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Obama Aims For Win Here In November

Tribune photo by CHRIS URSO

Barack Obama supporters wave signs during the presidential hopeful's speech Wednesday at the Forum.

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By WILLIAM MARCH

The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 22, 2008

TAMPA - Leapfrogging past a primary contest that his supporters say is effectively over, Barack Obama opened his general election campaign for Florida on Wednesday with a standard stump speech and a surprise endorsement from Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio.

Obama adamantly rejected any speculation that he won't fight to win Florida in the general election.

"I will do what is required to win Florida," he said in an interview on his campaign bus after the Tampa event. "That's why we're here for three days, and we're going to be here a lot more days."

Obama spoke before one of the largest crowds ever for a presidential campaign event in Tampa, more than 15,000 people - but still somewhat smaller than expected.

"It's good to be back in Florida. I know you guys have been holding down the fort," Obama told the crowd. He hasn't visited Florida since last fall because of the boycott of the state by Democratic candidates and the protracted primary battles against Hillary Rodham Clinton.

In his speech, Obama clearly was aiming at November's election, not the battle for the nomination with Clinton. He praised Clinton in tones that made it clear he considers his fight against her over, and asked for unity among Democrats.

"There are people who are concerned that the Clinton people might not vote for the Obama people, the Obama people are mad at the Clinton people," he said. "Well, let me tell you something. Sen. Clinton has run an outstanding campaign, and she deserves our adulation and our respect. ... She has broken through barriers and will open up opportunity for a lot of people, including my two young daughters."

Obama didn't claim he has won the nomination, but came close. He told the crowd in Tampa that the Oregon and Kentucky primaries on Tuesday "marked a significant moment in our campaign. ... We are at the threshold of being able to attain this nomination."

After those primaries, Obama now has a majority of the pledged delegates, who vote according to the results of their state primaries or caucuses. That leaves only the superdelegates, who can vote as they wish - but Obama and his supporters don't think they can or should change the outcome.

"We haven't won yet, but I do expect to be the Democratic nominee," he said in the bus interview.

He said superdelegates shouldn't be "the final arbiters - voters should be making those decisions as much as possible."

But supporters, including U.S. Reps. Kathy Castor of Tampa and Robert Wexler of Boca Raton, who traveled with Obama on the bus Wednesday, went further.

"He's the nominee," said Castor. Wexler said the party "will nominate the candidate with the majority of the elected delegates, and that's Barack Obama."

Health Care, Iraq Addressed

Obama's speech focused on the issues that have been staples of his campaign: health care reform, the Iraq war, reform of the nation's energy policies, education, college costs, ending special-interest influence in Washington.

"We just went through an economic expansion before the recent downturn in which family incomes actually went down by $1,000," he said. "That's Bush economics for you. ... Your wages are flat, but your costs for everything from health care to a college education to a gallon of milk to a gallon of gas have all been going up and up and up."

He sharply criticized Sen. John McCain, who he said backs a foreign policy that has led the nation into "one war in Afghanistan that we have to win, and a war in Iraq that we should have never fought."

"I was opposed to this war in 2002. I will bring this war to an end in 2009," Obama said.

But Obama made no mention of two issues that have angered some Florida voters - the boycott of the Florida primary campaign by himself and other Democratic presidential candidates, and the continuing controversy over whether to seat the delegates from Florida and Michigan.

The boycott and the bans on the delegations developed because those two states set primary dates earlier than national party rules allowed.

Obama said in the interview that he "will make certain the Florida delegation is seated," but Castor acknowledged that now that is "a moot point." The votes in Florida will no longer affect the outcome, she said.

Asked why he agreed to the boycott, which wasn't required by party rules, Obama said: "The DNC had made a determination that the primary here would not assign delegates. When you've got so many contests coming up, it made sense to focus on those contests where there were going to be delegates assigned. ... Obviously my strong preference would have been to campaign here."

He said he thinks Florida voters in November won't be concerned about that, but about "which candidate, which party, is in the best position to solve the pocketbook issues that they're struggling with every day."

Obama made a special effort to link his presumptive Republican opponent to the outgoing, unpopular President Bush.

"I admire John McCain because he is a genuine American war hero," Obama said in his speech. "But he is running for a third Bush term."

"We have a chance to bring an end to Katrina incompetence and Scooter Libby justice ... but only if we're unified, because the Republican standard bearer, John McCain, is running for four more years of George Bush."

He Meets Key Demographics

Officials at the St. Pete Times Forum estimated the crowd at Wednesday's event at more than 15,000, but it failed to fill the Forum as many had expected - possibly because of worries and publicity over expected parking problems.

Later Wednesday, Obama gave a speech and took a few questions from a crowd of several hundred packed into the Kissimmee Civic Center. That completed the first day of a three-day tour of Florida, including gatherings with demographic groups among whom he may face weakness, but which he may also need to win the general election:

•Campaign officials acknowledged they hoped for a big splash on the first day in the Interstate 4 corridor swing area, which can determine the outcome of statewide elections.

•In Kissimmee, Obama faced a crowd consisting largely of non-Cuban Hispanics - a group sympathetic to Democrats, but among whom Clinton has been stronger.

•Obama will hold another town hall meeting today at the B'nai Torah Congregation in Boca Raton, hoping to allay questions in the minds of some Jewish voters about his support for Israel.

•On Friday, he will speak to Miami Cubans, a community long known as ardently Republican but among whom Democrats now see openings.

Republicans in McCain's campaign and in the state and national parties are clearly taking Obama's criticisms seriously; they set up a massive response effort for Obama's visit, deluging reporters covering the Democrat with answers from their side.

State Republican Party Chairman Jim Greer met with reporters in Tallahassee and by phone Wednesday morning. He acknowledged that the size and excitement of crowds generated by Obama are a concern, but said: "Do I believe at the end of the day that will transfer into votes? Not necessarily. Thousands of people go to a rock concert because they like some of the songs the person plays, but he may not be the No. 1 artist in their mind. ... I question how many are actually registered voters."

State Rep. Adam Hasner, a Delray Beach Republican, held a telephone news conference to contend that Jewish voters have been trending Republican and that Jewish voters question Obama's support for Israel, and the party highlighted formation of a Republican Jewish group questioning his support for Israel.

"There have been attempts by the Republicans to raise questions about me," Obama responded, "but I have an unblemished record of support for Israel."

Asked whether he can catch up to the Republicans in Florida after having not campaigned here, Obama said: "Did you see that crowd out there? You think John McCain is going to get that crowd?"

Reporter William March can be reached at (813) 259-7761 or wmarch@tampatrib.com.

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