Obama's path to presidency is far from clear: "Struggling to gain real ground against McCain"

[DeepModem Mom]

LAT: Obama's path to presidency is far from clear
The Democrat is winning fans on his trip abroad, but is struggling to gain real ground against McCain at home. Some key Clinton backers remain alienated.
By Peter Nicholas, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
July 25, 2008

WASHINGTON -- Even as his turn on the global stage hit an emotional peak Thursday with a speech before a cheering crowd of more than 200,000 in Germany, Barack Obama faced new evidence of stubborn election challenges back home.

Fresh polls show that he has been unable to convert weeks of extensive media coverage into a widened lead. And some prominent Democrats whose support could boost his campaign are still not enthusiastic about his candidacy. Several new surveys show that Obama is in a tight race or even losing ground to Republican John McCain, both nationally and in two important swing states, Colorado and Minnesota. One new poll offered a possible explanation for his troubles: A minority of voters see Obama as a familiar figure with whom they can identify....

Obama also faces discontent from some of Hillary Rodham Clinton's most ardent supporters, who are put off by what they describe as a campaign marked by hubris and a style dedicated to televised extravaganzas....

Obama is to return home Saturday after a nine-day trip that has produced some of the most memorable images of the campaign. Speaking in Berlin before a sea of young faces, the presumed Democratic nominee echoed a famous line from President Reagan, who, at Brandenburg Gate, implored Soviet counterpart Mikhail S. Gorbachev to "tear down this wall." "The walls between races and tribes, natives and immigrants, Christian and Muslim and Jew cannot stand. These now are the walls we must tear down," Obama told the warmly enthusiastic crowd in Tiergarten park. He spoke from a stage constructed near the Victory Column, a soaring monument to Prussian military triumphs.

Powerful as the image was, back home some voters wondered whether the trip was necessary. Both Obama and McCain had been invited Thursday to a cancer forum organized by cyclist Lance Armstrong's foundation at Ohio State University. McCain showed; Obama did not. Some in the crowd took notice....

***

Time remains for Obama to unify the party and find ways to win over skeptical voters. His campaign released ads last month that emphasize the parts of Obama's life story that a typical voter might find appealing. Obama, for example, was raised by a single mother and grandparents who lacked substantial means. The campaign hopes that the images in those ads will boost his standing in the polls....

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-challenges25-2008jul25,0,7262099,full.story

[TwilightGardener]

1. Obama: Damned if he does, damned if he doesn't, at all times.

[katmondoo]

2. Whatever he does someone will find

it a problem. If he did'nt go that would be another problem. What he says and what he doesn't say is a problem. How he says it is a problem. How he looks is a problem. How he doesn't look is a problem.

[goclark]

3. It's the Los Angeles Times ~ they do hit pieces

every day on the minority community and Democrats.

I stopped that "news"paper from touching my doorstep years ago.
They call and beg me to renew.

No way!

[DeepModem Mom]

5. I actually don't see hit pieces as I monitor the LAT website each day, but maybe I miss them.

And I don't see this as a hit piece. I didn't post it in GDP because it was a "downer" of a piece. But it's really hard for any Dem to be elected President, and it's not going to be easy for this one, even as extraordinary as he is. To think otherwise, I'm afraid, is to kid ourselves.

[AndyTiedye]

4. If You are a "Reporter", Your Bonus Depends on How Many Repiglickin Talking Points You Can Get In

[DeepModem Mom]

6. Realistically, Obama is not running away with this race. We have a difficult path ahead. Luckily...

we have a skillful, extraordinary candidate to travel it.

[liberal N proud]

7. I think he is much further ahead than the media will ever let on

They are keeping this race artificially tight.

[AndyTiedye]

8. That's Because the MSM, ALL of the It, is in the Tank for McAin't

The activities of the Mighty Slime Machine are taking their toll.

All of their coverage of Obama is like this:


All of their coverage of McCain is like this:


We have many of the people who get their news from the net, but we are losing those who get their news from TV.

[MNLeftie]

9. I love the guy but...

It seems that I may be not alone in my feelings that this latest out-of-country excursion may be doing more harm than good. After all, he's not running for German Chancellor. For the first time, I've felt that his wonderful speechifying may be out of place in an event as we witnessed it in Berlin. While he is a candidate for the presidency, and acting presidential, in the words of Chris Matthews this morning, "this race is far from over."

Recent polls show him losing, not gaining, ground, like here in Minnesota. I'm not sure if they're polling the same people over and over (we got two automated polls within 15 minutes last night) or whether this is really something to be concerned about. After our state caucuses, he was ahead massively! Not so today...or so THEY say.

So, is he acting elitist or presumptive? Some of my conservative friends are really coming down hard on his "behavior". What say out there? Too much too soon?

[The Liberal Thinker]

10. Give me a fuckin' break.

McCain hasn't been leading in ANY NATIONAL POLLS since early May, and that was a one point lead.

McCain has no viable options in picking up any Democratic states; on the other hand, Obama has a realistic shot at picking up Ohio, Virginia, Iowa, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, North Carolina, Indiana, Florida, Montana, Missouri, South Dakota, and North Dakota.

And even with all of that, these polls are not picking up the support among cell phone voters, who can't be reached by pollsters (coincidentally, these are mostly young folks, poor people, and minorities). And the polls are not picking up support among the masses of newly-registered Democrats during the primary season. The pollsters are sampling for pre-primary voter registration proportions, not post-.

The media wants us to think this is going to be a close election, otherwise no one is going to buy their papers or watch their shows. So they're going to do everything they can to create the perception that Obama and McCain are in a dead heat -- remember the CNN poll just a couple of weeks ago that showed Obama up 5 points, yet CNN said it was a "statistical dead heat"? That was bullshit, and I don't bother getting analysis from them anymore, because its bullshit.

[Name removed]

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[ajh60]

11. Democrats: Let's not fool ourselves, Obama has been hurt

Two things that are true in all campaigns. National Polls mean nothing. This election is 50 individual state elections, at the end add the total of electoral votes and poof; you have the winner. The other is Negative ads work. McCain knows it and if Obama is going to be a "different" candidate and stay above the fray, he will in the end, be like most Democratic Candidates for President, a loser.

Obama did think early in the campaign that the town hall meetings were a good idea but know he backs off. This is silly. He has to engage mCCain on the same stage at every opportunity. If McCain represents four more years of Bush, then he is the quasi incumbent. A challenger MUST go after and the incumbent at every opportunity. As far as the media coverage again, lets stop whining. MSNBC is almost a paid staffer of Obama. The evening news is less of an issue than 20 years ago.

Democrats have to be tough. Dukakis, Mondale, Kerry have been weak. Clinton (like him or not)ran a street campaign-you hit me-I hit right back and then some. Oh Yeah he won. McCain will have voters convinced by election that Obama is an empty suit unless the Obama campaign starts hitting back and engaging McCain at every chance they can. I like Obama, but every time he opposes a town hall etc (McCain set up or not) he appears weak. The republicans know this and I promise they will be inviting him daily to such events, just so it can be reported the Obama says no. One more thing, these folks are running for PRESIDENT OF THE US. The nation should have more than 3 debates.

Obama, hit back or go the way of Kerry.

[candystrap]

12. Tired of bickering

I am just tired of their bickering. They're getting the message across that they specific plans on how to destroy each other.

[Name removed]

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