Posted on 06/20/2007 1:02:48 PM PDT by John Cena
Senator Barack Obama scored a victory among progressive activists Wednesday, winning the Politico.com Straw Poll of attendees at the Take Back America Conference in Washington.
Obama received 29% of the 720 votes cast in the straw poll, narrowly beating out former North Carolina Senator John Edwards, and decisively knocking official front-runner Hillary Clinton into third place.
Edwards took 26% of the vote and Clinton 17%.
New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson received 9% of the vote, and 8% wrote in the name of former Vice President Al Gore, who was not listed as a candidate in the straw poll.
The poll results also indicated intense concern about the Iraq war.
"Obama clearly has strength and a base and enthusiasm here among a network of progressive groups and activists," said pollster Stan Greenberg, whose Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research adminstered the poll.
He noted that both he and Edwards were the clear front-runners.
"If you look at this, you see Obama's [supporters'] second choice and Edwards [supporters'] second choice are each other -- in this group, the two of them form the top tier."
Obama delivered an uncharacteristically confrontational performance at Take Back America Tuesday. He lashed the Bush Administration for stubbornness and, he said, for not believing in the Constitution. And he attacked Washington's culture of lobbying.
"They think they own this government but, we are here to tell them today that our government is not for sale and we are taking it back," Obama said to loud applause.
Many of in the packed ballroom for Obama's speech had come specifically to hear Obama, whose campaign provided tickets for supporters, and they spoke of his personal qualities as much as his policy positions.
"Obama clearly did himself well with a red-meat speech, showing he knows how to appeal to the activists," said conference organizer Roger Hickey. "But the overall message of this poll is that all three of them have their supporters among the activists."
Still, Obama's message was overlaid with non-partisan rhetoric, and early in his speech he was slowed by a group chanting "Beat the GOP."
Edwards, who has campaigned most directly on issues of importance to labor unions and liberal activists, echoed the conference's central theme that the Democratic left is resurgent.
There will be, Edwards said "no more taking half a loaf" in the Edwards presidency.
Some at the conference said they found the clarity of Edwards' message compelling.
"I think that's what the American people want -- simplicity," said Kris Pierce, a Democratic activist from Douglas County, Nebraska.
Straw polls are unscientific indicators, and their results are determined in part by who chooses to participate, but the results of the Politico.com survey do suggest that Clinton has more support among liberal activists than might have been predicted from surveys conducted on the internet.
Obama and Edwards have been duking it out in the online straw polls conducted by leading Democratic blogs -- Obama is leading the MyDD straw poll, while Edwards has led the DailyKos straw poll.
Clinton is no favorite of the Netroots, and hardly registers in the online surveys, but was a clear third in the Politico.com Straw Poll.
Clinton's speech, a litany of disputes with the Bush Administration and policy aims, drew a friendly reception, though perhaps not as rapturous as the reaction to her leading rivals. She was interrupted by loud boos when she blamed the Iraqi government for Iraq's current woes.
The survey also asked attendees their second choices for president, which mirrored the first-choice findings: Obama led, followed by Edwards, and then Clinton.
The conference, and the straw poll, also demonstrated the activists' hunger for a victory next November.
The two candidates farthest to the left, Ohio Rep. Dennis Kucinich and former Alaska Senator Mike Gravel, were warmly received, but received few votes in the straw poll -- just 5% and 1%, respectively.
And when Ralph Nader, the giant of the 1970s left who may have cost the Democrats the White House in 2000, rose to introduce Gravel, he was met with boos.
Does anyone know what Obama’s position is on anything other than National Healthcare and the Iraq War?
Third for hilllereee? Ha,hah,heh
Has anyone see the picutre of her today on drudge in that yellow jacket?
Has anyone seen that stupid ad in the diner? Good Lord...I truly believe these people really are so much in love with themselves that they can’t see how stupid looking they are and sound. The ad is hillarious...shows them both for the jokes they are. Good Lord.
“Senator Barack Obama scored a victory among progressive activists Wednesday ... “
How about a poll of registered voters?
” ... winning the Politico.com Straw Poll of attendees at the Take Back America Conference in Washington”
I didn’t know America was gone.
“The poll results also indicated intense concern about the Iraq war.”
Good thing we are having a national election concerning the Iraq war!
“I think that’s what the American people want — simplicity,”
Too bad all you can offer them is bigger government, redistribution of wealth and haircut advice.
“The conference, and the straw poll, also demonstrated the activists’ hunger for a victory next November.”
Ha ha, maybe they can have a “hunger strike” like the other retarded liberal activists at Harvard who are protesting over some janitors who are making $0.19 less per hour than others.
“Does anyone know what Obama’s position is on anything other than National Healthcare and the Iraq War?”
One of three canned responses:
1. “we need to take back America”
2. “that is a complicated issue”
3. “we need to bring people together, not divide them”
Maybe Edwards can bribe dimmocrats with a free haircut?
How about a Gore/Obama ticket. I have slogans ready-made: “For Goddess Gaia and Mohammed” or The Earth has a fever, Allah will cure it”. Bet you can think of some, too...
This is from NC's former half-Senator. Half of the time he was Senator, and the other half he was running for President. Obama seems to be on the same career track (and that should scare him).
Nope, haven’t the stomach for watching Bil and Hil try to be funny and ‘with it’.
I’ve been visiting lefty sites reading their posts regarding the video and herself’s official campaign song, and let’s just say neither of them are a big hit.
no, it is awful. you should TREAT yourself just to see the fools they have made of themselves.
:)
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