Obama Talks of "Unifying the Party"

By: Michelle Levi
Topics: Barack Obama

From CBS News' Michelle Levi:

WOODBURN, ORE. -- Barack Obama surprised the mostly Hispanic patronage of Luis's Taquiera this afternoon, stopping at the Mexican restaurant for a taco and some campaigning, where he was asked about his surge in superdelagates. "I'm gratified that we've got some superdelegates that are coming our way," he said. "I think we've got a strong case to make that I will be a nominee that can pull the party together and take on John McCain in the fall." As it stands now, Hillary Clinton still holds a slim lead in superdelegate support, but that appears to be waning.

Obama said he did not think it was appropriate to discuss possibly helping Clinton out of her campaign debt, since they are both actively campaigning, but he did talk about unifying the Democratic Party once a nominee is selected. "When you've had a strong opponent, you want to make sure you're putting that opponent in a strong position so that they can work to win an election in November," Obama said. "I'd want to have a broad range discussion with Clinton about how I could make her feel good about the process and have her on the team moving forward."

A reporter asked if Clinton was definitely on his short list of vice presidential picks, as he suggested earlier today in Beaverton. Obama looked right at the questioner, then turned away.

He was greeted with shock by the restaurant's diners, who had no idea a presidential candidate would be stopping by. Obama walked from table to table greeting diners, many of whom chanted "Si Se Puede, Si Se Puede" as he wandered around the restaurant. The lean Obama ordered the best, and possibly largest, meal in the house and ate with a mother and her son, who was voting for the first time.

33 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 33 Comments


by APatriot1 May 11, 2008 12:22 AM EDT: Convicted attempted presidential candidate assassin Arthur Herman Bremer, age 58, was released in November. Has anyone kept track of this guy??; Reply to this comment


by sjbj2322 May 10, 2008 7:23 PM EDT: wendyerussel wrote..."Where did you come up w/ news that Michelle Obama is interfering? FOX? If you want to have an idea of who is the bitter, loudmouth re-read your post. And then get your "facts" straight."
----------------------------------

HERE YA GO WENDY....NOW WHO NEEDS TO GET THEIR FACTS STRAIGHT OR SHUT UP!!

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2008/05/michelle_vetoes_hillary.html; Reply to this comment


by saraswati1 May 10, 2008 7:03 PM EDT: Omaar, you are on way to may cites commenting. Frankly, I''m sick of you. Could you maybe stop posting the same thing over and over and over, everywhere, here and there.; Reply to this comment


by saraswati1 May 10, 2008 6:58 PM EDT: There is no way Senator Obama can unify this party. He''s not talking to me and never has. He only talks about the delegates, never about the voters. He''s willing to disenfranchise FL voters to win the nomination. That''s not how you win. And, if the two candidates position were the opposite, he''d be fighting for FL and MI to be seated and the popular vote to be counted.; Reply to this comment


by omaar-101 May 10, 2008 5:39 PM EDT: Hillary (Lying) Clinton Letter to Obama...

I have consistently said that the votes cast in Florida and Michigan in January should be counted. We cannot ignore the fact that the people in those states took the time to be a part of this process and to make their preferences known.

When efforts were untaken by leaders in those states to hold revotes to ensure that they had a voice in selecting our nominee, I supported those efforts.

In Michigan, I supported a legislative effort to hold a revote that the Democratic National Committee said was in complete compliance with the party''s rules.

You did not support those efforts and your supporters in Michigan publically opposed them. In Florida a number of revote options were proposed. I am not aware of any that you supported.

In 2000, the Republicans won an election by successfully opposing a fair counting of votes in Florida. As Democrats, we must reject any proposals that would do the same.

Your commitment to the voters of these states must be clearly stated and your support for a fair and quick resolution must be clearly demonstrated.; Reply to this comment


by omaar-101 May 10, 2008 5:37 PM EDT: Clinton is a LIAR

News Week

Finally, theres the stubborn little fact that Clinton completely opposed recognizing Michigan and Florida until after the primaries--i.e.,

when she realized she might need their delegates to win the nomination. "Its clear that this election theyre having [in Michigan] is not going to count for anything," she said during an interview with New Hampshire Public Radio in October 2007.

She wasnt alone. Two months earlier, Clinton adviser Harold Ickes actually voted to strip the rogue states of their delegates as a member of the DNCs Rules and Bylaws committee--"to prevent the gaming of the system," he said.

Later than fall, Patti Solis Doyle, then Clintons campaign manager, pledged not to compete in either contest--and was unequivocal as well.

"We believe Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina play a unique and special role in the nominating process...

and the DNCs rules and its calendar provide the necessary structure to respect and honor that role," she said.; Reply to this comment


by omaar-101 May 10, 2008 5:35 PM EDT: Hillary is a LIAR & CHEAT !!

News Week

Obama will Let her have those (2) sates and still Beat Her !!

Of course, the Obama campaign has its fair share of objections. For starters, there''''s that pesky, old-fashioned, admittedly absurd notion known as "following the rules."

The Democratic Party prohibits any state other than Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina from holding its primary before Feb. 5. So when Florida and Michigan threatened in late 2007 to pull the trigger on Jan. 15 and Jan. 29, respectively, the DNC gave them a choice: reschedule--or lose your delegates. They refused, hence their current no-delegate status. According to critics, reinstating those delegates now would undermine the DNC''''s authority over the nominating process; who will stop Guam, they say, when it schedules its primary for Thanksgiving 2012?

The second reason: last winter, both Clinton and Obama deferred to the DNC and agreed not to "campaign or participate" in either election; Obama even removed his name from the Michigan slate.

So while Clinton "beat" her rival 50-33 in Florida and trounced "uncommitted" 55-40 in the Great Lakes State, one can''''t help but suspect that not campaigning and/or not appearing on the ballot somewhat affected Obama''''s showing--not to mention that turnout has a way of declining when voters are told that the election doesn''''t matter.; Reply to this comment


by omaar-101 May 10, 2008 5:34 PM EDT: Clinton is a LIAR

News Week

Finally, theres the stubborn little fact that Clinton completely opposed recognizing Michigan and Florida until after the primaries--i.e., when she realized she might need their delegates to win the nomination. "It''''s clear that this election they''''re having [in Michigan] is not going to count for anything," she said during an interview with New Hampshire Public Radio in October 2007. She wasn''''t alone. Two months earlier, Clinton adviser Harold Ickes actually voted to strip the rogue states of their delegates as a member of the DNC''''s Rules and Bylaws committee--"to prevent the gaming of the system," he said. Later than fall, Patti Solis Doyle, then Clinton''''s campaign manager, pledged not to compete in either contest--and was unequivocal as well. "We believe Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina play a unique and special role in the nominating process... and the DNC''''s rules and its calendar provide the necessary structure to respect and honor that role," she said.; Reply to this comment


by wendyerussel May 10, 2008 5:04 PM EDT: Where did you come up w/ news that Michelle Obama is interfering? FOX? If you want to have an idea of who is the bitter, loudmouth re-read your post. And then get your "facts" straight.; Reply to this comment


by texaslj May 10, 2008 4:47 PM EDT: Disenfranchising the voters in two states is wrong for any reason in a democratic society.

The party members who supported the decision that broke the rules of the DNC should be penalized, not the voters who had no voice in the decision to break the rules.; Reply to this comment