Obama Sets Sights on Texas and Ohio
AUSTIN, TEX. -- Since he lost the New Hampshire primary early last month, Barack Obama has been careful not to appear overly confident about future contests. That was clearly his strategy in Houston Tuesday evening, where he thanked the Wisconsin voters for his victory but noted that this is not the end in his journey towards the Democratic nomination.
"Houston, the change we seek is still months and miles away, and we need the good people of Texas to help us get there," Obama told a crowd of over 20,000.
"We will need you to fight for every delegate it takes to win this nomination."
Both the crowd and the energy at Houston's Toyota Center were enormous; however, Obama was clear that neither alone will bring him victory.
"It is going to take more than big rallies. It's going to require more than rousing speeches. It will also require more than policy papers and positions and websites. It is going to require something more."
Obama campaign strategist David Axelrod said he believes the momentum from the Wisconsin win will be helpful in upcoming races, and he is confident Obama can make headway in Texas and Ohio.
"We are going to take advantage of these two weeks and spend time in these states," Axelrod said.
He expects Obama's message in the coming days to focus on the economy, an issue that has proven to be a top concern among voters.
The Obama campaign also expects "anything and everything" from the Clinton campaign, although Axelrod argues that voters are not interested in negative campaigning.
"One of the verdicts of Wisconsin is that people are not looking for WWF wrestling and are not looking for negative attacks. People want change," Axelrod said.
Obama will continue to campaign in Texas through the weekend before he sets his sights on Ohio.