In last night’s post-debate analysis on CNN’s Anderson Cooper 360, James Carville proclaimed that Barack Obama will be the slam dunk winner of the election in November. However, he followed up by hinting at riots if Obama were to lose. Here is the transcript of the discussion. First David Gergen keeps bringing up the race factor as an excuse for a possible Obama loss (emphasis mine):
ANDERSON COOPER: But if you look at the CNN poll which Campbell Brown just told us about the short time ago, on the economy, Obama 59 percent and McCain 36 percent. David Gergen, do you agree with John King and James Carville that if those numbers continue it’s basically game over?
DAVID GERGEN: I think it’s too early to declare victory Anderson, because Barack Obama is black. And until we play out the issue of race in this country, I don’t think we’ll know and maybe unless—late in the campaign.
COOPER: Do you think that despite the lead in the polls, people might change their minds once they’re actually in the voting booth?
GERGEN: I’m not sure the polls are totally believable, I think there’s—there maybe built in. Over the years there’s a study now that’s come out of Stanford University and Associate Press along with Yahoo, saying that is—that his blackness may cost him as much as six points {snip}
{snip}
CAMPBELL BROWN: Yes, I think we have the graphics ready for this. And this is a little more generic but who expressed his views more clearly in the debate. 60 percent said Obama, McCain 30 percent. Who spent more time attacking his opponent; McCain 63 percent, to Obama’s 17 percent. Who seemed to be the strongest leader in the debate; 54 percent for Obama to 43 percent.
{snip}
COOPER: So they’re not going to run a commercial with James Carville saying the dogs are wet bring them in or whatever that—I can’t remember exactly or do the laundry or I can’t remember what it was.
CARVILLE: Let me be clear, I said you can call the dogs and light the fire and leave the house. I think it sounds over.
Now let me be clear here, if Obama goes in this race with a 5- point lead and losing this election, the consequences are—bull, man. I mean I don’t think that’s going to happen, but I think David it’s a point to bring up.
But you stop and contemplate this country if Obama goes in and he has a consistent five point lead and loses the election, it would be very, very, very dramatic out there.
