03 November 2008
Road to the White House: Barack Obama
Democratic candidate focuses on wooing battleground states’ voters
In the time remaining until Election Day, Democrat Barack Obama is campaigning across the country, especially eager to win support from those in key battleground states. Here is a summary of recent campaign activities:
November 3
In the final hours before Election Day, Barack Obama visited three battleground states that supported Republican presidential candidates in recent elections: Florida, North Carolina and Virginia. Although national polls indicate Obama enjoys an edge in the popular vote, he is in tight races in these battlegrounds.
“This is going to be close all across the country,” Obama told supporters in Jacksonville, Florida. “We're going to have to work like our future depends on it in the next 24 hours, because it does.”
The Obamas will return to their hometown of Chicago this evening, and have an election night gathering planned in the city’s Grant Park, where 65,000 are ticketed to attend the official events. City officials, however, are estimating as many as 1 million might come to the park.
Some sad news came to the campaign trail on the final day: Madelyn Dunham, the grandmother who raised Obama during some of his childhood, died after a battle with cancer.
“She was the cornerstone of our family, and a woman of extraordinary accomplishment, strength, and humility. She was the person who encouraged and allowed us to take chances. She was proud of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren and left this world with the knowledge that her impact on all of us was meaningful and enduring,” Obama and his sister said in a statement.
October 31
Noting how close Election Day is, Barack Obama told supporters at a rally in Des Moines, Iowa, “I have just two words for you: four days. … We are four days away from change in America.”
Obama told the audience of his domestic and foreign policy goals. Speaking about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Democratic candidate said, “As president, I will end this war by asking the Iraqi government to step up, and I will finally finish the fight against bin Laden and the al-Qaida terrorists.”
The Obama campaign announced today it will start running television ads in three traditionally Republican states: Georgia, North Dakota and John McCain’s home state of Arizona. These states were not considered to be battlegrounds, but the Obama campaign says that high numbers of Democratic early voters in these states make it believe its candidate has a chance to win these states.
October 29
Barack Obama's campaign ran a 30-minute advertisement simultaneously on multiple television networks in an attempt to reach and sway a large number of undecided voters.
The ad featured a series of stories from Americans — most of whom happen to live in swing states — facing hardships due to tough economic times. The stories were interspersed with video of Obama talking about how his proposals will help these and other struggling Americans. It also included background information about Obama's upbringing and personal endorsements from political and business leaders.
“America, the time for change has come,” Obama said during a two-minute live address at the end of the broadcast. “In six days we can choose hope over fear and unity over division, the promise of change over the power of the status quo.”
October 29
Barack Obama, his wife, Michelle, and running mate Joe Biden have been campaigning throughout North Carolina, a state President Bush easily won in 2000 and 2004 but which could vote Democratic in 2008. At a rally in Raleigh, Obama told supporters, “We'll change this country, with your help.”
Speaking about his economic proposals, Obama said, “Our government should reward drive and innovation and growth in the free market. Our policies should strengthen capitalism. But it should also make sure businesses live up to their responsibilities, to create American jobs and look out for American workers and look out for American investors, the people with the pension, the small person who's trying to save for their retirement.”
Tonight, the Obama campaign will run a 30-minute advertisement on several television networks, at an estimated cost of $1 million per network. It is the first time since 1992 that a presidential candidate has decided to run such a lengthy advertisement.
October 28
Speaking about the economy in the Philadelphia suburb of Chester, Pennsylvania, Barack Obama told his supporters that “in one week you can turn the page on policies that have put greed and irresponsibility before hard work and sacrifice.”
Obama reiterated his campaign pledge to lower taxes for those who earn less than $250,000 a year. He also pledged to expand regulation of Wall Street to avoid future financial crises.
Obama said, “We're going to have to compete in this global economy. We won't be able to bring back every single job that has left [the United States]. But we can stop … giving tax breaks to companies that ship jobs overseas.” The Democratic candidate said he would offer employers tax credits for hiring new employees in the United States.
October 24
Barack Obama took the day off of the campaign trail to visit his ailing grandmother in Hawaii, but his wife, Michelle Obama, filled in for him on the campaign trail and addressed a crowd of college students in Columbus, Ohio.
She reiterated the Obama campaign's theme of providing college tuition assistance to those who serve their community. “In this society, people can't afford to be teachers, social workers, musicians, youth coordinators, or pastors because what happens is the salaries they earn in these jobs won't cover the cost of the degree it took to get the jobs,” she said. “Don't we deserve a president who gets it?”
The potential first lady also encouraged citizens to vote early. Ohio is one of about 30 states that allow people to cast their ballots before Election Day.
October 22
At a rally in Leesburg, Virginia, Barack Obama commented on his recent support from former Secretary of State Colin Powell, a Republican. “We are picking up endorsements and support across the country, but we can't let up, and we won't let up,” the Illinois senator said.
Obama said improving the country’s economic situation will “take a new direction. It will take new leadership. It will take a real change in the policies and politics of the last eight years. That's what this election's all about.”
Speaking about affordable college education, the Democratic candidate said he would provide college tuition assistance to those who participate in national service or join the military. “You invest in America and America will invest in you. That's the bargain that we have to make with each other.”
October 20
Barack Obama visited the swing state of Florida with his former rival Hillary Clinton. Speaking at a Tampa baseball stadium in the nicknamed “Sunshine State,” the Democratic candidate told the crowd “in just 15 days, you and I can begin to bring some badly needed sunshine to Washington, D.C.”
Obama told voters his financial plan would place a three-month moratorium on home foreclosures and restore the lagging credit market. He also touted his health care proposals, which call for greater investment in preventive care and new technology “to finally lower the cost of health care for families, businesses, and the entire economy.”
The Illinois senator plans to step away from the campaign trail later this week to visit his ailing grandmother in Hawaii. His wife Michelle will stand in for him at two scheduled events in Ohio.
October 19
Barack Obama’s campaign announced it raised $150 million in September. That is more than double the previous monthly fundraising record of $66 million set by Obama in August.
“Barack's call for change has spanned the generations,” campaign manager David Plouffe said in a video to supporters, noting that retirees and students were among the biggest groups of contributors.
Obama’s record fundraising effort not only enables him to heavily outspend his opponent on advertising in battleground states, but provides him with funds to run ads in states traditionally considered Republican but with the potential to swing Democrat. These states include North Carolina and North Dakota.
October 16
A day after Ohio plumber Joe Wurzelbacher became the unexpected star of the presidential debate, he continued to play a role on the campaign trail.
Wurzelbacher, a potential small-business owner, previously had met Obama on the campaign trail. During their debate, both presidential candidates repeatedly mentioned how their policies would affect small-business owners like Wurzelbacher, nicknamed “Joe the plumber.” (See “Final McCain-Obama Debate Most Contentious of the Three.”)
Addressing a crowd at an apple orchard in New Hampshire, Obama said that his economic plan would provide lower taxes to small business owners who earn less than $250,000 annually. The Obama campaign says this accounts for 98 percent of small business owners. Wurzelbacher's company, if he purchased it, could bring him an income between $250,000 and $280,000 a year. Saying “I have a different set of priorities,” Obama said he did not believe it was necessary to lower taxes for those earning more than $250,000 annually.
Obama also called for federal assistance to help state and local governments avoid raising property taxes.
October 13
Speaking in Toledo, Ohio, Barack Obama laid out more details of his proposed plan to strengthen the American economy. His plan would encourage employers to hire new staff by offering a tax credit for each new employee and allow Americans to borrow from their retirement savings without paying penalties.
Obama also called for more governmental assistance for the troubled automaker industry. “You've got auto plants right here in Ohio that have been around for decades closing their doors and laying off workers who've never known another job in their entire life,” he said.
The Illinois senator talked about the effect of national economic problems on states and cities, many of which are facing their own budget troubles. “For all those cities and small towns that are facing a choice between cutting services like health care and education or raising property taxes, we will provide the funding to prevent those tax hikes from happening,” the Democratic candidate said.
October 10
At a stop in Ohio on what his campaign calls the “American Jobs Tour,” Barack Obama again focused on the economy, saying, “I know folks are worried. But I believe that we can steer ourselves out of this crisis because I believe in this country.”
Speaking at a rally in Chillicothe, Ohio, Obama said the economic crisis is having an impact worldwide. “In this global economy, financial markets have no boundaries. So the current crisis demands a global response. This weekend, finance ministers from the world’s major economies will meet in Washington. They must take coordinated steps to restore confidence and to maintain our financial markets and institutions.”
Obama said he would promote a “small business rescue plan” that would include tax cuts for small businesses. Tax breaks would help these businesses keep jobs and promote investment, the Democratic candidate said. Obama added that, if elected, he will repair crumbling infrastructure, reduce health care costs and improve education.
October 8
Speaking at the University of South Florida, Joe Biden said he believes his running mate won the October 7 presidential debate. He said that Obama demonstrated “what a majority of American people are looking for — a steady hand, leadership, an optimist.”
The Democratic vice presidential candidate told voters at the Tampa school that the election is about “reclaiming the greatness of this country.” He said the country's economic policies need a “wholesale change.”
Biden will be conducting a bus tour through the swing state, famously known for its pivotal role in deciding the outcome of the 2000 election. Polls indicate the race between McCain and Obama in Florida remains close.
October 5
President Bush won North Carolina in 2004 by 13 percentage points, but Obama believes he can turn the state Democratic. Speaking to a crowd of about 28,000 at an Asheville stadium, the Illinois senator promoted his health care proposals.
Obama said he would reduce the price of prescription drugs, forbid insurance companies from denying coverage to those with pre-existing medical conditions and reduce health care inefficiencies. He said his health care plan could be funded by allowing certain tax cuts implemented by President Bush to expire.
The Democratic candidate is staying in North Carolina to prepare for his October 7 debate with John McCain. Obama’s running mate, Joe Biden, will be absent from the campaign trail for a few days as well. Biden’s mother-in-law died over the weekend after a long illness.
October 3
Speaking at a secondary school in the Philadelphia suburb of Abington, Obama praised his running mate’s debate performance. “Didn't Joe Biden — a fellow that some people call the third senator from Pennsylvania — didn’t he do a great job?” Biden is a Delaware senator, but he was born in the swing state of Pennsylvania, and his campaign hopes Biden’s Pennsylvania roots will help woo voters.
In a speech that focused on the economy, Obama said that if elected, he will invest $15 billion over the next decade in renewable energy sources. He described the plan as “an investment that will generate 5 million new jobs that pay well and can't ever be outsourced.” He also called for more investment in repairing infrastructure and schools, which will “mean jobs for 2 million more Americans.”
Speaking about the ongoing financial crisis, Obama said, “This is a nation that's faced tougher times than these — we’ve faced war and depression, great challenges and great threats. And at each and every moment, we've risen to meet these challenges because we've never forgotten that fundamental truth — that here, in this country, our destiny is not written for us, it's written by us.”
October 1
Both presidential candidates have been speaking a lot about protecting voters on “Main Street,” so many may see it as appropriate that Obama made a stop at Main Street in La Crosse, Wisconsin. Wisconsin tends to lean Democratic, but there are indications it could go Republican in 2008, which might be why the Illinois senator has visited the state twice in the past nine days.
Speaking about the current financial crisis, Obama said, “While there is plenty of blame to go around ... all of us now have a responsibility to solve this crisis because it affects the financial well-being of every single American. There will be time to punish those who set this fire, but now is the moment for us to come together and put the fire out.”
Obama, and his Republican opponent, John McCain, will return to Washington tonight to vote on a bill designed to shore up the U.S. financial system.
September 28
Obama, his running mate Joe Biden, and their wives, Michelle Obama and Jill Biden, visited Detroit, where Obama made it clear to voters he considers Michigan a key battleground state.
“If every single one of you go out and find one more person — or two more people — to register, think about what that could do. That could be the difference-maker here in Michigan. We need you,” he said at a campaign rally.
Michigan has one of the highest unemployment rates in the nation.
“I know these are difficult days, and nowhere has it been more difficult than Michigan and Detroit. But here's what I also know: We can steer ourselves out of this crisis. Because that's who we are. Because that's what we've always done as Americans,” Obama said.
September 27
About 26,000 braved the pouring rain at the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, Virginia, to see Obama and his running mate Joe Biden. Virginia is considered a swing state in the presidential race for the first time in decades.
“I’d like to cover everyone’s dry cleaning bill tonight, but I can’t because I’ve got to use it on the campaign. So consider it one more modest contribution to our efforts to change the country,” Obama joked.
“We meet here at a time of great uncertainty, in the era of greed and irresponsibility on Wall Street. And Washington has led us into a financial crisis as serious as the Great Depression,” Obama said.
