So...Sarah Palin spoke at the republican national convention last night.
Yeah.
Just provides a huge, resounding confirmation that in choosing to support Barack Obama, I've indeed chosen the right candidate for the job of President of the United States of America.
I've posted pictures. They're not labeled yet, but they're there!
http://www.dizzyspinster.com/campaign/obamahilliardwatchparty.html
Heather
So there's a lot of speculation about whether or not Palin will be able to bring in the women's vote - simply because she's a woman.
Personally - I think Democrats are smarter than that and that few - very few - would consider voting for a woman of another party for the sole reason that she is a woman. We tend to vote on issues, the platform.
Can't speak for all women, of course, but a few of my friends were texting me during the Barack Obama's acceptance speech Thursday night. These are all Democrats who supported Hillary in the primary.
They're pretty friendly, once you take a moment to know them!
In one of my Obama Email groups, it was mentioned that a news article was a good one, but the headline implied that Obama just might be a Muslim. Folks were being encouraged to bury the article via the Digg site. Do what you'd like, but I say take it as an opportunity to start a discussion. Here are my thoughts...
http://www.newsweek.com/id/142465
Obama's big bounce is here. He's up by 15 points over McCain. Yes - the polls will go up and down and up and down between now and November 4th, but it sure is nice when it's up!!
Described as tough, but fair, friendly, strong in his faith and above all, a loving husband and father, Tim Russert died of a heart attack at the NBC Washington news bureau on Friday, June 13th.
His was a great, objective and well-loved journalistic voice, especially in regards to American Politics. Election night will never be the same.
We miss you, Tim. Rest in Peace, my friend.
I just love all the new lingo that has come out as a result of this election. I just saw a new one on Countdown with Keith Olbermann that made me laugh. Obaminee!
They were talking about Obama and playing clips from his speech in NC last night with the label "Obaminee?" at the bottom of the screen.
Hey guys -
Realizing we all have our own fundraising pages...
...would you please help me out? My fundraising page ends in "5 bucks a pop". Now if Hillary Clinton can ask everyone to pitch in $5, maybe I can, too?
http://my.barackobama.com/page/outreach/view/main/fivebucksapop
Seriously - I'd really hate to be the only three donors on my own fundraising page. Help me out? 47 donors would help me reach my goal of $250. Heck - 1 donor would make me feel better!
Thank you very much! YES WE CAN!
OK - so a good friend of mine - now living in NC - asked me to tell him why he and his wife should vote for Barack Obama. I sent him some things I'd already written, but I also wrote this. Yes - It's long. Of course - after I sent it he sent me an Email telling me he wouldn't make me work anymore and that he and his wife were already planning on voting for Obama in tomorrow's primary. Sigh. That's ok - well worth my effort! Anyway - here you go!
Hey Chris - here's the long version! I agree with you - in that they're both strong candidates. In regards to views and voting records, they're pretty much the same which means it all comes down to character in my mind. She's good at policy - very knowledgeable - no doubt about that. I think he's got a good head on his shoulders and is going for president for better reasons. Were she to get the nomination, though, I would vote for her in the fall. I don't want another 4 years of a Republican administration. We need to take over – all around. And then…we truly need to accomplish something otherwise we’ll lose the majority in Congress in 2010. Here's one, admittedly unfair, concern about Hillary Clinton. For the last 20 years, we've had the same two families in the White House. For the good of the country, we need a different bloodline in there. Bush - Clinton - Bush - Clinton...I want someone else in there. I prefer Obama for a variety of reasons and these aren't going to be in any particular order. Foreign Policy, Management ability, Judgment, a Consistent message, Experience, Religion and politics, Gas tax...
Woo hoo! Mom and Dad - two lifelong Republicans... - are voting for Obama on Tuesday. Yea! OK - so Dad's vote is a protest vote against Clinton, but Mom will most likely still vote for Obama in the fall.
Yea! Love a little good news on a Sunday!
I just got back from an awesome weekend campaigning in Richmond, Indiana for Barack Obama’s presidential campaign!
Why Richmond, IN you ask? I have family there so it's easy to head over and stay a couple of days. This weekend was good – I had a great time. It's a city that didn't officially have an office until this past week, either, but there were enough volunteers and enough enthusiasm that a staffer was sent and an office was opened. What's really great is that we had 50 or more people show up at the opening! An invited newspaper reporter from the local paper wasn't among them, but that's ok. Being a small city, that's a really good turnout.
Looking at my pictures afterwards, I found out that one of the supporters there was a new neighbor of my parents who not only made phone calls from her home, but also put up an Obama sign in her yard. Really great considering my parents are Republicans, though I truly think Mom is leaning towards Obama - she reads EVERYTHING I give her. Dad reads a lot, too, but enjoys the conservative life too much! He jokingly asks my brother and me how - after raising us, feeding and clothing us, sending us to good schools, putting braces on our teeth, etc - we could grow up to be Democrats! "Where did I go wrong?" he facetiously asks!
Saturday night, I invited Cyrus Garrett, the Obama staffer, over for dinner. My parents usually fall asleep in front of the TV by 9pm. Cyrus got there around 8 and didn't leave until just after midnight and Mom, Dad and I all stayed up until at least 1am - discussing a very wide range of issues. It was great - we talked about everything and Dad felt very good about talking to someone involved with the campaign who not only listened to his questions but, instead of arguing, also provided answers and enjoyed a friendly and open debate. Their views obviously differed, but isn't the whole point of Barack Obama's campaign to bring us together and discuss everything - agree or not? He's bringing us all to the table (in this case, literally) and uniting us. Love it love it love it! :-)
Mom was sure to let me know that Cyrus is welcome back, anytime - whether or not I'm in town to volunteer! He definitely made a great impression on them.
It's great because Mom & Dad have never forced their views on us in the political world. Dad may joke about having two kids who are Democrats (I'm 38 and my brother is 40), but he and Mom raised us to think for ourselves. They raised us to be open-minded and not to judge a book by its cover. Heck - here we are, an all-white family whose parents were born and raised in small towns in Indiana (Dad - Knox, IN in Starke County and Mom in New Albany, IN - the town founded by her ancestors.) and whose kids were pretty much raised in all-white suburbs in a handful of states as Dad's job moved him around a lot. Mom and Dad grew up as Republicans with conservative ideals, in fact Dad just retired within the last couple of weeks and finances are even more important than ever. So, it was great to have Cyrus over at our house - a big, huge guy (I'm 5'3", mind you, Dad's 5'8"! Mom's in between) - at 6'3", 250lbs, African-American former football player for the Illini - over for dinner to discuss politics. Naturally, I took pictures as it made for a great photo op. (I'm keeping a campaign scrapbook)
The point though that I'm attempting to make is that we're all talking. We come from different backgrounds, different family lives, different cities, different ideologies, but we can all sit down to a friendly dinner to discuss that, which is important to us as Americans. Were Barack Obama not running for president, this would not have happened. I've never worked on a national campaign before. I've never been inspired to take action. It's that inspiration from Barack Obama that got me up and moved me enough to take action by traveling to three states so far - PA, OH (where I live) and IN.
Had I not volunteered for his presidential campaign, I would never have met Sheila, Takeysha and Mandeep - three other volunteers (the ladies - African American, the gentleman - from India) with whom I carpooled to Pittsburgh the weekend after Senator Obama's "We the People" speech on race. Had I not volunteered, I would never have met the gentleman from Afghanistan now living in West Lafayette, IN while registering voters and we would never have been able to discuss what's going on in his home country. What a wonderful man!
Had I not volunteered, I would never have met the four busloads of folks from the DC Metro area - from Howard University, from Maryland, from Virginia and from D.C. proper who took the time to travel to my adopted state of Ohio to help us with our own primary - a BIG motivation for me to travel to other states to help them. From Nestor - from Cameroon, to Araya - from Eritrea, to Matthew - from Switzerland, to folks from Iraq, Ukraine, Seattle, LA, Miami, NYC, NJ, and a few from Ohio, too!
Had I not volunteered, I would have missed out on meeting all of these great people originally from all around the world but now converging together on Ohio and now Indiana and North Carolina because of a shared belief to better their adopted country. I know that as a returned Peace Corps volunteer, we can be a bit more treehugger-ish than most and talk about personal growth, saving the world and all that, but I can truly say that I'm much better as a result of having volunteered for the Obama for America presidential campaign.
Had I not volunteered, I wouldn't have walked around an all African-American neighborhood in Pittsburgh without reservations knocking on doors to unsuspecting folks a bit in wonder as to why this pale white girl was at their doorstep greeting them with a big smile and a "Hi - I'm Heather with the Obama for America campaign!" 15 years ago, I would have been nervous about doing exactly that and probably wouldn't have been able to admit that, either.
Barack Obama has helped to lower that inhibition and open all of our eyes to the possibilities ahead. He has offered us an opportunity for hope and positive change. We see it as volunteers. Supporters who aren't able to volunteer see it. My parents, two Republicans - see it.
Win or lose, and I hope with all my heart that we win, Barack Obama has opened the eyes of Americans from coast to coast. This country is much better as a result of his efforts - and the efforts of all of us who have worked in his name. His inspiration to get us all to take action is the catalyst needed to help us believe again in how great our nation truly is and how great it can be.
Had I not volunteered, I might not have realized that firsthand.
Thanks for running, Senator. Thanks for bringing hope to Richmond, Indiana. Thanks for bringing hope to us all.
Check out the events page for more specifics!
Rally for Richmond!YES! YES! YES WE CAN! Join me for a rally sign party at my house on Wednesday, April 23rd! The Richmond for Obama office in Indiana has asked for help making rally signs and posters, so I thought we'd pitch in and show the folks in my home state a sampling of Buckeye hospitality! Their official office opening is this Friday at 7pm at the Teamsters office in Richmond, IN. It's an informal potluck, so please bring a snack or salad to share (Or a 7-course meal - whatever you feel like throwing together!). I'll provide drinks and tableware.Poster-making supplies will be here as well - just bring your energy, enthusiasm and a little creativity!Stay as long as you'd like. I imagine we'll all want to discuss our good showing in the PA primary while we're working!I live on the west side - almost in Hilliard, off Roberts Rd and I-270. THANKS! See you on Wednesday! HeatherOn a side note: If you happen to have any extra yard signs, buttons, bumper stickers (I know - hot commodities!) or the like, please bring them along and I'll take those to Indiana as well.
Wish List for Richmond, IN Campaign office
YES WE CAN!
Many thanks to all the folks who have helped and are helping PA Get out the Vote! I’m hearing awesome things from the PA groups and am excited about Tuesday’s election there! One of my aunts outside of Philly appreciated receiving a postcard from the Women for Obama’s postcard project! And yes – she’s now supporting Obama in this election. YEA!
Forever planning ahead…
I’ve just spent the weekend in Richmond, IN - which has a primary on May 6th. The office there has its official opening this Friday evening at the Teamsters office at (I think) 7pm. I can send out more specific details later. On Saturday, with only a dozen or so volunteers, we canvassed about 350-400 houses among which were a lot of Obama supporters and potential volunteers! GOBAMA! In all the elections in which I voted in the Hoosier state, the primary election never ever counted for anything. This is a time when not only are people enthusiastic about visits from the candidates, but also about the nation’s hearing their voices on election day!
So in the meantime, since I’m heading out there again next weekend, I have asked them for an office wish list. Here’s what they need / would like. Thanks in advance to Valli for taking care of a few things not listed here.
· Yard signs
· Rally signs – can be preprinted or homemade
· Bumper stickers
· Buttons
· Snacky foods – prepackaged, i.e. something that I can load in my car Thursday evening and let sit in it all day Friday while I’m at work as I’m leaving directly from there to make the official opening. In other words, nothing that will melt or explode in my car! (I’ve cleaned up those messes before. Yuck) But – you’ve canvassed and you know what keeps your energy up, so we’ll be happy with anything you’d like to provide.
· Canvassers are needed this weekend – primarily Saturday (only 1-1/2 - 2 hours from Columbus!) They’re also needed the following two weekends, but I’m sure you’ll be hearing from Jill Porosky for more details on Indiana road trips.
· Campaign literature printed off the website – seven (7) 1-page flyers in particular (Please see bottom of Email for the specifics)
Yes – a lot of these things are in high demand and we’ve already sent many, if not all, to PA, but if you have anything at all, please drop it off at the Columbus Obama for America HQ on 193 Rich Street.
I’ll be picking everything up Thursday evening, so please drop it off before then. I’m happy to fill my Jetta with all sorts of goodies and well wishes from the Buckeyes.
If you have something to donate but can’t make it downtown, call me at 614-657-3654 – leave a text or voice mail. I work in Dublin and live by Hilliard, so I can always meet you on the west side.
I’m originally from Indiana, so let me thank you all very much for helping out my home state!
Heather Brown
Cell: 614-657-3654
rpcvbg@alumni.indiana.edu
RPCV Heather in CMH on my.barackobama.com
www.dizzyspinster.com
Campaign literature requested: http://www.barackobama.com/downloads/
All are 1-page flyers that can be found at www.barackobama.com => Media => Downloads => Flyers and Documents => Issue Flyers
We’ve been asked to print out one of each to make a packet. We'll take as many packet copies as you can. These are the most widely asked about issues in Richmond, IN so they’d like their canvassers and other volunteers to be prepared to hand them out when asked about Obama’s views. THANK YOU! J
Here's a poll result from Polltracker
Nearly two-thirds of all voters believe Barack Obama will win the Democratic nomination and about one-third say Hillary Clinton should drop out, according to a Rasmussen Reports poll conducted April 9-10. The 62 percent that predict an Obama victory is up from 54 percent last month, and the number of those who think Clinton should give it up rose 10 points. Eight-five percent of Democrats nevertheless say they believe that it is at least somewhat likely the nomination battle will be unresolved by the time of the convention. Forty-eight percent of Democrats think Obama would be the stronger candidate against John McCain, while 38 percent name Clinton.
I think this is a good story
In the days and weeks ahead, the Barack Obama campaign is going to pose a simple question to the undecided voters and undeclared superdelegates who will decide the Democratic nomination for president: If Hillary Clinton can’t run a good primary campaign, how is she ever going to run a good campaign against the Republicans?
And while she says she is ready from Day One to be president, she is at something like Day 430 into being a presidential candidate and her campaign seems to be going from bad to worse to train wreck.
Mark Penn, who just got booted as her chief strategist, is only the latest problem in a campaign that has been heavy on drama and light on results.
“None of these folks have ever run anything, other than Hillary running a health care task force,” David Axelrod, Obama’s chief strategist, told me Monday. “But these campaigns are big, complicated, pressure-filled enterprises, and it is an important proving ground.”
The Obama campaign is going to tell voters it is proving itself every day. It says it had a calm and deliberate strategy that it has executed well: Win Iowa (I will write more about this in my next column) and then aggregate delegates.
“Mark [Penn] said, ‘This is about delegates,’” Axelrod said. “But to get them, you have to compete for them in caucuses and primaries. We had an army of eager and willing volunteers in every state, and we were able to rally and marshal them.”
Penn is a master of identifying subsets within the electorate. He wrote a book called “Microtrends” and talked about such things as “Archery Moms” and “Impressionable Elites” and “Caffeine Crazies.”
But Obama has openly derided the “slicing and dicing” of the electorate and has concentrated on one major theme: change. He promises to change the way Washington works.
Clinton has a theme, too: experience. She knows how Washington works. But there is a built-in downside to that.
“In a year when people are rightly jaundiced about the ways of Washington, a strategy that has at its core that you are the ultimate Washington insider seemed ill-conceived to me,” Axelrod said.
Three months ago, I wrote there was a risk in Clinton’s having Penn as both her pollster and top strategist. “There is a natural tendency for someone who holds both positions to say the strategy can’t be wrong because the polling can’t be wrong,” I wrote. “And sometimes you need a strategist who is willing to say, ‘I don’t care what the damn polling says, we need to try something different.’”
Penn was not that person. And the Clinton campaign never really tried anything different. Clinton did show a little human emotion in New Hampshire, a state she narrowly won, but then she went back to being an issues machine.
And then there was her vote for the war in Iraq. I don’t care what Penn’s polling showed; Clinton’s refusal to say that her vote was a mistake and apologize for it has seriously hurt her with activist Democrats, those who vote in primaries and especially those who turn out in caucuses.
Woo hoo!
It's a good day in Obamaland, my friends. It's a good day!
Lee Hamilton - former Congressman from IN
The Illinois senator peeled off an affiliate of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, which has endorsed Clinton. The Philadelphia-based local of the National Union of Hospital and Health Care Employees has about 16,000 members.
Its president, Henry Nicholas, announced the endorsement while introducing Obama at a meeting of the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO.
Nicholas, who also is president of the 150,000-member national union and an AFSCME international vice president, said he took the step "because justice told me it was the right position to take."
Meanwhile, Wyoming Gov. Dave Freudenthal and former Montana Sen. John Melcher endorsed Obama. As superdelegates to the national convention, they are among the Democratic Party leaders who will decide the nomination because, although Obama leads Clinton in delegates, neither candidate can win solely with pledged delegates they've won through primaries and caucuses. Obama handily won Wyoming's March 8 caucus; Montana holds a Democratic primary June 3.
Julianna Goldman Tue Apr 1, 7:21 PM ET
April 1 (Bloomberg) -- Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama has won the endorsement of one of his party's top foreign policy figures, Lee Hamilton, who hails from Indiana, home to one of the next crucial primary votes.
Hamilton, a former U.S. House member who co-chaired the commission that investigated the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and headed the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, said he was impressed by Obama's approach to national security and foreign policy.
``I read his national security and foreign policy speeches, and he comes across to me as pragmatic, visionary and tough,'' Hamilton said in an interview. ``He impresses me as a person who wants to use all the tools of presidential power.''
Hamilton also sided with Obama on two foreign policy stances that have been criticized by Senator Hillary Clinton of New York, Obama's rival for the Democratic nomination, and Senator John McCain of Arizona, the presumptive Republican nominee. Both have dismissed the Illinois senator, saying he doesn't have enough experience to deal with critical foreign policy matters.
``He wavers from seeming to believe that mediation and meetings without preconditions can solve some of the world's most intractable problems, to advocating rash, unilateral military action without cooperation from our allies in the most sensitive region of the world,'' Clinton said Feb. 25 in Washington.
Hamilton said he agreed with Obama's position on meeting with U.S. adversaries such as the leaders of Iran without conditions. Also, Obama's consideration of unilateral military action against terrorist hideouts in Pakistan, is already U.S. policy, Hamilton said.
Indiana Primary
The endorsement from Hamilton, who was on the short-list of former president Bill Clinton's 1992 vice presidential picks, may give a boost to Obama in Indiana, where polls show a tight race ahead of the May 6 primary.
Hamilton, who was also a co-chair of President George W. Bush's Iraq Study Group, served for 35 years in Congress, retiring in 1999. He is the president and director of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars and serves on Bush's Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board and his Homeland Security Advisory Council.
To contact the reporter on this story: Julianna Goldman in Washington at jgoldman6@bloomberg.net http://news.yahoo.com/s/bloomberg/20080401/pl_bloomberg/ag9nxsjqzila
