NYT: "Obama Showing New Confidence with Iowa Sprint"

[calteacherguy]

Senator Barack Obama with voters in Independence, Iowa, on Saturday during his 22-city tour of the state.

By JEFF ZELENY, NYT
Published: December 16, 2007

<snip>

The campaign of Mr. Obama, which slogged uncertainly through a period in the late summer and fall, alarming contributors who feared that he might have missed his moment, is now brimming with confidence as he delivers a closing argument to Iowa voters. His speeches are noticeably crisper, his poise is more consistent and many supporters say they no longer must rely upon a leap of faith to envision him winning the nomination.

<snip>

With one week remaining before the campaign pauses for Christmas, Mr. Obama is dashing through a 22-city tour from the Mississippi River in the east to the Missouri River in the west, rushing to lock in voters before a holiday interlude. His organization faces its greatest test yet: turning enthusiasm among many grass-roots Democrats into widespread support at the caucuses on Jan. 3 in precincts that will decide the outcome, particularly rural areas where his support still remains uneven after 10 months of campaigning.

<snip>

Mr. Obama is seeking to remind voters of his judgment, temperament and unifying approach to seize upon what many Democrats see as a moment of vulnerability for Mrs. Clinton. At the same time, he has narrowed his focus to a micro-level in Iowa, calling sheriffs, local officials and prospective precinct captains when he passes through town.

<snip>

So in the closing weeks of the race, as volunteers make about 10,000 phone calls every night on behalf of Mr. Obama except on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, they are given the task of collecting an answer to a new piece of information: If you are going away for the holidays, will you be back by Jan. 3?

Full article:
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/16/us/politics/16obama.html?pagewanted=2&ei=5088&en=9f3e3fa7256ce758&ex=1355461200&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss