Lincoln's win points to power of black voters

thought this was interesting

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37613079/ns/politics-washington_post/

For all the millions that both sides spent on the bruising Arkansas Senate Democratic primary race, Yvonne Thomas admits she went to the polls not having much of a sense about the candidates.

What she did know, and what turned out to be the only thing that mattered in her decision to cast her ballot for the embattled incumbent Blanche Lincoln, was this: "Obama wanted us to vote for her," said Thomas, who is African American.

Unlike in much of the South, in Arkansas it is a rare thing for the black vote to be the decisive factor in elections. African Americans here account for 16 percent of the population -- about half their percentage in Georgia to the east. Arkansas is the only state from the Confederacy that has never elected a black candidate to Congress, or to any statewide office, since Reconstruction.

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

Blanche Lincoln Democrats may well be the problem in your county, but that isn't true everywhere. Some places the Democrats are so far left that they're almost right. In fact, in my county, DeFazio quite often plays to the two extremes because they're against the same things but for different reasons. My local Dem Club is so far left that I don't even go anymore because their causes are pure wastes of time. I'm just saying, it's awesome that you are tackling some of the entrenched thinking in your area, but it's not that way everywhere. Obama is being much more supportive of Barbara Boxer than he was of Blanche Lincoln, he supports party incumbents regardless of what kind of Dem they are. He's not your problem, your local conservatism is your problem.

I know Bill Clinton showed up to back her. Was Obama in her ads on TV? I saw her ads on TV, but nothing Obama. I'd like to see it. I'm here in Arkansas.

When I was reading through nearly 500 comments from salon.com about Lincoln one guy said he actually knew 7 African Americans that changed their votes because of Obama. :( They trusted Obama. Some voted for Lincoln due to Bill Clinton. They did not know they were voting against their best interests. :(

Someone said:

"If The Whitehouse couldn't have Lincoln, they'd rather have a republican" They did not want Bill Halter or any progressives there. This bothers me. All I understand is they want status quo.

I don't know where people get this shit. The White House is supporting the best opportunities for a Dem Majority. PERIOD. They support legislation that is as liberal as possible AND can get passed. That's how governing is done.

Lincoln is different. Oh, well

and done fundraisers for her. If he doesn't want progressives in the Senate, according to your post, why is he going so far out of his way to help Boxer?

This is not the point! I still like and admire Obama, would vote for him again. I am on Boxer's email list and am one of her supporters. The point here is lots of people think the White House would rather to have a republican than to have a progressive democrat like Bill Halter if they couldn't have Lincoln. It doesn't matter what I think. I was just wondering if this was true.

'kay?

If he doesn't want progressives?

You know, facts + reason = opinion. Wanna try??

Blanche Lincoln is a DINO, corporatist, a republican dressed as a democrat running against a progressive Democrat, Bill Halter. Both Bill Clinton and Obama had no business standing behind her, should have left it to the people of Arkansas to decide. Working families, union members, progressives, senior citizens, SEIU, people who want the public option, environmentalists, etc. wanted Lincoln out. Bill Halter had a chance to beat Boozman, a Republican in November.


Barbara Boxer, a Democrat will be running against a REPUBLICAN Carly Fiorina so Obama is standing behind her...not because she's a progressive democrat, but because she's a DEMOCRAT running against REPUBLICAN.

Try again

Mickey Kaus ran against her, now that would have been a great New Democrat candidate if that's all the Obama White House cared about.

They support the incumbent because that is what is expected if there is going to be any hope for party loyalty on the toughest votes. It's how health care reform got to the floor, whether you like the bill itself or not. That's the way it works.

It's beyond stupid, way beyond stupid, that Obama doesn't want any progressives in Congress.

Ok, Barbara did have a primary.

I am not replying again after this because all you want to do is to insult. Lighten up!

Have a nice day.

Halter would have had a better chance in the general, this Halter was the better opportunity for a Dem majority.

We have a purely faith-based election system, but to make statements like you're making you must be pretty sure black voters voted for Lincoln. Do you know something I don't know?