Calif. Democrats warm for Clinton, wild for Obama (Reuters)

[marmar]

Calif. Democrats warm for Clinton, wild for Obama
Sat Apr 28, 2007 7:36pm ET


By Adam Tanner

SAN DIEGO, California (Reuters) - Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois wowed California Democrats at their annual convention on Saturday, drawing a more passionate welcome than Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton received hours earlier in this state that carries new clout in the presidential primaries.

More than 2,000 party activists frequently rose to their feet in cheers as Obama, who has served just two years in the U.S. Senate, talked about his desire to end the war in Iraq and usher in a new political era in Washington.

"It is time to put an end to this war," Obama, of Illinois, said at the convention center in San Diego shortly before many started chanting his surname.

Even Clinton supporters recognized Obama's speech -- full of generalities such as the need to "turn the page" -- had tapped into the crowd's emotions.

"It was the same thing in 2003 for Howard Dean," said Andrea Dew Steele, 38, referring to the former Vermont governor who made a strong showing early in the last presidential race largely because of his opposition to the war. .....(more)

The complete article is at: http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=politicsNews&storyID=2007-04-28T233607Z_01_N28345463_RTRUKOC_0_US-USA-POLITICS-CALIFORNIA.xml&pageNumber=0&imageid=&cap=&sz=13&WTModLoc=NewsArt-C1-ArticlePage2

[Colobo]

1. Very good for Obama!

[proud patriot]

2. I've seen both Clinton and Obama stickers in the Bay Area

:hi: I haven't seen stickers for the other candidates yet.

I haven't picked a candidate yet as I'm waiting for Gore

[saltpoint]

3. I bet California Democrats are happy to get out of the June primary hole

and into a more prominent role. There's a lot of Democrats in California. I bet they show up in droves for this primary, too.

We are in a different era in American politics now. Bush has been so categorically horrendous that we feel that with persistence and drive, and hard work all around, we're going to recapture the White House. I feel that way, and take energy from others who feel that way.

There's work to be done but good things are happening for the blue team.

[proud patriot]

4. I know I am

:)

[saltpoint]

6. We're going to whip 'em good, proud patriot.

Big win for the blue team in 08!

:hi:


:dem:

[AlCzervik]

5. this california democrat living in a red area is thrilled.

[saltpoint]

7. Hi, chimpsrsmarter. Well, maybe some of those red voters will

see the light and vote for a responsible ticket this time.

They owe us a couple of elections!

[AlCzervik]

8. well thanks to Doolittle up in district 4 i think things might turn around a little, his area

is really red but many of his constituents that supported last time round are pissed, really pissed. I'm in dist. 3 and Lungren (r) is my rep and his dem opponent that had almost no name recognition actually got 35% of the vote, i thought that was pretty damn good, hopefully he's running again.

[saltpoint]

22. Yes. The media are beginning to pick up on Doolittle, and maybe

he will step down. It would be great to flip that seat blue. It's looking as if 2008 will be another strong year for Congressional Democrats. Maybe we can dump Lundgren too. I'll be rooting for ya.

[illinoisprogressive]

9. I think I know why so many are going wild for Obama

Glen Greenwald in salon today was discussing the letter sent by the 50 dem senators to Broder over his hit peice on Reid.
and on the book by Tenet.
at the end he quote something he read this morning in Law1.
this pretty much captures also the mood of those who are gravitating to the Senator and his message:

I wasn't planning on posting today, and fortunately, I don't really need to beyond these few paragraphs, because this comment last night from DCLaw1, in response to yesterday's post, perfectly describes what I think is the critical point:

Stewart on Moyers' Journal

I'm watching Moyers' Journal, and Jon Stewart is the guest, with Josh Marshall from TPM to follow. It's caused me to reflect on the fairly recent past, and I am getting an almost cellular sense that something very profound is beginning to bud.

I have to say that a remarkably intimate, yet expansive, community of thought seems to be forming across television, film, and the Internet. There's a rather quiet, yet intense, movement of thought and expression building. It focuses not so much on any particular ideology ("right" or "left"), but on a common, critical-mass thirst to dispel the deception, irrationality, and utter hubris that has been corroding our proud country for what seems like an eternity.

An undeniable intellectual and social confluence is rapidly gaining momentum and solidarity. This solidarity is amazingly organic, not hierarchical -- its only guide is the sixth sense of skepticism, outrage, and, yes, reason. It transcends party. It is oceanic, atmospheric. An intellectual, moral, societal, and psychological gestalt as ancient as humanity itself, kept underfoot by a long winter, but indelibly germinating once again with the thaw.

It is literally everywhere now. The voices of blindness and rage cannot shake me anymore. I haven't felt such hope in a very long time.

[Cha]

17. I didn't know "50 Dem Senators

sent a letter to broder"! YAY!

Thanks for that post by Glen Greewald..very encouraging and inspriational words..in other words: "Not business as usual"..thanks be to our Lucky Stars!

[msongs]

10. howard dean had lots of SPECIFICS - and few generalities nt

[jcrew2001]

11. I'm starting to buy into Obama-mania

He's going to trounce Hillary - she never saw it coming.

She never predicted that she would lose to a minority. She was always planning on going against the generic white male, but she realizes that Obama has the charisma that she'll never have.

[Colobo]

13. Join us! Donate some money and get on board!

www.barackobama.com

[Tellurian]

26. Too early to call..

why disappoint people with over enthusiasm. We need team work, not more divisiveness. The Republicans will do that very well on their own thankyouvermuch!

[elizm]

27. You're not alone...

I see people that I know personally coming over to Obama every day. I took 3 people to a townhall in Charleston on Friday to hear Obama. They were all sitting on the fence and afterwards 2 of the 3 were convinced. When you feel the energy and hope at one of those events, and see the diversity of the crowds...all ages, all races, liberals, moderates, independents, and yes even some curious conservatives...you know something is up. So come on over!! :bounce:

[DemDogs]

12. "Turn the page" ...

Wasn't that a a big part of Edwards' 2004 language? Someone pointed out several places where Obama was using Edwards' language and themes. "Hope is on the way." Edwards doesn't own them, of course, but at some point doesn't it bother anyone else that Obama is lifting Edwards' 2004 campaign, but without the policies themselves?

[jakem]

14. I think you are thinking of Bob Seger...

On a long and lonesome highway, east of omaha.
You can listen to the engine moaning out its one lone song
You can think about woman, or the girl you knew the night before,
But your thoughts will soon be wandering, the way they always do.
When your riding sixteen hours and theres nothing much to do
And you dont feel much like riding, you just wish the trip was through.
Say, here I am, on the road again. there I am, up on the stage.
Here I go, playing star again.
There I go, turn the page.

[Tellurian]

24. Somewhat..

It will come back to bite him when he least expects it. Probably not from our side. The repugs hardly miss a trick and most likely have already picked up on his plagiarist skill. Obama will be responsible for his own demise at the hands of the people we warned him about. It's really a shame, his own supporters won't point this out to him. You can't win this game by cheating.

[TwilightGardener]

15. Read somewhere (no link) that Dick Morris thinks Obama came out

best in the debate, for one big reason--he looked like he truly belonged on stage with the older, more experienced kids (Hillary, Biden, etc.). It took the "lack of experience" factor away for a lot of the audience, and he stood as an equal and held his own. I concur, though I hate "Dick" Morris.

[Tellurian]

25. Dick Morris's only mission in life

is to hurt Hillary. Theres bad blood there. So, I'm sure he is preening himself after landing an important position with Obama. Now the stones he throws at Hillary will serve as fuel for the right wing to further divide the democrats.

[w4rma]

16. Lieberman/Dean all over again. Kerry took it.

All the polling and the support groups are similar for this point in time. I say this as a someone who is still a strong Dean supporter.

Clinton/Obama, Edwards.

Obama is much to evasive in his rhetoric. I prefer to know my candidate's leadership plans are solid.

[Colobo]

18. I prefer Edwards to Clinton, so

if she is "the one to beat" and Obama can't do it, hopefully Edwards will.

[w4rma]

20. Thank you!

Btw, if it turns out that my analysis is incorrect and Obama is the one best able to take Hillary down once the voting starts, I hope he does it.

[Clarkie1]

21. Well...

Chosing between Clinton and Edwards is tough for me, because they are both at the bottom of my list.

But, if push came to shove, I just couldn't bring myself to vote for "Mrs. Heir Apparent."

No way.

[Clarkie1]

19. I'm a Californian and by golly my vote is gonna count this round!

:-)

And unless Clark throws his hat in, it's gonna be Obama all the way!

[bigdarryl]

23. yeah but the pundits like Scarbourgh keep saying Obama is an EMPTY SUIT and created by the media ...

the idiot said this on Smerconish show the morning after the debate.