by Christi Parsons
As he makes his final pitch to Iowa caucus goers, Barack Obama is coming at it like the community organizer he used to be.
At the very beginning of campaign appearances, he calls his (usually youthful and enthusiastic) local field organizers onto the stage, introduces them to the crowd and then asks the undecided voters to raise their hands.
"See that?" he stage-whispered to an organizer at one typical stop in Des Moines. "Those are our targets."
Obama asks audience members to make him their first choice and, if they're committed to someone else, to make him their second choice on caucus night. And then he goes from the humorous to the serious very quickly, offering a retrospective of his past year's journey and reminding voters of the difference between himself and his opponents -- as he sees it.
See Obama's closing ads, and read on:
"It's not that experience isn't important," Obama told a crowd in Davenport this morning. "It's that there's a wrong kind of experience and the right kind of experience."
His experience is affecting the lives of what he calls "real people," he says, promising that he can bring "real results" for the country.
"I believe in those words," he said today. "I have to confess they're not mine. They're the words of a governor from a small state, who Washington said wasn't ready to lead back in 1992 . . . Bill Clinton was right then, and Barack Obama is right now."
Obama also released a new video, which reviews his journey from the 2004 Democratic convention that put him in the public spotlight to his current place among the frontrunners for the White House.
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Comments
Obama when faced with tough choices always gave in to pressure from the Bush administration or corporate lobbyists. He never answers any reporter on how we would have voted for war at the time, but his record after fact shows he supports the war, voted twice in 2006 against bringing America's troops back home. He voted for war appropriations giving our money to Halliburton and Blackwater. His latest bit of posturing S 433 allows the Bush Administration to suspend any troop withdrawal!!!!Which if not suspended, still keeps the troops in Iraq for a long time to come? Also gave in to pressure from the Bush and lobbyists, Obama voted for Bush's energy bill, sending more than $13 billion in subsidies and tax breaks to oil, coal, and nuclear companies. Obama was the Senate's biggest Democratic advocate of subsidies for liquid coal, even though liquid coal produces twice the global warming pollution of the crude oil it's meant to Look at today headlines from AP NEW YORK - Crude oil prices soared to $100 a barrel Wednesday for the first time, reaching that milestone amid an unshakeable view that global demand for oil and petroleum products will outstrip supplies.
Obama is lost in the game of politics we cannto afford to let him learn in the White House!
Posted by: Obama is a mistake | January 2, 2008 3:44 PM
It's not just the young people who love Obama -- he wins the retirees, the Johnson-era boomers (anyone 40-50), the veterans, the veterinarians, anyone who has ever felt disenfranchised... It's hard to see where Hillary's natural base is. Edwards turns on good people, but theirs is a bit of a Nader candidate. He attracts people afraid that Obama can't win the South, but Edwards will pick up even fewer Southern electoral votes. Obama has a shot at Florida, and probably takes Missouri.
I was just reading a 1969 college advising guide, and here is what is said about Wellesley:
the perfect all-round upper- or upper-middle-class American wife -- attractive, cultured, efficient, intelligent, and almost overwhelmingly competent.
the Wellesley girl is confident that she can take almost anything normal in her stride. She may not do well on the abnormal, but then Wellesley and the Wellesley girl being what they are, she's unlikely to encounter much of that.
Wellesley is the sort of deadly, pleasant-looking, well-to-do suburb the Wellesley girl probably came from. ... If she was in a hurry to get away from that sort of life, she wouldn't have chosen Wellesley. (Lawrence Handel, College Confidential)
I thought how interesting Hillary really is that girl, even if we forgive her Barry Goldwater past and sixties activism, and ignore the harm Bill has done to her over the years.
Obama's Occidental College, first:
a good school with a highly qualified faculty and a highly qualified student body ... it has consistently expanded its reputation over the years.
it's looking for a well-balanced student body.
although an independent institution, it does have ties with the United Presbyterian Church (Handel).
Turning to the Columbia U page, it is prescient:
Columbia was a pioneer. ... Most anything is possible and available at Columbia if you can find out about it in time. ... You always seem to hear about the course you could have taken, the lecture you could have listened to, or the commotion you could have witnessed a day too late. (Handel)
Aha, the fierce urgency.
Posted by: Ronald P. Loui | January 2, 2008 3:52 PM
Hi- As a 58 year old female professional who would love to vote for a woman, I would never vote for Hillary Clinton. She has done nothing on her own and is still trying to bring Bill in to help her out. Obama has the charisma, intelligence and judgment as well as broad appeal to bring this country together. He is comfortable with himself and doesn't try to morph himself into what he thinks it will take to win.
Obama 08
Posted by: Ann31 | January 2, 2008 4:07 PM
"See that?" he (Barry "Hussein" Obama) stage-whispered to an organizer at one typical stop in Des Moines. "Those are our targets."
Spoken like a true Muslim suicide bomber!! No thank you Barry "Hussein" Obama. I have hope you crawl back into you communist hovel.
Paulo
Posted by: Anonymous Paulo | January 2, 2008 4:12 PM
Erm, so he's a muslim AND a communist? Somebody needs to crack open a book once in a while...
OBAMA '08!!!!
Posted by: Joe G | January 2, 2008 4:24 PM
Paulo,
There you go again with your lies. Go back to the Clintons and plot your next sleazy attack. They're going to need it after tomorrow night. You people kind find any dirt on Senator Obama, so you just make it up.
Posted by: Carolyn Grace | January 2, 2008 4:37 PM
Well, We Love IOWA !
Barrack Obama is about to WIN in Iowa !
Good for Iowa !
Good for America !
Posted by: PulSamsara | January 2, 2008 4:49 PM
here in Texas we say: OBAMA in '08. Can't wait for my chance to vote for the man.
Posted by: rich | January 2, 2008 4:54 PM
To Obama is a mistake: You cant find anything wrong with Obama so you just make up lies. Senator Obama runs a clean grassroots funded campaign and answers ALL questions. He doesnt take any money from corporate lobbyists and when he is elected they wont have a place in the White House. Senator Obama has shown excellent judgment, he was right on the Iraq war when all other candidates voted for it except Kucinich. He was right about Iran, and right about Pakistan. Thats the kind of intelligence we want to lead our country.
Posted by: PJL | January 2, 2008 5:43 PM
We love Obama in Iowa!
Posted by: TishiJo | January 2, 2008 5:44 PM
The misinformation hate crows is out in force today. Anyone who has been listening knows that Hillary can't win the general election. Obama can. Vote for a winner. Obama '08!!! Iowa will make history!!
Posted by: amy R | January 2, 2008 6:08 PM
"See that?" he (Barry "Hussein" Obama) stage-whispered to an organizer at one typical stop in Des Moines. "Those are our targets."
Spoken like a true Muslim suicide bomber!! No thank you Barry "Hussein" Obama. I have hope you crawl back into you communist hovel.
Paulo
Posted by: Anonymous Paulo | January 2, 2008 4:12 PM
Take your meds, freak boy!
Posted by: Logic Prisoner | January 2, 2008 7:57 PM
Obama is the right candidate very bright and talented. Obama all the to WH
Posted by: Adam | January 2, 2008 10:08 PM
I saw Obama in Boston in December and I have to say he is the goods. I'm glad he is finally drawing the parallel between himself and Clinton: both from disadvantaged, fatherless families, both successful because of their own brilliance, initiative, and charisma, both tremendously book smart and street smart, but also with a deep sense of their own and others' humanity.
A vote for Obama honors Clinton. While I like Hillary and think she'd be at least a very good president, she combines the awkward wonkishness of Gore and the nepotism of Bush--hardly an inspiring choice in this year of greatest Democratic opportunity!
Posted by: LongTom | January 3, 2008 12:57 PM