Edwards watches liberal, black support flow to Clinton, Obama.
by Mark Silva
John Edwards campaigned for president last time around with a speech about the "two Americas,'' the one for the rich, and the one for the poor -- and how he hoped to bridge them.
But this time around, Edwards' retooled but indefatigably populist appeal has left him without much apparent support among segments of the voting populace who might alight to it. Or could it be that Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York and Barack Obama of Illinois simply have cornered the market?
"The exceptionally strong support for both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama among black voters (and, for Clinton, among liberal Democratic and lower-income white voters as well), may help explain the relatively limited appeal of presidential hopeful John Edwards, whose populist platform has not translated so far into support from these key segments of the Democratic electorate,'' writes Michael Dimock, of the Pew Research Center.
Pew has the numbers to back up the argument:
Among all black, Democratic and Democratic-leaning voters surveyed in its July poll, Clinton is favored by 47 percent, Obama 34 percent, and Edwards 1 percent. And among black voters, Clinton is viewed "very favorably'' by 52 percent, Obama 50 percent and Edwards 18.
Among lower-income white Democratic voters, Clinton is regarded "very favorably'' by 35 percent, Obama 22 percent and Edwards 17 percent.
Among liberal Democratic voters, Clinton is viewed "very favorably'' by 39 percent, Obama 35 percent and Edward 24 percent
"While wide majorities of Democratic voters rate all three of the leading Democratic candidates favorably, there is less enthusiasm for John Edwards than the other leading candidates,'' writes Dimock, associate director for research at Pew." The difference is driven mainly by a lack of excitement, and even some doubts, among black voters.''
For more on the survey and the numbers behind it, see the Pew report.
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Comments
"Clinton, Obama Draw Blacks, Liberals From Edwards"
To bad the Repugs don't have any minorities running for their nomination....just the usual, angry old rich white guys....pathetic :o(
Posted by: John E | August 30, 2007 3:34 PM
As a Republicant, it brings me some relief to know that the majority of Democrats are not buying into this Hypocrite, known as John Edwards.
Posted by: Stewart | August 30, 2007 4:45 PM
Very interesting. Edwards just doesn't seem to get any traction these days. Then again that could just be my perception.
Posted by: Logic Prisoner | August 30, 2007 4:48 PM
Edwards doesn't have enough heft. He was ineffective against Cheney in the debate in 2004. He flubbed an easy question from Gwen Ifill on African-American women with AIDS.
We'd expect Cheney to blow the question, but then Edwards gave the same answer Cheney did.
Cheney looked at him afterward as if to say, "Thanks."
Posted by: Bud McFarlin | August 30, 2007 5:47 PM
Kerry got 92 percent of the black vote. Does this mean he's more popular than Clintonbamaeddie all put together?
Posted by: Shanika | August 30, 2007 6:34 PM
Wow. Where to start...
First, in order to "draw" support away from someone he had to have it in the first place. Is The Swamp now implying that Edwards HAD huge numbers in the African American community, or among self-i.d.'d "liberals" and that Clinton and Obama have worked some wonderous magic to take that support away?
Or are you going all the way back to 2004 to make this argument?
Second...SOMEONE out there has to be supporting this guy, and I think it's a pretty poor excuse of an article that doesn't cover:
1. The fact that his poll numbers in Rasmussen went from 12% to 17% in August while Obama's have dropped to 19% as of today's date.
2. The State reports that his numbers rising in South Carolina, where he has now taken second place away from Obama (latest numbers: Clinton 32%, Edwards 24%, Obama 21%).
3. Edwards has pulled ahead in Iowa (latest numbers from by McLaughlin & Associates for ONE Vote '08 - Edwards 29%, Clinton 24%, Obama 22%).
Now, a very, very cynical person might think that The Swamp has left all of that information out because maybe in the recesses of their collective soul they're rooting for Obama and his numbers have fallen vis a vis Edwards, and this is the best spin they can put on it.
But one would have to be very cynical to think that way.
Or...maybe they think all of us are just so well informed we already knew all of the above information anyway, and this is just an additional fyi.
Posted by: Jen Q | August 30, 2007 6:46 PM
Hillary will probably win the primary, then drag the whole party down with her.
Posted by: whatnow | August 30, 2007 8:50 PM
The Republicans' secret weapon for
turning out their base in '08: Get the
Demos to nominate the Hildebeast.
Posted by: Mateo | August 30, 2007 9:52 PM
Obama has strong support from educated democratic supporters and from the independents.
He also attracts moderate republicans who re disillusioned. Possibly the Reagan democrats that went to the gop then and are now seeing obama as the kind of candidate they are willing to come back home for.
Posted by: vwcat | August 31, 2007 12:20 AM
ITS HILLARYS GOOD LUCK YEAR 2007-2008-SHES BLESSED WITH SO MUCH LUCK- SHES LIBRA-SCORPOIO BIRTHMONTH SODIAC SIGN. PLUS PROGRESSIVE /GENEROUS /HELPFUL BIRTHYEAR ZODIAC SIGN.
WHAT CNA I SAY SHES THE EBST SO FAR.
Posted by: MCLAIN | August 31, 2007 12:34 AM
Hillary/Bill should be pleased with this set of information if it is true. I just can't get past the notion that Black people have that Bill/Hillary was the "first Black president" and are skittish about supporting someone who is Black becoming the first Black president. Of course, Hillary/Bill will win the primary, and then go down to defeat because millions of Democrats will simply not vote for another 4 years of Clinton. I won't. The idea that another in a long string of Northeastern presidential candidates will be elected president is just not something to bet your last paycheck on. Obama is the renaissance man that this country needs right now.
Posted by: GW | August 31, 2007 12:56 AM
Bill Clinton was seen in Miami having been driven up by his lemo while party girls flocked to him, he had a huge smile on his face and went in.
Hillary Clinton's popularity does not make any sense! She just is not that intelligent! She is not liked by so many of the people I know, how is she so far rated in the polls, Bill's people, do they want him back in there?
What is Obama going to do when he is asked to be her vice president? Of course that presents a possibility of being in office for 16 years and he would be a seasoned President after Hillary or would the Clintons use him at his disadvantage?
I wish he would run the interview he was in when asked originally about the Iraq war and why not to go into Iraq against Hillary's comments at the time. You would see a striking difference between them.
How can this country be so very, very stupid not to understand that Bill's appeal is not why we were prosperous when he left office. Dig deeper into the reasons for the "prosperity". Please!
Think about what you are doing, America and what our needs are at this time. I am convinced that Obama can lead others well, problem solve and he knows about the world. He is young and vigorous. Remember what the presidency did to Bill Clinton those first weeks. No sleep! Good grief, he does not even agree with Hillary sometimes. I just can not stand it! I watched our troops drive into Iraq, I knew it was a mistake and I am not a political genius, so obvious. Just now getting to the obvious, this Bushman.
I do not like Hillary Clinton. There are other candidates who have worked so very hard during the past few years to offset what the administration was doing. Let Obama lead them.
I will vote for Obama, if he is on Hillary Clinton's ticket I will not vote at all! Got it!
Posted by: Sylvia P. Coley | August 31, 2007 1:26 AM
Could it possibly be that even Liberal Democrats think that the millionaire "do as I say, not as I do" Edwards is an obvious phony?
The latest Edwards "Two Americas" laugher came this week in Detroit, where at a forum he started lecturing people about driving more fuel-efficient cars. Someoby in the crowd asked Edwards about Edwards' own gas guzzlers, and Edwards couldn't give an answer.
Posted by: Bruce | August 31, 2007 9:06 AM
"He also attracts moderate republicans who re disillusioned. Possibly the Reagan democrats that went to the gop then and are now seeing obama as the kind of candidate they are willing to come back home for."
Yes it really shows in the polls as he gets trounced by Hillary nationawide, running 3rd in Iowa and SC. I am starting to think the only people that support Obama are the press. Face it he was always in over his head it just took a little while for him to truly show it. As the crowds have stopped swarming his appearences people just seemed to realize that once you get down to it, there really is not much to get excited about with Obama. Of I forgot he repreents hope and change, but no one can seem to figure out how. Maybe when he loses the nom he will get back to representing IL, because right now we have 1 sen who is a major partisan hack and another who really is doing nothing for IL.
Posted by: Vinny | August 31, 2007 9:28 AM
Hilary is just a power hungry woman, who was just waiting by the side line to step into her husband shoes, afterall she waw tge mount of power the husband possesed while in power and then she thought one day l want that power for myself. Why are all Americans blind to see the writing on the board? she voted for the war in Iraq while Obama that people say has no experience did not vote for it(is that what you call experience?) we need someone who can use their good judgement on things and besides Obama is a very intelligent, with good judgement, very charismatic,handsome, with a very good family values.
We need something new, something fresh, we need hope and change in America and the answer lies with Barak Obama... please America lets not make a big mistake by voting in Hilary because she is too calculative and people like that only have one thing in their mind (power!) we do not need anymore of washington politics lies.
Let us give Barak Obama the chance, after all we are not running a Monarchy here...first it was Bush- father and now Bush-son and before Husband Bill Clinton and now wife Hilary! Obama for change and Hope.....
Posted by: julie | August 31, 2007 12:13 PM
What did John Edwards in was the $400 haircut. Exposed him for the hypocrite he is
Posted by: Ben Sheets | August 31, 2007 2:39 PM