[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Bill Cavala
A veteran of over 30 years in Sacramento

While I have many close friends who support Clinton and who support Obama, I have not been involved with either campaign. As a professional Democrat, I’ve watched the contest between the two of them evolve – often unexpectedly – for months.

I now believe Obama will win our nomination. His lead among delegates was built by his activist-based victories in states that allocate delegates by caucus. You win such states by having the money to compete on the ground (which has been internet based for Obama) and by generating excitement among the faithful. For all her strong points, Clinton has been unable to generate activist excitement. And because her fundraising was centered around contributors to her husband (‘investors’) she was able to raise a lot of money but not a lot when compared to Obama.

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Pamela Coukos
Volunteer, CD-9 Team
Obama For America/California

Disclaimer: I am a volunteer for Obama for America in California, but I am speaking for myself and based on my personal experience as a volunteer, not for the campaign in any way. You can read my other posts about the campaign here.

More than two months after the California primary, Obama campaign volunteers are still organized and working around the state. Having built a cadre of trained grassroots organizers to contend for votes on February 5, the campaign isn’t letting this resource go to waste. Here in the Bay Area we have been busy running volunteer-based phonebanks to call other states, including Texas, Pennsylvania, Indiana and Oregon. Right now we are sending teams of volunteers to help out on the ground in Oregon.

[courtesy of The California Majority Report]

OK, I’m a big Obama supporter, and have worked whole-hog on his campaign over the past 6 months.

I’m for him because of his opportunity to take the Country, Presidency, and tone of politics in a fundamentally different direction.

Further, I’m upbeat on our Ohio/Texas/Pennsylvania prospects based on our recent momentum, cutting into the Clinton support base and posting huge victories.

However, upon reading today that Sen. Clinton congratulated Sen. Obama on his recent victories, but said, "Tell him to meet me in Texas -- we're ready," I began to think more about her "Operation: Texas Firewall" and her comparisons with the California vote, specifically the Latino vote.

After doing a little research with "the Google", I found that Texas, with 228 Delegates at stake, poses several questions into the firewall hope.

• There is reason to think that the Texas Latino vote may not align like the California Latino vote, but may look like the Latino vote from Arizona and New Mexico, or even the Virginia Latino vote, where Sen. Obama actually outpaced Sen. Clinton among this key voting bloc.

There's more...