The nation was ready for a change.
It had been through a depression, a war, and sixteen years of government by the same political party. The incumbent was an unpopular man who had been a "last choice" pick four years earlier for the Vice-Presidency. The challenger was an intelligent, charismatic, well-spoken and experienced governor of a major state who had been nominated once before and whose time had finally come. Everything was in place, the polls looked great, and on election night, the media was so certain of the challenger's imminent victory that a major American newspaper reported that he won before all the votes had come in.And then Thomas Dewey lost. The great hope of the Republican Party failed to take the presidency away from Harry Truman, a man who inherited the office in the shadow of Franklin Roosevelt.Fast forward sixty years, and we Obama supporters find ourselves in a similarly dangerous situation. The polls look great, and our opponent looks like a beaten man who made a bad choice for a running mate, and can't seem to do much of anything right. Our guy looks presidential, and no one can deny he has the charisma of a classic American leader. The whole world wants him to be elected. But just as in 1948, the only thing that matters is the final vote count. Not polls, not charisma, not clever slogans. And if we do not work every day to until November 4th to win this election, as if we were the ones who were ten points behind, we could well find ourselves mourning a numbing loss of the White House the next day.If you're young, it's so easy to feel over-confident about all of this. Hell, even if you're old it's easy. It's so obvious that Obama is the best choice for the job, right? How could anyone not see that? But many don't, and many won't, and you and I will never understand why they won't, because we just don't think that way. What I'm trying to say to everyone who reads this is that we can lose this election. The only way to prevent that is to resist the temptation to believe that we have already won it. The media is singing into our ears about how great our campaign is, how well-funded and well-organized we are. How naturally presidential Obama looks and sounds. Don't believe it. Work as if we have nothing and need to gain everything. Speak passionately but patiently to people who are not yet convinced that Obama is the right choice to lead the nation. We need them to join us if they can. If you are living in a part of your state where our victory is very clearly assured, then consider going to another part of your state where it's an uphill battle, and your help is desperately needed. This election symbolizes deep change on many levels, but only one of them has to do with the election. We are at a point of cultural and generational change in this nation that will take place no matter what the result of the election may be. The people who remember the Great Depression are now all near 80 or older. The youthful generation of the 1960s that we still see in films and television shows, the ones who are often seen as eternally youthful hippies; they are now all near or over 60. So change is going to come; the question for us is will we get the political leadership we want to steward us through those other kinds of inevitable changes.Time has done its part; it's up to us to do the rest. As Barack Obama has said from the very beginning, it's not about him, it's about us. He can do nothing unless we make him the next President.Let's get out there and make the change we want.
Andrew Hammer is a writer, speaker and activist with over fifteen years of experience as a consultant on faith and politics to progressive political parties throughout the world.
What type of America do we envision for ourselves and future generations, and who is the person to get us there, and quickly?Senator Obama leads on the issues that matter to us as Jews and reflects our interests. He has a stellar record on Israel and is committed to its security and prosperity. He is more engaged on strengthening U.S.-Israeli relations and securing a plan to ensure lasting peace in the Middle East than Senator McCain.When you examine the issues facing this country and what Sen. Obama stands for, he is the best choice for the universal values most Jews embrace. We believe that everyone has a right to the best that this country has to offer - a safe place to raise a family, a healthy environment free from pollution and the opportunity to prosper.
Rabbi Moline challenges his listeners to "see the world as it is and believe that more is possible."
Melissa, who hosted the house party with Jane, has been volunteering with the campaign for a while now. She says the evening was a big success:
I think progress was made. My sense is that people went home feeling more comfortable supporting Obama, are now better able to express reasons for supporting Obama to friends and family who are still undecided. The handful of Hebrew "Barack Obama" bumper stickers I put out pretty much sat there throughout the meeting, but were all picked up by people as they left the event. They only went after people sat through the evening and got their questions answered. That says a lot right there.
Thanks to Melissa, Jane, and Rabbi Moline for doing incredible work up in NOVA. House parties are a great way to convince undecideds and mobilize existing supporters in your neighborhood.
They're also a unique opportunity to meet new friends and bring the community closer together. Find the next one in your neighborhood or host one yourself.
We had a great first meeting at Sunflower this past Sunday and strategized on how to reach even more Jews in Virginia to support Obama. Ideas include: holding issues forums at synagogues, having a "women of faith" meeting with Michelle Obama (perhaps using Hadassah and sisterhoods to gather supporters), and having house parties with campaign staffers and fellows available to answer questions on Obama's record on Israel and other relevant issues. Several people from Northern Virginia are willing to drive to other parts of the state to help organize events. Communities that we would like to target include Winchester, Charlottesville, Roanoke, Fredericksburg, Richmond, Petersburg, Danville, and the entire Tidewater area. We really have the ability to make a difference in this election!
Another meeting at Sunflower is planned for Sunday, August 24th, at 6:00. Please sign up at the Jews for Obama site or under “events”
Tonight, Rabbi Jack Moline will be speaking to Jewish Supporters in Fairfax.
Finally I would like to suggest to everyone to host an Obama Sukkah party on Sunday 19th. Jewish Obama supporters can celebrate both Sukkot and our future president with each other by going from party to party across the Commonwealth of Virginia.
My son and a friend have been canvassing for our local congressional campaign. Today was about 97 degrees, without a cloud in the sky. Yesterday, about the same, and very high humidity. Yesterday, the friend ended up with heat stroke. Today, my son came home sunburned all along his collar and the back of his neck. I'm glad they are true blue for the Democrats, but I hope all you eager volunteers out there remember:
Drink lots of WATER or gatorade for electrolytes
Wear SUNSCREEN!!!
Wear a HAT!
Advice from the woman with mosquito bites who has finally learned not to go out without bug repellant.
It was a beautiful day on the National Mall in Washington, DC on Sunday, June 1st -- a perfect day to celebrate the Jewish Community and Israel's 60th Anniversary.
I attended this free and open to the public event with my family and more than 80 of my newest Jewish and non-Jewish friends met online at my.barackobama.com. We wore our Obama t-shirts, hats, and buttons to the event to show our support for Senator Barack Obama. The reception we received from fellow attendees was fantastic, and our experience that day showed that many people of the Greater Washington, DC Jewish Community -- the 6th largest Jewish comunity in America -- also support Senator Barack Obama for President. It was so nice to be thanked again and again by random people for coming out in support of Obma at that event.
So many people, friends and complete strangers alike, approached us that afternoon to find out how they, too, could get a Hebrew "Barack Obama '08" Lapel staicker like the ones we were wearing. It was a good thing we thought to bring a thousand or so extra in case someone wanted one!
You, too, can make all the differnece at your next community gathering. Happy organizing!
See Hebrew Obama lapel stickers available here -- check out bulk pricing for your next Jewish Community cultural/social gathering: http://store.barackobama.com/product_p/st26745-50.htm
I've passed out 225 Hebrew Obama Bumper stickers -- and you can too! Bumper stickers are only $0.45 each in lots of 100: http://store.barackobama.com/product_p/bs26748.htm
I was thrilled to have the chance to see Senator Obama speak in person at the Israeli Embassy event last Thursday for Yom Ha'atzmaut. I shook his hand, and he autographed my kid's shirt! We were able to attend because our synagogue's youth choir was asked to sing at this event.
His speech knocked it out of the park for support of Israel -- it was the right audience of over 1000 dignitaries and Jewish community VIPs, it was the right place, the Israeli Embassy event at our Nation's Capitol, and it was the right time, Yom Ha'atzmaut!
What better way to begin to connect to the Jewish Community?
I was surprised that I did not see a whole lot of news coverage of this event after the fact. A bit on CNN, not much else. Anyone else see this on TV?
See the speech we saw up close and in person here: Obama: Anniversary of Israeli Independence
