[Associated Press]Obama’s stunning double digit Pennsylvania loss, despite a massive multi-million dollar cash infusion and huge campaign presence in the state, underscores his persistent problem: He cannot win over many of the voters who form the traditional Democratic party base, and that will need to support him if he has any hope of winning a general election in November.
While the Illinois senator remains overwhelmingly popular among blacks, rich white liberals, and young people, other groups key to building the Democratic coalition remain elusive—like white people, women, those over 60, people who work for a living, those people.
To be sure, Obama has performed well among those groups in a handful of primaries, including Wisconsin and Virginia, both likely general election swing states. But that was before Reverend Wright, and before Barack Obama won over the overwhelming majority of black voters at the expense of whites.
In Mississippi—the last primary contest Obama won—he garnered over 90 percent of the black vote, as he did yesterday in Pennsylvania. But 60 percent of white voters went with Hillary Clinton and then lied about their vote to exit posters—who measured only a 4% Clinton victory on election night in Pennsylvania.
Obama had considerable superior strength in Pennsylvania — money first and foremost. He spent $11.2 million on television ads to Clinton's $4.8 million. He spent countless more on phone banks, mail and voter targeting.
Clinton also goes into the final nine contests at a significant cash disadvantage, although she said Wednesday morning in a round of television interviews that her campaign had raised $3.5 million online since winning Pennsylvania.
The candidates face their next major test May 6, with primaries in Indiana and North Carolina.
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