no Democrat has won a majority of the “white vote” since 1964

by twit

I must be some kind of a twit. I had no idea that “no Democrat has won a majority of the white vote since Lyndon Johnson did in 1964.”

It definitely provides a little perspective to the rest of the McClatchy article, which wonders on April 23, 2008, “Would Obama have a chance at a majority of white votes in the fall?”

and notes this:

One Obama supporter who’s navigated racial politics for years thinks he will, and that even if he loses some white votes to racist sentiments, he’ll win other whites eager to vote for an African-American.

“There may be some folks who vote against him because he’s black and some who vote for him because he’s black. I think they cancel each other out,” said Dick Harpootlian, a former chairman of the Democratic Party in South Carolina.

“There will be people who wouldn’t vote for a black man come hell or high water. But we’re getting to the point where that is a minority.”

hmm. sounds familiar…

… people worry that he is unelectable because he is Black. Come on, do you really think anyone who is not going to vote for someone because of their skin color is really going to vote for ANY of the Democrats? Be reasonable. Racists don’t vote Democrat.

even the New York Times is coming around:

… for all of her primary night celebrations in the populous states, exit polling and independent political analysts offer evidence that Mr. Obama could do just as well as Mrs. Clinton among blocs of voters with whom he now runs behind. Obama advisers say he also appears well-positioned to win swing states and believe he would have a strong shot at winning traditional Republican states like Virginia.