Is Obama's Ground Game Shifting N.M.?

CBS Evening News: Demographics, Geography Key To "Photo Finish" State

(CBS)  New Mexico calls itself "The Land of Enchantment."

But in politics, it's "the land of the photo finish." Al Gore won there eight years ago by 366 votes - and George W. Bush won there in 2004 by 5,988 votes, CBS News senior political correspondent Jeff Greenfield reports.

But when Sen. John McCain went to New Mexico last weekend, he found himself behind by as much as 13 points in a recent poll. Why?

One key: Demographics. New Mexico has the largest percentage of Hispanic voters of any state in the union - more than 37 percent. And Sen. Barack Obama is leading among that group by better than 3 to 1.

"Most often Hispanics in New Mexico are very concerned about jobs and the economy and those domestic issues, but this time it is just out-ranking everything else," said Christine Sierra of the University of New Mexico.

Another key: Geography. The Obama campaign in New Mexico has reached beyond the traditional democratic strongholds of Albuquerque and Santa Fe and focused on rural communities, heavily Hispanic communities like Espanola to the north; in fact Obama was there in September with a blunt political message:

"To the Hispanic community - I want you to start actually voting your numbers," Obama said.

"Strategically and geographically Espanola is the best way to reach out to all the remote areas within northern New Mexico," said Mayor Joe Maestas.

And the Obama ground game, says Maestas, is unprecedented.

"His campaign has 39 offices statewide, in comparison to less than 10 for John Kerry in 2004. Barack Obama's total is as much as four times that of the McCain campaign," he said.

That outreach has swelled Obama's corps of volunteers in the town of 10,000.

"We're just honored that he even stopped in our community and so we're kind of we feel like we want to repay that courtesy by volunteering and get directly involved," said Obama supporter Albert Cata.

But McCain's campaign is banking on the socially conservative leanings of many Hispanics here:

"The majority of Hispanics in New Mexico are Catholic, pro-family, pro-life and I believe he does represent our values," said Cecilia Martinez Salazar.

Those values, plus McCain's Western, war-hero background, would likely have made him highly competitive in most years against most opponents.

But this is a very different year.

[tdrk1]

NOBAMA! WAKE UP PEOPLE!!!!!

[prepaidlee]

I went to see Obama on Saturday in Springfield, MO. It was fascinating to say the least that I was impressed with his campaign messages. I just hope the people will truly understand how important the election is.

[bbybomer]

I was undecided. I liked Obama''s ideas and I thought Mc Cain actually was a maverick. Then McCain picked Palin. It was a sign of his total sellout, do-anything-to-win strategy. All his war hero credibility went right down the tubes. Obama seized the moral high ground early and never wavered. I read the political articles published in Rolling Stone magazine about the candidates and did a lot of other research. Now I am a 100% Obama supporter. I work in health care and support TOTAL nationalization of the healthcare system. Please, no half-measures. It works well for EVERY OTHER industrialized nation. Lower costs AND better outcomes. When Obama said in the debate that healthcare was a right- I applauded. It''s time we took the profit incentive out of healthcare. I feel that the time is right for our country to finally live up to its origins and treat ALL people with dignity. Use our tax dollars for free college education, free healthcare, jobs programs, alternative energy research, etc. Stop the pro "military-industrial complex" way of thinking.
I feel Obama is not an idealogue- that he will make decisions based on fact, not fiction, fantasy or wishful thinking. Bush was an idealogue and see where it took us.

[thechooch1]

Hey let''s face the truth. Obama was smuggled into Hawaii on a ship or airplane, and a false birth certificate was forged. Also a false ad was put in the paper to announce his birth. Those horrible people did that back in the early sixties because they knew one day he would be president! How evil!

[wolverine442]

I''m totally tired of hearing this argument of "Obama''s going to redistribute the wealth" They, then argue that people should work hard and wealth will come to them. Oh, please! This theory has failed us in the middle class miserably. There has been a redistribution of wealth in this country and it does not favor the middle class. Look at the numbers, american worker productivity has gone steadily up and wages and benefits have gone down. Meanwhile, the wealthiest have seen their wealth grow exponentially. I think McCain/Palin and crew are terrified that Obama and a democratic congress will adjust the playing field back to ''fair'' instead of the radical tilt its taken on in the past 8 years.

[dbaecht]

"Wonder how many of you "rightwingers" and "American Patriots" have served in our honorable armed forces? Who in the f***k gave you the right of entitlement that in order to be a "true" American you must belong to the extreme right?
I am a retired navy chief and a Seabee. I served proudly in my honorable navy uniform and like thousands and thousands of my shipmates are DEMOCRATS and we VOTE.
So, to all of you Pseudo Patriots, Americans'''''''' haters fascists: come and kiss my salty a$$.

Posted by nikosk1"

You tell ''em shipmate.

20 yrs for me.

VT-24
VA-81
SIMA GITMO
SIMA GROTON

[ioweign]

Wonder how many of you "rightwingers" and "American Patriots" have served in our honorable armed forces? Who in the f***k gave you the right of entitlement that in order to be a "true" American you must belong to the extreme right?
I am a retired navy chief and a Seabee. I served proudly in my honorable navy uniform and like thousands and thousands of my shipmates are DEMOCRATS and we VOTE.
So, to all of you Pseudo Patriots, Americans'''''''' haters fascists: come and kiss my salty a$$.




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Posted by nikosk1

YOU GO CHIEF!!!

I served RIVRON13 1968-1969, USS Sperry 1970-1971.

OBAMA/BIDEN 08!!!

Posted by nowaymcgoo at 06:37 PM : Nov 01, 2008

Get''em Chief!!!

USS Boxer LPH-4
USS Cambria LPA-36
USS Nshville LPD-13

OBAMA/BIDEN 08!

[noloyalisti]

Really, I would be surprised if McSame took one state. People might be dumb but they are not stupid. McPain does not offer any hope for the future. Obama has plans for jobs, for peace and benefits for small business, the middle class and workers. McLame and his presidential pick McQuaylin OFFER NOTHING.

[dibs977]

I''m a very white, freckled red head who is a 63 year old nurse--and I have worked full time most of my life in hospitals---among which I served 17 years in ICU''s and 13 years in Recovery--with 12 of those years as a nurse manager. I have seen the predjudice my whole life. And I have seen the white male supremacy and hypocracy--all couched under the term "family values." And Republicans have come to symbolize that to me--everything trickery, hateful, deceitful and unjust. Add to that --a caste system designed to keep a few people rich and the rest of us exploited. Now is our chance to have real equality and peace and prosperity. Vote Obama!

[bjcone8559]

Wonder how many of you "rightwingers" and "American Patriots" have served in our honorable armed forces? Who in the f***k gave you the right of entitlement that in order to be a "true" American you must belong to the extreme right?
I am a retired navy chief and a Seabee. I served proudly in my honorable navy uniform and like thousands and thousands of my shipmates are DEMOCRATS and we VOTE.
So, to all of you Pseudo Patriots, Americans'''' haters fascists: come and kiss my salty a$$.




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Posted by nikosk1

YOU GO CHIEF!!!

I served RIVRON13 1968-1969, USS Sperry 1970-1971.

OBAMA/BIDEN 08!!!