Barack Obama tests Hillary Rodham Clinton's Broward County lead

[ariesgem]

Parkland - Looking to add cash to his bulging campaign coffers and pick up supporters in territory friendly to his chief rival, Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama shoehorned a Broward visit Saturday into a weekend of Florida appearances.

The U.S. senator from Illinois offered Broward voters the message he has been using throughout the country, presenting himself as the candidate of change.

"The country right now is ready for something new. I think our campaign has come to represent people feeling like we can't spend all our time just going back and forth bickering having insiders dictate the agenda," Obama said.

As the largest source of Democratic votes in Florida — home to one in nine of the state's registered Democrats — Broward is important to any candidate in a state primary. For the moment, it's very friendly territory for the party's presidential frontrunner, U.S. Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York.

"Senator Clinton starts with a very significant base in Broward County," said County Democratic Chairman Mitch Ceasar.

Besides a lengthy list of local endorsers, another Clinton advantage is the county's large number of senior, female, Democratic condominium residents, said Kevin Hill, a Broward resident and political science researcher at Florida International University.

But County Commissioner Ilene Lieberman, who hasn't endorsed a candidate, said Clinton's status as party favorite doesn't mean there isn't a contest locally. "I think Broward's still in play," she said. Ceasar said Obama "has potential because he's a fresh face."

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sfl-flbobama0826nbaug26,0,5452009.story