Watching Obama

I was recently talking with a friend about the presidential campaign when the subject of Obama's appeal came up. I'd mentioned how Obama first came to my attention during his campaign for the U.S. Senate seat in Illinois. My friend made the absolutely rational, though incorrect, assumption that he won because Chicagoans voted overwhelmingly for him, and since Chicago is more populous than the rural areas of the state, he won. 

But that wasn't the case at all and that's exactly why he captured my attention as a rising star. During that campaign, I read one report after another about how he, to most political commentators' surprise, connected with white rural voters in the southern part of the state. He somehow managed to put them at ease with voting for a black guy from the big city, despite what should have been an overwhelming partisan and racial divide.

Anyway, I've had my eye on him ever since. 

The keynote speech at 2004 Democratic convention—his introduction to a national audience—further underscored his skill and attractiveness. And it wasn't really surprising to see him throw his hat in the ring last year. When I learned of it I quietly suspected (and hoped) that he'd come alive and win the nomination. 

But even I was surprised by the unbridled enthusiasm that people have shown for his candidacy. And by his sheer savvy at political organization. Watching this campaign unfold has been as instructive as it's been exciting. 

With that in mind, I point you to this Time article demonstrating both his strategic foresight and organizational skills on the ground.

Choice cut:

Obama's Ohio Grassroots Advantage
One of Obama's first volunteers here was Antoinette McCall, a substitute high school teacher who has never worked a campaign before in her life. McCall became active 11 months ago, donating what little money she could to Obama's campaign. She used Obama's website to recruit volunteers and run a phone bank from her living room. She convinced friends who own beauty salons to organize their customers, and created a database of hundreds of Obama supporters.

"It's like we had this whole movement built up before the campaign staff even got here," says McCall, 36. In a few months, McCall, a political novice, has built an organization rivaling that of some state senators who form the backbone of Clinton's establishment support. "By the time they finally opened the office," she says, "this place was packed."

…

On Cleveland's east side, Obama's surging grassroots success has stolen Clinton's establishment base right out from under her. Cleveland City Councilman Kevin Conwell came out early for Clinton, winning a trip to the national convention to vote for her.

Then Conwell's constituents sat him down for a little chat. "I met with my residents and tried to get them to go with Hillary," Conwell says. "Not one of them would move. All of my volunteers, all my block club presidents, every last one of them was going for Barack."

"Now that I've been with both campaigns, I see that Obama's has a lot more volunteers, and they're all grassroots people from the neighborhood," Conwell says. "I didn't think this movement would grow. I was wrong. It's strong."

And this one from Teagan Goddard's Political Wire demonstrating how he's using his million-strong small donor base to his advantage:

Obama Blitzes Airwaves
First Read: "Watching local TV here in Ohio, it feels like Obama has a 4-to-1 advantage -- with SEIU, UFCW and Obama just blitzing the airwaves compared with Clinton. It's happening in all four states. In fact, per TV ad expert Evan Tracey, Obama has outspent Clinton $23 million to $14 million in the last 30 days. How is she expected to hold a big lead if she gets outspent this badly? The third party groups are like salt in the Clinton wound."

Meanwhile, Ben Smith notes Clinton adviser Mandy Grunwald said that "between Obama's own spending and two unions spending on his behalf, Clinton is being outspent four-to-one in Ohio and between two-to-one and three-to-one in Texas."

Said Grunwald: "They're trying to crush us."

He's out-strategized, out-maneuvered, out-campaigned, out-organized, and out-speechified Clinton And now he's starting to outspend her. It's not exactly hyperbole to at least begin thinking of his campaign as a juggernaut.