Obama Clinches Nomination

[Adam Gamradt]

What a wonderful speech.

What a wonderful accomplishment.

There are 17000 of us inside the arena, and 15000 outside. Minnesotans are really loud.

[FLALAX]

No-bama

[Gvlax]

like his views or not, that man sure knows how to talk to a crowd.

[FLALAX]

I went to an Obama event in Florida and honestly I thought people were going to start to throw bras and panties on the stage. I want to back and support the guy for "change" but when nothing has ever been done by him, just talked about, it is hard to support. Interesting style and charisma but beyond that it is hard to find some real achievements.

Either way, his followers are blindly passionate. A great premise for supporting their man but not always a good thing when an individual needs to be subjective and critical.

[StrykerFSU]

I went to an Obama event in Florida

Talk about a lapse in security!

[Gvlax]

I went to an Obama event in Florida and honestly I thought people were going to start to throw bras and panties on the stage. I want to back and support the guy for "change" but when nothing has ever been done by him, just talked about, it is hard to support. Interesting style and charisma but beyond that it is hard to find some real achievements.

Either way, his followers are blindly passionate. A great premise for supporting their man but not always a good thing when an individual needs to be subjective and critical.

In his victory speech he talks about how both McCain and him both are running on change, but then quickly notes that although McCain is quick to point out that Obama has done nothing of importance, McCain has agreed with 95% of what Bush has done publicly and in congress. So i guess its up to people to decide if 5% is really a change compared to a guy like Obama who is completely opposite than McCain.

I know many people (many people my age as well as my fathers) understand the whole "he hasn't done anything" concept, but the fact that he is different than bush or republicans in general is the reason why some 20 million new voters voted for democrats. People are willing to risk their vote on Obama because it is something completely new and it is something the country needs.

[GrizLens]

Big ups to the beautiful state of Montana for delivering the final death blow to Billary... something like a 15 percent victory for Osama. I guess all the bitter, bible-thumping, gun-clinging white Montanans decided to stay home.

On another note, I got an interesting opportunity to meet Slick Willy this past weekend when he came through my little valley stumping for his wifey. I covered the event for our local newspaper.



I have to admit, I felt a little uneasy when he put his hand on my head (seriously).

[Zeuslax]

I have to admit, I felt a little uneasy when he put his hand on my head (seriously).

Did he pat you like a little kid? I know he's a little on the tall side, but jeez.

[StrykerFSU]

I guess I'll be the one...Should we call this photo "The Monica"?

[Zeuslax]

guess I'll be the one...Should we call this photo "The Monica"?

Perfect!! That's too funny!

[KnoxVegas]

... something like a 15 percent victory for Osama.

Please tell me this is a mistake.

[Adam Gamradt]

I went to an Obama event in Florida and honestly I thought people were going to start to throw bras and panties on the stage. I want to back and support the guy for "change" but when nothing has ever been done by him, just talked about, it is hard to support. Interesting style and charisma but beyond that it is hard to find some real achievements.

Either way, his followers are blindly passionate. A great premise for supporting their man but not always a good thing when an individual needs to be subjective and critical.

FLALAX,

I reject the argument that Obama supporters are blindy passionate. I've followed him since his speech at the 2004 DNC. I've read two of his books.

There is a ton of very specific information out there if you are willing to do your homework. With proper use of technology, it's entirely possible to build and publish your platform out of specific policies. I argue that Obama's greatest appeal is his ability to develop, organize, and disseminate his ideas.

If you're interested in learning more, I suggest starting here:

http://www.barackobama.com/pdf/ObamaBlu ... Change.pdf

Perhaps after the last eight years of political divisiveness, where secrecy was valued above transparency, where soundbite entertainment journalism took precedence over open and honest debate, I can understand why people might feel like Obama is just another cult of personality.

If you choose to look a little deeper, and ignore what we've been conditioned to think over the last decade or so, you'll find Obama brings more to the table than good speeches. Obama has real substantive and tangible ideas, ready to be vetted with reasonable and honest dialouge.

As a fairly well informed Obama supporter, I reject the argument that Obama supporters are blindy passionate.

[GrizLens]

... something like a 15 percent victory for Osama.

Please tell me this is a mistake.

Not a mistake... just having a little fun playing on people's fears.

[Dan Wishengrad]

The New York Times has just reported that Senator Clinton will officially quit the race and endorse Senator Obama on Friday. Smart move, finally, by a smart woman who didn't seem to want to acknowledge the truth that she had, in fact, been beaten.

This will be a historic and fascinating general election campaign. Two worthy candidates, two class acts and two men who will offer stark differences on foreign and domestic policy issues and how they would lead the nation. Kudos to Senator McCain for his call for a series of old-fashioned, town hall type debates without moderators or rigid rules. I hope Senator Obama accepts the offer. This would certainly be "must see t.v."! Mac even offered to travel together to such a series of debates of Obama's plane, joking that his cash-strapped campaign wouldn't object.

[jayjaciv]

McCain's idea is actually very good, which puts Obama in an uncomfortable political situation. He can't take McCain up on the offer for a few reasons, the main one being that these meetings would be excellent free publicity for McCain's campaign, which he himself admits is cash-strapped. However, Obama turning down this intrinsically democratic idea only gives McCain ammunition with which to shoot down his idealism.

And while Obama would likely outperform McCain purely by virtue of public speaking ability (see McCain's awkward, cringe-worthy pseudo-insults aimed at Obama last night), he could do the exact same thing from a distant location without giving McCain the free publicity.

Both this offer and the challenge to Obama to visit Iraq soon are, IMO, excellent political maneuvers by the McCain camp to put Obama in an awkward position. I assume this type of relatively intelligent and classy skullduggery will continue and it could be pretty fun to watch if Obama starts doing the same thing back.