Discland
edited by Jonathan Doyle
Mafioso (The Criterion Collection, 3.18.2008) Nino Badalamenti is a supervisor in a car manufacturing plant who hasn't taken a vacation in over two years. On his way out the door to visit his beloved childhood hometown of Sicily -- with his blonde wife and daughters -- Nino is handed a package by his boss and asked to deliver it to a powerful and influential Sicilian gangster named Don Vincenzo. Once in Sicily, Nino has a hoot seeing friends and family, but his wife has trouble fitting in and is unfairly dismissed as a snob by Nino's family. Even more worrisome, Nino finds himself entangled in an intricate web of secret mafioso dealings and is eventually sent on an unexpectedly... elaborate errand. (continued)

Uptick Action

Three mildly interesting things have just happened in the Democratic primary race -- one today, two yesterday.

First, a Public Policy poll released earlier this afternoon found that Barack Obama had regained a sizable lead over Hillary Clinton among North Carolina voters, 55 to 34 percentage points. He leads 80% to 14% among black voters with Clinton topping him 47 % to 40% among white voters, although she was allegedly ahead of him with this group at 56% to 30% a week ago.

Second, Senate Democratic Majority leader Harry Reid of Nevada told the Las Vegas Review Journal's Molly Ball yesterday that "things are being done" to assure that the Clinton-Obama race will be settled "well" before the convention (most observers believe it'll definitely be settled by the early-to-mid May results of the North Carolina, Oregon and Indiana primaries).

And third, U.S. Senator Mary Cantwell of Washington State, a current Clinton supporter, yesterday told the Columbian's editorial board that the candidate with the most pledged delegates at the end of the primary season in late June will have the strongest claim to the party's presidential nomination.

In other words, there's a slightly more pronounced feeling of support and sentiment tipping away from Clinton, and the impact of last week's Reverend Wright trauma appears to be fading in some quarters. Weird, though, about the disparity between North Carolina voters and the hermetic, rank-and-file Pensylvanians -- redneck, lunchbox, under-educated, down-in-the-mines, etc.

Book vs. Script<< previous | next >>Planet Eater

Posted by Jeffrey Wells on March 25, 2008 at 05:10 PM

comment #1

Matthew Lucas [TypeKey Profile Page] says ...

Speaking as someone who actually lives in North Carolina, I can say with some confidence that Obama has this one in the bag. Why else would Bill Clinton come out and say we're not a "must-win?" Because he knows Hillary is going to lose.

Although your description of Pennsylvania voters could describe a lot of NC voters as well.

Posted by Matthew Lucas [TypeKey Profile Page] at March 25, 2008 05:51 PM

comment #2

Mgmax [TypeKey Profile Page] says ...

The disparity isn't weird.

Percentage of population that is African-American:

Pennsylvania: 9.6%
North Carolina: 20.4%

Add that in one, the white population is heavily unionized and thus more likely to vote Democratic, while in the other it's fairly Republican.

Posted by Mgmax [TypeKey Profile Page] at March 26, 2008 07:07 AM

comment #3

Mr. Buckles [TypeKey Profile Page] says ...

The latest Rammusen poll shows the gap between Clinton and Obama closing by about 8 points. Current the poll shows support for Clinton at 49% and Obama at 39% - the pre-speech difference had been about an 18 point difference in a Quinnipac University poll.

Obama does not nearly as well in West Virginia where the polls are midevil on his ass.

Posted by Mr. Buckles [TypeKey Profile Page] at March 26, 2008 07:26 AM

Post a Comment

Thanks for signing in, . Now you can comment. (sign out)

(If you haven't left a comment here before, you may need to be approved by the site owner before your comment will appear. Until then, it won't appear on the entry. Thanks for waiting.)


Remember me?