Barack Obama on the Primary
It’s good to be back. What a fun trip it’s been…
I went back to my notes from breakfast with Barack, as they seem relevant to the recent turn of events:
“I am a risky proposition. If you ask who will likely win the election, I’d consider myself still an underdog. The press may not think so, but I do. But the upside is enormous. The way the race is emerging, it’s between me and Hillary. In her attack on my experience, she is saying ‘I know how things are done. I can manage the existing system.’ I am saying the system needs to change. That’s my pitch. If you agree that more of the same is not sufficient, then I am your best bet. If the status quo is manageable, then you have other choices."
"This will be a sequential race, like it was for Kerry in the primary. It’s all up for grabs in the early states. Democratic primary voters are not inspired by Hillary, but they respect her. I do better with Independents and Republicans. With Hillary, the Democrats know what they are going to get. They are not yet sure if they can hand me the keys to the car.”
And from an earlier dinner event, responding to a question on his qualifications and experience:
“Look, I’ve been on the national scene for two years. People in Washington think nothing outside Washington counts. I’m applying for the most powerful job on Earth, and in case you didn’t notice I’m a 45 year old black guy. So there are some hurdles to be overcome. Experience is a proxy for judgment. Sometimes the experienced have bad judgment. No one has a better resume than Dick Cheney. At every stage there are a set of hurdles. I like clearing hurdles.”
(earlier photos & quotes)
Comments and faves
roddh, jimheid, hawpics, myrick_andy64, and 71 other people added this photo to their favorites.
Ramones Karaoke (53 months ago | reply)
As a guy on the other side of the pond desperately wanting to see change, loving America for a variety of reasons but really disliking a lot of what it's become, I so want this guy to pull through. The burden of responsibility will be wretched should he become president - he already looks 5 years older in the last 5 months just from the campaign pressures - but he appears to be a man of honesty, decency, and integrity.
I do hope he can do this, because the world needs a different America, and he can help to make that happen.
roddh (53 months ago | reply)
thanks for posting. makes sense to me.
jimheid (53 months ago | reply)
Outstanding. Really well done.
Fingers crossed...
caitlinburke (53 months ago | reply)
I'd love to see this guy get elected. It's probably the single biggest act of good faith the US could show the world.
hawpics (53 months ago | reply)
Wow, I watched the debates on TV the other day and he impressed me. If you would have told me three months ago that I'd be saying that about a Democrat, I'd have laughed loudly. I agree that we need a different America, I don't agree that his party is the difference we need altogether. I will be watching with my ear to the ground though, I would really shock friends and family if I decided he is the best choice for president.
jurvetson (53 months ago | reply)
Ross Mayfield just blogged the spike in the Iowa Electronic Markets:
(more info on these futures markets and their predictive power)
aeroculus (53 months ago | reply)
you have had a chance to listen to him, probably in more candid scenarios, than most of the rest of us. i'd be interested in your take on whether or not he understands how science 'works'. not in the figurative sense, but literally, how science can and should work for a more prosperous and equitable society (and of course the role of the federal government in steering the funding).
jurvetson (53 months ago | reply)
I'm not sure, but he seems to get it. Looking back at my notes, he said:
“A whole generation got into math and science because of Apollo. The President has to talk about it in a way that has not been done recently. It’s a subtle thing. In the last several years, I have been shocked by the degree of anti-intellectualism that has been promulgated by the Bush Administration. He jokes about being a C student. "I’m not big on science. I know what I think." Kids absorb that. I’d like to spend eight years extolling the importance of science and technology and problem solving and critical thinking.”
And he sounds like a rationalist here:
"The wisdom of our Founders is that we are not a theocracy. Here are things to guard against: the capture of of our government by a particular religion. For example, there is a good reason for having no prayer in school. Whatever convictions we have are translated into universal principles subject to reasoned argument. If you say you are opposed to abortion because of religion, that is a conversation stopper. If you can’t reason, then democracy breaks down. It becomes a matter of force - whose will shall prevail? There is nothing wrong with a religious argument as long as it does not trump reason in our democracy."
aeroculus (53 months ago | reply)
refreshing!
aperryz302 (53 months ago | reply)
so exciting...!
msamaclean © (53 months ago | reply)
I hope the 'gods are with us!' We must change course...and soon!
Johan of Denmark (53 months ago | reply)
Notch me up for the pro-Obama side too! - anybody's better than the current cowboy, but this guy seems particularly promising.
Jim Rees (53 months ago | reply)
I have a really hard time forgiving him for voting to extend the Patriot Act. But at least he understands it's a bad law and did what he could to improve it. Unfortunately I live in Michigan and we don't get to vote in the primary this time (we do, but it doesn't count).
Frizztext (53 months ago | reply)
FAVEd - and congrats, your pic is on EXPLORE, jan. 7!
Frizztext (53 months ago | reply)
Hi, I'm an admin for a group called Modern ICONOGRAPHY, and we'd love to have your photo added to the group.
LA Lassie (53 months ago | reply)
I was very pleased with the Iowa Primary; but just now hearing the news about New Hampshire. (I live in AL) I have my reasons but I sure think the press as usual is making too much over Hillary's emotional statement; and it really seems to be swaying the primary in NH.......sorry, but is she going to cry at every primary from here on out???
So Steve, what's your feel on the press right now?
BTW - I read all the info above left in the comments. Glad you're back and looking forward to hearing what you've got to say.
Great photo of O'Bama. Seems like he gave you some good strong views on your subject matter. ~ Judy
LA Lassie (53 months ago | reply)
I guess I need to mention that I have been voting Republican for years now; but feel the nation needs a change. I like what I have heard from Barack. He seems to be laying it all out for others to see where he stands. Of course, candidates can alway say a lot of yada, yada.....then when they are in office, everything changes. It's going to be most interesting as the months go by, if we don't get sick of all the Press and the Turbo Tax commercials on TV before the real nitty-gritty gets here.
RIPizzo (53 months ago | reply)
We're all doomed if we have a Clinton or Obama as our President.
Never Was An Arrow II (53 months ago | reply)
I can think of many blacks who should be prez… and NONE of them have radical Islamic influence in their background.
chRON.ron (53 months ago | reply)
Hi, I'm an admin for a group called GEN-WHY massive, and we'd love to have your photo added to the group.
hey..greatness is at hand...
i threw my chips into obamas game a couple years back...and i also thought kerry was good too(but he didnt understand the south and got eaten by the people he was gonna help...too much intelligents can backfire..
obama is the epitome of all things hopeful and he best represents the new melting pot of americana
clinton knows the game, obama wants to retired the old game and start a collaboration...a more perfect union
i am not really one to soap box, but i am a political legacy, my grandfather was along side kennedy, mlk, johnson, even carter...
he would vote for obama
and he gave one of the nominating speeches at the dnc in 60...yup
....i run generation why.. www.gen-why.com
a voice for the next gen...this gen...
us..those still alert....not those who moo or bleet...eh?
but even the herd wants out of the pen
obama can free the minds of the meak and weak
while forcing even the most ruthless of republicone turds to rethink ones existence
that is the mark of someone who will change the landscape for good
...
paradigm shifting has come
we must see through the fear of economic disparity and see the future..then manifest it
www.barackdavote.com
its sitting there...waiting...when he gets the nod
i would love some help
translating his words
into our future
gross national happiness is on the table
lets go for it
ra ra...hilary is a sissy, but damn if i still like bill..but what you can see what tobacco does..lewinsky goggles
ugg..ive written too much
go america!!!
superm401 (53 months ago | reply)
I just wanted to let you know I've uploaded this photo to Wikimedia Commons, at commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:Barack_Obama _on_the_Prim... . Thank you for putting it under a free CC license.
yeimaya (53 months ago | reply)
You are invited to add this image to Surviving the next 200+ days
I hope you don't mind that I posted this photo in my photostream so I could use it under my get out the vote poster.. I see it has a creative commons liscense and wanted to just copy the html in my comment but it wasn't available. This is one of the most expressive photos I have seen of Obama and I hope he is as thoughtful, intelligent and willing to listen as he looks!!
oddivy (53 months ago | reply)
my vote rests squarely with obama. thanks for sharing some of what you gleaned...
Hell's Attik (52 months ago | reply)
our only hope:
tsevis (52 months ago | reply)
Very nice photo!
Go Obama!
ray.homeland (52 months ago | reply)
Great picture. I have never follow a Presidental canidate before. Was with Hillary but soon left her side, like a lot of people. Do you know there has been a Clinton or a Bush in office for the last 20 years? Needs to be a change and I think Obama can make the change. Young as he may be.... we need some fresh blood in office so we can be heard. Our kids will say what were we thinking to have them in office for so long without significant change. To answer the post from someone else, YES , she will cry, everytime, because that sparks emotions that she feels will help her win the democatic nomination.
pacificaradio (51 months ago | reply)
Great photo, thanks for sharing!
We are using it on our election related site, here www.electionunspun.org/issues/features/34-fea tures/153-ob...
Thanks again for sharing!
BRK4PRESIDENT (51 months ago | reply)
BRK did a good job today on TV. Do not beleive everything what is said abouit him. BRK would be our next PRESIDENT!!!!!!!!!
_Aram Grigoryan_ (51 months ago | reply)
Lovely!!!
notnA (51 months ago | reply)
A+++ Grade Photo
joel8x (51 months ago | reply)
A+++ Grade Photo
Occupation provisoire (51 months ago | reply)
A+++ Grade Photo
Greg Adams Photography (51 months ago | reply)
Great Photo!!! I saw Hillary at a rally in PA today and was more impressed than I thought I'd be, but I'm still voting for Obama!
spotjln123 (51 months ago | reply)
all because of Obama there are millions of young people registering to vote. he gives us something to look forward to. I like the clintons, but I truly believe it's time to give the best candidate his time
!!! BARACK OBAMA!!
jpwauthier (50 months ago | reply)
Merci pour la photo, nous l'avons utilisée sur CentPapiers : Ingérence du gouvernement Harper dans les primaires américaines : de quoi je me mêle ?!
Akdale2008 (49 months ago | reply)
Good grief... are all you folks serious?
fmfcorpsman (49 months ago | reply)
Unless Democrats want to guarantee the next President of the United States is a Republican, you better read all of this. As the CNN News had repeated ignored what the DNCC, GOPC, Sen. Clinton, Sen. McCain & Sen. Obama know that the Senate Select Committee on Ethic received a legal brief in April 2008, where Sen. Obama has been charged with violation of the Senate’s Code of Ethics.
As it not a frivolous charge, the Senate Select Committee of Ethics is conduction their investigation. Because of red tape, and time, if the Democrats want the next President of the United States to be a Democrat, time must be given for their investigation to conclude. Which means those pledged delegate for Sen. Obama need to hear from those Democrats in their district, and States, otherwise what will happen will be Sen. Obama will be selected as the Democratic candidate, then as the evidence against Sen. Obama, (see below), is so overwhelming, there will be no choice, but for Senate to censure Sen. Obama for unmoral conduct for befriending a domestic terrorist. Hey you better read on, because as you read, you will see that while you may have already voted for Sen. Obama in your primary election, you may see that the only way the next President of the United States, will be a Democratic, is if Sen. Clinton is given the time to fight on to the Democrat Convention. There is always the slim chance Sen. Obama will not be censored, but there no want to know, unless the Senate Select Committee of Ethic have the time to complete their investigation. So call your pledge delegates and tell then that time is needed, that those delegates should announce that they will wait until the Democratic Convention to choose who they vote for. Time, is needed. Other wise you will guarantee a Republican as the next President of the United States. As do you really think a lot of those who previously voted for Sen. Obama, will vote for him in the General election when he has been censored for his friendship to a domestic terrorist?
The FBI classifies that the act of setting a bomb is a terrorist act. Do you know what both Lee Harvey Oswald and William Ayers have in comment, both are domestic terrorist and neither was convicted of their crime. Oswald was killed after he assassinated JFK, and Ayers admitted that he got off on a technically, even though he set many bombs and should of set more bombs. As Oswald only committed one act of terrorism, and Ayers have committed more acts of terrorist, William Ayers is technically a worst domestic terrorist than Lee Harvey Oswald was.
There is a moral cause in the Senate Code of Ethics, that Sen. J. William Fulbright stated in the U.S. Senate in the early 1950s, that when a Senator’s gives the “implied behavior of The Moral Deterioration of American Democracy”, that that is a violate the Senate Code of Ethics.
And to think that Sen. Obama compared his friendship to William Ayers, (domestic terrorist), to his friendship with Sen. Coburn. (A highly respected Republic Senator).
To all Democrats, unless you call your delegates and tell them that time is needed, and let the Democratic Convention decide then who the Democratic Candidate is, you will be guarantee the next President of the United States to be a Republican.
invisible consequential (49 months ago | reply)
Great shot, Steve. Thanks as usual for sharing with Creative Commons. I paired this with an article on "U.S. Trade Policy under the Next President."
jurvetson (49 months ago | reply)
Seek the Imperial Lord of the Dark Side...
R-Rated Birdman (48 months ago | reply)
B Hussein Obama opposes any kind of energy expansion in the US.
NO drilling, NO new refineries, NO nuclear power plants.
I suppose he believes in the energy fairy.
Obama - Rev Right
Not guilt by association but guilt by participation.
This guy is a complete menace to America
He is a elitist, he is a racist and a naive upstart.
A Obama regime would be Carter II
jurvetson (47 months ago | reply)
[edit: many comments deleted here from someone named "ynginvester"... a fine outcome, but he logged on with a new user name and tried to continue the rant]
jurvetson (47 months ago | reply)
OK, last warning. if you post anything more for 30 days here, I will purge you as that is my only remaining option. You will be unable to comment, and unfortunately, all your fine rants will irrevocably disappear.
I sense an inner torment that you just have to let go. I hate some things too in politics and common beliefs, but it is much healthier to focus on something you can make a difference about. I can guess from your rants, that you will not make a difference in politics. Look elsewhere. Try to improve the world and don't let the bozos corrode your spirit. Do something positive (which means it has nothing to do with something that agitates you). Look elsewhere. Please. And don't respond to this. Either take my advice, or rant elsewhere. There are plenty of photos on flickr to abuse.
Jim Rees (47 months ago | reply)
Jurvetson, your tolerance impresses me. Most of us would have just banned him. I hope he takes your advice.
Ramones Karaoke (47 months ago | reply)
Some of us pre-emptively blocked him just in case! You have the patience of a saint, sir.
chillrolla (47 months ago | reply)
Hi jurvetson. I'm the editor of Today in Dixie magazine in Utah. I've been trying to track down a Barack photo for a piece I'm writing, and believe it or not, there are no downloadable press files on his campaign Web site. I emailed someone at Barack's campaign headquarters about getting a press photo, and I haven't heard back about it; but they did, ironically, start sending me "Vote for Barack" emails. Would it be in any way possible to obtain permission to use your Obama photo? What are your policies? I obviously didn't want to download it without permission from the photographer. If that would be all right I would be so appreciative -- I can give you my email if you need further correspondance with me.
Thanks for taking the time!
jurvetson (47 months ago | reply)
chillrolla: Sure. All of my photos are free for use with a simple photo credit:
photo by jurvetson (flickr)
And if it's online, please have it link back to the original (per flickr policy).
Here are the thumbnails of my Obama pics, from three meetings. I'll get some more at the DNC. =)
chillrolla (47 months ago | reply)
Hi jurvetson. Thank you, thank you! :) I appreciate it, and most certainly will do on the photo credit. :) Thanks again!
chillrolla (47 months ago | reply)
Hi again! Just a quick question: The pics save as 72 dpi on my computer -- is there any way to get hi-res?
jurvetson (47 months ago | reply)
Sorry. This is the full res of this one (it was a crop). The other Obama photos with the white background are MUCH higher resolution (12.8 MP camera).
ynginvester: Goodbye. I warned you too many times. And, no I am not the "flickr Mediator", and you do not need to worry about Clinton reading your Yahoo mail account... This sounds like pure paranoia. I really think your best next step is to see a psychiatrist.
hubbarda44 (47 months ago | reply)
Jervertson... that young man isn't crazy. He claims to have done 7 months of research. Have you done 7 months of research? Have you seen Hillary: the movie? How about the Clinton Chronicles? I saw Hillary the movie on youtube.com and that was enough to make a believer out of me. My husband a I have been following his comments very closely. He never said anything about Clinton reading his email. Is Clinton reading his email? You want a career in politics dont you? Did Clinton promiss you an endoursement? I hope some of your fellow democrats tell you how they feel at the Convention in august. In my husbands opinion, the two of them should have been shot for treason 10 or 12 years ago.