Melissa,
As an Obama supporter, I’m
assuming that you were satisfied with Super Tuesday’s results. Although he
didn’t steal the coveted California
primary, which would have placed him the driver’s seat, Obama seems to have
gained enough delegates to stretch the race well in March. Since he’s still
gaining momentum, this seems to play to his advantage. I know you have plenty
to say about this and other aspects of the Democratic primary so I’m going to
focus on the GOP side of things.
Despite having considerably
less money and name recognition, Mike Huckabee continued to surprise experts by
giving John McCain a run for his money. Although he won’t be able to win in the
long run, his strong showing combined with his religious/conservative bona
fides will likely earn him a VP spot on the inevitable McCain ticket. As
repugnant as Huckabee’s politics are --why hasn’t the media focused more on his
comment about the confederate flag during the South Caroline primary?-- there’s
something exciting about seeing a truly populist campaign gain traction.
More significant than
Huckabee’s success, however, is the reason behind it: John McCain doesn’t
attract hardcore conservatives. From his stance on tax cuts and immigration to
his spat with the religious Right in 2000, McCain has never completely fallen
in line with the Republican majority. This was proven last night, as many of
McCain’s victories were buoyed by moderate Republicans and independents rather
than dyed-in-the-wool conservatives.
Until last night, I was worried
that McCain would be a formidable opponent for the Democrats in November. Now,
I’m not so sure. While I still believe that Obama gives the Democrats a
significantly better chance than Hillary to regain the White House, I’m no
longer convinced that McCain will be able to sufficiently mobilize a
conservative base to beat either of them.
After last night, the
Democratic Party should be feeling pretty confident. Although there’s a long
way to go, Super Tuesday proved that it’s their race to lose. Then again,
that’s what they do best…
Marc
Marc Lamont Hill is Assistant Professor of Urban Education and American Studies at Temple University.
