Primaries are all about momentum.
A candidate needs a majority of delegates to win their parties nomination. Delegates are awarded based on the percentage of the state that a candidate won. For example, Senator Obama won convincingly in South Carolina with 55% of the vote. Hillary Clinton came in second place with 27%. The victory earned Obama twenty-five delegates, and Senator Clinton earned twelve. A candidate needs 2025 to win. When you break down the numbers, it doesn’t sound quite so convincing.
However, the blowout in South Carolina gives Obama a tremendous amount of momentum. The state was chosen for an early primary because of its large African American population. Obama was able to win a majority of the state’s minority population, but also did much better than expected with women and white voters.
go to this site for the exit polls. It will surprise you!
http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/primaries/results/epolls/index.html#SCDEM
The momentum has earned Obama some key endorsements, most notable the daughter of perhaps the most famous and beloved Democratic president of all time. Caroline Kennedy, daughter of John F. Kennedy wrote an op-ed in Sunday's New York Times published on the paper's Web site Saturday night, titled "A President Like My Father". Kennedy writes: "It isn't that the other candidates are not experienced or knowledgeable. But this year, that may not be enough. We need a change in the leadership of this country — just as we did in 1960….”
Does Obama remind you of JFK?
Some much needed momentum heading into Super Tuesday, which is coming up February 5th. On that date, millions of Americans (including Stevenson voters) will head to the polls. The question is, will they vote for their favorite candidate, or will the momentum sweep them up?
