Obama's Gloves Are Off - And May Stay Off

Washington Post: Democrat Built His Campaign On Being Different, But In Pennsylvania His Image Was Coarsened

(WASHINGTONPOST.COM)  This story was written by Jonathan Weisman.

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Unable once again to score a knockout, Sen. Barack Obama is likely to make his new negative tone even more negative -- with a sharp eye on trying to end the Democratic presidential nomination fight after the May 6 primaries in Indiana and North Carolina.

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's victory yesterday in Pennsylvania has only accentuated the quandary that Obama faces: Stay negative and he risks undermining the premise of his candidacy. Stay aloof and he underscores Clinton's argument that he will not be able to beat a "Republican attack machine" sure to greet him this summer.

Obama campaign manager David Plouffe indicated last night which of those options they would take. "We've done a lot of counterpunching. We've been swift and effective," he said. "For Democrats judging how we're going to perform as the nominee, we have been relentless."

Obama himself took up the cudgel after Clinton delivered a victory speech in Philadelphia devoid of attack lines. Without naming Clinton, he suggested in Evansville, Ind., that she is a captive to the oil, pharmaceutical and insurance lobbies, that she "says and does whatever it takes to win the next election," and that she exploits division for political gain.

"In the end, this election is still our best chance to solve the problems we've been talking about for decades -- as one nation, as one people," Obama said.

But the candidate who rocketed to stardom as the embodiment of a new kind of politics -- hopeful, positive and inspiring -- saw his image tarnished in the bruising fight for Pennsylvania. Provoked by Clinton's repeated references to his remarks about the state's voters and her charges that he is an "elitist," Obama struck back in the closing days of the campaign.

"It's a real danger for Obama, and if you look at these recent ads, the messages they're delivering in all these conference calls, it's a far cry from last fall," when the theme of hope emerged amid calls for a more negative tone, said Democratic consultant Steve Elmendorf, a Clinton supporter.

Republican strategist John Feehery put it less charitably: "That's the danger of running as holier-than-thou. You have a lot farther to fall."

Late last year, with the Iowa caucuses looming and Clinton maintaining huge leads in national polling, Obama donors and advisers pressured the campaign to begin drawing sharper distinctions with the senator from New York. Its response was to stay positive, but to out-organize Clinton, especially in caucus states where the organizational acumen of senior Obama aides could be put to best use.

The strategy helped Obama build what is still likely to be an insurmountable lead in pledged delegates, total states won and popular votes, while his message filled arenas, inspired artists and energized young voters. But that was not enough yesterday to win over the working-class core of the Democratic Party.

In early exit polls, Clinton was carrying white voters by 24 percentage points, union households by 18 points, and voters without college degrees by 16 points -- all that, according to the Clinton campaign, "after the Obama campaign's 'go-for-broke' Pennsylvania strategy, after their avalanche of negative ads, negative mailers and negative attacks against Sen. Clinton, after their record-breaking spending in the state."

If Obama's image was coarsened in Pennsylvania, the next round of primaries may do it even more damage. But Obama advisers say the campaign is in a far different place than it was last fall. The senator from Illinois is much better known nationally, with an image that will not be easily recast -- either by his opponents or his own tactics.

"Are there some people who might see him as less than the idealistic candidate that he was at the beginning of this process? Certainly," said an Obama adviser who spoke on the condition of anonymity last night. "But part of what we are trying to do is confront an effort by his opponents to paint him negatively. At some point, he's got to be able to respond."

[karenr216]

check this out !!! no one posted the whole sermon
Listen to video in entirety.

Fox news doctored and falsified the video of Obama''s pastor Wright. Wright did
not preach those words himself. He was quoting a White Man.; Ambassador Edward
Peck. And he is a retired, white, career U.S. diplomat who served 32-years in
the U.S. Foreign Service and was chief of the U.S. mission to Iraq under Jimmy
Carter. The complete video below will show that Pastor Wright is telling his
audience that "I will tell you what a white man named Ambassador Peck said". And
then he will quote Mr. Peck. And he ends by reminding his congregation "A white
man said this, I didn''t say it". Fox didn''t show that because they wanted people
to think it came from Pastor Wright.

Fox news is the bottom of the barrel; Full of hate and thoroughly racist.

Here''s the evidence.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOdlnzkeoyQ&feature=related

Here''s the proof that Fox knew it was a lie because Peck said these words on Fox
News after 9/11 and that''s where Pastor Wright got the quote from.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/03/21/meet-the-white-man-who-_n_92793.html


And after they made the false tape, Fox put it out on the internet and nobody
knew where it had come from.

[trbundro1277]

LOL, no one expected him to beat Hillary, she had a 20+ point lead a month ago. Doesn''''t change the fact that her win has not helped her. She is still down too many delegates to catch up and another 2 superdelegates joined Obama today. I think that makes something like 86 to 6 super delegates since February...not looking good for Hillary.


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Posted by taddles at 04:57 PM : Apr 24, 2008
report abuse
*** If no one expected him to win in the PA primary, how is he going to win PA in November???? You can''t win the white house without PA! Obama can''t win the states that matter most!

[rowdytexan2]

LOL, no one expected him to beat Hillary, she had a 20+ point lead a month ago. Doesn''''t change the fact that her win has not helped her. She is still down too many delegates to catch up and another 2 superdelegates joined Obama today. I think that makes something like 86 to 6 super delegates since February...not looking good for Hillary.


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Posted by taddles at 04:57 PM : Apr 24, 2008

Well, that''s ok, HIllary''s gotten 88 since Feb. 1st, so what''s to brag about?

[taddles-2009]

"PROPAGANDA!! You take a situation that doesn''''t exist and try to make it an answer to a situation that does? Not even close.

Posted by truth-hurts at 01:32 PM : Apr 24, 2008"


LOL, you are such a two faced hypocrite. You post a link to an article about N. Korea secretly helping the Syrians build a nuke plant and then you falsely imply that Tony Rezko had something to do with it so you can once again attack Obama for being associated with a "supporter of terrorism".

[taddles-2009]

"YOU WILL BE AMAZED!!!!

Posted by truth-hurts at 01:53 PM : Apr 24, 2008"


I am! I''m amazed that the story from CBS about the Syrian Nuke plant that was built by the N. Koreans has nothing to do with Tony Rezko! I was very surprised...well not really, most of the stuff you post is $hit so I really didn''t expect much better.

[taddles-2009]

"Barack Obama is a thin-skinned young fellow who couldn''''t defeat Hillary Clinton in Pennsylvania even though he had three times more money.

Posted by phillysage at 04:36 PM : Apr 24, 2008"


LOL, no one expected him to beat Hillary, she had a 20+ point lead a month ago. Doesn''t change the fact that her win has not helped her. She is still down too many delegates to catch up and another 2 superdelegates joined Obama today. I think that makes something like 86 to 6 super delegates since February...not looking good for Hillary.

[phillysage]

Barack Obama is a thin-skinned young fellow who couldn''t defeat Hillary Clinton in Pennsylvania even though he had three times more money. The voters are beginning to see who Obama really is, and they are beginning to have lots of doubts. We know Hillary, and by a long shot, she''d be a stronger President. She knows the White House, by the way. We certainly can''t trust the Oval Office to a 3-year Senator who is a frustrated intellectual who should return to Harvard and teach--just like George W. should have stayed in the bar.

[blkpresident]

Hillary-Fonda ''08?

What a national nightmare! North Carolina voters, please send this lil'' woman home to her kitchen stove. We are at war, so America needs a president who can handle the rigors of the presidency--not a powder-puff football cheerleader.

[rowdytexan2]

Posted by tibu987 at 01:15 PM : Apr 24, 2008

lol, HIllary''s background has been rattled since 1988 and she''s still standing tall!

Obama fell like a cheap empty suit lying SIX TIMES at the debate, caught red-handed! Couldn''t even speak at an issue!

[trbundro1277]

Jack3213--11:30--Man, the LIBS are going to throw a fit when McCain wins in November--LOL


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Posted by blondbeotch at 12:59 PM : Apr 24, 2008
*** You dream! ONce people realize that Juan Amnestly McCain wants to legalize 12 million illegals, and then let 5 million more in per year, I know people will vote for anyone running Against Juan McCAIN!

[truth-hurts]

CBS.com has a story about "Smoking Gun Video of Syria Nuke Reactor".

Obama''s friend and fundraiser, Syrian born Tony Rezko builds Nuclear Power Plants.

Google Tony Rezko Nuclear Plants

YOU WILL BE AMAZED!!!!

[truth-hurts]

BLACKSPIRIT3 IS A BLACK RACIST!!!!!

[truth-hurts]

Blackspirit3 PROPAGANDA!! You take a situation that doesn''t exist and try to make it an answer to a situation that does? Not even close.

[tibu987]

No matter who wins the Democratic nomination, I predict that McCain will LOSE by one of the largest percentages ever.

Almost every American wants Bush & Company out of office and McCain is just an extension of that era.

[blkpresident]

Hillary-Steinem ''08?

America can do better than this. Wonder who these broads would tap as Secretary of Defense, someone like Jane Fonda?

[tibu987]

Yes, after Hillary has rattled Obmam''s closet of skeletons, he should now begin to rattle hers.

Let''s go back all the way to the many, many, scandals from Arkansas on to the White House. And then there was the scandal which caused one of their good friends and associates to commit suicide.

Then, what about the $1,000,000 dollars that Hillary received from Norman Hsu which had to be returned when he became an indicted felon. Sound familiar?

Then, lets talk about Hillary and Bill''s pastor in New York who is accused of child molestation.

See, if people whould do their homework, they would find out a lot of things about Hillary and Bill that would certainly help them to decide for whom to vote.

Compared to the Clintons, Obama is a breath of clean, fresh air in Washington.

[jersupporter]

LOL, wow, pot meet kettle. Posted by taddles
--------------------------
LOL - because I post a definition. You are truly irrelevant when you bring zero to the table. Many would call you an ignorant free loader.

[blondbeotch]

Jack3213--11:30--Man, the LIBS are going to throw a fit when McCain wins in November--LOL

[blackspirit3]

PROVE TO ME THAT A BLACK WOMEN WOULD CARRY WHITE WOMEN VOTE? IF HILLARY WAS A BLACK WOMEN, SHE WOULD HAVE BEEN KICKED TO THE CURB. SO THEIR IS A ISSUE IN AMERICA POLITICS, AND IF ITS NOT RACE, THEN WHAT?

[blackspirit3]

IF HILLARY WAS A BLACK WOMEN - WHITE WOMEN WOULD HAVE NEVER SUPPORTER HER
HAD OBAMA NOT ENTERED THE RACE - THE BLACK VOTE WOULD HAVE BEEN SPLIT THREE WAY - EDWARDS, BIDEN AND RICHARDSON - BLACK FOLKS DIDNT LIKE HILLARY AT ALL. SO THE REASON WE VOTING FOR OBAMA IS BECAUSE HE IS THE ONLY PERSON LEFT THAT SPEAKS TO OUR ISSUES AND AGENDA. EDWARDS HAD MY VOTE ON LOCK.