Why Obama will win

1. 36 million people voted in the Democratic presidential primary. Eventually the shock of loss will wear off and most Hillary supporters will support the Democratic nominee. Just the thought of McCain should keep most in line with Obama.

2. Money. Obama has raised over $235 million during the course of his campaign. Money talks, especially when that money comes from more than a million and a half donors.

3. A majority of the country says we’re heading in the wrong direction. McCain and Obama claim they’re about change, but when you vote with Bush 95% of the time and go fundraising with him…it doesn’t help.

4. Fair media coverage. The media hasn’t attacked McCain too much since he got the nomination. The media also loves talking about Obama, whether in a good or bad tone. After the nasty primary race they’re not much more the media can accuse Obama of.

5. Different policies. One reason the primary was so nasty was because Clinton and Obama have nearly identical platforms. Obama and McCain have almost polar opposite platforms. The general election will seem a cake-walk when Obama doesn’t have to rely on personal attacks.

6. Volunteers. Obama has a national network of volunteers, the reason for his overwhelming caucus victories. With the nation in full primary swing, momentum has swung to Obama, and it’ll stay that way.

6/4 News

Obama makes history

Barack Obama addressed a roaring crowd yesterday as he declared himself the Democratic presidential candidate after passing the 2,118 delegate threshold. Obama weathered an improbable 17-month long campaign against once likely nominee Hillary Clinton. He praised the New York senator for her hard work and tenacity, as she pledged to unify the party without actually stating she was dropping out.

Obama’s delegate total kicked off the general election, as Republican presumptive nominee John McCain admitted either candidate would bring change. “But the choice is between the right change and the wrong change, between going forward and going backward.”

Obama responded quickly with a similar tone, attacking McCain for supporting Bush’s policies.

“It’s not change when John McCain decided to stand with George Bush 95 percent of the time, as he did in the Senate last year. It’s not change when he offers four more years of Bush economic policies that have failed to create well-paying jobs. … And it’s not change when he promises to continue a policy in Iraq that asks everything of our brave young men and women in uniform and nothing of Iraqi politicians.”

The first-term Illinois senator addressed 17,000 fans in a St. Paul stadium, where the GOP convention will be held in September. The historic campaign kicked off with a surprising Iowa victory on January 3. That began a firefight between the two popular candidates, Obama standing for change and Clinton standing for experience. Obama attracted the support of blacks, younger voters, more liberals and more well-off voters while Clinton was popular among Hispanics, working-class and women.

Clinton stopped shorting of formally ending her campaign as she spoke in New York. She admitted she was open to vice-president during a conference call with a New Mexico representative.

There are mixed numbers about the strength of this “dream ticket.” Critics said he needs Hispanic, southern and female support and point to candidates like New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, Nebraskan Republican Senator Chuck Hagel, Virginia Senator Jim Webb and Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano.

Huffington Post
Yahoo

It’s finally over

The exhausting, drawn-out Democratic Presidential primary has come to an end. After 54 contests and 35,000,000 votes, we finally have an unofficial candidate.

I say unofficial because Clinton hasn’t dropped out yet. What do you expect? A candidate this stubborn and egotistical doesn’t admit defeat easily. Sure, she will. But it’ll take some time, just like it took her time to realize the primary election wasn’t going to be a cakewalk.

The funny thing is that Obama was mathematically guaranteed the nomination by early March. But it kept going. Reverend Wright was brought up. Hillary slammed him to talking about “guns and religion.” Of course, Hillary and her husband haven’t exactly been grassroots for the past sixteen years.

Well now it’s assured. Every time she lost a front, she changed it. First it depended on delegates, then superdelegates, then popular vote. Every time she lost, she changed the goal post. Now Obama has won every front, and there’s nothing she can do.

I don’t think he’ll pick her as vice-president. There are a lot of people that don’t like Hillary Clinton. The kind of people that don’t like Barack Obama wouldn’t vote for him just because he has Clinton on his ticket. During this season, when one candidate loses, his supporters say they won’t support the other candidate. They always do.

So Barack Obama, don’t pick Hillary. Pick Bill Richardson. He’s a governor of a Hispanic state and Hispanic himself, he’s older, and has been Governor, UN Ambassador, Energy Secretary and Representative.

No one can top a beard like that.

Another pick, I think, is Chuck Hagel. Obama could fulfill his promise of reaching across the aisle by picking this Vietnam vet, former VA secretary under Raegan and Nebraska Senator. Hagel has said this will be his last term as Senator.

I think I’ll also plot my candidate support.
Q2 2007: Obama (Thought he was cool)
Q3 2007: Kucinich (Starting Digging)
Q4 2007: Paul (Kucinich can’t win)
Q1 2008: Obama (Paul can’t win)

And here I am. As you can see, I don’t care if they’re Democrats or GOP. Iraq war opposition, good economic policy and stricter foreign policy is what I care about.

Now that all liberals have a common opponent it’s time to throw our weight around. For years pundits have been saying that only a Democrat can win this year. They’re right. He leads in every poll.

YES WE CAN.

5/29 News

McCain staff leave Vets for Freedom

Senators Joe Lieberman (I-CT) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC) left the independent organization Vets for Freedom after yesterday’s story surfaced about the group’s anti-Obama ads. The group aims to promote victory in Iraq and Afghanistan but McCain’s “Relevant” policy prohibits his campaign staff from being involved in any independent organizations that comment on presidential candidates.

McCain started the policy after his Virginia leader Craig Shirley was discovered to be a paid advisor to a group that attacked Obama also.

NY Times

News Corp Chairman predicts Obama victory

Rupert Murdoch said at the Wall Street Journal’s All Things Digital conference last night that he thought Obama will win the election.

The Chairman of News Corps and the inventor of conservative media like Fox News called Obama a “rock star.” “I love what he is saying about education.” “He will win in Ohio and the election.” “I am anxious to meet him.”

Murdoch admitted he was a friend of McCain but cast doubt about his economic policy and long career in Congress.

Huffpo

DNC gives Florida and Michigan half of delegates

The Democratic National Committee’s legal team ruled yesterday that Florida and Michigan’s delegates can count for no more than half. The full count would’ve given Senator Clinton a huge boost in the delegate race. Both Clinton and Senator Obama pledged not to campaign in the states since they broke party rules and moved their primary too early. Obama had his name removed from the Michigan ballot.

Obama campaign manager David Plouffe said “We don’t think it’s fair to seat them fully,” but “we’re willing to give some delegates here.”

Washington Post

DNC falling short of convention fundraising

The DNC is having trouble raising money for it’s August convention in Denver. It’s still $15 million short of the roughly $40 million needed for the convention. The party is planning to give corporations a way to underwrite the convention. Many insiders partially blame the prolonged primary race for stealing Democrat donors.

NY Times

New York to recognize gay marriages and unions from other states

New York Governor David Paterson pushed state agencies yesterday to recognize gay unions and marriages made in other states. Currently California and Massachusetts are the only states to allow gay marriage, while some states like New Jersey allow gay unions. Paterson called the measure “a strong step toward marriage equality.” Former governor Elliot Spitzer failed to get a gay-marriage bill passed last year.

Ny Times