Why I Support Barack Obama

Obama Friends - We're Finally Here!

Nancy M. — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 16:33:58 EST

Hi everyone,

This day has finally come! After all this time, we are just one day away from election day. Many of us are busy working for Barack in one way or another, but I am hopeful that many of us can touch base here on election night.

If you're out there, I hope you'll check in and share as we make it over the finish line, one way or another!

I will be working in Indianapolis on election day, but I will return home in the evening, and will check in as soon as I return. In the meantime, love to all!

Just Checking In

Nancy M. — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 23:06:24 EDT

Anybody out there?

Tone, Truth, and the Democratic Party, by Barack Obama

Nancy M. — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 22:56:16 EDT

Tone, Truth, and the Democratic Party
by Barack Obama [Subscribe]

Fri Sep 30, 2005 at 07:38:41 AM PDT

I read with interest your recent discussion regarding my comments on the floor(1, 2, 3) during the debate on John Roberts' nomination. I don't get a chance to follow blog traffic as regularly as I would like, and rarely get the time to participate in the discussions. I thought this might be a good opportunity to offer some thoughts about not only judicial confirmations, but how to bring about meaningful change in this country.
Maybe some of you believe I could have made my general point more artfully, but it's precisely because many of these groups are friends and supporters that I felt it necessary to speak my mind.

Barack Obama's diary :: ::
There is one way, over the long haul, to guarantee the appointment of judges that are sensitive to issues of social justice, and that is to win the right to appoint them by recapturing the presidency and the Senate. And I don't believe we get there by vilifying good allies, with a lifetime record of battling for progressive causes, over one vote or position. I am convinced that, our mutual frustrations and strongly-held beliefs notwithstanding, the strategy driving much of Democratic advocacy, and the tone of much of our rhetoric, is an impediment to creating a workable progressive majority in this country.

According to the storyline that drives many advocacy groups and Democratic activists - a storyline often reflected in comments on this blog - we are up against a sharply partisan, radically conservative, take-no-prisoners Republican party. They have beaten us twice by energizing their base with red meat rhetoric and single-minded devotion and discipline to their agenda. In order to beat them, it is necessary for Democrats to get some backbone, give as good as they get, brook no compromise, drive out Democrats who are interested in "appeasing" the right wing, and enforce a more clearly progressive agenda. The country, finally knowing what we stand for and seeing a sharp contrast, will rally to our side and thereby usher in a new progressive era.

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2005/9/30/102745/165

Read the whole diary below:

Is there Life after FISA?

Nancy M. — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 00:45:50 EDT

Is there life after FISA?
I say yes.

My struggle with Barack's position on the recent bill

Nancy M. — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 11:26:32 EDT

Barack's position on the recent bill has been a real blow to me, and I am struggling with it, so I will appreciate it if you guys will share your thinking on this.

I do believe Barack believes in our civil liberties. But we also have to look at the choices people make. This particular choice appears to fly in the face of who I thought Barack was at the core, which is why I am not able to dismiss this as just an area where we agree to disagree.

On one hand we have who we thought Barack was and what he stood for. On the other hand we have an action on a very serious matter that is in complete opposition to what we thought Barack stood for.

It's well documented that people cannot live in a state of cognitive dissonance - which is when there is a discrepancy between what a person believes (or knows or values) and persuasive information that calls the beliefs or values into question. When that occurs, you basically have to either give up what you believed or you find a way to dismiss the persuasive information in some way.

For me, this started on Thursday when Barack "went silent" on the recent bill at a time when he would normally have taken a stand. It got worse on Friday when he continued his silence for most of the day and then came out with his (I thought) lame statement on the bill that seems to fly in the face of who he is and what he stands for. It didn't get any better when Barack failed to post his statement on the Obama blogs - when normally every statement Barack makes ends up on a blog.

I's been 4 days of cognitive dissonance for many of us, and it hasn't been fun. I have been unable to either completely give up my former view of Barack OR dismiss his position on the recent bill as not that important or not indicative of who Barack is.

The best I have been able to figure out is that I will still vote for him, but I cannot give heart and soul and money because I no longer trust Barack the way I have since I first met him in the summer of 2004. I do not want to give up on Barack but am unable to let this go.

UPDATE: I am going to remove any posts from this blog that come from "unknown user" or people we do not know. This is intended as a forum for conversation between people who I have come to know and respect over the past year. Any newcomers will likely have worthy opinions, and I hope they share them on the wider Barack Obama website.

Back Together - June 13 Weekend

Nancy M. — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 01:23:10 EDT

Let's talk.

Back Together - The Last Primaries & The Nomination!

Nancy M. — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 13:08:46 EDT

Let's talk.

Take back the blogs

Nancy M. — Fri, 30 May 2008 23:42:08 EDT

A few of us have been trying to think about how to turn the blogs back toward good.

This blog can be a starting point for how we might do that.

Back Together - The Last Week of the Primary?

Nancy M. — Fri, 30 May 2008 12:46:50 EDT

DNC Meeting.

Puerto Rico.

South Dakota.

Montana.

Pelosi, Reid and Dean asking SDs to declare.

We have a big week ahead!

Update: Sunday, 8:15 am Now that the DNC has ruled on FL and MI, I think it's fair to take the question mark off of the blog title, which had been "Back Together - The Last Week of the Primary?".

Back Together - Week of May 27

Nancy M. — Tue, 27 May 2008 09:39:35 EDT

Let's talk.

Collection: Want to Learn More About Barack?

Nancy M. — Sun, 25 May 2008 10:02:51 EDT

I am trying to figure out how we can make a positive impact on the regular blog and help turn the tide. It seems that the blogs have picked up on the pattern from the media, which is to mostly talk about the horse race instead of the issues.

So it occurred to me that perhaps we (collectively) could make a blog collection of really great articles about Barack. Not articles about whether he can win, or the delegate count, or how he compares to Hillary. Just articles about Barack.

If we posted the links on this blog, along with a one-line description, then any of us who want to participate in the "Want to Learn More About Barack" series on the regular blogs could just come here and snatch a couple of favorites and start posting them as new threads. Maybe this way we could help turn the discussion to Barack instead of to Hillary or McCain, or the horse race?

I'm thinking we all have great articles bookmarked.

What do you guys think?

Are you game to give this a try?

Back Together - Memorial Weekend

Nancy M. — Fri, 23 May 2008 21:30:58 EDT

I've missed you guys. I feel like I gave a party on Tuesday and nobody came. :-( I created a new blog for us for this weekend just in case we feel like talking.

Back Together - OR & KY

Nancy M. — Mon, 19 May 2008 20:22:15 EDT

Twas the night before Oregon, and all through the house,

Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.

Back Together - The Day Before OR & KY

Nancy M. — Mon, 19 May 2008 09:37:52 EDT

Just one more day until Oregon & Kentucky ... And June 3rd is just 2 weeks away!

Back Together - Weekend Edition - May 16 -18

Nancy M. — Fri, 16 May 2008 10:36:17 EDT

Is anybody up for brainstorming about how we can reclaim the blogs from some of the recent hatefulness and negativity?

Getting the Band Back Together - May 14 & 15

Nancy M. — Wed, 14 May 2008 18:40:38 EDT

There's plenty to talk about today!

Getting the Band Back Together - WV

Nancy M. — Mon, 12 May 2008 21:21:28 EDT

After hearing Keith Olbermann say this on his show tonight about campaign coverage for WV tomorrow night, I decided I had to make a special blog just for WV:

"I'm not exactly sure what we're going to talk about after the polls close, but we will continue to open our mouths and join in your surprise at what emerges. Chris Matthews and I with MSNBC's coverage tomorrow night with the West Virginia primary at 6 o'clock eastern. Senator Clinton is favored by 25 to 30 points. Bring your popcorn. And we'll do it live!"

Getting the Band Back Together - May 12

Nancy M. — Sun, 11 May 2008 13:21:59 EDT

Let's talk!

Getting the Band Back Together - Long Weekend

Nancy M. — Thu, 08 May 2008 09:49:05 EDT

Let's talk!

Getting the Band Back Together - May 7

Nancy M. — Wed, 07 May 2008 00:33:45 EDT

Let's talk!

Getting the Band Back Together for NC and IN

Nancy M. — Sun, 04 May 2008 16:54:21 EDT

Long-time bloggers, let's talk!

We Digg Barack - March 11

Nancy M. — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 15:04:55 EDT

Digg these articles:

Obama Pennsylvania voter registration form

http://digg.com/2008_us_elections/Pennsylvania_register_soon_if_you_want_a_primary_vote

Red Phone in Black and White
http://digg.com/2008_us_elections/The_Red_Phone_in_Black_and_White_3

The Clinton Texas Cover Up
http://digg.com/2008_us_elections/The_Clinton_Texas_Cover_Up

Clinton Rules: What the Clintons are Doing to the Democratic Party
http://digg.com/2008_us_elections/The_Clinton_Rules

Stephen Colbert: Size Matters
http://digg.com/political_opinion/The_Colbert_Report_The_Word_Size_Matters

Obermann on Clinton’s Duplicity: You’re Not Ready, but Be My VP
http://digg.com/2008_us_elections/Keith_Obermann_on_Hillary_Clinton_Obama_s_Not_Ready

Chuck Todd: Obama Camp Questions HRC’s Experience
http://digg.com/2008_us_elections/Obama_Camp_Questions_HRC_s_Experience

Hillary Clinton’s Argument that She Passes Commander-in_Chief Test is Not Supported by the Record
http://digg.com/2008_us_elections/Former_State_Dept_Official_Clinton_no_Commander_in_Chief

Suggestions for Barack

Nancy M. — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 14:39:26 EDT

If you have suggestions for Barack, you are welcome to post them here.

Dear Barack

Nancy M. — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 00:17:44 EDT

Dear Barack, we wanted you to have a place to come to where you can hear directly from people in the movement you created. We know you love us, and we love you back!

Poetry from Aris

Nancy M. — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 22:06:03 EST

Texas and Ohio, the stage has been set
The choice is Obama or a vote you’ll regret
His message won’t change, not now and not ever
While she bends the truth, thinking it’s clever
The young and the old, the women and men
Will prove once and for all, no one listens to Penn
Is her record so hollow that she won’t show her past?
Or would it show things that would sink her too fast
They play fear to win votes, what a cowardly act
But Obama keeps winning with his morals intact
And when the phone rings in the dark before dawn
She will be wrong again and probably yawn
He has proven his judgment time after time
He knows how to handle the world’s worst kind of slime
From NAFTA to healthcare we can trust his position
For the truth will be guiding our nation’s transition
For 35 years she has lived next to power
But she lost sight of our needs from that ivory tower
When we look at Obama we see the people come first
Giving hope to the hopeless, quenching their thirst
Destiny heard us and gave us a choice
Between a rusty old beater and brand new Rolls Royce
When he finishes Clinton and sets his sights on McCain
The choice will be glory, or more war and more pain
Long I have studied the words he has spoken
They are words form his heart, not a political token
Vermont and Rhode Island you must also stand tall
To regain our liberty and justice for all
So when you go vote, make no mistake
Obama’s for real, it’s her that’s the fake

Aris

Obama ’08 – History is here

Setting the Tone for the Obama Blogs

Nancy M. — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 23:38:14 EST

Some things to ponder on this beautiful day:

Who do we want to set the tone for these blogs?

Barack Obama supporters?
Or people whose intention is to disrupt?

Undecided people with genuine questions about Obama?
Or people whose intention is to distract us?

Knowledgeable people who can share their ideas and information about Barack?
Or people who want to interrupt intelligent conversations?

What do we want to see on the Politico next time they quote from the Obama blog?

The positive spirit embodied by Barack Obama and most of his supporters?
Or fear?

Confidence in Barack Obama and belief that his message will prevail?
Or negativity?

Passion for Barack Obama?
Or speculation and worry about what other candidates are doing?

Who do we want as the focus of these Obama blogs?

Other candidates?

Trolls for other candidates?

Barack Obama?

I would ask you all to think about these things before we engage in even one more day of letting disruptors and distracters direct what we discuss here and set the tone for the Obama blog.

Happy day, everyone!

Nancy

http://my.barackobama.com/page/outreach/view/maingroup/BePositive

251 People Commit to Not Engaging with Obvious Distracters on Obama Blogs

Nancy M. — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 23:05:05 EST

In less than 24 hours, on December 5th, these 150 people committed to not engaging with people who are posting disruptive comments on the Obama blogs.

During that 24-hour period, we raised $700 for Barack Obama "in honor" of intentional disrupters!

Since then, we have received confirmation from Obama HQ that the best approach is to ignore people who are here to disrupt and discourage, and 101 more people have joined us in the commitment.

Please join us in our commitment by posting a response to this blog.

Please consider making a donation "in honor" of intentional disrupters:

Link

Bradley
Michele B.
Jorge Polanco
Alex in Austin
Tom
Archaeology Jim
Doris from MD
Time from Atlanta, GA
Patty
Cilla in NYC

===

Charlie
Sharon
BradFromUtah
Quebecer Eric
Paul in Iowa City
JFK Ghost
Steve B
Freeman
Josh
citizenforbarackobama

===

Rosalind
William from Gainseville, FL
Peter from Switzerland
SFT
Rena
JimmieFromDayton
marytnurse
Rome
Erin Leigh
Rick Beaule’

===

AndreaT
Jeff Morgan
Meta
pnd
Ansu
Amy
SvK
Phil in the Cuse
Teach53
MBKJ

===

fholley
Amalia
Nysmom
Adrienne, Portsmouth, VA
Dan The Man
Patricia
Petra from Tuscon
Julie
LisainNYC
Isabelle

=== === === 50 people === === ===

All Alavi
Vee
Lelia
ych
Trish
Jenn K.
Liz in Zurich
Mid America Mom
Matt S.
Jeff D

====

Stacie M. in AZ
TCP
Juj 2003
Dimitris
Donna
hawkjt
Mary Lou
Jean
maria, Houston
Phil

===

Bruce
tanner
Kay
Phillip
Bob
Carolyn
Ethel
William from Gainseville, FL
Meg
New Day

===

Jodie Nelson
John “Yianni” The Greek
IA for Obama
Urich from Waltham, MA
Rachel
audacity
m4rk0
Randy
Scott
David D

===

Obama-logue
Andy
Moses from Cincinnati, OH
Mary Kay in St. Louis
Jeffery Pierce
Keith
Shannon Kirwin
Cathy
Trish
Terri

=== === === 100 people === === ===

Patrick – Republicans for Obama
Major_Man
Tamsin
Sonja_k25
Bye-Partisan
genienana
Virginia
Donna from MD
Carlos
Dee

===

Kerri from PA
Tunnelista
The Time is Now
Jim Lyons
Diane
flagtagg
Tammy
Kendy
New Day
Terry (from CT)

===

EM
Mike (from NC)
Julia (from Pasadena)
maria, Houston
Meg
Colin
Desert Rat Dan
Tiff85
Sam
Nancy M. (Me!)

===

Mike
Barath
IndyK
Emily (from the Netherlands)
Joe in Vermont
Kelly
Victoria
Pilar from Iowa
Valroide from Santa Monica, CA
MW

===

Milli
Noah
Lennie
Iowa Farm Girl
Athena
Tenaya
afh5
The Brain
Jama for Obama
Maria

=== === === 150 people === === ===

10 more people make the commitment in December!

BahamasForObama08
Victoria
Joy in IA
Ellen from St. Louis, MO
Kristian Idol
Randy
MsClara
Greg R.
Matthew
Johnnie

===

BarbaraM
Foreigner
JD from Seal Beach, CA
Serena G.
Aleksi
IManOBAMAmama
Mildred
Krish
P.Licavoll
Julianne Shelby

===

Windy
Bill_from_Brooklyn
tampa bay bob
TengoEsperanza
Makeda
Heather, Memphis, TN
SharonAustinX
The Phoenix
Unknown User
Christine from Boulder, CO

===

SoCalObamaSupporter
Franklin A. T.
Luke
Lori in WI
Brenda in Richmond, VA
Bonnie
T. Perry
sandfog_in_oc
Rima
Joe Ruwe

===

Inspired by BO
Robin P from NC
Diego from Los Alamos, CA
James Brown
DJD IN So Cal and I dn’t fear names... just ignorance
LB4BO
kjhusseinoftherock
Hope Hussein in Texas
Michael from Bronx, NY
VA for Barack

=== === === 200 people === === ===

Mary in CA
Patti
Rose
Jessi
Jade
Marti M
CalBear
Justin Andrews
Heidi in New Haven, CT
Northern California Doctor

===

BJ in Chicago
jen
Gail / Data Coordinator / California –CD19&20
B. Hussein
CJF from Santa Fe, NM
Nicole from NZ
Chris San Hose Cal
Jaena Rodgers
Denny “HOPE” Childers
Liz from Milptas

===

Maegan Chloe Marie
Bobbie Sue
Scott
obamabranch of MD
Steve
Mary from Brookfield, WI
Ron
tf_MN
JediMasterMatt
Rebecca, from TX

===

Mabtamu from Jamaica Plain, MA
Jordan from Manchester, CT
Arlene in Maine
Peyman
Pam
C. Rubenstein
Crystal Matthews, NC
pyxe
obamaman
Kathy

===

MaryanninVA, orig.from Detroit
Barbara McCarren
Nikki in VA
Ann West (Carrolton, TX)
Agata-NYC
Bella in NY
Marti in Oregon
Jan R in SC
Susan from Davidson NC
Kimberly King

=== === === 250 people === === ===

Jim B
Maeve from Ireland
James from Durhan, NC
Humble Supporter of Obama
kkbmom
Darlene from Elizabeth NJ
Pakakele
CK Educators with Obama
Den HusseinforObama MA
Marcia—One who believes in Dreams!

===

Jeanne “looking forward to a visionary leader for our country” in OR
Karen from SO.CALI
Tracy from CA
West Coast Hussein Canuck – President Obama, noHRC VP ever
Allison
TXRealtor
IManOBAMAmama
Jeff in “Mayretta”, GA — A Typical Middle-aged White Male Seeking Barack Obama for President.
LW
KCKen

===

Ritz – Barack’s Inauguration is Jan 20th, Be There!
Don
ljohnson
Theresa “McCain = a 3rd Bush term” from NY
Jill, Denouncing and Rejecting “You’re Either With Us or Against Us” Cowboy Diplomacy, in CT
Bitter and clinging lake mary florida obamican
Valerie from Montgomery, AL
ObamaBob NSB
Kevin from Kansas City, Mo.
Terri S. who si a bitter voter that wants change!

===

Futbolmom5
Elyse W
Madtown
dreamweaver
Georgette from Illinois
Ann from Little Rock
Holly HHH...Eugene & London
Ehuzu Hussein – Just closing the deal. A double-digit (less than 45) more Super Delegates will be enough!, IL
Eve W. in Maine
LA from FL

===

Joy IA