"Obama's 'economic tour' has gone little noticed." OK, this is what really, really annoys me about national political reporters/commentators. They seem to define coverage only at the national level, totally ignoring a state's news coverage of the campaigns. Obama has held these economic events, of course, in important, battleground states. So what do you think is more important to him--the economic tour's coverage inside the Beltway and the NY Times, or its presentation by a local community's newspaper and local news? Obviously, the latter. And if you go back through the local coverage of the economic tour in the individual states, it's been enormous and largely glowing.

On your other points, I agree that the Obama camp should be, repeatedly, hitting McCain's hypocrisy on campaign finance and public funding. Why they're not doing so boggles my mind. Otherwise, though, this article is little more than the ramblings of someone worried about a single cloud in the distance on a sunny day.

Posted at June 26, 2008 1:31 PM in response to Can the Obama Campaign Shape the Agenda?

The fundamentals are what matter in possible general election match-ups. And, on that score, Obama kills Clinton...

http://www.pollster.com/blogs/obama_v_mccain_and_v_clinton_b.php

Posted at March 20, 2008 6:48 PM in response to Poll: Majority Doesn't Believe Obama Shares Wright's Views

This jives with my personal experience, talking to independent and Republican friends. And other Democrats. It also shows why, besides the one Gallup tracking poll (which is already closing back up), all other (I think 6 or 7) polls taken over this week--the worst of Obama's campaign--have shown him STILL ahead of Clinton. I think the race speech will further help cement that. Which basically means that, combined with the math of the process, he really can't lose this thing.

The only dispiriting thing has been Obama's numbers against McCain, but that's to be expected given the situation of the two. Come May or June Obama will take this thing and have almost half-a-year to tie McCain to Bush. I just wish the Democratic Party would have some balls to either end this thing or get out there and trash McCain on a daily basis. Where's that been??

Posted at March 20, 2008 6:27 PM in response to Poll: Majority Doesn't Believe Obama Shares Wright's Views

Greg, obviously this is worth reporting, but who ever said indies going to Obama should be 'taken for granted'?? And, it's odd that the fact that--in Obama's worst week yet--he's still doing better against McCain than Clinton and is beating her is buried in the graph. Regardless, I think the ultimate takeaway from all of the last few days' polls is that 1) Obama is not falling apart/is still the likely nominee and 2) the Clinton/McCain/Fox News triumvirate is really hurting BOTH Democrats' general election numbers.

Posted at March 20, 2008 1:41 PM in response to Poll: McCain Now Leading Obama Among Independents

Wow...this better bite her campaign in the a*s. Or perhaps SNL has shamed the press corps into treating Clinton as it does McCain. If it hasn't yet, this could end up worse for her. Obama's camp never called the embassy to disavow its comments. A random Canadian officials just randomly approached his adviser on a college campus. In contrast, it appears as if Clinton's campaign intentionally reached out to the Canadian Embassy. The gall of her campaign to use this as an attack last weekend is astonishing.

Posted at March 5, 2008 11:50 PM in response to Report: NAFTA-Gate Leaker Said Hillary's People Were Reassuring Canada, Too

Brilliant. I have no idea how they get these done so quickly (and so professionally). The only thing I would have changed is to have began it as a more clear response to Clinton (i.e., "Senator Clinton tells us that there's a phone ringing..."). But what do I know? Great ad.

Posted at February 29, 2008 5:26 PM in response to Obama Response Ad: "In A Dangerous World, It's Judgment That Matters"

Yes.

Posted at February 29, 2008 3:38 PM in response to Sen. Jay Rockefeller Endorses Obama

Actually, I have it at Obama 15, Clinton 12.

Posted at February 29, 2008 3:20 PM in response to Sen. Jay Rockefeller Endorses Obama

FlyOnTheWall--Beat me to it. Exactly.

wwjb--Hilarious.

Posted at February 21, 2008 12:35 PM in response to Obama Campaign Manager Pops Up In North Carolina

Something everyone's forgetting--for how great Survey USA was on Feb 5, it totally missed Missouri. It had Clinton up by 11 there, almost the exact same as in Ohio. And that was the day before the actual vote! Why does this matter? Because, demographically, Ohio and Missouri are the EXACT same states.

Posted at February 12, 2008 5:56 PM in response to Poll: Hillary Up 17 Points In Ohio Primary