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New Day (Indianapolis, IN)

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I would like to start this blog when political expects can discuss issues like foreign issues, Health Care, Education, Energy. Therefore what i would like to do here is if any of us have questions, an expect in the Obama champaing should try to answer us here. That will only reinforce our believe. thank you and keep up the good work.

How to respond to detractor

By New Day - Dec 6th, 2007 at 9:58 am EST

Sometimes it's not easy to keep a cool head in the middle of a passionate political discussion - and even less so during a campaign when your candidate and his family become the targets of rhetorical propaganda. Well, a couple of us compiled some basic guidelines to help us communicate Senator Obama's message better and respond more effectively to both creditable challenges and unfounded attacks. Todd Smyth provided the first part of the guidelines:

Always ask questions like: "What issues are most important to you?"
Listen and learn from the people you talk to. Listening builds trust, respect and empathy. If you listen to others, they are more likely to listen to you.
Pay attention and do not interrupt.
Pause before you respond and think about what they said.
Try to summarize what they have said in a few words and emphasize those points that you have in common. Nice segues include: "I see that we agree that..." / "Yes, you mentioned some of the things that I really care about, too..."
Disagree with the argument, not the person. Possible segue: "The difference here is..."
Be respectful, not angry or condescending.
Respond with brief answers (limiting the length of your answers forces you to focus on what is most relevant and important at that time).
Be polite and receptive and do not be afraid to be humble, or to concede.
If they raise their voice or get agitated, lower your voice and stay calm. Reassure them that you hear what they are saying.
When you speak, speak with calm, conviction and confidence. Show no doubt or hesitation.

I added the following details:

Talk consistently about Senator Obama's strengths and remain silent on the weaknesses of opponents (any energy you spend casting the other candidates in shadow is energy you could otherwise spend shining more light on Senator Obama).
Answer every question directly and truthfully.
When you don't know the answer, simply say "I don't know, but perhaps we can find out..." - great segue to the BarackObama.com website and other media about Senator Obama if you are near a computer with an internet connection.
At the end of your exchange, thank the other party for telling you their views (now you know more about what they care about) and ask them to consider the fact that Senator Obama is the kind of leader who can effectively bring about the changes they care about.

So, for example, when someone brings up experience in any form, it's important to get a clear idea of what they mean by 'experience'. Ask them directly. You now have a great opportunity to talk about Senator Obama's work as:

a dedicated law maker who brought new ethics reform legislation to a state senate that had balked for twenty five years and brought new laws to ensure the civil liberties for citizens (videotaping interrogations);
a Civil Rights lawyer in Chicago and as a Professor of Constitutional Law at University of Chicago Law School;
a young man mobilized ordinary people to bring about change on issues they most cared about;
a community organizer who ran wide voter registration drives to empower more people in the democratic process.
In addition to all this, he brings new, much needed energy to the national political arena. He understands conventions yet is nimble enough to think outside the box for innovative and effective solutions to the challenges the country faces.

Above all, he is a trustworthy leader whose good judgement we have seen throughout his pubic life:

He is the person who could get difficult things done - like Universal Health Care - because he is an effective consensus builder.
He was elected President of the Harvard Law Review in one of the most hotly contested years in a politically volatile moment at Harvard Law School.
He listens to everybody: his direct constituents as well as those who represent others. He approaches every discussion with the assumption that the other legislators care as much about their positions as he does his. Just as they did at Harvard, they listen to him in the Senate because they know that he is listening to them and is attentive to what they care about.
He is calm, thoughtful and decisive. When he speaks, he has already asked the tough questions and thought about the problem deeply to gain a thorough understanding of complex issues. He can therefore speak responsibly and with authority and does not contradict himself.
This is how, in 2002, he opposed the Iraq after examining the situation and seeing that the case had not been made. He was therefore able to predict - almost to a tee - just how the situation would play out. (Watch the video of his interview in 2002)
He has lived abroad and intuitively understands how cultures throughout the world are different from one another, yet see clearly that human beings intrinsically share more in common.

Ultimately, Senator Obama is the best and most reliable source for where he stands, what he believes and what he has done. Get to know his legislative record and his speeches in particular. Quote these speeches, recommend them to others and encourage everyone to listen to him for themselves. In the end, try to always steer the discussion or the argument in the direction of the issues and make sure that the context of any given quotation is always front and center.

The press has worked hard to create the illusion of conflict and strife among the candidates, yet many of these 'dust-ups' are really just rhetorical. There is really no reason we should be starting or getting into fights over the campaign.

I hope some of these tips are useful to you.

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Going to War wiht Iran

By New Day - Oct 26th, 2007 at 1:37 pm EDT

I would to know that if we going to war with Iran, whar are the political implication for us as nation. are we goingt to allies? are going to have fire power? or the draft will reinstate? what are the implication for the other countris in the region? Note that I would in this blog that we ask questions to expect the BO campaing. thanks

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