LAT: Obama shows signs of trail-weariness

[highplainsdem]

http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-weary9-2008jul09,0,619759.story

By Peter Nicholas, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
July 9, 2008

BUTTE, MONT. -- He hasn't had a vacation for months. He sees his family little more than once a week. And now as the presumed Democratic nominee for president, he can't go anywhere without being trailed by a full crew of journalists.

-snip-

Being Barack Obama would seem an ego-enlarging thrill, with ecstatic crowds at every stop and -- if the polls are right -- a better than 50-50 shot at becoming president.

Watching him on the trail in recent days, though, it often appears as if the unrelenting attention and prolonged campaigning are getting wearisome. He told a customer at an Indiana diner two months ago that he had lost 7 or 8 pounds. He said he was learning to get by on four-to-five hours' sleep.

-snip-

Few Americans can appreciate what Obama is enduring. Michael S. Dukakis, the 1988 Democratic presidential nominee, said the incessant campaigning at this stage of the contest was "insane." It is easy for a candidate to get stale, getting in and out of airplanes, repeating the same message, said Dukakis, a former governor of Massachusetts.

"As a candidate you get bored," he said. "You've been saying the same thing over and over again for the last year and a half. What they ought to do is say, 'OK, you campaign three days a week during the summer.' What is this every-day stuff?"

Obama's campaign won't say whether he is planning another vacation before the Democratic convention next month. Until then, he must settle for small pleasures where he can find them. He told reporters that he planned to take his daughters next weekend to see the animated movie "Wall-E."

"Which I'm looking forward to," he said. "It's gotten great reviews."

I agree with Dukakis -- the incessant campaigning is insane. Hope the Obamas can find time for a mini-vacation before the convention.

[Mz Pip]

1. But John McCain

looks as perky as ever. :eyes:

[chimpymustgo]

2. Maybe that explains Obama's rightward lurch - he's just mixing things up to keep from being bored.

:rofl: or :puke:

:shrug:

[grantcart]

5. why do you keep up the pretense - why don't you simplhy come out and state

that you do not support Obama's candidacy?

[Super Soaker Sniper]

7. Isn't voting for him enough? n/t

[skooooo]

8. no, not if someone is just continually harping on it.

It gets old.

[Super Soaker Sniper]

10. Well, that is all he gets.

No swooning. No fainting. No squealing. Just one vote.

[skooooo]

11. You're always negative..always.

[Super Soaker Sniper]

14. If there is something positive about

our Democratic Majority, please point to it. It is these that Obama is going to have to deal with abd their track record has nothing to indicate that they will set the world on fire. This inept bunch may set themselves on fire trying to barbeque but that is about it.

So we may have an even bigger majority than we do now. If those additional members are going to be the likes of Pelosi and Reid, what would be the fucking point?

[JI7]

16. no, it's better not to vote for him than to spread your negativity about the candidate

and turn them off to others and then to justify it by saying "well i will vote for them".

in fact i think these people don't reallyv ote for the candidate anyways. most of them are freeper trolls or attention whores with huge egos.

[grantcart]

17. the comment wasn't directed at you

the person who it was sent to makes dozens of anti Obama statements every night.

[davidpdx]

12. It's obvious there are still people on this board

who are only here to bash Obama. It's time to call them what they are, trolls. It's also time to take out the trash.

[LowerManhattanite]

15. A-fucking-greed. n/t

[PM7nj]

13. We get it. nt

[LakeSamish706]

3. In all honesty, I would not want to be Barack Obama for anything...

nore would I want to be a member of his immediate family... This election crap in America is absolute bullshit... I just could not imagine being involved for 2 years or more.... Best of luck to the Obama's (You have my sympathies)

[AtomicKitten]

4. McSame requires two handlers to keep him from tipping over.

Obama is doing it sans wingmen.

[Schema Thing]

6. I bet if you kept a spreadsheet of all campaign events, appearances, stops

etc. that each man does in week, Obama's list would be considerably longer than McCain's.

[DFLforever]

9. Maybe O' remembers how Dukakis lost the election while he

was on vacation. Or at least that was the CW.