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Obama Team And Dem Establishment Work To Bridge A Gap, And Ickes Now Thinks Obama Can Win
Atlantic ^ | 9/11/2008 | Marc Ambinder

Posted on 09/12/2008 1:54:15 AM PDT by markomalley

There is an affect gap between how members of the Democratic political establishment view the presidential race right now -- concerns, bordering on panic -- and where Barack Obama's campaign brain trust thinks the race is at -- a mix of confidence and sobriety, but nothing approaching rank worrying.

This gap has a lineage. Jimmy Carter's Atlanta campaign headquarters and the National Democrats had their moments, as did the National Dems and Bill Clinton's Little Rock headquarters. Both sides argued, then fought, and then drew insights from each other, and Democrats managed to win the White House. (1988...and 2000...were a little different).

Call this first group National Democrats. They see 55 days left, an Obama campaign dropping in national polls, an enthusiastic Republican base, a public that, darn it, seems to like Sarah Palin, an Obama campaign that can't figure out how to respond to a changed dynamic, and, on top of all of that, millions left to raise.

Chicago Democrats notice that John McCain is doing better in traditionally Republican states outside of the West; that an engaged Republican base changes the map, that Obama is winning right now in every state that John Kerry won plus Iowa and New Mexico, and that the remaining electoral votes he needs could come from Nevada. Or Colorado. Or Montana. Or Virginia. The fundamentals are strong; the election will turn back to the economy; everything is OK. The campaign is about Barack Obama versus John McCain, and on November 4, it will be about Barack Obama and John McCain.

Every few weeks, former Sen. Tom Daschle, now a close confidant of Obama's, convenes a passel of charter members of the Democratic political establishment in his office conference room Washington. Daschle usually brings along a guest from the Obama campaign's upper echelon.

(Excerpt) Read more at marcambinder.theatlantic.com ...


TOPICS: Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: electionpresident; obamabiden
They're not knocked out yet, folks. Need to keep pushing hard.
1 posted on 09/12/2008 1:54:15 AM PDT by markomalley
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To: markomalley
Obama went hat in hand to see the prince of darkness himself yesterday, and now that old rat, Harold Ickes is out talking up Obama. We need to be careful with our overconfidence.
2 posted on 09/12/2008 2:01:13 AM PDT by Luke21
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To: markomalley

Oh, I think there’s about a 65% chance that Obama wins. Team McCain doesn’t know what they’re doing...


3 posted on 09/12/2008 2:03:43 AM PDT by bahblahbah (http://explorations.chasrmartin.com/2008/09/06/palin-rumors/)
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To: markomalley

So what do Obambi’s much touted “change” agents do?

They drag out Icky, the retread from the Clinton decade to mouth off.

Hunh. So much for “change” in the Beltway. Biden and Icky. What a combination.

What next, Carvile?


4 posted on 09/12/2008 2:05:14 AM PDT by OpusatFR (As we bicker about faith, the faithful are witnesses by their martyrdom.)
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To: OpusatFR

No worries. We have to approach this like we are down in the polls.

This election will go by fast. There isn’t much time left.

Don’t get cocky.


5 posted on 09/12/2008 2:07:29 AM PDT by goodolemr
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To: bahblahbah
Team McCain doesn’t know what they’re doing...

Yeah, too bad for them that the guy who has all the answers is all booked up posting comments on Internet message boards.

6 posted on 09/12/2008 2:15:14 AM PDT by AHerald ("Be faithful to God ... do not bother about the ridicule of the foolish." - St. Pio of Pietrelcina)
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To: AHerald

HA!

yeah, I’m busy no doubt...


7 posted on 09/12/2008 2:16:34 AM PDT by ovrtaxt (I <3 my PitBull. Sic em girl!!)
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To: markomalley

The electoral math is still well in Obama’s favor. Funny how when it helps them they just love the electoral college.


8 posted on 09/12/2008 2:35:02 AM PDT by Caipirabob (Communists... Socialists... Democrats...Traitors... Who can tell the difference?)
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To: Caipirabob

“Call this first group National Democrats.”

Isn’t that a nice term for Nazi?


9 posted on 09/12/2008 2:54:21 AM PDT by EQAndyBuzz (McCain/Palin 2008)
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To: Caipirabob

It’s not “well in his favor”, he is not winning Ohio, Florida, New Mexico, and is within a couple of points in usually reliable blue state like PA.


10 posted on 09/12/2008 3:06:31 AM PDT by snarkytart
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To: snarkytart
We MUST volunteer for McCain in Colorado and Nevada.
11 posted on 09/12/2008 3:16:40 AM PDT by tomymind
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To: markomalley

Overall its pretty balanced. We cannot get cocky. Remember, democrats are experts at vote fraud. All they need is a large concentrated urban area and they can conjure up all the votes they want. We’ve seen it in Detroit. We’ve seen it in Chicago. We’ve seen it in Philadelphia.

Now they have Denver, and Reno, and Fairfax County.

Obama holds everything Kerry does + Iowa which puts him within range.

McCain needs to put up a fight in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan, and New Hampshire while holding the other states. And he needs to defend Colorado to the death.

Don’t be asleep, the democrats surely aren’t.


12 posted on 09/12/2008 4:35:00 AM PDT by DiogenesLaertius (Lets Act like True Conservatives Here)
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