Obama Campaign Looks To Push Turnout Over 50 Percent, Says Race Won't Be A Problem

By: Brian Montopoli
Topics: Barack Obama

On May 10th, the Barack Obama campaign will launch what it is trumpeting as an "unprecedented 50-state voter registration and mobilization drive" called Vote For Change.

In a statement put out by the Obama campaign this afternoon, deputy campaign manager Steve Hildebrand suggested the campaign hoped to push turnout in the general election above 50 percent.

"We've already seen amazing new enthusiasm and involvement over the course of this campaign, and now we're taking that excitement to the next level in all 50 states," said Hildebrand. "We've seen too many elections where turnout was less than 50 percent. At this critical time in our history, we know we can do better—this year and beyond."

In an interview with National Journal's Linda Douglass, meanwhile, Obama's campaign manager, David Plouffe, said that race won't be a problem for Obama in November.

Why? Because "the vast, vast majority of voters who would not vote for Barack Obama in November based on race are probably firmly in John McCain's camp already," according to Plouffe.

He also said that the Democratic Party would coalesce around the nominee after the long and sometimes acrimonious nominating battle.

"...we seem to forget history," Plouffe said. "There's always hard feelings, and then the party comes together. And I think everyone ought to take a deep breath here and understand that the Democratic nominee is going to get the majority of Democratic voters."

Brian Montopoli
Brian Montopoli is the senior political reporter at CBSNews.com.
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by tonic1661 April 28, 2008 12:38 PM EDT: Bush has stood alone in the crowded room and has run with his opinion. I prefer someone who cares about the people and what we think...

I don''t dislike John Mc Cain as a person. He is a far sight better than Bush.

I like Hillary especially with the backing of Bill. But for the present, Barack is my man.

I especially like someone who actually cares about the people who speaks for the people and understands rather than talking to the people about the faults of the other candidate so as to focus the fault away from herself (Hillary).; Reply to this comment


by jockh April 28, 2008 11:32 AM EDT: Hillary may have more political experience than Obama, but old Hillary, with 35 years of experience and the advice of an ex President behind her, still voted to go to war in Iraq.

Like Obama, and like millions of ordinary people, she knew that the Iraq threat was a pack of lies but the problem was that she had her eye on the future Presidency; and I think she did not want to be painted as someone who is afraid of war just because she is a woman, this would have damaged her future presidential bid; so she chose the political expedient thing to do, lets go with the flow, lets not rock the boat.

So, to fulfill her personal ambitions, she now has the blood of 4000 US servicemen on her hands and she can never wash that away, no matter how she spins it.

Even to this day, she never uses her own judgment; she says whatever she thinks the audience wants to hear and changes her stance according to the state she is in. That%u2019s why polls show that voters consider her to be the most dishonest politician.

If Hillary is the nominee I would reluctantly vote for her; but I prefer to have a leader who has the integrity to stand by their beliefs rather than go with the flow, even if that means they have to stand alone in a crowded room.; Reply to this comment


by omaar-101 April 27, 2008 3:54 PM EDT: Clinton Mathematics...

Just Dont Add Up !!

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/2431

4959/n

Cry about Michigan & Florida...

Hillary & Barack, Both Agreed, neither State would... COUNT

Hillary wants them to Count Now..(Illegally) now that her A!! is BEHIND !!!

If the this were Reverse, these same Clinton Cronies, would be saying, the EXACT thing, Im stating above !!

Too much, Too Late...To ever Try again !!

Call me, when she EVENS Obama or SURPASSES Obama...

Until that Mystical, Majical, Majestical Moment Happens...

Your Blowing Sand out of Your A!!''s

Shes Done...Period

Johnny Mathis & Deniece Williams Sang the Song ''Too Much, Too Little, Too Late, to Ever Try Again''

Its Over !!! Its Over !!

WASHINGTON - The good news for Hillary Rodham Clinton is that shes winning a lot of battles. The bad news is that the war is pretty much lost.

Sure, she won Pennsylvanias April 22 primary by a strong 9 points in the face of being outspent on television ads by Barack Obama 2-to-1. She also won Ohio, Rhode Island, and at least the primary part of the bizarre Texas two-step primary-and-caucus combination on March 4.

But today, she is 133 delegates behind Obama, 1,728 to 1,595, according to NBC News. At this point last week, she trailed by 136 delegates.

Since then Clinton has scored a net gain of 10 delegates in Pennsylvania, according to NBC, but has lost a few more superdelegates, so she has made little headway.; Reply to this comment


by Lai K W April 27, 2008 9:09 AM EDT: There is no rule that the one who leads the delegate count at the end of primaries will automatically get the nomination unless it reaches 2025. If neither candidate reaches 2025 at the end of the primary, they have to go to convention for a tie-breaker.

Before reaching 2025 delegates, OBAMA has no more claim of the nomination than Hillary. NONE, WHATSOEVER. No OBAMA don''t. Not according to the standing rules of the party.

Florida and Michigan are lawful elections. Nobody forces Obama to withdraw his name and OBAMA runs ad in Florida primary. By so doing he should be responsible for the consequences. The party and its collaborates who disallow the delegates should be ready for the consequences; starting the general election with 48 states with Michigan and Florida going to McCain.

Hillary is rightfully fighting for a legitimate and well deserved nomination. It is unethical to oust another candidate to win a nomination by default. It is against the rule. It is not fair to voters. People are entitled to have all the votes counted and all the voices heard. Pushing Hillary out of the race is not a solution but a horrendous problem and violation.

Just follow the rule and stop making up new ones to mess up the party anymore? The people aren''t fools.; Reply to this comment


by omaar-101 April 27, 2008 4:20 AM EDT: Clinton Mathematics...

Just Don''''t Add Up !!

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/2431
4959/n

Cry about Michigan & Florida...

Hillary & Barack, Both Agreed, neither State would... COUNT

Hillary wants them to Count Now..(Illegally) now that her A!! is BEHIND !!!

If the this were Reverse, these same Clinton Cronies, would be saying, the EXACT thing, I''''''''m stating above !!

Too much, Too Late...To ever Try again !!

Call me, when she EVENS Obama or SURPASSES Obama...

Until that Mystical, Majical, Majestical Moment Happens...

Your Blowing Sand out of Your A!!''s

Shes Done...Period

Johnny Mathis & Deniece Williams Sang the Song ''Too Much, Too Little, Too Late, to Ever Try Again''

Its Over !!! Its Over !!

WASHINGTON - The good news for Hillary Rodham Clinton is that shes winning a lot of battles. The bad news is that the war is pretty much lost.

Sure, she won Pennsylvanias April 22 primary by a strong 9 points in the face of being outspent on television ads by Barack Obama 2-to-1. She also won Ohio, Rhode Island, and at least the primary part of the bizarre Texas two-step primary-and-caucus combination on March 4.

But today, she is 133 delegates behind Obama, 1,728 to 1,595, according to NBC News. At this point last week, she trailed by 136 delegates.

Since then Clinton has scored a net gain of 10 delegates in Pennsylvania, according to NBC, but has lost a few more superdelegates, so she has made little headway.; Reply to this comment


by kojipham April 27, 2008 3:42 AM EDT: RowdyTexan2 - I see you are still on this blog spreading lies. I ran into you a couple of weeks ago and your are still doing the same thing you were doing back then, spreading F.U.D (Fear, Uncertainity and Doubt). You sound now like you did back then like a Republican double agent pretending to be a Clinton supporter. My money has you working for Fox News where they make up the facts. You seem to do it so well on this blog, you must do this for a living.; Reply to this comment


by rowdytexan2 April 27, 2008 3:36 AM EDT: Debates, Debates. You haven''''t had enough I see. 21 debates where the candidates repeat the same thing is not enough for you. If you need to know the candidates positions on the issue you need to hit their websites. What gap does any one need to close with Clinton, are you referring to the hillary clinton dishonesty gap, the hillary clinton un-trustworthy gap, the Bosnia sniper "fish story gap". If you are referring to the popular vote and pledged delegates, her oponent leads in those areas. Get you facts right and stop making things up like your candidate with her "new math", her delusional way of "re-counting" the popular vote.

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Posted by kojipham at 12:31 AM : Apr 27, 2008

Well, you see, Hillary knows how to count, and Obama doesn''t.

She has smoked him in the popular vote! And he continues to LIE about it!

If he had all the support he CLAIMS to have he would''ve already had the nomination! Get it?; Reply to this comment


by bhisback April 27, 2008 3:31 AM EDT: Now that''s what we like about Obama. This is grassroots planning. Glad to see he is thinking about the voters again and not responding to negative attacks.; Reply to this comment


by kojipham April 27, 2008 3:31 AM EDT: Debates, Debates. You haven''t had enough I see. 21 debates where the candidates repeat the same thing is not enough for you. If you need to know the candidates positions on the issue you need to hit their websites. What gap does any one need to close with Clinton, are you referring to the hillary clinton dishonesty gap, the hillary clinton un-trustworthy gap, the Bosnia sniper "fish story gap". If you are referring to the popular vote and pledged delegates, her oponent leads in those areas. Get you facts right and stop making things up like your candidate with her "new math", her delusional way of "re-counting" the popular vote.; Reply to this comment


by rowdytexan2 April 27, 2008 3:28 AM EDT: Informed6, I don''''t know what kind of math you''''re doing but Hillary certainly CAN win without the Black vote.

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Posted by truthyness at 11:40 PM : Apr 26, 2008

Exactly! Does everyone forget why the black population is classified as a minority?

Hillary has out won more votes in every state than the republicans got to come out and vote!; Reply to this comment