Just got an ask letter from Barack Obama today, with a glossy insert of some of his "greatest hits." Iowa in November 2007, the New Hampshire speech that inspired "Yes We Can," the Super Tuesday speech. The most recent was the Race speech from Philadephia in March, just before spring arrived (at least nominally, it doesn't show up until May in Chicago).
I happened to be home that morning waiting for the cable installer, and he got us back up just before that speech came on. I stayed home instead of rushing back to work, and I'm glad I did.
Where's the guy in the letter? Where's the Barack Obama we fought so hard to get here?
Subject says it all. I've contributed $834 or so dollars so far this campain, largely on the back of that preset contribution. Of course, I was contributing to the guy who taught the Constitution and would protect the Constitution and the rule of law. Someone let me know if that guy ever shows back up.
Good luck making $50 mil in july.
Interesting article on the Nation about the source and tenacity of right-wing smear emails: http://www.thenation.com/doc/20071112/hayes/single
The incredible thing is that they do not die. These things get forwarded and forwarded around, even though both the sender and recipient have probably heard on the TeeVee that they are provably untrue.
Bush benefitted greatly from these in 2000 and 2004, of course. We all saw the lies about Kerry, and you may have noticed that some of them were recycled from the 2000 campaign against Gore with the names change to defile the innocent. But did you ever get the positive ones? I got a couple. Apparently he healed a serviceman in Walter Reed with his salute, and got off his campaign bus to fix a young mother's flat tire out in Texas.
SO. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to make up stories about how Barack Obama has touched your life, or better yet, the life of an imaginary someone in your town. Here are some ideas to get you started:
Thoughts?
This is a comment that I've been posting on the occasional right-wing blog when someone bloviates and nitpicks Sen. Obama's magnificent speech yesterday. ----------------------------------------It seems to me that your quibbling and nitpicking at Sen. Obama's address is motivated by his color; not black or white, but blue, instead of red. Some Republican partisans can't bring themselves to admit that the best candidate to be our next president could be riding a donkey.
You are in a dwindling minority, friends. There are thousands of us now that are sick of the Republican Party's corruption and philosphical backsliding (hello trillion-dollar deficits, endemic corruption and the largest new entitlement since Medicare -- under a Republican watch?!?). We're backing Sen. Obama's campaign now, because he's a leader that we might not always agree with, but we trust he'll hear our side in good faith.
This is a man with two children, who flies back and forth from Washington to Chicago every week; who didn't uproot his young family to Washington. Yet he has never missed a dance recital or PTA meeting. Now you say he is supposed to take a meeting with his pastor every time he disagrees with the sermon? Please. Sen. Obama's political priorities might not match mine, but his personal ones are the same, and I applaud that. His time in Chicago is precious, and his family deserves all of it.
Sen. Obama didn't say that his grandmother and his pastor are equivalent. He pointed out that all of us at sometime have reacted to or even participated in the poisonous racial undercurrent in our society. To disown Rev. Wright would be falling back on the safe, gutless politics of the last generation. I applaud the fact that Sen. Obama didn't throw his pastor under the bus. It shows loyalty to and respect for the man who brought him to salvation in Jesus Christ. He owes the man his everlasting soul; unless your Christianity is just a posture, you must respect that. It is further proof that he's doing things differently; even under extreme duress, he's not just another politician.
But all is not lost. When you're tired of your partisan tantrums, you're welcome to join us at the table. We're going to be talking about how to control the cost of healthcare. As any entrepeneur can tell you, it's crushing the American economy. If you can refrain from the name-calling, you'll have a place. Otherwise, you're just relegating yourself to the childrens' table, where you can play with your red and blue fingerpaints. When it comes to picking leaders, some of us are colorblind.
Sincerely,Michael Blackburn
http://www.swamppolitics.com/news/politics/blog/2008/03/focus_group_clintons_3_am_ad_d.html
Watch all the way to the end (I know, it's hard) and watch the opinions fall off a cliff when Hillary comes onscreen!
Political malpractice indeed.
I read this on anothoer blog and it makes sense. The "Empty suit" argument was used against Dubya in the primaries in 2000. When it came to the general election, Dubya "won" debates because he often spoke in complete sentences.
If they want to set Obama up as "fluffy," the people tuning in for the general election will be blown away. He is able to "drill down" at ten times the power of McCain. It's all about expectations, and having opponents set them low is fine with me. It makes THEM look bad when he not only clears the bar but does a backflip over it while making an omlet and reciting all 50 state capitals.
I love how when John Kerry was the nominee, HE was the "most liberal" senator. And wasn't Al Gore the "most liberal" when he was running? Now that Barack Obama is the threat, suddenly HE's the "Most liberal senator." Anyone ELSE see a pattern here? Are we really supposed to believe that Obama was more liberal than Russ Feingold? How about Bernie Sanders, socialist from Vermont?
The Republicans try the EXACT same okey-doke every year, and I think the American public is smart enough to take a reasoned look at this. Check out mostliberalsenator.blogspot.com:http://mostliberalsenator.blogspot.com/
They have an analysis of the John Kerry attack from four years ago I'll summarize over the break. Let's just say John & John went to number one faster than a boy band in the 90's.
I've reposted below the reply I wrote to Millie from Florida, who was upset about the image from a Houston Fox station of Che Guevera in a volunteer office. She is very clear in describing why this is a problem, making me aware of the insensitivity of honoring that man. Here's the original post:http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/millie/C4fY
Here's my reply:
You're absolutely right. To be honest, I was ignorant of this aspect of Cuban history and culture. That ignorance is widespread in America due to the embargo; it's gone on longer than many of us have been alive. It's certainly not taught in public school US History. Without free movement to Cuba, there is no way many American youth could have known this.
Here's the hope: as English-only white male, I do not associate with many Spanish-speaking people, much less Cubans. But Barack's message is one of Unity, and it's brought the two of us together. By following his example of listening, I understand now why this image is so powerful. There's no way I could have known that without you.
Please, accept my apologies on behalf of every WASP kid who's been denied an opportunity to learn about the proud and beautiful Cuban culture and history. I know it's hurt your work for this campaign, but I believe it is not fatally wounded.
I understand your anger. But I have to call you to be responsible as well. I reject your argument that it is the volunteer's responsibility to "educate herself" about the issues of Cuban Americans before opening an office. How could she ever learn everything there is to know about every cultural subsegment of American society? How many Cubans has she had meaningful interactions with in her life?
This the core of the argument for unity, including a shared language and cultural integration into the US, a topic many immigrants resist. It's ultimately unfair to maintain a separate society, enforced with language, and yet be insulted when someone outside your culture makes a stupid mistake.
I can't speak for your family, but I know that every person can ultimately only control their own behavior. Your choice now is to retreat, insulted, away from this campaign, or engage, commit, and ultimately educate America.
You've taken the first step. Your message has reached me. I pledge to fight the "pop" usage of this image anywhere I see it in my everyday life. I get it now, and I didn't before. I think that should give you hope that this campaign really can change America. Barack challenges us to speak up, because he knows speaking honestly can heal.
I'm a volunteer, and don't speak for the campaign. I believe this campaign stands for the values honesty, empathy, and personal responsibility.
I've seen a couple people interested in getting out to Hillary Clinton events to support Barack. Think of it this way: if you're wearing a Barack t-shirt at a HRC rally, rightly or wrongly, you will be seen as a "representative of the campaign." As such, you owe it to all of us to put our best foot forward.
I think the key is to remember that some of Hillary's support is diehard. If you get into a confrontation, you're NEVER going to convince that diehard hillary supporter to change her mind. However, by your calm and pleasant example, you MIGHT convince a passerby/observer that Obama's message of a new politics is real and possible.
Here are some ideas of non-intrusive ways to be an effective ambassador of the campaign.Help people find parking.Help "li'l ol' ladies" get into the event.Smile a lot, especially in the face of someone being rude to you. Pick up trash.Follow the rules. If it's private property and you're asked to leave, LEAVE. Yes, they can do that.Most of all, have fun! You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.
Two words of recent history: New Hampshire.
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/2/11/91158/5807/161/454432
Senator Clinton, who has served only one full term (6yrs.), and another year campaigning, has managed to author and pass into law, (20) twenty pieces of legislation in her first six years. These bills can be found on the website of the Library of Congress (www.thomas.loc.gov), but to save you trouble, I'll post them here for you:
Apparantly Hillary's campaign has yet to pay their cleaning bills for November, December and January. This is SHAMEFUL. Especially from a candidate whose entire case for the presidency is her competence!
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/23115569#23114259
It is EXTREMELY unlikely that the superdelegates will "throw" the election to a candidate who has not won the majority of support. Sen. Clinton is winning in Superdelegates only because she started racking them up at the very beginning of the race.
When it comes right down to it, 90% of the superdelegates will have their own name downballot of the Presidential candidate. Their choice will then to run alongside a candidate who is bringing in new voters by the truckload, and one who consolidates and motivates voters from an otherwise dispirited opposition.
Given the clear calculus of the Obama candidacy, I am absolutely confident that he will win a significant share of the supers, even a significant chunk of those who were once pledged to Sen. Clinton.
That said, slack not. make calls, knock on doors, and donate. There's only about 10 weeks to go before Pennsylvania.
I am confounded by the state of mind some people have about this competition:
On the one hand, they claim to be "cynical realists" who want specifics about "what the candidate will do for me." So, wait. You're jaded by politicians, so you want politicians who give you the same old campaign promises?
On the one hand they say "Without Washington experience, you can't get anything done." Then they say "Obama's not in the legislature, how can he make all this change he's promising?" So, wait. Either the Executive office can direct the government or it can't. You can't call it both ways.
On the one hand they say "I want a candidate who's going to fight for the little guy." Then they support the candidate who spent years on Wal-Mart's board without a peep against anti-union practices.
At best, providing a laundry list of plans and details is a transactional system. You give me your vote, here are the things I will do for you. Never mind that the President has an up-or-down vote on legislation as it comes in and has no say in the legislative process. At worst, this is same-old, same-old politics.
Obama does provide some specifics about the initiatives he wants to pass, but his campaign's emphasis is on empowering people to participate in the process, to engage in the system in a way not seen in decades. If he's short on specifics, I say fine. No politician, Obama included, can deliver on their promises anyway. Let's elect someone whose judgement is clear and whose moral compass has a true north.
It's a matter of perception. Are we hiring the next president, or are we selecting our leadership? Do we want someone to run it for us, or do we want someone to open it up for us to run it ourselves?
If you're in the first camp, you're buying shares in HillCorp. In the second, investing in America.
Me, I'm an investor.
If you read the Cafferty file I posted about before:
http://caffertyfile.blogs.cnn.com/2008/02/07/does-gop-have-an-edge-over-democrats
You'll notice that there are maybe four times as many comments saying this is no benefit to the Republicans. But out of some warped conception of "fairness" they will put up four quotes, two saying it does and two saying it doesn't. That must be what Fox meeans by "Fair and Balanced!"
Of course. And it's at least half true. They're taking the positions of a small sliver of the country and presenting them in a "balanced" way against the position of the majority of Americans.
And yes, I know Cafferty is a CNN bloviator. It just hit me as I was posting this how utterly rudderless our conception of media "fairness" is: give half the time to a position held by a vanishing minority and presenting it as if it is the opinion of half the country.
Does GOP have an edge over the Democrats?
http://caffertyfile.blogs.cnn.com/2008/02/07/does-gop-have-an-edge-over-democrats/
Here are my "awaiting moderation" comments:Absolutely not. Especially with McCain as the nominee, because his Bush Redux positions are not getting any fresher. Moreover, I had no idea, but it appears he's the Hillary Clinton of the Republican party.
In the meantime Barack Obama gets a chance to go state by state across the country. He's already proven that when voters see him, they vote for him. So yes, by all means, let's hit all fifty on the way to the nomination. What's more, he's bringing in money hand over fist, so he can be building and battle-testing his grassroots organization in each of fifty states. By the time he's the nominee (cue the shrillbots) he will have a formidible lead in mindshare. There is absolutely no way McCain can compete with the Obama juggernaught if he has to go to the wire to get the nomination.
I honestly think Hillary sees this, and is staying to help Barack win. See guys, she isn't all bad!
Michael
I've been pondering an Obama Corps movement. I live in Chicago, and there are frequently workers showing up at the HQ when we have no phones, and ask them to make phone calls on their own dime (and lots of folks do). Do not take this as saying you aren't needed at HQ. The address is 300 W. Adams, 10th floor. Lots of calls to be made.
But I've thought about reaching out to the community organizers in Chicago (and maybe now the rest of the February states) to compile some other tasks that need to be done, and siphoning off some of the Obama enthusiasm to actually make peoples' lives better NOW.
I mean, when you get right down to it, the majority of work on a campaign is calling and talking to other voters. We're getting to a point of saturation with that. People in the smaller targeted Super-tuesday states were getting a couple of calls a night. We certainly don't want to piss anybody off.
What I figure is that we take Obama's suggestion of "helping little old ladies across the street (whether they like it or not)" and put some of these kids to work directly in the neighborhood. You're going to get free media from it, and it will be positive. And what's going to move the vote of a senior citizen, getting a phone call from a 20-year old starry eyed kid, or seeing that starry eyed kid in an Obama tee-shirt picking up trash?
I'm thinking the latter. I'm submitting this idea to the Obama campaign by going to the Issues section under Service. Do you have ideas? Post them here, then submit them!
T-minus four hours to Super Bowl kickoff. The great news of endorsements and polls CANNOT distract us from the work to be done. I believe this is how we lost New Hampshire. We must do all we can!!!!
Take a minute, go to the Action Center, and do ONE round of phone calls for the campaign, at least. We must talk to as many people as possible. There is a huge swell of support for Barack, and talking to people will further energize you.
I'm going to a watch the game, so no calls after kickoff. I'd guess for many Americans (especially in the NY/NE area), calls will not be welcomed during the game. Take this time to write an email to your addressbook, or call a friend you know won't be watching the game.
