The Obama Blog

GET YOUR FREE OBAMA-BIDEN YARD SIGNS

Matt S. — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 10:52:39 EDT

Good news for Obama supporters! FREE OBAMA-BIDEN LAWN SIGNS are now available for anyone in Jackson County who wants one -- thanks to several local donors and Jean Morgan who coordinated this effort-- we have 1,000 ready to go out. Pick up your Obama-Biden lawn sign at:

Jackson County Democrats office at 40 S. Central in Medford-across from the Craterian theater (phone 858-1050).
If you live in the Ashland area, call Jean at 482-0528 to pick one up at her house in Ashland.
Lawn signs will also be available to pick up at the Obama booth on the Ashland plaza, Saturdays & Sundays, 2:30-5PM. Booth coordinator is Diane Barnes (897-0365) and she needs volunteers to staff the booth as well.

We're getting down to the wire now, and in less than a month we'll know who our new president is going to be. So let's do everything we can to be sure it's President Barack Obama. Hopefully Yours, Suzanne Frey

Thursday: Historic Step into a Better Future

Matt S. — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 12:26:54 EDT

Senator Barack Obama showed us last night why he'll be an outstanding president in an unforgetable experience in Denver.

Wednesday: Better and Better and Better

Matt S. — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 02:26:42 EDT

The convention tonight was unbelievable. I don't know how else to put it.

The day started for the delegation with breakfast with speakers Mayor Ray Nagin of New Orleans, our own Congressman Peter DeFazio, and Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar. Mayor Nagin asked us to pray for New Orleans since 5 years after Katrina, the levees have still not been completed. On a lighter note, Senator Klobuchar made us laugh by explaining how she was politely asked to leave Senator Wyden's baby shower for his twins by Senator Diane Fienstein. "Can I package that food for you to take with you?" She also went over a long list of important legislation that got stuck in the Senate and how critical it is for Oregonians to elect Jeff Merkely so this legislation can pass.

Tuesday: "No Way, No How, No McCain"

Matt S. — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 01:27:49 EDT

Well Hillary gave an amazing speech tonight as I expected she would. It was great seeing all the Obama supporters like me waiving signs and screaming their appreciation for all she has done. She made it clear that all of her supporters need to get behind Obama now.

Monday Night at the Convention: One Nation

Matt S. — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 01:54:21 EDT

Wow. What a day and night it was.

The Road to Denver

Matt S. — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 23:09:42 EDT

Well we have arrived in Denver! And what a neat trip it was to get here.

Obama's Goal? The White House Alone is Not Enough for Real Change

Matt S. — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 01:34:16 EDT

I found a great article at Politico.com that I would recommend for all of you to read at the following link: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0608/11320.html

It gives great insight into our campaign's strategy, including a recognition of the importance of "down ballot races." Senator Obama recognizes that in order to bring about real change, it will take more than just winning the White House. It will require electing like minded candidates in local, state, and congressional races. That is why our campaign will extend to States and districts that Obama may not win in order to assist local candidates that have a better chance of success.

What does that mean to us in Southern Oregon?

Amanda's Open Letter to Dr. Dobson

Matt S. — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 22:03:59 EDT

I found this letter on the Christians for Obama group page and wanted to share it with you all:

Barack Wins Jackson County!!

Matt S. — Mon, 19 May 2008 02:06:40 EDT

MAY 20, 2008

SENATOR BARACK OBAMA WINS JACKSON COUNTY, OREGON
Southern Oregon Puts Obama Over the Top for Democratic Nomination!!

Those headlines are on the horizon, and this is how we are going to get it done. We, that means me and you and everyone we can get down to help us, are going to put in a massive effort to bring this home. Jackson County will make a difference in the nomination of our next President.

GET YOUR FREE OBAMA GEAR SAT OR SUN!!!

Matt S. — Sat, 17 May 2008 01:18:29 EDT

All you have to do is show up and help us canvas!! Meet at the Medford or Ashland Oregon Obama office Saturday at 10:00 a.m or thereafter to get your packet as shifts will be leaving throughout the day!

Or bring your brown bag lunch and show up on Sunday at 1:00 PM in Alba Park at the Gazebo in Medford as we'll hear from a special guest speaker before we head out to canvas. http://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/4pt "Please bring a sack lunch to Alba Park at 1:00 PM this Sunday. We will be having a special guest speaker as well as tons of cool new Obama giveaways including T-Shirts, buttons, and bumper stickers!!"--So says Laura U.

Help us bring this victory, and the Democratic nomination home for Senator Obama, right here in Oregon!!

Obama Visibility on Central Today!

Matt S. — Sat, 10 May 2008 17:07:46 EDT

Well we had about 15 or so sign waiving Obama-maniacs yelling "vote for Obama" to people driving down Central Ave in downtown Medford today! Led by Kelvin James, aka voter reg superstar, those of us that weren't able to go canvassing this morning pumped up Medford for Obama. In about an hour or so, we counted 250 honks or thumbs up for Obama! It was our unofficial "Central Avenue" straw poll and Senator Obama won in a landslide!! It was great to see people cheer for Senator Obama as they drove by! Keep an eye out for us on the local news tonight!

The fight continues, Come join the canvas!!

Matt S. — Wed, 07 May 2008 14:54:11 EDT

In case you missed it, despite Obama's great night last night, Hillary today vowed to fight on and continue seeking the nomination.

So with the wind at our backs, and the finish line in sight, we all need to get out and canvas tonight and every night until May 20th. Oregon can seal the deal on the nomination, and you and I can help. So join us at 5:00 PM at the Medford or Ashland office and let's do this!!

Great Weekend for Obama in Southern Oregon!

Matt S. — Mon, 05 May 2008 01:11:26 EDT

Wow. What a weekend! Barack won Guam, or is that O-Guam-a? He had a wonderful appearance on Meet the Press, and gave a stirring goosebump speech in Indiana tonight. Check the main blogs and you will see him canvassing in Indiana with his family today. Good to see him with his kids! And what happened in Southern Oregon?

289 Delegates Away from the Democratic Nomination

Matt S. — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 16:19:59 EDT

"The Countdown" took another step today!

290 Delegates Away From the Nomination!

Matt S. — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 01:02:59 EDT

Today Barack picked up another superdelegate and we are counting them down. As it now stands, he is only 290 delegates away from the Democratic nomination for President of the United States of America.

Wu HOO HOOOOOOO!!

Matt S. — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 13:43:40 EDT

In case you missed the big news, Congressman David Wu of Portland endorsed Barack Obama for President today, April 24th.

Details below:

Thank you sir!!

There's Some Politics Going on Here!

Matt S. — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 00:24:15 EDT

When will McCain and Hillary learn. Attack Barack, and he turns a negative into a positive. They falsely accuse him of being an elitist anti-religion, anti-gun, anti-small town, bla bla bla.

And Barack opens a can of "woop @#!" on them.

Enjoy!

http://youtube.com/watch?v=NIxmi3e2Vmo

New Signs of Change in Southern Oregon

Matt S. — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 12:19:10 EDT

This is truly a remarkable morning. Here we are in the town of Medford, Oregon. And like a lot of other great towns all across our great country, there are parts or our past that are being left behind. Many years ago, you could find signs on the outskirts of town notifying passersby that persons of color were not welcome or had to be out of town by sundown. That was the past and within the next couple of weeks there will be new signs going up all around town, signs of hope, signs of change. http://my.barackobama.com/page/event/manage/4rjdj

VOTER REGISTRATION

Matt S. — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 02:19:29 EDT

The straight scoop from the Oregon Sec. of State Website. http://www.sos.state.or.us/elections/votreg/vreg.htm

Remember we have until April 29th to Register as many people as possible, and only registered Democrats can vote in our closed primary for Barack.

Thank you Senator Obama, from Medford Oregon!

Matt S. — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 02:41:32 EDT

Well Medford, Oregon got to see the next President of the United States today. And it was amazing! Here is a video link of the town hall event. http://www.mailtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?category=NEWS0802

Here is one volunteer's perspective from yours truly.

Update for Those Without Tickets to Medford's Obama Event

Matt S. — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 23:33:11 EDT

It appears that many folks are disappointed they didn't get tickets. Such is the downside for having a more intimate setting for people to ask questions of Senator Obama. But please note the following accommodations that the Obama campaign is making.

Please pass along the following this to those who may have contacted you who didn't get tickets. First of all, there will be an overflow area set for approximately 1,000 people who don't have tickets or if anyone with tickets can't get a seat. There will be large screens there to watch the event live. The sooner you get to the event, the better your chances of getting into the overflow area.

Secondly, the campaign is working very hard to secure a live feed on one of our local cable stations. Stay tuned on that, as it will be shared when it becomes available. Lastly, tickets are still available in Eugene to see Obama there on Friday night.: http://my.barackobama.com/page/s/eugene So please consider that also. Driving to Eugene is not out of the ordinary for these parts.

Thanks for your patience and support for this historic event!

Barack Obama to be IN OREGON ON FRIDAY!!!

Matt S. — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 20:54:41 EDT

[b]Obama plans Oregon visit this week[/b]

Posted by Harry Esteve, The Oregonian March 18, 2008 13:49PM

Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama appears headed for Oregon this week. Sources close to the campaign say he's planning to visit the state Friday, with a number of stops.

Mentioned were Portland, Eugene, Salem and Medford. It's unclear how much time he plans to spend at each place or what sort of events he plans to hold. He typically holds at least one big all-comer rally when he campaigns.

It will be the Illinois' senator's second appearance in Oregon and third in the Northwest. In September, he attracted about 4,000 people who paid at least $25 each to attend a rally at the Oregon Convention Center in Portland. Obama collected an estimated $200,000 in contributions in the short visit.

In early February, he packed 18,000 cheering fans into KeyArena in Seattle during a visit on the eve of the Washington caucuses. As many as 3,000 more were turned away for lack of room.

The night before, New York Sen. Hillary Clinton held energetic rallies in Seattle, Tacoma and Spokane. About 6,000 people jammed a basketball arena at Puget Sound University to hear Clinton call for universal health care and bigger tax breaks for families with college-bound students.

Obama also portrayed himself as a supporter of universal health coverage and contended that he has the strongest plan for attacking global warming.

-- Harry Esteve and Jeff Mapes; harryesteve@news.oregonian.com

http://blog.oregonlive.com/breakingnews/2008/03/obama_plans_oregon_visit_this.html

Awesome Planning Meeting!

Matt S. — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 00:34:01 EST

Well we had an incredible planning meeting for Southern Oregon in Medford today!

Suprise House Party Guest for Sunday?

Matt S. — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 23:46:09 EST

Well this was supposed to be a suprise, but what the heck. HQ has been teasing us by not telling us exactly who the "big name" who would be speaking to us at the 30 or so our House Parties Scheduled for this Sunday at 4 p.m. all across Oregon. Well someone spilled the beans and I just can't keep a secret.

Drumroll Please.

Envelope Please.

Great Conf. Call! Feb 28th

Matt S. — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 22:41:06 EST

Tonight we had a great conference call with Mike Adams from HQ in Chicago. Here is a run down of a few of the topics for those who missed it.

SFBO Chapter Needed at SOU!

Matt S. — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 17:33:40 EST

What the heck is an SFBO Chapter? STUDENTS FOR BARACK OBAMA!!

Check out its benefits from Amy's email below. Contact her for details and lets see if we can get this started at SOU! Als, More infformation at this link: http://my.barackobama.com/page/group/StudentsforBarackObama430

Down Load Your Own Signs!!

Matt S. — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 19:44:25 EST

I have been getting DAILY inquiries about Obama signs, etc. which the Obama Store is running 2-3 week delays on. Well, here are some links to downloadable signs that I found on the barackobama.com website blogs:

The Super Tuesday Spark!

Matt S. — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 10:52:40 EST

What a Super Tuesday it was!

It was a great day for the campaign nationally, and right here in Southern Oregon. Here's why.

Celebrating South Carolina

Matt S. — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 10:04:07 EST

Well we had an awesome time celebrating Barack's blowout in South Carolina at Sue's house last night.

Nevada Report from Holly East

Matt S. — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 11:23:35 EST

Well I haven't had time to report on my Reno experience, but this is hot off the press from Holly East, a Southern Oregonian volunteering in Nevada for Senator Obama:

Nevada Here we come!

Matt S. — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 01:57:05 EST

Well Maria and Ginnie have done such a great job in Iowa. I figure its time to throw a few Oregonians at the good State of Nevada that will be holding its caucus on January 19, right after Iowa and New Hampshire.

Well I finally got the "go" from Nevada HQ.

Lawyers: Part of the Solution

Matt S. — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 01:36:25 EST

Barack Obama continues to think outside the conventional thinking "box", this time with regard to the role of lawyers in our society. Tired of hearing the traditional political talking points about how the "lawyers" or the "trial lawyers" are the root of our nations ills?

Check out this article that Senator Obama recently penned for the South Carolina Law review that calls all of us out as having a "special responsibility" to use the law for the betterment of our country:

http://www.charlestonlawreview.org/obama.pdf

Not only does Senator Obama see lawyers playing a positive role in our society, but he seems to issue a Kennedyesque challenge to all of us to do so.

The Law Clerk That Got Away

Matt S. — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 01:25:24 EST

Check out this great article about how Barack Obama turned down some pretty prestigious clerkships after his stint as President of the Harvard Law Review.

http://www.law.com/jsp/dc/PubArticleDC.jsp?id=1196849068428&hub=TopStories

For what? A different path leading to "hands on" public service as a community organizer.

Oregon Confererence Call Update

Matt S. — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 18:51:59 EST

We had another great conference call last night with Deputy Director Suzanne Gelderman! As we have now entered a critical phase in the campaign, the conference calls are taking place every Wed. night at 8:00 p.m. and you can participate or listen in by calling (605) 772-3900, and entering code: 22627. The purpose of these calls is to help us coordinate our organization in Oregon to better serve the campaign here AND IMPORTANTLY in the earlier voting states, especially here in the West where there are many opportunities.

Help Needed from All Oregonians!!!

Matt S. — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 18:30:11 EST

Hey Everyone! We had a great conference call last night with Deputy Director Suzanne Gelderman! It was excellent to get some inside information on what is going on with the campaign nationally, in the West, and right here in Oregon to help the campaign. The skinny is that us Oregonians are going to continue to build our network here, while also playing a critcial role in the early states and in the Western states. We Oregonians will be a force to be reckoned with with and make a big difference, well before our own very late primary. So Suzanne will be throwing some critical assignments our way and we all need to pitch in. Are you ready to rise to the challenge? We need you all to do so.

Campaign Enters New Phase

Matt S. — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 13:13:51 EDT

The race is over? Well the national media is bombarding us with messages that the frontrunner has an insurmountable lead. They apparently haven't read the latest Universitiy of Iowa poll showing Barack gaining 7 points and now being in a statistical tie with Hillary in Iowa. http://news-releases.uiowa.edu/2007/october/102907poll-topline.pdf Yet the spell of the national media may encourage us to sit back and eat our popcorn and simply watch the presidential campaign in the early voting states. However, if you really pay attention, you will begin to notice that the Obama campaign’s battle for the Democratic nomination has entered a new phase. I hope that this may motivate you to put down the popcorn, get off the couch and get involved.

Great SOU Student Get Together!

Matt S. — Sun, 21 Oct 2007 18:29:40 EDT

Well Kate the Great has reported that we had a successful first get together of our SOU Student group at Great American Pizza Co. in Ashland last Wed. Here are the highlights from Kate's report:

Our Own Local "Barackstars"

Matt S. — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 19:49:27 EDT

You may have read about the "Barackstars", the high school students supporting Barack Obama that are taking Iowa by storm. If not, check this link and video: http://iowa.barackobama.com/page/community/post_group/IowaHQ/CR8b Yes, these students are rightfully concerned about their future and will be caucasing for Senator Obama in high numbers.

Community Organizing: Barack is Taking Iowa

Matt S. — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 01:04:17 EDT

Well you all probably saw the Newsweek poll showing Barack leading in Iowa. Here is some behind the scenes stuff on why that is happening.

Countdown for Change--great party!

Matt S. — Sun, 16 Sep 2007 18:53:50 EDT

Well we had a great Countdown for Change Party yesterday!

America is Back!

Matt S. — Sun, 09 Sep 2007 12:50:45 EDT

America is Back!

Speaking to an energized crowd of over 4,000 people in Portland, Oregon on Friday Night, Sept. 7th, Senator Barack Obama foretold of his message to the rest of the world upon his election.

Ethel Kennedy's "Endorsement" of Barack Obama

Matt S. — Sun, 02 Sep 2007 00:49:59 EDT

Well this is very special news that I wanted to share with everyone.

SENATOR OBAMA WILL BE IN PORTLAND SEPT. 7TH!

Matt S. — Tue, 21 Aug 2007 18:01:53 EDT

Get ready Oregon! You are about to be Baracked by two events!!

Awesome August 4th Fundraiser in Medford!!

Matt S. — Sun, 05 Aug 2007 17:44:38 EDT

We had a great time getting together last night at the Roxy Ann Winery. We had about 53 people in attendance, including many new faces and some familiar ones. We were honored to have State Representative Peter Buckley with us as well as Jackson County Democratic Chairperson Paulie Brading.

Great Meeting! Details for August 4th Fundraiser!

Matt S. — Mon, 16 Jul 2007 10:29:50 EDT

We had an awesome meeting of about 16 people at Chris & Victoria's home on Sunday. We enjoyed watching Brent's great video of the 4th of July parade, made some new friends, and hammered out some details for the August 4th at the Roxy Ann Winery. Here are some of those details together with some areas that folks have volunteered to help with:--Co

Ethics Reform

Matt S. — Sat, 23 Jun 2007 21:08:13 EDT

In case you missed it, which would not be hard since the media doesn't seem to be covering it yet, Senator Barack Obama gave a major speech advocating ethical reform at the highest levels of government. This speech set a high mark that other candidates will find it difficult to match even if they attempt to follow suit.

National Polls?

Matt S. — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 00:03:32 EDT

Although Senator Obama is presently leading in the polls in South Carolina, and running second in Iowa, the media is bombarding us with national polls purporting to show Hillary way out in front. Hmm. So what are the significance of these national polls? Are they a barometer of the inevitable? Check out this great little piece I found on dailykos.com today which runs through what happened in 2004 and shows this is NOT the case:

Successful Organizational Meeting

Matt S. — Mon, 21 May 2007 10:41:00 EDT

We had a great organizational meeting at the Unitiarian Center in Ashland yesterday, May 20th. It was also good to meet new faces who were in attendance, Shira as welll as Jamie Auchincloss, who supports Barack and also happens to be the youngest brother of the late Jacqueline Kennedy Onasis. He shared a few JFK stories which was a true highlight. But we also made great progress on our organizing, including the following:

Senator Obama the Trendsetter on Ethics?

Matt S. — Sat, 19 May 2007 22:25:16 EDT

Much has been made over the last year about undisclosed influence by lobbyists over our Oregon legislators. In 2008, the electorate will be able to express their approval or disapproval as to how well our legislature has responded to these concerns.

Endorsements: Let's Rack 'em Up! Rep. Chip Shields is on Board!

Matt S. — Tue, 15 May 2007 00:51:48 EDT

This past weekend I made a concerted effort to request endorsements from all of our Dem. State Senators and Representatives, Governor K, the Ashland Mayor and City Council, and Senator Wyden. I am pleased to say that I have received...

Membership Drive for Oregon South

Matt S. — Fri, 11 May 2007 00:52:11 EDT

The word on the street is that Barack Obama will be in Seattle for an event on June 1st. Hmmm. Isn’t Washington the State that will not hold its primary election until May 27, 2008, long after we vote in Oregon? We had been thinking that Barack would not come to Oregon until after he receives the Democrat nomination. Well apparently this is may not the case. Perhaps it has something to do with the strong organization of the Seattle for Obama group that has 296 members!

Medford Brown Bag II: Double the Hope!

Matt S. — Tue, 01 May 2007 18:33:31 EDT

Just got back from a very fun get together in which we doubled our numbers since last month. Now I am no mathmatician. But if we keep doubling our attendance each month, we will have 1,572,864 people crowding Alba Park for our last brown bag lunch in November of 2008 when Senator Barack Obama is elected as our next President of the United States!

The Most on the Coast!

Matt S. — Tue, 24 Apr 2007 19:46:22 EDT

We had a great time at the "Barack Obama 101" at Gleneden Beach this past weekend. There was no official head count, but my wife estimated that there were approximately 70 people in attendance. As far as I know, this makes it the biggest Obama event in Oregon so far. This showed that indeed it is not too early for these events and hopefully more will be on the way! I am writing to share a few tidbits for those that didn't make it and to create a place for those that did attend to share their thoughts.

April SOU Meeting

Matt S. — Fri, 06 Apr 2007 10:39:11 EDT

We had a good meeting yesterday at the Hannon Library at Southern Oregon University. Here are the highlights:

Medford Brown Bag I: An Audacious Beginning

Matt S. — Tue, 03 Apr 2007 23:09:17 EDT

One of the aspects of "Dreams from My Father" I am enjoying is Barack Obama's work as a community organizer in Chicago. His initial meetings were attended by very few people and not a whole lot was accomplished at first. But seeds were planted that grew into meetings attended by droves with substantial progress being made on a variety of issues. Perhaps the same model is replicating itself in some of our meetings on this campaign.

So what happened at the first ever meeting of meeting of the Medford Obama group in the heart of downtown Medford, regarded by some as a conservative bastion? Well we had a good meeting and a good start to these meetings that will take place on the first Tuesday of each month at Alba Park until Senator Obama is elected the next President of the United States.

Obama Ahead of Curve on Attorney General Gonzales

Matt S. — Sat, 24 Mar 2007 11:12:11 EDT

At a time when many Democrats and Republicans are calling for the Attorney General's head on a silver platter, it is interesting to note that Senator Obama has opposed him holding his office from the beginning. He voted against his nomination and explained why in his speech on the Senate floor. Link Referring to the future Attorney General's abandonment of the Geneva Convention for his advocacy of torture, Senator Obama said the following:

"This policy isn't just a moral failure, it's a violation of half a century of international law. Yet while Mr. Gonzales' job was White House Counsel, he said nothing to the President. He showed no ability to speak with responsible moral clarity then, and he's indicated that he still has no intention to speak such truths now. During his recent testimony, he refused to refute a conclusion of the torture memo which stated that the President has the power to override our laws when acting as Commander-in-Chief. Think about that -- the nation's top law enforcement officer telling its most powerful citizen that if the situation warrants, he can break the law from time to time.

"The truth is, Mr. Gonzales has raised serious doubts about whether, given the choice between the Constitution and the President's political agenda, he would put our Constitution first. And that is why I simply cannot support his nomination for Attorney General."

Senate Floor Statement of Sen. Obama (2/3/05) (emphasis added).

So when Senator Obama also called on the Attorney General to step down Link, this was no real suprise. Like his 2002 opposition to the invasion of Iraq also showed, his early opposition to the Gonzales nomination showed that Senator Obama has the foresight it takes to avoid problems before they happen. That is what we need in the White House.

Consistently Against the War In Iraq

Matt S. — Tue, 20 Mar 2007 19:08:06 EDT

One of the best things about supporting Obama is the fact that he was against war before it started and has been ever since. This position has recently come under attack from former President Clinton which led to a review of Obama's record by ABC News. I am posting the link to the article that resulted in findings that Obama has been consistently against the war. Link Check out this great article and the videos it contains.

I can understand why President Clinton would feel defensive about Hillary's position as it seems like she sat on the fence on this issue way, way too long. My opinion is that she has believed all along that she would get the Democratic nomination. As such, she has been positioning herself politically to withstand attacks from the right in the general election. This strategy now seems to be backfiring on her since Obama has entered the race. Anyway, this is just my opinion and I would certainly be interested in all of your thoughts.

March 18th Recap

Matt S. — Sun, 18 Mar 2007 23:31:41 EDT

We had a great meeting today at the Black Sheep in Ashland. Great to see more new faces. Chris and Victoria weren't back from Oakland yet but we look forward to hearing all about the massive rally they attended there. So here are some of the things that were discussed, if I missed anything, hopefully someone else will chime in:

1. We would like to work towards a big event in Ashland before SOU lets out for the Summer. This would be something we could invite speakers to, register voters, hand out materials at, and get some momentum heading into the summer. Susan is going to look into the availability and requirements for using the bandshell in Lithia park, though there could be other good locations as well.

2. We discussed the need to get SOU students involved right now rather than waiting until the general election. This is their chance to make sure the best candidate gets the nomination that will bring about positive change for the future. We discussed identifying student groups on campus that we can get information to, and hopefully find a student to form an SOU Obama group. Venita knows the head of the Black Student Union and will be contacting him. We are not presuming that group will support Obama, but perhaps there will be some students there that will. I also reported that I recently wrote to the Political Science Department chair and am waiting to hear back. Could students earn college credit for organizing the campaign on campus? Hmmmm....

3. We discussed ordering campaign bumper stickers, buttons, etc, and making flyers to bring to the future meetings to make sure everyone is stocked up. Shannon knows of someone local who can make this stuff and she will get us the information.

4. We discussed the "in home" events being organized for March 31st. Several in the group seemed interested in hosting one of these events as long as they could figure out the tech side of things. There will be a DVD and a live web stream for that day. The more people sign up to host one of these, the more the word will get out about the campaign and the more supporters we may be able to attract. Everyone has their own different circles of friends and contacts they can invite so the more hosts and the more locations the better!

5. Several attendees at the meeting today had not yet registered online. All were encouraged to register on the site as it will enhance our ability to communicate and will serve as a "measuring stick" of how many people are involved in this campaign. It will be fun to watch our numbers grow online and this surely will be an encouragement and wind in our sails!

6. We are all definitely looking forward to hearing from Chris and Victoria upon their return. Hopefully, they will post a full report. They were interviewed in the Sacramento Bee and we understand that Chris took a video of the amazing event in Oakland yesterday.

7. We also discussed the idea of making and distributing BaR(O)CKS--See full description and link to photos under the comments to the March 4th Recap blog entry. This is one of many ideas that students are using at ASU and other campuses with great success. You can learn a lot by checking out other groups on the barackobama.com website, making new friends, connections, and exploring other ideas.

That's all I can remember! Hope the others at the meeting will post their thoughts as well as any follow up information.

Obama, the Jewish Vote & The Palestinians

Matt S. — Thu, 15 Mar 2007 11:07:33 EDT

Driving to work this morning, I was surprised to hear a report that Obama was being criticized by Jewish groups for saying that the Palestinians have suffered the most and that these same groups were threatening to withdraw their support for his campaign. Wondering if some major foot in mouth episode had occurred in Iowa that may have overlooked the holocaust and other suffering of the Jewish people, I thought I better look into. With his acute global awareness of suffering by many peoples, I questioned whether he would be making such an absolute statement.

When I found the actual remarks of Obama in the Muscatine Iowa publication Link, I was actually quite pleased with his refreshing remarks that were being distorted by the media. Obama already made it very clear recently that he is a strong defender of Israel and its right to exist. His statements in Muscatine were simply that, under the current circumstances right now, “"nobody is suffering more than the Palestinian people.” He added that "if we could get some movement among Palestinian leadership, what I'd like to see is a loosening up of some of the restrictions on providing aid directly to the Palestinian people," In other words, this is occurring because they have adopted the Hamas leadership with their unacceptable views and notorious history. He envisions and hopes that a change in their leadership, i.e. away from the hard-line Hamas group, would lead to a relaxing of the restrictions and alleviation of the suffering.

Frankly, it is nice to see a candidate speak openly about other aspects of the ongoing problems in the Middle East. I see no other candidates with the guts to publicly discuss this. If we are ever going to have peace and security for Israel and the Palestinians, won't the concerns of both sides need to be addressed? As I recall, Jimmy Carter didn't just invite Menachem Begin to Camp David, but also Anwar Sadat. At a time when most candidates are playing pandering politics as usual, hats off to Senator Obama for honestly discussing the issues and having the hope for a better future in the Middle East for all.

Habeas Corpus Not a Threat to Fight Against Terrorists

Matt S. — Sat, 03 Mar 2007 11:42:35 EST

As many of you have may have noticed, there has been an erosion in the law of habeas corpus over the last several years. Dating back to England before the U.S. was even on the map, this has long been an important right that required at least one hearing before an impartial judge to determine why the government is imprisoning a person. At least in the minds of the current Administration, this is no longer a constitutional right extended to all.

Although I would love to have the time to write a scholarly article on this, I am hoping this simple blog entry will suffice to show that Senator Obama understands that habeas corpus is important and must be protected. Below I've cut and pasted segments from John Dean's website which show Attorney General Alberto Gonzales' suprising testimony about the lack of habeaus corpus. Below that I've inserted a video link of Obama's speech in support of legislation that seeks to restore the inroads into habeas corpus. I've also included the text of that speech. His comments about the late night "knock on the door" hit the nail on the head. I am very pleased to be supporting a candidate like Obama that understands that we can fight terrorism without sacrificing our cherished rights.

First, the material from John Dean's website:

Some background is necessary to explain their exchange: The Constitution plainly says - in Article I, sec. 9 - that "The Privilege of the Writ of Habeas Corpus shall not be suspended, unless when in Cases of Rebellion or Invasion the public Safety may require it." In Hamdi v. Rumsfeld, the Court's opinion, written by Justice O'Connor, stated - citing the Constitution itself - that "[a]ll agree that absent suspension, the writ of habeas corpus remains available to every individual detained within the United States,'' and that all agreed habeas corpus had not, in fact, been suspended. (Emphasis added.) Hamdi was detained in the U.S. - more specifically, in a naval brig in South Carolina.

President Bush signed into law the Detainee Treatment Act (DTA). It purported to strip the federal courts of jurisdiction to hear habeas corpus petitions by Guantanamo detainees, but the Supreme Court thought not, thus leaving hundreds of cases pending. So the Administration added a blanket removal to another bill.

The Administration did not style what it was doing as a suspension of the Great Writ. However, the Senate was not fooled. After first trying to prevent removal of the right to habeas corpus, which failed, Senator Specter then introduced a bill to restore habeas corpus. He did this in the prior Congress; and again in the current Congress, when he joined with Senator Leahy in reintroducing such legislation.

This background prompted Senator Specter's colloquy with Attorney General Gonzales. It began with an exchange in which Gonzales admitted he had not recently read a crucial Supreme Court opinion, but agreed to re-read it. Next, Gonzales claimed that "[T]here is no expressed grant of habeas in the Constitution. There's a prohibition against taking it away." (Emphasis added.)

"Wait a minute. Wait a minute," a shocked Specter protested. "The Constitution says you can't take it away except in case of rebellion or invasion. Doesn't that mean you have the right of habeas corpus unless there's an invasion or rebellion?"

"I meant by that comment," Gonzales explained, "the Constitution doesn't say every individual in the United States or every citizen is hereby granted or assured the right to habeas. Doesn't say that. It simply says the right of habeas corpus shall not be suspended except...."

Link>

Now watch Obama's speech:

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Here is the text of the speech for those w/o video:

Floor Statement on the Habeas Corpus Amendment

Wednesday, September 27, 2006

Mr. OBAMA. Mr. President, I would like to address the habeas corpus amendment that is on the floor and that we just heard a lengthy debate about between Senator Specter and Senator Warner.

A few years ago, I gave a speech in Boston that people talk about from time to time. In that speech, I spoke about why I love this country, why I love America, and what I believe sets this country apart from so many other nations in so many areas. I said:

That is the true genius of America--a faith in simple dreams, an insistence on small miracles; that we can tuck in our children at night and know that they are fed and clothed and safe from harm; that we can say what we think, write what we think, without hearing a sudden knock on the door. .....

Without hearing a sudden knock on the door. I bring this up because what is at stake in this bill, and in the amendment that is currently being debated, is the right, in some sense, for people who hear that knock on the door and are placed in detention because the Government suspects them of terrorist activity to effectively challenge their detention by our Government.

Now, under the existing rules of the Detainee Treatment Act, court review of anyone's detention is severely restricted. Fortunately, the Supreme Court in Hamdan ensured that some meaningful review would take place. But in the absence of Senator Specter's amendment that is currently pending, we will essentially be going back to the same situation as if the Supreme Court had never ruled in Hamdan, a situation in which detainees effectively have no access to anything other than the Combatant Status Review Tribunal, or the CSRT.

Now, I think it is important for all of us to understand exactly the procedures that are currently provided for under the CSRT. I have actually read a few of the transcripts of proceedings under the CSRT. And I can tell you that oftentimes they provide detainees no meaningful recourse if the Government has the wrong guy.

Essentially, reading these transcripts, they proceed as follows: The Government says: You are a member of the Taliban. And the detainee will say: No, I'm not. And then the Government will not ask for proof from the detainee that he is not. There is no evidence that the detainee can offer to rebut the Government's charge.

The Government then moves on and says: And on such and such a date, you perpetrated such and such terrorist crime. And the detainee says: No, I didn't. You have the wrong guy. But again, he has no capacity to place into evidence anything that would rebut the Government's charge. And there is no effort to find out whether or not what he is saying is true.
And it proceeds like that until effectively the Government says, OK, that is the end of the tribunal, and he goes back to detention. Even if there is evidence that he was not involved in any terrorist activity, he may not have any mechanism to introduce that evidence into the hearing.
Now, the vast majority of the folks in Guantanamo, I suspect, are there for a reason. There are a lot of dangerous people. Particularly dangerous are people like Khalid Shaikh Mohammed. Ironically, those are the guys who are going to get real military procedures because they are going to be charged by the Government. But detainees who have not committed war crimes--or where the Government's case is not strong--may not have any recourse whatsoever.

The bottom line is this: Current procedures under the CSRT are such that a perfectly innocent individual could be held and could not rebut the Government's case and has no way of proving his innocence.

I would like somebody in this Chamber, somebody in this Government, to tell me why this is necessary. I do not want to hear that this is a new world and we face a new kind of enemy. I know that. I know that every time I think about my two little girls and worry for their safety--when I wonder if I really can tuck them in at night and know that they are safe from harm. I have as big of a stake as anybody on the other side of the aisle and anybody in this administration in capturing terrorists and incapacitating them. I would gladly take up arms myself against any terrorist threat to make sure my family is protected.

But as a parent, I can also imagine the terror I would feel if one of my family members were rounded up in the middle of the night and sent to Guantanamo without even getting one chance to ask why they were being held and being able to prove their innocence.

This is not just an entirely fictional scenario, by the way. We have already had reports by the CIA and various generals over the last few years saying that many of the detainees at Guantanamo should not have been there. As one U.S. commander of Guantanamo told the Wall Street Journal:

Sometimes, we just didn't get the right folks.

We all know about the recent case of the Canadian man who was suspected of terrorist connections, detained in New York, sent to Syria--through a rendition agreement--tortured, only to find out later it was all a case of mistaken identity and poor information.

In this war, where terrorists can plot undetected from within our borders, it is absolutely vital that our law enforcement agencies are able to detain and interrogate whoever they believe to be a suspect,
and so it is understandable that mistakes will be made and identities will be confused. I don't blame the Government for that. This is an extraordinarily difficult war we are prosecuting against terrorists. There are going to be situations in which we cast too wide a net and capture the wrong person.

But what is avoidable is refusing to ever allow our legal system to correct these mistakes. By giving suspects a chance--even one chance--to challenge the terms of their detention in court, to have a judge confirm that the Government has detained the right person for the right suspicions, we could solve this problem without harming our efforts in the war on terror one bit.

Let me respond to a couple of points that have been made on the other side. You will hear opponents of this amendment say it will give all kinds of rights to terrorist masterminds, such as Khalid Shaikh Mohammed. But that is not true. The irony of the underlying bill as it is written is that someone like Khalid Shaikh Mohammed is going to get basically a full military trial, with all of the bells and whistles. He will have counsel, he will be able to present evidence, and he will be able to rebut the Government's case. The feeling is that he is guilty of a war crime and to do otherwise might violate some of our agreements under the Geneva Conventions. I think that is good, that we are going to provide him with some procedure and process. I think we will convict him, and I think he will be brought to justice. I think justice will be carried out in his case.

But that won't be true for the detainees who are never charged with a terrorist crime, who have not committed a war crime. Under this bill, people who may have been simply at the wrong place at the wrong time--and there may be just a few--will never get a chance to appeal their detention. So, essentially, the weaker the Government's case is against you, the fewer rights you have. Senator Specter's amendment would fix that, while still ensuring that terrorists like Mohammed are swiftly brought to justice.

You are also going to hear a lot about how lawyers are going to file all kinds of frivolous lawsuits on behalf of detainees if habeas corpus is in place. This is a cynical argument because I think we could get overwhelming support in this Chamber right now for a measure that would restrict habeas to a one-shot appeal that would be limited solely to whether someone was legally detained or not. I am not interested in allowing folks at Guantanamo to complain about whether their cell is too small or whether the food they get is sufficiently edible or to their tastes. That is not what this is about. We can craft a habeas bill that says the only question before the court is whether there is sufficient evidence to find that this person is truly an unlawful enemy combatant and belongs in this detention center. We can restrict it to that. And although I have seen some of those amendments floating around, those were not amendments that were admitted during this debate. It is a problem that is easily addressed. It is not a reason for us to wholesale eliminate habeas corpus.
Finally, you will hear some Senators argue that if habeas is allowed, it renders the CSRT process irrelevant because the courts will embark on de novo review, meaning they will completely retry these cases, take new evidence. So whatever findings were made in the CSRT are not really relevant because the court is essentially going to start all over again.
I actually think some of these Senators are right on this point. I believe we could actually set up a system in which a military tribunal is sufficient to make a determination as to whether someone is an enemy combatant and would not require the sort of traditional habeas corpus that is called for as a consequence of this amendment, where the court's role is simply to see whether proper procedures were met. The problem is that the way the CSRT is currently designed is so insufficient that we can anticipate the Supreme Court overturning this underlying bill, once again, in the absence of habeas corpus review.

I have had conversations with some of the sponsors of the underlying bill who say they agree that we have to beef up the CSRT procedures. Well, if we are going to revisit the CSRT procedures to make them stronger and make sure they comport with basic due process, why not leave habeas corpus in place until we have actually fixed it up to our satisfaction? Why rush through it 2 days before we are supposed to adjourn? Because some on the other side of the aisle want to go campaign on the issue of who is tougher on terrorism and national security.

Since 9/11, Americans have been asked to give up certain conveniences and civil liberties--long waits in airport security lines, random questioning because of a foreign-sounding last name--so that the Government can defeat terrorism wherever it may exist. It is a tough balance to strike. I think we have to acknowledge that whoever was in power right now, whoever was in the White House, whichever party was in control, that we would have to do some balancing between civil liberties and our need for security and to get tough on those who would do us harm.

Most of us have been willing to make some sacrifices because we know that, in the end, it helps to make us safer. But restricting somebody's right to challenge their imprisonment indefinitely is not going to make us safer. In fact, recent evidence shows it is probably making us less safe.
In Sunday's New York Times, it was reported that previous drafts of the recently released National Intelligence Estimate, a report of 16 different Government intelligence agencies, describe: ..... actions by the United States Government that were determined to have stoked the jihad movement, like the indefinite detention of prisoners at Guantanamo Bay. .....

This is not just unhelpful in our fight against terror, it is unnecessary. We don't need to imprison innocent people to win this war. For people who are guilty, we have the procedures in place to lock them up. That is who we are as a people. We do things right, and we do things fair.

Two days ago, every Member of this body received a letter, signed by 35 U.S. diplomats, many of whom served under Republican Presidents. They urged us to reconsider eliminating the rights of habeas corpus from this bill, saying:

To deny habeas corpus to our detainees can be seen as a prescription for how the captured members of our own military, diplomatic, and NGO personnel stationed abroad may be treated. ..... The Congress has every duty to insure their protection, and to avoid anything which will be taken as a justification, even by the most disturbed minds, that arbitrary arrest is the acceptable norm of the day in the relations between nations, and that judicial inquiry is an antique, trivial and dispensable luxury.

The world is watching what we do today in America. They will know what we do here today, and they will treat all of us accordingly in the future--our soldiers, our diplomats, our journalists, anybody who travels beyond these borders. I hope we remember this as we go forward. I sincerely hope we can protect what has been called the ``great writ''--a writ that has been in place in the Anglo-American legal system for over 700 years.

Mr. President, this should not be a difficult vote. I hope we pass this amendment because I think it is the only way to make sure this underlying bill preserves all the great traditions of our legal system and our way of life.

First Meeting at Southern Oregon University a Success; More to Follow

Matt S. — Sat, 03 Mar 2007 11:14:13 EST

On March 1st, we had a great meeting at Southern Oregon University. It was good to finally meet Brent, Chris & Victoria, and to meet two other supporters, Cliff & Susan, who are from Illinois and have previously voted for Obama back there. Many ideas were exchanged and we all seemed to share the conviction that Obama is the best candidate for the presidency and the most "electable" of all the Democratic candidates.

I know that some of you who were not able to attend expressed an interest in staying in the loop and helping out in any way. Getting everyone's help in this campaign will be extremely valuable. So let me post some of the ideas we exchanged so you can follow up and join the action.

**Victoria already has her own set of Obama posters and is looking for appropriate places to post them. She could probably also use some help in getting them up. We discussed a few locations on the SOU campus were they can go, but Southern Oregon is a big place and we want to get the word out as much as we can to get people to join the campaign and sign up on the website.

**If someone can figure out if there are any generic posters, flyers and such from the campaign or on this site, please let us know. Ideally, it would be nice to download something that we can all run our own copies.

**We want to work towards bigger and bigger events on the SOU campus and maybe other campuses as well such as RCC. Big events at other locations can be held as well. As such, we need to get the word out to the students. Brent agreed to research the rules on handing out political materials on campus, setting up tables in Stevenson Union, etc. In keeping with the spirit of this campaign, we want to be very careful to stay within the rules of each institution. Victoria may have someone at RCC she can check with on the same issues. Once we get the ground rules down, we can hit the ground running. Please use this blog and/or the list serve to share what you come up with.

**Victoria is already active in setting up Obama tables in Ashland where materials can be handed out. She could probably use some help manning the tables.

**Let's encourage people to register as supporters on the website so we have a way of networking and communicating.

**We talked a lot about the importance of voter registration. Voter registration cards are easy to get and should be present at any of our tables and bigger events. It is important that unless people register as Dems they can't vote for Obama in the primary. See the other blog entry for more details.

**We need to develop a really good volunteer list which includes each persons "gifts" and what they are willing to help out with.

**I mentioned that there is a big opportunity for gaining supporters for Obama online on the message boards of news organizations and others. As one example, Obama is winning a poll hands down among users of one sports board I frequent and have been posting links to Obama videos. Obama sells himself so this is pretty easy. Here are a few links to message boards locally where you can start Obama discussion threads, include links to Obama videos, and help build our numbers: Mail Tribune-- Link The Oregonian--Link Ashland Daily Tidings--Link For those of you with even more time on their hands, you will find ABCNews.com and other national websites also have the same opportunity.

**Chris mentioned the importance of focusing on focusing on the Oregon primary. Without the Democratic nomination obviously, our candidate will not be in the general election. That is why many of us are committed to working on this campaign early on while many are still sitting on the fence. If we don't get the right candidate nominated, it could mean another 4 years of political misery. I feel another blog entry coming on as a lot of people are telling me "its early."

**It would be good to continue regular meetings, hopefully in bigger and bigger rooms, to keep the momentum going. Chris and Victoria explained that the Black Sheep is a good family friendly meeting place with lots of room and I anticipate those meetings will continue so keep your eyes open for those. I will try to keep scheduling these meetings at SOU with Brent's help, probably on the first Thursday of each month.

Is there anyone in the Klammath Falls area that could see what we can do at OIT?

I'm sure I missed a few other ideas that were discussed, but that is what this blog is for. Please add anything you'd like with your comments.

Voter Registration

Matt S. — Wed, 28 Feb 2007 22:40:14 EST

With an eye toward the Democratic Primary Election that will be held on March 18, 2008, one of the things that all of our groups should be working on is getting Obama supporters registered to vote. Oregon currently has a "closed primary" system meaning that in Oregon only registered Democrats will be able to decide whether Obama, Hillary or someone else gets the party nomination. Although there are currently proposals to change this system Link, we should make sure that people understand that unless they register as Democrats, under current law they will not be allowed to vote in the primaries. Another ramification of this is that some people may have to change their party affiliation with a new registration if they want to vote for Obama in the primary.

I want to encourage people to use this blog as a forum for exchanging ideas and information regarding this important topic so that all can benefit. There is no reason why all the groups should have to reinvent the wheel.

For starters, the following is the basic voter registration information, including links for forms, that I have cut and pasted from the Oregon Secretary of State's website. You can find the same information at the following link: Link . You may actually have to go the the forgoing website for the links to the forms as I'm not sure if the links below will actually function in this format. Anyway, here's the info:

You may register to vote in Oregon if:

You are a resident of Oregon.
You are a United States citizen.
You will be 18 years old by Election Day.

To register to vote or update your current registration:

Complete the Voter Registration Form. The form is in a fillable .pdf format. Open the form using the free Adobe Acrobat© Reader and complete it online by tabbing through the fields and typing in the requested information.
Print the completed form and sign it.
Mail the form to your county elections office or drop it off in person.

If you do not wish to complete the voter registration form online, you may print the form and complete it using black ink.

Your county elections office will mail you a card to let you know that your registration was received. If you are registering in Oregon for the first time, your completed voter registration form must be postmarked by the 21st day before an election in order to vote in that election.

A voter who is unable, because of the disability, to sign their name should also complete the Signature Stamp Attestation form.

Identification Requirements

New laws require that people must provide identifying information to register to vote. If you have
a current, valid Oregon DMV Driver's License/ID, you must provide that number. If you do not have a current, valid Oregon DMV Driver's License/ID, you must provide the last four digits of your Social Security number.

If you do not have a current, valid Oregon DMV Driver's License/ID or a Social Security number, you must affirm this on the voter registration card, and if you are registering by mail, you must provide a copy of one of the following:

valid photo identification
a paycheck stub
a utility bill
a bank statement
a government document
proof of eligibility under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) or the Voting Accessibility for the Elderly and Handicapped Act (VAEH)

If you have any questions, be sure to call your county elections office.

------

I also found the following info on the Jackson County Website: Voter Registration forms may be found at: "...DMV offices, local libraries, postoffices, on page 93 of the government pages of the Qwest Dex phonebook. The forms are also available on the Secretary of State Website."

The Poll Thread!! Please Dive In!

Matt S. — Tue, 27 Feb 2007 10:32:53 EST

Well it didn't take long for Obama to start moving up in the polls. Although he started his campaign way behind Hillary, the gap is closing as we can all feel the momentum. Check out this Zogby poll which also shows prospective voters favoring Senator Obama over the Republican candidates. Link Lest we become overconfident, remember that it is still extremely early, we have an uphill battle, and there is much work to be done. But we have the right candidate who can lead our Country in a positive direction.

Obama Rocks Los Angeles

Matt S. — Tue, 20 Feb 2007 21:09:01 EST

Senator Obama addressed thousands of supporters today in this key state promising sweeping changes that would "transform the Country." Here's a link to the report in the LA Times: Link It seems that our man is being met with enthusiastic support whereever he goes. The political climate is ripe for change and he is the one to do the job. Woe unto the candidates like McCain and others who fail to recognize that change is in the air. More rallies are scheduled this week in Cleveland, Ohio and Austin, Texas.

Black Sheep in Ashland This Wed 2/21 at 7 pm

Matt S. — Tue, 20 Feb 2007 15:15:58 EST

Hey Everyone:

Victoria from the Ashland Group asked me to post this here: "We're going to meet this Wednesday at the Black Sheep in Ashland from 7 to 8 PM or so. It is oysters and micro-brew night so it should be fun as well. Bring any friends who are interested."

I want to encourage everyone to attend and meet eachother and share ideas. I won't be able to make it, but I'm sure it will be great.

Glad to see a lot of people getting involved. Let's make this snowball

Thanks,

Matt

Southern Oregon Meeting

Matt S. — Mon, 19 Feb 2007 16:03:20 EST

If you've visited the main site's blog recently, you've probably read or seen the videos of groups getting together from New York City to Los Angeles. Groups that have formed over this website have been getting together to brainstorm and organize how they can help with the campaign.

So its time to get moving here in Southern Oregon. Within the next couple of weeks, we should be able to schedule a time for all of us to get together. This would include both of the Southern Oregon groups and the Ashland groups, and any other local groups that I may have missed.

Please post or email your ideas of where and when we all can meet.

Thanks!!

Obama and the Law

Matt S. — Thu, 15 Feb 2007 23:18:20 EST

A change is needed in this day and age of seemingly ever expanding executive power, disregard of seperation of powers, executive "signing statements", and feigned respect for the Constitution. We have to carefully select a nominee for President who truly has the knowledge of our constitutional system of government and the intelligence and courage to uphold it. What if there was potential nominee who graduated from a respected law school such as Harvard? Someone who was a consensus builder in a highly competitive and devisive environment who was elected Editor of the Law Review? Link A person who served as a constitutional law professor at the University of Chicago? Link And had seen the interworkings of a big firm as an law clerk, but who followed his heart into community building and civil rights? Link Such a person would be highly qualified as this much needed instrument of change.

Obama Calls Aussie PM on Carpet; Earns Kudos

Matt S. — Wed, 14 Feb 2007 23:26:14 EST

A big problem with American politicians over the past several years is a lack of courage in speaking out on the war in Iraq. How would these politicians respond if they held the highest office in the land? Would they stand up for their convictions against pro-war forces within our own government and by our "allies" overseas? Well right out of the gate, Obama answered that question for us in not backing down to Australian Prime Minister in his place as described by Clarence Page recently in the Salt Lake Tribune: Link

Va. Gov. Kaine Backs Obama: "A Projection of Hope"

Matt S. — Wed, 14 Feb 2007 23:05:41 EST

Although the grass roots support is probably more important, it is great to see some VIP's start to get on board the winning team so early in the race. Here's a link to a great Washington Post article on Virginia Governor Tom Kaine's endorsement with some of his insight into our candidate: Link

State by State Schedule of Primaries

Matt S. — Wed, 14 Feb 2007 19:10:37 EST

It would be very helpful if someone could post information on the schedule of primaries and where exactly our respective states will fit in.

My thought is that this will help us sort through our prioriities in supporting Obama. I think that the primaries are a long way off and when they do start the nomination may even be wrapped up before many of us, including those of us in Oregon, even cast their ballots for the Democratic nominee. If this is the case, we should definitely focus on fundraising and increasing the sheer number of Obama supporters.

However, I believe there have been some changes to the scheduling of the primaries so this may be more interesting than in recent presidential elections.