Obama Talks Tough At San Fran Fundraiser

By: Maria Gavrilovic
Topics: Barack Obama

(CBS)

From CBS News' Maria Gavrilovic:

(SAN FRANCISCO) - Maybe it's something about San Francisco fundraisers that gets Barack Obama fired up.

In April, Obama was widely criticized when he told donors, "You go into these small towns in Pennsylvania and, like a lot of small towns in the Midwest, the jobs have been gone now for 25 years and nothing's replaced them. And it's not surprising, then, they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren't like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations."

On Sunday night, he didn't create any controversy but he did come in with a two-fold mission, to raise as much money as possible for his general election fund and to send a signal to his Republican opponents that he is ready to take them on. He accomplished the first goal by raising an impressive $7.8 million in only three hours, a record for the campaign.

He tried to accomplish the second goal by using some of his strongest rhetoric to date. "Toss the bums out, we're starting from scratch, we're starting over. This is not working," Obama said referring to what he believes voters should be thinking about the Republicans.

"Just read the papers. These are the knuckleheads who have been in charge. Throw 'em out," he said, but acknowledged that "American politics aren't that simple."

Even after declaring, "I will win. Don't worry about that," he attempted to portray himself as the underdog and the unknown candidate in the race, arguing that voters may not side with him because he is too new.

"Even when people are having a tough time, sometimes the devil you know may be preferable to the unknown."

He warned that the coming weeks could get "ugly", saying that his opponents will have a "whole machinery that they're cranking out." "They've got a book about me, that just kind of sprung full bore out of this guy's head," he said referring to Jerome Corsi's book "The Obama Nation."

However, Obama promised that he will not take "guff" from his opponents and that he will fight back "swiftly and forcefully and truthfully."

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by chlseablues August 19, 2008 8:15 PM EDT: there you go again left-wing liberal''s-are you KIDDING me, Obama is such a lieing fluke, he is nothing more than a "messiah" that is coming to "save the planet." McCain is not a liar, you guys are. Obama shows his true colors at these left-wing liberal events in San Fran, why don''t you guys just buy an island and live in your own world, because you live there already. and you cannot be serious when you tell me the Media is somehow biased even one bit towards mcCain. everytime i turn on CNN or Jack Cafferty, it is so left-leaning, it''s rediculous. "Obama Talks tough" yeah, right, you''re all a big fat joke!
valerie from Rochester, NY (where i didn''t vote for the Liberals); Reply to this comment


by mrtutto August 19, 2008 1:31 AM EDT: I didn%u2019t realize until last night that McCain can lie with such a straight face%u2026.. The Democrats went after Hillary for her Bosnia story, but are giving McCain a free pass. Even Rick Warren allowed McCain to talk endlessly about his captivity. How can I trust anything that Rick Warren says. Tonight on Larry King he went out of his way to help John McCain by stating how sensitive McCain was that he teared up 3 times%u2026%u2026%u2026.WOW%u2026%u2026

Rick Warren%u2026..
%u201CHow was it like in the CONE OF SILENCE %u201D
John McCain%u2026.
%u201CI tried to put my head against the wall to see if I could hear any of the answers%u201D Laugh Laugh

It%u2019s not the deed %u2026 it%u2019s the cover up%u2026. Why is the McCain camp all riled up ? He cheated.
Why wasn%u2019t his answer %u201D You know Rick%u2026 I have to be honest%u2026 but he wasn%u2019t.
Note to McCain.... Don''t answer a question before it''s asked.; Reply to this comment


by maitria August 18, 2008 10:56 PM EDT: oh please, you so took what he said out of context to spread your outlandish negative view of Obama! I was there, and it was an amazing speech. He was talking to his most staunch supporters: people who really care about him and his message. He was able to relax and enjoy the fruits of his success so far. How dare you come in from the outside and dish your brand of rhetoric. I don''t even know how you got into the event as there wasn''t supposed to be any press allowed. I am disgusted by CBS and its biased view of the news. I am so thankful that we have the internet now to get a more balanced and accurate view of what is going on in this country...Oh and we will win this election with or without your help. YES WE CAN!; Reply to this comment


by maitria August 18, 2008 10:48 PM EDT: oh please, you so took what he said out of context to spread your outlandish negative view of Obama! I was there, and it was an amazing speech. He was talking to his most staunch supporters: people who really care about him and his message. He was able to relax and enjoy the fruits of his success so far. How dare you come in from the outside and dish your brand of rhetoric. I don''t even know how you got into the event as there wasn''t supposed to be any press allowed. I am disgusted by CBS and its biased view of the news. I am so thankful that we have the internet now to get a more balanced and accurate view of what is going on in this country...Oh and we will win this election with or without your help. YES WE CAN!; Reply to this comment


by maitria August 18, 2008 9:06 PM EDT: oh please, you so took what he said out of context to spread your outlandish negative view of Obama! I was there, and it was an amazing speech. He was talking to his most staunch supporters: people who really care about him and his message. He was able to relax and enjoy the fruits of his success so far. How dare you come in from the outside and dish your brand of rhetoric. I don''t even know how you got into the event as there wasn''t supposed to be any press allowed. I am disgusted by CBS and its biased view of the news. I am so thankful that we have the internet now to get a more balanced and accurate view of what is going on in this country...Oh and we will win this election with or without your help. YES WE CAN!; Reply to this comment


by maitria August 18, 2008 7:59 PM EDT: oh please, you so took what he said out of context to spread your outlandish negative view of Obama! I was there, and it was an amazing speech. He was talking to his most staunch supporters: people who really care about him and his message. He was able to relax and enjoy the fruits of his success so far. How dare you come in from the outside and dish your brand of rhetoric. I don''t even know how you got into the event as there wasn''t supposed to be any press allowed. I am disgusted by CBS and its biased view of the news. I am so thankful that we have the internet now to get a more balanced and accurate view of what is going on in this country...Oh and we will win this election with or without your help. YES WE CAN!; Reply to this comment


by maitria August 18, 2008 7:58 PM EDT: oh please, you so took what he said out of context to spread your outlandish negative view of Obama! I was there, and it was an amazing speech. He was talking to his most staunch supporters: people who really care about him and his message. He was able to relax and enjoy the fruits of his success so far. How dare you come in from the outside and dish your brand of rhetoric. I don''t even know how you got into the event as there wasn''t supposed to be any press allowed. I am disgusted by CBS and its biased view of the news. I am so thankful that we have the internet now to get a more balanced and accurate view of what is going on in this country...Oh and we will win this election with or without your help. YES WE CAN!; Reply to this comment


by mrquixote August 18, 2008 4:48 PM EDT: Maria Gavrilovic I think it is shameful that you used a relatively ordinary speech to bring up the gun comment again. It reflects how biased this article is. I was at this event. He also mentioned setting the goal of a 30% reduction of in oil dependence in the next 4 years. I wonder why an article sponsored by Exxon would fial to mention that?; Reply to this comment


by ted811-2009 August 18, 2008 3:59 PM EDT: Wouldn''t it be an interesting role reversal if Obama gets angry and McCain becomes pretentious and cocky. If America is bad off eneough to put Obama in charge, she is very sick indeed. He is a cute knucklehead, I''ll give him that.; Reply to this comment


by ericmiami August 18, 2008 11:53 AM EDT: First, McCain''s failed marriage that he is so remorseful about, and not this. Tsk tsk.; Reply to this comment