Did the 2008 Presidential election impact your opinion of Indiana?

[ottermax]

It very much changed my opinion. Every day before the election in Japanese class I would talk to my Chinese friend who lived in Indianapolis until she was about 10. She didn't really know much about Indiana's politics, but she was a big Obama fan like me and I informed her of the strong Republican tilt of Indiana. We spent a lot of time discussing Indiana and I never realized how diverse of a state it was because I had always assumed it was a boring rural/hickish state that loved conservatism. I actually had never really looked into Indiana much. But this election has changed my misconception of Indiana and even if Obama hadn't won the state, I gained so much insight researching Indiana and learning so much about it. On the other hand, the shocking levels of racism in Louisiana are causing me dismay, but I shouldn't assume.

[Person Man]

Yes, I am happy to declare that Indiana is no longer a joke state.

Now replaced by Alaska

The banjos have moved. At least I can go into Indiana now without having to clinch up my asshole.

[🐒Gods of Prosperity🔱🐲💸]

 Indiana has two relatively moderate Senators, one D and one R, both friends with Obama.

Reading this thread has however lowered my opinion of Democrats who post here.

[Jacobtm]

Indiana voting for Obama changed my opinion of how just how much of a difference a great organization can make in a state.

[JSojourner]

Don't ask me how it happened.  Every explanation offered here (and elsewhere) makes sense, but none completely satisfy either.

I do have to wonder, however, given our tendency to split ballots here, would the state have gone for Obama if Hoosiers had been unified behind Long-Thompson for Governor or if Bayh had been on the ballot?

In other words, can Hoosiers vote for TWO Democrats near the top of the ballot or do they feel they must split?  Yes, I realize our gubernatorial candidate ran an awful campaign.  But suppose she had been top-drawer and Daniels stunk up the place? 

Maybe I am making no sense, but please pardon -- I have been on the road all day.

[Eraserhead]

Quite a few votes in this poll...

[Beet]

It's important to note that Indiana is the youngest state in the Midwest (including the upper Midwest and Rustbelt) outside of Illinois.

^^^^

65+ (12%, 13% of electorate in IN-- 16%, 16% nationwide)
2004: Bush 63-37
2008: McCain 61-37 (Obama +2)

30-44 (33%, 31% of electorate in IN-- 29%, 29% nationwide)
2004: Bush 66-33
2008: McCain 52-47 (Obama +28)

18-29 (14%, 19% of electorate in IN-- 17%, 18% nationwide)
2004: Bush 52-47
2008: Obama 63-35 (Obama +33)

Clear 'youth' surge for Obama that made the difference. And this is not just generational replacement but some sort of 'instrumental' variable of responsiveness to Obama's message. It's like all the old folks were wearing tin foils.

[NOVA Green]

Indiana has a lot of good things going for it, and reminds me in some ways of the communities of SW Ohio that I used to live amongst.

The American Heartlands are filled with a resilient spirit as exemplified by Indianapolis, that was known from the '20s through the late '60s as one of the few large cities of the region with a significant Klan presence, is key in electing the first African-American President in the history of this country.

The quiet religious brand of Protestantism from small towns that stretch from Lincoln to Obama in representing the idealism of America.

The industrial male working-class having faced one of the largest loss of manufacturing jobs of any state in America joining side by side Black and White in the voting booths to hope for a better future?

OK---- maybe a little exaggerated above, but this is a huge development, and may last longer than one or two cycles.

[Barack Hussian YO MAMA!!!!]

useally poltlitics doesn't effect my opinon of a state unless a state vote's for a segragationist or a
Neo Nazi  then you have to ask yourself what in that states envoirment lead them to vote for somebody who  had horrible Politcal views and what can be done to change it.

my opinon hasn't Really changed one way or the other of Indiana.  honestly I  don't really know much about the state.

[MK]

Not really, because whos to say it won't swing back red by 10 pts next time around?

Obama invested lots of face time there and along with the meltdown of the economy and the sheer nature of McCain's silly campaign = all a perfect Storm.

[Old Man Willow]

I never knew the KKK had anything to do with the state. Is the southern portion southern cultured?

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

No.  I normally don't judge states based on how they vote.

[phk]

No.  I normally don't judge states based on how they vote.

[JSojourner]

I never knew the KKK had anything to do with the state. Is the southern portion southern cultured?

The Klan pretty much ran the whole state for a short while in the 20's.  D.C. Stephenson and all...

But even now, the Klan and its imitators are quite active.  And NOT just in Southern Indiana.  Newville, a nothing little town north of Fort Wayne has an active Klavern.  Occasionally, these knuckleheads come down the mall in Fort Wayne to pick fights with black kids.  They wear t-shirts that say "The ORIGINAL Boys in the Hood".  Geniuses.

[NOVA Green]

I never knew the KKK had anything to do with the state. Is the southern portion southern cultured?

The Klan pretty much ran the whole state for a short while in the 20's.  D.C. Stephenson and all...

But even now, the Klan and its imitators are quite active.  And NOT just in Southern Indiana.  Newville, a nothing little town north of Fort Wayne has an active Klavern.  Occasionally, these knuckleheads come down the mall in Fort Wayne to pick fights with black kids.  They wear t-shirts that say "The ORIGINAL Boys in the Hood".  Geniuses.

There have been three historical waves of Klan activity in the US:

1.) Post Reconstruction
2.) 1920's nativist sentiment
3.) 1960s South/'70s in pockets of Northern industrial states

The first phase, led by former Southern officer Forrest was essentially a low-level insurgency fighting Reconstruction, without some of the more extreme forms of racial terrorism present in later stages.

The second phase was a nativist and anti-Catholic movement stronger in Northern states like Oregon and Indiana, than in the South in many regards. Much of the state establishment of Indiana were Klan backed elected officials (including the Governor of Indiana).

The third phase is the one most Americans are familiar with but contrary to many common misconceptions today, was not only Southern, but also had some decent pockets of support in Northern industrial states, particularly in the Mid-West. This was most common in areas such as Cincinnati and Indianapolis with a large Black population, and also a number of White migrants from Appalachia, at a time period where discrimination was rife against that demographic as well.

Remember that the Klan nowadays is much less violent than fringe White Supremacist formations, since they were sued by the SPLC in the '80s. After the massacre at Greensboro, NC in 1979 there was additional Federal infiltration (this is a whole other topic!)

The Klan's attempt to recruit in the Mid-West in the early/mid '90s was widely seen as a failure and almost everywhere was met with large demonstrations, as well as the quiet majority consensus that the Klan did not share the values of the Heartland.

[CARLHAYDEN]

If Indiana had voted for McCain (as I expected) I would have won first place at Predictify (instead of the lesser prize).

Oh well, 50 out of 51 isn't bad.

[Nym90]

Has anyone here figured out what happened in this state yet? A couple years ago I could have sworn only Evan Bayh could carry the state for Dems (maybe).

Economy dominated (really only Michigan and Wisconsin compare... notice a pattern here...) by manufacturing.

Obama did quite well around the entire perimeter of Lake Michigan.

[RBH]

Obama's campaign put field offices in several cities that were sundown towns (aka "very anti-African American towns") including Martinsville.

Martinsville is where the picture of the house that flew a Confederate Battle flag and an Obama sign came from.

There was a huuuuuuge swing in the Indianapolis exurbs.. did the housing market tank out there? did McCain just not appeal to those folks very much? or what?