The organizers of a grass-roots campaign to convince U.S. Sen. Barack Obama to run for president are hoping that the Punahou graduate is watching TV on Christmas morning.
The volunteer group Draft-Obama.org has purchased air time on Honolulu’s ABC, CBS and NBC affiliates on Monday morning to run a 60-second spot highlighting Obama’s leadership potential and the growing support of his possible candidacy.
Organizers say they are hoping Obama (D-IL) sees the ads while he is here on vacation and spending time with family for the holidays.
Although he has not announced his candidacy, Obama, 45, has acknowledged he is considering a run for the Democratic nomination in 2008.
“We’re hoping that he sees the public groundswell and realizes that we’ve got his back, and if he jumps into this we’re going to work as hard as we possibly can to make sure he’s the next president,” Web site founder Ben Stanfield said by telephone from his home in Rockville, Md.
Obama has no public appearances scheduled during his holiday time in Hawaii.