Obama campaign shifts focus to general election states
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2008/images/05/12/art.obama.smiles.jpg caption="Barack Obama's campaign said they are campaigning in places to be competitive this fall."]
(CNN) - Barack Obama’s campaign says the Democratic presidential hopeful is now focusing his attention on general election battleground states, with plans to appear in Missouri Tuesday and the announcement of his first campaign stops of the year in both Michigan and Florida.
“Our schedule reflects the fact that we are still fighting for votes and delegates in the remaining contests but also that we are going to places that are going to be competitive in the fall,” Obama campaign spokeswoman Jen Psaki said Monday.
Voters in both Michigan and Florida went to the polls in January, but no delegates were awarded because of national party penalties for their early primary dates. None of the major presidential candidates campaigned in either swing state, and Obama did not appear on the ballot in Michigan. Hillary Clinton won both contests.
Obama will head to Macomb County, Michigan on Tuesday night and make two stops in the state the following day. He will also spend three days in Florida beginning on May 21, with planned campaign stops in Miami, Tampa, Orlando and Palm Beach County.
People of Michigan and Florida could you please read this carefully. Your states are the ones who decided on breaking the rules. They were warned by the DNC not to or face what has happened. All the candidates agreed to this.... Even Hillary. But in true Clinton form she but her name on the ballets even though she agreed not to. No where in this did Obama figure in. He followed the rules set forth from the DNC as did most other candidates.
Now I now Clinton believes that in her world she and only she can be president but face it-its over
Anybody who wants to be President and commander in chief cannot play the role of victim when the going gets tough on the campaign trail.
Blaming others for your own conduct and fudging history are not the right stuff for the Oval Office.
Debby, it wasn't Obama's fault the Michigan and Florida were penalized...the DNC penalized them. Had they not broken the rules this would be a moot issue. We can't change the rules in the middle of the game when we decide we are losing. How about Hillary take her name off the ballot in West Virginia...let's see what would happen.
This is not about the Democratic party anymore.
Nor about winning in NOV.
It is about being true to youself, standing up for democratic principles, fighting against the hatred, speaking against the terrible treatment of a true public servant, and being true to your convictions.
For me- that means Writing in Hillary Clinton.
No Obama and No McCain
It is hilariious how Hillary's supporters accuse Obama supporters of being so "nasty" and "vicious" when they have spewed just as much venom and hate over the course of this campaign.
Bitterness does nothing to save this nation from John McCain and his NeoCon agenda.
That is kinda funny, though....
i will never vote for obama and im not hillary supporter but after watching all the sexist attacks on Hillary by a fellow democrat ""I understand that Senator Clinton, periodically ... when she's feeling down, launches attacks as a way to boost her appeal" i will never vote for this man, no woman with self respect can vote for this man
WAY TO GO OBAMA!!!
JUST IGNORE THE BROKEN CLINTON MACHINE AND KEEP IT MOVING.THE SOONER YOU UNITE THE PARTY THE BETTER.
Please, Dems, I know that we all feel very strongly about our candidates, and that is a GREAT THING, but we need to remember how important it is for us to WIN THE WHITE HOUSE BACK IN NOVEMBER.
Keeping that in mind, please please please PLEASE, if you are a Democrat, vote for the Democratic nominee in November. Whoever he or she may be. I have a strong preference just like the rest of you, but I will vote for our nominee, when we have one, and I hope the rest of you will also.
Don't forget that Hillary and Barack have WAY MORE in common with one another than either does with McCain.
NO MORE BUSH IN 08!!! thanks for reading.
I love how some hillbots are encouraging her to run as an independent. Sure, split the “not-McCain” vote and he’ll get 47% and win. What a savvy move that would be.
It is obvious that Obama’s new vision and energy are not for the faint of heart or the set-in-their-ways. Some posters on here sound like if the Devil himself was running they’d vote that way instead of Obama.
It kills me that despite all the voting with the outcome being in favor of Obama, we still have her saying she’s the best and her UPPER CASE SUPPORTERS screaming about how they will vote for McCain if Obama wins. It’s Hillary or nothing…. Which ironically, is how she’s running her campaign these last few weeks.
Way to go Senator Obama! Ignore her and maybe she will finally go away. Keep your eye on the Presidency.
HRC needs to get out now and start the healing of rifts in the party she is destroying for personal glory.
People have said that Bill Clinton didn't have the nomination sewn up until June and won. The results were that he garnered 43% in the GE with Bush I and Perot splitting the Republican vote.
With about half of HRC's supporters saying they refuse to vote for Obama in the GE, cutting off their noses to spite their faces, it is evident WE NEED TO COME TOGETHER SOONER RATHER THAN LATER!
Barr/Paul ( maybe) 2008
Finally a choice!
after reading blogs for months and contributing a word or two:
I can say the haters are even on both sides with nasty remarks about both candidates as well as supporters.
Just amazing how much cynicism has infected our system.. Yuck..
I will be in Miami FL to see Senator Obama. I will ask him why he cares about us now. Guess what this man will never win this state. Everyone here is so upset that their votes are counted. Even if he comes here and tries to charm us all.
There is a rally on the 18th of May in Miami for our votes to be counted i urge you to come.. At Bayfront Park.
Obama can not win FL, and MI. He is down against McCain and Hillary is up against McCain in FL.
This makes me so mad that he comes to FL now, after ignoring us so he could win the nomination. That is BS and not what a leader that wants real change in washington does.
Another superdelegate has endorsed Obama this morning: Rep. Tom Allen of Maine. The press release is below.
UPDATE: Two more superdelegates, Hawaii Sen. Daniel Akaka and Hawaii DNC member Dolly Strazar, have also endorsed Obama today.
UPDATE: Another superdelegate, this one Idaho Democratic Party Chairman Keith Roark.
To the moderate HIllary supporters: We appreciate and value your energey and welcome you to our team. To the angry/extreme Hillary supporters: We know there's nothing we can do or say to change your closely held beliefs.
Hillary needs to go Independent !!!
Go Obama!
I wish Florida and Michigan will get over it. Your state broke the rules! Obama followed the rules, Clinton didn't...and now they're trying to make Obama look bad.
STOP FLIP FLOPPING!
Good! We need to get on with this campaign against McCain.
And OMG!! PLEASE let them seat MI & FL, so these people who clearly don't know how to read or understand how this process works, will stop blaming Obama for them disqualifying themselves from the convention. Even WITH MI & FL, Clinton will not win. It's over.
Grow up and stop being so simple minded. She lost; it happens; we move on. You know there is nothing about this election that was stolen. Obama won fair and square. So, admit it, deal with the loss or just admit that your real problem is that you just don't want a Black man as your President. That would be better than your continuing to use excuses that are completely fabricated and irrational and make you sound uneducated, uninformed and gullible.
Obama O-8!!!
Never Obama - who is this 'they' you are speaking of? Nobody has harmed Ms. Clinton other than Ms. Clinton [and perhaps Mr. Clinton].
What is happening is that the voters are speaking and are rejecting Ms. Clinton. As far as I know, the voters of this country still have the right to vote for whomever they wish. And don't start spouting off about Florida and Michigan, because those states made their own choices and should suffer the consequences of those choices. Changing rules mid-stream should not be allowed, no matter who wins or loses as a result.
I was going to comment on the similarities between HRC and Obama, but Brian from New Jersey said it better than I could.
Get a grip, people, when you decide who to vote for in NOvember! I support Obama, but I will absolutely vote for HRC over McCain if she is the nominee. Put spite and emotions aside and consider where McCain will take us!
By the way, I'm a senior, white, retired female with HS education.
Has anyone considered if we elected a black president that should put racism to rest. No one will be able to play the race card anymore if we elact a black man to the highest office in the land. No more Mr. Wright.
Yeah! He's the best.
Go Obama, Go Obama-beat McCain.
Obama 08
Another thought, about how “Obama can’t close the deal.”
Remember when Hillary was on the talk shows saying “It will be me.” Remember how she thought that by end of Super Tuesday she would have put the lid on it. (What about “letting the process play out” at that time?)
Remember how she was ahead by over 100 superdelegates.
Talk about somebody not closing the deal. She’s like the ’78 Red Sox.
Keep movin’ those goal posts……
I truly wish the presumptive nominee of our party would publicly proclaim his status rather than leaving us (his supporters) twisting in the wind. It truly appears that the only people in America still confused about the status of this election are Hillary, the people she pays to tell her so, a few of you in the press corp and, sadly, our nominee.
I understand 50 superdelegates are lined up for Obama and they're going to trickle in, so as not to upset the Hillary supporters.
Obama 08