Does Obama need any habitual Repugnant Voters to pull this off?

[kennetha]

I have a fair number of friends who swear that their formerly republican and usually somewhat racist parents/grandparents etc will turn a page and vote for Obama this time around.

Question: does Obama need many or any such voters to pull this off? Because in my heart of hearts, I find it hard to believe that a LOT of habitual republican, semi racist old farts are going to cast their first vote for a democrat for Obama when they get in the privacy of the voting booth.

But I suspect that most people who really fit this description (long time repugnant conservative) are pretty much signed sealed and delivered for McCain and probably aren't among the undecided or still persuadables.

If a lot of those types were still undecided or persuadable, then the McCain camp would have more of a chance of "bringing them home" to the conservative/racist party of their past.

My bet is that Obama needs few, if any of the old white racist contingent to have an awakening to win this thing. So even if my friends and associates parents and grandparents turn out not to be tellig their children and grandchildren the truth about their voting intentions, it's no big deal.

[tekisui]

1. Nope. Dems, Indys, Youth and First time voters will do it.

Although, I think many moderate pukes will join us.

[elkston]

2. I am suspicious of these "recent convert" stories as well.

I always hope for the best, but only really count on firm Obama support and turnout.

[SmokingJacket]

3. I don't think we need a single hardcore republican.

We could pull it off with just rounding up more independents than McCain.

However, I do think we'll be getting a few of them, anyway... hopefully that'll go a little way towards making up for the people they're purging...