Obama Rails on "False Hope"

By: Maria Gavrilovic
Topics: Barack Obama

(CBS)

From CBS News' Maria Gavrilovic:

DERRY, N.H. -- Two days before the New Hampshire primary, Barack Obama drew large crowds and many undecided voters to his rallies here today.

Obama campaign communications director Robert Gibbs told reporters that undecided voters are the campaign's primary target. Gibbs described these voters as "disillusioned" and said that their strategy is to vote for a candidate and not a party.

Obama goes after these voters by telling them not to listen to those who are cynical about his message. He said that he has been "teased" and "derided" for presenting a platform of hope.

"Even last night, one of my opponents suggested that we should stop giving the American people false hopes about what could be done and what could be accomplished. We needed a reality check," Obama said, referring to Hillary Clinton.

"What kind of agenda is that? False hope?"

In Exeter, Obama said the notion of false hope "bugs the heck out of me."

"The notion that we shouldn't just try to do something because we believe in it because it's false hope. There's no such thing as false hope. We can focus and get things done if we put our minds to it and if we have a sense of urgency and political will."

Later, at a rally in Derry, Obama added, "We don't need leaders telling us what we cannot do we need a leader to tell us what we can do."

Obama also said that cynics are continuing to pounce on him for lacking experience. However, he said that Iowa voters rejected that notion and he feels "vindicated." Now his hope is that New Hampshire voters will react the same way.

"In two days time you have a chance to show that we really are starting something new. that we're not just playing a game here. This is not a symbolic exercise. We want to build power that can actually deliver the changes that America needs," Obama said.

17 Comments Have Your Say
Email Story Send to a Friend
Share This Tell Your Friends
Tweet This Tweet This
More Share It

Add a Comment

See all 17 Comments


by enalorac January 7, 2008 8:45 AM EST: Many appear not to understand what "change" the voters want. Of course, there are critical issues facing the nation, but none more important than the need for change that''s needed for our Country. The first and most fundamental change we need is to bring back leadership by electing a President of whom we can once again be proud; who will restore our national image. The world has changed and we need a leader who is prepard to meet the challenges of a changed world.

First, we must end this war that is understood by even the poorest Americans to the leaders of other nations, to be based on nothing more than self-interest, intended to benefit the current Administration and their "base".

Does anyone now doubt that the President came into office (power) with every intention of declaring war against Iraq: actively seeking a reason that the American people would accept. It was known by many in the beltway that there were no ''WMD''S, so the attack of 9-11 provided a perfect excuse to connect Iraq to the Taliban and justify the attack.

The change my friends is to reclaim our Country, our reputation as a leader among the World''s nations. We must END the WAR and bring our troops home. "False Hope?" I think not: a President committed to those goals will instill confidence in even the most cynical critic. Not enough experience?: Senator Obama is the only candidate demonstrating his ability to inspire a Nation to Change.; Reply to this comment


by January 7, 2008 2:21 AM EST: Obama talks well, but there''s nothing of substance behind it. He is NOT progressive (has regularly supported funding for the war, and supported Joe Lieberman, the #1 Hawk Democrat, in 2006).

John Edwards is the candidate who will actually take on the processes that deprive ALL CLASSES from a fair shot at economic stability and success.

Thank you, John Edwards!; Reply to this comment


by deborah08-2009 January 7, 2008 1:47 AM EST: obama stifles free speech: http://www.scpronet.com/wordpress/2007/12/10/obama-nuclear-power-and-freedom-of-speech/; Reply to this comment


by deborah08-2009 January 7, 2008 1:45 AM EST: Obama is clearly not electable nor is he worthy of our votes.....he wont make it past the republicans..; Reply to this comment


by deborah08-2009 January 7, 2008 1:44 AM EST: According to the Associated Press, "Barack Obama played poker and basketball with lobbyists when he was a state senator. He took their campaign donations and worked with them to write legislation ... A look at Obama%u2019s seven years in the Illinois Legislature reveals a complicated relationship with lobbyists - particularly for someone who now makes criticism of lobbyists a centerpiece of his presidential campaign."; Reply to this comment


by deborah08-2009 January 7, 2008 1:43 AM EST: AS REPORTED ON THE DAILY KOS:In the present Obama makes bold statements such as this: "We have chance to say to the corporate lobbyist, your days of setting the agenda in Washington are over. They have not funded my campaigns, they will not run my White House, and they will not drown out the voice of the American people when I am president of the United States." %u2013 Barack Obama in Concord, New Hampshire, January 2008 [emphasis mine] But his rhetoric is not matched by the reality of his campaign''s actions; he has a lobbyist running the show in New Hampshire. In this case, it is a lobbyist whom is registered to lobby for Pfizer and PhRMA. What''s more, Obama has paid lobbyists on his staff. The No Quarter blog reported that:"Three political aides on Sen. Barack Obama%u2019s (D-Ill.) payroll were registered lobbyists for dozens of corporations, including Wal-Mart, British Petroleum and Lockheed Martin, while they received payments from his campaign, according to public documents."; Reply to this comment


by rowdytexan2 January 7, 2008 1:41 AM EST: John Edwards is an ambulance chaser after multi million dollar cases for people''s suffering.

Obama has no clue how to even begin to make those changes.; Reply to this comment


by deborah08-2009 January 7, 2008 1:03 AM EST: OBAMA WANTS TO NOW BE EDWARDS: "In the end, that''s what this election is about. Do we participate in a politics of cynicism or a politics of hope? John Kerry calls on us to hope. John Edwards calls on us to hope. I''m not talking about blind optimism here the almost willful ignorance that thinks unemployment will go away if we just don''t talk about it, or the health care crisis will solve itself if we just ignore it. No, I''m talking about something more substantial. It''s the hope of slaves sitting around a fire singing freedom songs; the hope of immigrants setting out for distant shores; the hope of a young naval lieutenant bravely patrolling the Mekong Delta; the hope of a millworker''s son who dares to defy the odds; the hope of a skinny kid with a funny name who believes that America has a place for him, too."In Obama''s own words about John Edwards July 2004:; Reply to this comment


by deborah08-2009 January 7, 2008 1:01 AM EST: OBAMA lied about not having lobbyist as backers the truth is he has 16!! posted here: http://www.rollcall.com./politics/kstendorsements.html Donald Alexander (Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld) Kevin Chavous (Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal) Tom Daschle (Alston & Bird) Stan Fendley (Corning) Elizabeth Fox (Jolly/Rissler) Francis Grab (Washington Council Ernst & Young) Tim Hannegan (Wexler & Walker Public Policy Associates) Tom Jensen (Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal) Broderick Johnson (Bryan Cave Strategies) Mark Keam (Verizon) Bob Maloney (Maloney Government Relations) Marcus Mason (The Madison Group) Andy Rosenberg (Ogilvy Government Relations) Bobby Sepucha (Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal) Tom Walls (McGuireWoods) Michael Williams (Credit Suisse); Reply to this comment


by deborah08-2009 January 7, 2008 12:59 AM EST: OBAMA lied about not having lobbyist as backers the truth is he has 16!! posted here: http://www.rollcall.com./politics/kstendorsements.html Donald Alexander (Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld) Kevin Chavous (Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal) Tom Daschle (Alston & Bird) Stan Fendley (Corning) Elizabeth Fox (Jolly/Rissler) Francis Grab (Washington Council Ernst & Young) Tim Hannegan (Wexler & Walker Public Policy Associates) Tom Jensen (Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal) Broderick Johnson (Bryan Cave Strategies) Mark Keam (Verizon) Bob Maloney (Maloney Government Relations) Marcus Mason (The Madison Group) Andy Rosenberg (Ogilvy Government Relations) Bobby Sepucha (Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal) Tom Walls (McGuireWoods) Michael Williams (Credit Suisse); Reply to this comment