The pre-primary meeting in preparation for today's Oregon poll took place in a riverside park near Portland. Although Obama hasn't quite clinched the democratic nomination, he's comfortably ahead of rival Hillary Clinton - which allowed him to focus his speech on his future challenger: Republican John McCain.
Blogger and Obama fan John Aravosis is one of our Observers in the US.
Barack
Obama is the only candidate to attract crowds like this. Six months into the
presidential election, it's simply incredible. I found it hard to believe. Of
course, Obama is a fantastic speaker, and much better than Clinton. I heard him at a Democratic
convention four years ago. And my god, I can tell you he was good!
I also think that his simple and strong message has something to do with it. I would go as far as saying that his speeches have a philosophical side. Maybe in Europe that's normal, but in the States we're used to your run-of-the-mill no-nonsense speeches. Personally, I find it encouraging that he doesn't only get voters by promising to cut taxes. Obama isn't satisfied with hollow slogans and sweeteners.
Above all, Obama doesn't play on fear like George Bush or McCain. He offers hope and a positive image for the future. We haven't heard that kind of talk since September 11.
It's enough to say Obama attracts people because they're inspired. Not only young and black people like some people say. The people who come to these meetings are from all over, and they're mainly white.
McCain also has a strong personality, he's foxy and good in public. Like Bush before him, he plays the "ordinary guy" card. But McCain is far from having the energy or charisma that Obama has at rallies."
Obama during the rally. Photo: "yeojin.n"
Comments
Obama has been all over the
Submitted by Unregistered user (not verified) on Tue, 15/07/2008 - 18:03.Obama has been all over the map and getting worse. Today he has a plan that may not be there tomorrow, talk about flip-flopping. Many of us don't know him, what he stands for or who he is. He needs to be something more than a good teleprompter reader. How can it be explained his steady losses in the polls.?The left wants to hand the job of CEO to the mail room guy.And the people who think that way are legion.
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Obama represents a change in America
Submitted by Wayne Phillips on Thu, 22/05/2008 - 00:31.The interesting thing about Obama's candidacy is that it's not a test of Senator Obama as much as it's a test of the American electorate. Obama is a supremely qualified and visionary leader. He has demonstrated good judgement by opposing the Iraq invasion from the beginning. He has worked on the grassroots level as a community organizer, on the state level in the IL legislator and on the national level as a US Senator. His policy positions seek to reinvest our resources into enriching American life. He seeks to secure our borders, reduce dependence on foriegn oil, improve our healthcare and education system. All of these issues have remained unsolved one president after the other. I believe most will agree that after 8 years of Bush, Obama would be a huge upgrade as President of the Unite States.
Obama's candidacy tests Americans in that we have to overcome divisions that have become entrenched in American culture in order to elect a candidate who has the leadership and solutions to fix many of our problems but happens to be African American.It has never happend in this country's history. We have to break from our past in order to end the chain of Bush, Clinton, Bush, Clinton. We have to overcome our fears. The Republican party has warned ad nauseum of the awful consequences we are sure to face if we end our occupation of Iraq.
If we can overcome these things then America may be on it's way to a brighter future. If we cannot and we elect McCain and continue the disasterous policies of the Bush Administration then America will continue to decline.
It's not Obama's challenge. It's our challenge.
Wayne Phillips
They are inspired to
Submitted by Anonyme (not verified) on Tue, 20/05/2008 - 15:22.They are inspired to obliterate liberty
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