Salon: Turning Indiana blue

[IndianaGreen]

Turning Indiana blue

Put off by the McCain-Palin ticket, suburban Republicans are backing Barack Obama -- who might score a rare Democratic win in the Hoosier State.

By Walter Shapiro

Oct. 20, 2008 | INDIANAPOLIS -- In presidential elections since the Depression, Indiana has been the lone industrial state where the elephants always roam. For all the talk of independent Hoosiers, the state has gone Republican in 16 of the last 17 races for the White House, with Lyndon Johnson in 1964 the sole exception. In 2004, the networks began painting Indiana Republican red exactly two minutes after the polls closed with the breathless verdict justified by George W. Bush's eventual 60 to 39 percent rout of John Kerry.

So what was Sarah Palin doing in the northern Indianapolis suburb of Noblesville Friday afternoon motivating the GOP faithful? Why are Barack Obama and the Republican National Committee advertising heavily on Indianapolis television? How come most recent polls (there have been only a handful of statewide surveys this month) show Obama within striking distance of the lead? Why has Indiana become 2008's most unlikely battleground state?

Obama's unexpected strength here cannot simply be attributed to the Chicago media market, which reaches only about 20 percent of the state, or a heavy African-American vote (Indiana is 86 percent white). The hotly contested May 6 primary, which Hillary Clinton won by a 51 to 49 percent margin, did attract 1.27 million Democratic voters, about 300,000 more Hoosiers than turned out for Kerry four years ago. Indiana -- whose economy more revolves around manufacturing than that of any other state -- has also lost 150,000 factory jobs since 2000, and its 6.2 percent unemployment rate in September was close to a 20-year high. "What has changed in Indiana," says Dan Parker, the Democratic state chairman, "is that in manufacturing towns, people are voting less on social issues and more on the loss of jobs."

But if Obama wins the state, more than anything it will be due to the best voter-contact operation Indiana has ever seen. Even Murray Clark, the Indiana Republican chairman, says with grudging admiration in his voice, "Obama's done these things right. That's how he nearly beat Hillary in the primary."

http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2008/10/20/indiana/index.html

[Jokerman]

1. Obama is coming here AGAIN this week!

All this attention to our little 'ole "red" state.

[AwakeAtLast]

2. Ain't it somethin'?

This is what we've been missing out on all these years! :bounce:

[ClarkUSA]

3. Thank you for working hard, Indiana Democrats!

:woohoo:

[IndianaGreen]

4. I have never seen as much enthusiasm and as many volunteers

many of which had never volunteered before. Assuming no voter suppression or any other kind of hanky panky, Obama has a fair shot at winning Indiana.

[ClarkUSA]

6. People respond when they believe they can change their lives by getting involved.

Indiana Democrats/Republican/Independents needed change they could believe in.

I hope Indiana shocks everyone on Election Day. I think they will... :woohoo:

[IndianaGreen]

9. Indiana will be the first state to close its polls and report its results

I am optimistic that Indiana will go for Obama.

[anneboleyn]

5. Go Hoosier State! I predict that this will be a shocker on election night.

[NeoTheo]

7. In 2004, the networks began painting Indiana Republican red

exactly two minutes after the polls closed.

On my clock it was one minute after. Sometimes it is just insufferable living in this state. But hey, I've done my part and got out and voted early on the off chance if there is a problem I can ask to see what they have me down for.

[blueclown]

8. We have definitely underperformed in the suburbs the last few decades.

We can and should do much better in the suburbs. Obama should absolutely demolish Kerry's performance there. If we can consistently get these voters to vote for us, we could see a realignment.