[Southsider2k12]

http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...amp;TM=40378.27

Clinton Won County By 4 percent
Lake County voters support Obama, but rural residents give N.Y. senator Hoosier victory on Tuesday.

Jason Miller
The News-Dispatch

MICHIGAN CITY - The talk Tuesday night, before the final election tallies came in, was that the Democratic presidential primary winner would come down to how people voted in Gary.

Gary Mayor Rudy Clay intimated that the overwhelming support for Barack Obama among the overwhelmingly black population in the Lake County city would put the Illinois senator over the top.

While Gary did overwhelmingly support Obama, its vote didn't push him to the win in Indiana. And Gary, according to polling data, wasn't the only city to vote along color lines Tuesday.

"Of course, obviously (Obama) has the minority support," Michigan City Councilman Willie Milsap, who is black, said Friday. "But I'm interested in how did he respond to voters other than the minority voters.

"That should be what the focus is on. Color is obvious."

Data from the La Porte County Circuit Court Clerk's office show that Hillary Clinton won the county against Obama by 1,087 votes, or about 4 percent. Obama won 18 of the county's 74 voting precincts, the vast majority of which were in Michigan City.

But while 13 of his 18 precinct wins were in Michigan City, not all were in predominantly African-American areas.

In Milsap's 5th Ward, which is predominantly black, Obama received 90 percent, 60 percent and 50 percent in three precincts.

But he also won some precincts in the North End, Lake Michigan shoreline in the 1st Ward, the southwest side Fourth Ward and the city's Sixth Ward, while taking only one precinct in the predominantly black Third Ward.

Obama also won Long Beach and Michiana Shores, two predominantly white areas north and east of Michigan City.

Mayor Chuck Oberlie, an Obama supporter, said Friday he wasn't surprised at the demographic mixture of Obama's La Porte County wins.

"National polling data says Obama's appeal is very strong in highly educated, higher-income people, and there are a lot of those in many of the precincts around here that he won," Oberlie said. "That applies to Michigan City's lakefront area and other areas he won."

Oberlie said Obama also reaches out to lower-income people who embrace his message of "hope and change."

"But I think it's issues that Michigan City voters really base their votes on," he added. "The Michigan City electorate is pretty intelligent."

If Obama's success can be measured in the minority and urban vote, Clinton's can be seen to have reached just about every other demographic in the county.

She won 56 of the 74 precincts, but her wins tended to come in more rural, less-populated areas of the county where pollsters felt she would play better than Obama.

Both candidates spent time in La Porte County leading up to Tuesday, either in person or by proxy.

Obama even made an attempt at inroads into the Clinton demographic, playing a game of basketball with a farm family near Union Mills.

Milsap, though, said he doesn't think the man who has almost locked up the nomination made much of an impression.

"I'm trying to see what the Democratic National Convention is going to do with what (it) learned in Indiana," he said. "I'm interested in how he'll respond to the other voters."

Contact Jason Miller at jmiller@thenewsdispatch.com.

[Dave]

Considering some of Indiana's history, I'm impressed Obama did as well here (in Indiana) as he did. At this point, I'm wondering if Indiana is going to be a red state or a blue state come November.

[Southsider2k12]

Considering some of Indiana's history, I'm impressed Obama did as well here (in Indiana) as he did. At this point, I'm wondering if Indiana is going to be a red state or a blue state come November.

If Indiana goes the Dems, Obama is in the White House by Ronald Reagan margins.

[Roger Kaputnik]

If Indiana goes Dem., I am gonna check Accuweather to see how deep the snow is in Hell.

[Dave]

I'm seeing a possible wager here....

Assuming it's Obama v. McCain in November, what's the spread? Any guesses?

[Roger Kaputnik]

I am putting out the over/under if it is McCain vs Obama (w/ respect to McC's electoral college votes) at

401.

[Dave]

I am putting out the over/under if it is McCain vs Obama (w/ respect to McC's electoral college votes) at

401.

Actually, I was referring to the popular vote spread in Indiana.

If you're saying McCain gets 401 electoral college votes to Obama's 137, I'd wager an adult beverage of your choice on that, if I get to pick Obama beating the spread. I can't see him losing California, Illinois, or New York, and those three alone have 107 EC votes. I'd be seriously surprised if he couldn't pick up another 37 elsewhere. Minnesota, Massachusetts, and DC give him another 25. That's 132.

This Site, as of May 6, has Obama 264, McCain 263, and a tie for the remaining 11 EC votes. Strangely enough, the 11 EC votes where they are tied are all in one state -- Indiana! So the Popular vote spread here could determine the election outcome, i.e., win Indiana, win it all.

[lovethiscity]

I'm seeing a possible wager here....

Assuming it's Obama v. McCain in November, what's the spread? Any guesses?

As a none lawyer I can assure you wagering on an election can land you in jail.

[Dave]

As a none lawyer I can assure you wagering on an election can land you in jail.

Yeah, but if I got charged with a felony but the sentencing was as a misdemeanor....

[lovethiscity]

Yeah, but if I got charged with a felony but the sentencing was as a misdemeanor....

I would still bail your a** out!

[Marram]

Yeah, but if I got charged with a felony but the sentencing was as a misdemeanor....

Are you thinking about buying a saloon?

[Dave]

Are you thinking about buying a saloon?

I don't know, maybe I'll run for county office instead.

[lovethiscity]

I don't know, maybe I'll run for county office instead.

Are you putting the cart before the horse? Do you not need the felony first? Or are you to be a two term official? One term in office followed by a term in prison for your accomplishments in office.

[ChickenCityRoller]

I think Bilary won LaPorte because of all the operation chaos people. I know plenty of people who voted for Hil to prolong the dog fight between Obama and Hil.

[lovethiscity]

I think Bilary won LaPorte because of all the operation chaos people. I know plenty of people who voted for Hil to prolong the dog fight between Obama and Hil.

I, agree. I think Joe Donnelly did the right thing casting his super delegate vote for Obama. Then again us Irish tend to stick together no matter what.

[Roger Kaputnik]

That whole Operation Chaos thing was anther signal of immaturity, personal and political, of the Oxy-Americans.

I know that the state-by-state polls still show Obama winning with 325 or so electoral votes, but I will stand by the over/under above.

[Dan]

I think Bilary won LaPorte because of all the operation chaos people. I know plenty of people who voted for Hil to prolong the dog fight between Obama and Hil.

This is the truth.

But of course, the media won't mention it.

[Roger Kaputnik]

Dan, Dan, Dan...THE MEDIA comes in all flavors. Do you mean the media that you think are wrong? Conservative outlets? Progressive newspapers? If you are more specific, you might be taken more seriously.