| A couple of Montana-related bits of presidential news hit the wires in recent days.
First was the Rasmussen poll that came out a couple weeks ago that showed Obama and McCain in a dead heat in the Treasure State, 45-44%, down from a five-point Obama lead in the last Rasmussen poll. Not surprising: ol' Matt broke down the numbers from the last poll and opined that Obama's lead was largely illusory.
Singer, July 7: "So Obama probably isn't down by 7 or up by 5. Somewhere in between. That's my guess."
Nice guess.
Also be sure to check out High Country News' interview with Obama CoS and Montanan, Jim Messina. There's some interesting stuff on the Plum Creek land deal, Messina's view of politics, and the daily grind of running a multi-million dollar campaign.
Here's my favorite quote, about Obama's chances in the West:
I think Barack has an appeal to the Western independent ethic that he has on his own, that we (staff) have nothing to do with. He appeals to the can-do attitude of the West. In the primaries, he did very well in Western states. ... He speaks in a language (Western voters) can hear, speaks in a way that gets through the politics and speaks to people in a third way, not red and not blue, just change and progress. I think that's what (much of the West) is -- Westerners are not partisan. ... People ask me all the time, "Why are Democrats doing so well in Montana?" It's because we are able to speak to all Montanans about issues that are important to all, like public access to lands -- that's not a Democratic issue or a Republican issue, but the fact is, Democrats are better at it than Republicans are, and it speaks to a whole bunch of people who are unaffiliated and who care deeply about it.
There you go. |
