Barack Obama wants to be president of these 57 United States

Ah, Oregon. The beautiful Northwest. Rain. Trees. Clouds. Rain. Friendly territory for Sen. Barack Obama, the leading contender for the Democratic Party's long-disputed presidential nomination.

So there he was in Beaverton today at the start of a two-day swing through Oregon, virtually ignoring his remaining Democratic opponent, what's-her-name from New York, as part of his new strategy to act like the actual nominee while she flails around way behind in numbers.

Naturally, this being the Northwest where everything is not ruined quite yet, his staff had Obama visit an eco-friendly company, Vernier Software & Technology, that makes products for science teachers. He could get education in there too, see?

In his prepared remarks Obama was ready to start blasting Arizona Sen. John McCain, the presumptive Republican nominee, to show the Illinois Democrat is moving on to the general election campaign.

But first the freshman senator had to go through all the....

...obligatory delighted to see you, delighted to be here part of stump speeches that also require that you actually know where you are.

Obama pulled that off O.K. But then he drifted away from the text a tad, as rookies are wont to do sometimes, forgetting how exhausting this primary process is and should be. And trusting in their instincts, their very tired instincts.

"It is wonderful to be back in Oregon," Obama said. "Over the last 15 months, we’ve traveled to every corner of the United States. I’ve now been in 57 states? I think one left to go. Alaska and Hawaii, I was not allowed to go to even though I really wanted to visit, but my staff would not justify it."

The Times' conscientious Robin Abcarian thought she heard something different there. She checked her tape recorder. It had captured what he had actually said -- 57 states now. A new Louisiana Purchase that's gone unannounced so far? Was he channeling his inner John Kerry-Heinz 57 personality?

(UPDATE: At a later stop Obama was talking with reporters and expressed concern he'd also mis-stated the number of potential cyclone victims in Burma. He said, ""I hope I said 100,000 people the first time instead of 100 million. I understand I said there were 57 states today. It's a sign that my numeracy is getting a little, uh." At that point, an aide cut him off and ushered journalists out. Before he could mis-speak again?)

Oh, and as far as Hawaii voters are concerned, they're probably delighted to learn that Obama's campaign staff doesn't think that tiny state can justify an appearance by his eminence, even though he did a lot of growing up there. Or maybe because he was there.

Let's see what they do with that in the Honolulu media, which the Republicans have probably already notifed.

Maybe it's Obama's age. He's getting up there in his forties, you know.

(ANOTHER UPDATE: Because of a new development in this situation another item on this subject has been posted here.)

--Andrew Malcolm

Photo Credit: AP / Joe Raymond

Comments

[ThinkPeople]

Think about it people, it was obviously just a slip up. He intended to say "47 States" and said "57" instead.
(47 States Visited) + (1 State left to go) + (Not visiting Hawaii or Alaska) = 50 States

[Kaymack]

He meant to say 47, my goodness... is anyone perfect? Then he said he had one left to go and 2 he was missing, that would equal 50 if he had said 47, which Im sure he meant!

[abercrombie]

great post sir..
thanks for sharing. really helped a lot here.

[Scott Collins]

Let's give Obama a pass on the 57 states. How do we spin Pelosi circulating the fiction that a democrat hadn't held the congressional seat in NY23 for 100 years.

If I recall there have been about 10 this century, the last being Mchael McNulty between 1989 and 1993. He was the third in a row (redistricted) but Peter Peyser in '79 wasn't.

Now, either Pelosi is too lazy to do her homework or she just heard some moron say it and she ran with it. Either way, it's complete B.S. that any way you cut it is just as dumb as what Palin said. I suppose you could make the case that an ignorant Speaker of the House can be given the benefit of the doubt.

[ryan m]

57 states i dont think so!

[Joel E.]

United Sates Has More Than 50 States, Those Include The Ones On The Out Skirts Of America.
50 States Is cliché, Just Because Thats How Many Stars Are On The U.S. Flag.
America Owns Other Countries(states) Too.

[Jordan]

This idiot's new proposal for the 58 United States (remember, he did say he's been to 57 and with 1 more to go) is going to just screw us over even more. i was just watching his speech about his budget, and he was almost oblivious to the fact that HE is the one that put us trillions more into this hell whole while he was talking about our deficit with the chinks over in Asia.

How's that "hope" and "change" doing for ya now