Barack Obama surfaces in the Caribbean
Barack Obama's campaign maintained its cone of silence today about the candidate's whereabouts, but ABC News got it right -- an Associated Press dispatch confirms that he has escaped the rigors of politicking for a short vacation in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
The AP story reports that an unnamed territorial official verified that "Obama was in St. Thomas, the most populated island. Tourists said they spotted him on the beach Sunday."
The story also notes that, along with enjoying the tropical weather, Obama has reason to revel in the political environment on the islands: In a February contest there, he won three Democratic convention delegates, while Hillary Clinton got shut out.
Meanwhile, six superdelegates representing the islands remain uncommitted (so perhaps Obama will be combining some work with his play).
The official Obama schedule released by his campaign simply lists "no public events" for him today and Tuesday. It reports that he'll resurface Wednesday with an unspecified appearance in Greensboro, N.C.
Given his standing in Pennsylvania polls, the Tar Heel State's May 6 primary increasingly looms as a must win for him. [UPDATE -- we should have made this clearer, based on a couple of comments: the Tar Heel State is NORTH CAROLINA's nickname...]
Clinton, after spending the Easter weekend at her home in New York, campaigned today in Pennsylvania, which holds its primary April 22. Traveling to Philadelphia, she delivered a lengthy speech on her plans to grapple with the problems plaguing the nation's housing market (read about it here).
-- Don Frederick
The PA primary is not a MUST WIN for Obama. It is however a must win but will mean nothing win for Hillary. Please don't change the REAL expectations.
Posted by: DC | March 24, 2008 at 10:59 AM
We should judge a person by their actions and not their words. The fact that Obama choose Mr. Wright as his spiritual teacher for 20 years and included Mr. Wright in his election staff speaks well for Mr. Obama’s thinking and actions. Words are easy to manipulate and it is UNLIKELY that Obama's recent speech was written by Mr. Obama anyway. Mr. Obama has a powerful and power hungry staff including his wife that will do or say anything to get him elected to power.
But clearly this man Mr. Obama is not to be trusted with the future of our great country. And regardless that he is ‘fashionably black’ and that many of you have some desire to prove to yourself or to others that you are not prejudice and that you like ‘black people’ with an attitude of ‘See, I like black people, I’m voting for a black person,’ such an attitude of voting for a person because of their race is the definition of prejudice.
If Mr. Obama had a lighter skin tone, there is no way he would be tolerated in as much he is aligned with a violent religious group, and never says anything substantial. And not only that, consider today’s announcement that the Chief of the firm involved in the State Department’s passport breach is Obama adviser. And that Obama has been caught lying about Rezko, regarding the amount of money Rezko gave him, and he still hasn't come clean about his Rezko land deal.
Just look at the kind of people Mr. Obama associates with. If Obama were to become president, what would stop Mr. Obama from appointing Mr. Wright to his cabinet? And if anyone complained about Mr. Wright’s appointment, no doubt they would be called racist, as this card is played daily by Mr. Obama and his clever campaign staff daily.
Out of all the 300 million people in America, is this really who you want for president?
Mr. Obama is partly running on ‘a premise of guilt’ that if you don’t vote for him, it is because you don’t like his race. A manipulative premise that is certain to have disastrous consequences for America and the world, for we should have as our country’s leader someone with wisdom and knowledge regardless of race, not someone hungry for power.
Posted by: olandug | March 24, 2008 at 11:25 AM
Why did Obama skip Sunday Easter Service in his beloved Church?
Posted by: PETER | March 24, 2008 at 11:29 AM
MUST WIN??? Are you stoned? Do the math, genius.
Posted by: Ben Caswell | March 24, 2008 at 11:35 AM
How encouraging that he chose to vacation in a US territory. As I recall, Clinton spent last Easter in the Dominican Republic. It is rumored that she bought land there. Would that somehow appear in her tax report? How are foreign land purchases reported?
Posted by: TheNumantine | March 24, 2008 at 11:36 AM
olandug: To answer your question, yes, out of the 300 million people, two candidates survived all the "vetting." And, only one of the two candidate has what it takes to bring this country together again, Senator Obama.
Posted by: john | March 24, 2008 at 11:40 AM
DC -- you're right, Pennsylvania isn't considered a must-win ... I read that wrong at first as well. The Tar Heel state that the article refers to is actually North Carolina, where Obama is expected to do well.
An interesting factoid that isn't mentioned in the article is that the Virgin Islands contest was Obama's biggest landslide win so far. Clinton only got 7% of the vote there, while Obama got about 90%. It's also awfully close to Puerto Rico, which hasn't voted yet. Any chance he'll make a quick campaign event there?
Posted by: Andy | March 24, 2008 at 11:47 AM
I totally agree with you. It is most likely he didn't write the speech he gave. Also, he chose such an outspoken, recist (for lack of better words) to be among him and to follow all of these years. Most people become like the people they are around or at the least grow to be similar is so many ways over the years....no matter what age the person is.
Posted by: Matt | March 24, 2008 at 11:51 AM
Olandug who would you recomend for president. Hilary is polarizing and a divider , McCain is hot tempered , out of touch , Bush third term. Obama has not been indicted in the Rezko case so it is not fair to falsely accuse. My Pastor says things that I don't like but he has a kind heart and it is not my place to judge. I don't like what Pastor Wright said , he has the right to say what is in his heart. He is protected by the First Admendment. Obama is not his brothers keeper. Give the man a chance he might end up being a good president and if not does the word impeachment mean anything to you.
OBAMA 08
Posted by: Danny | March 24, 2008 at 11:53 AM
olandug:
On what facts are you basing your comments?
Unbelievable; are we living on the same planet?
Posted by: nJ | March 24, 2008 at 11:54 AM
Olandug: go take your medicine
Obama did write his speech himself, unless you have proof you can't call him a liar without looking really foolish yourself. Perhaps you are foolish.
Obama will not put Wright in his cabinet, is there any reason (evidence, not conjecture) that you believe that's a possibility?
I'm white and I resent your statement that I and people like me are voting for Obama because of the color of his skin. I'm not sure how old you are but perhaps you haven't noticed that America's racists are dying out and the non-racists are taking over, Obama is proof of that. I'm sorry you are in the minority, but now you know how it feels, ha!
The truth is, the fact that you can only see a "premise of guilt" in Obama's very real and authentic candidacy which is about everything But his race, says a lot more about you than it does about Obama.
When it comes down to it, I don't believe you believe what you type, it all sounds way to inane and close-minded, you can't be American or real imo.
Posted by: Erin | March 24, 2008 at 11:54 AM
Where did everyone come up with the idea that those of us who are Obama supporters are simply supporting him because he's black. I am supporting him because he's AWESOME, not because he is black or male or tall or skinny. The fact is I like him on the issues, I like him because he doesn't take lobby money, I like him because he has vision, and I like him most because he is the only candidate in my lifetime that will help make the executive branch more transparent which is what this country needs most.
I have a deep suspicion that most of you who keep exclaiming that you understand why he is popular are the ones who won't vote for him for the exact reason you say we will, because you harbor your own feelings of racism. And ya know what, that's ok, it's everywhere, but be honest, look in the mirror and stop spewing this grossness everywhere.
Posted by: Chuck | March 24, 2008 at 11:54 AM
It's make you wonder why republicans like in the post above are so afraid of Obama winning the Democratic nomination.
Posted by: Shawn | March 24, 2008 at 11:54 AM
Thank God for John McCain as the other two are russian roulette. What in the world was the public thinking when they bypassed good Democrats like John Edwards to name one for the likes of Clinton and OBama? You cannot garner trust for either one of them so you are left with the war candidate or wish you had.
Posted by: John Brannen | March 24, 2008 at 11:58 AM
Obama can not even be on the ticket if Democrats expect to win the general election.. It is his "good judgement" that will defeat him...the good judgement of bringing your young daughters to Church to hear Rev. Wright make false claims like, rich white America manufactured Aids to kill blacks or Bill Clinton did the same to us as he did to Monica Lewinsky...with jestures....Consider folks that this is how the Obama's choose to raise their daughters. We can not have that kind of poor judgement in the White House. Remember that the present White House has been run by Bush, a man with very poor judgement which got us into a war with no escape plan......Believe it or not Obama would do worse. IF OBAMA IS ON THE TICKET EVEN AS VP THE DEMOCRATS WILL LOSE. I am a life long democrat and would love to vote for Hillary but if Obama is her VP I will vote McCain. It is possible for Hillary to have the popular vote at the end of the prinaries and then the Super deligates would have to vote for Hillary to be the top of the ticket, I just hope they don't require that Obama be VP because he will cause the ticket to lose. As Ms Ferraro said, If Obama were a white man or any color woman he would not be in this position. That is not a racist statement as Obama claimed. In fact it is a true statement. Any white man or any color woman with the same experience and a good speaking ability as Obama would have been out of this race before John Edwards. If this race is McCain vs Obama then it will be all about race and Obama will lose by significant amounts. So if you would like to discuss the issues vote Hillary and if you would like for the candidates to be in a race all about race then vote Obama and McCain will win.
Posted by: jodi | March 24, 2008 at 12:00 PM
As my dad told me many years ago..."you are the company you keep".....
Posted by: frank | March 24, 2008 at 12:02 PM
olandug:
You must be crazy if you think anyone will read all that from a person that did not even give a full name.
LMAO!!!
Posted by: S Morris | March 24, 2008 at 12:02 PM
Obama -- by several accounts -- did write most of the speech himself. Read Dreams from My Father and you will notice that the writing styles and ideas between his speech and his book are extremely similar. Please, just because other politicians lie and are unable to write their own speeches does not mean Obama cannot. He is a cut above.
Posted by: Martha | March 24, 2008 at 12:04 PM
Martin E. Marty, a widely respected religious scholar said on Easter Sunday that Wright's speeches were mostly hopeful and uplifting. In addition to preaching hope, preachers are supposed to make us feel guilty for our supposed sins. For other well known preachers, Wrights radical comments - aka "GD America" and "chickens coming home to roost" were mainstream
Evangelical pioneer Francis Schaeffer "called for the violent overthrow of the US government, yet was often solicited by Reagan and Bush Sr.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/frank-schaeffer/obamas-minister-committe_b_91774.html
Jerry Falwell: "That our gays, lesbians, abortionist the ACLU etc. were to blame for 9/11".
"This stranglehold has got to be broken or the country's going down the drain," said Billy Graham, agreeing with Nixon's comments about Jews and their influence in American life.
Pat Robertson: "Just like what the German Nazis did to the Jews, so liberal Democrats are doing to evangelical Christians." Like Wright, he also believes God allowed the 9/11 attacks as punishment for our evil country. Yet President Bush consults him on the Iraq war.
McCain's “spiritual guide” Rod Parsely has said “it's America's destiny to destroy Islam” while Parsley labeled McCain a "strong, true, consistent conservative."
Huckabee understands the importance of keeping such bile in context AND of not transferring blame to the politicians who keep such associations.
http://dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/3/19/72716/0494/229/479797
By listening to hurtful words for twenty years, Obama speaks profound truths that every American should listen to (with their children). Frankly children get their cues from their parents' reactions to radical ideas, not the ideas themselves. It is now time for this country to grow up and stop judging a man's patriotism by what he chooses to listen to at church.
Posted by: Young Atheart | March 24, 2008 at 12:05 PM
I'm not sure the previous poster is over 13 years of age...or has a clear grasp of reality...but I'm sure the visions in his head are exhilarating.
Posted by: Gilday | March 24, 2008 at 12:18 PM
olandug,
You must be a troll working for the Hillary Clinton campaign as you have done nothing but repeat lies and talking points as set forth by her campaign workers.
You are also clearly a racist bigot as evidenced by your comments about "If Mr. Obama had a lighter skin tone...". It is Clinton's campaign that has tried to make this nomination process about race, NOT Obama's campaign. Obama is trying to run on the issues and is winning because of it. Clinton's losing campaign is the one who keeps trying to inject garbage about race and religion into the discussion as they are desparate and know that they are losing.
And for the record, I am WHITE and feel no negative feelings toward any other people based upon something so insignificant as the color of their skin, or their hair, or their eyes. IGNORANCE, on the other hand, and DISHONESTY, both of which people like you exhibit every time you speak your mind, are traits that we can all do without.
Posted by: olandug's a bigot | March 24, 2008 at 12:29 PM
Well, so much for Obama's 50 state strategy. What is it, down to 47 (at most) now, with him blowing off MI, FL and now PA.
It says a lot that Hillary is on the campaign trail calling for action concerning the housing crisis and Obama is sun bathing on the beach. I hope he doesn't think this image will endear him to the working class Americans whom he still hasn't won over. Latte liberals may love this, but working class Americans want a work horse, not a show horse.
Posted by: Tam | March 24, 2008 at 12:29 PM
"Just look at the kind of people Mr. Obama associates with." Indeed, and consider the kinds of sinners Jesus associated with. When associating with people you disagree with is forbidden, we will be living in .... G.W.Bush world. Who wants that?
"If Obama were to become president, what would stop Mr. Obama from appointing Mr. Wright to his cabinet?" Er, maybe Congress? Or Mr. Obama's common sense? Or the fact that every person you've met or sat with is not otherwise qualified to sit in the Cabinet?
"Out of all the 300 million people in America, is this really who you want for president?" This 48 year old white guy say, "you bet he is. He's the only one of the 3 who has integrity in my book."
Posted by: mike | March 24, 2008 at 12:30 PM
olandug,
The reason people support Obama is because they believe him to be more honest, has more integrity, has better judgment, better management skills, a more impressive legislative record, and stronger leadership ability of the candidates.
All you have contributed is more tired allegations. Here's what anybody needs to know about Obama's one "red flag" donor (keep in mind more than one million individual Americans have also contributed to his campaign). The Chicago Tribune:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/chi-0316edit1mar16,0,2616801.story
For you to harp on that means you intend to ignore McCain and Clinton's sordid histories with lobbyists and tainted money. Clinton in particular has a list of people more than two dozen deep, representing tens of millions of dollars.
And thanks for asserting that we supporters of Senator Obama are supporting Senator Obama because of his race. As I shake my head in disbelief, I will just make my informed decision as to whom I will support.
Posted by: Jerry Tsai | March 24, 2008 at 12:36 PM
I'm tired of these Comment sections in news sources. I'm sure it boosts ad revenue, but I don't care what these people think about the news and their (often rabid) opinions. Maybe it's time to stick with actually delivering the news, then I might renew my subscription to the hard copy of your paper.
(So, let me get this straight, Bob.. You don't like the Online comments section because you don't care what others think, but you're reading it anyway and leaving your comment here for others to read/care about and if we change things around for you, you'll stop coming here and go buy a printed newspaper.)
Posted by: Bob Dobolino | March 24, 2008 at 12:55 PM