Why Obama does poorly in Appalachia.

[Blue State Bandit]

As he vows to bring broadband internet access to rural America, the lack of such access is on full display in his loss in West Virginia. Look at the map.



The lack of broadband access, in my opinion, is the only chink in the armor of the Obama campaign. Not, as Clinton has put it, a lack of white support.

He needs to get on the ground in Kentucky.

[FrenchieCat]

1. That map is quite revealing......

[EFerrari]

2. Interesting. Never occurred to me.

:)

[donheld]

3. Do you have a source for that map?

I'm not doubting you, but I would like to look further into it.

[Boz]

4. While this map does have an interesting corollary appearance, it is either outdated

Or it doesn't reflect the ACTUAL penetration level rather than a polled penetration.

Most notably Ohio and Wisconsin are incorrect.

There is a little known fact about columbus Ohio actually being the heart of the Internet if there ever was one, and this map implies low penetration.

Upon further review this appears to be ONE single provider, not all providers

[Blue State Bandit]

17. I realize that this map alone is flimsy. This is only one part of the problem,

but their is much evidence to back up my claim. This map is the G3 wide-area network coverage area (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evolution-Data_Optimized">EVDO). Combine this with the two high-speed internet access companies offering this service in West Virginia, and you begin to see the bigger picture.

Comcast and Hughsnet are the only service providers available. If you go to http://comcast.usdirect.com/west-virginia-comcast.html">Comcast's West Virginia service availability page and scroll down to the section listing towns in WV, most of the links say Sorry, but Comcast does not service the (insert town) West Virginia area at this time.

HughesNet is a satellite internet service provider. The http://agent.hughesnet.com/res_serviceofferings.cfm">price is the first impediment. $60 a month is no small change if your making $30K a year. And then there's accessing the network.

If you live in the mountains, it is hit or miss as to whether you can even access the sat network. If you can not see the southern sky, be it mountains or trees blocking you view, you get no access. It's called line of sight and the geo-sync sats HughsNet uses rest stationary in the southern sky.

There's plenty of dial-up access in West Virginia, but who here has ever tried to watch youtube on dial-up?

Barack Obama has put the lack of broadband internet access to rural America front and center in his technology platform. I believe that if he had spent more time on the ground in WV his numbers would have been better. Combine this with Bill Clinton running around the backwoods telling West Virginians that Obama and his supporters think that we are better than them, and these numbers make more sense.

[unlawflcombatnt]

5. He lost by 9% in California

So how does that fit in to your nonsensical theory?

[SoCalDem]

6. he lost CA to early voting & absentee ballots

done before many even knew who he was.. 1/3 to 1/2 of all votes on CA were voted that way ..

[melody]

7. He would win California by at least that much now

He's tremendously popular in California currently.

[Oleladylib]

10. Barack "if only" Obama...has a nice ring to it.

[melody]

12. And Hillary "All the Dumb Whites Love Me" Clinton does, too

Either "name" is an unfair gross association but only one of us understands that. ;)

[Blue State Bandit]

18. He was on the ground in California.

Read 17.

[dcindian]

8. Nice map and interesting observation.

I wonder if someone can make a overlay using this in comparison to the candidates stronger areas.

[Oleladylib]

9. He won't win Kentucky....so he'll move on

[melody]

13. Because he's won the race itself ... any minor battle wins from here are immaterial

Of course a real Hillary supporter (and thus Democrat) would understand that.

[MonkeyFunk]

11. ah

the internet - the great Bringer of Truth.


Thanks for the giggle.

[McDiggy]

14. This map is hilarious. When is that from, 1997?

Little Rock with no broadband? Riiiight.

The vast majority of the population in the state of West Virginia can get broadband. I'm using a broadband connection right now. Honest.

[Blue State Bandit]

19. Read 17

The map is the EVDO G3 access map, wifi availability. Combine this with limited hard-wires coverage, and expensive Sat coverage that is still hit or miss, and you will see the light

[MADem]

15. Well, that's a nice little theory, but it doesn't explain ME. NT

[dtotire]

16. Central Pennsylvania is part of Appalachia

That may cause Obama to lose Pennsylvania, and without PA, the general election will be lost. I am pessimistic.