Political Punch
Power, pop, and probings from ABC News Senior White House Correspondent Jake Tapper
Jake Tapper is ABC News' Senior White House Correspondent based in the network's Washington bureau. He writes about politics and popular culture and covers a range of national stories.
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Bye, bye Miss American Pie
April 05, 2007 8:11 AM
My stellar producer Avery Miller and I are at the Mason City (Iowa) Municipal Airport. It's 5:05 am central time.
I'm told this is the airport where the plane crash took place that took the lives of Buddy Holly, the Big Bopper and Ritchie Valens. Their last show was at Surf Ballroom in nearby Clear Lake.
Their plans went down about six miles away, the woman at the Northwest Airlines counter tells me.
"Bad weather," she says.
The day the music died: February 3, 1959.
Last night, we reported that Sen. Barack Obama, D-Illinois, raised more primary cash than did Democratic frontrunner Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-NY.
To a packed gymnasium at Northern Iowa Area Community College in Mason City last night, Obama acknowledged his fundraising successes.
"A lot of media's been focusing on the fact that we've raised a lot of money in this campaign," he said. "And they're stunned, they said, 'How did this guy named Obama who hasn't been in Washington that long, how'd he raise this money?'
"Then they noticed that we didn't take PAC money," he said to enthusiastic applause. "And we didn't take money from lobbyists...
"100,000 donors all across the country, 90% of them contributed $100 or less. And that captures the spirit of this campaign. I'm going to get tired in this campaign, I'm going to make mistakes. If any of you doubt that, talk with my wife. But what I'm absolutely confident in is when the American people make a decision that we're going to tranform the country, the country's transformed."
Wish us luck on the flight --
jpt
April 5, 2007 | Permalink | User Comments (7)
reyonthehill - they weren't just any 3 young music stars, they were some of the biggest...Buddy Holly alone is one of the most influential in rock history
And if this didn't make me feel old enough, we studied Don McLean's 'American Pie' in English class because of all the symbolism in the lyrics
Posted by: phillygirl64 | Apr 6, 2007 1:00:24 PM
Barack obama's speech at NIACC was inspiring and gave a whole new hope for the possibiliies of tomorrow. Obama is a man that I believe may be up to the challenge of the presidency. I was very happy to be a part in his campaign yesterday.
...it was really a neat experience watching the taping of your news segiment last night. It was nice meeting you and Avery last night, I was quite impressed by how professional you were.
Posted by: suzy | Apr 5, 2007 2:49:25 PM
Obama's cash pile proves only one thing - he is as much of a breath of fresh air in politics as the nearest sewage pit. If anyone thinks he is not going to be beholden to the fat cats who raised all that money they are living in fantasy land
Posted by: Lionel | Apr 5, 2007 2:18:48 PM
I always wondered why that day was considered "the day the music died." Was it because three young music stars all died at once? That is probably the reason, right?
Posted by: reyonthehill | Apr 5, 2007 12:35:31 PM
EDWARDS CASHING IN ON WIFE'S CANCER
April 5, 2007 -- Democratic White House hopeful John Edwards' team has been collecting e-mail addresses from supporters who've sent his cancer-stricken wife, Elizabeth, notes - and using them for fund-raising requests, aides acknowledged yesterday.
--
This is pitiful. No wonder people are cynical about politics and politicians.
Posted by: Kalan | Apr 5, 2007 12:22:05 PM
Last night, I watched various news programs reporting on Obama's success and most asked the question why? Why...how could he do this? Most had disparaging remarks about his lack of experience....etc. etc. blah, blah,blah. Not one of them attributed the support he has garnered to the man himself. Not one of them got the fact that this man is an inspiration to hundreds of thousands of people. All different ages and colors and backgrounds. He has touched people in a way that Hillary and the others never could and regardless of polls and negative press has created a following that will continue to grow and energize him all the way to the White House. Maybe someone should report on that.
Posted by: Linda | Apr 5, 2007 10:37:16 AM
Now, it seems that quest for the Dem presidential nomination is truly a contest and not the shut-out that Sen. Clinton was hoping for. Sen. Obama's campaign has clearly shown its fund-raising mettle and its appeal to a broad segment of Americans who "put their money where their mouth is" by making small but significant monetary contributions. Can Sen. Clinton claim the same level of appeal?
Posted by: chuck | Apr 5, 2007 9:37:50 AM
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