Polls Show Top Hopefuls in a Statistical Dead Heat as Barack Obama Gains Ground on Clinton

[FrenchieCat]

With one national poll showing Sen. Barack Obama in a statistical dead heat with Sen. Hillary Clinton for the Democratic presidential nomination, Obama's campaign coordinated an ambitious field operation over the weekend where scores of Americans across the country walked door-to-door in their communities urging neighbors to rally around Obama's historic candidacy.

According to last week's USA Today/Gallup Poll, the tie between Obama (D-IL) and Clinton (D-NY) marks the first time that Clinton hasn't comfortably led the field of Democratic candidates. Other national polls still show Clinton leading Obama but Obama aides say they are clearly gaining ground.
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Obama kicked-off the "Walk for Change" in Dubuque, Iowa and across the state more than 1,000 people door-knocked in their communities. Aides said Kim Mack, a mother of a soldier in Iraq, organized 200 people to door-knock in Sacramento, California, and Ray Padraza, a Navy veteran, one of the founding members of Nevada Hispanics for Obama, supported Obama in his neighborhood.

"Hundreds of folks around the country are expected to participate in what will be a nationwide effort to raise money, recruit volunteers and organize neighborhoods for the campaign," Bill Burton, a spokesman for Obama, told BlackAmericaWeb.com last week.

The date for the initiative marks 219 days from the Iowa Caucus, and supporters were able to sponsor a volunteer by donating $2.19 or $21.90 or sponsor a group of door-knockers by donating $219.00.

Aides to Obama say the "Walk For Change" will continue to generate collective enthusiasm for Obama's candidacy and attract new supporters to his campaign.

"Obama supporters across the country are eager to get out in their communities to talk about why they support this campaign to change America," Obama Campaign Manager David Plouffe said in a statement.

"This movement is about the people in small towns and city neighborhoods who are taking the campaign into their own hands by building a team of volunteers and supporters that will help send Barack Obama to the White House," Plouffe said.

Burton said the community-driven initiative is unprecedented, adding the Obama camp is the only campaign to create a grassroots effort of this magnitude.
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