There’s been a lot of pundit chatter tonight to the effect that Obama should not have passed on campaigning in Kentucky over the last few days despite the fact that he seemed set to lose by a massive margin. (Why make an effort if it’s not going to pan out? Why screw with the low expectations?)
I think they’re right. To weirdly paraphrase Ronald Reagan’s line from 1980, I think someone running for president needs to go to everyone and say, in so many words, you may not be for me, but I’m for you.
At the same time, there’s simply no getting around the role of race in the Kentucky and, for that matter, the West Virginia results. From the exit poll numbers tonight, “Was Race of the Candidate Important to You?” 21% said Yes and 81% of those voted for Hillary Clinton.
Given how the levels of under-reporting are that go into a question like that, I don’t think you easily get around that number.
Still, he should have gone.
