The biggest lesson from the Obama victory was that a multi-cultural campaign equals an overwhelming, crushing victory in American elections. What i saw during this entire Massachusetts general election campaign was no minority outreach. In fact, the same reasons minority communities tend to have slight fear and resentment of your "stereotypical" prosecutors across the country were the same traits shown by Coakley during her few campaign stops. Well lookie here, its not just anecdotal anymore:
She also didn't respond to offers from other big-city mayors, the official said, including the new, young Hispanic mayor of Lawrence who asked Coakley to swear him in. "They never got back to him," the official said.
Another senior Democrat said he'd been stunned to arrive in the state to learn that Coakley had done no advertising in the African-American or Hispanic media, and "no outreach."
ben smith
The Democrat's base is not far left FDL liberals! The base is the black communities, hispanic communities, other minorities, women, jewish communities, labor and the highly educated.
What we are observing here is a common misunderstanding by those politicians who haven't had much personal interactions with the minority communities. They think that just because the republicans have so alienated them, that they will vote for democrats by default. In reality, they simply don't vote when ignored and taken for grated, or even snubbed.
If Coakley had just 20% more support from the minorities in BOSTON, she would be cruising to an easy, overwhelming victory. It's that simple.
Minorities may be several generations away from feeling welcomed in the republican party, but no longer are they to be taken for granted by the democrats either.
Of course, look at the support even the clintons had from minorities. You will always be competitive with some outreach.
If Coakley's team had spent any time at all getting minorities to be excited about her run, she'd be victorious by now. GOTV efforts in minority sections of Boston have been pitiful compared to the late efforts in other areas.
It is a very, very simply concept to understand. If your party is a coalition party, do not ignore major parts of your constituency.
If you want to have a pissing match over who has "more and better" whites, the republican will win every time in every place.