by John McCormick
DALLAS – Sen. Barack Obama kept his dual focus Wednesday on the two fellow senators he hopes to beat to the White House, a day after he easily beat one of them in the Wisconsin primary.
During a rally at the Reunion Arena, Obama repeatedly told an audience his campaign said totaled 17,000 that they have several choices to make in this campaign.
"Today, Sen. Clinton told us that there is a choice in this race, and you know, I couldn't agree with her more," he said. "But contrary to what she's been saying, it's not a choice between speeches and solutions. It's a choice between a politics that offers more of the same divisions and distractions that didn't work in South Carolina and didn't work in Wisconsin and will not work in Texas."
The Illinois Democrat pledged that he would offer "a new politics of commonsense, of common purpose."
As he has throughout his campaign, Obama suggested that he would be a more successful general election candidate than Clinton against a Republican.
"It's a choice between going into the general election with Republicans and independents already united against us, or running with a campaign that has already united Americans of all parties around the agenda for change," he said. "That's the choice."
Obama continued his line of challenging Clinton for not rejecting contributions from federal lobbyists, as he does.
"It's a choice between a candidate who has taken more money from lobbyists and special interests than any other Democrat or Republican and a campaign that hasn't taken a dime of their money because we've been funded by you, the American people," he said.
Obama also offered criticism for the likely Republican nominee.
"If I'm your nominee, John McCain won't be able to say that I agreed with him on voting for war in Iraq, that I agree with him [on] the Bush-Cheney policy of not talking to leaders we don't like, that I agree with him on supporting NAFTA and permanent trade with China, because I haven't agreed to those things," Obama said. "That's the choice in this election."
As he encouraged supporters to vote early for the March 4 Texas primary, Obama suggested McCain would not offer change for the status quo.
"John McCain has already promised another four years of George Bush policies," he said. "He speaks of a 100-year war in Iraq, billions of dollars more in tax breaks for the wealthy, while ordinary people are struggling."
Former Dallas Mayor Ron Kirk suggested March 4, when primaries will be held in Texas, Ohio, Rhode Island and Vermont, could put Obama over the top for the nomination.
"If we win one, we're done, and Barack Obama will be the next president of the United States of America," Kirk said in his introduction.
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Comments
Look at the poll trends for Texas, Ohio and Rhode Island, and extrapolate out a couple of weeks:
http://www.pollster.com/08-TX-Dem-Pres-Primary.php
http://www.pollster.com/08-OH-Dem-Pres-Primary.php
http://www.pollster.com/08-RI-Dem-Pres-Primary.php
(they don't have one for Vermont)
Posted by: Tom J | February 20, 2008 6:05 PM
Once again, these are just rethorics. Explain to me what the " new politics of commonsense, of common purpose." is. What EXACTLY is obama going to do?
Posted by: Clare | February 20, 2008 6:42 PM
Here are some of Obama's contributors::*
Goldman Sachs
$435,178
2
UBS AG
$277,930
3
JP Morgan Chase & Co
$272,659
4
Exelon Corp
$269,900
5
Kirkland & Ellis
$253,089
6
Lehman Brothers
$248,190
7
Sidley Austin LLP
$233,825
8
University of Chicago
$228,156
9
Citigroup Inc
$206,937
10
Skadden, Arps et al
$204,866
11
National Amusements Inc
$201,100
12
Jenner & Block
$185,879
13
Harvard University
$179,600
14
Citadel Investment Group
$168,900
15
Jones Day
$158,400
16
Mayer Brown
$155,806
17
University of California
$137,272
18
Time Warner
$129,668
19
Morgan Stanley
$127,425
20
Credit Suisse Group
$124,450
Wall Street is represented here.
*http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/contrib.asp?CID=N00009638&cycle=2008
Posted by: the truth | February 20, 2008 6:45 PM
Harvey Mackay, in the popular pop business book Swim With the Sharks Without Being Eaten Alive says when you absolutely positively HAVE TO do something according to someone else, DON'T DO IT!
Take a cool-off and wait to se, because the deal probably can't get worse, but it might get better, or wash out entirely.
Posted by: Anonymous | February 20, 2008 6:56 PM
Obama tells the voters to make a choice!!!!
He really is acting like a president isn't he?
Maybe the voters weren't going to choose at all till he woke them.
Is there any depth or substance to him? If there is can we see it please soon?
Or else we can choose a movie star next time for smiles and fun before electing a proper politician.
Posted by: micki | February 20, 2008 8:38 PM
Thanks for the links, Tom. Clinton has a natural ceiling on support--no one feels they don't know her. As the campaign goes on, her support levels and drops; Obama's builds. (I tried and failed to find Vermont. But since Clinton is opening an office there sometime this week, I think it's safe to say they've been out-organized again.)
I don't believe anyone with access to the internet can't find details of Obama's plans. But since you ask:
Close Guantanamo. And make it clear that torture is a disgrace that we will not allow to be done in our name. Things that really are within the purview of the president, and can be done immediately, unlike 42-point plans that must get through Congress sometime in the next year or two.
Posted by: Deborah | February 20, 2008 9:19 PM
I work for cablevision, I am sure my private donation will be recorded as cablevision donation. Lies Lies and Lies.
The campaign law is very easy to understand, according law no single company can donate the amount listed in that website, they aren't even allowed to donate up to $6000 to any one candidate so if those figures were to be true Obama will have been attacked by opponents by now, this is another politics of the past, we are now in the future.
Posted by: mark | February 20, 2008 9:20 PM
Here's MY choice...NObama in '08!
Posted by: Rey Flores | February 20, 2008 10:30 PM
You want substance, go here:
http://www.barackobama.com/issues/
Download the Blueprint for Change. Read it.
Click on any issue under the pulldown menu and read. Then scroll to the bottom and download the plan for the particular issue.
Educate yourself instead of repeating talking points and labels.
If you want substance, experience it. Take responsibility and seak out what Obama has already created.
Real Plans. Real Change. Real Soon.
Posted by: Anonymous | February 20, 2008 10:51 PM
You want substance, go here:
http://www.barackobama.com/issues/
Download the Blueprint for Change. Read it.
Click on any issue under the pulldown menu and read. Then scroll to the bottom and download the plan for the particular issue.
Educate yourself instead of repeating talking points and labels.
If you want substance, experience it. Take responsibility and seak out what Obama has already created.
Real Plans. Real Change. Real Soon.
Posted by: Look for it Substance | February 20, 2008 10:54 PM
Go to the Library of Congress website. Do some research.
Barack Obama has gotten MORE LEGISLATION passed in the Senate that Hillary Clinton has, in four fewer years.
These are bills that have been PASSED, not just "introduced":
Obama's Success:
S.AMDT.1041 to S.1082 To improve the safety and efficacy of genetic tests.
S.AMDT.3073 to H.R.1585 To provide for transparency and accountability in military and security contracting.
S.AMDT.3078 to H.R.1585 Relating to administrative separations of members of the Armed Forces for personality disorder.
S.AMDT.41 to S.1 To require lobbyists to disclose the candidates, leadership PACs, or political parties for whom they collect or arrange contributions, and the aggregate amount of the contributions collected or arranged.
S.AMDT.524 to S.CON.RES.21 To provide $100 million for the Summer Term Education Program supporting summer learning opportunities for low-income students in the early grades to lessen summer learning losses that contribute to the achievement gaps separating low-income students from their middle-class peers.
S.AMDT.599 to S.CON.RES.21 To add $200 million for Function 270 (Energy) for the demonstration and monitoring of carbon capture and sequestration technology by the Department of Energy.
S.AMDT.905 to S.761 To require the Director of Mathematics, Science, and Engineering Education to establish a program to recruit and provide mentors for women and underrepresented minorities who are interested in careers in mathematics, science, and engineering.
S.AMDT.923 to S.761 To expand the pipeline of individuals entering the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields to support United States innovation and competitiveness.
S.AMDT.924 to S.761 To establish summer term education programs.
S.AMDT.2519 to H.R.2638 To provide that one of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available by this Act may be used to enter into a contract in an amount greater than $5 million or to award a grant in excess of such amount unless the prospective contractor or grantee certifies in writing to the agency awarding the contract or grant that the contractor or grantee owes no past due Federal tax liability.
S.AMDT.2588 to H.R.976 To provide certain employment protections for family members who are caring for members of the Armed Forces recovering from illnesses and injuries incurred on active duty.
S.AMDT.2658 to H.R.2642 To provide that none of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available by this Act may be used to enter into a contract in an amount greater than $5,000,000 or to award a grant in excess of such amount unless the prospective contractor or grantee makes certain certifications regarding Federal tax liability.
S.AMDT.2692 to H.R.2764 To require a comprehensive nuclear threat reduction and security plan.
S.AMDT.2799 to H.R.3074 To provide that none of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available by this Act may be used to enter into a contract in an amount greater than $5,000,000 or to award a grant in excess of such amount unless the prospective contractor or grantee makes certain certifications regarding Federal tax liability.
S.AMDT.3137 to H.R.3222 To provide that none of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available by this Act may be used to enter into a contract in an amount greater than $5,000,000 or to award a grant in excess of such amount unless the prospective contractor or grantee makes certain certifications regarding Federal tax liability.
S.AMDT.3234 to H.R.3093 To provide that none of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available by this Act may be used to enter into a contract in an amount greater than $5,000,000 or to award a grant in excess of such amount unless the prospective contractor or grantee makes certain certifications regarding Federal tax liability.
S.AMDT.3331 to H.R.3043 To provide that none of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available by this Act may be used to enter into a contract in an amount greater than $5,000,000 or to award a grant in excess of such amount unless the prospective contractor or grantee makes certain certifications regarding Federal tax liability.
Senate Resolutions Passed:
S.RES.133 : A resolution celebrating the life of Bishop Gilbert Earl Patterson.
S.RES.268 : A resolution designating July 12, 2007, as "National Summer Learning Day".
Posted by: Annie | February 20, 2008 11:17 PM
Hillary can't even run a decent presidential campaign so how do you think she'll do running the federal government?
Experience is as experience does, and Hillary's doesn't.
Posted by: Martin Edwin "Mick" Andersen | February 20, 2008 11:25 PM
OBAMA, GET OUT. BEFORE YOU LET MY 401K DOWN TO NOTHING, LIKE IT DID ON 911, YOU CAN NOT TALK TO OUR ENEMYS, ALL THEY WANT TO DO IS KILL US, GROW UP,THEY ARE HERE AND WILL STRIKE AS SOON AS PRES BUSH IS GONE, THEN IT IS PARTY TIME GOR THEM . CLOSE THE BORDERS AND GET ALL THE ILLIGALS OUT OF OUR PRISONS, AND OUT OF MY NEIGHBORHOOD, WHERE WE CAN NOT GET A JOB UNLESS WE KNOW SPANISH, MY GOD ENGLISH IS ON THE BACK BURNER. SHAME ON OUR GOVERMENT, AND SAME ON DUVAL PATRICK, WHO WANTS TO GIVE ILLEGALS FREE COLLEGE FEES, WHEN OUR AMERICAN KIDS AND THERE PARENTS ARE IN DEPT UP TO THERE EYE BALLS TRYING TO DO THE RIGHT THING.SHAME SHAME ON GOV D PATRICK OF MASS
Posted by: K MARAGIOGLIO | February 20, 2008 11:45 PM
The source for contributions--center for public integrity donorpedia project on bundling?
Why did the news media let him get away for so long saying he didn't take corporate funds?
Why just bring it up now?
Also--the son of hoffa--who delivered the teamsters' votes to richard nixon? Why is that a prized endorsement?
Posted by: anna nemos | February 21, 2008 12:31 AM
I'm thinking there is no choice anymore. The longer this has gone on all I see is more of the same from all of them. A politician is a politician.
Posted by: lochnessmonster | February 21, 2008 6:55 AM
Rey Flores,
What union did you get fired fraom & why?
Posted by: Doug Zook | February 21, 2008 8:59 AM
Annie
How many times do you think you copied and pasted the following under the bills that you claim he has, supposedly, passed?
"To provide that none of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available by this Act may be used to enter into a contract in an amount greater than $5,000,000 or to award a grant in excess of such amount unless the prospective contractor or grantee makes certain certifications regarding Federal tax liability."
I particularly love the "resolution" to designate 7/12/07 as "Summer Learning Day". Can we expect some other "earth shattering" ideas from the untried junior senator?
Posted by: Jefrey with 1 F | February 21, 2008 12:33 PM
Where's Hillary Clinton's TAX RETURNS? Why is she getting away with that? Obama should make an ad about how she hides and ducks on these issues and as president she would do the same thing.
Posted by: RuthieM | February 21, 2008 12:48 PM
Posted by: the truth | February 20, 2008 6:45 PM
Nothing new here - Wall Street wants to back a winner.
Posted by: BC | February 21, 2008 4:08 PM