Sadly, the office here was broken into last night, and several pre-paid cellphones and some laptops were stolen. Fortunately, that was the extent of the damage, and it seems not to have been politically-motivated. Whoever stole the phones used one of them to make several late-night calls, conveniently giving the police some leads. Let’s hope they can recover the computers for the volunteers who lost them to the cause they believe so strongly in!
Despite this setback, the optimism and energy level couldn’t be higher! A new Zogby poll released yesterday shows Clinton ahead by only 1 point! A week ago, the same organization showed Clinton with a 4-point lead. With 5 days between the last poll and the election… well, you get my drift!
A Public Policy poll released on the 15th shows Obama ahead by 3 points. A week earlier, they had Clinton ahead by 3.
Rasmussen’s last 5 polls had Clinton up by 10 (3/24), then up by 5 (3/31 and 4/7), then up by 9 (4/14) and now (post-Debate!) up by only 3 (4/17).
Clinton leads in nearly all the polls, but her lead had been shrinking rapidly. The general buzz around here is that the debate on Wednesday did little or nothing to change anyone’s opinion about whom they support. It did serve as a stark reminder, however, that we really need to end this squabbling soon and turn our attention, as a Party, to countering McCain’s recent surge in the polls, which has happened in large part (imho) because he’s had the floor to himself on the Republican side. As a result, people who have been supporting Clinton are turning lukewarm, or even switching sides, not because they think she wouldn’t make a good President, but out of recognition of the inevitability of an Obama victory, and the need, as I stated, to get on with the real business of electing a Democrat as President.
Well, I’ll have a better feel for things, and more to report, as we hit the streets tomorrow and start knocking on doors over the next 4 days. Stay tuned!
These polling results come from as well as.
Meanwhile, don’t forget the rally in Northampton tomorrow! Have fun!
And make those phone calls! We really need all the support we can get!
Michael Wilcox
Berkshire County Coordinator, Obama for America
You go-getter. Three cheers for you for putting the old shoe leather on the line, as always, and putting out 100% effort for your candidate.
<
p>As for this:
<
p>
<
p>When you say “switching sides,” it sounds as if you think people are switching from Hillary to Obama. Given McCain’s surge in the polls, aren’t you overlooking the possibility that people are switching from Hillary to McCain? I have heard directly from people I never would have suspected would harbor reservations about the other Democratic candidate. They say they would rather vote Republican than vote for Obama. Sad but true. . . .
I talked to lots of people who are voting for Hillary Clinton, a few voting for Barack Obama. One volunteer told a story about a self-proclaimed Barack Obama supporter telling the Clinton canvassers not to canvass in his neighborhood. They did anyway and found Hillary Clinton supporters.
<
p>I did not hear anyone in PA say the race should end early. Everyone I met in PA was excited that their votes finally were going to matter, after so many years of being insignificant. As a Democrats, we should want everyone to have the opportunity to vote in this election; not have that vote taken away from them. I get that the Obama campaign is afraid of losing the nomination, but arguing that we should end this early even though it will mean people in other states will not be able to cast their votes, does not help the party.
<
p>Hillary Clinton is going to win big in PA today. She is ahead in the polls and the undecideds, of which there were still many as of this weekend, will decide to vote for her. I hope Hillary Clinton’s victory today will not mean that the Obama campaign will continue with this mantra of let’s not let people in the other states vote. It is undemocratic and it is not what any Democrats should be arguing. As a Democrat, I am very offended by it.