Michelle Obama Stresses Importance Of Iowa

Michelle Obama stopped in Quad City, IA, yesterday, and sharply raised expectations for her husband:

"I ask myself what the world I want to hand over to my girls is," Obama said.

Of course, she made a case for her husband to become president, saying that America needs new leadership in the White House.

She said Barack needs Iowa to win. "Iowa will make the difference," Obama said. "If Barack doesn't win Iowa it is over."

A Strategic Vision poll released today shows Obama trailing slightly behind Clinton and Edwards: Clinton 24%, Edwards 22%, Obama 21%.

UPDATE: Ben Smith notes that Michelle may have been misquoted. ABC and NBC both note her saying: "If Barack doesn't win Iowa, it's just a dream. If we win Iowa, then we can move to the world as it should be."

UPDATE II: The Quad City Times has updated its story to include the quote used by ABC and NBC.

Comments

[sorenmeetsdylan]

Demo ticket: Clinton/Biden.

[iswearington]

wrong miz obama. it was over when your husband declared he was running.wh­at is wrong with you negros. no black man, his wife, and little shortys will never live in the whitehouse of these united states, arguably the most racist country that ever existed in the tides of time.if you still don't get it...those three nooses hanging from that tree in the middle of a school yard in jena louisiana are a stark reminder.if every city official in jena including all judges and prosecutors had been rounded up and put on trial like the nazis were at nurnburg..­then miz obama, i could say...your husband might have had a chance.the nazis at nurnburg were not all tried for killing jews...mos­t were tried for running a government that allowed and encouraged it.that is what proffessor ward churchill was alluding to when he mentioned, "little eichmans".

[AeneasAnnai]

Hahahahaha "you negros" hahaha boy you're in for a rude awakening when Obama is President.

OBAMA 08

[Plowboy]

He had a great chance. The Republicans are now in such disgrace that if I had the Dem nod, I could win. I thought Obama had as good a shot at the nod as anyone. I would have bet on him -- until he failed to oppose the Kyl-Lieberman amendment. Like many others I was disappointed in him. No guts? Or what. does he really support the war extension?
He probably thought his N/V was a wise political move, but I am convinced that it hurt him. If he doesn't get it now, I will believe that to be what beat him.

[iswearington]

america is the most racist country in the world. if obama wins...it would end white supremacy, which has ruled this world since the barbarian uncivilized sons of japeth left the northern isles(read genesis) and began invading a civilized bibical world that was all black or brown( shem and ham)if a black or any person of color occupied the white house. if either hillary a woman, or obama a black wins the democratic nomination­...the republicans could run barney the whitehouse dog and win. actually any of the old rich, retarded, senile whitemen running as republicans will win against a black man or woman.

[Riverviewlou]

get this misquoted nonstory off the front page!!! The QC Times already corrected it!

[studlyguy]

good i hope he loses iowa by a landslide , cause he was pathetic at the democratic debates last night , and after he performance last night ,i wouldn't even cast him as second spot ,it showed he is not up to be in the highest office in america ,he needs to stay a senator for a decade or so

[RollaMO]

Dude was sick, cut him a little slack.

[JoshuaGeneration]

You need to give it a rest. You were never a supporter, just another bigoted John Edwards supporter who is incensed that a Black man could even think he is qualified to run for President, let alone stymie the chances of your pathetic camaelion ambulance chasing panderer.

Obama will be fine. And he is plenty experienced and much more accomplished in public office than any of the top tier candidates. His record in the Senate dwarfs Clinton's. He has authored more bills and has three that bear his name that are actual legislation. Name one by either HIldabeast or the great white hope...you can't because none exist.

[jeanruss]

Edwards dominated the debate and said exactly what millions of us wanted to hear, a sane reasoned intelligent approach to very serious problems-He rightfully went after Clinton for her HORRIBLE vote for war with Iran-she can't claim again that she didn't understand she was votong for war-she is a female Bush.

[Plowboy]

jeanruss,
One such vote (on Iraq) showed her to be either stupid (and didn't intend it) or a liar (and did). Another such vote (on Iran) shows that she intended it.

[JoshuaGeneration]

What was it that Edwards said last night? I'll bet it was different than what he said last week. Didn't it just warm the heart to hear Russert call him on his denunciation of Universal health care during the 2004 campaign. Geesh, not even I knew that. And who would guess he ever had such a position given his apparently new found obsession with healthcare for all. Kinda like him discovering unions and the middle class, a cosntituency he never championed either during his Senate career or during his time as an ambulance chaser in which he enriched himself on the backs of the dead and disabled. If I were to ask, "Have you no shame?", it would only be a rhetorical retort.

[micdago]

Get out your fork, Mrs. O.

TS

Des Moines

[coonce]

Obama must stay within second place for at least the first three States or he will have to perform a miracle to continue on. That's a fact.

Obama did just fine last night for those of us that LISTENED to what he had to say instead of watching the debate for the next FIGHT to occur. We Americans have become a SPORT nation. Don't know what it means to sit calmly and listen to the truth. Which is exactly what Obama TRIED to give us instead of the usual political spin.

[OhPlease2007]

Well, we are not sure what Ms. Obama actually said, but one thing is for sure, if Obama is serious about wanting to become president 'some-day' after he loses in Iowa and New Hampshire, he should jump on John Edwards ticket to be Senator Edwards', 'Vice-Pres­ident.' A Edwards/Obama ticket would be unbeatable.

[Nyland8]

A VP run is not in Obama's best career interests. He'd be better off staying in the Senate. If he were a lot older, that would be different, but giving up his Senate seat for a four year VP term with no assurance that he'll go anywhere after that is far from attractive. Biden would be a better, more logical VP candidate. He's been in the Senate forever and a trip to the executive branch could seal his legacy. He might just retire after that.

But Obama ... ??

He's just getting started.

VP is the graveyard of public life.

8

.

[OhPlease2007]

"A VP run is not in Obama's best career interests"

Voters don't care about Obama's career interests; voters only care about what is best for, American interests.

If Obama doesn't want to get on the Edwards ticket, that's fine with me; I couldn't care less. But, an Edwards/Obama ticket WOULD be unbeatable.

[DavidGetsInvolved]

Michelle Obama should call up the Paul Tsongas family.

Me thinks I see a dirty trick.

[rras]

Well honey, I guess it's over then. My question is what in the world made you and your husband believe that you could win in a State like Iowa in the first place. Don't you know how hard a country we are. Maybe it's time for you and your husband to take some time to travel around our country and learn just how phony we are.

[SeanGardner]

You need to read the entire article before you blog negativity against Obama. The end of the piece said this:

"UPDATE: Ben Smith notes that Michelle may have been misquoted. ABC and NBC both quote her saying: "If Barack doesn't win Iowa, it's just a dream. If we win Iowa, then we can move to the world as it should be."

Read the article again and then blog, ok?

Go Barack!

[andyboy]

What's the difference? Over or a dream?

The dream is over because Barack failed to take the positions on the issues which would have expanded his base.

[RuthieM]

How awful of you Huffington Post. That is NOT what Michelle Obama said. YOU NEED TO GET HER QUOTE CORRECT, WHAT SHE SAID, and she sure did not say if Barack does not win Iowa it is over. PLEASE DO YOURSELF JUSTICE AND YOUR READERS AND GET THE QUOTES RIGHT, because this is damaging!!!

[ctbutte]

Ah Michelle. This years Thereza Heinz!

Greatness in dem wives

[thegreatgiginthesky]

Yea, those dem wives ain't got nothing on Laura "road rage" Bush.

[Kundera]

way to change the subject with nastiness.

you must be a delight of a person.

[winged1]

Obama's popularity started declining after Oprah's poshy fundraiser. She did more to hurt Obama than help him. Whether or not Michelle Obama is being misquoted here makes no difference -- it's true.

It was reported Obama wasn't feeling well last night during the debate due to a 'cold' and that's why he was so passive. I say he came off more or less as resigned to the fact he knows he doesn't have prayer in beating Hillary.

[JoshuaGeneration]

What sheer and utter bullshit. And what petty nonsense. I am sick and tired of you mush mouthed white folks bashing Oprah. If Oprah supported Al Gore you'd gush. Why is it that white liberals hate rich black folks with an independent streak. You love all the members of the CBC who pursue your fringe ideas of impeachment and Iraq investigations and 911 witchhunts one day, they denounce them as lackeys when they don't promote your agenda. Newermind that your bigotted butt never voted to put them in office to begin with. Could it be that you're just trailer trash and feel entitled in this cociety but are ashamed that you've been out achieved by black folks?

[AceInTheHole]

Can you explain to me , how having someone who has a minimum of 50 million pairs of faithful and adoring eyeballs watching her every week, endorse you, be a detriment? It doesn't add up to common sense, to think that Oprah's indorsement is a negative for Obama, unless one is ensconced in a faux reality.

[FogBelter]

Even if Obama or Edwards don't get the Democratic Nomination there are enough Dems and independents who won't be confortable with a Corporatist Clinton candidacy and would welcome a third party populist candidate.

It's not over til it's over, and regarding Michelle's quote itself, unless I see the words come out of her mouth I will assume this is just a dirty trick.

Print Press don't cut it anymore.

[SeanGardner]

"...unless I see the words come out of her mouth I will assume this is just a dirty trick."

Yeah, but look for lots of hate on this thread, as the Obama bashers and purveyors of incivility will jump at any chance to:

(1) Deny his political experience
(2) Feign a lack of knowledge about positions (which are on www.barackobama.com) and his legislative achievements in Washington (some of which is captured right here - http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x3132998) and in Illinois as a state senator
(3) Take meanspirited shots at Michelle Obama, which reliable, HUFFPO Obama basher "Juno912" did on May 22nd by claiming Michelle Obama and her husband give "NON-STOP, PROMISCUOUS SELF-DISCLOSURES".

"Promiscuous"? WOW! But that is just the tip of the iceberg.

Sit back and watch the hate on this thread because its coming.

[Riverviewlou]

I was there. she talked about the importance of committing to attend the caucus, but I didn't hear her say that! The reporter for the Times that wrote the article is not the political reporter-I have no idea who it is-have never seen the name in the paper before this article. It was poorly written and didn't capture the high points of her talk. And by the way-she stayed around for quite a long time meeting people. It was an exciting event-don't discount a poorly written and inaccurate article and blow it up into something that wasn't there.

[DavidGetsInvolved]

"It was an exciting event-don't discount a poorly written and inaccurate article and blow it up into something that wasn't there. "

Why not?

It worked for the other Clinton the first time.