----- Original Message ----- From: "Wojtek S" <wsoko52 at gmail.com>
[WS:] Do you have any empirical evidence of this [that O energized a base and drew voters], as opposed to the alternative hypothesis: that voters wanted to "punish" the party in power by voting for a challenger? The latter only assumes that if things are going south, the electorate will vote against the party in power - which is "received wisdom" in policy analysis - the former requires an additional assumptions about political preferences of the electorate, which requires empirical proof. Can you cite any?
-------- The 2008 election is the only election I can remember in which many hi-tech and professional workers that I know took what little vacation time they had to go into the south and midwest to register/organize voters.
Obama's refusal to keep these people mobilized after the election speaks volumes about whom he served and who, he thought, should serve him.
I would be more likely to support your thesis Woj if O were not black and if I had not witnessed an unprecedented political engagement on the part of those who are normally blissfully detached from any part of the process except voting.
Joanna