At this point, how is Barack Obama doing?

[Colobo]

I've been thinking about how he's been doing lately, in terms of polls, debate performances... and I wonder: how is his campaign doing? How are things going for him right now?

[Colobo]

1. Kick.

[calteacherguy]

2. In politics...

One day is an eternity.

Yes, he's gaining some ground and making significant gains with women and older folks, significantly.

He's broadening his base, which is the best thing a candidate can do.

[saltpoint]

3. I think he's the easiest candidate to get an objective read on.

Which is good for Obama.

For what it's worth, and it's just my opinion, I was less than thrilled with Mr. McClurkin in the entourage here recently and were I in charge of Senator Obama's campaign, a stern letter would be hand-delivered to Mr. McClurkin informing him that his services would no longer be needed for the duration of the campaign onward into the distant, distant future.

That said, I stood with county heavy hitters and watched the C-Span screen as Obama delivered the keynote address in 2004 from Boston. My colleagues that evening were hard-bitten realists who have seen campaigns come and go. They were stupefied by Obama's address, and justifiably so. It was a masterpiece. Evan Bayh's keynote address at a prior convention was polished and competent and as dull as pitch. Obama shook the rafters.

Today's poll out of Iowa suggests uplift for Obama's campaign nationally because so much depends on Iowa specifically. In any case, the yacking about the demise of his campaign is premature, IMO. It seems to me that he remains extremelly competitive.

It's my guess that the Clinton campaign is aware of that competitiveness.

[silverweb]

4. Definitely gaining ground.

But there's little time to celebrate and no time to relax.

There's a long way to go and a lot of work to do before anything is assured.


GObama!

[saltpoint]

5. Regarding Obama's poll numbers. Your question is the better gauge of

how he's doing in the campaign than the polling.

Polling is momentary and doesn't always get to all the components of the election.

Obama's support is largely unknown at this point, but there are indications that it is significantly more than the national polling would suggest.

Edwards, too, is not polling strongly nationally compared with HClinton but the three frontrunners are in a close race in Iowa.