Republicans Win Land, Democrats Win People
Take a look at Newsmax.com. Newsmax displays a great map that shows the 2008 presidential vote county-by-county. There is an awful lot more red than blue. That's because John McCain mainly won sparsely populated, primarily rural counties all over the country. Barack Obama, on the other hand, mainly won in cities and their suburbs. Obama won where the people are; McCain won where people are scarce.
This was not because of a huge youth vote or black vote. These two demographic groups of voters were actually up very slightly as a percent of the electorate as compared to 2004. (The Washington Post reports that, based on exit polls, black voters made up 11% of the electorate in 2004, 13% in 2008; for young voters the figures are 17% in 2004 and 18% percent in 2008). If you take out the rural vote, the Obama victory cut across virtually all demographic groups.
In our democracy, people count in elections. Land doesn't vote. And, since the trend is towards increasing urbanization, the Republican challenge should be clear.
This was not because of a huge youth vote or black vote. These two demographic groups of voters were actually up very slightly as a percent of the electorate as compared to 2004. (The Washington Post reports that, based on exit polls, black voters made up 11% of the electorate in 2004, 13% in 2008; for young voters the figures are 17% in 2004 and 18% percent in 2008). If you take out the rural vote, the Obama victory cut across virtually all demographic groups.
In our democracy, people count in elections. Land doesn't vote. And, since the trend is towards increasing urbanization, the Republican challenge should be clear.
posted by Phil Bookman at 11:11 AM
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