The JJ Dinner this weekend was absolutely amazing, with thousands of Iowans coming out to march in the Obama parade into the dinner, attend the event and hear Barack's incredible speech. Reporters thought so too...check out just some of the coverage--including a rave review from David Yepsen:
Des Moines Register
The leading Democratic presidential candidates showed up for the Iowa Democratic Party’s big Jefferson Jackson Dinner Saturday night.Five of them gave really good speeches.Barack Obama’s was excellent.It was one of the best of his campaign. The passion he showed should help him close the gap on Hillary Clinton by tipping some undecided caucus-goers his way. His oratory was moving and he successfully contrasted himself with the others - especially Clinton - without being snide or nasty about it.Obama was particularly impressive Saturday night. Should he win the Iowa caucuses, Saturday’s dinner will be remembered as one of the turning points in his campaign in here, a point where he laid down the marker and began closing on Clinton, the national frontrunner...While the Democratic candidates all had a good night, Obama clearly had the best.
The leading Democratic presidential candidates showed up for the Iowa Democratic Party’s big Jefferson Jackson Dinner Saturday night.
Five of them gave really good speeches.
Barack Obama’s was excellent.
It was one of the best of his campaign. The passion he showed should help him close the gap on Hillary Clinton by tipping some undecided caucus-goers his way. His oratory was moving and he successfully contrasted himself with the others - especially Clinton - without being snide or nasty about it.
Obama was particularly impressive Saturday night. Should he win the Iowa caucuses, Saturday’s dinner will be remembered as one of the turning points in his campaign in here, a point where he laid down the marker and began closing on Clinton, the national frontrunner...
While the Democratic candidates all had a good night, Obama clearly had the best.
Iowa Independent
DES MOINES -- Dr. Steven Kraus of Carroll looked at the place-setting to his right and did a double-take. The name read Barack Obama. The U.S. senator from Illinois and Democratic presidential candidate would be sitting next to Kraus and his wife Jill on Saturday for at least part of the Iowa Democratic Party's Jefferson-Jackson Day Dinner, a signature event in the 2008 presidential election process. ..."Jill right away said that guy (Obama) is real," Kraus said. "It's not political charisma. It's real. It's genuine. He's doing it for the right reasons." Kraus said he sees Obama in historic terms. "He is going to go something momentous," Kraus said. "I feel it in my bones."
DES MOINES -- Dr. Steven Kraus of Carroll looked at the place-setting to his right and did a double-take.
The name read Barack Obama. The U.S. senator from Illinois and Democratic presidential candidate would be sitting next to Kraus and his wife Jill on Saturday for at least part of the Iowa Democratic Party's Jefferson-Jackson Day Dinner, a signature event in the 2008 presidential election process.
..."Jill right away said that guy (Obama) is real," Kraus said. "It's not political charisma. It's real. It's genuine. He's doing it for the right reasons."
Kraus said he sees Obama in historic terms.
"He is going to go something momentous," Kraus said. "I feel it in my bones."
Obama beat all of the other campaigns combined at the sign war, if you can even call thousands of people marching together a “sign war.” ...When General Obama and his army took the hill on their way into the auditorium, the faces of other campaigns’ staff displayed a mix of awe, resignation, and indignation.
DES MOINES, IA – Nearly one in three people at last night’s Jefferson-Jackson Dinner was an Obama supporter. The campaign brought 3,000 supporters to a dinner that had 9,000 attendees. They also made sure to have a representative from each of Iowa’s 99 counties in attendance. When asked if all of the Obama supporters attending the event were from Iowa, Obama’s Iowa Press Secretary Tommy Vietor said, “All of them. Except for my dad.” Saying he was running “because of the fierce urgency of now,” a quote from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr....in a room filled with 9,000 Democrats that had spent the better part of the night slamming the Republican Party, [Obama] told the audience that he was running to reach across the aisle to those Independents and Republicans disaffected by the past seven years. ...Obama’s speech was buoyed by his large crowd of supporters. They chanted, yelled and stood up and cheered as he evoked the civil rights movement to talk about how he could only stand on this stage because those who had come before him were not afraid to take the difficult positions that he is supposedly espousing now. But rather than drawing energy from the crowd to give the pep-rally style, exuberant speeches he is known for on the stump, Obama’s tone was somber, his demeanor serious. He ended on an appeal to Iowans and fellow Democrats. “That’s why I am asking you stop settling for what the cynics say we have to accept,” Obama said. “In this election, in this moment, let us reach for what we know is possible -- a world repaired, an America that knows it can believe again.”
DES MOINES, IA – Nearly one in three people at last night’s Jefferson-Jackson Dinner was an Obama supporter. The campaign brought 3,000 supporters to a dinner that had 9,000 attendees. They also made sure to have a representative from each of Iowa’s 99 counties in attendance. When asked if all of the Obama supporters attending the event were from Iowa, Obama’s Iowa Press Secretary Tommy Vietor said, “All of them. Except for my dad.”
Saying he was running “because of the fierce urgency of now,” a quote from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr....in a room filled with 9,000 Democrats that had spent the better part of the night slamming the Republican Party, [Obama] told the audience that he was running to reach across the aisle to those Independents and Republicans disaffected by the past seven years.
...Obama’s speech was buoyed by his large crowd of supporters. They chanted, yelled and stood up and cheered as he evoked the civil rights movement to talk about how he could only stand on this stage because those who had come before him were not afraid to take the difficult positions that he is supposedly espousing now. But rather than drawing energy from the crowd to give the pep-rally style, exuberant speeches he is known for on the stump, Obama’s tone was somber, his demeanor serious. He ended on an appeal to Iowans and fellow Democrats. “That’s why I am asking you stop settling for what the cynics say we have to accept,” Obama said. “In this election, in this moment, let us reach for what we know is possible -- a world repaired, an America that knows it can believe again.”
ABC News
The Obama troops clearly won the contest for loudest cheers in the hall as they offered some call and response with the "fired up, ready to go" chants that have become the standard finale to the senator's stump speech. (And they were decked out in red T-shirts with "I'm fired up" emblazoned on the front and "He's ready to go" on the back.)...The Obama campaign owned the theatrics of the event.In...the most rousing speech of the evening, Sen. Obama was sure to revisit his theme of calling for a change in the political climate..."This party -- of Jefferson and Jackson, of Roosevelt and Kennedy -- has made the most difference in people's lives when we've led, not by polls, but by principle; not by calculation, but by conviction," Obama said to applause.
The Obama troops clearly won the contest for loudest cheers in the hall as they offered some call and response with the "fired up, ready to go" chants that have become the standard finale to the senator's stump speech. (And they were decked out in red T-shirts with "I'm fired up" emblazoned on the front and "He's ready to go" on the back.)
...The Obama campaign owned the theatrics of the event.
In...the most rousing speech of the evening, Sen. Obama was sure to revisit his theme of calling for a change in the political climate..."This party -- of Jefferson and Jackson, of Roosevelt and Kennedy -- has made the most difference in people's lives when we've led, not by polls, but by principle; not by calculation, but by conviction," Obama said to applause.
Time
...I have to say, [Obama's] performance was especially striking. Again, the applause at his introduction was thundering. He also drew the longest, loudest responses throughout his speech: hooting, hollering and he was the only candidate to draw an enthusiastic chant. He also was the only candidate that seemed, for lack of a better word, to be working it. He gave that speech as if he was trying to convince people, not just solidifying the support he already had...
[At the Iowa Democratic Party's annual Jefferson-Jackson Dinner], Obama...delivered one of his most focused and powerful addresses. In the view of many in the audience, he emerged as the oratorical winner at the biggest Democratic political event in Iowa before the state's January caucuses.Obama said his candidacy could produce a new Democratic majority capable of breaking the gridlock and polarization that have plagued Washington for a decade or more. "The same old Washington textbook campaigns just won't do it in this election," he said. "That's why not answering questions because we're afraid our answers won't be popular just won't do it."[An] Oskaloosa couple left with colorful glow necklaces, handed out by Obama's campaign, peeking out from under their coats. "We just think he's a very strong character," Barbara Donnelly said. Obama's speech "crystallized it for me," Mike Donnelly said. "...there was something about Barack tonight. He was so forceful."
[At the Iowa Democratic Party's annual Jefferson-Jackson Dinner], Obama...delivered one of his most focused and powerful addresses. In the view of many in the audience, he emerged as the oratorical winner at the biggest Democratic political event in Iowa before the state's January caucuses.
Obama said his candidacy could produce a new Democratic majority capable of breaking the gridlock and polarization that have plagued Washington for a decade or more. "The same old Washington textbook campaigns just won't do it in this election," he said. "That's why not answering questions because we're afraid our answers won't be popular just won't do it."
[An] Oskaloosa couple left with colorful glow necklaces, handed out by Obama's campaign, peeking out from under their coats.
"We just think he's a very strong character," Barbara Donnelly said. Obama's speech "crystallized it for me," Mike Donnelly said. "...there was something about Barack tonight. He was so forceful."
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