OBAMA VS. CLINTON: THE MOTHER OF ALL BATTLES! (Take 10-b)

Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God's children.
[Martin Luther King, Jr.: "I Have a Dream"]

'NOW'S THE TIME!'

Date:
Wed, 5 Mar 2008 04:31:52 -0500
To:
"Ana Santana"
From:
"Barack Obama"
Subject:
What happened today

Ana --

We may not know the final outcome of today's voting until morning, but the results so far make one thing clear.
When the dust settles from today's contests, we will maintain our substantial lead in delegates. And thanks to millions of people standing for change, we will keep adding delegates and capture the Democratic nomination.
We knew from the day we began this journey that the road would be long. And we knew what we were up against.
We knew that the closer we got to the change we seek, the more we'd see of the politics we're trying to end -- the attacks and distortions that try to distract us from the issues that matter to people's lives, the stunts and the tactics that ask us to fear instead of hope.
But this time -- this year -- it will not work. The challenges are too great. The stakes are too high.
Americans need real change.
In the coming weeks, we will begin a great debate about the future of this country with a man who has served it bravely and loves it dearly. And we will offer two very different visions of the America we see in the twenty-first century.
John McCain has already dismissed our call for change as eloquent but empty.
But he should know that it's a call that did not begin with my words. It's the resounding call from every corner of this country, from first-time voters and lifelong cynics, from Democrats and Republicans alike.
And together you and I are going to grow this movement to deliver that change in November.
Thank you,
Barack

***

Barack,

A few weeks ago, a friend wrote this to me: “In regards to the young junior senator from the Great State of Illinois, Barack Hussein Obama, don't get too excited yet and get your hopes up too high and everything. The road to the White House is a very long way and it is treacherous beyond anything you can imagine.”

To which I replied: “As for my being carried away by "hurricane Obama": who isn't? Of course I also have my doubts about his ultimate chances, but his game is all about hope and dreaming – imagine he is promising to pass "The DREAM Act" so that everyone can have access to proper education! So, I'm just allowing myself to hope and dream for as long as the rough world of real American politics doesn't wake us all up.”

Well, I guess “Now Is The Time!” (exactly in the sense Martin Luther King and Charlie Parker meant to give to it), for ALL of us, including you Mr. Obama, to wake up from the dream…
Yes, the game turned tougher (isn’t it incredible how an advert can scare people away from their dreams?), and tough games require tough tactics…

First of all, when you have two opponents at once, as you have in both Hillary and McCain (and that's already incorporating Bill, as in 'Billary'... and discounting the fact that they've already started stealing from your winning campaign, as in "Yes She Can!"...), you cannot afford to take too much of a defensive stand – as you did yesterday in San Antonio. Just come completely clean about your posture on the Nafta issue and on the allegedly “dodgy business” surrounding your estate agent, and on whatever else might be thrown as dirt at you, and come out with a better grounded offensive…

You need to spend less time justifying your dream and whether or not it is empty, as you did last night, and more on casting it against specific issues and more pragmatic measures to tackle them – just leave the dreams and hopes for us…

You need to talk less about your past as a “community organizer” – yes, it’s the foundation upon which you built your political career, but I guess everybody knows all about it by now. What not so many people is likely to know much about is your record as a Senator – so, why not talk more about that?

You need to put more emphasis on your worldly experience – the sort of experience you so cogently put before us in your “Dreams from My Father”. That’s what will make you the best commander-in-chief of them all: because, unlike your opponents, you know better about the diversity and the nature of the human condition in a world where America is still the most powerful nation; in a world where both the American people and the people of the World are, to say the very least, “sick and tired” of misunderstanding each other – the people of a world which has made you its “global candidate”!

And you need to do it, as you express in the picture, with THE FIERCE URGENCY OF NOW!

That's my humble opinion as a citizen of the world.

With best wishes,

Ana.

******

Date: Tue, 11 Mar 2008 22:59:35 -0400
To: "Ana Santana"
From: "Barack Obama"
Subject: Victories and attacks

Ana --

It's tough to think of two states more different than Wyoming and Mississippi.

But we won Wyoming on Saturday, and we just learned that we won Mississippi by a large margin tonight.

Between those two states, we picked up enough delegates to erase the gains by Senator Clinton last Tuesday and add to our substantial lead in earned delegates. And in doing so we showed the strength and breadth of this movement.

But just turn on the news and you'll see that Senator Clinton continues to run an expensive, negative campaign against us. Each day her campaign launches a new set of desperate attacks.

They're not just attacking me; they're attacking you.

Over the weekend, an aide to Senator Clinton attempted to diminish the overwhelming number of contests we've won by referring to places we've prevailed as "boutique" states and our supporters as the "latte-sipping crowd."

I'm not sure how those terms apply to Mississippi and Wyoming -- or Virginia, Iowa, Louisiana, or Idaho for that matter.

I know that our victories in all of these states demonstrate a rejection of this kind of petty, divisive campaigning.

But the fact remains that Senator Clinton's campaign will continue to attack us using the same old Washington playbook. And now that John McCain is the Republican nominee, we are forced to campaign on two fronts.

It's up to you to fight back.


Thank you,

Barack

Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God's children.
[Martin Luther King, Jr.: "I Have a Dream"]

'NOW'S THE TIME!'

Date:
Wed, 5 Mar 2008 04:31:52 -0500
To:
"Ana Santana"
From:
"Barack Obama"
Subject:
What happened today

Ana --

We may not know the final outcome of today's voting until morning, but the results so far make one thing clear.
When the dust settles from today's contests, we will maintain our substantial lead in delegates. And thanks to millions of people standing for change, we will keep adding delegates and capture the Democratic nomination.
We knew from the day we began this journey that the road would be long. And we knew what we were up against.
We knew that the closer we got to the change we seek, the more we'd see of the politics we're trying to end -- the attacks and distortions that try to distract us from the issues that matter to people's lives, the stunts and the tactics that ask us to fear instead of hope.
But this time -- this year -- it will not work. The challenges are too great. The stakes are too high.
Americans need real change.
In the coming weeks, we will begin a great debate about the future of this country with a man who has served it bravely and loves it dearly. And we will offer two very different visions of the America we see in the twenty-first century.
John McCain has already dismissed our call for change as eloquent but empty.
But he should know that it's a call that did not begin with my words. It's the resounding call from every corner of this country, from first-time voters and lifelong cynics, from Democrats and Republicans alike.
And together you and I are going to grow this movement to deliver that change in November.
Thank you,
Barack

***

Barack,

A few weeks ago, a friend wrote this to me: “In regards to the young junior senator from the Great State of Illinois, Barack Hussein Obama, don't get too excited yet and get your hopes up too high and everything. The road to the White House is a very long way and it is treacherous beyond anything you can imagine.”

To which I replied: “As for my being carried away by "hurricane Obama": who isn't? Of course I also have my doubts about his ultimate chances, but his game is all about hope and dreaming – imagine he is promising to pass "The DREAM Act" so that everyone can have access to proper education! So, I'm just allowing myself to hope and dream for as long as the rough world of real American politics doesn't wake us all up.”

Well, I guess “Now Is The Time!” (exactly in the sense Martin Luther King and Charlie Parker meant to give to it), for ALL of us, including you Mr. Obama, to wake up from the dream…
Yes, the game turned tougher (isn’t it incredible how an advert can scare people away from their dreams?), and tough games require tough tactics…

First of all, when you have two opponents at once, as you have in both Hillary and McCain (and that's already incorporating Bill, as in 'Billary'... and discounting the fact that they've already started stealing from your winning campaign, as in "Yes She Can!"...), you cannot afford to take too much of a defensive stand – as you did yesterday in San Antonio. Just come completely clean about your posture on the Nafta issue and on the allegedly “dodgy business” surrounding your estate agent, and on whatever else might be thrown as dirt at you, and come out with a better grounded offensive…

You need to spend less time justifying your dream and whether or not it is empty, as you did last night, and more on casting it against specific issues and more pragmatic measures to tackle them – just leave the dreams and hopes for us…

You need to talk less about your past as a “community organizer” – yes, it’s the foundation upon which you built your political career, but I guess everybody knows all about it by now. What not so many people is likely to know much about is your record as a Senator – so, why not talk more about that?

You need to put more emphasis on your worldly experience – the sort of experience you so cogently put before us in your “Dreams from My Father”. That’s what will make you the best commander-in-chief of them all: because, unlike your opponents, you know better about the diversity and the nature of the human condition in a world where America is still the most powerful nation; in a world where both the American people and the people of the World are, to say the very least, “sick and tired” of misunderstanding each other – the people of a world which has made you its “global candidate”!

And you need to do it, as you express in the picture, with THE FIERCE URGENCY OF NOW!

That's my humble opinion as a citizen of the world.

With best wishes,

Ana.

******

Date: Tue, 11 Mar 2008 22:59:35 -0400
To: "Ana Santana"
From: "Barack Obama"
Subject: Victories and attacks

Ana --

It's tough to think of two states more different than Wyoming and Mississippi.

But we won Wyoming on Saturday, and we just learned that we won Mississippi by a large margin tonight.

Between those two states, we picked up enough delegates to erase the gains by Senator Clinton last Tuesday and add to our substantial lead in earned delegates. And in doing so we showed the strength and breadth of this movement.

But just turn on the news and you'll see that Senator Clinton continues to run an expensive, negative campaign against us. Each day her campaign launches a new set of desperate attacks.

They're not just attacking me; they're attacking you.

Over the weekend, an aide to Senator Clinton attempted to diminish the overwhelming number of contests we've won by referring to places we've prevailed as "boutique" states and our supporters as the "latte-sipping crowd."

I'm not sure how those terms apply to Mississippi and Wyoming -- or Virginia, Iowa, Louisiana, or Idaho for that matter.

I know that our victories in all of these states demonstrate a rejection of this kind of petty, divisive campaigning.

But the fact remains that Senator Clinton's campaign will continue to attack us using the same old Washington playbook. And now that John McCain is the Republican nominee, we are forced to campaign on two fronts.

It's up to you to fight back.


Thank you,

Barack