Tuesday, November 11, 2008
News / Clout City Counting your vote
Posted by Mick Dumke on 11.11.08 at 05:58 PM
Over the last week analysts—including such noted political scientists as me, my friends, my mother, and people I’ve talked with in the locker room at the gym—have been swapping anecdotes and reviewing the results of the election to try to explain how Barack Obama won.
Some say it was his commanding lead among young voters. Others argue that young voters didn’t matter much at all, but African-Americans obviously did. Karl Rove thinks Obama won by registering new voters and getting a good number of them to the polls, which allowed him to pick up a slightly bigger share of churchgoers, independents, Latinos, and white guys. Other data crunchers say it happened because he siphoned off votes from the upper class or won over urban whites. A few note that he even made inroads among evangelical Christians. My old man offers his own personal evidence that some disgruntled Republicans turned blue after determining their party had been taken over by the right.
The debate will undoubtedly continue for some time—there are reams of data to sort through, and with no elections until primaries start again in a year and a half, politicos will need something to talk about, especially since the searing debate over who the Obamas will hire to be the White House chef can’t last long.
Even in Chicago the voting figures are more complicated than might be expected. As my colleague Ben Joravsky has noted, there were barely enough John McCain voters in black south-side wards to fill a CTA bus ... a fact brought home to me as I rode around on a bus full of Obama supporters on Election Day morning, listening to an old veteran shout the triumphant message of the moment: “I voted for the right guy, and this time it wasn’t the white guy.”
In fact, Obama cleaned up across all 20 of Chicago’s predominantly African-American wards, winning a whopping 97 percent—but that’s only up a couple points from the 94 percent John Kerry won in 2004 and the 95 percent Al Gore took in 2000.
Compared with his Democratic predecessors, Obama was actually more dominant in other parts of Chicago—especially Latino areas—allowing him to win 85 percent of the citywide vote next to Kerry’s 81 percent and Gore’s 80 percent. Obama's weakest showings were in traditionally white, conservative wards on the northwest and southwest sides as well as in the 42nd Ward, which includes much of downtown and the Gold Coast.
Everyone—including me—has been talking about the amazing level of interest the campaign seemed to generate, but the truth is more nuanced, at least in Obama’s hometown. Maybe it was because he was decreed to have Illinois in the bag from the get-go, but turnout in Chicago actually tapered off slightly from four years ago—even in the black wards, where 72 percent of registered voters cast a ballot, down a point from 2004 (but up from the 67.5 percent recorded in 2000). What did go up was the number of voters on the rolls—1,497,292, up 6 percent from 2004 (as well as the number of them who went with the Democrat: 919,447, up nearly 10 percent). That’s still an increase in participation.
For a detailed look at the numbers, click here.
Comments (19)
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A more interesting and thoughtful analysis (I know that is beyond the Reader or Little Mick's grasp) would be to compare the vote totals Hillary Clinton got in the white racist wards (so-called Democrats), and then she how many so-called Dems split their ticket when it came to voting for President compared to say for races further down on the ballot. Also, an interesting stat - in the 14th Ward, home of Alderman Burke, Obama just got barely more votes that Burke's wife, who ran unopposed for Supreme Court (hubby cleared the field for her). The palm cards by the Democratic Committeman left off Obama but had Anne Burkes' name prominently placed. This is unusual because there is typically drop off from the President race to the judges further down the ballot, but not in the 14th Ward..... So do not go blaming blacks for sticking with the Party and then crying racism. It is the Dems of convenience, whites on the Northwest and Southwest sides that engage in racial voting. Blacks engage in Party voting.
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"In fact, Obama cleaned up across all 20 of Chicago’s predominantly African-American wards, winning a whopping 97 percent—" This is why I wanted Jesse jr to run for Mayor. One on One with Mayor Ding a Ling in 2007, Jr would have won 52% to 48%. But he didn't have the nuts!
The Roman Catholic Church comprises over 26% of the total U.S. population and more if you include Eastern Rites. Yet this potentially powerful block is ignored of its rights and intentions. I praise Cardinal George for his statements today about confronting Obama about issues that are in violation of Church doctrine. Biden should be excommunicated for supporting gay rights and abortion. I am tired of the media targeting the Church. Even entertainment shows mock the Church. Catholics need to unite and stand behind our Church leaders so Washington can hear us. Catholics can be the biggest voting block if we unite.
Orion must have a rock for a brain. This presidential election again proved blacks vote along racial lines. Now the networks and newspapers may not say it but this is called racism. They will accuse whites of this practice but never blacks. This is called reverse discrimination and is part of the downfall of our society. Obama won because of the preferential treatment he received from the networks and newspapers and McCain lost because of reverse discrimination. You can´t read this in a school book because our educational system teaches these same poor values.
McCain lost because he choose an iceberg Hillbilly as a running mate ,and the Economy. 43% of the Whites in this country had enoungh sense to see it,why can't you.
Me, and others like me, will now concentrate our efforts on repealing the 22nd Ammendment before the 2016 Election.
Mr. Obama got about 40,000 fewer votes in Ohio than John Kerry got four years ago. Mr. Obama carried the state when Mr. Kerry did not because Republicans stayed home. Nationally, the anticipated record turnout didn't materialize. About the same percentage of registered voters came out this year as in 2004. Look out in 2010 and in 2012 - Go Bobby Jindal! This election was a fluke - a referendum on the arrogance, incompetence, and disgusting behavior of the Bush administration and the complicit bipartisan combine in Congress. It isn't much difference than the disgust voters feel toward the Blago/Stroger/Daley kind of politics practiced here in Chicago. There is an electoral revolution that is brewing in this nation - and Obama isn't its leader - he will be its ultimate victim. The Republicans have given up on their party - the Democrats are only just beginning to come to terms with the gross ineptitude of their leaders like Obama/Pelosi/Reid - and if the independents get it together, we can finally reclaim our governments from the corrupt and disgusting posers. Everyone in IL should encourage David Grange to run for US Senate, and Paul Vallas for Gov - as independents! And you should all consider stepping up to the plate and running for office yourselves. The nation has never needed an independent populist movement than it does now. I only hope that Joe the Plumber considers running for his county board, or state assemblyman, or any position were the he might use his clear convictions and principles to use in more than a mocking refrain for the elitist press and that moron Obama to look down their noses with utter contempt toward.
Jane and Paul have no common sense. Blacks vote for Democrats, no matter the color of the candidate. Whites are vote Democratic when a white is running, republican when a black is running. Which group is racist ?
Paul Vallas is not the answer. 1 he is an elistist,that screwed up his family business. I know nothling of Grange. Joe the plumber is a fake conservative. He is only respouting themes learned from angry white boy radio. We nned to get away from personality politics,and focus on building a movement,based on justice,and honest,and freedom. Right and left can coexist. Corruption and Criminal greed is bring America down,not honest philososphical differences.
Jesse Jackson, Jr. and Paul Vallas have no visible accomplishments. They will spew more "feels good" rhetoric.
Catholics need to get their act together, 1) by stopping pedophile priests, 2) being concerned about the entire life of the (former) baby, not just the birth, 3)by letting people who choose to die in Catholic hospitals die, instead of listening to a pope a million miles away in Rome.
Whites will vote for Blacks in lower offices, including City Treasurer, Clerk of the Court, Record of Deeds and Comptroller. Whites won't vote for Blacks in higher office, including mayor, governor and president.
Whites voted for Obama. Roland Burris and Jesse White hold big offices. Carol Mosley Braun was a US Senator. So it is BS that whites won't vote for Blacks. Blacks won't vote for Hispanics,and Blacks usually vote Black even over a White who is better.
Paul Vallas was created and is a clone of Daley. If Vallas wants to run for office let him run for Mayor of Chicago.
I agree, blacks should not vote for Hispanics because they are pimping the affirmative action piece, when that program was made to redress slavery, not people who swam across the Rio Grande.
"In fact, Obama cleaned up across all 20 of Chicago’s predominantly African-American wards, winning a whopping 97 percent—but that’s only up a couple points from the 94 percent John Kerry won in 2004 and the 95 percent Al Gore took in 2000." But here's another way of looking at that. Obama cut the Republican vote in the black wards by more than half.
