Stories related to: Barack Obama

Bolting Clinton Fans? It's a GOP Myth

New York Times  |  Jun 15, 08 6:27 AM CDT

(Newser) - John McCain's aggressive courtship of Hillary Clinton's female supporters shouldn't surprise anyone who's been paying attention, Frank Rich writes in the New York Times. "The fictional scenario of mobs of crazed women defecting to Mr. McCain" rather than Barack Obama fits right in with the "new bogus narrative" that ignores a plethora of statistics, which Rich runs down. More »

Voters May Yet Warm Up to Michelle Obama

San Francisco Chronicle  |  Jun 14, 08 5:24 PM CDT

(Newser) - Nicknamed "the closer," Michelle Obama is known for winning over voters—but many still have not warmed up to her, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. A recent poll shows that 42% of voters have an unfavorable view of her and 25% are "very unfavorable." The first lady hopeful plans to win over women starting next week, though: Her first stop will be as guest host on The View . More »

NRA Targets Obama, but Does Anyone Care?

Los Angeles Times  |  Jun 14, 08 3:51 PM CDT

(Newser) - The NRA is aiming both barrels at Barack Obama, but the gun rights group is no longer a formidable GOP weapon, the LA Times reports. Congress hasn’t passed gun control laws in 14 years, and Democrats are terrified to touch the issue, scarred from old campaigns. In other words, the NRA has won—and is a victim of its own success. More »

Obama's Rise Sparks Affirmative Action Debate

Wall Street Journal  |  Jun 14, 08 6:52 AM CDT

(Newser) - Barack Obama's ascent to the verge of the presidency has stoked the debate on affirmative action, the Wall Street Journal reports. Some wonder how far an African-American will have to rise for the playing field to be declared level, while others point to continued inequality and argue that Obama doesn't represent the experience of the average black American. More »

Candidates Spar Over Debate Schedule

New York Times  |  Jun 13, 08 5:20 PM CDT

(Newser) - Camp Obama and Camp McCain are jousting over debates, with both candidates, New York Times blogger Michael Falcone jokes, appearing to feel “a little rejected.” Obama has suggested five forums: three traditional debates and two town halls, one on the economy and another on foreign policy. A rep said he was “disappointed” that McCain hasn’t agreed and would rather “contrive a political issue.” More »

Don't Be So Happy to See Bush Go, Europe

Times (UK)  |  Jun 13, 08 5:00 PM CDT

(Newser) - President Bush might be touring Europe to yawns and boos, but its citizens and pundits alike will miss their favorite political punching bag when he’s gone, Gerard Baker writes in the Times of London. “They'll miss, first, having a villain in the White House,” Baker explains. “It's a really convenient excuse to avoid doing anything yourself on pressing global concerns.” More »

Senate Seats Most Likely to Flip (Only 1 to GOP)

Washington Post  |  Jun 13, 08 1:51 PM CDT

(Newser) - The GOP's best case-scenario sees the party losing only three Senate seats this fall. Washington Post blogger Chris Cillizza runs down the races most likely to flip a vote: Mississippi: Trent Lott replacement Roger Wicker has never been elected statewide, and Barack Obama's coattails should draw in the large black population. Minnesota: Al Franken remains promising, but he's no sure thing, thanks to back taxes and Playboy bylines. More »

'The Time Has Come' for Sam Nunn as VP

New Republic  |  Jun 13, 08 12:18 PM CDT

(Newser) - The timing is finally right for Sam Nunn to be installed on a Democratic presidential ticket, Michael Crowley asserts in the New Republic . The former senator from Georgia—bandied about as a potential VP in  ’88, ’92, 2000 and 2004—is “tailor-made for the veepstakes,” Crowley writes, because he's got a big resume and a small ego. This year, he's the perfect choice. More »

Electorate Number-Crunching Gives Edge to Obama

Washington Post  |  Jun 13, 08 11:55 AM CDT

(Newser) - With a smaller piece of a bigger pie, Barack Obama holds a 6-point lead over John McCain even though he enjoys less support in his own party than John Kerry did in 2004. A “sharp shift in partisan loyalties” is coming into focus and "could prove the defining fact in November," E. J. Dionne Jr. writes in the Washington Post. More »

Obama Shifts DNC Power to Chicago

Politico  |  Jun 13, 08 11:01 AM CDT

(Newser) - The Democratic National Committee is moving its field operations to Chicago as part of Barack Obama's strategy to centralize the party and streamline efforts for the general election. The move has been welcomed publicly by the DNC, even though it clearly shifts power from Washington to Obama's unassuming headquarters in the Windy City, Politico notes. Chicago hasn't had such national political focus since the 1968 convention. More »

Iraq Could Win the Election —for McCain

Washington Post  |  Jun 13, 08 10:19 AM CDT

(Newser) - Conventional wisdom has it that supporting the Iraq war is a major weakness for John McCain, but conventional wisdom is wrong, writes Charles Krauthammer in the Washington Post. In his victory speech, Barack Obama said it was “time for Iraqis to take responsibility for their own future,” but as the Basra and Mosul offenses proved, that’s already happening, he writes, spelling out a list of recent successes. More »

Calif.'s First Couple Girds for Campaign