With expectations rising, even a win might be seen as too little
MARK JOHNSON AND TAYLOR BRIGHT
S.C., Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2008.
ROCK HILL --For U.S. Sen. Barack Obama, winning may not be good enough in South Carolina.
Obama's possible victory in the Palmetto State is turning into the expected outcome and into a win built on the African American vote. Those perceptions have been fueled, both subtly and overtly, by the campaign of his chief rival, Sen. Hillary Clinton of New York.
Obama's challenge has ratcheted up from winning South Carolina to emerging with a message that propels him into the 22 primaries held on Feb. 5, according to veteran Democratic strategists both inside and outside Obama's team.
Obama needs not only to win in South Carolina, but also to emerge with an unexpected or little noticed element, such as a surprising percentage of the white vote or a majority of voters anxious about the economy, they say.
"The established expectations of him have been moving, and I think it's a bit of a setup," said Tom Lindenfeld, a veteran Democratic strategist who has done occasional work for the campaign.
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