Spurred by Clinton/Obama battle, Hoosiers* voting early and often

The fact that ever-red Indiana is playing such an important role in the Democratic presidential race between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama is its own wonderful irony.

One of the keys to who will win Indiana will be the turnout of the vote in Marion County, the state's largest and one of few with a substantial African-American population.

So we turn to Brendan O'Shaughnessy of the Indianapolis Star for this take this morning:

With nearly twice as many Hoosiers voting early as did four years ago, officials say voters in Marion County are requesting Democratic ballots 3-to-1 over Republican ones so far.

Spurred by intense interest in the Democratic presidential race, more than 10,000 people per day have been casting early ballots this week across the state. The more than 113,000 votes counted through noon on Thursday easily surpassed the 57,000 absentee votes from the previous presidential primary, in 2004.

Marion County Clerk Beth White said the nearly 9,000 people who have voted early already outpace recent elections, and she expects it ...

* Not "Indianans," as this read initially. We can take a hint (see Comments section).

to pick up even more this weekend.

A group of local pastors is organizing a massive get-out-the-vote effort that aims to bring thousands of people to the City-County Building for early voting Sunday. White said the office will be open and ready for a big turnout.

The Rev. Charles Harrison, pastor of Barnes United Methodist Church on the Westside, said he and other pastors plan to bus people from five locations and from up to 100 churches to Downtown after Sunday services. He said the nonpartisan effort aims to get people involved in what he called a historic primary election.

"This is putting our faith into action," Harrison said. "It's the biggest mobilization effort I've ever seen, and I've been here 15 years."

-- Michael Tackett

Michael Tackett writes for the Swamp of the Chicago Tribune's Washington bureau.

Comments

[Nadia]

I believe the word you are looking for is Hoosier... Indianan is not a word to my knowledge. And if it is, no self respecting Hoosier would use it.

[Scott]

Indianians? Are you kidding me?

I bet this article was written by a Los Angelesite.

For shame...

[Jake]

INDIANAN? I Guess they have no idea about the Midwest in Los Angeles and assumed they would not have to learn for this political season. Let's show the rest of the country that we can't be tricked by the Media (that doesn't even know what to call us) and not tricked into their sensationalized coverage just to get ratings.

Go OBAMA!

[Luke]

Yes, we are called Hoosiers. See: Indiana University Hoosiers, Hoosiers (film), The Hoosier State (state nickname), etc.

[David]

It's Hoosiers, not "Indianans." Seriously.

[MIako]

Thank you, LA Times, for having the grace and good judgment to read your comments section. Now both of us learned something new today!

(You're welcome. We've always viewed The Ticket as a place for dialogue where, as you so smartly say, we can both learn. Thanks for reading and taking the time to leave a comment, even a nice one like this. :-) )

[Obamabots for our Savior]

To Hilleritas and McCainites, please let us rally around Barak now, no more hate. He must do that which every politician must do. But with our support, he will be elected President. Perhaps a serious discussion on reparations for our past sins of slavery and Jim Crow laws can then begin. Once America has paid for it past mistakes by voting for Obama, and the Reparations checks are sent out, then the healing and acceptance of the majority can be considered by the minority. This is the "Change we can believe in!" otherwise, as Obama, Ayers, and Reverend Wright say, God D*** america.

[Screwtape]

While I doubt the authors meant anything derogatory with byline 'voing early and often', I dislike it. It brings to mind Chicago style voter fraud where dead people vote.

It is nice to see the authors reading the comments.

[Reed]

As a native Hoosier, I must thank you for correcting the article in your headline.

Just a heads-up: The link in Google news still reads "Indianans"

[Kimberly]

I’m a Canadian who works closely with many people internationally and I can tell you that the majority of the people that I have spoken to globally would much rather see Barack Obama as President than Hillary Clinton. While Hillary has proven that she is a whip smart politician and policy guru, she does not represent any significant change to the White House other than the fact that she is a female and she is a Democrat. The fact of the matter is almost all of the candidates who ran and/or are running are smart policy wonks and slick politicians. This is not revolutionary. What would be revolutionary would be voting for someone like Barack Obama who exhibits a certain sincerity, honesty and hopefulness that I have not seen in a politician in the US or abroad in most of my years. Here’s why I feel the way I do:

• He basically has run a skilful and well-organized campaign, even though does not have a lot of this so-called “experience”. This to me is a foreshadowing of the way he would run his administration. I am alarmed at the amount of people in Clinton’s campaign team that have: a) been fired b) resigned, or c) defected d) do even get me started about the lack of funds. Why would anyone vote for a President who couldn’t even maintain a consistent and competent campaign team?
• While not perfect, he still has managed to keep his campaigning “above the belt” so as not to disrespect or burn bridges with his opponents. This CANNOT be said of Hillary and/or John McCain. Take a look at their latest campaign ads. They come off looking like a bunch of sore losers, not presidential. Believe me, the international community is taking note…
• Obama has handled the many crises thrown his way with dignity and class. When the whole Rev. Wright mess got brought up (we in Canada and the rest of the world cannot understand why this is a scandal. We don’t choose our leaders based on what their ministers say or do), he commiserated with concerned voters and explained his position without slinging mud at his opponents. That is to be commended, not dismissed.
• He has already won the democratic nomination. Why is this even being debated? He needs 2,025 delegates to secure the nomination and he is less for 400 away from that number. Mathematically Hillary cannot secure the nom even if she won every state primary from now until June. Why is she still running? Oh, that’s right; to steal the nomination from the one guy who actually earned it. Why does this sound eerily familiar? If this happened, the United States would have no right to condemn countries like Zimbabwe for disenfranchising voters
• With regard to Florida and Michigan, Hillary only cared about you all when she realized that she was losing. She had no problem with the DNC rules when she maintained a 30 point lead throughout 2007. Don’t believe her when she says that she believes that your votes should count. She couldn’t have cared less 5 months ago!
• The Iraq War. I rest my case.

America, please vote for Obama now for your own sake! You cannot afford to have the same old- same old in the White House. Hillary is not much different from the Republicans and well, John McCain and George Bush appear to be ‘political lovers’, so there’s no hope there. On May 6th put this race to bed by voting for Obama in Indiana and North Carolina. DO NOT BE DISTRACTED BY NON-ISSUES! Vote Obama and gain the respect of the rest of the world!!!!

[Andy]

The real winner in the protracted Democratic nomination process is John Edwards. As it stands he will be the king-maker with his small but influential count of electoral college votes. The cost of his endorsement for either Obama or Clinton? His name in their VP slot.

[Carlton]

Hey Canadian;
If I were you, I would pose the challenge to your NAFTA representative to divulge Barak's true intentions (re: his political flip-flopping on the whole free-trade issues).

DO NOT BE DISTRACTED BY NON-ISSUES!...??? HUH?

[rhammonsster]

One? Kimberley? your opinion means less than nothing to me, this is an american issue, not a Canadian, two? Obamas inexperience means a lot when it comes to the U.S presidency. This is not Canada (some backwoods,Trailer Park Boy country) we are a real, productive, global leading country. Of course most people around the globe prefer to see Obama lead us, They want to see America fall, outside opinions there fore mean absolutely nothing. I am a Hillary supporter forever, much preferring her "style" of politics, I don't need a wimp running the country and feeling like they are above the common citizen. We need a president who understands and works to fix the problems "REAL" working class americans deal with.

(O.K., folks. The Internet is open to everybody. The Ticket gets quite a few international readers, who come here to learn about American politics in action in an historic election season. We think it's actually a good thing that the world wants to understand America better. So we're delighted with their attendance here. They're more than welcome, especially Canadians who turn out so many excellent comedians to entertain North Americans so cleverly. And the Comments section is open to all Ticket readers -- who are at least 13 years old blah blah blah.)

[Nestor]

Who is that Canadian trying to tell the American people who they should vote for and not to vote for as the next president of United States. Why doesn't this person worry about his own country and let the Americans deicde who they want to. That is why Ameica is the greatest nation on the face of the earth because of its democracy.

[Brent]

Kimberly, there's nothing that you attributed to Obama that couldn't also be said about Hillary. Someone supporting Hillary could also say that she's run a skillful and well-organized campaign; that she represents sincerity, honesty, and hopefulness; that her campaigning has been "above the belt"; that she's handled crisis's with dignity and class; and they both oppose the Iraq war.

Also, please feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't believe Obama has won the nomination. In fact, neither Clinton or Obama can possibly get enough delegates to secure the nomination, which is why Clinton has every right to continue campaigning.

What I do agree with you on, is that we shouldn't pay attention to non-issues... the American people who listened to negative campaigning is what allowed Bush to denigrate Gore and Kerry, two potentially great presidents, and gave us 8 years of the worst president in American history. We all need to look at how each candidate presents themself, and listen to what they each say about themselves... then make our decision based on that.

Brent

[Melanie]

Does anyone really believe BO is all about change???? If he were, why on earth would so many entrenched career politicians endorse him when they know that change would mean the end of their world? C'mon Indiana, BO is just as much of a politician as Hillary and McCain but worse because he's presenting himself as an agent of change when he obviously isn't. BO is doling out $$$ and promises of cabinet positions to these superdelegates in exchange for their votes.

[wlbill]

Letting Hillary count the Florida and Michigan votes would be like letting a football team staying on the field at halftime and scoring touchdowns against the opposing band. Wow! their drum sections was tough but we scored 10 touchdowns against their band and we won.YEA!

[Daniel]

Why does Hillary seem like she will tell you anything just to get your vote? Despite the lack of coverage on her bad decisions......Obama is my guy......he can think on his feet.

Hillary supported NAFTA, the war in Iraq, and now she wants to cut gas tax for a few months even after economist say it won't help most Americans.

Hillary might talk a good game but she makes the wrong decisions....I want a really, really smart person in the White House......so Obama is who I support. I hope Obama wins in Indy and in NC, then we can put this mess to rest and get on with what matters like the war in Iraq and our energy problems.....also I like Obama’s deportment...and I think that it is important for bringing people together....which is what America needs right now....

My hopes and dreams of a united country are with Barack Obama.

[germanguy]

crammonster - The enclosed link is why the "REAL" people don't want Hillary. Many Hoosiers have seen this and we are not happy about it. We are not sh*t as Michey Kantor puts it. I agree with the Canadian's comments above. He is viewing this from 'outside the box', unlike you, who is looking from the inside. No doubt you believe even the president's lies. What a shame. I believe it is called 'uninformed' .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-MzByUHIzw&feature=email

[CC]

To Rhammonsster,

Thank you for representing our country with ignorance, biggotry and arrogance. You are of exactly the mindset that the rest of the world has come to loathe our country for. Not only do you not care what the rest of the world thinks, you go above and beyond to demean other countries by tagging all Canadians as "backwoods, Trailer Park Boy country." I hate to break the news to you, but the vast majority of the U.S. is made up of rural "country" citizens no different than those in Canada.

Please do one of two things. 1) Wake up and become a citizen of the world and not just the U.S. or 2) Crawl into your hole and never come out. You do not represent the U.S. and, as such, should not speak for the U.S.

Furthermore, Clinton's style of politics are the same style of insider, power swinging politics we have seen for decades and look where it has brought us. You said "We need a president who understands...the problems REAL working class americans deal with." How, exactly, does Hillary Clinton, a rich woman with decades of pre-determined ties to Washington, lobbyists and PAC groups understand or relate to working class Americans more so than Barack Obama? Finally, Hillary Clinton is, in my opinion, the most divisive figure in American politics today (other than GWB, who will soon be a non-issue). NOTHING gets done in Washington without compromise from both parties. Do you honestly believe that HIllary Clinton is more likely to bridge that gap than Barack Obama?

Last, for the record and not that it should matter, but I am a Hoosier.. an educated, middle class, white man who voted early today at lunch for Barack Obama. I am exactly the demographic that the Clinton campaign has struggled to assert that Obama cannot carry. I disagree.

[James]

Reading Kimberly's comment, I'm reminded of one of the very few things most extreme religions have in common: the belief that theirs is the only "true" religion, the rest being scams. Yes, the other two candidates are 'policy gurus' as well as slick politicians - Obama, on the other hand, is merely the latter, with no real policy experience or even a sufficient grasp of the basics (as demonstrated in the ABC debate, when it was explained to him that one particular tax increase he planned would actually hit the middle-class hard - and had been tried in the past and actually *reduced* federal tax revenue, which is why President Clinton lowered it again - he simply changed the subject at the time, then quietly back-tracked later).

No, it's not normally a big deal what church someone goes to - but when someone follows an extremist like Jeremiah "God Damn America" Wright, who preaches every week that everything from AIDS to 9/11 is America's own fault, it's another matter. Would Canadians tolerate someone who regularly attended events like that, or KKK meetings? I sincerely hope not - and neither should America.

Obama is nothing more than a well-polished, slick political salesman with ample funding - some it from the same sources he's attacked others for receiving contributions from! Clinton is certainly not perfect, particularly her billions of dollars of 'pork' earmark requests over the last year, but at least she has some understanding of her own policies! Perhaps Obama will too, in time - but six months before the Presidential election is far too late to try teaching someone basic economics and fiscal reality.

[Nate]

rhammonsster, your kind of xenophobic, dismissive rhetoric is exactly what is wrong with America. It's rather amusing to see your comment with a disclaimer from the moderators tacked on at the end, almost like the teacher saying "see me after class and let's discuss why what you did was wrong".

[shirley]

It is above compension that anyone would vote for Obama, no one would take their children and wife and self to hear the racist talk for 20 years, unless they believe all that is being said. Can you imagine what will
happen if he was to become president. If the super
delgates go over to him because they do not want to hurt black feelings and turn away young voters, we will
lose the election to McCain. As for black feelings about
white feelings? Also the young voters will just have to
grow up up like we all have done. I have been passionate over my choice over the years and I lived through the experience of not having him win. If they are
really sincere they will be there for the next election

[festinog]

rhammonsster - well done, you have managed to encabsulate everything that is wrong with Hillary. You're xenophobic and insulting attack on the poor little Canadian was shocking in and of itself, but then to read you were supporting Hillary and therefore a democrat was incredible. Your silly little rant sounded like it came straight from the mouth of Donald Rumsfled!

It is indeed time for a change.
Obama'08

[Caroline]

The Almighty God bring up leaders and He bring them down. Why do you think America voted for George W. Bush?

I have one question for Barack Obama. What kind of christian are you, when you approve civil union? Do you read the Bible? And are you ready to follow what the King of kings is saying or are you ready for a compromise because you are a democrat?

Anyway, the more America seek to eliminate God from its society, the more America will zink into economic woes and other problems that will only take America to its knees.

Remember, Rome? It ruled the world, but it did not last. And America's position will soon be taken over.

The only way you can have a secure future, without fear, is to trust in God completely.