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08.01.2008
McCain, and Why the Democratic Race Is So Close

I'm hanging out at the Obama event in Nashua with a couple thousand of my closest friends. Nothing to rerport yet on the Democratic side, but I figured this was worth passing along: when MSNBC announced that McCain had won New Hampshire, the crowd broke out into a loud cheer. My hunch is that they weren't rooting for McCain for strategic reasons--the CW is that he'd be a much tougher general election candidate than Romney--but because they genuinely like the guy. It just underscores how many voters probably were torn between Obama and McCain. I suspect that's why the race on the Democratic side has turned out to be so close. 

--Noam Scheiber 

Posted: Tuesday, January 08, 2008 8:38 PM with 2 comment(s)

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psantillana said:

Plus NH seemed really safe for Obama, even more than for McCain, I think, so, yeah. But this is one factor of many, I think.

The closeness of this should bring out yet more voters in South Carolina, yes? The closer the race, the bigger the turnout.  

January 8, 2008 10:18 PM

guptatomic1 said:

What does it mean when you're torn between a liberal Democrat and a conservative Republican?  I like McCain, I believe he's honest, competent, and sincere.  But I wouldn't vote for the man.  He's a strict constructionist, a shill for the banking industry, someone who believes it's important to redistribute wealth to the rich, someone I've never heard speak out on education or health care...  When you're torn between him and Obama, whose positions are polar opposites, isn't that an indication that you're voting for the guy you'd rather have a beer with?  And, remind me... didn't we get into some trouble with that last time?

January 8, 2008 11:48 PM