarl Rove style.

[FrenchieCat]

2. If you think that Resko means anything compared to the Clinton library and foundation

Donor scandals that are about to come out, you must be kidding.

McCain and is Keating 5 is no saint....either.

Out of the 3, Obama has the least to worry about this scandal.

Go ahead and keep "wishing" that the majority of Americans are racists. Maybe that's what is in your own heart.

[Benhurst]

3. Most Americans haven't heard of Resko yet. Have no fear, they will be bombard with

truths (if harmful) and untruths by the corporate press if Obama is nominated.

Yeah, sure, there must be racism in my heart. How else could anyone have doubts about Obama?

Thanks playing the race card and shoveling the kind of shit which makes many think all those who back Obama, not just some, are members of a cult of personality.

With such followers, how can he fail to bring the party together? You are a real asset to his team. Yeah. Sure.

Whatever Obama's failings, and believe it or not even he does have some, he deserves better support from his followers.

[Radical Activist]

7. Most people don't care about a mundane campagin finance scandal

where its hard to see what, if anything, he did wrong. Its not sexy. Talk radio will play it up, it may get mentioned in the mainstream press, but most people won't understand or care.

[Hailtothechimp]

4. So you're saying the South will NEVER elect a black man??

Sounds like you are. Illinois has had not one African American senator, but two (remeber Carole Moseley Braun?) and we're doing just fine.

If Liddy Dole is what floats your boat, that's fine with me. But this reflexive "anything but the black man" can't last forever, can it???

[Benhurst]

8. I didn't say I liked Dole, in fact I voted against her. Unfortunately,

the majority of voters down here do not agree with me.

Yes, look at Illinois' senators: Obama and Durbin. That says something about the state and who has a good chance of winning there. You are making my point for me.

Then look at ours: Dole and Burr. Do you think they are any less representative of NC than Obama and Durbin are of Illinois? Are you familiar with their voting records?

Any state which elects an Obama and a Durbin to the Senate is probably going to be receptive to our candidate, no matter who he or she is, just as a state which would elect a Dole and Burr (to say nothing of having repeatedly elected Jesse Helms until he decided to retire) is unlikely to go Democratic this election cycle.

Those of us who live in very red states have had to grow used to not only having our nominees rejected; but in presidential elections, thanks to the Electoral College, knowing our votes won't even be counted.

A Democratic primary win in Utah is nice for the ego and brings votes for the nominating convention. But when the Electoral College meets after the general election, our Utah Democratic voters will join us here in most of the South, knowing that our votes won't be counted.

[Radical Activist]

6. What really heppend in his Senate race.

The Republican Party had to recruit Keyes because no mainstream Illinois Republican wanted to take on Obama. They knew it was a lost cause. Even before the convention speech he was popular and far ahead in the polls. Even the Republicans who lost in the primary didn't want to be appointed as the Republican candidate because they knew Obama was going to win.

And Keyes didn't handle Obama with kid gloves. He was as nasty and mean spirited as he always is. It got very ugly.

Its also worth noting that Obama was the underdog in a three way primary race and still won with over 50% of the vote in a surprise upset.

[Benhurst]

9. Alan Keyes is a nasty little turd.

But do you really believe there was NO Republican office holder in a state of Illinois, a state filled with ambitious Republican politicians both young and old, holding offices both high and low, who was willing to take a shot at a Senate seat, which at the least would establish a state-wide base for future runs even if it didn't lead to victory the first time out? So there was no choice but to recruit a crazy (perhaps I'm being tad unfair, but not much) African-American (the Republican party has been sooooo partial to minority candidates-- yeah, sure) in far away Maryland, who is not a native and has never even lived in the state?

If you buy that story, I have a great bridge I just inherited in New York I'd like to sell you.

[Radical Activist]

11. I was living in Illinois at the time and I remember what happened.

They tried recruiting a serious candidate. Republican after Republican refused to run, including the popular former Governor Jim Edgar, who people thought was the only one who had half a chance at beating Obama.

No one wanted to damage their reputation and political career with a huge loss. Losing a race can build your career if you have a fairly close and respectable finish. A huge double digit loss can end your career permanently and every Republican knew that's what was going to happen. They weren't stupid enough to go on a suicide mission.

The only Republicans willing to put their names out there were Steve Rauschenberger, a little known state Senator from the suburbs and a couple of gadflys no one took seriously. The Republican rationale was that Keyes would at least be controversial enough to earn free media coverage. That's the best they could hope for in a race everyone knew was a lost cause.

So I buy that story because its exactly what happened.

[Benhurst]

12. Yes, I had forgotten about Rauschenberger. A little known state

senator. And one who had run against the unfortunate Mr. Ryan in the Republican primary. Hmmm. And he was going to be running against ... A congressman? A governor? A U.S. Senator? No, it was (bingo!) another state senator.

So what would be more natural than to pick someone from another state who had absolutely no connection with Illinois at all, was already a laughing stock, and added no luster to the ticket whatsoever?

The offer for the bridge still stands and I'll throw in a really nice arts center named after a famous past citizen of Illinois as a bonus.

[Radical Activist]

14. If you want to disregard the most obvious and logical conclusion

in favor of a conspiracy theory, then I guess you're entitled to do so. I have a hard time taking you seriously without some shred of evidence of a secret back room deal or at least one person who has come forward and said it happened. Do you really think the Illinois Republican party is so cozy with Obama that they would not only make that deal but also keep quiet about it today while he's running for President? That defies reason and common sense.

I remember what happened and everyone knew Obama was going to win no matter who the Republicans nominated. Keyes was a throw away choice.

[thoughtcrime1984]

15. Rezko is looking to be nothing like the laundry list of Clinton donors

that are felons. With so many new voters on the scene since the 1992 and 1996 elections, the old Clinton attacks will be dusted off and sold again. The attacks against them will have much more depth to them than the attacks against Obama, IMO.

[Crooked Moon]

5. there is only one reason to nominate mr obama

and that is, when the votes are counted, he has honestly won the most primary-awarded delegates as determined by the people's votes, prompting the superdelegates to pledge their votes based on the will of the people.

anything else is simply an anointment.

[Benhurst]

10. True, but BOTH Obama and Hillary may be in that position.

Would it be any better to anoint her?

In either case, the way we are heading, we will be picking a candidate the majority of Democrats voted against in the primaries. And the rejected candidate, either Hillary or Obama, would have good cause for feeling cheated.

[Thrill]

13. One thing I like is he brings Congress seats

He was a big help around the country campaigning for Dems in 06