Obama signed, sealed, and delivered to an inbox near you
Dante Chinni
Posted: 05.13.2008 / 8:11 AM EDT
Whatever happens in today’s primary in West Virginia, Sen. Barack Obama looks to be headed for the top of the Democratic ticket in November. And when the book about Senator Obama’s improbable drive to the presidential nomination is written, a chapter or two is likely to include his campaign’s organizational skills.
While Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton came into the 2008 race with experience and the vestiges of her husband’s campaign team from the 1990s, it is Obama who has repeatedly shown an organizational advantage in the primaries.
From his ability to win in caucus states, which generally require more advance work, to his grass-roots efforts in places such as Philadelphia and its suburbs (as Patchwork Nation has noted), he’s shown a knack for well-laid plans that may extend back to his beginnings in politics as a community organizer.
Tomorrow the media and the candidates will shift their focus to the next stops on the Democratic primary circuit, Kentucky and Oregon. Both campaigns have been on the ground in those states for some time, but e-mail accounts we have set up for “pseudoresidents” in our Patchwork Nation locales show how the Obama campaign has done a better job of using the Web to establish its presence in primary battlegrounds than has Senator Clinton’s campaign.
In each of next week’s primary states, Patchwork Nation happens to have representative communities: Hopkinsville, Ky., and Lincoln City, Ore. Here’s a look at what our Hillary and Barack (as the candidates call themselves in e-mailville) devotees received in their inboxes over the past few months.
In Hopkinsville, our Obama supporter’s e-mail account was only open for eight days when he received word from the campaign on March 4 about ways to organize in the Blue Grass State. The e-mail asked our Barack fan to get together that night to watch the results come in from the primaries in Ohio, Rhode Island, Texas, and Vermont.
“Watch parties are a great way to meet other Obama supporters in your area, learn more about our grassroots movement for change, and find out ways you can start organizing your community,” the e-mail said and then offered a link with a localized map to find the nearest party.
Remember, this was for the state’s May 20 primary. All through March and April the Obama campaign sent e-mails specificially targeted at Kentucky residents with links showing how to register to vote and organize.
Meanwhile, our Clinton supporter in Hopkinsville received e-mails to come listen to former President Clinton speak on March 24 and listen to Hillary Clinton speak on March 27. There was also a message inviting the supporter to the grand opening of the campaign’s Louisville headquarters (172 miles away) on April 14. But the first true e-mail related to organizing and volunteering didn’t pop into our supporter’s inbox until April 28 – almost eight weeks after the Obama camp’s first plea.
“I hope you’ll join our talented staff and many volunteers to make our campaign here in Kentucky a huge success. You can make a real difference in helping Hillary become the next president!,” the Clinton campaign wrote.
In Oregon, it was a similar story.Our e-mail account in Lincoln City never heard from the Obama camp about viewing parties as our Kentucky supporter did, but by March 17 the supporter had received an e-mail tailored to state residents that encouraged organizing. Five days later, on March 22, a more specific e-mail arrived about volunteering and registering to vote. On March 25 came an e-mail explicitly asking for help canvassing neighborhoods.
The Clinton team, however, did do a bit better in the Beaver State. By April 15, the regional field director in Salem, Ore., reached out to our Lincoln City supporter via e-mail. That message offered a way to contact the Salem office about scheduling a volunteer shift.
Still, it was the Obama camp that had more regular contact with our Lincoln City inbox. Messages tailored to Oregonians ranged from organizing house parties to providing reminders about the state’s voter registration deadline.
The major proviso to all the e-mailing: Polls show Clinton is likely to win Kentucky regardless of Obama’s efforts.
But Obama’s Web organizational skills have been central throughout the competitive Democratic race. And if, as it now appears, he becomes the nominee, he owes at least some of his success to his online prowess.
While the Clinton campaign did have an organization to fall back on, it was formed more than 15 years ago before sophisticated Web targeting techniques were developed and took hold.
In the end, the 2008 campaign may not just be about the Democratic Party turning the page on who campaigns in the fall, but how the party campaigns, too.
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May 13th, 2008 at 10:11 am EDT
Umm Barak Obama had tons of cash. I mean he opened an office in Guam month(s) before the primary… HIllary could not do that. Also, his supporters include a large youth block who are more tech/email savvy.
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May 13th, 2008 at 10:18 am EDT
Organizational skills are crucial to being an effective president. This confirms to me that Sen. Obama will make a far better president than Sen. Clinton or Sen. McCain.
May 13th, 2008 at 10:19 am EDT
I disagreee, Eric. I think, with the economy as terrible as it is, as horrible as public education has become and with the War seeming to worsen by the day, I’d put money on Obama to take home the Presidency if I actually had any.
Plus, his message, his vision, and his strength of character is astounding. He is so incredibly astute and reasonable that once people have a chance to listen to him, even life-long Republicans can admit that he’s the best leader.
May 13th, 2008 at 10:20 am EDT
Annette Says:
“Obama will absolutely NOT WIN in November. The moderate democratic Clinton supporters will flock to McCain. Obama’s paper thin resume, lack of substantial experience, personal and professional affilations which are questionable - will all lead to his ultimate and ugly failure.”
Funny. That’s exactly what people said about Bill Clinton in 1992.
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May 13th, 2008 at 10:23 am EDT
I don’t think having more of a handle on Youtube, Myspace and arranging parties the Facebook way is a good qualification for president … I originally was taken in by the Obama-Oprah effect but decided it was all just emotion-based audience raising. Hillary won the big states and, more importantly, has the white working class and a swathe of those Republicans disaffected by McCain in her pocket. Yes, Obama may well be the nominee but he’ll need Clinton on the ticket to get her supporters (begrudgingly mind you). What the Obama campaign knows is that he may well get to the Oval Office based on record low white voter turnout. The Obama presidency is counting on the black and youth voter demographic and for all the no-shows to hurt McCain.
May 13th, 2008 at 10:24 am EDT
It’s refreshing in a streamlined media to have a story addressing something different and substantive. As an online organizer, I can attest that persons over 40 certainly DO participate when they receive emails, and that McCain is behind by at least 20 points nationally, so I think he’s on his way. I like the tie in about how the party can utilize this. It could serve as the answer the the Republican parties “collect and target” machine that has given them the edge in recent elections.
May 13th, 2008 at 10:24 am EDT
I wonder how tech savy the mccain camp is? It seems that the repub machine is going to do all the work and their really good at ads but definitly not going to be able to get out the vote like the dems this year. They also have been broadcasting the message that they are in trouble. Previous repub ships have had alot more control over their message and people, not this year no one wants to be realigning the deck chairs on the repub titanic. Barack Obama will be president.
May 13th, 2008 at 10:25 am EDT
I was an Edwards supporter until he suspended his campaign so I got to see his e-mail outreach. Then I got to see Obama’s, and what a striking difference. Smarter and more engaging. Next the Clinton campaign solicited comments from the public when Mark Penn stepped down. I wrote and found myself signed up on their e-mail list. What a contrast! I agree. Obama asks for involvement, Clinton asks for money. The Edwards campaign told me what they thought and were doing, the Obama campaign is a new paradigm. I have said elsewhere, but will say again, this is a campaign about the future versus the past.
May 13th, 2008 at 10:25 am EDT
I like John McCain, but he voted with Bush about 95% of the time in 2007. I don’t think Bush was right 95% of the time and I don’t think most voters do either. You have over 80% of Americans saying that we’re on the right path and you have several seats held for decades by the GOP going Democratic in special elections. There is a very strong trend for the Democrats.
Don’t anyone on either side let their partisanship fool them. This is not going to be a blow-out for either candidate.
May 13th, 2008 at 10:26 am EDT
Not sure about the McCain statement above by Eric. I have been a hardcore RNC supporter for years but no way will I vote for a continued regime, fighting fundamentalist Islamists in the wrong places. They should have stuck to Afghanistan and now the hot bed Pakistan. Anyway, I think Obama will offer many of us Republicans a new choice. He will sit down to a large table to work out the mortal fight with Islam and take a reasonable approach to economics for the US. Besides McCain is just to old. We need energy for todays world challenges.
May 13th, 2008 at 10:26 am EDT
While I have to admit that if Hillary would of taken the Democratic Nomination, I would of voted for McCain, I don’t think that experience is an issue. Lets look at experience. McCain and Hillary both want the gas tax holiday, and that is because of experience. Experience tells them they should try to buy the American Vote with a Tax ‘Holiday’ which really doesn’t benefit anyone in the long run. Obama’s lack of experience tells him that we should stop and think about this. We should look at things rationally and try to come up with solution that fixes the problem. You are right, I guess experience is the problem. McCain and Hillary have the Washington experience that tells them not to actually fix a problem, but put a temporary band-aid on it that might appease people for 3-6 months. Then when the band-aid gets torn off, they can say the ‘tried’ to do something. Obama is the right man for President.
May 13th, 2008 at 10:30 am EDT
Great article and great insight into how an upstart like Obama can essentially trump one of the strongest political brands ever — a Clinton. We see this often in technology. A new upstart company — say Salesforce.com — beats an established brand — say SAP — with a new solution.
Obama understood the power of the Internet and the need to use social networking to reach the youth vote — and what a difference that has made.
Clinton, in stark comparison, dusted off an old network, filled in positions with friends and colleagues based on loyalty and not their ability and in the end lost. In fact, her approach underscores the whole ‘entitlement’ perception that has turned so many off.
And bottom line, as your article noted, Obama simply beat her on organization. Who’s more prepared to be President now? A President for all generations, including millennials. Obama deserves it!
May 13th, 2008 at 10:30 am EDT
I don’t thanks people know what they are talking beacuse i do thank he can win i know that I will be praying for him, all people have to do is pull together and pray.
May 13th, 2008 at 10:30 am EDT
McCain is a want to be hero, all he did was get shot down and do as all the others did, he didn’t do anything heroic. He’s not all that special, other than his idealism which he has dropped to try to get elected. Oh yeah, and remember Keating 5? His daddy was an admiral, he married into money, he’s part of the elite, granted a a bit kinder elite than the Bushies, but elite nevertheless. Obama has done it all on his own comparatively. His problem solving and ability to unite people provide a way forward for our country. The alternative is we collapse from the morass of beauracracy, politics, and indulgent entitlement that pervades this country. Oh yeah, has anyone figured out that war is inefficient so both countries lose when there is war. Spend money on construction not destruction!! What if we had spent a trillion on solar energy instead of the war? Where would oil prices be now? That’s the kind of innovative thinking that we need to move forward. We need a send a man to the moon type of program to change the world energy equation and solve the climate change issue. That’s just the start. Obama stands a chance because millions of intelligent people support him passionately. He will win because he wins the leaders of our society, the educated white man. He will win because poor people know their lives will improve if they vote for him. He is the epitome of the American Dream, that any man can be successful to their wildest dreams.
May 13th, 2008 at 10:32 am EDT
What exactly do you think you mean by “qualified”? Check out http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/014/554fwchn.asp to maybe rethink that idea. Being the “First Lady” to a questionable presidency and then cherry-picking a Senate seat doesn’t really qualify you for anything in my book. I would rather have Ronald McDonald as the prez.
None of the Above! Bob Barr in 08!
May 13th, 2008 at 10:33 am EDT
Annette,
By “moderate Clinton supporters” you meant “race-aware”?
May 13th, 2008 at 10:39 am EDT
Obama supporters here are gushing with his rhetoric … “a president for all generations”, “Obama deserves it!” “This campaign is about the future not the past …” “Let us pray …”
Oh, please! We’re talking about finding the best candidate for the executive office of a nuclear-armed world and business superpower!
May 13th, 2008 at 10:41 am EDT
Obama is an extremely intelligent leader,and I have never seen a political candidate in the history of this country that could tackle the fundamental issues in a way that powerfully resonated with majority of the people.Hilary thinks she is entitled the White House becuase she is the wife of a former president…talk about experience.Being the wife of a former president does not qualify one to be the leader of the free world.This is a delusion espoused by a few people who never learnt a thing in the last 8 years ,who will attempt to redo the present by voting for her.CHANGE IS COMING TO WASHINGTON via an Obama presidency.Amen
May 13th, 2008 at 10:43 am EDT
I believe there are a lot of dynamics that will begin unfolding in Obama’s favor once the battle begins.
1.) The choice of V.P. between the two canidates will breath new life into both campaigns. Gov. Bill Richardson for Obama? Would be interesting with his experience and lock on the latino vote. For McCain- Colin Powell would really make things complicated. See where this is going? A lot of possibilities here. Just two simple choices like this could DRAMATICALLY change the race.
2) McCain’s dismal support of Bush will be highlighted and not forgotten.
3) If everyone is so worried about Rev. Jeremiah Wright, just wait until we take a look at all the kooks on the right who’ve supported McCain and Bush these last 8 eight years; John Hagee especially…
4) Even the military in Iraq has been polling favorable for Obama.
5) Once Obama gets to battle McCain, HE’S GONNA SWING a lot more than he did against Hillary. I guarantee, McCain will try to narrow the debates to as little as possible. This will not go well. If not, he will loose nearly all the debates. He’s got a BIG problem here.
6) McCain is going to have to appeal more to the middle cause he is NOT getting the right’s support. Here, Obama will take him as well. Also, Hillary’s support WILL eventually rally behind Obama. Do they really want a guy in there who will apppoint conservative judges leaning against Roe vs. Wade. No way…
7) EVEN MORE… it ain’t over yet.
May 13th, 2008 at 10:46 am EDT
If memory services me correct, naysayers a year ago predicted Obama wouldn’t win one state primary. Now as Sen. Obama is a few short weeks from formally securing the Dem. nomination, we have sour grapes Billary cry babies following suit and underestimating Obama’s superb skills of organization and raising TONS of cash, a skill Mrs. Clinton with all her 35 years of experience was not able to duplicate. Forgive me if I choose not to panic. Hillary’s mistake in the primary would have been her mistake in a general, no imagination. Her plan A, never factors in the possible need for a plan B, so of course she would have subscribed to the ONLY win big states theory, hmmm reminiscent of John Kerry, and the Republicans would have completely thrashed her candidacy by reminding voters that this women would do anything to win even using a back room deal to secure a nomination because that was the only option for a second place candidate. And all those “working class white Americans, would have no problem picking the white man over the white women. Yes, Hillary, if the group of people you pander to will vote against a black man, they’ll also vote against a women. And I wonder how this would play with all the educated voters that support Barack heavily? Hmmmmm…..
Barack Obama will be the next president of the United States. And Grandpa McWalkingCane will be lucky if he isn’t visible exhausted by the vigors of campaigning next to a much younger candidate….ahhhh perception!
May 13th, 2008 at 10:55 am EDT
The issues in the general election between McCain and Obama will be clear cut.
Investing in elective foreign wars or investing the in future of America at home.
Paying to take care of Iraqis or paying to take care of Americans.
Fighting for oil or fighting to free ourselves from our enslavement from oil.
Focusing on the past or focusing on the future.
A divisive vision based on fear and hate or a unifying vision based on hope.
May 13th, 2008 at 11:00 am EDT
I wonder if Senator Obama will halt his campaigning long enough to return to Washington, D.C. and champion Senate Bill 2433: The Global Poverty Act; the first important legislative venture in his fledgling United States Senate career. For those of you unfamiliar with Senate Bill 2433, it authorizes our government to legislate a number of new taxes on American Citizens under the guidelines of the United Nations to raise $845 billion to fight poverty in third world nations. Thank you for that Senator Obama. With the economy on the rocks, and major financial institutions struggling, American largesse and noblesse oblige are foremost on the good Senator’s agenda. Too bad Che Guevera is not still living. He would have made an excellent running mate for Obama!
May 13th, 2008 at 11:07 am EDT
I think a important difference between Clinton and Obama is that Obama does NOT have the kind of experience the Clinton has. This is a good thing. I don’t want more of the same. I want someone who is a little more outside of the Washington belt which seems so like the Emerald City with the same kind of silly doorkeeper. The best thing for our government is change, to keep employing politicians with little experience of Washington DC. It’s this “experience” that has caused so much trouble: the lobbyists know just who to call, deals are made too quickly, they all know each other too well. The insiders must leave. We need new blood, these others are weak and stupid from inbreeding (just a metaphor). The fact that Hillary KNOWS the way Washington works is a problem. Get them gone. This will sound silly but do you remember the movie Mr. Smith goes to Washington? Civil service in our government should be short-lived anyway. Make them all go home eventually and try to earn their real and hopefully honest living and pay their real taxes like most of the other American citizens and pay for real health insurance (you know, the kind we have that costs $$$ not including deductible). If they want to be hired by us, they ought to know a little more about us than just our demographic, it would be nice if they were really a regular American with a little more sympatico. And one more thing, Hillary, just exactly who is the elitist. Give me a freaking break. We should all be fighting the good fight.
May 13th, 2008 at 11:27 am EDT
And by the way, John Edwards would be the best VP to President Obama.
May 13th, 2008 at 11:29 am EDT
Felicity Says: “I don’t think having more of a handle on Youtube, Myspace and arranging parties the Facebook way is a good qualification for president,” I don’t think so either, but I think being aware of the problems our country is facing and having the intellect and listening skills to reasonably respond to them is the most important qualification for our next president. Obama is the only one that actually does that instead of ignoring problems and hoping they go away or putting a band-aid on a gaping wound like Clinton and McCain have done time and again.
“Hillary won the big states and, more importantly, has the white working class and a swathe of those Republicans disaffected by McCain in her pocket.”
I personally think the ONLY Republicans she has pushed over to the Democratic side are the ones Rush Limbaugh has enlisted as help in Operation Chaos. Most Republicans, especially the ones that don’t think McCain is tough enough, HATE the Clintons. You seem to have forgotten ALL the scandals Hillary was involved in when Bill was president. OF COURSE they want her as the nominee! They already have files and files and files of her misdeeds!
As for her “winning” the big states, you’re totally off. Clinton and Obama all but tied in the big states and he pulled more than 60% of the vote in several contests whereas she was only able to pull 60%+ in Arkansas. So - you’re wrong. Sorry you have to hear it but your information isn’t up to snuff.
“Yes, Obama may well be the nominee but he’ll need Clinton on the ticket to get her supporters (begrudgingly mind you).”
I argue that those people never would have supported a Democratic candidate to begin with if they can find some fault with Obama that they can’t with Clinton that isn’t some trumped up lie. Either they really were Republicans all along or they’re too ignorant to seek the truth about Senator Obama.
May 13th, 2008 at 11:37 am EDT
Hey folks, here’s a suggestion to anyone wanting Obama to win (as I do). How about remembering that the elderly vote, and many of them read these blogs. Everyone knows McCain’s age by now, so it doesn’t need to be gratuitously thrown around at every opportunity. That only turns people off who we would want to support Obama, and who rationally we might hope would support him based on self-interest due to his more passionate support for medicare and social security as well as being the guy with more intelligent and responsible approaches for coming up with bipartisan solutions for these programs’ future viability. Let’s avoid gloating and drooling as much as possible while supporting our guy, lest we become what we despise when it’s our turn in power. Let’s keep organizing, be inclusive, unify as a party and movement that goes beyond party, and make some change that lasts beyond this election cycle. Mother nature, 6 billion souls of today, our children, and our grandchildren desperately need us to take advantage of the unique chance the Obama candidacy offers our nation and world for something better.
May 13th, 2008 at 11:44 am EDT
Since when did Hillary and Bill not have friends with money? If she was the best candidate where are all her donors? As far as the comment about Baraks young voters who are high tech saavy…a voter is a voter young or otherwise. As much as the Clinton campaign has done their best to determine the “value” of various voting group stereotypes.Hillary thought all her early
big buck donors would carry the day. Alas it is a new day!
May 13th, 2008 at 11:56 am EDT
Felicity…your first line discredited everything else you said because Obama reached far more people through other avenues. Next time, rethink your argument before commenting.
May 13th, 2008 at 12:01 pm EDT
As to the comment by Truth is Gold about McCain not doing anything heroic. How about the fact that when his release from the POW camp was arranged because of his political status as an admiral’s son, he refused the release until other prisoners who had been there longer were released first. Think about that… choosing to stain in a POW camp for 5 years when he could have been released much earlier.
May 13th, 2008 at 12:31 pm EDT
If Reagan was coated with teflon then Obama must have something that DuPont hasn’t discovered - both Rezko and Wright seem to wash over his star glazed stupefied supporters and acolytes. Add to that a wife who defines herself in black and white terms and the people will get what they deserve should he be elected president. President Obama will make Americans look back at the Carter presidency with nostalgia
May 13th, 2008 at 12:40 pm EDT
Excellent insight! The election is about change. The next wave of politicians will have to be “Tech Savvy”. I watched the Clinton Machine chew-up and decimate political goliaths for over 8 years. To see it topple in a few short months was unbelievable. Not even the Berlin wall came down that fast.
As for all that vitriol about switching sides because their candidate lost – hogwash! Now that the shoe is on the other foot, for once, you can do what the rest of us have been doing since JFK. That is staying true-blue in the hopes someone in the party would emerge to take up his mantle. So buck-up, put your tail between your legs, admit you were wrong, and support the real candidate of choice, Barack Obama. The time is now, the year is 2008, and the hope lies in a young American that is a true representation of what made this nation great. Go Blue, Go Obama!
Dana
May 13th, 2008 at 4:03 pm EDT
I kind of feel sorry for all the folks lapping up the hope and change marketing slogans … these are Madison Avenue tactics that are essentially meaningless unless you do believe that Obama, like Coca Cola, is “the real thing.” Change comes from within and hope is all most people have. The starving people of Zimbabwe hope for change also … as do many others with more to worry about than gas prices.
May 13th, 2008 at 8:27 pm EDT
Barack Obama for CHANGE!
BARACK OBAMA TO UNITE AMERICANS
Hillary Clinton needs to get out of the race. (Old Politics)
Barack Obama for President!
May 13th, 2008 at 9:46 pm EDT
[…] Obama signed, sealed, and delivered to an inbox near you - Christian Science MonitorWhatever happens in today’s primary in West Virginia, Sen. Barack Obama looks to be headed for the top of the Democratic ticket in November. And when the book about Senator Obama’s improbable drive to the presidential nomination is written, a […]
May 13th, 2008 at 11:21 pm EDT
Though I have read and listened to much about, and by, Obama, I still cannot tell you what this man has accomplished for our country. He promises much of the good stuff, but there is no assessment to be made on whether or not he’s likely to keep these calls on our good faith. Where there should be a skull beneath the skin, I find no substance and wonder at the void. So many people, so much of the media, almost all of the DNC, are backing one whom I find to be a hollow man. He’s refused to stand up with a modicum of decency for the man who helped him find his niche in politics, has refused to delineate, unequivocally, on many of his positions, and, after the last, when he came out so poorly, wouldn’t dare chance another debate with Clinton. From the get-go he has copied, lied and played this game of “political idol” with any tactic, fair or not, his campaign could devise. But, down to the very nitty-gritty, his vociferous and rude, if not vitriolic, supporters have turned me off to such an extent, I don’t want to be associated with them. More than Obama, those people scare the heck out of me.
May 14th, 2008 at 2:54 am EDT
[…] Obama signed, sealed, and delivered to an inbox near you - Christian Science MonitorWhatever happens in today s primary in West Virginia, Sen. Barack Obama looks to be headed for the top of the Democratic ticket in November. And when the book about Senator Obama s improbable drive to the presidential nomination is written, a […]
May 14th, 2008 at 5:31 am EDT
It doesn’t stop or start with “Please vote for Obama.” If you want to volunteer in the campaign, you can do that on-line. If you have room for a big Obama sign on your property, you can indicate that on-line. If you can house an out-of-state volunteer, you can also indicate that on-line. My invitation to a campaign event came by e-mail, as did my “e-ticket.”
The reason that Obama is not deep in debt, is that he has used available technology to get contributions, votes, volunteers, housing for volunteers, publicity, people to show up at campagin events, i.e. everything a candidate can do to run a winning political campaign, in the most frugal possible way.
Anyone who has read his book “Dreams From My Father” will find it easy to recognize, he is using the skills that he learned, and successfully applied, as a community organizer, on the South Side of Chicago.
Running a country is not about “running a business” and doesn’t require a CEO. It is not about the “bottom line.’ Running a country is about recognizing problems, and providing solutions, for its citizens.
May 14th, 2008 at 5:46 am EDT
[…] Whatever happens in today’s primary in West Virginia, Sen. Barack Obama looks to be headed for the top of the Democratic ticket in November. And when the book about Senator Obama’s improbable drive to the presidential nomination is written, a More Organizing Tips […]
May 14th, 2008 at 6:27 am EDT
[…] Obama signed, sealed, and delivered to an inbox near you - Christian Science MonitorWhatever happens in today’s primary in West Virginia, Sen. Barack Obama looks to be headed for the top of the Democratic ticket in November. And when the book about Senator Obama’s improbable drive to the presidential nomination is written, a […]
May 14th, 2008 at 7:25 am EDT
I agree that America is in grave danger of an Obama presidency. He invokes the politics of envy, generational envy, socio-economic envy, pride of ignorance–all the things a person would do to snare the young, the inexperienced, the naive. Here, vote for me, and I’ll take that candy bar away from that guy and give it to you, little girl.
The ability to generate spam is not the kind of step forward I’m interested in, thank you very much. Every low-life con artist and purveyor of suspect drugs can generate spam. Who can show up for work every day and do the job he’s hired for? Obama put ONE YEAR into his job in the Senate. For him, everything, everyone, is just a stepping stone to power. Jeremiah Wright, kook though he may be, has a right to be furious with Obama. And the rest of us are fools if we’re not deep-down suspicious of the MySpace Kid.
May 14th, 2008 at 9:50 am EDT
[…] Obama signed, sealed, and delivered to an inbox near you - Christian Science MonitorWhatever happens in today’s primary in West Virginia, Sen. Barack Obama looks to be headed for the top of the Democratic ticket in November. And when the book about Senator Obama’s improbable drive to the presidential nomination is written, a […]
May 14th, 2008 at 9:51 am EDT
[…] Obama signed, sealed, and delivered to an inbox near you - Christian Science MonitorWhatever happens in today’s primary in West Virginia, Sen. Barack Obama looks to be headed for the top of the Democratic ticket in November. And when the book about Senator Obama’s improbable drive to the presidential nomination is written, a […]
May 14th, 2008 at 3:02 pm EDT
The question for Democrats and others concerned with the Democratic Party primary is then this — do you really want to let the worst-educated, least-knowledgeable and most bigotry-prone components of the voting pool (including those who stubbornly insist that Obama is a Muslim) control the direction of the party to the point of overriding the outcome in pledged delegates? Do you really want to give Hillary Clinton a pass in regards to her ignorantly racist supporters that you would never give to Obama in regards to Rev. Wright? And do you really want to say, as Hillary media proxy Paul Begala did, that a coalition that includes well-educated “eggheads” is somehow a bad thing?
Democrats used to promote education as a virtue to the point even of wanting to overspend government dollars on it at every opportunity. But now a large part of the party obstinately insists that the educated are those that should be sneered at and ignored. In short, they have embraced the anti-intellectualism long present on the far right. And none of Hillary’s supporters seem to mind.
And by the way, how do you explain Senator Obama’s double-digit victories in overwhelmingly white states like Iowa (8 points over Clinton), Alaska (51 points), Colorado (34 points), Delaware (11 points), Idaho (62 points), Kansas (48 points), Minnesota (34 points), North Dakota (25 points) and Utah (18 points)?
May 15th, 2008 at 6:44 am EDT
[…] Whatever happens in today’s primary in West Virginia, Sen. Barack Obama looks to be headed for the top of the Democratic ticket in November. And when the book about Senator Obama’s improbable drive to the presidential nomination is written, a More Organizing Tips […]
May 15th, 2008 at 7:13 am EDT
[…] Whatever happens in today’s primary in West Virginia, Sen. Barack Obama looks to be headed for the top of the Democratic ticket in November. And when the book about Senator Obama’s improbable drive to the presidential nomination is written, a More Organizing Tips […]
May 15th, 2008 at 1:38 pm EDT
[…] Whatever happens in today’s primary in West Virginia, Sen. Barack Obama looks to be headed for the top of the Democratic ticket in November. And when the book about Senator Obama’s improbable drive to the presidential nomination is written, a More Organizing Tips […]
May 15th, 2008 at 6:22 pm EDT
Barack Obama has been pursuing a strategy to “cast a wide tent” and enlist support from a wide range of supporters. He appeals to so many people because people see in him what they want to see. The “blank canvas” strategy began in the Illinois legislature where he voted “present” rather than recording a “yeah” or “neigh” vote that would stick with him. The strategy is a significant part of why his primary bid has been as successful as it has.
Will this inclusive stance allow Mr. Obama to achieve success on the issues that progressive Americans care about? There are two concerns. First, Mr Obama has exhibited a tendency to bend and compromise rather than stick to principles (and get tagged with a label). After a nuclear waste leak in Illinois, he introduced tough legislation to regulate the industry, but then he accepted campaign contributions from the power plant owner, Excelon and allowed the legislation to be diluted to the point that it never passed. He also compromised on NAFTA, joining Bush to support the entry of Peru without human rights and labor protections.
A second concern is the that the “blank canvas” strategy will allow the opposition to define Mr. Obama the way they want to just as it allows his supporters to see their own desires in him. Today’s Bush speech is just a hint at the kind of attack Mr. Obama would face as a general election candidate. Does Mr. Obama advocate appeasement? He has said that he would like to meet personally with Cesar Chavez, Kim Jung Il and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, but he has never defined what it is he would say to them. The result is that Bush’s hints at appeasement are immediately interpreted as an allusion to Obama. By contrast, Hillary Clinton’s views on almost every issue have been known for years making it impossible to attack her through vague allusions.
Oregonian’s have an important choice to make. Will they support Mr. Obama as the pundits are all predicting, or will they step back and say “Wait a minute.” If Mr. Obama is the Democratic candidate, there is a real risk that he will lead the party to a defeat of historic proportions akin to to McGovern, Mondale and Dukakis, the other Democratic candidates who won Iowa but failed to win New Hampshire. Running against war hero McCain, Obama will not carry Florida, Indiana, Ohio, West Virginia or Missouri and there is a good chance that he will lose Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania and New Jersey as well. Oregenonians who truly want to advance a progressive agenda and end 8 years of Republican administration need to vote for Hillary Clinton, a woman who will win and who will not take no for an answer on issues of the environment, fair trade and equal rights.
May 15th, 2008 at 9:17 pm EDT
[…] when the book about Senator Obama’s improbable drive to the presidential nomination is written, a More Organizing Tips
May 15th, 2008 at 11:59 pm EDT
http://noquarterusa.net/blog/2008/05/15/will-barack-throw-mama-from-the-train/
CURRENT ARTICLE
Will Barack Throw Mama From the Train? [Updated]
By Larry Johnson on May 15, 2008 at 6:43 PM in Barack Obama, Current Affairs, Mic****e Obama
I now have it from two three sources close to senior Republicans that they have video dynamite–Mic****e Obama railing against “whitey” at Jeremiah Wright’s church. Republicans may have a lousy record when it comes to the economy and the management of the war in Iraq, but they are **** on wheels when it comes to opposition research. Someone took the chance and started reviewing the recordings from services at Jeremiah Wright’s United Church of Christ. Holy smoke!! I am told there is a clip that is being held for the fall to drop at the appropriate time. The last thing Barack and Mic****e need is a new clip that raises further questions about her judgment and temperament. Here’s what the Republicans are currently using in Tennessee:
When the ugly video tapes about Jeremiah Wright’s racist ravings first broke Barack Obama told us he could no more disown Jeremiah Wright than his own Grandmother. Well, we all know how that turned out. So will Barack stand by Mic****e when the tape emerges of her verbally attacking “whitey?” Republicans, who are otherwise gloomy about prospects in November, recognize that this recording will create real problems for Barack and give them a shot at the White House. It is their October surprise.
Does Barack have an obligation to tell the Democrats, super delegates in particular, about this tape? Did Barack and his campaign do their basic homework and identify this tape as a potential problem? And, more importantly, do they have a copy? Probably better to deal with this issue before the convention rather than wait for October. What do you think?
May 29th, 2008 at 3:59 am EDT
Clinton has taken Kentucky and Obama is right there in Oregon.
The Democratic race for nomination is still very much alive – and most likely to be decided by superdelegates – as CNN points out clearly
http://edition.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/05/20/primary.wrap/index.html
If you’re tired of waiting around for those super delegates to make a decision already, go to LobbyDelegates.com and push them to support Clinton or Obama
If you haven’t done so yet, please write a message to each of your state’s superdelegates at http://www.lobbydelegates.com
Obama Supporters:
Sending a note to current Obama supporters lets them know it’s appreciated, sending a note to current Clinton supporters can hopefully sway them to change their vote to Obama, and sending a note to the uncommitted folks will hopefully sway them to vote for Obama. It’s that easy…
Clinton Supporters too …. !
It takes a moment, but what’s a few minutes now worth to get Clinton in office?! Those are really worth !
Sending a note to current Clinton supporters lets them know it’s appreciated, sending a note to current Obama supporters can hopefully sway them to change their vote to Clinton, and sending a note to the uncommitted folks will hopefully sway them to vote for Clinton. It’s that easy…