Barack Obama’s “Turn the Page” Speech Wows California Democratic …
California Progress Report - Oakland,CA,USA
Departing from his stump speech, Barack Obama had the California Democratic Convention spellbound for 23 minutes as he appeared with State Senate Majority …

Calif. Democrats warm for Clinton, wild for Obama
Reuters via Yahoo! News Sat, 28 Apr 2007 4:36 PM PDT
Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois wowed California Democrats at their annual convention on Saturday, drawing a more passionate welcome than Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton received hours earlier in this state that carries new clout in the presidential primaries.

Can Obama’s Substance Match His Style?
Newsweek Sat, 28 Apr 2007 6:19 PM PDT
In the next two months, Barack Obama will embark on a quest to prove that he’s got as much substance as style.

Obama’s policy director, Mark Alexander, knows this all too well. His résumé looks much like Obama’s: Alexander is a graduate of Yale Law School and law professor at Seton Hall, and he is part of a new generation of African-American political stars. (He is also close to Cory Booker, the recently elected Newark, N.J., mayor.) But, unlike Obama, Alexander bears the scars of a previous presidential campaign. In 1999 he was issues director for former senator Bill Bradley, as the former NBA star mounted an insurgent challenge to Al Gore. After several months on a listening tour, Bradley offered up a detailed, $65 billion plan for universal health care. Within weeks, Gore revived his lackluster campaign by eviscerating Bradley’s plan as impractical and irresponsible. "I think that was definitely one of the reasons for the vice president’s ultimate success in the primaries," says Alexander. "It was effective campaigning, but ultimately it wasn’t helpful [to the country]." Now Alexander’s challenge is to offer up enough details to be credible, but not too many to make Obama vulnerable. "It’s important to strike that balance," he says.

Bob Somerby’s Daily Howler
On just how insidious Brian Williams’ use of right wing spin was during last week’s debate…

Where is Barack Obama coming from? [Very long article including biographic material]
New Yorker - New York,NY,USA
… and very short hair—sitting around a rectangle of pushed-together tables in a nondescript room, talking with their junior senator, Barack Obama. …

There are three things that Democratic political candidates tend to do when talking with constituents: they display an impressive grasp of the minutiae of their constituents’ problems, particularly money problems; they rouse indignation by explaining how those problems are caused by powerful groups getting rich on the backs of ordinary people; and they present well-worked-out policy proposals that, if passed, would solve the problems and put the powerful groups in their place. Obama seldom does any of these things. He tends to underplay his knowledge, acting less informed than he is. He rarely accuses, preferring to talk about problems in the passive voice, as things that are amiss with us rather than as wrongs that have been perpetrated by them. And the solutions he offers generally sound small and local rather than deep-reaching and systemic.

The ‘Rat-Ballers’: Obama’s High School Crew
ABC News Thu, 26 Apr 2007 10:10 PM PDT
Barack Obama’s Childhood Classmates, Friends and Teammates Talk About the Man They Knew as ‘Barry’

The basketball court became a place of refuge. His old friends say they had no idea of his struggle until they read his book more than 20 years later.

"In reading that … it doesn’t surprise me at all that he said that because we were all going through our things out there," said Lum. "I mean, I didn’t know to the extent of what he was going through for sure but we were all going through our things. And maybe that’s why, the basketball court was kind of, a sanctuary for us too. … Kind of bring us together and. … Get us away."

And it would become the very place where Obama would refine perhaps his most important talent: his ability to communicate.

"He could beat anybody in a debate and we wouldn’t even realize we got beat because we’d end up agreeing with him," Hale said. "He would be very straight to the point and then he’d just have a way of just getting people to agree."

Barack Obama in the Lowcountry
WCSC - Charleston,SC,USA
He spoke about education issues nationwide, an issue that wasn’t discussed in Thursday’s debate. The war in Iraq was also big on Obama’s political agenda. …

Dear Supporter,

Something remarkable is happening to our campaign right now, and I wanted to share with you the terrific news.

You’ve already heard that after everything was counted and double-checked, we reported to the Federal Election Committee that an astonishing 104,000 donors gave over 25 million dollars to the campaign through March 31st.

What’s happened to the campaign since then has been even more remarkable.

In April alone, over 37,000 people have donated to the cause — almost 90% of them for the first time.

On the eve of the first candidate debate this Thursday night, the keepers of the Washington status quo are nervous. Those invested in keeping things as they are have a hard time grasping that a movement made up of people who want a new kind of politics can actually change things.

Now’s the time for every person who supports Barack Obama to make one thing perfectly clear: we’re here, we’re serious about change, and we’re going to be heard. When people come together one by one, astounding things can happen. This is just the beginning — we can continue to grow this movement, but it’s up to you.

Will you become the next person to be counted by making a donation today?

http://www.barackobama.com/becounted

We’ve seen what happens when the will of the people is swept aside.

Corruption and incompetence paralyze our government, America’s ability to lead the world is diminished, and the fundamental fairness of our society diminishes to benefit the privileged few.

We need a movement of ordinary people to elect our next president because, for so many of us, what our president does is personal.

Here’s an example of what I mean. On Monday, Barack laid out a foreign policy vision that captured why rebuilding America’s moral leadership in the world is personal for him.

That day we asked for the same from you; what we heard back were thousands of powerful, incredibly personal reasons why we need a new era in America’s foreign policy.

We’ve heard from retired soldiers and diplomats about the decades of work undone by this president’s recklessness and failures. We’ve heard from family members of servicemembers in Iraq who want their loved ones out of harm’s way. We’ve heard from ordinary Americans from every region and every walk of life who want to once again feel the pride of knowing that our president is truly the leader of the free world.

That’s why we need a movement behind our next president. Only by electing a president accountable to no one but the people will we restore America’s global moral leadership.

Some people don’t believe it can be done. But you can show them the way by making your donation and demonstrating that this campaign is a movement of people willing to step up and take personal responsibility for change:

http://www.barackobama.com/becounted

So far in April, over 20,000 people have donated to the campaign over the Internet — and for more than 18,000 of them, this was their first donation to the campaign.

It’s not just happening online. Our movement continues to grow everywhere: on April 14th over 20,000 people rallied with Barack in Atlanta, Georgia, the largest political rally in that city’s history.

People like you are proving that no matter what any pundit says, this campaign isn’t about what happened already — it’s about what’s going to happen.

More people are going to be involved than ever before.

People like you will have more power over the process than ever before.

And, if we succeed, we’re going to elect a president who answers to the American people for a change.

Thank you.

Yours sincerely,
David

David Plouffe
Campaign Manager

P.S. — The debate will be live from South Carolina on MSNBC at 7pm Eastern Thursday. If you want to invite some friends over to watch with you, you can plan your event here: http://my.barackobama.com/debatewatch

Sen. Obama tries to reassure Jewish voters…
jewishinstlouis.org - St. Louis,MO,USA
WASHINGTON - US Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama on Tuesday tried to reassure Jewish voters concerned about his Muslim ties that he has …

"If I go to Jakarta and address the largest Muslim country on earth, I can say, `Apa kabar,’ - you know, `How are you doing?’ - and they can recognize that I understand their common humanity," Obama said. "That is a strength, and it allows me to say things to them that other presidents might not be able to say. And that’s part of what’s promising, I think, about this presidency."

Barack Obama Fires Back at Rudy Giuliani for Terrorist Comment
My Fox Colorado.com - Denver,CO,USA
Barack Obama accused Rudy Guiliani of "fear-mongering" over the Republican’s comment that America could face a major terrorist attack if a democrat is …

WASHINGTON  –  Democrat Barack Obama fired back at Republican presidential candidate  Rudy Giuliani Wednesday for his comment that the United States could face another disastrous terrorism attack if a Democrat is elected president in 2008.

Obama, an Illinois senator, said the man who served as New York mayor’s during the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks should not be making the serious threat that faces the country into "the punchline of another political attack."

"Rudy Giuliani today has taken the politics of fear to a new low and I believe Americans are ready to reject those kind of politics," Obama said in a statement. "America’s mayor should know that when it comes to 9-11 and fighting terrorists, America is united. We know we can win this war based on shared purpose, not the same divisive politics that question your patriotism if you dare to question failed policies that have made us less secure."

Clinton loses black leaders to Obama charm offensive
Belfast Telegraph - Belfast,UK
When a mobile phone started to ring on the podium as Senator Barack Obama was addressing members of the National Action Network in New York a few days ago, …

Signs that black elected officials in the state are drifting into the Obama camp come as his campaign continues to build momentum. In the first quarter of this year he matched Mrs Clinton in raising funds, while a new poll released on Monday showed him dead-even with her nationally for the first time.

Loyalty among black leaders in the state can be traced back to the high popularity of President Bill Clinton in the African American community, but the sudden rise of Mr Obama appears to be stirring a degree of ethnic pride and excitement that is straining those old assumptions.

"I would have supported Hillary if it were not for Barack Obama," Adam Clayton Powell IV of the state assembly told The New York Times. "He can identify with my African American community in a way that no other candidate can." Jeffrion Aubry, also an assemblyman, concurred: "His presence as a legitimate politician at a national level brings a certain pride. It makes you have to make a choice."

Obama to Israel: Status quo failing
Jerusalem Post - Jerusalem,Israel
Democratic presidential contender Barack Obama said Tuesday that America needs to ask Israel to help change the status quo in its conflict with the …

"The United States government and an Obama presidency cannot ask Israel to take risks with respect to its security," he told the crowd of Democratic activists and campaign contributors. "But it can ask Israel to say that it is still possible for us to allow more than just this status quo of fear, terror, division. That can’t be our long-term aspiration."

Freshman senator Barack Obama’s appeal to change the status quo of American politics has propelled him into the top tier of Democratic presidential contenders, and he evinced the same optimism on the intractable Israeli-Palestinian issue.

It’s important to be "hard-headed and clear-eyed about the dangers" in the Middle East, Obama said.

"We also have to recognize that the status quo is not inevitable, that we can aspire to something greater," he continued, "we should want to have that difficult, tough discussion…about how we’re going to arrive at what I think everybody wants, which is two states living side by side in peace and security."

4/24: Why Obama Will Win
National Journal - Washington,DC,USA
Barack Obama’s (D-IL) 4/22 address to the Chicago Council on Global Affairs was received warmly, but not enthusiastically, by the netroots. …

Sen. Barack Obama’s (D-IL) 4/22 address to the Chicago Council on Global Affairs was received warmly, but not enthusiastically, by the netroots. They liked his emphasis on the need to solve global problems by cooperation and leadership and his de-emphasis on the threat terrorism poses. But they didn’t like his plans to leave some forces in Iraq or his call for a larger military. MyDD’s Matt Stoller said the speech was straight "from the Clinton playbook."

And that’s exactly why Obama will win the Dem nod. Whether its his rock-star quality or ‘03 anti-war position, whatever the reason, the netroots just trust him more on foreign policy even if his actual positions are indistinguishable from Sen. Hillary Clinton’s (D-NY). So even though Matthew Yglesias says "the idea of maintaining a semi-permanent counterterrorism force in Iraq is a very bad idea" he’s still eager to give Obama some "wiggle room" on the issue since he’s "pretty confident that Barack Obama and his team would exercise good judgment in this matter." With his anti-war credentials beyond reproach, Obama will have way more flexibility to appeal to undecided primary voters as events in Iraq unfold.

Barack’s rock
Chicago Tribune - Chicago,IL,USA
While South Side activists praise her program, Barack Obama’s union supporters have been critical of the management of many large hospitals for how they …

One of its most formidable tasks, after all, is to win over Democratic-leaning women tempted to help make Sen. Hillary Clinton the first woman president, and Michelle Obama figures prominently in the promotion strategy. She’s a charismatic public speaker, an accomplished professional whose life as a working parent looks familiar to all kinds of women.

More than just a spokeswoman, she’s a crucial part of the Obama package itself, complementing and shaping her husband in ways that are both politically and personally significant.

Michelle Obama vs. Hillary Clinton
New York Times - New York,NY,USA
The Chicago Tribune has a major profile today of Michelle Obama, Senator Barack Obama’s wife, capturing not only her personality but also her strategic role …

Barack Obama criticizes Bush as he outlines foreign policy goals
International Herald Tribune - France
CHICAGO: Senator Barack Obama said Monday that even though the global image of the United States had been sullied by the war in Iraq and a "foreign policy …

Obama’s groundswell:grass roots on the Web
Allentown Morning Call - Allentown,PA,USA
The Internet has transformed Michele A. Timms from a political novice into a political organizer, and Barack Obama’s presidential campaign is the catalyst. …

Obama, the Internet, and New Grassroots Politics
City on a Hill Press - Santa Cruz,CA,USA
In this whirlwind first quarter of fundraising, Barack Obama has once again caused a stir, raising an unexpectedly high amount of money in a manner that is …

New Hampshire Voter Tearfully Appeals To Obama To End Iraq War
WBBM780 - Chicago,USA
NASHUA, NH (AP) — A woman’s tearful plea to Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama to end the Iraq war momentarily caught him off guard Friday at a …

NY Legislators For Obama?
New York Press - New York,NY,USA
… in the state is standing behind their hometown senator and her presidential bid, a few are moving away from Hillary Clinton and toward Barack Obama. …

Obama: Change gun laws for mentally ill
MSNBC - USA
WASHINGTON - Illinois Democrat and presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama wants stronger laws to prevent the mentally ill from buying guns. …

Obama pushing for carbon reductions in car fuel
Honolulu Advertiser - Honolulu,HI,USA
DURHAM, NH — Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama says the fuel used to power automobiles should contain less of the carbon that pollutes the air …

Obama has edge over Clinton with mainline Protestant Democrats
The Christian Century - USA
White mainline Protestants who are Democrats or Democratic-leaning voters favored Senator Barack Obama (D., Ill.) slightly over Senator Hillary Clinton (D., …

Latest Rasmussen poll has Clinton & Obama tied
USA Today - USA
"For the fourth straight week, Illinois Senator Barack Obama has gained ground and he has finally caught New York Senator Hillary Clinton in the race for …

One of the great things about the Obama campaign is that supporters from all over the country have gone to great lengths to share information and to assist each other in both local and online activism. And, there are plenty of people out there who have also lent their professional skills to the effort, as well.

One great example is Sage Lewis, of the successful Web marketing firm, Sage Rock. Here, he’s produced a very thorough and helpful tutorial on the what and how of RSS feeds on My.BarackObama.com…

OK, well that’s not exactly right. But, we did make it into a piece that begins on the front page of today’s Burlington Free Press.

That counts, right?

In an article highlighting the dramatic superiority of Obama’s fundraising in Vermont, Sam Hemingway writes…

The disclosure of the Vermont fund-raising figures comes as the presidential primary campaigns for the major presidential candidates are showing their first signs of life.

Obama supporters in the state have organized 10 grass-roots groups with 213 members in all, according to Neil Jensen of Monkton, the "group administrator" for the largest of the groups, Vermonters for Obama.

Jensen, in an e-mail, said his group had its largest gathering a week ago in Burlington and has begun discussing how to organize Vermonters to work for Obama in New Hampshire, site of a critical early 2008 primary.

Also, Matt from So. Burlington pointed us to "a great interactive graphic" on Q1 fundraising in the NY Times. He makes the point that "Obama raised a grand total of $46,271 in Vermont. Clinton, Edwards, McCain, Giuliani and Romney raised a COMBINED total of $41,725. So in our state, Obama out-fund-raised all of the other front-runners combined by a little less than five grand.”

Following Bill Doyle’s Town Meeting Day Survey that showed Obama with 47%, Clinton 33%, and Edwards 20%, this is even more evidence to suggest that Vermonters are for Obama.

Obama launches campaign initiative aimed at women
Chicago Tribune - Chicago,IL,USA
Noting that he is surrounded by tough women — from his national finance chair to his wife Michelle — Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama Monday …

Michelle Obama, who introduced her husband, said he knows what women like her are going through as they juggle careers, family and their own well-being.

"The reality is that my husband is a man who understands my struggle and the challenges facing women and families," she said. "He actually listens to me and has the utmost respect for my perspective and my life experience."

In asking for the crowd’s support, she said Barack "recognizes that our society, our community is only as strong as our women and our families."

Barack Obama’s speech touched upon some of the themes he has emphasized throughout his campaign — health care, education, energy policy, the economy and the war in Iraq. He said that Americans are hungry for political change and that women will play a part in bringing it about.

"I am absolutely convinced that part of that change is going to have to do with a spirit that is embodied in this room, a wisdom that is not unique to women but — in my life — I have found oftentimes it is stronger in women," he said.

Barack Wins the First Primary
FrontPage magazine.com - Los Angeles,CA,USA
Barack Obama is the victor by a wide margin. The breadth and scope of Obama’s win weren’t apparent until when we got to see the fine print of the detailed …

Bill Clinton defined the March 31 financial filings as the "first primary" as he exhorted donors to do their utmost to lift his wife to the winners’ circle. Now the results are in - and Sen. Barack Obama is the victor by a wide margin.

The breadth and scope of Obama’s win weren’t apparent until when we got to see the fine print of the detailed first-quarter financial reports filed with the Federal Elections Commission.

On the surface, his fund-raising success seemed roughly similar to Sen. Hillary Clinton’s - by itself a big victory for the rookie from Illinois. She reports $22.5 million on hand (minus debt) that she can spend during the primary, while he has $19 million.

But $10 million of Clinton’s total comes from funds transferred to her presidential campaign from her Senate campaign committee (i.e., funds raised last year). So when it comes to net primary cash-on-hand raised this quarter, Obama has a substantial edge - $19 million vs. $12.5 million.

Relative Newcomer Obama Giving Clinton a Run in the Campaign Money …
New York Times - New York,NY,USA
Barack Obama — Clinton’s chief rival for the Democratic nomination, according to the early preference polls — has kept pace with her fundraising juggernaut. …

But Illinois Sen. Barack Obama — Clinton’s chief rival for the Democratic nomination, according to the early preference polls — has kept pace with her fundraising juggernaut. And in some ways, Obama’s first-quarter take was more impressive than that of the former first lady.

While Clinton has been a major political figure since her husband, Bill Clinton, won his first term as president in 1992, Obama is a relative newcomer to the national scene: He has been a senator for all of 27 months.

But his filing to the Federal Election Commission on Sunday indicated just how effectively he has parlayed his popularity since his keynote speech at the 2004 Democratic National Convention, which he followed up with a landslide win in Illinois’ open-seat Senate race three months later.

Obama’s campaign reported first-quarter receipts of $25.8 million from 104,000 donors — by far the largest number of donors of any 2008 White House hopeful.

Clouds part for Obama’s appearance
Boston Globe - Boston,MA,USA
–Presidential hopeful Barack Obama strode on stage Sunday for a fundraising event hours after a series of powerful thunderstorms raked the city. …

Clinton old guard lines up with main rival Obama
Guardian Unlimited - UK
Senior Democratic figures are defecting from Hillary Clinton’s camp to her main rival, Barack Obama, in the 2008 race for the White House, according to …

Obama’s Up, Clinton’s Down and Edwards Is In Trouble
Yahoo! News - USA
A new Insider Advantage survey, which was not conducted on behalf of any of the campaigns, gives Illinois Senator Barack Obama (news, bio, voting record) a …

Obama gains ground in new poll
MSNBC - USA
A new national Gallup poll finds that Barack Obama is gaining ground on Hillary Clinton. In the Democratic horserace, Clinton leads Obama, …

Obama is Best-Rated Democrat in 2008 Race
Angus Reid Global Monitor - Vancouver,BC,Canada
(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Democrat Barack Obama holds the upper hand against three prospective Republican presidential nominees in the United States, …

1. Barack Obama will deliver a foreign policy address sponsored by the Chicago Council on Global Affairs this Tuesday, April 17. This will be the first in a series of major policy addresses. Watch for news following the address.
WHEN: Tuesday, April 17th, 11:00 am (Central)
WHERE: The Fairmont Chicago; 200 North Columbus Drive , Chicago , IL 60601

2. The New England Kickoff event is exactly five days away! Friday, April 20. With a big push over the next five days Vermonters can help fill Agganis Arena, 925 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA, 7:00 p.m., doors open at 6:00 p.m. A ticket is required for admittance and ticket price/gifts range from $23 for students, to $115 for the rest of us, and up to $2300 for those who can "max out" now in the primary. Email Obama staff member Amanda Mendel at amendel@barackobama.com.

3. The first debate of the primary election will take place on Thursday, April 26. Details below. This is an excellent opportunity to host a debate-watching party and reach out to friends and neighbors who have not connected to the campaign.
South Carolina Democratic Party’s "Path to the Presidency Debate"
Sponsored along with NBC News and South Carolina State University
MSNBC will carry exclusive live national coverage of the 90-min debate from 7 PM - 8:30 PM EDT.
Moderated by: Brian Williams

Big Mo(ney) adds to Obama’s Big Mo
Chicago Sun-Times - Chicago,IL,USA
It’s difficult to overstate the magnitude of Barack Obama’s victory in what’s being called the first primary of the Democratic presidential campaign. …

This illustrates in dramatic terms that Obama’s campaign is about more than just novelty, or curiosity about Obama. All that interest in him and all that enthusiasm so evident at his campaign appearances have translated into solid financial support. And it’s broad-based. Obama reported contributions from 100,000 people — twice the number for Clinton. The Illinois senator got myriad small contributions, meaning the people who pitched in $25, $50 or $100 have plenty of room to contribute more before bumping into the $2,300 ceiling for a primary contribution.

As important as the actual fund-raising is the impact of this financial showing on the dynamics of the campaign. The inevitability of a Clinton nomination, long nurtured by the New York senator’s supporters, has been blown away. That’s not to say that the mantle of unstoppable candidacy has been transferred to Obama. Much can happen in the months ahead. Clinton will fight back. The third leading Democratic candidate, John Edwards of North Carolina, collected $14 million and is said to be ahead in polling in Iowa, where the early caucus can serve as a powerful springboard for a presidential candidacy. But the $25 million gives Obama’s candidacy powerful momentum, which he will build upon in the weeks and months ahead. As sportwriters will tell you, every team wants "the big Mo" on its side.

Panel Endorses Obama at KSG Event
Harvard Crimson - Cambridge,MA,USA
US Senator Barack Obama may be the youngest major contender vying for the Democratic presidential nomination, but three prominent Harvard faculty members …

U.S. Senator Barack Obama may be the youngest major contender vying for the Democratic presidential nomination, but three prominent Harvard faculty members said yesterday that the 45-year old’s life experiences, particularly his time overseas, give him an edge over his older competitors.

“Barack Obama is the only candidate who can give us 21st-century solutions to 21st-century threats,” foreign policy scholar Samantha Power said at an event last night for Obama.

Power, the Lindh professor of practice of global leadership and public policy, took a leave of absence from the Kennedy School last year to advise Obama on foreign policy.

Sen. Barack Obama
Slate - USA
The biggest knock on Barack Obama is that he’s short on substance. This comes from his opponents, like John Edwards, who says it in public, and from Hillary …

But putting out detailed white papers isn’t the only way to show your substance. Obama likes to strut his policy stuff by playing the professor. After 10 years teaching constitutional law at the University of Chicago and several before that running meetings as a community organizer, he’s highly skilled at talking to an audience in a way that exposes his knowledge. He did this at the two health-care forums he moderated last week.

…

Obama had clearly done his homework on this subject. He regularly offered facts: Two-thirds of the uninsured are employed; 20 percent to 30 percent of the $2 trillion spent annually on health care goes to paperwork and red tape. He occasionally referred to index cards to prompt the audience with questions about employer-based plans or their tolerance for possible tax increases. He appeared to be listening so intently that he neglected to laugh when one of the speakers made a joke.

Half sister in Hawaii joins Obama campaign
Honolulu Star-Bulletin - Honolulu,HI,USA
Barack Obama’s half sister sent a letter to potential Hawaii supporters last night, debuting as an enthusiastic campaigner for her older brother. …

Barack Obama’s half sister sent a letter to potential Hawaii supporters last night, debuting as an enthusiastic campaigner for her older brother.

"It’s obvious that we like him a lot," wrote Maya Soetoro-Ng, 36, who lives in Honolulu, where Obama was born. "He’s sharp, loving, and makes a mean chili."

Soetoro-Ng said in an e-mail letter to nearly 800 people that Obama’s decision to run for the Democratic presidential nomination was not easy, but family members and supporters recognized the campaign is about more than winning.

"If, by running, the campaign inspires a diverse group of people across the country to come together and become politically and socially engaged, then the decision to run becomes clear; it’s about making a difference, however big or small, in the lives of the people around us," she said in the letter also posted online.

South Asian grassroots support for Obama
India eNews.com - Gurgaon,Haryana,India
… the support of the South Asian American community to help elect Senator Barack Obama as the next US president, launched its New York chapter Thursday. …

With chapters in seven US cities already, SAFO continues to grow and unite the South Asian community around US Senator Obama’s vision for America’s future.

Last week, SAFO’s Los Angeles chapter was officially launched by Nimmi Gowrinathan, Zachariah Mampilly, Rishi Manchanda, Nitasha Sawhney, Kanwarjit Singh and Varun Soni. The launched also attracted more than three dozen South Asian youth, India West, an ethnic Indian newspaper, reported.

Obama lands a key backer in Adam Smith
Seattle Post Intelligencer - Seattle,WA,USA
Barack Obama, D-Ill. "At the top of the list, in my reasons why, is his ability to bring people together," Smith said. "In the last six to 15 years, …

The "spring training" phase of the 2008 presidential campaign has produced a commitment by a key player. Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash., who put together John Kerry’s campaign for this state in 2004, is backing Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill.

"At the top of the list, in my reasons why, is his ability to bring people together," Smith said. "In the last six to 15 years, the country has been more and more divided. I am impressed by his background and by the variety of his experiences. He also understands the new economy."

Smith will keynote a Seattle "Meetup for Obama" on April 28 at Mount Zion Baptist Church.

Building Obama’s money machine
Chicago Tribune - Chicago,IL,USA
Barack Obama tapped everyone from small Internet donors to Hollywood stars and industry titans to raise a towering $25 million in the first three months of …

"Everybody claims Barack now, of course," said Les Coney, a Chicago businessman who now serves on Obama’s national finance committee. "I have people who call me and say, ‘We’ll give the maximum,’ without me even asking."

In federal election reports Obama will file alongside other candidates this weekend, he will detail where his campaign raised its surprising tally, an amount that certainly does not guarantee success but has forced his rivals to consider him a serious contender.

His fundraising apparatus has won attention for its innovation and breadth. Obama’s more than 100,000 donors range from entertainment impresario David Geffen to a former serviceman who gave $5 over the Internet.

A Tribune examination of the remarkable growth of Obama’s money machine illustrates the methodical steps by which he advanced to become a top-tier national fundraiser.

For a pupil, Obama gives insight on life after politics
WQAD - Moline,IL,USA
WASHINGTON Barack Obama (ber-AHK’ oh-BAH’-muh) is giving folks an idea of what he might do after being president — or after being senator if the White …

The question from young Elijah Smith was: "When you are done being president what do you plan to do with the rest of your life?"The question generated laughter from the dozens in attendance and a "that’s very funny" remark from Obama.The Illinois Democrat says he would still want to work on issues relating to AIDS, disease and poverty — whether as an ex-president or an ex-senator.

Couric’s "Notebook" rehashed debunked Obama rumors
Media Matters for America - Washington,DC,USA
Barack Obama has arguably the most diverse religious background of any candidate ever. He was raised in Indonesia by a Christian mother and Muslim …

In the April 12 edition of her "Notebook" video blog, CBS Evening News anchor Katie Couric asked, "Is America ready to elect a president who grew up praying in a mosque?" and proceeded to repeat debunked rumors surrounding Sen. Barack Obama’s (D-IL) childhood years in Indonesia.

Couric claimed that Obama’s "background sparked rumors that he had studied at a radical madrassa, or Quranic school — rumors his campaign denied, declaring that Obama is now a practicing Christian." However, in noting simply that Obama’s campaign "denied" the rumors that he attended a madrassa, Couric ignored the fact that these allegations have been thoroughly debunked.

Before I get to Jennifer Hunter’s absurd non-review of the Audacity of Hope, a little background…

I had a previous encounter with the Chicago Sun-Times columnist following her debut piece on Obama. Though couched as a historical review of Lincoln, it was ulitmately a hit piece that seemed intended to undermine the campaign — accusing it of "hubris" for the Springfield backdrop — on the day before the official Feb. 10th announcement speech.

Opinion is opinion, and that’s fine, I suppose, but this timely scolding was incorrectly labeled as "news."

So, on the morning of Feb. 9th, I contacted Ms. Hunter to object to the placement of the piece. She responded at first by saying…

…my piece is a column and so I am free to express my opinions. It is not a news story. Best, Jennifer.

But when I explained the issue of the mislabeling on the website, she suggested I contact her editor, Don Hayner.

I did contact Mr. Hayner, and though not all the issues were resolved, it appeared that there was some attempt to correct the labeling on the piece.

However, it remained the feature "news" story all day on a very important real news day for Obama. I tried to embrace the adage "“Never ascribe to malice that which can be adequately explained by incompetence" But, I’ve been checking in on Ms. Hunter’s work ever since.

One thing I didn’t know at the time when I contacted her, though, is that Jennifer Hunter is the wife of Sun-Times publisher John Cruickshank. So, Hunter and her husband occupy a similar rarified spot made most famous by former disgraced Sun-Times company head Conrad Black and his writer wife Barbara Amiel — complete with a similar bit of Canadian flair.

Further searching brought me to a snarky article that mentioned the same "hubris" article and suggested that the choice to give Jennifer Hunter, the publisher’s wife, the choice assignment of covering Barack Obama — made over a number of other qualified writers — may have contributed to a "sulking Sun-Times newsroom."

There was one thing in Hunter’s email to me that I, out of courtesy, left out of my original post on this exchange — and out of the emaill that I sent to editor, Don Hayner. But, given the piece I’ll highlight below, I don’t think that courtesy should really be extended any longer.

In responding to my complaints, she included a gratuitous snide comment about her editors, saying…

…my name should have been listed with the other columnists but since this is the first column in what will be a series it was overlooked by my absentminded editors. (my emphasis)

Ouch. Must be fun to try to be the boss of the boss’s wife, eh?

So, why am I all worked up about Jennifer Hunter again?

Well, if anybody has ever wondered how lazy and vacuous some members of today’s press can be, Ms. Hunter’s recent embarrassing post entitled "Obama’s latest book hard to finish" helps to answer the question. It’s enough to make Bob Somerby howl.

Filled with snideness and a revealing desire for nothing but the "juicy" references in Obama’s first book, Dreams from My Father, Hunter writes…

I haven’t even read the last chapter of The Audacity of Hope because getting through the book is a slog; it’s preachy, dull, and only the autobiographical bits keep me tuned in.

She goes on…

I keep reading Audacity because I feel I should — I am writing about Sen. Obama, and I need to know how he thinks. But it’s like cod-liver oil. Hard to swallow.

Remember, this is the person that the Sun-Times has chosen for the all-coveted Barack Obama beat. And she can’t muster the energy to endure a very readable and interesting look at how Obama thinks and what his ideas are for fixing our broken political system? A book that is on the top of the best seller lists and very positively reviewed by many political pundits?

She reveals further what information she thinks is actually worth reading…

On the other hand, I swept through Dreams From My Father, galvanized by the Catcher In the Rye aspect of the autobiography and the effort to tell the bumpier truths, such as the use of cocaine. And although this book has been excoriated by those who question Obama’s use of composite characters and his rejection of his white mother, I can overlook most of this — except the mother stuff.

Yes, a book only excoriated by fools. And rejection of his white mother? Jennifer, the book is about the personal quest to understand his father who he hardly ever knew.

But, the last line of that paragraph is so over the top and absurd that I wonder if even Mr. Cruickshank might regret his decision…

I think he must have been an insufferable son.

Nice, huh? This, ladies and gentlemen, is what passes today for "journalism." God help us all.