Well I hope he addresses Ted Kennedy more carefully next time.

Obama is emotionally tired. No matter how cooled and collected he isn't just giving policy plans. He is pouring his heart out. Everything he's got is on the line here.

While less emotional that's actually true for all candidates, even Mitt Romney

While an aide to Sen. Barack Obama, who spoke at a town-hall meeting yesterday in Los Angeles, tried to explain away the altered policy changes, analysts excused him, noting the passage of time and less-liberal competition.Barack Obama, senatorial candidate 04, is very different from presidential candidate of 08.Videotapes of debates and speeches obtained by Washington Times shows Obama took positions during his Senate campaign on nearly a half-dozen issues ranging from the Cuba embargo to health care for illegal aliens that conflict with statements during his run for the White House. For example, in MSNBC's Oct. 30 presidential debate, Mr. Obama hesitantly raised his hand and joined with most of his Democratic rivals to declare he opposed decriminalizing marijuana But as a U.S. Senate candidate, Mr. Obama told ILL college students January he supported eliminating criminal penalties for marijuana use or possession. When confronted with the statements on the video, Obama's campaign offered two explanations said the candidate had "always" supported decriminalizing marijuana, suggesting that his 2004 statement was correct. Then after The Times posted copies of the video on its Web site, www.washingtontimes.com, yesterday, his campaign reversed course and declared he does not support eliminating criminal penalties for marijuana possession and use. What is
Senator Obama going to say to republicans when asked why he favors granting drivers' licenses to illegal immigrants as Obama has admitted twice in debates? About Obama's present position that undocumented workers will not be covered in his healthcare proposal, yet when he was running for the Senate he said that children of undocumented workers should get the same healthcare benefits that citizens get? when they begin to ask him about negotiating in unstructured summits with the leaders of Iran, North Korea and Cuba without preconditions? What will Senator Obama say when Senator McCain asks him why he said in 2004 that he did not know how he would have voted on the Iraq war authorization and that his view of the Iraq war was not different from President Bush's? What will Senator Obama say when Senator McCain compares Obama's votes to fully fund the Iraq War in the Senate to Obama's rhetorical opposition to that war? What is Senator Obama going to say when Senator McCain questions Obama's claim to be "the most qualified person in America to conduct the foreign policy of the United States"? What is Senator Obama going to say when Senator McCain says that Obama is not one of the most qualified members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to lead this country in today's dangerous world but instead one of the most absent? Senator Obama has not conducted a single policy hearing as chairman of the subcommittee on European Affairs of the Foreign Relations Committee?

Obama has to earn every vote, but his rival has inherited the Clinton legacy, voters, and publicity. People will not vote for Obama until they know him because he is new. On the other hand, people will vote for Mrs. Clinton unless they know differently. If no one campaigns, HRC will win %100 and Obama will get 0% of the votes. With hard work, Obama is gaining votes from converting HRC fans into his side or by bringing new youth voters to the contest. All HRC has to do is to slow his effort until he runs out of time. That what I meant by Obama has to earn every vote.

Posted by: Obama will lose against republicans | February 4, 2008 3:58 PM

Dream on nutjob,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ioy90nF2anI

As an independent I am waiting for the nominations to happen before deciding who to vote for. All candidates on both sides h, policies and good and bad points and friends.

However, I like how in this post Obama can be emotional and is pouring his heart out but one tear from Hillary and people rip her guts out. I don't think anyone is being fair and balanced.

Obama still needs time to prove his worth. He doesn't have the network of domestic or world leaders on whom he can call to strengthen his policy positions. He is a new kid on the block in national politics. He needs to have at least two terms in the Senate, create some decisive legislature and travel the world and meet with world leaders before he can fully present himself as a viable Presidential candidate.

People, even the famous, who are drawn to Obama, are seeking some national salvation, seeking some utopian ideal to resolve the decrepit State of the Union. "Hope and Change" are great bumper stickers, but practical solutions are needed in reality. Obama may have bit off more than he can chew at this stage of his political career.

Have you ever attended a business meeting, or some gathering where you could hardly wait to get back home, or to your office to clean up that pile of papers, or junk that you have just looked at for weeks thinking how much you did not want to touch it.

That is what the "Obama Movement" inspires in many of us. It makes us believe that we-do matter, and we-can be better than we-are. Thats how the "We-Movement" will help make-the-needed-changes in the world.

We need a U S President capable of inspiring a POSITIVE MOVEMENT OF " EACH INDIVIDUAL HAS VALUE AND CAN MAKE A POSITIVE DIFFERENCE - in the world, not just a president who will dot the "I'S" and CROSS THE "T'S"; actually the "I" doting and "T" crossing is suppose to be a group decision anyway...

FROM ARTICLE ABOVE:

"Speaking to the audience before Obama entered the room, De Niro said he is not used to giving political speeches.

"I've never made a speech like this at a political event before," he said, interrupted by applause. "So, what am I doing here? I'm here because finally one person has inspired me. One person has given me hope. One person has made me believe that we can make a change."

Obama may have bit off more than he can chew at this stage of his political career.

Posted by: the truth | February 4, 2008 5:39 PM

YOU HOPE, you loser!!

This past birthday I was so confused about how old I would be,I actually had to use a calculator to make sure I was adding correctly ... it's easy to get confused. You feel 21 but you're well past 35.

Obama doesn't need any more seasoning or stewing or roasting or curing or proving or melding or mascerating or stirring or kneading... This is a time when we are looking for something more than the politics of usual. Some of you are content with that. You're okay with 10 more years of this or 100 years in Iraq.

Ask yourselves this, if universal healthcare is so important to Hillary Clinton, why didn't they try again after if failed in 1994? After all they had 6 more years to get it done?

I'll take Obama, thanks...

To the author, "Obama will lose against republicans":

You are correct that Sen. Obama has not serve his country as LONG as Sen. McCain, but that does not mean he has not served his country as admirably. The differences between the two candidates -- McCain and Obama -- in the general election, will be stark, unmistakable differences; young v. old, the past v. future. But when Obama beings to parse all of McCain's votes, positions, floor debates, etc. from his 25 years in the Senate, all of McCain's warts will be exposed, and it will not be pretty.

But more importantly, the leading issue among voters today -- left or right -- is the economy, and that is a subject McCain has gone on record as saying "he knows little about" how to bring economic prosperity to our nation. So, you know who is out of touch w/ what the voters want to talk about? McCain!

So, yes, if you and other voters want to spend their time on wedge-issues such marijuana use, drivers' licenses for illegals and stem-cell research -- that is your perogative. I, however, believe that bed-rock issues that bring our country together, such joblessness, ending poverty, the economy, global-warming, civil rights, health care, and a quality education for all -- will carry the day and should carry the debate. But I fully expect the cynics, such as yourself, to seek to divide us once again. Let's hope the nation will not let that happen this time.

Obama has great rhetorical flourish--when I heard him speak at the convention, I stayed up til 2 a.m. shoveling stones into my driveway--and I was 45! But inspiration even coupled with great policies is not enough, is it? We need to see how the media will treat our candidate--we need more time. I'm voting for Edwards in primary to remind H and B that I appreciated it when they stole his platform ideas and his ethos and I want to see MORE of this from them. Walk away from the nuclear, ethanol and other net loss energy technologies. Walk away from 'clean coal' the other 'white meat' and coal gassification. Walk toward reregulating our news media, a return of the Fairness Doctrine (yes, Oprah, even for you) and the 2nd choice or instant runoff ballot. That way a vote for Nader or McKinney in a fall election will not be a wasted vote.
It ain't over yet. It's just beginning. The news media could not WAIT to get rid of Kucinich and Edwards. They've started dribbling out their other stories a bit. Let's see what happens.

Oh, Lisa, I'm so sorry you're wasting your vote. I appreciate it and it will count, but it will not effect change in this country. Thanks for sharing with all of us, though. It's a nice gesture.

HELL NO!

NObama is our death knell!

I ASLO would like to know why the Clintons didn't attempt universal health care again during the Clinton administration? Why hasn't that been asked of her during a debate? Why hasn't Obama asked that of her??

I think both Obama and Hillary can win. I will vote for Hillary because she talks about policies and specifics.

"You talkin' to me? You talkin' to me? You talkin' to me? Then who the hell else are you talking... you talking to me? Well I'm the only one here."

Hello everyone,

Hillary would make a fine president. Obama would as well. What concerns me though is that Hillary fans, though I respect their reasons for support, refuse to acknowledge her high percentage of dislike among americans. Thereby refusing to accept that she would be less likely to win the general election in november. So despite two great choices for democrats, people must ask themselves the following: which candidate,Clinton or Obama, can unite enough Americans together and win the election in November? Very strong evidence points to Obama in this respect. I have read and heard clever rhetoric in attempt to spin this claim, but persuasion aside, the issue (and strong evidence) cannot be dismissed.

Obama needs to address the Larry Sinclair allegations! The pople deserve to know the truth!

from what i've read l. sinclair was treated for mental illness in 1999 and his address is at the mental home for elderly and disabled. he was treated for psychotic episodes, he was interviewed and the date he claimed to be in Chicago for 1999 Great Lakes Navy Training Center graduation took place between October 17-18.

Sinclair claimed to be in Chicago Nov 3-8. If this were true the media would have plastered it all over regardless of how they feel about Obama, its all about the ratings.

from what i've read l. sinclair was treated for mental illness in 1999 and his address is at the mental home for elderly and disabled. he was treated for psychotic episodes, he was interviewed and the date he claimed to be in Chicago for 1999 Great Lakes Navy Training Center graduation took place between October 17-18.

Sinclair claimed to be in Chicago Nov 3-8. If this were true the media would have plastered it all over regardless of how they feel about Obama, its all about the ratings.