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Does W. Va. Blowout Really Hurt Obama?

Posted May 14, 08 11:06 AM CDT in Politics 

(Newser) – Barack Obama's West Virginia loss by a whopping 30 points probably won’t cost him the Democratic nomination, writes John Dickerson in Slate. But the loss does put a chink in Obama’s argument that he can unite disparate groups, since, apparently, these powers have failed him among at least one key voting block—the blue-collar whites that are Hillary Clinton's base.

In reality, he may not be "fundamentally dead to these voters," as Hillary has essentially been arguing, Dickerson says. Recent polls show Obama doing only slightly worse than Clinton among working-class whites against John McCain, and he is still running better amongst white voters than past Democratic presidential contenders have. What matters most is whether the loss affects the confidence of superdelegates.

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Hillary Rodham Clinton speaks at her West Virginia primary night event in Charleston, W. Va. Tuesday, May 13, 2008.   (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)
Barack Obama wears a flag pin as he is introduced at a town hall-style meeting at Thorngate Ltd., in Cape Girardeau, Mo., Tuesday, May 13, 2008.   (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama D-Ill., arrives on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, May 13, 2008.   (AP Photo/Lawrence Jackson)
Barack Obama looks downward as he is introduced at a campaign event at Thorngate Ltd., in Cape Girardeau, Mo., Tuesday, May 13, 2008.   (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Hillary Rodham Clinton addresses supporters during her West Virginia Primary night rally Tuesday, May 13, 2008, at the Charleston Civic Center in Charleston, W.Va.   (AP Photo/Steve Helber)
Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., speaks at her West Virginia primary night rally in Charleston, W. Va. Tuesday, May 13, 2008. Clinton won the primary and told the cheering...   (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)
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Barack Obama  • Hillary Clinton  • Obama 2008  • Clinton 2008  • blue-collar vote  • West Virginia  • West Virginia primary  • white voters  • working-class vote


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