By Josh Drobnyk
Sen. Barack Obama on Saturday dismissed the suggestion by his Democratic rival that party activists alone had propelled him to victory in many caucuses, instead crediting his wins to a "whole new generation of party activists" that his campaign is creating.
"We won Iowa yes because we had Democratic activists and we created activists out of ordinary people who had never gotten involved before," Obama said in an interview with The Morning Call. "That is why there was record turnout in Iowa. It is the same reason we won primaries in Virginia or Wisconsin."
He added: "What we are doing is not just taking some of the existing party activists but creating a whole new generation of people who are active and involved and engaged in politics. We are changing the political map."
A Huffington Post report today revealed a speech Clinton gave shortly after Super Tuesday in which she blamed her loss in the Iowa and other caucuses on what she called "the activist base" of the party - and MoveOn.org in particular.
"MoveOn.org endorsed [Obama] - which is like a gusher of money that never seems to slow down," she said. "We have been less successful in caucuses because it brings out the activist base of the Democratic Party. MoveOn didn't even want us to go into Afghanistan. I mean, that is what we are dealing with."
Obama's comments came during the middle of a four-city train tour through southeastern Pennsylvania on Saturday. In his first stop on the tour, Obama appeared to take a swipe at the media in the wake of Wednesday's debate, where he was grilled by moderators for his comments about small town Pennsylvania and the inflammatory sermons of his former pastor.
"I don't believe we can bring about change if we don't declare our independence from a petty trivial, nonsense that passes for our political debate these days," he said. "That may make for good headlines. That may make for good television, but it doesn't make for good government."
Asked to elaborate on those remarks, he said in an interview: "I'm happy to take tough questions and have taken tough questions on every one of the topics that has been raised."
He also said he thinks he can win the state on Tuesday.
"I wouldn't be campaigning hard if I didn't think we could win," he said.
Asked if he will win, he responded: "We are definitely the underdog. Sen. Clinton has a huge advantage. Keep in mind how quickly political perceptions change. It was pretty well established five weeks ago that she as up 20 and she had to win by 20 in order to make a dent in our popular vote lead or delegate lead. Her campaign was going around saying she was unbeatable in this state. I think we have done a pretty good job closing the gap but I think the pressure is on to live up to their claims."
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Comments
Senator Obama can win any primary he wants to win. He is our next President!!! Get used to it, you Republicans!!!!
SUPPORT OUR TROOPS, BRING THEM HOME, ALIVE. NOW.
Posted by: Don Fitzgerald, Chicago | April 19, 2008 5:37 PM
War is war. And to fall for one candidate's false claims that he's against it when the facts are:
1. He votes just like HIlary
2. He would have had to have voted for it had he been relevant
3. That 'speech' against the war--he retaped it for a commercial--it was so inconsequential at the time it wasn't on any real quality news footage.
4. Hilary was the one who penned Petreus into the corner on Capital HIll while Obama (granted a campaign speech committee op though not on the committee).
And if Obama wins, don't expect him to be any friendlier to the media or non-funding groups as he'll be fighting to stay in office and 'compromising'--the same 'problem' the far left used to walk away from Al Gore (Both parties are the same, man, vote fer Nader!).
I hope Hilary pulls it out. I think she'll be better for the Fall race and in the White House. Obama needs to mature.
But I fear if Obama wins, that I won't want to meet the new boss.
Posted by: Same as the old boss | April 19, 2008 6:26 PM
You can try to spin it any way you like but the simple fact is that Obama is winning because people have voted for him. Because people LIKE Senator Obama and they DON'T like Billary. If she can't even garner a majority of liberal Democrats, how on earth does she think she can win the general election ? ! She's been on Planet Washington too long.
Posted by: Daniel P. From Long Island, N.Y. | April 19, 2008 6:29 PM
I don't mean to be rude, but this seems less like a story and more like a pillow fluff.
Posted by: Got Mints? | April 19, 2008 7:10 PM
Folks, the Pennsylvania primary is a tight race. No one knows for sure how it will end. Can Obama win it? You betcha.
Hillary represents the machine, Barack represents the movement, the party is blessed with them both.
Woebegone are the idle well off and well connected. Here's to unemployment on K-Street.
Posted by: J K Marantette | April 19, 2008 7:28 PM
Hillary whining again? She really needs to get over herself.
Posted by: Rainy | April 19, 2008 7:29 PM
The division in the party isn’t the candidates’ fault - they’re doing what candidates do. It isn’t the voters’ fault - they’re allowed to be divided. Democracy is a good thing, right? Bbut too little in this primary has been about democracy.
The DNC has caused it, with not only this FL and MI nightmare, but what Dean is doing right now, in trying to stifle the voices of the remaining voters. The media is doing it, by taking sides, slanting coverage, and focusing almost exclusively on rubbish. And the powerful democratic political action groups and other organizations, like moveon.org, dailykos, democraticundergroud, etc. are doing it, by only furthering the agenda of half the party and spitting in the face of the other half. Folks, remember these are the very people who keep saying this primary is divisive and must be ended! NO, THEY DON’T DECIDE ELECTIONS, WE DO! If we give our power to them, we’ll never get it back!
Obama can dish it out, but he sure can’t take it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JNq7-aNIiM
Listen to Richardson at around 2:00 min.
Not to mention Obama’s a hypocrite: http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/obamas_oil_spill.html
She’s been getting hammered at all the debates, and suddenly Obama gets an equal amount of tough questions and the whining is deafening.
Posted by: Teri B. | April 19, 2008 7:52 PM
Obama is the nominee and Clinton should put her resources and support behind the party, instead of tearing him and it down.
Posted by: Wanakee | April 19, 2008 8:24 PM
[[Obama is the nominee and Clinton should put her resources and support behind the party, instead of tearing him and it down.]]
Could you tell me when Obama secured the delegates necessary to become the party nominee?
Oh? He hasn't? Neither one has?
Then I guess he's not the nominee yet, is he?
Posted by: julie | April 19, 2008 9:07 PM
As the percentage of undecided voters in the PA primary is still very high, it is very hard to predict the outcome of the election. Surprises are in order. Personally, I think that the sooner the question of who will be the party's candidate is resolved, the better it will be for the party and all others concerned.
Posted by: g. Anton | April 19, 2008 9:56 PM
Some fool here posted something to the effect that Obama is the Same As the Old Boss. Inane statement when you consider that MrsC is the wife of the OldBoss and has been running on her vast experience being a part of the OldBossTeam.
Please.
Posted by: Who's the same as the old boss | April 19, 2008 11:08 PM
barack h obama's chances of being president of the greatest country in the world are slim to nil
Posted by: brigitte | April 19, 2008 11:28 PM
It is peculiar to me that Hillary Clinton would be complaining about the activist base of the party.
First of all, didn't they help her husband during his troubles with the Lewinsky scandal?
Secondly, haven't we been bemoaning the apathy of the electorate for decades. I would think she would be proud of the ground swell of newly registered and active democrats.
Thirdly, if she doesn't have the support of the base of the party of which she claims membership, why is she still running?
Posted by: Miss T | April 19, 2008 11:39 PM
He can definitely win. Wait till this comes out:
http://www.hillaryproject.com/index.php?/en/story-details/what_hillary_clinton_and_the_media_are_hiding_from_the_voters/
Posted by: brioli | April 20, 2008 1:14 AM
I was so amused at this article. Obama has taken contributions and a contributor's list from the two biggest gasbags of the political machine, kerry and obama. He is up to his eyeballs with the political machine. He is the one who is friends with them, not hillary. Why you don't get your facts straight? And, I'll add, you idiot! I wouldn't have believed in name calling however your candidate has poisoned the well saying he knew hillary's claws would come out, that she is like annie oakley and that whines. The biggest whiniest fusspots I have ever known in my life have ALL BEEN MEN!
Posted by: Anonymous | April 20, 2008 11:02 AM
It doesn't matter who the Democratic candidate is, does it? The Republicans in spite of all their in-fighting at the outset have rallied for McCain....Rove, Cheney, Bush...NOT ONE is speaking against him because they know that contrary to all expectations, he is on the road to victory. His victory may also end the Democratic majority in Congress and will decide the individuals selected for Supreme Court Judges. He tells us he has no economic plan and will remain in Iraq if not 100 years at least a lot longer than any of us would like. We don't care. We're to busy in-fighting. The Democratic Candidate doesn't matter because no matter what the Democrats do for a candidate now, we are so divided we can't win. Just read the posts. Quote Patrick Henry...."We must all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately." I think it's too late for us...maybe in 2012.
Posted by: Elen | April 20, 2008 2:50 PM
I hope Obama does win here in PA Tuesday, then Hillary will have to call it quits FINALLY.
I heard and then read about an interesting fact last night - college students are not generally polled by the standard polling agencies, because many do not have landlines and aren't in public phone listings.
Student polls show Obama leads something like 78% to 21% on PA campuses. Thousands of new Democrats have been registered in my county and state-wide.
If the college students turn out to vote, Obama very well may win. I, for one, will be helping to get out the vote on Tuesday, to help Obama finish this right here!!
Posted by: Susan in PA | April 20, 2008 4:07 PM
The world need a real leader. It has been long time since a great americans lead the world. FDR, JFK lead the world into real great times, so its Barack Obama's time to lead the world into prosperity and growth.
Posted by: sad hazeen | April 20, 2008 5:37 PM