Looking at the exit polls

Posted: Saturday, January 26, 2008 7:03 PM by Mark Murray
Filed Under: Norah O'Donnell

From MSNBC's Norah O'Donnell and Adam Verdugo
The South Carolina Democratic primary has been a bitter, hard-fought contest with Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama taking jabs at each other in Monday's televised debate. In the exit polls, we asked voters in this primary if the candidates were attacking each other unfairly. Fifty-six percent of those voting so far think Obama attacked Clinton unfairly, and while that is a high number, more people thought Clinton unfairly attacked Obama -- 70%.

The Clintons have been accused of playing the race card in this contest. We do see some potential fallout for the Clintons in the African-American community: 74% of African-American voters think that Clinton unfairly attacked Obama. But when we look at the same question among white voters, a comparable number thought Clinton unfairly attacked Obama -- 68%.

Also worth mentioning, a majority of the voters -- 56% -- said that Bill Clinton's campaigning was important to their vote today.

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Comments

LOL. 56 and 70 don't add up, FIRSTREAD. do your math. the total you can have is 100%.

jeff (Sent Saturday, January 26, 2008 7:13 PM)

More than 50% of the turnout was African American and ovevr 80% of African Americans voted for Obama. Lets us also remember that Jesse Jackson won South Carolina and a lot of other southern states in 1984 and 1988.

Bob, NY, NY (Sent Saturday, January 26, 2008 7:16 PM)

Great job MSNBC. Obama plays the race card, then pins it on Hillary, and you bought it. Shame on you!

Chris Portland, OR (Sent Saturday, January 26, 2008 7:17 PM)

Can someone please explain why the primarys are not shown online live anymore?

Bob (Sent Saturday, January 26, 2008 7:17 PM)

I am a Democrat. But based on what I read and saw about the campaigns in Nevada and South Carolina, I cannot, in good conscience, vote for Hillary Clinton -- even if she becomes my party's nominee for President. Will President and Mrs. Clinton say anything to get reelected? How low will they go to get back in power? It's very sad.

Chris (Sent Saturday, January 26, 2008 7:20 PM)

Sen Clinton still can reclaim her dignity. She must call in the race card that her campaign dealt. She can get beyond it if she tones her campaign down.

Robert Nelson (Sent Saturday, January 26, 2008 7:20 PM)

I predict Obama will go on to win Illinois. And that's about it for him.

Helen Garner-Poole (Sent Saturday, January 26, 2008 7:20 PM)

I am african american and i know the real questions is inside the numbers. If Obama does not get a high percentage of white votes.........he will be called the black candidate. It was the Clinton strategy to attach the label to him. It was a strategy they employed for Super Tuesday impact. How Lee Atwater of them...

Paula, New York, New York (Sent Saturday, January 26, 2008 7:20 PM)

Thank you for reporting that Obama is PROJECTED to win. USA Today simply say he has won citing no votes or projections.

I hate shoddy journalism.

Chuck Perrodin (Sent Saturday, January 26, 2008 7:21 PM)

Pat Buchanan is a Nixon Southern Strategy believer -- divide and keep race in front of everyone. Why is he a commentator on your network? Why do you let him dominate the argument?

He is entitled to his argument, but it needs to be recognized for the 60's race politics that it is.

Rick Hitchcock (Sent Saturday, January 26, 2008 7:22 PM)

Go Billery

slowville,tenn (Sent Saturday, January 26, 2008 7:23 PM)

Obama won by playing the race card, but he just lost the national.

TUck,Realityvile,KS (Sent Saturday, January 26, 2008 7:23 PM)

Monica Lewinsky's boyfriend should stay out of politics he is just helping his "wife" to get at some young interns. We have had enough scandals from the Billary Bunch to last us a lifetime. Lets work together and change this country before we are a poverty stricken ex-super power.

Wheels460 Salt Lake City UT (Sent Saturday, January 26, 2008 7:23 PM)

LOL Jeff, they don't need to add up. People can think both were treated unfairly. Do the thinking!

Stu (Sent Saturday, January 26, 2008 7:23 PM)

yo jeff if you don't understand what the text says, don't comment. Its two different questions. So it would make 56% yes and 44% no for Obama and 70% yes and 30% no for Hillary. Jeez.

Sander, Zoetermeer, The Netherlands (Sent Saturday, January 26, 2008 7:23 PM)

Keep wagging that finger Bill!

Ian (Sent Saturday, January 26, 2008 7:23 PM)

Jeff, you can think BOTH sides unfairly attacked.

Sue (Sent Saturday, January 26, 2008 7:23 PM)

unless it was two different polls asking the same question from two different points of view....

pepe (Sent Saturday, January 26, 2008 7:23 PM)

umm those are two different polls... duh!

karlos, NYC NY (Sent Saturday, January 26, 2008 7:24 PM)

It doesn't have to add up to 100%

Jason (Sent Saturday, January 26, 2008 7:24 PM)

Jeff, they're two separate questions i.e. 1. Do you think Obama unfairly attacked Clinton? and 2. Do you think Clinton unfairly attacked Obama? So 56 and 70 are OK.

Pat (Sent Saturday, January 26, 2008 7:24 PM)

Yo, Jeff - 70% of blacks; 56 % of whites.

Jon Ogden (Sent Saturday, January 26, 2008 7:24 PM)

LOL. 56 and 70 don't add up, FIRSTREAD. do your math. the total you can have is 100%.

This guy obviously doesn't know what he's talking about. The results mean that out of 100 people 70 thought clinton was unfair. Of those same 100, 56 also said that Obama was unfair. (Some people thought both were unfair in their attacks.)

Michael (Sent Saturday, January 26, 2008 7:25 PM)

I am originally from SC and I think you all are disallusioned when you think it is not a black/white issue with the the primary. Think about this if it is not a black white issue what was the black percentage of vote that went to EDWARDS vs OBAMA.

Think again it is

Terri Patanus, Rogers AR (Sent Saturday, January 26, 2008 7:26 PM)

"X attacked Y unfairly" and "Y attacked X unfairly" are not mutually exclusive. I support Barack Obama, but I agree with both statements. I certainly think Clinton was by far the most aggressive and most unfair of the two, but just because Obama is "my guy" doesn't mean I didn't see him take a couple of cheap shots as they went down the line.

Jonathan Stickles, Redmond, Washington (Sent Saturday, January 26, 2008 7:26 PM)

80% of Obama votes are african american

mute (Sent Saturday, January 26, 2008 7:26 PM)

Wrong. The percentages don't have to add up to 100%, that just means 14% of the people thought both unfairly attacked the other.

Donald (Sent Saturday, January 26, 2008 7:26 PM)

Jeff, they're two separate questions i.e. 1. Do you think Obama unfairly attacked Clinton? and 2. Do you think Clinton unfairly attacked Obama? So 56 and 70 are OK.

Pat South Carolina, USA (Sent Saturday, January 26, 2008 7:26 PM)

Two different questions brainiac the responses are completely independent.

Ethan (Sent Saturday, January 26, 2008 7:26 PM)

Jeff, people can think both unfairly attacked one another, learn some statistics

Michael (Sent Saturday, January 26, 2008 7:27 PM)

Jeff? Check read slower. Those numbers aren't meant to be added up. Cheers to Obama for winning large percentages in ever category.

Brian louisville kentucky (Sent Saturday, January 26, 2008 7:27 PM)

His numbers dont need to add up, Jeff. Theres no math involved. Some people, including myself, merely thought both candidates treated eachother unfairly. Its really not that hard a concept to wrap your head around.

Rob (Sent Saturday, January 26, 2008 7:27 PM)

Jeff: A little "math" could tell you that the total can be up to 200% if (a) there were two different questions (one about Obama, one about Clinton) or (b) if there was one question and one of the answers was that both candidates were unfair to each other (which is clearly how many people felt).

David, New York, NY (Sent Saturday, January 26, 2008 7:27 PM)

Karlos, why are you so rude dude?

Benton (Sent Saturday, January 26, 2008 7:27 PM)

Jeff-those are 2 questions for 2 different polls.

Jess (Sent Saturday, January 26, 2008 7:28 PM)

I notice you left out part of the AP story on the exit polls. Please consider this quote: "Roughly four out of five voters would be satisfied if Clinton or Obama wins the Democratic nomination."

This seems to contradict the big story MSNBC has been pushing all week that there is a racial divide.

Yet you do not mention it. Probably because it does not fit in with the story line that the press is pushing.

Fred (Sent Saturday, January 26, 2008 7:28 PM)

Bob,NY,NY

Please keep spouting that line. Bill Clinton used it tonight too and the more it's said, the more angry both African Americans and those who aren't blindly tied to the Clinton bandwagon of all colors will get. Clinton, who is supposedly the friend of blacks, spat in their eye with that comment.

Keep repeating it. It will really help your cause.

And, just so you have your facts straight, it was a primary this year and that was a caucus.

Bill, NY,NY (Sent Saturday, January 26, 2008 7:28 PM)

Doesn't take a genius to figure out what is going to happen on Feb. 5. Bill is a genius.
GO HILLARY!!!

Rose, Tulsa, OK (Sent Saturday, January 26, 2008 7:28 PM)

Would this even be a race for Obama if his competitors last name was not Clinton.

Joe, Lexington, KY (Sent Saturday, January 26, 2008 7:28 PM)

How sad. MLK will be rolling in his grave today.

Apparently, the blacks (and I'm black) do not understand what it means to judge a candidate by the content of their character and not by the color of their skin.

I'm proud of the white voters of SC.

Michael (Sent Saturday, January 26, 2008 7:29 PM)

A vote for OBAMA is a vote for the Replubican Party.
He can not win against McCain therefor they will win. Now you know how ignorant.

Terri Patanus, Rogers, SC (Sent Saturday, January 26, 2008 7:29 PM)

The Clintons are playing the dirties politics I've seen in my lifetime. They are showing that their so friendly association with African-American's is a joke. They are trying to split the White backer for change who was leaning for Mr. Obama. Shame on them and america.

Joe Williams, New Orleans, LA (Sent Saturday, January 26, 2008 7:29 PM)

It's on now..We are fired up an ready togo in Ohio!

scrivens,xenia,ohio (Sent Saturday, January 26, 2008 7:30 PM)

Paula in New York:

Good news. In final day polling, Barack was getting 10% of the white vote. Projections based on exit polls tonight show him at 24%. HUGE.

The News Reporter (Sent Saturday, January 26, 2008 7:30 PM)

i own't vote for clinton if she wins either. i hope obama runs third party if clinton steals this! draft bloomberg or something, and send the clintons out of the white house forever

no more bushes and no more clintons!

allen, boston, ma (Sent Saturday, January 26, 2008 7:31 PM)

Obama cannot win many of the states needed by a democratic challenger, i.e. Pennslyvania, Virginia, and Florida. Why can't the general Democratic voters understand this?

Matt (Sent Saturday, January 26, 2008 7:31 PM)

I know it's been said, but Jeff... get a clue. If I am the only person polled and I am first asked, "Were Clintons attacks against Obama unfair" and I say "yes", then I am asked "Were Obama's attacks against Clinton unfair", then 100% thought one way and 100% thought the other.

Russ, Moberly, MO (Sent Saturday, January 26, 2008 7:31 PM)

This is ludicrous! How can someone be projected to win with 0% of the precincts reporting? We all know how accurate exit polls are!

Shirley, Charleston, West Virginia (Sent Saturday, January 26, 2008 7:32 PM)

I am so sick of the way the media has been reporting on this race. He said. She said. Who cares?? I want to know where they stand on the issues I care about most.

Yes we know Obama is black. Yes we know that Hillary is a white woman. SO WHAT. What I care about is who I think is best for the job. This race has become all about black vs white. Shame on America and shame on the media for fanning the flames.

The election should not be about the first black president or the first woman president. IT should be about who can lead us.

I finally made my decision tonight who to vote for. It will be Hillary all the way. She has the experience, the intelligence and the fortitude to bring America back to where it should be. God Bless America

Michele, NJ (Sent Saturday, January 26, 2008 7:32 PM)

56 and 70 don't add up? that's because African Americans and white folks are different constituencies, each with their own 100 percent. Unfortunately, it is this kind of misunderstanding of numbers and anything else that gets us the kind of leaders like GW. Woe is us!!!

Phil (Sent Saturday, January 26, 2008 7:32 PM)

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