Obama Camp Credits ‘Operation Chaos’ for Clinton Lead in Indiana
Barack Obama’s campaign issued an e-mail on Tuesday night that appeared to relegate Hillary Clinton’s lead in Indiana to efforts by Rush Limbaugh to wreak havoc in the Democratic presidential primary contest.
In an e-mail entitled “The Limbaugh Effect in Indiana = 7 percent,” Obama campaign spokesman Bill Burton wrote: “According to the latest exit polling data, 17 percent of voters in the Indiana primary today said they would vote for John McCain in a Clinton/McCain match-up. Forty-one percent of that number is constituted by people who voted Clinton in the primary but also indicated they will vote for McCain in the general election. That comes out to just under 7 percent of the primary electorate the number that may be attributed to a Limbaugh Effect.”
“The Limbaugh Effect” referred to “Operation Chaos,” which the conservative radio talk show host launched early in the primary season to create “balance” in the 2008 primary contest after he said liberal influences helped John McCain emerge as the presumptive Republican presidential nominee.
Limbaugh has said his scheme to tilt the Democratic primary exceeded his expectations.
“I see the Obama campaign is saying Operation Chaos accounted for a 7-point bump for Hillary in Indiana. I think they are just jealous that I out-organized them,” Limbaugh told FOX News Tuesday night. “I am extremely proud of Operation Chaos volunteers. I never doubted they would triumph and it is a delight to see.”
Clinton was leading in Indiana by 4 percentage points with a few counties outstanding. Speaking from North Carolina Tuesday night, Obama credited Clinton for “what appears to be her victory in the state of Indiana.”
The impact of “Operation Chaos” is difficult to measure. Indiana holds an open primary, and according to FOX News exit polls, 11 percent of voters in the Democratic contest were Republicans. Fifty-three percent of them said they chose Clinton, while 47 percent voted for Obama.
Twenty-three percent of Indiana voters called themselves independents or non-affiliated, and 47 percent said they supported Clinton compared to 53 percent for Obama. Democrats made up 66 percent of voters, and 53 percent voted for Clinton compared to 47 percent for Obama, the exit poll respondents said.
The exit polls showed that in a hypothetical Clinton-McCain matchup, 73 percent of those who voted in the Democratic race said they’d vote for Clinton, compared to 69 percent who said they would choose Obama if he is McCain’s opponent.
However, of the 19 percent of voters who said they would choose McCain against Obama if that were the general election matchup, only 12 percent voted for Obama in the primary.
How can Rush Limbaugh is an idiot as well as a fat drug addict AND the people that are influenced by this idiot are even BIGGER idiots than he is! How can he proclaim to be an American and then not allow the process to play out according to the peoples wishes. He is such a egomaniac. Why doesn’t HE run for political office?
Crybabies this is nothing compared to the drubbing you can expect in November. History will repear itself. Best regards to Rush and the Wrong Reverend Wright whom I sorely miss. Could he have been bought off???
What Rush is doing is not in the best interest of the Country. A vote is too precious to be used irresponsibly. We don’t need Chaos, we need our electorate to study the issues and vote their conscience in good faith.
miles rice
RUSH! YOU THE MAN! WAY TO GO!
Hope you all know what your doing. This really isn’t a joke. If the republicans get stupid like the democrates, then everyone should just shut up and give the White House to Obama.
McCain 08
You are all silly. Rush isn’t rigging anything anymore than the Dems did in Republican primaries. The Dems thought they had this all locked up and are now scared because McCain appeals to both Independents, Republicans, and Democrats. They are doing nothing but internally bickering. Their continual quote of McCain is 4 more years of Bush isn’t sticking as they hoped. McCain may not be as smooth as Obama or let’s face it a woman like Hillary, but he is the only person of the 3 who has the best interest of America at heat. That is why he speaks his mind and does not always vote along party lines. Can you say the same for the two Dems?
Is this why the mayor of Gary, IN was making like he was trying to steal Clinton’s victory as he was grilled by CNN in the wee hours (12:00-1:00 am), sitting on vote counts that had been tallied hours ago and serving up heaps of mumbo-jumbo as he refused to answer the CNN reporters’ questions? It looked so bad. Too bad it wasn’t in prime time. Another one of Obama’s “friends” ready to help him by any means necessary.
If the Republicans want to waste their time going to the polls and anti vote that’s their right. And I am sure they are having a good laugh with their childish antics, but the truth is, that the Democratic nominee had been determined weeks ago, and all their efforts were in vain.
Lets see how many of them have a smile on their face in November. It won’t be so funny then.
I can’t believe what I am reading. People actually believe that RL can sway people to vote his way. This is the USA. We are not robots. We are free men and women. Free to carefully consider all the candidates and their qualifications regardless of party and vote for the candidate of our choice. Each and every one of us has an obligation to vote for the canidate that supports our adgenda, what we believe is best for us and our country not what someone else thinks is best. If you can’t make up your own mind then you shouldn’t be voting.
I’m a lifelong Republican, but Rush calling for intentional sabotage of an election is un-American and dishonorable. Our soldiers in Iraq are not dying in Iraq to defend a system that can be cynically manipulated by the likes of Rush Limbaugh. We need to go back to the real America, before it was hijacked by the neo-cons. I think Obama is the best person out there to make this a reality.