May 5, 2008
Posted: May 5th, 2008 02:10 PM ET

From
CNN

Watch Obama's comments Monday.

(CNN) – Sen. Barack Obama made a case for his ultimate electability in the general election in response to a question by an undecided North Carolina voter on the day before the state’s primary.

Obama conceded that his campaign has faced challenges during the last month since the bright light of front-runner status has been shined on him by the media, Sen. Hillary Clinton, and Republicans including Sen. John McCain, the GOP’s presumptive nominee.

“Once you’re a front-runner then it is, I think, the obligation of the candidates who are behind to try to whack you over the head and the press is happy to oblige,” he said only half jokingly. “There was a kitchen sink strategy employed,” he added.

“And we made some mistakes, some self-inflicted.” The Illinois senator also admitted Tuesday there was “no doubt” his campaign “took a hit” because of the controversy surrounding comments by his former pastor Rev. Jeremiah Wright, Jr.

“As tough a press month as we’ve had and as many attempts to knock us off stride as there have been, the fact that we’re still standing here and still moving forward toward the nomination, I think indicates the degree to which the core message of this campaign is the right one.”

“There’s something about our campaign that’s right, that’s true and I think can tap into the American people’s spirit for change,” he added after suggesting voters found him more trustworthy than his rival.

Then, Obama pivoted, turning his attention to McCain and laying out a number of policy differences between himself and the Arizona senator. “When that’s our debate, that is going to be, I think, a winner,” Obama said, adding that he believed he was “the best messenger” to deliver the Democratic Party’s policy positions to the public in a match-up with McCain.

“Sen. Clinton, despite what she says about being vetted, hasn’t gone through what I’ve been going over the last couple months because she’s not the front-runner” he said, after citing concerns about his failure to where a flag lapel pin and his association with William Ayres, a member of the 1960’s group The Weathermen.

Noting that he’s tied with McCain in polls and is making good showing in polls in some large states, Obama told the undecided voter “don’t buy into this electability argument.”

Filed under: Barack Obama


Roscoe   May 5th, 2008 6:27 pm ET

This is all because HILLARY wasn't prepared to campaign after super-tuesday and she wont make that mistake next time. HILLARY-2012– count on it

The new flavor   May 5th, 2008 6:24 pm ET

YES WE CAN!

Robert   May 5th, 2008 6:23 pm ET

YA OBAMA YOU ARE DA MESSIAH WE ALL LUVS YOU KEEP FIGHTING FOR DA PEOPLES

YAAAA

Kris In PA   May 5th, 2008 6:23 pm ET

Whiner.

Precious   May 5th, 2008 6:22 pm ET

We must truly be getting to the end of time. It took a fresh new face (Barack Obama) to divide America more (the church, democratic patry, republican party, family and friends).

ABG   May 5th, 2008 6:21 pm ET

Barach, please check your latest national poll numbers!

Your popularity has eroded due to your words and actions, not your opponent.

Will you stand by your words of April 11 that if Clinton wins Indiana, that is the tiebreaker?

Or, have you already flip-flopped?

dEMOBRAT   May 5th, 2008 6:21 pm ET

Yeah, don't buy into that.! Just elect the nominee with the most Liberal reputation, that has divided the Democratic voters in half and has lost the Independent vote, and never had the senior vote. That sounds like a plan!

Niky   May 5th, 2008 6:21 pm ET

he's a winner all the way!

Obama the Great Deceiver   May 5th, 2008 6:19 pm ET

your chickens are coming home to roost Obama

Kenneth M   May 5th, 2008 6:18 pm ET

OBAMA SHOULD RUN AN ADD WITH A PANDER BEAR WITH A NOSE LIKE PINOCCIO

Sara   May 5th, 2008 6:18 pm ET

Can we finally let down our guard and refer to "electability" as code for the doubt seeded by the Clinton campaign – that a black man cannot be elected to the White House?
That said, "Don't buy into this electability argument" make a LOT of sense.

Obama 08

James   May 5th, 2008 6:15 pm ET

Thats true.

Mike in Westchester   May 5th, 2008 6:15 pm ET

If you want to get a better idea of where some of the inaccurate negative information about Senaror Obama is coming from, search "Blumenthal" at Huffington Post.

Sidney Blumenthal is a Clinton operative.

SLO Bear   May 5th, 2008 6:15 pm ET

The right wing is saving all their good stuff on Clinton for potential use in the general, obviously. And CNN has been about as "fair and balanced" as Fox, or one could say that they've been "Wright" all along.

Ken of NC   May 5th, 2008 6:15 pm ET

I'm sitting here watching Wolf B. and Cafferty discuss the primaries tomorrow and where Senators Obama and Clinton have to do well when again OUT OF THE BLUE, CNN has to go back to Rev Wright. CNN let it go.

I am about sick and tired of CNN and Rev Wright. Let it go. Now I know you will not post this but at least someone there will read it.

GCG - Austin, TX   May 5th, 2008 6:14 pm ET

Excellent answer to her question. Very well reasoned, and hits on all the major reasons that the whole "electability" issue has really been dealt with back during the ABC debates when Clinton herself claimed three times that Obama could win.

E. loz Miami   May 5th, 2008 6:13 pm ET

Politics as Usual

lou   May 5th, 2008 6:11 pm ET

He is right. He hasn't used any of her baggage against her, and he is still winning. Part of me wants to see him dig into her, but I know she is a team mate, and you don't do that to each other. He'll be able to go after McCain with a stronger punch.

Alan Boyer   May 5th, 2008 6:11 pm ET

Obama continues to demonstrate his intellect and ability to think above the sewer. Hillary and some media just can't rattle him. If the DNC takes the nomination from him, it won't be because he didn't lost. It will be because the establishment wants to have fun guessing how many women Bill will play with in the house quarters of the White House.

from Boston   May 5th, 2008 6:10 pm ET

Obama has run out of steam – he can't speak without his teleprompter or his speeches and complains that Hillary copies policies from McCain. The problem with Obama is that he has plagiarized Clinton's policies since she has been speaking about them in detail on the campaign trail longer before Obama was forced to get specific on his proposals. He's nothing more than hot air.

The O   May 5th, 2008 6:08 pm ET

This is how I see it we have well informed voters and well pandered voters. Obama will never get the well pandered, becuase they will always vote for the person who tells them what they want to hear not the person who tells them what they need to hear. They want the easy way out not understanding that there is no easy way out of our problems we are in to deep. This is a no pain no gain situation we have to go through a little pain to get to where we need to be. If not well will fall deeper and deeper in to this mess......

OBAMA 08

get real   May 5th, 2008 6:07 pm ET

Too Late. I am totally sold that you are unelectable Mr. Obama.

You touted your superior judgement for too long. Then, America sees how much judgement you truly have.

Fool me once... Shame on you. Fool me twice, Shame on me.

Hillary 08

rachel   May 5th, 2008 6:07 pm ET

hmmm doesn't barrack ever get tired or saying kitchen sink? Every time someone says something abut him he says ohhh kitchen sink. It would be nice if some actually threw a real kitchen sink at him the next time he said it.

58 white old ladies for OBAMA   May 5th, 2008 6:06 pm ET

HER ELECTABILITY IS JUST LIKE HER MILITARY

SERVICE IN BOSNIA. HER VOTE FOR THE IRAQ WAR LIKE

MCCAIN'S. HER TACTICS LIKE CARL ROVE'S. WHAT CAN SHE

LIE ABOUT THAT SHE ALREADY HASN'T,

darko   May 5th, 2008 6:05 pm ET

The electability argument is not important....lol

This guy has no clue what's coming in the general election. His lack of knowledge and experience on key issues will be exposed at every chance.

CHANGE! lol

David   May 5th, 2008 6:05 pm ET

Lemmings follow one another off a cliff to thier death. They don't think of themselves, or the lemmings behind them. They just follow the lemming in front of them, despite the tradgic end.

Dont be a lemming.

Vote for Obama and the American people!

Be a patriot, demand more!

NCnurse   May 5th, 2008 6:04 pm ET

I am not buying it. I believe it. It is clear to me what you believe. I went to the website of Trinity Church of Chicago. It plainly told me what your church and its members stand for.

Gullible and Black   May 5th, 2008 6:03 pm ET

Poor Obama. First he lies about NAFTA. Then Powers tells BBC that Obama doesn't mean what he says about Iraq. Then he finally admits he was at some of the Reverends sermons. Then Obama gives his speech in Philadelphia that seemed genuine. But how in the world does one terrible showing at the Press Club by Wright get Obama to disown him. Roland Martin, a solid Obama supporter, gave Rev Wright an A for PBS; a B for NAACP; an F for Press Club. Obama is appealing to white voters and I'm just not buying into it. You are not an old politician; you are a new young opportunistic coward.

no more Hill-Billys   May 5th, 2008 6:02 pm ET

please hill billy go to the kitchen where it is steamy hot. leave politics. you are a disgrace to this country and all of humanity.

obama 08

Big D   May 5th, 2008 6:02 pm ET

I agree completely! Obama is electable, and I will vote for him.
O '08

SS   May 5th, 2008 6:01 pm ET

We the people are aware of the empty promises of what could of, would of , and should of been.

Hillary and McCain need to start talking about reality, not the someday approach.

The road of someday leads to the town of nowhere.

Obama has the most delegates and Hillary's argument of Michigan and Florida regarding the popular vote is unfair and delusional...

Obama has the country's best interests in mind and deserves a fair chance...

Support Barack Obama and vote for him.

Venus   May 5th, 2008 6:01 pm ET

That's my man! You tell em' Obama!

We know how the press and the Clinton's are working!

Keep going and stay focus!

sigh   May 5th, 2008 6:01 pm ET

“Sen. Clinton, despite what she says about being vetted, hasn’t gone through what I’ve been going over the last couple months because she’s not the front-runner”...Clinton went through even worse before you became front-runner, Clinton went through worse during Bill's presidency and Monica-gate...remember that if you win the GE, you will "be" the administration, you will "be" the country, you will "be" the US citizens, and will take the heat...if you can't stand it now, God help us if you win the GE

Independent   May 5th, 2008 6:01 pm ET

Independents are watching the short term pandering:
Gas Tax
90 day foreclosure even for criminals
This shows fiscal IRRESPONSIBILITY. "Vote for me I will give you money a few bucks" at the expense of the country. If she runs against McCain she will get at most 30% of independent vote.

Norman   May 5th, 2008 6:01 pm ET

I completely agree...

How can Hillary Clinton, arguably the most polarizing figure in American Politics of the last half-century, win a general election after she's divided her own party? To say that she is more electable may have applied a year ago when she was the front-runner with what seemed to be an insurmountable 33% lead, but is now as much a joke as her pandering and fear-mongering.

Also, she might be able to get away with slandering Barack Obama's name, but a veteran like John McCain? With her only campaign strategy likely not to work in a general election, she'd have to come up with something new quick, and she's running out of campaign members to fire to boot.

Patrick Peavy Plano,TX   May 5th, 2008 6:01 pm ET

I agree. Don't buy into an electability argument during an election.

Tennessee   May 5th, 2008 6:00 pm ET

He is not electable!

spencer   May 5th, 2008 6:00 pm ET

Oduma Drop out, you no talent and inexperienced person.....Hillary is the better choice.

Jason   May 5th, 2008 6:00 pm ET

The superdelegates sure aren't buying the non-electability argument since he picked up several today.

YES WE CAN.
Obama 08.

mimi de la cruz foe OBAMA   May 5th, 2008 6:00 pm ET

HILLARY'S DESPERATION HAS DRIVEN HER ENTIRE

CAMPAIGN. ELECTABILITY A BIGGER PROBLEM FOR

THAN FOR OBAMA. HOW IS SHE GOING TO BEAT MCCAIN

WITH HER CARL ROVE TACTICS. SHE ONLY FOLLOWS

THEM. THE REPUBLICANS INVENTED THEM. AND HER VOTING

FOR THE WAR PUTS HER IN MCCAINS CAMP FOR THE

100 YEAR WAR THAT IS HURTING EVERY SEGMENT OF OUR

ECONOMY. WHAT IS LEFT. I AM WOMAN.

Ratgurl   May 5th, 2008 5:59 pm ET

Why does anyone listen to the polls? They are mere snapshots of time, and there are a lot of democratic voters who currently want "their" candidate to win so badly that express they will vote for a Republican if "their" candidate is not the nominee. That is only emotion talking, and I believe that >90% of them will NOT vote to continue with war or the current economy, or a woman's right (& responsibility) to choose her own fate & future. Wouldn't it be great if, after tomorrow, we could start focusing on the general election instead of the childish tiff that has become the race for the Democrat nominee? NC & IN can help... vote for Obama!

Joe   May 5th, 2008 5:59 pm ET

There's an old saying. In the end, elections come down to being about the future. Once the American people see that John McCain is just a continuation of the failed policies of the Bush Administration and that Obama really does offer a chance to change the way Washington works, folks will see that Obama IS the best choice.

Primary is ending soon   May 5th, 2008 5:59 pm ET

CNN, why you are not reporting on the many super delegates who came to support Obama today. Eight superdelegates in less than 24 hours.

CNN: you are a biased media.

Allen   May 5th, 2008 5:59 pm ET

I noticed all the racist comments you let through while my comments wait to be moderated and eventually disappears. Obviously you feel threatened by any support for Obama. I plan to share this information out so America can see what a racist organization CNN really is.

don from canada   May 5th, 2008 5:59 pm ET

What a laugh Hillary doesn't listen to the Economists on the gas tax issue and she didn't read and listen to the expert reports on going into Irag either. So she voted with McCain to go to WAR and now she voted with McCain to stop the GAS TAXES for three months.
The Clinton's never do learn do they always WRONG !
Wake up Indiana and vote to get rid of her – she is an idiot !!!!!!!!

Mike   May 5th, 2008 5:59 pm ET

NObama, you are the front-runner simply because you fooled followers "early on."

NOW everyone is on to you, I have read (on these blogs) where MANY of your supporters wish they could take their vote back.

NObama, had the Rev. Wright and the "bitter" issues surfaced early on, you would be out of the race already.

You are a phony, you even look arrogant, you never smile and always appear wasted!

Go Hillary!!!

Jon   May 5th, 2008 5:58 pm ET

Don't buy into it? Why, because it's true?

Shameful elitist Obama.

mcd   May 5th, 2008 5:57 pm ET

where is the 6 super delegate announcements CNN? You waiting till midnight tonight hoping your readers won't notice all the Super Dems that got behind obama?

Your tactics are transparent.

HILLARY WILL BE OUR NEXT PRESIDENT   May 5th, 2008 5:57 pm ET

DON'T BUY INTO OBAMA'S LIES!
HE CANNOT GET ELECTED IN NOVEMBER WITH ALL THIS CRAP HE HAS CAUSED!!!!!!!

HE KNEW THAT WRIGHT WAS A PROBLEM, THAT IS WHY HE WAS NOT AT OBAMA'S CEREMONY!!!!!!

HE JOINED THIS CHURCH FOR POLITICAL GAIN BECAUSE THERE ARE VERY PROMINENT MEMBERS!!!

NOW THAT WRIGHT DOES NOT FIT HIS AGENDA HE THROWS HIM UNDER THE BUS!!!!!

HE IS DISGUSTING AND DISINGENUOUS!

HILLARY CLINTON GETS MY VOTE!!!!!!!

Ryan from New Mexico   May 5th, 2008 5:57 pm ET

Well the thing is that Obama needs to understand that we as Democrats are still in the Primaries and this "Electability Argument" is completely legit.....

My gosh, Voters who vote aginst you is a serious argument....STOP TRYING TO DOWNPLAY YOUR NEGATIVES....they are to much of a concern for the voters for Barack Obama to just say....forget about it

Debby   May 5th, 2008 5:57 pm ET

Yeah your the front runner because the Wright controversy came out after all those states voted. Lets see if you can win the general if you are the nominee and Clinton supporters stay with you.

The Truth   May 5th, 2008 5:55 pm ET

Obama can not win this election in November. Sure he can win some Republican primary states but when the rubber hits the road he will be defeated badly if he wins the Primary Nomination. Support Hillary a proven winner.

noemi in los angeles   May 5th, 2008 5:55 pm ET

CNN wont report it.
I will.

The chairman and vice-chairman of the Maryland Democratic Party are throwing their support behind Sen. Barack Obama on the eve of Tuesday's primaries in Indiana and North Carolina, giving the Illinois senator at least two additional superdelegates.

Obama only needs 273 more delegates to secure the nomination.

Obama 08

fred   May 5th, 2008 5:54 pm ET

You will get wacked!!! We ain't voting for you Obama, We will either write in Hillary or vote for McCain.....either way...you lose!!!

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