The Mississippi primary has Democrats in this state in a state of high excitement, and with reason: It has been a l-o-n-g time since Mississippi mattered a whit in the presidential selection process (oh, I don’t know– perhaps when Henry Clay was running? Perhaps caucuses of 1976, perhaps never). Yesterday, Barack Obama did a lightning run through the state, doing a town hall in Columbus, and, from this report, the last of a sequence– you should look at all of them–on the blog Cotton Mouth, shaking the rafters at Jackson State.
Things are exciting in a more small town way in North Mississippi. Todd Sedgwick, a volunteer who has come down from Washington, has been beating the bushes working on turnout in Oxford, and having the exhilarating experience of working with a community that wants to make history, as he’s trying to help Obama achieve a blow-out victory today. A call came looking for a sign for a well-located house on South Lamar in Oxford– the home of William Faulkner’s niece Dean Wells, who lives in the house William Faulkner built for his mother and her grandmother (you’ll note in the picture that Faulkner’s antecedents spelled the name without the “u”). Dean Faulkner Wells is a huge supporter of Barack Obama. So here’s a picture of Mississippi history and Mississippi literature having a little meet-up in Oxford.
Update
MPR is reporting high turnout in Oxford. I hope its the payoff of the work noted above!
Oh, that’s a wonderful picture! Thanks for letting us see it.
OK if I pass it on to some friends?
ld
Feel free, little dog (and everyone else)!
Yes, share it. it’s there to spread the word
Go Obamarama!!!!!
How’s turnout looking today, y’all?
Well, MPR just reported heavy turnout in Lafayette County. I’ll look at the numbers tonight and tell you whether I can take some some personal credit for that!
I heard from one source in Jackson it was light but would pick up as the afternoon went on, which will certainly be true of Obama supporters. OTOH, MPR is reporting heavy turnout so I don’t know what to think.
I was pleasantly surprised at the democratic turnout in my very small, white precinct: 59 an hour ago and normally it’d be 29 or so. Course there’s nothing on the Repub. side down here, can’t tell if Rush’s message is in play. Since over half of my neighborhood is still MIA post Katrina, I’m not sure what to make of it. I would call turnout moderate.
I posted NMC’s Fa(u)lkner House picture over at DU, and danged if NMC didn’t follow me over there!
How’d you find me, anyhow?
ld
Now, little dog, you know NMC has his own special ways of finding things out. He’s better’n the C.I.an’A. just any old day.
I’m somewhat clever, little dog
And droll, don’t forget droll, NMC.
Have been stewing on something all day and wondering if other folks heard – Listened to MPB this a.m. on way to work and they had MS radio interview (vs. their national org.) with Democratic candidates. They had lengthy interview with Obama, then then had lengthy interview with Bill Clinton. Bothered me greatly that Hillary could not take 5-10 minutes to speak to a news organization that was broadcast statewide and would air on election day. What – could Hillary not get her %^& out of bed this morning for the only election she had today? Did anyone hear and feel same way?
(PS – have been reading folo for a while – so, will add that I have no hidden agenda, no secret political ties, just an average gal apparently with political road rage this morning).
Welcome to folo, par’coast’l!
Since Obama took it 60-37%, I guess some others agree with you. What’s interesting to me is that your open primary allowed for the “Limbaugh effect” (all those “Clinton voters” saying they wouldn’t support Obama on the Dem ticket? Limbaugh Republicans who crossed over for the primary because they want to see HRC vs McCain in the fall).
Without them, can you imagine what the result would have been? Even with them in the count, he still won by over 22%. (As in so many other states.) No wonder the Limbaugh crowd’s shakin’ in its holey boots.
Oh, I just found this at TPM: according to MSNBC’s exit numbers, the Republican crossover rate was 12-13%. In other states, that’s been an Obama vote, but in MS (and TX), it was a Clinton one: Limbaugh dittoheads trying to jimmy the result.
UPDATE: Here’s a more interesting look at the numbers from a diary at DailyKos. Fifteen percent of Hillary’s voters said they’ll be unhappy if she gets the nomination (as opposed to 4% of Obama’s), and she took Republican crossover votes 75-25%. Really makes you wonder about the advisability of open primaries, doesn’t it?
I just got the ad: “Should Hillary Quit?” Is Obama a folo advertiser?
it’s some sort of online poll thing by an advertiser named NewsMax