There is a deep divide in Republican circles about how to think about the 2008 election result. Some argue that the results show just how close to becoming a rump party of the Deep South the GOP is. Others say that considering the economic crisis, the drag on the ticket that was the Bush presidency, the failings of the McCain campaign and Obama’s skills as a candidate to lose 53-46 in the popular vote was not that bad a result.
I think the former group have the more convincing argument because of the ways in which America is changing. Just consider this from Ron Brownstein:
“To grasp how powerfully demographic change is reshaping the political landscape try this thought experiment about the 2008 election.
Start by considering the electorate’s six broadest demographic groups — white voters with at least a four-year college degree; white voters without a college degree; African-Americans; Hispanics; Asians; and other minorities.
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