Barack Obama!

[Doris]

Re: Barack 2008!

Hi Doris, you'r doing a great job banging the drum for Obama. Will be interesting to see if he has the ability to keep it going as it's far more difficult when you'r out there in front.

To be honest, it's the first time I've felt nervous Noirua!
These caucuses are crucial. I'm making calls to Texas!

13 hours ago: (AFP)
A new Reuters/C-Span-Zogby survey found Obama leading Clinton 45 percent to 43 percent in Texas.
A previous poll by Zogby released Friday had Obama up 48 to 42 percent.

In Ohio, the rivals were tied at 45 percent, according to Saturday's poll.

One hour ago: (ABC News)
Polls show Clinton ahead in Ohio, while Texas is a virtual dead heat.

She says:
"His entire campaign is based on a speech he gave at an antiwar rally in 2002 -- a lot of talk, little action. Or as they say in Texas, all hat, no cattle," she said today aboard her campaign plane.

He says:
"We need leaders in Washington who say what they mean and mean what they say," Obama said. "I don't want to just tell everyone what they want to hear, I'll tell people what they need to know."

They say:
With four states holding primaries on Tuesday, the Obama campaign believes any delegates Clinton may win -- even if she narrowly beats him in Ohio -- could be offset by huge Obama wins in Rhode Island or Vermont.

The Obama campaign sent out thousands of volunteers who plan to knock on one million doors by Tuesday.

Barack has an urgency in his 'voice' I have not felt before:
________________________________________
From: Barack Obama [mailto:info@barackobama.com]
Sent: Sunday, 2 March 2008 3:13 AM
To: Doris *******
Subject: Will you make a call for me?

Doris --

I need you to make your voice heard today -- literally.

Over the past week, supporters have made more than 700,000 phone calls right from their own homes. They are reaching out to voters in Ohio, Texas, Rhode Island, and Vermont before the March 4th primaries.

We've set a goal of 1 million calls to help Get Out The Vote for these critical contests -- will you help?

All you need is a few minutes, a phone line, and a passion for change. Start making calls right now:

We've identified likely supporters in Ohio, Texas, Rhode Island, and Vermont, and with our online phonebanking tool, you can start calling them right away.

It couldn't be easier.

Simply choose the March 4th state you'd like to call, and you'll get a list of phone numbers and a simple script you can use to start growing this movement, one person at a time.

Take a few minutes to make a call, and I'm certain you'll want to make five more:

We asked a few of the thousands of supporters who have already started making calls what they wanted to tell you about the experience. Here's what some of them had to say:

I am a fairly new caller from Texas and I wanted to pass on a few thoughts. I called this afternoon to some fellow Texans (mostly from the San Antonio area) ... one woman was initially undecided but now is definitely supporting Senator Obama and so is her husband! It was talking to her one on one that made a big difference. I explained the primary and caucus deal to her (which she did not know) and she was very appreciative. Please let the other callers know that voters in Texas are very willing to hear our message...please keep calling Texas! There are a lot of undecided voters here. Thanks so much for all that YOU do!!
-- Bonnie from Texas

Just want to mention that I had been wavering between Barack and Hillary for a long time -- I'd even donated money to both campaigns. However, over many weeks I received calls from Sen. Obama's volunteers ... Those calls from the phone bank volunteers went a long way toward finally helping me make up my mind. Their sincerity, their passion, and their loyalty to Barack really impressed me (and I don't impress easily -- I spent 20 years as a TV producer in LA). I'm a woman who's Hillary's age and the last campaign I volunteered for was (oddly) Bill Clinton's first run. Anyway, I will do my best to duplicate the passion of the Obama supporters who called me, as I pick up the phone to talk to others.
-- DeeDee from Arizona

Make some phone calls right now, and see just what Bonnie and DeeDee are talking about:

You have helped accomplish some extraordinary things during this campaign.

But the most extraordinary things happen at the personal level, when you can make that personal connection to a voter and discover that you share a common vision of what ought to be.

Make a call and make that connection today.

Thank you,

Barack


Paid for by Obama for America
This email was sent to: doris.*******@bigpond.com

 

[Doris]

Re: Barack 2008!

Barack Obama vs Hillary Clinton on policy (7 of the 20 issues on Obama's website)

By Tim Shipman
Last Updated: 12:31am GMT 02/03/2008

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2008/03/02/wus202.xml

So, what is the difference between them?

CLINTON: Sells herself as experienced and ready to lead on day one. She promises hard work and a fight to win the nomination, to resist Republican attacks in the general election and to defend blue-collar workers as president.

OBAMA: Says America needs change in Washington, an end to partisan bitterness and new personnel. His focus is more on the power of his personality to bring people together - Democrat and Republican, black and white.

WHAT IT MEANS: Both have strong faith in the power of government, but Mr Obama's poetic message of hope has trumped Mrs Clinton's prosaic command of the issues.

IRAQ

CLINTON: An awkward embarrassment. Mrs Clinton would start withdrawing troops within six months. But her senate vote for war remains a handicap with those who now wish it had never happened. She has repeatedly refused to apologise, though she said last week she would like to take it back.

OBAMA: The big issue for Mr Obama, since he opposed the war from the start, speaking out even as he battled to win his senate seat. Claims superior judgment despite the disparity in experience. Backs a phased withdrawal.

WHAT IT MEANS: A vote-winner for Mr Obama among fiercely anti-war Democrat activists. But polls suggest the success of the troop surge would put both on the defensive against the Republican John McCain.

HEALTHCARE

CLINTON: Her signature issue, on which she has long and bruising experience. She will make every American buy health insurance, with subsidies and tax credits for those who can't afford it. Some 47 million currently have no such cover. She will require insurance companies to cover everyone who applies, even if already ill, and compel large businesses to cover their employees. Total cost: £55bn pa.

OBAMA: Will require adults to buy cover for their children but not for themselves. Instead, focuses on reducing costs so that more people can afford insurance. Stresses he would hold public meetings with the healthcare industry to avoid secret deals with special interests. Total cost: £25bn-£32bn.

WHAT IT MEANS: Mrs Clinton claims Mr Obama's plan will leave 15 million uninsured. He says she will force people to buy insurance they can't afford. Democrat voters prefer Mrs Clinton's plan but think Mr Obama's is good, too. Reminders of her failure at reform when first lady undermine her claims of experience.

FOREIGN POLICY

CLINTON: Outreach to allies. Stresses her experience of visiting more than 80 countries as first lady. She implausibly claims to have played a major role in the Northern Ireland peace process. Says "the era of cowboy diplomacy will be over" under her leadership.

OBAMA: Outreach to enemies. He is under fire from Mrs Clinton and President Bush for saying that he would meet with the leaders of Iran, Cuba and North Korea without conditions. Places more stress than Mrs Clinton on the importance of refocusing US efforts on Afghanistan.

WHAT IT MEANS: British efforts in Helmand province more likely to get a boost under Mr Obama, but he has visited Europe only once - and Mrs Clinton is closer to Gordon Brown.

TAXES AND ECONOMY

CLINTON: Cosying up to blue-collar workers. Would end the Bush tax cuts and spend the money on her expensive healthcare plan. She wants a 90 day moratorium on sub-prime mortgage foreclosures.

OBAMA: Classic tax-and-spend liberal. Also wants to end tax cuts on those earning £250,000 or more, to pay for healthcare. Advocates pumping £38 billion into the economy from tax cuts, with handouts to working families, pensioners, homeowners and the unemployed.

WHAT IT MEANS: The economy is now the top issue in the Democrat primaries and could hold the key in swing states in November's election. Mrs Clinton has the advantage here, especially among the less well-off, who are suffering from job losses and the sub-prime mortgage crisis.

FREE TRADE vs PROTECTIONISM

CLINTON: Bashing Bill. The one area where she distances herself from her husband, who was pro-free trade. She says she will rip up the North American Free Trade deal (Nafta) unless it is renegotiated. The deal is now widely blamed for costing American jobs.

OBAMA: Having it both ways. Also wants renegotiation of Nafta and says companies that move overseas would lose some of their tax breaks. But Canadian papers report that his aides have told the Canadian government not to take his rhetoric at face value.

WHAT IT MEANS: Anti-free trade message will help Mrs Clinton in Ohio, but Mr Obama's equivocation may help in Texas, where Nafta is popular.

ABORTION

CLINTON: Rock solid behind "right to choose" on abortion, the traditional Democrat mantra. Would write the landmark Roe v Wade Supreme Court ruling permitting abortion into federal law. Supports use of so-called partial-birth abortion, a controversial late?term procedure involving dismemberment of the foetus.

OBAMA: Although he, too, opposes attempts by constitutional amendment to overturn Roe v Wade, Clinton supporters say he is soft on abortion. He only voted "present" - refusing to commit - when abortion laws were debated in the Illinois state senate.

WHAT IT MEANS: Republicans see both candidates as boiler-plate liberals on abortion, but the innuendo about Mr Obama was credited with losing him the New Hampshire primary. The issue boosts Mrs Clinton's standing with women voters.

ENVIRONMENT

CLINTON: Committed to signing a successor to the Kyoto climate deal. Strong supporter of developing alternative energy to boost jobs and lessen dependence on foreign oil. She boasts that America will lead when "the two oilmen have left the White House".

OBAMA: Backs a cap-and-trade programme to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. He has pledged to put America at the head of an international global warming partnership.

WHAT IT MEANS: Promises here can hurt a Democrat with still-sceptical voters in the general election. Bashing the oil industry is not a winner in Texas.

 

[Julia]

Re: Barack 2008!

Doris,

This man may one day be one of the greatest leaders in history. If so, I will readily dip my lid to his achievements, should they materialize.

But I must say, until that stage, the above is absolute nonsense. Forgive me for saying that I've heard it all before and sans any evidence of greatness thus far, I'd have to say you are having trouble separating rhetoric from reality. You are clearly infatuated with the man, and this is causing you to suffer from fuzzy thinking. I mean check back on this thread and dispassionately observe the amount of rhetoric you have posted here. It's sickening.

That said, if he's elected as president and as mentioned before, I hope he can do something good. I would much prefer him to McCain, and by a country mile. But he is human, and will suffer all the foibles that humans suffer.. even as president.

Let's just step back and see what he does.

I have to agree with this. Can't help feeling the Obama fans are carried away with rhetoric which is less than surprising given the disillusioned state of American politics.

Doris, I don't think anyone is suggesting that what happens in the great US of A is irrelevant to us here in Australia. Just perhaps that the minutiae of the primaries appears to be receiving more coverage in the thread "Barack 08"
than all the words contributed to "Kevin 07" which surely had more relevance to us here in Australia.

You seem like a really intelligent and mature person in other threads, but in this one it almost seems as though Mr Obama has you under some sort of spell which engenders utter devotion and adoration. Almost as though you feel you are receiving personal emails typed by Mr Obama himself when you post them from his undoubtedly huge mailing list onto ASF.

I don't mean to be rude or insulting to you, but I'm honestly just puzzled about what appears to be a complete infatuation by an otherwise sensible person???

 

[Doris]

Re: Barack 2008!

Can't help feeling the Obama fans are carried away with rhetoric which is less than surprising given the disillusioned state of American politics.

Almost as though you feel you are receiving personal emails typed by Mr Obama himself when you post them from his undoubtedly huge mailing list onto ASF.

Maybe it's the teacher in me wanting to show how the groundswell is developed.

... what the technique is to the masses who are receiving the emails as this is his secret weapon.
... each donor, each volunteer, being made feel they are important. An integral part of the team. And they are.

The personal approach, one to one, builds and carries the momentum.

Owning a part. Not just listening to speeches and being uplifted to vote but being an instrumental part of his success as though they too are succeeding. Compare this to the autocratic leader.

This is the marketing secret that he has despite the money spent on mailing fliers, TV and radio advertisements. I find it fascinating.

My friend in California compares him to Hitler who swept to power on rhetoric without the voters knowing what he stood for.

Like WayneL, I look forward to see what he does once in office.

 

[2020hindsight]

Re: Barack 2008!

My friend in California compares him to Hitler who swept to power on rhetoric without the voters knowing what he stood for.

So should the Czechs be getting nervous?
(PS I hope your friend doesn't say that to rally the people lol. - not sure how many that would appeal to then again, you never know in US)

 

[Doris]

Re: Barack 2008!

No 2020. She doesn't talk politics (let alone rally) except very rarely... and in private.
I discovered, on a trip three years ago, that the old folk (her parents-in-law) we visited, who I'd asked why the country had just voted in Bush (they 'didn't know') had been in the state caucus for Bush senior's election! I do not talk politics with their friends now!

The next 24 hours should be interesting. But it won't be conclusive.
The media (via Washington Post this morning) have claimed they have been soft on Obama and too hard on Hillary and would redress this 'today'.

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2008/03/04/clinton_obama_come_charging_into_crucial_day/

13 minutes ago:
With new polls out yesterday that suggested she had expanded her narrow lead in Ohio and is deadlocked with Obama in Texas, Clinton dismissed questions about whether she would give up her quest for the nomination if she does not win both states, despite suggestions from some of her most prominent supporters that she should consider withdrawing if that happens.

"I'm just getting warmed up," Clinton told reporters yesterday, saying she was planning on pushing ahead to the April 22 primary in Pennsylvania.

Under heavy pressure from Democrats in both camps to score wins today, the Clinton campaign stepped up its attacks on Obama yesterday, shifting from criticism of what it calls his lack of substance to an assault on his character and putting Obama on the defensive hours ahead of the voting.

The New York senator pointed to a memo - written by an official in Canada's consulate in Chicago after a meeting there last month - indicating that Obama's chief economic adviser told Canadian government officials that Obama's criticism of the North American Free Trade Agreement was directed at primary voters in Ohio and other states and did not represent his real position. Obama's campaign had previously denied such conversations took place.

"That's the kind of difference between talk and action that I've been pointing out in this campaign," Clinton told reporters while campaigning in Ohio.

Obama said his campaign never gave Canada back-channel assurances. The Obama adviser, Austan Goolsbee, disputed the account of his remarks. The Canadian embassy later issued a statement that the memo, obtained by the Associated Press, did not intend "to convey, in any way, that Senator Obama and his campaign team were taking a different position in public from views expressed in private, including about NAFTA."

The Clinton campaign also attacked Obama for his relationship with Chicago businessman Tony Rezko, a friend and fund-raiser whose trial on federal corruption charges began yesterday. Obama has been questioned about a deal in which he purchased his home in Chicago at the same time Rezko's wife bought a neighboring lot.

Obama said yesterday that Rezko's problems are not his. "These charges are completely unrelated to me, and nobody disputes that," Obama told reporters. "There's no dispute that he raised money for us, and there's no dispute that we've tried to get rid of it."

Senator Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island, who has endorsed Clinton, yesterday became the latest Democrat to suggest she might need to drop out if she does not do well today. "Let's see how Tuesday plays out, and then let's start thinking about how we're going to get behind a candidate," Whitehouse told Providence radio station WPRO.

(As well as Texas and Ohio) Voters in Rhode Island and Vermont also go to the polls today, with a total of 370 delegates at stake in the four states and with Obama holding a 109-delegate lead, according to an Associated Press tally.

 

[Aussie2Aussie]

Re: Barack 2008!

The sad thing out of all of this is that if Obama does win the nomination he will not go on to win the White House - the truth is Americans will without doubt go for a POW, white and long term senator rather than a black populist like Obama. The Obama factor will have worn off by November and the Republicans will get another 4 years reward for all of their mismangement.

I repeat - Americans will not vote in a black president.

Without doubt, Hillary will at least give McCain a run.

Doris, he will break your heart as a corruption scandle will tarnish his image big time - he aint all sugar.

 

[noirua]

Re: Barack 2008!

Latest reports show a very big turnout at the four caucuses, that include the Texas two step voting system in that State.

The original optomism of the Obama campaign two days ago has shown to have faltered following the appearance in court of a backer. Attendance at one rally was well below expectations.

Betting still shows that Obama would beat McCain and McCain would beat Clinton, however, betting has narrowed in the last few days.
Odds to become President: Obama 11/8, McCain 7/4, Clinton 5/1.
Odds to win Democratic nomination: Obama 1/6, Clinton 5/1.

 

[Doris]

Re: Barack 2008!

Who WILL compete against McCain now he's the GOP's nomination?

Clinton Takes Texas and Ohio in Major Comeback

By Chris Cillizza
washingtonpost.com staff writer

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (N.Y.) roared back into contention for the Democratic presidential primary race Tuesday night after claiming primary victories in Ohio, Texas and Rhode Island. These wins ensure that her challenge to Sen. Barack Obama (Ill.) will continue through Pennsylvania's primary on April 22.

Clinton's popular-vote margin in Ohio was larger than expected, while she appeared to eke out a very narrow win in Texas. Obama won an easy victory in Vermont, while Clinton cruised to a triumph in Rhode Island.

At issue is whether Clinton's popular-vote margins will translate into significant gains in the competition for delegates against Obama, who entered yesterday's contests with a lead of 162 pledged delegates, according to his campaign.

Clinton's convincing win in Ohio seemed almost certain to allow her to cut into Obama's pledged delegate lead. The close result in the Texas primary, combined with Obama's likely victory in that state's caucuses last night, insures that neither candidate will emerge with a significant delegate lead in the Lone Star State.

Clinton's near sweep of the states voting yesterday represented a marked contrast to the 11-contest winning streak Obama had enjoyed since the Feb. 5 Super Tuesday voting. Many observers saw yesterday's vote as the former first lady's last stand, but her victories suggest that Democratic voters are not yet ready to end the contest.

Her victories also followed a shift in tactics in which Clinton directly raised the question of whether Obama was equipped to handle a national or international crisis as commander in chief. Clinton's campaign also sought to draw attention to the ties between Obama and real estate developer Tony Rezko, who went on trial in Chicago this week on money-laundering and extortion charges.

Clinton declared victory during an address in Columbus last night, casting the votes of March 4 as a comeback for a campaign many had written off as dead a few days ago.

"For anyone in Ohio or America who's ever been counted out but refused to be knocked out, for everyone who has stumbled but stood right back up, for everyone who worked hard and never gives up, this one is for you," Clinton said.

She pledged that the campaign will continue. "We're going on, we're going strong and we're going all the way," Clinton roared as chants of "Yes she can!" filled the room.

Obama, speaking in San Antonio, congratulated Clinton for her victories in Ohio and Rhode Island but quickly shifted the subject to the general election. He praised Sen. John McCain's service for the country but tied the Arizona Republican to the Bush administration and its policies in Iraq. "He has seen where George Bush has taken our country, and he promises to keep us on the very same course," Obama said.

With nearly 90 percent of precincts reporting in Texas, Clinton led Obama, 51 percent to 47 percent. Exit polling showed roughly one in three voters were Latinos, and Clinton carried them by a better than two-to-one margin over Obama.

Clinton's victory in Ohio is less remarkable than the margin by which she won the contest. With more than 90 percent of precincts reporting, Clinton held a 55 percent to 43 percent lead over Obama -- a differential that, if it holds, could net her a double-digit delegate gain.

An important question raised by her showing yesterday is whether the results will influence the 800 or so superdelegates -- unpledged elected officials and party leaders --who had been moving strongly in Obama's direction since the Illinois senator's strong showing on Feb. 5 .

Clinton must stop that erosion in the coming weeks to remain mathematically viable in the chase for the 2,025 delegates needed to secure the Democratic nomination. If Obama continues to pick up superdelegates and claims wins -- as expected -- in Wyoming and Mississippi over the next week, the delegate math becomes more and more difficult for Clinton.

Clinton's campaign made no secret that it would be next to impossible to continue the race without strong showings in Ohio and Texas, and there were signs in the run-up to yesterday's votes that Clinton's aggressive attacks on Obama's trade policies and experience as a government leader were having some effect.

Former president Bill Clinton publicly acknowledged recently that his wife would have to win the two large states to remain viable and move on to the Pennsylvania primary in late April. "If she wins Texas and Ohio I think she will be the nominee," the former president said in a speech in Beaumont, Tex. "If you don't deliver for her, I don't think she can be. It's all on you."

Obama's strategists had predicted that the Illinois senator would have another good day at the polls, but noted that even if Hillary Clinton were able to pull out victories, she still would have little chance of overtaking Obama in the race for committed delegates before the nomination season ends in early June.

Obama began the day with a total of 1,386 pledged delegates and unpledged superdelegates, compared with Clinton's total of 1,276, according to an Associated Press tally.

 

[Doris]

Re: Barack 2008!

UPDATE ON DELEGATES...

Obama

Pledged: 1257
Superdelegates: 194

Total: 1451


Clinton

Pledged: 1127
Superdelegates: 238

Total: 1365

http://edition.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/primaries/results/scorecard/

 

[Doris]

Re: Barack 2008!

The sad thing out of all of this is that if Obama does win the nomination he will not go on to win the White House - the truth is Americans will without doubt go for a POW, white and long term senator rather than a black populist like Obama. The Obama factor will have worn off by November and the Republicans will get another 4 years reward for all of their mismangement.

I repeat - Americans will not vote in a black president.

Without doubt, Hillary will at least give McCain a run.

Doris, he will break your heart as a corruption scandle will tarnish his image big time - he aint all sugar.

A2A... most political experts in the US seem to believe Obama will be a stronger opponent for McCain. But I agree the scandals will be out in force now until the next caucus on April 22... I will be turned off when the mud slinging escalates. I shudder to think what can eventuate over the next six weeks! My instinct was pricked yesterday that his path was no longer strewn with red roses. But I can still hope his calm definitive road will prevail.

I think the momentum for Obama has shown he is seen as a man first and this in itself is uniting the ethnic factions.

Money-making media malice?

It seems to me that the nomination race is now being run by the media...
Above, I quoted 'the media' as saying, yesterday, that they had been soft on Obama and hard on Hillary and they would now redress this.

It occurs to me that if the campaign is protracted then the media circus also continues... maybe until the last caucus in June. Thus it is certainly in their interests. How many newspapers and TV channels have been raking in advertising bonuses in the past two months? The more they can promote controversy, the more people will tune in for news, the more money they'll make.

My post last night featured claims of a NAFTA back-channeling assurance to Canada by the Obama camp... with, later in the item, almost hidden away, official Canadian refutation. Rezko's curruption court appearance cast a slur on Obama... no relativity... yet enough impact to sway fence sitters. Fear drives more than the market.

1 hour ago: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/03/05/MN9MVDQEU.DTL

Going into the Tuesday contests, the news was finally improving for Clinton.

"The momentum seems to have shifted to Clinton in the last few days," said James Taylor, a political science professor at the University of San Francisco. "If she can win both Ohio and Texas, the entire (political) conversation will be changed."

 

[Doris]

Re: Barack 2008!

This is the persona I admire. He can disagree without being disagreeable. The world needs a leader like this! (IMHO)

For those who may be interested in what message Barack sent out late tonight (his time):
________________________________________
From: Barack Obama [mailto:info@barackobama.com]
Sent: Wednesday, 5 March 2008 6:16 PM
To: Doris ********
Subject: What happened today

Doris --

We may not know the final outcome of today's voting until morning, but the results so far make one thing clear.

When the dust settles from today's contests, we will maintain our substantial lead in delegates. And thanks to millions of people standing for change, we will keep adding delegates and capture the Democratic nomination.

We knew from the day we began this journey that the road would be long. And we knew what we were up against.

We knew that the closer we got to the change we seek, the more we'd see of the politics we're trying to end -- the attacks and distortions that try to distract us from the issues that matter to people's lives, the stunts and the tactics that ask us to fear instead of hope.

But this time -- this year -- it will not work. The challenges are too great. The stakes are too high.

Americans need real change.

In the coming weeks, we will begin a great debate about the future of this country with a man who has served it bravely and loves it dearly. And we will offer two very different visions of the America we see in the twenty-first century.

John McCain has already dismissed our call for change as eloquent but empty.

But he should know that it's a call that did not begin with my words. It's the resounding call from every corner of this country, from first-time voters and lifelong cynics, from Democrats and Republicans alike.

And together you and I are going to grow this movement to deliver that change in November.

Thank you,

Barack


Paid for by Obama for America
This email was sent to: doris.*******@bigpond.com

 

[Doris]

Re: Barack 2008!

________________________________________
From: David Plouffe, BarackObama.com [mailto:info@barackobama.com]
Sent: Thursday, 6 March 2008 8:56 AM
To: Doris *******
Subject: The math

Doris --

Our projections show the most likely outcome of yesterday's elections will be that Hillary Clinton gained 187 delegates, and we gained 183.

That's a net gain of 4 delegates out of more than 370 delegates available from all the states that voted.

For comparison, that's less than half our net gain of 9 delegates from the District of Columbia alone. It's also less than our net gain of 8 from Nebraska, or 12 from Washington State. And it's considerably less than our net gain of 33 delegates from Georgia.

The task for the Clinton campaign yesterday was clear. In order to have a plausible path to the nomination, they needed to score huge delegate victories and cut into our lead.

They failed.

It's clear, though, that Senator Clinton wants to continue an increasingly desperate, increasingly negative -- and increasingly expensive -- campaign to tear us down.

That's her decision. But it's not stopping John McCain, who clinched the Republican nomination last night, from going on the offensive. He's already made news attacking Barack, and that will only become more frequent in the coming days.

Right now, it's essential for every single supporter of Barack Obama to step up and help fight this two-front battle. In the face of attacks from Hillary Clinton and John McCain, we need to be ready to take them on.

The chatter among pundits may have gotten better for the Clinton campaign after last night, but by failing to cut into our lead, the math -- and their chances of winning -- got considerably worse.

Today, we still have a lead of more than 150 delegates, and there are only 611 pledged delegates left to win in the upcoming contests.

By a week from today, we will have competed in Wyoming and Mississippi. Two more states and 45 more delegates will be off the table.

But if Senator Clinton wants to continue this, let's show that we're ready.

This nomination process is an opportunity to decide what our party needs to stand for in this election.

We can either take on John McCain with a candidate who's already united Republicans and Independents against us, or we can do it with a campaign that's united Americans from all parties around a common purpose.

We can debate John McCain about who can clean up Washington by nominating a candidate who's taken more money from lobbyists than he has, or we can do it with a campaign that hasn't taken a dime of their money because we've been funded by you.

We can present the American people with a candidate who stood shoulder-to-shoulder with McCain on the worst foreign policy disaster of our generation, and agrees with him that George Bush deserves the benefit of the doubt on Iran, or we can nominate someone who opposed the war in Iraq from the beginning and will not support a march to war with Iran.

John McCain may have a long history of straight talk and independent thinking, but he has made the decision in this campaign to offer four more years of the very same policies that have failed us for the last eight.

We need a Democratic candidate who will present the starkest contrast to those failed policies of the past.

And that candidate is Barack Obama.

Thank you,

David

David Plouffe
Campaign Manager
Obama for America


Paid for by Obama for America
This email was sent to: doris.*******@bigpond.com

 

[2020hindsight]

Re: Barack 2008!

doris
interesting stuff
sounds like it's getting down to the short strokes

(as they say in the single skulls)

 

[Doris]

Re: Barack 2008!

interesting stuff
sounds like it's getting down to the short strokes

(as they say in the single skulls)

... and to short on population 2020... but every grain of sand on the beach helps make it!

Looks like Hillary is using Obama's popularity to her own advantage by stressing a vote for her is a vote for Obama too... as 2IC!


One hour ago:

Obama wins Wyoming, gaining 7 delegates
High turnout in sparsely populated state where Democrats campaigned hard

Julie Bosman, New York Times

Sen. Barack Obama scored another convincing victory in a caucus state on Saturday, beating Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton in Wyoming by a wide margin. The victory was welcome news for the Obama campaign as it sought to blunt any advantage Clinton might gain from her victories Tuesday in Ohio and Texas.

Obama had 61 percent to Clinton's 38 percent, with all 23 Wyoming counties reporting.

"This is a big win for us," said David Plouffe, Obama's campaign manager. "You saw very furious campaigning by the Clinton campaign here." Coupled with victories in Colorado, Nebraska and Washington state, he said, the result in Wyoming "speaks to Senator Obama's strength in the West."

Obama won seven delegates and Clinton won five.

Bill Clinton, campaigning Saturday in Pass Christian, Miss., repeated the suggestion that Clinton would take Obama as a running mate if she won the Democratic nomination.

"She said yesterday and she said the day after her big wins in Texas and Ohio and Rhode Island that she was very open to that," the former president said, adding that a Clinton-Obama ticket would be "an almost unstoppable force."

But in an interview Friday in Wyoming with KTVQ-TV, a CBS affiliate based in Billings, Mont., Obama shied away from that possibility.

"Well, you know, I think it's premature. You won't see me as a vice presidential candidate - you know, I'm running for president," Obama told the television station. "We have won twice as many states as Senator Clinton, and have a higher popular vote, and I think we can maintain our delegate count."

The campaign now moves to Mississippi, which holds its primary Tuesday, and both candidates are looking ahead to the bigger prize - delegate-rich Pennsylvania on April 22.

Delegate Count
Obama: 1,578
Clinton: 1,468
Needed to nominate: 2,025

 

[Doris]

Re: Barack 2008!

4 Hours ago...

Why Clinton-Obama team makes perfect sense

After 42 state and territorial contests, which have yielded Barack Obama a modest lead in pledged delegates over Hillary Clinton for the Democratic presidential nomination, Democratic voters have made their decision: They want both of them.

...The Clinton folks have done the math. Even if their candidate runs the table in the remaining 11 contests between now and June, Clinton won't be able to win enough pledged delegates to secure the presidential nomination without resorting to the backroom tactics of strong-arming superdelegates.

Too many Democrats want a woman to prove herself as president, and are convinced that Clinton has the temperament and experience to succeed as chief executive. Clinton's base of blue-collar workers and older women, Latinos and Asian Americans (whose children have gone for Obama) see in Clinton, 60, a battle-tested veteran of triumphs and setbacks whose youthful passion has long since been tempered by a pragmatic wisdom to which they can easily relate.

And too many Dems, tens of thousands of whom have been drawn into the political process for the first time by Obama, 46, think the first African-American head of government among industrial nations would be uniquely suited to end the gridlock in Washington, with his conciliatory aptitude to broker legislative breakthroughs at home and mend fences abroad.

Clinton has run out of options. Going avowedly negative on Obama helped in last Tuesday's outcome. But tearing down Obama risks a backlash in future contests, generating more unflattering press and firing up Obama supporters pitted against an arrogant "Clinton Machine."

Yet reverting to the positive strategy of building up Clinton's qualifications, notably her edge over Obama in experience, is also out. It was by that strategy that Clinton has won only 14 contests to Obama's 27. Those Obama victories were in such crucial swing states as Missouri, Wisconsin and Colorado, in affluent Connecticut and multiracial Hawaii, and in the far-flung "red" states of Alaska, Kansas and Maine.

Most important, Obama has won big in the Deep South, the G.O.P.'s most important stronghold, by which Republicans have been able to dominate in presidential contests since 1968 despite chronically losing big coastal states such as New York, California and New Jersey. Partly by raising the voter-participation rate among the African-Americans who account for a significant portion of the Deep South electorate, Obama has won five southern states, and is heavily favoured in Mississippi this Tuesday.

http://www.thestar.com/News/USElection/article/326553

 

[2020hindsight]

Re: Barack 2008!

.....
some interesting discussion on ABC...

They suggest "No way" would Barack play second fiddle to Hillary. You look at the odds ( Barack better than evens, Hillary around 4 to 1) - Looked at that way, you'd have to say she has some gall to even suggest it.

But perhaps Hillary is the only one who CAN win.

They speculated on whether Barack will be forced to play dirty politics - and the loss of kudos if he does - a "no win" corner he might have painted himself into. - unless he can mobilise the younger voters.

McCain was only "Mr 7%" a while back - they added "maybe Brendan Nelson can take heart if he wins" "Ahh McCain, you've done it again"

http://www.betusa.com/odds/next_us_president_betting_754.html

Barack Obama 2-3
John McCain 7-5
Hillary Clinton 4-1

http://www.online-betting-guide.co.uk/us-president.htm

 

[2020hindsight]

Re: Barack 2008!

As for the "could he handle a phone call at 3am" -
If I were Barack, I'd have asked her, "well, you'd be ok there I guess - as long as you could find Bill in the Intern's wing in time to ask him for his opinion"

 

[websman]

Re: Barack 2008!

Yet more political propaganda.

No-one has answered as to why Australians should actually care about this

Because the U.S. and Australia are very strong allies. Like it or not, we're friends.

So....Buddy. you wanna get together and put down a few Jim Beam and Cokes and listen to some Bocephus sometime?

 

[Doris]

Re: Barack 2008!

He won of course...
________________________________________
From: Barack Obama [mailto:info@barackobama.com]
Sent: Wednesday, 12 March 2008 1:00 PM
To: Doris *******
Subject: Victories and attacks

Doris --

It's tough to think of two states more different than Wyoming and Mississippi.

But we won Wyoming on Saturday, and we just learned that we won Mississippi by a large margin tonight.

Between those two states, we picked up enough delegates to erase the gains by Senator Clinton last Tuesday and add to our substantial lead in earned delegates. And in doing so we showed the strength and breadth of this movement.

But just turn on the news and you'll see that Senator Clinton continues to run an expensive, negative campaign against us. Each day her campaign launches a new set of desperate attacks.

They're not just attacking me; they're attacking you.

Over the weekend, an aide to Senator Clinton attempted to diminish the overwhelming number of contests we've won by referring to places we've prevailed as "boutique" states and our supporters as the "latte-sipping crowd."

I'm not sure how those terms apply to Mississippi and Wyoming -- or Virginia, Iowa, Louisiana, or Idaho for that matter.

I know that our victories in all of these states demonstrate a rejection of this kind of petty, divisive campaigning.

But the fact remains that Senator Clinton's campaign will continue to attack us using the same old Washington playbook. And now that John McCain is the Republican nominee, we are forced to campaign on two fronts.

Thank you,

Barack


Paid for by Obama for America
This email was sent to: doris.*******@bigpond.com