Voter Registration Drive

Obama plans major drive to register voters

Sen. Barack Obamas presidential campaign is planning to unveil a massive voter registration drive, one that will reach all 50 states and seeks to boost confidence in him as a potential general election candidate.

A senior campaign official is expected to provide details about the effort in a conference call Friday.

But the candidate himself or his speechwriters apparently slipped up and included a reference to the effort in an address to a union group Thursday in Chicago.

"That's why I'm so proud that today our campaign announced a massive volunteer-led voter registration drive in all 50 states to help ensure every single eligible voter takes part in this election so we can take back Washington for the American people," Obama said at the Hyatt Regency McCormick Place.

I love "the candidate apparently slipped up." Yeah, right, it was an accident, and not an intentional attempt to get this out there.

This is VERY smart. It's not only good for the Democratic Party as a whole, it's smart politics. You want superdelegates to have a favorable view of you? Increasing voter registration in their states is very likely to accomplish that.

And a 50-state strategy is the way to go. This doesn't just help Obama, it helps every Democratic candidate - Congressmen, Senators, Mayors, Governors, State Senators - across the board.

Campaigns are rife with symbolic actions. This is a symbolic action that will actually accomplish something concrete. This signals that it isn't just about him. It signals that Obama is not just going to try to win, he's going to try to make the whole party win.