Tuesday, July 24, 2007

Obama Dominates Debate


Dems answer YouTube questions at debate
Newsday | July 24, 2007

by Glenn Thrush

CHARLESTON, S.C. -- A feisty Barack Obama clashed sharply with Hillary Rodham Clinton on issues ranging from Iraq to international relations to taking PAC contributions during Monday night's freewheeling Democratic debate sponsored by YouTube, CNN and Google.

Speaking against a backdrop of the Citadel, a bastion of conservatism and support for the military, the candidates fielded questions from mostly left-of-center Web users that ranged from the somber to the absurd -- sometimes in the course of the same question. A serious discussion of global warming, for instance, was prompted by a question posed by a Claymation snowman, who asked if the world would be safe for his children.

"I was surprised that the format really opened it up and accentuated everyone's differences," said Joe Trippi, John Edwards' top adviser, known for his innovative use of the Web.

On balance the YouTube questions were blunt and less crafted. The anything-goes format coincided with a more aggressive and sure-footed performance from Obama, accused of being flat and long-winded in previous debates. Obama, who opposed the war from its start, said he was unimpressed by Clinton's recent push to get the Pentagon to release details of their strategy for withdrawing eventually from Iraq.

"One thing I have to say about Senator Clinton's comments," said Obama, who was serving in the Illinois state legislature when Clinton voted for the invasion in 2002. "The time for us to ask how are we going to get out of Iraq was before we went in."



Clinton shot back when Obama talked about the need for a president to talk directly with leaders of countries that clash with the U.S., including Iran, Venezuela and North Korea. "I think that it's a disgrace we have not spoken to them," said Obama, adding he would be willing to meet with those leaders "unconditionally" during his first year in the White House.

Clinton, her voice rising, replied, "I will not promise to meet with leaders of these countries during my first year ... I don't want to be used for propaganda purposes ... We're not going to just have our president meet with Fidel Castro and Hugo Chavez and, you know, the president of North Korea, Iran and Syria until we know better what the way forward would be."

Obama, who is beating Clinton in fundraising but trailing by an average of 15 points in national polls, seemed much more at ease than in previous debates.

Obama aides said he romped in in focus groups of debate viewers. But Clinton's pollster Mark Penn said Obama's commitment to meeting hostile foreign leaders would haunt his campaign bypointing up his inexperience. "When you got the money question, he stumbled," said Penn, when asked if Obama appeared more relaxed Monday night. "This election is not about being relaxed and limber, it's about how are you going to deal with the most difficult questions that face a world leader."

Each candidate was asked to submit their own YouTube campaign videos. The most jarring video was John Edwards', which featured the song "Hair" -- a reference to the spate of stories about his $400 haircut -- played over images of soldiers in Iraq and starving children.

Clinton and Sen. Joe Biden of Delaware clashed on how to deal with genocide in Darfur. Biden, who favors a U.S ground presence, said, "Twenty-five hundred American troops ... can stop the genocide now." Moderator Anderson Cooper pressed Clinton to see if she agreed. "American ground troops I don't think belong in Darfur at this time," she said.

Clinton demurred at the end when candidates were asked to say something positive -- and negative -- about the person standing to their left: in her case, Barack Obama.

Edwards happened to be standing next to Clinton. After praising her Senate record, he peered at her coral jacket and said, "I'm not sure about that coat."

Wednesday, July 18, 2007

Senator Harkin has a request for you



Republicans support failure. And they are willing to continue to obstruct the will of the vast majority of the American public. It is that simple. We need to make the cost of continuing to do so outweigh their need to kiss Presidential behind. One way to do that is to turn up the heat. Whatever it takes, however long it takes…the time for accountability is now.

Call your Senators toll free, and let them know what you think about the Grand Obstruction Party and the Republican commitment to more of the same failure:

1 (800) 828 - 0498
1 (800) 459 - 1887
1 (800) 614 - 2803
1 (866) 340 - 9281
1 (866) 338 - 1015
1 (877) 851 - 6437

Wednesday, July 11, 2007

Obama Campaign Events coming up



Come meet other Obama supporters! Together we are strong! Help us take the country back! Sign up at The national Obama website

Events for July:

ConejObama Meeting
Time: Thursday, July 19 at 6:00 PM - 1 hour
Host: Erin Fairbanks
Location: Coffee and Dreams (Thousand Oaks, CA )
265 N. Moorpark Road #A
Thousand Oaks, CA 91362

(Janns Mall, across from Buca Di Beppo)

Booth at Warped Tour in Los Angeles, CA (Organizing)For any of you familiar with Warped Tour you know there are many political booths that get information out and recruit new volunteers. That's what we are going to try to do here, get Barack's name and vision out to this highly active community. It'll be an all day event, but up to four people get in for free to run the booth. Just a few people and one day and we can really make a difference in this state, which is so important in the primaries!

Feel free to e-mail me at ObamaWarpedTour@yahoo.com or IM me at ObamaWarpedTour with any questions or concerns.
Time: Saturday, August 25 at 10:00 AM
Duration:
Host: Erin Kelly
Contact Phone: 805 921-8095
Location: Home Depot Center (Carson, CA)
18400 Avalon Boulevard
Carson, CA 90746


National Events: Go to The national Obama website for more info...
Meet Barack Obama in Oelwein
July 14 | Oelwein, IA

House Party with Barack Obama in Elkader
July 14 | Elkader, IA

Meet Barack Obama in Manchester
July 14 | Manchester, IA

Camp Obama Training
July 18 | Chicago, IL

Monday, July 2, 2007

Bush thumbs his nose at America






Senator Obama said, "This decision to commute the sentence of a man who compromised our national security cements the legacy of an Administration characterized by a politics of cynicism and division, one that has consistently placed itself and its ideology above the law. This is exactly the kind of politics we must change so we can begin restoring the American people’s faith in a government that puts the country’s progress ahead of the bitter partisanship of recent years."

OUR CAMPAIGN SETS A CONTRIBUTION RECORD!!


Obama Campaign Raises $32.5 Million

By JEFF ZELENY

WASHINGTON, July 1 — Senator Barack Obama raised at least $32.5 million from April through June, he announced Sunday on his campaign Web site, attracting more than 258,000 contributors since entering the Democratic presidential race nearly six months ago.

As candidates tabulated how much money they raised in the year’s second quarter, Mr. Obama, of Illinois, appeared to be leading contenders from either party, raising at least $31 million for the primary campaign alone. Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, Democrat of New York, raised about $21 million for the primary, a spokesman confirmed Sunday, and about $27 million over all.

“Together, we have built the largest grass-roots campaign in history for this stage of a presidential race,” Mr. Obama said, adding that 154,000 new donors had signed on in the last three months. “That’s the kind of movement that can change the special-interest-driven politics in Washington and transform our country. And it’s just the beginning.”

Mr. Obama waited barely 12 hours after the fund-raising period closed to trumpet his success, a quarterly record for a Democratic candidate, hoping to depict widespread support for his campaign and to rebut suggestions that his candidacy is falling behind Mrs. Clinton’s. If her estimate last week that she had raised “in the range of $27 million” proves true, Mr. Obama will have outpaced Mrs. Clinton for a second consecutive quarter in money that can be spent in primaries.

John Edwards’s campaign said Sunday that it had raised more than $9 million, while Gov. Bill Richardson of New Mexico reported raising $7 million and Senator Christopher J. Dodd of Connecticut reported raising $3.25 million.

Republican candidates did not provide fund-raising figures on Sunday, but are expected to do so well in advance of the July 15 deadline for filing reports with the Federal Election Commission.

While candidates are allowed to simultaneously raise money for the primary and the general election, Mr. Obama has focused almost exclusively on primary money. The Clinton campaign has solicited both, and a spokesman, Phil Singer, estimated Sunday evening that about $6 million of its second-quarter money was intended for the general election, meaning it could be spent only if Mrs. Clinton wins the nomination.

So far this year, the Obama campaign has raised $55.7 million to be spent on winning the party’s nominating fight. In the last three months, an average of 1,500 donors a day contributed to the Obama campaign, many through the Web site or in response to more unusual appeals, including a contest to have dinner with the candidate.

David Plouffe, the Obama campaign manager, said in an interview Sunday that more than 90 percent of the contributors to Mr. Obama could contribute again. In addition to courting major Democratic donors, the campaign has had fund-raisers across the country for donors making small contributions, focusing particularly on early voting states, and has built a database of supporters and volunteers from events that cost as little as $5 per person.

“This gives us a deep financial base that will continue to allow us to perform strongly throughout the course of the campaign,” Mr. Plouffe said. “It also gives us a huge foundation of volunteers and organizational support.”

After spending significant money on the opening contests in Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina, the campaign will rely on a grass-roots operation in the states where primaries or caucuses are scheduled Feb. 5, Mr. Plouffe said. While the campaign focused intently on raising money in those states, he said, almost no effort was directed toward raising money beyond the primary campaign.

“The general election money,” Mr. Plouffe said, “is funny money.”

For weeks, the Clinton campaign had been seeking to lower expectations for the second fund-raising period. A memorandum sent last week by Howard Wolfson, a top strategist for the senator, estimated that she would raise “in the range of $27 million.” The campaign on Sunday had no comment on Mr. Obama’s fund-raising numbers.

While a spokesman for the Clinton campaign said a more precise figure was not available yet on Sunday, advisers to Mr. Edwards held a conference call to discuss their second-quarter contributions of $9 million. After raising $14 million in the first quarter, campaign officials said they were on track to reach their goal of $40 million this year and said they were not troubled by falling behind two leading rivals.

Jonathan Prince, deputy manager of the Edwards campaign, said that slightly more than half of the $9 million — $4.7 million — came from small donations. In the first quarter, more than 80 percent of donations to the Edwards campaign were $100 and under; this quarter, more than 80 percent were $50 and under.

This reflects the campaign’s effort to expand its grass-roots base and to rely more heavily on Internet donations. Mr. Prince said the number of contributors had increased by 70,000 in this quarter to reach a total of 100,000 donors.