Sayre lives in Seattle -- not exactly a politically up-for-grabs city come November 4th.
But that doesn't mean Sayre, or Seattle, can't help. In fact, it's exactly what's motivating thousands of volunteers all over the country to make the extra effort this weekend -- to pick up the phone and call into states that could use a little help.
Virginia.
North Carolina.
Nevada.
Ohio.
Pennsylvania.
For Sayre, a small business owner in graphic design, this is no last-minute decision to volunteer:
When I saw that speech at the 2004 DNC convention, I wanted him to run so I could sign up to volunteer for his presidential campaign.The one good thing about the Bush administration is that it made people like me realize that we cannot take our democracy for granted. We must fight to preserve it. Barack Obama is a brilliant man and we are so fortunate that he wants to be our President. We cannot squander this opportunity to elect this proven leader to restore our beloved country. There is no time to wait. We will one day be proud of the work that we do.
When I saw that speech at the 2004 DNC convention, I wanted him to run so I could sign up to volunteer for his presidential campaign.
The one good thing about the Bush administration is that it made people like me realize that we cannot take our democracy for granted. We must fight to preserve it. Barack Obama is a brilliant man and we are so fortunate that he wants to be our President. We cannot squander this opportunity to elect this proven leader to restore our beloved country. There is no time to wait. We will one day be proud of the work that we do.
She couldn't be more on the money.
And when it comes to doing that work, there's no time to wait. It's not a matter of months or days anymore. We're counting down by the hour.
Please lend a hand:
For months, Sayre has been doing as much as she can: designing t-shirts, buttons, banners, and posters, and shipping them around the country -- all when she's not registering legions of voters, and canvassing local neighborhoods. And here's why:
Barack Obama got the nation's attention in 2004 and never lost it.I love that he talks about things like sacrifice and personal responsibility -- that he isn't afraid to say what we need to hear. He refuses to oversimplify -- such a relief after years of, "Don't worry, just keep shopping..."But the most crucial thing he offers us, I think, are his extraordinary leadership skills: a President needs to articulate a vision for the country, and galvanize people around the goals needed to realize that vision. Obama has been doing that for a long time. He has engaged masses of people who have never been interested in the democratic process before. He is already a great leader. He has already brought change to this country.
Let's get this guy elected.
Meet Hannah and Jonna:
Meet a pair of extraordinary volunteers who live in Vermont, and have been canvassing in swing-state New Hampshire every weekend -- since July.
Every weekend.
Since July!
Here's the story in Jonna's own words:
Hannah and I had never met before but went out together each weekend to canvass, and Hannah went from being a shy, retiring canvasser to a star. Now she's helping to staff the new Enfield office. Today, volunteers streamed in all day. Hannah did back-to-back training sessions, and I took two packets and canvassed all day. As always, I visited with many truly nice people, including some died-in-the-wool Republicans voting for Obama -- and a true NH Independent, who makes his decisions one at a time. He is voting for Obama. It was a great day -- we were out in archetypal, conservative New Hampshire country, and it's becoming Obama country! We are almost there. In this brand new Enfield office the stream of volunteers was never-ending, all day. Many people I talked to want to vote in this historic election. They are voting for themselves, as well as for Obama. The only thing that can defeat us now is complacency. As we saw in the New Hampshire primary, we lost when we thought we were winning. We can’t assume anything. We must do everything now to get out the vote for Obama. The campaign is so well-organized – it is all GOTV now. You can even put signs on doors at 4 a.m. to get out the vote if you’re busy during the day. GOTV is easy; anyone can do it. So don’t just worry about whether he wins. Get out there and help the campaign bring in a landslide mandate for this inspiring, honorable, brilliant man. I’ll be out all weekend and at the polls all day helping the campaign do what’s necessary to put him over the top, and I know there are hundreds of thousands of people all over this country doing exactly the same thing.
Hannah and I had never met before but went out together each weekend to canvass, and Hannah went from being a shy, retiring canvasser to a star. Now she's helping to staff the new Enfield office.
Today, volunteers streamed in all day. Hannah did back-to-back training sessions, and I took two packets and canvassed all day. As always, I visited with many truly nice people, including some died-in-the-wool Republicans voting for Obama -- and a true NH Independent, who makes his decisions one at a time. He is voting for Obama. It was a great day -- we were out in archetypal, conservative New Hampshire country, and it's becoming Obama country!
We are almost there. In this brand new Enfield office the stream of volunteers was never-ending, all day. Many people I talked to want to vote in this historic election. They are voting for themselves, as well as for Obama.
The only thing that can defeat us now is complacency. As we saw in the New Hampshire primary, we lost when we thought we were winning. We can’t assume anything. We must do everything now to get out the vote for Obama. The campaign is so well-organized – it is all GOTV now. You can even put signs on doors at 4 a.m. to get out the vote if you’re busy during the day. GOTV is easy; anyone can do it. So don’t just worry about whether he wins. Get out there and help the campaign bring in a landslide mandate for this inspiring, honorable, brilliant man. I’ll be out all weekend and at the polls all day helping the campaign do what’s necessary to put him over the top, and I know there are hundreds of thousands of people all over this country doing exactly the same thing.
Please join Jonna, Hannah, and hundreds of thousands of volunteers in this historic movement for change.
Help get out the vote now:
If you're watching the electoral map, an amazing thing is happening. Some states that started off a deep red, have steadily gone in the last few weeks from red to pink to purple, and in the last few days, are even starting to look a little blue.
Georgia is one of them.
Meet Nicole -- mother of 2-year-old Gavin and eight-week-old Hayden, small business owner, and one of the extraordinary volunteers we can thank for Georgia's dramatic transformation.
Even with a newborn, Nicole knows how important this election is and has found the time to canvass, host a Call For Change party, donate -- and most importantly to her, she registered her husband.
Here's Nicole in her own words:
I’ve been an avid fan of Meet The Press for many years. I first became aware of Barack Obama when I saw him appear on Meet The Press. I was struck by how thoughtful, composed, and straightforward he seemed.Our country is at a critical juncture. We have the opportunity to elect someone who is intelligent and thoughtful about the interests of our nation, and speaks to the dreams and aspirations of so many of us. Now is the time to get out and get involved. It’s time to return honor and admiration to the United States’ reputation in the world. It’s time to create a moment where we can all make our country a better and more prosperous place. It’s time to help elect Barack Obama.
I’ve been an avid fan of Meet The Press for many years. I first became aware of Barack Obama when I saw him appear on Meet The Press. I was struck by how thoughtful, composed, and straightforward he seemed.
Our country is at a critical juncture. We have the opportunity to elect someone who is intelligent and thoughtful about the interests of our nation, and speaks to the dreams and aspirations of so many of us. Now is the time to get out and get involved. It’s time to return honor and admiration to the United States’ reputation in the world. It’s time to create a moment where we can all make our country a better and more prosperous place. It’s time to help elect Barack Obama.
Please pick up the phone, and give Nicole a hand.
You can redraw the electoral map.
Get out the vote:
Brian has lived all over the electoral map. Born in Minnesota, he moved with his dairy herdsman father and family to Wisconsin and then Illinois. From there, onto Nebraska, then Washington, Ohio, North Dakota, and finally back to Wisconsin. And now, having lived in so many states -- as many red states as blue -- Brian has a good sense of what this country really looks like: purple.
And there's a Senator who really agrees with him.
"I started early looking for the best candidate to get us moving to where we need to go. I found Barack's positions all very compatible with my own and his personality to be outstanding."
There are specific "purple" issues that Brian thinks the whole country could get behind, and energy independence is one of them. As a landscape construction worker employed by a Wisconsin forest preserve, he knows that an energy-independent United States would be good for the environment -- and not only that, it would increase our national security as well. By creating over 5 million new green collar jobs, it's also a much-needed boost to our economy. This bipartisan issue is at the center of Barack Obama's campaign, and that's one reason Brian got motivated to get out there and help.
I have worked on three walk lists in my local area -- and it's a little hard at first to go knock on a stranger's door. But, I've found that it's actually interesting to meet neighbors I would never have any other reason to meet. Most people I have talked with have been nice, and some are really enthusiastic about their support. I have another walk list that I am anxious to start because I still see the polls put Wisconsin in the toss-up category. We can do much better to show our support of a sane and prosperous future by getting behind the only candidate that makes any sense.
I have worked on three walk lists in my local area -- and it's a little hard at first to go knock on a stranger's door. But, I've found that it's actually interesting to meet neighbors I would never have any other reason to meet. Most people I have talked with have been nice, and some are really enthusiastic about their support.
I have another walk list that I am anxious to start because I still see the polls put Wisconsin in the toss-up category. We can do much better to show our support of a sane and prosperous future by getting behind the only candidate that makes any sense.
With the clock ticking down, and so many states in the toss-up category, now is the time to join Brian by knocking on some doors in your own neighborhood -- or making calls to someone else's neighborhood!
As Brian put it, thinking about the future of this country:
I can barely wait to get started fixing this mess.
Let's get started now.
Make calls. Knock on doors.
Elect Barack Obama as the next President of the United States.
When Sashi first read Dreams From My Father, she couldn't believe how much she could relate. If you're Sashi, it's not every day you find a candidate running for President who has lived in Indonesia, like you, who was raised by a family that valued education and hard work above everything, like you, and who chose community organizing and social service over other jobs on Wall Street -- just like you.
Sashi recommended the book to everyone she knew.
"Growing up in the developing world gives you an understanding of poverty that is impossible to grasp otherwise. We live in an increasingly global community, and Barack Obama is exactly the right person to lead this country, and other countries, into the new interconnected age."
30-year-old Sashi was originally born in Sri Lanka and came to the United States when she was 6. Her family left their country because it was in a state of war. Once they got to South Florida, Sashi says she watched her family live the American Dream.
We didn't live in the best of neighborhoods, but my parents instilled in us strong values and an appreciation for education. They helped us improve ourselves simply through hard work and school. My sister and I went to public schools our entire lives until we both received scholarships to college. In college, I became involved in social change and mobilizing people to advocate for the betterment of their communities. Reading Senator Obama's memoir, I understood why he stayed in Chicago and could appreciate some of the difficulties he faced in learning his own identity. I also know how hard it is to choose a career, such as his in community organizing, that is not lucrative and is outside the norm. He did these things because he felt he had to.
We didn't live in the best of neighborhoods, but my parents instilled in us strong values and an appreciation for education. They helped us improve ourselves simply through hard work and school. My sister and I went to public schools our entire lives until we both received scholarships to college. In college, I became involved in social change and mobilizing people to advocate for the betterment of their communities.
Reading Senator Obama's memoir, I understood why he stayed in Chicago and could appreciate some of the difficulties he faced in learning his own identity. I also know how hard it is to choose a career, such as his in community organizing, that is not lucrative and is outside the norm. He did these things because he felt he had to.
And Sashi herself went on to do work that needed to be done, leading a group of students on a HIV/AIDS peer education trip throughout South India after college, interning with the World Organization Against Torture, working in an NGO for 2 years in microfinance, and working on economic development issues in Sri Lanka. When she read Senator Obama's first book, she found someone as committed to the same principles she valued -- and so, what seems like ages ago, started recommending the memoir to anyone who might listen.
But she knew that wasn't enough.
During the primaries and over the summer, Sashi got seriously involved in the campaign and canvassed in Pennsylvania and also Northern Virginia, where she currently lives. She recruited lots of friends to join her in canvassing and phone banking and she also donated to the campaign.
I've been a pretty outspoken advocate of Senator Obama, because I want people to know that his supporters are not afraid to talk politics and not afraid to confront the major issues. If we can't talk about these things then are we really informed voters?
Now with only six days to go, Sashi and thousands of other Virginian and Floridian volunteers are making the final push to prove, as she says, "that grassroots movements and communities CAN have a voice in government."
Every door knocked is one step closer to electing the first President to inspire our nation to be global citizens and local community organizers; a President who knows that the American Dream is alive in red states and blue states; in public schools and private schools; and on the main streets of small towns everywhere, from South Florida to Northern Virginia.
Vote Hope.
And get out there:
Whether you're Joe the Plumber, Renee the Computer Technician, or Sarah the Blogger -- you're concerned about your taxes. With good reason.
That's why Barack Obama has a tax plan that lowers taxes for Joe, Renee, bloggers everywhere and another 95% of working Americans.
But as Renee knows well: a lot of people only know what they hear in the negative ads on television.
The McCain campaign has been relentless about repeating misinformation about Barack Obama's tax plan. But the good news is: what's going to happen to your tax rate is actually very clear. Senator Obama's plan is undeniably better for the average working class American. When I meet people who think Obama is going to raise their taxes, I don't just tell them it's not true -- I send them links to any number of non-partisan tax calculator sites that will do the math for them. All of the people I've done this for find they'll have lower taxes with Barack Obama as their President. I know I will.
By now Renee, a proud single mother of an adopted daughter, has done enough volunteer work for Barack Obama that she knows what voters want: facts, not attacks. So when she phonebanks to swing states all over the country -- states like Virginia, Pennsylvania and Colorado -- she's ready with the facts. She tells them about Barack's healthcare plan which will lower costs for working families and cover every child in America. She talks about Barack's plans to rejuvenate the middle class. And she sends Barack's pamphlet outlining all the issues, "Blueprint for Change" to anyone who's interested in learning more about the specific topics they care about most.
I'm 46 years old and I've always voted. But I've never done anything like this.
In addition to phonebanking, Renee has been hosting house parties for Barack since the primaries and here's how she says you do it:
1) Post your event online at My.BarackObama.com.
2) Sit back.
3) Watch as 10, 20, 30 people from all walks of life show up at your home to talk about Barack Obama.
In Renee's experience, she saw everyone from college students to senior citizens to neighbors she didn't even know she had.
What's so important about Obama is that he inspires regular people to get involved. That's the best thing about him. And not just volunteering -- I think people are really thinking about government differently. The dirty name of politics might not be so dirty when he's done -- people might even look at those types of office as honest again.
And in fact, the best evidence she has to back up that idea is right in her own living room:
If my ten-year-old daughter walks into a room and he's on TV speaking, she stops and listens to him. I like the fact that he is making public service honorable. I like the fact that my daughter can look at him and his family and see people that look like her and that have worked very hard and are doing what they believe to be best for this country. It encourages me to see in her eyes the possibility that she really can do anything no matter what her race or gender.
You still have time to make sure Barack Obama is elected President of the United States. Join Renee, her daughter, electricians, plumbers, shoe salesmen, secretaries, store clerks, teachers and hard working Americans all across this country who are volunteering for change.
After months of phonebanking for Obama, Helaine had an epiphany.
A phone solicitor selling something or other called, and he asked if he could have a moment of my time. I said sure. If I could have a moment of his.
A phone solicitor selling something or other called, and he asked if he could have a moment of my time.
I said sure. If I could have a moment of his.
She's been educating phone solicitors ever since. "That's our thing, right? One voter at a time!" she says, laughing.
Helaine is "a 63-year-old Jewish Independent, retired and on Social Security," living in South Carolina. She volunteers regularly at the Obama headquarters in her small, southern town -- and since South Carolina is a pretty red state, she spends much of her time phonebanking to the critical swing states.
"Our motto is: work like you're 20 points behind," she says. And talking to Helaine about all the extraordinary work she and her fellow South Carolinian volunteers are doing -- they must have that motto taped to the wall.
There is no doubt in my mind that Barack Obama is the one unique person we need at this time to change the direction of our country. He is intelligent, honest and instills hope at a time our country is desperate for it. He has the judgment and temperament to become one of the best presidents ever. I haven’t felt this way since JFK. Barack has inspired the younger generation to get involved in a politics the older generation regards as cynical and one that cannot be changed. He represents and brings out the best in all of us. It’s so obvious that he is the future and his opponent is the past.
Exactly.
So let's work like we're 20 points behind, and put everything we can into helping out in these crucial swing states: Ohio, Virginia, Florida, Pennsylvania, Colorado, Wisconsin, New Hampshire, Nevada, Minnesota, Iowa -- even Indiana and North Carolina.
Let's redraw the political map.
Do you live near any of these states?
Road trip!
Do you have a phone?
Here's one:
Before you get going, here's a few more inspiring words from Helaine:
The world is watching and has a vested interest in the outcome of this race. The stakes couldn't be higher. Barack Obama has forward vision -- he does not have the "if you're not for us, you're against us" war mentality of the past as does his opponent. I feel he would be a great Commander-in-Chief because he would use diplomacy as well as force only when absolutely necessary. He would once again make America great in the eyes of the countries of the world. This is our time. I feel we’ve come to an important crossroads in our lives, in the direction of this country and the world. I am glad to be living in a time when my decision can make such a difference in the path our country will be taking. We cannot allow four more years of the same disastrous policies. I truly want to thank Barack, Michelle, Malia and Sasha Obama for their great sacrifice for our country to finally put the American people first. We will not let them down.
The world is watching and has a vested interest in the outcome of this race. The stakes couldn't be higher. Barack Obama has forward vision -- he does not have the "if you're not for us, you're against us" war mentality of the past as does his opponent. I feel he would be a great Commander-in-Chief because he would use diplomacy as well as force only when absolutely necessary. He would once again make America great in the eyes of the countries of the world.
This is our time. I feel we’ve come to an important crossroads in our lives, in the direction of this country and the world. I am glad to be living in a time when my decision can make such a difference in the path our country will be taking. We cannot allow four more years of the same disastrous policies. I truly want to thank Barack, Michelle, Malia and Sasha Obama for their great sacrifice for our country to finally put the American people first. We will not let them down.
Right?
Marla is a home health therapist in Florida -- when elderly patients come home from the hospital, she's there to help them get around the house, get dressed, navigate the shower, and balance their checkbook.
This part of Florida is like the deep South -- most of my patients think they should be Republicans. Hey, I thought I was a Republican.
That was before she really started looking into the issues. Once Marla found out about Barack's plan to initiate a new era of affordable healthcare that would put the interests of patients first, she started to lean towards Obama. When she learned that Barack has been against this war from the beginning, (and Marla has a cousin of her own who will be deployed to iraq this winter) she really started to take Obama seriously. Then, looking at Barack's plan to jumpstart the economy, and his plan to protect Social Security, and it all made a lot of sense to Marla. In fact the more she learned, the more impressed she became.
At the beginning, it was a question of getting informed. Now it's a question of making the effort to get that information out there.
And if those are the questions, Marla is making sure that she is part of the answer. Using the Neighbor to Neighbor tool, Marla has canvassed an impressive 250 neighbors in her tiny community, all by herself.
I remember what my questions were about Barack Obama, my reservations -- and so that's what I talk about when people open the door. One issue in particular that resonates with many of the older Florida folks is of course Social Security. I talk about it with my clients all the time. The problem is: people don't really know what privatizing Social Security means. First things first: John McCain wants to privatize Social Security, Barack Obama does not. McCain makes no bones about it. But people still don't really know what that entails. They look at stocks going up and down on Wall Street, and they think that's just about the fat cats who can afford to play the market. So I tell people -- you know how you keep waking up every day and the stock market keeps dropping 200, 500, 700 points? Privatizing Social Security means that your money, your Social Security gets put into the stock market -- and your money, your Social Security could drop 200, 500, 700 points. That's a good way to convert a Florida McCain supporter.
I remember what my questions were about Barack Obama, my reservations -- and so that's what I talk about when people open the door. One issue in particular that resonates with many of the older Florida folks is of course Social Security. I talk about it with my clients all the time. The problem is: people don't really know what privatizing Social Security means.
First things first: John McCain wants to privatize Social Security, Barack Obama does not. McCain makes no bones about it. But people still don't really know what that entails. They look at stocks going up and down on Wall Street, and they think that's just about the fat cats who can afford to play the market. So I tell people -- you know how you keep waking up every day and the stock market keeps dropping 200, 500, 700 points? Privatizing Social Security means that your money, your Social Security gets put into the stock market -- and your money, your Social Security could drop 200, 500, 700 points.
That's a good way to convert a Florida McCain supporter.
Marla is full of good ways to convert McCain supporters -- often pointing out that Barack Obama recently paid off his student loans. That he was raised by single mom and his grandparents, sometimes on food stamps. And that John McCain, on the other hand, has seven houses.
If you have too much money, you can't possibly begin to understand people like my mom who won't be able to pay her electric bill at the end of the month.
Which is why Marla's whole family, who she describes, "very, very Catholic," are all voting for Barack Obama.
Of course there are a lot of Catholics who vote Republican because of one or two issues. But we're talking about the future of this country -- and we have to look at the broader picture: healthcare, the economy, education, Social Security, the way we're respected around the world. Barack is the clear choice when it comes to any of these issues.
Please help Marla continue to keep up the good work educating residents in Florida -- a critical swing state -- one voter at a time. You can even call Florida residents right now, using this handy calling tool.
And wherever you are, check out Neighbor to Neighbor like Marla did -- which gives you the names and addresses of people right in your neighborhood -- and start talking to some people on your own block:
This election is too important to sit on the sidelines -- so get out there, and get started!
I'm a fourth grader at Cool Spring Elementary School. My teacher is Mrs. Kusterer, and I've been a political junkie for all my life.
9-year-old Sophia is not just an armchair analyst. She and her dad, Miles, have knocked on over 1,500 doors campaigning for Barack Obama in the critical swing state of Virginia.
"We've probably had 150 meaningful conversations from the 1,500 doors we've knocked on," says Miles.
If those 150 people vote for Obama, and there are 10,000 more people like us out there knocking on doors, that's a potential 1,500,000 votes.
Sophia and Miles have been using the Neighbor to Neighbor tool to easily find the names and addresses of people in their area that they can go canvass for Barack Obama. To put things in perspective, 250 doors is a lot of doors to knock. 1,500 is plain old inspiring.
And so are Sophia and Miles. Here's an excerpt from our interview with this awesome father-daughter volunteer team:
Q: So, what do you like about Obama?Miles: I like the way he thinks. I like his temperament. I like how calm he is. I trust him and his judgment.Sophia: I also like how he's very calm in situations and he can get things done. He's not a drama queen. In the beginning my main issue is the war in Iraq, because I'm the next generation. But as we got more involved in the campaign, I heard his other issues and realized he wasn't just any old democratic nominee. I was very inspired by all of his stands on issues like energy and health care and the war.Q: What kind of work have you done/hope to do for the campaign? Miles: We use the Neighbor to Neighbor tool and our field organizer sends us out on weekends and Thursday night canvasses. When we meet undecided voters who tell us an issue they're interested in, we copy material from Barack's website and bring it back to them with a personal note within 48 hours. We follow up with others in the neighborhood. Canvassing is a blast!Sophia: We have canvassed to the ends of Hanover County. When we get an undecided voter, I pipe in with "What are your issues?" What I love about canvassing is when you get an undecided voter that starts to think, you walk down the steps with this feeling of satisfaction like you're changing the world, and you are. Q: What would you want to say to the world to inspire them to get involved?Miles: If you live in a battleground state like Virginia, if you're not dropping everything to spend every spare moment working on this campaign, you're missing the opportunity of a lifetime. If you live in a blue state or a red state and you're an Obama supporter, if you're not arranging to sleep on the floor of a friend in a battleground state the weekend before the election, you're missing the opportunity of a lifetime. If you have kids of any age, take them canvassing. It's the most important and meaningful way I've ever spent time with my daughter. She is learning so much from the experience. She listens in on and participates in real, adult conversations that will teach her life lessons. Once we canvassed a 90-year-old man who was just happy to have a visitor. He was a McCain supporter but we wrote in the notes, "a very nice old man..." Many a person has taken Sophia's hands in theirs, regardless of their politics, and said, "Thank you for doing this..." Sophia: It's important that people know that we can turn Virginia purple, if not blue. You can't give up while canvassing. Every single thing you do, even if it's just a few houses on Neighbor to Neighbor, is giving a little bit of hope to middle-class families and people all over the earth. And the people you talk to -- to them, it's amazing that a campaign would come out to their door. Once, out in rural Hanover County, we talked to an old man and he said, "Nobody's ever come out here," and I realized we were going in places that hadn't had anybody ever come up to their door and ask who they were voting for. To them, nobody really cared that much. Even if they were a McCain supporter, you feel like you're making a difference.
Q: So, what do you like about Obama?
Miles: I like the way he thinks. I like his temperament. I like how calm he is. I trust him and his judgment.
Sophia: I also like how he's very calm in situations and he can get things done. He's not a drama queen. In the beginning my main issue is the war in Iraq, because I'm the next generation. But as we got more involved in the campaign, I heard his other issues and realized he wasn't just any old democratic nominee. I was very inspired by all of his stands on issues like energy and health care and the war.
Q: What kind of work have you done/hope to do for the campaign?
Miles: We use the Neighbor to Neighbor tool and our field organizer sends us out on weekends and Thursday night canvasses. When we meet undecided voters who tell us an issue they're interested in, we copy material from Barack's website and bring it back to them with a personal note within 48 hours. We follow up with others in the neighborhood. Canvassing is a blast!
Sophia: We have canvassed to the ends of Hanover County. When we get an undecided voter, I pipe in with "What are your issues?" What I love about canvassing is when you get an undecided voter that starts to think, you walk down the steps with this feeling of satisfaction like you're changing the world, and you are.
Q: What would you want to say to the world to inspire them to get involved?Miles: If you live in a battleground state like Virginia, if you're not dropping everything to spend every spare moment working on this campaign, you're missing the opportunity of a lifetime. If you live in a blue state or a red state and you're an Obama supporter, if you're not arranging to sleep on the floor of a friend in a battleground state the weekend before the election, you're missing the opportunity of a lifetime. If you have kids of any age, take them canvassing. It's the most important and meaningful way I've ever spent time with my daughter. She is learning so much from the experience. She listens in on and participates in real, adult conversations that will teach her life lessons. Once we canvassed a 90-year-old man who was just happy to have a visitor. He was a McCain supporter but we wrote in the notes, "a very nice old man..." Many a person has taken Sophia's hands in theirs, regardless of their politics, and said, "Thank you for doing this..." Sophia: It's important that people know that we can turn Virginia purple, if not blue. You can't give up while canvassing. Every single thing you do, even if it's just a few houses on Neighbor to Neighbor, is giving a little bit of hope to middle-class families and people all over the earth. And the people you talk to -- to them, it's amazing that a campaign would come out to their door. Once, out in rural Hanover County, we talked to an old man and he said, "Nobody's ever come out here," and I realized we were going in places that hadn't had anybody ever come up to their door and ask who they were voting for. To them, nobody really cared that much. Even if they were a McCain supporter, you feel like you're making a difference.
You feel like you're making a difference, because...you are!
Check out Neighbor to Neighbor right now and see how easy it is to print up a list of people to canvass right in your own neighborhood.
This post-debate weekend is the perfect weekend to get out there and talk to your neighbors about the real differences between Barack Obama and John McCain. Getting a real live visit from a real live supporter makes a difference at this crucial time when voters are making up their minds.
And it's also a great time to get your kids involved!
A wise man once said: it's the opportunity of a lifetime.
This election is a truly defining moment in our country’s history. I really see it as a referendum on the soul of America: the person we elect as President is a reflection of how we see ourselves.
Meet Lisa Nicolle, a young filmmaker and substitute teacher in the Atlanta Public School system.
Lisa Nicolle says what we're facing is really a clear choice between progress and the status quo, between inclusion and exclusion. Ultimately, she says, it's a choice between the future and the past.
Recently, as someone who has worked tirelessly on voter registration efforts in Georgia, she was asked to come in and give a presentation about the importance of the upcoming election to a small group of high school seniors.
It's essential to impress a few things on the kids I'm talking to. First of all: vote. We have to vote. This is a real opportunity for these kids to make a statement -- to participate, and create the kind of world they would like to live in.And Barack Obama's own life story is a huge inspiration when it comes to getting involved: even if life has been challenging for you, you can turn things around. That resonates with kids everywhere. That and being a skinny kid with big ears and a funny name.
It's essential to impress a few things on the kids I'm talking to. First of all: vote. We have to vote. This is a real opportunity for these kids to make a statement -- to participate, and create the kind of world they would like to live in.
And Barack Obama's own life story is a huge inspiration when it comes to getting involved: even if life has been challenging for you, you can turn things around. That resonates with kids everywhere. That and being a skinny kid with big ears and a funny name.
Thanks to her pep talk at that tiny event, Lisa Nicolle registered three new high school-aged voters. And had even more sign up to help with a follow-up voter registration drive last weekend. And that, plain and simple, is the story of the greatest grassroots campaign in Presidential history.
I have stood next to so many different kinds of people who are doing the same work for this campaign -- from an older white man who was a self-described recovering Republican, to a young biracial boy whose mom wanted to show him how big he could dream and brought him to see Barack speak, to these kids I work with in the inner city, to a woman I met at a rally who had really believed in Bobby Kennedy, and said to me, "This, this is what we have been waiting for."
We are at a defining moment in history.
And volunteers like Lisa Nicole are proving that when Barack Obama is elected President, it will be just as she says: a reflection of this country. That is, a country that pulled itself together at a critical juncture, and in an enormous community effort worked hard and put America on the right track.
You can turn things around.
The time to join this movement has never been more important:
We just spoke to another Republican voting for Barack Obama.
Guess you'd call me a Reagan Republican, but at this point, you have to vote for whoever has the best ideas about the issues that affect you.
First and foremost, the economy is the issue that affects Lisa and her family in Las Vegas, Nevada the most. For two decades she worked in the food industry for one of the country's largest food companies -- only to be laid off with thousands of other employees when the company was in trouble. While she tried to figure out what to do next, she watched her old company's CEOs go out with multi-million dollar golden parachutes.
You just can't reward that kind of behavior. That philosophy is what's gotten us into this mess economically.
Lisa is right. And she thinks it's critical that Obama has been clear about opposing corporate greed from the beginning -- unlike John McCain, who only seems to have come around to that conclusion in the last week. She says this country is due for a very serious change, and the only candidate whose policies actually reflect genuine change from the failed policies of the Bush Administration, is Barack Obama.
The biggest thing on my mind -- on everyone's mind -- is the economy. We bought a house two years ago, and now that house isn't worth what we paid for it. We're being responsible and making our mortgage payments, but the government needs to do its part and get control.It's pretty simple: we have to have real leadership, here and around the world. I think that's what Barack Obama provides as a candidate -- he can change how people look at us by changing the way we do things here at home.
The biggest thing on my mind -- on everyone's mind -- is the economy. We bought a house two years ago, and now that house isn't worth what we paid for it. We're being responsible and making our mortgage payments, but the government needs to do its part and get control.
It's pretty simple: we have to have real leadership, here and around the world. I think that's what Barack Obama provides as a candidate -- he can change how people look at us by changing the way we do things here at home.
You can read more about Barack Obama's plans for the economy, including substantial tax cut proposals for working class families like Lisa's, by clicking here. There you'll read about Barack Obama and Joe Biden's plan to enact a windfall profits tax on excessive oil company profits to give American families an immediate $1,000 emergency energy rebate to help families pay rising bills. This relief would be a down payment on the Obama-Biden long-term plan to provide middle-class families with at least $1,000 per year in permanent tax relief.
You can also read Barack's speech about the economy that he gave in Reno.
Before we got off the phone with Lisa, we just double checked to see if she was registered to vote.
Of course! Did it outside the grocery store.
And now we have great news: you don't even have to go to the grocery store to make sure you can vote. Just go to our extra-easy one-stop voter registration site, www.VoteForChange.com, and you can get it done in just a few minutes.
November 4th, 2008: Democrats, Independents, and Republicans -- voting for change.
You can help us bring that change as we work to keep registering voters and spreading Barack's message to people like Lisa by making a small donation today.
A native Floridian, John was in his thirties when he first registered to vote. Finally, a candidate had caught his attention as someone he could really get behind. The candidate was Bill Clinton.
That was the first and last time I voted. I just haven't felt engaged by anyone since then -- until this year. I followed the primary very closely, and I liked Hillary and Obama both. But more than anything, I know that we just can't go down the path we're on for another 4 or 8 years. You know, people complain a lot about the way things are now -- but if you don't get up, get out there, and go vote to change things, you're kind of a part of the problem. I figured it was time to put my name to something -- to be counted, really.
That was the first and last time I voted. I just haven't felt engaged by anyone since then -- until this year. I followed the primary very closely, and I liked Hillary and Obama both. But more than anything, I know that we just can't go down the path we're on for another 4 or 8 years.
You know, people complain a lot about the way things are now -- but if you don't get up, get out there, and go vote to change things, you're kind of a part of the problem. I figured it was time to put my name to something -- to be counted, really.
So, even though John's been registered before, he thought it would be worth going to www.VoteForChange.com, to check and see if he was still in Florida's system.
He wasn't.
He is now.
There's a lesson in here.
Everyone, even if you think you're registered...make sure!
Please go to www.VoteForChange.com -- it's quick, easy, and does most of the work for you. While you're at it, you can send a quick email to friends and family to make sure they're squared away too.
That's what John did, and now he's going to be able to vote for Barack Obama, whom he thinks, "represents the best interests of the majority of Americans. He listens to all sides before making any decisions, and as a country, we're in need of a leader like that." As John says,
We've had 8 years of a guy who had his mind made up before he even took office. He's the guy who everyone said made decisions from his gut, and that was supposed to be a good thing. Now they're saying the same thing about McCain -- that he works straight from his gut. Well, we've had 8 years of gut. I want someone who uses their brain.
We've had 8 years of a guy who had his mind made up before he even took office. He's the guy who everyone said made decisions from his gut, and that was supposed to be a good thing. Now they're saying the same thing about McCain -- that he works straight from his gut.
Well, we've had 8 years of gut.
I want someone who uses their brain.
All in favor, go to:
www.VoteForChange.com
Register. Spread the word. Be counted.
We just spoke with Justin, a member of the United States Air Force, and like a lot of people in the armed forces he's always on the move. Originally from Maryland, his family now lives in Florida and he's currently stationed in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
"Such is military life," he says.
But neither moving nor military life have stopped Justin from voting. In fact:
I just voted for Barack through absentee ballot and would encourage everyone to vote early if they can.
Great advice!
Millions of people across the country have been waiting for the day they can finally cast their ballot for Barack Obama -- and the wait is over. You can exercise your civic duty and get the ball rolling today by requesting your own absentee ballot right now. Just go to VoteForChange.com to get started.
Justin did, and now he's working on his friends in the Air Force to do the same.
When I talk to people about Senator Obama and Senator McCain I like to point out the differences between the two candidates and let them decide for themselves. I have found that if you let people choose on policy differences rather then personal attacks they find it easier to choose. For example, I let people know that if they're make less than $250,000 a year, they're going to get a bigger tax break from Barack Obama's plan than from John McCain's. Those are just the facts....I also point out that many of the arguments John McCain seems to have with Obama, well Senator McCain seems to have those same arguments with himself. He's changed his positions so many times, it doesn't inspire a lot of trust.
When I talk to people about Senator Obama and Senator McCain I like to point out the differences between the two candidates and let them decide for themselves. I have found that if you let people choose on policy differences rather then personal attacks they find it easier to choose.
For example, I let people know that if they're make less than $250,000 a year, they're going to get a bigger tax break from Barack Obama's plan than from John McCain's. Those are just the facts.
...I also point out that many of the arguments John McCain seems to have with Obama, well Senator McCain seems to have those same arguments with himself. He's changed his positions so many times, it doesn't inspire a lot of trust.
Finally, there's another big reason Justin supports Barack Obama: he and Senator Obama both opposed this war from the beginning.
I'd like to see an end to the war in Iraq, and a redeployment of troops to Afghanistan. The key is Afghanistan. It always was. Barack is one of the only politicians who's been standing up and saying so all along.
So, take a few minutes and take a page out of Justin's book: register to vote or request an absentee ballot today.
Deadlines for voter registration and ballot requests are less than two weeks away -- and we need every single vote we can get to win this election. That involves our supporters making sure that everyone they know is registered.
The good news is that it's easy. Very easy. Just go to our one-stop voter registration website to register or get answers to your questions.
Now's your chance to make your voice heard.
We're the typical American family. Not too far to the left, not too far to the right. We just like common sense.
Which is why they like Barack Obama.
He has a good, strong voice for the majority of the American people, rather than the two extremes.
Valerie's family has been in Pittsburgh for over 100 years -- her children will be fourth generation Pennsylvanians, and their grandparents on both sides worked in the steel mills. Valerie herself is a packager at a major shipping company, and her husband is a mechanic.
The biggest misconception about Barack Obama is that he's "elite" and doesn't represent families like mine. For goodness sake -- he was raised by a single mother. Just go read about his mother -- that explains everything. She was wonderful. She gave him good, well-rounded values, and those values are the same as ours. We value family stability and working hard. When I look at what Barack and the Democrats are offering -- taking care of working families with better health care, better opportunities to go to college, and tax relief for the middle class -- that tells me Barack Obama actually values working families. As opposed to talk about "family values," with no follow up.
The biggest misconception about Barack Obama is that he's "elite" and doesn't represent families like mine. For goodness sake -- he was raised by a single mother. Just go read about his mother -- that explains everything. She was wonderful. She gave him good, well-rounded values, and those values are the same as ours.
We value family stability and working hard. When I look at what Barack and the Democrats are offering -- taking care of working families with better health care, better opportunities to go to college, and tax relief for the middle class -- that tells me Barack Obama actually values working families. As opposed to talk about "family values," with no follow up.
To Valerie, that's one of the most important differences when it comes to comparing Barack Obama and John McCain: every time she turns on the television she sees Barack Obama laying out plans, policies, and proposals to help families like hers. She's not seeing any plans or policy proposals from John McCain.
With the economy the way it is, we don't need promises that change from day to day -- we need concrete proposals. We need the how. That's what impresses me about Barack Obama. He not only gets the how -- he can also communicate that to regular people and inspire them to get involved.
So what are we waiting for? You can read more about Barack Obama's plans for fixing the economy, tax relief for the middle class, affordable healthcare, and college tuition credits by clicking here.
But most important of all, you can take the next step:
This is the movement for change: informed, inspired Americans working to put the country back on the right track -- one phone call, one doorstep, one $5 bill at a time.
Get out there!
You know, it was my kids who first got me to pay attention to Barack Obama.
And wouldn't you know: now it's Marian, 53 years old and a school nurse in Pennsylvania, who volunteers at her local Obama office, calling up young voters to talk to them about Barack Obama -- even getting their cell numbers so she can forward them text messages from the campaign.
I live in a very 'red' part of the state, and this isn't the kind of election where we can just wait for things to happen -- we have to make them happen.
And from the sound of it, the Obama movement in York County is powered by all types of people.
Just recently, Marian's been volunteering right alongside two grandmothers -- lifelong Republicans -- who are just as fired up as the next text messager.
These ladies are just so disappointed with the Bush Administration -- with the lies they've been told about the war and the economy -- and they decided they couldn't just sit at home and read about it in the newspaper and do nothing. So they came down to the office. They're facing their fears, talking to people they don't know, talking about being Republicans for Obama -- and they're doing it because you can't work as hard as they did all their lives just to leave their loved ones with this kind of burden. War, debt -- none of us want to leave behind that kind of legacy.
This is what's happening everywhere -- from Republican grandmothers to college students to school nurses in rural Pennsylvania: people of all ages and all backgrounds are coming out to do the work it takes to get Barack Obama elected President of the United States of America so we can turn this country around.
He's the smartest guy in the room. That's the guy I want. He understands the economy, and he can keep calm and strong in times like these, which is what a real leader does. And he surrounds himself with the smartest people. That's the guy I want.
Well said. That just inspired this blogger to donate again! You can do the same:
"This time," Marian says as we're getting off the phone, "it's just too important to stay at home."
Please join Marian, college students everywhere and Grandmothers for Obama -- and get volunteering at your local office today.
Kerri is a small business owner in Tempe, Arizona.
When you own your own business, no matter how small it is, you know you've got to reinvest in your company to make sure it continues to grow. The same thing is true with the infrastructure of this country -- we've got to reinvest in ourselves to make sure we continue to grow. That's what is so important about Barack's healthcare plans, his plans for small business owners, and his plans to give working class families some tax relief. We've got to invest in ourselves. That just makes sense.
When you own your own business, no matter how small it is, you know you've got to reinvest in your company to make sure it continues to grow. The same thing is true with the infrastructure of this country -- we've got to reinvest in ourselves to make sure we continue to grow. That's what is so important about Barack's healthcare plans, his plans for small business owners, and his plans to give working class families some tax relief.
We've got to invest in ourselves. That just makes sense.
She laughs when she thinks about working class families being convinced they're supposed to vote Republican.
Look at us -- we're as working class as they come! We're both the kids of blue collar workers -- my father was a machinist, and my husband's father laid railroad ties. Furthermore, my husband Phil is a Vietnam veteran. But what's important is that we both know this country is going in the wrong direction, specifically because of policies that John McCain endorses. Things have gotten too much about big corporations and special interests, and not enough about salt-of-the-earth-people.
Look at us -- we're as working class as they come! We're both the kids of blue collar workers -- my father was a machinist, and my husband's father laid railroad ties. Furthermore, my husband Phil is a Vietnam veteran.
But what's important is that we both know this country is going in the wrong direction, specifically because of policies that John McCain endorses. Things have gotten too much about big corporations and special interests, and not enough about salt-of-the-earth-people.
Kerri (who is also a nurse, a flight attendant and very active in the airline union) first heard Barack Obama speak at the 2004 convention, and liked that he had such an eloquent vision of the kind of country she wanted to live in. And when she looked into him some more, she found that he was a real advocate for the working class, as a state senator and a U.S. Senator -- but first as a community organizer.
You know, as a nurse, I really respect the work Senator Obama has done for his country even before he got involved in politics. Community organizing is so important. Community is really what America is all about -- trying to make a living, trying to take good care of our families, and making sure we take good care of our communities. That's the American Dream, plain and simple.
You know, as a nurse, I really respect the work Senator Obama has done for his country even before he got involved in politics. Community organizing is so important. Community is really what America is all about -- trying to make a living, trying to take good care of our families, and making sure we take good care of our communities.
That's the American Dream, plain and simple.
So, with just 46 days left before this historic election, what does Kerri think needs to happen?
Shake everyone you know, and tell them to go vote. If they're on the fence, educate them. This election is too important to sit on the sidelines.
OK. We can do that.
Click here to register you and your friends to vote.
Click here to get involved, knock on doors and make phone calls to the people in your community.
And click here to invite someone new to the process, and help us reach our goal of 50,000 new donors by this Friday.
Finally, Kerri wanted to say one last thing that she likes about Barack Obama:
He takes the high road.
We can do that too. Call, register, donate, and spread the word. That's the kind of campaign this has always been, and that's how we're going to win this election.
Voices for Change is a series featuring profiles of Barack Obama's grassroots supporters from across the nation. The people who make up this movement come from all different backgrounds, but they share a common goal of helping bring about fundamental change in Washington.
"Where Obama Stands" is a series of posts highlighting Obama's innovative approaches to challenge the status quo and get results on the issues that matter most to Americans. For a full list of Senator Obama's detailed policy positions, check out BarackObama.com/issues and/or download Obama's complete booklet of policy positions, "The Blueprint for Change." We are also looking for your feedback and suggestions on the issues; if you want to share your ideas, please submit your thoughts through our MyPolicy page.
"Keeping faith with those who serve must always be a core American value and a cornerstone of American patriotism. Because America's commitment to its servicemen and women begins at enlistment, and it must never end."
-- Barack Obama, Speech in Kansas City, MO, August 21, 2007
The Problem
Wounded Troops Suffer: The Walter Reed scandal showed that we don't always provide returning service members with the care they deserve.
Veterans Budget Shortfalls: In 2005, a multi-billion dollar VA funding shortfall required Congress to step in and bail out the system.
Benefits Bureaucracy is Broken: There are currently more than 400,000 claims pending with the Veterans Benefits Administration. VA error rates have grown to more than 100,000 cases a year.
There is Shortage of Care for PTSD: Veterans are coming home with record levels of combat stress, but we are not adequately providing for them.
Barack Obama's Plan
A Sacred Trust
Barack Obama believes America has a sacred trust with our veterans. He is committed to creating a 21st Century Department of Veterans' Affairs that provides the care and benefits our nation's veterans deserve.
Help for Returning Service Members
Obama will improve the quality of health care for veterans, rebuild the VA's broken benefits system, and combat homelessness among veterans.
Improved Mental Health Treatment
Obama will improve mental health treatment for troops and veterans suffering from combat-related psychological injuries.
Barack Obama's Record
Record of Advocacy: As a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs, Obama passed legislation to improve care and slash red tape for our wounded warriors recovering at places like Walter Reed. He passed laws to help homeless veterans and offered an innovative solution to prevent at-risk veterans from falling into homelessness. Obama led a bipartisan effort in the Senate to try to halt the military's unfair practice of discharging service members for having a service-connected psychological injury. He fought for fair treatment of Illinois veterans' claims and forced the VA to conduct an unprecedented outreach campaign to disabled veterans with lower than-average benefits. Obama passed legislation to stop a VA review of closed PTSD cases that could have led to a reduction in veterans' benefits. He passed an amendment to ensure that all service members returning from Iraq are properly screened for traumatic brain injuries. He introduced legislation to direct the VA and Pentagon to fix disjointed records systems and improve outreach to members of the National Guard and Reserves.
Read the Speech
Read the Plan
Join Veterans for Obama
Barack Obama's Plan to Secure America and Restore Our Standing
“When I am this party's nominee, my opponent will not be able to say that I voted for the war in Iraq; or that I gave George Bush the benefit of the doubt on Iran; or that I supported Bush-Cheney policies of not talking to leaders that we don't like. And he will not be able to say that I wavered on something as fundamental as whether or not it is ok for America to torture — because it is never ok… I will end the war in Iraq… I will close Guantanamo. I will restore habeas corpus. I will finish the fight against Al Qaeda. And I will lead the world to combat the common threats of the 21st century: nuclear weapons and terrorism; climate change and poverty; genocide and disease. And I will send once more a message to those yearning faces beyond our shores that says, "You matter to us. Your future is our future. And our moment is now.”
— Barack Obama, Des Moines, Iowa, November 10, 2007
Watch a Roundtable Discussion with Barack and his Foreign Policy Advisors:
Ending the War in Iraq
In 2003 and 2004, he spoke out against the war on the campaign trail; In 2005, he called for a phased withdrawal of our troops; In 2006, he called for a timetable to remove our troops, a political solution within Iraq, and aggressive diplomacy with all of Iraq's neighbors; In January 2007, he introduced legislation in the Senate to remove all of our combat troops from Iraq by March 2008. In September 2007, he laid out a detailed plan for how he will end the war as president.
Iran
Renewing American Diplomacy
Click on the title of the post to read about Barack's foreign policy plan.
Yesterday, voters turned out in record numbers to make their voices heard in Wyoming -- and delivered an overwhelming victory for Barack Obama. Senator Obama has now won nearly thirty contests, half the states in the country, the most primaries, the most caucuses and the majority of the popular vote. Democrats of all ages, regions, and backgrounds are making their choice for President (in many states, by landslide margins) -- and that choice is clearly Barack Obama.
Next up? Mississippi!
Meet Nick (below, right), a public policy grad student in Mississippi who has been doing enormous amounts of grassroots organizing for Senator Obama in the state. He's working with a great team of volunteers on the ground -- and they're glad that now the whole movement (you guys!) can give them an extra boost by making phonecalls to voters in Mississippi all today and tomorrow. So check out Nick's statement of support for Barack Obama, and then make some calls to Mississippi!
I support Senator Obama not only because I see him as a truthful honest man, someone who will fight for a better America as a whole -- but specifically because of his stances on the issues. On that front, the issue I care about most is education. His Teach Service Scholarships, the "Zero to Five" plan both show how the Senator will commit the necessary resources and policy makers to one of, if not the, biggest challenges of this next generation. To rebuild our public schools, hire and keep the best Americans as teachers, truly educate our children for success, and move our nation forward. If you told students, hey teaching is not only emotionally but fiscally rewarding, and we'll pay for your schooling in college, we would have an outpouring of support from the best and brightest. His support for the Water Resources and Development Act will greatly help my new state's economy in Mississippi. And his work with Senator Harkin to get cities and states to not just re-envision their approaches to mass transit, but do something about it by creating a pedestrian friendly society once more, gets me right where my professional career wants to see accomplished. The Senator's commitment to new transportation ideas is something I firmly stand behind. After moving to Starkville last fall, I was determined to help put Democratic politics back on the map in the deep Red Mississippi. After Senator Obama's speech in Iowa, I decided it was he whom I would support to lead our Party and country in the next 4 years. I armed myself with a handful of flyers around Mississippi State, a Facebook event, and a BarackObama.com event page and hoped to find 5 people who wanted to help get him nominated. At my first meeting I had 30 people. At the second one 30 people showed up again, but they were all new. Shortly after, we organized an Alabama canvassing trip for 4 local supporters and 1 from Jackson State to help in Tuscaloosa before their primary. We've had 2 viewing parties, 1 fundraiser, multiple days on campus handing out flyers printed at home, and so much more. Before I knew it combined with Irene Miller's efforts in neighboring Columbus I would say we have at least 120 people on our personal volunteer call sheets. All that in 1 month. Now we have a Columbus office and a Starkville staging ground. It's legendary.I've made so many new contacts, new friends, that I would never have without stepping out on my own one day and randomly setting up a Bulldawgs for Obama meeting. There are so many nice, wonderful, intelligent people right next door to you, that you'll never know existed if you weren't involved in your community.
I support Senator Obama not only because I see him as a truthful honest man, someone who will fight for a better America as a whole -- but specifically because of his stances on the issues.
On that front, the issue I care about most is education. His Teach Service Scholarships, the "Zero to Five" plan both show how the Senator will commit the necessary resources and policy makers to one of, if not the, biggest challenges of this next generation. To rebuild our public schools, hire and keep the best Americans as teachers, truly educate our children for success, and move our nation forward. If you told students, hey teaching is not only emotionally but fiscally rewarding, and we'll pay for your schooling in college, we would have an outpouring of support from the best and brightest. His support for the Water Resources and Development Act will greatly help my new state's economy in Mississippi. And his work with Senator Harkin to get cities and states to not just re-envision their approaches to mass transit, but do something about it by creating a pedestrian friendly society once more, gets me right where my professional career wants to see accomplished. The Senator's commitment to new transportation ideas is something I firmly stand behind.
After moving to Starkville last fall, I was determined to help put Democratic politics back on the map in the deep Red Mississippi. After Senator Obama's speech in Iowa, I decided it was he whom I would support to lead our Party and country in the next 4 years.
I armed myself with a handful of flyers around Mississippi State, a Facebook event, and a BarackObama.com event page and hoped to find 5 people who wanted to help get him nominated. At my first meeting I had 30 people. At the second one 30 people showed up again, but they were all new. Shortly after, we organized an Alabama canvassing trip for 4 local supporters and 1 from Jackson State to help in Tuscaloosa before their primary. We've had 2 viewing parties, 1 fundraiser, multiple days on campus handing out flyers printed at home, and so much more. Before I knew it combined with Irene Miller's efforts in neighboring Columbus I would say we have at least 120 people on our personal volunteer call sheets. All that in 1 month. Now we have a Columbus office and a Starkville staging ground. It's legendary.I've made so many new contacts, new friends, that I would never have without stepping out on my own one day and randomly setting up a Bulldawgs for Obama meeting. There are so many nice, wonderful, intelligent people right next door to you, that you'll never know existed if you weren't involved in your community.
You can connect to people in the community as well -- please help us make calls to Mississippi voters to spread the word about Barack Obama and get out the vote this Tuesday.
Pick up the phone!
And if you're from Mississippi, go to MS.BarackObama.com and get involved today. No time to lose!
We know some new readers are coming to the site for the first time this weekend -- and while regulars know we're always posting videos and updates from the campaign trail here, we wanted to take a minute and bring it back to the basics for all the first-timers on the blog today.
Here are just a few videos to introduce you to Senator Obama.
Learn a little about Barack Obama's unique background in "Meet Barack:"
See where it all began, on the steps of the Springfield courthouse, here in Senator Obama's Presidential Announcement Speech:
Check out the face of the movement, in the state where the movement really started to take shape in, "Road to Change: Iowa:"
And watch Barack Obama take his central message of hope from the Democratic National Convention in 2004 to Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada, South Carolina and beyond in this short video, "One Voice:"
You can check out these videos and many more on Barack TV.
Then here is some essential, further reading about some of the most important issues facing voters today:
Where Obama Stands: On the Economy
Where Obama Stands: On Healthcare
Where Obama Stands: On Iraq
Where Obama Stands: On Energy and the Environment
If you check back into the blog often, you can watch the most recent videos of Barack and Michelle Obama on the campaign trail, read detailed posts on Obama's policy positions, and see the regular reports coming in from the thousands of grassroots supporters powering this movement state by state.
Please pass this post on and introduce Barack Obama to the people you know!
And if you're new to the site, be sure to create a My.BarackObama.com account today so you can meet other supporters, volunteer, and of course join the conversation in the comments below...
