posted on December 10, 2006 12:41:42 PM new
In N.H., Obama Heightens 2008 Prospects
Updated 1:07 PM ET December 10, 2006
By NEDRA PICKLER
PORTSMOUTH, N.H. (AP) - Illinois Sen. Barack Obama drew large crowds curious about his presidential prospects during his first trip to the pivotal campaign state of New Hampshire while he decides whether to enter the Democratic race.
Several hundred New Hampshire voters turned out to hear Obama speak at a signing for his best-selling book, "Audacity of Hope," where he didn't mention the presidential race but spoke about a new political spirit to unite Americans and solve their problems.
New Hampshire's first-in-the-nation primary is over a year away and Obama hasn't even said whether or not he will join the Democratic field vying for the nomination. But he's already igniting excitement with his exploratory trip.
After the book signing, the senator was headed to speak at a $25-per-person fundraiser for the state Democratic Party in Manchester. All 1,500 tickets quickly sold out and 150 members of the media signed up to cover the event.
Obama also had coffee with the mayor of Portsmouth and planned to greet donors who paid $150 for the party fundraiser at a private reception. He also planned to speak to reporters at a news conference.
The freshman senator said at the book event that the government should be able to help make sure all Americans have basic health insurance, alternative sources of energy to reduce dependence on foreign oil and a diplomatic power that matches its military might.
He said American slaves, immigrants, women and workers have been able to change the country, and the current generation needs to recover that spirit.
"Certainly our politics is not expressing it," Obama said. "What we've come to be consumed by is 24-hour, slash-and-burn, negative ad, bickering, small-minded politics."
He said he saw an awaking of American voters in last month's midterm election, and played to the seriousness that New Hampshire voters take with their responsibility as the nation's first presidential primary state. "I know that doesn't apply in New Hampshire, where voters are always paying attention," he said, drawing a laugh from the standing room only crowd.
Because of their pivotal role, New Hampshire voters are accustomed to one-on-one attention from presidential candidates. Obama tried to accommodate them despite the large turnout, staying for over an hour after his speech ended to sign a book for every person who wanted one. He also chartered a plane to Chicago late Sunday night so he could stay as long as he needed to after his speech before the party to greet attendees.
Although he's only in his first term in the Senate, supporters have been encouraging Obama to try to become the first black president. If he runs, he would face front-runner Sen. Hillary Clinton and several other more experienced political hands who have been campaigning for more than a year in the state.
"I was on a different internal clock," Obama said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press on Friday. "It's only been in the last couple of months that the amount of interest in a potential candidacy reached the point where I had to consider seriously."
Copyright 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
posted on December 10, 2006 06:51:21 PM new
Obama is not electable as the US President, not yet. Right or wrong, America WILL NOT elect a Black President and I have serious doubts as to whether or not it will elect a woman. If the Democrats nominate him, they have INSURED a Republican victory for the White House. Unlike the campaign of 1984 where a very popular incumbent Republican President, Ronald Reagan, was running for re-election and it was all but guaranteed and the Democrats could afford to play to their left wing, with the nominations of Walter Mondale and Geraldine Ferraro, such is not the case today.
Victory is CRUCIAL in 2008, we have potential Supreme Court vacancies to fill as well as legislation that needs to get passed and signed into law.
Democrats cannot afford to be making political/social justice statements at this point in history, we have too much riding on the outcome of the election.
posted on December 10, 2006 07:07:39 PM new
This date, you have 14 women serving in the US Senate;
Barbara Mikulski (D-Maryland), 1987-
Dianne Feinstein (D-California), 1992-
Barbara Boxer (D-California), 1993-
Patty Murray (D-Washington), 1993-
Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas), 1993-
Olympia Jean Snowe (R-Maine), 1995-
Mary Landrieu (D-Louisiana), 1997-
Susan Collins (R-Maine), 1997-
Blanche Lincoln (D-Arkansas), 1999-
Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-New York), 2001-
Deborah Stabenow (D-Michigan), 2001-
Maria E. Cantwell (D-Washington), 2001-
Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), 2002-
Elizabeth Dole (R-North Carolina), 2003-
Of those 14, 11 states are represented out of 50
There are currently 70 women serving in the US House of Representatives out of 435 voting members and the member for the District of Columbia.
Obama from Illinois is the only Black member of the US Senate, as of this date.
There are 42 Black members of the US House of Representatives, as of this date.
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It is becvause of those statistics that I am conviced the US is NOT yet ready for a Black President or a Woman President, the numbers just don't add up yet.
posted on December 10, 2006 07:29:31 PM new
In the most realistic (cynical?) sense, I tend to agree with you. Can't help but like Obama though....so what do you think JustsimpleMe, who can win?
____________________________________________
May 1, 2003, America brings "democracy" to Iraq. November 7, 2006, Iraq brings democracy to America.
posted on December 10, 2006 07:41:41 PM new
It is easier to say who CANNOT win and that would be anyone perceived to be a Northeastern Liberal. Since 1970, two Democrats have been elected President, both from the South and both were perceived as Moderates by those electing them (Carter/Clinton.)
Carter was a Governor, Reagan was a Governor, Clinton was a Governor, GW Bush was a Governor, Governors seem to do better. Carter from Georgia, Reagan from California, Clinton from Arkansas and Bush from Texas. While Dukakis was a Governor, he was also perceived as being a Northeastern Liberal, he lost.
Honestly, I think a Midwesterner or a Western political and national unknown might be the ticket to winning.
posted on December 10, 2006 07:54:14 PM new
Interesting, it's true that recently we do like governors. More representatives than senators have become president historically too if I'm not mistaken.
____________________________________________
May 1, 2003, America brings "democracy" to Iraq. November 7, 2006, Iraq brings democracy to America.
posted on December 10, 2006 08:08:52 PM new
I think Obama CAN do it....needs to build up a bigger resume' fast!
Hillary can't do it...too many Cave Dwellers in this country still
JustSimpleMe, ""It is becvause of those statistics that I am conviced the US is NOT yet ready for a Black President or a Woman President, the numbers just don't add up yet.""
Ya, true, and a great commentary on the U.S...and this is the 21st century !!!....unbelievable...
It was in the early 1890s that the US Supreme Court ruled that "separate but equal" was acceptable in terms of racial segregation. It was not until the first part of the 20th century that women were allowed to vote. It was not until the 1950s that married women were allowed to control their own property in their own right. It was not until the 60s and 70s that racial minorities and women were guaranteed access to the market places and jobs.
National history and social environments move VERY, VERY SLOWLY.
posted on December 10, 2006 08:54:28 PM new
I also like Obama but then you've got the South (red neck states). Vote for a woman or black over their dead bodies they say to themselves quietly. Get out granddaddy or pappy's white sheets and say a Prayer over them, having a woman or black President isn't the Christian way of doing things down south ya all.
Can't you just see the beast voting for a woman or a black. Hells bells the beast might tell us her granddaddy was a Marine General who fought for the C.S.A.
posted on December 10, 2006 09:03:47 PM new
Uh, thank you for the well meant history lesson, JustSimpleMe, but I have been around long enough to have actually seen and lived through some of those changes and do know a wee little bit about history, especially concerning the rights of women.....
Moving on...other societies and countries have had female leaders ....some going back quite a ways in their history.....makes the US look so backwards....
posted on December 10, 2006 09:11:32 PM new
Big Peepa
Not all the South is like that and it is a fact that you DO NOT get elected President of the US UNLESS you carry a majority of the southern states. Add up the electoral college votes the South holds.
Alabama 9
Arkansas 6
Florida 27
Georgia 15
Kentucky 8
Louisiana 9
Mississippi 6
North Carolina 15
Oklahoma 7
South Carolina 8
Tennessee 11
Texas 34
Virginia 13
West Virginia 5
TOTAL: 173 ELECTORAL VOTES
Look how the Northeast, splits it's votes, the Midwest tends to be Republican, save Illinois, Wisconsin, sometimes Minnesota and a couple of others, the West it all depends.
With that being the case, IF YOU WIN THE PRESIDENCY, you at LEAST have to carry the MAJORITY of the Southern states.
My point is, I deal with HARD REALITIES, I spent a great deal of my youth chasing unattainable dreams, I prefer to concentrate BOTH on doing the HARD WORK to slowly make historical changes and on ACHIEVABLE goals in the here and now.
posted on December 10, 2006 09:15:53 PM new
yep...that's why kerry chose john edwards....thought he'd help get the southern votes.
ROFLOL
"While the democratic party complains about everything THIS President does to protect our Nation": "What would a Democrat president have done at that point?"
"Apparently, the answer is: Sit back and wait for the next terrorist attack."
Want to see a female President, then you will have to convice AT LEAST a majority of the population majority, which is female, to VOTE for a woman for President. That is the FIRST obstacle.
Look at the poll numbers, neither Republican or Democratic women come anywhere close to be able to unify enough to vote for a female of the opposite party, not yet. I doubt if the majority of women in either party would support a female candidate at a General election.
Old prejudices die very slow and agonizing deaths.
posted on December 10, 2006 09:37:14 PM new
""Mingo
My point is, I deal with HARD REALITIES, I spent a great deal of my youth chasing unattainable dreams, I prefer to concentrate BOTH on doing the HARD WORK to slowly make historical changes and on ACHIEVABLE goals in the here and now. """
I can identify with that statement very well, JustSimpleMe, but we also need people who are going after the un-achievable or we would really be stuck in the mud. We need the steady movers AND the sprinters.
And sometimes "slowly" just ain't good enough! Or always necessary.
I will be happy to get a competant DEMOCRAT into the presidency whether they're black, green, male, female or have one eye in the middle of their forehead....but I also realize that the green woman with the one eye has less of a chance
There is a part of me that says HELL YES to your above statement about going after the unachievable and the need for sprinters. Achieving that makes one feel really alive and vibrant.
You are right, we need both and I don't want progress to be needlessly slow, I am just TERRIFIED of another "Dubya" era, we can't stand another one, we will wind up with a terrorist small scale nuclear attack or some other horrendous tragedy that might well plummet us into World War III and certain annilation.
A great example of "measured" progress is gay rights. It was lunacy to think that gay marriage would fly and be accepted on a nationwide basis, AT THIS TIME. Civil Unions/Real Domestic Partnerships with EQUAL RIGHTS AND BENEFITS was doable. Legal rights and benefits were lost due to a word "Marriage." What the Gay community failed to grasp was the importance of perception by the dominant society and a realistic appraisal of the political landscape and makeup of the Judiciary. Yes, some states have forged ahead, some one grants marriage and now two are requiring that something EQUAL to marriage in all respects be offered, at least on a state wide basis. Look at what started all of this, back in the mid 90s when the Supreme Court of the State of Hawaii issued it's ruling. Look at the backlash, DOMA and a call for a federal Constitutional amendment banning gay marriage. Hawaii even passed a state constitutional amendment prohibiting same sex marriage.
We have to be very, very careful in evaluating what society is truly ready for and will accept, even on a grudging basis as compared to going into open rebellion.
Gingrich and the Neo Cons Plan for America that swept the Republicans into power in both Houses of Congress back in 94 started the God, Gays and Guns. WHY? Federal gun control and Clinton's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," which btw was a GIANT compromise and the gay community felt betrayed anyway. When Clinton was first elected, remember Hilary chairing the Presidential Commission charged to propose a National Health Care plan? That ended in total disaster and Democrats had both the White House and both Houses of Congress then.
posted on December 10, 2006 10:28:37 PM new
BOY! Do we agree on this:
""You are right, we need both and I don't want progress to be needlessly slow, I am just TERRIFIED of another "Dubya" era, we can't stand another one, we will wind up with a terrorist small scale nuclear attack or some other horrendous tragedy that might well plummet us into World War III and certain annilation.""
And I agree with you on the gay rights issue.
But not every issue is exactly the same.... look at how ungodly long it took this country realize that blacks were people, too! That was just plain wrong....how long do we need to make people wait for what is right? It took the steady movers but it also took the firebrands, the radicals, the "troublemakers", to bring it to a head, to say "to hell with those who object, WE ARE RIGHT and we are right NOW!"
Need more of that in this country.
Referring to the first paragraph...we may not have the luxury of taking our time......
posted on December 10, 2006 10:42:17 PM new
What's this???
"We have to be very, very careful in evaluating what society is truly ready for and will accept, even on a grudging basis as compared to going into open rebellion."
Just WHAT are you working to CHANGE America INTO????
Is there some utopic NEW America you're working to achieve? Like get rid of peoples values/ethics/religious beliefs so you can have some sort of 'NEW' country???
Sounds like the black helicopters are beginning to fly around here. lol lol
"While the democratic party complains about everything THIS President does to protect our Nation": "What would a Democrat president have done at that point?"
"Apparently, the answer is: Sit back and wait for the next terrorist attack."
posted on December 11, 2006 05:50:19 AM new
JustSimpleMe
Your right its not only the red neck south "Red States" that are behind in their thinking about blacks and woman. Right here in Pa I see bumper stickers that say things like "coon hunters have more fun". These are the same stupid people that vote republican and surely would not vote for a woman or black.
posted on December 12, 2006 08:22:36 AM new
bigpeepa
posted on December 11, 2006 07:56:31 PM
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JustSimpleMe
You just kicked Liar_k's azz up over her shoulders. Good job. I love to see her get PUNTED like that it make me laugh."""
That's why I hope JustSimpleMe doesn't put her on ignore....we'd miss the fun! !
posted on December 12, 2006 10:20:11 AM new
If linduh wants to believe I "came back" because of her then proof to the contrary wouldn't phase her....truth was never an issue with her...it just doesn't exist in her world.
If it makes her feel better (or feel anything) to think that she has influence of any kind on anyone then so be it....but I've never seen proof of it....
posted on December 12, 2006 10:38:42 AM new
Proof of the fact that I've never made that statement or insult is that you cannot provide a link to such words. Another proof is that I've never left.
Why you are keeping that fantasy in your little noggin is a mystery to me...probably wishful thinking on your part.
Ooops, I meant to speak softly because when you get a skunk all riled up he squirts his stinkyness all about.
