44% of California primary voters will vote BEFORE the primary. Consider the implications...

[calteacherguy]

I just heard on ABC radio in San Francisco that an estimated 44% of California primary voters will vote absentee. Some will be voting THIS WEEK.

Think of the implications of that. How can Clinton hope to regain momentum in California if voters here are already casting their ballots during the Obama surge? I expect to get my ballot within a week or two and will be enthusiastically voting for Obama!

[Uncle Sinister]

1. early voters tend to be older and more conservative, Hil will kill in CA.

She's in fine shape there, and CA is a huge "winner take all" state, IIRC

[calteacherguy]

2. California is Obama country!

There is no enthusiasm for Clinton here, everyone is talking about Obama!

[Divine Discontent]

4. NO enthusiasm?

in the entire state of California? Bit of a stretch to say that. I could see if you were in a AMVETS hall or something, but to think there's not people excited to vote for Obama, Clinton and Edwards in California would be extremely shortsighted.

[ronnykmarshall]

5. Bull shit

[elizm]

6. I hope you are right...

But Hillary has been leading in CA polls forever...which I never understood. So I find this disturbing. I know a couple that voted early last week before Iowa Caucuses here in SC for Richardson...And I was thinking...He probably won't even be in the race by then. Why do people do that????

[calteacherguy]

8. I suspect right now she's tied in California with Obama

reflecting the national Gallup Poll.

No polling has been done in California for weeks.

[Uncle Sinister]

11. Everyone everywhere is TALKING about Obama, but

talking and voting are seperate actions. Clinton has the machine, the bodies and the war chest there that WILL make a difference.

(damn, Im starting to sound like I support her)

[K Gardner]

3. I got a reminder in the mail today that we can vote here starting Jan 16th. Early

voting has been huge in past years, because the biggest early voting site is in THE MALL, lol. Lots of older people use it to avoid the lines. It does bother me that people could be voting next week and there has been not one shred of advertising here or campaigning for anyone. Expectations are that only 1 in 6 registered voters will vote in the primary. I hope those stats are wrong and we can get momentum in the Feb 5th states.

[SharonAnn]

16. My precinct and the two neighboring ones vote more than 75% in Early Voting.

We start Early Voting on January 16th in Tennessee.

[WI_DEM]

7. California will be a tough state for Hillary anyway

It's tailored made for a new, fresh candidate like Obama. On Super Tuesday if she's still in this Hillary should concentrate on NY, MA, NJ imo.

[calteacherguy]

9. Exactly. California is all about youth, cuttiing edge, and change.

No way will California go for Clinton now that Obama has proved viable.

[Uncle Sinister]

12. ROTFL! I lived in Ca more than 30 years, and unless you're within 10 miles of the beach...

it's one of the most redneck states in the nation. Sacto, Freso, Bakersfeild youthful and cutting edge???

Good dope though, as you've demonstrated

[Divine Discontent]

10. how does an outdated relic like Feinstein get reelected then

I never understood that, I guess "dems" vote for her to go with the GOPers who love her.

[msongs]

13. but obama says the surge is not working nt

[thatsrightimirish]

14. I think Obama could win here

For a long time Howard Dean was winning and all of a sudden Kerry won Iowa and then he was leading in the polls here. California will vote for whoever has the momentum. Since Obama has enough money to compete with Hillary for TV ads, that shouldn't be a problem. I can't picture Bay Area primary voters voting for a person who voted for the war over someone who opposed it.

[loveangelc]

15. I'll say it again, California doesn't like voting for losers.

[Kucinich4America]

17. I'm reasonably sure that the California primary was moved up by 5 months

...so that it could be deliberately gamed to benefit Hillary, as she was thought to be "inevitable" at the time.

It would be the ultimate irony if that backfired and California put another candidate over the top.

Better yet if it was Dennis :)

[Retrograde]

18. Got my ballot yesterday

Santa Clara county, and I'll probably send it in later this week. If I can make up my mind on the propositions, that is.