Targeted committees growing in Obama campaign

Sen. Barack Obama may have been a little slow getting his focus groups going, but they have been coming online at a good clip recently.

Currently, Obama's website shows the following groups have been targeted:

• African Americans
• Americans Abroad
• Environmentalists
• First Americans
• Generation Obama
• Kids
• Latinos
• LGBT
• People of Faith
• Students
• Women
• More coming soon

This list excludes states for which committees have already been formed:

• Iowa
• Nevada
• New Hampshire
• South Carolina
• Illinois
• More States

A total of 23 state-specific committees are up and running.

Committees focused on specific communities and demographics are very important fro any campaign. These groups prefer to work with at least some people from within their group that they consider leaders, activists, etc.

A group-specific committee will know the ropes in how deal most effectively with that community. The Obama campaign worked quickly to open up groups like Students for Obama and Women for Obama. However, some believe that he may have been a little slow in targeting minorities as he does not want to be perceived as a "minority candidate." Hillary Clinton, on the other hand, has not hesitated in portraying herself a hope for women in politics.