Home > Political Insider > Archives > 2008 > January > 28 > Entry
Barack Obama to skip this week’s Jefferson-Jackson Day dinner
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
State Democratic party officials have been told that Barack Obama will be a no-show at Wednesday’s big Jefferson-Jackson fund-raiser. And so the stage will belong to Hillary Clinton and John Edwards.
This makes sense, and was foreshadowed by Obama’s appearance in Macon over the weekend.
If the man obtained 80 percent of the African-American vote in South Carolina, he’s likely to get a similar response in Georgia and Alabama. In other words, this is a sign that Obama considers Georgia — privately, not publicly — a lock, and can spend his time in places where he’s not leading. California, for instance. With that young Kennedy fellow.
That said, Democrats are hoping for a crowd in the thousands on Wednesday. How? Bleachers.
They’ve decided to install a peanut gallery at the event at the Georgia World Congress Center. The standard $250 ticket will get you dinner and the full program, which includes awards to John Lewis and Max Cleland.
But $25 will get you one of those bleacher seats and a look at Clinton and Edwards. They do it that way in Iowa. Bring your own fried chicken. You might be able to sell a leg or thigh to the people in the more expensive seats.



DEL.ICIO.US

Comments
By Lawrence
January 28, 2008 2:47 PM | Link to this
I’m encouraging Obama supporters to represent Obama at the Dinner… See you there!! We won’t need the Senator there to have a impact on the event.
FIRED UP! READY TO VOTE!!
By BillW
January 28, 2008 5:31 PM | Link to this
I’m encouraging everybody to represent Romney at the Dinner…show those Democrats a winner!
By GaDawg
January 28, 2008 9:31 PM | Link to this
Heck, Romney might show up himself… who knows? He could change all his positions and… oh wait, he’s already done that.
I am dissapointed that Obama won’t be there. I’ll hold out hope that he will surprise us and show up. What a shame that now when Georgia’s Primary finally counts for something, we get all the candidates but him!
By Liz Vogt
January 28, 2008 9:58 PM | Link to this
I am a white female who voted for Obama in South Carolina, and am more than willing to come to Georgia to help. Hillary’s head was served up on a platter in our state..and for good reason. This wasn’t black voters voting for Obama. This was all of South Carolina, black and white, saying no more to the Clintons’ divisiveness.
By Toto
January 29, 2008 2:23 AM | Link to this
“this is a sign that Obama considers Georgia — privately, not publicly — a lock”
Not true! Until the Obama campaign issues a press release to support your statement, you are just trying to stir up trouble!
By Jay
January 29, 2008 3:00 AM | Link to this
Way to go Liz Vogt - good on South Carolina! Wish I could be there to help you all represent in Georgia.
By nick
January 29, 2008 9:22 AM | Link to this
Hey GA Dawg there are 22 states voting on 2/5. Since Edwards is only running in a few of them he has nothing else to do. Clinton on the other hand has all the institutional support of the party so she has to show up. Barack’s strength is in people who don’t go to things like this anyway so it makes sense for him to skip. He will win GA!
By Shelby
January 29, 2008 9:39 AM | Link to this
Sorry Lawrence, your supporters’ presence doesn’t make this less of a snub. Bad form, Obama, bad form.
By FJ Stratford
January 29, 2008 10:48 PM | Link to this
BOOOO! Obama wont go to Georgia. He thinks he got it sewn up!
Georgians show the Peach State that OBAMA IS WRONG to ignore Georgia because he thinks he already won!
By Emily
January 30, 2008 2:02 PM | Link to this
Too bad that Obama won’t be there. I’m a white woman and I voted for him this morning. He’s awesome.