Hoarse but Confident, Obama Draws a Crowd
Obama was thronged, as usual, in a Des Moines stop today. (Getty Images).
By Shailagh Murray
DES MOINES -- His voice is hoarse, but Sen. Barack Obama's confidence is coming through loud and clear.
The Illinois senator is spending caucus day doing interviews with news organizations around the state, including a spot with KCZE morning show host Chad Scott -- who opened the exchange by offering his personal endorsement. Obama thanked him and got right to the point, urging Iowa caucus goers: "Get off your couch and make a difference."
Obama also played basketball this morning with old friends and staffers.
Obama's only public event was a walk-through at a downtown Des Moines food court. Trailing along was pool reporter Abdon M. Pallasch of the Chicago Sun-Times. Fun fact about Abdon: He's known Obama since the candidate's days as a law professor. Pallasch covered legal issues and Obama was a source.
According to the pool report, Obama spent a half hour mingling with diners. People swarmed around him to wish him luck and offer their support.
"You are going to win big tomorrow," one man told him.
"We'd love to have you caucus for us tonight," Obama said in a very hoarse voice.
He asked some Republicans to consider voting for him in the general election. When asked how he expected to do, Obama answered, "I feel good" or "We're doing great." At one point he was asked if he was an atheist. "I'm a member of the Trinity United Church of Christ," Obama replied. "Don't read e-mails." (A reference to bogus Internet claims that Obama is either a Muslim or an atheist.)
Karen Ritchie, 67, told Obama, "I've been to every caucus since 1972 and I'm going for you tonight."
Barbara Adams, math coordinator for Des Moines public schools, shook his hand and advocated more professional development and better pay for teachers, subjects Obama often mentions in his stump speech.
Anastasia Walsh, who owns a Panda Express at the food court, approached Obama twice to complain about rising food prices and about ethanol issues. She asked him to stop by her restaurant. But Obama said he had already eaten and had to go.
Posted at 5:28 PM ET on Jan 3, 2008
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Posted by: thirdrailradio | January 4, 2008 7:00 AM
I did mis-read the caption, though, as "Obama was THONGED, as usual . . ."
Posted by: JakeD | January 3, 2008 7:38 PM
Ouch, formlessness -- that really stings (NOT).
P.S. to julieds: unfortunately, given Bill Clinton's peccadillos, that question has to be asked of every other nominee now too.
Posted by: JakeD | January 3, 2008 7:37 PM
That's the Clintons, JakeD.
Posted by: julieds | January 3, 2008 7:20 PM
"Fun fact about Abdon: He's known Obama since the candidate's days as a law professor."
How comfy. As for you, Shailagh, what did you have for lunch? Did you get Doritos and Blow Pops like Michael D. Shear did? Window or aisle? Is it cold there? Tell us how your day went.
Meanwhile, if anyone would like to do some real reporting, go ask Obama a question based on this:
Posted by: LonewackoDotCom | January 3, 2008 7:10 PM
JakeD, no trust me there are plenty of stupid questions and they get asked all the time. yours, while stupid, was not really so much a stupid question as it was a really lame joke. If that was a picture of hillary it may have had a slim chance at being funny, (though I seriously doubt it) but like most things in your life you have utterly failed again. Don't give up though, perhaps one day, if you work really hard, you can prove to us all that you are not in fact a completely useless, and pathetic human being.
Posted by: formlessness | January 3, 2008 6:35 PM
Manners, schmanners. The only stupid question is the one not asked.
Posted by: JakeD | January 3, 2008 6:21 PM
That's just a graceless comment, JakeD. Mind your manners.
Posted by: vbalfour | January 3, 2008 6:09 PM
Are one of those white girls the next Monica Lewinsky?
Posted by: JakeD | January 3, 2008 5:36 PM
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Check out this awesome Iowa Caucus post mortem analysis at http://thirdrailradio.blogspot.com/2008/01/iowa-caucus-post-mortem.html