|
 And why not?
His foreign policy adviser quit for calling Democratic presidential rival Hillary Rodham Clinton a "monster." Then he had to distance himself from his longtime pastor's fiery statements, a controversy that threatened his image as a uniter. He trails in polls in the upcoming Pennsylvania primary. Obama also watched his lead wither in national opinion surveys.
"There's no doubt we had a turbulent couple of weeks but we've had turbulent weeks in the past," Obama told reporters Friday. "... It's not going to be a smooth straight line. There's times when the campaign is going well and there's times the campaign is not going well."
But as bad weeks go, things certainly could have been worse.
Obama received generally favorable reviews for his somber speech on the nation's racial divide, though it didn't completely silence the criticism over his former pastor's rhetoric. Then Florida and Michigan indicated they would not hold new primaries to replace the contests that favored Clinton but violated party rules. Campaign finance reports showed him far ahead in the money race. And finally, he picked up the much sought-after endorsement of New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson
-- one Clinton also had coveted.
Most importantly, as the Illinois senator prepares to takes a break from campaigning for a brief family vacation, he retains a nearly insurmountable lead in pledged delegates and is winning the nationwide popular vote.
With weeks to go before the next primary, imagery and perception matter.
It's almost impossible for Clinton to catch Obama in the delegate count, but he can't clinch the nomination through primaries alone. That leaves both candidates trying to woo superdelegates, the party leaders who can vote for whomever they choose.
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Clinton's campaign says Obama's recent struggles prove she is the
better candidate to face Republican John McCain in the general
election. Setting aside the difficult delegate math, Clinton says
the turbulence in Obama's camp proves he hasn't been vetted and
would be vulnerable to Republican campaign tactics.
Obama's campaign tells a different story. Supporters credit him
for addressing the furor over the Rev. Jeremiah Wright's comments
head-on and for speaking from his heart. Obama's bad week,
supporters say, revealed him to be confident, cool under pressure,
even presidential.
"We had a couple tough weeks and I assume that when I'm president
there will be periods where we're tested in these same kinds of
ways," Obama said.
Clinton has used similar themes to get through difficult patches
in her own campaign. She has cast herself as a fighter, someone who
has pressed through difficult times and is ready to lead when facing
a problem as president.
"I think everybody here knows I've lived through some crises and
some challenging moments in my life," she said during a Democratic
debate.
Not long ago, Clinton was the front-runner for the Democratic
nomination. Then, after a series of defeats and a staff shake-up,
her campaign appeared to be struggling. Now, Clinton is polling
strong in the April 22 Pennsylvania primary. Her campaign believes,
when the races are over, it can make the case to superdelegates that
she has momentum and deserves their support.
[Associated
Press; By MATT APUZZO
Copyright 2008 The Associated
Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. |
