Barack Obama told Pittsburgh's KDKA radio this a.m., "I'm not predicting a win. I'm predicting it's going to be close and that we are going to do a lot better than people expect" (Politico.com, 4/21).
Obama, on the New York Times saying his ads have taken on a "sharpened tone": "We've run a tough race here in Pennsylvania. ... If you look at our ads, what we've really been doing is ... responding to negative ads from Senator Clinton. ... We've been trying to do things a little different."
Asked if he would like to make an apology for his guns and religion comments: "I've said very clearly that if people understood what I was trying to say, I don't think they'd be offended. ... My words were poorly chosen, and I'm very regretful about any offense people might have taken" (4/21).
... And Going Negative
Obama's camp launched two new ads in PA this weekend, "Afford," which criticizes Hillary Clinton's health plan, and "Exactly," responding to Clinton's ad attacking Obama's claims he doesn't take lobbyist or PAC money.
"I'm Barack Obama and I approve this message." ANNCR: "Newspapers call Hillary Clinton's negative attacks the 'old politics.' And now, in the final hours, she's launched the most misleading and negative ad of the campaign. Barack Obama doesn't take money from special interest PACS or Washington lobbyists. Not one dime. But federal records show Clinton's raised millions from PACs and lobbyists; more than any candidate, in either party. Eleventh hour smears, paid for by lobbyist money: Isn't that exactly what we need to change?" (release, 4/20).
For more on the PA back-and-forth, see today's DEM FIELD story.
See, PA? People Like Me!
OH superdelegate/DNC member Enid Goubeaux endorsed Obama 4/21, saying, "I believe that Sen. Obama will end politics as usual which divides the nation and prevents us from confronting our most serious problems" (release, 4/21).
Superdelegate/NE Dem Chair Steve Achelpohl also endorsed Obama, saying he "continues to transcend 'politics as usual' and focus on the issues that really matter to American families and workers" (Walton, Lincoln Journal Star, 4/19).
Meanwhile, "three prominent" Dems endorsed Obama 4/18, "a sign the party establishment isn't backing away from the front-runner, despite a shaky debate performance that highlighted potential weaknesses in the general election" (Davis, Wall Street Journal, 4/19).
Ex-Sens. Sam Nunn (D-GA) and David Boren (D-OK) endorsed Obama 4/18, "citing his judgment and vision to be Commander and Chief and his ability to strengthen our national security." Both will serve as advisers to Obama's Nat'l Security Foreign Policy Team (release, 4/18).
Ex-Labor Sec. Robert Reich made his Obama endorsement official 4/18, writing on his blog, "my conscience won't let me be silent any longer." Obama "presents the best chance of creating a new politics," and "he offers the best possibility of restoring America's moral authority in the world" (release, 4/18).
What It Doesn't Get, I Can't Use
Obama's camp "raked in another" $41.1M in March, per its latest FEC filing, 40.2M of that being primary funds. The camp has $51.07M CoH, with $42.5M available for the primary. (Anburajan, NBC/National Journal, 4/21).
Now That Bill Richardson's Out, They're Probably Bored
The NM GOP is airing a radio ad criticizing Obama for his comments about "bitter working-class voters." The first ad went up 4/17, and the ads will continue through 4/25. NM GOP comm. dir. Scott Darnell "said the GOP wants to make sure rural voters know what" Obama said, characterizing his comments as "out of touch with them and possibly not respectful of their values" (Baker, AP, 4/19).
Way To Make A Candidate Feel Special
Obama, "who often argues" John McCain"is the same" as Pres. Bush, said 4/20 that "all three" WH '08ers "would be better than George Bush." Obama: "But what you have to ask yourself is, who has the chance to actually, really change things in a fundamental way?" Obama's "backhanded compliment threatened to undercut" his argument that McCain offers a third Bush term. It also gave Clinton "an opening to criticize," saying, "We need a nominee who will take on John McCain, not cheer on John McCain" (Sidoti, AP, 4/20). Obama made the remarks to a crowd of 2.6K in Reading (Barnes, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 4/20).
Earlier, in Erie 4/18, Obama referenced an interview McCain did with Bloomberg TV last week and argued, "John McCain thinks our economy had made great progress under George W. Bush." McCain's camp charged Obama with being "recklessly dishonest" and "intentionally twisting John McCain's words completely out of context" (McCormick, "The Swamp," Chicago Tribune, 4/18).
Obama began his day 4/20 "attending church in Lebanon before chatting up diners" in Robesonia, holding a town hall in Reading and walking down Main Street in Bethlehem. Obama closed 4/20 with a rally alongside Caroline Kennedy and Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA) in Scranton (Sidoti, AP, 4/20), which drew 2K (Boyle, Scranton Times Leader, 4/21).
You've Never Seen America 'Til You've Seen It From A Train
Kicking off his "On Track for Change" tour across PA, Obama and Casey "greeted thousands" 4/19 "at train station rallies and from the platform of a patriotically decorated antique rail car" (McCormick, Chicago Tribune, 4/20). "The crowds are large everywhere" along the tour, and "at each stop" Bruce Springsteen "blares from the speakers" (Littwin, Rocky Mountain News, 4/21). The five stops 4/19 "had an unusually spontaneous feel," and Obama "was clearly enjoying himself" (Murray, "The Trail," WashingtonPost.com, 4/19).
While the day "was mostly built for its images," Obama "lobbed a few shots at his opponents from the side of the tracks on a trip that actually ran on schedule" (Chicago Tribune, 4/20):
• In Paoli 4/19, Obama "offered an especially sharp criticism" of Clinton's "kitchen sink" strategy. Obama: "We're going to throw whatever we want at Barack, whether it's true, whether it's false, whether it's exaggerated, whether it's relevant. Because that's, according to Senator Clinton, what the Republicans will do to Barack anyway, so I might as well do it too. So what's happened is, Senator Clinton has internalized a lot of the strategies and tactics that have made Washington such a miserable place, where all we do is bicker and all we do is fight" (Horowitz, "The Politicker," New York Observer, 4/19).
• Obama told a crowd of 1.5K in Downingtown, Clinton "seems to have a habit of saying whatever it is folks want to hear." More Obama: "She's got the kitchen sink flying, the china flying, the buffet is coming at me" (Eichel, Philadelphia Inquirer, 4/20).
• Obama said in Harrisburg 4/19, "Sen. Clinton would be vastly better than President Bush would be. But that's a very low bar" (Philadelphia Inquirer, 4/20).
• In an interview with the Allentown Morning Call, Obama "dismissed the suggestion" by Clinton saying party activists alone had propelled him to victory in many caucuses, crediting those wins to a "whole new generation of party activists" taht his camp is creating. Obama: "We are changing the political map." Obama also said of PA: "I wouldn't be campaigning hard if I didn't think we could win" (Drobnyk, "The Swamp," Chicago Tribune, 4/19).
Other highlights from the copious train-tour coverage:
• Obama's recent difficulties haven't kept him from "continuing his playful romance with his fans." His supporters "remain enthralled, with many of them expressing both admiration for the way he has handled his difficulties and agreement with him in calling them mere 'distractions'" (Philadelphia Inquirer, 4/21).
• As he first boarded, Obama "asked whether he could pull a handle to trigger the locomotive's whistle." Later, Obama "had developed greater whistle confidence" (Chicago Tribune, 4/20).
• "Canvassing the streets of Mayfair" 4/19 a.m., Obama said, "This reminds me of my days campaigning to be a state senator. Only there was no media, and there were more slammed doors" (Eichel, Philadelphia Inquirer, 4/21).
Bigger Than Oprah
Obama drew 35K people to a 4/18 rally at Independence Park in Philly, the "largest ever" crowd at an Obama event and 5K more than turned out to see Oprah Winfrey in SC (Murray, "The Trail," WashingtonPost.com, 4/18). Obama pledged to "declare independence" from Washington politics, and argued Clinton "would not serve as a change-agent" (Lucey, Philadelphia Daily News, 4/19).
Also in PA over the weekend:
• Philadelphia Inquirer editorializes, "it's time to restate our support" for Obama, who "offers the better chance of rising above the partisan rancor" (4/20).
• Pittsburgh Post-Gazette editorializes, "the safe and timid choice" in the primary would be Clinton -- Dems must "dare to be different and vote for the truly fresh force in this race" (4/20).
• Philadelphia Inquirer's Moore writes Obama "is a political phenomenon like no other I have witnessed in my 40-year journalistic career" (4/20).
• Obama's Allentown office "was burglarized several days ago, although details remain sketchy" (Allentown Morning Call, 4/20). According to an aide, "multiple laptops and cell phones were stolen" (Drobnyk, Chicago Tribune, 4/19).
• Casey, asked if he would like to disown an Obama supporter's statement that Clinton couldn't lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier because she was mistaken about Bosnia: "Oh, absolutely. Absolutely. But I would hope that the Clinton campaign would disavow a lot of their statements" ("Face the Nation," CBS, 4/20).
• WCAU TV-Philadelphia's Chenault-Fattah: "During the Pennsylvania primary, given the close relationship that has developed between Senator Bob Casey and Senator Barack Obama, in the event that there is an Obama administration, don't be surprised to see Senator Casey in a super-heavyweight position" ("Chris Matthews Show," NBC, 4/18).
Bulking Up
Obama's camp "continues to staff up in expectation of becoming" the Dem nominee. The "latest hire" is Jen O'Malley Dillon, who ran John Edwards' IA caucus effort. With the Obama camp, O'Malley Dillon "will work closely" with Obama senior adviser Steve Hildebrand, nat'l field dir. Jon Carson and nat'l pol. dir. Matt Nugen, and the three will oversee Obama's state campaigns in the upcoming primaries (Washington Post, 4/20).
No Shortage Of Work To Do
Obama's camp is also "planning to expand its research and rapid-response team in order to repel attacks it anticipates over his ties" to Bill Ayers and Tony Rezko. Obama strategist David Axelrod: "He's not going to sit there and sing 'Kumbaya' as the missiles are raining in" (Hosenball/Isikoff, Newsweek, 4/19).
Axelrod and Clinton strategist Geoff Garin appeared together on NBC's "Meet the Press" 4/20. See today's DEM FIELD story for more.
Meanwhile, Ayers' brother, Rick Ayers, "is lashing out" at Clinton, "accusing her of 'McCarthyism' for making an issue" of Obama's ties to his brother (Fusco, Chicago Sun-Times, 4/19).
And in his first TV interview since the controversy surrounding his sermons, Rev. Jeremiah Wright will sit down with PBS' Bill Moyers for an interview to be broadcast 4/25 (release, 4/21).
Watch Out For Ricochets
Politico's Vogel reports, "Before he became a national political figure," Obama "sat on the board of" the Joyce Foundation, "a Chicago-based foundation that doled out at least nine grants totaling nearly" $2.7M "to groups that advocated" gun control efforts. Obama spokesperson Ben LaBolt "stressed" the foundation doesn't take "detailed policy positions." LaBolt said Obama's eight years on the board, starting in '94, which paid him more than $70K in directors fees, "do not in any way conflict with his campaign-trail support for the rights of gun owners" (4/20).
Also in the press this weekend was more talk about Ayers, patriotism, the debate, "bitter"-gate and Obama's career history. Some highlights:
• Politico's Harris/VendeHei write, "The shower of indignation on Charlie Gibson and George Stephanopoulos over the last few days is the clearest evidence yet that the Clintonites are fundamentally correct in their complaint that she has been flying throughout the campaign into a headwind of media favoritism for Obama" (4/21).
• Robert Novak writes, to GOPers, "Obama's new resemblance is less to Kennedy or Reagan than to leftist author Thomas Frank" and his "What's The Matter With Kansas?" (Washington Post, 4/21).
• Frank, meanwhile, writes in the Wall Street Journal, "the media flurry kicked up by Mr. Obama's gaffe powerfully confirms an argument I actually did make: That as they return again to the culture of war, what the soldiers on all sides are doing is talking about class without actually addressing the economic basis of the subject" (4/21).
• New York Times' Dowd writes, Obama "will have to balance his cool with some heat." He "seems too imperious about the power of hot-button values issues that have proved so potent for most of his lifetime" (4/20).
• Washington Post's Ignatius questions why Obama "stood by" Rezko, writing, "Obama remains doggedly loyal to his friends, especially those who embraced him when he first came to Chicago" (4/20).
• Wall Street Journal's Kaufman writes about Obama's first fun for public office in '96. "A look at his years in Chicago, based on interviews with friends, advisers, rivals and political strategists, reveals a shrewd combatant from one of the nation's toughest political arenas" (4/21).
• Indianapolis Star's Groppe writes about Obama's "bipartisan friendship" with Sen. Dick Lugar (R-IN) (4/21).
• New York Magazine's Heilemann writes of Obama's economic plans, "what's missing" is an "overriding theory of the case -- a powerful narrative that both frames and makes sense of the changes whipping through the economy." He could take a page from Bill Clinton in '92 (4/21).
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