Can Obama Win Over Tri-Cities Clinton Supporters?
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Campaign signs for both Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton hang at the Northeast Tennessee Democrat Resource Center in Johnson City, TN.
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Six months ago, Judy Garland probably never would have thought she would be holding tickets to Thursday’s Obama rally in Bristol.
“I am a strong Democrat. I knew Hillary. I didn’t know Barrack Obama as much,“ the Johnson City resident said. “My daughter told me months ago: mom, start listening to Barrack and read all you can about him.“
Now that Obama is the presumptive Democratic nominee, Garland said she’s going to stick with the party and vote for the Senator from Illinois.
“If they just listen and read…I think…without a doubt…he could get her {Clinton’s} supporters,“ Garland said.
Others don’t know if Obama can make a big difference now here. That includes those who think the traditionally Republican area will vote that way again.
“I think McCain will beat him soundly,“ David Hall, of Johnson City, said. “I don’t think Hillary can shift a lot of her people back over. So we’re just going to have to wait until November to see.“
The candidate who’s based his platform on change has a lot of minds to change now in the Tri-Cities. Clinton won every Tri-Cities county in the February Democratic primaries in Tennessee and Virginia.
See how your county voted in February.
In Tennessee:
http://state.tn.us/sos/election/results/2008-02/DemPresidentCounty.pdf
In Virginia:
http://www.sbe.virginia.gov/cms/documents/ElectionResults/Feb12_DemocraticPrimary.pdf
“I think the numbers are exactly the reason he’s coming here,“ historian and former President of Emory & Henry College Dr. Charles Sydnor said. “With a couple of exceptions, he’s not done really well in rural areas.“
Sydnor thinks Obama is strategically coming to the Tri-Cities because it could be a “test market.“
“His campaign wants to see what kind of reaction he gets as the nominee,“ Sydnor said.
Sydnor believes Bristol’s location on the Tennessee-Virginia line will give Obama coverage in both states. Plus: he thinks there’s another factor here: Virginia Governor Tim Kaine, who is backing Obama.
“Kaine has tried to do things for southwest Virginia,“ Sydnor said. “I suspect the Governor’s office had a good deal to do with getting Obama to come here.“
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Reader Reactions
bigmack
I assume you have healthcare for yourself and your family. More do not.We are the only country in the industrialized wrld that doesnt care for its people.
It’quite obvious that anr was not in the military during the Clinton years, when seasoned officers were forced out and early outs of 17 and 18 yr NCO’s were the order of the day.
If snowbird thinks universal health care is so great, just look at Canada. Thanks but no thanks.
If the congegation tolerated this so called preacher for 20 years and didn’t throw him out, it’s easy to assume that they agreed with him.
I would suggest that a visit to a large black church might be in order. Traditions are different. Isnt this just code for racial intolerance?
Take a look at Obama’s policies and see if they will work with what you want for your family.
For me. Healthcare for all is a right not a privilege and Ill work to get that.
The War was more than a mistake , it was a crime and Obama has always been against it.
And as the article says “Ask your children”
While I have not figured out who I am voting for I would love to see bigmacs evidence of the claims he made against the Clintons. It is really ridiculous to think that just because a preacher preaches on a contriversial topic then that means that this is the belief of the congregation. The only folks that are that easily brainwashed are the ones that still think that the war in Iraq was needed and that its ok for a president to lie to the entire country about why our troups were sent to their peril. We need some changes in our country, not only in leadership but in attitude as well.
I can not vote for someone who remains in a church for 20 years and does not know that hate is preached there. I can see soaring taxes and a military so weak it will be unable to break up a street fight.The Clintons hated the miltary so much that Hillary did not want any miitary uniform worn in the White House. Obama is one Commander in Chief we do not need.
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