July 11, 2008
Posted: 04:00 PM ET
From CNN Political Editor Mark Preston 
CNN's Mark Preston at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Obama and McCain are vying for the support of the tens of millions of race car enthusiasts – fans that would fill the stands of venues such as the hallowed grounds at Indy. Credit: CNN’s Alec Miran.
 WASHINGTON (CNN) - The political and sporting worlds collided Friday afternoon when CNN's sister publication, Sports Illustrated, reported that Barack Obama is considering sponsoring a car in a NASCAR race next month. Oh, but not any NASCAR event. Obama's name could whiz by at speeds of 150 to 200 mph before 100,000 or more fans at Pocono Raceway in the electoral rich state of Pennsylvania (21 votes). You might remember that Obama lost Pennsylvania to Hillary Clinton in the Democratic primary, a defeat that was seen as another example of his problem with attracting support from so-called blue-collar, white voters. Obama has vowed to run a 50-state campaign with a specific emphasis on states such as Georgia, North Carolina, and Indiana. It is fair to say that these three states have a healthy share of white, blue-collar NASCAR and Indy Racing fans.
Should Obama decide to sponsor a car, it would certainly be a novel idea but not a new one. Political junkies will remember that Democratic presidential candidate Bob Graham plastered his name across the side of a truck in 2003 that ran in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Graham was successful in his efforts to gain attention, but failed in his bid for the White House. But isn't exposure what this is all about? If Obama decides to do it, he will get great media attention for entering the world of NASCAR, and not just from the pack of political journalists following the race - that is, the race for the White House. But also from sports reporters and commentators, who cover the race - that is auto racing. Not a bad way to reach out to voters who may not be following the campaign on a daily basis. Last year, the Conservative Party of Canada sponsored a car in the Canadian Tire NASCAR Series. At the time, Jim Flaherty, a Conservative Party member of Parliament, acknowledged that emblazoning his party's political logo across the hood of a race car was a way to reach out to voters. "The Conservative Party supports Canadians that work hard, pay their taxes and play by the rules and those are the same Canadians that watch sports like NASCAR," Flaherty said. I suspect that Obama's campaign is thinking the same thing. Oh, and by the way, Obama won't be the only name racing in race fans' minds. John McCain's presidential campaign is sending his wife Cindy to Tennessee this weekend for the Firestone 200 IndyCar Race at the Nashville Superspeedway. We haven't heard much about NASCAR dads this election cycle. I suspect that is about to change. Filed under: Barack Obama • Mark Preston |
 
About The Ticker
The latest political news from CNN's Best Political Team, with campaign coverage, 24-7. Sign up for our twice daily Ticker emails. Got a news tip or feedback? For complete political coverage, bookmark CNNPolitics.com.  CNN=Politics Screensaver
New in the Ticker
Follow us on Twitter
Categories
Popular Posts
 |
||
|
CNN Comment Policy: CNN encourages you to add a comment to this discussion. You may not post any unlawful, threatening, libelous, defamatory, obscene, pornographic or other material that would violate the law. Please note that CNN makes reasonable efforts to review all comments prior to posting and CNN may edit comments for clarity or to keep out questionable or off-topic material. All comments should be relevant to the post and remain respectful of other authors and commenters. By submitting your comment, you hereby give CNN the right, but not the obligation, to post, air, edit, exhibit, telecast, cablecast, webcast, re-use, publish, reproduce, use, license, print, distribute or otherwise use your comment(s) and accompanying personal identifying information via all forms of media now known or hereafter devised, worldwide, in perpetuity. CNN Privacy Statement.
|
|||
