How Barack Obama Won: A State-by-State Guide to the Historic 2008 Presidential Election

by Chuck Todd, Sheldon R. Gawiser, G. Evans Witt

This detailed overview and analysis of the results of Barack Obama’s historic 2008 presidential win gives us the inside state-by-state guide to how Obama achieved his victory, and allows us to see where the country stood four years ago.
 
 Although much has changed in the nearly four years since, How Barack Obama Won remains the essential guide to Obama’s electoral strengths and offers important perspective on his 2012 bid.

The votes in each state for Obama and McCain are broken down by percentage according to gender, age, race, party, religious affiliation, education, household income, size of city, and according to views about the most important issues (the economy, terrorism, Iraq, energy, healthcare), the future of the economy (worried, not worried) and the war in Iraq (approve, disapprove). 

Genres: Politics, Nonfiction, Political Science

258 pages, Paperback

First published January 6, 2009

Reviews

[Jonathan Barry · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a very stats-heavy book. The sections on battleground states and receding battleground states are quite interesting, but the rest of the book is rather dry, through no fault of the authors. It's best used as a quick reference rather than a read by a cozy fireplace.

[Scott · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am not a big fan of politics, but I do enjoy reading about topics related to demographics. I bought this book a while back on a whim, as I was curious to know how shifts in demographics in certain states might have played a role in the outcome of the 2008 presidential election. After not touching it for several months, I eventually decided that I should read the book before it became outdated and irrelevant.

Overall, I don’t think the book provides any major revelations on how Barack Obama won the election in 2008. There had a been a sea change in the general public’s sentiment towards President Bush and his administration in the prior eight years leading up to the election. It did not take a rocket scientist to figure out that we were headed towards a change in the party in power in the White House. The book, through careful analysis, attempts to detail the shifts in the way various demographic segments in each state voted and how that ultimately translated to a victory for Obama in 2008. I think the book does a fairly good job of this, despite the fact that many of the results were just not that difficult to explain. Blue states stayed blue (or turned bluer), and likewise, most of the red states stayed true to form. However, I think the overall mood of discontentedness around the country permeated all but the most conservative of demographic segments in the electorate, and this manifested itself in the election results.

My personal opinion is that, we face now, and will always face, challenges in this country. Things are not ever going to be perfect. Over time, voters tend to become unhappy with the status quo, at which time they revert back to voting for the party that is not in power, thinking that is the necessary solution. This generally happens every 8 to 12 years. I think it happened in 2008, and I think it will happen again in 4 or 8 years. Just like clockwork.

[Rohan Malpure · Rating 3 out of 5]

Chuck Todd and Sheldon Gawiser do a great job of breaking down the 2008 presidential election on a state-by-state level while looking at key demographics. Unfortunately, because the book is so focused on the 2008 election, its immediate effects on the political landscape, and the questions it raises for 2012, this makes the book somewhat irrelevant in 2020. While it's interesting to learn some in-depth knowledge about the 2008 election, everything outside of that is anachronistic. The in-depth analysis of each state and its key demographics can also be somewhat monotonous and drag on, especially towards the end. Still, this is a very interesting book and anyone interested in politics will at least derive some enjoyment from this book.

[Caitlin · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this as a summer reading assignment for AP Government. I enjoyed reading it more than I expected. The Introduction was interesting because it went over just how Barack Obama pulled off his win and all the obstacles and upsets along the way. The rest of the book talks specifically about what went down come election day in every state. To put it bluntly: that was boring. Still, as a young person, I think it's valuable to now have a better idea of the mechanics of the 2008 election. Anyone looking to feel a little more enlightened, this is the book for you. Especially if you seek enlightenment by way of polls and statistics.

[Tom Fuchs]

A lot of raw statistical data, but there are some interesting patterns that emerge (the hispanic vote swinging so wholly over into the Obama camp despite the inroads GW made in the previous elections) and some fun conjecture on their part as to which states might be becoming battlegrounds as well as previously-labeled battleground states that are battlegrounds no longer.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Had some very interesting facts and was primarily statistics-hence the "State by State Guide". My favorite line in the book was the comment after Massachusetts, "the only thing red in this state is their Sox".

[Stewart · Rating 3 out of 5]

Blast from the past. Definitely an interesting read, especially comparing some of the predictions and assumptions the authors made in 2008/2009 with the latest presidential election. Lots and lots of repetitive stats and numbers, so best to read in smaller doses.

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fairly decent interpretation of the statistics. It involved enough explanation and there was a fair balance of actual book and just dry numbers. Too bad Obama isn't president anymore :(

[Gerald · Rating 5 out of 5]

Provocative argument that Obama didn't so much win Ohio as McCain lost it. This is based on a decline of GOP voters compared to 2004. Now the people who campaigned for Obama, knocked on doors, registered new voters, etc., may wonder about this. McCain, however, was not perceived as a reliable conservative and his choice of Palin was seen by many as reckless. As the economy gained in importance, McCain seemed more a bystander than a player in the solution. The fake-suspension of his campaign and all that was widely seen as strategy to make him appear decisive rather than being decisive. After all, the House GOP actually voted down the bank bailout bill after his careful ministrations and pledges of support.

[Bradley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Chuck Todd is a moron. That guy should be banned from TV. I remember him saying on election night, "I predict that race will be less of an issue in Southern states because they have dealt with race in the past, they have a legacy of dealing with racial discrimination." Too bad the KKK still exists you shithead.

Stupid me, I bought this book and realized after reading it that everything contained in this book was garnered from the nightly news or Hardball with Chris Matthews. I want my money back!

[Darrell Fisher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just finished and I got to tell you I'm even more impress with what the Obama campaign did. Its really amazing the organization the Obama team but together. Game changing election Realignment is on the way!

[Jason · Rating 1 out of 5]

Wow, 2010 and the slow economic recovery really threw their predictions off. The book is very dated now. That's partially my fault for reading this in 2012 instead of 2009, but it is still interesting to look at the numbers behind Obama's historic election.

[Marjie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good info. Not for everyone to read though.

[Nicole Stennett · Rating 1 out of 5]

Really good book to use when writing a persuasive essay on how he manipulated his way in...
At least that's the way I used it

[Kevin Christiansen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting read in light of 2010. I would like to see a second edition that was written after 11/10 to see how the numbers have changed across the country.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good breakdown of the state by state action.