Jason Zimmerman's Blog

Camp Obama: Atlanta Edition

Jason Zimmerman — Mon, 27 Aug 2007 16:09:34 EDT

When Barack Obama stands on the steps of the Capitol and recites the
oath of office, there will have been no single age demographic more
influential in his election than ours. Through the countless
offerings of Camp Obama, and the influx of new Students for Barack
Obama chapters, our generation is ready to make our voices heard.
This is readily seen in Atlanta, where a Camp Obama session brought
out 185 concerned and active citizens, including a 17 year old who
wants to work for change.

Ben Turner, a student at Southwest DeKalb High School, said he got
"motivated to learn political organizing skills in part by problems at his high school, which he said has had malfunctioning air conditioning and crowded classes despite promises that improvements would be made."

Not content to sit on the sidelines and hope that someone would come
along to fix the problems that he and many others faced, Ben decided
to attend Camp Obama and learn the tools needed to run a successful
campaign. "I've got to learn how to organize, not only for Obama, but
for when something needs to be done in my own community," said Turner.
It is this message of hope and change that is driving people to Camp
Obama, that is moving people to stand up, that is motivating a
generation thought to be adrift.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution wrote a solid article about Ben and
others who attended the Georgia Camp Obama, and I recommend it to
anyone who wants to know how the grassroots movement is going.

Obama and the Daily Show

Jason Zimmerman — Sat, 25 Aug 2007 14:15:37 EDT

If you want a completely unbiased and boring report about Barack Obama’s performance on the Daily Show, you probably should not be getting it from the Students For Barack Obama site. However, if you want to see it for yourself and make your own decision, well, that we can help you with. Watch below to see Obama’s stellar performance:

We asked our entire blog team to write up their own brief opinions, and after carefully sorting through all of those that were submitted, we picked the best:

“I thought that Obama really did an incredible job incorporating humor as well as seriousness into what turned out to be a great performance.”- Carey

"Obama addressed the core of what is wrong with our political system when he noted that too often political debate is not 'on the level.' It's so inspiring to see a sincere leader remain so even in a grueling campaign season laced with so much opportunity for gamesmanship. History shows us that serious problems are only solved when we have faith enough in one another to tell the truth; Barack continues to offer this brand of leadership to the American people." – Luke

“Barack Obama's performance on the Daily Show made me feel like anything was possible no matter what the odds. I felt the Cubs could win the World Series, I felt like Saturday Night Live could once again be funny, and I felt that a young, charismatic, brilliant politician could change the world.”-Jason

Sustainable Growth

Jason Zimmerman — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 08:39:22 EDT

A phenomenon is occurring within the Obama campaign, with thousands upon thousands of students flocking to Barack, and supporting him through these very early stages of the 2008 Presidential election. Typically, the grass-roots youth movement swells, like Dean in '04 and Gore in '00, then dies down after a period of time. So it's important to note that the Obama youth movement is bucking this trend, and actually increasing momentum.

One of the reasons for this is that the main Obama campaign has firmly grasped the energy and enthusiasm of the youth movement, and has directed it in efficient and effective ways. One of these directions was the immensely successful Camp Obama.

In an article published in the Capital Times, the campus chapter of Students for Barack Obama for University of Wisconsin in Madison was profiled due to success not only in their state, but in the nearby state of Iowa. Andy Gordon, the group's campaign chair, attributed the continuing success the group has had to the fact that, "many of us have already been trained on how the caucuses work and what to do."

In fact, before school started, the dedicated members of the UW-Madison SFBO chapter were in contact with their counter-parts in Iowa, campaigning and helping out with various tasks. The group has also taken initiative in the new media area, encouraging Facebook participation, and using e-mail as a campaign tool.

The article focusing on this youth movement as well as the impact that the UW bunch has had can be found here.

Rock the Stats

Jason Zimmerman — Sat, 18 Aug 2007 14:26:01 EDT

Rock the Vote recently published on their official blog a post that will like excite the political junkies among us. It's about using Census Date to analyze the youth vote; thrilling to those who know and love means, medians and modes, and interesting to those like me who think the median is the part of the road you keep running into.

The article is entitled, "Researching Young Voters Using Census Data", and you guessed it, explains certain tendencies with young voters using the Census. All sarcasm aside, it is a fantastic piece with a ton of information, especially for a campaign that is being championed by young voters.

The article does not give you the conclusion, rather sets up the data and all of the information you need to draw your own conclusions. Everyday, you hear about this percentage of people voting this way, or this group wants that candidate, but the process is skipped over, and only the conclusions are being presented. Thankfully, Rock the Vote is different.

The SFBO blog staff urges all of you to look at the numbers and come to your own conclusions. We happen to know that no matter what way you slice and dice the numbers, young Americans are overwhelmingly in favor of change. And it's not secret to us that our candidate represents real change.

But by examining the numbers yourself, you become active in the process. And that's a great first step. Once again, you can click here to access the post over at Rock the Vote.

You, Me, Obama and Stewart

Jason Zimmerman — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 08:50:54 EDT

How many of you receive your daily news source from Jon Stewart? Don’t be bashful, like most progressive college students, I do as well. Jon Stewart’s show on Comedy Central is one of the most honest and critical variety shows that is one of the best news shows on cable. Lucky for all of us, Barack Obama will appear on the Daily Show next Wednesday, the 22nd of August.

And you could be there.

Head over to Obama’s website here, and invite your friends and family to join in support of Barack Obama. When they go to register at My. BarackObama, they will get the chance to share their story of support. The Obama camp will select the most interesting story and give them a free travel ticket as well as a ticket to the show. Plus, the person who invites them, hopefully you, will receive the same package.

So, start inviting your friends and family, and maybe you’ll get to laugh out loud live during one of Stewart’s infamous monologues.

Dinner with Barack

Jason Zimmerman — Tue, 14 Aug 2007 23:03:18 EDT

The first Dinner with Barack was such a rousing success that the campaign decided to do it all over again. The list of people who were selected to join Obama over a casual dinner was released, and among the four lucky individuals is a concerned parent of an Autistic child, a senior citizen who is participating in her first political campaign, and an Air Force Veteran who served in the current war in Iraq.

All of them are a diverse and admirable group of people, but, the one that stands out to me, mainly due to the fact that she is a student like all of us, is Brittany Washington. Brittany is currently a student at Howard University, and her plans of service are as ambitious as Obama’s run for the Presidency.

She wants to join Teach for America, which is a program that sends college graduates across the nation to teach in underrepresented schools. A worthy goal, but Ms. Washington’s drive doesn’t stop there. She also plans on getting her doctorate in education and public policy, with a dream of opening up her own charter school.

Brittany has an understanding of the plight our public schools are in, as she is a volunteer in one of the toughest public school districts, Washington D.C. When asked about life in D.C. public schools, she said “The windows are broken out, and there are never enough chairs or lights. It's just ridiculous. And we expect these kids to compete with other kids who have chairs and windows."

Brittany’s story is just one of the four Obama will hear when he dines with these politically savvy individuals. Once again, the campaign has selected four people whose stories, while unique and remarkable, have similar ties to everyone watching and waiting for change. And while Brittany’s story, as well as Ms. Grossman’s, Mr. Wilson’s, and Ms. Unruh’s, are truly fantastic, it just shows that this campaign is reaching people of all backgrounds, and while doing so, bringing out the best in them.

Stay tuned for a recap of the dinner.

Presidential Service

Jason Zimmerman — Sat, 11 Aug 2007 20:47:57 EDT

It constantly amazes me the lengths Barack Obama goes to inspire people not only thought his words, but also his actions. One of the main proposals discussed in the 2008 Democratic Primary is Universal Healthcare, and the problems with our current healthcare system. On Wednesday, Obama tagged along with a home healthcare worker while she did her morning rounds.

Doing the same chores that hundreds of thousands of Americans engage in every day to sustain their lives, Obama mopped, cleaned, folded, and prepared food for an elderly gentleman, learning the very basics of the program that he wants to make better.

Stressing the importance of Presidential candidates rolling up their sleeves, Obama said "One of the dangers of a presidential campaign is you start living in the bubble. You don't always have time to spend just listening. And this was important to me to just remind me why I'm doing this. This is about some sense of mission."

During the job, "Obama took the opportunity to promote the importance of home healthcare workers and paid sick leave and vacation time for service workers, benefits which Beck [the service worker Obama shadowed] said she does not receive."

It's important to support someone who understands there is a difference between talking about an issue in a nice and comfortable D.C. office, and actually experiencing it in real time through that issue. Obama understands that difference.

To read more about Obama's day as a health care worker, head here.

In the News: Primary Season

Jason Zimmerman — Thu, 09 Aug 2007 23:57:24 EDT

It seems that the so-called early campaign season may not be so early after all. Today, South Carolina Republicans announced they were moving the Republican Primary from February 2nd, to January 19th, which, according to political pundits, will force the New Hampshire to have their primary on January 8th, which then in turn pushes the Iowa Caucus to sometime in December. If this is starting to seem like a game of Dominoes to you…you are not alone.

How this affects the Democratic Party primaries is yet to be seen, but as of today, the South Carolina Democratic Party said they would keep their primary on January 29th. If the Democrats do follow their antsy friends in the Republican Party, expect campaigning to begin even earlier during the next Presidential cycle.

On the bright side, we at the Obama camp have been working hard every day to promote our movement for CHANGE. Senator Obama has been speaking and campaigning, delivering his message of hope across the nation. Even if the primaries are held tomorrow, he's ready.

So, stay tuned and we'll keep you updated on the ever-changing political calendar. If you want to read about South Carolina's early primary, click here. If you want to know more about New Hampshire's primary date, click here.

Week in Review: Audacity of Words

Jason Zimmerman — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 21:23:40 EDT

This week, Barack Obama had to defend a foreign policy plan that actually might work, to a bunch of people who support a foreign policy which has proven not to work. As hard as that sounds, Obama rose to the occasion:

"I find it amusing that those who voted to authorize and engineer the biggest foreign policy disaster in our generation are now criticizing me."- Obama, in response to Democratic candidates who voted for the initial authorization of the Iraq war, during the AFL-CIO debate on Tuesday.

"The fact that the same Republican candidates who want to keep 160,000 American troops in the middle of a civil war couldn't agree that we should take out Osama bin Laden if we had him in our sights, proves why Americans want to turn the page on the last seven years of Bush-Cheney foreign policy,"-Once again, Obama responding to naysayers at the Republican Debate on Sunday.

Belated birthday wishes

Jason Zimmerman — Mon, 06 Aug 2007 23:52:57 EDT

Running for President typically means long hours, stressful days, competition with the highest caliber of people, and little time off. I for one feel that a birthday is reason enough to take a day off from the campaign trail, however, Barack Obama feels differently. Addressing the Southern Christian Leadership Conference event honoring women in communications , he said, ""When you're running for president, you don't get a day off."

He did not even celebrate his birthday in a normal way.

People normally receive gifts on their birthdays, however, maintaining the stance he has always had, Barack Obama continued at his birthday celebration to forego the most lucrative gift his campaign could receive. At one of his numerous speaking engagements that Obama made during his birthday, Obama once again spoke out at the incredible influence lobbyists play in D.C. politics. In Chicago he stated, "We have to completely change how we do business."

Obama's campaign is all about inspiring people, and on his 46th birthday, he continued the difficult job of reaching all Americans, regardless of party, race, or gender. Normally, people receive gifts that help them in their lives, Obama chose to share his gifts with the country.

The group called Obama Dallas took Obama's initiative to heart, and started a nationwide food drive, as well as a fundraising effort to raise 100,000 dollars before August 15. When learning about this group, Obama said, "This is exactly the kind of thing I'd love to see all over America...people getting involved in their communities, working together, changing things...it's what this campaign is about. It's one of the finest examples I've seen and we need a round of applause for those who made this happen."

This is exactly the type of character we need to lead us, to represent us, to protect us. Obama's greatest trait is that he brings out the best in every American. Obama spent his birthday hanging out with the American people, talking and meeting with people, and inspiring people to engage in noble acts.

If you want to read more about the food drive, click here.

If you want to learn more about the Chicago event, click here.

And if you want to read more about the SCLC conference, click here.

Effect of Young Voters

Jason Zimmerman — Sat, 04 Aug 2007 10:30:49 EDT

A new poll of likely Iowa Caucus voters shows Barack Obama with a one-point lead. This poll was conducted by the Washington Post and ABC News between July 26 and July 31, and while this one category is a huge victory for the Obama camp, the poll features other telling information that demonstrates just how enlightening Obama truly is.

When asked what candidate best understands the problems of people like you, Obama is two points ahead of his nearest rival, and when asked what candidate is the most honest and trustworthy, Obama leads by 6 points.

A post on the poll on MyDirectDemocracy, about a study done on this poll shows that a significant portion of these sampled likely voters now consist of young voters. In the past, our age bracket has simply not showed up when it mattered. We did not actively participate in caucuses. And we did not go out and vote. It seems that that trend has changed, as more and more young voters have decided to become active members of our democracy, and a large percentage of them are supporting the Senator Obama's message of change.

Obama is trying to get young people out to vote, because he understands that the youth of our nation are just as important as the adults. As a student, and a member of the so-called apathetic age bracket, it's refreshing to have a candidate talk to us like they talk to other constituents.

But it's not just talk, there is also action being taken by the senator. His Camp Obama, a political campaigning summer camp attended by students and other young Americans, is extremely popular and helpful. Coverage by Dan Rather, the Washington Post, the New York Times, and other mainstream media outlets, shows that while Obama insists on getting the youth of our nation to participate, his insistence on creating a phenomenal youth program is what's inspiring our nation.

And it's working. With the latest poll coming out of Iowa, it's evident that Obama's charisma, intelligence, honesty and plan for our country's future, is not only winning over students, but Americans as a whole.

Barack's War Plan

Jason Zimmerman — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 16:58:22 EDT

Barack Obama was in Washington D.C. today to deliver a speech at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. Obama provided a step-by-step plan for how he will handle our current military situation once he is elected President. Above all, Obama wanted the American people to understand that even though he is adamantly against the war in Iraq, that does not equate to being soft on fighting terrorism.

After 9/11, our current administration led our nation to the wrong battlefield under false pretenses. Obama stated today that, “We did not finish the job against al Qaeda in Afghanistan. We did not develop new capabilities to defeat a new enemy, or launch a comprehensive strategy to dry up the terrorists' base of support. We did not reaffirm our basic values, or secure our homeland.”

Obama advocates a return to the real fight against terrorism, a fight that is fought on correct terms and correct battlefields, as he feels our current administration has only give us a false direction. Instead of fighting a noble and honorable war, “we got a color-coded politics of fear. Patriotism as the possession of one political party. The diplomacy of refusing to talk to other countries. A rigid 20th century ideology that insisted that the 21st century's stateless terrorism could be defeated through the invasion and occupation of a state. A deliberate strategy to misrepresent 9/11 to sell a war against a country that had nothing to do with 9/11.”

Obama’s plan is complex, befitting a drastic shift in foreign policy, yet the main points are as follows:

We need to get our soldiers out of Iraq, and let them fight terrorism where terrorism is, which includes Afghanistan and Pakistan. We need to develop partnerships and resources to capture terrorists and contain their networks and weapons. We need to end the support, be it financial, moral, or population that terrorists receive. We will not compromise our values, and we will regain the high ground.

It is important for all of us, whether you are a student, adult or child, to understand that our military conundrum that we are currently fighting is not going well. It’s important to understand that fighting this war without a concise plan will inevitably bring more danger to our homeland.

It’s important to understand by electing Obama, we elect a man with an intelligent plan to fight a war that is not being fought correctly.

You can read the entire speech here, or you can listen to selected clips here.

“It is time to turn the page, When I am President, we will wage the war that has to be won, with a comprehensive strategy with five elements: getting out of Iraq and on to the right battlefield in Afghanistan and Pakistan; developing the capabilities and partnerships we need to take out the terrorists and the world's most deadly weapons; engaging the world to dry up support for terror and extremism; restoring our values; and securing a more resilient homeland.”

Iowa Ad hits the airwaves

Jason Zimmerman — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 22:07:46 EDT

A new ad from the Obama camp is making rounds in Iowa, and its message echoes the theme of the campaign as a whole, that of change. The advertisement, entitled “Take it Back” revolves around Obama’s charge to remove the extreme influence of lobbyists and Political Action Committees.

This ad really hits home, and hopefully will be a stalwart of the Obama for President run, as it continues the flagship message of "Change". This ad should be the standard for the campaign's future short-ads, as it was positive, uplifting, and filled with hope.

You can watch the ad here.

The Party for Young Americans

Jason Zimmerman — Mon, 30 Jul 2007 19:23:16 EDT

It does not come as a surprise to me that the political leanings of American students are generally to the left. What is surprising however is that the percentage of young Americans that think of themselves as liberal is increasing at an extreme rate.

An independent group called Democracy Corps did a survey of 1017 young people, ages 18-29, and the results are intriguing. Among likely voters, 55 percent of the youth polled would pick Barack Obama in the upcoming election, compared to only 40 percent for the leading Republican candidate. Additionally, university students choose Obama over anyone else, be it Democrat or Republican. Obama has a 27-point lead versus the GOP frontrunner.

For proof, you need to look no further than the Chicago Tribune today, where an article entitled, “Obama hones youthful image” explains the phenomenon. One of the reasons young people flock to Obama is because, “enthusiasm from a generation that is just coming of age fits with the message of optimism that Obama seeks to convey.”

Young Americans are also drawn to him for his early opposition to the Iraq War. “His early opposition to the war in Iraq links him to a political cause that is motivating many young people,” according to the Democracy Corps report. The survey reported that more than 60 percent of young Americans are extremely against the war, which makes sense because young Americans are the ones fighting the war.

In 2004, 56 percent of people aged 18-31 voted for the Democratic nominee John Kerry, but in 2006, the youth vote was 60-38 in favor of the Democrats for Congress. Furthermore, over the last two elections, (one presidential, one non-presidential), youth turnout is increasing. These are the two most telling statistics, as more and more American students are voting liberal, and more and more young Americans are coming out to vote.

We hold the fate of our country in our hands. We actually have the power to affect change in America. We young Americans can no longer tolerate being a generation of apathy. We must lead our peers into a position of power and influence. Barack Obama shares our hopes and reflects our dreams. We don’t need surveys or articles to tell us why young people come to him in droves, but it’s nice to realize that the rest of the country has come to realize that it is time for our generation to make stand.

Obama at the CDA

Jason Zimmerman — Sat, 28 Jul 2007 13:07:25 EDT

Barack Obama spoke at the College Democrats Annual National Convention in South Carolina, and, surprise surprise, stole the show. The convention is designed for politically concerned college students to get together and discuss important beliefs and ideals, and once again the message presented by Obama echoes the concerns of our nation’s youth.

The theme of Obama’s speech was the need for our generation to step up and get involved, as well as scolding politicians for taking granted the efforts that our generation is engaged in. Obama threw down the metaphorical gauntlet, saying, “Now, in this election, it’s our turn. It’s your generation’s turn to write a new page.”

The Chicago Sun-Times had a nice piece entitled Prove Cynics Wrong on Obama’s belief that our generation is no longer one of apathy and ignorance, “Barack Obama urged college-age Democrats to defy conventional wisdom that young people are politically apathetic, telling them America needs a new generation of leadership and they need to spread the word on campuses by getting out the vote.”

The Associated Press reported on Obama’s understanding of the compromise that will be required for the next President of the United States. Obama told the enthralled audience about his plans for being a uniter, stating "the reason that this president has failed to lead this country is because he hasn't been able to unite our country. He's polarized us when he should have pulled us together." With Obama’s charisma and intelligence, I do not think winning over the other side of the political spectrum will be that difficult, and with the amount of applause and appreciated of the crowd, I think they feel the same.

While Obama’s speech is a highlight that will get mainstream attention, another highlight which will sadly be glossed over is the fact that so many devoted and involved college students showed up and had a great time arguing over politics.

Several Students for Barack Obama members showed up to the event with cameras flashing, and some of the photos are below:

In the News: Reviews are In

Jason Zimmerman — Wed, 25 Jul 2007 19:41:34 EDT

Barack Obama had another rousing debate performance on Monday night, and the reviews have been extremely positive.

A CNN Focus Group in New Hampshire on the night of the debate reported that, "Barack Obama got the most favorable in terms of the best performance from the 24 people who are here tonight." Furthermore, individual answers were rated high, "Senator Barack Obama was showing some favorable responses to his answers. particularly when he spoke about fighting lobbyists, specifically on healthcare."

The mainstream media was not the only press that was raving about Obama. An editorial in Blue State entitled Obama Wins Democratic Debate stated, "The CNN-Youtube Democratic presidential debate came and went. Our editors have voted, and we agree that it was Barack's night. Tonight he also appeared very presidential, pragmatic and charismatic."

In my opinion, his best review came from the American Prospect, which wrote, "Barack Obama owned this debate. He started off with a series of clear, crisp answers that deftly turned questions to his advantage, and he was doing that Obama thing that he does where he manages to look luminous and transcendent, as if he just stepped out of a Wordsworth poem, trailing clouds of glory. (He doesn't do this all the time, but when he does, watch out -- this is when he binds people to him.)

While there were a many other good reviews, the last one that I wanted to point out was one on a specific theme that played a huge part in the debate. Obama critiqued lobbyist's influence on the other candidates, as well as the negative effect they can have on national politics. The Washington Post said, "He castigated lobbyists and special interests in Washington, offering a sweeping condemnation of business as usual (by both parties) in the nation's capital. 'We don't need just a change in political parties,' said Obama. 'We need a change in attitudes of the people representing Americans.'"

Higher Education Access

Jason Zimmerman — Mon, 23 Jul 2007 22:38:33 EDT

The Higher Education Act of 1965 was up re-affirmation this week, meaning the 40-year-old bill that is designed to make higher education more affordable to lower and middle class families had to be to voted on to stay in existence.

With a vote of 78-18, the HEAA was re-affirmed in the Senate, and is now heading to a Joint Committee to iron out the differences between the House and Senate bill. While Senator Obama was not in D.C. today to vote on the piece of legislation, his ardent support and vigorous work on this issue has earned him a spot on the above mentioned Joint Committee.

In fact, the first bill Senator Obama introduced on the Senate floor was the Higher Education Opportunity Through Pell Grant Expansion Act, which points the Higher Education Act in the same direction as the one that was just passed. The Republican-controlled Congress killed that bill in committee, yet now that progressives control both houses, the ideals found in Obama's first action can be brought to fruition.

Sen. Ted Kennedy, the Chairman of Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee described the benefits of the bill as, "immediately increasing the number of Pell grant recipients and the amount of aid, simplifying the financial aid process for low-income students, restricting the amount monthly student loan payments to 15% of their discretionary income, forgiving the debts of those who commit to public service, and reforming the student loan system so it works for students, not banks." (link to where you found quote)

As students, one of our most pressing issues is the burden of debt many of us have when we leave school. While some of us will not see a dime from this HEAA, as our burdens are less, those that need help will be more likely to receive it. Low-income families will receive the largest chunk, and middle-income will receive the rest. This is a progressive, just, and financial equitable solution to the rising costs of higher education.

It's time for everyone, regardless of income, to be able to afford some type of higher education. When Obama stood as a freshman Senator and argued for our rights as students, argued for more government assistance in terms of financial aid, when he was pushed aside by those unwilling to take money away from the lenders, he did not back down. And he will continue to fight for equal opportunities for all classes of Americans.

Truth to Power

Jason Zimmerman — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 19:55:41 EDT

Donna Brazile, a writer for the D.C.- based Roll Call, recently about Senator Obama's ability to speak truth to power. Normally, I would describe Obama's speaking style as charismatic, or inspiring. Brazile agrees that he is full of optimism and exuberance, however, she argues that what Americans need is just a little bit of anger, and only recently has Obama found his "presidential voice".

Brazile was the campaign manager for Al Gore in 2000, and currently runs her own grass-roots political consulting firm, so when she discusses what candidates should and should not do, campaigns pay attention. Her belief is that "voters sometimes confuse anger with power, thinking that candidates who express raw emotion can effect the change they seek."

Obama has been able, without exhibiting the anger that typically candidates need, to win over those who are expecting candidates to speak truth to power. A good example of this change is Brazile's discussion of Obama's willingness to compromise. At first, Brazile writes "he often left us feeling that he may be too willing to compromise to create the hopeful and positive new direction for the country that he so often talks about."

Now, with his presidential voice, "Obama understands the importance of reaching across the partisan divide and working with Republicans, he also has a clear understanding of the Democratic principles of fairness, security and opportunity for all. And he stands ready to champion those issues on behalf of those who are trying to make the American dream their reality as well as those who live it as their everyday existence."

His ability to speak truth to power without the anger that we have so long been accustomed to is refreshing, and Brazile believes that "Obama is finally hitting his groove. He is sharing a personal narrative and spouting a record of achievement that distinguishes and defines him. He is forging a message that can both motivate the base needed to win the primaries and yet appeal to the swing voters so crucial in the general election."

We, as students, have been searching for a candidate to inspire us. We were looking for a candidate to speak to us not as kids, but as Americans. We were looking for a candidate to speak truth to power speech not wrought with anger. The article is just more evidence that we’ve found him.

News: Obama and the National Intelligence Estimate

Jason Zimmerman — Tue, 17 Jul 2007 18:44:56 EDT

The Students for Barack Obama Blog continually highlights Senator Obama’s continual support of the United States Armed Services by his ardent demands to bring them home from a war that needs not to be fought. I for one have written several posts discussing Obama’s stance that the War on Terror is an honorable war, but Iraq is not the right battleground to wage it. Obama’s fears became a reality today when a declassified National Intelligence Estimate confirmed what he has been saying since 2002.

Obama released a statement saying, “This morning's declassified NIE is a chilling reminder of what we have feared all along. After almost six years, awesome sacrifices by our brave men and women in uniform, and hundreds of billions of dollars spent, we are no safer than we were on 9/11. This is a consequence of waging a misguided war in Iraq that should never have been authorized, and failing to seize the opportunity to do lasting harm to the extremist networks that pose a direct threat to our homeland. It is deeply troubling that more that nearly six years after 9/11, al Qaeda maintains a safe haven, an intact leadership, and the capability to plan further attacks. It is time to act to correct those mistakes, and the first step is to get out of Iraq, because you can't win a war when you're on the wrong battlefield.”

It’s young Americans who are fighting this war. It’s young Americans who are honorably engaged in an ongoing conflict. And it is young Americans like you that have an opportunity through the political system to stand with Barack Obama and say:

We have had enough. We are ready for change.

Spread the Word

Jason Zimmerman — Mon, 16 Jul 2007 19:05:13 EDT

MyDirectDemocracy, a self-described “group blog designed to discuss the progressive movement and political power”, featured an article Sunday entitled Barack and the Youth Vote. The blog focused on the various ways youth participation effects the direction and enthusiasm of the Obama for America campaign, and much like the bloggers for Students for Barack Obama, the author over at MyDD feels that this is a breathtaking new phenomenon.

The blog post rearticulates topics and ideas that SFBO bloggers have written on, including Camp Obama, fundraising, and the active part young Americans are playing in this campaign. The author went so far as to cite the Students for Barack Obama Blog, and the effort we are putting into presenting pertinent information as fast and as eloquently as we can.

Our SFBO blog got a vote of confidence from this article, and while all of us here thank the blogger for pointing us out to MyDD’s readership, we do not plan on resting on our laurels. All of us on the blog team believe that once people see Senator Obama’s platform, listen to one of his speeches, read one of his books or participate in a campaign events, Obama’s natural leadership, charisma and intelligence will win them over.

We are going to keep on writing like we have been, but we are also going to work on ways to bring people to our blog. We have several ideas in the works and will presenting them in the weeks to come as we look to take the blog in a new direction.

However, what we really need is you. Whether through word of mouth, or online networking sites, inviting people to read our blog and signing up for our RSS feed is just one of the ways you can promote the SFBO blog. And while we continually work on ways to spread the word, if you have any ideas on how to help promote the blog, feel free to comment and inform the rest of the Students for Barack Obama community.

NEWS COVERAGE: Obama on the "epidemic of violence"

Jason Zimmerman — Sun, 15 Jul 2007 23:57:32 EDT

Barack Obama was in the Southside of Chicago on Sunday to give a speech at the Vernon Park Church of God. The theme of the speech was his plan to end an illness that is "sickening the soul of this nation." That illness is youth violence, and Obama believes that just like the War in Iraq, healthcare, and education, it's time for a change.

According to Chicago Public Schools, almost three dozen Chicago students have been killed this year, a number Obama pointed out is more than the amount of Illinois Servicemen who have died in Iraq this year. Obama's belief echoes the belief we as young Americans feel: that this is unacceptable.

Obama's plan for fixing the horrendous effect of youth violence is complex, but revolves around the government "permanently reinstat[ing] an assault weapons ban and close regulatory loopholes that protect unscrupulous gun dealers. " He also thinks the government needs to "support and fund more after-school programs to keep kids off the streets."

However, Obama says this change is not solely in the hands of the government. We as Americans need to be aware that to induce change, we need to dig in and help out. This includes protecting at-risk children, as well as assisting after-school programs with charitable donations and volunteer efforts.

Obama is ready to fight this ill that is a plague on our nation and our youth, and I hope we have the moral courage to join him.

AP covered the speech, and the full article can be found here.

Ending The Iraq War: Dollars and Sense

Jason Zimmerman — Thu, 12 Jul 2007 18:52:03 EDT

Senator Obama was in Iowa a few days ago, canvassing and campaigning in the ever-important 3rd Congressional District, which is home to the state capitol of Des Moines. One of the major themes on this campaign stop was the Iraq War, and what he was planning to do about it.

Barack Obama’s stance on the war has been firm from the start, and he believes, just like he did in 2002, that our soldiers are engaged in an unnecessary battle and it’s time for politicians to take over the fight.

“I don’t feel we can make any greater difference militarily in the region,” Obama said. “We need to pursue a diplomatic solution.”

We young Americans have a tie to those soldiers who are proudly fighting this problematic war, as it is our age group that makes up a large percentage of the fighting force. We all understand that there is a problem over there, but many of us are also aware of the problems that the students and youth of America face. Young Americans have to deal with increasing college loan payments, drug-related crimes, inadequate health care, an ever present energy crisis, failing education standards…the list goes on.

Obama has a plan to fix all of these issues. From day one he has had this plan, and it is imperative for Americans to understand that by bringing our soldiers home, protecting them from a war they do not need to be fighting, we also can help out the students and the youth of our nation.

Using Iowa as an example, for those living in Iowa’s 3rd Congressional District, which includes Des Moines, the cost of the war in Iraq will be $756.6 million through 2007.This total is equivalent to providing health care for 238,693 adults and 339,808 children; equipping 851,323 homes with renewable electricity; hiring 17,489 elementary school teachers; offering 134,819 scholarships for university students. To check your specific district, head to the National Priorities database.

Our Armed Services have spent the last 5 years protecting us in Iraq, and Obama is adamant that it is time for the American Government to act in their best interest and bring them home.

“Does this White House think that we don't know how to turn on our televisions?” Obama said, in response to today’s Presidential Administration Iraq Progress Report. “Don't tell us we're making progress in Iraq when the last three months have been some of the deadliest since this war began for our brave troops who have sacrificed so much. And don't tell us it's progress when the Iraqi leadership has done nothing – nothing – to take the political steps necessary to end their civil war. This war has only fueled the terrorist threat whose strength is now at pre-9/11 levels. It should never have been authorized, never have been waged, and it must end now.”

Dan Rather Reports, pt. 2

Jason Zimmerman — Thu, 12 Jul 2007 17:33:56 EDT

If you have ever doubted that what you were doing for Students for Barack Obama wasn't important, or even acknowledged, watch this clip below from Dan Rather Reports. Your contributions are not only appreciated within the campaign, they are being noticed and applauded by outside observers.
This 10 minute segment focuses on the Obama campaign's successful outreach to the youth of America. The report highlights how Camp Obama is run, what are the goals of the Camp and the goals for Students for Barack Obama. Interviewed in the segment are Jocelyn Woodards, the director of Camp Obama, Mary Hodge, Deputy Youth Vote Director, Sean Eldridge and Tobin Van Ostern of Students for Barack Obama, as well as individuals who have participated in the Camp.

The relevant information starts around 44 minutes into the clip:
Dan Rather Reports

Some of the highlights of the video:
"Youth vote has been an after thought to most campaigns in modern American politics because young people haven't turned out to vote in big numbers. But the Obama campaign is trying to change that."

"Every campaign I've ever been on they say they take us seriously, but really they just take us seriously that they want us to bring volunteers and stuff envelopes. This[campaign], we are targeting different college campuses, we are building lists, [and] we are expecting these students to come out and vote."

"Everyone's gonna come out with a health care plan; everyone's gonna try to get us out of Iraq, but the question is who's going to invest the political capital to get it done. Who's going to be able to go into the white house and really push congress and push Congress and pus the American people to make tough decisions, and I think we trust that Obama does."

In His Own Words

Jason Zimmerman — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 14:04:33 EDT

Head over to BarackTV to see a clip from one of Obama's best speeches:
BarackTV

The video above is from a June 29th speech given in Minnesota. Obama, in his characteristically passionate and charismatic voice, echoed the reason why Americans are coming out in droves for him. We truly are weary of the politics of the past, and we hope the politics of the future center around the ideas that Barack Obama believes in. Watch the above video, and any videos or clips you can find of Obama, for nothing that I can write will be as vibrant or brilliant as the Senator simply speaking the truth.

Camp Obama on HD Net

Jason Zimmerman — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 11:54:30 EDT

Tonight on Dan Rather Reports, Mr. Rather will be discussing the revolutionary way of campaigning that Barack Obama has engaged in during the course of his candidacy. Obama has managed to run a successful fund-raising effort despite not taking large sums of money from PAC’s and Lobbyists that typically make up a good portion of a candidate’s war chest. Tonight on HD Net, Dan Rather is asking “How?”

I don’t want to give away too much of the show, but the basic premise on how Obama has managed to run what Barack himself said was, “the largest grassroots campaign in history for this stage of the Presidential race” is you. You all did it. Not the big businesses. Not the Political Action Committees. It is individuals just like you and me that have become the heart and soul of this campaign.

Whether it is participating in the Walk for Change, donating whatever spare change you have, or even attending Camp Obama, which is another fantastic opportunity that the Obama campaign is providing for people, it’s the focus on the individual American that is making this campaign run.

Dan Rather is going to report that Barack Obama is raising more money than any presidential candidate. He’s going to examine where, and how Obama got the money. He’s going to look at the fund-raising techniques. Rather’s even going to look at Camp Obama and its impact on the campaign. Yet, all the questions Rather will ask, the answer will always be the same:

It’s the over 258,000 people who have already declared that they are ready for change. More than a quarter of a million Americans (and the number is growing daily), have decided this campaign, this candidate, is the one for America.

I urge you all to watch Dan Rather Reports tonight at 8 PM on HD Net. With Dan Rather’s typical excellence in journalism, it’s an episode you can’t miss.

Real Education Reform: Obama at the National Education Association Annual Meeting

Jason Zimmerman — Fri, 06 Jul 2007 01:12:45 EDT

“The ideal of a public education has always been at the heart of the American promise. It's why we are committed to fixing and improving our public schools instead of abandoning them…”

In Philadelphia for the National Education Association Annual Meeting, Senator Obama delivered stirring remarks on the state of public education in America. Obama’s support for the Public Education was the overall theme of the speech, and while he pointed out that the system itself needs help, and fixing it won’t be easy, he’s ready to roll up his sleeves and get to work.

The solution to our failing schools,--unfortunately higher drop-out rates, more emphasis on standardized testing and less on teaching indicates a failure on the part of the federal government-- is to give our teachers the tools they need to succeed.

It’s the teacher that “reach[es] the most challenging students. It’s the teacher who will stay part the last bell and spend your own money on books and supplies. It’s the teacher who will go beyond the call because you believe that’s what makes the extra difference.”

Obama doesn’t believe in a quick fix for our education system. Paying for vouchers does not fix our public schools; rather it just ignores the problem for now so a few more children can be put into private schools. Supporting No Child Left Behind without funding it makes the initiative toothless and ineffective. The standards set by the Act force teachers to teach the test, not the material.

It’s time to step away from the noble yet flawed No Child Left Behind Act. Obama believes that it is time to put the full weight of the federal government behind a comprehensive education reform. Rewarding teachers, starting their salaries higher to compete with more lucrative private jobs, giving incentives to teach needed math and science classes, paying more for experienced teachers to also mentor are just some of the new proposals that he has made.

Our Public Education system should be the standard the rest of the world envies. Our teachers should be put up on pedestals. All of our kids should graduate. All of our kids should go to a school where they don’t feel threatened or endangered.

These are the issues that the next president of the United States faces. Some candidates would ignore them, but not Obama.

“We have quite a challenge ahead of us, but we've overcome great challenges before. Over the course of two centuries, we have continually upheld the promise of education for all as that which allows any child to transcend the barriers of race or class or background and achieve their God-given potential. And we have risen together as a result. “

The Fight for PBIs

Jason Zimmerman — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 06:44:23 EDT

During the countless fundraising galas, grassroots speeches, and general presidential events during a campaign, many candidates choose to forego some of the duties of their office to stay competitive. Barack Obama does not agree with that course of action. He has actually STEPPED UP his actions in Washington. One of the issues that he has been aggressively pursuing is an issue vitally important to post-secondary education in our country: the issue of pre-dominantly Black Institutions (PBI) and their absence from the Higher Education Act.

The Higher Education Act focuses on aid given to students attending public colleges and universities, and one of the sections within the act addresses Historically Black Colleges and Universities, or HBCU, colleges established after the Civil War but before 1964 that were designed for African-American students who were shut out of mainstream white institutions. However, their are similar colleges that were established after 1964 but are not included as beneficiaries, and these are known as PBIs.

Does it make sense that two similar schools with the same student body make-up differ in financial aid because of the year they were founded? No, and Senator Obama is fighting to make sure that PBIs are included in the Higher Education Act when it comes up for renewal in Congress later this year.

“To restore America’s competitiveness, we must invest in the success of traditionally underrepresented groups,” Obama said. “This bill provides a good start in reaching that goal.” Obama has always supported HBCUs, and giving PBIs the same benefits is just one of the ways that he is using his influence in Congress to ensure a better education and a better life for all Americans.

If you want to know more about HBCUs, or PBIs, or even Obama’s fight, head over to Diverse Education, for an informative article on the issue.

A Broader Base

Jason Zimmerman — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 06:43:57 EDT

Senator Obama's ability to garner support from the normal Democratic base is the reason why he is one of the front-runners in the 2008 Democratic presidential primary. Yet, it is his ability to reach out to the areas that have been typically cut off from Democratic influence that is making him a force on the campaign trail.

Virginia, a state which the Democratic nominee lost in 2004 by 8 percentage points, hosted Girls and Boys State last week. This conference brought some of the brightest high school students in the state together to practice government. While they participated in model government, they also were involved in debates about national policy issues, as well as the 2008 presidential election.

One of the strongest themes present during the conference was the hope for integrity in our national government. Kirk Randolph, elected Girls State governor, said that she supports Obama for the fact that he, "is a good representative of a new generation, a beacon of hope."

Another theme dealt with the direction our nation was heading, and the belief that there needs to be change. Cedric Pulliam, Boys State lieutenant governor said about Obama, "He has set in stone the new goals for America, and I think that's really important,"

The full article can be found here. The article is rich with quotes from young Americans about how they feel about politics, and while they do not all support Obama, all of them sense a need of change, a need of integrity, and a need for a better America. While they might all not support Obama, they all echo his message.

The Obama Book Project

Jason Zimmerman — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 23:38:46 EDT

“Read it. Sign it. Pass it on.” That’s it. That’s all you have to do to be a part of one of the most ingenious grass roots efforts to take place during a campaign. The Obama Book Project is a decentralized way of spreading the word about Senator Obama. The creator, Alex Gunter, is a graduate student at the University of Texas, and is currently interning in Washington D.C. When asked about the project, Gunter said, “By reading it, someone gets a feel of who he is, by reading his words. By signing it, they become part of something. By giving it to someone else to read, they share that enthusiasm, the hope.”

Here’s what you do: You get a copy of Obama’s Audacity of Hope, read it if you have not, and sign your name on the front flap. Then, you give it to someone else. It does not matter who it is, Republican or Democrat, friend or complete stranger, just pass it and tell them the website so they can learn what to do next.

The website has received thousands of hits, and Alex thinks 100 or so books are being circulated. I think with the active supporters that visit this site, and the sheer brilliance of the idea, we can easily increase that number in the upcoming weeks. Alex also requests that if you do participate in “The Project”, go to the website and write in the guestbook about your experience.

And to further this idea, Alex has two ideas to help spread the word:

Giving out flyers at Obama rallies and events, and spreading the word at meetups and Obama house parties, have Obama book clubs.
Encouraging bloggers to participate and write about their experience as a way to motive others to do the same.

This project was not thought up by a think tank, or a professional political firm, but rather a college student who "came up with the idea while sitting at a restaurant near the university campus, reading a newspaper." This is just one of many examples where a young, gifted individual decided that they wanted to be pro-active in the fight for change.

If you can, head over to Alex’s website and read the experiences that have been detailed in the guestbook, or make an experience of your own. This pass-it-on idea shows just how creative you guys are, and how you can take something simple like a book, and create a wonderful plan of active campaigning. I look forward to reading about your adventures with “The Project” on their website, and will write about my own.

Texting for Obama

Jason Zimmerman — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 22:54:47 EDT

Senator Obama has once again taken presidential campaigning to a higher level. Today, the campaign unveiled their next plan of reaching out to our technologically advanced young adults, called the Comprehensive Text Messaging Initiative. All you have to do is text "GO" to OBAMA (62262), and you will now receive on the spot campaign information at no additional cost. Basically, anyone who is interested can receive text messages from the Obama campaigning informing them about upcoming events and recent campaign developments.

The campaign has recognized the ever present influence texting plays in our lives and has come up with a way to keep people informed. Sign up, receive campaign text messages. It's that simple.

While this is a fantastic idea for all campaigns, for this particular one, which relies heavily on popular grassroot efforts, it seems to be even more influential. Joe Rospars, the New Media director for the Obama Campaign said, "This is a service we hope to use to continue to communicate with our growing base of supporters who are excited about playing an active role in our efforts to change this country."

I agree with Joe, and plan on signing up as soon as I can find my cell phone. All I have to do is type the word GO to 62262 and I'm signed up. If you want more information, you can head over to the Mobile Obama website here

And, as an added bonus, if you sign up for Obama Mobile, you get a free Obama bumper sticker.

Wow

Jason Zimmerman — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 15:12:38 EDT

Every single day, all of you do something else that simply makes me speechless. Thinking about the fantastic job of the grass-root fundraising campaign, and how you all exceeded expectations, I thought nothing could top that. I was proved wrong on Saturday, with the thousands of volunteers supporting Barack Obama out en masse to canvass, to speak, and to listen. In a previous post, I forecasted the amount of people who participated in the event at over a thousand. Technically, I was right. More than a thousand concerned citizens did go out and stump for the candidate they believed to be the source of needed change in American politics. I was just off by a factor of 10.

The Des Moines Register covered the event, along with many other news sources, and in an article entitled Obama Chooses Shoe Leather Over TV Ads, reported that "The event, known officially as the "Walk for Change” attracted more than 10,000 volunteers in 50 states." It seems that you all took the Senator's words to heart when he said "Change always comes from the bottom up not the top down."

Showing up was the first step, and while you all should be applauded for doing that, the next step was walking, and once again your success left me speechless. Kim Bee, the Executive Chairwoman for Obama in Sacramento summed up perfectly what your goals were, "Speak from your heart; that's what will win people over. Be respectful of people's time, be safe and have fun." In Charlotte, "Volunteers went to more than 1,000 houses and signed up 50 new supporters" with words spoken from the heart like Hugh Schintzius who said, "It's the first time in my life I've wanted to vote for someone." In Dubuque, where the Senator himself canvassed, resident June Manning said her time speaking with the Senator was like, "15 minutes in the sunshine.”

Whether it was in Utah or Los Angeles, Hawaii or Orlando, large or small, city or state, the turn-out was impressive. And with the turn-out being so large, the message was loud and clear. In his pre-event conference call, Obama said "All we're doing is starting to lay some groundwork and we're going to keep on doing that and over time we're going to build the kind of movement that really is going to change the country." With the numerous media sources covering the event, the success cannot be measured in how many supporters were signed up, or how many doors were knocked on. Rather, with the coverage of Democracy in action, the success can be measured by all of you, your belief in change, and your ability to show up.

I wanted to end the post with a witty comment or some form of congratulatory message, but Steve Weingard of the Sacramento Bee put it best, and I just want to echo his words, "The real value of the work being done here isn't in how effective it turns out to be. The real value is that there are people who still believe in the system enough to show up and do the work."

Walked for Change

Jason Zimmerman — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 00:46:13 EDT

On Saturday, more than a thousand volunteers from the Barack Obama campaign went out and continued the process of changing the world. These volunteers, the building blocks of this campaign, went canvassing in hundreds of cities nationwide, including thirty-eight in the ever important state of Iowa. The event, which the Senator attended and did a fine job of wearing out his walking shoes, has already been covered by the Associated Press, found here, and the CNN Political Ticker, found here. Both articles discussed the most important part of this event, which is Obama's incredible gift of mobilizing people who just simply want change.

Speaking in Dubuque where he was walking, Senator Obama laid down the gauntlet to his supporters, stating "They are hungry and they want to turn the page. I can't do it by myself and that's why I'm here today." With the thousands upon thousands of doors knocked on all across the nation, it was made clear Saturday that the Senator was not alone in his hunger for change.

Alexandra Sova, a Student for Barack Obama member, was one such person who decided to pick up the gauntlet. Alexandra organized the Walk for Change event for all of Lansing, MI (adult and student alike). I was fortunate enough to be able to interview Alexandra and if she is the type of caliber of person that Obama has working for him nationwide, he has nothing to worry about. While every question I asked was directed to her in a way that she could explain her leadership qualities and detail what she did to organize the event, every single answer she gave was in praise of the volunteers and residents who were affected during the Walk for Change.

I wanted to make this post about her particular leadership skills, but she deflected that question with, "Everyone who came out to canvass was an extraordinary leader who was dedicated not only to change Lansing, MI, but America." When asked about the effort required to get people organized, she praised each and every person that assisted the event.

And obviously, with the pictures below as evidence, the Walk for Change Event in Lansing, MI was an absolute success. When asked if the event turnout was more or less than expected, Alexandra said that, "We were able to accomplish our goal of fifty houses per canvasser and the response from the neighborhoods in general was very positive."

Alexandra also answered a question I posed in a previous blog of mine and came up with two outstanding ideas that can build off the excitement from the Walk for Change. A Race for Obama, which would be a pledge based fundraising event, as well as a Battle of the Bands style fundraising, which she suggested for campuses in Michigan, but I believe could be a nationwide event.

We can read stories about the Senator's grassroots campaign, and we can see on CNN reports about the Walk for Change. But understand this: It is the efforts of leaders like Alexandra that make the grassroots campaigning work. And it is the efforts of all of those she praised who made the Walk for Change successful.

An Unlikely Show of Support

Jason Zimmerman — Fri, 08 Jun 2007 00:33:34 EDT

An organization that supports Obama's campaign that has 11 chapters nationwide, with the strongest chapters existing in California and New York is making waves in the mainstream media. Organizations are springing up in different states, with different members and different views, but with all of the same goal of electing Barack Obama as our next President, so rarely does one specific group cause such a stir.

So why this group? It could be because they are another group of like minded individuals who came together to support their ideal candidate. Or, it could because the group is called Republicans For Obama.

The group, found at RepublicansForObama.org, proudly displays on their homepage their reasons for their invaluable support:
"RepublicansforObama.org is an organization founded by proud party members who all share one important trait— we are Americans first and Republicans second...While a growing number of our elected officials and media outlets use wedge issues to purposely divide us, and answer to special interest groups at the expense of the general welfare, Senator Obama has the ability to break this trend."

In a recent New York Post article entitled "Turning Their Barack on GOP", an idea was presented that the Senator's message was so powerful, so full of unity, that its appeal extends beyond his party. John Martin, a Navy Reservist who is a member of Republicans for Obama said, "His message of bipartisanship, of appealing to more than just 51 percent of the voting population, is, I think, what we need."

Democrats have a variety of reasons to support Senator Obama: whether it is his healthcare plan, his stance on the war, his position on civil rights... Republicans flock to him for slightly different reasons: his charisma, his intelligence and his beliefs. This unique combination that occurs maybe once in a single person each generation. A sense of change follows Barack Obama, a sense of a better type of politics. Everyone, whether you are from a Red State or a Blue, whether you follow a donkey or an elephant, you want to be a part of this movement for change. I know I do, and with the success of such groups as the Republicans for Obama, it seems more and more people are sensing it too.

More than Money

Jason Zimmerman — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 23:03:23 EDT

Hey everybody, my name is Jason Zimmerman and I am one of the latest additions to the Students for Barack Obama blog team, and there are no words to describe how excited I am to be a part of Senator Obama's campaign. While getting my undergraduate Political Science degree from GW, I was waiting for a candidate to come along that I not only agreed with, but felt inspired by. I wanted a candidate that I could support whole-heartedly, and never would I have imagined that as soon as I graduated, Barack Obama was looking for volunteers.

This might sound like a broken record, but once again Senator Obama has exceeded all possible expectations. Political experts on all of the major news outlets called him too young, too inexperienced to run for the presidency in 2008. Yet, for the last few months, Barack has stood tall against the political elites. And more and more people are seeing that while experience counts for some, a good plan with popular support can trump it.

Another issue that seemed mighty insurmountable was the problem of fund-raising. How could the senator who talked about Campaign Finance Reform, who wanted to get corruption out of our government, and who tried valiantly to remove the grip lobbyists have on politics, raise enough money to compete against the other Democratic candidates? Turns out, a good plan comes in handy here too. A plan for a different kind of politics.

In the first quarter alone, Senator Obama raised 25 million dollars from over 100,000 donors. Impressively, 90 percent of all online contributions were given in amounts of 100 dollars or less. Yet, in my opinion the most striking statistic, was that of the 25 million dollars, 0 dollars were given by PAC's and lobbyists. This can be attributed to the amazing job of the grassroots campaign and the fantastic energy shown by all Obama supporters.

Now, as students, we all want to join this groundswell of support with a generous donation of our own, however many of us are still being supported by our parents' "generous donations." So, here are five simple ideas that will do more for the campaign than a check will ever do:

1. Join a Students for Barack Obama chapter at your school, or if there is no group at your school...start one.

2. Participate in an official event sponsored by either Students of Barack Obama, or the main Barack Obama campaign. For example, this Saturday is the Walk for Change event happening all across the nation. To find your local walk, just head to Walk For Change . By basically exercising on a Saturday morning, you become another energetic part of Barack Obama's campaign.

3. Start a registration drive. Only a little over half of 18-24's are registered vote, and simply taking the time to get your friends, roommates, and even family registered will do more not only for the Obama campaign, but for our Democratic system as a whole.

4. Join classroom discourse. Whether you are in high school, college, or graduate school, and even the off-chance your work environment brings up politics, join the discussion. Just by saying you support Barack Obama, you open the door for informative questions to be asked.

5. While I originally planned for a number five, I realized that all of my ideas are just that, my ideas. What I want from all of you Obama fans is the best non-money oriented fund-raising type idea. It can be anything. Just comment on this post, and the best one will get discussed in my next post, along with pictures of me and my fellow supporters engaging in that idea. If Obama can hope to make America better, I can challenge you all to come up with a idea to help him accomplish that.

Until next time.