About the controversy over the NH results...

[progressive_realist]

I'm not sure why everyone is making so much of a fuss over the discrepancy between the pre-election polls and the vote results. The only polls that should be expected to match actual votes cast are unadjusted exit polls. Any number of things can happen in between the time a pollster collects data for pre-election polls and the time of the actual election.

In this case, two rather significant things happened during the days preceding the New Hampshire vote: 1) Clinton turned in her first strong debate performance, and 2) Clinton displayed some emotion. Between these two things and the way it seemed like Edwards and Obama were ganging up on her in the Saturday debate, I think it reminded a lot of voters that she is running not just as a Democrat and a Clinton (and a corporatist), but also as a woman and as Hillary Clinton the individual.

Now as a man, I naturally think it is silly to vote based on gender, but then again, picking candidates purely on the basis of other traits, I would have had a 93% of picking a male candidate out of those on the ballot in NH (both parties included). So that's an easy stance for me to take.

Fact is, Clinton represents the first real chance for this country to have a female President. And that matters to a LOT of women. And I think the events between Saturday and Tuesday temporarily dispelled the prevailing image of Clinton as a triangulating empty suit and gave her the humanity she needed to appeal to voters, especially the female voters who failed to turn out for her in Iowa.

So now we have a close race again between two excellent candidates, one who appeals strongly to women (half the electorate) and one who appeals to young voters and voters without strong party affiliations. Both are bringing in voters who might not have voted Democratic (or at all) before, which is why turnout for the Democratic primaries is at record highs. I just hope the infighting between these two camps doesn't get so bitter that the losing camp isn't able to rally behind the eventual nominee. Because one of these two individuals is going to be our next President. But it still could be either one at this point.

(Sorry, Edwards supporters. I know you love him, but he isn't going to be our nominee. He isn't poised to win any of the early primary states and he sure as heck isn't going to win California, New York, or Illinois on Super Tuesday.)

[AX10]

1. You are not going to get much support around here...

for your pro-Hillary sentiments.

[ThePhilosopher04]

2. Key word is...

"unadjusted" exit polls.

Hillary Clinton cannot win in the general election. A lot of Democrats will sit out before they vote for her. Not because she's a woman, but because she doesn't represent true progressive values and will stick a wet finger in the air before she makes a decision. Anyone who would vote for her, simply because she is a woman, needs to pull their head out of their ass!!!!

[K Gardner]

3. Per Craig Crawford, Obama's exit numbers matched. Clinton's were the only

ones that didn't. No idea what that means and don't want to, just sayin... :hi:

Oh, and no link. Just heard it on the tee-vee.

[countmyvote4real]

4. Viral spam.

I'm not buying any of this.

[comradebillyboy]

5. there is no controversy among those who are sane Nt