Obama camp eyes general election

Posted: Monday, May 12, 2008 12:07 PM by Mark Murray
Filed Under: 2008, Obama, Michigan

From NBC/NJ's Athena Jones and NBC's Mark Murray
The Obama campaign has announced that the day after the West Virginia primary, Obama will stump in Michigan.

“Our schedule reflects the fact that we are still fighting for votes and delegates in the remaining contests but also that we are going to places that are going to be competitive in the fall," Obama spokeswoman Jen Psaki says. "John McCain has gone unchallenged for far too long and we’re going to make sure that voters in competitive states know the choice in this election between changing Washington and the third term of George Bush’s failed policies that McCain is offering."

Of course, Obama didn't campaign in Michigan leading up to the state's January 15 primary, a date that violated party rules and forced the DNC to strip Michigan of all of its delegates.

Even though the Democrats won it in the past two presidential elections, Michigan most likely will be a competitive state in the fall.

*** UPDATE *** Obama's stop in Michigan will follow the event he'll do in Missouri on Tuesday.

*** UPDATE II *** RNC spokesman Alex Conant emails this statement about Obama's travel plans: “Barack Obama can travel wherever he wants, but it won’t make his calls for higher taxes, restricted gun rights, and proposed meetings with state sponsors of terrorism any more appealing. Wherever Obama takes his flawed message, voters will learn more about the weak leadership he has demonstrated on important issues confronting the nation. Obama’s punitive tax plan shows he doesn’t understand the American economy or how to rejuvenate it – and that’s no different in Michigan, Florida or the other the states on his itinerary.”

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Comments

I think that they should fully go ahead and plan for the general election, even though Clinton is still in the race. Her decision to stay in the race should not affect their strategy at all, since she is virtually done anyway.

http://www.politivine.com

Cory (SC) (Sent Monday, May 12, 2008 12:10 PM)

No Hillary for VP!!

I think Obama has put his life at risk, just by opposing the Clinton machine. How much more dangerous would it be if Hillary was a heartbeat away from the presidency? To quote her "I'll do whatever it takes.........."

Zoolie (Sent Monday, May 12, 2008 12:13 PM)

I am genuinely looking forward to this next phase.

Let the games begin.

Or, in another expression...gentlemen start your engines!

WOOT!

Lisa, enthusiastically for Obama in New Britain, CT (Sent Monday, May 12, 2008 12:14 PM)

Time for Flip Flop McCain to get ready to get the hot glare of the media and the majority of Americans shining upon his campaign of hypocrisy. Yep no more getting off easy in the press for the Temper Tantrum Man.

Go Obama 08/12!

Eric, Salinas, CA (Sent Monday, May 12, 2008 12:14 PM)

One more super, finally NBC will be over the top (lagging behind DemconWatch gentlemen LOL)

Lisa, enthusiastically for Obama in New Britain, CT (Sent Monday, May 12, 2008 12:14 PM)

poor Hillary

It's so hard to feel sorry for her but at the same time it feels soooo good to see her losing to the man that she disrespects and under-estimates contantly !

Steve. NewYork NY (Sent Monday, May 12, 2008 12:17 PM)

Your count is not good for BO.
Look with Obama camp or barackobama.com.

Steven, NY (Sent Monday, May 12, 2008 12:18 PM)

Excellent strategy. Hillary is toast. Obama should not spend any resources in West Virginia because that State will never vote for a black candidate, period.

It is sad that Senator Byrd passed up his one opportunity to help reconcile his heinous KKK past by endorsing Obama today. He is so concerned about legacy in the Senate. His silence speaks volumes about him and his beloved State.

The Civil War is over. It is time that the rest of America moves forward and select an excellent leader, who happens to have darker skin than the majority. What a wonderful message to the rest of the world. While Shia fights Sunni for the last 1000 years, we can finally try to reconcile white vs. black.

David Kolva, MD Oswego/Syracuse, NY (Sent Monday, May 12, 2008 12:18 PM)

I whole heartedely agree with Zoolie ...Hillary wouldn't be VP for too long .... she will do whatever it takes .... I'm an Obama supporter, however, if Hillary is on his ticket my vote will go to McCain.

garyd, amherst, nh (Sent Monday, May 12, 2008 12:18 PM)

Supers have lost their minds. They fool themselves if they think the middle and working class voters will vote for Obama. Hope they like John cause he'll be the next president.

Luanne (Sent Monday, May 12, 2008 12:18 PM)

Michigan voters can be respected and represented without being pandered to.

Gregory Peek, Birmingham, Alabama (Sent Monday, May 12, 2008 12:18 PM)

That's it. Keep trying to work the Bush III angle. Is that the best the left has? Try to make him a clone of the current admin?

He's more of a democrat than Hillary or Obama. He's just not a far, far, left socialist.

But when your fighting a war hero that votes towards the center of today politics, you gotta make up stuff up.

Vote for the other Democrat: John McCain

Vote for America, not to punish G.W. (Sent Monday, May 12, 2008 12:19 PM)

Thrilling breaking news that Obama has overtaken "Desperate" Hillary in the superdelegate lead with his second endorsement of the day.

Personally I like that there has been a spread in the various news organizations's superdelegate count. From Saturday's AP announcement that Obama overtook "Kitchen Sink" Clinton to today's NBC/MSNBC proclamation of the same I've enjoyed this headline that keeps on giving. So much for the supers saving her political bacon from getting friend crispy.

Go Obama 08/12!

Eric, Salinas, CA (Sent Monday, May 12, 2008 12:19 PM)

Michigan's poor economy should make the state a much easier-than-expected pickup for Sen. Obama. Most people that I know from Michigan (and in general) are just sick of things the way that they are and once McCain is properly framed as a 3rd Mr. Bush term he will be easy to defeat there. The one problem that Sen. Obama might run into though is that he will have to distance himself from Kilpatrick.

C.K. Steele Fort Lauderdale, FL (Sent Monday, May 12, 2008 12:20 PM)

Two words for anyone who thinks that Obama should choose Hillary Clinton as his running mate:

Vince Foster

Be above that, Senator Obama. Don't lower yourself to accepting the most corrupt politician in America as your running mate. Choose one of the many other viable female candidates, like Janet Napolitano or Nancy Pelosi.

Obama in 2008. Integrity matters and the Clintons have none.

Sick of corruption, sick of the Clintons (Sent Monday, May 12, 2008 12:20 PM)

The race is over. It is over. It is over by all and any measurement not presented by the Clinton campaign. It is over! Yet, HRC supporters here and on various post continue to rally for her, bash Obama and maintain the narrative that the race is, well a tight one.

The party must come together. It must. Anyone who has even considered voting democratic in GE has to vote democratic in the GE. It is of their best personal interest. It is of the interest of the United States of America. John McCain and his idealogy that war is something to be won; his admitted ignorance in economic issues is displayed by his support (flip) of Bush's tax policy; his threatening women all over the country last Tuesday with abolishing the Rowe v. Wade precedent is not right for this America. John McCain is the number one (#1) security risk to the United States of America.

Tired of Being Tired (Sent Monday, May 12, 2008 12:22 PM)

I was a 58 year old yellow dog dem. Guess I'll just sit this one out if he is the nominee. Have to follow my heart and mind and say no to Obama. Hillary or broken dreams.

Bill, Cool Springs (Sent Monday, May 12, 2008 12:22 PM)

Obama has not won the nomination yet.
Period.

A LIFELONG DEM & MILITARY VET WHO WONT WHORE HIMSELF TO OBAMA (Sent Monday, May 12, 2008 12:25 PM)

Yeah let's all get on board beating up the "Hypocrisy Express" of Flip Flop McCain, the true enemy of the middle and poor classes. Don't be fooled by his sudden conversion to progressive ideas, they have never been anything but political hype meant to get him elected by fools who can't tell lies from truth.

So little time yet so many choices on what to attack the Flip Flop Express on, thanks Kitchen Sink Girl for delaying the inevitable Obama general election mode.

Go Obama 08/12!

Eric, Salinas, CA (Sent Monday, May 12, 2008 12:26 PM)

Hillary is too good to be a VP and Obama isn't good enough for a VP, so hello McCain. Hope you'll smile on us little people that were to dumb to vote for Hillary.

The future is McCain (Sent Monday, May 12, 2008 12:27 PM)

Something everyone should see about McCain:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y395Tftgz0E

BL, Cincinnati OH (Sent Monday, May 12, 2008 12:31 PM)

Good strategy, Hillary's a goner, now it's time to ignore her little ego party and push on to the general election campaign, Obama is virtually certain of being chosen to run.

Class Warrior, D.C. (Sent Monday, May 12, 2008 12:31 PM)

Obama has been in the GE since before PA.

When is the last time McCain paid attention to Clinton?

west jeff., pa. (Sent Monday, May 12, 2008 12:32 PM)

I just saw Obama on MSNBC bellyaching that McCain has been given a media psss. This is from the man that the media has driven and been given pass after pass after pass. PLEEEEEEZE!!! If he isn't whining, he is mocking. Obama get over yourself.

Anybody but Obama (Sent Monday, May 12, 2008 12:32 PM)

Obama will not win Florida.
Obama will not win the White House.

Margaret, Columbus, Ohio (Sent Monday, May 12, 2008 12:33 PM)

It's obvious that many Clinton supporters were never true Democrats if they're willing to side with the true enemy of America - "Hypocrisy" McCain. Their hypocritical bashing of Obama will fit in just fine with the elitist repugnant ones of the Bush/Cheney Tyranny.

Go Obama 08/12!

Eric, Salinas, CA (Sent Monday, May 12, 2008 12:34 PM)

It is upsetting to see again a posting where the individual supporting one candidate says his/her vote will not go for the other and will vote for McCain. Democrats! Unity is essential. Either Barak or Hillary, at their very very worse, is better than McCain at his very best. Please remember, if McCain wins, he will make many judicial appointments, including most likely 2 to the Supreme Court. These judges will sit for years! It will take 2 generations or more to move the court back to moderation and away from the conservative activist judges now sitting in courts throughout the U.S. There are far greater implications at play to just whether you are unhappy that your candidate lost. No more sniping between followers of either candidate. We must beat McCain -- and every Demcratic vote is needed.

First Read -- please post. I'm often not posted.

Sarah D., Springfield, VA (Sent Monday, May 12, 2008 12:36 PM)

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