Team Obama Taking Shape

So says the Chicago Tribune. The Trib lists
David Axelrod as the senator's right hand man.

Recently the long time political strategist was advising the new Governor of New York. Axelrod also spent time in John Edwards' camp in 2004. (Meanwhile, it seems his son was busy getting into court side fights with NBA players' wives. But I digress.)

There's also Axelrod's business partner David Plouffe who is listed as likely campaign manager.

Julianna Smoot, fund raiser extraordinaire and another veteran of Edwards '04 will reportedly be finance director.

Pollster Paul Harstad (left) seen below in a picture from his firm's website with Sen. Obama and Senator Ken Salazar...has apparently been tapped to reprise his '04 role.


And of course there's Michelle Obama... America's Next First Lady?

Barack and the Black Community

Blacks appear lukewarm on Barack Obama presidential bid (The Louisiana Weekly)

"(Taylor Media Services) It could be because he has no history in the Civil Rights Movement or because it appears he is being promoted by the white media. Regardless, several recent reports suggest that the presidential ambitions of Black Illinois senator Barack Obama is receiving only lukewarm support among other Blacks.

Radio talk show host George Wilson concluded recently that based on views expressed by his listeners, Obama is "not getting as much of an enthusiastic send-off from black people as he is from whites."

Sharpton Asks Where's the Obama Beef? (New York Press)

"Right now we're hearing a lot of media razzle dazzle," Sharpton said. "I'm not hearing a lot of meat, or a lot of content. I think when the meat hits the fire, we'll find out if it's just fat or if there's some real meat there."

Update: 1/15/07

"Regular" Black Folks Split on Obama (Chicago Sun-Times)

Black Leaders Wary of Obama (Newsmax.com)

Obama Announcement Imminent?

The blogs are abuzz that Senator Barack Obama will officially declare he'll run for president very soon.
Will he make history on Monday? (What would have been Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s 78th birthday)

Political Insider: "There is growing speculation in Democratic political circles that Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) will announce his presidential intentions on Martin Luther King Day. That timing would certainly highlight the historic nature of his candidacy."

Draft Obama Site: Genuinely Grassroots?

A keen-eye'd New York Observer peeped the very polished steez over at Obama4America.com. The article suggests the site is not so much a pure expression of the power of the people as a project of professional political operatives.

"Among the numerous unofficial "draft" Barack Obama websites that have been popping up lately, one struck me as particularly professional looking: Obama4America.com.The company that created the website, it turns out, is registered to Joel Berman, whose email address is for a California-based company called Catapult Strategies. That's the company co-founded by Howard Dean's former campaign manager Joe Trippi, who now works there "on a project-by-project basis," according to his bio.I called Berman to ask whether the website was part of some potentially more involved relationship with Obama, but after I introduced myself, he hurried me off the phone. (He said he was going into a meeting and would call me back.)"

Obama's Primary Concern

• Illinois House Speaker wants to aid Obama by changing primary date (AP)
• Edwards backer: Don't give Obama Advantage (Bloomington Pantagraph)
• Obama may get boost with earlier primary (Lincoln Courrier)
• To get in dance Illinois needs better date (Chicago Sun-Times)
  

Daily Show Obsesses about Obama Obsession

Presidential-Run Prep

• Hillary, Obama Load Up (New York Observer)
• Senator Barack Obama Appears on Larry King Live (CBS2 Chicago)
• Playing President in the Senate (Time)
• No Vieira Softballs for Stone Cold Barack Obama (NewsBusters)
• Morris: Obama can be whatever he wants to be (Salem Statesman Journal)

Some Actual Work Gets Done in Senate

"WASHINGTON Jan 11, 2007 (AP)— Potential presidential rivals John McCain and Barack Obama are joining with newly independent Sen. Joe Lieberman on a plan they say would reduce annual global-warming gases by two-thirds by mid-century."

Climate Bill Sets Stage for Debate in Congress (ABC News)

Chillin' in Chicago with Conan

Cooped Up in Coach

Stella's Column (Chicago Sun-Times)
"THAT'S CLASS! U.S. Sen. Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle, were spotted seated in coach for the eight-hour trip back from their Hawaii vacation. This is one smart couple! ... They are on the cover of the February issue of Ebony, hitting newsstands Monday. Michelle's birthday is Wednesday."

americasnextfirstlady.com

Obamas on Cover of Ebony

Senator Barack and Michelle Obama: America's Next First Couple? (BlackNews.com)
February Ebony: Barack and Michelle Obama (skepticalbrotha)
Ebony: America's Next First Couple? (America's Next First Lady)

Obama Makes a Splash

Barack Obama: Beach Babe (WISN TV Milwaukee)
Beach photo suits Obama just fine (Chicago Sun-Times)
Obama Uncovered (America's Next First Lady)
Carl Cameron Uses Photo of Barack Obama on the Beach in an Entirely Unrelated Story (News Hounds)

Barack: I was first on Iraq!

The junior senator from Illinois takes the opportunity do a little delineating between himself and the competition. Obama sent out a little e-reminder that he NEVER wanted war in Iraq....unlike a certain other potential presidential candidate- who also happens to be a former first lady.

From: barackobama.com

"As the New Year approaches, we are told that the President is considering the deployment of tens of thousands of additional troops to Iraq in the desperate hope of subduing the burgeoning civil war there.

This is a chilling prospect that threatens to compound the tragic mistakes he has already made over the last four years."

"In 2002, I strongly opposed the invasion of Iraq (Unlike unsaid senator who voted to send troops into Iraq) because I felt it was an ill-conceived venture which I warned would "require a U.S. occupation of undetermined length, at undermined cost, with undetermined consequences." I said then that an invasion without strong international support could drain our military, distract us from the war with al-Qaeda in Afghanistan and further destabilize the Middle East."

And there's more...

"As I said more than a month ago, while some have proposed escalating this war by adding thousands of more troops, there is little reason to believe that this will achieve these results either. It's not clear that these troop levels are sustainable for a significant period of time, and according to our commanders on the ground, adding American forces will only relieve the Iraqis from doing more on their own. Moreover, without a coherent strategy or better cooperation from the Iraqis, we would only be putting more of our soldiers in the crossfire of a civil war."

This missive also comes after former North Carolina senator John Edwards - who has just officially announced he's running for president- staked his position on the Iraq issue.

Getting more interesting.

Obama, Edwards take Iowa

While Hillary Clinton was busy Christmas shopping, Barack and John E. horn in on voters in Des Moines (About: News and Issues)

John Edwards 22%
Barack Obama 22%
Tom Vilsack 12%
Hillary Clinton 10%
Al Gore 7%
John Kerry 5%
Wesley Clark 4%
Dennis Kucinich 4%
Joe Biden 1%
Evan Bayh 1%
Bill Richardson 1%
Undecided 11%

Rezko Stench Wafts Through Again

• Another link to shady influence peddler uncovered (Chicago Sun-Times)
• Five week internship will bring five months (or more) of questions about propriety. (Chicago Tribune)
• Obama office intern linked to Rezko (Bellville News Democrat/AP)
• Obama Intern Had Ties to Rezko (Daily Southtown)
  

To: Barack. From: N.H. Merry X-Mas

• Obama and Clinton Neck and Neck in N.H. (The Boston Globe/AP)
  

Obama Backlash and Black-lash

• Lynn Sweet says the honeymoon's over (Chicago Sun-Times)
• Gloves are off (Atlanta Daily World)
• Stanley Crouch says Obama off-Black (New York Daily News)
  
• Doing a double take on Barack (Kansas City Star)
  

Happy Holidays from the Obamas

Photo e-five fingered from
America's Next First Lady.

Barack O. Bomber? The McLaughlin Group

Grumpy old pundits argue over Baramma Obammer. Fun times.

Hillary Hearts Barack and Vice Versa