PrintMay 10, 2008
Change you can believe in: 57 states
In a swing through Oregon today before starting his attacks on McCain which might include something about age or "losing his bearings" Obama was getting the pleasantries out of the way and had this to say:
"It is wonderful to be back in Oregon," Obama said. "Over the last 15 months, we've traveled to every corner of the United States. I've now been in 57 states? I think one left to go. Alaska and Hawaii, I was not allowed to go to even though I really wanted to visit, but my staff would not justify it."
Apparently Obama plans to annex 7 new states. So this is the change he's been talking about. There is even a new flag pin out with the new states on it, maybe Obama will wear that one. Here's more from the LA Times story:
(UPDATE: At a later stop Obama was talking with reporters and expressed concern he'd also mis-stated the number of potential cyclone victims in Burma. He said, ""I hope I said 100,000 people the first time instead of 100 million. I understand I said there were 57 states today. It's a sign that my numeracy is getting a little, uh." At that point, an aide cut him off and ushered journalists out. Before he could mis-speak again?)
Campaigning against the Clintons is hard work involving long hours and little sleep so we can cut Obama a little slack. Now some will argue that this story is not that important and we shouldn't waste time commenting on it and they are right except for one thing. What if it had happened to McCain? It would be front page news all over the mainstream media and they would start to question McCain's mental state. That's why it's a legitimate story, if it can happen to a young guy maybe it won't be front page news when sometime in the future McCain makes the inevitable slip of the tongue.
