Dems Give Pa. a Rest, Converge on North Dakota
GRAND FORKS, N.D. — Two months after North Dakota’s primary, the state’s Democratic party still managed to attract Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton for the opening day of its convention Friday.
“Some people think the Democrats can’t win in North Dakota, so we shouldn’t put too much time in here,” Obama told a crowd of more than 15,000. “I tell you what, we didn’t fly over North Dakota. We landed.”
Clinton, who spoke an hour later, pledged to stand up for middle- and working-class voters in that state and elsewhere.
“Tonight, somewhere in North Dakota and across America, janitors are cleaning up, waitresses are pouring coffee, police officers are standing guard. They need a president who will stand with them,” she said. “Tonight, families are sitting down to talk about how to keep the farm in the family or how to keep up with the bills that are mounting. How to afford the rising gas prices, commuting to work over long distances. They need a president who will deliver for them.”
Obama and Clinton both stepped away from Pennsylvania and other states with looming votes to speak to the North Dakota Democrats.
“We can’t afford to give John McCain the chance to carry on George Bush’s can’t-do, won’t-do, won’t-even-try style of politics,” Obama said. “We are a better country than that.”
North Dakota’s senior senator, Kent Conrad, was an early Obama supporter. The state ended up backing Obama overwhelmingly in its Feb. 5 caucuses. This weekend, Democrats will decide which people are sent as delegates to the party’s national convention.
That creates the chance for last-minute maneuvering by the Clinton and Obama campaigns to pick up an extra delegate or two. Clinton recently argued that pledged delegates aren’t truly required by party rules to vote for a particular candidate.
The North Dakota delegates determined by caucus are split 8-5 for Obama. In addition, six of the state’s seven unpledged superdelegates are backing the Illinois senator.
In his speech, delivered in a packed football arena, Obama mocked the Bush administration and stressed the midwestern roots of his mother and her parents. He even tried to adopt the local slang by exclaiming “Uff da” — a Scandinavian phrase that roughly translates to “wow.”
Obama also mocked himself when accepting a hockey stick in honor of the University of North Dakota’s team, the Fighting Sioux. He promised to give it a place of honor in his office but never to use it “because my hockey game is worse than my bowling.”
For her part, Clinton vowed to press on with her campaign even though she narrowly trails Obama in the popular vote and among pledged delegates.
She again resisted calls to drop out of the race and compared herself to the university’s hockey team, which is headed to the national college championship tournament.
“Can you imagine if the Fighting Sioux had played the Gophers to a tie on Sunday and then given up?” she said to boos. “They kept fighting and that’s why they are going to the Frozen Four in Denver next week. I’m still fighting, and if you stand with me tomorrow we will fight on to victory.”
I worked for my boss years ago in N.Dakota,he now is a resident.My impression of the people are one of respect.They are a hard working,clean people.It made me proud that ND is on the map..I hope in good judement of the people to elect if Dem the right person.My lot is on Hillary Clinton 08. Make your vote count for us all.
This is indeed a historic election. What a wonderful time to be alive and an American. We do, however, find ourselves in troubled times. We are living in a time when it seems that we are in danger or bringing up a generation of Americns who will be worse off than the previous. In other words, we will leave it worse off than we found it. This is unacceptable. For the past 20 years, we have had either a Bush or a Clinton in the White House, which has left us in the situation we are in now thanks to trench warfare politics. And now there is the possibility of adding four or even eight years to this total. This does not make sense, especially at a time when 80% of Americans feel that the country is on the wrong track. Make no mistake about it. If Hillary is in the White House, it will still be Bill calling the shots. The truth is, without him she has nothing. The accomplishments she lauds are his, or at least auxillary to his. She campaigns on experience, but on paper she doesn’t really have much more than Obama. Pennsylvanians have a glorious opportunity this month to say to America and the world, “NO MORE!” having said this, I will vote for Ron Paul in the primary and John McCain in the general. I truly believe John McCain to be the best leader this nation has to offer, and hope Americans will wake up and do what should have been done eight years ago. But no matter the case, be it McCain or Obama as our next President, as long as it is not Hillary Clinton, than we can truly say MISSION ACCOMPLISHED. Pennsylvania, the ball is in your court.
Mrs. Clinton is the best candidate to help us with the economy. A lot of people criticize NAFTA
North American Free Trade Agreement, thousands of trucks carrying american products saturating the Latino and Canadian markets from potato chips to cars, building materials, agricultural products everything you buy here you can buy it in any latin country thanks to NAFTA, it has created thousands of new jobs in ports and borders, and keep producers making huge profits NAFTA means that none of the three countries pay taxes or tariffs to import or export, countries like Canada, USA and Mexico. About Penn meeting with Colombia for trade deals in my point of view is a big step because, the USA can’t consume what it produces. We are in a global era exports is what make a part of the economy of the USA a stronger country than the rest of the countries which can’t produce much. A lot of people have lost their jobs but it is minimun compare to how NAFTA has enriched millions of Americans. NAFTA needs to be regulated that what Mrs. Clinton is trying to do.
I was in Grand Forks, ND and went to this rally. Obama spoke first and it was all words. Just a pretty speech. Hopes and Dreams. That was it. Hillary spoke in the evening as she spoke in Altanta at Martin Luther Kings Service!!!! (Obama was invited but wouldn’t go)
Hillary was absolutley wonderful. She talked over an hour and gave us SOLUTIONS!! She told us how she would do things, where it would happen, where the money would come from, etc.
Now my husband was not a fan of Bills or Hillary’s!!! But he told me afterwards, “Send the lady $500.00 - she knows what she’s talking about.” Wake up America - Obama needs to go.
The young people need to ask their parents how good we had it when the Clintons were in the White House. Most of you spewing hate were only about 8 or 9 and don’t even remember.
Hillary’s speech in Grand Forks was 100% delusional and then the lie fest presented by Obama was sickening!! I am sick of Democrats. My party has let me down once again with the pitiful choices they pass off to America to campaign for President. I will be changing my affiliation on Monday!