Election Central Morning Roundup
Obama Increases Big-Money Fundraising Events
The Obama campaign is stepping up its focus on big-money fundraisers, with the candidate set to go to a dozen events over the next two weeks -- many of them requiring a $30,000 per person donation to the joint fund set up by the Obama camp and the DNC. This greater focus comes from both the recent decision to opt out of public finance, and from the influx of Hillary Clinton's big-money donors.
Obama In Historically-Red North Dakota Today
Barack Obama will be holding a town hall meeting today in an unlikely place: Fargo, North Dakota. This state hasn't voted Democratic since the 1964 Lyndon Johnson landslide, but has been placed on the Obama camp's target list thanks to polls showing a close race. Obama will be joined by the state's top three Democrats: Senators Kent Conrad and Byron Dorgan, and Congressman Earl Pomeroy.
John McCain In Mexico Today
John McCain will be wrapping up his tour of Latin America today, meeting with Mexican President Felipe Calderon and stopping at the Basilica de Guadalupe, a Catholic holy site.
Obama Courts Military Times Editorial Board
Barack Obama met yesterday in Colorado with the editorial board of the Military Times, a part of his outreach to the traditionally Republican military constituency. This is a demographic where John McCain is counting on a big margin, thanks to his biography and hawkishness, but Obama has also done well in fundraising among this group.
Obama Camp Considering Shorter Convention
The Los Angeles Times reports that the Obama campaign is floating the idea of cutting the length of the Democratic convention by one day, due to the Republican convention being set to begin just a few days later. The hypothesis is that ending the convention a day early would given Obama an extra day of bounce in the polls, allowing him to build up a bigger lead before the GOP convention.
Poll: What Is Patriotic?
Ahead of Independence Day, a new USA Today/Gallup poll asks respondents what they consider to be patriotic. Supporting U.S. foreign policy is seen as patriotic by 80%, while protesting is also seen as patriotic by two thirds of respondents. The question of protest has a serious partisan divide -- Democrats are twice as likely as Republicans to view it as a sign of patriotism.
To be a little fair to Republicans, it's possible this answer's results depends a bit on what party holds the White House. Also, the issue most associated with protest these days is probably the Iraq war.
July 3, 2008 9:29 AM | Reply | Permalink
A shorter convention seems like a good idea. I expected to read something about the DNC's fundraising difficulties for the convention, since it seems like being a day shorter would help with that. What ever happened with that fundraising shortfall?
July 3, 2008 9:30 AM | Reply | Permalink
"...What ever happened with that fundraising shortfall?" It's being cloaked in the "we want an extra bounce day" disguise.
July 3, 2008 10:35 AM | Reply | Permalink
On the convention idea -- if you shorten the convention by a day, is there sufficient time to get the party's message across in just three days?
July 3, 2008 9:54 AM | Reply | Permalink
"The Obama campaign is stepping up its focus on big-money fundraisers"
Oh, and to all of you small-dollar contributors that allowed me to claim the "movement mantle" and make a principled case for opting out of public financing: Take your measly $100 and shove it. I'm running with the big dogs now.
And don't forget that he who pays the piper calls the tune. Adios, suckers.
July 3, 2008 10:26 AM | Reply | Permalink
--> brewmn
Boy you hit that nail on the head.
The speed with which he is jettisoning the riff-raff is amazing.
Methinks he might have his timing off a bit though.
Telling the people you need to vote for you to fuck off 4 months before the election just doesn't strike me as a good idea.
But then again I'm from NY, where NOT voting for Obama would have about as much effect as voting FOR him...
July 3, 2008 10:59 AM | Reply | Permalink
I'm one of the riff-raff . . . splain to me exactly how I am being jettisoned?
July 3, 2008 11:19 AM | Reply | Permalink
Why specifically did you vote for Obama, assuming you did?
I voted for him mainly because of his diplomacy-focused foreign policy and his statements in defense of civil liberties, which I did not hear from the other viable primary candidate. He's already promised AIPAC war with Iran if they continue their nuclear program, and agreed to further compromise our ability to be free from government surveillance due to vague notions of national security.
I can only expect more corporate friendly policies from him, and less populism, now that his campaign is being funded by the same wealthy interests that typicall support Republicans.
Are you glad that he is moving away from his small-donor fundraising model, and to one more typical of the DLC?
July 3, 2008 11:44 AM | Reply | Permalink
Nobody has been jettisoned. Small donations have likely tapered a bit since the excitement of the primaries is over. Additionally, a lot of the people who made (relatively) small donations don't have great gobs of disposable income lying around. It wouldn't be fair for the campaign to expect them donate repeatedly right up until the election. In other words, it makes perfect sense for Obama to tap some additional revenue streams at this point.
July 3, 2008 11:51 AM | Reply | Permalink
I still think he's the better candidate by a country mile, and likely Democrat's best option for a big win in the fall. I just don't think we're going to see the type and degree of change that I had hoped for, to use two played out buzzwords.
His general election campaign to this (admittedly early)point smacks more of WJC than FDR or JFK.
July 3, 2008 11:22 AM | Reply | Permalink
I do think he will bring about much-needed change, but I think we have to be realistic about how much change a single person can accomplish. I think changing our country also falls to Congress, but most importantly, to us as citizens. The fact that Sen. Obama has motivated millions of Americans to get off our asses and DO something to improve our country speaks volumes. As his campaign has demonstrated, real change comes from grassroots efforts. It's people holding their elected officials accountable at a local and state level, not just the President. It's people volunteering to work for causes that are important to them. It's people of different backgrounds reaching out and working with each other to make their communities better. I have witnessed the beginnings of these changes here in St. Louis as a DIRECT RESULT of Sen. Obama's campaign.
I don't see Obama abandoning his basic principles here. I still think he is head and shoulders above every other candidate from either party. I'm not demanding perfection at the expense of what's good and what's possible. And if that's what it takes to prevent a disastrous McCain presidency, I could care less if he needs to hold $30,000 fundraisers with Clinton donors.
July 3, 2008 11:53 AM | Reply | Permalink
For what little my opinion is worth, I agree with Mrs Berry here. I am disappointed in Obama's new FISA stance, but I am hard pressed to say that I feel myself to have been "jettisoned."
July 3, 2008 11:57 AM | Reply | Permalink
I am glad to see that Sen McCain will be going to the Guadalupe Basilica. Perhaps the Blessed Mother can talk some sense into him. Mater Dei, ora pro nobis.
July 3, 2008 11:34 AM | Reply | Permalink
Um, Eric, d'ya think it might also have something to do with the DNC being tens of millions of $$ behind the RNC, as you've reported repeatedly? Especially since legally only a small portion of those checks could go to the Obama campaign?
July 3, 2008 2:25 PM | Reply | Permalink