Imagine that in one 2004 Republican primary, an opponent running to George Bush's left got 40% of the vote, and in another primary, more than 4-in-10 Republicans voted for "uncommitted" rather than support the incumbent president. Now imagine the doom the MSM would have found that to portend for Bush.
But when a candidate running to the right of Barack Obama garners 40% of the vote in the Arkansas Dem primary, and "uncommitted" amasses an astounding 42% in Kentucky . . . crickets. On Morning Joe today, Politico's Patrick Gavin proclaimed that PBO's embarrassing performance "doesn't matter." View the video after the jump.
PATRICK GAVIN: Does it matter? No. The turnout was pretty low, it was only 14%, and the Obama administration of course knows they're not going to win these states anyway.
WILLIE GEIST: Isn't that the larger point? He lost Kentucky by 17 points in 2008, he lost Arkansas by 20 points to John McCain in 2008. These were not in play to begin with . . . To recap your headline, none of this matters.
GAVIN: Yes.
