Barak Obama or Hillary Clinton: Which is the Stronger Candidate?

With the democratic campaign winding down, it is apparent that Barak Obama will most likely be the nominee, barring any unforeseen scandal that causes Hillary Clinton's stock to rise among the super delegates. However, the question has to be asked: Is Obama really the strongest candidate for the Democratic Party? After the West Virginia Primary, Obama's strength is certainly in question.

Some of the political pundits are blaming Obama's huge loss in West Virginia on racism and on the uneducated populace of the state. But, that does not really explain this loss. West Virginia is a heavily democratic state, which has voted for a republican president for two consecutive presidential cycles. The reason is that the democrats have strayed away from the values of the working class men and women of rural America. This has been reflected in recent years by the platform that has been laid the democrats. In 2000, Al Gore made gun control a central issue in his campaign, and it cost him the presidency. Though West Virginia is a relatively small state, it has enough delegates to swing the results one way or the other in a close election. If the last two presidential elections are any indication, candidates will need every delegate they can get.

Obama follows in the tracks of Al Gore when it comes to 2nd Amendment rights, and therefore will suffer when it comes to the general election in more rural states. Obama has seemingly written off these more rural areas, and is going to rely on the larger, metropolitan areas. He conceded the state of West Virginia at least a week before the election, and has spent very little time or money there.

Obama has come across as an elitist to many, which will also make it more difficult for him to win in small town America. His recent comments identifying those who have guns, go to church and fight against illegal immigration as being "frustrated" show just how out of touch he is with real Americans. People are not "clinging" to guns and religion only because they are frustrated. It is interesting that this comment came shortly after Obama himself was blasted for his own religion.

As the campaign is drawing to an end, it is interesting to look at the results that have come in from around the nation. Hillary Clinton is obviously behind in every category, but she may still be the stronger candidate in the general election. Consider the fact that the primaries she has lost have been very closely contested. A couple of "winner takes all" states have helped Obama out tremendously. But, when the campaign goes to rural America, Hillary will have a much stronger chance of winning in a general election, especially against a relatively liberal republican candidate.

Obama has had too many issues plague him recently in the campaign, and they will hurt him in the general election. The liberal base of the democratic party may be willing to over look his elitist comments, and his association with Jeremiah Wright, William Ayers and Bernardine Dohrn, but the rest of the country will certainly give pause to these ties. Amazingly, Clinton has remained relatively clean throughout this campaign, and that would make her a bit stronger in the general election.
The truth is, it does not appear that either Obama or Clinton is going to be a particularly strong candidate. The good news for them is that the republicans have put forth the weakest candidate that ran. This could be the worst general presidential season in recent memory. It certainly brings back memories of the old Richard Pryor movie, Brewster's Millions, where he encouraged everyone to vote: None of the Above!