McCain and his campaign largely absent as Obama makes hard run at North Carolina

[Nambe]

Source: RALEIGH, N.C. (AP)

It's no coincidence that Barack Obama did his preparation for this week's presidential debate in North Carolina's western mountains. Or that on the day of the debate, Michelle Obama was rallying voters on the state's Atlantic Coast. Or that the Democratic nominee spent the morning after the first presidential debate in the state.

John McCain? Voters here haven't seen him in six months.

North Carolina hasn't voted for a Democratic presidential candidate since Jimmy Carter and was on nobody's list of battleground states a year ago. But now, public polls and an avalanche of Democratic voter registrations indicate North Carolina is no longer a safe Republican state. And McCain's efforts to win its 15 electoral votes don't match Obama's full-court press.

"I am surprised — and I think you've got to give it to Obama," said longtime North Carolina GOP operative Ballard Everett. "He ramped up in North Carolina early, he's moved out there and kept those troops working hard." ---

Read more: http://www.newsday.com/news/politics/wire/sns-ap-carolina-competition,0,7414162.story

[Mark E. Smith]

1. McCreaky doesn't work like that

Long term organization and consistency are alien to
The Creakster. He's more into gimmicks and threats.

[kick-ass-bob]

2. C'mon boys.

Lemme see BLUE!

[John Q. Citizen]

3. If McCain had a sense of humor, he'd do a rally in NC and tell the crowd that he

came to tell the Obama campaign, "Hey you kids, get off my lawn!"

He isn't that funny though.

[yellowcanine]

4. Another brilliant move by the Obama campaign that catches McGrump's campaign off guard.

They will now have to pour resources into NC to have any hope of holding it - resources they need elsewhere.

[BigD_95]

5. I agree

they turned their back on the state and now that money is tuff they have to spend it there

[yellowcanine]

7. McGrump is a gambler. He "bet the farm" on Palin. I guess that is one less property he will own.

[auburngrad82]

6. I saw a TV ad the Dems are running against Robin Hayes

I'm impressed. The Democratic Party has to feel pretty good about our chances in NC if they're pumping all this money into ads to defeat Dole, Hayes AND McCain.

This is the best I've felt about our chances in a long, long time.

[gratuitous]

8. McCain is like the San Diego Chargers under Don Coryell

No ground game. McCain doesn't have the money or the staff to run campaign offices in every state, and he's burning through his money at an alarming rate with weeks to go. He's written off Michigan, and he doesn't have anything extra when new fires break out, like in North Carolina. Indiana seems to be tipping away from its usual solid Republican stance, and even a couple of mountain west states are looking iffy.

McCain needs to win every traditional Republican state and run every close one, but he doesn't have the money, the campaign, the staff, the energy or anything else to make it happen. Enjoy the spectacle as McCain wheezes to the finish line with Palin screeching for blood as her doddering mount runs to ground.

[KamaAina]

13. And no defense

Remember how they'd say, "How do you spell San Diego? S-A-N I-E-G-O, 'cause there's no 'D' in San Diego!" :rofl:

[FatDave]

9. Aw, it'd just about break my fucking heart if McCain pulled out of NC.

Honestly. There could be tears.

[Old Codger]

10. Hell

He's got McPalin running all over trying to put out fires, that is the difference between "reactive"(mcpain) and Proactive (Obama):dem:

[Alcibiades]

11. 4 to 1 in new voter registrations!

McCain started opening their offices in September. Obama's folks have been here since July. McCain has also not sent their A-team here, to say the least: their local paid staff are losers. McCain's not about to pull out, but I bet they are shitting themselves b/c they never expected NC to be in play.

Nobody credits the fact that the primary played a huge role. Obama supporters were already fired up and organized. We have our go to lists of volunteers, we've had our grassroots system ready to go since the spring. McCain only started on that late last month--it's only been just now we are seening ANY McCain yard signs.

McCain's strategery people also misunderestimate what the military vote means. The old vets who see every conflict as a chance to refight Vietnam, they are in the tank for the GOP, but they have been for a generation. Some of the active duty folks, on the other hand, are getting a little tired of being sent to Iraq again and again and again, with no hope of seeing their families.

People should also look at our Democratic state government, which has been well run and is financially in good shape. Those neighboring states that have been run by Republicans? Not doing so good, as is true of the nation as a whole. The competence gap looms large, and NC voters actually care about that.

We also have had many, many folks move here from places like New York, and they still vote Democratic (we're a very fast growing state, and NY is our #1 source of new tarheels).

This is not Jesse Helms' North Carolina. We are working our asses off, and will continue to do so until victory in November.

[central scrutinizer]

12. And it has to help in the Senate race there as well.

Even if Obama doesn't carry NC, having Liddy Dole go out the door will be a great boost.

[DeepModem Mom]

14. K&R

[struggle4progress]

15. Palin goes on the attack in North Carolina

Posted on Tuesday, October 7, 2008
By Barbara Barrett | McClatchy Newspapers
GREENVILLE — ... "North Carolina is in play, and her visit here is a sign that they're running out of time," said Susan Lagana, communications director for the North Carolina Obama campaign ... http://www.mcclatchydc.com/homepage/story/53617.html

Wednesday, OCT 08, 2008
Sarah Palin Holds Rally In North Carolina At ECU
The Raleigh Telegram 08.OCT.08
GREENVILLE, NC - On Tuesday evening, Alaska Governor Sarah Palin flew from Pensacola, Florida, to host a rally at East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina ... http://www.raleigh3.com/default.asp?sourceid=&smenu=1&twindow=&mad=&sdetail=1457&wpage=1&skeyword=&sidate=&ccat=&ccatm=&restate=&restatus=&reoption=&retype=&repmin=&repmax=&rebed=&rebath=&subname=&pform=&sc=2724&hn=raleigh3&he=.com