Obama Meets Party Donors in New York

[Geezah]

Senator Barack Obama treaded onto Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton’s home turf last night to meet with prominent Democratic donors and feel out those who might prefer the sound of President Obama to President Clinton (as in Hillary, not Bill).

Amid intensifying presidential musings by Mr. Obama and Mrs. Clinton, Mr. Obama met with George Soros, the liberal billionaire philanthropist, and then some other donors last night at Mr. Soros’s offices.

One of the donors who met with Mr. Obama, and who spoke on condition of anonymity because he did not want to offend Mrs. Clinton, said that he and several others had supported Mrs. Clinton’s Senate campaigns but were not committed to her as a presidential candidate.

“I like Hillary a lot, but I’m also impressed with Obama — his message, the way he connects to people,” said the donor, a prominent New York business person. “It’s a little too early for Democrats to be certain that Hillary is the strongest bet for 2008. There are a lot of good people interested in running.”

Speaking to reporters last night after those meetings and a speech to a charity dinner, Mr. Obama called Mrs. Clinton a friend and ally and said that if he decided to run for president, it would not be based on his assessment of her.

“I think she is tough, I think she is disciplined, I think she is smart, and I’m not one of those people who believe she can’t win,” Mr. Obama said. “I recognize it’s fun to set these things up as a contest between the two of us. I would say half my colleagues in the Senate think they’re going to be the next president.”

Mr. Obama’s reconnaissance mission came as Mrs. Clinton was accelerating talks about 2008 not only with New York elected officials, but also with some prominent donors whom she would like to lock in for a possible White House bid.

John Catsimatidis, a loyal Clinton donor, said he had recently received a phone call from Mrs. Clinton asking to have dinner before the holidays. He believes she wants to run for president and is moving to ramp up her Senate fund-raising operation for a White House campaign.

“I think they have a phenomenal political machine set up that’s far superior to any of the other candidates, or theoretical candidates,” Mr. Catsimatidis said. “Now they’re getting ready to put that machine to use.”

To that end, the Clinton team disclosed yesterday that they had a new national finance director lined up in case the senator decided to run. Jonathan Mantz, a fund-raiser for Gov. Jon S. Corzine of New Jersey and a former finance official for the Washington-based operations to elect a Democratic House and Senate, has agreed to work for her if she becomes a candidate. The senator is expected to make a decision this winter.

The Clinton team also announced that Phil Singer, a communications strategist for the Democrats’ successful takeover of the Senate last month, had agreed to play a similar role for Senator Clinton, should she run. Mr. Singer is a protégé of Senator Charles E. Schumer and was an aide on Senator John Kerry’s presidential campaign.

Derek Shearer, a former ambassador, a donor to President Bill Clinton’s campaigns and a supporter of Senator Clinton, said he believed Mrs. Clinton’s moves did not reflect concern about financial or political competition from Mr. Obama or others, but rather an orderly process of consultation.

“She’s very deliberate about these things,” Mr. Shearer said. “What most concerns her is, does she think she could win and really make a difference in the country.”

Supporters of Mr. Obama, a freshman senator from Illinois, described his New York visit as a combination of fact-finding and meet-and-greet as he considers whether to seek the Democratic nomination. They said, and political analysts echoed, that Mr. Obama acknowledged Mrs. Clinton’s home-state advantage in New York, but that there was surging interest and curiosity about Mr. Obama, an eloquent antiwar Democrat who, if successful, would be the country’s first black nominee for president.

Mr. Soros, an early supporter, was the host of a fund-raiser during Mr. Obama’s campaign for the Senate in 2004, but he has not publicly committed to any candidate for the 2008 race, said Michael Vachon, an aide to Mr. Soros. Mr. Obama’s staff asked to use the Soros space for last night’s meetings since it was near the Midtown hotel where the senator spoke at a fund-raiser for K.I.D.S. (Kids in Distressed Situations), which assists children living in poverty.

In his remarks to several hundred supporters of the charity, Mr. Obama recalled Robert F. Kennedy and the War on Poverty and said there was an “empathy deficit” in America that would close only when people imagined themselves in their poorer countrymen’s shoes.

At the news conference afterward, asked about the fatal shooting by police officers in Queens last month, Mr. Obama said his view was similar to Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg’s: that the details were still under investigation, but that the 50 shots fired by police seemed “excessive.”

Given the power and firearms of the police, he added, Americans expected them to act with restraint, and “99 percent of the time they do.” “This may be one of the times when they didn’t,” he said.

While Mr. Obama was warmly received by the dinner audience — he won two standing ovations — his performance was not flawless: at one point he referred to “Jose” Posada of the New York Yankees instead of Jorge.

Link (http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/05/us/politics/05obama.html?ei=5090&en=d45c54c42290ee99&ex=1322974800&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss&pagewanted=print)

Scary, Soros is the man behind the scenes........

[Jobu]

Obama's only accomplishment so far is being elected in an overwhelmingly Democrat-dominated state.

Sorry Mr. Nice Guy, that's not enough to earn my vote.

[CPL Trevoga]

Soros link is not a good thing. What's up with this Obama-Alabama guy. He's nothing special. Perhaps somebody can enlighten me.

[sir-chimp]

Obama's only accomplishment so far is being elected in an overwhelmingly Democrat-dominated state.

Sorry Mr. Nice Guy, that's not enough to earn my vote.

Only in Chicago mate, only in chicago. You get away from that hell hole and its a strongly red state. Has been that way for years. I cheerfully await the indictment of the governor chicago re-elected for us.


Obama is a race card playing sack of caca.

[Roaming East]

meeting with party donors? Why dont they call it what it is, a Commanders Call...

[phoilme]

Just shut up and do what the dems tell you! If they say Borat Obama is the sh!t and you should vote for him or republicans will eat your babies and push your hungry and undermedicated grand parents off of tall buildings - then do it! Accomplishments don't mean squat. Bill Gates gots no college and look at him! Illinois is like the cadillac of states and that means Borat Obama is like a Deville or SRT. Lots of guys never been in combat before they first got into combat and many of them did good.

[phoilme]

Only in Chicago mate, only in chicago. You get away from that hell hole and its a strongly red state. Has been that way for years. I cheerfully await the indictment of the governor chicago re-elected for us.


Obama is a race card playing sack of caca.

Ever been to Western Illinois? It is not a red area. Infact, the bastion of liberals is in the west - Gaylena

[techrep]

Obama's only accomplishment so far is being elected in an overwhelmingly Democrat-dominated state.
Sorry Mr. Nice Guy, that's not enough to earn my vote.

I dunno man. I am not saying this is the be all, end all but he did graduate from Harvard Law School and was editor of the Law Review there. Basically this means he could have written his own ticket and made huge bucks. If he had stuck with corporate law, by now we're talking making millions a year as a partner in a major law firm.

Instead he turned his back on that and went public service.
And even before going to law school he did a lot of solid work to improve the community. He's BTDT in civic service. That says a lot in my book.

Fair being fair, who's to say what he'll be like after a decade in Washington.
Power is corrosive.

[phoilme]

"Anyone who speaks German can't be a bad person" - The Simpsons

I'm not saying Bork Obamma is bad, but your argument is flawed by the fact that this one term senator is thinking about running for Prez. And, I never knew of anyone surrendering "assured wealth" in order to be a public servant. Especially such a low level official like senator from Illinois. Sounds like the aspirations of a person wanting toAmerica is a Republic. Let's keep it that way. Obamma's quest is social justic - I assume looking who his bed fellows are. Which means a lot of hate towards a group of people and I think I am in that group.

[Jobu]

Obama did not forgo wealth in pursuit of public office. Obama used his place as a public figure to acquire the wealth. he made millions from his book deal.

He also is involved in a shady land deal with Tony Rezsko but since he's a Democrat in Illinois, that gets swept under the rug very quickly.

[seraosha]

Let him aquire some years under his belt before getting to sit at the big kids table.

I'd rather "teh evil one" than a n00b.

[CPL Trevoga]

Well, isn't that special. Obama's middle name is...................................



Hussein. LOL.

[Histy]

I dunno man. I am not saying this is the be all, end all but he did graduate from Harvard Law School and was editor of the Law Review there. Basically this means he could have written his own ticket and made huge bucks. If he had stuck with corporate law, by now we're talking making millions a year as a partner in a major law firm.

Instead he turned his back on that and went public service.

Look how wealthy some Dem Senetors have gotten



And even before going to law school he did a lot of solid work to improve the community. He's BTDT in civic service. That says a lot in my book.

Fair being fair, who's to say what he'll be like after a decade in Washington.
Power is corrosive.

Alot of people have done public/community service. So that makes a few million people presidential front runners?

One more thing, Borat Obama is NOT AFRICAN AMERICAN. His mother was white and his father was a Harvard Educated KENYEN. He has nothing in common with the average black man in America. His reletives were never mistreated in the south and he grew up under veyr educated parents.

[ElHombre]

One more thing, Borat Obama is NOT AFRICAN AMERICAN.

Easy way to settle that question. It's the 1950s in Mississippi. Where does Obama get to park his behind on the bus?

[sir-chimp]

Easy way to settle that question. It's the 1950s in Mississippi. Where does Obama get to park his behind on the bus?

Depends is his white mother with him?

Obama is just as black as he is white. His dad happens to be a real African American though.

But it sure helps him to play the race card though, just ask him about his cocaine use.

[budgie]

Obama's only accomplishment so far is being elected in an overwhelmingly Democrat-dominated state.

Sorry Mr. Nice Guy, that's not enough to earn my vote.

Oooh, he's 'lost' a vote already. The guy must be doomed.

[Thor]

I'd like to quote "Public Enemy"

but I won't

[Firetxmi]

Those of you who dislike Obama, what issues do you disagree with him on (examples would help)?

I am simply trying to figure out analytically why you do not like him and not just "because he is liberal" type of stuff.

[Createdeemcee]

Those of you who dislike Obama, what issues do you disagree with him on (examples would help)?

I am simply trying to figure out analytically why you do not like him and not just "because he is liberal" type of stuff.


Cause hes a Serious guy about doing whats right. And his color will catch him flame too. Far right guys are gonna try to flame him any way they can. Hes an upstanding guy, and would make an excellent president that is for Americans. He wont be putting his nose in other peoples problems. Would be nice to revert back to the Clinton days when things were good again. His or anyone elses hands are automaticly full from the $hit stew that this regime cooked and boiled over. So who ever becomes our next leader will have at least a few years to try to mop things up.

[Geezah]

Would be nice to revert back to the Clinton days when things were good again.

I'm guessing you're not a serious gun guy, because if you were, you would not make a statement like this?
Unless you pick and choose which laws passed by Clinton you will obey.

I'm Red no matter how you look at it, Red after all is the colour of celebration.

[Createdeemcee]

I'm guessing you're not a serious gun guy, because if you were, you would not make a statement like this?
Unless you pick and choose which laws passed by Clinton you will obey.

I'm Red no matter how you look at it, Red after all is the colour of celebration.

Oh no Geezah, I am a very serious Gun owner, But Life is more important than that. Survival and putting food on the table is whats more important. Cheaper health care is even more important, and when it comes down to that day I want my kids to go to College in a cost efficient way. We will always have our guns.

[Firetxmi]

Ok guys, thanks for hijacking my question. Care to answer it with pointed examples and sound reasoning, or are we going to continue down this road?

[Geezah]

Oh no Geezah, I am a very serious Gun owner, But Life is more important than that. Survival and putting food on the table is whats more important. Cheaper health care is even more important, and when it comes down to that day I want my kids to go to College in a cost efficient way. We will always have our guns.

I go around and around on this with my father-in-law.

Gun laws passed during Clinton's reign were not for the greater good of American's, they would if they had continued put us in a similar position to the Brits.
Clinton wanted to get firearms out of our hands, hell, 86s law was created by the Republicans but the Dems added an 11th hour poison pill to try and kill the bill. That's why you have post sample and transferable Class III weapons.
The bill of 89, I'm pretty sure was pushed by the Dems, but I need to look into it abit more.
The 94 AWB was pushed by Feinstein and signed into law by an eager Clinton, and come next year if the Dems stay true to form, another will reach President Bush's desk and will be signed into law.

So enjoy your firearms now, because you support those very people that want to disarm you, so why not jump the gun(no pun intended) and send them my way, I'll find a good home for them;)

As far as cheaper health care, well if Clinton puts forth her idea of socialised medicine it will be cheaper but we will not get any where close to the service you get now.

[phoilme]

You think there is a seperation between classes now? Wait 'til socialized anything. Why don't the "poor" eat at the Four Seasons? It won't be McHospitals. It will be much worse, like Greasy Spoon Hospital. Got to keep "making" everything equal. That can never happen, but those who are trying to inact their socialist utopia think it can. Kind of meglamaniacal thinking eah? Primadonnas. Those who think they know better trying to engineer equality. I hate democrats. As useful as soup sandwiches.

[Createdeemcee]

As far as cheaper health care, well if Clinton puts forth her idea of socialised
medicine it will be cheaper but we will not get any where close to the service
you get now.



Well its going up 30% this up and coming year. And the AWB wont ever be reinstated. If so it wont be any time soon. They have their plate full, and will take two terms to clean up the mess bush has caused. So I wont be giving my guns to you that fast.
:)

[Geezah]

As far as cheaper health care, well if Clinton puts forth her idea of socialised medicine it will be cheaper but we will not get any where close to the service you get now.

Well its going up 30% this up and coming year.

And socialised medicine will fix that how??

The UK has socialised medicine and it sucks monkeys scrots.



And the AWB wont ever be reinstated. If so it wont be any time soon.

We'll see, maybe you missed it in the first post, but Obama met with George Soros, he funds IANSA, he wants your guns more than anyone, so trust me, they will go after them anyway they can.



They have their plate full, and will take two terms to clean up the mess bush has caused.

What mess, if you're talking other than Iraq, I'd be curious to find out what that mess is?
Not that I agree that Iraqs a mess, but given your tone you probably think it is?



So I wont be giving my guns to you that fast.
:)

Now that sucks, I'd like to get them in my safe prior to the mass registration that will take place, once the hard left Libs take off.

[Createdeemcee]

What mess, if you're talking other than Iraq, I'd be curious to find out what that mess is?
Not that I agree that Iraqs a mess, but given your tone you probably think it is?



FEMA Disaster relief, Constitutional Breeches Such as the Patriot act, Again Health care( invest 120 bil in health care each year instead of Wasting it on a war that was lost as soon as it started). And the official cleaning up and building trust that Bush and Rumy lost to other world countrys. Everyone in the past looked at U.S. as a goal and model of what to be. Just go anywhere and every other country dispises us. They now look at U.S. as a model of what not to be. Give me a Repub that could actually benefit what really matters and Ill vote for him.

[Geezah]

FEMA Disaster relief,

I'm guessing you mean LA, well, it's not Bush's fault the State was not being run by incompetants, after all the Federal Government should not have to bail out the States at every turn. At what point does fall on the shoulders of those directly in charge to look after their own problems?



Constitutional Breeches Such as the Patriot act,

I'll meet you half way here, but you're starting to contradict yourself, you want more Government involvement then you want less, which is it?



Again Health care( invest 120 bil in health care each year instead of Wasting it on a war that was lost as soon as it started).

I've seen both sides, trust me, the US is way ahead. If you liek the idea of asking your mates sister(who is a vet) what that big lump is on the side of your elbow, then sure the UK is a country to model our medical system on. It sucks donkeys ears and I prefer what we have here.



And the official cleaning up and building trust that Bush and Rumy lost to other world countrys.

I'm not folllowing you on this one?



Everyone in the past looked at U.S. as a goal and model of what to be. Just go anywhere and every other country dispises us. They now look at U.S. as a model of what not to be. Give me a Repub that could actually benefit what really matters and Ill vote for him.

To be honest, I could give a rats toe what other countries think of us, after all are we really in this to impress anyone. During the cold war people thought the US were a bunch of war mongerers, so nothign has changed.

[Mr Gently Benevolent]

The UK has socialised medicine and it sucks monkeys scrots.I doubt our (UK) system of national healthcare would suit the US but in my experience the NHS is doing a petty good job at present despite what the Daily Mail and The Telegraph print. I am one of the Brits with elderly relations in the US and I hear some piss poor reports of private healthcare (especially post operative aftercare) in the states.

[Geezah]

I doubt our (UK) system of national healthcare would suit the US but in my experience the NHS is doing a petty good job at present despite what the Daily Mail and The Telegraph print. I am one of the Brits with elderly relations in the US and I hear some piss poor reports of private healthcare (especially post operative aftercare) in the states.

When I first moved here I was all about the NHS, then I started to see more of the healthcare system here and realized you get what you pay for.
I have had bad experiences but that was my choice to see that Doctor, and the speed of the service is unreal, no waiting for 6 months for a standard op, you're in and out in a matter of weeks.
Now medicaid I would say is comparable to the NHS, but the old are still looked after.

[Mr. JOSHUA]

TEDDY KENNEDY D-MA: Uh, uh, Barrack Osama, uh, Osama Obama, Obama

Osama, Barrack Osama Obama, uh, uh........

[techrep]

I'm not saying Bork Obamma is bad, but your argument is flawed by the fact that this one term senator is thinking about running for Prez. And, I never knew of anyone surrendering "assured wealth" in order to be a public servant. Especially such a low level official like senator from Illinois. Sounds like the aspirations of a person wanting toAmerica is a Republic. Let's keep it that way. Obamma's quest is social justic - I assume looking who his bed fellows are. Which means a lot of hate towards a group of people and I think I am in that group.

I respect what you are saying, especially in your last sentence which to me shows you are an upfront, call em as you see em guy. I will ask this, do you think that the US has progressed so far in race relations that a black man (or half black) can confidently say "you know I think if I just play my cards right, in 10 years, I can be President." Becoming POTUS is a big gamble even for old white dudes.

[techrep]

Obama did not forgo wealth in pursuit of public office. Obama used his place as a public figure to acquire the wealth. he made millions from his book deal.

He also is involved in a shady land deal with Tony Rezsko but since he's a Democrat in Illinois, that gets swept under the rug very quickly.

Ah, so besides being elected Senator and being a top Harvard Law School graduate, he is also a successful book author and a millionaire?:)

I assume you are from Illinois, so I'll defer to your home State knowledge. I will say though that if Obama does run for Pres, the shady land deal will come up again. especially if it has merit and even if it doesn't. And that goes both ways - Dems definitely fling mud too.