The Washington Times
  • Subscribe
  • Times News Services
  • RSS
  • Mobile Headlines
  • e-edition
  • E-MAIL ALERTS
  • REGISTER
  • LOG IN
  • E-MAIL ALERTS
  • WELCOME
  • Your Profile
  • Log Out
  • Front Page Image
  • Classifieds
  • Autos
  • Real Estate
  • Jobs
  • Special Sections
  • Customer Service
  • Home
  • News
  • Opinion
  • Sports
    • NFL
    • NBA/WNBA
    • MLB
    • NHL
    • Tennis
    • Golf
    • Motorsports
    • Soccer
    • NCAA
    • Olympics
    • Outdoors
    • Other
  • Culture
    • Home & Living
    • Family & Kids
    • Fashion
    • Food
    • Travel
    • Health
    • Washington Visitors
    • Books
    • Military History
    • Life
    • Auto
    • TV Listings
    • Movie Listings
    • Death Notices
    • Entertainment
  • Themes
  • Communities
  • Shopping
    • Stores
    • Coupons
    • Daily Double
    • Promotion
    • How It Works
  • Videos
    • Two Guys
    • Birnbaum on Washington
    • Liz Glover
    • Amanda Carpenter
    • Morning Briefing
    • Documentaries
    • Joe Giganti
    • Video Game Minute
  • Podcasts
    • About Headlines
    • Audio and Radio
    • America's Morning News
  • National

    PRUDEN: Obama's due process doctrine

  • National

    U.S. links 8 to Somali terrorist group

  • Business

    Home sales surge 10.1 percent in October

  • Local

    Fenty trails Gray in D.C. poll

  • Politics

    S.C. governor faces 37 ethics violations

  • National

    China holds lawyer who tried to see Obama

  • World

    Israel-Hamas prisoner swap talks advance

Home » Blogs

Monday, June 23, 2008

Now that he's known, Obama positions his image

Rate this story

Average 0.00
after 0 votes
Login or register to rate this story

  • Font Size -+
  • Print
  • Email
  • Comment
  • Tweet this!
  • Share
  • Article
  • Comments ()
  • Click-2-Listen
  • Videos
Please stand by, images loading!
  • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama has attained name recognition, but many voters don't know much about where he stands on the issues. Republicans aim to fill in those blanks before he does.

More Blogs Stories

    By Christina Bellantoni

    Sen. Barack Obama's team once worried that the presidential hopeful was widely unknown, but now he faces a challenge in making sure voters know the right things about the presumptive Democratic nominee.

    One year ago, Mr. Obama's camp cheered polls showing he had gone from 53 percent name recognition to 75 percent. Now that he has defeated one of the best-known Democrats in the country, nearly all U.S. voters recognize Mr. Obama's name.

    The problem is, many don't know much about his background or where he stands on the issues, and Republicans and groups working for his defeat in November are working to define him on their terms.

    Mr. Obama on Friday told reporters he is "still relatively new on the national scene" compared with presumptive Republican nominee Sen. John McCain of Arizona.

    "I've got a lot of work to do everywhere," he said. "John McCain's a fine man and somebody who has been in the public eye for a long time. ... When your name is Barack Obama, you're like Avis; you've got to work, you know, twice as hard."

    That's one reason Mr. Obama has rolled out an 18-state biographical ad campaign portraying him as having fierce love for his country and detailing his legislative record of cutting taxes "for working families" and passing laws "moving people from welfare to work."

    The senator from Illinois often talks about bipartisanship, and notes on his Web site that his first bill signed into law was co-sponsored with Sen. Tom Coburn, Oklahoma Republican, to create a searchable Internet database tracking federal grants and contracts.

    Still, Mr. Obama is "very unknown" while Mr. McCain remains "not all that well known," said pollster Scott Rasmussen.

    "This is the first election in a very long time that what the candidates do between now and November will determine who wins," he said.

    He said the positions of Mr. Obama and Mr. McCain remain relatively undefined for voters, who on Nov. 4 face the first election since 1952 without an incumbent president or sitting vice president on either ticket.

    [Get Copyright Permissions] Click here for reprint permissions!
    Copyright 2009 The Washington Times, LLC

    123Next »

    Post a comment

    There are comments on this article, submit your opinion!

    Please login or register to post a comment

    Ask a Question

    You Report

    Do you have another point of view, photos, audio, video or more information about a story?

    Top Stories

    Most Read

    1. Top Republican lawmakers not invited to State Dinner
    2. Islamic center in Maryland keeps ties to Iran
    3. EDITORIAL EXCLUSIVE: On terrorists, Justice recused
    4. Religious leaders vow civil disobedience on anti-life issues
    5. KELLNER: New Apple mouse really is 'Magic'
    More Top Stories »
    1. Massive bill steals show in health care debate
    2. Report: D.C. schools chief Rhee mishandled sexual misconduct scandal
    3. Company that repaired Chairman Gray's house lacked license
    4. EDITORIAL: Gunning for Sarah Palin
    5. Green energy stimulus growing few jobs

    Most Shared

    1. EDITORIAL: Hiding evidence of global cooling
    2. Ego of 'O': It's all about him
    3. Religious leaders vow civil disobedience on anti-life issues
    4. EDITORIAL: Schumer's change of heart
    5. Green energy stimulus growing few jobs
    More Top Stories »
    1. Top Republican lawmakers not invited to State Dinner
    2. EDITORIAL: Death for being a Christian
    3. Islamic center in Maryland keeps ties to Iran
    4. Unemployment taxes hit small firms hard
    5. The United Socialist States of America

    Most Commented

    1. Work site arrests of illegals fall dramatically
    2. Top Republican lawmakers not invited to State Dinner
    3. Lobbyists spending big to shape health care debate
    4. Islamic center in Maryland keeps ties to Iran
    5. ANALYSIS: Obama takes a bow, but applause is weak
    More Top Stories »
    1. Green energy stimulus growing few jobs
    2. Schumer: Dems will pass health bill alone
    3. EDITORIAL: Schumer's change of heart
    4. Senate Democrats win key vote on health bill
    5. EDITORIAL: Gunning for Sarah Palin

    Listen to Washington Times Radio

    • America's Morning News

      with John McCaslin and Melanie Morgan

    Blogs & Columns

    • Hot Button Blog

      RNC: Breast cancer recommendations may lead to 'rationing'

    • Belief Blog

      Evangelicals OK civil disobedience

    • Out of Context

      Foods that might kill libido

    • On the Fly

      United lifts some 'award' blocking

    • Technology

      Facebook wins round against phishing spammer

    • Redskins 360

      Mason returns

    • SNOBlog

      Beyond 'Woody'

    Videos

    Advertising Links
    TWT Store
    • e-edition
    • Print Edition
    • Weekly Washington Times
    TWT Affiliates
    • Middle East Times
    • Golf
    • UPI
    • Arbor Ballroom
    • Washington Times Global
    • About TWT
    • Press Room
    • F.A.Q.
    • Work for TWT
    • Advertise
    • Sponsors
    • Contact Us
    • Privacy Policy
    • Site Map

    All site contents © Copyright 2009 The Washington Times, LLC.