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The Note: Rocky Roads in Denver for Obama-Biden
August 24, 2008 11:08 AM
ABC News' Rick Klein reports in a special Sunday edition of The Note: So now that we've seen what a real-life 3 a.m. moment looks like (what do you think Hillary Clinton did when she got that text message?) ...
. . . now that Sen. Barack Obama claimed the first Obama-Biden slip for himself (but just barely) . . .
. . . now that Sen. Joe Biden has proven that this attack dog remembers how to bite (and brings along clips that bite back) . . .
. . . what confronts the newly minted Obama-Biden ticket hasn't really changed that much.
Democrats are arriving in a gorgeous and welcoming (except for the police-state atmosphere) Denver with Obama's challenges fairly well defined, if not particularly easier to navigate.
Among the many measuring tools: Obama will be sized up against himself (with four days of themes to be shoe-horned into a unique resume). He'll be compared to (and contrasted with) with his new running mate. He'll be contrasting himself with Sen. John McCain (defined, for Democrats' purposes this week, as Bush the Third.) And always, always, there are the Clintons.
It's Obama 49, McCain 43 among registered voters in the new ABC News/Washington Post poll, and just four points -- 49-45 -- among likelies. (By now, Obamaland knows the drill.)
"Nearly half of registered voters, 47 percent, continue to think Obama lacks the experience it takes to serve effectively as president, a lot to lose on this basic qualification," ABC polling director Gary Langer writes. "McCain leads him by 2-1 margins as more knowledgeable on world affairs and as better suited to be commander in chief, and has moved ahead in trust to handle international relations."
And the factoid that may matter most in the Mile High City: 30 percent of former Clinton supporters aren't on board yet for Obama. On the other side: "McCain faces his own challenges: Fifty-seven percent think he'd lead in the same direction as the heavily unpopular George W. Bush," Langer writes.
What will Denver mean when we've been locked in the same race all summer? "The results show little movement from the last Post-ABC survey, conducted in mid-July, before Obama embarked on a highly publicized trip overseas, and prior to a series of fierce exchanges between the campaigns," Dan Balz and John Cohen write in The Washington Post.
Obama's "two overriding priorities," per National Journal's Ron Brownstein: "One is to resolve doubts about his qualifications and agenda that McCain has seeded this summer with ads portraying the Democrat as a vapid celebrity and a soft-on-defense, tax-and-spend liberal. Even more important, many argue, Obama must reframe the fundamental choice in the election from whether he is ready to be president to whether the country wants to continue in the direction set by Bush, particularly on economic policy."
The choice of Biden may heighten the import of national security in this race -- but listen carefully and you'll hear pocketbooks picking up the pace. "My main goal at this convention and through my speech is to convey a sense of urgency that so many families are feeling across the country," Obama, D-Ill., tells The Denver Post's Karen Crummy. "And to present a clear choice between continuing the same economic policies that have caused record foreclosures, rising unemployment, rising inflation, flat and declining incomes and wages, and a new approach to economic policies that I believe will create prosperity, growth and fairness."
Writes Crummy: "Going on the attack when running a campaign for change is risky, Obama acknowledges." Said Obama: "It's something I worry about and wrestle with all the time. I really prefer having a debate about issues."
Friendly advice: "While Obama can continue to try to reassure resistant Clinton loyalists in Appalachia that he's not a bogeyman from Madrassaland, he must also move on to the bigger picture for everyone else," Frank Rich writes in his New York Times column. "He must rekindle the 'fierce urgency of now' -- but not, as he did in the primaries, merely to evoke uplifting echoes of the civil-rights struggle or the need for withdrawal from Iraq."
Rich continues: "R.I.P., 'Change We Can Believe In.' The fierce urgency of the 21st century demands Change Before It's Too Late." What Denver will mean is a week to answer the critics -- those who say he can't/shouldn't/won't win.
And could any of those critics matter more than those associated with an ex-candidate named Clinton?
Read the rest of
The Note -- and get all the latest on the 2008 election, Congress, the White House and
the wide world of politics every day -- from Rick Klein by bookmarking this link.
August 24, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (32)
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As a Hillary Democrat, I have said the party screwed up big time with their annointed nominee; didn't matter if Biden gets added. It is still a very, very sorry ticket. Golden opportunity lost. My hope is Hillary will team with Michael Bloomberg and offer us the "dream" ticket.
Posted by: benvictor | Aug 24, 2008 11:45:23 AM
McCain supporters don't Google:
Songbird-McCain
Your so-called war hero won't remain
your hero.
Posted by: Kirk Muse | Aug 24, 2008 11:49:04 AM
The only CHANGE WE CAN BELIEVE IN will be the change in our pockets after Obama gets our money from his tax, tax, tax, tax policy IF he is elected.
Posted by: Michael McCoy | Aug 24, 2008 11:50:26 AM
After Rev. Wright came into the scene Obama never recovered. People realized he was a sham. Ever since then his poll numbers have been sinking. He only won the nomination on pure momentum. If the nomination were held today Hillary would win by a landslide.
The dems know they screwed up nominating Obama. Now they are trying hard to shore up his weaknesses but it is wasted energy. Obama's only chance of winning the presidency was to pick Hillary as VP.
Obama is going to lose this election and he has only himself to blame.
Posted by: Hillary2012 | Aug 24, 2008 11:54:24 AM
obama said he'd rathe debate? this from a guy who has dodged debates all along and basically refuses to debate mccain? sorry dude, you won't be taking my money from me if i can help it. hand my money to someone who WON'T do better for themselves. it's not they CAN'T, but they won't even try to do better. lazy bums, and obama wants us to support them. Hillary MUST become a third party candidate.
Posted by: stevie | Aug 24, 2008 12:02:23 PM
And Senator Obama did not want politics as usual? Here we have an old Washington insider and a new insider. Biden is no less than Cheney II in that Biden's sharp, no holds barreed, talk them down style along with his insidership will not likely be held off by Obama's pleasantness, smiley, get-along demeanor not to mention his inexperience.
Then we have in Senator Biden a man who plagiarized material during his college days and joined the conspiracy to demean, besmearch and rudely dispatch both one of the ablest of American jurists of his time, Robert Bork, and the reputation of the United States Senate. Please explain to me how this is not politics as usual.
Posted by: Fred Nose | Aug 24, 2008 12:08:22 PM
"What Denver will mean is a week to answer the critics -- those who say he can't/shouldn't/won't win."
---------------------------------
Hmmmm, and I thought what Denver will and should mean is an opportunity to directly present to the American people a direction and vision of where Obama-Biden and the Democrats want to take the nation. NOT to answer the political critics and pundits
Posted by: Michael | Aug 24, 2008 12:08:47 PM
Riddle me this: if the nation's voters did not like Biden for President in '88 or '08, why would they like him for Veep and a heartbeat away from the Presidency? Word to the wise: don't trust the polls.
Posted by: doug kaiser | Aug 24, 2008 12:09:06 PM
Man, these GOP *Hillary Supporters* sure get around.
For those unaware, the GOP is behind the *PUMA* & *Hillary was dissed* movements.
They'll be at the Convention, to disrupt, and try to make it like the Convention in *68.
That's not to say there aren't some disaffected Hillary voters... only that the majority are part of a GOP disinformation campaign.
Me, I've voted for Hillary three times.
She lost.
I'm happy to vote for Obama, and love the choice of Biden - - the REAL Straight-Talker in this campaign - - a basic working-class guy.
Posted by: jon | Aug 24, 2008 12:10:27 PM
I love the current ploy of the conservative commenters - pretend to be Democrats and whine about Obama.
As a real Demoocrat who supported Hillary I can say this: Any real Democrat will vote for Obama simply because any progressive is an improvement over our current situation.
The working class of America needs to understand that the miniscule cut in taxes given to them by the Bush administration has been overwhelmed by a devastating reduction in services and responsibilities of the government.
Your gas costs tripled, your toys are no longer safe, food is no longer properly inspected, infrastructure is ignored, levees fail, and three years later New Orleans is still devastated. And that's without even considering the failures involving Iraq.
The Three Stooges could run this country better than the current Republican elite. Obama will be a fine president.
All this Hillary talk is merely Republicans sowing discontent.
Posted by: mkoch | Aug 24, 2008 12:11:27 PM
I would love to se Hillary Clinton runs as independent candidate. I believe that we can win this race with the democratic party. With all the good things she had done for this party, I am ashamed that she was treated this way by this party. If experienced is what we Americans are looking for than this is an example of how truely bias and discriminated we are against women. Compare Obama to Clinton. He knows how to talk. She knows how to get the work done. He has no experience, no knowledge. She has the experience, the knowledge and the how to get it done. It's a shame that she did not get the nomination just because she is black enough , man enough and poor enough.
Posted by: susan | Aug 24, 2008 12:12:35 PM
Kirk Muse,
I've heard of this scandal. The group Vietnam Veterans against John McCain are plannning to swift boat John McCain n that exact scandal.
Posted by: Vanessa | Aug 24, 2008 12:13:53 PM
Obama needs a retired General to stand by him. Its to bad retired General Wesley Clark was taken out of play by the Republican smear machine. McCain has been singing the praises of General Petraeus in August in order to associate himself with General Petraeus. Active Generals are neutral in Elections. If McCain whats showcase a retired General endorsing his campaign that would be fine. The Troops contributing more to Obama's campaign was the news of August for Obama. Obama needs a General thats on the same page with him
Posted by: Bobby | Aug 24, 2008 12:14:28 PM
Thank you BHO... you saved me a lot of money by NOT picking HRC. I gave all I could to her campaign and was set to do the same for the Dream ticket... looks like I can watch the election from the sidelines where you put me. Let me know how it works out for you
Posted by: Chipo1965 | Aug 24, 2008 12:18:28 PM
Obama: Way too proud too arrogant and too vindictive to pick Hilary
He still believes the insane Barney style "We can do it! Yes we can" hype created by his campaign David Axelrod. Without Hillary he'll never make it. At this point it's all lip service from her no matter how broad she smiles or how loud she chants "Barak Obama! The next president of the UNITED STATES!!!".
Posted by: Dr. Dave | Aug 24, 2008 12:21:43 PM
Hillary running in a three way? Keep dreaming, Republicans. And stop pretending to be Democrats, you don't do it very well. The GOP needs to pay a better class of bloggers.
Posted by: mkoch | Aug 24, 2008 12:25:46 PM
as a hillary supporter i just cannot bring myself to do the better of two evils dance anymore.
the fear-mongering by both parties will help neither, but especially obama who said he was an agent of change.
the more i hear about bidens role the more he sounds like a pop-up cheney.
biden has been in politics longer than mccain, that alone totally diminishes obamas message of change.
Posted by: sonia trevino | Aug 24, 2008 12:41:31 PM
one of the issues i have found most disconcerting is the fact that both obama and his supporters appear to be totally oblivious to the fact that a significant number of hillary democrats will not support obama. instead of trying to bridge the gap and do something about it, both obama and his supporters appear to be in denial. obama supporters making comments suggesting that we are in fact republicans does not help it only reinforces the belief that the obama camp is immature in its thinking, and in denial. continued insults only strengthen our resolve and will not help win over hillary moderate democrats. also the party-line guilt trip does not work on mature voters, it only reminds us that the party dissed us after faithful service for many generations-it keeps the wound festering.
Posted by: sonia trevino | Aug 24, 2008 12:58:40 PM
Obama's theme "HOPE for some spare CHANGE". It's funny how he said "Washington has changed but it has not changed Biden". Make me laughs. Biden's son is a lobbyist for god's sake.
how is biden has credential with foreign affairs when he wanted to divide Iraq into 3 countries?? Make sure there's no conflict going on in the US because he might divide our country up.
Posted by: hannah | Aug 24, 2008 1:14:01 PM
JA, as usual, that's another Republican lie. What McCain offered was NOT debates. There WILL be debates, just not in the informal setting McCain suggested.
Posted by: mkoch | Aug 24, 2008 1:14:46 PM
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