Capps Endorses Obama

Rep. Lois Capps endorsed Senator Barack Obama's campaign for President yesterday. Readers sent me a few articles about it from Politico.com and The Huffington Post.

Saying that Obama "is challenging us to lift ourselves out of the ugliness that increasingly consumes Washington...", Capps surprises some in that she and Walter had both had strong ties with the Clintons. Bill and Hillary both have been to Santa Barbara on their behalf.

The following part of her statement brought her deceased husband back to me for a moment as if he was standing in the room, looking at his shoes for a moment and then launching into something unexpected, inspiring and moving.

“Walter once said that ‘we are strongest as people when we are directed by that which unites us, rather than giving into the fears, suspicions, innuendos and paranoias that divide.’ For years I have been waiting for a President that speaks to that vision. I believe Barack Obama may very well be that rare leader.” (from Huffington Post)

What was the turning point for Lois? Ads from H. Clinton waving the red shirt of terrorism? Were there one too many Hillary supporters that have have made ugly public statements about Obama only to apologize the next day? or was it plain electoral math? We will probably never know.

Good for her though. It is time to move on.

Fairview Gardens: Where Environmental Values and Economic Values Don't Mix, Do They?

I wonder when environmentalists and union members will meet. In my lifetime?

It would make a powerful movement and could get a Democrat elected President -- maybe Barack Obama is attracting both if he could just meet with John Edwards and bring it all together. Then again, is Clinton not as far away from Edwards as I thought?

The face of change is increasingly about who has the extra couple of delegates and the Southern and rural vote. Ironically, John Edwards being a white male was his downfall but perhaps will work brilliantly to his benefit. What say you?

The Obama Connection to Santa Barbara

Community Post by David Pritchett

Now that Barack Obama really has our attention now, his speech and campaign rally at Santa Barbara City College last September, and recent inspired interviews with the local campaign organizers, are featured in the latest episode of Off-Leash Public Affairs, a video show about local politics and community events.

The crowd at SBCC was later estimated at 6000 to 8000, or about 3% of the total Democratic voters participating in the Iowa Caucus last Thursday night.

This one-hour video is now playing on community-access cable TV-17 and forever on the Internets. Look up Episode 013 at www.OffLeashPublicAffairs.org or see the show on cable channel 17 per this schedule:

Friday, 04 January, 1100 hrs. (11 am)
Sunday, 06 January, 2100 hrs. (9 pm)
Monday, 07 January, 2100 hrs. (9 pm)

Additional TV-17 replay times should be added up through the California Primary election on Super-Duper Tuesday, 5th February.

California voting by mail ("permanent absentee") starts next week, and so will the saturation advertising!!

Excuse me, how do I get to O's House?

If you are going to the Barack Obama fundraiser in Montecito -- our friends at EdHat report that you have to park at Earl Warren where the Rodeo types park....does this mean it won't be reported in the News-Press as none of us know her address? In any event, we can't provide O's address anyway because it is against our policy at BlogaBarbara. She is entitled to privacy!

Still, what's up with Oprah making people that must be paying thousands to see Barack and her together making them travel so far to have AN AUDIENCE with the Queen of Daytime TV and the Cause Celebre of the Democratic Party? I can see the corporate, network reporters now asking whether America is "ready" in front of Oprah's mansion (why is that so common?). Still, the juxtaposition between the two is an easy PR MEGA MOVE for both of them.

I've been waiting for Oprah to become more like us and get involved with local non-profits but perhaps she is more like them....time to reassess? She does great things but does she live in Santa Barbara County or not? I will hurt for a long time on this one as Oprah does so much good -- but where has it shown up where she lives? I am probably wrong and please tell me about it...