Surely, Ohio can never go red again?

[galaxy21]

What shocked me was seeing Ohio polls that say Mccain is ahead of both Clinton and Obama in GE polls. I pray that's just because of the drawn out democratic battle and the majority aren't seriously thinking of voting for him.

How in the hell can Ohio possibly go red again? A lot of people there at at absolute breaking point, probably more than any other state, losing jobs, homes, soldiers and they're going to vote again for the party that has basically got them to that point? I was shocked they for for Bush again in 2004.

Seriously, I have to wonder whether voters in Ohio are sadomasochistic or something. I mean, how long before you realize you've been had?




Is anyone here from Ohio? Can they can an insight into the mindset?

[thereismore]

1. OH is red. nt

[galaxy21]

2. you know what I mean...they can't go for Mccain in novemeber can they?

[TheWraith]

3. Have patience. The general election hasn't started yet.

And a lot of people aren't paying attention to McCain's nutquackery.

[ellacott]

4. I'm from Ohio

It's made up like Pennsylvania. You have the big cities of Cleveland, Columbus Dayton and Cincinnati. The rest of the state is rural. Many of those people don't listen to anything contrary to their conservative views. There is also a large Amish community that doesn't usually vote.

[EnviroBat]

5. Lots of really stupid people here.

I am surrounded by them everyday. We must have a really shitty education system here in this state, because every generation we turn out seems more moronic than the previous. There are many depressed areas of the state and "Christian patriots" are the majority in those areas.

We really are a stupid state.

[galaxy21]

6. I usually feel sorry for anyone in a difficult financial situtation, but I can't feel sorry for

people that don't want to help themselves.

[Symarip]

7. I spent 3 days in S. Ohio in February

I can tell you that it's just a different place, all together. Nothing coming out of there would shock me, one way or the other.

[galaxy21]

8. I don't understand 'moral voters' either

Okay, you picked the guy who'll ensure two gay dudes can't get married, does that comfort you when your out on the street?

[Symarip]

11. It's just a weird place

I'm not really good at being descriptive... It felt like I was in a different country. Those people are in a strange vortex.

[ellacott]

13. A lot of these moral/christian voters believe we are living in the last days

They believe that all this has been foretold.

[depakid]

34. That's been my experience, too

It's just bizarre that people who've seen their communities just devastated by right wing trade and economic policies would still be marching to their tune.

But they do, sometimes for the most trivial or twisted of reasons....

[BumRushDaShow]

9. One of my BIL's is from there

and he and all but one of his siblings and his mother have left. All of his friends have left. All of his mother's family have left. It seems that many of those who couldn't take it anymore left. This ends up concentrating the sentiment there making it harder for those who remain (and I say this in terms of Dem vs repuke).

[YOY]

14. I have the same story as your BIL

Save that my father is there as well. My father is thinking of voting McCain. My siblings and I have vocally called him a fool for it. I do not take pride in that.

[galaxy21]

21. It's sad, but at least he is hearing that point of view

[BumRushDaShow]

28. My BIL's father recently died but had still lived there until that happened

but I think the rest of his father's family is from Kentucky and still live there. There is that interesting synergy between Ohio and Kentucky and you see it reflected in the politics.

[YOY]

30. Southern Ohio and Kentucky and Northern Ohio and PA but yes you are right about that.

Perhaps to some extent rural Western Ohio and Indiana as well.

[FlyingSquirrel]

10. Ohio is a true swing state.

IMO. I'm not from Ohio.

It went Blue in '76, Red in '80, '84, '88. Blue in '92 and '96. Red in '00 and '04 (barely). Chance of getting OH into our column this year with no incumbent president or VP is pretty good. Wouldn't go so far as to say it'll never go red again though.

Other "True swing" states (same history as OH): Missouri, Louisiana, Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky (KY has gotten more red though), Nevada (although it went Red in '76), West Virginia (went blue in '80 and '88 but seems to have gotten more red lately).

[YOY]

12. Young people with money and educations leave the state

Our parents and those unfortunate enough to have no other option stay in the economicly suffering state. Sadly poor white rural folks still vote against their interests in Ohio as they do the south.

[jody]

15. The exit polls for Ohio, see link below, strongly suggest voters will not support BO as the Dem

candidate. http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/primaries/results/epolls/#OHDEM
Page 5 at that link shows Clinton voters would not be "Satisfied if Obama Wins Nomination?"

Final vote was Clinton 1,207,806 versus Obama 979,025
http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/primaries/results/state/#OH

[NJSecularist]

17. Ohio thinks that Obama is more likely to win in November. n/t

[jody]

19. Whatever. n/t

[DrFunkenstein]

16. Like 2004, This Election Will Come Down To Voter Turnout

And there just isn't any enthusiasm for the Ole' Soldier. And there is tons on our side. Our wounds will heal nicely, and we will take Ohio and Virginia and some other swing states to boot.

[galaxy21]

18. It's sad people can be so gullible

Really, shouldn't they be going for the candidates that wants health reform? Or cut taxes for the rich? Or try and curb corporate power and bring more jobs back to the US?

Oh, no! Mccain wants to save all the unborn babies! Let's vote for him and continue to let republicas ruin our lives!

[DrFunkenstein]

27. The People Excited About Health Care Will Outnumber The People Who Want

Something like Bush, only a little different and a little older. The abortion debate will not be a big issue, in part because McCain will have no interest in pursuing it.

[galaxy21]

29. Mccain's already making a big issue of abortion

He's sent out fliers with pictures of him and his adopted daughter, saying how pro life he is.


Mccain wants to win over the evangelicals that don't fully trust him, he has to use his pro life stance.

[galaxy21]

31. I do agree Obama tends to bring out the people who lost hope in politics long ago

[hfojvt]

20. I sure hope it does

by this measure anyway
http://www.uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/national.php?year=2004&off=0&elect=0&f=0

Go BUCKEYES!!!

[madmom]

22. The part of Ohio I live in is made up of family farmers who think they're rich, they

don't want to have to pay taxes on their farms, they work in the factories and "rent" out their farms to share croppers and spend all their time in Florida. Yes they are all repukes save for about 3 families in my little burg.

[cyclezealot]

23. Well. off shoring is emptying the state of Blue people

ever been to rural Ohio. full of real right wingers , down on the farm. They have not changed at all. Red to the bone.

[galaxy21]

24. But how can you not look at your bank account, or how many kids you know that have died in iraq and

say 'hey, maybe we need a change.'

How bad does it have to get?

[crankychatter]

25. The Primary is hurting our numbers

period

and we need time to reverse this trend

[galaxy21]

26. you can't reverse stupidity

[Berry Cool]

32. Don't paint everyone with the same brush.

I'm intelligent, well educated, moved BACK to Ohio after moving away, and I wouldn't vote for McCain if you paid me.

I don't know how many of my fellow Ohioans I can say that about, no.

It's not because they are all stupid, or religious nuts, or anything like that.

Here's my theory.

The average resident of Ohio is just trying to survive. Just trying to get by. Has no ambitions other than having an OK home, an OK job, an OK family and an ice-cold beer once in a while at the end of a day.

The ones who have jobs work hard. They really don't trust politicians in general, and don't spend much time thinking about politics or who is making them this promise or that one. Thus, they vote based on the generalized media impression they have of someone, rather than studying up where he/she stands on the issues, his/her record and history, etc.

In other words, they vote based on the first words they would associate with a candidate.

In the case of McCain, that would be "war hero" and "a guy who survived being a POW." That impresses some people enough with his toughness for them to vote for him, no further questions asked, knowing nothing more about him.

In the case of Hillary, they either think "Clinton, love her, getting her will be like getting Bill back" or "Clinton, hate her, getting her will be like getting Bill back, only worse." Oh, and some of the women love her because they think she's tough and they admire her for putting up with Bill's wayward ways, and others hate her for the same reason.

In the case of Obama, they think "Don't know the guy well, but he sounds good." This could work in his favor, or not.

Take this all with a big grain of salt. But that's how I see it.

It's a dumb way to vote. But a lot of people here do it, I think.

Edited to add: Oh, and some of them have heard Obama is a Muslim, so they don't trust him. And some of them heard a clip of Jeremiah Wright and that he had something to do with Obama, so that turned them off him. This is what I mean. They only know what they catch glimpses of on TV, because they really don't take time to learn anything else.

[PoliticalAmazon]

33. It depends on who is counting the votes; Ohio didn't go red in 2004...

...Vote fraud was what turned the state red, not the vote count.

[BzaDem]

35. YES IT CAN.

We need to STOP thinking that just because we think McCain is a horrible candidate, so does everyone else. Whenever anyone ever posts about Obama's electability, all I ever hear is that "blah blah blah no one will vote for McCain." Bullshit. Just like no one will ever vote for Bush. Twice. We need to think about electability. In Ohio's GE polls Clinton is far ahead of Obama when vs. McCain.

[Thrill]

36. There are a lot of stupid people in this country

Never forget that.

The 04 election should be a constant reminder