Des Moines Mayor endorses Obama: "he'll tell the American people what they need to hear"

[calteacherguy]

Des Moines Mayor Frank Cownie endorsed Senator Obama for president today.

The real promise of Senator Obama’s presidency isn’t just the plans he’ll bring with him into the White House, it’s the visionary leadership he’ll demonstrate once he gets there. Barack Obama will put an end to the bitter partisanship that’s stopped us from making progress on the urgent challenge of global warming. He’ll tell the American people what they need to hear, not just what they want to hear. As President, he’ll restore America’s standing in the world and lead a global effort to meet this challenge once and for all.

http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/nickkimball/CRRB

Pehaps the mayor was thinking of this when he made his endorsement:

Illinois Senator and African American presidential hopeful Barack Obama harshly criticized American auto makers today for doing too little to help lower the country's dependency on foreign oil. He said that the United States needs to adopt an energy plan that is much more aggressive than the current one.

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/237064/obama_pushes_for_cleaner_air_and_less.html

Despite Mr. Obama’s sometimes harsh words Monday, the diverse audience interrupted him 10 times for applause. “I think it took a lot of courage to come to Detroit and lay it on the line,” said Peter Eckstein, a retired labor union economist from Ann Arbor, Mich.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/08/us/politics/08obama.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

Mayor Cownie was elected in 2007 with 80% of the vote.

[Colobo]

1. Gobama!

[maddiejoan]

2. Empty promises?

That's what the people WANT to hear.

It's not what they NEED to hear though.

[BeyondGeography]

3. Tell it to the mayor

Meantime, why don't you piss on someone else's thread?

[maddiejoan]

5. Call it --

--"The Audacity of Expecting To Be Spoken To Like An Adult"

[BeyondGeography]

7. The children of Iowa await your insights

stop their arrested development before it's too late.

[maddiejoan]

8. Wasn't criticizing Iowans

I was criticizing your candidate for talking to people like they are children

As far as I'm concerned he's done if from the first time I saw him at the 2004 Dem Convention in his keynote.

[BeyondGeography]

11. Yeah, but I hear Audrey Tatou loves him

[jenmito]

6. Did you read ANY of the OP?

[maddiejoan]

9. Yes, I did.

[calteacherguy]

10. What is your opinion of Obama in Detroit telling automakers what they need to hear?

[maddiejoan]

15. How many votes will he get from Corporations --

--in a primary?

Pretty safe to put Big Auto on notice about oil usage when you're trying to garner votes from people who can't fill up their gas tanks.

yeah --real tough stance.

[jenmito]

12. Then why would you make that comment? There was even an EXAMPLE of him telling people

what they DON'T want to hear but what they NEED to hear.

[Alexander]

13. Yes, and Hillary Clinton sure makes a lot of them.

Obama seems to have a more realistic assessment of what he can get done in his first term.

[maddiejoan]

16. such as?

May I have some examples?

[opihimoimoi]

4. Talk is CHEAP... just HOW will Obama achieve an end to the Bitter

Partisanship beyond generic statements?

Words can sound so good to the untrained ear...but the actions, the Visions, the Paths, the Implementations, and the TEAM to do it with....these are the challenges of Noob Leaders...

[sandnsea]

14. Honesty, respect, clarity

Same way he brought the entire Illinois Senate together to pass death penalty reform.

[opihimoimoi]

19. Not enough IMHO...need a grand plan we can chew on, envision, embrace..w specifics

on How....

Where is his Plan for our dire Future?

What is his Plans to contend with rising oceans?

Where will the Food come from to feed the growing Masses?

How will he solve for the ever increasing demand for ENERGY?

I really don't see it yet from his Team....He may have solutions but why is it being hidden? Again. Talk is cheap..just like football coaches...blah blah blah...where is the meat?

And this should be asked from all the Candidates...

cept them Pubs....Drooly9/11 is an example Pub....Themselves above Nation....

[sandnsea]

20. Oh puhleeze

Nobody has a plan to contend with the rising oceans or feeding the entire planet.

Regardless, he does have excellent plans, they are much much better than what any other candidate offers and are directly targeted to the working people who really need the help. Much like his plan to change US foreign policy, he also plans to change the was this country deals with racism, poverty and other inequalities. Someone who will challenge the racism in the judicial system is somebody who is ready to confront the realities that most Democrats hide from that keep this country stuck in battles from the past.

[opihimoimoi]

22. Please??? No one has Plans?? Why the hell not? Are these things NOT paramount to Human survival?

Of course they are....

I wuz told His thinking supposed to be different from the rest...I don't see it YET...Perhaps soon I hope....

[sandnsea]

24. You haven't looked

and you aren't going to look because you don't want to see anything different for your own personal reasons.

[opihimoimoi]

31. Didn't you just say no one has plans for rising oceans and adequate food

for the Masses?

[Bitwit1234]

17. That's if he shows up....since he has the most dismal record of

ALL candidates except Tim Johnson, does that mean he'll be off on vacation more than bush if he got rove help him win the election>>>>>>>>>

[TeamJordan23]

18. great news for Obama in Iowa. nm

[benny05]

21. Good for Obama

Cownie had 80% of the vote, no Rethug challenger, and the other challenger was a Socialist party candidate. Moreover, the turnout in the last election in Des Moines was 5%.

:woohoo: /snark

[jenmito]

23. Happy to give the 5th R...

and happy to see him get this endorsement! :hi:

[drbob99]

25. This is huge.

This is huge. No so much in that it will directly generate votes. It is huge in that the mayor did NOT endorse "Queen Hillary". Why is that Hillary lovers??

[Lucinda]

26. Because he likes Obama.

Welcome to DU.

[drbob99]

28. .. and does not like Hillary.

Wonder why??

[Lucinda]

29. Where does he say he doesn't like Hillary?

Link please.

[drbob99]

30. logical assumption... why else cross the "Queen"?

[Lucinda]

33. Ah...so no facts...just slamming another Dem. Ok. Got it.

[drbob99]

34. Do you have an explanation why the good mayor would risk his political career and dump the clintons?

[ClarkUSA]

27. This is a huge endorsement for Obama in terms of the help he'll get from Cownie's organization

That kind of help will make a nice difference to the Obama's campaign's Des Moines and statewide GOTV efforts in the coming month,

[Debi]

35. What organization is that?

Yes, Des Moines is the largest city in the state (in the largest county in the state) however that means that Cownie's 'organization' has to deliver the greater amount of 1200 delegates to 'win' Polk County for Obama.

[Inspired]

37. I'd like to know what organization, too.

If you asked 50% of the residents of Polk County who Frank Cownie is, they wouldn't be able to tell you.

[AtomicKitten]

32. Exactly.

[snowbear]

36. Very kewl...

Kudos to the good mayor ~~