From the New York Times:
Senator Barack Obama on Thursday blamed the fragile economy on "careless and incompetent execution" of the Iraq war, imploring voters in this swing state to consider the trickle-down economic consequences of the war as they choose a successor to President Bush. "When you're spending over $50 to fill up your car because the price of oil is four times what it was before Iraq, you're paying a price for this war," Mr. Obama said to an audience at the University of Charleston. "When Iraq is costing each household about $100 a month, you're paying a price for this war." ... Mr. Obama arrived in West Virginia for his first trip before the primary on May 13. The state is also likely to be a general election battleground, and Mr. Obama delivered a critique of Senator John McCain, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee. "No matter what the costs, no matter what the consequences, John McCain seems determined to carry out a third Bush term," Mr. Obama said. "That's an outcome America can't afford. Because of the Bush-McCain policies, our debt has ballooned."
From the Charleston Gazette:
Jared Towner has already completed two tours of duty in Iraq with the National Guard and he's quick to say, "I'm proud of my service." But the Parkersburg native and Morgantown resident said U.S. Sen. Barack Obama was "dead on" when he told an audience at the University of Charleston Thursday that the nation has wasted too much money and effort in its five-year war in Iraq. "It's heartbreaking for me and my generation to see so much waste," Towner said following Obama's speech to an overflow crowd Thursday. ... Still uncommitted to either candidate, Democratic Gov. Joe Manchin and his wife, Gayle, attended the Obama speech as they did Clinton's earlier appearance. The governor said it is the most exciting Democratic presidential primary in West Virginia since then-Sens. John F. Kennedy and Hubert Humphrey battled it out in 1960. "We have that type of excitement going on in West Virginia right now," Manchin said, "and we're going to be a major player in this campaign."
From the Register-Herald:
Almost as if he were visiting with more than 2,500 longtime friends, Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama kept his prepared remarks short and devoted most of his time at the Beckley-Raleigh County Convention Center Thursday evening to candidly answering questions from the audience. ... Obama continued answering questions even after the forum closed as he walked through a crowd of people, shaking their hands and speaking with them. Before he left the microphone, he stated: "I will always tell you what I think. I will always tell you where I stand. I will be honest with you about the challenges we face as a country. ... I will listen to you even when we disagree. ... I will wake up every single day when I'm president of the United States, thinking about how to make your lives a little bit better. ... I know what it's like to be raised by a single mother, to get food stamps, to have a grandfather to be able to fight in a war and create a good life for his wife and himself because of the G.I. Bill. ... I will fight for you if you're willing to stand up for me."
From the Charlotte Observer:
Sen. Barack Obama talked about banks, North Carolina's economy, NASCAR and even his NCAA brackets during an interview Wednesday with Observer reporters. Q: How can Democrats win North Carolina in November when you couldn't do it in 2004 with a North Carolinian (John Edwards) on the ticket? Obama: Things have changed over the last 3 1/2 years. I think people here in North Carolina are a lot more disenchanted with the direction that the Republicans have taken this country, not only on foreign policy, but also domestically. The economy is in a shambles. And I think people recognize we need a fundamental break from the last 7 1/2 years. John McCain on both foreign and domestic policy, is essentially arguing for more of the same. And if we can offer a clear contrast, I think that the people of North Carolina may surprise you. Read the full interview . . .
From the Carrboro Citizen:
The Obama for President campaign has landed. This week, organizers working for Barack Obama, a U.S. Senator from Illinois and frontrunner for the Democratic presidential nomination, started operating out of the former location of Shorty's on Franklin Street. More staffers and volunteers are expected to arrive soon to help gear up support in the area ahead of North Carolina's May 6 primary. ... Dave Tillery, who has been helping organize local grassroots support since mid-February, said he hopes to soon pass on lists and information about people interested in volunteering. Tillery, who has done the majority of his organizing through the Obama campaign website, said he was excited to see the headquarters open. ... Volunteers in the area have held sign-painting events and gathered names of people interested in helping. Local support, Tillery said, is strong, with additional grassroots groups forming in Hillsborough and Mebane.
From the Register Guard:
Friday's arena-size rallies for Barack Obama may offer the splashiest evidence that Oregon is in play as one of the last presidential primaries before the summer's Democratic primaries. But there are visible signs, too, that he and Democratic rival Hillary Rodham Clinton are gearing up for a showdown in Oregon for its 65 Democratic delegates. Obama, who will address at least 20,000 people combined at events in Portland, Eugene and Salem, appears to have thousands more at work on his behalf in advance of the May 20 primary. "... the Obama campaign is getting new people involved — it's really strong on college campuses, really working the grass-roots thing," said Jim Moore, a political commentator and professor at Pacific University in Forest Grove. ... [Obama's Oregon campaign committee chariman, U.S. Rep. Earl] Blumenauer readily acknowledged that Obama doesn't have a big apparatus in Oregon. But that's not what is going to deliver the state for the Illinois senator. "The breadth of this volunteer support, the ability to get people engaged, is going to make the difference," Blumenauer said. He described the Obama campaign's strength as its bottom-up approach to voter outreach. Matt Keating, a Lane Community College student, vouched for that. He and other Obama backers recently formed a college-sanctioned club that has spent the past two weeks "tabling" for its candidate in the college's cafeteria. That is, passing out campaign information and getting fellow students — typically 40 per day — registered as Democratic voters so they can take part in the party's upcoming primary. ... One of the campaigning tactics [Obama staffer Jonathan] Manton has been impressed with is Obama's precinct campaign program. In each precinct, volunteers go door to door talking to neighbors. "They aren't given messages from the national campaign. They're not scripted," Manton said. "It's just volunteers who care about their community. They care about their country..."
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