Barack Obama Counts On "The Closer"

Michelle Obama Has Played A Key Role In Campaign Of Democratic Presidential Hopeful

(CBS)  For a supposedly reluctant campaigner, Michelle Obama is a natural. In big stadiums or small rooms, she has set aside any qualms she may have had and jumped into the fray with an appeal that is heavy on education, on health care, on the family, on her husband and on her own audacity of hope.

"As a black girl from the South Side of Chicago, I am not supposed to be here," she tells one group.

"We need some change in this country, don't we?" she tells another crowd.

Mrs. Obama can talk issues -- and couples that with some world-class hugging skills. The reception for a woman who may become the nation's first Black first lady has been so positive, for the most part, that it's made her self-conscious, reports CBS News Correspondent Dean Reynolds.

"Barack is the candidate, I'm just hanging out," she says.

Well, she's not just "hanging out." Michelle Obama is a vital component of her husband's campaign. For starters, as a woman she can appeal to the foundation of Hillary Clinton's support.

But she is also working on African-Americans who are standing on the sidelines because they doubt Obama can win -- afraid of being disappointed and waiting to see how largely white Iowa and New Hampshire respond.

"I understand it. I do. I know where it comes from, this sense of doubt and fear about what the future holds," she says.

Mrs. Obama's emotional speech about growing up black -- being told you were not good enough is up on the Web and on DVDs that have been distributed in heavily black neighborhoods. This is especially so in South Carolina, where black support in the Jan. 26 primary could be decisive.

"We're gonna have to dig deep in our souls -- dig deep -- confront our own self-doubt and recognize that truly our destiny is in our hands," Mrs. Obama says.

Back in Iowa, the Obama campaign says if Michelle could meet every voter personally, the race wouldn't be close.

"Can you see why?" a white female voter in Iowa is asked.

"I can definitely see why. Yeah. She did it for me today, so yeah," the voter replies

And that's why they call her ... The Closer.

[spires01]

Go Obama!!!!

[grghawthorne]

At a time when America is in great need of REAL leaders Barack Obama is the best leader for a new direction in Washington. He is the most intelligent candidate in the race. Don''t fall for the "lack of experience" argument; no President has had experience at the time of their election. George Bush had the greatest amount of experience given his family''s pedigree in Washington ... and his "experience" and pedigree has not offset his lack of intelligence. We need a leader that has the intellect to make rational, courageous and logical decisions in a dangerous world.

More importantly, we need leadership that shows the world that we as Americans can make decisions based upon a desire to change the course of the past 8 years of decisions that were not well thought out.

[jdweymouth]

i only wish that it would be manditory for every american to vote. then, we would begin to experience democracy.

Posted by aartcom at 07:21 AM : Jan 01, 2008

Democracy is about having choices. It is not measured by voter turnout.

Posted by tuckerndfw at 08:20 AM : Jan 01, 2008

The United States isn''t a democracy. And the electors still elect the president. Personally, I think the popular election should be treated as little more then a referendum before the electors meet.

In regards to Obama, all I can seem to get from him is that he''s for a "new America".

Has anyone heard anything else?

All Hillary says is "feed the children"

All Huckabee says is "I''m nice; they not; I best, therefore"

"Oh, my kingdom for a LITTLE FREAKIN'' VISION

[apolloknowsa]

Mr. Obama hides behind Mrs. Obama and Mrs. Clinton hides behind Mr. Clinton.

is there any candidate on the D side who can be president without a committee? I didn''t think so.

None have any executive experience.

Mitt Romney does. Education, family, real-world success...check check check.

Mitt is presidential and will be an excellent President of the United States of America.

Huckabee, on the other hand, is on the list of most corrupt politicians, right up there with Obama and Hillary judicialwatch.org

[excellence36]

Michelle Obama is awesome! Really, really impressive!
What an inspirational couple -- great role models and national unifiers. Enough of the partisan fighting and bickering....and nothing getting done. Obama can win it all.....and UNIFY our nation! Iowa and New Hampshire will be the springboards to victory. -- Susan

[zootallures2]

Mike Gravel.

[prairiefox1]

a

[prairiefox1]

If Obama is going to make changes then why didn''t he do so in the senate? Oh! thats right! He wasn''t there! read on!
Senator Obama doesn%u2019t HAVE a record. At least not much of one in the Senate. He
is among the overall leaders in Senators who miss votes. Of the last 60
opportunities to participate in making the laws of the land, the Senator has voted
only 6 times. Forget HOW he voted. His recent record shows a 10% interest in the
job the people of Illinois hired him for. (Voting records available on the Senate
web site or the Washington Post.)
Granted he is a good speaker and has a good personality, but I do hope this nation
doesn''t elect someone on that basis!
Let us look at his record and at its best it is pitiful! I will vote for a person that has
the best past record! with that you will know how he will be if elected!
I have talked to people in Illinois and they do not think much of him! and Illinois
will never re elect him to the Senate!
So that means if he doesn''t get to be President then he is just unemployed!
and with a job reference that he has he will be lucky to get on at McDonalds!
So with that information which can be verified, just what kind of person would
vote for him?

[heartlight3]

I have been very impressed by Michelle Obama''s speeches. She is an excellent speaker, and seems to connect well with her audiences. It looks as if she does it without notes, too. I had reservations about her as a first lady in the beginning, but after watching her, I think she would be excellent. Her intelligence and common sense would be an incredible asset to this country.

[bacaangel]

She speaks to the heart and can Seal the Deal. Better asset than Bill Clinton.

Will make a terrific First Lady!

They are a great asset to each other and a Symbol of hope for the common man.

[rayuk-2009]

The simple fact is that Obama can''t win the election in Nov. That is nothing against him, but simple facts must be faced. Edwards or Hillary can win. I hope the people of Iowa can come to grips with this reality and do the right thing.

[severow]

One thing''s for sure: 2007 was the year that America''s journalists laid down their gloves in their softball rivalry with the lawyers of the land in trying to outdo one another in using the terms "closer" or "closing arguments" to (inadequately) describe the final days of the Iowa caucuses. Let''s just hope the voters in the Hawkeye State do not ask to be excused from the jury on their way to their meeting places Thursday.

[bobgee_1999]

And guess what? Obama is still black, and therefore still has the same chance of winning as I do, and I''m not running. If the Dems want to lose, this is the guy to nominate. Ain''t gonna happen. As soon as the AmPop realizes there''s going to be a black man on the screen every day and they''re going to have to take him---and all his black cabinet members, advisors and family members---somewhat seriously for four years? Dream on.

[aartcom]

i only wish that it would be manditory for every american to vote. then, we would begin to experience democracy.

[brianbwb-2009]

Posted by MG1220

Either you''re joking, or incredibly uneducated, Africa is not one country, but a continent consisting of many countries, many of which have had "white" heads of state. India was once part of Britain, as was China, and so also had a "white" head of state.

And for a country that was born in rebellion against the British, expanded through the genocide of the original inhabitants, given its infrastructural bones on the backs of African and Asian slaves, and which at one time had the largest industrial underpinnings of any country in history, consisting of laborers of all ethnic heritage, you still cannot see past your own ignorance, and would dare suggest that the leader of the US has to be a "white" man?

Symbolism and nationalistic branding only matter to the severely uneducated. matter.

[mg1220]

It will be more of Africa''s pride to have Obama for president than America''s pride. Image branding will not be as nationalistic. Activist may see it as racial bias but global reality dictates that China will never have a non-******-eyed head of state that is the mark of being Chinese. Africa will never have a white head of state. India will never have a ******-eyed or white head of state. Symbolism and nationalistic branding still matter.

[jedi08]

Clinton''s base supporters are older women who in two polls said the main reason they would vote for her was because she was a women and the main reason they wouldn''t vote for Obamma was because he was black.

Great, weve got a bunch of old racist women stuck in the dark ages voting for her strickly because she is a women.

I realized this when I asked my grandma 81, why she liked Hillary, to hear her say because she is a women wasn''t suprising but when I asked her why not Obamma I got a surprising response. She said because he is black!!
I work at a hospital so I did a little research and asked a few of my patients who supported Clinton the same question. at first I got you standard campaign answer, no experience or we just want bill back, but when I dug harder, 12 of the 20 confessed they wouldn''t vote for a black man. These are the people that might decide the election. Sad Sad Sad

[poopusbuttus]

Here are two quotes from the radical left%u2019s Sarah Jane Moore (The would-be Presidential assassinator of Gerald Ford) after spending some 30 odd years in prison:

In recent interviews, Moore said she regretted her actions, saying she was blinded by her radical political views.

"I am very glad I did not succeed. I know now that I was wrong to try," Moore said a year ago in an interview with KGO-TV. (The Radical Leftists Sarah Jane Moore - The would be Presidential Assassinator)

and, perhaps the best one:

"I was functioning, I think, purely on adrenaline and not thinking clearly. I have often said that I had put blinders on and I was only listening to what I wanted to hear," (The Radical Leftist Sara Jane Moore - The Would Be Presidential Assassinator)

This idiocy, not only describes what the left%u2019s Bush Derangement System is all about, but it also describes the seriousness and the potential danger of what the radical left disease presents to this country.

I urge all good Americans to read about this woman, and many others like her. Look at their stories, soak up the details, and then open your eyes to what%u2019s going on around you. Is this the country you want to live in? Are people like these who you want to follow?

Long live conservative traditionalists and God Bless America!

[rowdytexan2]

Edwards is a glorified ambulance chaser who made his money skimming off tort awards and off his hedge fund buddies. He''s a fake!

The Clinton''s have worked hard to promulgate some really good legislation for the people. There is NO WAY you can compare them to the Neocon regime. Had people listened to Hillary in the ''90s we''d already have had universal health care, and have saved billions! But no, people chose to listen to the republiCONS, scream socialism! And every time they holler leap frog you people ask HOW HIGH!

Can you honestly believe that Edwards really gives a flip about the American people? When he charges a university $40,000 a year just to put his name on their poverty program, and then want free football tickets, for pete''s sakes?

He didn''t have a plan until a month ago! He spent the whole year criticizing the other democrats! Then after being booed at the debates thought he might need a plan, so he borrowed everyone elses, then made out like he''s the ONLY one with a plan!

[honesttalk]

A Clinton victory will reinforce that the establishment machine power still alive and combined with money can still overshadow the voice of the people.
An Obama win will show that MONEY can buy media and manipulate democracy by bringing untested, inexperienced candidates WITHOUT proven business or political leadership to the front line, and that is a risk!. Obama is a "nice" but risky proposition to our country.
An Edwards win in Iowa will make the Democrats race a real contest and that will be good for the party. He probably doesn%u2019t have the same amount of money than Hillary or Obama; but he has name recognition for real and people can easily be motivated to support his candidacy. Edwards has the best progressive ideas, real agenda and is working hard for the nomination. Edwards wants to change and re energize the Democratic party from the base up, the middle class across party lines; he is fighting for a real chance...no just slogans, his message is clear and sound. When the big press give him enough coverage his message will reach across party lines to independents and some republicans fed up with Washington gridlock and the powers of big corporations and BIG MONEY.

Go Edwards! show that no one can buy the nomination, not even with the Washington oiled machine, lobbyists, big powers or big TV celebrities or big Hollywood and the controlled media.

HAPPY NEW YEARS!