As fate would have it, just as I was about to cancel our plans to go to DC for the inauguration, I learned on Monday that I will have a pair of tickets to the swearing-in!
Please let me know if any of you will be in DC too. We will be staying in a hotel in DC for Monday and Tuesday night, and would love to finally meet anyone else who will be in town, for drinks or dancing, or whatever!
Please post a comment here or send me an O-Mail, if you are making this one last O-road trip!
No that we have won, what will YOU do to help change the world?
I have contacted one of my parish priests, Fr. Avitus Kiguta, this week and told him that I wanted to get involved in his project to build and expand Sacred Heart Secondary School in his home village in Tanzania.
If we each re-directed our newly-acquired organizational skills and energy, there is no doubt this Obama community could change the world.
While we take this week to continue to savor our hard-fought victory, take a few minutes to reflect on what you can do. Then get moving.
Yes, we can.
As many of you know, this summer I was trained as a Volunteer Organizer. My current “job” is to call and recruit volunteers from Chicago’s North Shore suburbs to make canvassing trips in the Milwaukee area. I am in charge of organizing trips every other weekend, but there are groups from just about every town in Northern Illinois who make trips every weekend into southern Wisconsin. Last weekend alone, we had over 200 residents of Northern Illinois travel into southern Wisconsin to knock on doors and get out the vote. I was just one of them.
The night before our trip, I baked 3 dozen monster chocolate chip cookies and lugged up a case of bottled water from the basement to pass out to my volunteers. I made sure I got to bed early because I was told by a friend who had canvassed in Oak Creek the Sunday before that the houses were fairly far apart, and that I should expect to do plenty of walking.
The morning of the trip I got up extra early to first organize the day for my own family. My 5-year-old son had a soccer game at 10 a.m., and it was his turn to bring the snack and beverage. I cut up the banana bread I made the day before, and found the juice boxes buried in the back of the fridge. Check. Grace had a soccer game on a new field at 1:30, so I had to find the playfield on GoogleMaps and e-mail it to Dad. Check. I located the kids’ soccer socks, shoes and uniforms that always seem to go missing sometime between Friday night and Saturday morning. Check. I thanked my husband profusely for managing a soccer Saturday on his own. Check. Now I was ready to go!
I left the house at 8 a.m., and drove to the Northbrook Court Mall, our designated meeting spot. It was our best turn-out yet! There were at least a dozen cars in the parking lot when I arrived. (And another dozen would continue to arrive for the next 15 minutes.) We took attendance, passed out cookies and water bottles, and made sure everyone had a ride. We had 65-year-old recent retirees, college students, soccer moms and dads, lawyers, and teachers – all fired up and ready to make a difference. Many had never canvassed in their lives. One man, Bob, a recent retiree, said he did not think he would be very good at canvassing, but that this election was so important, he thought he needed to try. (Bob sent me a note yesterday saying he traveled all the way to Green Bay to see Barack in person and that he wanted me to put him on my list for the next trip to Wisconsin!)
Within 20 minutes, we were off to drive the 60 miles straight up I-94 to Wisconsin!
After a minor traffic snag just 12 miles outside of Oak Creek, we arrived at our “host” Obama office. It was actually the grand opening for the office, and the energy was wild! There were so many volunteers arriving from Illinois that we had to park in the auxiliary parking lot. (I overheard at one point there were at least 125 Illinois volunteers knocking on doors in Oak Creek that day.)
We went inside the building (which is being borrowed or rented from the UAW), and were greeted by half a dozen local volunteers who were assigning and passing out our canvassing packets. We then went upstairs for our training, in groups of 15-20. There were probably five or six training sessions being conducted in different rooms at the same time, and they just filled room after room as new people arrived.
In our room we learned about the community of Oak Creek, which has suffered in this economy like lots of other middle class towns. We learned about the issues that are most important to the people in the area. And we were told about how the campaign generates the lists of doors to knock on. We had plenty of time to ask questions about the task at hand, and our presenter, Tyler, directly answered all of them. In our room, many had canvassed before, but at least a third had not. By the end of the training session, everyone was equally ready to go!
http://s278.photobucket.com/albums/kk98/CWDonnelly/action=view¤t=DSC00208.jpg&track=tag_email_clickthrough
Before we left the training room, I paired up with a threesome from two other Illinois towns (Deerfield and Glenview, both near me in Winnetka). The two from Deerfield (Susie and John) were a mother-son duo. She had recently been let go from her job of 12 years, and wanted to do what she could to help the campaign because she now (fortunately or unfortunately) had the time. Her son is a junior at the University of Illinois, home for the weekend. The other woman (Judy) was a friend of theirs and had been to Wisconsin to canvass just the weekend before. (It is addictive!)
We canvassed for a few hours, splitting our list of addresses in two, so that we could canvass in pairs. By 1:30, everyone was more than ready for lunch. Man, it was a hot day, especially for Wisconsin in September. We ate at the Culver’s in Oak Creek. Butter burgers and soft serve. Mmmmmmm. Mmmmmmmm. ☺
After a bathroom break and some BandAids for some sore sandaled feet, we were off for round two! We canvassed until almost 5:00 and knocked on over 60 doors. Some people were not home, but those we spoke with were very receptive to talking about Barack and the election. Even those supporting Senator McCain were rather gracious in their “thanks, but no thanks.”
When we finished our list, we headed back to the Obama office and filled in our tally sheets, noting how many doors we knocked and how many supporters and potential volunteers we found. By then, there was a band playing outside as part of the grand opening festivities, and some free snacks and cold beverages. (Did I mention it was HOT?!)
I was back on the road by 5:00, and even made it home with enough time to shower and change, sit and chat with my kids over their dinner of mac & cheese, and head out for a dinner in downtown Chicago with my husband, and his college roommate, John, who was celebrating a big “milestone” birthday. As it turned out, John’s wife Kathy, who had never canvassed before, had decided to hook up with the Oak Park, IL Democrats that day and traveled to Kalamazoo, MI to canvass there! She said they had 500 people from Illinois in Kalamazoo that day alone!
Between us, Kathy and I have 2 part-time jobs and 5 children under the age of 10, and yet we were able to dedicate a day to volunteering for the campaign. If we can do it, anyone can.
Click the “Events” button to the right of your screen, pick a date, put it in your calendar, and just do it. We need every boot on the ground. The stakes are just too great to sit this one out.
Please read and heed:
The Democrats need to be careful about the intensity of their criticism of Sarah Palin.
"Instead of being insulted, a good portion of the Republican female base amazingly identify with Palin."
She may look like an easy target, an appalling lightweight who will send serious voters scurrying to the more substantive Obama-Biden ticket. And the temptation to get on her case probably became greater with Ms. Palin’s disclosure Monday that her 17-year-old daughter is pregnant.
But the Democrats should not push this stuff too far. Ms. Palin is a lot more appealing personally than the often testy guy at the top of her ticket. And the inescapable reality is that there are millions of voters who identify with her, and may be quick to resent attacks that they perceive as bullying or overkill.
Here’s the deal: Palin is the latest G.O.P. distraction. She’s meant to shift attention away from the real issue of this campaign — the awful state of the nation after eight years of Republican rule. The Republicans are brilliant at distractions. Willie Horton was a distraction. The chatter about gays, guns and God has been a long-running distraction. And we all remember the Swift-boat campaign.
If you want a real issue, forget all of the above and revisit Monday’s front page of The New York Times. Hundreds of families are being forced out of their homes each month in Louisville, Ky., because of mortgage foreclosures. With record numbers of poor and homeless students, the public schools are struggling.
The crisis has only been made worse by fiscal difficulties facing the schools. Higher energy and other costs, combined with a $43 million cut in state aid, have left the school system in a sorry state.
The reason this should be high on the presidential campaign agendas is that the problems in Louisville are widespread. As Sam Dillon of The Times reported: “As 50 million children return to classes across the nation, crippling increases in the price of fuel and food, coupled with the economic downturn, have left schools from California to Florida to Maine cutting costs.”
Even as these districts are cutting back, wrote Mr. Dillon, “the number of poor and homeless children is rising.”
That is the kind of substantive issue the Democrats should be focused on: how to educate America’s children and improve the quality of their lives; how to bring health care to those going without; how to put America back to work.
To their credit, Senators Obama and Biden seem unwilling to jump aboard the bash-Ms.-Palin bandwagon. Both have been exceedingly mild in their comments about the Alaska governor.
Last week’s Democratic convention dramatically illustrated the most effective approach available to the party. The convention built in intensity night by night with featured speakers who focused powerfully on substantive matters.
Bill Clinton may be wildly unpredictable, but last Wednesday he was magnificent, laying out the challenges that will face the next administration.
Listen:
“Our nation is in trouble on two fronts. The American dream is under siege at home, and America’s leadership in the world has been weakened. Middle-class and low-income Americans are hurting — with incomes declining; job losses, poverty and inequality rising; mortgage foreclosures and credit card debt increasing; health care coverage disappearing; and a very big spike in the cost of food, utilities and gasoline.
“And our position in the world has been weakened by too much unilateralism and too little cooperation, by a perilous dependence on imported oil, by a refusal to lead on global warming, by a growing indebtedness and a dependence on foreign lenders, by a severely burdened military, by a backsliding on global nonproliferation and arms control agreements, and by a failure to consistently use the power of diplomacy, from the Middle East to Africa to Latin America to Central and Eastern Europe.”
Respectful criticism of Sarah Palin is fine. But the great issues of this campaign loom like giant redwoods over the pathetic weeds of politics as usual and the myriad distractions that have turned one presidential election after another into a national embarrassment.
Seventy-two years ago, in his renomination acceptance speech at the Democratic convention in Philadelphia (before more than 100,000 people gathered in Franklin Field), Franklin D. Roosevelt rose above the boiler-plate rhetoric of political speeches and spoke of his generation’s “rendezvous with destiny.”
He warned of the perils to the nation of economic inequality. “Liberty,” he said, “requires opportunity to make a living, a living decent according to the standard of the time, a living which gives man not only enough to live by, but something to live for.”
Roosevelt’s words echo across the decades because they resonate with the very meaning of America, a meaning that is so much deeper than what our politics have become. “We are fighting,” he told his audience, “to save a great and precious form of government, for ourselves and for the world.”
I just sent the following fundraising letter to everyone in my address book. And what better time to do it than today, the day after the most significant and compelling political speech of my lifetime. Let's make sure this campaign has the "gas" to speed across the finish line!
Hi all!
As Americans, we dream of a President who is honest, personable, intelligent, and wise. We want a leader with courage and integrity who has known the struggles of an everyday American. A lot of people have stopped believing that may even be possible. I haven't stopped believing. I support Barack Obama because he is that leader. I have never worked on a political campaign in my life, and yet I feel compelled to work for the Obama campaign because the stakes this year could not be greater.
During the primary season, I made over 5,000 calls to voters all over the country to talk about the issues at stake in this election. I traveled to other states to register voters and to get out the vote. And now I have two "official" volunteer positions with the campaign: Volunteer Organizer and Grassroots Blogger. As a Volunteer Organizer, I am in charge of finding and organizing volunteers from Northern Illinois to make trips to Wisconsin to knock on doors and get out the vote in that critical swing state. As a Grassroots Blogger, I write for the Illinois page of the official Obama website, www.My.BarackObama.com. But there is still so much more work to do, and we need everyone's help to make sure John McCain does not get the chance to carry out George Bush's "third term." Join me in supporting Barack and his amazing running mate, Joe Biden, by making a donation to the campaign via my personal fundraising page: http://my.barackobama.com/page/outreach/view/main/ChristineofWinnetkaIL As a member of the Grassroots Financing Committee, I have personally pledged to raise $10,000 by October 24th, and thanks to the generosity of about 150 people averaging donations of $30 each, I am almost half-way to my goal! Now, I have never been one to ask others for money, but this election is just too darn important not to reach outside my personal comfort zone. And to be clear, I receive none of the money donated through my personal fundraising page -- it all goes directly to the campaign. (Believe me, TV and radio time does not come cheap, so every dollar we raise is critical!)
This campaign for the presidency is unparalleled in history. Our need for an honest, fresh-thinking leader could not be more urgent. Americans are hungry for change and Barack Obama will bring that change when he is elected. Please take a minute to check out my page and make a donation of any size: http://my.barackobama.com/page/outreach/view/main/ChristineofWinnetkaIL
And, if you cannot donate at this time, but would also like to get more involved in our campaign as a volunteer, or if you would just like some more information about Barack's positions on the issues, please send me a note. We would love to have your talents and energy working for us, because as a country united, there is nothing we can't accomplish.
Hopefully yours, Christine
P.S. - If you did not catch Barack's speech last night at the Democratic National Convention, you can read the transcript here: http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/samgrahamfelsen/gG5l5C
As some of you know, several members of my extended family live in PA and NJ. Most of them voted for Hillary in the primaries. BUT they are all getting behind Barack now. Here is a note I got from one of my cousins about the Joe Biden announcement this morning:
Aileen
This afternoon I got a note from HQ saying that my on-line My.BO calls are now showing on my Activity Tracker, and lo and behold they are. I am told that they are inputting all of our calling numbers, although I am not sure if they are done yet. And, at least in my case, all of my calls have not changed my "ranking," but maybe that is another thing about the Tracker that is not quite up and running as well.
No word yet on the other inherent problems with the new Tracker, such as the privacy issues, etc., but I suspect the Tracker will be here for the duration. *sigh*
Will keep you all posted.
I did get a brief response from HQ to some of our issues with the new Activity Tracker last night.
Essentially, the Activity Tracker is not up and running yet as planned. And that as many of you have noticed, there are huge gaps in the data now being shown on the Tracker (e.g. - number of calls made), which HQ is working diligently to correct.
According to HQ: "We're working to get everything sorted and I hope to be able to update everyone before long." I was also assured that HQ never intended for those of us long-time bloggers to be rated so low. (But hey, we're number 1, right?!) LOL
In the meantime, I was assured: "I just ask everyone to keep in mind the real reason why we're here and why we're working so hard, and know that history, if not MyBO, will record your efforts."
Hang in there everyone. I'll let you know if I hear anything else.
Hey all, I am compiling people's thoughts about the new Activity Tracker. Please comment on the new system here, and I will forward it to Chris Hughs and Chris Hass.
Let's get this "distraction" behind us and start working for some change we can believe in.
This morning I participated in a Platform Meeting at the home of a friend in my hometown. My head is swimming, we discussed so many important issues -- not a single distraction, just policy. I strongly encourage everyone to find a meeting near you and participate. What a tremendous opportunity to express our views and concerns to the campaign and Democratic party, this is.
To host or attend a Platform Meeting near you, click here: http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/listening/
Our meeting took just over an hour (but could have gone on much longer if some of us did not have to pick up our children from their various summer camps and activities, and we may have a "meeting part II" if we can). Our particular group (which actually meets every Wednesday, rain or shine, so to speak) consists of women in their 30's through 70's. Some are former supporters of Senator Clinton, some are long-time Democratic activists, and others (like me) are brand-spankin' new to this. All told, we had a dozen people attend this morning's Platform Meeting.
We all sat in a circle (sorry no pics -- the attendees were very camera shy) and each of us took turns talking about which issue was most important to us, and then after each individual was done speaking, other members of the group would ask questions and make comments until we reached a consensus on the issue.
These were the issues we discussed, in no particular order:
1. The widening gap between the very top income brackets and the majority of Americans/middle class since 1980. The consensus was to create an overall tax policy that helps to protect the middle class by revising the lopsided and inequitable tax policies of the past couple of decades.
2. Energy Independence – For the past 8 years we have had an “oil hungry” administration that has deepened our dependence on foreign oil, and as a result has made us "hostage" to unfriendly countries in the Middle East, and a debtor to many more countries. There is a definite intertwining of the war, the economy and energy independence (all roads lead to Big Oil), and all of the problems must be addressed simultaneously.
3. The Bush Administration has shown a marked arrogance and lack of respect for people (here and throughout the world) and the planet/environment. We as Democrats, should, in all things, respect and safeguard all peoples and our planet/the environment.
4. Our International reputation has greatly diminished during the past 8 years and this issue needs to be addressed urgently, with intelligence and wisdom.
5. We need to strengthen diplomacy and "modernize" the State Department.
6. Sharing "American" values and "Human" values: Privacy, "real" family values, sustainability/“husbanding the earth”, character-ethics-integrity, parental responsibility as shared values.
7. UNIVERSAL Healthcare based on CHOICE, not socialized medicine. Sub-topics: 1) There is a serious lack of healthcare facilities outside of metropolitan areas 2) We need to distinguish that McCain is no change for healthcare, and 3) healthcare is a huge women’s issue.
8. We Democrats must provide a sharp contrast to the current Republican Administration by showing an unwavering respect for the constitution, the rule of law, habeas corpus, and the separation of church and state (as required by the Constitution). We must immediately close Guantanamo and adhere to the Geneva Convention.
9. Education: We must profoundly revise NCLB -- No more unfunded mandates, meaningless tests. We need to focus on improving performance in a way that is not test-based (several recent studies show this is not only possible, but necessary). We also need to drastically improve the availability and quality of early childhood education.
Overall, I found the meeting also tremendously helpful in getting my own thoughts about why I support Barack in order -- it will be much easier and I will be able to more concisely express my views as to why Barack should be President to undecided voters having had this opportunity to brainstorm and distill the issues with so many other incredibly bright supporters.
Get out there and sign up for a Platform meeting TODAY! Be the change.
I just signed up for everything, and encourage you all to do the same...
Dear Christine,
The next phase of our Campaign for Change is up and running, and we're already building the movement that will help carry Barack Obama to victory in November. But we need your help. The general election is fast approaching, and our neighboring state, Wisconsin, is going to be an important battleground. That's why we're asking you to join us in Wisconsin to help build Barack's movement for change. Sign up here to volunteer just over the border in Wisconsin and make a difference in a crucial state: http://il.barackobama.com/ILtoWI John Kerry won Wisconsin in 2004 by only 10,000 votes, and it's shaping up to be another very close general election. We simply cannot afford to lose Wisconsin's 10 electoral votes. Face-to-face contact is the most effective way to spread Barack's message. And every single vote could make a difference. Illinois supporters have had great success traveling to our neighboring states during the primaries. Please help grow this grassroots movement for change by persuading you family, friends, neighbors, and co-workers to join you on one of our "Highways for Hope" canvassing trips to Wisconsin: http://il.barackobama.com/ILtoWI We can't do this without you. Thank you, Sean Sean SchindlObama for America P.S. -- If you are interested in becoming a volunteer organizer for your area, we will provide training on how to recruit and organize your very own Highways for Hope trips: http://il.barackobama.com/ILbordervolunteer
Dear Senator Durbin:
As a lawyer, mother, and resident of Illinois, I am asking you to vote "NO" on H.R. 6304, the FISA Amendments Act. I am particularly upset with the provisions allowing retroactive immunity to the telecom companies. Those who have violated the Constitution and our civil liberties should not be allowed to go unpunished.
Sincerely,
Christine D., Winnetka, IL
Here is Barack's latest statement on the House FISA compromise. I'm not sure how I feel about it yet. What do you all think?
Statement of Senator Barack Obama on FISA Compromise
“Given the grave threats that we face, our national security agencies must have the capability to gather intelligence and track down terrorists before they strike, while respecting the rule of law and the privacy and civil liberties of the American people. There is also little doubt that the Bush Administration, with the cooperation of major telecommunications companies, has abused that authority and undermined the Constitution by intercepting the communications of innocent Americans without their knowledge or the required court orders.
“That is why last year I opposed the so-called Protect America Act, which expanded the surveillance powers of the government without sufficient independent oversight to protect the privacy and civil liberties of innocent Americans. I have also opposed the granting of retroactive immunity to those who were allegedly complicit in acts of illegal spying in the past.
“After months of negotiation, the House today passed a compromise that, while far from perfect, is a marked improvement over last year’s Protect America Act.
“Under this compromise legislation, an important tool in the fight against terrorism will continue, but the President’s illegal program of warrantless surveillance will be over. It restores FISA and existing criminal wiretap statutes as the exclusive means to conduct surveillance – making it clear that the President cannot circumvent the law and disregard the civil liberties of the American people. It also firmly re-establishes basic judicial oversight over all domestic surveillance in the future. It does, however, grant retroactive immunity, and I will work in the Senate to remove this provision so that we can seek full accountability for past offenses. But this compromise guarantees a thorough review by the Inspectors General of our national security agencies to determine what took place in the past, and ensures that there will be accountability going forward. By demanding oversight and accountability, a grassroots movement of Americans has helped yield a bill that is far better than the Protect America Act.
“It is not all that I would want. But given the legitimate threats we face, providing effective intelligence collection tools with appropriate safeguards is too important to delay. So I support the compromise, but do so with a firm pledge that as President, I will carefully monitor the program, review the report by the Inspectors General, and work with the Congress to take any additional steps I deem necessary to protect the lives – and the liberty – of the American people.”
http://thepage.time.com/obama-statement-on-fisa-compromise/
And for those of you who really want to get into the nitty-gritty, here's the text of the bill:
http://majorityleader.house.gov/docUploads/FISAINTRO_001_xml.pdf
Happy reading.
If you are fretting over the FISA issue, here are three great sources to calm your nerves...
Obama Statement on FISA 2/12/08:
http://obama.senate.gov/press/080212-obama_statement_122/
The NYT Opinionator view on the vote:
http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/06/19/the-great-compromise/?ref=opinion
Andrew Sullivan -- his personal conversation with Barack regarding FISA:
http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2008/06/what-obama-brin.html#more
"Obama proved to be an even more prodigious fundraiser, tapping the Internet as no candidate ever had to raise millions more than his rival, and also grabbed hold of a powerful movement of grass-roots supporters and volunteers who helped fuel his candidacy and provided a built-in base of organization across the country" The Washington Post, June 4, 2008.
In short -- we are the ones we've been waiting for... And we have arrived!!!!!
I wanted to thank everyone who has worked tirelessly over the past 17 months (at least) to make this improbable journey a reality. My eyes start welling-up with tears every time I think about the magnitude of what we have accomplished, and I think over the next few days we should all take a few deep breaths and savor this sweet, sweet victory.
I am profoundly proud and amazed and inspired by my Obama Family in so many ways.
There is still so very much work to do, but today we can finally say the glass is officially "half-full." So get some rest, and then "fill 'er up," cause there is a long road ahead. I am honored to be sharing this journey with all of you.
And so, with that I say to John McCain and the GOP -- Bring it on.
Here's a fun one for the day:
Let's pretend -- It's YOUR birthday today, and if you could have any three wishes granted, what would they be?
