Obama/Ford Case Study

Good news for Obama:

"In 2006, when white Republican Bob Corker beat black Democrat Harold Ford Jr. to represent Tennessee in the Senate, Corker's lead was overstated in the polls. Whites voted for Ford in largely the numbers they had told pollsters they would."

Familiar with the concern that though Obama's poll numbers are high now, white voters in the privacy of their voting booths will change their mind and vote for the white Republican? Well worry not, Obama-heads! I hadn't heard about these exit poll numbers from Harold Ford Jr.'s Senate run, but it's encouraging.

Remember that crazy white fright ad that Coker dropped right before the election?

All this being said and even with the heated nature of the campaign that ads like this exploited, the O Campaign has to be encouraged by these numbers from Ford's run. Though he ultimately lost, many pundits wrote that given the obstacles (playboy superbowl party, family history of corruption, a Black man running for Senate in Tennessee!) Ford ran a strong campaign.

Check out the full Washington Post article here. There's some juicy and honest interviews with folks talking about race and Obama's campaign.

P.S. I'm a big Edwards fan too, but do folks think he can win a general election when Republicans will surely attack him for not ever visiting Iraq?