Obama's even keel holds as campaign nears end
source: http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/11/03/america/obama.php
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SPRINGFIELD, Missouri: A cellphone was pressed to Senator Barack Obama's ear as he slouched down in a black leather chair in the front cabin of his campaign airplane. He leaned away from the headrest, where his name is spelled out in blue stitching.
A few miles away, thousands of people streamed into a high school stadium on Saturday for a late night rally. But Obama stayed on his chartered Boeing 757 as he spoke by conference call to thousands of his team leaders around the country, the volunteers who form the ranks of an army that he hopes will give him an edge in the waning hours of the presidential race.
His sober expression seemed at odds with the confident gleam in the eyes of his advisers. While Obama smiles less than he once did, gauging his mood simply by looking at him is risky. His baseline cool temperament has seldom spiked along the rocky points of his journey.
In a campaign where he has slogged through more competitive election days than any recent nominee, only one more lies ahead. And it was the long and rugged path of the Democratic primary that his friends say provided Obama with a steady equilibrium as he enters this final turn in the race for the White House.
"As painful as the primary season was and how agitating it could be, it turned out to be a blessing for him," said Eric Whitaker, a longtime Chicago friend who has joined Obama aboard the crowded campaign plane. "But my role now is to keep him loose. There's a lot going on in his world."
The lines in Obama's face have grown a bit deeper, the notches of gray along his temples more pronounced. He often carries the look of exhaustion. But flying the other night to Nevada, where he arrived after midnight, Obama passed on the chance to take much of a nap.
A few miles away, thousands of people streamed into a high school stadium on Saturday for a late night rally. But Obama stayed on his chartered Boeing 757 as he spoke by conference call to thousands of his team leaders around the country, the volunteers who form the ranks of an army that he hopes will give him an edge in the waning hours of the presidential race.
His sober expression seemed at odds with the confident gleam in the eyes of his advisers. While Obama smiles less than he once did, gauging his mood simply by looking at him is risky. His baseline cool temperament has seldom spiked along the rocky points of his journey.
In a campaign where he has slogged through more competitive election days than any recent nominee, only one more lies ahead. And it was the long and rugged path of the Democratic primary that his friends say provided Obama with a steady equilibrium as he enters this final turn in the race for the White House.
"As painful as the primary season was and how agitating it could be, it turned out to be a blessing for him," said Eric Whitaker, a longtime Chicago friend who has joined Obama aboard the crowded campaign plane. "But my role now is to keep him loose. There's a lot going on in his world."
The lines in Obama's face have grown a bit deeper, the notches of gray along his temples more pronounced. He often carries the look of exhaustion. But flying the other night to Nevada, where he arrived after midnight, Obama passed on the chance to take much of a nap.
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Neghie
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For some reason, running for Presidency seems to be bad for your health.
- 3 years ago
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Neghie
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