PA Voters Left in the Cold

After last night's Pennsylvania primary results, very little "we won, you lose" mantras have been chanted. Perhaps this is because the emphasis for this state's primary was not placed on who won and who lost, but rather on how much this individual win measured against the greater scheme of the Democratic race.

By 10 p.m. last night, Sen. Barack Obama was already found moving on from the Keystone state, delivering a speech in Indiana that sounded nothing like what most post-lost speeches typically sound like. Likewise, a celebratory speech made by Sen. Hillary Clinton focused very little on the win in Pennsylvania and instead focused on the fact that the win allowed her to continue campaigning for the nomination.

Whether or not someone is at fault for the almost belittling remarks made toward the once highly anticipated primary, it reminds the voters that we are, in fact, political machines. The change voters have been looking forward to, this desire for a deeper involvement, is almost entirely absent in the aftermath of yesterday's vote.

Much speculation into why one candidate won, or did not win, has erupted from media outlets--citing large groups of unaffiliated students who at-large support Sen. Obama and the difference they potentially could have made if Pennsylvania was an open primary state. But this, of course, is just speculation.

Sen. Clinton views this win as a special insight into her political survival, which would define her as a better-suited candidate against Sen. John McCain in the general election. But despite his falling short in Pennsylvania, Sen. Obama was able to muster the support of Oklahoma Gov. Brad Henry, a superdelegate, said the AP.

However, these speculations and justifications fail to recognize the task at hand for voters in Pennsylvania who either were left disappointed by the loss of Sen. Obama or were left upset by the disregard shown towards Sen. Clinton's valuable win. The task, of course, is to take this situation much further than the sometimes simple act of voting, by contributing or volunteering for campaigns, and that includes Republican voters.

This incredibly important challenge is being made because of the implications of this primary. At this point, it would be highly unlikely for either Democratic candidate to reach the 2,024 delegates needed to win the nomination, leaving this decision to the some hundred-odd superdelegates to decide.

The margin of the win--which the Clinton campaign needed to be in the double-digits and just so happened to be in the double-digits (approximately 10 points)--makes the feeling of inevitability of Sen. Obama's nomination less poignant. But Sen. Obama's speech in Indiana seemed to affirm his remaining lead in the overall delegate totals. And overall, we're left in this very strange political limbo where mobility for both candidates is likely and expected.

Democratic Party members should also be weary that as Sen. McCain was able to stomp around the country in attempts to unify his party, the negative ad campaigns and adamant supporters of both candidates is leaving the Democrats in a vulnerable place. According to a poll cited in the aforementioned AP article, only half of each Democratic supporters would support the other if they win the nomination--begging the question, where would those voters who feel cast aside turn?