Trish - A British Catholic In The USA For Obama

Help Us Win Franklin County

Trish - Working To Elect That One — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 04:25:23 EDT

I want you to imagine waking up on November 5th and finding that we lost the Presidential Election. How would you feel? Would you have a sick feeling in your stomach, wondering if there was something more you could have done to have prevented Obama's defeat?

The fact is that, with just thirteen days to E-day, we are running neck-and-neck with John McCain in the polls, yet we CAN WIN this election if we make sure that every single supporter of Barack Obama goes out and votes, and for that to happen we need YOUR HELP.

We have a massive GOTV operation that can only work if we have as many volunteers as possible on the ground between now and election day. If you live in Franklin County, please, please, please help us make a victory happen. Stop by at the office at 208 S. Church St, Union, MO and fill out a volunteer sheet. We need:

CANVASSERS - We continue to canvass during most days in your area and will need canvassers over the last weekend and on election day.
PHONE-BANKERS - Phone-banking takes place every single evening, but you can also do some during the day.

We will especially need help with the GOTV effort so please, if you possibly can, take election day off work, skip school, whatever it takes to come and work to turn Franklin County - and Missouri - blue. After all, we only have one chance. Come and make it happen.

Franklin so fired up it almost burns...

Trish - Working To Elect That One — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 22:05:15 EDT

I can't believe how long it is since I've had time to blog, or that it is the end of August already. Since Stan arrived, time has flown by so fast that it's hard to know what day it is, and we're loving it.

To think, we started with a big, empty open room and a handful of Democratic stalwarts and now our HQ is a hive of activity, buzzing with phone banks, canvassing, planning and everything else that goes into a successful campaign. Neighborhood Team Leaders have been selected for much of the county, many of us have been down to Rolla to complete our training, with another group set to go next week, volunteers have been and continue to be recruited and we are looking like a fully fledged campaign HQ.

My area, which covers Union and Villa Ridge, has almost completed its first pass on voter contact with an excellent success rate that I don't want to post here because we don't want to make the other side jealous, and other teams are catching up. A bit of inter-team friendly rivalry will spur us on, in a good-natured way, but for now, we can boast that we are the best. We are still recruiting volunteers for the whole county though, so please, if you can spare a couple of hours a week or a couple of days a week, join us in this exciting campaign to make history.

Another exciting thing for us was the arrival of our second paid Field Organizer last week. Megan drove all the way from California after doing a few months of service in Nepal. We are proud of our two young Field Organizers and love them to bits for their personalities, their dedication and their sheer hard work, although to look at them in the photo below, you'd think they just stood around drinking. In fairness, this was at the end of the Convention Watch Party when they took a very, very short break.

And some more pics from the party:

From now on, we will have phone-banking every day and canvassing every weekend. Write to me or call the HQ to sign up to be part of this wonderful movement to turn Franklin County Missouri blue and - well - this is the Show Me State so we will show 'em

Voter registration event in St. Clair, MO

Trish - Working To Elect That One — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 05:53:19 EDT

Thankfully, the weather was not as hot as last time we went canvassing because finding addresses in St. Clair is a task unto itself, but we set out in great spirits, going to register voters. Two of us took one area, three took another, and I don't know how many had the third one, but we had a lot of fun and laughter, a bit of frustration and a fruitful afternoon.

We came to one house that looked as if it was straight out of the movie Psycho and neither I nor my teammate really wanted to knock on the door, but after a few minutes of laughter, I braved it. Fortunately, there was no-one in. Things could only get better after that. And they did.

We met some fascinating people but the best moment was when we were talking to a young couple who were enthusiastic about Obama but who had not registered to vote. We were just signing them up when one of the other Obama teams turned up in a vehicle plastered with Obama stickers and magnets. These young people's eyes widened. "They're EVERYWHERE", the guy said, adding that this was one of the most exciting things in a long time.

One young woman shared how she and her husband are very worried about their future. It was obvious from their home that they didn't have a lot of money, and with three children, every penny counts, but they are concerned that he may lose his job as part of the Chryslerlay-offs. She hoped, she told me, that Obama can do something to help keep jobs in this country. Another woman, a black lady, told me how excited she was that an African American stood a chance of becoming President. "That would send a powerful message to my son, that he can be anything he wants to be." She went on to tell me about some of the prejudices she had suffered in her life, but how she now had hope that racism was on the decline. A man said he was leaning towards Obama, but was concerned about his name. I asked him which of the names bothered him. He finally decided it was Obama that sounded odd, so I told him to put an apostrophe in it. He cracked up at the notion of O'Bama and said, "I'll probably vote for him, just for you." But what is exciting to me is that all these people were new voters, most of whom had never registered to vote in their lives. And they seemed to grateful, in this poor area of town, that someone had bothered to call on them. It feels good to be bringing people into the political process, and even better to be doing it for Obama, and even better still to be doing it for people who are most often ignored, neglected, forgotten.

Anyway, after a fruitful day, we returned to HQ and stayed a while to get the office ready for phone-banking, which will start tomorrow from that office, then came home tired but happy that we'd been able to make a contribution.

Baracking Missouri

Trish - Working To Elect That One — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 22:42:49 EDT

With the arrival of our Field Organizer, Stan Williams, on Wednesday, seen here on the left, with Regional Organizer Brad Komar, we have really hit the ground running in Franklin County, Missouri. Stan comes to us all the way from Arizona and drove the whole distance with just one hour's sleep, so he looked a bit like a deer caught in headlights when he arrived, but is now in full swing, getting northern Franklin organized into teams, arranging meetings across his part of the county and putting in well over twelve hours a day.

I feel very privileged to have been asked to be a team leader - or something like that - and tonight completed the 84 calls that I started last night, and this after a four-hour stint at the Washington Fair, registering new voters and signing up volunteers. This is beginning to feel like a real campaign and I am very excited about what we are doing, right here in Franklin, a fairly red area of MO.

Tomorrow, we will be canvassing to register new voters, then will continue the recruitment effort, and then on Monday evening, will have an organizing meeting with team volunteers.

We are hitting the ground running, folks, and enjoying every minute of it!

Canvassing St. Claire MO

Trish - Working To Elect That One — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 11:08:40 EDT

If you live in Frankling County, Missouri, please don't forget to join us for canvassing tomorrow. It is easy and fun, especially when there are a lot of us working together to bring change.

Where: HQ in Union - 208 S. Church St. We will then go to St. Claire to canvass.

When: Please be at the HQ at 10.30 am for training.

Why: We need all hands on deck to turn Missouri blue in November.

Who: Anyone and everyone. Bring your friends and make this a canvass to remember.

See you tomorrow!

Washington MO Town & Country Fair

Trish - Working To Elect That One — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 13:27:41 EDT

All the years we've lived here, we had never been to the Washington Town & Country Fair, but we signed up to do a stint at the Democratic Party booth yesterday, on the first day of the fair and will be back again tomorrow.

Even in the afternoon there was a good crowd. We made our way to the booth, situated in the Merchants' Building and settled down for an interesting evening. When we got there, we found Kris, leader of the Franklin County Young Democrats, who has signed up for a marathon stint at the fair. She spent a lot of her time painting Obama signs. That girl deserves a medal for the work she does.

We had a steady stream of people coming to our booth, many of them asking for buttons and bumper stickers, as well as tee-shirts and other Obama gear, but we are running short of stuff to give and stuff to sell. I have some buttons on order from MoveOn.org, but they are delayed too. Obama gear has to be the hottest thing around at the moment.

Talking about Obama gear, George had to have had the coolest shirt I've seen so far. He bought it when Obama came to Union. He was just one of the many people who wanted to express their excitment over this election. Franklin County is really beginning to rock.

If you are in Franklin County - or even if you're not, come on over and see us at the Fair, tell us your story and sign up to volunteer. We want to grow this county into one of the bluest in Missouri, but we can only do that if we all work together.

Exit polling for Obama

Trish - Working To Elect That One — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 12:55:48 EDT

We decided we were mad. Yesterday was hot and humid, with a heat index well into triple digits and an atmosphere you could slice with a knife, yet my husband and I had volunteered to do a stint of exit-polling in the Missouri primaries, to try and identify Democratic voters.

When we arrived at our assigned polling place, there was one lone Republican woman reading a book, a stack of literature on a chair next to her and a couple of signs propped up against her chair. We thought we would be nice and say hello. She muttered something back grumpily, then went back to her book.

Polling was slow and, because of the heat and threatening thunder storms, many voters hurried into the polls and back to their cars as fast as they could, but there were a good number of Democrats who shared how on fire they were for Obama and who gladly gave their contact information. Some of them wanted to share their stories. One man had been laid off from a lucrative job and was now doing menial work, just to make ends meet. One woman was worried how she was going to pay her bills. But the common, uniting factor everyone shared was hope. Hope that Obama will be elected, and hope of a brighter future for themselves, their families and the nation. One man was so fired up by meeting some fellow Obama supporters that he immediately went to round up family members and neighbours to vote.

The storms held off until after the polls had closed and we were back home. It had been a hard three hours in temperatures that don't suit this English nature, but the thought of all those people whose enthusiasm could not be contained and whose stories just had to be told to someone who would listen made it all worthwhile. Today, we will be at the Washington Fair, hoping to meet more Missourians who have caught this infectious sense of optimism and hope after a long, long drought.

Identifying supporters - every chance we get

Trish - Working To Elect That One — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 14:43:28 EDT

My husband just returned from casting his vote in the MO primaries and, while there, bumped into a few people he knows. Although we are not working that polling place, he took the opportunity to elicit how they had voted so we can hand this information to HQ. Every little bit we can do helps, so I would encourage everyone to use every conversation to try and identify existing and new supporters. This will save a lot of calls and a lot of leg-work as the campaign continues into the Fall.

Value of wearing Obama gear

Trish - Working To Elect That One — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 00:00:24 EDT

This afternoon, we went to a brief meeting to talk about tomorrow's exit polling, which will hopefully identify some new supporters and/or volunteers, then we went to a Monday night auction where I've had a couple of minor verbal run-ins with anti-Obama people.

Tonight though, a nice surprise. Someone grabbed my arm and asked where I got my Obama button as she needed one for her husband. As usual when this happens, I took mine off and gave it to her, but that's not the point of my writing. The point is that I signed up a couple of new volunteers, not for our county but from a nearby one, and will be able to pass the information on to their organizers, as well as met some supporters who were over visiting from Indiana.

Not only that, but people who were borderline antagonistic just a few short weeks ago wanted to talk about Obama's visit to Union last week.

It all shows the value of wearing our Obama gear, getting known as Obama supporters, and being prepared at all times to register voters (I have a couple of cards in my bag) or sign up volunteers. This word of mouth community campaigning depends on it.

Cried in church

Trish - Working To Elect That One — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 03:17:24 EDT

I have struggled all day over whether or not to post this, but yesterday morning I cried in church because of the priest's homily.

We don't often go to that church because the priest often rubs me up the wrong way and I don't like to feel cross when I just want to worship God, but it was the only Mass we could go to and still make a meeting at the Dem HQ.

Anyway, the Gospel reading was of the Feeding Of The Five Thousand and Father rightly pointed out that this was a foretaste of the Eucharist. But he didn't stop there. Instead, he started talking about Liberation Theology in El Salvador of the 1970s and 1980s and said that it was like Obama, Reverend Wright and those machine gun toting Jesuits. In other words, for no reason at all, he tied Obama to the ultra Leftwing rebels that had got Liberation Theology such a bad name.

I know we can expect more of this as the election nears and I will be writing to the Bishop to let him know what is going on in that parish, but what a struggle for me and for all of us who have to either sit through such homilies or walk out and miss Mass.

Busy week in Franklin Co.

Trish - Working To Elect That One — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 15:12:24 EDT

This promises to be a busy and exciting week in Frankin County, Missouri, with us missing no chances to get Barack Obama's name out there.

Tonight, we have the Washington Parade and, although we are not allowed to wear any badges or other candidate-specific items, the Franklin County Dems will be have a float while Party workers will be handing out flyers. Tuesday we have local primaries, which will be a great opportunity to collect names and addresses of Democratic voters, outside the polling places. Then for the rest of the week, we will have a booth at the Washington Fair. And best news of all, our Obama Field Organizer will be arriving tomorrow.

Any Franklin Co. people who want to get involved in these or any events, please contact me and I will pass on your contact information.

Washington, MO Fair Volunteers

Trish - Working To Elect That One — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 19:52:43 EDT

Just a quick note to let any interested volunteers know that there will be a meeting tomorrow - Sunday - at 12.30 pm, at the HQ at 208 S. Church St., Union, MO, for all those who are interested in volunteering for the campaign at the Washington Fair.

British media

Trish - Working To Elect That One — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 18:56:57 EDT

Time for a quick news roundup from across the Pond. The first one comes from The Guardian and addresses this obsession with race and the trap being laid for Obama. If you read nothing else today, read this one, because it really is right on the mark.

McCain blows the dog whistle

If you're not familiar with the term "dog whistle," as it relates to politics, here's a quick primer: As a literal dog whistle emits a pitch that only dogs can hear, a political dog whistle sends a message that only a particular constituency will hear (or intuitively understand).....

loitering below the ostensibly substantive critique is something more nefarious. It's no coincidence that it wasn't the vacuous tabloid fixture Spencer Pratt or the "American Idol" punchline Sanjaya Malakar who appear in the advert – and it's not because they're not famous enough. For it was also not Scarlett Johansson chosen for the advert, who famously supports him, has campaigned with him, and whose twin brother works for him, despite her being arguably as recognizable as Hilton and Spears – and it's not because she's not young, blonde, or beautiful enough.
It because neither Pratt, nor Malakar, nor Johansson have personas that are the perfect combination of no brains, no talent, and all slut.

Obama, dog whistles the ad, hitting old racists in the sweet spot, could f*** these white girls – it's practically a Democratic tradition … JFK, Clinton, heck even Carter lusted in his heart – and we don't want that, now, do we?....

Next to a reporter I had the pleasure of meeting in Union, the other day. David Usborne was one of the founders of The Independent, a British newspaper that launched in 1986 and which fast became one of my favourites. Inlike most of the reporters, he doesn't travel in Obama's "bubble" - or in McCain's for that matter - but follows along with his own car or plane. That way he remains, well, independent.

Obama: Can he prove he's a regular guy?

It is a change that has not escaped John McCain's notice. Unconcerned by charges that he is turning too nasty too soon, he has been ripping into Obama for being arrogant and out of touch. I, though, am talking about physical appearance. Maybe it is the summer suits and shirt-sleeves, but Obama has surely lost weight. Hence the head that seems larger. Is it the narcotic of approaching power that is stopping him eating? Or is it fear of losing?....

From the same newspaper comes an article by Robert Fisk, one of the best correspondents on the Middle East, addressing the difficulties that will face Obama if he is elected.

New actor on the same old stage

Westerners believe that Obama appeals to the Arabs because of his middle name or because he's black. Untrue. They like him – or liked him – because he grew up poor. Like them, he understood – or rather, they thought he understood – what oppression was about. But they quickly found out where they stood in the food chain. Forty-five minutes in Ramallah vs 24 hours in Israel was the Obama equation. Yes, I know the old saw. Every US presidential candidate has to make the pilgrimage to the Wailing Wall, to Yad Vashem, to some Israeli town or village that has taken casualties (albeit minuscule in comparison to those visited upon the Palestinians), to talk about Israel's security, etc. That doesn't mean, we are always told, that Israel is going to have it easy once the US president is elected. Wrong. Israel is going to have it easy. Because no sooner is he elected than he will be enmeshed in the Middle East tragedy and be forced to take sides – Israel's, of course – and then it will be time for the next election, so the president's hands will be tied again and he'll be talking about Israel's security (rather than Palestinian security) and we'll be back on the same old itinerary...

All for now!

Even blasphemy...

Trish - Working To Elect That One — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 18:08:16 EDT

Until today, even I didn't believe the Republicans could sink any lower, but with their latest and very offensive web ad, they have become lower than low in a way that I, quite frankly, find blasphemous.

Watch for yourself

We all know Obama to have been blessed. Those who know him (I met a couple of them early this year) and those who have met him see in him strength, depth and kindness, as well as intellect. Those who know his family cannot deny that Michelle and the girls are a real blessing. We also know him to be a leader who can rally people to take upon themselves the responsibility for meeting the challenges of our time. But we all know that he is a human being.

There is nothing wrong with being a leader who can mobilize people to take action on behalf of themselves and their neighbors. Winston Churchill, in his time, was one such leader. Without his great statesmanship and soaring speeches, England might well have crumbled instead of standing up through the Blitz, through danger of invasion and through great deprivation.

There is nothing wrong with telling the people that there is no point in waiting for others to do what needs to be done, that they themselves are the ones who can bring change.

And there is nothing wrong with the American people, or indeed the people of the world, from recognizing a great leader who speaks truth.

But there is something very wrong with attaching a religious connotation to all this in such a highly offensive way. As a Catholic, as a Christian, I am profoundly hurt by this and can only imagine that those connected to this ad and those who approve it have no fear of God. I hope - I really hope - that my fellow Catholics, my fellow Christians will stand up and condemn this abuse of our "waiting in joyful hope" for the Second Coming of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. And I hope some religious leaders will step up to the plate and roundly condemn these tactics.

Lots of pictures and more to come...

Trish - Working To Elect That One — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 14:16:02 EDT

For all of us in this part of Missouri, there is a real treat on the Washington Missourian's site. Lots of good pictures from the Union event on Wednesday.

http://www.emissourian.com/site/news.cfm?brd=1409&dept_id=614630&nr=1&nostat=1

Just scroll down for two sets of pictures. And what's more, you can order reprints.

Met Obama In Union

Trish - Working To Elect That One — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 09:42:42 EDT

Yesterday began with me waking up thinking about the Obama BBQ in Union, Missouri, just as I had gone to sleep the night before thinking about it. We were down at the Union HQ at around 1.30, then about an hour later, made our way to the City Park in torrential rain, where we stood under the shelter of the pavilion until Secret Service wanted to move us out so they could officially check us through.

Everyone was in high spirits. Lots of laughter and nervous excitement kept us going through the inevitable wait for the security men to let us through the checkpoint. This picture is of my husband with one of the local Democrats.

Most of us didn't have any huge jobs to do so there was a lot of time to stand and think, and to talk about this momentous occasion and about what this election means to America and the world. My task was to stick up notices so the Press would be able to find their way to the bathrooms.

Representatives of the UAW were standing outside chanting for Obama and people had begun to gether along the streets just outside the park, hoping to catch a glimpse of him as he arrived. One man had brought a huge banner that read "Rednecks For Obama". So nice is our future President that he actually walked over and signed the banner before coming into the pavilion, as well as strolling over to shake hands with some pro-McCain protesters, but I am ahead of myself.

In streamed the lucky 200, who had waited all day yesterday in the hope of gettinga ticket, while those who had not been fortunate stood in line behind them, hoping to be able to get in. Fortunately, they did allow most of those people in to stand around the edge of the pavilion out of the rain, along with the union representatives. Pretty soon, everyone was seated and munching away on their hamburgers and hotdogs, exchanging stories of why they are supporting Obama and generally having a good time, while CNN and a host of other news agencies set up shop and waited for Obama to arrive.

We heard that he was fifteen minutes out and excitement really began to mount. Then, out of the mist, Obama's bus slowly pulled onto the road into the park and a shout went up ... O-BA-MA, O-BA-MA then YES WE CAN and when he entered the pavilion, the chants turned into a roar as everyone took to their feet to greet him.

As a volunteer, I didn't get to sit and listen to him for long. We had not been allowed to eat with the others and had been asked to line up at the food counter as soon as Barack Obama begun to speak. Most of us gave it a couple of minutes before dragging himself away, and a friend of mine sitting next to me, for whom this was the first time seeing him was repeating over and over, "He's just GORgeous, he's just gorgeous..." I thought I might need to throw a bucket of cold water over her, but in truth, his immense charisma does have a strange effect on people!

Anyway, there we were, all lined up for food, nerves beginning to get the better of us as we had been told that Obama would be serving us. And he did. We shuffled along, now cordoned off from the rest, secret service people all around, each to have a word with Obama, shake his hand and be served our meal.

What really struck me though was that once each of us got close, all nerves would disappear. Obama has this way of putting everyone around him at ease. When it was my turn, I asked him to sign one of my buttons. He was unsure whether it would show, so I told him to write on anything, but we settled on the button as he commented on what he called my "fine Missouri accent" - which is in fact a British one - and I joked that I had been working hard to hang onto it these last fifteen years. We laughed about something. I can't remember what but I have it on a photo, then I floated off, sporting a signed badge and a hamburger.

I'd already managed to eat about three quarters of the burger before I realised what I had in my hand and that my mouth was so dry that the food was having a hard time going down. I wrapped the rest and pocketed it, then went to share experiences with other volunteers and friends. Everyone was floating, even while the men tried to pretend they were not.

By the time we all parted last night, we were exhausted. The reality of the day was just sinking in and we were all left with the impression of a genuinely nice guy who is never happier than when surrounded by regular folk. A man not only relaxed himself, but able to put everyone else at ease. He said something appropriate to each and every one of us, something specific to us, and for a brief moment, we each felt as if we were the only ones there because this candidate of ours is a man who is giving full attention to those he is with from moment to moment.

Altogether a wonderful day that we will all cherish.

Getting Ready For Obama

Trish - Working To Elect That One — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 10:16:39 EDT

Yesterday was a hectic, exciting day for us in Franklin County, Missouri. On Saturday, we had a hint that Barack Obama might be coming to Union. It was confirmed on Monday night, at a Democratic meeting, that he would be here in the evening, for a barbeque. Yesterday, we were down at the office all afternoon, getting ready to hand out the 200 tickets.

We arrived at around 12.45. The doors were to open at four, but already there was a short line of expectant, excited people sitting on the sidewalk in the stifling heat. I talked to Lisa and Maggie (photos soon) who had been sitting there since eight in the morning, determined to be first. They were ecstatic at the thought of seeing Barack Obama in person, and I caught them on the way out, grinning from ear to ear as they held up their tickets for all to see.

We were not short of volunteers and the office was buzzing all day. The Press arrived while the line grew, snaking around the block. People of all ages sat under the shade of umbrellas, playing cards, playing music, chatting amiably and waiting patiently, while inside we greeted newcomers, sold buttons and just tried to stay cool.

It took only about 45 minutes to get everyone signed in and moved out, tickets in hand, and I have to say that I have seldom seen such happy faces as those who emerged, blinking into the still-hot sunlight at the end of the day.

I will get pictures up as soon as I can fathom how to get them into a blog. Until then, we are overwhelmingly excited at the prospect of seeing Obama this afternoon. We will be volunteers at the event, and soooooo looking forward to it.

More later.

Step By Step

Trish - Working To Elect That One — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 11:08:40 EDT

It seems that things are usually slower in rural Missouri. They don't call this the "Show Me State" for nothing. But last night I was at a Democrat monthly meeting and met a few other people who have been eager to get going on the campaign, and at last we are beginning to move forward, step by step.

One of the issues of concern to long-time Dems in this neck of the woods is the Missouri primaries coming up next week, but as soon as they are over, the Dems say, it will be full steam ahead for Obama.

Watch this space for news!

Campaign For Change Kickoff - Union, MO

Trish - Working To Elect That One — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 11:40:29 EDT

We had a good gathering for a laid-back Union, MO on a hot Saturday morning as people came together for the opening of our local Campaign For Change office opening. It was great to put faces to names, and especially to meet Lynne, a supporter I met through this blog, even though we only got to speak briefly.

Jean Carnahan was our speaker and she elicited a cheer when she said we would be going into the reddest areas of Franklin County. Unfortunately, when we went on a voter reg. drive after the opening, there were only four of us doing it, but we soldiered on. Sadly, we were knocking on doors in an area that had been under water earlier this year, and it was so sad to see people still trying to pick up the pieces after such devastation.

Missouri Field Director Peachy Myers was there, and what a delightful woman she is.

Anyway, pictures will come later. All for now on another hot, sticky Missouri morning.

Reminder - Campaign For Change Office Opening - Union MO

Trish - Working To Elect That One — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 11:55:57 EDT

Tomorrow, July 26th, there will be a big office rollout in Missouri. In our area, the event will take place at:

208 S. Church St., Union, MO

10:30 am

We will be out registering voters afterwards. Come out and join us, and make this a truly memorable day.

From Britain

Trish - Working To Elect That One — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 11:26:43 EDT

Another look at the British Press, to see how Obama's trip has been spun over there.

From The Independent:

Next stop Britain... a diplomatic minefield

Gordon Brown will resist the temptation to try to make some of the "Obama effect" rub off on him when he meets the US presidential candidate in London tomorrow.
Some allies hoped that the Prime Minister would break with protocol by holding a joint news conference with Barack Obama after their scheduled 45 minutes of talks in Downing Street. Instead, the two men will be pictured together but Mr Obama will be alone when he speaks to journalists afterwards...

Obama comes to Europe

Barack Obama last night brought his message of hope to Europe, pledging to heal the wounds inflicted by the Bush era through renewed transatlantic cooperation. In a keynote address to tens of thousands of Germans and other Europeans gathered at the foot of Berlin's soaring Victory Column, the Democrat spoke as a "citizen" not a presidential candidate.
He invoked the spirit of the Berlin airlift, exactly 60 years ago, as an example of a time when the US and the West stood with the beleaguered people of Berlin, who were cut off by the Communist blockade. "People of the world, look at Berlin," he said, constantly interrupted by cheers and applause from his mainly young audience. "People of Berlin, people of the world, this is our moment, this our time."...

From The Guardian

Europe's Obamamania will be felt back home

Back home in the US polls have Barack Obama and John McCain running neck-and-neck. But here in Europe, you could be forgiven for thinking that the Democratic candidate has already won the election.
As he begins the second leg of his foreign jaunt, Europe's adoration for Obama comes freighted with a strange sense of irreversibility – as if this week is the beginning of a six-month handover from George Bush, and the business of voting is little more than a pesky formality.
An Obama victory in November is no fait accompli. But if they form their impressions from American expatriates in the great capitals, it's no wonder Europeans might think that the Illinois senator has already closed the deal. Sixteen months after this protracted election began, I've met one fellow American in Europe who voted for Hillary Clinton, which she confessed in a whisper. I'm sure that there are also, somewhere, expats who are prepared to vote McCain, but to call them scarce is an understatement....

Palestinians matter too

Trish - Working To Elect That One — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 13:51:40 EDT

I have to say that I am disappointed that Obama has spent so little time with Mahmoud Abbas, or seeing for himself the conditions under which Palestinians have lived all these past four decades.

The first time I went to the Holy Land was in 1989. The first Intifada (uprising) was well underway but we were able to travel freely throughout the West Bank and it broke my heart to see the poverty that has been thrust upon the Palestinian people, many of whom have been languishing in refugee camps for forty years.

During Bill Clinton's tenure in the White House, Palestinians had some hope. Things began to get a little better for many of them, but ultimately what they were offered in exchange for prime farm-land along the Jordan River were parts of the "badlands" of Judea and an old Isreali toxic waste dump, bordering the Gaza. The ultimate plan for these long-suffering, displaced people, was a set of non-contiguous enclaves which they could not leave without passing through territories illegally claimed but non-the-less guarded, byt Israeli settlers. No right-thinking person could imagine that the Palestinians would have been contented with what were, essentially, a group of open prisons and a rubbish tip.

The problem for Palestinians is that they have no clout. No-one - and I mean no-one - cares about their fate. We in the West have expected them to suffer in silence, even while atrocities are committed against them by a nation that ought to have learned from atrocities committed against its own people, but who seem to have taken away the wrong lesson.

So it was that I listened to an old man in Bethlehem - a Palestinian Christian, a descendent of people who heard Jesus speak, a man who was one of what we call "living stones" - told us how he had been denied permission to travel to Jerusalem to bury his own mother. So it was that I listened while we were told by an Israeli friend how Israeli Arabs have to have the word "Arab" stamped on their passports, and how they - Israeli citizens of Arab ethnicity - received a much lower water ration than a Jewish Israeli. So it was that I listened as an Israeli berated an Arab in a way reminiscent of America's Deep South before African Americans had rights. So it was that, over a couple of decades, I would come to know how hopeless and helpless the Palestinian people were. And so it was that when the second Intifada begun, I was not in the least suprised.

Today, we turn a blind eye when American-made F-16s launch missiles into populated areas of the Palestinian Territories, yet we tut-tut and talk in horror whenever a Palestinian retaliates with his home-made weapons. Don't get me wrong. I deplore the violence, but I deplore it on both sides equally.

Barack Obama has not seen the Palestinian plight, nor has he heard their cries. He has not seen the old woman who used to sell soda and ice-cream in Bethany reduced to selling a few dried herbs as she sits hopelessly on the side of the road outside her whitewashed house. He has not seen the men too proud to beg for money, trying to sell you whatever they could, just to put some food on the table. He has not been into the streets to talk to ordinary people.

Now, I don't imagine he could have done that. Security concerns would not allow it. But he could have spent more than the 45 minutes or so that he spent with Abbas. He could have given time for the real concerns of a people who have been treated like a political football since being displaced from their homes in the 1968 war. He could have, but he didn't, and I am disappointed.

Union MO Office Grand Opening

Trish - Working To Elect That One — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 23:35:41 EDT

Any Missourians who would like to come will be very, very welcome. Let's make this an opening to remember!!!

Office Grand Opening - Saturday July 26, 10:30 am

Location: 208 S. Church St., Union, MO

Afterwards, we will be doing a voter registration drive, door to door, in Pacific, MO.

If anyone would like to help, we would love to see you there!

http://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/443t8

Come out and spend the day in Franklin County.

Never miss a chance

Trish - Working To Elect That One — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 18:44:26 EDT

We were out shopping today and, as I usually manage to do, I got into a conversation about the election with a furniture store manager. She told me she had supported Hillary Clinton in the primaries. I smiled and told her that each candidate came with their own strengths. She told me she had voted for Clinton mainly because she is a woman and I told her that I could understand that. Then I asked for her name, telling her that the local office will be opening on Saturday and that the campaign in Franklin Co. is beginning to really get underway.

"I will be calling you to volunteer," I told her.

Her eyes lit up and she became very, very excited. She told me she had never participated before. No-one had ever asked her to! So now we not only have one more volunteer than we had earlier, but she will be bringing her oldest children along whenever possible, so that they too can get involved.

One by one, we can reach people, and each of those can reach another, and if we never miss a chance, before we know it, we have a campaign group in every area of every county in every state in the country.

Revving up in Franklin Co.

Trish - Working To Elect That One — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 15:19:54 EDT

Another supporter stopped by the newly-opened Franklin Co., MO office yesterday and told me about it, so we went over yesterday evening. Although the office was closed, we were able to look through the window and guage the space we will have. Not bad! The official opening will be this coming Saturday at 10:00 am, at 208 Church St., Union, Missouri. Afterwards, we will be going to do a voter registration drive in Pacific, Missouri. If any locals are reading this, please come along on Saturday morning, and plan on joining us on the voter reg. event. The more the merrier!!!

Brandenburger Debacle

Trish - Working To Elect That One — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 13:53:51 EDT

A young friend just wrote me this from Germany:

Obama is coming to Germany!!! :-)

I read some articles in my daily newspaper, but I suppose in nationwide
newspapers, which I wasn't able to read last week, they eported much more about his visit. Not only because he will actually visit Germany - maybe you heard about the dispute within the grand coalition over here. The discussion kind of produced a painful impression: chancellor Merkel didn't want to let Obama speak in front of the "Brandenburger Tor", because in the past there were only U.S.-Presidents speaking; whereas secretary of state, Steinmeier, didn't have a problem with him being at this
place. Merkel is member of CDU-party (conservative), Steinmeier of SPD-party they are more liberal). Of course there were lots of other party-members who either took against her or him or did not. When they all realized that it was getting more and more ridiculous they stopped the debate. Today it was reported that Obama will make his speech at the "Siegessaeule" in Berlin; it will be on TV around 7 p.m. and I'm planning to watch it!

Just when you think it can't get any better...

Trish - Working To Elect That One — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 15:26:18 EDT

I have been smiling all day so far, but just when I thought it couldn't get any better, ABC came out with this headline:

White House Accidentally E-Mails to Reporters Story That Maliki Supports Obama Iraq Withdrawal Plan

and continues with the story:

The White House employee had intended to send the article to an internal distribution list, ABC News' Martha Raddatz reports, but hit the wrong button.

I wonder how long it will take for others in the MSM to pick this up. I can't wait for the Obama ad quoting al-Malaki.

Churches and Prime Ministers

Trish - Working To Elect That One — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 14:28:10 EDT

We were out with Obama-loving friends last night. One of our friends - himself a Catholic priest grew up in Chicago's Southside and attended St. Sabina's church. He talked at length about Fr. Pfleger and how he oversaw the transition from an Irish and Polish parish to an African parish. Our friend had nothing but good to say about Fr. Michael Pfleger and about the parish. He recounted how, when his mother died, he went into the church to attend Mass and how he was feeling so totally alone when, at the Sign Of Peace, an African American lady crossed the aisle towards him, almost pulled him out of the pew, wrapped him in a warm hug and, as if reading his heart, said, "No-one is alone in this church." It was interesting to hear our friend's take on Fr. Pfleger and on the Trinity Church. Nothing but good, is what he said. Nothing but good.

Talking about good, it felt really great to drive through the streets of South St. Louis and have cars honk their horns at our Obama stickers. Where we live, some distance from the city, we are not exactly surrounded by Obama supporters.

And still on good things, it was great that the first news I heard this morning was of Obama's presence in Afghanistan, and about the Der Spiegel interview with Iraq's Prime Minister, Nouri al-Malaki.

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki supports US presidential candidate Barack Obama's plan to withdraw US troops from Iraq within 16 months. When asked in and interview with SPIEGEL when he thinks US troops should leave Iraq, Maliki responded "as soon as possible, as far as we are concerned." He then continued: "US presidential candidate Barack Obama talks about 16 months. That, we think, would be the right timeframe for a withdrawal, with the possibility of slight changes."

Although I want to see that hit the mainstream media, I almost hope it will wait until Obama is actually in Iraq, so that we can command the start of the week's news cycle. We will see.

Praying for Barack Obama...

Trish - Working To Elect That One — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 16:37:50 EDT

As Obama's trip to the Middle East and Europe looms, I hope all people of faith will join me in praying for his safety and for a successful visit, especially in light of John McCain's reckless words today, saying that Obama will likely be in Iraq over the weekend. McCain is shameless.

Good news and more good news...

Trish - Working To Elect That One — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 14:52:36 EDT

On the Obama front, the best news of the day so far is that the campaign raised $52 million in June. That's a nice start for the general election campaign and at least means we can match McCain, ad for ad. I have a good feeling about July though. I think we will outraise the Republicans.

On the world scene, the headline that caught my attention most was in Time:

Pope: World's Resources Wasted

The world's natural resources are being squandered in the pursuit of "insatiable consumption," Pope Benedict XVI said Thursday in a speech urging followers to care more for the environment and reconnect with the principle of peace.

Benedict, speaking to more than 200,000 pilgrims gathered for the Roman Catholic church's youth festival, expanded on a theme that has led him to be dubbed "the green pope." The crowd, massed on a disused wharf in Australia's largest city, regularly erupted in cheers that gave the event the feel of a sporting event...

This is worth reading, because there are still Catholics who do not know the Church's position on global warming and protecting the environment. These Catholics - and many other Christians - are focused on what I unaffectionately call "the pelvic sins", to the exclusion of other grave, soul-destroying wrongs.

If there are any undecided Catholics reading this blog, I invite you to read Barack Obama's position on the environment. I think you will find that it is in line with Pope Benedict's thinking.

A bad evening ends well

Trish - Working To Elect That One — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 12:50:18 EDT

I attend a lot of auctions as I sell on eBay and on consignment, and I always wear at least an Obama button, if not my t-shirt.

Last night, I had a great conversation with an auction friend who grew up through the Thirties and who has been a Democrat all his life. A lovely old gentleman, he gets very animated when he talks about the upcoming election and, because he is very informed, I love listening to him. Anyway, I was nicely wound-up when I passed a group of people at a table and caught snippets of a conversation...

"He's a real creep......"

"...in a turban, and his wife had this huge Afro..."

[laughter]

I could stand no more, walked up to them and stated that there were some people there who supported him and that we didn't appreciate this kind of talk.

"Who do you support?" one man asked.

"Barack Obama," I retorted.

"Well, that's okay...."

"No!" I was getting angry "It is not okay. Argue on policy if you like, but I don't appreciate your language or your lies."

I turned on my heel and walked off.

That's when my elderly friend gave me a gentle reminder that not all people are nice and capable of reason, and that I need to learn when to speak and when to be quiet. Something I am not good at.

But the night ended well. I was headed out to load some stuff into my car when a woman commented on my Obama button and told me that her 18-year-old grandson was about to vote for the first time. She said that he loves Obama and she wondered where she could get a button for him. Without hesitation, I took off mine and gave it to her, while she told me that they had gone through a mock election at the young man's school and that Obama won.

Perhaps my friend is right. Perhaps just wearing some Obama gear speaks loudly enough.

News from the UK

Trish - Working To Elect That One — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 15:43:07 EDT

With the US MSM getting itself bogged down in trivia yet again, I thought I would zip across the Atlantic again and take a look what the papers are saying.

One of my favourites, The Guardian, has the headline on their front page:

Obama aims to send 10,000 more troops to Afghanistan

Barack Obama today pledged to increase US troops in Afghanistan by a third if he becomes president, sending 10,000 more to reinforce the 33,000 already there.

He was speaking after the US lost nine soldiers at the weekend in the deadliest attack on its forces in the country since 2005.

Obama has promised, soon after becoming president in January, to begin scaling back the 156,000 US troops in Iraq and Kuwait, and shift the focus to Afghanistan.

He is to fill out his plans in a major foreign policy speech in Washington tomorrow ahead of his first visit to Iraq and Afghanistan since he launched his presidential bid early last year.

Details of his trip have been kept secret for security reasons but a senior Palestinian spokesman, Saeb Erekat, disclosed today that Obama will be in the region next week, with a meeting in the West Bank on July 23 with the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas....

They also had a comments page on the New Yorker front page controversy. Interesting to see the British perspective, which is not all that different from that of Obama supporters over here.

My next stop was another newspaper that I like. The Independent didn't have anything about Obama on the first page, but it did have this headline about the elections:

Bush to hasten Iraq troop withdrawal in bid to help McCain win White House

President George Bush wants to speed up the withdrawal of American combat troops from Iraq, a move that could help to quell the anti-war anxieties of voters before November's presidential election.

Drawing down large numbers of troops would enable the Republican candidate, John McCain, to say that his forceful military strategy for Iraq was correct. Alone among Republican and Democratic politicians, he consistently urged Mr Bush to take on the insurgents with extra forces. He is now attacking his Democratic opponent, Barack Obama, for preaching policies of defeat by calling for a withdrawal in 16 months.

The Telegraph (affectionately known as The Torygraph for its support of the Conservative Party) covers news from the UK and the Sudan in its healines, but does have an interesting link to this, on its first page:

John McCain 'technology illiterate' doesn't email or use internet

Mr McCain, who turns 72 this year, would be the oldest president ever to be first elected to the White House.

In facing Barack Obama, an opponent who is 25 years his junior and has made powerful use of the internet in his campaign, he is battling against claims he is stuck in the past....

It also has an interesting article on Hillary as VP

Bill Clinton 'problem' rules out Hillary as Barack Obama's running mate

Sources close to the Obama campaign indicated that Mr Clinton's reluctance to disclose who has donated money to his presidential library and even concerns about possible extra-marital affairs mean that his wife would not pass the vetting procedure all potential running mates have to undergo.

"It is absolutely standard operating procedure that vice-presidential candidates today must be fully vetted," a Democratic official close to the Obama campaign told The Daily Telegraph. "That means their finances and everything about them.

"Bill Clinton's not going to submit to vetting. He has not released details of the contributors to his library or his personal finances.

And that rounds off my little trek through the British newspapers.

Made my target

Trish - Working To Elect That One — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 02:49:11 EDT

I can't wind down. It is 1:30 in the morning and I am still hyper. After a day of begging on the blog, I finally made my fund-raising target but, after a day of doing a lot of sitting, I now have all kinds of energy. How nice it would be if there was some campaigning to be done in the middle of the night.

But seriously, I have been overwhelmed by the generosity of people on the Obama blogs and feel very confident that, with this caliber of people supporting Barack Obama, we will win the election in November.

Temporary name change

Trish - Working To Elect That One — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 11:16:58 EDT

Today is my 58th birthday and I am spending my time at home shamelessly begging for donations for Obama.

2:32 pm - I have been overwhelmed by the generosity of Obama bloggers so far. I am only $166 short of my target. What's more, my husband donated in his own name for the first time. Yay! I might yet make that thousand dollars.

10,000 Catholics 4 Obama

Trish - Working To Elect That One — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 13:18:40 EDT

As a Catholic, I am delighted to see yet another Catholic group for Obama on the Internet. The latest one is called 10,000 Catholics For Obama and I recommend this site to all people of faith who, while opposing abortion, see more than one way to tackle the issue, by creating an atmosphere in which it becomes unthinkable, rather than offering empty promises to make it illegal.

Crimes are catching up ...

Trish - Working To Elect That One — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 21:00:59 EDT

Earlier today, I wrote on the main blog that I had a dream last night - a dream in which George Bush, Karl Rove and a host of others in the current Administration were charged with war crimes by the International Court of Human Rights. I don't know whether the dream was wishful thinking or prophetic, but Rachel Maddon has just reported on Countdown that the Red Cross declared last year that the US is guilty of using methods declared as "categorically" torture.

According to Jane Mayer, author of soon-to-be-released book The Dark Side: The Inside Story of How The War on Terror Turned into a War on American Ideals, the Red Cross warned the CIA that certain methods of interrogation such as so-called waterboarding "constituted war crimes, placing the highest officials in the U.S. government in jeopardy of being prosecuted."

Among other torture methods, the Red Cross reported incidents of:

Prisoners kept in spaces so small that they could only sit in a fetal position.
Shackling prisoners to the ceiling for eight hours at a time.
Alternating suffocating heat with freezing cold conditions.
Prolonged sleep deprivation.

In May, we were in Brussels and made a long trek down the Avenue Louise to pay our respects to a particular Belgian pilot, Jean Selys de Longchamps, who had flown down the Avenue in 1943 to shoot up the Gestapo HQ, giving the Belgians hope that the war was indeed winnable. While there, we slipped into the building once used by the Gestapo - now an office building - and I can't tell you what an eerie feeling it was, to be where so many had suffered at the hands of their tormentors

The thing is, torture was not illegal, under Nazi rule. Evil regimes pass laws routinely to make their wickedness seem normal and, well, routine. But the passing of internal laws that breach international laws has never exempted a government from being called to account.

Today, we are faced with the once-unthinkable: The prospect of a US President and his cronies being charged under international law for war crimes. But worse. We are faced with the prospect of an American Senate that is unwilling to bring these men and women to justice, even though what they have done is a breach of American law. In short, we are in danger of being no better than a Serbia unwilling to try its own and at the same time unwilling to hand its war-criminals over for trial by internatinal court.

I sincerely hope that once Barack Obama is the President, justice will not only be done, but will be seen by the world to be done, so that we do not go down in history as just another evil regime unwilling to bring high-profile evil-doers to justic. Somehow though, I suspect that even Obama will not have the stomach for such a fight. We will see.

Starting to roll

Trish - Working To Elect That One — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 21:15:21 EDT

No-one could be happier than I am today, with the news that the campaign is beginning to roll in our little patch of Missouri, and then the really good news that the Obama campaign will be recruiting 150 paid organizers for local offices throughout the state. What a morale boosting shot in the arm this will be for those of us who are chomping at the bit to get every single Independent, disaffected Republican and undecided voter.

In our area, we will be celebrating the opening of the local campaign office, and I am applying for one of the coordinator slots. Keeping fingers crossed while still chomping.

Little by little, one by one...

Trish - Working To Elect That One — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 03:05:39 EDT

Since there has not yet been much going on in our area, I have been working slowly on my own, and am pleased to say that little by little, friends and acquaintances are moving over to Obama in ones and twos. It is so heartening to hear life-long Republicans saying they will be voting for Obama in November, and it is so exciting to find that people we meet through our various activities are themselves becoming excited about this upcoming election.

More than that though. I just heard some exciting news from our local Dems. Will know the details soon and will post them later, but at last, the train is beginning to move, here in east-central Missouri and I am feeling both excited and optimistic.

Let's get going

Trish - Working To Elect That One — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 14:50:34 EDT

I love blogging. Well, really I just love spouting off through any medium so it's no surprise to anyone who knows me that I would have taken to this like a duck to water, but on these blogs I find I have nothing to add to the many excellent blogs and comments on this site.

Why not talk about what is going on locally? Well, the answer is simple. Nothing at all is happening in my neck of the woods.

I had a call from two Missouri Dems. One was sweet, the other surprised to find that when I said I had supported Obama from "Day One", I didn't mean from Iowa onwards, but from the day he announced his intention to run. And that's it. What organisation there is so far is way too low-key for me.

If there are any other Obama supporters who would like to get something moving in the Washington-Union-Pacific, MO area, please contact me with your ideas for our communities!

Disappointment Can Work For Us

Trish - Working To Elect That One — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 11:48:30 EST

It was 1983. The British Liberal Party was in an alliance with the newly-formed Social Democrat Party that had grown out of disaffected Labour MPs, and this new alliance was bringing onboard a large set of new voters who had never felt politically engaged. I was a parliamentary candidate and had been working like crazy to help win council seats for these new Alliance candidates in what was a marginal (swing) constituency. There had not been a Liberal on the council for decades. There had not been a decent Liberal parliamentary candidate since 1959 and we were reviving politics in an area where the Liberal Party was being run by two dead men and a dog. I knew we would not do well in the council seats. It was too soon. Although we did take a larger percentage of the votes, we did not win one single council seat. Imagine the despondency among the Party workers as the results were announced! I gave them a pep talk that went something like this....

"Tonight, you are wounded. It hurts to lose, especially when you have given so much of yourselves in time, money and dedication. But we have a general election to fight, so this is what you do. Tonight, you lick your wounds. You cry. You get angry. You call our opponents every name under the sun. You get drunk. You do whatever it takes to get this loss out of your system and you do it now, tonight. Tomorrow, you will wake up with a vaguely sinking feeling, wondering if tonight was all a bad dream, then when you realise that it really happened, you take all that anger, all that frustration, all that disappointement, and you turn it into ENERGY, then you work like you've never worked before"

That, my friends, is what we need to be doing now. We need to turn every negative feeling into positive action. Everything that is thrown at us, we pick it up and toss it right back, plus some. We need to get to the phones, take to the streets, donate, write on MSM blogs, do whatever it is we are good at, and we need to do it now.

Come on folks, let's get to it. We can and we will win this nomination. America needs it. The world needs it. Make that disappointment work for you!

Are you fired up?

Obama's Varied Record

Trish - Working To Elect That One — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 17:41:44 EST

A great article - a MUST READ - by Associated Press

By CHRISTOPHER WILLS – 3 hours ago
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — By some measures, Barack Obama has a thin record. He's a Senate newcomer who has never worked in the White House, governed a state or run a business.
Democratic presidential rival Hillary Rodham Clinton points to his resume as evidence that Obama is not ready for the White House. "He was a part-time state senator for a few years, and then he came to the Senate and immediately started running for president," she says dismissively.
Obama's accomplishments are more substantial and varied than Clinton suggests. And he has a longer record in elected office than she does, as a second-term New York senator.

Obama was a community organizer and led a voter-registration effort in Chicago that added tens of thousands of people to the rolls. He was a civil rights attorney and taught at one of the nation's premier universities. He helped pass complicated measures in the Illinois legislature on the death penalty, racial profiling, health care and more. In Washington, he has worked with Republicans on nuclear proliferation, government waste and global warming, amassing a record that speaks to a fast start while lacking the heft of years of service.

Read the whole story

My New Site

Trish - Working To Elect That One — Sat, 12 Jan 2008 20:11:53 EST

Well, I put my nose to the grindstone and, after trying out every bit of software I could find (several times) I finally settled on Wordpress, with a magazine theme, for my new website:

htp://obama-facts.com

Initially, I thought it would just be there to answer the falsehoods put forward by opponents, but couldn't resist the odd widget and got caught up in making it a bit more newsy. Now enlisting the help of a few Obama collaborators, not to take away from what people are already doing, and certainly not to distract from this wonderful official site, but to give one more outlet for Barack Obama's views.

Be Prepared

Trish - Working To Elect That One — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 20:03:45 EST

As this election really begins to heat up, I wanted to be prepared and have just bought a domain whose address will be www.obama-facts.com. I have not set up the website yet, but hope other Obama supporters will alert me to any mis/disinformation they come across, with the appropriate facts source. Keep watching for further developments

Use The Disappointment

Trish - Working To Elect That One — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 01:28:41 EST

I am sure we are all feeling a tad disappointed at Hillary Clinton's narrow victory this evening, but we have to use the disappointment to spur us on to greater efforts. One of my concerns, when I saw the media publishing double-digit wins for Obama was that his supporters in New Hampshire might become complacent, imagining that they didn't need to go out and vote. I have seen this happen in British elections, and it appears that this may have been a contributing factor today. I can only urge everyone who has even thought of voting for Obama to commit not only to voting, but also to working for him. Everything now depends on us using the emotions of this temporary set-back and turning it into positive action.

At the same time, I did wonder before the NH primary if Obama was permitting the Clinton campaign to get away with too many slurs and slanders. I know that we all deplore negative campaigning, but the Clinton machine is formidable and, as we have learned, is not above the twisting of facts for its own end. I believe we all need to be prepared to answer in the strongest terms every single accusation lodged, and I would like to see Obama tackling some of the issues they have raised more vociferously.

So folks, I hope that, like me, you are even more fired up, and even more ready to go. We have a lot of work ahead of us to turn hope into promise, and promise into fact.

Nerves, Polls, Papers And Debates

Trish - Working To Elect That One — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 01:05:49 EST

I am sure I am not the only one to be on an emotional roller coaster right now, with polls coming out thick and fast, some contradicting others and at least one giving Obama a massive lead, as illustrated in this Washington Post Blog. I want with all my heart to believe that Barack Obama will cruise to victory on Tuesday, but hardly dare allow myself to believe it, lest resting on my laurels might, in some mysterious way, prompt Obama to rest on his. It's the same sort of thing that makes me stay awake on flights, in case taking my mind off the fact that we are 35,000 feet above terra firma will cause the aircraft to plummet. Completely stupid, I know, but there we are.

So, one minute I am soaring, the next a little anxious, combing the newspapers for some uplifting comment and, funnily enough, the most optimistic news about Obama's prospects seems to be coming from across the Pond and from Down Under. The British and Australian media seem to be taken with Obama, so I have taken to reading tomorrow's news today, in those papers whose readership is several hours - or even a day - ahead of us.

And of course there was the ABC debate, re-aired tonight by CNN. Obama looked a little tired, but otherwise conducted himself as a statesman, above the fray. There were a couple of times when I would have liked him to jump in and defend himself, particularly when Hillary kept returning to "her" record, which was really her husband's record. I wanted Obama to say something along the lines of "But Bill isn't running for office this year. You are, and you have no record of holding office in the White House." But Obama didn't, and he was probably wise not to.

So, the roller-coaster ride continues, and will continue. I hope other supporters are on a more even keel! As for me, I will be a wreck until Tuesday's results are declared.

St. Louis Caucus Watch - Better In A Crowd

Trish - Working To Elect That One — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 22:55:28 EST

We were not sure until yesterday afternoon that we would be able to go, but the St. Louis caucus watch party was in the back of my mind, just in case. Then, almost at the last minute, we knew we could go, so called a friend - someone not yet committed to the Obama cause - asked her if she wanted to go with us, met up and travelled the forty miles or so into St. Louis, on a bitterly cold evening. Of course, we got lost in the city, as we always do, and my husband and I had the same arguments we always have, over me giving perfect directions which he then ignores, but eventually we found ourselves at the right parking lot and braved the icy wind to hunt down the St. Louis Campaign H.Q. It wasn't all that well marked, we thought, but the welcome we received as we entered the building told us we were in the right place.

All signed in, we made our way upstairs, where people were milling about, getting themselves snacks, making themselves comfortable in front of a large television, introducing themselves, buying Obama stickers and the like. For me, being away from active politics for close to twenty years, it was like entering a time-warp. That same old familiar feeling, that same sense of camaraderie, that same expectant hope.

We found ourselves some munchies, pulled up a couple of chairs and sat down. This would be my first time watching a caucus and, thankfully, we got talking to a couple of really nice women who took the time to explain to us what was going on, moment by moment, blow by blow, until we were well into the swing of things, sitting on the edge of our seats, glued to that television as if our lives depended on it. I felt my stomach knotting, then there was that moment where I hardly dared believe, but yes, it was true. Obama had won Iowa! The entire room was on its feet, cheering loudly, chanting the slogan, "All fired up and ready to go", people hugging their friends, or hugging the person next to them in a frenzy of joy to warm the coldest of January nights.

It was shortly after Obama made his Iowa speech when we finally put on our coats and made our way out into the dark streets, our steps just a bit lighter than when we arrived. "That was great" my friend told me, "Thanks for inviting me." She had signed up to help man the phone banks, as had we, and her earlier conviction that Obama couldn't win had turned into a sincere hope that he will, and a determination to do what she can to try and ensure a victory for Barack Obama.

I guess the moral of this story is that if you haven't yet been to anything, attended any meetings, seen Obama personally, gone to any parties or other events organized in your area, not only do you need to do so, but you need to invite that friend or that neighbor who is undecided or uncertain. Appreciating Obama's policies is always better done alone, with time to ponder the immense depths of this man, but appreciating Obama's campaign is always better in a crowd.

Obama Even Better In Person

Trish - Working To Elect That One — Sat, 12 May 2007 07:13:59 EDT

The last time I cheered for a politician was for the then-leader of my own Party in Britain, Paddy Ashdown, since when I just haven't been able to get terribly enthusiastic over any candidates or leaders, as both British and American politics took a downturn and statesmen seemed to be an extinct species. But last night we went to see Barack Obama in St. Louis and my goodness, what a man!

We arrived at the Moolah Theater just after the doors had opened and already a small crowd had gathered. Being only 5'2", even being three people back in the crowd of Missouri "giants" had its problems, but it didn't take long before we were chatting with others waiting for Barack Obama and a sense of excitement was building. I got talking with a nice lady, there with her daughter and her daughter's friend and I wished I had asked for her email address ... so if she is reading this, it would be great if she contacted me.

Anyway, we waited. And waited. Then they showed videos of Obama's announcement that he was going to run for President, followed by clips from his brilliant convention speech, until a few people started joking that he wasn't really coming and that we had all gathered to watch videos. But in truth, this reminder of Obama's stature served as a great warmer and by the time the man entered the room, people were hungry to see and hear him.

Catching up

Trish - Working To Elect That One — Fri, 23 Feb 2007 04:18:38 EST

Yesterday evening, we were watching the local news from St. Louis, waiting for the weather forecast, when there was a brief item about Barack Obama and at the end of the report, when the newscaster looked up, there was an approving smile in her eyes. Getting the Media on side can only be a good thing! And this lady's body language betrayed her.

On the down side, we were unable to make the first St. Louis meet-up as I had a doctor's appointment that had taken me weeks to get. I was a bit disappointed but that's life.

On the up side, I was chatting via Skype with a friend when she told me she had signed the De-escalation Act petition. This is a lady who has never been motivated to get involved in political issues before. And this is one of the wonderful things about Barack Obama. He motivates and mobilises people in a way I have never before witnessed in US politics.

Another plus is Obama's and Senator McCaskill's planned legislation to improve the lot of military veterans. I once had the misfortune to be taken to Landstuhl army hospital - one of the main staging posts for sick and wounded men and women on their way back to the USA - and I can't describe how bad it was. And Landstuhl is supposedly one of the better hospitals. We have heard so much noise made about supporting the troops, but as wife of a veteran of 23 years, who then served another five on government contract to the military, I know that what passes for support is nothing but rhetoric. Veterans have never had it so bad and it seems to me that if we are going to send young men and women into wars or ask them to make a career out of the military (working for approximately two-thirds of the going rate for their field in civilian life) we owe them something. So, this is another area where Barack Obama is making his mark and deserving of our support.

All in all, I remain just as delighted by this man's vision and policies as the first time I ever clapped eyes on him, and he is proving himself to be a man of real substance.

Quick Welcome To Missouri Catholics Group Members

Trish - Working To Elect That One — Fri, 16 Feb 2007 15:56:17 EST

I just wanted to say a quick hello to the new members of the Missouri Catholics For Obama group. As yet, there are only three of us (four if you count my husband) but it's a start! We are currently hampered by snow and sub-zero temperatures but I hope we can get something going as soon as this deep-freeze begins to thaw. In the meantime, if there are other local (Missouri and neighbouring dioceses) Catholic supporters, please contact us so we can get you on our list for upcoming events.

Missouri Catholics For Obama - New Group

Trish - Working To Elect That One — Wed, 14 Feb 2007 14:39:06 EST

Yesterday's post - or rather, the responses to it - had me really thinking about just how much my faith has moulded my politics. But more than that. It reminded me of some of the particular challenges Catholic supporters faced within their own communities during the last election, when some unscrupulous people attempted to browbeat their fellow into voting their way. Fortunately, we have the "Compendium Of The Social Doctrine Of The Catholic Church" (LINK) to tell us what the Church actually teaches on a wide range of issues ... most of which are in line with Barack Obama's stated objectives and policies! ... so all that remains is for us to get organised. With that in mind, I've started a new group, "Missouri Catholics For Obama". I am on the eastern side of the state, about 40 minutes out of St. Louis, and would welcome connections with and suggestions from other Catholics in my area as well as in other parts of the state.

Let's see what we can do!!!

Bromney Not Christian!

Trish - Working To Elect That One — Tue, 13 Feb 2007 16:53:13 EST

I hate negative campaigning with a passion, so it wasn't an easy decision to write something on a blog about Barack Obama that is, of its essence, a negative. But I felt I couldn't remain silent when I heard the BBC touting the latest Republican to throw his name into the ring as a Christian.

A Christian of any shade or denomination can pray, hand in hand with any other Christian, the Apostles Creed, which lays down the very basic essential elements of Christian belief. A Mormon cannot do so. Whereas a Christian believes that God the Father is eternal, the Creator of all that can be seen and that cannot, Mormons see him as some sort of exalted man. And whereas Christians see Jesus as the only begotten Son of God, conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin, Mormons believe that Jesus is the result of a natural pairing. And while Christians see the death and resurrection of Jesus as a necessary part of the salvific plan of God, Mormons teach that to believe in the power of the Blood Of Christ is heretical. Jesus is, they teach, another exalted man who worked his way up on another planet until he had earned the right to be god of Earth, and that Mormons can do the same, inheriting their own little planets where they can be gods.

If any atheists are reading this, they might be wondering why on earth any of this matters since, no doubt, they would view Christianity much as I view LDS. I would say it matters because Mormons are dishonest about their convictions, trying to sell themselves as Christians when in truth they regard Christianity as it has been taught since Apostolic times as an abomination.

If Romney believes he will inherit a planet, let him wait!

Thrust And Parry - Howard & Obama

Trish - Working To Elect That One — Mon, 12 Feb 2007 14:55:36 EST

The most outrageous - and distinctly out of order - comments of the weekend have come from Australian Prime Minister John Howard, who suggested that an Obama victory would be a victory for terrorism. This has caused a furore “down under” as he defended his comments in parliament, against a Labour attempt to censure him. Australia’s The Age devotes a couple of web-pages to the argument, as does The Australian and pretty much every newspaper across the world. But Obama made an excellent come-back:

“I think it’s flattering that one of George Bush’s allies on the other side of the world started attacking me the day after I announced (my candidacy)” he told a news conference in Iowa.

The senator noted that the US had close to 140,000 troops in Iraq, and that he understood Mr Howard had deployed 1400. “So, if he’s ginned up to fight the good fight in Iraq, I would suggest he calls up another 20,000 Australians and sends them up to Iraq,” he said. “Otherwise, it’s just a bunch of empty rhetoric.”

And isn’t that the truth? I found Howard’s statement that America would be let down if Australia deserted it now. I suspect Australia’s contribution to the Iraq debacle wouldn’t be missed if they pulled out today and went home. It seems to me that Howard is more afraid of feeling deserted by America, and he just sealed his own fate.

Delighted And Hopeful

Trish - Working To Elect That One — Sat, 10 Feb 2007 05:59:45 EST

Although not unexpected after all this build-up, I am delighted to finally hear that Sen. Obama has thrown his hat into the ring for the Democratic nomination and, ultimately, for the Presidency of the United States.

I am British, a former parliamentary candidate in the UK, now living in the USA with my American husband. So many issues are important to us.

As Catholics, we adhere to the Church's teaching on social doctrine and, in spite of what some on the Right will try to suggest, Barack Obama comes closest to matching his policies with those of importance, not only to Catholics but to all thinking Christians and, indeed, to all men and women of goodwill. While it is true that we part company on abortion and embryonic stem-cell research, Obama is spot on when it comes to every other issue.

Secondly, my husband is a USAF retiree who served his country for 25 years. The fate of US troops is very dear to our hearts, as is the keeping of promises made to veterans. So many repeat the mantra, "support the troops" but few allow that sentiment to develop into any meaningful support, especially once those soldiers return and have to face the harsh reality of life after war, often with severe physical injuries but always, always with emotional wounds.

Finally for now, as a European, it never ceases to appall me that the richest nation on earth is the only developed country not to provide good health care for all its citizens, regardless of means.

So, here I am. Excited, delighted and, for the first time in a long time, hopeful and optimistic that America has the chance of getting back on track and restoring its reputation in the world so that it can lead rather than browbeat.

Go, Barack!!!