Organizing for America | Cliff Sharples Blog

Heart breaking... My Condolences to Senator Obama and Family

By Cliff Sharples - Nov 3rd, 2008 at 4:51 pm EST

Also listed in: 10 groups

I just heard the news that Senator Obama's grandmother has passed away... All of our best thoughts and good wishes go out to the Obama Family. With just hours to go before Election Day, this is particularly hard for a man that has lost all of the people that have raised him.

The sacrafice that Senator Obama has made for all of us is beyond comprehension... Thank you for everything and we all will make you proud tomorrow.

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My Own Closing Arguments

By Cliff Sharples - Nov 3rd, 2008 at 2:59 am EST

Also listed in: 8 groups

After volunteering, writing, learning, participating, caucusing, speaking and experiencing the Race for the White House for almost 14 months now, I feel like I owe it to myself to make my own closing argument for why I have voted for Senator Barack Obama and ask that you join me. You may have your own set of reasons, whether they be pro-Obama or pro-McCain. These are a few of mine, not necessarily all-inclusive, but reasons that have stuck with me as we reach this historic week.

If you are also an Obama supporter, please take the time to send out your own closing argument to your family, friends, business associates and neighbors. Encourage them to do the same and ask for your network’s vote for Obama-Biden on November 4th. Election Day is upon us, and the stakes for our nation and our future could not be higher.

If you are a McCain supporter, I respect your decision and seek no further debate. The important thing is that we all participate in the process, take careful measure of the facts, discard the slanders and negativity, and vote for the kind of leader we want in these challenging times.

OK, so here are my closing arguments, being as brief as possible!

Barack Obama has the leadership qualities I look for in business and politics. Empathy, vision, courage, conviction, decisiveness. He is a listener, he balances opposing views, he seeks common ground, he understands that everyone’s perspectives are valid. He is steady, assured, articulate, energizing, compassionate, consistent. He is analytical, incredibly intelligent, a student of history, has a vast appreciation and understanding of our country’s constitution. He is diverse, global, and the most human of any of the Presidential candidates that I have seen in a long time.
As an entrepreneur, I have an appreciation for change and innovation, which I think is needed more than ever. America has been a beacon of light for the past 2 centuries. We have had good times and bad. We have had periods where maintaining the status quo was prudent. And we have had times when we needed a fresh, new approach. I believe we are sitting at a critical moment where America very badly needs a fresh approach. I can’t say that Barack Obama will fix all of our problems, but he represents the only candidate who has challenged many of the status quo policies and philosophies that have been increasingly decaying our country. It is time to take a chance on a new kind of leader with a new set of life experiences, from a new generation.
I want to reverse the downward spiral of America’s standing in the world. I’ve been fortunate to have the opportunity to visit many nations and experience several cultures around the world. I believe that we are part of a worldwide community of nations that must continue to work together to make peace, heal our planet, and fight for the rights of all individuals. Our reputation around the world has plummeted in the past 8 years under Bush-Cheney, coinciding with our waning ability to provide leadership and action on these critical areas. We have been behaving more like bullies than a beacon of hope and light. The world, however, knows how amazing the American People can be, which is why the entire planet is holding its breadth to see how resilient and self-governed we Americans can be. A President Obama will not solve world peace, world hunger or global warming all on his own. But just the mere act of electing for the first time a person of color, with a rich global upbringing and an inclusive world view that appreciates all perspectives will give a new hope around the world that America can reverse course from the treacherous path we have been lead down by the Republican Party and the Bush-Cheney Administration. Obama’s Presidency begins to create a climate where we can have a fresh start with our community of nations and make progress on the important collaboration we so desperately need.
I want my children to be inspired to participate and love this country as I do. I look at John McCain and I see the past. I am so ready for new leadership in Washington who will reject old-style politics, understand how we Americans live our day to day life and have a fresh perspective on the enormous problems we face in our economy, in our foreign policy and in our domestic agenda. I’ve seen Senator Obama speak in person a couple of times, and I have studied endless speeches, talks and writings he has done throughout his career. There is a genuineness in intent, an inspiration in his message and an understanding of our daily lives that I have not seen from any other political figure. I’m not a mindless believer. I am not typically prone to to “drink the Kool-Aid.” But this man has activated and inspired me in a way I have not previously been before. And in 14 months of working on and off on his behalf, that feeling has only grown. I care so much because I have kids who I want to have a passion for their government and their participation in the governing of their lives. I think there is an opportunity in Barack Obama to inspire my children's’ generation and prepare them for the enormous challenges and opportunities that await them in the future.
We can not pass up the opportunity Barack Obama represents. I would not have ever predicted 2 years ago that I would feel that America has an opportunity to once again reinvent itself to become even better and stronger than ever. But here we are, on the eve of making the most important national decision in my lifetime, and I feel optimistic and hopeful. And it’s not Obama the President that will solve all our problems and take us forward as a people. It’s going to be us. With President Obama, we will be more energized, passionate and motivated to take personal responsibility and action. We will be able to make faster progress at turning the page on racial divides. We will find a voice and a place to engage on issues we care about. We will be excited to embrace the next set of huge challenges affecting our lives.

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My Own Closing Arguments

By Cliff Sharples - Nov 3rd, 2008 at 2:58 am EST

Also listed in: 10 groups

After volunteering, writing, learning, participating, caucusing, speaking and experiencing the Race for the White House for almost 14 months now, I feel like I owe it to myself to make my own closing argument for why I have voted for Senator Barack Obama and ask that you join me. You may have your own set of reasons, whether they be pro-Obama or pro-McCain. These are a few of mine, not necessarily all-inclusive, but reasons that have stuck with me as we reach this historic week.

If you are also an Obama supporter, please take the time to send out your own closing argument to your family, friends, business associates and neighbors. Encourage them to do the same and ask for your network’s vote for Obama-Biden on November 4th. Election Day is upon us, and the stakes for our nation and our future could not be higher.

If you are a McCain supporter, I respect your decision and seek no further debate. The important thing is that we all participate in the process, take careful measure of the facts, discard the slanders and negativity, and vote for the kind of leader we want in these challenging times.

OK, so here are my closing arguments, being as brief as possible!

Barack Obama has the leadership qualities I look for in business and politics. Empathy, vision, courage, conviction, decisiveness. He is a listener, he balances opposing views, he seeks common ground, he understands that everyone’s perspectives are valid. He is steady, assured, articulate, energizing, compassionate, consistent. He is analytical, incredibly intelligent, a student of history, has a vast appreciation and understanding of our country’s constitution. He is diverse, global, and the most human of any of the Presidential candidates that I have seen in a long time.
As an entrepreneur, I have an appreciation for change and innovation, which I think is needed more than ever. America has been a beacon of light for the past 2 centuries. We have had good times and bad. We have had periods where maintaining the status quo was prudent. And we have had times when we needed a fresh, new approach. I believe we are sitting at a critical moment where America very badly needs a fresh approach. I can’t say that Barack Obama will fix all of our problems, but he represents the only candidate who has challenged many of the status quo policies and philosophies that have been increasingly decaying our country. It is time to take a chance on a new kind of leader with a new set of life experiences, from a new generation.
I want to reverse the downward spiral of America’s standing in the world. I’ve been fortunate to have the opportunity to visit many nations and experience several cultures around the world. I believe that we are part of a worldwide community of nations that must continue to work together to make peace, heal our planet, and fight for the rights of all individuals. Our reputation around the world has plummeted in the past 8 years under Bush-Cheney, coinciding with our waning ability to provide leadership and action on these critical areas. We have been behaving more like bullies than a beacon of hope and light. The world, however, knows how amazing the American People can be, which is why the entire planet is holding its breadth to see how resilient and self-governed we Americans can be. A President Obama will not solve world peace, world hunger or global warming all on his own. But just the mere act of electing for the first time a person of color, with a rich global upbringing and an inclusive world view that appreciates all perspectives will give a new hope around the world that America can reverse course from the treacherous path we have been lead down by the Republican Party and the Bush-Cheney Administration. Obama’s Presidency begins to create a climate where we can have a fresh start with our community of nations and make progress on the important collaboration we so desperately need.
I want my children to be inspired to participate and love this country as I do. I look at John McCain and I see the past. I am so ready for new leadership in Washington who will reject old-style politics, understand how we Americans live our day to day life and have a fresh perspective on the enormous problems we face in our economy, in our foreign policy and in our domestic agenda. I’ve seen Senator Obama speak in person a couple of times, and I have studied endless speeches, talks and writings he has done throughout his career. There is a genuineness in intent, an inspiration in his message and an understanding of our daily lives that I have not seen from any other political figure. I’m not a mindless believer. I am not typically prone to to “drink the Kool-Aid.” But this man has activated and inspired me in a way I have not previously been before. And in 14 months of working on and off on his behalf, that feeling has only grown. I care so much because I have kids who I want to have a passion for their government and their participation in the governing of their lives. I think there is an opportunity in Barack Obama to inspire my children's’ generation and prepare them for the enormous challenges and opportunities that await them in the future.
We can not pass up the opportunity Barack Obama represents. I would not have ever predicted 2 years ago that I would feel that America has an opportunity to once again reinvent itself to become even better and stronger than ever. But here we are, on the eve of making the most important national decision in my lifetime, and I feel optimistic and hopeful. And it’s not Obama the President that will solve all our problems and take us forward as a people. It’s going to be us. With President Obama, we will be more energized, passionate and motivated to take personal responsibility and action. We will be able to make faster progress at turning the page on racial divides. We will find a voice and a place to engage on issues we care about. We will be excited to embrace the next set of huge challenges affecting our lives.

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My Own Closing Arguments

By Cliff Sharples - Nov 3rd, 2008 at 2:56 am EST

Also listed in: 10 groups

After volunteering, writing, learning, participating, caucusing, speaking and experiencing the Race for the White House for almost 14 months now, I feel like I owe it to myself to make my own closing argument for why I have voted for Senator Barack Obama and ask that you join me. You may have your own set of reasons, whether they be pro-Obama or pro-McCain. These are a few of mine, not necessarily all-inclusive, but reasons that have stuck with me as we reach this historic week.

If you are also an Obama supporter, please take the time to send out your own closing argument to your family, friends, business associates and neighbors. Encourage them to do the same and ask for your network’s vote for Obama-Biden on November 4th. Election Day is upon us, and the stakes for our nation and our future could not be higher.

If you are a McCain supporter, I respect your decision and seek no further debate. The important thing is that we all participate in the process, take careful measure of the facts, discard the slanders and negativity, and vote for the kind of leader we want in these challenging times.

OK, so here are my closing arguments, being as brief as possible!

Barack Obama has the leadership qualities I look for in business and politics. Empathy, vision, courage, conviction, decisiveness. He is a listener, he balances opposing views, he seeks common ground, he understands that everyone’s perspectives are valid. He is steady, assured, articulate, energizing, compassionate, consistent. He is analytical, incredibly intelligent, a student of history, has a vast appreciation and understanding of our country’s constitution. He is diverse, global, and the most human of any of the Presidential candidates that I have seen in a long time.
As an entrepreneur, I have an appreciation for change and innovation, which I think is needed more than ever. America has been a beacon of light for the past 2 centuries. We have had good times and bad. We have had periods where maintaining the status quo was prudent. And we have had times when we needed a fresh, new approach. I believe we are sitting at a critical moment where America very badly needs a fresh approach. I can’t say that Barack Obama will fix all of our problems, but he represents the only candidate who has challenged many of the status quo policies and philosophies that have been increasingly decaying our country. It is time to take a chance on a new kind of leader with a new set of life experiences, from a new generation.
I want to reverse the downward spiral of America’s standing in the world. I’ve been fortunate to have the opportunity to visit many nations and experience several cultures around the world. I believe that we are part of a worldwide community of nations that must continue to work together to make peace, heal our planet, and fight for the rights of all individuals. Our reputation around the world has plummeted in the past 8 years under Bush-Cheney, coinciding with our waning ability to provide leadership and action on these critical areas. We have been behaving more like bullies than a beacon of hope and light. The world, however, knows how amazing the American People can be, which is why the entire planet is holding its breadth to see how resilient and self-governed we Americans can be. A President Obama will not solve world peace, world hunger or global warming all on his own. But just the mere act of electing for the first time a person of color, with a rich global upbringing and an inclusive world view that appreciates all perspectives will give a new hope around the world that America can reverse course from the treacherous path we have been lead down by the Republican Party and the Bush-Cheney Administration. Obama’s Presidency begins to create a climate where we can have a fresh start with our community of nations and make progress on the important collaboration we so desperately need.
I want my children to be inspired to participate and love this country as I do. I look at John McCain and I see the past. I am so ready for new leadership in Washington who will reject old-style politics, understand how we Americans live our day to day life and have a fresh perspective on the enormous problems we face in our economy, in our foreign policy and in our domestic agenda. I’ve seen Senator Obama speak in person a couple of times, and I have studied endless speeches, talks and writings he has done throughout his career. There is a genuineness in intent, an inspiration in his message and an understanding of our daily lives that I have not seen from any other political figure. I’m not a mindless believer. I am not typically prone to to “drink the Kool-Aid.” But this man has activated and inspired me in a way I have not previously been before. And in 14 months of working on and off on his behalf, that feeling has only grown. I care so much because I have kids who I want to have a passion for their government and their participation in the governing of their lives. I think there is an opportunity in Barack Obama to inspire my children's’ generation and prepare them for the enormous challenges and opportunities that await them in the future.
We can not pass up the opportunity Barack Obama represents. I would not have ever predicted 2 years ago that I would feel that America has an opportunity to once again reinvent itself to become even better and stronger than ever. But here we are, on the eve of making the most important national decision in my lifetime, and I feel optimistic and hopeful. And it’s not Obama the President that will solve all our problems and take us forward as a people. It’s going to be us. With President Obama, we will be more energized, passionate and motivated to take personal responsibility and action. We will be able to make faster progress at turning the page on racial divides. We will find a voice and a place to engage on issues we care about. We will be excited to embrace the next set of huge challenges affecting our lives.

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McCain Show No Leadership as Campaign Races Towards the Finish Line

By Cliff Sharples - Nov 3rd, 2008 at 1:33 am EST

Also listed in: 10 groups

Despite promises to take the high road to the White House, John McCain has shown he is willing to do anything and say anything to be elected our next President. Why I am surprised by the latest attack ad dredging up Reverend Wright is beyond me... despite McCain's insistence that the Wright-Obama story line had no place in his campaign.

It appears that Sarah Palin has more sway and increasingly more say in the strategy of this failing bid for the White House. She and the desperate Republicans who have brought us the last 8 years of Bush-Cheney have completed their marginalization of the McCain who ran in 2000.

Barack Obama has largely taken the higher road in this election. He has stayed on message: restore the middle class, give everyone access to health care, restore our educational system, create an alternative energy economy to fuel the next century of America's economy... Please keep getting this message out. Let's not give into division and hate, and instead come together and choose hope, common sense and growth as a people and a nation.

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Entrepreneurs Need President Obama!

By Cliff Sharples - Oct 31st, 2008 at 3:44 pm EDT

Also listed in: 10 groups

I am an entrepreneur and small business owner, self-funding a consumer Internet business. In the 15 years that I have been at this, I have never faced a more hostile, volatile business climate thanks to the failed policies of the past 8 years. Credit has dried up. Investors are battening down the hatches. Talent is afraid to leave their sub-optimal job in a big company for a riskier start up.

What does this mean? It means innovation is stifled. It means small business owners keep getting squeezed by huge corporate interests. It means costs are sky rocketing on our overhead, such as energy and health care.

We need emergency help for our small businesses. We need tax relief. We need lower health care and energy costs. We need to have a President who turns a deaf ear to special interests.

That President is Barack Obama. In these last few days of the election, I implore you to highlight this message and help restore the backbone of the American Economy - small businesses and the entrepreneurs that lead them. Spread the word. Make calls. Do your part!

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Entrepreneurs Need President Obama!

By Cliff Sharples - Oct 31st, 2008 at 3:44 pm EDT

Also listed in: 10 groups

I am an entrepreneur and small business owner, self-funding a consumer Internet business. In the 15 years that I have been at this, I have never faced a more hostile, volatile business climate thanks to the failed policies of the past 8 years. Credit has dried up. Investors are battening down the hatches. Talent is afraid to leave their sub-optimal job in a big company for a riskier start up.

What does this mean? It means innovation is stifled. It means small business owners keep getting squeezed by huge corporate interests. It means costs are sky rocketing on our overhead, such as energy and health care.

We need emergency help for our small businesses. We need tax relief. We need lower health care and energy costs. We need to have a President who turns a deaf ear to special interests.

That President is Barack Obama. In these last few days of the election, I implore you to highlight this message and help restore the backbone of the American Economy - small businesses and the entrepreneurs that lead them. Spread the word. Make calls. Do your part!

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Write Letters to the Media... Second Post

By Cliff Sharples - Oct 6th, 2008 at 1:57 am EDT

Also listed in: 10 groups

Wanted to publish this to more groups, so I am repeating my previous post.

We'll be seeing a tremendous amount of smear campaigns and character assisnations of Barack Obama in the coming week. Let's deluge the media with our outrage over McCain and the dying Republican's attempt to swindle the American people and change the conversation - just when we're all actually talking about important things like our economy! Here's a letter I just sent out:

To the Editors,

This week, we'll be barraged by character assassinations of Barack Obama from McCain, Palin and a dying Republican Party. Please resist it. As keepers of our public's integrity, report the facts. Ayers, Renzo and Wright are sure to be names we will see and hear a lot of in the next 3 or 4 weeks... but they are unimportant. They are distractions. They are an attempt to get Americans to stop focusing on real problems such as the economy and go back to petty things like Paris Hilton, lipstick and the fear of terrorists lurking in every dark alley.

What matters is having a President who is intelligent, has vision, internalizes empathy and respects the American people. What matters is that we have a serious dialogue about our economy and the plans that will get us on the right track. What matters is that we select a leader who can reverse the immense damage to America's standing and reputation around the world.

You have a responsibility. Governor Palin and John McCain have tried to paint the media as tainted, biased and in the way. Please show them they are wrong. Please keep the public informed on real and relevant news, honest assessments and referee calls when campaigns like the ones being waged by the Bush Republicans go off the rails.

Sincerely,
Clifford Sharples

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Please Write Letters to the Media

By Cliff Sharples - Oct 6th, 2008 at 1:50 am EDT

Also listed in: 10 groups

The atatck on Obama's character begins this week... Let's all deluge media outlets with letters and calls telling them to resist the smear attack strategies employed by the dying Republican Party... we can not take poll numbers for granted... Here's a sample of one of the letters I just sent:

To the Editors,

This week, we'll be barraged by character assassinations of Barack Obama from McCain, Palin and a dying Republican Party. Please resist it. As keepers of our public's integrity, report the facts. Ayers, Renzo and Wright are sure to be names we will see and hear a lot of in the next 3 or 4 weeks... but they are unimportant. They are distractions. They are an attempt to get Americans to stop focusing on real problems such as the economy an go back to petty things like Paris Hilton, lipstick and the fear of terrorists lurking in every dark alley.

What matters is having a President who is intelligent, has vision, internalizes empathy and respects the American people. What matters is that we have a serious dialogue about our economy and the plans that will get us on the right track. What matters is that we select a leader who can reverse the immense damage to America's standing and reputation around the world.

You have a responsibility. Governor Palin and John McCain have tried to paint the media as tainted, biased and in the way. Please show them they are wrong. Please keep the public informed on real and relevant news, honest assessments and referee calls when campaigns like the ones being waged by the Bush Republicans go off the rails.

Sincerely,
Clifford Sharples

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Hillary Supporters: You Can't Wait 4 More Years

By Cliff Sharples - Sep 17th, 2008 at 4:21 pm EDT

Also listed in: 10 groups

I've heard that some Hillary Clinton supporters think it is a good idea to support McCain, which will help Hillary get elected in 2012...

Well, Pay attention Lynn Forester de Rothschild... You and any Clinton supporter who is now supporting McCain have it as wrong as anyone could be. Hillary Clinton's entire career has been about fighting against the policies, behavior and ethics of the Republican party and the Bush Administration. Sarah Palin is a mockery to women like Hillary Clinton, who have served a long, distinguished career, building up the experience necessary for the most complex job in the world. I may never have liked her approach or specific platforms, but I'd take Hillary as my President before McCain or Palin.

The reality check you all need is that we DO NOT have 4 more years to wait for Hillary Clinton to run for office again. America is in as serious of a situation as it has ever been in. Running the most powerful nation on the planet is incredibly complex, and we need substantive leaders who can offer a real vision and agenda of change. You simply can not bury your heads in the sand and wait out 4 more years of a Republican-controlled leadership with President McCain's admitted weakness on the economy, Sarah Palin's lack of ANY real experience or vision, and the same Republican operators that brought you the worst 8-year Presidency in our Nation's history.

Clinton supporters - who are you going to listen to? Hillary, the woman who you all so fervently support, or some billionaire-heiress who lives abroad and just "doesn't like" Barack? Give Me A Break.

Sincerely,
Clifford Sharples

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FIGHT BACK AGAINST REPUBLICAN DISTRACTIONS! Get Word Out!

By Cliff Sharples - Sep 16th, 2008 at 4:58 pm EDT

Also listed in: 9 groups

Please take time to write into your local and national media outlets about the leadership Obama is demonstrating in his detailed plan for our Economy... This Wall Street meltdown this week represents our chance to rise above lipstick, celebrity nonsense and lies. We need to show America that Barack Obama has the leadership, vision, inteligence and empathy to make all of our lives better and get the Country on the right track. Here's what I sent out today:

TO: Ediotrial Board

The McCain Campaign in the past month or so has tried to sweep real issues and real problems we Americans face by trying to focus us on celebrities, lipstick and blatant falsification of facts. They've sacrificed the substance and experience of their own party for publicity stunts and the creation of their own celebrity.

Well, this week, they found out it won't work. The economy and the ruinous policies of the Republican Party have caused the largest wake-up call America has had since 9/11. Rather than pretend our "economic fundamentals" are sound, as John "Maverick" McCain said yesterday, Barack Obama delivered a clear, detailed plan to provide new leadership and action to actually fix the problems we face as a nation.

I urge you as a member of the media to help get this Presidential Campaign back on track and discuss the substance of Obama's plans, the consistent vision and leadership he has offered throughout the past 18 months and his laser focus on the needs of ALL Americans: restoring our middle class, reducing taxes for 95% of Americans and rebuilding our standing in the world. The nonsense of attack ads, the theatrics of a dangerously under-qualified Vice Presidential candidate, and the out-of-touch, inconsistent declarations from McCain are not going to help Americans make an informed choice in this election, nor are they going to help us get out of this mess that the Republicans and the Bush Administration have put us in.

Sincerely Yours,
Clifford Sharples

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Economic Leadership: Get the word out!

By Cliff Sharples - Sep 16th, 2008 at 4:55 pm EDT

Also listed in: 10 groups

Please take time to write into your local and national media outlets about the leadership Obama is demonstrating in his detailed plan for our Economy... This Wall Street meltdown this week represents our chance to rise above lipstick, celebrity nonsense and lies. We need to show America that Barack Obama has the leadership, vision, inteligence and empathy to make all of our lives better and get the Country on the right track. Here's what I sent out today:

TO: Ediotrial Board

The McCain Campaign in the past month or so has tried to sweep real issues and real problems we Americans face by trying to focus us on celebrities, lipstick and blatant falsification of facts. They've sacrificed the substance and experience of their own party for publicity stunts and the creation of their own celebrity.

Well, this week, they found out it won't work. The economy and the ruinous policies of the Republican Party have caused the largest wake-up call America has had since 9/11. Rather than pretend our "economic fundamentals" are sound, as John "Maverick" McCain said yesterday, Barack Obama delivered a clear, detailed plan to provide new leadership and action to actually fix the problems we face as a nation.

I urge you as a member of the media to help get this Presidential Campaign back on track and discuss the substance of Obama's plans, the consistent vision and leadership he has offered throughout the past 18 months and his laser focus on the needs of ALL Americans: restoring our middle class, reducing taxes for 95% of Americans and rebuilding our standing in the world. The nonsense of attack ads, the theatrics of a dangerously under-qualified Vice Presidential candidate, and the out-of-touch, inconsistent declarations from McCain are not going to help Americans make an informed choice in this election, nor are they going to help us get out of this mess that the Republicans and the Bush Administration have put us in.

Sincerely Yours,
Clifford Sharples

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READY FOR THE NEXT CHAPTER

By Cliff Sharples - Jun 4th, 2008 at 12:19 pm EDT

Also listed in: 10 groups

I just wanted to add to all of the congratulations going around to all of us who have worked so hard on this campaign through the nominating contest... We did it! We're one step closer, and while we have a long way to go until November, we all deserve to feel the warm glow of last night's victory. Watching Barack Obama last night renewed (once again) my faith that a new and better America is indeed possible.

I'm ready for Phase Ii of this campaign for the White House as I know all of you are. Let's make it happen...

Yes, we can!

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READY FOR THE NEXT CHAPTER

By Cliff Sharples - Jun 4th, 2008 at 12:19 pm EDT

Also listed in: 10 groups

I just wanted to add to all of the congratulations going around to all of us who have worked so hard on this campaign through the nominating contest... We did it! We're one step closer, and while we have a long way to go until November, we all deserve to feel the warm glow of last night's victory. Watching Barack Obama last night renewed (once again) my faith that a new and better America is indeed possible.

I'm ready for Phase Ii of this campaign for the White House as I know all of you are. Let's make it happen...

Yes, we can!

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Thank you John Edwards!

By Cliff Sharples - May 14th, 2008 at 6:04 pm EDT

Also listed in: 10 groups

I'd like to say "about time" but instead I'll say "Perfect timing!"

As an admirer of John Edwards, I am so excited to see that he'll be joining us on our campaign to rescue America from the Republicans and support Senator Obama. I feel a great weight beginning to lift as we inch towards this first finish line and clear the way to the general election.

More hard work to do in the coming days - I am focused on my neighbors in Oregon to make sure he gets the landslide he deserves... But for just a couple of minutes, I am going to revel in the moment!

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By Cliff Sharples - Apr 17th, 2008 at 2:47 pm EDT

Also listed in: 10 groups

Gibson and Stephanopulus should take a vacation from now until November... And of course, let's hope the powers that be won't let ABC News have another go at promoting themselves and shamelessly sticking in commercials instead of actually covering what could have been an important event.

This will all hopefully make our candidate stronger and continue to push superdelegates into our campaign...

Read TIME story here.

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Another Good OpEd from The Gaurdian: "The dumbest debate in America?"

By Cliff Sharples - Apr 17th, 2008 at 1:16 pm EDT

Also listed in: 10 groups

I can't help myself... the debate moderators drove me crazy...

Read Niall Stanage's piece here.

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Springsteen: Not just my high school hero...

By Cliff Sharples - Apr 17th, 2008 at 11:28 am EDT

Also listed in: 10 groups

I grew up listening to his albums over and over again... nice to hear from him again! This is a nice Commentary about his recent endoresement:

Commentary
The Boss Backs Obama

Steve McGookin <javascript:fdcBioWindow('stevemcgookin')> , 04.16.08
When Hillary Clinton finished her speech on a stage in Columbus, Ohio, last month after her victory in that state's primary--what she described as the 'turning point" of her campaign--the opening notes of a Bruce Springsteen song, the uplifting "Land of Hope and Dreams" rang out.

Earlier, she had taken the stage to another Springsteen track, "The Rising."

With Sen. Clinton's campaign attempting to focus on the economy and the aspirations of working people, it was probably predictable that she would seek to co-opt the sentiments behind Springsteen's music, which frequently tells the story of hardworking, honest individuals and their struggles.

But it was odd that she would choose those two particular tracks.

"The Rising," <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6EUYl30VuQ> a post-September 11th anthem of unity, resilience and determination, had already been widely used by the John Edwards campaign, and Clinton began using it after Edwards dropped out.

"Land of Hope and Dreams," <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXGNq2-S06I> however, raised some eyebrows among Bruce fans. With its optimistic message of redemption and potential--indeed, the very use of the word "hope" in the title--and its acknowledgment that life, above all, is not always easy, it seemed the natural constituency of her opponent for the Democratic nomination, Sen. Barack Obama.

But now, that disharmony has been dispelled with the singer's endorsement of Obama.

Writing Wednesday on his Web site <http://www.brucespringsteen.net/news/index.html> , Springsteen said the Illinois Senator was "head and shoulders above the rest."

"He has the depth, the reflectiveness and the resilience to be our next president. He speaks to the America I've envisioned in my music for the past 35 years, a generous nation with a citizenry willing to tackle nuanced and complex problems, a country that's interested in its collective destiny and in the potential of its gathered spirit. A place where ... nobody crowds you, and nobody goes it alone."

The quote is a line from the song "Long Walk Home" <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwcgoUYpBF8> from his latest album, about how America has changed over the past eight years. Another line from the same song is: "The flag flyin' over the courthouse / means certain things are set in stone / Who we are, what we'll do, and what we won't,"

The aim of campaign songs is to create a feeling, a message, a snapshot of who the candidate is--it can be self-deprecating, like Ross Perot's use of Patsy Cline's "Crazy" in the 1992 campaign, or overwhelmingly upbeat, like FDR's post-recession "Happy Days Are Here Again."

Ronald Reagan had tried to co-opt Springsteen's "Born In The USA" <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4F6nSsdJ3mU> --often misinterpreted as a nationalistic anthem--and by implication, the singer's backing, during his 1984 campaign, leading his opponent Walter Mondale to retort that Springsteen "may have been Born To Run, but he wasn't born yesterday."

But the response from Springsteen's manager Jon Landau may have been even better.

When told that Reagan had quoted 'The Boss,' Landau is believed to have said: "what line did he use, 'this gun's for hire'?"

Hoping to replicate the success of her husband's Fleetwood Mac theme song in his 1992 campaign, Sen. Clinton's campaign originally ran a contest to choose a campaign song before coming up with a rotating playlist.

For candidates, the process doesn't always work as it should. In the current campaign, John Mellencamp objected to GOP candidate John McCain appropriating his heartland anthem "Our Country," <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0HTff63E0I> which had been another John Edwards song before he dropped out and even before it had been part of a Chevrolet commercial.

Mellencamp--who was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame <http://www.rockhall.com/inductees/induction-process/> on March 10 and was an Edwards backer while he was in the race--even wrote to the McCain campaign asking them to stop using the song, and another of his compositions, "Pink Houses."

McCain's opponent, former Governor Mike Huckabee also got himself into hot water with Tom Scholz, founder of the band Boston, for using the '80s band's classic "More Than A Feeling."

As the Obama campaign resonated among young voters, a new type of "viral" campaign song emerged, with the "Yes We Can" <http://www.dipdive.com/dip-politics/ywc/> song created by Will.I.Am of the Black Eyed Peas and like-minded performers.

As for Springsteen himself, he's currently in the middle of a world tour behind his most recent album Magic and has introduced its title track on stage by saying: "Here's to an end to all the tricks."

And he wrote Wednesday on his Web site: "After the terrible damage done over the past eight years, a great American reclamation project needs to be undertaken. I believe that Senator Obama is the best candidate to lead that project and to lead us into the 21st Century with a renewed sense of moral purpose and of ourselves as Americans."

After years of quiet activism, the singer put his cards on the table by playing on the Vote For Change tour and went on the stump for John Kerry in 2004, drawing some 80,000 people to a rally in Madison, Wis., <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VvIjBqlqQM> and lending the Massachusetts senator his song "No Surrender" as a rousing campaign anthem, used to great effect at that year's Democratic Convention.

(Springsteen's song "Last To Die" <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nFSFD2wXJ2E> from the Magic album is based around a line of Kerry's on the Vietnam war, and he dedicated the song to Kerry at a recent show in Boston).

But whatever soundtrack the candidates eventually choose, maybe it's worth remembering another campaign quote in support of Kerry that year:

"If one candidate is trying to scare you, and the other one is trying to make you think; if one candidate is appealing to your fears, and the other one, appealing to your hopes. You better vote for the person who wants you to think and hope."

The speaker? President Bill Clinton.

Don't stop thinking about tomorrow, indeed.

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Washington Post Agress on ABC Debate Performance

By Cliff Sharples - Apr 17th, 2008 at 10:52 am EDT

Also listed in: 10 groups

Check out Washington Post OpEd by Tom Shales: "In Pa. Debate, The Clear Loser is ABC."

Read Here.

Be sure to look at the comments - there is a lot of agreement on this point. Be sure to spread this around!

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If you're motivated to express your outrage over debate:

By Cliff Sharples - Apr 17th, 2008 at 3:10 am EDT

Also listed in: 9 groups

ABC NEW YORK NEWSROOM: (212) 456-5100 newsradio@abc.com Newsroom Fax Machine 212.456.5150

Peter Salinger (THE MAN IN CHARGE OF ELECTION COVERAGE) Director, Special Events & Sports 212.456.5105 peter.salinger@abc.com

Cristi Landes, Manager, Programming 212.456.5107 cristi.d.landes@abc.com

Wayne Fisk Director, Programming 212.456.5327 wayne.fisk@abc.com

Jeff Fitzgerald Executive Director, Operations 212.456.5554 jeffrey.t.fitzgerald@abc.com

Heidi Oringer Executive Director, Entertainment 212.456.5541 heidi.b.oringer@abc.com

Jon Newman News Coverage 212.456.5100 jonathan.m.newman@abc.com

Joyce Alcantara Assignment Manager 212.456.5106 joyce.a.alcantara@abc.com

Jim Kane Deputy D.C. Bureau Chief 212.222. 6604 james.f.kane@abc.com

Andrew Kalb Executive Director, Programming 05.567.2269 andrew.l.kalb@abc.com

Robert Garcia Executive Director, News & Sports 212.456.5103 robert.garcia@abc.com

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