Obama draws 4,000 to speech, raises $200,000

[ariesgem]

Democrat Barack Obama touched down Friday in Portland just long enough to whip up local support for his presidential bid and collect about $200,000 in contributions.

Obama, running second in most national polls behind Hillary Clinton, spoke to a fired-up crowd of about 4,000 who paid at least $25 each to attend his appearance at the Oregon Convention Center. He pledged to start pulling troops out of Iraq, pass major health care reform and require better fuel efficiencies in cars immediately after taking office.

"Too many in Washington view politics as a game," the U.S. senator from Illinois said. "We don't have time to play games."

....................................


Obama said he would bring a new, more optimistic outlook to the White House, describing himself as "guilty" of being a "hope-monger." He said he would focus on the needs of people, not cronies and lobbyists.

"This country was not built on the philosophy that you are on your own," he said. "It was built on the philosophy that we're all in this together."


....................................

True enough, said state Rep. Larry Galizio, a Tigard Democrat who is backing Obama. But a visit is a visit, and Oregonians will remember that Obama came through town.

"Look, this is an opportunity for people who are still curious but not really plugged in," Galizio said. "It's going to give people in the metro area a chance to hear him in person. That's very important."

Galizio said he decided to support Obama because he thinks it would boost the U.S. standing in the world to elect someone with Obama's background.

..................................

"It would say, the U.S. is electing a person of color, someone who is not part of any dynasty," Galizio said. "It would illustrate the meritocracy the U.S. is supposed to be." Sure it's symbolic, "but to me, that's a huge statement."

Obama said he would work to raise the nation's stature in the world. Largely because of Iraq, he said, the United States' reputation has suffered gravely.

"It's time to put to bed the Bush-Cheney policy of not talking to our enemies," he said. "That doesn't make us look tough; it makes us look arrogant."

Oregon has not been a magnet for presidential candidates, although a few have breezed through. Among Democrats, John Edwards and Dennis Kucinich have made stops. Former President Clinton came to town to raise money for his wife.

http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/11892183829750.xml&coll=7

[snowbear]

1. Pretty damn good ..

Frenchie Cat got to see him earlier in SF, where he was able to raise $400K.. now this... and tomorrow night.. ...he'll be over at Oprah's!

That would be a blast if a bunch of us DU'ers were invited to Oprah's!

Hey.. I can dream.

[MethuenProgressive]

2. Obama ignorant of US history?

"This country was not built on the philosophy that you are on your own," he said. "It was built on the philosophy that we're all in this together."

- Barack Obama, as quoted in the OP.

"It was built on the philosophy that we're all in this together."
As a person of color he, more than most, should know how outrageous this statement was.

[Ethelk2044]

5. Obama is not ignorant of History. It is what this country is made of

That is one of the reasons why people want to come to America.

[jefferson_dem]

9. The first three words of our governing document prove Obama right.

"We the people..."

Nuff said...

[Cha]

24. Right.."We The People" aren't

just some coded words for "We the Fascists will take over when we see our chance".

GObama is totally right and I'm sure he's studied our history more a lot of people in the good ol' USA have. He was born in Hawaii three years after it became our 5-0 State of the Union..and he's one of the higher conciousness LEOS.

[sandnsea]

10. People fought to end slavery

the American people fought for women's right to vote, to end Jim Crow, to pass the civil rights and voting rights act, etc., etc.

It's ONLY the American people who can make the fundamental changes, because the American people know...

"This country was not built on the philosophy that you are on your own," he said. "It was built on the philosophy that we're all in this together."

You have to hear the whole thing in context.

[ProudDad]

25. EXACTLY

We're all in this together unless you're black, native American, a property owner or female.

But the other 15% of us "founding fathers" are REALLY equal...



On Edit: Thanks for the context SandnSea -- that's a different skinning of the cat...

[Tellurian]

3. In desperation...his speeches outline problems but never deliver solutions..

when he should have clear concise answers to problem solving; his tired boring speeches just repeat the same message he started with in February. Not ready for Prime time.

[Ethelk2044]

4. You mean in desperation Hillary is forever copying Obama

What an original. I thought everyone was pumping the Clinton machine last year as the one to beat. However, every chance she gets she copies him. It makes you wonder who is the one really desperate.

:shrug:

[Terri S]

8. exactly n/t

[zanne]

6. Then you haven't heard him recently.

I was at a roundtable discussion with him on Tuesday. He answered eight different questions with great detail, and when someone asked a follow-up question, he delivered. That "inexperience" argument is getting old. People are becoming aware that he has a good, solid grasp on the questions and the answers. He is far from naive.

[CTLawGuy]

20. attack attack attack

NT

[Colobo]

7. Gobama!

[AZBlue]

11. I couldn't care less how many people where there or how much $$ was raised.

I care about issues.

[beaconess]

15. Unfortunately, he won't be able to disseminate his stand on the issues without

expensive ads, travel, staff and all sorts of other things that take money.

I'm not mad at him for raising money. He's just leveling the playing field.

[AZBlue]

17. Oh, I don't mind any politician campaigning or fundraising. It's part of the game.

But I do mind all the fluff posts by DU'ers.

[sandnsea]

26. Well about 7,000 people heard the issues

Not 4,000. And some of those people (me) post here regularly about his stand on the issues, so maybe you just need to listen more and talk less.

[illinoisprogressive]

12. I think the bots know their leader is getting nervous. Obama is ramping it up big time!

[jenmito]

16. And just wait 'til Oprah starts taking the women's vote from Hillary...

that will put him in the lead! :D

[sufrommich]

21. Yes, because

all of us women are slavishly devoted to our dippy talk show host to tell us how to vote!

[jenmito]

23. Have you seen how when she suggest a book it goes to #1?

She has tons of influence whether you want to admit it or not. She's female-if she would've supported Hillary because she believed in HER that would be a GREAT endorsement for Hillary. But she's supporting Obama, and she is WAY more than a "dippy talk show host." She has done very much good for humanitarian purposes among other things.

[beaconess]

13. Compare to Fred Thompson's pathetic Iowa debut

Thompson's campaign kickoff: ?

Obama's campaign kickoff:

[ProudDad]

27. Is it just me or does thompson look a lot like this guy...

[Imagevision]

14. Next stop Santa Barbara, "there's no stoppin us now"...

[Hieronymus]

18. Or was it Oprah and her estate that drew all those people?

[snowbear]

19. Weak.

Good Lord, if that's the best you can come up.. I'd give up right now.

[beaconess]

22. Um - let's see . . Oprah's party drew 1500 people

Obama drew an impromptu crowd earlier in the day estimated at up to 6,000.

He's been pulling crowds in the tens of thousands. People are fighting to get tickets to his events. Even before he announced his candidacy, he was receiving thousands of invitations a month.

I don't think Obama is having any trouble attracting attention. Oprah is just making it easier for celebrities to see him.