GOP Campaign Official: Obama's Ground Game So Much Better "It's Scary"

When your adversaries are praising you, you must be doing something right.

Listen to this from one top Republican campaign official who says Barack Obama's ground game is unlike anything we've ever seen before:

"This is the greatest ground game they've ever put together," he told ABC News on the condition of anonymity. "It's scary."

He said Obama holds a considerable ground game advantage over McCain and suggests the Democratic nominee has hundreds of paid staffers in each state.

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[ThePublicRecord]

http://www.pubrecord.org/commentary/414-mccain-obama-and-the-psychology-of-decisions.html

McCain, Obama and the Psychology of Decisions

The Candidates: They're Ambivalent and They Can't Help It. No One Can

The bailout crisis at the beginning of October dramatically illustrated the decision-making psychologies of the two presidential candidates - that is, their ability to deal with ambivalence.

[DoTheMath]

What does this country need?

Do we need someone who can put together and lead a team so effectively even the opposition team cannot deny its effectiveness?

Do we need someone who can raise funds and use them well to take care of what needs to be taken care of?

Do we need someone who can mobilize millions of Americans to work on improving our government and making it work for us?

Do we need someone who can inspire and cultivate a spirit of mutual respect and cooperation at home and abroad?

[sonoffestus]

I guess being a community organizer ain't a bad thing after all.

[jeffp26]

The scariest thing I've seen this election is the possibility that Palin could be our president.

But then again, that would solve the immigration "problem," as most intelligent human beings with a choice would move anywhere but here.

[BigMike75]

I've always said that this ground game advantage just can't be measured by polling data. Everyone get's caught up in the volatility of polls, when it is the distinct advantage of the Obama ground game that will drive him to victory. It's the reason George Bush was able to win two elections, because of the Republicans organized ability to get out the vote. That advantage has to be conceded to Obama who has spent the better part of two years putting this operation together, and he was able to do it because of the vast reach of the internet, Web 2.0 and the social networking phenomenon. So while pundits pour over the polls, and discuss insignificant points, Obama's ground operation is working to push what I think will be the biggest turnout in presidential political history. I've witnessed this operation on the ground, and it is robust to say the least. People this election will NOT be close, but we have to continue to work our tails off to make sure it happens.

[lisakaz2]

Perhaps not be close IF God were counting the votes. Given the system is rife with politicos willing to fix an election, I don't believe anyone can think things are "safe" till the finish line. Vote early if possible. Make sure you're vote is properly counted. Take your phone to the polls and be ready to complain should you have any problem.

[byrdlegs]

Would you expect anything less from a great leader? You ain't seen nothin' yet. We are talking the "L" word here...meaning LANDSLIDE

[jeffp26]

I hope you got that right!!!!!

[johnwinner]

"and suggests the Democratic nominee has hundreds of paid staffers in each state."
Maybe; but they also have thousands of volunteers in each state, as opposed to a half dozen for McCain.

[rasit]

Better Ground Game, you betcha!! A winning one too!

[omac112211]

The RNC said in 2000 (between Bush and McCain) Bush was the best of the two.
If the last 8 years have been what the 'best' had to offer, then not too sure people would want 4 years of the 'Second Best!'

[kadene]

One distinctive feature at the Obama/Biden rallies is crowd control. Obama has set the tone for his rallies and will cut booing or negative comments short. Crowds are basically hard to control, but even with the massive Obama/Biden rallies, the potentially boisterous crowd has responded to a simple, short statement like: "We don't need that", or "That is not our way." People should feel inspired when they leave your rally, not full of hatred and anger -- which, I am afraid, happens all too frequently at the McCain/Palin rallies.

The McCain camp relies heavily on fear, divisiveness and hate as motivators, but over the long term, these negatives have become debilitating and non-productive for the campaign crew. I think they thought they could garner more support by stoking some leftover embers of bigotry from half a century ago. It is indeed remarkable that as their negativism increased, so did the support for the Obama/Biden campaign.

Obama's message of hope is a powerful one, for it is when there is hopelessness that there is despair. The folks who work on his campaign are energized and inspired by his positive message, consistent in its message os unity and crossing political, racial, religious and class lines.

[boomer1949]

This is not a "game". Senator Obama and those of us supporting him are for real, very real human beings. Genuine.

If one wants to see or reference a "game" -- all one needs to do is look at the last 8 years. Anyone with common sense realizes McCain/Palin would be another 4 years of the "game".

Oba,a/Biden 08

[boomer1949]

ooops, sorry...

Obama/Biden 08

[ccmd]

;-)

GOTV

Obama/Biden for the Change We Need

[XME]

There they go again...trying to paint Obama as "scary" in any way they can think of. LOL

[sunnyjane]

I have just read on a news site that the McCain campaign is going back hard into Pennsylvania because they believe they can still win over the more conservative citizens of the state, and therefore, can get the 24 electoral votes they need to win.

PLEASE, Pennsylvania! Do not be responsible for electing this team of twits and giving us four years that will be WORSE than the last eight.

VOTE for Obama/Biden...they won't take away any of your rights and they will work to make life better for EVERY American, not just Democrats. They don't operate that way -- Thank all that is holy!

[McChimp]

Most polls out of PA show an Obama lead of at least +10, maybe 8 or 9...

And PA has ALWAYS gone blue, heck it went blue for Kerry back in 2004, so if John Kerry can win it, so can Barack Obama, and Obama is much more organized than John Kerry was.

I think the McCain campaign hopes that by rallying up their base in PA, they'll be able to win the state. Someone needs to tell them that they need more than base Republicans to win PA, they need independents and moderates, both of whom are going for Obama.

[Egalitare]

They had to come up with SOME state to claim they could turn Red. Iowa was long gone prior to Labor Day, and it looks like New Mexico has a fork stuck in it, too. Take those two away, and simply holding on to the rest of Bush 2004 is not an acceptable strategy for the GOP faithful -- not with OH, VA, FL, NC and MO fully in play.

They couldn't say Michigan: they pulled out their air war and most of their ground troops. They couldn't say Wisconsin or Minnesota because it didn't involve enough EVs. It was Pennsylvania by default. It was the state they were going to be laughed at the least for making the line in the sand.

Of course if the line in PA doesn't close rapidly by Holloween, then what?

[BigMike75]

What else are they gonna do, they have to wish upon a star. What John McCain essentially faces, is climbing up Mt Everest without any gear. The whole PA strategy is predicated on him keeping FL, OH, NV, VA, NC, IN, CO, NM, MO all red. Although they're factoring in losing CO, because thev've basically pulled out there. But if Gertiol John loses 2-3 of those states he's toast, if Obama holds the Kerry States and wins CO and VA, it's over. PA has just over 4 million registered Democrats, just over 2 million registered Republicans, and just over 800K Independants. In '04 Bush got about 15% of the Democrat vote, so if John John want's to miraculously take PA he would have to get the Republican vote about 90/10, split the Independant vote with Obama, and beat Bush's numbers with Democrats by about 10-15 pts, what's the likelihood of that happending given the current climate, and Obama's extensive ground operation? Like I said...climbing up Mt Everest without gear, not impossible, but just about.

[Two Three Four]

Debunking the Bradley Effect, Again
http://voteforamerica.net/editorials/Comments.aspx?ArticleId=118&ArticleName=Debunking+the+Bradley+Effect%2c+Again

[haval2]

you mean ground game as in organized but sarah just said she's had so much more executive experience...why there are 24,000 state employees in alaska...even johnny angry agreed with that head count...vote OBAMA/BIDEN and be done with those idiots.