Someone should fill-in for Obama at tonight's Northern VA rally.....

[scheming daemons]

he can't be expected to go out and speak tonight now.


Horrible news.



Who can fill in for him on short notice? Warner? Kaine?

[Drunken Irishman]

1. I think his grandma would want him to carry on.

[tekisui]

2. He has just that one left, before tomorrow, right?

[Bubbha Jo]

3. I imagine he'll speak. She would have wanted him too....

[cali]

4. Of course he can.

He made his peace with her death. He clearly knew this was coming. The best thing he can to pay tribute to her is win- and that means showing up tonight in VA.

[Roxy66]

5. I think someone should...maybe Hillary and Bill

[atreides1]

6. No

He should continue to do what he had planned to do, because it's probably what his Grandmother would have told him to do!

Besides, she can watch him from where she's at.

[TornadoTN]

7. I would bet that he will go on with it - for his grandmother

From what it sounds, his grandmother would have pushed him forward and told him to carry on. That there's more people out there than just her that's counting on him.

I wouldn't blame him if he didn't show up, but knowing that spirit that he described in his books and in interviews, I would bet that he's pushing onward.

[StreetKnowledge]

21. Agreed fully, but also...

...perhaps this is the time for the party to show they do care, and that we're going to victory regardless.

Get as many big-hitters out there as humanly possible tonight. Biden, Gore, both Clintons, Warner, Richardson, Pelosi, EVERYBODY. The message? "She'd want us to do this, she'd want us to take that final step to victory, she'd want us to be all out here tonight."

[GrizzlyMan]

8. He can and he will

This is Barack Obama we're talking about. He'll carry on. That's who he is.

[Muttocracy]

9. No, presidents have to be able to speak during tragedy

Personal tragedy is a little different, but I think he needs to keep going.

He's got millions of adopted family now :cry:

[Beaverhausen]

10. It will probably be his best speech of the campaign

[PresidentObama]

11. Get the Clintons on a plane, and let them fill in. Obama needs to be with his family n/t

[DefenseLawyer]

He will be fine.

He will be sad, of course. But as someone who has lost a parent after a long illness, I am sure he has come to terms with this long before now.

[Ichingcarpenter]

12. His half sister was there at the end ... I'm sure

she will express what is best

[alcibiades_mystery]

13. No. You finish what you start...first lesson.

[DeschutesRiver]

14. He knew it was coming, he saw her before she passed, he is the kind of guy

who can do this and yet mourn what happened. It is the very worst kind of news, but it was not unexpected, and there is no reason for him to choose her date of actual passing as the start of his mourning period.

He can and will choose to do that directly after he is elected. Because he has been mourning her approaching passing since before he took that last flight to visit her here on earth for what they both knew would likely be the last time. What will be more sad for him is all the years to come without her around - and that happens to all of us, and we just deal.

He is man of great courage and wisdom, and I believe he can do many things at once, esp. the day before the election with so very much at stake with our country's future in the balance. This election is not just about Barack Obama - it is critical for the rest of us as well. He gets that and that is why he went to see her in advance of this moment.

[budkin]

15. Hell yeah he'll go speak... he'll do it for her and for us!

[pinstikfartherin]

16. I think he will speak..

I'm sure his grandmother would want him to.

It will be emotional for all of us, so prepare the kleenex.

[progressivebydesign]

17. I hope he can speak at the rally. I think she'd want that for him. n/t

[uppityperson]

18. He will speak. He will show, again, he is capable of being President.

Presidents should be able of multi-tasking and he will show he is.

[azmouse]

19. He's been making speeches all day and doing it well.

He's strong.

[shaniqua6392]

20. A strong leader will be able to handle this.

Obama is a strong leader. It will be better for his image to go on that stage and kick some ass.