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Why Obama Staffers Are Secretly Worried, and Other Dispatches from the Campaign Trail
The Daily Beast ^ | October 26, 2008 | Paul Alexander

Posted on 10/26/2008 2:43:26 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet

This week, Barack Obama has shown clear signs that he is confident he is going to win. But privately, top Obama leadership are still worried that Republicans might be able to pull off another improbable election night victory.

Last week, in closed-to-the-press meetings, Obama officials briefed major donors about their concerns heading into the election’s final stretch. One of those meetings took place in Austin, Texas—a city in the solid red state of Texas that has raised a surprisingly large amount of money for Obama, mostly from the city’s high-tech community.

In Texas and other states, Obama officials are preparing for the possibility that polls may be wildly off because of the so-called Bradley effect.

“The Obama officials are very cautious,” says an attendee at the Austin meeting. “They want comfortable margins in place just in case. They are looking at three to six percentage points as a possible Bradley effect. Before they consider a state comfortable, they want it outside the polling margins. They think the Bradley effect could be as large as six—maybe even seven—percentage points, but they don’t really know.”

Another major concern of the campaign is what they consider to be voter suppression. “The Obama leadership believes there is a systematic campaign,” says the attendee, “by the White House and the Justice Department to suppress voter turnout across the country.”

To counteract the Bradley effect and potential voter suppression, the Obama leadership has amassed one of the largest legal teams ever assembled by a presidential campaign. The main goal of the legal team, almost all of them volunteers, is to guarantee ballot security. “The Obama campaign has learned the lessons of 2000 and 2004,” my source says. “On Election Day, lawyers will be everywhere—all the way down to the county level.

Obama officials point to the government’s treatment of ACORN, the nationwide association of community organizations, as an example of possible voter suppression. The campaign has never relied on ACORN for its voter registration drives, according to Obama officials, and is viewed as only one of many venders hired by the campaign. Of the $605 million raised by the Obama campaign so far, only $800,000 has gone to ACORN—a number that could be much larger, and would have been had the campaign relied on it more heavily.

But perhaps the most important asset the Obama campaign has is an army of workers estimated to be as large as 100,000 nationwide. Some paid staffers, mostly volunteers, the workers are being spread out across the country to states the Obama campaign is targeting. For example, 5,000 workers based in Texas—a state Obama doesn’t expect to win—are being relocated to New Mexico, a state Obama believe he can win.

Obama workers will be flooding into other battleground states in the waning days of the presidential race, among them Colorado, Nevada, and Ohio—perhaps even Georgia and Montana. What is impressive about this sizable operation is its very organization. By Election Day, campaign officials believe, they may have the most extensive grass-roots organization of any presidential campaign in history. (two additional articles on pages 2 & 3 at link)


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Front Page News; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: Colorado; US: Georgia; US: Montana; US: Nevada; US: New Mexico; US: Ohio; US: Texas
KEYWORDS: 2008; 2008polls; acorn; antichrist; bds; conspiracy; election; elections; mccain; obama; polling; polls; votefraud; voterfraud
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
“The Obama leadership believes there is a systematic campaign,” says the attendee, “by the White House and the Justice Department to suppress voter turnout across the country.”

Manufactured Crisis. There was no voter suppression in Florida in 2000. That crisis was manufactured by Jessee Jackson.

21 posted on 10/26/2008 2:54:22 PM PDT by Walmartian (Doesnt sound very Hopenchangey to me.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
Obama officials are preparing for the possibility that polls may be wildly off because of the so-called Bradley effect.

Actully it's going to be the 'Marxist effect'. Middle America may like to dabble around with socialism but THEY DO NOT want a hard core commie as POTUS. 1994 GOP turnout levels.

22 posted on 10/26/2008 2:56:05 PM PDT by AmericaUnited
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
Obama officials point to the government’s treatment of ACORN, the nationwide association of community organizations, as an example of possible voter suppression. The campaign has never relied on ACORN for its voter registration drives, according to Obama officials, and is viewed as only one of many venders hired by the campaign. Of the $605 million raised by the Obama campaign so far, only $800,000 has gone to ACORN—a number that could be much larger, and would have been had the campaign relied on it more heavily.
I see his story re: ACORN continues to morph slowly towards the truth, never quite reaching it.
23 posted on 10/26/2008 2:56:15 PM PDT by callisto (CONGRESS.EXE corrupted...Re-boot Washington DC (Y/N)?)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
In Texas and other states, Obama officials are preparing for the possibility that polls may be wildly off because of the so-called Bradley effect.

The Dem ding bats take must be taking the over sampling of Dems in polls as correct? You Dims got more than the 'Bradley Effect' to worry about.

24 posted on 10/26/2008 2:56:35 PM PDT by Red Steel
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

I sure hope the “people” have been lying to the pollsters (via the so-called Bradley effect)..., because otherwise, it’s going to be a killing by Obama.... (not what I want to see).


25 posted on 10/26/2008 2:58:03 PM PDT by Star Traveler
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

It probably wouldn’t be a bad idea to take down our McCain-Palin signs on election night. if you live anywhere near one of the large victory rallies for the Chosen One, in the event he loses you don’t want to be immediately identifiable. There will probably be a whole lot of hatin’ goin’ on.


26 posted on 10/26/2008 2:58:34 PM PDT by Menehune56 ("Let them hate so long as they fear" (Oderint Dum Metuant), Lucius Accius, (170 BC - 86 BC))
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
“The Obama leadership believes there is a systematic campaign,” says the attendee, “by the White House and the Justice Department to suppress voter turnout across the country.”

This all pure garbage just to lay the groundwork for a Kena/Odinga style rioting unless we give in.

27 posted on 10/26/2008 2:58:45 PM PDT by AmericaUnited
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Again, I’m so tired of hearing the media whine about “The Bradley Effect” without acknowledging that OBummer is getting more votes BECAUSE HE’S BLACK than votes he’ll lose because of racism.

I heard on the radio where one pundit estimates 9% of the people voting for Obama are voting FOR HIM SIMPLY BECAUSE HE’s Black versus 6% who are NOT voting for him because he’s black.

Netting those two out means he gets a 3% ADVANTAGE BECAUSE HE’S BLACK.

The “Race Pimps” are pimping the race card far too many time.


28 posted on 10/26/2008 2:59:39 PM PDT by AlanGreenSpam ("Celebrate Diversity! Look at the world with all it's problems - Isn't "diversity" so beautiful?)
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To: i_dont_chat

“The undecided voters will at the last minute vote against Obama.”

As will, I think, some of those who even now intend to vote for Obama.

There’s something about the voting booth that clarifies the mind, focuses the logic and allow the voter to respond to his innermost sense of right and wrong.

That’s your “Bradley Effect.”


29 posted on 10/26/2008 3:00:24 PM PDT by StatenIsland (The '08 Election: It's about the survival of our country, not making a point...)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

They are right to be worried. In the midst of the letters that we poll watchers are supposed to receive warning us about lawsuits if we cross the line and Obama youth circling our cars with the McPalin bumper slickers, I am scared. But I will not back down. Hell no...never. And they are starting to find out that a lot of us can not be intimidated.

Beat them back by volunteering, even for only an hour or two. We have to win this time. And we can do it.


30 posted on 10/26/2008 3:00:55 PM PDT by lovesdogs (Do something each and every day to help elect McPalin!)
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To: Names Ash Housewares
suppress voter turnout

I am sure the obama lawyers are going over the scripts with their carefully chosen "innocent victims of Republican suppression" so CNN and friends will have someone to talk to to hype the story. Okay, let's try it again. "My vote was not counted! We will have no peace until every vote is counted!" There, now you try it.

31 posted on 10/26/2008 3:01:02 PM PDT by Right Wing Assault ("..this administration is planning a 'Right Wing Assault' on values and ideals.." - John Kerry)
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To: Walmartian
There was no voter suppression in Florida in 2000. That crisis was manufactured by Jessee Jackson.

And perputrated by the mostly left-wing media. Over and over again. Ditto 2004 when they tried to say that Ohio was stolen (which is why there are over 200,000 "questionable" ballots in Ohio this year that the SOS is protecting).

32 posted on 10/26/2008 3:01:38 PM PDT by meyer (The second amendment is NOT about hunting)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

The subtext in this is, “If we lose, it’ll be because the Republicans stole it from us, so RIOT”. You betcha it is.


33 posted on 10/26/2008 3:03:18 PM PDT by savedbygrace (SECURE THE BORDERS FIRST (I'M YELLING ON PURPOSE))
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To: lonestar
the Obama campaign so far, only $800,000 has gone to ACORN

But....but....but...Joe Biden told Barbara West that never happened!

Didn't Biden's mommy tell him it's not nice to lie?

34 posted on 10/26/2008 3:04:23 PM PDT by Red Steel
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
His blackness as it is connected to his Black Pantherness is what will turn people away from him, not his blackness.
35 posted on 10/26/2008 3:04:49 PM PDT by Lizavetta
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

The Bradley Effect doesn’t mean “racism” at all, it just an excuse for failure of pollsters to predict the winner in certain situations.

Perhaps if the drivebys would get off the template that voting against Obama is “racist”, they would get better raw data for their polls and perhaps more accurate predictions.


36 posted on 10/26/2008 3:06:19 PM PDT by I_Like_Spam
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To: AlanGreenSpam

No that was A RIDICULOUSLY STOOPID POLL BY GALLUP to ask people if they are biased against voting for Obama or for him DUUUUUUUUUH Gee Whiz what do you think they’re going to say Gallup


37 posted on 10/26/2008 3:10:27 PM PDT by PaRep
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
Another major concern of the campaign is what they consider to be voter suppression. “The Obama leadership believes there is a systematic campaign,” says the attendee, “by the White House and the Justice Department to suppress voter turnout across the country.”

Whoa' they are accusing the Justice Dept of voter suppression though a systematic campaign.

I'd like to see one thin thread of evidence that is happening. Name one incidence or event that remotely smells of voter suppression

This is pure and simple propaganda, they are priming the pump for election night legal battles and mass rioting

38 posted on 10/26/2008 3:10:32 PM PDT by Popman (Dont worry Barney Frank has your ass-ets covered!!!)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
Heads up, Obama: you ain't gettin' 6-7 point leads in VA, PA, IA, or NH. You'll likely be slightly behind in VA, up one or two in NH, and maybe up 3-4 in PA and IA.

Now here's the bad news: we're seeing the public polling running about one week and a few points behind our internals. And that's before Mr. Bradley.

39 posted on 10/26/2008 3:10:44 PM PDT by LS ("Castles made of sand, fall in the sea . . . eventually." (Hendrix))
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To: Menehune56
I was just interviewed at my front door by a charming, middle-aged white couple that is apparently going door-to-door in my neighborhood for Obama (Blessed be his name). They had a lot of questions concerning my voting plans, but I decided that my plans were none of their business and declined to answer, leaving them little to do but depart with a smile and a neighborly wave. But as I closed the door, I began to wonder: what allows otherwise normal-looking people to go out of their way to help in the destruction of our country?
40 posted on 10/26/2008 3:10:56 PM PDT by swift15 (Not enabling the grievance industry or advancing world socialism.)
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