So how did Barack Obama beat improbable odds to capture the Democratic nomination? A team of reporters at the Washington Post has the best account I've seen on Obama's ingenious state and delegate strategy.
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Matthew C. Nisbet, Ph.D, is a professor in the School of Communication at American University where his research focuses on the intersections between science, media, and politics. E-MAIL: nisbetmc@gmail.com
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It Was the Small States and Caucuses, Stupid!
Category: 2008 Election
Posted on: June 4, 2008 11:08 AM, by Matthew C. Nisbet
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Comments
Its a good technical account, but one thing should not be forgotten: If Hilary Clinton had voted against the war in Iraq, she would be Democratic Presidential nominee today & a fairly safe bet for the White House.
Having supported the war initially brought a lot of negative energy and doubts swirling around her campaign. Obama tapped into that; his technical brilliance, his team and his strategy did the rest.
If Hilary had stood up to Bush and Cheney in 2003, a freshman Senator from Illinois would have had to defer to her as the natural leader of the anti-war forces. Not having dibs on that leadership gave Obama the chance to claim it and gave him a flying start.
The war was the biggest political call of her career, and she got it wrong. She played safe when she should have gambled on Bush blowing it. Other Democrats voted against it, but not her. Sad, but its not the first time a politician has suffered for making a bad call.
Posted by: toby | June 5, 2008 12:02 PM