Question of the day: Why do Republicans voting in the Democratic primaries choose either Clinton or Obama?
Back when Obama was pulling a clear majority of the Republican crossover vote in the primaries, the talking point from Team Hillary was that the GOP was secretly terrified of facing Clinton. Thus — again according to this talking point — Republicans were crossing over to vote for Obama because they thought he’d be a pushover in the general election.
Obama, on the other hand, insisted this was happening because he has the kind of broad appeal necessary to attract independent and Republican voters. He further argued that this would make him the stronger candidate in the general election.
According to exit polls in Mississippi, however, something has changed: this time a large majority of the crossover vote went to Clinton, not to Obama. At the same time, right wing talk show hosts have been openly urging Republicans to vote for Clinton, so as to hurt Obama (and to keep the divisive nomination contest going).
So, what do you think: Why do Republicans voting in the Democratic primaries choose either Clinton or Obama?
March 12th, 2008 at 9:29 am
There are two categories of Republicans voting in the Democratic party nomination; one that will cross over in November and one that will not. I expect moderate and self-described “independent” Republicans will cross over. The rank and file (ditto heads) will not. It’s clear that the later category wants to run against Hillary so they are fixing the process. It is equally clear the former is honest and wants to fix the country.
March 12th, 2008 at 10:29 am
Republican sheep vote in the Democratic primaries.
Why? Because their favorite talking wingnut told them to.
If they can’t beat you fair and square (which they can’t), there are many tricks they can use. Disenfranchize minories, push-polling, provisional ballots,
and their favorite…..divide and conquer. That’s all this is. Keep the dems fighting and the hoi polloi will opt for an old man and another unnecessry war.
Fear is the motivator for those still voting republican.
I’m hoping there are enough individuals in our country to bring about the silence of the sheep.
March 12th, 2008 at 11:31 am
There is definitely some mischief afoot here.
Locally (our primary was Feb19) my Republican “friends” were informing me that they were voting in the Democratic primary because McCain had a lock on the nomination and they didn’t find the race exciting.
But for whom did they vote?
Both.
One of them drives a pickup truck with a sign on the back that reads, (this is not a joke folks…I should take a digital picture) “Life’s a Bitch so Don’t Elect one!” There is a picture of Hillary below the text. The hatred of Hillary is so great that he crossed over (so he told me) to vote against her. On the other hand, a few more moderate Repub friends voted for Hillary because they think McCain can actually beat her.
I heard of only one Repub friend voting for Obama. He did so because he actually likes Obama more than McCain.
Because of the varied nature of what my Republican “friends” have related to me, and, because I have no way of checking their authenticity, I relate these as anecdotes and not data….
maybe I should say that the information above is for entertainment purposes only!
hizzhoner
March 12th, 2008 at 11:47 am
I have decided not to think about the election any more until November. Instead I’m going to concentrate on reading and writing fiction. But I guess there really isn’t much difference between the two.
March 12th, 2008 at 4:34 pm
It makes me angry when CNN and MSNBC talk about how the “white” voters are crossing over to vote in the Democratic primaries without acknowledging the reason why. That being Rush Limbaugh and that ilk. It is the same game they played in Texas when it was a blue state. Cross over, vote for the weakest Dem and make an easy game of getting a repugnant in. TX is now a red state. Blue states out there, listen up. The same can happen to you. Beware of it and be aware of it.
March 12th, 2008 at 6:58 pm
So is Mississippi, Georgia and on & on. I wanna cry when I hear over and over the race card being play. You ain’t seen nuthin when the repugnant have only one in their sights.
I moved to Mississippi April, 1993. I was told, “Racism in Mississippi was like burning cole(no flame). Would it die out? or would it flame up?”.
We have two groups of people wanting Obama to be the Democratic candidate. One, the progressive post war baby boomers (of good faith) and number two, the opposition party. Fear not, the opposition party will fan that cole. It would be a sad time to relive what happened in the South during the sixties all over the USA.
March 13th, 2008 at 5:26 am
The GOP is the party of subversion !
Of systems: elections free and fair, science, separation of powers, separation of church and state, the constitution, politicaizsation of the of the
judical system, journalism,the Geneva Convention, Anything to do with over sight transparency or the right of the people to know, the tax system and on and on.
Vocabulary and slogans that either blunt the meaning or actually mean the opposite,in practice did not happen or just make no sense: Clean Air Act, The Water Act,No Child Left Behind, compasionate conservative,spreading democracy (Iraq), Islamo-fascism and now we have Liberal-Fascism (O’Reily- Goldberg)( does that mean Hitler was a liberal) Extrodinary Rendition (torture), fight them there so we won’t have to fight them here .They have even managed to subvert conservatism itself, Goldwater would roll over in his grave if he knew what has happened to the GOP. Managed to subvert the meaning oif the Bible and Christianity to help the rich screw the poor and beat your plow shares into weapons. (who would Jesus bomb???) and of course on and on and on!!