Obama's uphill battle in North Carolina

Union supporters march in the 'Charlotte Labor Day Parade' on September 3, 2012 in Charlotte, North Carolina.

/ Getty Images

(CBS NEWS) RALEIGH, N.C. - Here at the African-American Cultural Festival, among the people listening to bands and drinking pina coladas out of pineapple shells, an Obama for America volunteer is trying his best to register voters.

The volunteer, a middle-aged black man in an Obama t-shirt, isn't explicitly telling people who to vote for. But he knows his audience: African-American voters turned out for President Obama in unprecedented numbers here in 2008, helping drive the president to an improbable and narrow victory in this southern state. (African-American turnout in North Carolina increased by 127,000 people between the 2004 and 2008 presidential elections; Mr. Obama won the state by just 14,000 votes, with 95 percent of the African-American vote.) North Carolina hadn't previously gone blue since 1976, and Democrats know that unless they can repeat their turnout coup from four years ago, the state will almost certainly flip back to red this year. That's why the Obama volunteer is here, and why Democrats have placed registration forms in barber shops across the state and engaged with supporters in black churches who can help in get-out-the-vote efforts.

CBS

The volunteer is calling out to passers-by with a big smile on his face, but few of them stop. Many of the people here, he says, are already registered. He asks a man walking past if he needs to fill out the form. The man grins and makes clear he doesn't: "You hurt my feelings," he says. A few steps away, Darian Smith of Raleigh tells a reporter he plans to vote. Asked who he's backing, he keeps his eyes on the band onstage. "The black guy," he says.

Yet even here, where Obama buttons and t-shirts are being sold alongside incense and African-American-themed art, there are reasons for the Obama campaign to worry. Most voters surveyed indicated that they plan to vote for the president, but the thrill of four years ago seems to have at least somewhat dissipated. Wyona Goodwin, an executive assistant at North Carolina State University, says she is "not as enthusiastic as in 2008, but optimistic."

Kelvin Johnson, who works for a beer distributor, says he remains enthusiastic but does not expect African-Americans to come out for Mr. Obama the way they did four years ago. "A lot of people are really not satisfied with the job he did," he said. It's not that people will vote for Romney, Johnson said. It's just that they won't vote.

Dawn Downey, a student, said she isn't sure who she'll vote for this year. She backed Mr. Obama in 2008, but this year feels like she is deciding between "the lesser of two evils."

"We knew coming in that Obama wasn't going to be able to clean up everything that Bush messed up, but I don't know, it's like, the state of things seem to be much worse, though I'm not sure if Romney is going to do much better," she said. Unemployment among African-Americans in the state stands at 19 percent.

Corey Branch, president of the National Pan-Hellenic Council of the Greater Raleigh Area - a coalition of African-American fraternities - is also here trying to register voters. He said he's had 25 or so registrants over the course of a few hours, mostly people who have changed addresses or turned 18 since the last election. "The overall energy right now is not as high as 2008," he said, "but the energy is there."

Software engineer Chris Mwarabu, who backed Mr. Obama four years ago, says he does not feel engaged with the process this time around. He says he's probably back the president, though - if he decides to vote.

"In 2008, I guess it - there was all this sense of hope, there was all this promise that things were going to be a lot different, and I mean, he's gotten in, he's been the president, but he really hasn't been as effective as I thought he would be," Mwarabu said. "He came in with a platform of bringing change, and to be quite honest, I really haven't seen the change."

"I probably would vote for him again, just because the other choice is - I'm not going to vote for Romney," Mwarabu continued. "I'm at the point where if I am to vote I'll vote for Obama. Or, if I wake up and I don't feel like going, I'm probably not going to go."

The Two North Carolinas

Democrats decided to hold their nominating convention in Charlotte earlier this month in part to send a signal: Even in this polarized political age, they are not giving up on the South. North Carolina is the most fully southern state the president won last year, and its importance to Democrats thus goes beyond its 15 electoral votes. (The two other states won the president that might be considered southern are Virginia and Florida. But his win in Virginia was powered by support in the Washington, D.C., suburbs in Northern Virginia, and the only area of Florida that is truly culturally southern is the panhandle in the northern part of the state.)

There are three pillars to Mr. Obama's base here. The first is African-Americans. The second is young voters from the region's many colleges, whom the Obama campaign has also been aggressively courting. At a coffee shop in Raleigh, a North Carolina State University sophomore named Josh Malchuk is studying with friends. This is the first election where he is eligible to vote, and he says he has yet to really tune in. Asked if he and his friends are excited about the election, he said no.

"Just because I don't know anyone that into politics," he said. "It's not something we talk about a lot or think about a lot."

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[DOGGYPANTS]

Although most of us love Michael Jordan, even his charm and charisma won't sway voters who know tha Obama has been toxic to NC, and to this country.

[J2289]

How does obama have time for HIS job when he has golfed 100 times in the last four years...way more than Bush in his eight years. Read this: http://dailycaller.com/2012/06/18/obama-has-golfed-four-times-more-than-bush-did-in-eight-years/

[sharkboy234]

OBAMA IS IN IT TO WIN IT IN NORTH CAROLINA THE BLUE STATE!

[randysanders]

As for North Carolina as one of the Southern States, just because Obama won North carolina by a narrow margin, doesn't mean he'll carry it again. The majority of North Carolineans are the ones who will need to decide the fate of the Union over the Confederacy. Sometimes, the South should really consider their roots and past, and sometimes they shouldn't.

[randysanders]

The 1 percenters are not gonna like the results of this election. Sure, they are used to getting Republicans elected and sure, they nearly collapsed our economy because People wanted Democrats in charge. Americans, by and far, can defeat the 1 percenters but the 1 percenters have been predicting another Stock market crash if Obama is reelected. Go away 1 percenters, move to another country where you want a republic with only republicans in charge. There are alot of Republics out there you could move to and hide your money. Iran's a republic, you 1 percenters should become citizens there. Leave America to the vast majority of Americans. We Americans can make America great again.

[asfd9lkjqwpeoriu]

I'm one of those "white collar professionals" who relocated from the Northeast that the article is talking about. Let me tell you, I and most of the people I work with are NOT one of Obama's "pillars" as the article calls us. We moved from NY to get AWAY from the liberal tax and spend political rapists that stole everything we earned to give to those who wouldn't. Go ahead and count on us, Obama, and we'll laugh all the way to the polls while we vote your sorry socialist butt out.

[Lan_STARKS]

Are people so silly as to say they will just not vote? Not voting is absolutely worse than voting for the wrong person... mainly because as soon as things go wrong they'll be the first complaining. And the "african-american" term is played out. What do you call British blacks? We are ALL a color so stop with the labeling.... anyway... Voting is the how you let it be known how you feel about the way the powers that be have impacted their life. Not voting not only leaves your liberties to chance, but at the same time puts it in the hands of those around you who really don't give two **its about you. Do you really wanna leave the next four years to someone that thinks you should go back to where you come from or someone that feels you are racist (again we are all a color so don't misinterpret the thought)? We have a way of life to consider, and the one great thing about it is we get to speak on it if we don't like how it is going so not speaking out by voting is worse than voting and the other guy wins... If you wanna cop out and not vote then move to Canada because in America we need all those that want a change help make a change Obama/Biden 2012 or Romney/Ryan 2012... you must make a choice.

[MTATL670]

"Obama's uphill battle in North Carolina" Love the headline and the spin on this story. I can think of an even better headline "Romney backward slide in Ohio, Virginia, Florida, Michigan, Colorado" then all of a sudden the presidents uphill battle in North Carolina doesn't seem so insurmountable.

[cntrygirl3]

I live in NC so I have a question for you people that aren't sure you are going to vote. What on earth do you think that will get you. You don't vote you don't get to complain. And a woman any woman even remotely considering voting for any republican is beyond my comprehension. They have made very clear they consider all women incapable of making decisions for ourselves and think we need to be controlled by legislation. VOTE in this case against ALL republicans especially in NC, they have nearly destroyed the education system built by a long line of democratic governors to be the best in the south. We are currently slipping and if republicans have their way we will be down with Mississippi. WAKE UP it isn't just the mess Bush left it is also the republicans in congress blocking everything Obama has tried as their one mantra their MOST IMPORTANT PRIORITY is to defeat Obama not try to help the country. Do you really want these fools in charge again so they can finish destroying the country with exactly the same policies as Bush.

[mysticpizza]

You will be sadly mistaken Augy there are a lot of hard working people voting for Obama this year.. The hatred and bullying tactics you repugs have taken have driven away any minority, women, moderate and independent from voting republican.

[ellieiero]

@Mysticpizza
Maybe I'm not reading this correctly, maybe there's a comment missing, but if you're replying to cntrygirl3 right now....it seems like she's on the same side as you are. Why are you picking at her?

[andie52]

They will vote not for the candidate who wants to slash government and give even more to the rich. Southerners want a leader who will fight for the middle class and use government wisely to fix our economy.
If President Obama fights for the middle class, then the middle class across the country - including the South - will fight for him at the ballot box.

[Lan_STARKS]

You have to remember there are 2 different perceptions to "middle-class". Democrats consider middle-class between 40k-90k a year. Republicans see it as anyone under 200k.