Today is primary day and 3.5 million Flori

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Live-blogging Wisconsin primary Feb. 19, 2008

10:20 pm -- Barack Obama is addressing the nation. Drawing parallel to American Revolution, WWII fight against fascism, pioneers, immigrants, women's suffrage, civil rights movement -- that's what hope is. Remake this nation block by block, city by city, state by state.

End of speech. 10:24pm


10:14 pm -- We need new leadership to lead us into a new century. The only way we can make a difference is to bring new people into this -- independents, young people, Republicans.... a working majority...

Against John McCain's economics, war policy.....

The meaning of hope: the odds of me standing here are very slim. Single mom and grandparents gave him love, education, hope. Naieve? Fuzzy-headed? Need reality-check? Passive? The world is mean and tough. Hope is not blind enthusiasm. It's difficult.




10:09 -- Barack Obama speaking from Houston after winning the Wisconsin primary:

The war in Iraq was unwise, distracted us from what was happening in Afganistan. It's time to bring our troops home...

Bring our troops home, I remember what JFK said, we should never negotiate out of fear but we should never fear to negotiate.... wants to go to the world's community and say, we are back, we are ready to lead.... yes, we will hunt down terrorists, we will also hunt down AIDS, genocide in Darfur, etc... civil libertaries --- close Guantanamo.....

Obey the Constitution....




9:59 pm -- Economy - take away tax breaks for companies that leave American workers.... If you work in America, you should not be poor.... Every child in America should have the best education. The problem is not the lack of plans, it is the lack of urgency. Every child is our child. Engaging college students in helping..... Cap greenhouse gases... solar... fuel efficiencies... Stop using immigration as a political football..... give illegal immigrants a chance.... reinvest in our cities. Spending $9 bil. a year in Iraq....

"As your commander in chief" gets a big cheer.... support for troops, veterans


9:50 pm -- Anti-war message now from Obama from Houston. Why now? We are at a defining moment in our nation. We cannot afford to wait, on education, environment, end the war in Iraq, health care.... We cannot wait. When I decided to run, saw that the American people have grown weary of a politics based on spin. Change does not happen from the top down, it happens from the bottom up. Americans are decent people. Get beyond the divisions that have become so commonplace in American politics.... Challenge ourselves to be better.

My faith in the American people has been vindicated. We want to move forward into a better tomorrow.....

The American people [interruption with crowd chant "Yes we can"] have spoken out and they have said we need to move in a different direction. I'm not a perfect vessel. But I would not be running if I didn't think I could do something. But I can't do it by myself. Are you really ready for change???? If you are really ready for change, we can go ahead and tell the lobyists you will not run America.....

Health care system instead of a disease care system....



9:44 pm -- Obama from Houston: appealing now to Texas voters after the apparent win in Wisconsin. Change is not easy. More than big rallys, more than rousing speeches, position papers, etc.... The problem we face in America is not the lack of ideas, it's that Washington DC is the place that good ideas go to die.....


9:39 pm -- Obama from Houston, on Wisconsin victory: Thanks to SEIU and other union support... Early voting has started in Texas.... showing the voting card.... don't wait until March 4.... Feb. 19-29 to vote. Two things -- vote early and then vote in the caucus to select delegates... "Yes We Can".... Get your neighbors and family to vote....

Now sayin We just heard we won in Wisconsin.... Grateful to the people of Wisconsin for their friendship and support, civic pride.... it's cold!

Caucus in Hawaii -- it's too early to know how that will turn out....

But the change we seek is still ahead.... We need the people of Texas to achieve that....




9:37pm -- Obama now speaking from Houston. 55% Obama v 44% Clinton in Wisconsin..... NBC and CNN have now switched over to Obama's speech. Crowds "wild"... Obama now speaking Texese..... Houston we have lift-off, etc... Y'all....



9:27 pm -- Hillary is addressing fans in Ohio, still talking about words -- now, words DO matter, but not as much as actions...

Projections are Obama 55% and Hillary is apparently appealing to hope and independent voters.... a dangerous world, new threats, new opportunities.... she stood up to the Chinese and said that women's rights are human rights.... end cowboy diplomacy, ready to lead day one....

This projection was made literally minutes after the polls closed, results from Madison and Milwaukee were key.....

Obama is now speaking from Houston, interrupting Hillary's statement....



9:18pm -- NBC is projecting Barack Obama as the winner of the Dem primary in Wisconsin (they actually broke into the end of McCain's longwinded speech to announce )


9:02 -- on MSNBC apparently NBC has also called Wisconsin for McCain... 50% of Wisconsin voters are independents... says Tim Russert to Chris Matthews... negative campaign comercials... what will be the lessons going into March 4 in Ohio and Texas....?

McCain is celebrating, with his wife Cindy who tonight criticized Michelle Obama for talking about how proud she is of America right now.... Hmmmm..... McCain's victory speech in Wisconsin.... fighting an "eloquent but empty call for change" [rousing applause -- chants of "USA, USA, USA"....] ... talking about the need for the next president to have experience, as opposed to the confused .... of a candidate that wants to reach out to other nations.... "moral monsters".... "apocalyptic zeal"... we need to marshall all elements to win the war against Muslim extremists.... He's speaking from Ohio, fight for the right changes.... rely on common sense of Americans.... pro-growth, pro-jobs.... energy policy...


8:59 pm -- pre-poll closing chatter on CNN with 360 guy all talking about how Obama is inexperienced in speaking... whaaaa.....???

CNN projects McCain as Repub winner...

Obama has a lead, CNN is waiting for the actual vote [mighty white of 'em, huh?]


8:56pm Whoa! just a quick look on blogger: Independent voters, who are allowed to vote in Wisconsin’s open primary, broke heavily for Obama. Sixty-three percent went for the Illinois senator and 34 percent went for Clinton. (Taking Back the White House in 2008)

8:54pm: The polls are about to close in Wisconsin, the pundits are poised, the bloggers are blathering, Americans are America-ing....

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