DO it! DO. It. Head fake or real? Obama campaign flirts with playing for Arizona

[kpete]

Obama campaign has momentum _ and nerves

This year, Obama's team talked early on about running in Arizona, which offers 11 electoral votes, but it never did. Now, with an internal Democratic poll showing Obama narrowly leading Romney, Obama's team might make a play for the state that has seen a 160,000 increase in voter
registrations by Democratic-leaning Hispanics over the past four years.

Buying television time in Phoenix, the state's largest city, is expensive and Obama advisers are closely watching their finances.

http://www.usnews.com/news/politics/articles/2012/09/25/obama-campaign-has-momentum-_-and-a-case-of-nerves?page=2
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/09/26/1136774/-Head-fake-or-real-Obama-campaign-flirts-with-playing-for-Arizona#comments

[NRaleighLiberal]

1. Do it! Do it! need to start connecting the rest of blue country to the West Coast!

First Arizona....then....maybe next time...Texas? (I can dream)....

[Indpndnt]

25. When Obama comes to Texas, he draws huge crowds.

And the demographics are changing. Your dream is morphing closer to reality every year.

[DonRedwood]

32. texas was pink for the week after the dnc

:0) made me soooo happy to see that!

[exboyfil]

2. I was thinking South Carolina would also

look pretty nice. A 1/3 of the state is either African American or Latino, and some polls have been favorable.

[nichomachus]

3. Have you ever been to Arizona?

I go frequently. You can feel the change in the vibe when you cross the border. And I can't wait to get out again. It's one scary place.

[oberliner]

8. Which border?

Just curious.

[nichomachus]

16. I live in SoCal

So I usually go in on the I-10. I've been all over the state, but it's not a place I'm really comfortable. Grand Canyon is nice and so is Sedona. Other than that - meh. I've never been to Tucson. I had friends who moved their and bailed after a couple of years.

[oberliner]

39. How about the border between LA and Orange County?

Might say that's two different worlds as well in many ways.

[annabanana]

11. I hang out sometimes in and around Tucson.. MUCH nicer.

The North part of the state is the red part.

[Sedona]

33. Actually in Northern Arizonna

Sedona and Coconino County are BLUE

http://elections.nytimes.com/2008/results/states/president/arizona.html

http://azdailysun.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/elections/gop-passes-up-coconino-county-elections/article_c77d34bd-1903-5ba1-9ac0-3b1d56b1d0fa.html

[Xipe Totec]

4. Obámanos!

[Capn Sunshine]

36. ! Horale!

:woot:

[ProSense]

5. Head fake or real,

go for it! Still plenty of time for Mitt to piss off some more people.

Republicans Are Giving Up On Beating Grijalva In AZ-03

The National Republican Congressional Committee has shifted its focus away from Arizona's 3rd Congressional District race in which Republican Gabriela Saucedo Mercer is challenging Democratic incumbent Rep. Raul Grijalva, the Arizona Daily Star reports. Though Grijalva was a top GOP target last year, the NRCC is now focusing their resources elsewhere.

The district favors Democrats in voter registration and Grijalva is better prepared for the race than in 2010, according to the Daily Star. But Grijalva says that Saucedo Mercer, who last year said that Middle Easterners' "only goal in life is to, to cause harm to the United States" and are not welcome in the country, is the reason the NRCC has abandoned the district.

"They put their eggs in Ms. Mercer's basket and she's proven to be more of a liability than an asset," Grijalva said.

http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/entry/republicans-are-giving-up-on-beating-grijalva-in

[Aerows]

17. For real

I'm tired of my state being default "red". If Arizona can change, so can MS. And I don't mind fighting a battle that at first seems futile - it's the kind of battle that becomes a win when you fight for it.

[calimary]

31. True. And psychologically, people respect you more when you fight. When you're a fighter.

Even if you're wrong. Look how much traction the republi-CONS have gotten through the years - because THEY seem to stand for something while we're looked upon as wishy-washy, and we're laughed at and disrespected. I can remember countless times when I heard dubya on the campaign trail the second time, telling people "you may not agree with me, but you know where I stand." And that was a very effective contrast with OUR guy, John Kerry, who was Mr. "I voted for it before I voted against it" and that played like a stink bomb in the queen's royal boudoir. bush won respect for simply looking as though he stood for something. And he did stand for something. All the WRONG things, of course, but he stood for something. And that resonates with lots of voters. We need to be FEARED. And begrudgingly respected.

Howard Dean, btw, did that in the Deep South - when he actually ventured into enemy territory as our DNC Chair, and talked to voters there one-on-one, and brought his liberal views with him. He knew he was gonna get resistance, but he also figured that some of these folks had only ever heard the Pox Noise/limbaugh version of the world. He offered HIS. And he spoke, later, about how people were receptive, and respectful that he actually tried to present his "contrarian" ideas to them. Some of them, he described, actually took a second look at some of the issues he described - like the choice issue in particular - and saw things differently as a result of his talk.

Howard Dean is STILL my hero! We practically had to force him on the DNC brass. And look at the results we got - in 2006 and 2008!

[calimary]

27. Whatever will further demoralize the GOP - THAT is what we should be doing.

DEMORALIZE and DESTABILIZE.

Kick 'em when they're down. ESPECIALLY when they're down. We don't often get an opportunity to stomp on a floor full of snakes that have had their fangs removed! Make sure you have good spikey track shoes on! Golf shoes would be even better! Or ice climbers!

Seems to me we should try to imagine what THEY would do to US if the situation were reversed, and let that motivate and inspire us. THIS IS NO TIME TO PLAY MOTHER TERESA! A little mortification is good for the soul. For theirs especially. If they're down, DO NOT offer a hand up. That's when you need to kick 'em in the teeth.

[oberliner]

6. Not a great idea

Can win without the state - comfortably.

Resources best spent elsewhere.

[Aerows]

12. Nope

Energy on the ground spent by residents of the state sends a message. I'm trying to send a message here in Mississippi. We don't HAVE to be a red state by default. We can get off of our asses and make a change. That doesn't mean resources spent elsewhere, that means resources spent right here, in our communities, when they wouldn't have been spent.

[oberliner]

41. Energy on the ground yes - but money is limited

I just think we should spend wisely. Make sure we lock up the states we are supposed to win. They should be enough.

[Aerows]

47. And fight for the states that

it is assumed we will lose, like Arizona, which only has a margin of 3%, well within the margin of error.

I want Democrats to fight to the death for this election, at the top, and downstream, and have a decisive win. There are traditionally red states in our grasp, and the day we stop fighting for them is the day we give them up.

I don't believe in giving up ground.

[jeff47]

15. Sounds like the strategy used by Kerry and Gore

How'd that work out again?

50-State Strategy. It works.

[Capn Sunshine]

37. that's right

If you don't show up , people tend to think you don't care.

[oberliner]

42. Obama is an incumbent president

And a much stronger candidate.

If he wins the states he is now slated to win, he gets it.

Let's make sure that happens.

[justice1]

40. Same philosophy as writing off 47% of the people.

I took a break from DU for several year, being from Nebraska, I was met with resistance, even from people here.

My fellow Democrats are starting to come around, and even some in the media, which never gave Obama credit for an electoral vote, have broken the state down, to reflect reality. It's not about winning this time, it's about building a base.

[oberliner]

43. Completely not at all like that in any respect

Just want to make sure to win the presidency. Resources are not infinite. They will have to be allocated in some way. Makes sense to allocate them in the way that leads to electoral victory. That would be the best result for all the people in all the states.

Can win and build a base at the same time. Don't need to go for a "win" in every single state - it won't happen. But there is a way to spend some money everywhere, especially for down ballot races - while still being smart about allocation.

[Tarheel_Dem]

7. I'm in favor, if for no other reason than to make Mitt throw up a little. It would be great if it..

boosted down ballot races as well.

[Aerows]

9. If you can turn Arizona blue, or at least purple

You can turn ANY state purple. I'm trying in Mississippi. Just you see if we can't!

[phantom power]

10. Do it.

?w=450

[Chipper Chat]

13. Indiana also has 11 votes.

Much friendlier territory than McCainland. Auto industry-related workers are everywhere here: Kokomo, Anderson, Fort Wayne, Marion, Greensburg, Evansville, Columbus, Gary, Lafayette. We would like to see the President here to counteract the loud sniping that curently eminates from the pushy Tea Party and the disgusting Mike Pence. (edited for spelling)

[reformist2]

14. Do it! But make sure you've nailed down Ohio and Florida first.

[AlinPA]

20. And North Carolina and Virginia.

[pinboy3niner]

18. Californians can help doing phone banking and bus trips to AZ

Right now, I'm seeing bus trips to NV but not AZ.

[Capn Sunshine]

38. It's on the agenda this weekend- discussion that is

There's a lot of us that want to push on AZ. We think the results would be beneficial downticket

[pinboy3niner]

45. That's good news, thanks

It's a challenge to organize quickly and it means more work for some already-overworked people, but it can give a boost up and down the ticket. Important, especially, in firing up dem voters.

Besides, I'd love to do a bus trip to someplace like Maricopa County.

I was a kerrytraveler in '04 (CA to OH), working full time in a county field office for the final 2 months, and I loved it (and, iirc, Kerry took Franklin County by about 43,000 votes). It was a real pleasure, too, to work with some great DNC members like Deb K and Ann R.

If you can get this off the ground, I'll see you on the bus!

[porphyrian]

19. Worth it just for the look on Arpaio's face. n/t

[Bucky]

21. I'd like to see resources put into coat tails activities.

[Mr.Turnip]

22. Do it for the senate seat.

[DinahMoeHum]

23. I say Go For It. Never write off any state. . .

. . .as Howard Dean would say.

[ejbr]

24. Come oooooonnnnn!!! DO IT! n/t

[JI7]

26. YES

[jonesgirl]

29. I'll do my part by planting a few seeds on FB.

[patrice]

30. or a guest part in a deadmau5 concert. House dance trance, stage effects, and lights music ...

See if we can get the Tea Party to laugh instead of WHINE.

[Hutzpa]

34. You don't seem to happy about this move

I sense you're kind of upset huh, that the Obama campaign is making a play for AZ.

[ailsagirl]

35. It's delightful news!!

[Hutzpa]

44. It sure is a delightful news

I was hoping the OP can show that same enthusiasm as we are.

[Aerows]

48. Fight for every seat

and fight for every state. I'm in, and I believe in that philosophy.

[Doctor_J]

46. Leave it alone

Let the places like AZ have their teabaggers, then after the election marginalize them compared to the blue states. Make a daily point of mentioning how much better things are in VT, CA, MD than in MS, AZ, TX.

[Aerows]

49. I'm going to fight for MS

Don't think I will not do everything I can to help turn this hopelessly red state around. I don't think I will succeed in this cycle, but given enough time, all things can change.

[jorno67]

50. I say do it!

If you are going to be the POTUS for 100% you should make your case to 100%

[reformist2]

51. Give it a try - if the polls move, it will force Romney to defend even more "home turf!"

Also, it makes no sense only playing on territory where we're already ahead. That's called sitting on your lead, which is not a good thing to do... we should always be on the offensive. Try to get states we didn't think we could.... shock and awe!