What are the Key Factors for Victory in the 2008 Presidential Election?

  • Context: News 
  • Thread starter Thread starter Evo
  • Start date Start date
Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the key factors influencing the outcome of the 2008 Presidential Election between Barack Obama and John McCain. Participants explore various demographic influences, polling data, and the potential impact of vice presidential selections on voter behavior. The scope includes electoral strategies, demographic analysis, and the significance of state-level electoral votes.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Technical explanation
  • Exploratory

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants highlight the importance of Hispanic votes in New Mexico, questioning their overall impact due to the state's small electoral vote count.
  • There are discussions about the total number of eligible voters, noting that eligible Hispanic and Black voters are significantly fewer than White voters.
  • Some participants express skepticism about Obama's ability to rally the Hispanic vote without a Hispanic running mate or specific immigration policies.
  • Concerns are raised regarding the potential backlash from anti-immigration voters if Obama were to choose a Hispanic VP, suggesting it could harm his campaign.
  • Polling data is shared, showing varying predictions for electoral votes, with some suggesting Obama has a lead while others indicate a more competitive race.
  • Participants discuss the potential influence of vice presidential candidates on the election, particularly in relation to demographic appeal and electoral strategy.
  • Some express uncertainty about the electoral college system and its implications for the election outcome, particularly regarding the significance of state-level electoral votes.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a range of views on the importance of demographic factors and polling data, with no clear consensus on the best strategy for either candidate. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the potential effectiveness of various electoral strategies.

Contextual Notes

There are limitations in the discussion regarding the reliability of polling data and the evolving nature of voter demographics, which may not fully capture the current political landscape.

Who May Find This Useful

Individuals interested in electoral strategies, demographic influences on voting behavior, and the dynamics of the 2008 Presidential Election may find this discussion relevant.

Who will win the General Election?

  • Obama by over 15 Electoral Votes

    Votes: 16 50.0%

  • Obama by under 15 Electoral Votes

    Votes: 6 18.8%

  • McCain by over 15 Electoral Votes

    Votes: 4 12.5%

  • McCain by under 15 Electoral Votes

    Votes: 6 18.8%
  • Total voters
    32
  • #961
LowlyPion said:
Interesting movement.

http://www.palin4president2008.com/



That would make it a 3 party race in 2008.

I'm sure McCain is thrilled about this.
Looks like just the kind of web-site a sharp Progressive activist would design.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #962
Palin supporters should take their advice and write-in Palin. That is a great idea!
 
  • #963
Ivan Seeking said:
Palin supporters should take their advice and write-in Palin. That is a great idea!
Write in Palin with Ron Paul as VP!
 
  • #964
Our only chance on November 4th is if all True Patriots Write-in Governor Sarah Palin as your choice for President of the United States!
Could you return Alaska to the Russians for store credit?

Did you keep the receipt?
 
Last edited:
  • #965
Isn't it interesting that Palin and McCain can't even get through the election before Palin goes rogue, and her supporters are trying to subvert the ticket. Eight weeks ago we had never even heard of her. What kind of stunts would she be pulling after a couple of years?

I always wanted to see Alaska, but not any more!
 
  • #966
CNN just moved Colorado from undecided, to leaning Obama.

Trivia question: Who is responsible for the standard "Red State Blue State" map?
 
  • #967
Ivan Seeking said:
CNN just moved Colorado from undecided, to leaning Obama.

Trivia question: Who is responsible for the standard "Red State Blue State" map?

...without using Google...wasn't it Tim Russert?
 
  • #968
Oh yes, I am thrilled to say that, at last, I have cast my vote for Barack Obama, in early voting.

I normally don't believe in voting a straight ticket, but until the Republicans regain respectability as the party of conservatives and dissociate from the fascists and zealots, I will not vote for ANY Republican. It sure made voting easy this year!
 
  • #969
lisab said:
...without using Google...wasn't it Tim Russert?

Correct! He was the master.
 
  • #970
Oh yes, get this: There was an initiative on the ballot that would mandate an automatic "no" vote, for all local initiatives where a person chose not to vote.
 
  • #971
Ivan Seeking said:
Oh yes, get this: There was an initiative on the ballot that would mandate an automatic "no" vote, for all local initiatives where a person chose not to vote.

That's outrageous! Plus, so easy to manipulate. You would just have to word the initiative so that a "no" means "yes."
 
  • #972
turbo-1 said:
It's a pretty good ad.

http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid1185304443/bctid1885474357
Got to love cutting to Palin there.

I hope Obama's 30 minute speech tonight comes across well. It seems pretty unanimous that it's a good idea. Any thoughts on it?
 
  • #973
lisab said:
That's outrageous! Plus, so easy to manipulate. You would just have to word the initiative so that a "no" means "yes."

The local politics around here are as crooked as it gets. When we bought our place, the main road for the area [estates] was gravel. Eventually we were forced to pay for road paving [a few thousand bucks] by a majority vote of the neighbors, which was fine. But then we caught the county trying to link our project to two others, which would mean that we would pay for cost overruns on other projects [I caught that one thanks to a friend in politics]. Then we caught them trying to make us pay for a heavy-truck rated road, instead of a standard residential road, so that logging companies could get access to the trees in the hills behind us.
 
  • #974
Evo said:
I hope Obama's 30 minute speech tonight comes across well. It seems pretty unanimous that it's a good idea. Any thoughts on it?

I am sure that, like the rest of his campaign, it will be great!

One of the best measures of a candidate is his ability to organize and run a campaign. By many measures of that, Obama has run the best campaign in history.
 
  • #976
The Evo Child says that when she thinks of McPalin winning that it actually frightens her. I'm frightened too.

I keep telling myself it's just an uneducated, lunatic fringe that refer to themselves as "christians" that are once again making themselves look larger than life by being more vocal, and it's not a significant number of Americans that actually think Palin could be a qualified candidate.

This woman cannot even complete a sentence.
Palin said:
There it was, where he talked about, though, his desire, it sounded like, for redistributing wealth.

This can't be happening. It can't be real, like John Cleese said, it's something Monty Python would dream up. But it "is" real, this woman is actually up for election to the second highest office and a heartbeat away form being President of this country. Can you imagine?
 
  • #977
Evo said:
The Evo Child says that when she thinks of McPalin winning that it actually frightens her. I'm frightened too.

I keep telling myself it's just an uneducated, lunatic fringe that refer to themselves as "christians" that are once again making themselves look larger than life by being more vocal, and it's not a significant number of Americans that actually think Palin could be a qualified candidate.

This woman cannot even complete a sentence.

This can't be happening. It can't be real, like John Cleese said, it's something Monty Python would dream up. But it "is" real, this woman is actually up for election to the second highest office and a heartbeat away form being President of this country. Can you imagine?

This is do or die time for the US. We have reached the fork in the road.
 
  • #978
Ivan Seeking said:
This is do or die time for the US. We have reached the fork in the road.

Not only for the US...
Unfortunately we others can't do much but hope not more than half of america consist of christian lunatics.
 
  • #979
turbo-1 said:
Looks like just the kind of web-site a sharp Progressive activist would design.

Encouraging a Palin write-in is certainly a cleaner dirty trick than trying to tell people if you are Democratic you are directed to vote Wednesday.
 
  • #980
Evo said:
I hope Obama's 30 minute speech tonight comes across well. It seems pretty unanimous that it's a good idea. Any thoughts on it?

Basically it shouldn't hurt. It will give him wide exposure and some undecideds will likely become more comfortable with him. I think the more Presidential he looks the better people can imagine him in the Oval Office. You know like when you are house selling it's better to have some furniture and picture book settings and bread in the oven and a fire in the fireplace to help the buyers visualize what they are buying better.
 
  • #981
Evo said:
The Evo Child says that when she thinks of McPalin winning that it actually frightens her. I'm frightened too.

I keep telling myself it's just an uneducated, lunatic fringe that refer to themselves as "christians" that are once again making themselves look larger than life by being more vocal, and it's not a significant number of Americans that actually think Palin could be a qualified candidate.

This woman cannot even complete a sentence.

This can't be happening. It can't be real, like John Cleese said, it's something Monty Python would dream up. But it "is" real, this woman is actually up for election to the second highest office and a heartbeat away form being President of this country. Can you imagine?

That thought should get you to the polls then on Tuesday.

That's getting me to the polls I can tell you.
 
  • #982
LowlyPion said:
Encouraging a Palin write-in is certainly a cleaner dirty trick
Has anyone come up with the conspiracy that Palin is a democrat party plant?
A sort of long term undercover sleeper agent who will slowly rise to the top of the GOP and then overthrow it?
 
  • #983
My wife and I have already voted. We have been registered variously as Republicans or Democrats so that we can support the candidates that we support in the primaries. This year, we both voted straight Dem - the first time this has ever happened. William Cohen always got my vote, Reagan got my vote the first time out, and I would gladly have kept Margaret Chase Smith in the Senate forever if she didn't get old and die. (She was a lively and charming old lady even in her retirement, and still tough as nails!) This year, my wife and I decided to punish the Republicans as much as possible - we are sick of Bush, Cheney, Rove, and their enablers in Congress and their surrogates down-ticket that work to subvert the workings of our government even at the local level.
 
  • #985
mgb_phys said:
Has anyone come up with the conspiracy that Palin is a democrat party plant?
A sort of long term undercover sleeper agent who will slowly rise to the top of the GOP and then overthrow it?

It's not working then.

The only place she's going is back to Alaska. I rather think her future is pretty limited.

If they try to run her again in 2012, Democrats will likely control Congress like an absolute dictatorship. There will be no need to caucus, they can just meet in the chambers of the Houses.
 
  • #986
MSNBC now reporting that Joe the Plumber has hired a publicist.

Can't buy a business, but he can hire a publicist?

Oy.
 
  • #987
Yesterday, we had Joe speaking to foreign policy! He is on the campaign trail with Palin.

Now there's your 2012 ticket! [uh oh, 2012... the Mayans saw this coming!]
 
  • #988
Ivan Seeking said:
Yesterday, we had Joe speaking to foreign policy! He is on the campaign trail with Palin.

Now there's your 2012 ticket!

The late night shows would contribute to that ticket.

There is enough ignorance between the 2 of them to occupy several Universities of special educators full time for decades.
 
  • #989
Ivan Seeking said:
[uh oh, 2012... the Mayans saw this coming!]

There's a Joe the Plumber pictograph at Chichén-Itzá?
 

Similar threads

News Does Your Vote Really Matter in Presidential Elections?
  • · Replies 139 ·
5
Replies
139
Views
17K
News Was the 2008 election a repudiation of Bush and the Republican Party?
  • · Replies 21 ·
Replies
21
Views
5K
News What were the top issues in the 2008 presidential election?
  • · Replies 82 ·
3
Replies
82
Views
20K
  • Poll Poll
News What Will the Voter Turnout Be in the Upcoming US Presidential Election?
  • · Replies 10 ·
Replies
10
Views
3K
News Who will win the popular vote and by what margin?
  • · Replies 39 ·
2
Replies
39
Views
6K