at College Park, says her comments were “a crude attempt to explain why Barack Obama is doing as well as he is. And a lot of whites have fallen into that, some blacks too, because they don’t quite understand … what he means by change.†Ferraro’s remarks overlook Obama’s primary election victories in states such as Wyoming and Iowa, which have overwhelmingly white populations, he adds.
Walters predicts that Obama will start “really focusing on the economy because he realizes that’s the one thing he got beat out in Ohio.†Martin says that in the next five weeks leading up to the Pennsylvania primary, both campaigns will have to spotlight the economic hardships many voters, regardless of their race, are facing.
In spite of their hopes that the campaign will shift to concentrate on more pressing issues such as the economy and the Iraq War, among others, Martin and Walters believe the drama has just started. “I think you have elements on the Republican side that want to keep it going … we’re just seeing the beginning of this. … There’s no doubt in my mind that we’re going to continue to see a lot of this,†Martin says. Walters agrees, “The closer [Obama] gets to really winning this thing, it’s going to frighten a lot of people.