Events Calendar
In This Section
Most Read Stories
Chapel Hill isn't rolling right along
Akron City Council OKs higher speed on I-77
Suitcase causes bomb scare at Akron bus terminal
New eateries expand menu of options
Patrick McManamon: Here's what the Browns should try the rest of the season
Man says he was punched, robbed by 3 people in parking lot
Motorcyclist killed, wife injured in Stark County crash
Stark County engineer dies at 49
Blogs:
Pets:
First Person: Inside St. Louis Pit Bull Shelter
The Heldenfiles:
Tuesday Notebook
Patrick McManamon:
An interesting thought from a reader
Akron Zips:
Akron vs. Mount Union — Liveblog
Tribe Matters:
Indians announce spring dates
Cleveland Browns:
Mangini doesn't name a quarterback
Kent State Sports:
Flashes interested in another Cincinnati player
Cleveland Cavaliers:
Cavs: Yeah, on That Issue of Privacy
Buckeye Blogging:
Buckeyes Roll 100-60 / Season Outlook
Varsity Letters:
Twinsburg likes chances, but warns offense needs to deliver
All Da King's Men:
More On The Fort Hood Jihadist
Blog of Mass Destruction:
Simply Incapable of Telling The Truth
Akron Law Café:
Health Care Financing Reform: (63) Commonwealth Fund Report on Primary Care
See Jane Style:
Muffle Your Muffler
Car Chase:
Clock Tender- Extending the Life of Collector Car Clocks
Let's Talk Real Estate:
Rumors: Akron Starbucks Closing
Ohio Travels with Betty:
Jack is looking for a trip to Southern Ohio the week of November 16.
Sound Check:
Aeromsith looking for new singer as Steven Tyler contemplates solo career
HRLite House:
Personal Rant – Why People Do Not Live in Northeast Ohio
Akron Gamer:
Video: 'Modern Warfare 2' hits the streets
Campaigning in every part of Ohio, senator takes 22 counties and picks up more than 50 percent of the popular vote, a goal that has eluded Democrats for decades
By David Knox
and Dennis Willard
Beacon Journal staff writers
Published on Sunday, Nov 09, 2008
In winning a majority of Ohio voters, Barack Obama did something not done by a Democratic presidential candidate since Lyndon Baines Johnson more than four decades ago.
That accomplishment is a dramatic answer to doubts about Obama's ability to sway white, working-class Democrats who voted decisively for Hillary Clinton in the primary eight months ago.
Statewide in the March primary, Clinton thumped Obama 54 percent to 46 percent. The only counties Obama won were the four with the largest black populations — Cuyahoga (Cleveland), Franklin (Columbus), Hamilton (Cincinnati) and Montgomery (Dayton) — and Delaware, the state's wealthiest county measured in average household income.
But on Tuesday, Obama succeeded in garnering more than 50 percent of the popular vote in Ohio — a goal that eluded the only two Democrats elected president since Johnson's landslide victory against Barry Goldwater in 1964.
Jimmy Carter in 1976 and Bill Clinton in 1992 and 1996 both managed to win Ohio, but with less than a majority of the vote. (It is possible to win with less than 50 percent of the vote, because of the presence of third-party and independent candidates.)
In winning Ohio, Obama took 22 of Please see President, A11
the state's 88 counties — five more than went for John Kerry, the Democratic contender who lost in 2004.
One prominent Democrat who wasn't surprised at Obama's success in largely white suburban areas was 44th District House Rep. Vernon Sykes, D-Akron.
After the primary, Sykes said Obama's loss wasn't a true test of his appeal because his campaign at that time was focused on winning his party's nomination and largely limited his appearances to the state's large cities.
Sykes accurately predicted that Obama would campaign in the fall in every part of the state and reach deep into neighborhoods.
''The strategy was different than any other campaign, with phenomenal results,'' Sykes said on Friday. ''He was all over the country, all over the state.''
Volunteers play big role
Sykes credited much of Obama's victory to the army of enthusiastic volunteers who worked to get out the vote in the neighborhoods.
Evidence of his grass-roots success is seen in a breakdown of the vote in Akron's 10 wards.
In the primary, Obama won only in the city's three predominantly black west-side wards and the high-income Ward 8, in Northwest Akron. On Tuesday, Obama took every ward, including the white working-class neighborhoods of Ellet (Ward 6) and Kenmore (Ward 9), by comfortable margins.
Overall, Obama took a slightly bigger share of the Akron vote — 72 percent — than Kerry garnered in 2004 against President George Bush.
Obama also did better in Summit County, winning in 20 of the county's 31 cities, villages and townships — a net gain of four over Kerry's performance in 2004.
The communities Obama flipped from Republican red to Democratic blue were Fairlawn, Munroe Falls, Norton, Stow, Reminderville and Copley Township. (John McCain took only two communities that Kerry won in 2004: Springfield Township and New Franklin, which was still part village and part township in 2004.)
Sykes pointed to Obama's success in largely white suburban communities as evidence racial bias ''was not a strong factor in this race.''
''It shows that for the first time in this state that we were able to look past race,'' he said. ''I'm elated.''
Ohio Democratic Party Chairman Chris Redfern said Obama was able to broaden his appeal to voters because he stayed on message and continued to address the declining economic situation in Ohio and the country.
Redfern said there was a dramatic shift in the country since the primary eight months ago, as more and more people became concerned about their jobs and their future.
Economic plans weighed
Obama and McCain were judged primarily on their plans to stimulate an economic recovery, and the demographic groups that supported Hillary Clinton in the primary listened to the two candidates and believed Obama was the better choice for president, Redfern said.
Redfern said Obama was also successful because he took a different approach to Ohio than Kerry in 2004 and Democrat Al Gore in 2000.
Gore believed he could not win Ohio and pulled out of the state — many believe prematurely — and Kerry's campaign believed in running the race from Washington and refused to tap into the Democratic infrastructure in the state, Redfern said.
Obama, on the other hand, sought help from the ground up and relied on county parties to reach out to local supporters, register voters and make a push in the final days of the campaign to get out the vote.
Redfern credited the Summit County Democratic Party with helping Obama win areas that Bush captured in 2004 and Clinton won in the March primary.
''Barack Obama did better than John Kerry in 75 counties in Ohio, and he won 22 counties,'' Redfern said.
Jerry Austin, a national Democratic political consultant based in Northeast Ohio, agreed.
''In those 30 or so counties that Kerry lost to Bush by 75-25 (percent) . . . Obama ran way ahead of Kerry,'' he said.
Austin said Obama's repeated visits and his decision to campaign personally in all parts of the state were decisive. ''He went down to those areas — places he didn't go in the primary.''
Austin also agreed that racial bias did not appear to be a factor.
''There is no question in Ohio and in the country, there are people that were not going to vote for Barack Obama because he's black,'' said Austin, who managed Jesse Jackson's 1988 presidential campaign. ''I think what happened here is Barack Obama ran initially and throughout his campaign as a candidate for president who happened to be an African-American.
''I think people looked at him and said, 'One of the things about him is he happened to be black. So what?' ''
David Knox can be reached at 330-996-3532 or dknox@thebeaconjournal.com.
Dennis J. Willard can be reached at 614-224-1613 or dwillard@thebeaconjournal.
In winning a majority of Ohio voters, Barack Obama did something not done by a Democratic presidential candidate since Lyndon Baines Johnson more than four decades ago.
Get the full article here.
Comments
Click here to post your comments
Posted 07:10 AM, 11/09/2008
I am not going to sit by silently as Barack Obama, Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid re-make our nation in their liberal image.
That's why I just joined a grassroots conservative effort to RESIST Obama's liberal agenda. Please go here to join with me:
http://www.grassfire.org/111/petition.asp?PID=18666396&NID=1
akron, oh
Posted 08:32 AM, 11/09/2008
Enough of the Monday morning quarterbacking. I wish obama all the luck - he will need it.
But come on - given the events of the past few months, Jack the Ripper probably would have won Ohio.
Posted 09:30 AM, 11/09/2008
Obama won because the voters were to stupid to research his past history in the Illinois legislature.If they had he never would have been elected.His left wing radical liberalism would have killed him in the voting booths across America.
Kent, Oh
Posted 09:38 AM, 11/09/2008
Obama won because he ran a near perfect campaign and he had the more attractive solutions to the current problems facing the nation.
There's no question that extremist-right radicals will resist an Obama presidency. They're extremists. Those who will resist Obama are the same one's, 24%, who still approve of W.s failed and criminal presidency.
Those who will openly resist an Obama presidency before it has been given a chance are the same extremists who would criminalize women and gays for exercising their equal or civil rights.
So....hate on dudes.
Akron, OH
Posted 09:44 AM, 11/09/2008
Obama won because he is not George W. Bush and because he is not a Republican.
He's now going to be in an insurmountable job. His "real job" has been Univ. of Chicago Law School prof, teaching cream-of-the-crop students.
The level of responsibility and pressure he'll have has increased by a thousandfold. The stakes are immeasurably high.
Let's give him a chance, but also, let's stop making him some messiah with a magic wand before he ever starts. It's going to be a rough 4 years.
Akron, OH
Posted 11:12 AM, 11/09/2008
Who is making Obama a messiah? I voted for him in the general, but in the primary preferred three other voters before him. I wish him the best in facing all the problems left to him by the Lamest Duck ever to dwell in the White House.
Posted 12:19 PM, 11/09/2008
"Obama won because the voters were to [sic] stupid to research his past history in the Illinois legislature. If they had he never would have been elected. His left wing radical liberalism would have killed him in the voting booths across America."
Yeah, McCain and Palin really should've spent more time discussing Obama's terrorist ties, his Socialist agenda, and his plan to redistribute wealth. THAT would've turned the election. I don't know why they didn't make more of a big deal about it. (Hey! Y'know, Robin, what would've been great? Maybe they should've, I dunno, trotted out some unlicensed, tax-dodging plumber to help them make their case. Yeah! That's what was missing.)
south of Akron, NO
Posted 02:57 PM, 11/09/2008
check the demographics (that's people statistics for you slow learners) of the people in the counties he won. Bet you see a pattern there....
south of Akron, NO
Posted 02:59 PM, 11/09/2008
Hey Cliff - you idiot you believe everything the left wing web sites say, don't you? the plumber isn't a tax dodger and doesn't need a license - he works for a company and falls under their license, duffus.
Bizarrebertucky, OH
Posted 03:03 PM, 11/09/2008
Obama won because he doesn't believe that our elderly people should have to eat catfood,while the corporations walk away with all of our hard earned tax dollars.
Not all poor people are abusing the welfare system,as the Republicans would like us to believe. The ones that are abusing the system need to be prosecuted,and help be given to those who are truly needy and deserving.
This is not Socialism. It is called Democracy - A government of ALL the people,for All the people,by All of the people. It is NOT a government for by and of only the wealthy chosen few,who gain power and then legislate everything in their own favor.
akron, oh
Posted 04:01 PM, 11/09/2008
They all suck. Deal with it. If you think anyone could be worse than GW the oil thief your in fantasyland.
Posted 04:08 PM, 11/09/2008
He won 22 countyies while McCain won 66. That just shows something. He openly said he would campaign heavily in the areas where the poor and uneducated people lived. That's exactly what it tells you, he got out the dumb voters who have no clue about anything. Obama is a smooth talking Snake oil salesman who honestly has never stood behind any issue. He always skirts behind the scenes and comes out with what he backed after the dust settles. His claim he voted against the war was easy because he never voted either way. He wasn't in congress 8 years ago. The people will see what a phoney he is soon enough. Some will say I am bitter or this and that. Politics works in cycles and the Presidency changes every 2 cycles for the most part so I am not that concerned. The bad part is all these morons who voted for OBama aren't going to get the promises he made but will most likely end up worse. I have money and it won't really effect me at all. More then likely I will be laying off people and continue to maintain my profit margin but decreasing my overhead and saving money with less employee benefits I have to put out. More people will end up on the welfare roll at the expense of those who regular taxes. The normal person has no clue how Americas economy works and never will. those are the people who fell victim to these promises they will never see. Healthcare is never going to change and the middle class willo all be paying more taxes as the business man just finds other loopholes or strategies. Joe the plumber was the only person in this whole campaign who ever made sense. Thats why the Democrat in Columbus got inbto his person files and broke the law to try and gain information on him. Guess what, she got promised a job and soon enough will be working in the Obama administration. Something no one will report. The jokes on everyone, you all lose.
Akron, OH
Posted 05:39 PM, 11/09/2008
"Obama won because he doesn't believe that our elderly people should have to eat catfood,while the corporations walk away with all of our hard earned tax dollars."
Whether an elderly person has food to eat or not depends on a CARING PERSON to help them make sure they have or can get what they need!!
Just increasing the government money sent them guarantees NOTHING about whether the person eats or not!
The elderly who are alone need PERSONAL CONTACT that is caring and honest, to help them if their income is too low to live on.
Leaving it all up to "the government" that is afar and anonymous is the root of the problem!!
Posted 08:42 PM, 11/09/2008
Hey Robin and Jenny, shame, shame, shame, why do you have to result to name calling??? Who are the true idiots on this forum?? The both of you for your ridicilous notions about Barack. This country is very smart for voting for him because if they hadn't and trusted the non sense told by McFlain and Pain then it would have Bush another four years. Are you kidding me? Bush and his wife both said when he ran his second term to give him a chance to fix things and we all see what happened. So, you have your beliefs and we have ours and I can't wait to see Barack do an excellent job being President so all the haters can shut up!!
God Bless America:)
Fairlawn, OH
Posted 10:22 PM, 11/09/2008
Knox and Willard, two little "Comrades" in the Socialist/Liberal Media Army can fawn over their new "Messiah" all they want. They just don't get it. This election was decided by people influenced heavily by the state of the economy. The exit polls prove it.
People who think America suddenly joined hands and sung "We Are The World" are going to be in for a very sad surprise.
