Barack rocked Indianapolis last night, with 21,000 showing up to see Stevie Wonder as a warm-up act. Meanwhile, in Indiana, crossover Republican voting is huge, but it cuts both ways.
At the Broad Ripple center, nearly 400 voters — of 1,800 registered in the two precincts — had turned out in the first few hours of voting. Among them was Meghan Ward-Bopp, 24, who went against family tradition and asked for Democratic ballot so she could vote for Barack Obama; she plans to vote for Republican John McCain in November.
“I’m a hardcore Republican,” she said, “but it’s about who I wanted in second place in case McCain doesn’t make it. … I don’t like the way this country’s been run in the last 20 years. I’m sick of the dynasty (of two families) that’s been running things.”
Ward-Bopp voted for the Democrat she liked, but Jim Adams, 36, voted for Hillary Clinton to keep the race going beyond Indiana. He’s a McCain backer and enjoys watching the Democrats fight.
“In the end, I think McCain is going to win,” Adams said, and then referred to controversial statements by Bill Clinton and the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, Obama’s pastor. “Bill can’t keep his mouth shut, and the reverend can’t keep his mouth shut.”
In Indiana, all you have to do to vote Democratic is ask for the Democratic ballot. That makes it a simple matter for Republicans to mess with the result. However, the majority of Republicans are going to vote for someone, not against them. In the end, this factor will probably benefit Clinton slightly (if SurveyUSA is to be believed).
Also, keep an eye on the gubernatorial primary between Democrats, Jim Schellinger and Jill Long Thompson.
In North Carolina, everything depends on turnout. Larger turnout may not actually be beneficial to Obama for a change because he has built in a huge lead among early voters. At least, demographically, it appears that way, with 40% of early voters being African-American. The lower that number sinks, the lower Obama’s ultimate margin of victory. I have Obama winning 54%-46% with 31% black turnout. At 40%, my model predicts a 59%-41% blowout.
Reports of gorgeous weather throughout North Carolina indicate that there will be no obstacle to getting to the polls. Estimates are that 1.5 million people will vote in the Democratic primary. There are contested primaries for Governor (Beverly Perdue and Richard Moore) and Senator (Jim Neal and Kay Hagan). Both women are favored to win, but it will be interesting to see how Neal, who is openly gay, does in his race.
For post-poll closing North Carolina coverage, make sure to drop by Blue NC and Pam’s House Blend tonight. You can check the results here.
Got any on the ground reports or news stories?
This is funny:
Very funny!
I hope he posts an update.
heh.
If he doesn’t wind up in prison, he surely will.
Yep, here it is:
Get the word out, the furriners are tryin’ to steal th’ election!
I don’t want anyone who’s there legally to be harrassed, but if they’re bringing in ringers, then ring ’em up.
Did you see this?
The evidence, however, is that the State of Indiana and Marion County (Indianapolis) are directly responsible for voter suppression in numerous ways that raise troubling questions about the fairness of election procedures for minorities that are disparately affected by bizarre and seemingly pointless election procedures. While the County suddenly and significantly reduced the number of polling places in the name of efficiency, dozens of polling places in predominantly poor African-American neighborhoods were bifurcated without advance notice to voters. As such, fully 50% of voters in these precincts come to the wrong place to vote, poll workers have no information about where they should be voting, the County’s phone line is jammed, there’s no authority anywhere and voters left dejected until I was able to access a central voter database with my laptop computer and satellite card. But for my presence, 50% of voters in this precinct would not be able to vote at all, and I’m very sure hundreds of similar polling places here lack uppity people like me with computers able to guide voters where election officials and other government offices can’t or won’t.
This is also hilarious:
Look at that, he’s extending his own unique style of diplomacy to our neighbors already. 🙂
I don’t know. Smacks of attempted vote buying to me! 😉
Goddamn Canadians…always have to screw things up. 😛
be careful or they’ll keep the oil.
If nothing else good stories are going to come out of this campaign. That one is just teh funneh.
Hey, if you guys don’t want him, I’m sure we can find a use for him up here in Canada!
yep, thx.
Oops, I figured my comment wasn’t necessary but apparently I can’t delete yours. Go figure.
Anyone else think this is funny?
Uh…I thought we’d been living under Republican domination since 1981. Who knew?
I worry about the Dittoheads. Clinton is talking to the Dittoheads. That’s why she’s moving to the right. Bill must have firmed up the deal with Rush when he appeared on the show.
Meanwhile, Clinton supporters ignore, justify, or just begin believing in their icon.
I suspect it’ll be a split, with Obama winning NC, Clinton winning IN with help from the Dittoheads, and Clinton claiming this means that she’s the chosen one. What did the groundhog say? How many more weeks of winter?
read where in some states these cross over Republicans won’t be able to vote McCain in the GE. They’re stuck.
not true. Anyone can vote for anyone in the general.
speaking of ditto heads
this was in the LAT this morning:
what a dick
God, what a needy buffoon. He’s got delusions of grandeur as badly as Hillary.
He wants to be seen as mighty, but he’s just some flabby big-mouth with hillbilly heroin issues.
Harry Reid told NPR;
“I think superdelegates have the opportunity, the ability and the right to vote for whoever they want, and I think that’s what they should do,” Reid said last week on National Public Radio.
Is it any real surprise that Reid’s supporting Operation Chaos?
I give Clinton points for this one. Appearing at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway today: