1992 vs 2008

[humder]

 The red states have become more Democratic and the blue states have become more more Republican. This interesting to compare because Obama and clinton both won by simmilar margins in the popular vote and the electoral college.
 Why do you think there have been these changes?

[memphis]

It's hard to compare with 1992 because that was a three man race. Nonetheless, it's abundantly clear that the urban/rural split has become even more pronounced since 1992 (even since 2004!).  Much of your map is merely reflective of this.

[Person Man]

Hey. It appears to advantage the Ds. Let's hope it keeps up.

[Frozen Sky Ever Why]

Appalachia hasn't become more republican. Bush was ideal for the region, Obama's black.

[phk]

Appalachia hasn't become more republican. Bush was ideal for the region, Obama's black.

[Jeff from NC]

Appalachia hasn't become more republican. Bush was ideal for the region, Obama's black.

Not so fast.  Over the first half of the Clinton administration Clinton improved nationwide by 3 and in Louisiana and Mississippi, yet lost ground in Kentucky and Tennessee.  Gore, who won *every county* of Tennessee when running for reelection in 1990, lost the state to a presidential candidate who lost the popular vote nationwide.  The trend arguably predates Bush and clearly predates Obama.

1992:
Nationwide: Clinton by 6
Tennessee: Clinton by 5
Kentucky: Clinton by 3
West Virginia: Clinton by 13
Alabama: Bush by 7
Mississippi: Bush by 9
Louisiana: Clinton by 5
Arkansas: Clinton by 18

1996:
Nationwide: Clinton by 9
Tennessee: Clinton by 2
Kentucky: Clinton by 1
West Virginia: Clinton by 15
Alabama: Clinton by 7
Mississippi: Dole by 5
Louisiana: Clinton by 12
Arkansas: Clinton by 17

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Shockingly, Obama and Clinton both appeal to different sorts of people and have sod all appeal to other sorts of people. Many of the people Obama appeals to never warmed to Clinton, many that Clinton appealed (and appeals) to have certainly not warmed to Obama yet. Presidential voting patterns are often about identification with the candidate, to one degree or other.

[Frozen Sky Ever Why]

The area still had a republican bias, Perot just took away many of Bush's votes in 92. I never said it leaned democrat or anything in the 90s. Interesting, looking at the CNN 1996 exit polls, one of the questions which they asked, in many states and in pratically every southern state, was are you a member of the christian coalition. Over 70% of whites said no, and Clinton won among those whites in pratically every state. However that 20 to 30% that said yes voted overwhelmingly for Dole, giving him several states. Christians are truly the bane of this country's existence. No wonder we're laughed at in the world.