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Obama supporters want no more Mr. Nice Guy from Democratic candidate
By Terence Hunt
Associated Press
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ELKO, Nev. -- Worried Democrats want Barack Obama to get tougher, show more passion. Why is he so calm, supporters ask, so close to an election that looks so tight?

"Just keep steady," Obama tells the nervous Nellies. "I'm skinny but I'm tough. I'm from Chicago."

Obama hears the concern, from senior Democrats and big-money contributors, from columnists and supporters along the rope lines at campaign events. He heard it again as he stood in an hourlong receiving line in Hollywood to pose for pictures with donors who paid $28,500 to be with him Tuesday night.

"I know that a lot of you, just in conversations while we were in the photo lines, had all sorts of suggestions," Obama said. "And a lot of people have gotten nervous and concerned. `Why is this as close as it is? And what's going on?'"

"We always knew this was going to be hard, and this is a leap for the American people," Obama said. "And we're running against somebody who has a formidable biography, a compelling biography. He's a genuine American hero, somebody who served in uniform and suffered through some things that very few of us can imagine."

Urging Democrats not to worry about his cool demeanor, Obama said, "The reason I'm calm is I have confidence in the American people."

But many of his supporters are upset that polls show the race is pretty much even, even with Obama running against a Republican who used to brag that he voted 90 percent of the time with the unpopular President Bush. The economy is teetering, and the country is still at war, but seven weeks from Election Day the race is far from the slam-dunk Democrats dreamed about.

And there does seem to be more bite in Obama's daily remarks.

With unemployment rising and big financial firms failing, Obama and Republican rival John McCain both have pushed the economy to the front of their speeches. "The entire campaign has shifted," Obama said.

He bought a two-minute television commercial to speak to voters on Wednesday, attempting to empathize with people struggling to pay for groceries, gas and health insurance. Taped in a living-room-like setting, Obama spoke directly to the camera and did not mention McCain.

But this week, Obama has noticeably toughened his speeches and sharpened his criticism of his rival. He still comes off as cool and unflappable, but there is more heat in his rhetoric.

On Wednesday in Elko, a conservative, rural mining community, Obama mocked McCain's response to Wall Street's meltdown.

"Yesterday, John McCain actually said that if he's president he'll take on - and I quote - `the old boys network in Washington.' I'm not making this up," Obama said. "This is somebody who's been in Congress for 26 years, who put seven of the most powerful Washington lobbyists in charge of his campaign.

"And now he tells us that he's the one who's going to take on the old boys network," Obama said. "The old boys network. In the McCain campaign that's called a staff meeting. Come on."

McCain generally has been more cutting in his own remarks, and he got more personal on Tuesday.

"Let's have some straight talk: Sen. Obama is not interested in the politics of hope; he's interested in his future. That's why he's hurling insults," McCain said as he and running mate Sarah Palin addressed a rally in Ohio.

Obama's turn again in Elko: "Unlike Sen. McCain, it didn't take a crisis on Wall Street for me to understand that folks are hurting out on Main Street."

Addressing a crowd of 14,000 Wednesday evening at a Las Vegas baseball park, Obama again linked McCain with Bush. "We can't steer ourselves out of this crisis using the same old map," Obama said. "We can't steer ourselves out of this crisis if the new driver is getting directions from the old driver."

Some in Obama's audience on Wednesday said they were perfectly satisfied with his tone.

"I think he needs to keep doing exactly what he's doing, which is speak softly, show it through," said Paul Barnhart, a retired real estate appraiser in the Elko crowd of about 1,500 people. "I think most Americans are pretty fed up and sick and tired of the bickering and the battling back and forth. I am."

Holly Black, a special education teacher in Elko, agreed. "I don't believe in the trash-talking. I believe he is aggressive."

As for the tight campaign, David Axelrod, Obama's chief strategist, said, "We never anticipated anything but a close race and now (after the political conventions) it's settled back to where we expected it to be, which is a very close, competitive race."

"We have a lot of targets of opportunity in states that were Bush states in 2004," Axelrod said. "We expect to battle right to the end." He also said Obama has started preparing for next week's first of the three campaign debates that will help Americans decide.

"He's been doing a lot of reading," Axelrod said.

Take a look
Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama waits to speak during a rally Wednesday in Elko, Nev. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)
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Reader comments on this story - 21 total

Note: All views and opinions expressed in reader comments are solely those of the individual submitting the comment, and not those of the Pantagraph or its staff.

GetYourPitchForks wrote on Sep 27, 2008 4:55 PM:

" ...a light will shine through that window, a beam of light will come down upon you, you will experience an epiphany ... and you will suddenly realize that you must go to the polls and vote for Obama" - Barack Obama Lebanon, New Hampshire.
January 7, 2008.

Is anyone else seeing a light...I sure haven't seen anything.

Maybe Obama has "supernatural" powers? or maybe it's just voters, as well as the liberal media, are so ignorant and self absorbed, they fail to research a candidate and base their votes on his empty speeches.

Have they forgotten his 20 year relationship with Rev. Wright? We don't want a Black Supremist in the white house!

Check out Bill Ayers, Saul Alinsky, David Axelrod...and the list goes on...

Hopefully Obama's powers will not provail or that voters will wise up and get educated on our candidates...he's a dangerous man!

I'm not a fan of McCain - probably would've voted for Hillary, but READ MY LIPSTICK... NOBAMA! "

9%er wrote on Sep 18, 2008 1:28 PM:

" ktlin, could ya follow each of your posts with a synopsis of that post. ty in advance. "

9%er wrote on Sep 18, 2008 12:41 PM:

" Man! With barry acting so "Chicago community organizer tough" lately, I'm starting to get chills running down BOTH of my legs. Go get 'em tiger.......GGGGRRR "

smapdi wrote on Sep 18, 2008 11:35 AM:

" Seems to me Obama's riding the fence between being Mr. Nice Guy and well, not. He's not being as mean and ugly as the Republicans, but he is playing that game. Meanwhile, he's not being so upstanding that he can really claim any moral high-ground. I think he needs to align himself firmly to one side or the other if he hopes to succeed. He's either got to step up his mean game substantially, or truly go nice; take his lumps there and hope Americans actually do want, respect and respond to politics that rise above about a 5th-grade intellect. "

ktlin wrote on Sep 18, 2008 8:16 AM:

" Two things: Isn't it funny when the other side starts to respond, people get really tired of the bickering and fighting? Duh. That is because they are losing the argument. Secondly, McCain's advisor said it wasn't necessary to write down a plan. So if Obama said to read his plan that would be good. That means he has one and it may be too complicated to say in a minute or two. Unlike McCain who likes those short answers. How do we deal with evil? We get rid of it. Didn't he leave out the who, what, when and where? Important issues like that. Of course when you give longer answers some don't like it but it means you are thinking, know something about the topic and maybe have a plan. A lot of people are still having trouble getting past the R and D regardless of what both candidates say or do daily. This election should be a slam dunk as usual. No pun intended. "

BJR wrote on Sep 18, 2008 8:14 AM:

" Awesome. This clown just told his minions to get in the face of others to get them to vote for him. I can guarantee that if his supporters step on my property, there will be issues. "

ktlin wrote on Sep 18, 2008 8:08 AM:

" to reason: Before you start talking about individuals who may be in the Obama camp, keep in the mind the AUTHOR of the bill regarding deregulation which probably ended us up in this mess right now and the person who championed it for years. And the same person giving McCain his economic plan. None other than Phil Graham. The same person that thinks everything is fine and we are just whining. McCain can run and talk but he can't hide and sidestep this issue. His stance on regulation and deregulation has been plain for 20 plus years. If he changes his tune now sort of he wants to get a commission to study it it is for pure politics. Usually when you don't know what the problem is do a study. Sound familiar. McCain wants to do a study of our economy. Shouldn't he have alread done that study himself? Oh I remember that is not his area of thinking or strongpoint. "

ktlin wrote on Sep 18, 2008 8:04 AM:

" For me with someone who is dealing with foreign leaders constantly - if McCain doesn't know it that is part of his job, I would prefer someone cool, collected and confident despite all the constant criticisms and insults thrown at him rather than someone who flies off the handle at a mere suggestion of controversy. And someone who is ready to bully, threaten, and win those wars. There is a clear picture emerging here regarding who would be able to handle himself with grace and confidence on the world stage and the American stage and all the time with a steely resolve. Got it? "

Reason wrote on Sep 17, 2008 2:31 PM:

" The former CEO of Lehman bros is a major player in the Obama campaign (he picked Biden as VP.). He got his (your) money, and jumped ship. What kind of economic program do you think he has for Obama?
Obama can never justify the lie that he told the voters of Illinois. When questioned on whether the voters of Illinois could trust him to serve a full term in the senate. Obama said. "I will not run for anything in 2008." He repeated this pledge several times to gain the trust of voters. Who trusts him now? "

DT wrote on Sep 17, 2008 12:18 PM:

" But he never tells what his economic plan is. He say "go read my plan" after whining (incorrectly) about how bad the economy is. "

Former_Resident wrote on Sep 17, 2008 12:06 PM:

" To: LastDragon
" With the recession were in now how can some people still actually want to put more repubs in the house. 8 years is enough look at the state were in now.
I like the fact that you used the word "State" (Laughs)....Look at your own state. What party is in control? BTW nice budget you guys have. "

Woody wrote on Sep 17, 2008 11:50 AM:

" McLovin it, you ignore the fact that the Democrats do not really control Congress. They control the House, but there is a 49-49 tie in the Senate with 2 independents. They got to designated the majority party since both independents caucus with them. But the truth is that it is a tie and the Republicans have been quite successful in thwarting them. There have been a record number of cloture votes in this Congress - over twice as many as in any other Congress. And several key bills that did get through, got vetoed and the Dem's don't have the power to override. So the GOP and Bush are just as much to blame for this "do-nothing" Congress as the Dems. "

McLovin It wrote on Sep 17, 2008 11:31 AM:

" LastDragon...so what's your excuse for the Democrat controlled congress? Remember when they took over? They were going to lower gas prices substantially, lower taxes, stop global warming, make the sun rise an hour earlier every day and set an hour later, make the sky a brighter shade of blue...instead they investigated steroids in baseball and tried to politicize every issue they could so NObama could have a chance of winning the election. Lord know's he couldn't win it on his own (ahem) merits! "

DaveII wrote on Sep 17, 2008 11:17 AM:

" Economic issues along with social programs, health care, etc etc are far to complex for politicans and the media to grasp. Solutions can't be captured in a sound bite or even a 2 minute commerical. All I hear from both is 'change'......they are all clueless and can barely articulate the problems.

So the question still stands.....what, if anything, are these Drones going to do? "

Common Sense wrote on Sep 17, 2008 10:48 AM:

" Don't forget this problem was started by Bill Clinton and the Democratic Congress. They tried to help poor people buy a home, which is a good thing. However, Fanny Mae and Freddy Mac found the loop holes in their plan and GREED took over. They would loan people too much without a fixed interest rate or a NO interest loan. It was pure GREED and look at the problems it has caused. "

Simple Simon wrote on Sep 17, 2008 10:47 AM:

" Really? I mean Really? The money for campaigns come from people like me who donate it, it is supposed to be used on things like ads. As much as you post about politics I hope you knew that. And here is an econmic lesson for you too, you want the economy to get better, spend more money! "

Squirty1 wrote on Sep 17, 2008 10:35 AM:

" RE: GOM, and what did McSame have to say about it? You know this is a game and he made the first move. Nothing is free and people like you keep asking when he'll come up with answers to issues like the economy and then complain because he spent money on a commercial to give us those answers. Please remember that at this point in the game, Obama and his opponent are trying to win an election... I for one am glad to hear someone talk about the problems instead of trying to convince me there aren't any problems! "

digitalB wrote on Sep 17, 2008 10:33 AM:

" That's what campaign money is for Mule. Spend it all and get elected! "

LastDragon wrote on Sep 17, 2008 10:25 AM:

" With the recession were in now how can some people still actually want to put more repubs in the house. 8 years is enough look at the state were in now.

obama/biden 08! "

liveguy wrote on Sep 17, 2008 10:24 AM:

" I'm wondering how Obama even filled up 2 minutes....Usually when he's speaking he says nothing at all. "

Gov't oppressed Mule wrote on Sep 17, 2008 9:37 AM:

" Anybody else wondering how much a two minute commercial costs? Seems ironic to me that in an advertisment for him to BETTER the ecomony and promote spend thrifty gov't he blew how much money? "
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