Sunday, December 16, 2007

This Week With Barack Obama, December 9-15, 2007

cross-posted @ Daily Kos and One Million Strong



barack in independence, ia




Iowa Caucus Center
Nevada Caucus Center


::


Obama embraces U.S. soldier Brian Jesness during a campaign rally stop in Mason City, Iowa

Obama and Oprah's Last Visit, Manchester, NH
More than 8,500 people attended and they were not disappointed. To recap, over 18K in Des Moines, IA; over 10K in Cedar Rapids, IA; over 30K in Columbia, SC; and over 8K in Manchester, NH. Now if this is not successful, tell me why it was not. If Barack Obama gets the Democratic Nomination, without any doubt, the Oprah Winfrey effect will be one of the reasons. Read the live account blog with photos by jhutson.

Obama Apperances and Campaign Events

December 17, 2007 - Meet the Candidate, Barack Obama, Spencer, IA
December 17, 2007 - Meet the Candidate, Barack Obama, Storm Lake, IA
December 17, 2007 - Meet the Candidate, Barack Obama, Cherokee, IA
December 17, 2007 - Meet the Candidate, Barack Obama, LeMars, IA
December 17, 2007 - Rally with Barack, Sioux City, IA

South Carolina is Fired Up and Ready to Go!!! by Drewid
Three Weeks to Crunch Time
Hillary Following Barack's Lead Running Ads in Nevada
The BBC on Oprah
Summing up Oprah and Obama

Running on Hope
Unlike front-runners Rudy Giuliani and Hillary Rodham Clinton, Mike Huckabee and Barack Obama aren't selling electability or inevitability -- they're selling hope. Will that be enough to get them the nominations?

Friends and foes alike comment on the discipline of the well-oiled machine that is the Clinton campaign. Even Giuliani, well-known for sounding off at critics, has been remarkably disciplined in both his style and message. These strategic attributes may make Beltway pundits and wonks swoon, but they aren't qualities that have much appeal for voters. It's like the difference between getting a vacuum cleaner for Christmas versus a nice piece of jewelry. Sure, you really don't need the jewelry, but it's much more fun to open on Christmas morning. National Journal



obama in seattle, wa


Audio/Video

Des Moines Register Iowa Debate (real player required); NPR, Obama and Oprah Make Splash in S.C.; What Oprah Endorsement Meant for Obama; Wish Lists for Santa, Politicians in Milford, N.H.; Democratic Debate in Iowa Good Natured; Democratic Hopefuls Make Last Pitch to Iowans; Countdown to Caucuses, Part One; Countdown to Caucuses, Part Two; Precinct Captains leaves Clinton, Switches to Obama

Obama Signs up for Louisiana Primary
"Change We Can Believe In", Obama Op-Ed in The Daily Iowan
Samantha Powers Discusses Obama's Foreign Policy
Obama Goes To Work In Iowa's Small Towns

Polls

Yes, the polls are coming out fast and furious. Expect this through January.

Concord Monitor New Hampshire Poll; Rasmussen New Hampshire Poll; Iowa Independent Power Ranking; Quad City/Research 2000 Iowa Poll and Treadlines; Iowa Pollster.com; Georgia Poll; CNN/WMUR New Hampshire Poll; Hotline Iowa Poll; Strategic Vision Iowa Poll; SurveyUSA South Carolina Poll; Nevada Poll; Insider Advantage South Carolina Poll; CNN/Opinion Reasearch National Poll

Sorry Hillary, Obama is Electable
Obama Works Hard to Woo College Votes
Father's Abandonment Molded Obama

::

Going through my reading I ran across this little tidbit "Hillary Can't Beat Oprah". I thought, why would she try? One can only speculate that the announcement of Oprah stumping with Barack and Michelle, and then Team Clinton polling the affects of a Barbra Streisand endorsement makes one wonder. Will this really have an effect? I think it will. Since we are in the stretch to start the primary cycle, Obama prior to Oprah stumping, was on the incline in polling. This is across the board. So, one cannot state he has no momentum coming up to the January 3rd caucus. And if there is any consolation prize, it is that Barbra Streisand had the pleasure to be polled by Team Clinton for her possible effectiveness as the blunt to Oprah Winfrey. Notice the silence.


des moines register democratic debate

Inside Obama's Ground Game
At just 25 years old, Michael Blake may have more to do with Barack Obama's chances of becoming President than anyone besides the candidate himself. That may sound like a stretch, but Blake has the all-important job of bringing in new Iowa voters to caucus for the Illinois Senator. And while some campaigns may focus most of their efforts on one or two constituencies — the way John Kerry so successfully courted military veterans in 2004 — Obama is spending an unprecedented amount of money and effort to turn out a wide cross section of new caucus-goers.

"This is the most extensive effort to reach out to new constituencies in the Iowa caucuses, I think, ever," says Blake, who comes from the Bronx and was in the first class of "Yes, We Can!" a program Obama started soon after he was elected to the Senate to train minorities to more effectively use the political system. "Campaigns here have traditionally gotten attention for going after one or two groups. We're applying that principle and hopefully will enjoy similar success with multiple groups." Time

Kenyan Boy Dreams to be Obama
Professor Obama Will Restore the Constitution by Populista
Obama Friend Sells Candidate


obama at universal city in california

Endorsements/Announcements

Former Republican Congressman Perkins Bass to vote for Obama; Boston Globe Endorses Obama; Littleton Courier Endorses Obama; Three more Nevada Offices Opening for Obama Campaign; Congresswoman Betty McCollum (D-MN) Endorses Obama; Iowa State Representative Paul Shomshor Endorses Obama; Former SC Democratic Chairman, Joe Erwin Backs Obama; Congresswoman Carol Shea-Porter (D-NH) Endorses Obama; Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) Endorses Obama; Obama wins Salinas Straw Poll; Baltimore Ministers Back Obama; UNH Mock Presidential Primary Goes to Obama

Will Smith ready to Campaign for Obama
Obama Leading Internet Traffic
Chicago Defender on Michelle Obama
Obama: Saudi Arabia fosters human rights violations

::

Barack Obama has opened the floodgates for Americans to view how the government is spending its money. Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006 by Tom Coburn and Barack Obama allows anyone to track contracts, grants, earmarks, and loans. This is monumental legislation passed by a Republican Congress and President. More importantly it shows Obama's ability to broker relationships, across the aisle. This is drastically needed to get anything done in Washington, D.C. For all the information, check out barath's well sourced diary.

::

Obama Rising Roundup: Iowa Edition December 6-13
Obama Now on GOP Radar
Obama Organizing Nearly 1,000 House Meetings
Barack Obama Straddles Different Worlds


obama attends church services at the first congregational united church of christ in mason city, ia

shoutouts: after the election, by keone michaels; obama: congress' failure to pass hate crimes legislation, truly unacceptable; not for hillary, but loves bill; nyceve on consumer guide for health insurance; The Truth About Kyl-Lieberman (DL Won't Take off His blinders!); toxic toy alert...by jhuston; black kos; anatomy of a smear: winfrey gets attacked with lies by bob johnson; bush's mortgage plan: not good on several levels by bonddad; kos on hillary being "unacceptable as our nominee"



focus group after DMR Debate, obama wins


icebergslim’s last word: slime and staying out of the mud

Another one of those, “you got to be kidding me weeks?” Yes, we must remember desperate times call for desperate measures. Enter Team Clinton.

We all know we keep one eye on each other, while smiling, that is politics. We also know that whatever have been done in the past, we either can explain it or moved from it.

What can we expect from an inevitable machine as Team Clinton’s? Remember she brought us kindergate, staffing circulating the Muslim smear emails, oh and got caught again, planting questions throughout Iowa, astroturfing on Blue Hampshire (sigh), and now suggesting that Barack Obama may have sold drugs.

We all know Barack’s past with drugs as a teen, because he wrote about it in his 1995 book, Dreams from my Father. So to attempt to make this an issue in the primary is just ridiculous, when he has been vetted by running and winning the senate seat for the State of Illinois. Like Republicans did not know this?

But to insinuate, and the charge was made by Team Clinton’s now ex-New Hampshire Chairman, Billy Shaheen , that if Obama is the nominee, the GOP will question if he sold drugs, was way out of bounds. And of course, every time Team Clinton does this slime, they apologize, as if that makes it right.

Well, a lot of people were angered, mainly, the Black Community. This was talked up on Tom Joyner, an African-American disc jockey with a syndicated show nationwide, and all black radio, period. Many in the African-American community were taken aback. Why? Because whether you plan on voting for Barack Obama or not, the mere inference that he could have sold drugs, jolted the African-American Community. This is the same stereotypical framing that is expected from the GOP, not Democrats.

Well, Hillary Clinton kissed the ring. She personally apologized to Barack Obama, while waiting for him at the airport to board his plane to the Des Moines Register Debate. She did the right thing. This slime cannot go on, especially when you have no basis to it. And it does make your campaign and candidacy look weak and ill-equipped to handle the real issues, when you have all this crap running around you.

Billy Shaheen, Team Clinton’s former Co-Chair in New Hampshire has resigned. Good, we don’t need the likes of him sniffing around campaign doors. Will Mark Penn be next? He should be, after his awful performance on Hardball.

Anyway, The Obama Campaign has and will continue to run a positive and upbeat campaign. These tactics may be used to pull Barack into the muddy waters, but he refuses to play. There is much at stake for these upcoming primaries and caucuses and the last thing the public need is a bunch of distractions to keep them from voting on the issues.

See what poll numbers will do to one’s campaign?

Finally, I always close out with focus on obama and not the drama. You better believe that this message is resonating hard as we enter January 3rd.

Blogs and Websites

One Million Strong; This Week With Barack Obama; The Populista Report; Relentless Liberal; Washington State; Obama Dallas; NYC4OBAMA; NewYork4Obama; Texans for Obama; Republicans for Obama; Vermont for Obama; Independents for Obama; Seattle for Obama; Idaho for Obama; Asians for Obama; Bay Area for Obama; Sacramento for Obama; Families for Obama; Irish Americans for Obama; D.C. for Obama; Obama NH; Obama News Vine; Black Women for Obama; Obama Santa Cruz; Think on These Things; Iowa Republicans for Obama; Another Democratic Woman for Obama; RENObama!; Go Barack Obama


If you appreciate the weekly Obama Roundup, then Tip My Obama Jar!! Minimum five dollars. This contribution goes directly to the Obama Campaign. We are in the last stretch of fundraising, Quarter 4, it ends December 31st. Remember to make your contribution.



mr. snowman is excited and ready for change. he recognizes that no one has excited this country and transcended across the aisle, as barack obama. can you imagine what caucus day will be like in iowa and nevada? what primary day will be like in new hampshire and south carolina? how february 5th and beyond, will be off the chain for change? it will be people marching and voting for change. for barack. as, i always remind everyone, it is heating up on the boards as it should, and colder than "you know what" in iowa, but remember to focus on obama, and not the drama.

::

contact me @ icebergslim1047@hotmail.com
This Week With Barack Obama