Well, we see it happening.  He is going to battle for California, and they are ready.  For real...

SAN BERNARDINO - Riding a wave of financial and political support, Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama announced Monday the opening of a downtown campaign office.

A grand-opening reception designed to embrace supporters in the Inland Empire and recruit volunteers is scheduled for 6 tonight. The public is invited.

The Illinois senator, who recently announced he raised about $32 million from April through June to spend on his campaign for his party's nomination, wants to reach beyond Los Angeles to the people of the Inland Empire, organizers said.

"When you stand back and look at San Bernardino, it has grown in the last 10 years," said Emmett Cash III, Obama's state campaign chairman. "It's no longer a stepchild of Los Angeles. It is on its own."

Is there a chance Obama could visit the Inland Empire someday?

"Oh yes," Cash said.

In October, the campaign plans to conduct a statewide training for campaign personnel at the San Bernardino office, he said.

Among those scheduled to attend today's reception is Sarah Hwang, Obama's campaign chairwoman for San Bernardino County.

Another leading Democratic candidate, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York, opened an office in Los Angeles on

July 4 with a reception that attracted about 500 people, Clinton campaign organizers said. Plans are under way to open satellite offices in the region, including in the Inland Empire, in the future.

Republican presidential candidates also have been increasing their focus on Southern California in advance of the state's February primary. Rudy Giuliani's campaign planned to announce today that it will open an office in Glendale this summer. Obama's campaign coming to Inland Empire.

http://www.redlandsdailyfacts.com/news/c i_6395887

Invitations have been sent out for what promises to be a must-attend event for much of California's Democratic elite, particularly those in the entertainment industry: a Sept. 8 fundraiser for Barack Obama at Oprah Winfrey's home in the Santa Barbara area.

In the best tradition of Hollywood, the e-mail touting the afternoon gathering doesn't mince words, promoting it as no less than "the most exciting Barack Obama event of the year anywhere ..." And the invite urges haste in responding, saying: "Please get back to us soon before it sells out."

Getting in the door costs $2,300 --- the maximum individual contribution for the primary season. But, as is usually the case at such high-profile shindigs, there are incentives to gain a little extra face-time with the candidate.

Those who can tap friends and relatives for contributions to Obama's presidential campaign that total at least $25,000 gain entree to a VIP reception; those responsible for at least $50,000 in donations make the cut for a VIP dinner.

The workers at the Santa Barbara airport best rest up before the fundraiser; we're guessing the tarmac there is going to be packed with private jets.

As The Times' Tina Daunt wrote in early June, Hillary Clinton --- bolstered by Steven Spielberg's decision to endorse her presidential candidacy --- appeared to have beat back an early challenge from Obama for supremacy among the Hollywood crowd. But the Oprah event signals that the Obama camp is not going to cede ground without a fight, which Daunt will report on in Wednesday's print edition.

Oprah endorsed Obama, who she got to know through their mutual home bases in Chicago, back in the spring --- the first time she had ever officially embraced a White House contender. At the time, she told CNN's Larry King, "I haven't done it in the past because ... I didn't know anybody well enough to be able to say, `I believe in this person.' "

While folks on the West Coast set about arranging their schedules for the Oprah affair, on the East Coast the Obama campaign today receives the endorsement of Adrian Fenty, the young (36), recently elected mayor of the District of Columbia.

Link

Oprah Winfrey has never endorsed a presidential candidate.  This is her first foray into the political hub-bub, and it is rumored to be a huge event.  Invites have been sent out the for September 8th event, at her Santa Barbara, California home.

General Scott Gration, an Air Force fighter pilot who flew more combat missions than any other American while commanding the operations overseeing both the northern and southern no-fly zones in Iraq, will be leading several Iraq war veterans in a statewide Obama for Commander in Chief Tour.

General Gration will be meeting with Iowans at 13 stops across the state. He sees courage, strength and wisdom in Senator Obama that he thinks make Barack the best person to be the next Commander In Chief.

Link of Sites

Here is this weeks roundup.  As you all know this is a long diary and I have had problems loading here.  So, it is posted on DKos, and enjoy....

And recommend it, here and there... :)

              Only Tom Tancredo Showed Up

Colorado Rep. Tom Tancredo was the lone GOP candidate, and said he accepted the invitation because his message is for all Americans. A vociferous foe of illegal immigration, Tancredo said the wages of black workers suffer because of illegal workers.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070712/ap_o n_el_pr/democrats_naacp_forum_7

And the audience did give him a standing ovation for "showing up".

I have not stated much on the Vitter mess, because it is hypocrisy at its highest.  But when Govenor Blanco of Louisiana "weighed in" about she hope his indiscretions will not "hurt" Louisiana getting its federal assistance, I was like "why is she putting a dog in this fight?"  Especially, her.

In more bad news for McCain, a co-chair of his Florida campaign -- state Rep. Bob Allen -- was arrested Wednesday after offering to perform oral sex for $20 on an undercover male police officer, authorities said. Allen, 48, was seen coming in and out of a restroom three times at a park in Titusville, Fla., said police Lt. Todd Hutchinson. He then approached an undercover officer and was arrested.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070712/ap_o n_el_pr/mccain_campaign;ylt=Aod_iSIZ5S 2QEsLfLqbThfMWM0F

All I can say to the holier than thou Republican crowd, "you reap what you sow"

Responding to Bush's Progress report on Iraq

Does this White House think that we don't know how to turn on our televisions?  Don't tell us we're making progress in Iraq when the last three months have been some of the deadliest since this war began for our brave troops who have sacrificed so much.  And don't tell us it's progress when the Iraqi leadership has done nothing - nothing - to take the political steps necessary to end their civil war.  This war has only fueled the terrorist threat whose strength is now at pre-9/11 levels.  It should never have been authorized, never have been waged, and it must end now.

http://my.barackobama.com/page/community /post_group/ObamaHQ/Cv48