The Limbaugh Effect Helps HRC?

I'm skeptical, mostly because of the size of the exit poll subsamples used to explain it, but stranger things have happened.

Comments

It seems perfectly reasonable that Rush could mobilize his listeners to vote on something they care about, which is ridiculing Clinton. Nothing would be more embarrassing to Clinton that the country learning that her victory came courtesy a disruptive tactic from Rush.
I think that also accounts for the sharp trend in last minute voters going to Clinton in Texas.

Posted by Nathan Clark | March 5, 2008 12:42 PM

There certainly seems to be a lot of anecdotal evidence of cross-over voting.

Which should make Democrats pause. Think about it. Obviously the Republicans feel like they'd rather face Clinton in the general, where, according to a new Rasmussen poll, has her losing by 9 points in Washington state to McCain. So that's just a given.

And this is what superdelegates are for. To overturn Republican trickery and vote tampering. Clearly Obama is the stronger Dem candidate going into the general election.

Posted by Craig | March 5, 2008 12:43 PM

Call it the media smear and campaign effect. Call it that the media (w/the NAFTA lie they won't retract and others) became Rush -heck of a job there.

Posted by eh? | March 5, 2008 12:55 PM

As I've posted elsewhere, it definitely happened in my sister's corner of NE San Antonio. Before voting, not only were neighbors talking about Limbaugh's call to vote for HRC, but so were teachers at her middle school. When she showed up to vote after work, the GOP line was empty, but her GOP neighbors were lined up to vote for HRC. (It was a 45-minute wait to vote.) At the evening caucus, where my math teacher sister was one of the vote counters, Obama handily won.

Therefore, I can only surmise one of three things happened:

(1) GOP voters miraculously overcame their loathing to vote for HRC instead of John McCain, but chose not to caucus;

(2) GOP voters, after listening to Rush Limbaugh, showed up to help HRC beat Obama, so they can take her down in the general; or

(3) This was all a strange coincidence.

Posted by Judy | March 5, 2008 4:42 PM

Grandstanding Hoopah, that's all.
Remember, this latest, oh-so-humble claim to fame comes from the man who eulogized William F. Buckley by vain blubbering about his elite socializing and partying with the conservative statesman. Oh how the Rushbo would hate to die without the hero worship he dotes on the True Voice of conservatism.

Posted by Rick | March 6, 2008 7:15 AM