Texans for Obama

Obama-mania not confined to Texas

Sen. Obama is creating buzz all over the country, not just Texas.  His West Coast book tour also appears to be the hottest ticket around.

If you have spare tickets for Sen. Barack Obama's book-tour stop in Seattle next week, Zee Triplett is hoping you find her Internet ad.

Because Obama is a sellout in Seattle. Triplett, 26, had called to buy tickets for the senator's appearance Thursday at 2,500-seat Benaroya Hall. But the tickets for the Illinois Democrat's visit, part of his book tour to promote "The Audacity of Hope," were gone in minutes. The same for events in Boston and Philadelphia.

Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., has plenty of real and perceived rivals (Senate opponent John Spencer, John McCain, Al Gore, President Bush, to name a few), but Clinton protégé Obama is the man being watched by her handlers most closely these days.

The presumed 2008 Democratic presidential front-runner's allies, donors and operatives always have known the charisma-dripping Illinois Democrat was toying with a presidential run. But Obama's refusal to rule out a White House campaign sends shudders through the Clinton camp.

Inspiring

I jumped on the Howard Dean campaign early, before anybody thought he could possibly win the nomination.  He was the straight-shooting underdog, and I was inspired by the grassroots movement that Dean built.  It's exciting to join together with your fellow progressives in a larger movement.

Sen. Obama just might be Howard Dean with a smile.  I feel like Dean unfairly got labeled as "angry", but the perception stuck.  On the otther hand, Sen. Obama is universally seen as a bridge-builder.  He's not an angry left-wing candidate but instead a pragmatic, results-oriented leader who has the ability to inspire people from all walks of life.

This morning is proof posistive that Sen. Obama has a grassroots army willing and able to go wherever he leads us.  Usually, when I pass out fliers, people try to avoid me.  This morning, not a single person refused my book club flier.  Incredible.  I passed almost 400 fliers around 8am, and ran out in less than 10 minutes.  I went back home to print some more fliers to pass out in the Capitol chamber, and they went like hot cakes.

I'm inspired by this mile-wide grassroots following Sen. Obama has created.  Maybe he should run for President in 2008.  Maybe he shouldn't.  But if he does decide to run, he will win.  The Republican Party is imploding with a civil war between the country club elite and the religious right.  They're not motivated for this year's mid-term elections, and they'll also be depressed in 2008.  Quite the oppposite, Democrats are fired up.  And if Sen. Obama chooses to run, then he'll inspire the biggest voter turnout in American history.  Game over.

But we've got a long time until 2008.  First things first.  Invite all your friends to the book club discussion about Sen. Obama's book.  It's actually a great book considering that most people thinking about running for President often write terrible books.  Sen. Obama's incredible intelligence and charisma shine through in this page-turner.

America needs Sen. Obama.  We deserve leadership worthy of our proud American ideals.  We deserve someone who's willing to cut through the bullsh*t to get things done.  We deserve someone who actually understands that the rest of the world doesn't like an arrogant, imperialist America.  We deserve someone who understands our everyday struggles and will fight for the middle class, no matter how many high-paid DC lobbyists stand in the way.  We deserve a leader who's not married to the Big Oil and the greedy corporate elite, but instead is willing to challenge America to become energey independent with renewable energy sources.

On this day, October 28, 2006, the people-powered movement has officially arrived.  Howard Dean got this ball rolling, and Sen. Obama is going to finish the job.  Get on board the Barack Obama train!