Barack Obama Opens Memphis, Tennessee, Office

Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama opened a new office this week in Memphis. Tennessee is a highly Republican state, and Obama's move to base an operation there has the looks of a campaign trying to accomplish the near unthinkable: a black man and Democrat winning a statewide election for president. While Memphis is heavily Democratic and black, Obama's move has been lauded by local Democrats who were beginning to wonder if Obama had accepted defeat in Tennessee.

Historically, Tennessee has been a Republican state. Outside of the last twenty years, Republicans have dominated statewide elections. Even more, individuals running for statewide races that hailed from Memphis have been almost universally defeated. While Barack Obama is from Chicago the base of his statewide support begins and ends in the city limits of Memphis, TN. And if he is able to garner enough independent voters his chances of winning the Democratic nomination and the presidential election grow immeasurably.

Less than two years ago, Obama watched as his friend and fellow congressman, Harold Ford, Jr. lost in his bid for the open senate seat in Tennessee. Obama openly campaigned for Ford during the election season, appearing in Memphis before local pastors and speaking about race and the future of the country as well as his faith. Obama is a faithful, longtime member of Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago which is pastured by Dr. Jeremiah Wright, an outspoken, pro-active black community activist.

Prior to opening the office, which is located in the Eastgate Shopping Center, Obama's presence in Memphis had been almost nonexistent. As someone continuing to try to reach a diverse mix of the American populous, Obama's move to open the office in a section of the city that is sandwiched in a section of the city that is culturally mixed was a smart move. The shopping center rests centrally located about a mile away from the University of Memphis near the Poplar Corridor which is a fast-growing, business-dominated section of Memphis where Democratic influence is strong.

With his platform for change, Obama's popularity in Memphis appears to be growing. The question is can he carry that momentum from Memphis up I-40 to Nashville and then across the state to Republican bastions like Chattanooga and Knoxville. While Nashville is a rich metroplex like Memphis, Chattanooga and Knoxville are as Republican a stronghold as one will see anywhere. Political analysts must wonder if Obama's move is a measured attempt to snatch as many independent voters in Memphis and Nashville with the hope that combined with Democrats the two will overwhelm what Hilary Clinton will get as well as in the national election.

With Obama's move to launch the location in Memphis, which opened Thursday, Jan. 17, with state representative Lois DeBerry chairing the event and a number of local political and business people in attendance, Memphians at least know that Barack Obama is taking the race seriously in Tennessee before Super Tuesday which is less than three weeks away. Chairman of the Shelby County Democratic Party, Pastor Keith Norman also attended the event which looks to be the launch pad for Obama's campaign in the Volunteer State.