AFSCME is hosting a Democratic Candidates Forum on Feb. 21 in Carson City, NV. All of the Dems running for President have decided to attend except for Sen. Barack Obama, who's already planned to be in Nevada earlier that week. According to the campaign, the event conflicts with his schedule.Oh my god! What a disaster for Obama! He's clearly "not ready for prime time." Will the Nevada voters ever forgive him?! How can you skip a debate?! Will unions take this as an insult?!
Slow down kids.
In 2003, AFSCME had a similar forum held in Iowa in the month of May. Two Democrats did not attend, including Sen. John Kerry. Of course 7 months later, Kerry won the Iowa Caucus. And, I hate to burst your bubble, but it's not a debate. There will be many, many, many, many ACTUAL debates over the course of the next year. Obama was asked to speak at an International AFSCME event this past August and his remarks are posted on their website.
Here's some of the comments from a thread on this topic from MyDD entitled, Obama Snubs Union, Democratic Voters:
Eyup...maybe go back to Edwards' barn, sit around the heated pool and tennis court and rethink your posts ;)
Based on the responses and ratings to my posts, you're clearly wrong. Perhaps you can go back to Obama's "duck pond" and snort a few lines of blow before trying to be cute. ;)
It amazes me how the golden child Obama hasn't been able to get any press the past couple weeks, and his poll numbers are dropping. His gold is tarnishing due to his lack of substance on virtually every issue.
I do get the impression that there's an intentional snub, because this seems to be part of how Obama operate. He's playing hard-to-get.
And that's just Edwards and Obama supporters. Can you imagine if Hillary Clinton somehow came up in the conversation? I think someone would actually draw blood.
Quick reminder folks. It was the Dean campaign who first called Kerry a flip-flopper. And Willie Horton? Compliments of Al Gore during the '88 primary.
And this is Edwards and Obama we're talking about. Can anyone find a difference between these two candidates on any substantive issue? Man it's gonna be a looooong year.
UPDATE: The RNC just issued a press release calling Obama a "Dem Dodger". Congratulations Edwards supporters, you're in good company.
I'm sure it's just a case of his subversives, clearing the pathway for his rocketlike ride to the top of the pack; perfectly timed for January 2008.
/Snark.