Amanda Scott's Blog

Wisconsin Celebrates

Amanda Scott — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 16:20:07 EST

Supporters in Madison, Wisconsin celebrated the victory on Tuesday night in the streets of downtown.

Barack Wins North Carolina

Amanda Scott — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 17:24:42 EST

The Associated Press reports that Barack Obama won North Carolina...

President-elect Obama won North Carolina on Thursday, a triumph that underscored his political strength as he turned nine states that President Bush won in 2004 to Democratic blue.
The Associated Press declared Obama the winner after canvassing counties in North Carolina to determine the number of outstanding provisional ballots. That survey found that there are not enough remaining ballots for Republican John McCain to close a 13,693-vote deficit.
North Carolina's 15 electoral votes brings Obama's total to 364 - nearly 100 more than necessary to win the White House - to McCain's 162. Missouri is the only state that remains too close to call, with McCain leading by several thousand votes.
Obama's win in North Carolina was the first for a Democratic presidential candidate since Jimmy Carter won the state in 1976.
Of Bush's 2004 states, Obama captured Virginia, Florida and North Carolina in the South, Ohio, Indiana and Iowa in the Midwest and Colorado, Nevada and New Mexico in the West. All total, Obama has won 28 states and the District of Columbia, McCain 21.

Video: Election Night Speech in Grant Park

Amanda Scott — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 14:54:35 EST

"I will never forget who this victory truly belongs to – it belongs to you." - Barack Obama, Election Night 2008

Read the full speech, as prepared for delivery . . .

Today's Front Pages

Amanda Scott — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 17:30:16 EST

Electoral Map: As Of 9:40pm EST

Amanda Scott — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 21:40:48 EST

Keep up to date with the Obama campaign Electoral Map...

The Bidens Cast Their Ballots

Amanda Scott — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 13:06:53 EST

Joe, Jill and Mama Biden went to their local polling location in Wilmington, Delaware early this morning. Check out these pictures of them voting:

Have you voted yet? Find your polling location and vote now.

Polls Are Now Open: Hawaii

Amanda Scott — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 12:00:39 EST

At 12:00 PM Eastern this morning, polls opened in Hawaii. No matter where you live, you can find your polling location now.

For state specific information or for any issues you may have with voting, visit our Voter Information Center or call 1-877-US-4-OBAMA (877-874-6226).

Today's Front Pages

Amanda Scott — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 11:27:36 EST

This past weekend and yesterday our supporters stepped up to the plate to help Get Out The Vote. They knocked on millions of doors, made millions of phone calls and spent countless hours volunteering their time to make sure that everyone who needed voting information received it.

All across the country people came together for change. People of all ages and backgrounds got back to the basics of grassroots organizing to do everything possible to help elect Barack Obama president.

In Ohio, Democratic leaders spent their time touring the state and helping to motivate supporters to keep pushing toward the finish line.

Thursday Gov. Ted Strickland teamed up with one-time Ohio senator and “Right Stuff” astronaut John Glenn in a day of county-by-county stops.

“The campaign is going well,” Strickland said in a phone interview Thursday afternoon. “We are taking nothing for granted. I think the election will be very close. We are just going from community to community talking about the importance of this election.”

And that’s the answer, Strickland contends — the grass roots – Knock for Barack— door-to-door campaign — that will turn the state to Obama.

“I think the Obama grass roots campaign is the most extensive and impressive I have seen,” Strickland said. “I think it will make the difference in the ultimate winner. I told (Obama) a month ago when he called. Both you and McCain will have money for television and for telephoning. I believe what will make the difference in Ohio for you is the grass roots support that exists.”

The governor cited 70 field offices and 600 paid staff plus thousands of volunteers. This summer the Obama campaign was the first in the history of a presidential race to open a separate office in Lawrence County, instead of using the party’s local headquarters.

Glenn, who went solo Friday in the eastern part of the state, called this election the single most important national campaign in recent history.

“I have never known a time when we have needed a change in the direction of the country,” Glenn told The Tribune in a phone interview. “The Republican party used to stand for balanced budgets and low debt. This has been a complete anathema to Republicans and Democrats. We can’t continue the way we are.”

Wednesday night Lt. Gov. Lee Fisher made a brief stop at the Ironton Obama campaign headquarters, to make phone calls for the candidate and give a pep talk to the handful of workers there.

Pennsylvania State Director Craig Schmirer reported impressive numbers of on the ground effort for the Keystone State.

Over the past 48 hours, the organization the Obama campaign began building in Pennsylvania months ago kicked into high gear.

Powered by people and fueled by a hunger for change, thousands of Pennsylvanians from every corner of the Commonwealth and all walks of life are giving a few hours of their time to turn the page on the failed policies and politics of the past eight years and to make Barack Obama the next President of the United States.

Over the weekend, our volunteers knocked on 1,811,801 doors of homes from Erie to Easton, Johnstown to Jenkintown. We also made 1,193,573 phone calls to voters across the state. Unlike the McCain campaign, these aren't negative robocalls sent by the push of a button, anonymously spreading smears and lies. These are live phone calls in which Barack Obama's message of change and his plan to create an economy that rewards work and creates new jobs is laid out by a fellow voter.

Over the next 36 hours, we will make even more voter contacts than this weekend. We have 81 offices across the state, many in parts of Pennsylvania that never have seen a presidential campaign set up there before. We have more than 500 staging locations for our grassroots canvass teams, positioned in every corner of the Commonwealth. And we have filled more than 200,000 volunteer-shifts for the final push toward Election Day. The visits of John McCain and Sarah Palin can't compete with this grassroots organization.

Our volunteers are combining hard work and creativity to get the word out about Barack Obama. In Pittsburgh and State College, we have a volunteer who has engineered a mobile projector that will allow passersby to send a text message explaining why they are voting for Obama which will then be projected on the sides of buildings. For the last several days, we have had mobile billboards being driven around Philadelphia streets. And the night before Election Day, we will have street teams postering and flyering cities and small towns all across the state.

Missouri supporters keep building on the organizing effort they started earlier this summer to turn the state blue.

In 2008, Missouri has seen 340,000 new voter registrations, 150,000 of which were youth voters.

Since the deadline for new voter registration, the Democrats have turned to "get out the vote" operations.

“We know that first-time voters overwhelmingly trend towards Democratic candidates,” said Rick Puig, president of the Young Democrats of Missouri. “So our registration efforts were aimed at expanding that electorate effort and our GOTV is designed to turn out those voters.”

Puig, along with several other leaders of Democratic student organizations, have said that they are impressed with the Obama campaign’s organization in central Missouri.

“The Obama campaign this cycle makes any other campaign I’ve worked on look like a bunch of disorganized guerilla warfare,” Puig said. “The apparatus they’ve built in mid-Missouri is phenomenal.”

Democrats have largely been following the blueprint of Claire McCaskill’s successful 2006 Senate campaign.

“She taught the Democratic Party how to win statewide as a Democrat,” Puig said. “We have to not win rural voters by overwhelming margins, but we have to show up in a legitimate way.”

Our work is not yet done. After you vote today, volunteer at your local office or help make phone calls to remind others to vote.

Polls Are Now Open: Alaska

Amanda Scott — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 11:11:35 EST

At 11:00 AM Eastern this morning, polls opened in Alaska. No matter where you live, you can find your polling location now.

For state specific information or for any issues you may have with voting, visit our Voter Information Center or call 1-877-US-4-OBAMA (877-874-6226).

Message from Michelle: Vote Today

Amanda Scott — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 10:33:38 EST

Michelle Obama just sent out this email...

Amanda --

Today is Election Day.

The opportunity to set our country on a new path has never felt more real than it does right now.

The polls are open in most places, and people are already making their voices heard for change.

There's just one thing left to do -- vote and make sure everyone you know votes, too.

You can find or verify your polling location by looking up your most recent registration address at VoteForChange.com.

Go vote today, and make sure you take your friends and family with you.

This is the day when we have to commit to doing everything we can. We can't afford not to -- for our families, our communities, and our future.

Once you vote, you can do more than just wait as the returns come in.

You can help get every last vote for Barack by volunteering in your community or making calls from home. Help put us over the top today:

http://my.barackobama.com/november

It's not too late to knock on doors, make calls, and make sure that every one of our supporters gets to the polls today.

Change is within our reach. We're counting on you to get us there today.

Thank you for everything you're doing,

Michelle

P.S. -- If anyone you know hasn't yet made up their mind, please invite them to learn more about Barack's positions on important issues:

http://www.barackobama.com/issues

Polls Are Now Open: California, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon and Washington

Amanda Scott — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 10:00:09 EST

At 10:00 AM Eastern this morning, polls opened in California, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon and Washington. No matter where you live, you can find your polling location now.

For state specific information or for any issues you may have with voting, visit our Voter Information Center or call 1-877-US-4-OBAMA (877-874-6226).

Barack and Michelle Cast Their Ballots

Amanda Scott — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 09:37:23 EST

Barack and Michelle, along with Malia and Sasha, stopped by their local polling location in Chicago to vote this morning. The polls in Illinois are open now, as well as in 33 other states. Find your polling location and vote today.

Polls Are Now Open: Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming

Amanda Scott — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 09:15:28 EST

At 9:00 AM Eastern this morning, polls opened in Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming. No matter where you live, you can find your polling location now.

For state specific information or for any issues you may have with voting, visit our Voter Information Center or call 1-877-US-4-OBAMA (877-874-6226).

Polls Are Now Open: Arkansas

Amanda Scott — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 08:47:20 EST

At 8:30 AM Eastern this morning, polls opened in Arkansas. No matter where you live, you can find your polling location now.

For state specific information or for any issues you may have with voting, visit our Voter Information Center or call 1-877-US-4-OBAMA (877-874-6226).

Polls Are Now Open: Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Mississippi, South Dakota, Texas, Wisconsin, Alabama, Arizona, Oklahoma

Amanda Scott — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 08:43:51 EST

At 8:00am AM Eastern this morning, polls opened in Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Mississippi, South Dakota, Texas, Wisconsin, Alabama, Arizona, Oklahoma. No matter where you live, you can find your polling location now.

For state specific information or for any issues you may have with voting, visit our Voter Information Center or call 1-877-US-4-OBAMA (877-874-6226).

Last Call for Change

Amanda Scott — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 07:45:54 EST

Polls are now open in 22 states across the country and voters are casting their ballots for president. Record numbers of people will vote today in every state and we need all the help we can get to make sure they have the correct information.

Spend today volunteering at your local office or making phone calls -- after voting, of course.

Everything comes down to today -- we can't let up now. Sign up to volunteer.

Polls Are Now Open: District of Columbia, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Illinois, Louisiana, Missouri and Michigan

Amanda Scott — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 07:00:06 EST

At 7:00 AM Eastern this morning, polls opened in the District of Columbia, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Illinois, Louisiana, Missouri and Michigan. No matter where you live, you can find your polling location now.

For state specific information or for any issues you may have with voting, visit our Voter Information Center or call 1-877-US-4-OBAMA (877-874-6226).

Polls Are Now Open: Ohio, West Virginia, North Carolina

Amanda Scott — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 06:35:09 EST

At 6:30 AM Eastern this morning, polls opened in Ohio, West Virginia and North Carolina. No matter where you live, you can find your polling location now.

For state specific information or for any issues you may have with voting, visit our Voter Information Center or call 1-877-US-4-OBAMA (877-874-6226).

Now Go Vote

Amanda Scott — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 23:34:22 EST

We started this campaign in February 2007. Twenty-one months later the day we have all been waiting for is upon us.

We will wake up tomorrow with a chance to make history. A chance to elect Barack Obama president.

This is what we've all been working for. This is what we've sacrificed dinners out for, why we spent our summer organizing, why we stayed up late to call, why spent our weekends volunteering.

One day to change the world.

Our supporters have put their heart and soul into this campaign. And there is no way that we would be where we are without you. You made this campaign what it is today. We reached this point because of you.

Now is the time to do what we've been working for: vote for Barack Obama for president.

Go to VoteforChange.com right now and find your polling location. Invite all of your friends and family to find their polling location. Decide when you are going to vote; on the way to work, at lunch or on the way home. Remind your co-workers to vote.

Go vote and make history.

LIVE: Joe and Jill in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Amanda Scott — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 23:17:31 EST

Joe and Jill are holding a Change We Need Rally at Marconi Plaza in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. You can watch the event live below:

[UPDATE] This event has ended. Check back tomorrow for more coverage Election Day coverage.

LIVE: Joe and Jill in Copley, Ohio

Amanda Scott — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 20:15:51 EST

Joe and Jill are holding a Change We Need Rally at Copley High School in Copley, Ohio. You can watch the event live below...

[UPDATE] This event has ended. Check back for more coverage from our road team and look for more live coverage later in the day.

LIVE: Barack in Charlotte, North Carolina

Amanda Scott — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 18:40:53 EST

Barack is holding a Change We Need Rally at University of North Carolina - Charlotte in Charlotte, North Carolina. You can watch the event live below...

[UPDATE] This event has ended. Check back for more coverage from our road team and look for more live coverage later in the day.

LIVE: Joe and Jill in Zanesville, Ohio

Amanda Scott — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 16:22:03 EST

Joe and Jill are holding a Change We Need Rally at Putnam Hill Park in Zanesville, Ohio. You can watch the event live below...

[UPDATE] This event has ended. Check back for more coverage from our road team and look for more live coverage later in the day.

Your Plans for Tonight

Amanda Scott — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 16:02:54 EST

Have you made plans for tonight yet?

There's still time help us Get Out The Vote and we still need volunteers making phone calls into battleground states. Go to your local office for a few hours after work today or make phone calls from home.

Take The Day Off

Amanda Scott — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 15:17:21 EST

Everything that we've worked for comes down to tomorrow. What are you doing?

Take the day off for Barack.

Ask your boss. Ask your professor.

Take some advice from Matthew Broderick and take the day off...

This Is It.

Amanda Scott — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 12:04:48 EST

One day.

Twenty-four hours.

1,400 minutes.

That is all we have left before polls open. And in some states, we have less time.

One last final push to make sure we have done everything we can do before the polls open.

Sign up to help make history.

Barack in Jacksonville, FL: "Tomorrow"

Amanda Scott — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 11:49:00 EST

Barack held a rally in Jacksonville, Florida this morning reminding voters that we can turn the page on failed policies and bring change to Washington.

I have just one word for you, Florida: tomorrow.
After decades of broken politics in Washington, eight years of failed policies from George Bush, and twenty-one months of a campaign that has taken us from the rocky coast of Maine to the sunshine of California, we are one day away from change in America.
Tomorrow, you can turn the page on policies that have put the greed and irresponsibility of Wall Street before the hard work and sacrifice of folks on Main Street.
Tomorrow, you can choose policies that invest in our middle-class, create new jobs, and grow this economy so that everyone has a chance to succeed; from the CEO to the secretary and the janitor; from the factory owner to the men and women who work on its floor.
Tomorrow, you can put an end to the politics that would divide a nation just to win an election; that tries to pit region against region, city against town, Republican against Democrat; that asks us to fear at a time when we need hope.
Tomorrow, at this defining moment in history, you can give this country the change we need.
Read Barack's full remarks, as prepared for delivery...

LIVE: Barack in Jacksonville, Florida

Amanda Scott — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 11:14:16 EST

Barack is holding a Change We Need Rally at Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida. You can watch the event live below...

[UPDATE] This event has ended. Check back for more coverage from our road team and look for more live coverage later in the day.

LIVE: Joe and Jill in Lee's Summit, Missouri

Amanda Scott — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 11:03:10 EST

Joe and Jill are holding a Change We Need Rally at Longview Community College in Lee's Summit, Missouri. You can watch the event live below...

[UPDATE] This event has ended. Check back for more coverage from our road team and look for more live coverage later in the day.

"It's up to you"

Amanda Scott — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 08:04:59 EST

This past week we asked our supporters to step up and help us Get Out The Vote. You answered in amazing ways. People across the country got involved for the first time, the third time, or continued what they have been doing since the primaries.

In Iowa, Barbara Cave isn't letting old age keep her from making phone calls and volunteering.

Across the country, enthusiasm for the presidential campaigns of Democrat Barack Obama of Illinois and Republican John McCain of Arizona have motivated thousands of people to get out and volunteer in support of each candidate's bid for office.

...At 77, Barbara Cave of Burlington has voted in a lot of presidential elections.

The native of Elmhurst, Ill., who moved to Iowa for the last 15 years of a teaching career that spanned 20 years and ended in 1992, grew up in a Republican household and cast her first vote for president in 1956, the year Dwight Eisenhower won re-election.

....Her belief in Obama is deeply felt.

"He is the candidate who can end polarization," she said, citing a political mood in the country that has pitted family members against one another and ended friendships.

If Election Day ends Tuesday night with an Obama victory, Cave said she will be thankful and probably will cry.

...Despite some nagging heart problems that slow her down some, Cave still has made an effort to pitch in to support Obama in his quest for the presidency. She worked for him at caucus time last winter, and now visits Des Moines County Democratic headquarters at least twice a week, where she calls Democratic and uncommitted voters, urging them to support the Obama-Biden ticket.

"I wish I were 40 years younger," she said, comparing her enthusiasm to her ability to work longer than two or three hours at a stretch. "I only have so much steam."

Our supporters in Missouri are doing everything possible, using all 44 field offices to Get Out The Vote.

Presidential elections are not just won by a candidate making promises at rallies and on countless television ads.

They're won door-by-door on the ground in battleground states like Missouri, a traditional swing state that often sides with the winner.

With polling locations set to open within the next 48 hours, thousands of volunteers for Republican John McCain and Democrat Barack Obama are knocking on doors across southwest Missouri and making phone calls to voters, reminding them to vote and encouraging them to vote for their respective candidate.

For Obama's team, this will be the first nationwide test of a new grass-roots organization that got a boost of confidence in the Democratic primary when it helped defeat Sen. Hillary Clinton's well-oiled political machine.

"The field operation is what's going to put us over the edge," said Buffy Wicks, Obama's state director. "It's those last face-to-face, door-to-door conversations that's going to help us close the deal."

Since Obama wrapped up a long primary campaign in June, his campaign has had a more visible presence in Missouri, establishing an unprecedented 44 field offices this summer.

...For the final days of the election, Obama's campaign has established 100 temporary staging locations in community buildings and union halls for organizing some 25,000 volunteers to knock on 1.3 million doors in Missouri and make 25,000 phone calls.

The effort made on the ground in Pennsylvania will be what keeps the Keystone State blue.

Legions of foot soldiers for both presidential campaigns fanned out across Western Pennsylvania yesterday for the final 72-hour push to Tuesday's election, knocking on doors and making cold calls to ensure their supporters vote.

Workers for Sens. John McCain and Barack Obama drew from volunteer lists and from call sheets developed over the long campaign, saying that in a battleground state such as Pennsylvania, they were leaving nothing to chance.

From Erie to Pittsburgh and from Sharpsburg to Bethel Park, efforts to "Get out the vote" were aided on this first weekend of November by sunny skies and temperatures that in places approached 70 degrees.

Some of those leaving pamphlets in doorways were working in neighborhoods adjoining their own. Others who trudged over fallen leaves came from thousands of miles away, part of a flood of volunteers from less contested states who arrived this weekend by plane, bus or car to bolster the ranks of local supporters.

...Suzanne Hall, 55, an Obama volunteer who lives in Shadyside, was only minutes into canvassing part of East Liberty when the first resident she encountered left little doubt that she supported Mr. Obama.

"I will be voting," the woman said as she stepped quickly out the door of her apartment building before driving off. "That is gonna make history...."

The Obama campaign was also benefiting from out-of-state volunteers eager to help this weekend.

Busloads of students from the University of Rochester and from Syracuse University were due to arrive, said Allison Price, an Obama campaign spokeswoman. There were even supporters from Toronto expected in Erie, she said.

At an Obama site in East Liberty, several dozen volunteer canvassers were trained and then sent out to surrounding neighborhoods, holding packets of addresses of registered voters. The workers were told where it is and is not legal to place literature and given advice on engaging those who answer doors.

"No matter what the polls say. No matter what the news says. If we don't get out the vote, then we don't win Pennsylvania," Martha Riecks, a volunteer and canvass coordinator, said as she conducted one training session yesterday morning.

She reminded the canvassers to ask for Election Day volunteers who might become useful as cheerleaders encouraging those waiting in long lines to stick it out and vote.

Ms. Price said the next few days are "everything we've been working for in terms of organization." She said the campaign "has been fueled by excitement from the start. Grass-roots support has been the backbone of this operation."

The weekend has ended, but our Get Out The Vote effort is not stopping. Monday is the last day before the polls open.

We cannot let up now.

If you have to work today, make some phone calls during lunch and when you get home tonight. If you can take the day off, go to your local office and sign up for a GOTV shift. We also need people working all day Tuesday to help drive voters to the polls, make phone calls to tell people where to vote, and to remind everyone to get to the polls and cast their ballot.

Whoever gets the most people to show up at the polls on Tuesday will be the next president. Let's make sure it's Barack.

LIVE: Barack in Cincinnati, Ohio

Amanda Scott — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 21:12:28 EST

Barack is holding a Change We Need Rally at the University of Cincinnati in Cincinnati, Ohio.

[UPDATE] This event has ended. Check back for more coverage from our road team and look for more live coverage later in the day.

LIVE: Joe and Jill in Daytona Beach, Florida

Amanda Scott — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 18:57:59 EST

Joe and Jill are holding a Change We Need good, but Rally at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida.

[UPDATE] This event has ended. Check back for more coverage from our road team and look for more live coverage later in the day.

LIVE: Barack and Michelle in Cleveland, Ohio

Amanda Scott — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 17:45:27 EST

Barack and Michelle are holding a Change We Need Rally at Malls A, B, and C in Cleveland, Ohio. You can watch the event live below...

[UPDATE] This event has ended. Check back for more coverage from our road team and look for more live coverage later in the day.

Early voting is underway now in Ohio, as well as over two dozen states across the country. You can find your early vote location at VoteForChange.com.

LIVE: Joe and Jill in Gainesville, Florida

Amanda Scott — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 16:30:32 EST

Joe and Jill are holding a Change We Need Rally at University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida.

[UPDATE] This event has ended. Check back for more coverage from our road team and look for more live coverage later in the day.

Barack in Columbus, OH: "The choice in this election"

Amanda Scott — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 16:02:44 EST

Barack traveled back to the Buckeye State today to rally supporters in Columbus. He also appealed to undecided voters by laying out exactly what is at stake in this election.

The choice in this election isn’t between tax cuts and no tax cuts. It’s about whether you believe we should only reward wealth, or whether we should also reward the work and workers who create it. I will give a tax break to 95% of Americans who work every day and get taxes taken out of their paychecks every week. And I’ll help pay for this by asking the folks who are making more than $250,000 a year to go back to the tax rate they were paying in the 1990s. No matter what Senator McCain may claim, here are the facts – if you make under $250,000, you will not see your taxes increase by a single dime – not your income taxes, not your payroll taxes, not your capital gains taxes. Nothing. Because the last thing we should do in this economy is raise taxes on the middle-class.
When it comes to jobs, the choice in this election is not between putting up a wall around America or standing by and doing nothing. The truth is, we won’t be able to bring back every job that we’ve lost, but that doesn’t mean we should follow John McCain’s plan to keep giving tax breaks to corporations that send American jobs overseas and promoting unfair trade agreements. I will end those breaks as President, and give them to companies that create jobs here in the United States of America. We’ll create two million new jobs by rebuilding our crumbling roads, and bridges, and schools. And I will invest $15 billion a year in renewable sources of energy to create five million new energy jobs over the next decade – jobs that pay well and can’t be outsourced.
When it comes to health care, we don’t have to choose between a government-run health care system and the unaffordable one we have now. If you already have health insurance, the only thing that will change under my plan is that we will lower premiums. If you don’t have health insurance you’ll be able to get the same kind of health insurance that Members of Congress get for themselves. And as someone who watched his own mother spend the final months of her life arguing with insurance companies because they claimed her cancer was a pre-existing condition and didn’t want to pay for treatment, I will stop insurance companies from discriminating against those who are sick and need care most. That’s the change we need. That’s why I’m running for President of the United States.
When it comes to giving every child a world-class education, the choice is not between more money and more reform – because our schools need both. As President, I will recruit an army of new teachers, pay them more, and give them more support. But I will also demand higher standards and more accountability from our teachers and our schools. And I will make a deal with every American who has the drive and the will but not the money to go to college: if you commit to serving your community or your country, we will make sure you can afford your tuition.
And when it comes to keeping this country safe, we don’t have to choose between retreating from the world and fighting a war without end in Iraq. It’s time to stop spending $10 billion a month in Iraq while the Iraqi government sits on a huge surplus. As President, I will end this war. I will ask the Iraqi government to step up for their future, and I will finally finish the fight against bin Laden and the al Qaeda terrorists who attacked us on 9/11. I will never hesitate to defend this nation. And I will make sure our servicemen and women have the best training and equipment when they deploy into combat, and the care and benefits they have earned when they come home. That’s what we owe our veterans. That’s what I’ll do as President.
I won’t stand here and pretend that any of this will be easy – especially now. The cost of this economic crisis, and the cost of the war in Iraq, means that Washington will have to tighten its belt and put off spending on things we don’t need. As President, I will go through the federal budget, line-by-line, ending programs that we don’t need and making the ones we do need work better and cost less.
But as I’ve said from the day we began this journey, the change we need won’t come from government alone. It will come from each of us doing our part in our own lives and our own communities. It will come from each of us looking after ourselves, our families, and our fellow citizens.

Read Barack's full remarks, as prepared for delivery...

Today's Front Pages

Amanda Scott — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 13:53:38 EST

Today's front pages highlight our amazing volunteers and supporters who are on the ground working hard to help Get Out The Vote. Today and tomorrow are key to winning this election and those involved with the ground effort are making all the difference.

If you haven't already, sign up for a Get Out The Vote shift. Dedicate today and tomorrow to winning this election.

LIVE: Joe and Jill in Tallahassee, Florida

Amanda Scott — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 12:47:02 EST

Joe and Jill are holding a Change We Need Rally at Florida State University in Tallahassee, Florida. You can watch the event live below...

[UPDATE] This event has ended. Check back for more coverage from our road team and look for more live coverage later in the day.

"Going to do everything I can"

Amanda Scott — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 00:32:23 EDT

Our supporters hit the ground running today as we kicked off GOTV across the country. In battleground and non-battleground states people got involved and worked to elect Barack president.

Pennsylvania volunteers are doing everything possible to keep the state blue in what is described as the "largest" grassroots organization the states has ever seen.

Barack Obama boasts 57,000 Pennsylvania volunteers signed up to make calls this weekend; John McCain has 25,000.

And between now and 8 p.m. Tuesday, when the polls close out this historic presidential race, they'll be knocking on the doors and jangling the phones of voters just like you.

...Voter outreach and motivation efforts are in high gear this weekend and will continue through Election Day in both camps. Millions will be contacted.

...''This is the largest and most historic grass-roots organization in Pennsylvania history, period,'' Obama spokeswoman Ellen Mellody said.

...Volunteers...are the backbone of the Obama effort, which combines the grass-roots feel of neighborhood teams with meticulous training and a coordinated campaign message overseen by staff. The effort places a premium on regular, face-to-face voter contact.

Florida supporters are refusing to let another election slip out of their hands by making sure everyone votes.

Candidates and their supporters are going non-stop from now until the polls close on Election Night, with phone bank operations, door-to-door campaigning, and appearances by political and entertainment celebrities.

...The months, and in some cases years, of campaigning all build to the frenzy of the final weekend through poll-closing Tuesday night.

Efforts to get out the vote, known as "GOTV" or the "ground game" in the political world, can mean the difference between victory and defeat.

...Even though they're outnumbered by Democrats, Republicans win Florida elections because their voters are more reliable at turning out, said Lance de Haven-Smith, a political scientist at Florida State University.

That makes GOTV critical.

...Dan Reynolds is president of the Broward AFL-CIO, which operates phone banks, provides transportation, and has volunteers at polling places. He said the close 2000 presidential election is a powerful motivating force.

"In 2000, 537 people who needed a ride to the polls could have changed history."

Students in Ohio are not letting the "apathetic youth" reputation keep them down.

With the presidential election only days away, Ohio State student volunteers for Sens. Barack Obama and John McCain are as busy as ever.

"There is no more important college in this election than Ohio State," said Matt Caffrey, a sophomore in political science and campaign communications director for OSU Team Obama.

...Whether it is through mailings, canvassing, chalking or handing out stickers and pamphlets, students from both campaigns will be promoting their candidate until Tuesday. OSU voters could make the difference for one of the two presidential hopefuls.

"[College students] are one of the biggest reasons why [Barack Obama] won the primary," said Jessica Boebel, a junior international studies major and campus outreach volunteer.

At this point, Obama's volunteers are focused on getting early voters to the polls. On Tuesday, students lined High Street for the Obama "flash mob," a five-minute-long celebration of posters and cheering to kick off the last week of campaigning.

"I'm personally going to do everything I can to make sure no one on campus is unaware that it is almost Election Day and that they need to go out and vote for Barack Obama," Caffrey said.

Tomorrow is going to be another big day and it's going to take an unprecedented push by supporters to get us over the top. There are still plenty of ways you can take this campaign into your own hands -- sign up tonight to Get Out The Vote tomorrow.

LIVE: Barack and Michelle in Springfield, Missouri

Amanda Scott — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 22:32:04 EDT

Barack and Michelle Obama will be holding a Change We Need Rally at Parkview High School in Springfield, Missouri. You can watch the event live below...

[UPDATE] This event has ended. Check back for more coverage from our road team. You can also sign up to receive notification of upcoming live events via email.

Newspaper Endorsements

Amanda Scott — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 22:10:30 EDT

Three prominent Native American newspapers have endorsed Barack for president...

Native American Times:

Perhaps carelessly, this election for President of the United States has been called the most important race for the highest office ever. There are some compelling reasons for the Nation and certainly for Native people. For reasons beyond experience, and finally looking past race, I support U.S. Sen. Barack Obama for President of the United States.

Tanasi Journal:

Native Americans have been the margin of victory in races all across Indian Country and we can have a role in electing the next grateful President in Barack Obama. The Tanasi Journal without reservation endorses Obama to be the next President of the United States. Vote November 4th, 2008.

Indian Country Today:

Indian Country Today endorses Barack Obama for president. This election is a remarkable opportunity for change in policy direction and leadership style. As a person, Obama exhibits humility and grace, and his story inspires creativity and action. As a candidate, Obama redefined American politics. The first African-American candidate for president deftly inspired legions of disenfranchised and first-time voters to participate in the democratic process. His campaign avoided divisive politics, instead finding common-ground issues like education and the economy to bring minds together. American Indian voters, especially those who support Obama, seized their right to vote like never before and have embraced political participation as a new ethic. We are certain that Native voters will make a noticeable difference in the presidential race and in local ones as well.

Newspaper Endorsements

Amanda Scott — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 21:49:38 EDT

Three prominent Jewish newspapers recently endorsed Barack Obama for president...

Washington Jewish Week:

In a world that has lost respect for the United States in the past eight years, Obama as president has the best chance of gaining renewed trust and respect for our nation.
WJW gives its nod to Barack Obama for president.

The Jewish Observer:

At this time in our economy, there is an economic upheaval in our nation. The United States needs a steady hand at the wheels of leadership, and Sen. Barack Obama has shown he not only possesses this steady hand, but he also has the temperament to guide our nation to a better tomorrow. He has shown leadership and judgment in his selection process simply by the way he has conducted himself during this election process. He has the humility and fortitude to seek advisors, when needed, negotiate and/or fight for peace, and most importantly to remain united and sacrosanctly committed to bless Israel in its quest to exist and flourish in the Middle East.

Detroit Jewish News:

Obama has set forth an appealing vision of returning America to greatness. His belief that as a society we can come together and effect change that addresses many of the problems outlined above is set firmly within this country's historic and unshakable belief in progress.

We believe he possesses the right blend of leadership, vision and collaborative spirit. We believe that it is essential for America to regain its footing as an international leader, which will also be the surest guarantee of security for Israel.

We believe Barack Obama is the best choice for the American presidency.

Newspaper Endorsements

Amanda Scott — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 21:29:53 EDT

Nine LGBT newspapers have endorsed Barack Obama for president. Here are a few of the endorsements...

Gay City News:

The Illinois senator has spoken of a politics of hope and change, not surprisingly given a life that has included a father from Kenya and a mother from Kansas, a term as president of the Harvard Law Review and a job as a community organizer on the streets of Chicago.

Between the lines:

BarackObama has asked for and will receive our support, endorsement and anything else we can help them with in the next 60 days. We urge all our readers to educate themselves, their family members and co-workers about the urgency of this election in our lives. Tell them how harmful the last four years have been for those of us living under this assault. Enough is enough. Pick up the phones, register people to vote (last day is Oct. 6), share your stories and please vote for Barack Obama on Nov. 4. because, "Yes we can!"

Washington Blade:

The choice for gay voters — whether fiscally conservative or traditionally liberal — is a no-brainer. Obama represents the country’s best chance to move past partisan gridlock and correct.

Bay Area Reporter:

For LGBT voters, this is an election year unlike any other in recent memory. And in less than three weeks, citizens will elect a new president. For us, the choice is crystal clear: Democrat Barack Obama is the candidate, not only for LGBT Americans, but for all of us.

Gay and Lesbian Times:

On Tuesday, Nov. 4, the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender community will join with our straight allies and elect Sen. Barack Obama the 44th president of the United States. Sen. Obama was raised in a time of hope – a time when America believed in itself and in its place in the world. It was, as Sen. Obama has often said, an era of hope inspired by a young Senator from Massachusetts, John F. Kennedy.

Newspaper Endorsements

Amanda Scott — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 21:22:01 EDT

Three Irish newspapers and one Greek newspaper recently endorsed Barack for president. Here are some excerpts.

Irish Voice:

Barack Obama has the ability to transform the current view of America with his election. He would send an eloquent signal to the world that America has made a fresh start, that the tried and stale policies of the recent past have been banished for good and that a vibrant new era has arrived. He should be our next president.

Boston Irish Reporter:

In my opinion of many Irish Americans I know, Barack Obama is the only candidate for President who addresses the six key cultural and generational concerns of most Irish Americans.

Irish Echo:

However, with our eye firmly on the future, the Irish Echo believes that Obama will make the better president. We feel that Obama, surrounded as he is by top Irish American advisors like Richie Neal, Joe Crowley, Joe Biden, George Mitchell and, hopefully, Hillary Clinton, can put Ireland back on the White House priority list, a position it last occupied during the Clinton presidency.

Greek News:

Greek News joins many main stream U.S. media in endorsing Democratic Candidate Barack Obama for President of the United States. Greek News’ editorial points out that although the newspaper – with the exception of Greek American candidates - avoids endorsing politicians and parties, the graveness of the financial and political situation in the United States and the World, along with the failed policies preached by the Republican candidate John McCain and President Bush vis-à-vis Greece, force us to endorse Barack Obama for President.

Democratic Radio Address: Senator Obama Gives His Closing Argument

Amanda Scott — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 19:38:56 EDT

Senator Barack Obama used this week’s Democratic radio address to present his closing argument to the American people. Throughout almost two years of campaigning across the country, Obama has laid out how he will fix our economy and how he will bring the change we need to Washington.

Read the text of the radio address.

LIVE: Joe and Jill in Bowling Green, Ohio

Amanda Scott — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 18:47:14 EDT

Joe and Jill Biden will be holding a Change We Need Rally at Bowling Green State University in Bowling Green, Ohio. You can watch the event live below...

[UPDATE] This event has ended. Check back for more coverage from our road team. You can also sign up to receive notification of upcoming live events via email.

LIVE: Barack and Michelle in Pueblo, Colorado

Amanda Scott — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 17:23:08 EDT

Barack and Michelle are holding a Change We Need Rally at Union Avenue Historic District in Pueblo, Colorado. You can watch the event live below...

[UPDATE] This event has ended. Check back for more coverage from our road team. You can also sign up to receive notification of upcoming live events via email.

Virginia Is Getting Out The Vote

Amanda Scott — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 15:08:04 EDT

Virginia volunteers are on the ground working hard today.

What are you doing for GOTV?

Barack in Henderson, NV: "Knock on some doors, make some calls"

Amanda Scott — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 14:26:54 EDT

Barack visited Henderson, Nevada this morning to make sure everyone gets involved in helping to Get Out The Vote.

Don’t believe for a second this election is over. Don’t think for a minute that power concedes. We have to work like our future depends on it in these last few days, because it does.
But I know this, Nevada, the time for change has come. We have a righteous wind at our back.
And if in these last few days, you will knock on some doors for me, and make some calls for me, and go to barackobama.com and find out where to vote – and remember, you can vote early here in Nevada. If you will stand with me, and fight by my side, and cast your ballot for me, then I promise you this – we will not just win Nevada, we will not just win this election, but together, we will change this country and we will change the world.
Read Barack's full remarks, as prepared for delivery...

Sign up for a Get Out The Vote shift for this weekend and on Election Day. If you can't volunteer, please consider making a donation to help our on the ground efforts.

LIVE: Barack in Henderson, Nevada

Amanda Scott — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 12:26:00 EDT

Barack is holding a Change We Need Rally at Coronado High School in Henderson, Nevada. You can watch the event live below...

[UPDATE] This event has ended. Check back for more coverage from our road team. You can also sign up to receive notification of upcoming live events via email.

Front Pages

Amanda Scott — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 12:01:05 EDT

LIVE: Joe and Jill in Evansville, Indiana

Amanda Scott — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 11:30:07 EDT

Joe and Jill Biden will be holding a Change We Need Rally at the Intersection of Main St. and 6th St. in Evansville, Indiana. You can watch the event live below...

[UPDATE] This event has ended. Check back for more coverage from our road team. You can also sign up to receive notification of upcoming live events via email.

What Are You Doing Today?

Amanda Scott — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 11:10:44 EDT

Get Out The Vote starts today and campaign staff are on the ground working hard. Our offices are ready for volunteers, the phonebanks are set up and the doors are ready to be knocked.

People around the country are coming out to volunteer and organize for Barack. SEIU members will be working in major battleground states.

In the final 72-hours of this campaign, thousands of nurses, janitors and other volunteers across the country are joining more than 3,000 SEIU members, local and International staff who've taken time off the job to bring home victory for Barack Obama, Joe Biden and candidates committed to the change that working families need.

SEIU's major GOTV operations are microtargeting key precincts and swing voters, as well as union households, in Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin.

"In these final 72-hours, SEIU members all around this country are doing their part to put America on a new path," said SEIU Secretary-Treasurer Anna Burger. "SEIU members have knocked on millions of doors and made millions of phone calls to carry our candidates across the finish line. By electing leaders who will help us achieve quality, affordable health care for everyone; economic fairness; good jobs that can support a family and the freedom to form unions without intimidation, together we will create new American Dream."

Wisconsin High School students are making their voice heard -- even if they're not old enough to vote.

At the local Obama headquarters on Madison's Monroe street, the rotation of in-coming and out-going volunteers seems to be constant.

A group of teenage Obama volunteers knocked on doors in a near west side neighborhood, trying to get out the vote. None of the volunteers was voting age.

"It almost makes it more important that we can't vote because we have to have our voice heard in some way," Dianna Amasino, 17 and a high school senior, told 27 News. "That's why by canvassing, going out and talking to the people, we're making sure of that voice."

Colorado Democratic leaders are touring the state to remind supporters to vote.

Three big-name Democrats will swing through Boulder County on Sunday to encourage residents to vote for presidential candidate Barack Obama at the polls Tuesday.

Former U.S. Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle will join with Sen. Ken Salazar and former Colorado Gov. Roy Romer on a "Get Out the Vote" RV tour. The three men will visit with volunteers and participate in canvass kickoffs at Obama field offices.

The tour will begin in Fort Collins and make its way to Boulder County in the afternoon. The tour will stop at Obama's Longmont office at 372 Main St. at 1:15 p.m., then head off to 787 El Dorado Road in Superior later in the afternoon. The time of that stop has yet to be announced.

Michigan supporters are not leaving anything to chance over the next 72 hours.

With [three] days to go before election day, it's time to hit the streets and staff the phones.

In Grand Rapids, Democrats and Republicans are planning all out efforts to get out the vote, or GOTV.

At the Democratic headquarters, State Representative Mike Sak said, "If you look at what's happening with the early voting across the states, you have a significant record turnout of people coming to the polls and we truely believe that they're voting for Barack Obama for president."

Both campaigns will have volunteers filling phone banks and going door to door from now until when the polls close Tuesday.

What are you doing today? Share your plans with us, but most importantly, if you don't have plans - make them. The next 72 hours are crucial and we need every person working and organizing. Let's show everyone what the power of a grassroots movement can do.

LIVE: Joe and Jill in Lima, Ohio

Amanda Scott — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 18:08:04 EDT

Joe and Jill Biden are holding a Change We Need Rally at Lima Senior High School in Lima, Ohio.

[UPDATE] This event has ended. Check back for more coverage from our road team. You can also sign up to receive notification of upcoming live events via email.

Early voting is underway now in Ohio, as well as over two dozen states across the country. You can find your early vote location at VoteForChange.com.

Start GOTV Off Strong

Amanda Scott — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 16:42:30 EDT

As Keith mentioned earlier, this morning kicked off the beginning of our Get Out The Vote effort. All of our calling campaigns have been opened to all battleground states. You can call supporters and remind them to vote early or vote on Tuesday.

Volunteers have been spending countless hours calling undecideds for the past couple of months and now we can shift our focus to making sure our supporters cast their ballot.

Some supporters need to know their polling location, what to bring and when the polls are open. With 15 battlegrounds almost tied in the polls, this is one of the most important ways to spend your time.

If you are not traveling tonight, or if your teenagers are trick-or-treating by themselves, make some phone calls and make sure GOTV gets off to a strong start.

This weekend is the most important weekend in this election. This weekend determines who wins and who loses.

Let's win.

Michelle Obama Wants You To Vote Early

Amanda Scott — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 15:45:27 EDT

Michelle Obama was in North Carolina yesterday to rally supporters and encourage everyone to vote early. Our staff on the ground was at the event, along with almost 2,000 voters.

Today, Michelle reminded us that we must do our part to bring the change we need to this country, Barack cannot do this without us, without our vote. She encouraged us to vote and to vote early. We have only 4 days left to vote early in North Carolina. Vote today and if you have already voted, volunteer.

There are only 6 days left in this election. Six more days to knock on doors, make phone calls, and get people to the polls! Look up your polling location and vote today or sign up to volunteer today.

Earlier in the week Michelle held a rally in Colorado to remind Coloradoans that they don't need to wait until Tuesday to vote.

Find your early vote location and vote today. Then sign up for a Get Out The Vote shift to help us make sure every Obama supporter has the opportunity to cast their ballot.

Front Row To History

Amanda Scott — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 14:51:46 EDT

Barack just sent out this email...

Amanda --

I want you to be there with me on Election Night when the results come in.

We're planning a big event that will include tens of thousands of supporters in Grant Park in downtown Chicago.

We're saving some of the best seats in the house for 5 people who make their first donation to the campaign before Sunday at midnight, as well as 5 people who have given before, but decide to make a donation one last time.

If you're selected, you can bring a guest, and we'll fly you in and put you up in a hotel for the night. You'll go backstage at the big event and -- no matter what happens -- you'll have a front row seat to history as we celebrate the supporters who got us over the finish line.

Any donation counts -- whatever you can afford. Show your support at this crucial time with a donation, and you could join me on Election Night:

https://donate.barackobama.com/frontrow

This movement for change has been a testament to the power of ordinary Americans coming together to achieve extraordinary things.

I look forward to having you there on Election Night.

Thank you,

Barack

Today's Front Pages

Amanda Scott — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 14:24:31 EDT

Get Out The Vote starts tomorrow. Sign up for a volunteer shift to help us Get Out The Vote this weekend and next week.

Barack in Des Moines, IA: "A new politics for a new time"

Amanda Scott — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 13:06:55 EDT

Barack traveled back to Iowa today, the place where the American people first voiced their need for change in Washington this past January.

Barack told Iowa why, even after 21 months of campaigning, we cannot let up now because our opponent will do everything he can in the next four days to tear us down.

Now, Senator McCain has served this country honorably. And he can point to a few moments over the past eight years where he has broken from George Bush. Just this morning, the McCain campaign put out an ad that showed me praising him and Senator Lieberman for their work on global warming – as if there’s something wrong with acknowledging when an opponent has said or done something that makes sense. I think we need more of that in Washington. I don’t disagree with Senator McCain on everything, and I respect his occasional displays of independence.
...We’ve tried it John McCain’s way. We’ve tried it George Bush’s way. Deep down, Senator McCain knows that, which is why his campaign said that “if we keep talking about the economy, we’re going to lose.” That’s why he’s spending these last weeks calling me every name in the book. Because that’s how you play the game in Washington. When you can’t win on the strength of your ideas, you make a big election about small things.

So I expect we’re going to see a lot more of that over the next four days. More of the slash and burn, say-anything, do-anything politics that’s calculated to divide and distract; to tear us apart instead of bringing us together.

A couple of elections ago, there was a presidential candidate who decried this kind of politics and condemned these kinds of tactics. And I admired him for it – we all did. He said, “I will not take the low road to the highest office in this land.” Those words were spoken eight years ago by my opponent, John McCain. But the high road didn’t lead him to the White House then, so this time, he decided to take a different route.

Now, I know campaigns are tough. Because we’ve got real differences about big issues and we care passionately about this country’s future. And make no mistake, we will respond swiftly and forcefully with the truth to whatever falsehoods they throw our way. The stakes are too high to do anything less.

But Iowa, at this moment, in this election, we have the chance to do more than just beat back this kind of politics – we have the chance to end it once and for all.

We have the chance to prove that the one thing more powerful than the politics of anything-goes – the one thing the cynics didn’t count on – is the will of the American people.

We have the chance to prove that we are more than a collection of Red States and Blue States – we are the United States of America.

That’s how we’ll steer ourselves out of this crisis – with a new politics for a new time. That’s how we’ll build the future we know is possible – as one people, as one nation. And that’s why I’m running for President of the United States of America.
Read Barack's full remarks, as prepared for delivery...

We have only four days to Get Out The Vote. And only four days to fight back against the negative ads. Make a donation today and sign up to volunteer for this weekend.

LIVE: Barack in Des Moines, Iowa

Amanda Scott — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 12:28:32 EDT

Barack is holding an Early Vote for Change Rally at Western Gateway Park in Des Moines, Iowa. You can watch the event live below...

[UPDATE] This event has ended. Check back for more coverage from our road team. You can also sign up to receive notification of upcoming live events via email.

Early voting is underway now in Iowa, as well as over two dozen states across the country. You can find your early vote location at VoteForChange.com.

Find Your Early Vote Location

Amanda Scott — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 11:19:50 EDT

National Field Director Jon Carson sent this email out last night...

Amanda --

We have 5 days left to make sure as many people as possible cast their votes for change.

But you'd be surprised at how many of your friends and family don't know where to vote -- or that they can vote as early as today.

Take a minute to look up your own early vote location on our voting website, VoteForChange.com, then please forward this email to your friends, family, and neighbors so they can look up theirs, too.

On VoteForChange.com you can find where to vote and get crucial early voting information.

Voting early is easy, convenient, and lets you avoid possible long lines on Election Day. And if you vote early, you know you'll be free on Election Day to volunteer in our historic get out the vote effort.

This race is too close for you -- or anyone you know -- not to vote.

Can you forward this email to at least five friends, family members, or coworkers and tell them to look up their early vote location?

Supporters like you can transform this country, and I'm counting on your help to make sure every Obama supporter knows they don't have to wait another day to cast their votes for change.

Thank you for your help,

Jon

Jon Carson
National Field Director
Obama for America

11/3 Barack in Manassas, VA (LIVE) @ 9pm EST

Amanda Scott — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 07:54:34 EDT

Barack Obama will be holding a Change We Need Rally at Prince William County Fairgrounds in Manassas, Virginia. This event will be livestreamed on the HQ blog.

11/3 Joe and Jill in Philadelphia, PA @ 10:30pm EST

Amanda Scott — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 07:42:34 EDT

Joe and Jill Biden will be holding a Change We Need Rally at Marconi Plaza in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. This event will be livestreamed on the HQ blog.

We Need You This Weekend

Amanda Scott — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 22:59:12 EDT

This is it.

Twenty-one months of work comes down to this weekend.

Hundreds of doors have been knocked, thousands of phonecalls have been made, millions of donors have sacrificed to move this campaign along, putting their hard work and effort into this campaign.

But none of that will matter if we don't Get Out The Vote.

If people don't get people to the polls on Tuesday then we will lose.

Which is why we need all of our supporters -- every single one -- volunteering this weekend. There are plenty of ways to help and more than enough resources to get you started.

Don't wake up on November 5th wishing you had done more. Find an event near you and sign up to volunteer today.

LIVE: Barack in Columbia, Missouri

Amanda Scott — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 22:21:03 EDT

Barack is holding a Change We Need Rally at University of Missouri in Columbia, Missouri. You can watch the event live below...

[UPDATE] This event has ended. Check back for more coverage from our road team. You can also sign up to receive notification of upcoming live events via email.

Vote Early Before It's Too Late

Amanda Scott — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 20:29:45 EDT

Early voting has been going on in some states since September. Others started in the middle of October.

Some states end early voting on Election Day. Others end it this weekend.

Do you know if you can still early vote in your state? Visit our Voter Information page to get the details on early voting in your state. Once you find out when your dates are visit VoteforChange.com to find your early vote location.

By voting early you are not only securing your vote for Barack but you don't have to wait in the long lines on election day. And you can help our crucial Get Out The Vote effort by spending your free time volunteering and helping those who haven't voted vote.

So what's holding you back?

Vote early today. And while you're at it, bring your friends and you family members. Join the over 15 million voters and vote early today.

Message from the CFO: Obama campaign finances

Amanda Scott — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 18:58:01 EDT

Obama Campaign Chief Financial Officer Marianne Markowitz just sent out this email...

Amanda --

I'm the Chief Financial Officer for Barack Obama's campaign. I track the donations coming in and the expenses going out.

I asked for the opportunity to write to you directly so that I could try to explain what's happening right now.

This organization has thousands of employees and spends millions of dollars a day -- and at the moment we're doing it without a safety net.

Our spending plans have been stretched by John McCain's negative attacks and the overwhelming resources of the Republican National Committee.

As of October 15th, John McCain and the RNC together had nearly $20 million more in cash than the combined total of Obama for America and the DNC. And just this week, we're facing new and unexpected spending against us in Montana and West Virginia.

Your incredible generosity has gotten us this far. But right now we need your help more than ever to get this campaign across the finish line.

Please donate $25 or whatever you can afford right now:

https://donate.barackobama.com/RNCadvantage

My team and I are working to stretch every dollar in order to keep as many paths to victory open as possible. But we need whatever help you can provide for this crucial final stretch.

Thank you,

MM

Marianne Markowitz
Chief Financial Officer
Obama for America

LIVE: Barack in Virginia Beach, Virginia

Amanda Scott — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 17:50:53 EDT

Barack is holding a Change We Need Rally at Verizon Wireless Virginia Beach Amphitheater in Virginia Beach, Virginia. You can watch the event live below...

[UPDATE] This event has ended. Check back for more coverage from our road team. You can also sign up to receive notification of upcoming live events via email.

LIVE: Joe in Williamsport, Pennsylvania

Amanda Scott — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 16:32:48 EDT

Joe is holding a Change We Need Rally at Lycoming College in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. You can watch the event live below...

[UPDATE] This event has ended. Check back for more coverage from our road team. You can also sign up to receive notification of upcoming live events via email.

Message from Joe Biden: In case you missed it

Amanda Scott — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 15:40:19 EDT

Joe Biden just sent out this email...

Amanda --

Last night, Barack took to the airwaves to make the case for real change. He used the time to tell the stories of ordinary people who need real solutions to their problems.

The presentation reached its finale with Barack addressing the nation live from Florida -- I've included the video of that moment below.

But right now, I need to ask you for help.

We just learned that the McCain campaign and the Republican National Committee had a $20 million cash advantage on October 15th. That means we can expect to see a fierce blitz of negativity in the final days -- so-called "robocalls," mail pieces, and TV ads filled with smears and false attacks.

We can't let our opponents' low-road tactics prevail. To stand up to this last-minute spending spree, we need to step up our efforts.

Your generosity has made this movement possible. Will you watch Barack's speech and make a donation today?
https://donate.barackobama.com/forthefinish
The resources we have to get our message out in the next 5 days could make all the difference.

Thanks for your support,

Joe

Turn Nevada Blue Again

Amanda Scott — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 15:20:10 EDT

Bill Clinton won Nevada in both 1992 and 1996. In the 2000 Election, Al Gore carried the state. But in 2004 John Kerry lost by only 21,000 votes, just 3%.

The polls are tight this year, but we have a very real chance of turning Nevada blue once again.

If you live on the West Coast, sign up to spend GOTV weekend in Nevada. Battleground states like Nevada will make or break the election. But our staff can't do it without you.

Organizers have been spending the summer working to win and you can help put them over the top this weekend.

We only have five days left to elect Barack. We need to work as hard as we can this weekend.

Sign up to help with GOTV this weekend.

If you live in a neighboring state, we also need volunteers in Colorado, Florida, Indiana, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia.

Today's Front Pages

Amanda Scott — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 13:24:01 EDT

Polls open in five days. Sign up today to help Get Out The Vote in Florida and North Carolina for this weekend.

Campaign Launches Closing Argument TV Ads

Amanda Scott — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 12:49:33 EDT

Today, the Obama-Biden campaign released two closing argument 30 second TV ads, “Rearview Mirror”, which answers for voters that if they wonder where John McCain will take the economy, they just have to look behind them as he will simply continue George Bush’s failed policies and “Something” which highlights that we can choose hope over fear, unity over division, the promise of change over the status quo and vote for Obama, a leader who will bring us together.

Watch "Rearview Mirror"...

Watch "Something"...

Donate today to help get these ads on the air.

Barack in Sarasota, FL: "The last thing we can afford is four more years"

Amanda Scott — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 12:15:46 EDT

Barack spoke to residents of Sarasota, Florida this morning reminding them to vote early and volunteer this weekend. He also addressed the current falling of the GDP.

We are in the middle of the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. 760,000 workers have lost their jobs this year. Businesses and families can't get credit. Home values are falling. Pensions are disappearing. It's gotten harder and harder to make the mortgage, or fill up your gas tank, or even keep the electricity on at the end of the month.
And just today, we learned that the GDP, or Gross Domestic Product - a key indicator economists use to measure the health of our economy - has actually fallen for the first time this year. That means we're producing less and selling less - so our economy is actually shrinking. And we saw the largest decline in consumer spending in 28 years as wages failed to keep up with the rising cost of living, and folks have been watching every penny and tightening their belts.
Now, this didn't happen by accident. Our falling GDP is a direct result of eight years of the trickle down, Wall Street first/Main Street last policies that have driven our economy into a ditch.
And the central question in this election is this: what will our next President do to take us in a different direction?
Well, Florida, if you want to know where Senator McCain will drive this economy, just look in the rearview mirror. Because when it comes to our economic policies, John McCain has stood with President Bush every step of the way. Voting for the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy that he once opposed. Voting for the Bush budgets that sent us into debt. Calling for less regulation twenty-one times just this year. In fact, after twenty-one months and three debates, Senator McCain still has not been able to tell the American people a single major thing he'd do differently from George Bush when it comes to the economy.
And you've got to ask yourself, after nine straight months of job losses and the largest drop in home values on record, with wages lower than they've been in a decade, why would we keep on driving down this dead end street?
Folks who can't pay their medical bills, or send their kids to college, or save for retirement can't afford to take a back seat to CEOs and Wall Street banks for four more years.
At a moment like this, the last thing we can afford is four more years of the tired, old theory that says we should give more to billionaires and big corporations and hope that prosperity trickles down to everyone else. The last thing we can afford is four more years where no one in Washington is watching anyone on Wall Street because politicians and lobbyists killed common-sense regulations. Those are the theories that got us into this mess. They haven't worked, and it's time for change. That's why I'm running for President of the United States.
Read Barack's full remarks, as prepared for delivery...

Read more about Barack's economic plan to help the middle class.

LIVE: Barack in Sarasota, Florida

Amanda Scott — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 11:13:26 EDT

Barack is holding an Early Vote for Change Rally at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Florida. You can watch the event live below...

[UPDATE] This event has ended. Check back for more coverage from our road team. You can also sign up to receive notification of upcoming live events via email.

Early voting is underway now in Florida, as well as over two dozen states across the country. You can find your early vote location at VoteForChange.com.

LIVE: Joe in Arnold, Missouri

Amanda Scott — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 11:03:26 EDT

Joe is holding Change We Need Rally at Fox High School in Arnold, Missouri. You can watch the event live below...

[UPDATE] This event has ended. Check back for more coverage from our road team. You can also sign up to receive notification of upcoming live events via email.

It's in your hands

Amanda Scott — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 23:57:44 EDT

Barack just sent out this email...

Amanda --

The next 6 days are going to be the toughest we've seen, and I need your support to reach as many voters as possible.

Donate today to strengthen this movement for the final push.

This campaign is in your hands.

Thank you for everything you're doing,

Barack

LIVE: Barack in Kissimmee, Florida

Amanda Scott — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 23:16:26 EDT

Barack is holding an Early Vote for Change Rally at Osceola Heritage Park in Kissimmee, Florida with President Clinton. You can watch the event live below...

Early voting is underway now in Florida, as well as over two dozen states across the country. You can find your early vote location at VoteForChange.com.

[UPDATE] This event has ended. Check back for more coverage from our road team. You can also sign up to receive notification of upcoming live events via email.

Find An Event Close To You

Amanda Scott — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 22:30:51 EDT

This election will be won or lost on the ground. It will be won or lost in the four days that we spend Getting Out The Vote.

Get Out The Vote efforts are going on now in crucial battleground states like Ohio, Indiana, Nevada, North Carolina, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maine, Florida, Colorado, New Mexico, Iowa and more.

However these states need your help.

We have been campaigning, organizing and working for over 20 months. And now it comes down to this next week and what we do - or don't do - to get out the vote.

Sign up to volunteer now. You can find events that are close to you - phonebanks, canvasses, road trips, and more - and help in the way you are most needed.

Even if you do not live in a battleground state we need you on the phone, in your local office working to make sure undecideds in the battleground states have all their questions answered about Barack and the issues they care about.

This comes down to us. This is it. We can't look back and wish we had done more. We can't slow down or sit on the sidelines. We have to work harder each day then we did the day before.

We can do it. And we can win.

The Obama-Biden Plan for America

Amanda Scott — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 21:09:41 EDT

There is a lot at stake in this election. Next Tuesday, voters will determine whether or not the country moves forward in a new direction.

Over the past 21 months Barack has been laying out his plan for change. His plan to unite America and restore trust in government.

Whether it is helping students afford college, rebuilding our cities, helping rural families or making sure women get equal pay for equal work, Barack cares about bringing people together to solve the problems this country is facing.

Barack and Joe believe that leaders and government must be open and transparent to the American people. Which is why they have clearly laid out and brought together their proposals for the fundamental issues that Americans care about.

The Blueprint for Change booklet lays out Barack and Joe's plans for America. It includes detailed policies for the economy, ethics, health care, seniors, education, energy, fiscal discipline, rural, women, immigration, poverty, service, civil rights, national security and veterans.

Download and read the Blueprint for Change booklet today. Take time to look at the issues that are important to you and find out where Barack and Joe stand.

How You Can Help

Amanda Scott — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 19:50:52 EDT

This is the most important election of our lifetime. We cannot sit on the sidelines: we’ve got to keep making our case for change; we’ve got to keep fighting for every vote. Here are four things that you can do to help Barack win between now and Election Day...

1. Early Vote

Do you live in a state that has early voting? Find your voting location today and vote. Then make sure that all of your friends, family, co-workers and neighbors know about early voting as well. Early voting is crucial for our Get Out The Vote effort in battleground states.

2. Volunteer

We need volunteers more than ever as we near election day. Click here and enter your zip code and we'll tell you exactly where we need your help. Bring your friends, family, coworkers, neighbors and other supporters to be part of this moment.
You can also contact voters from home, help with voter protection efforts, or take a road trip to a battleground state.
Find the nearest volunteer opportunity now.

3. Fight the Smears, Spread the Truth

John McCain and his allies are waging an increasingly negative campaign. In addition, right-wing 527 and smear artists are launching non-stop attacks on Barack. You can help us fight back by visiting Fight The Smears to get the truth about Barack. And if you come across any anti-Obama email messages, forward them to watchdog@barackobama.com. Get the facts and take action.

4. Donate

We are in a tough fight and our opponent is going all out with lies and smears to win. We have to push back. The only way that we can continue to spread Barack's message and fight back is with your help. This is only possible because of you. Our campaign has never taken money from PACs or lobbyists because we want to be held accountable to the American people, not special interests. This is your campaign and by donating today you can help ensure that we have the resources to compete in as many states as possible.

LIVE: Barack and Joe in Sunrise, Florida

Amanda Scott — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 19:20:13 EDT

Barack and Joe are holding an Early Vote for Change Rally at BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise, Florida. You can watch the event live below...

Early voting is underway now in Florida, as well as over two dozen states across the country. You can find your early vote location at VoteForChange.com.

[UPDATE] This event has ended. Check back for more coverage from our road team. You can also sign up to receive notification of upcoming live events via email.

Watch Barack Tonight at 8pm EST

Amanda Scott — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 19:01:40 EDT

Don't forget to tune in to Barack's 30-minute special tonight called Barack Obama: American Promises. It will air at 8pm EST on NBC, CBS, Univision, BET, FOX and MSNBC. Check your local listings for channel information.

And if you haven't already, find a Last Call for Change phonebank house party in your neighbor to watch the special at. Afterwards you can call undecided voters in battleground states to help the campaign's Get Out The Vote efforts.

Helping The Middle Class

Amanda Scott — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 17:24:26 EDT

The economy is the top issue of the campaign. It has been on everyone's mind for months now.

Barack has a plan to make sure that middle class Americans can take care of their families and to get the economy back on the right track.

Barack will restore fairness to the tax code and provide 150 million workers the tax relief they need. The plan will create a new "Making Work Pay" tax credit of up to $500 per person, or $1,000 per working family.

Barack will eliminate all income taxation of seniors making less than $50,000 per year. This proposal will eliminate income taxes for 7 million seniors and provide these seniors with an average savings of $1,400 each year.

Barack will eliminate all capital gains taxes on start-up and small businesses to encourage innovation and job creation. Obama and Biden will also support small business owners by providing a $500 “Making Work Pay” tax credit to almost every worker in America.

Barack will make college affordable for all Americans by creating a new American Opportunity Tax Credit. This universal and fully refundable credit will ensure that the first $4,000 of a college education is completely free for most Americans, and will cover two-thirds the cost of tuition at the average public college or university and make community college tuition completely free for most students.

Watch this video of Virginia Governor Tim Kaine explaining how Barack's plan for the economy will help ordinary Americans in his state.

Read the full Obama-Biden economic plan.

Go To North Carolina This Weekend

Amanda Scott — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 16:12:10 EDT

This summer Campaign Manager David Plouffe said that we were going to fight for every vote -- no matter the color of the state. We started a 50-state campaign with offices and volunteers spread out across the entire country.

That was four months ago.

Now we are six days out from Election day with states tied that no one thought we would have a chance in. States like North Carolina who haven't voted for a Democratic president since 1976. The state has gone red for thirty years and now we have a chance -- a real chance -- to turn it blue.

Our organizers have been working endlessly registering voters, holding phonebanks, canvassing and promoting early voting. This weekend is especially important and they need your help.

Do you live near North Carolina? Do you have this weekend free? Sign up to Drive for Change.

In just six days we will be electing the 44th president. If we put everything we have into working and organizing, it will be Barack Obama.

If you live in a neighboring state, we also need volunteers in Colorado, Florida, Indiana, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia.

Drive for Change this weekend.

Blueprint for Change: Iraq

Amanda Scott — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 14:44:39 EDT

Before the war in Iraq ever started, Senator Obama said that it was wrong in its conception. In 2002, then Illinois State Senator Obama said Saddam Hussein posed no imminent threat to the United States and that invasion would lead to an occupation of undetermined length, at undetermined cost, with undetermined consequences.

Since then, Senator Obama has laid out a plan on the way forward in Iraq that has largely been affirmed by the bipartisan Iraq Study Group led by James Baker and Lee Hamilton.

Barack understands there is no military solution to Iraq's civil war and has a plan to bring the war to a responsible end. This includes getting the troops out with phased redeployment, putting pressure on the Iraqi government to reconcile and prevent the worsening of the humanitarian crisis.

Immediately upon taking office, Barack will give his Secretary of Defense and military commanders a new mission in Iraq: successfully ending the war. The removal of our troops will be responsible and phased. Obama and Biden will press Iraq's leaders to take responsibility for their future and to substantially spend their oil revenues on their own reconstruction. Obama and Biden will launch an aggressive diplomatic effort to reach a comprehensive compact on the stability of Iraq and the region. They also will address Iraq's refugee crisis.

The Blueprint for Change: Iraq video lays out the detailed plan...

Get more information on Barack's plan for the war in Iraq and learn where John McCain stands.

Tonight: Last Call for Change

Amanda Scott — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 14:02:24 EDT

If you live in a non-battleground state you can play an important role in deciding this election in key battleground states. Especially tonight.

The campaign will be airing a 30-minute special tonight called Barack Obama: American Promises from 8-8:30pm EDT.

Tonight supporters are gathering at Last Call for Change phonebanks across the country, calling voters in swing states to tell them where their polling location is.

There are only 6 days left to bring the change we need.

Barack is counting on your incredibly important phone calls. You can make sure Obama supporters know where to vote on Tuesday. Their polling location may have changed, or they may have never voted before.

No experience is required. You'll have a script to work from, and our staff will help you every step of the way.

Get together with fellow supporters in your community and attend a Last Call for Change phonebank near you tonight.

Barack in Raleigh, NC: "Will this country be better off four years from now?"

Amanda Scott — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 13:13:27 EDT

Barack spoke to voters in Raleigh, North Carolina this morning to remind them about voting early. He clarified the fact that if are a resident of North Carolina you must vote in two steps -- one for president and one for the rest of the ticket. In North Carolina, if you vote a straight ticket, you have not voted in the presidential election. Make sure to vote for president separately.

He also explained to voters why he will bring change to the middle class and John McCain will not.

Senator McCain says that we can’t spend the next four years waiting for our luck to change, but you understand that the biggest gamble we can take is embracing the same old policies that have failed us for the last eight years. We’ve tried it John McCain’s way. We’ve tried it George Bush’s way. It hasn’t worked. Deep down, Senator McCain knows that, which is why his campaign said that “if we keep talking about the economy, we’re going to lose.”

That’s why he’s spending these last few days calling me every name in the book. I’m sorry to see my opponent sink so low. Lately, he’s called me a socialist for wanting to roll back the Bush tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans so we can finally give tax relief to the middle class. By the end of the week, he’ll be accusing me of being a secret communist because I shared my toys in Kindergarten.

That’s his choice. That’s the kind of campaign he chose to run. But you have a choice too. The fundamental question in this election is not “Are you better off than you were four years ago?” We know the answer to that. The real question is, “Will this country be better off four years from now?”

For eight years, we’ve seen Washington take care of the extremely well-off and well-connected, and now my opponent is making the same old arguments to justify the same old policies that have been a complete failure for the middle class. He wants to give more to billionaires, more to corporations that ship jobs overseas, more to the same people whose greed and irresponsibility got us into this crisis. We’re here because we know they shouldn’t get away with it any more. We don’t need another President who fights for Washington lobbyists and Wall Street, we need a President who stands up for hardworking Americans on Main Street, and that’s what I’ll be.

It’s time to think very hard about what four years of John McCain’s policies will mean for the middle class.

If Senator McCain is elected, 100 million Americans will not get a tax cut. You won’t see a cent, but the average Fortune 500 CEO will get $700,000 and Big Oil will get $4 billion.

If Senator McCain is elected, your health care benefits will get taxed for the first time in history, and at least twenty million Americans risk losing their employer health insurance.

If Senator McCain is elected, we’ll have another President who wants to privatize part of your Social Security.

If Senator McCain is elected, he won’t make your college tuition affordable. His campaign says they have no college affordability plan because they consider the young people of America just another special interest.

Whether you are Nancy the Nurse, Tina the Teacher, or Carl the Construction Worker – if my opponent is elected, you will be worse off four years from now than you are today. So let’s cut through the negative ads and the phony attacks – under John McCain, the middle class will watch wealth get favored over work, jobs get shipped overseas, and the cost of health care and college go through the roof. North Carolina, we know that just won’t do. Not this time. It’s time for change. It’s time to do what’s right for you, for our economy, and for our country

I know that my opponent is worried about losing an election, but I’m worried about Americans who are losing their homes, and their jobs, and their life savings. I’m worried about the middle class. And I won’t just fight for your vote in the final days of election – I will fight for you every single day that I’m in the White House. That’s why I’m running for President of the United States of America.
Read Barack's full remarks, as prepared for delivery...

Do you live in a state that has early voting? Be sure to vote today if you live in Colorado, Florida, North Carolina, Iowa, Indiana, Wisconsin, Ohio, Montana, New Mexico, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Georgia, West Virginia, Oregon, Alaska, Arkansas, Arizona, Texas, Tennessee, Hawaii, Illinois, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Kansas, New Jersey, or Idaho.

Charles in Colorado Wants You To Volunteer

Amanda Scott — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 12:33:52 EDT

This past Sunday Barack rallied 100,000 voters in Denver, Colorado. Supporters, volunteers and undecideds came out to listen to Barack and to vote early. The local Campaign for Change office held a rally the week before for volunteers to have a chance to meet Barack backstage before the rally. Charles, a 86-year-old volunteer, won the raffle and got to meet the Democratic nominee.

Meeting Barack is one of Charles' "most memorable" experiences. That's saying a lot for what he has lived through.

Charles was born in 1922 and seen what some of us only know as history. He lived through the Great Depression, served in the Korean War and volunteered for Franklin D. Roosevelt's presidential campaign.

Everyday Charles volunteers in the Boulder, Colorado office. He greets people at the door, helps with extra work that needs to be done and makes sure that everyone that comes in has an opportunity to get involved and make an impact.

Charles knows the importance of this election and how volunteers and supporters on the ground will make the difference next Tuesday. The time you spend working for Barack contacting voters is crucial to our Get Out The Vote effort. Take Charles' advice and sign up to volunteer in your community.

LIVE: Joe in Jupiter, Florida

Amanda Scott — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 11:12:17 EDT

Joe is holding an Early Vote for Change Rally at Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter, Florida. You can watch the event live below...

Early voting is underway now in Florida, as well as over two dozen states across the country. You can find your early vote location at VoteForChange.com.

[UPDATE] This event has ended. Check back for more coverage from our road team. You can also sign up to receive notification of upcoming live events via email.

Today's Front Pages

Amanda Scott — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 11:04:30 EDT

Virginia hasn't voted for a Democratic president since 1968. This year, we can change that. Sign up today to help Get Out The Vote in Virginia and turn the state blue for the first time in 40 years.

New TV Ad: "His Choice"

Amanda Scott — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 10:37:00 EDT

Today, the Obama-Biden campaign introduced a new 30 second TV ad, “His Choice”, which highlights John McCain in his own words admitting that he doesn’t understand the economy well.

Watch "His Choice" below...

Donate today to help put this ad on the air.

The Issues Americans Care About

Amanda Scott — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 22:47:51 EDT

There are four main issues that the every American is worried about today: jobs, healthcare, education and the economy. They are issues that have especially hit Ohio, like many states, hard.

Job losses are at record highs as businesses close down or have to lay off employees. Families are having to choose between paying thousands for treatment that is not covered by their health insurance or not getting treatment for life-threatening diseases. College students are graduating with massive amounts of debt, some of which parents have to take on to make sure their child can get a good education. The economy is crumbling around us and families are living paycheck to paycheck just to get by.

Ken, Deb, Karen and James from Ohio share with us some ways in which Barack will fix these problems.

What issues are important to you? Visit our issues page to read how an Obama-Biden administration will put this country on the right track again. Or download the Obama-Biden Blueprint for Change to read their plan for America.

"Young voters could rock the polls this year"

Amanda Scott — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 21:42:20 EDT

Young voters are going to make or break this election on November 4. Go out and vote today.

There's always talk about the impact young voters could have in choosing the next president. But this truly could be a breakout year for them.

Among the factors: nearly 2-to-1 support for Barack Obama among 18- to 29-year-olds and a seasoned get-out-the-vote effort that has seen young voter participation steadily rising since 2000.

...When asked, "Do any of the following words describe how you feel about the upcoming presidential election?" 61 percent of the young respondents chose "interested," while 48 percent chose "hopeful."

But, able to choose more than one answer, only about a third of these likely young voters said they were "excited" about the election and 47 percent were "frustrated."

These are the sort of answers one might expect from a group of voters who've historically been pegged as Election Day wild cards, but who've also shown they can be counted on - helping get both Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton elected, for instance.

Show up big this time - and they could put Obama over the top. A lesser youth showing, however, would likely benefit McCain.

"So turnout suddenly becomes a pretty big ingredient," says Peter Levine, director of Tufts University's Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement, otherwise known as CIRCLE.

That's especially true in key swing states, such as Florida, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia. In North Carolina, for instance, the most recent tally available shows 579,858 new registrants who are eligible to vote this year. Many of them 20somethings, they represent about 9 percent of the state's registered voters and could be a difference-maker in a close race, particularly if they support one candidate more heavily than another.

...In that election, about 47 percent of 18- to 24-year-olds voted, up from 36 percent in 2000, according to the Census Bureau. While their impact was not felt as greatly because their vote was more evenly split between George W. Bush and John Kerry, no other age group increased its turnout by more than 5 percentage points.

And some political scientists expect those numbers to be topped yet again, especially since young voters have been a long-standing centerpiece of Obama's campaign.

...They may be considered unlikely voters by some. But political scientist Molly Andolina expects many of them will make it to the polls in November.

"This cohort has shown a lot of resilience," says Andolina, a professor at DePaul University who studies young-voter habits. "Prior to Obama's win in Iowa - when it was known that he was popular among youth - pundits declared that they'd never make it out, in the cold of January, when college and universities were still on break, to spend an hour or more caucusing ...

"But they did. And he won."

Joe in Melbourne, FL: "The ultimate bridge to nowhere"

Amanda Scott — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 19:50:10 EDT

During his Early Vote for Change Rally at Wickhman Park in Melbourne, FL, Joe laid out the differences in the Obama-Biden health care plan and the McCain-Palin health care plan.

I know we’re not running against President Bush. But we are running against the very Bush economic policies John McCain is promising to continue. Let me focus on one of them – health care. How many of you get your health care through your employer? Under John’s plan, for the first time in history, that benefit would be taxed as income.

John McCain has resurrected the failed Bush idea of taxing your health care benefits… as if they’re income. The first thing that would do is cause 20 million of you to lose your health care coverage. But don’t worry, John says, I’m going to make up for it. I’m going to give you a $2,500 tax credit -- $5,000 for a family – to go out into the private market to buy your own health insurance. The problem is that you’re getting a $5,000 check to go out and buy a policy that, on average, costs $12,000. That’s what I call the ultimate bridge to nowhere.

Just this morning, we just had a refreshing bit of “straight talk” from John McCain’s top economic advisor about John’s health care plan. He said that younger workers wouldn’t want to leave their company-sponsored plans because, and I quote, “What they are getting from their employer is way better than what they could get with the credit.” They want to take the one part of our health care system that ain’t broke… and break it.

Barack Obama and Joe Biden’s health care plan strengthens employer–based coverage, makes insurance companies accountable and ensures patient choice of doctor and care without government interference. Under the plan, if you like your current health insurance, nothing changes, except your costs will go down by as much as $2,500 per year. If you don’t have health insurance, you will have a choice of new, affordable health insurance options. Read the full health care plan for more information.

"Barack Obama for President"

Amanda Scott — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 19:37:41 EDT

Black Enterprise just endorsed Barack Obama for president...

As the 2008 presidential campaign enters its final weeks, Black Enterprise magazine publishes a special November issue with editorial focusing on our nation's urgent need for change. In "The Best Man," Black Enterprise, which has been the definitive voice of African American business for more than 38 years, articulates its continuing and unequivocal endorsement of Sen. Barack Obama as the next president of the United States.
...Black Enterprise fully endorses Barack Obama as America's best hope for recovery. His initiatives are fresh, aggressive, and comprehensive, while the policies put forth by his opponent, Sen. John McCain, can be likened to a stale rehash of the trickle-down agenda first introduced by the Reagan administration some 25 years ago. Obama offers middle-class families desperately needed financial relief; McCain further rewards individuals in the highest tax brackets.
It comes as no surprise that McCain has resorted to negative campaigning to confound middle-class voters. The commercials about Obama's record and policy approach -- especially when it comes to taxes -- have been gross distortions. In truth, the Obama plan would reduce income taxes for individuals making less than $250,000 a year, and it's estimated to help 95% of all working families. Moreover, Obama intends to repeal the Bush tax cuts for high income taxpayers ahead of schedule and increase the 15% rate on capital gains and dividends.
To spur innovation and create new jobs, he contends that he will eliminate capital gains taxes for start-ups and other small businesses. Also, in an effort to encourage corporations to keep jobs in the U.S, he proposes an end to breaks for companies that ship jobs overseas.

Another vital component of Obama's plan is the creation of 5 million jobs through the investment of $150 billion in clean technology over the next 10 years -- including green-collar employment in ailing sectors such as construction and manufacturing.
Sen. Barack Obama represents our nation's urgent need for effective leadership. He doesn't change his approach or alter his character with a headline. He shuns petty politics. He's a serious man for serious times. It's time for new thinking on all issues—from the economy and foreign policy to education and technology. It's time for the president of the United States to connect with—and care about—its diverse array of people. It's become clear to Americans seeking real change in this election that Obama is the only option.

Tomorrow Night: Last Call for Change

Amanda Scott — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 19:15:48 EDT

Tomorrow night a number of major network stations will air a 30 minute special from Barack. At the same time, supporters across the country will be hosting Last Call for Change house parties to reach out to undecideds and share Barack's message.

Don't miss out on this opportunity to gather with friends and neighbors and make a big difference in this election.

Sign up to attend a house party and make calls for Barack. You can help supporters find their polling location or simply talk to voters who need to hear the truth about Barack.

Voters will head to the polls one week from today and make their voices heard. Thousands of these voters are still undecided, and many still have questions about where Barack stands on certain issues because of lies and smears. You can change that.

Watch Barack's special, make calls and help continue our Get Out The Vote effort.

Your Tax Cut

Amanda Scott — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 18:43:43 EDT

Taxes are a top issue in this election. With the struggling economy, consumer prices rising and paychecks staying the same, people are worried about the future. They're worried about their bank accounts and what their financial situation will be like after November 4.

Which is why Barack has clearly laid out his tax plan for Americans.

An Obama-Biden administration will provide tax cuts for almost all American families and will not raise any tax rate on families making less than $250,000 a year. This plan will cut taxes for middle class families by three times more than Senator McCain's tax plan. Americans will pay the same tax rates that they paid in 1990s, when President Clinton was in office.

Barack will lower taxes for the majority of small businesses -- nearly 99% of small business owners will not see a tax increase.

The focus of Barack's tax plan is to grow the middle class because in times of economic crisis, like the one we are in today, Americans who are struggle the most are the ones who deserve to be helped.

To make figuring out your specific tax cut under Barack's plan a little easier, the campaign created a tax calculator. Insert some quick information about yourself and your family and you can see instantly how much money you will save.

Use the tax calculator today and forward it to your friends and family who are still undecided.

Barack in Harrisonburg, VA: "That's not the change we need"

Amanda Scott — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 17:38:56 EDT

Barack spoke to voters in Harrisonburg, Virginia this afternoon to make his case for change. While he told attendees of the rally about his plans for providing tax cuts, helping students go to college and creating more jobs, he also focused on health care.

Now, to be fair, there is one thing he’ll change – and that’s our health care system. But he won’t change it in a good way. Senator McCain’s health care plan would tax your benefits for the first time in history. Independent studies say that under his plan, at least 20 million Americans would lose the insurance they currently rely on and be forced to buy health care coverage on the individual market. For all this, he’d only give your family a $5,000 tax credit when the average plan costs over $12,000.

Senator McCain doesn’t like to talk about this plan all that much. But this morning, we were offered a stunning bit of straight talk – an October surprise – from his top economic advisor, who actually said that the health insurance people currently get from their employer is – and I quote – “way better” than the health care they would get if John McCain becomes President.

Now this is the point I’ve been making since Senator McCain unveiled his plan. It took until the last seven days of this election for his campaign to finally admit the truth. But hey, better late than never.

And the truth is, John McCain’s health care plan is radical, it’s unaffordable, and it’s not the change we need right now.

The Obama-Biden plan provides affordable, accessible health care for all Americans, builds on the existing health care system, and uses existing providers, doctors and plans to implement the plan. Under the Obama-Biden plan, patients will be able to make health care decisions with their doctors, instead of being blocked by insurance company bureaucrats. Read more about the detailed health care plan.

LIVE: Barack in Harrisonburg, Virginia

Amanda Scott — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 16:39:37 EDT

Barack is holding a Change We Need Rally at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia.

[UPDATE] This event has ended. Check back for more coverage from our road team. You can also sign up to receive notification of upcoming live events via email.

Barack Calls Undecided Colorado Voters

Amanda Scott — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 15:50:20 EDT

Barack Obama loves making phone calls. If he has time in his busy schedule to make a stop at a local office on the campaign trail, he always stops by to make some phone calls to undecided voters.

This past Sunday he was in Colorado holding Early Vote for Change rallies in Denver and Fort Collins but that didn't stop him from visiting a volunteer office in Brighton.

Contacting voters is one of the most important ways we can reach out to voters during this last week. The McCain campaign is bombarding undecided voters with robocalls full of lies and smears but personal calls from supporters will help spread the truth about Barack's message.

Whether you spend 30 minutes or a couple of hours calling voters, one-on-one conversations could help us win some crucial battleground states. Polls open one week from today. With most battleground states in a tie, your phone calls could make the difference and put Barack over the top.

Yesterday our supporters beat the goal of 100,000 calls by making 124,000. Today, the goal is to contact 125,000 voters.

Call time is 5-9pm local so log on to Neighbor-to-Neighbor and contact undecided voters tonight.