Election 2008

Author Archive

Analyzing the results from Penn

Albert Sun

For yesterday’s primary, The Daily Pennsylvanian sent reporters down to each polling station around campus to pick up results when polls closed. You can see the result here as a color coded map of how Penn voted. Interestingly many of the same campaign trends that hold across the country can be seen in miniature on Penn’s campus. We’ve color coded the map according to the results.

In total, from the polling stations around Penn’s campus, Obama won 71.5% of the vote. Dark blue indicates Clinton won less than 29% of the vote, light blue indicates she won more than 29%. Nationally, we’ve seen that younger voters strongly prefer Obama to Clinton. The difference even applies to upperclassmen versus freshmen.

The Quad and Hill, mostly freshmen, voted more strongly in favor of Obama than the high rises and off campus areas where fewer freshmen live.

Obama’s margin was highest in Division 18 where 80.3% of students voted for him. Division 18’s polling place was Steinberg-Dietrich Hall and contains Du Bois College House. It’s likely that Du Bois’s large population of black students voted overwhelmingly for Obama like much of the rest of Philadelphia’s black voters.

Live Post: Results Are In!

Albert Sun

Division 21: Harnwell College House - 8:17PM
Clinton 68 31.8%
Obama 146 68.2%
McCain 6

Division 20: Harrison College House - 8:27PM
Clinton 88 32.9%
Obama 180 67.1%
McCain 8
Paul 2

Division 19: David Rittenhouse Laboratories - 8:27PM
Clinton 66 28.8%
Obama 163 71.2%
Incomplete - only 2 out of 3 machines reporting

Division 22: Houston Hall - 8:28PM
Clinton 165 28.7%
Obama 409 71.2%

Division 9: Walnut Street Library
Clinton 86 29.6%
Obama 205 70.4%
McCain 3
Paul 2

Division 18: Steinberg-Dietrich Hall
Clinton 56 19.6%
Obama 229 80.3%
McCain 13
Paul 1

Divisions 5 and 8: Woodland Presybterian Church
Clinton 88 27.5%
Obama 232 72.5%
McCain 7
Paul 2

Divisions 11 and 3: 36th and Chestnut
Clinton 73 30.4%
Obama 167 69.6%
McCain 4
Paul 1

Totals
Clinton 690 28.5%
Obama 1731 71.5%
McCain 41
Paul 7

CNN results seem to be going the other way though.

Check back when polls close for results from Penn

Albert Sun

I think it’s a foregone conclusion that Obama is going to win at Penn. Results from a Daily Pennsylvanian/CBS poll showed that 73 percent of Penn students support Obama.

No matter how effective Penn for Hillary may be, they are not going to overcome that margin.

The same might be said on a larger scale for all of Philadelphia. Obama will likely win here, the question is by how much, and will turnout be high enough to close the gap for him.

How can we rate how successful Penn for Obama and Penn for Hillary have been in their respective efforts, especially that final push to reach undecideds? The DP/CBS poll was conducted over the week leading up to Friday the 18th, so results from today’s voting should differ from those results mainly with people who make up their minds at the last minute. I propose this metric. If over 73 percent of Penn students vote for Obama, let’s rule it a success for Obama here. If over 27 percent vote for Clinton, we can rule it a success for her final push.

Either way, check back around 8PM as polls close for results from the polling stations around Penn. And if you don’t know where to vote, find out!

Liveblogging the Democratic Debate — from a student’s perspective

Albert Sun

Update: Gibson: “How are you going to make the case to Super Delegates at the convention in Denver?” Well we’re back to electability.

Update: Affirmative action, a hot button issue, especially for students I think, and somewhere where our generation of Democrats doesn’t really agree with the mainstream.

Obama: “I don’t think it can be applied without looking at the whole person.” Should be for people who are locked out of opportunity. What exactly does that mean?

Clinton: “In favor of more student loan aid, not these outrageous student loans.” Cited a 28% interest rate. I don’t know anyone paying 28% but I suppose it could be possible, and it is true that student loans are very tough right now. Didn’t really answer the affirmative action question though.

(more…)

You know those graphs of voter response? Here’s mine.

Albert Sun

Well, they’re talking about Philadelphia and crime now, so that’s an improvement.

Hillary Clinton at Drexel on Friday

Albert Sun

Bringing you the latest updates in the candidate’s schedules. Hillary Clinton will be at Drexel University Friday.

(more…)

Obama Visits Penn State, Draws 22,000

Albert Sun

Krishna Esteva, a senior at State College Area High School, said he shook hands with Obama.

“It’s almost a religious experience,” he said. “We knew it was going to be big, but I was just looking out on this sea of faces that extended into the distance.”

Article from the Penn State Collegian

Obama spoke at Penn State today, drawing one of his typical huge crowds. Afterwards, he boarded his campaign bus and gave an exclusive interview to the Penn State Collegian.

To outsiders, this tour bus looks as though it is carrying a rock star to his next venue. Instead, a soft-spoken presidential candidate, who has gained a rock star status among college students, is inside.

In a 6-minute one-on-one interview with The Daily Collegian on his bus, Obama discussed the involvement he has seen in his campaign from college students.

“What we try to do is reach out to young people and tell them we don’t want them just to vote, we want them to be involved, we want them to be active, we want them to take leadership positions in the campaign, we want their ideas about issues,” he said, “and it’s that kind of involvement and ownership of the campaign that I think has attracted a lot of young people.”

Article from the Penn State Collegian

New York Times says Philadelphia turnout crucial for Obama

Albert Sun

The New York Times has a great piece today about the kick off of Obama’s bus tour of Pennsylvania. According to them, Obama can do well in Pennsylvania by mimicking Ed Rendell’s strategy. Get turnout in Philadelphia as high as possible, and mitigate the damage everywhere else.

If past elections are a guide, Mr. Obama’s success will lie in how much he can increase the turnout in Philadelphia and its surrounding suburban counties, with their pockets of affluent, educated white liberals. The suburbs are expected to be a major battleground.

It was Mr. Rendell’s near-total reliance on the Philadelphia media market that won him the primary for governor in 2002, and many analysts here see Mr. Obama copying that strategy, which is interesting because Mr. Rendell is such a big cheerleader for Mrs. Clinton.

The Philadelphia Inquirer and Daily News’s blog has a fun post about the kick off of the bus tour too. Apparently former Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jerome Bettis “the Bus” came out to support Obama, who carried a football out on to the stage.

The rumor was that Obama would toss a football with Bettis or stage a hand-off. But rather than risk a costly gaffe, Obama emerged from the Soldiers and Sailors Hall, where he’d been speaking, carrying a football. And he never gave it up.

Another former Steeler and current Obama supporter, Franco Harris, was also in the picture. He did not board the bus for the ride to the next stop. But Bettis did. So, the Bus is on the bus.

Obama Rally at Penn Saturday, Obama himself missing

Albert Sun

Instead of Obama, we will have Lawrence Lessig. According to a post on his blog this afternoon, and confirmed by the Penn Dems, Lessig is planning on speaking at a rally in Penn’s Huntsman Hall this Saturday.

For those of you who don’t recognize the name, Lawrence Lessig is a Wharton alum and current Stanford law professor, wrote Free Culture, the class of 2010’s reading project book, and gave a speech during the class of 2010’s NSO as well. And now, he’ll be back on campus for a rally for Obama.

Lessig has previously endorsed Obama in video form.

Edit: Contrary to what I originally posted, Obama himself will likely not be on campus. The event is happening, but according to Burdette, it will just be Lessig, not Obama himself.

Obama and Clinton Both to Visit Philadelphia Tuesday

Albert Sun

Both Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton will be holding campaign events in Philadelphia tomorrow.

Obama will be giving a speech on race and politics at the National Constitution Center tomorrow. This event begins at 10:15AM.

Clinton will be holding an event at City Hall starting at 1:30PM. The Clinton event is a “Campaign Event with Leading Voices For Bringing Our Troops Home,” in the Mayor’s Conference Room.

Exciting stuff.