Twenty-Eight Percent Of Hillary Supporters Would Back McCain If Obama Wins

[rox63]

So much for which campaign has the most real Dems as supporters. :eyes:

http://tpmelectioncentral.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/03/poll_twentyeight_percent_of_hi.php

Poll: Twenty-Eight Percent Of Hillary Supporters Would Back McCain If Obama Wins

By Greg Sargent - March 26, 2008, 11:34AM

This, from Gallup, is the first polling I've seen on this question -- it finds that Hillary supporters say they're more likely to bolt to McCain if their choice doesn't end up as the nominee:

Clinton supporters appear to be somewhat more reactive than Obama supporters. Twenty-eight percent of the former indicate that if Clinton is not the nominee -- and Obama is -- they would support McCain. That compares to 19% of Obama supporters who would support McCain if Obama is not the nominee -- and Clinton is.

You hear lots more media attention being paid to the idea that Obama's supporters would bolt to McCain than to the possibility that Hillary's would. It's worth keeping in mind that you can't take it for granted, as some pundits seem to, that Hillary backers will all support Obama.

On the other hand, one problem with this poll is it doesn't account for how Hillary might win. If Obama won the pledged delegate count and popular vote, and the super dels put Hillary over the top, you could easily see the number of Obama supporters not willing to back Hillary spiking.

[Demobrat]

1. I'll vote for Hillary if she wins fair and square.

Otherwise there's no way. I'll just stay home.

[TwilightGardener]

2. Meh, who cares. By November, people will have long since settled

down and took a good look at what they're really getting with the shuffling senile old warmonger.

[Inuca]

6. That's what I keep telling myself

because otherwise it is SCARY and demoralizing (people being so stupid and short-sighted).

[Deep13]

8. I think that's wishful thinking.

Most voters are not directly involved with the war and among those that are, a good fraction of them still believe it is good to be over there.

What I see as more likely is a party split in fact if not in name with the centrists and typical D. party activist forming a moderate, Midwestern party while those that are looking for a charismatic leader will become a further left party presently occuppied by the so-called Northeast ivory tower liberal elite.

[Deep13]

3. Yes, sarcasm toward your dwindling base will win the election.

O has made a conscious effort to alienate those who are likely to be HC supporters through undisguised sexism, emotional manipulation and just plain slander. O and the rest of us are about to find out a political fact he has forgotten. Politicians owe loyalty to voters, not the other way around.

[LisaM]

4. Well, what do you expect?

The level of vitriol from Obama supporters is pretty high.

At my caucus in February, the people who got up to speak "on behalf" of Obama simply wanted to say how they hated Hillary, and how their relatives hated Hillary, and how we can't nominate someone who everyone hates!

It left those of us who were supporting Hillary feeling rather nonplussed. Let me say, it was the most undemocratic process I've ever seen. We were not given a voice and issues were never brought up. It was ridiculous. Now I hear a bunch of people demanding that Hillary up and quit the race!

I would never vote for McCain, but I'll have to seriously consider voting for Obama.

[billbuckhead]

7. The caucus process should be stopped and replaced with actual elections

It's obviously undemocratic.

[jojo54]

5. This issue is quickly becoming a real hard-ass issue

in my house. Hub says he'll do the same thing if Obama is the nominee!!

I proceeded to call him a f*cking racial hypocrite. This is probably the starting point of my divorce.

[billbuckhead]

9. Hillary's opponent is the most divisive candidate in modern times

If the Dems ran a popular white guy, the election would be over instead of handed to the Republican's.

[LisaM]

12. I am not advocating that we make the easy choice

I liked Obama before the campaign started. I do not like him now.

[Inuca]

13. A popular white guy

as opposed to a popular black guy. Gotcha! Very nice.

Just in case: :sarcasm:

[billbuckhead]

15. He's so popular, that's why so many Dems will vote for McCain

[Deep13]

10. "This is probably the starting point of my divorce."

Extremism does that. And by extremism I mean intolerance for differing views.

[LisaM]

11. Well, are you gloating over him and refusing to discuss issues?

That's what is happening in my household.

Yesterday morning, an issue came up that my SO CLEARLY agrees with Hillary on. He brought it up! I pointed out how Hillary represents his views on this issue better than Obama. The conversation ended. Period. He will not discuss issues.

[SeattleGirl]

14. Makes me wonder if they are really Democrats, then.

Not saying we should all put on our uniforms and march in lockstep, but McCAIN? Are you kidding me? He'd take Bush's mess and make it even worse.

No thanks.

I'm voting Dem in November, regardless of whether it Obama or Clinton.

[LisaM]

16. Look, you were at the Washington caucuses. They were flooded with independents

At my caucus, no issues were discussed. It was an anointment, pure and simple. We tried to pass resolutions, but the mob would have none of it. They shut that process down. Many wrote down their candidate preference and left. I never heard the results of the second round of voting. Hillary people were marginalized, treated like idiots, not allowed to speak, and so on. And these people were the BACKBONE OF THE LOCAL PARTY. They were the people who have been attending the local Democratic party meeting for decades. They helped craft the resolutions no one would bother to discuss or vote on. They are the people who will still be there, fighting for issues, long after the momentum of a glamourous candidate has passed.

[SeattleGirl]

17. Actually, I was not able to attend my caucus this year.

Therefore, I can't address what you said. Sorry.

[anonymous171]

18. In my WA caucus I was especially polite.

Since I had heard that certain Obama supporters were being rowdy at Caucuses and so I wanted to set a good example. The same could not be said for the Hillary supporters. One man (HRC supporter) started a shouting match about how "OBAMA IS NOT THE CHANGE WE NEED!" I watched as a young woman, an Obama supporter, was screamed at by an Older woman (HRC) for being a "FEAR MONGER" for questioning HRC's electability.