Campaign christens state HQ for Obama (9-11-08)

[Omaha Steve]

■ Dems get a rare opportunity to party at a headquarters for the standard bearer.

By Maggie O’Brien and Andrew J. Nelson
WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITERS

Hundreds of supporters of Barack Obama on Wednesday celebrated the opening of something that Democratic activists said hasn’t been seen in a generation in Nebraska: a paid and staffed state campaign headquarters for their party’s presidential candidate.

The office at 343 N. 76th St. reflects the Democrats’ hope that they can peel away at least one of the state’s five electoral votes from Republicans.

Omaha Mayor Mike Fahey and John Berge, Nebraska state director for Obama, spoke to the crowd from the bed of a pickup truck outside the office near Cass St.

“I’ve never seen this kind of excitement about a presidential candidate since John F. Kennedy,” the mayor said. “This is going to be a close race.”

By contrast, the Republicans — with their long history of sweeping the state — had no plans to use paid John McCain staffers in Nebraska. Instead, they will continue to rely on the GOP’s volunteer base.

Fifteen paid Obama staffers will work in Nebraska. The McCain camp counts one paid staffer, based in Colorado, whose territory includes Nebraska.

“Our efforts are aimed at doing politics the Nebraska way, which is with volunteers,” said Hal Daub, former Omaha mayor and McCain’s Nebraska campaign chairman.

Democrats hope to win the electoral vote for the 2nd Congressional District — mostly Omaha and some of its nearest suburbs. Obama campaign organizers said more than 900 supporters gathered at the new campaign office Wednesday evening.

Obama’s new campaign headquarters is typical of office buildings: Brown carpet, a couple of offices and desks here and there. What made the new office stand out Wednesday were the supporters who came to check it out. They were black, white, old and young. Women holding babies and wearing “Obama Mama” T-shirts stood next to hard-core punk types covered with tattoos and body piercings.

There was even a Republican.

“I’ve seen the Republicans funnel so much money to the rich, and it’s time for a change,” said Dean D. Vancaster of Omaha, who has been a Republican since he registered to vote in 1980 but who said he plans to vote for Obama in November.
Vancaster even held a large “Nebraska Campaign for Change” Obama sign and waved at passing motorists alongside a few anti-abortion protesters.

While Democrats hollered for Obama in central Omaha, about 150 Republican candidates, officeholders, volunteers and donors rallied for McCain at the GOP’s west Omaha headquarters.

Many of the Republicans said they took the possibility of Obama’s snagging the 2nd District’s electoral vote seriously, though they remained confident they could hold on.

“It’s going to be competitive,” Gov. Dave Heineman said. “We’re not taking it for granted.”
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