Peder Zane says the primary was much ado about nothing.
The N&O ideas reporter notes on his blog, What's the Big Idea, that North Carolina hasn't gone for a Democratic presidential candidate since 1976.
Looking at the results of John Kerry in the 2004 presidential election, he says it's unlikely that the Democratic nominee — either Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton — will win much more against John McCain.
"The fact is, Obama has wracked up his lead in Republican strongholds like North Carolina that he has little chance of carrying against John McCain," he writes. "Clinton, by contrast, has done much better in the states Democrats must win in the fall."
By Zane's math, Clinton has won 146 electors in eight formerly blue states, while Obama has won 82 electors in nine states and the District of Columbia.
"The fact remains, though she is behind in the count, Clinton has done better where it counts," he writes.
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Re: Zane: Never mind North Carolina
Primary DOES NOT EQUAL general. Haven't we learned this already? If primary results were any indication of a state's general election preference, Barack Obama would clean up Kansas and Mississippi.
Whether or not Obama could win North Carolina is up in the air and the odds are probably against him. But to say he doesn't stand a shot is just flat out wrong. As many people voted in the Democratic primary as voted for Kerry in the 2004 General election. That's astounding and a clear indication that Obama, or Clinton for that matter, would have a shot at carrying the state in November.