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Dancing in the End Zone

October 31, 2008 11:57 AM

Obama campaign manager David Plouffe today on a conference call announced that the campaign of the lanky Illinoisan is advertising in North Dakota, Georgia, and Arizona -- the home state of GOP Sen. John McCain, which he won in 2004 with 77% of the vote.

There are no plans for Obama to travel to any of those states, Plouffe said, but he insisted they are in the “realm of the possible," and added that Arizona would be a battleground state were McCain not the nominee.

A CNN/Time/ORC poll of Arizona voters found McCain leading in the state, 53% to Obama's 46%.   

"We did a lot of work in Georgia and we still have quite a bit of staff on the ground," Plouffe said. "So we obviously stopped advertising there for a period of time but you know early vote is going extremely well in Georgia. And one of the reasons is the organization on the ground that’s still there – as so we look at Georgia you know, if we win it, we win it narrowly.  But if you look at the early vote, and again, we’re kind of out of the land of theory here in a lot of these states – we’re beginning to see how this election is likely to unfold based on the early voting patterns."

Plouffe said the organizing never stopped in Georgia, "and obviously the African American turnout, the turnout among younger voters is quite high and there’s still a big pool left so we just wanted the last few days that reminder on the air. Now they’ve obviously been getting our national advertising in all these states, but we’re going to complement it with some local adverting to see if we can get as close as we can. The same thing goes for North Dakota and Arizona...Obviously we’ve got a big map and the most challenging part about it is travel.”

Obama today started the day in Missouri, just flew to Iowa, will tonight hold a rally in Indiana, and end the day in Las Vegas, Nevada.

“We think a positive ad there can help make the case and we’ve got a lot of great organizing going on in Arizona," Plouffe said. "We think we’re doing very well with Hispanic voters in Arizona."

“If someone else had been the Republican nominee I think Arizona would be a core battleground like its Western neighbors," Plouffe said. "Obviously it's Sen. McCain’s home state, so he’s gonna overperform there a little bit, but we have, there’s obviously the public polls, all showing it close very close, our internal data suggested that this could be a very, very close race. It’s enough in the realm of the possible that you know, we want to put a little extra effort here in the end...we’re just gonna give it a go here in the last four days and see how close we can get it.”

“Nothing were doing is taking away efforts in the core battlegrounds," he said.

- Jake Tapper and Sunlen Miller

October 31, 2008 | Permalink | Share | User Comments (242)

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If 35000 people show up for a Obama rally, the opposition says they are seeking welfare, lazy, or playing hooky from McD. If 3500 show up at McCain or Palin rallies, they are concerned decent citizens afraid to lose what they have. Doesnt anyone else see the underlying tone of that message? We do need a change. Weve accomplished very little in the last 50 yrs with this mentality and maybe its time to try it from the top down instead. Sometimes, you have to pinch their nose to get them to swallow the medicine.

Posted by: tendergroins | Nov 2, 2008 8:57:52 AM

I find it odd that Arizona isnt at least 70 percent for McCain now. He barely has a lead in his own state? That speaks volumes for me. GOBAMA

Posted by: tendergroins | Nov 2, 2008 8:43:05 AM

I can't wait to see Obama's end zone dance. His leftist illuminati-based theme song should be: "King of Pain" by the Police because we'll all be in pain after Obama the King takes office.

Posted by: Jeff | Nov 1, 2008 11:21:37 PM

Bob: I have voted already - and I voted for Obama:) But we need to keep on the tails of people about voting. No more "my vote doesn't count" nonesense - elections get lost that way! VOTE. If all the people who support Obama get out and vote, we'll be electing him as our new President. McCain, Palin and all the Right Wing Lunatics that have been posting here for days will all be out in force and voting ... Their only hope? They have no policies to speak of - there one chance is that We stay home and don't vote. Don't do it this time. VOTE OBAMA.

Posted by: chester burns | Nov 1, 2008 8:31:36 AM

vote please vote early
Obama Biden

Posted by: bob | Nov 1, 2008 8:03:30 AM

I'm retired, registered republican and living in Arizona but my vote will go for Obama. McCains support for privatizing Social Security frightens me especially since the stock market crash.

Posted by: ThomasH. | Nov 1, 2008 7:45:02 AM

stfchbb,

When I read your post, it reminded me of a guy arguing that the '57 Chevy is the best car in the world with someone who thinks it was the '47 Pontiac.

Get out and see the world.

Our country is being left in the dust.

There are models - based on capitalism and democracy - but with much higher social standards.

There are countries where you can walk the streets at night without tripping over the homeless or fear for getting knifed.

It's time to do away with the Reagan philosophy that said that anyone sleeping in the streets was doing that because they wanted to.

It's time to lift our country up.

I don't see McCain / Palin saying that, let alone doing it. They are clinging to a myth.

Posted by: Paul New man | Nov 1, 2008 6:48:06 AM

Sally Bull,

That's bull, Sally!

Posted by: Paul New man | Nov 1, 2008 6:33:01 AM

Hussein Muhammad Obama is an idiot. Why is he wasting his campaign funds??? We know that Hamas and Hezbollah together with al-qaeda have donated generously to his campaign and he is has the funds to spend. But he is going to lose this election. Americans are not going to put a socialist in the White House.

Posted by: Sally Bull | Nov 1, 2008 5:07:42 AM

All the single cell morons are keep supporting John Mc-in-Vain. Think like an intellect, and support Barak Obama, and help him to bring back the real american values. If we miss this chance, then we will never, and even the God will say good bye.

Vote Obama, for better USA.

Posted by: Johnson | Nov 1, 2008 1:39:57 AM

Donald of Hawaii you're right on point and hilarious.Lets put McCain on permanent hiatus.Obama/Biden '08/'12

Posted by: Didi | Nov 1, 2008 1:38:14 AM

It is time to send Mr. McCain to the golf course and retirement. It's time for a change. It's time to restore the middle class.

Posted by: Joseph | Oct 31, 2008 11:54:59 PM

Obama going into McCain's home state...that is really amazing. And the amount of ground that McCain has to make up in the next three days is wild. He has to really stay on message and that has proven to be his and Pailns hardest task to date.
I am just glad that after two years, this race is coming to an end. I am really hopeful that Obama will win. Two years of running for the office of President is one year too long.

Posted by: francheska ;-) | Oct 31, 2008 10:51:10 PM

Obama needs to feed his hungry base, by letting his base see him campaign in Arizona. Now, that would be some real red meat.

Posted by: suv2001 | Oct 31, 2008 10:30:59 PM

I hope Obama continue to run TV ads in Arizona. Early christmas gift would be, Obama campaign in Arizona. For McNasty negative criticism of Obama, McNasty deserves to get embarrass in his home state.

Posted by: suv2001 | Oct 31, 2008 10:00:29 PM

smears,im sitting here looking at a copy of bos good friend mr.ayers book he wrote in the 70s...its dedicated to SIRHAN SIRHAN.......WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN THE US that so many social misfits and malcontents are coming to the forefront of our GREAT society??????

Posted by: chad |Oct 31,2008 8:06:49PM
*************************************
Given your lack of ability to punctuate or capitalize, I'm guessing that by "looking at" you simply mean staring at the cover? I doubt you can read anything of content.
Of course this is why you most likely obtain your radical right opinions by being listening to Rush & other nutcases? After it's better than thinking for yourself, right??

Posted by: Julie | Oct 31, 2008 9:04:15 PM

John - is this the same Khalidi that McCain gave 1/2 a million to??
Just wondering.

Posted by: Julie | Oct 31, 2008 8:07:29 PM

smears,im sitting here looking at a copy of bos good friend mr.ayers book he wrote in the 70s...its dedicated to SIRHAN SIRHAN.......WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN THE US that so many social misfits and malcontents are coming to the forefront of our GREAT society??????

Posted by: chad | Oct 31, 2008 8:06:49 PM

It seems to me that the trajectory of this race gives some credibility to a possible Obama win in Arizona or Georgia, particularly if turnout is higher than in the past among young voters and minority voters (not only African American but also Hispanic).

Recent endorsements reinforce this expectation. Support for Obama among Democrats is not surprising, but a striking development recently has been Barack Obama's endorsement by prominent Republicans. The most notable was Colin Powell, but others include former Republican Governors, as well as Charles Fried, who was Ronald Reagan's Solicitor General. Despite some policy differences with Obama, they have seen him as more stable, better informed, better qualified, and less impulsive on critical issues, including the nation's economic crisis.

Possibly more important, as the election nears, some conservatives have grown terrified at the thought that Sarah Palin might become president in a complicated and dangerous world where her incompetence would put the nation at unprecedented risk. Even with the hope that a Palin presidency would never occur, that same alarm has impelled them to lose faith in the judgment of Senator McCain, based on his selection of an unqualified candidate for the second place on the ticket. It would be a mistake to confuse their preference for Obama with a permanent shift in political allegiance. At this point, their overriding concern appears to be the nation’s safety, but their support for Obama in this election may not be a good predictor of how they will vote in the future.


Posted by: Fred Moolten | Oct 31, 2008 7:53:18 PM

Gary: "lowes4321, President Bush was able to get the economy growing again after 9/11 and Katrina. It was only after the Democrats took over Congress that the economy started to go down hill."

Give it up, Gary. Sit back and have a beer. No, make that several beers. Better yet, make that a pitcher of margaritas. You're going to need them.

Posted by: Donald from Hawaii | Oct 31, 2008 7:36:37 PM

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