Obama targets Alaska as battleground state, aide says

The Anchorage Daily News ^ | July 18th, 2008 | SEAN COCKERHAM

[Berlin_Freeper]

The Barack Obama presidential campaign is pouring money into the Republican bastion of Alaska to beat John McCain and to help the Alaska Democrats running for Congress against Ted Stevens and Don Young.

"We've taken a look at the political dynamic of Alaska and, as a result, have made Alaska one of our 18 battleground states," said Obama deputy campaign manager Pete Rouse. "We believe we can win in Alaska and we're making it a priority."

[Berlin_Freeper]

The ususal yardstick to measure political success is how much money a candidate can raise and spend. Yet it seems to me that a candidate who is forced to spend like crazy does so from a position of weakness, because he has to spend the money to win. That's why in the end when Obama loses, like I think he will, it must be said that he was a horrible candidate because all that spending did not bring him victory. In other words, while Obama dreams of pie in the sky, he is actually digging his own political grave.

[unkus]

I hope you’re right.

[Sacajaweau]

Drill?? You’ll never drill I say...MY DEM CONGRESS people say so.

[CA Conservative]

Let’s see... most Alaskans are in favor of drilling in ANWR - Obama and the Dems are adamantly opposed to doing so, which directly takes money out of the pockets of the Alaskan voters - and the Dems think they have a chance in Alaska? Especially with Gov. Palin being so popular? What are they smoking?

[weegee]

I reflect back on the elections of 1988, 2000, and 2004 that all showed the Democrats far ahead in the polls.

When they cook the books they have a tendency to believe their own bullstalin.

[Nathan Zachary]

"We've taken a look at the political dynamic of Alaska and, as a result, have made Alaska one of our 18 battleground states," said Obama deputy campaign manager Pete Rouse."

Well, I'll tell Obama how NOT to win it. Deny Alaska the economic windfall that comes with oil field development.

Alaska can be the USA'S "Alberta", but that isn't likely with democrats running the show.

[MovementConservative]

I would love to see Don Young and Ted Stevens defeated. Two of the worst pork-barrel law makers. Those two are exactly opposite of fiscal responsibility.

[wbill]

I think that this article illustrates perfectly why the Electoral College is a fantastic idea.

[Domandred]

Alaska is probably gonna be a real tough sale since Obama is against oil exploration up there....or anywhere for that matter

[Sacajaweau]

It served the exact purpose it was supposed to in 2000. The Dems started thousands of “blocks” to counter the college.

[dead]

Kerry/Edwards got 35% of the vote in Alaska.

Obama's sharing his crack with his campaign staff if they seriously thinks he's going to win Alaska.

It's just a PR announcement.

[Shermy]

Alaska has lots of hippies and liberals. They’re all like the ones in the lower 48. They will take to Obama’s no-drill message and sweep Obama to a win. That’s a real smart move by Obama’s people. Hope they don’t read this.

[SilvieWaldorfMD]

Interesting how Obama just opened 20 new campaign offices in Virginia — a battleground state in which the latest Rassmussen poll has 60% of Virginians stating that they would support some sort of offshore oil drilling in their state.

I think that Obama needs to answer to these people and state why he’s opposed to offshore drilling.

Same thing with Alaskans.

[RightWhale]

Alaska has been denied its birthright. Much of the Federal funding destined for Alaska ends up in Louisiana.

[pepsionice]

Don Young and Ted Stevens aren’t politicians....they are small-time criminals who make money off political work. The state should fire both gentlemen and just find two guys off the tundra to replace...that would work just as well.

A for this “battleground” talk....its fairly humorous. This is a very unlikely place for Obama to get more than thirty-five percent of the vote. None of his 45-odd themes works well in the state....his record of being a real senator isn’t anything better than Ted Stevens...and there isn’t any special interest group in the state that really pushes his agenda.

So if they want to waste money on excessive advertising there....go for it. I’m guessing some idiot in his campaign group has worked hard to convince him that the state is winnable and causing the staff to double or triple what they would have spent....to simply toss money into a deep pit with no anticipated results.

[dead]

Alaska has lots of hippies and liberals.

How many live there and are registered to vote there?

I would imagine they have a high number of hippy tourists, blowing their hated daddy's money on "adventures."

[SENTINEL]

The problem is that the oil companies HAVE been squatting on a lot of leased land for decades without drilling into know reserves from it. The state had to start action to take the lease from Exxon (could be wrong on the company) before they announced a full go ahead on the development of it, just a few days ago. Just enough truth here lines up with some of the rhetoric from Pelosi that the dems have a chance here. Also, both of or GOP senators and our congressman have managed to tick of their constituants one way or another lately.

[SENTINEL]

The land lease I mentioned in post above was at Point Thompson, between Prudhoe Bay and ANWR.

[RightWhale]

They’re all like the ones in the lower 48.

Except for the .44 magnum.

[Tallguy]

Obama’s attempt to win Alaska is just throwing money away. Unless this is some weak attempt to juke the McCain campaign into throwing money at a state he should have nailed down. Usually that kind of gambit only works late in a campaign, closer to election day.

Considering how many EV’s are at stake in Alaska it’s worse than stupid.