In 2008 Barack Obama won the presidency by over 7% (52.9% to 45.7%) despite the fact that he lost the white vote 55% — 43%. In 2012 he won re-election by a margin of almost 4% (51.1% — 47.2%) despite getting clobbered among the white vote by almost 20% (59% — 39%). In 1988 Michael Dukakis won only 40% of the white vote, but instead of winning like Pres Obama did, he got destroyed, losing the vote 53% — 46%. And the reason for this is simply the changing demographics of this nation.
In fact, let’s compare the vote breakdown according to race in 1988 versus 2012.
| 40% | 39% |
| 89% | 93% |
| 70% | 71% |
| - | 73% |
| - | 58% |
Those are very similar numbers right? Almost shockingly similar. The difference of course, is the relative makeup of the electorate.
| 85% | 72% |
| 10% | 13% |
| 3% | 10% |
| - | 3% |
| - | 2% |