Analysis: 'Hillary Democrats' could be up for grabs

[Terri]

By NEDRA PICKLER
Associated Press
May 12, 2008

WASHINGTON (AP) -- With the racially tinged Democratic race drawing to an awkward close, Barack Obama and John McCain face the challenge of winning over ''Hillary Democrats'' -- the white, working-class voters who favored the former first lady over Obama's historic candidacy.

Obama and McCain clearly have set their sights on each other, a recognition of the long odds Clinton faces in trying to capture the Democratic presidential nomination. The McCain campaign figures some of her supporters might be up for grabs and won't necessarily vote Democratic in the general election in November.

''I've been saying for a year that you never count a Clinton out, but now people are laughing at me so I guess I've got to stop,'' McCain strategist Charlie Black said Friday. ''But if you look at the blue-collar Democratic votes that Mrs. Clinton's been getting and then look at their opinions of Obama in these public polls, there's clearly an opportunity for McCain.''

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