Obama in Texas:
He also told the crowd that McCain was “lassoed” to the policies of George W. Bush. Explaining why he was “tough enough” to run against McCain, he delivered his winning line of the night.
“I wouldn’t be here if I wasn’t tough,” Obama said. “Nobody gave me…Listen I’m a black guy named Barack Obama running for president. You can’t tell me I ain’t tough. Shoot!”
The crowd screamed loudly while Obama went on the attack against McCain, and he shouted out to them, “Settle down Austin!”
Yeah, I always figured that he would have answered the experience and toughness questions adequately if he won the nomination. I think he has. Meanwhile, his newest challenge is to fight off the media’s attempt to turn him into Jim Jones.
If the argument that a cult of personality has developed around Obama’s campaign, tonight’s event in Austin was a case in point. People in the crowd held up large cardboard signs with his face painted on them. The shops along the streets had posters with Obama’s face and the word “HOPE” on them.
Obama acknowledged the criticism of the enthusiasm that’s risen in recent weeks. “And ya know what? Well they make fun of you all too by the way,” Obama said.
I think Obama’s feeling a little giddy.
SO far, he’s exceptional at deflecting what opponents throw at him. Told one rally that McCain has placed lobbyists in charge they run their bus fron the Straight Talk bus. TPM covered the lobbyist calling clients from McCain’s bus.
Hope Obama continues to do well as GOP begins to throw mud.
Newest twist: Conservatives questions Obama’s patriotism because he refuses to wear a lapel pin.
Did Reagan?
wonder what patriotism was like before 9/11 or before lapel pins were an idea.
Oh my. they’ll find some more.
Btw, Nader has announced his quadrenial run.
“oops:” that should read they run their business from the Straight Talk bus.
the lobbyist thingy will follow McCain. Thinkprogress has more details.
Uber-Lobbyist Who Serves As McCain’s Chief Political Adviser Considers McCain His `Client’
a good line for Obama to keep hammering on.
A more important question concerns the “Support the Troops” magnet. Does O’bama have the magnet on his car?
Its obvious the Republican are going to run on the same old tired soundbite bullshit.
If you want to have decent international relations then don’t come across as the nazi super-patriot. Our economy and well being depend on someone who can see that fact. The world has many reasons to resent and hate us. The last thing they want to see is the US flag all up in their face. They have had eight years of that selfish shortsighted crap.
Good point.
“support the troops buttons, pins, magnets” what have you, an equally a dumb idea.If we support the troops give them the assets to manage and succeed in the mission.
Obama supports the troops, he wants to bring them home.
In Thursday night’s debate, Obama’s example of the Captain in Afghanistan scrounging for assets triggered the real argument. This anecdote just was not true roared the GOP.
Sen. Warner wants an investigation. Pentagon denied it but ABC and NYT confirmed the authencity.
pathetic
That’s because, as MoDo so helpfully points out, Obama is actually a woman.
And here I was betting on a “McCain can still get it up” column.
MoDo: one trick pony…
.
(Philly.com) Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign failed to file a full slate of convention delegate candidates for Pennsylvania’s April 22 primary … and despite a Rendell-ordered extension of the filing deadline that could be viewed as more than just coincidental.
It appears Clinton came up 10 or 11 candidates short across a number of congressional districts, including two in Philadelphia. That’s close to 10 percent of the 103 delegates to be decided by voters.
It appears the shortage would’ve been double that if Rendell hadn’t extended last week’s candidate filing deadline by a day and a half, ostensibly due to bad weather.
This at a time when Clinton’s campaign, like Barack Obama’s – which did file a full slate in the state – hoards delegates like diamonds.
Clinton’s faux pas is more of an image problem than a practical one.
Under Democratic Party rules (and does any organization on the planet have more rules or more complex rules?) a presidential candidate winning in a congressional district gets delegates from that district (assigned at a later date) whether he or she files slates delegates or not.
Still …
For a national campaign stressing competence, experience, “ready-on-day-one“, one might expect a full slate in what could be a key state. Especially given the backing of big-shot party leaders.
“The Clinton people had the support of the ward structure here in Philadelphia,” says Philly attorney Seth Williams, Obama’s eastern Pennsylvania coordinator. “We just had grass-roots volunteers.”
"But I will not let myself be reduced to silence."It’s the Can’t do campaign from BushCheneyRumsfeld’s playbook
Frank Rich’s Op-Ed in The Sunday New York Times:
The Audacity of Hopelessness
Being likable is now the evil.
Isn’t this sick. Because we have a candidate that can put a sentence together. And get people excited about voting. This is a bad thing.
I’m sorry. Say cult a thousand times over, does not make it true.
But if we want, let’s play the game. How brainwashed do you have to be to think, hey, her name is also Clinton. If we elect her, we can go back in time to the nineties, and everything will be beautiful.
Worked so well electing a Bush.