So, what is the reason Obama is slamming Clinton in WY, ID, ND?

[Jersey Devil]

I don't buy the argument that Obama's people are simply geniuses at caucusing and Clinton's staff is totally incompetent at caucusing. That was the excuse from the Clinton campaign early on, but it's been a long time since Iowa and I read several articles yesterday that the Clinton campaign had its act together for Wyoming. Yet, once again, in a lily white state in the center of the country where Democrats are almost as rare as unicorns and the population as white as snow, he appears to be whacking Clinton upside the head.

Are there secret legions of latte drinking black cowboys out there or what is the deal?

[PresidentObama]

1. His message is appealing to those voters. Whats hard to understand?

[Jersey Devil]

4. I understand was was being a bit sarcastic

Sarcasm doesn't seem to work well on bulletin boards. Maybe it's a thing where you have to see the other person's expressions.

Yes, I agree, and I think it debunks the ridiculous claims of the Clinton campaign that Obama only wins in caucus states because somehow his campaign workers know how to work magic in them while Clinton's people are bumblers.

[IsItJustMe]

44. Well, one thing for sure. The good folk of Wyoming are not listening to Rush Limballs.

[galaxy21]

2. She's alientated so many democrats with her behaviour....

That's what I think, anyway.

You can say it worked in Ohio/Texas, but she started out with a 20 point lead in both of them, and the exit polls indicate many people thought she had went too far with the negative behaviour. Did she win Ohio because of her negative camapaign or in spite of it?

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

3. "...secret legions of latte drinking black cowboys..."

[XemaSab]

6. If you know any, have them PM me

[shadowknows69]

10. Yippie ki yay mother fucker

-Officer John McClane

[mythyc]

12. that's the quote of the day

[anigbrowl]

24. Brokeblack Mountain

I can't quit you

[Mother Of Four]

46. I have got to say...

That is my FAVORITE pic of Obama

Git along lil DOGGIE!

He makes that hat look good. :p

[Blondiegrrl]

73. He looks hot in that hat.

Seriously, he wears it well.

[XemaSab]

5. I suspect it's a western libertarian/populist streak

Not that Obama's a libertarian or a raging populist by any means, but Hillary represents anti-libertarian, anti-populist values.

[WHAT]

29. culture of honesy ...hard corn

kernel of truth is appealing?

[here_is_to_hope]

69. Bingo, you win!

Not too many understand the mindset of the West. But there it is.

[Catherina]

7. They're all sexist dontcha know n/t

[Peregrine Took]

8. Because they are typical of the republican states he usually wins.

Also because they're caucus states.

[skooooo]

25. Like Washington state?? Oh wait..that's a blue state..

Sorry your theory holds no water.

[burythehatchet]

9. Caucus votes are much harder to rig/steal n/t

[SoCalDem]

39. counting people is a lot different than counting votes in a central location

people can count along with the counters and make sure they are counted too

[newfie4]

11. Very few Democrats in these states to begin with

However, whatever Democrats do exist in these states are usually very far left, "movement" types who are susceptible to brainwashing by a candidate like obama. Because they are surrounded by very far right repukes, they tend to run to the very far left. Obama is not getting votes from working class dems, middle to upper middle class suburbanites here, soccer moms etc. These are the willy nelson types voting for him.

And no it doesn't matter, because wyoming has no chance of going dem in november anyway.

[cottonseed]

13. Willie Nelson is the greatest American.

If there was more types like him voting for people like Obama we'd have a much better country right now.

[cali]

15. That's ridiculous and completely false

Dems in states like Iowa and Kansas and Idaho and CO and many other states he's won are not more "left" than dems in other states. Now, in my state of VT, you may have a point. And yes, it sure as shit does count, dear: Obama adds to his lead today and widens the delegate gap.

[dragonlady]

19. 59% of Wyoming Democrats are far left?

Latest returns from DailyKos:

Obama 59 -- 4,000
Clinton 40 -- 2,756

Welcome to DU!

[bhikkhu]

50. So WY Dems are brainwashed lefties.

And the working theory here is that if the working class and middle class, and suburbanites did not turn out for Obama, it was all those unemployed rural communist Willie Nelsons that handed him the victory?

[JVS]

14. You need to watch this video and learn, dude!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2UprOyqD8o

[Onlooker]

16. The secret his he's the new Reagan

A brilliant fact about Obama's campaign is that he's offering the kind of simple appealing message that Republicans have long offered. Just as Reagan promised "family values," whatever the hell that meant, Obama promises change, unity, and hope, meaningless platitudes that appeal to the wholesome values of the smaller states. Unlike Kerry and Gore and even Hillary Clinton, Obama isn't mucking things up with facts and convoluted reasoning. He's being like Reagan, keeping it simple enough that even people who aren't normally excited about politics can relate. Obama is our Reagan in that he talks very nicely about simple wholesome ideas of change, unity, and hope. He's not threatening, and ironically he's the most feminine of the candidates (which is certainly one of the reasons I support him).

[Cha]

28. Your powers of observation are

null and void..maybe you should go back to "onlooker" school..'cause you don't have any gravitas.

[BumRushDaShow]

31. I agree completely with this.

The misinterpretation of Obama "supporting Reagan" comes from the idea of his campaign using the tactics of the Reagan campaign, where one keeps the message simple and easy to grasp by a diverse group - families, workers, young, & old. Even his logo seems crafted to appear to "sweep" across the great plains of this country and of course the sunrise seems to hearken to Reagan's "Morning in America" imagery. Too many are turned off by the technocrats and getting bogged down in the minutiae of policy wonkism, which is actually more the job of Congress to take care of rather than the President.

The difference is substituting the Democratic agenda and party platform in for the repuke platform. But the technique apparently works...

[C_U_L8R]

33. shhhh.. he's a uniter, not a divider

really ; - )))

[EFerrari]

17. The closer you get to actual people, the worse she does. n/t

[bridgit]

18. Caucasus' are said to *not* favor: single parents, people working at night, or split shifts...

elderly folks, etc, the great swathe of American life. So yeah, you don't need to be a genius to know that by narrowing the field to they more able to show up for you and only you; you increase your chances.

[Jersey Devil]

20. more excuses

And if it is a primary instead of a caucus they take the day off or leave the kids home alone to vote, huh? These are the same people who wouldn't vote if there was a primary.

[bridgit]

38. I understand y'all have a really hard time seeing this stuff, but that's the way it is

The ticker indicating as much just flashed across the very same screen you likely cherry picked your favorite news regarding BO *from* the caucus. And they call this The Information Generation.

That's why he favors caucus, and she favors primary...come on!! Sometimes it's just as simple as it appears to be. You probably think the high incidence of uneducated people gone HRC's way indicates ignorance on the part of her supporters. Go on, admit it, cause I know that you do. But it doesn't. It represents working folks that mayn't have had the educational opportunities you, or I have had.

Yea! A caucus actually held on a Saturday zippity doo-dah!! Now there *are no more excuses!!* Yea!

[americanstranger]

22. But this caucus was on a Saturday.

That knocks out your 'night shift' argument.

And if people are motivated to support their candidate, they'll find a way to show up. Are you implying that Clinton's supporters are somehow so apathetic that they can't be bothered to make arrangements to get to the caucuses?

And is there GOTV infrastructure so bad that they can't provide transportation for the elderly?

No wonder she's losing.

- as

[Jersey Devil]

26. Well, as Clinton supporters their position is - Wyoming doesn't count

They are getting more hilarious by the minute

[bridgit]

49. Well of course it counts, it's like 3-4 delegates right? Those are numbers too

[bridgit]

41. Yea! A caucus on a Saturday!!

[skooooo]

23. With all of Hilary's resources...

...you're saying they JUST COULDN'T GET THEIR SHIT TOEGETHER...provide some transportation to get granny out there??

ARE YOU KIDDING ME??

People just don't want her. Face it!

[bridgit]

43. Well, you don't that much is clear, yet quite a few others do welcome to America

[skooooo]

52. not enough in the majority of the states that have voted

go figure

[anigbrowl]

27. Right, because people can't find 4 hours to caucus once every 4 years

Take a day off for democracy.

[XemaSab]

36. Wyoming gives workers an hour off to vote

http://www.toolkit.com/news/newsDetail.aspx?nid=02-075v...

[bridgit]

48. There'ya go, 1 hour every 4 years...I...suppose...

if you're doing soil research in the Grand Tetons outback you're shit out of luck but thanks for the link, here, I'll trade'ya...

http://www.wyomingtourism.org/cms/d/grand_teton_nationa...

[XemaSab]

53. Never been to the Grand Tetons

but it sure looks pretty there.

[Bread and Circus]

34. "caucuses are said".....by who?

oh yea, this spin is straight out of the Clinton campaign.

And in case you didn't know Today is Saturday and the sun is shining. Hillary still lost.

Got any more bullshit theories?

[bridgit]

40. CNN, it's not a bullshit theory, it's nearer to a practical one than you are able to absorb...

These concerns have been thus for months now.

[Bread and Circus]

56. The Clinton News Network?!?! Give me a fucking break and a shovel

It's getting deep in here.

[bridgit]

58. Oh for crying out loud, you can be vaporous if you care to, it seems your strong suit...

This goof ball, cauca-whacka-doodle primary nonsense that has been foisted upon us by the DNC is going to the convention and you are simply unprepared to accept even the possibility. And even *if* on the odd it doesn't, they'll be carrying HRC's ideas onto the floor where she will power broker them herself.

Only BO peeps seem vacuous enough to think that they can just right off some-aprrox. 1/2 of the party. That's 'valley girl' childish. If you think HRC is going to just walk away while she's still within even 150 delegates you're just plain lighter than a popcorn fart.

It's not going to happen regardless of how much you personally desire it

[greyghost]

71. AMEN This post should be a OP.

[Laurab]

77. "BO peeps"? "popcorn fart"?

And you're saying valley girls are childish? And it would be "write off", not "right off".

I do have to agree that HRC probably isn't going to walk off, unless she's persuaded to, but I don't agree that that's a good thing. The longer she goes on with her negative campaigning, preferring McCain, insulting all of the people who support Obama - in short, doing whatever it takes to "win", she is losing dem voter after dem voter.

She won't win the primary without dirty tricks, and she sure as hell isn't going to win the GE. Too many dems are totally disgusted with her and her tactics against a fellow dem, who had the audacity to do better than she did with the voters, and who didn't have to climb into the gutter to do it.

She apparently thinks it's ok to write off OVER 50% of the party, because that's exactly what she's doing. It's all about HER. At one time, I would have been able to hold my nose and vote for her, but not anymore, and I'm far from alone. I also will not vote for her when her next Senate run comes around. She has shown what she's made of, and it's not a pretty sight.

I'm quite sure the party leaders are aware of this, and fairly sure they won't let it come down to a damaged Democratic party, with a loose cannon who doesn't care about anything but winning at any cost. And that's what she is now - more and more each day.

Winning the GE is far more important than HRC's personal ambitions, and she has crossed the line for far too many dems. She's done, it's just a matter of time.

[bridgit]

80. Just trying to keep it lite, dear, you have enough posts to have understood by now...

especially here in GD-P, just what shitty really looks like. But there's just too much of it, too much low-down snark from, ahem, United States Senator (D-IL), Barack Hussein Obama's supporters...does that work better for you? Is that better?

And thank you for the condescending little lesson "write/right" riiiiight, that was sweet and you really didn't *have* to do it...but you did.

If it's one thing I've learned about, and yes...BO peeps, it is that they are thus not merely at the drop of a hat; but well before the hat ever hits the ground. "Weaker than a popcorn fart" is a colloquialism my Kentucky Daddy would use from time to time. Along with "Dumb as a bag of wet mice". Surely, you aren't implying that a man that survived the liberation of Bergen-Belsen is a valley girl? Yours are some of what is said when people have no respect for their neighbors; their thoughts, their dreams, their opinions, their experiences.

Welcome to Denver http://www.demconvention.com

ps = lite/light

[SoCalDem]

45. She does her best work at 3AM.. maybe that's when the caucuses should be

they could call HER with the totals.. She'd be there, sitting in the dark, nicely dressed, necklace & all, with glasses on..just waiting for that call...


phone rings....one ring-y ding-y x 5 more..

she picks it up

and hears heavy breathing..."Hey baby, whatcha wearin' ?"

she yells :..BILL goddammit get off the phone. you dialed the wrong number.. & I'm expecting an important call from an unimportant state

[bhikkhu]

51. Which is why the only fair election is one where nobody has to show up.

....an interesting political theory.

[stillcool]

78. I wonder how the states feel...

about their right to run their elections the way they want? Do you think that matters?
I thought this was interesting....

Iowa

Iowa flirted with the possibility of holding primary elections in 1913, but returned to the caucus system after 25 percent of registered voters attended its first and only primary election held April 10, 1916. The state remained important throughout the remainder of the century, but took the spotlight after the reform of 1968. Since then, the Iowa caucuses have held one of the most important roles in the presidential elections.

The Reform

By Becki White

Before 1972, presidential nominees were selected primarily by party regulars and the elite. Then Sen. Robert F. Kennedy was shot, the Vietnam war escalated and protests and riots that questioned every governmental process spread across America.

In August 1968, 10,000 demonstrators gathered at the Democratic Party's national convention in Chicago. Led by the Youth International Party and the Students for a Democratic Society, they protested the war, racism and the political process that awarded then Vice President Hubert H. Humphrey the presidential nomination on the Democratic ticket.

Humphrey, who did not go to one primary election, relied on party regulars to take votes away from his main opponent Sen. Eugene McCarthy of Minnesota. McCarthy had won several primary elections throughout the nation. Protesters argued the nomination process at that time restricted public involvement.

After Chicago Mayor Richard Daley ordered city police to "shoot to kill" the demonstrators at the Democratic national convention, Democrats knew reform was necessary. By the 1972 election, several changes were made to the presidential election process.

The reform of the nomination process brought several new steps to the presidential nomination process. The process began relying on caucus and primary results and the nomination process stretched to six months of campaigning in caucus and primary states. The reform attempted to involve voters in the initial steps of a party's nomination.

Art Sanders, associate professor of political science at Drake University said the current system opened up the nomination process. "It's open...the public has the ability to choose the candidate," he said.

Currently the election process begins at the Iowa caucuses in February of the election year, and continues with several state caucuses and conventions and 39 primary elections. The final candidate nomination takes place at the national conventions in July and August.

A caucus is an informal meeting with candidates and potential voters. Candidates go to all areas of a state to speak with voters in churches, schools and even private homes. A caucus vote differs from the presidential election in November because candidates compete with members of the same party to win a partyÕs nomination.

Because of the reform in 1968, caucuses and primaries have been in the forefront of the presidential nomination process. By 1980, primaries selected 71 percent of the delegates at the Democratic national convention.
http://www.drake.edu/journalism/CyberCaucus2000/reform....

[bridgit]

81. That is a fair question. And I suppose states have the right to draw straws...

from a high ball glass, or pull names on slips of paper from a silk top hat if they want to. They are states, they can I suppose do what they want to do. But our system from what seems the top to the bottom is flaky. Or maybe it's just the Democratic Party. Skimming your link I'd like to review it a bit more.

Thanks for posting

[Genevieve]

21. Because he should.

I don't understand how any Dems could support her.

[Bread and Circus]

30. I have a few thoughts on this: mainly, Hillary's "base" is lazy

She seems to rely on the core ignorant "I didn't know Obama isn't a Muslim" voter. These people are too lazy to actually read and make themselves aware of Cluster Bomb Clinton's anti-Democratic record. This lazyness carries over to the fact that they won't drag their asses to a caucus to stand and be counted.

The other part is that you can Diebold a primary, you can't do the same to a caucus.

Questions?

[Jersey Devil]

35. Yep, and are likely not going to bother to vote in the general

So if we get Hillary we get a bunch of unmotivated "voters" who probably won't bother to vote in November. Not a good deal for the Democratic ticket from top to bottom.

[Cha]

59. I think you're right..I was talking

to a hilary supporter at work today who was saying Obama doesn't say what he'll do in his speeches and I said..yes he does and go to his website too where it's all layed out. He said..I don't need to go to his website, he should say it in his speeches. Okay, says I..don't go to his website. That would be too much freakin' trouble.

[joshcryer]

65. "Lazy" is an overstatement, they're not "politically motivated."

Sure they could all, yaknow, quit their jobs, leave their kids home alone, run to the polls enmasse, but they don't, because they aren't politically motivted.

This goes for the 90% of Democrats who didn't show up in WY.

[rodeodance]

32. It's his new improved version of his Politics of Hope!! --going negitive

[Medusa]

37. She didn't have a 50-state strategy

what she has is an inept campaign.

[IsItJustMe]

42. Yes. It's those Broke Back Mountain black folk in those hills of Wyoming that is putting Obama over

the top.

[easy_b94]

54. not a good joke

[IsItJustMe]

57. I liked it.

[samdogmom]

47. Here is a very simple explanation: People who like Obama will stand in line, endure indignities

and still profess a preference for him. Hillary supporters--not so much! Many are directed by Rush et. al. to vote for her. Trust me, these "Rush" ditto heads ARE not going to stand in line and caucus for her--they want to be in and out! Slam, bam, thank you mame!

So you can screw up a primary vote by crossing over--but it's a BIT harder to screw up a caucus vote!

My two cents.

[seabeyond]

61. that could be it cause the line will be there. everyone to come at same time, instead of all day

i have been wondering why they hurt hillary and are good for obama. could never get an answer. the line is indicitive of a caucus though, hmmmm

[Major Hogwash]

55. the war

We were against it, but the Republican assholes that represent us voted for it.

[seabeyond]

60. well if she knows there people are incompetent would behoove to become competent. if not, what kind

of leadership ability is that. dealing with an issue, .... find not competent, not allowed to say oh well.

[KoKo]

62. Ranchers love Obama?

[mudesi]

63. Clinton is NOT BOTHERING with those states

She has consistently shown and has even said that they "don't matter".

[joshcryer]

64. He motivates that 10% of caucus goers better.

How he does it is anyones guess.

But what is for sure at least in WY, he's not represented by the population there.

[Barack_America]

66. You can add WI, MN, IA, KS, etc. to that list.

It's not about the caucus, it's about how Indie/Dem, gun-toting white males (and the women who love them) feel about Hillary.

It's a "folks" thing. Hillary ain't "folks". Barack is.

[DearAbby]

67. They have us to believe

the Democrats in Wyoming are those extreme tree huggin liberals. Or could be hard working people, who like the idea of a Candidate who doesnt make empty promises...This candidate says "WE TOGETHER, can make a change" I like being involved, dont you?

"We are the change we've been waiting for" "We the People"

YES, WE CAN!

[BlueIdaho]

68. Its called ground game.

In Idaho - the most republican state in the union - Hillary wrote us off and assumed we were of no use to her - but I got three calls from the Obama folks. The final call included an offer for a ride to the caucus site. The night of the caucus 1,200+ folks lined up in freezing cold weather and waited patiently in the wind and the cold and the snow to get inside. The Obama folks walked up and down the line encouraging everyone to hang in there. Inside there were hundreds of Obama signs and thousands of stickers being handed out to anyone who wanted one. I counted a total of five - yes five Hillary signs in the entire site. At the end of the day the caucus went for Obama 80% to 20%.

I understand that to some, we in Idaho don't count - but it was refreshing to count on that night to somebody - hell anybody in "our" party. There is no reason under the sun why the democratic party can't have a fifty state strategy. All it takes is hope, heart, and enthusiastic supporters. Its called a ground game.

[OnionPatch]

70. Maybe because caucuses bring in more of the politically involved

and active in the party. These people tend to pay closer attention to politics and know more about the candidates.

[Blondiegrrl]

72. Black cowboys?

I don't know if he drinks latte, but ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uP126koDJJk

[IDemo]

74. We've been waiting for change for decades here, not just seven years

Idaho once could brag of Democratic greats like Frank Church and former Governor Cecil Andrus (introducing Obama in the first video link). But that was so long ago it's been hard to believe we could ever return to an era remotely like it. Repubs here have been electing laughing stocks like Senator Steve Symms, Helen (black HEE-licopters) Chenoweth, and Bill Sali for many years, and Dems have had little to pin their hopes to. The political dialogue in the state is often maddening and downright bizarre.

But then, this year, something changed. As Boise Mayor Dave Bieter tells the caucus crowd in the second video, "living out here, it's hard. It's hard to believe. But then he comes here and we have to believe!"

Consider how it has been here to have waited not for just seven years but a quarter century for some kind of optimism in a sea of red, and to have an agent of change, hope, and optimism like Barack Obama come here and fire up 14,000+ people on a 25° morning. Incredible.

Fired up!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z__BFQuDSkE&feature=rela...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5fwJEWLUv8&feature=rela...

[Cha]

76. I am so happy

for ya'll!

[IDemo]

79. Thanks, zidzi!

Ready to go!

[BenDavid]

75. what? he wond7 and hrc 5......just hold on to your hats, asses or

whatever cause this is going to get a whole lot dirtier and the one that will come out of all this that has the balls to go forever is the one that was born without a pair.....