Obama strikes solemn tone on Ike
MANCHESTER, N.H. -- Blessed by a beautiful late summer morning, the Barack Obama supporters who packed into Manchester's Veterans Memorial Park today were jubilant -- happy to have him back in the Granite State, confident about the election, pumped up by the music and the chants of "Yes we can!"
But Obama, almost as soon as he took the mike, struck a somber tone, and the place went quiet. Hurricane Ike had slammed into the Texas coast, he said, and things weren't looking good. He said he had been on the phone with the head of FEMA, the Houston mayor, and other officials. The extent of the damage is unclear, he said, but the signs are ominous: perhaps 100,000 homes lost, four million people without power, and fears of widespread death and destruction in Galveston, where many people reportedly stayed to ride out the storm.
The crowd, which Obama's campaign said was roughly 8,000 strong, groaned. "Oh God," one woman said. "This could be a very difficult, trying time for the people who live in the Gulf," Obama said. "It's important for us to make sure that we are keeping them in our thoughts and prayers today."
He urged supporters to donate to the Red Cross, and to be prepared to volunteer and send supplies. "You will help them -- I have confidence," he said.
But as he transitioned back to his stump speech, Obama noted that the Gulf wasn't the only place suffering -- that people across the United States had seen their jobs shipped overseas, their health coverage disappear, and their pensions evaporate.
"There are a lot of quiet storms that are taking place throughout America," he said.
In going after John McCain, Obama again borrowed a witty line from Washington Post cartoonist Tom Toles without credit, despite assurances from his campaign that he wouldn't do that anymore.
McCain's campaign wasn't impressed, attacking Obama for showing "zero restraint in the ferocity of his attacks despite the wreckage in the Gulf."
“It says a lot about Barack Obama’s judgment that while his campaign canceled his appearance on Saturday Night Live and his running mate stayed home, Obama went ahead and delivered a series of scathing personal attacks. Today’s attacks mark a new low from Barack Obama," spokesman Tucker Bounds said in a statement.
Why isn't anyone noticing the size of the crowd that Obama drew? Thousands - not hundreds. The only time people in NH would ever show up in a crowd like that would be if they discovered a gas station giving away free gasoline, money, lift tickets, or maple syrup. These numbers are AMAZING for a state busy with recovering from its own tornado - remember - the one that stayed on the ground for an hour? The Friday rally in Concord saw tickets gone in one hour. This level of interest needs to be reported, yet few seem to notice this????? Just curious.
I was at the speech. Despite Tucker Bounds' vitriol, Obama did not attack. He rightly focused on what he wants for America and the differences between him and John McCain. Tucker Bounds needs to face facts. People want to hear about the issues!
I beieve that the Republican party is a disgrace running on eight years of the worst ethics of president,and vice president. ,and destroying america. I am appalled the way the Repubicians are running their campaign,with lobbyists,and members of the swiftboat era. America, needs to be saved, and get their rights,and liberties,retained back to the public,as well as the Constituation.
And here's the Obama campaign's response to Bounds:
Sen. Barack Obama's national press secretary, Bill Burton, accused Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) of "cynically running the sleaziest and least honorable campaign in modern presidential campaign history. His discredited ads with disgusting lies are running all over the country today. He runs a campaign not worthy of the office his is seeking."
(from politico.com)
Should be a happy day for Team Obama, the NYT.com published its profile of Governor Palin in office. Apparently she did try to ban books, was not quite as tolerant of gays as she appeared in her interview with Charlie Gibson. The report indicates that her much tauted executive experience has left Alaska's mayors frustrated and out of the loop. Taxes rose during the Palin administration and although she cleaned out the corrupt Murkowski gang, there's an awful lot of croneyism in her own team., including the role of her husband an unelected official, who has been subpoened in the trooper investigation. I think if you liked Bush, the way he looked at problems and the loyalty that he demanded of those closest to him, you will see a lot to like in Sarah Palin. So if you want four more years of George Bush, I think you will see there are many ways she resembles him.
Barack, you are doing everything right and I support you wholeheartedly!! We need the change you can bring so desperately.
Tucker Bounds? Right. Gall knows no bounds.
Should a presidential candidate have to "promise" that he won't plageurize anymore (even though he does it again anyways)?
John McCain's campaign will say anything. Can Barack Obama fix the Gulf by himself? He spoke about it. That said, Obama spoke of other storms in this country. My gut feeling is McCain and Palin just want to "run out the clock" without talking about all the storms in this country. I am not demeaning the tragedy in the Gulf but the world does not stop. We send our money, our prayers to those affected.
Senator Obama:
I believe that there are many Americans who reject the Republican's Party lashing of you as a last gasp on their part because they have no real ideas. They are hoping that we will be mesmerized by -- I'm not going to say her name -- and forget that she has no experience. I don't think you are attacking John McCain and that woman very much but the Republicans always say you are even when you don't really mention them. It's like they have a machine that prints out anything at all that happens as being a personal insult. I think that if they wanted to fix government they should have done it when they had the majority in Congress. But they didn't and now I'm glad that you are running for President .
In computers it's called 'vaporware', in sales it's 'smoke and mirrors'. and in bars it's called 'all yak and no shack'! Hollow, empty politisieze. Poor Barack Hussien Obama. Running against a Vice Presidential candidate is so humiliating! Can't even come close enough to the presidency to be worthy of comparison. Not up to his 'pay grade'. I guess! Want the real news? Go to www.goodnewsnow.com and read up...
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