Who is Defecting from Obama?

[babylonsister]

Shocker! Not...


http://politicalwire.com/archives/2013/07/24/who_is_defecting_from_obama.html

Who is Defecting from Obama?


Nate Cohn: "It's not that these polls show Republicans poised to take back the White House by 2016, or something. That's way too far away. Instead, the polls give us an idea of which voters are peeling away from Obama and, therefore, might be most receptive to switching sides if the GOP could craft a message for them. Trying to win over the voters sticking with Obama would presumably be more difficult."

"Today's Pew Research poll paints a clear picture of the Obama defectors. They're almost exclusively white voters without a college degree. Obama's standing among minorities, college educated whites, and affluent whites has actually improved since the final Pew Research poll before last November's presidential election. Instead, Obama's support among white working-class voters has taken a huge hit, opening an unprecedented 41 point education gap among white voters. Incredibly, the poll now even shows Obama with a stronger approval rating among affluent whites than downscale whites--something that's never happened for a Democrat in a presidential election."

[MannyGoldstein]

1. They're tired of the non-stop abuse

They want politicians who'll fight *for* them.

[railsback]

2. And they'll stay home, or vote GOP

Then we'll show Obama who's boss.

[MannyGoldstein]

3. And it will suck even worse

But that's Obama's handiwork.

[djean111]

5. Yes, it will be.

I think whoever does run will have to run against the GOP AND Obama, depending on grand bargains and the TPP and student loans and such.

[babylonsister]

6. Bullhockey.

The uneducated white people who won't vote for Obama more than likely never did. They're marching in lock step w/the rethugs/tea partiers. I don't think it has anything whatsoever to do with who will fight for them. But you got your dig in, so bravo for you.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

9. Exactly. These people were not those who supported

Obama in the first place. They were Reagan Democrats who probably supported Hillary because they simply couldn't bring themselves to vote for a "darkie". They may have been attracted to McCain, but definitely supported Romney.

Obama did not win the majority of the white vote in either election.

I'm not sure what these people mean about "the defectors". He never really had them in the first place.

And that's the thing. We have to tell the truth and stop acting as if the majority of white people have suddenly become enlightened. It's not true. The truth is that the vast majority of white people did not vote for Barack Obama in 2008 or in 2012. Obama won because there was a coalition of whites, blacks, Hispanics, Asians, etc. But, really, both McCain and Romney received the majority of the white vote.

2008 Election Results:

http://www.ropercenter.uconn.edu/ele.../voted_08.html

2012 Election Results:

http://www.ropercenter.uconn.edu/ele.../voted_12.html

We still have a long way to go in this country on race relations. The election of Barack Obama doesn't change this fact.

[defacto7]

34. It's hard to believe

people are still listening to bought and paid for politically tainted Pew Research. They are the Faux news of polls.

[Andy823]

20. Couldn't have said it better

Thank you.

[YoungDemCA]

23. You're painting with an awfully broad brush there....

nt

[babylonsister]

28. How so? What part of the

uneducated white population do you think pays attention to news and votes in their best interests when and if they vote? I'm sure there are exceptions, but they are rare...imo.

[YoungDemCA]

31. Define "best interests"

nt

[sheshe2]

32. Brava!

[cliffordu]

46. ^^^THIS^^^^

[geek tragedy]

10. No, uneducated white people = Republican base nt

[SunSeeker]

17. Exactly. They don't know they're voting against their self interest. nt

[geek tragedy]

18. Or they figure that they'll feel better about their lives if they know

that blacks, immigrants, women, and LGBT people have it worse than them.

[SunSeeker]

19. Yup. Reminds me of the old Russian peasant proverb...

"My neighbor has a cow. I do not. I want his cow to die."

[YoungDemCA]

21. Wrong

But keep telling yourself that, if it makes you feel better.

[geek tragedy]

24. Romney won working class white voters 61-36. That's the Republican base. nt

[YoungDemCA]

30. What's the definition of "working-class white"?

Romney won both the over $50k vote and the over $100k vote.

[dionysus]

13. bless your tiny little heart.. you try so very hard...

[emulatorloo]

26. Divide and conquer, baby!

So damned obvious too, eventually admins will wise up . . . after we are dead I guess.

[Arkana]

43. Yeah, I don't buy it.

These "white, working class voters" are the ones who turn up at teabagger get-togethers with racist signs.

[okaawhatever]

48. I don't know how you can stand to live in this country. You seem to hate everything about it. Obama

isn't "abusing" working class whites. I'd imagine one of the reasons for the drop would be the unfortunate consequence of some labor unions having to pay more for health insurance and the after effects of the gun control legislation. I know you don't worry about things like that, you just can't miss a chance to jump in and insult the President. It's sad. You're one of the reasons i'll probably leave this site. I like being around people who want to be part of a positive change. Fight the hard fight and not sit around doing nothing but complaining about what everyone else does. You mention "fighting" but the only thing i've seen you fight is the Democrats here on the site and the administration. Enjoy your misery and negativity, I've got a protest to prepare for.

[dipsydoodle]

4. That will be a function of the issues to which the group relates the closest.

To what do the defectors most closely relate ?

[Avalux]

7. Your subject line means the GOP is succeeding.

They have no message, want to destroy the country and everyone in it (except the 1%), yet may be able to win IF they can instill disillusionment in Democrats and Independents. I detest them with every fiber of my being.

[Deep13]

8. Huh? I thought he is term limited. nt

[busterbrown]

11. In the end most of the people who are “defecting” will in fact embrace the anyone but a fucking...

Homophobic, misogynistic, racist, war mongering republican..at ..
Give me your best shot at a Republican nominee and you’ll be laughed off the post.
White working class voters who previously voted Dem are going to the polls for Christi, Paul,
Cruz, Rubio?

[1StrongBlackMan]

36. No …

The plan has been, all along, was to create enough disaffection amongst Democrats/liberals/Independents that those unlikely to vote for Homophobic, misogynistic, racist, war mongering republicans will stay home. Well played Mr. koch.

[Progressive dog]

12. White voters without a college degree

never were the source of Obama's support.
I like that from Cohn "if the GOP could craft a message for them." Yeah, what if the GOP got better at lying.

[Wednesdays]

14. The GOP already HAS crafted a message for them:

"The other guy is black!"

[AllINeedIsCoffee]

15. Useful idiots of the chess-playing corporate overlords they rail against? nt

[mgcgulfcoast]

16. time to stand up and be strong

i will never defect.

[YoungDemCA]

22. Why is it OK to bash working-class white people?

Seriously.

[geek tragedy]

25. It's not bashing to point out that they're a heavily Republican voting bloc. nt

[YoungDemCA]

27. Except they're not...

How are you defining "working-class white", anyway? Whites without a four-year college degree? Please.

[appleannie1]

29. Uneducated white people don't vote anyway. They all say, why bother?

[sheshe2]

33. K&R!

[Rosa Luxemburg]

35. in our area poor white people vote Republican

[1StrongBlackMan]

37. No …

I think many of those uneducated white people who won't vote for Obama probably did vote for him … they just found a shiny new toy, libertarianism.

[babylonsister]

38. Really? Who's representing them, and how is that working out? nt

[1StrongBlackMan]

39. As with most shiny new things ...

bought from a picture or a friend's description; they love it ... it looks great, but they really don't know because they have used it yet. No one has.

[Jamaal510]

40. By just hanging out on the InterWebs,

"Obama's standing among minorities, college educated whites, and affluent whites has actually improved since the final Pew Research poll before last November's presidential election."

one would never guess that this is happening.

[struggle4progress]

41. Libertarians who never voted for him are increasingly noisy about how much he disappoints them!

They're shouting from their swampy quagmire, louder and louder, Come to join us here in the non-voting third-party bogs!

[Arkana]

42. Ah yes, the old canard about "white working-class voters".

Also called "racists".

[ucrdem]

44. They're being heavily targeted, that seems clear.

I don't think it's any coincidence that Assange, Manning, and Snowden, reigning icons of the anti-Obama left, are white guys without college degrees. Snowden is Paul Revere with a thumb drive full of southern strategy.

[Aristus]

45. Not me.

I'm stickin'.

[DFW]

47. My opinion of a college degree has sunk ever since I got one

Still, there is a reason Republicans always want to cut education budgets for any schools whose curriculum they don't fully control.

Namely, it tends to mean more Republicans when they do.