I'm not liking Senator Obama's current campaign strategy

[Seen the light]

Why is he in North Carolina today? He has a TON of time between now and April 22nd. Why not turn Pennsylvania into a mini-Iowa campaign and devote 99% of his time there? If he were to run the same type of campaign in Pennsylvania over the next month that he did in Iowa, might he not be able to make up the huge deficit there like he did in Iowa? Similar demos right?

[The_Casual_Observer]

1. He doesn't stand a chance in PA. He might as well try for lower hanging

fruit.

[C_U_L8R]

2. He's making Hillary react.

I'm appreciating the strategic skills of this man.. a lot.

[gayron]

21. React to what

The latest poll out of NC shows him up by one point. LOL!

[slinkerwink]

3. because that gives credence to Hillary's big state argument

he's working in other states as well.

[Seen the light]

4. Hadn't thought of that, good point! n/t

[thevoiceofreason]

8. That's right.

He'll be in Oregon on Friday.

Plus, he knows how to get out of the way. What is going on in Pa. right now? That's right -- voter registration. Wherever he goes, he attracts a crowd of his supporters who want the chance to see him live. That takes critical volunteers away from their mission right now. (He did the same thing in Texas when we were focusing on getting out the vote -- it worked great in Houston).

[grasswire]

12. public event in Oregon?

Do you know?

[movonne]

14. Yes he will be in Portland and maybe Eugene....both big college

towns...

[grasswire]

17. I haven't seen anything on the local news about it.

That's why I wondered if it is an open or closed event.

[uponit7771]

13. He and his advisors show tactical intelligence that I haven't seen out of many politicians

[VotesForWomen]

18. when she wins it, that will also give credence to the argument. nt

[John Q. Citizen]

5. What background and info do you have to make that desicion? Obama is running a great campaign.

He was behind for 2 years, and now he's leading.

He must be doing something right.

[Tatiana]

6. The 50-state strategy places significance on all states, not just the big ones.

He'll get to PA. But he has to strengthen the states leaning towards him and try to increase his margin of victory to net even more delegates. This will overcome Clinton's net gain in PA.

[MonkeyFunk]

20. It's a 48-state strategy now

[KittyWampus]

26. your girl's strategy- rely on the party machinery in a few reliable blue states.

[Tatiana]

27. Which states are we missing? n/t

[Oreo]

7. Maybe because he appreciates the value of "boutique states"

That or he feels more comfortable with the legions of latte drinking North Carolinians.

Here's the rest of the week
Mar 19 Town Hall with Barack Obama in Charlotte, NC
Mar 20 Town Hall with Barack Obama in Beckley, WV
Mar 20 Speech on Iraq and the Economy in Charleston with Barack Obama in Charleston, WV
Mar 21 Stand for Change Rally with Barack Obama in Portland, OR
Mar 21 Stand for Change Rally with Barack Obama in Eugene, OR

[scheming daemons]

9. Five weeks is forever.... campaigning everywhere is good....

If he focuses SOLELY on PA, then he elevates the importance of PA in the minds of the pundit-class.


By campaigning in Indiana and NC, he is advertising to the world that IN and NC are JUST as important as PA.


Helps him drive the narrative that PA is NOT the be-all and end-all.



Good politicking.

[LSparkle]

10. His speech in NC today was a major policy speech, not a campaign stop

He may have given it there, but he could have just as easily done so in PA. Same
thing probably for tomorrow's speech. These are a series of serious, sober discussions
of his policy positions, and will be picked up nationally -- much more effective than
just coverage of more rallies. Not that I think he should stop doing those rallies
but this strategy of him appearing to "audition" for president is VERY effective,
and boosts voters' confidence in his ability to fill those shoes if elected.

And at the same time, McLame is making an ass of himself overseas ... Makes Obama
look much more presidential in comparison.

[bowens43]

11. We're happy to see him here in NC

for a change , our primary vote might mean something. Obama will be in PA. but he's not ignoring other primaries.

It's a winning strategy

[babylonsister]

15. He gave a speech on Iraq today; NC is a big military state. He

probably wanted to talk to people who might have an interest in listening.

[Alter Ego]

16. He's campaigning in states that haven't voted yet?

Notice I said "stateS", not "state". PA isn't the be-all end-all, despite what Mark Penn wants you to think.

[goletian]

19. seriously, has this man given you any reason to doubt him yet?

hes succeeded at pretty much everything hes sought out to do. he knows how to get things done, and hes a practical guy. have more faith!

[TwilightGardener]

22. He is in a delegate race. He needs to campaign everywhere--he refuses

to play Hillary's game or dance to her tune. He'll campaign in PA, but he's not going to waste all his time there, because if he does, it will give the impression that he expected to win, and he doesn't.

[stillcool]

23. It's part of that whole 50-state thing...

he's running this really weird campaign where he goes to all the states and talks to the people in those states. He seems to think that votes and delegates still matter. I guess no one told him the way to win an election was by playing cheap tricks with the media, and breaking the rules.

[VolcanoJen]

24. And he gave that eloquent speech from Indiana last Saturday.

Obama, thankfully, isn't part of the "Insult 40 States" Strategy.

:-)

[Starbucks Anarchist]

25. Couple of reasons.

1) PA is likely to go to Hillary anyway, and symbolically, it's a much bigger "prize" for her than it is for him.

2) It's the same smart strategy he always used -- people mocked him for going to Idaho, but according to the new Rolling Stone (the one with Obama on the cover), the delegates he won in Idaho more than offset the ones Hillary picked up in a much bigger state -- New Jersey.

[Teaser]

28. Because he's gonna lose PA

And if he doesn't really try hard, and the press sees it, they won't count it a significant loss. At least, that's the plan.