Lynn Sweet

Sweet blog reprise: Desmond Tutu Touts Obama for President

I wrote this blog item on Aug. 21, 2006 after Sen. Barack Obama, in South Africa, flinched when former Archbishop Desmond Tutu talked him up for president of the United States during a visit to his office near Cape Town.
--Lynn Sweet

Continue reading "As Oprah delivers award to Tutu in Chicago, Sweet blog recalls how Obama "blushed" when Tutu talked him up for president." »

Posted by Lynn Sweet at 11:24 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

WASHINGTON--The Clinton campaign realizes that the Obama team wants to brush aside Tuesday's expected thumping in West Virginia and turn the conversation to all the superdelegates they are collecting. Not so fast, said Clintom memo writers in a "Why West Virginia Matters" brief.

"Given the attempts by our opponent and some in the media to declare this race over, any significant increase in voter turnout, coupled with a decisive Clinton victory, would send a strong message that Democrats remain excited and energized by Hillary’s candidacy," the memo said

click below for memo...

Continue reading "Clinton campaign memo asks why "presumptive nominee" Obama can't win West Virginia." »

Posted by Lynn Sweet at 11:07 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

WASHINGTON--Former Colorado Gov. Roy Romer--a former chair of the Democratic National Committee--just said on a conference call he is casting his superdelegate vote for Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.).

"This race I believe is over," said Romer. Romer said he wanted his choice out before Colorado Democrats hold their upcoming convention. Romer has been running the Los Angeles public school system.

Dan Pfeifer, the Obama spokesman sending out the stream of superdelegate releases, has three more so far on Tuesday. Romer, New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin and D.C. superdelegate Anita Bond.

Continue reading "Obama adds 3 superdelegates so far Tuesday." »

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CHICAGO--That Atlantic article (see post below) about Obama and Israel triggered an attack fro GOP House leader John Boehner (R-Ohio).

Continue reading "GOP hits Obama over Israel." »

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CHICAGO--Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) talked about the Jewish influences in his life in an interesting interview with Jeffrey Goldberg of The Atlantic. LINK

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CHICAGO—The day after an expected loss in West Virginia, likely Democratic presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) on Wednesday starts his first general election travel—to the key states of Michigan and Florida.

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) is expected to win the Tuesday West Virginia primary—Obama just about conceded on Monday. After an anticipated bad night tomorrow, Obama will try to rebound—and bring the story line back to his November race against Sen. John McMain (R-Az.) by stops Wednesday in Grand Rapids and Macomb County in Michigan with Florida the next week.

Continue reading "After expected loss in West Virginia, Obama moves on to Michigan and Florida." »

Posted by Lynn Sweet at 12:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

CHICAGO--Stumping in West Virginia on Monday, almost Democratic nominee Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) basically conceded the Tuesday election there to Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.). In the speech, Obama talks about patriotism, veterans and invokes the name of his grandfather--Stanley Dunham--several times.

Continue reading "Obama all but concedes West Virgnia to Clinton. Speech text." »

Posted by Lynn Sweet at 12:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

CHICAGO--As a drumbeat grows for Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton to concede the Democratic presidential nomination to Sen. Barack Obama, the Rev. Jesse L. Jackson has a politically pragmatic reason for urging Democrats to back off and start reconciling: They will need Clinton in the fall.

"We must work very diligently to keep both of them protected by love and care," said Jackson, an Obama supporter whose son Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. is a national co-chair of Obama's campaign.

Continue reading "Jesse Jackson: Clinton "must run, as Barack, with one eye on competition and one eye on reconciliation."" »

Posted by Lynn Sweet at 06:13 AM | Permalink | Comments (20)

CHICAGO--Former presidential candidate John Edwards said Sunday on CBS' "Face the Nation" that Barack Obama is the "likely" nominee. Edwards is continuing to decline to endorse. David Axelrod said he expects more superdelegates to be announced in the coming days. Edwards said Hillary Rodham Clinton is "in a very tough place."

Clinton campaign chairman Terry McAuliffe sent a warning not to pressure Clinton to shut down her race or risk "alienating" her supporters. "The race is very close," said McAuliffe--counting the disputed states of Michigan, Florida and Puerto Rico, whose residents can vote in the primary but not the general election.

Posted by Lynn Sweet at 09:43 AM | Permalink | Comments (11)

Rob Malley, a Middle East policy adviser to likely Democratic presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama, resigned after news surfaced that he had been meeting with Hamas -- something Obama pledged he himself would never do.

Obama campaign spokesman Ben LaBolt said Saturday Malley called the Obama campaign on Friday to sever ties with the candidate after learning the Times of London was publishing a story about his contacts with the terrorist group.

Continue reading "Obama adviser Malley resigns after meeting with Hamas" »

Posted by Lynn Sweet at 09:36 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

CHICAGO---On the verge of clinching the Democratic presidential nomination, Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) is flanked by advisers Valerie Jarrett and David Axelrod on the cover of the new Newsweek. LINK

Lynn Sweet column on Obama's "drama free" campaign team. LINK

Posted by Lynn Sweet at 05:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

CHICAGO--At a press conference in Bend, Oregon on Saturday, likely Democratic presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) says he is open to doing joint town hall meetings with Sen. John McCain (R-Az.), the GOP presidential candidate.

Obama also:
*said he will not attend Mothers Day services at Trinity United Church of Christ, even though he will be in Chicago on Sunday. He said coming to church with the hullabaloo of a presidential candidate would be a distraction. This also lets him avoid--in case he is there--the Rev. Jeremiah Wright.

*said he will be campaigning soon in Michigan. I think Obama's first campaign stop there could be as early as the night of May 20--when he is expected to gain the majority of pledged delegates.

click below for transcript

Continue reading "Obama open to joint town hall meetings with McCain. Won't be at Trinity Church on Sunday. Will be stumping soon in Michigan. Transcript." »

Posted by Lynn Sweet at 05:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

CHICAGO -- Michelle Obama gave a hint of what her portfolio may be if she becomes first lady at a fund-raiser Friday for Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.). Former CIA operative Valerie Plame Wilson -- of Plamegate fame -- who has been stumping for Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) -- was also a featured speaker.

Continue reading "Michelle Obama talks about her role if she is First Lady" »

Posted by Lynn Sweet at 05:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (140)

CHICAGO--Frontrunner Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) close to clinching the Democratic presidential nomination, is launching a new round of fund-raiser events. He headlines a big dollar event Thursday in Chicago--still aimed at collecting money for the primary--not the general--election.

Posted by Lynn Sweet at 05:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

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CHICAGO--The pool report, from Politico's Carrie Budoff Brown, from a high-end fund-raiser Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) headlined Thursday night at Union Station in Washington. He talked about the "self-congratulatory" mood of his supporters.

Continue reading "Obama talks about the "self-congratulatry" mood of his followers. Pool report." »

Posted by Lynn Sweet at 09:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (5)

CHICAGO--The Republican National Committee, in a preview of what's ahead, hits Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.), the likely Democratic presidential nominee, on his present votes as an Illinois state senator, taxes, Iraq war funding votes and his remarks that some voters "cling" to God and guns.

Continue reading "Republicans launch anti-Obama website, video" »

Posted by Lynn Sweet at 08:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)

CHICAGO--My Sun-Times colleague Roger Ebert has a terriffic column on the kind of movie the 2008 Clinton presidential campaign could yield and a look at past White House election films. LINK

Posted by Lynn Sweet at 08:31 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)