NYT's Nate Silver: Why Obama will embrace the 99%

[Scuba]

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/19/magazine/nate-silver-obama-reelection-chances.html?pagewanted=2&_r=2&ref=magazine

But Obama doesn’t need to win many new states. His challenge will be in holding the ones that might turn red. And pursuing a populist strategy against Romney could put him at a big advantage.

Consider the Midwest. By trading votes among wealthy whites for more among working-class ones, Obama would bolster his margins in Ohio, Wisconsin, Iowa and Michigan. Indiana, a state that otherwise looks like a very tough hold for Obama, also contains a high percentage of working-class whites, and he could gain a few points there.

His chances of winning North Carolina, where he sneaked by with fewer than 15,000 votes last time, would go up as well. The same goes for the 2nd congressional district in Nebraska, and Oregon and Maine, two states that are less upscale than their coastal brethren and that have been competitive in the past, would be easier holds.

Conversely, none of the 22 states that John McCain carried in 2008 would be bolstered meaningfully under this situation. Most of those states are securely Republican to begin with; the few exceptions, like Georgia and Arizona, contain about as many working-class whites as wealthy ones.

[_ed_]

1. As long as Tim Geithner is in his administration,

Obama is clearly for the 1%.

[earcandle]

4. I heard Tim will be gone if he is re-elected. Fleeting news flash a while back. I need to research

[SleeplessinSoCal]

5. Geithner has already announced he won't be in the 2nd term.

[RBInMaine]

11. More purist hyperbole.

[_ed_]

14. Ok, then explain to me how Tim Geithner is in any way a progressive?

Or how he has done anything to benefit the 99%.

[MannyGoldstein]

2. But come the first Wednesday in November...

More free trade agreements and calls to "strengthen" Social Security.

[hay rick]

10. Talk is cheap.

We have already seen the real Obama and only a fool would expect him to act differently in the future- especially after he has no need for future re-election.

[RBInMaine]

12. You are the left's version of the Tea Party. Purist non-realistic extremist nonsense.

[MannyGoldstein]

15. At least we don't want

more "free" trade agreements, cuts to Social Security, and other insane fringe right crap.

[AnotherMcIntosh]

3. He hasn't so far, although we clearly elected him to do so.

What's changed?

Nothing except another election cycle.

[JJW]

6. Mr O is so lucky

Lucky in that he is runny against bigger clowns than the last time. If it were McCain & Snow Queen of the Tundra again, he would definitely get booted from office for being a Corporate tool and pathological liar.

[xtraxritical]

8. I think President Obama is one of the best this country has had and

I just can't fathom how you can think McCain and "Snow Queen" are in the league with him. If I were you I would not respond to this, for you will be wasting key strokes as far as changing my mind goes. Also, I think President Carter was and excellent president - so there.

[Courtesy Flush]

7. Why would Wisconsin even be in question?

If they haven't learned not to vote republican by now, what would it take?

[joshcryer]

9. I predicted this months ago. When Occupy was just starting.