“OBAMA SUPPORTERS” DAILY NEWS Monday May 19 2008

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

WELCOME TO “OBAMA SUPPORTERS” DAILY NEWS

Monday May 19 2008


75,000 ATTEND OBAMA RALLY IN PORTLAND

Esteemed DUer's, please consider taking a moment (or more) to graciously participate
by posting news and announcements about the Obama campaign on this thread. You can:

1. Post stories and announcements you find on the web. :think:

2. Re-post stories and announcements you find on DU,
providing a link to the original thread :applause:

3. Please "Recommend" for the Greatest Page :thumbsup:

4. Clinton supporters or “anti Obama posters please start your own “Clinton Daily News Thread”.

Get your DU-o-matic codificator (to format your posts) here
Read the Daily News Archives here

[slinkerwink]

1. thank you for this thread!

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

2. Latest Breaking News 75,000 ATTEND OBAMA RALLY IN PORTLAND

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=3314968&mesg_id=3314968

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

3. GDP 75,000 attend Obama rally in Portland!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=6020774&mesg_id=6020774

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

4. GDP PHOTOS: BARACK OBAMA speaks today at Waterfront Park in Portland, Oregon

(excellent photos)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=6021700&mesg_id=6021700

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

5. DKOS: (UPDATED w/ video) Obama has a crowd "the size of a city" - 75,000!

by John Campanelli
Sun May 18, 2008
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/5/18/183542/913/712/517968

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

6. OVERWHELMING - Portland SlideShow (UPDATED)

by Al Rodgers
Sun May 18, 2008 at 05:08:12 PM PDT
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/5/18/20037/6285/661/518011

[JimGinPA]

38. Great Pictures!

[Cha]

42. Nice! Thank you!

Fun Pics from Oregon!

[LakeSamish706]

7. Please stay safe Barack... I love ya man.... Our next President... Wow.. n/t

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

8. Here's my Obama/Oregon post: NY Times: Draws Record Crowd in Oregon

Obama Draws Record Crowd in Oregon

By Larry Rohter New York Times May 18, 2008



Barack Obama embraced his daughters and his wife during a campaign event in Portland, Ore.,
Sunday, which drew about 75,000 people. (Photo: Greg Wahl-Stephens/Associated Press)
An estimated 75,000 gathered on the banks of the Willamette River in Portland on Sunday
to see Barack Obama.

"Wow! Wow! Wow!" were his first words, as he surveyed the multitude, which included people
in kayaks and small pleasure craft on the river.



Tom McCall Waterfront Park in Portland, Ore. Sunday. (Photo: Chris Carlson/Associated Press)
It is "fair to say this is the most spectacular setting for the most spectacular crowd"
of his campaign, he told the crowd.

Previously, the campaign's biggest crowd was when the candidate spoke to 35,000
on Independence Mall in Philadelphia.



Obama supporters in Portland on Sunday. (Photo: Chris Carlson/Associated Press)

[LakeSamish706]

9. Please, please.. Keep him safe... We need you Barack... We really do... n/t

[goclark]

12. Please keep him safe

It is one remarkable man!

This is once in a life time for me and I am a Senior.

He is the internet, text messaging candidate.

Remarkable.
Please keep him safe.

[LakeSamish706]

13. I am so shit scared of that factor... Can't tell ya what it feels like to think about how...

close we are to the greatest President that this country has ever had...

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

15. Stop posting this on the Daily News Thread please!

This thread is for news, not opinions or the type of comments you are making.

Please do not do it again. You have done it three times now.

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

10. A Must Read: How to Market Obama to Your Republican Friends

Once you wash that "tax-and-spend liberal, squishy-on-national-security" label away, none of the other, lesser acusations the Karl Roves and Rush Limbaughs of this world can make against Obama will stick, either. All other things thus being equal, the younger, more intelligent, more dynamic, less "Washington Establishment", less 'tainted-by-special-interest-money' candidate should prevail. Even among Republicans...

How to Market Obama to Your Republican Friends

by Press to Digitate at DKOS Sunday, May 18, 2008

As a lifelong Republican, a Conservative, and a former GOP activist, operative and professional campaign manager, now ardently supporting Sen. Barack Obama, I feel that I have the proper perspective from which to advise this audience on how to "sell" Obama to your Republican friends, relatives, and business associates. There is a large reservoir of discontent among Republicans who are dissatisfied with John McCain as the GOP nominee. (snip) I'll try to give several viable talking points which should hold you in good stead with most any Republican you come across, talking politics with between now and the election...

In general, Republican voters dont have the same priorities as Democrats. The reasons YOU support Sen. Obama are most likely NOT the factors on which your Republican associates will make their voting decisions. (snip)

…You may not agree with the following policy conclusions which led me to cross over for the first time in my life, and vote for Sen. Obama in Virginia's open primary, but THEY DID. And these same issues will resonate with other Republicans in voting booths across the country this fall...

1. TAXES. As a member of the Illinois State Senate, Sen. Obama was cosponsor of a bill which ultimately passed, creating the largest tax cut in state history. Since the start of his presidential campaign, he has consistently favored a broad-based middle class tax cut. By contrast, Sen. McCain "voted against tax cuts before he voted for them", and has no real credibility on this issue among conservatives. McCain was very critical of the Bush tax cuts, which most Republicans believe gave us years of prosperity - until very recently. Obama can thus be taken more seriously than McCain as a President who will cut taxes, rather than raise them.

2. SPENDING. Most Republicans' biggest gripe with their own party - by far - is its failure to control the bureaucracy and reign in runaway federal spending and deficits. It is useful to mention that while the last five (5) Republican Presidents promised fiscal responsibility and balanced budgets, all of them grew discretionary civilian spending by tremendous amounts, and ran up ever larger deficits. Meanwhile, only Pres. Bill Clinton balanced the federal budget, and produced four years of surpluses, with the same forecast long into the indefinite future. A big problem with the federal budget is that almost nobody knows where all the money is going; its easy to add earmarks and pork barrel spending and special interest giveaways when the people back home cant tell the difference. Sen. Barack Obama's major legislative accomplishment in the Senate, the The Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006 has been to bring transparency to federal spending. Send your Republican friends to http://www.federalspending.gov which his legislation created, a veritable "Google of the Federal Budget", where anyone can research every dollar to see where their tax money is actually going. The whole Federal Rathole is now online, for the first time ever, inviting scrutiny from whoever has the patience to slog through it all. You dont have to be a CPA to realize that this does more in the long run to control wasteful federal spending than all the speeches Bush, Bush, Reagan, Ford, and Nixon ever gave on the subject, put together.

...much more at the link

[quantass]

11. MY GOD...Look at the size of that thing! Bigger than a number of Primaries.

[grantcart]

14. gallup for the morning folks

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

16. Cool video (on Faux Noise channel of all places) and more

Cool video on FOX!!
http://embeds.blogs.foxnews.com/2008/05/18/obama-draws-75000-in-portland/

Check out this scene at Waterfront Park today. Amazing!
http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/stateupdates/gGBfgK

Video of entire speech in Oregon with split screen showing crowd and boaters in the water.
http://www.nwcn.com/video/index.html?nvid=246479&shu=1

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

17. Oregonian's super slide show of the seventy five thousand

http://www.flickr.com/photos/theoregonian/sets/72157605128051788/show

amazing.

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

18. Is Hillary Scorching The Earth For 2012? (Redux)

Is Hillary Scorching The Earth For 2012? (Redux)

The Personal IS Political Sunday, May 18, 2008

Along the same vein as my previous discussions of Hillary's angry loyalist supporters who believe that sexism in the Democratic Party was to blame for Hillary's failure in the primaries comes this diary, which hypothesizes that these beliefs are no accident. The theory is that Hillary is encouraging a rift within the Party by sowing discontent and bitterness among her most loyal supporters, so that they will do everything they can do punish the Democrats in November just because Hillary couldn't beat Obama in the primary. And all this in the hopes that A) McCain will win in November, and then she can run for president again in 2012, and B) she can get revenge on Obama and the Party, by spiting them and subjecting the country to another term of Bush, all out of anger that she wasn't handed the nomination that she seemed to think she was entitled to.

I must say that I think there is probably a lot of truth to this theory. She consistently misrepresents the truth to her supporters, lying about her lead in the popular vote, making up more and more ridiculous metrics of success that supposedly prove that she should be, or is, the rightful winner. She distorts fact, she makes up new rules, she complains, and she blames everyone but herself. In the end this all works to leave her supporters with the sense that she was unfairly robbed of the nomination, even though she lost fair and square. She is the archetypal sore loser, and she is turning her supporters into sore losers.

And she reinforces the sense that she was unfairly denied the nomination by playing the victim, and trying to make it about her gender. On a recent conference call with pro-Hillary bloggers, during which she laid out all of her standard distortions and fallacious talking points (which I won't debunk again here, because I think most people can see through them by now, but if not, you can read about pretty much all of them elsewhere in my blog), she made this tactic very clear:

I want to thank you because I know its not been easy. I deeply regret the vitriol and the mean-spiritedness and the terrible insults and rhetoric that has been thrown around at you for supporting me, at women in general, at many of those who support my campaign because of who they are and their stand based on principle. I don't have time for their insults, I'm impervious to them. I figure it's a perverse form of flattery that they would spend so much time trying to tear me down when what we need to be doing is figure out how we're going to swear in a Democrat on Jan 20.

...more at the link

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

19. Also, He Never Apologized For Lots Of Other Stuff He Didn’t Do Either, So He Must Be An Asshole

Also, He Never Apologized For Lots Of Other Stuff He Didn’t Do Either, So He Must Be An Asshole

By: John Cole May 18, 2008 at 2:43 pm

Libby has the right take on this “POWERFUL” youtube video that Blake Fleetwood is begging us all to watch- it is nothing more than a hit piece on Obama. Otherwise, I am not sure why anyone thinks it is fair or appropriate to seem to beg Obama to apologize for a bunch of jackasses holding
up an “Iron my shirt” sign at a Hillary event. Same for the rest of the crap attributed unfairly to Obama in the “powerful” youtube video.

Maybe this is just the more rabid wing of the Clinton supporters moving into the anger phase.

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

20. So funny we forgot to laugh

So funny we forgot to laugh

Monkey Muck Sunday, May 18, 2008

Mike Huckabee did it again. He forgot that everything he says at any public event might be videotaped and recorded for posterity. While appearing at the NRA convention he "joked" that the sound of a chair dropping was the sound of Obama hitting the deck because someone pointed a gun at him.

He has since publicly apologized but his comment begs the question, does he really think that the idea of Presidential candidates, especially black Presidential candidates, getting shot is funny? Or is it just the idea of a black man cowering in fear of being shot is funny to the former Governor of Arkansas, a state that was no model or leader in the movement to desegregate the south in the 1950's and '60's? Or could it be the case that Huckabee thinks that Obama is an uppity black boy who needs to be put back in his place?

http://bp0.blogger.com/_JVVaXmiE24g/SDBJhUEtVyI/AAAAAAAALQA/2oaIXPQUK64/s400/mike+huckabee.jpg
"Segregation now, segregation forever! All them uppity Negroes needs to be shot at!
I'm Mike Huckabee and I approved this message to the NRA!"

Really though, this kind of backwards bullshit from Huckabee shouldn't surprise us. After all he is the man who says he does not believe in evolution, that women should be subservient to their husbands in all matters (including one presumes in all matter gynecological too), and that the US Constitution should be changed to reflect his interpretation of "God's will."

... more at the link

[grantcart]

29. What I think this really shows is that while the Democratic candidates debates

were before the whole country and engaged the whole electric the Republicans was an insular affair.


What Huckabee said was exactly like the stupid little jokes that they were making at the debates only Republicans could stand to watch.


It isn't intentionally racist or menacing it just shows that the Republican candidates have spent the last 12 months in LALA land and their ears are not adjusted to real people.


They are still stuck in "I am a better Ronald Reagan than you".



This is one of the advantages we have by having open primaries - we are not talking to just ourselves, while the Republicans have been.

[grantcart]

21. Officially this is termed a negative indicator

BOWLING GREEN, Kentucky (CNN) – Hillary Clinton left Oregon late Friday night to focus her efforts on Kentucky before the state’s primary on Tuesday.

“My opponent said the other day he wasn’t coming back so I’ve got the whole state to myself. What a treat!” Clinton exclaimed at a Sunday afternoon rally at Western Kentucky University.

What was likely less of a treat was Pastor Paul Fryman’s sermon she heard Sunday morning at Bowling Green’s State Street United Methodist Church on marriage and adultery entitled “When the Devil Whispers Over Your Shoulder.”

Pastor Fryman launched into his sermon with Matthew 5, verse 27, “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that every one who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

22. The Idea Hillary WON in Florida and Michigan is LAUGHABLE!

The Idea Hillary WON in Florida and Michigan is LAUGHABLE!

By Connie Manes - TPM Election Central May 18, 2008

I don't know about you but I really get sick and tired of hearing about Michigan and Florida and how Hillary Clinton won them and that she should be able to claim the votes she won there.

When it is pointed out that Barack Obama did not have his name on the ballot in Michigan, we're told by Hillary, "that's not my fault".

When it is pointed out that Barack didn't campaign in Florida, we're told, "neither did Hillary."

It's apparent that voters need to be reminded of who the two candidates 'were' during the time of the Michigan and Florida primaries in Feb.

Hillary Clinton, as she's repeatedly told us, had over 35 years of political experience behind her. We were reminded of her achievements when she was America's First Lady for 8 years. In other words, Hillary Clinton's name was as famous as the Campbell Soup or Walmart.

...more at the link

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

23. Elizabeth Edwards: Not backing Hillary- Breaking News

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=6020584&mesg_id=6020584

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

24. Strange Happenings: the dog that didn't bark.

Please kick and recommend
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x6024528

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

25. "...what a grave error it would be not to vote for Sen. McCain ."

First she said: "...what a grave error it would be not to vote for Sen. McCain ." then she caught herself after saying it. CNN cleaned up the transcripts as if it didn't happen, but the video shows it.

Quote For The Day

Andrew Sullivan 18 May 2008

"I'm going to do everything I can to make sure that anyone who supported me --
the 17 million people who have voted for me --
understand what a grave error it would be not to vote for Sen. McCain . . .
uh, Sen. Obama, and against Sen. McCain," - Senator Hillary Clinton.

CNN cleaned up the quote. But you know how she really feels.

She makes the statement at minute 15:14 in the video. A short video plays, and then the correct but much
longer video plays. See:

Sen. Clinton vows to press on 19:57
Sen. Hillary Clinton steps into the Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer for a wide-ranging interview.

Good catch on part of Andrew Sullivan.

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

26. Let It Sink Obama Supporters....

keep this thread kicked a little today:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=6008437&mesg_id=6008437

There are certain posters whose main goal is to try to disparage even
things as great as Obama's 75,000 turnout rally in Oregon yesterday.

Then there is the poster who always has a catchy title to his/her
OP that ends up being a major put down of Obama, this person often
has a journal front paged.

Don't feed them. Let them sink.

[catgirl]

27. Kick to the Let It Sink campaign!!

Time to unite and win in November! WYVBC, thanks for all your
hard work!

[JimGinPA]

28. Today Is JimGinPA's Birthday...

He'll finally be old enough to drink legally!






















:evilgrin:

[catgirl]

30. Happy Birthday Jim!!!!

[JimGinPA]

31. Thanks catgirl

I appreciate it.

B-)

[blogslut]

32. Happy Birthday!

***Obama Saying Generator*** @ http://www.says-it.com/obama/

[JimGinPA]

37. Thanks!

I saved that image too.

:toast:

[Gore1FL]

43. happy birthday

I am so old I can buy two drinks.

[grantcart]

33. Obama number now 113 and pledged delegate 15.5

Today so far http://demconwatch.blogspot.com/2008/01/superdelegate-list.html

5-19-08 - Added DNC Dwight Pelz (WA) for Obama
- Added Sen. Robert Byrd (WV) for Obama

[WA98296]

34. WA State Party Chair SD endorsement brings it to 112!

[jefferson_dem]

35. ******Obama Rally in Billings, Montana. LIVE NOW on cnn.com.

I've already posted my allotment of three threads in GD-P. If anyone has one to spare, please launch it with the info.

:toast:

[jefferson_dem]

36. Barack is smacking McSame around like a bobodoll right now...

on saber-rattling over Iran.

This is good!

[catgirl]

39. 4 New Superdelegates for Obama (incl. Sen. Robert Byrd)

Huff Post:

UPDATE (1:00 PM): Sen. Robert Byrd of West Virginia has endorsed Obama today, a powerful statement given Obama's recent loss in the state. Byrd said in his statement that "Barack Obama is a noble-hearted patriot and humble Christian, and he has my full faith and support."

UPDATE (2:00 PM): Another superdelegate, Kansas Democratic Chair Larry Gates, has endorsed Obama:

"Senator Obama inspired record numbers of voters to turn out to the Kansas caucuses, which not only strengthens our Party but also the whole political process. He is the best candidate for Democrats to stand behind as we work to take on John McCain - who supports the war in Iraq and Bush's tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans - in November.

"While I have decided to endorse Sen. Obama, I think it is important to note that Sen. Clinton is a strong leader who ran a passionate campaign. Her contribution to the national discussion has been invaluable and will continue to be important as we're working together to elect Sen. Obama to the White House," Gates said.

UPDATE (4:30 PM): Obama has announced two more superdelegates, both from Alaska:

The Obama campaign announces that Alaska superdelegates Cindy Spanyers and Blake Johnson are with Obama.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/05/19/obama-adds-to-superdelega_n_102410.html

[grantcart]

40. DNC Washington State Chair makes it 5 Obama magic number 109

Washington State Democratic Party Chairman Dwight Pelz endorsed Obama overnight:


"I will be supporting Barack Obama for many reasons," Pelz continued. "Over the last few years, I have gained a profound respect for Sen. Obama. I have read his books, listened to his speeches, and watched the campaign he has run on the grueling modern presidential playing-field for nearly two years. And I have spoken with literally hundreds of friends and colleagues -- both in and out of politics -- regarding their opinions and observations of this man. I have concluded that Barack Obama is ready to be a great American President." - PolitickerWA.com

[grantcart]

41. Ok so I was out all day and missed the play by play of GDP

But it appears that Clinton is advancing her case by quoting Rove


And Obama spent a day in a historic meeting with the Crow Indian nation



Did I get it right?

Has there ever been a more apporpriate contrast of the two campaigns than this?

I mean give me a fucking break this is like operating on two different galaxies - how can any Democrat be conflicted about this choice?

Out of posts and too tired for an OP so just a little rant but my god a Presidential candidate engaging Native Americans with that level of dignity.

Beyond anything else the strategic value of it is mindnumbing Native Americans will remember this for 30 years.

But the beauty of this man every picture becomes an iconic pose that is matched by the thoughtfulness of his words.

We are so lucky.

[kid a]

45. Well said - Wish this was an OP for rec.

I spent 4 hours this morning - 2 with community members and two with Obama.

It was an amazing day. And then I come here to see the Rove quote.

You are right - Two alternative universes amd WE ARE VERY LUCKY to have Barack.

[Cha]

44. Post on Obama in Montana at the Crow Reservation

milkyway (1000+ posts) Mon May-19-08 11:41 PM
Original message

"Barack Obama is a man of courage and conviction."

<snip>

Today's event on the Crow Reservation in Montana was the most memorable event of this campaign. And it is one Obama did not need to make.

At the event, Obama was introduced by a man in full Crow wardrobe, and was escorted to the stage by his newly adoptive parents, Sonny and Mary Black Eagle and was given the name Barack Black Eagle, which means “one who helps all people of this land.” As he walked to the stage--forgive me my ignorance here--the crowd greeted him loudly with traditional yells and the pounding of drums.

He spoke of how his administration will honor all treaties, will have a senior position in charge of Indian affairs, will have an annual meeting at the White House with all leaders of every Indian nation. He also said:

"We will never be able to undo the wrongs that have been done to you."

"Now I'm a member of your family, and I will never forget my commitment to my brothers and sisters."

He also had said earlier in the day in Billings, Montana that he is considering creating a National Day of Recognition for Native Americans on the day after Thanksgiving.

I've noticed for a long while that Obama is always making sure to mention Native Americans in his speeches, even in states with almost no Native American population. According to census.gov, in 2000 1.8 million Americans are solely Native American. Another 2.1 million are part Native American. That means the total population is about 1.4% fully or partially Native American. Even in Montana, they are only about 6% of the population.

So why is Obama doing this? Is he pandering, going hard after the Native American vote? But even out west, this will not be a great percentage of the voters, and it is liable to excite the rightwing even more to come out to vote against him. Some must be thinking when they see and hear of this event--"he's got the blacks, the Muslims, he'll get the Mexicans, and now he wants the Indians, too?"

This is Barack Hussein Obama, who is being smeared as un-American, as Muslim, as the terrorists' favorite candidate, as the candidate of everybody except the hard-working white people who will decide the election. Surely there were advisors that told him this is not what he should be doing right now, something that I can't remember any other Presidential candidate doing.

The only answer is that Barack genuinely feels a strong empathy for the problems facing Native Americans. He has called slavery America's original sin. It seems clear that he regards the fate of the first Americans another sin that America must address if it is to move forward as one people.

While I have always found Barack Obama appealing, he was not my first choice candidate last year. Like many of us, I was waiting for Al Gore to announce, and I thought Obama was simply too inexperenced to have much of a chance against Gore, Clinton, or Edwards. When it became apparent that Gore wouldn't be running, I still was undecided between Edwards and Obama, whose campaign seemed unfocused and not ready for the major leagues of presidential politics. I wasn't sure he would be a strong president, even after I threw my support behind him just before Iowa.

But I was certainly wrong about that. Obama is growing stronger every day, more confident, authoritative, and assertive than he was even weeks ago. The tough campaign with Hillary, and the knowledge that he has defeated as strong a candidate as her, has given him new strength. I couldn't be more excited to look forward to the possibilities of an Obama presidency.

I want to highlight a comment made about the Crow nation on another DU thread by northernsoul: "I was in Crow Agency a few months ago. The poverty there is simply indescribable... The level of animus the local whites and even some other native tribes have towards the Crow people is deep and profound. Frankly, I'm stunned and deeply moved that any politician would make time for people who are in many ways "the lowest of the low" in modern-day America. To me, this affirms my sense that Obama is a man of extraordinary character and moral vision. I can't wait to have this guy in the White House."

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

Here's a link to a partial video of today's event (it's the only one I have found). Unfortunately, it does not have Obama's introduction and entrance, picking up the first four and a half minutes of his remarks, but it is still great to see:

http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/05/19/video-oba... /

And here's a DU thread with some fantastic pictures of today's event:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x6036821