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Democrats eye Obama breakthrough

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By DON WALTON / Lincoln Journal Star

Saturday, Jun 21, 2008 - 10:02:14 pm CDT

FREMONT — Nebraska Democrats could ride the high tide of “a sea change” in national politics with Barack Obama captaining the ship, Sen. Ben Nelson said Saturday.

“Change is in the air,” Nelson told an optimistic gathering of more than 500 Democrats at the party’s state convention.

“2008 is our turn,” he said.

Story Photo
Sen. Ben Nelson delivers his keynote address Saturday morning before hundreds of delegates during the Nebraska State Democratic Convention held at Midland Lutheran College in Fremont. (Chris Bristol / Fremont Tribune)
Democratic delegates selected





Lincoln Mayor Chris Beutler, Omaha Mayor Mike Fahey and former Lt. Gov. Kim Robak were among 25 delegates chosen Saturday to represent Nebraska at the Democratic national convention.

Those selected at the party’s state convention in Fremont included delegates in their 20s, a racial mix and party-imposed gender equity.

Reflecting results of Nebraska’s presidential caucuses in February, 16 of 24 congressional district delegates are supporters of Barack Obama. The other eight supported Hillary Clinton.

The additional delegate selected Saturday was state AFL-CIO President Ken Mass of Omaha, an unpledged statewide delegate.

The 25 delegates join six superdelegates, including Sen. Ben Nelson, in forming a 31-member Nebraska delegation.

Those selected Saturday:

1st District, Obama: Lisa Olivares, Janet Banks, Joe Nigro, Terry Werner.

1st District, Clinton: Britt Miller, Jane Raybould.

2nd District, Obama: Ron Kaminski, Shelisa Minnifield, Brenda Council, Loyd Neve, Lorraine Chang.

2nd District, Clinton: Judy Monaghan.

3rd District, Obama: Judy Vohland, Douglas Cambridge.

3rd District, Clinton: Joy Phillipi, Jeremiah Quintin.

At-large, Obama: State Sen. Amanda McGill, State Sen. Steve Lathrop, Robak.

At-large, Clinton: Robin Quarles, Martha Ross.

Elected or party officials, Obama: Fahey, Beutler.

Elected or party officials, Clinton: Lisa Hannah.

Unpledged add-on delegate: Mass.

As Nebraska Democrats vigorously contended — sometimes arguing, sometimes almost wrestling — for 24 coveted delegate slots at the national convention, Nelson looked ahead to the possibility that Obama could snare a presidential electoral vote or two in the state.

“I think it’s possible,” he said during an interview following his speech to the party conclave at Midland Lutheran College.

“If there are positive (polling) numbers for him in Nebraska,” Nelson said, “I think it would be wise for him to campaign here.

“I think there is an overwhelming desire for change.”

It’s clearly reflected, Nelson said, in recent polls that show Obama within reach of presumptive Republican nominee John McCain in Nebraska’s 1st and 2nd Congressional districts.

Nebraska awards an electoral vote to the winner of each of the state’s three congressional districts along with two electoral votes for the statewide victor.

Eastern Nebraska’s 1st District includes Lincoln; the 2nd District is composed of metropolitan Omaha.

Delegates elected party officers during a day-long session and heard from their three House nominees.  

More than 300 Democrats joined Ted Sorensen, the Nebraskan who served as President Kennedy’s chief aide and speechwriter, at a sold-out dinner at the convention site Saturday night.

Lincoln attorney Vic Covalt was elected to succeed Steve Achelpohl of Omaha as state party chairman following the November election.

Jane Erdenberger of Omaha was chosen as the party’s new national committeewoman, succeeding Kathleen Fahey of Omaha.

National Committeeman Vince Powers of Lincoln was re-elected to his post.

“America, we need a change, and we need it now,” 1st District congressional nominee Max Yashirin of Lincoln told the convention.

“Politics-as-usual has failed to address the problems we face today.”

Jim Esch of Omaha, the 2nd District nominee, said  five-term Republican Rep. Lee Terry represents more of the same.

“He’s been there 10 years,” Esch said.  “He’s a lock-step member of his party. Nothing is going to change.”

Nelson took a swipe at Republican Senate nominee Mike Johanns during his speech to the convention.

The former governor and recently U.S. secretary of agriculture is “always looking for the next hill to climb,” Nelson said.  “But he never finishes climbing” the hill he’s on.

Johanns resigned as governor to accept President Bush’s Cabinet appointment, then left that post to seek the Senate seat, Nelson said.

“Nebraskans don’t like it when people don’t finish the job they started,” he said.

Responding in Lincoln, Johanns campaign communications director Sarah Pompei said: “Mike Johanns believes this kind of personal attack is what is wrong with Washington because partisan bickering does not serve Nebraskans.”

Johanns presented Congress with a farm bill that included “a critical safety net (for) Nebraska’s farmers” nearly a year and a half before Congress acted on farm legislation, Pompei said.

Nelson said he believes Obama will give Democratic candidates in the state a boost in November.

“For the first time in a long time, the head of the ticket will help Democrats all the way down,” he said.

Democrats will complete their convention today by adopting a party platform and hearing from Senate nominee Scott Kleeb.

Reach Don Walton at 473-7248 or at dwalton@journalstar.com.


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Benito wrote on June 21, 2008 11:32 am:
" I want to believe. "

 His To Ree wrote on June 21, 2008 11:45 am:
" Some Democrats also thought that Michael Dukakis might win the 1st and 2nd districts. Results proved otherwise. "

 ted wrote on June 21, 2008 12:37 pm:
" Please name one policy or issue that Obama supports that will benefit Nebraska. Look at his website. He has no rural initiatives at all. He is a big city labor union hack. "

 Sad wrote on June 21, 2008 1:44 pm:
" A sad day for Nebraska when the most populous districts might be drinking the Obama kool-aid. The guy's an empty suit, and continues the decades old class warfare strategy of liberals. We can only hope the strategy fails this time just as it has in every other election. Hope and change, whatever. "

 Ben wrote on June 21, 2008 2:48 pm:
" You have got to be kidding! As the posts here would indicate Nebraska would vote for a known serial killer if he were Republican and vote down Mother Teresa if she were Democrat. "

 Yah Sad wrote on June 21, 2008 3:08 pm:
" Lets squash hope. Because the one thing we can certain of if we elect McCain is 4 more years of failed Bush policy. Any hope at all is better than that. I don't see any choice except to vote for Obama. "

 JB wrote on June 21, 2008 3:43 pm:
" Obama can and will win both the first and second disticts, but will still lose the Nebraska's popular vote. McCain can't do as bad as Goldwater and lose our reactionary state. The sad days are in the past when the Nebraska Republicans would vote without using their mind. Obama is a head by 15 points currently nation wide. "

 dave wrote on June 21, 2008 4:21 pm:
" i'm for obama. anybody for hope is the man for me. i hear mccain is against hope. i'd rather hope gas prices go down than actually have somebody in office that will do something about it. "

 DOC wrote on June 21, 2008 4:21 pm:
" Okay Class, why is Bennie worried about a split electoral vote when he should be concerned about impeachment, his own. Here is a guy that has no clue about energy for the US. We have a stop everything energy plan and he has shown no leadership to date. And where are the closed borders? What has he been doing with the money we've paid him? I see nothing for our investment. He and Hagel, wow! We couldn't do worse any two out of the phone book. "

 David wrote on June 21, 2008 5:58 pm:
" Who cares about two electoral votes?! If Mr. Nelson thinks Mr. Obama is going to choose him for Nebraska's paltry electoral votes, he is living in a dream world. "

 JR wrote on June 21, 2008 8:13 pm:
" There are two things to keep in mind here. One, the Republicans have messed up so badly once they got control, most, and I do mean MOST of America will not trust them. Two, Nebraska is not like the rest of America. Nebraska is more like "yellow dog" Republicans ... they would vote R even if it was a yellow dog. Sad, but true. "

 Ricky wrote on June 21, 2008 9:02 pm:
" A sold-out convention!
The democrats are a buy!
That Obama could even mention the possibility of getting a vote from Nebraska shows how strong the Dems are (or how weak the Reps. are)

Ricky From Omaha "

 John wrote on June 21, 2008 11:02 pm:
" I hope the Democratic National Committee is ready with a lots of money to help Kleeb and Obama here in Nebraska. "

 Years wrote on June 21, 2008 11:12 pm:
" As one who has working in Bahrain I can tell you that they do not trust the Dems and especially Obama.
If Dems can control Congress and Obama elected look for 10 buck gas as the Middle East spigot could be turned off.
Criticize the current Administration but many in the Middle East respected them and helped to control pricing.
When the Dem's took control of Congress the writing was placed on the wall for them by the American Voters.
What has happened to price of crude in last 17 months compared to the previous 72 months.
Has Hagel, Nelson or Obama helped Crow Butte resources in the reapplication process.
Those on the left are blocking it or trying to over a 300000 gallon spill of contaminated water that would not harm you or me if we drank it.
Obama cries we need to expand our refinery capacity but yet when the 10th largest refinery in the US tries to many of his current and past supporters are blocking it by court actions.
Btw the expansion of the Wood River, Il refinery will allow it to process only crude that is derived from the Tar Sands of Canada.
We need both short term and long term solutions and all I see from the Dems is long term.
What good is "Change" if as Americans we all become bankrupt over the failures of the Dems to address our short term energy crisis.
My son lives in Illinois and works at Wood River. He laughs at Obama as instead of voting Yea or Nea he would vote Present on controversial issues.
The people outside of the Chicago area do not trust him. So for years from now if he is elected
there will be a new battle cry I predict
"Remember Obama" just as we did with the Peanut Man. "

 History wrote on June 22, 2008 9:00 am:
" You can compare Obama and Dukakis if you want, but people are just going to laugh. "

 Hey Doc wrote on June 22, 2008 9:01 am:
" Wow Doc, if you saying Ben has committed impeachable offenses, you must be livid that Bush hasn't been impeached yet. "

 interesting wrote on June 22, 2008 9:53 am:
" I wonder if he considers how many votes are a vote against rather than a vote for? Politics has became such a dirty game it is hard to get decent men and women to run for office. Our biggest failure is Congress, they draft the laws and bills. They have failed to address the most important issues that will face the country. We all need to be clear in our vote and communications to our elected official just how angry we are at their lack of action. "

 What a scam... wrote on June 22, 2008 10:59 am:
" Obama is so phony. This guy is a bigger fake than Bill Clinton and the people are just sucking it right up! Unfortunately in a year when we need a good converative Republican, we're stuck with John McCain. "

 TWP wrote on June 22, 2008 1:15 pm:
" Jim Esch says it is time for Lee Terry to be replaced, because "He's been there 10 years". Nelson has been there for 8. Does that mean it is time to think about replacing him? After all, we sure don't more of the same of the past 8 years, do we? "

 Truman wrote on June 22, 2008 3:04 pm:
" Ben Nelson:
"Nebraskans don't like it when people don't finish the job they started" How about Obama finishing his term in the Senate?

Yah Sad
4 more years of your so-called failed Bush policy is much better than 4 more years of the proven failed polices of Jimmy Carter, the true worst president in our nations history. "

 Phony wrote on June 22, 2008 4:26 pm:
" The only phony empty suit running for election this year is McCain. I am still waiting to hear what he is for. I listen to one speech he is for tax cuts, the next time, he is against tax cuts. He was against drilling in the gulf, now he's for it. What is his stand on illegal immigration? The last thing I heard is he wants to grant amnesty for all illegal immigrants. Isn't that against the republican doctrine or did they flip flop on that?

McCain has yet to support any legislation to help veterans. He just recently voted against the GI education bill. That bill will aid in recruitment. He also sold out his fellow POW's when he was one in the Vietnam War when he gave classified military information to the enemy. Read his August 1973 interview in the August 1973 Newsweek where he states he told the guards he would give them military information if he was given medical help. He was the only POW to be taken to a hospital to treat injuries.

4 more years of failed Bush policies that McCain promises will destroy this once great nation. China already owns most of our debt. What would McCain do if China decides to call in our debt because we can't pay it with all these tax cuts to his rich buddies? "

 Mike wrote on June 22, 2008 4:55 pm:
" What would the Founders say about where we are today? "

 MarkyMark wrote on June 22, 2008 9:52 pm:
" If you think Obama's an empty suit, you must not have listened to Bush Jr's. campaigns at all. At least he had business experience though, CEO for 3 oil companies all 3 bankrupt while he was CEO......now explain to me again what an empty suit is? "

 The thinking man says.... wrote on June 22, 2008 10:30 pm:
" Obama wants to close the Enron loophole

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/06/22/1161113.aspx

which is the cause of this ridiculous gas price we have now. McCain does not. ALL Americans will get immediate relief if this happens. Look it up here:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036677/#25252591

or here:

http://www.financialsense.com/editorials/engdahl/2008/0502.html

Obama and Kleeb will be for HELPING average folks.

McCain and Johanns will be for giving them the shaft while they make extremely rich people richer!

Educate yourselves ! Make an intelligent choice in November. McCain graduated 894th of 899 at Navy. Not even as good as Bush! "

 Speaker of the House wrote on June 22, 2008 10:38 pm:
" Obama cant speak? There are entire books written with Bush's misspeaks. Ask Junior about "Tribal Sovereignty" sometime. "

 The Truth wrote on June 23, 2008 12:40 am:
" Obama is the answer to a question no one asked. "

 Outside the Box wrote on June 23, 2008 8:52 am:
" I was pleased to read Johann's spokesperson say "Mike Johanns believes this kind of personal attack is what is wrong with Washington because partisan bickering does not serve Nebraskans".

Based upon this quote, I can only assume that Johann's campaign against Scott Kleeb will not feature any of the personal assaults that he opposes.

Anybody care to wager on how long that holds up? I'm guessing another 20-30 minutes. "

 Alan wrote on June 23, 2008 1:37 pm:
" You can kiss your gun rights good bye if Obama wins. Too bad the R's chose McCain. At least Bob Barr's on the ballot. "

 Matt wrote on June 23, 2008 7:46 pm:
" I gotta admit I don't know much specific detail about the policies of either Obama or McCain. However, I will say this as a YOUNG American adult:

When I see Obama on TV, I get excited for my country and I want to get involved! When I see McCain on TV, I simply change the channel!

Say what you want about the rock star image, if Obama can turn youthful exuberance into community action then I believe things can turn around for the better. A lot of problems could be solved with local action, but there's just too much apathy in America. Hopefully this is the Change that Obama can inspire. "

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