Another Swing Thru NYC for Senator Obama

From gothamist.com

"Senator Barack Obama is coming back to New York City today, for some late TV night face time AND to raise even more money. While Senator Hillary Clinton's camp is playing it cool and Clinton strategist Howard Wolfson telling the Daily News. "We're thrilled with our hometown support," the Post lists all the former Clinton donors who are now supporting Obama. Obama has two fundraisers on his agenda and he'll be appearing on Late Night with David Letterman tonight. Pollsters and consultants say that as much money as Obama raises in New York, Clinton is sure to win the state primary. Which is true - but he can just take the NY cash and spend it elsewhere. And one of Obama's fund-raisers want him to go to Harlem to, as the Post suggests, "[seek] a beachhead in the neighborhood where Bill Clinton keeps an office."

All About the Benjamins, Baby

From the New York Daily News:

"Hillary Clinton thought that raising more money than her rivals would be the easy thing.

Yesterday, she found out how wrong she was.

The Democrat's presidential campaign was rocked to the core as rival Sen. Barack Obama revealed he equaled, and possibly even bested, her in the cash dash she had counted on dominating.

Obama announced he raised $25 million in the past three months from 100,000 people, compared with the record-setting $26 million haul Clinton pulled in from half as many donors."

Sharpton v. Obama...Where's The Love?

Can't we all just get along?
It started out smooth enough back in late January when Rev. Al Sharpton headed to D.C. for a chat. The two even posed together in front of a portrait of Thurgood Marshall.

Here's AP's report from that day:
"The civil rights activist spent the day on Capitol Hill, meeting with the four Democratic senators who are pursuing the presidency - Chris Dodd of Connecticut, Joe Biden of Delaware, Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York and Barack Obama of Illinois. Each met privately with Sharpton in their office. "I'm not making any endorsements today," Sharpton, who ran in 2004, told reporters at the end of his meeting with Obama. Obama said the two talked about their shared agenda of fighting for the dispossessed. "I assured him that I not only want to hear his views and thoughts and policy recommendations, but publicly any of us who step into this fight for the nomination have to be held accountable and speak to these issues," he said.

Fast forward to March 4...both are again in the same place - Selma, Alabama. But this time Barack is not just the junior senator from Illinois - he is a full-fledged presidential candidate with a s!@#load of cash rolling in. While everyone focused on the much-hyped sermon showdown between senators Obama and Clinton, it was easy to miss the distinct chill between Obama and Sharpton. There would be no photo ops together on this day - and Sharpton saved his most laudatory remarks for Hillary.

Then, a week later, the lid blew off.
The New York Post put it on blast:
















The article severely complicated a relationship that was already touchy at best and opened a floodgate of accusations, counter-accusations and name-calling.
A panelist on NPR called Sharpton a Black "buffoon". (seriously Michael Meyers of the NY Civil Rights Coalition actually said it)
Another roundtable guest pointed the finger at Camp Hillary for planting the story - while Sharpton himself says it was Team Obama that blindsided him with the 'jealousy' charge.

The game is always divide and conquer guys.
Figure it out. Move forward.

Lynn Sweet Sour on Team Obama

...at least at the moment.
Here's what she had to say about the Senator's recent "stealth fundraising":

"Barack Obama's image managers don't want you to know about most of the donor events he is headlining -- including one tonight in Manhattan for Democratic elites where the top hosts have raised $100,000 each for Obama's White House bid.

Obama makes his second visit this week to New York -- Hillary Rodham Clinton territory -- as his campaign insists you don't deserve to be able to know where he is going to raise millions of dollars unless he or his operatives feel in the mood.

In the span of about five hours Monday night, Obama appeared at small events in Manhattan, and then he breakfasted with donors Tuesday morning.

Last Sunday, the Obama campaign wanted all of the stories to be about his visit to Selma, Ala., to mark the anniversary of a historic voting rights battle -- so there was no advance official disclosure that he was flying to Boston from Alabama to scoop up campaign cash.

The Obama team pushed back one Boston event so Obama could stay longer in Selma. He used the time to create a photo op with himself and former President Bill Clinton without archrival Hillary in the frame. I watched Obama skipping out of Bill Clinton's induction into the Voting Rights Hall of Fame -- after allowing a decent amount of time for pictures.

Obama's counselors did not want you to know that on Feb. 22, he hit St. Louis for a fund-raising event. They did not want you to know about the existence of fund-raisers in Ohio."

(more)

Barack Hearts Beyonce

From America's Next First Lady
















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Democratic Pols in Hill's Back Yard Side w/Obama

Bronx politicians line up for Barack Obama

By: Anne Michaud
Published: February 1, 2007 - 3:00 pm

"Bronx Assemblyman Jose Rivera and Borough President Adolfo Carrion are planning an event for presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., a direct slap at Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton.
A source close to Mr. Carrion says Ms. Clinton always calls to march with him in the Puerto Rican Day parade but has never sat down to hear his thoughts on policy, urban issues, Latino affairs and working together. By contrast, Mr. Obama met with Mr. Carrion last February to discuss his concerns."

full story at newyorkbusiness.com