Michelle Obama rocked Rhode Island

The wife of the Illinois senator visited Rhode Island yesterday to try to parlay his national surge into Rhode Island support in the run-up to the state’s March 4 presidential primary.

"We’ve learned a lot this year," Obama told a CCRI gathering estimated at 2,200. "We’ve learned that people are hungry for change. ... Hope is making a comeback. I like it."

http://www.projo.com/...

According to the pundits, Rhode Island is a solid Hillary Clinton state.  Boy, the sense on the ground sure does feel like they are wrong.

Here is a photo gallery from the Providence Journal...

http://www.projo.com/...

Here is a local on-the-ground blogger report worthy of your review.

Michelle Obama spoke about her husband’s start as a long-shot candidate, and how with each success they ‘raised the bar’. A well-chosen metaphor for listeners who knew about bars of race and gender and class. And a devastating response to the Clinton campaign’s need to downplay the amazing momentum the Obama campaign has generated.

http://kmareka.com/...

Here is another local on-the-ground blogger report with cool pictures.

Tonight's rally with 2,200+ Rhode Islanders and Michelle Obama was stunning.  I was totally amazed at how cool, how relaxed, how with it Michelle was.

 

http://rifuture.org/...

And check out this cool LTTE, by yours truly...

On March 4, Rhode Island matters. Let us take this rare opportunity to send a collective message across this nation and to the world that we, as a populace, have had enough of the pettiness that has dominated the political establishment for the last couple of decades and that we are ready for a real change that we can believe in.

Sen. Barack Obama is that agent of change that we have been waiting for.

After an era chilled and darkened by war, terror, fear, rabid partisanship and economic woes that have trickled into every facet of national and local society, we are in need of some warm sunshine. Not in my lifetime has a leader been able to articulate this pent up need for something new and been able to create a movement of excitement and hope that we are witnessing today.

 

http://cranstononline.com/...

More information from Barack Obama's well-organized Rhode Island campaign...

http://my.barackobama.com/...

•  Barack the Vote!

  by aaraujo on Thu Feb 21, 2008 at 05:01:18 PM PDT

  •  Fire it Up! Ready 2 Go! Awesome! GOBAMA!

    by concerned on Thu Feb 21, 2008 at 07:10:37 PM PDT

•  Wow, bigger crowds than Bill Clinton's

  by Oothoon on Thu Feb 21, 2008 at 05:06:18 PM PDT

  •  Yep

    It was huge!

    by aaraujo on Thu Feb 21, 2008 at 05:07:37 PM PDT

•  Rhode Island Is Significant!

  Thank you, aaraujo, for letting us know what's going on in RI and sharing your great & elegant LTE!

  by Empower Ink on Thu Feb 21, 2008 at 05:14:22 PM PDT

  •  Keys to a good LTTE

    short and to the point.

    by aaraujo on Thu Feb 21, 2008 at 05:15:59 PM PDT

•  Probably a tossup

  Rhode Island is similar to Connecticut in ways but Obama was strongest in the western NYC suburbs of Conneticut, while Clinton ran better in the eastern part that borders Rhode Island.  Also, Obama ran strongest in Boston, Massachusetts while Clinton did better in the part that borders RI.

  If the state had voted February 5 Hillary would have won it.  But the way things have been going Obama probably runs up a big margin in Providence, enough to win the state by a single digit margin and net a few delegates.

  Vermont should be a landslide for Obama on the other hand.

  by Skaje on Thu Feb 21, 2008 at 05:18:14 PM PDT

  •  It will be close

    the Democratic political establishment is almost completely on board with the Clintons and have been since 1992.

    by aaraujo on Thu Feb 21, 2008 at 05:20:40 PM PDT

  •  A good anaysis, not sure that its actualy a Obama

    win at the end.

    Rhode Island is more like SE MA which went very heavily for Clinton.

    Perhaps if Obama has the momentum that can chnage. However Massachusetts proved that enthousistic rallies of giddy supporters do not necessarily translate into election wins.

    by Osiris on Thu Feb 21, 2008 at 07:05:14 PM PDT

    •  Results in Attleboro

      http://www.cnn.com/...

      Attleboro is right on the Ri border and has similar demographics for example.

      by Osiris on Thu Feb 21, 2008 at 07:09:31 PM PDT

    •  True

      But a lot has changed.  If Wisconsin had voted on February 5 Clinton would have probably won it.

      by Skaje on Fri Feb 22, 2008 at 03:37:39 AM PDT

•  I love the looks on the faces of the people who

  have the priviledge of listening to this great lady.  People just seem to beam with the knowledge that they are not only witnessing an historical event, but that they are able to vote for her husband, who is simply an amazing candidate.  

  We, as a nation, are so lucky that Barack and Michelle Obama have come along at this particular moment to lift the spirits of this country and return it to it's rightful place as a destination of hope, help, understanding and DEMOCRACY!!!

  GOBAMA!!!!

  by Little Lulu on Thu Feb 21, 2008 at 05:58:40 PM PDT

  •  My daughter and niece

    had a chance to shake her hand

    by aaraujo on Thu Feb 21, 2008 at 06:05:51 PM PDT

•  good pix slideshow ------------------nt

  by Theghostofkarlafayetucker on Thu Feb 21, 2008 at 06:01:14 PM PDT