To revert to oversimplification, slander, misrepresentation and, finally, tokenism to sway public opinion is reprehensible in itself. Such tactics, however, are effective only to the extent the public remains ready and willing to accept them.
I don't know about you, but I was so jacked up when Barack met the nomination number. And today Hillary packed it in as well.
Her speech helped me realize that she was representing many people and the hopes of women and others who are relying on us all to help all of us to move forward together to elect Barack now, and then all Americans during the presidency. Now that the heat of the struggle for the nomination is over, we can begin to heal and come together as democrats.
I've been away for a bit but of course have absentee voted for our guy. It is a thrill isn't it to realize that we as citizens have the power to make change...and this is just for starters! Just wait until we have Barack as our president and our voice!
Thanks to everyone who worked so hard!
Frank
From the Great Falls Tribune...
Obama appeared at a rally in Great Falls Friday evening in advance of Montana's Tuesday election primary, which may help determine a major party's presidential nominee for the first time in memory.Montana's primary voting concludes Tuesday at 8 p.m. MDT, qualifying the state as the country's final primary. South Dakota voting also takes place Tuesday, but voting there will end at 7 p.m.Mathematically, results from Montana and South Dakota could put Obama over the top on the Democratic side. Puerto Rico holds its primary Sunday, with 55 delegates at stake; Montana has 16 delegates up for grabs, and South Dakota 15.News organizations have estimated Obama needs from 40 to 50 delegates to wrap up the nomination. Recent polls showed Obama leading in Montana and South Dakota, but a strong Clinton showing in Puerto Rico may leave the final decision up to superdelegates.Issues were at the forefront of Obama's half-hour speech Friday in Great Falls. The Illinois senator said he would carefully withdraw American troops from Iraq as Iraqis take control of their country's security."We'll be as careful getting out as we were careless getting in," Obama said.
Make your voice heard by voting on Tuesday, June 3! Find your polling location here.
Barack just spoke about the differences between his Iraq policy and John McCain's at a rally in Great Falls, Montana. Check out the video:
Barack also spoke about his support for the second amendment, saying:
I believe in the second amendment, I believe in all parts of the Constitution. I believe in the rights of hunters and sportsmen, don't let folks tell you otherwise, because it's just not the facts. Remember, you're entitled to your own opinion, but not your own facts.
If you live in Montana, make sure to vote on June 3! Find your polling location here.
Barack is due to start speaking in about an hour at the Four Seasons Arena at Montana ExpoPark in Great Falls, and the crowd has been lining up for hours in order to get in! I spoke with Donna and Linda, both of whom live in Denton, Montana. This is the first time that they will be hearing Barack speak in person, and even though doors didn't open until 4:00 p.m., they arrived at the Expo Center by 2:30 p.m. Linda, an English and drama teacher, likes Barack's education plan and how he wants to make college affordable for all Americans. She says that Barack is intelligent, and likes how "he's not connected with lobbyists." She says:
He's got excellent ideas. I like how he expects us to work together...he'll be the people's President.
Donna, a nurse, says healthcare is an important issue to her, and she likes how "Barack can relate to our area. He gets the heartland and the west. He's worked in all levels of society."
Linda voted by absentee ballot for Barack, and Donna will be voting for Barack on Tuesday. Find your polling location, and make your voice heard on Tuesday, June 3!
"My mother died of cancer at 53. In those last painful months, she was more worried about paying her
medical bills than getting well. I hear stories like hers everyday.
For 20 years Washington has talked about health care reform and reformed nothing. I've got a plan to cut
costs and cover everyone. But unless we stop the bickering and the lobbyists we will be in the same place
twenty years from now."
-The typical American family will save up to $2,500 per year on medical costs.-Offering a new public health plan that will give individuals the choice to buy affordable health coverage that is similar to the plan available to federal employees. The new public plan will be open to individuals without access to group coverage through their workplace or current public programs. -Establishing a National Health Insurance Exchange to help individuals who wish to purchase an insurance plan for themselves. The Exchange will act as a watchdog group and help reform the private insurance market by creating rules and standards for participating insurance plans to ensure fairness and to make individual coverage more affordable and accessible.-Requiring all employers to make a meaningful contribution towards health coverage for their employees. -Mandating all children have health care coverage and expanding the number options for young adults up to age 25 to continue coverage through their parent's plans. -Expanding eligibility for the Medicaid and SCHIP programs and ensure that these programs continue to serve their critical safety net function.
-The typical American family will save up to $2,500 per year on medical costs.
-Offering a new public health plan that will give individuals the choice to buy affordable health coverage that is similar to the plan available to federal employees. The new public plan will be open to individuals without access to group coverage through their workplace or current public programs.
-Establishing a National Health Insurance Exchange to help individuals who wish to purchase an insurance plan for themselves. The Exchange will act as a watchdog group and help reform the private insurance market by creating rules and standards for participating insurance plans to ensure fairness and to make individual coverage more affordable and accessible.
-Requiring all employers to make a meaningful contribution towards health coverage for their employees.
-Mandating all children have health care coverage and expanding the number options for young adults up to age 25 to continue coverage through their parent's plans.
-Expanding eligibility for the Medicaid and SCHIP programs and ensure that these programs continue to serve their critical safety net function.
Laura grew up on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation in Montana and owns an insurance agency in Great Falls. She's never been involved on a campaign before, but after meeting Barack, was inspired to become involved with his campaign. As a volunteer, she makes phone calls to Native Americans in Montana and organizes meetings in Browning. Using my.barackobama.com, Laura was able to find 70 people in Browning in one hour to help get Barack on the ballot in Montana. As a small business owner, "adequate and affordable healthcare" is an important issue to Laura. She's also "impressed with Barack's stances on Native Americans issues, and how he wants to appoint a Native American advisor" when he's President.
It's hard for us to imagine, but there are MILLIONS of voters who don't know what Barack wants to change, what "CHANGE" really means; some are fearful. Please copy, distribute, email this flyer to spread his definition of change that he gave to us in Iowa, May 20th, 2008: Change is a tax code that rewards work instead of wealth by cutting taxes for middle-class families, and senior citizens, and struggling homeowners; a tax code that rewards businesses that create good jobs here in America instead of the corporations that ship them overseas. That's what change is. Change is a health care plan that guarantees insurance to every American who wants; that brings down premiums for every family who needs it; that stops insurance companies from discriminating and denying coverage to those who need it most. Change is an energy policy that doesn't rely on buddying up to the Saudi Royal Family and then begging them for oil – an energy policy that puts a price on pollution and makes the oil companies invest their record profits in clean, renewable sources of energy that will create five million new jobs and leave our children a safer planet.
That's what change is. Change is giving every child a world-class education by recruiting an army of new teachers with better pay and more support; by promising four years of tuition to any American willing to serve their community and their country; by realizing that the best education starts with parents who turn off the TV, and take away the video games, and read to our children once in awhile.
Change is ending a war that we never should've started and finishing a war against Al Qaeda in Afghanistan that we never should've ignored. Change is facing the threats of the twenty-first century not with bluster, or fear-mongering, or tough talk, but with tough diplomacy, and strong alliances, and confidence in the ideals that have made this nation the last, best hope of Earth. That is the legacy of Roosevelt, and Truman, and Kennedy. That is what change is. That is the choice in this election. For in the darkest days of this campaign, when we were dismissed by all the polls and all the pundits, I would see that there was something happening that the world did not yet understand. It's what led high school and college students to give up their vacations to stuff envelopes and knock on doors, why grandparents have spent all their afternoons making phone calls to perfect strangers, what led men and women who can barely pay the bills to dig into their savings and write five dollar checks and ten dollar checks, and why young people from all over this country have left their friends and their families for a job that offers little pay and less sleep. Change is coming to America."
Please join Barack Obama for a rally in Great Falls, where he'll talk about his vision for bringing America together and creating the kind of change we can believe in.Rally with Barack ObamaFour Seasons ArenaMontana ExpoPark400 3rd Street, NWGreat Falls, MTFriday, May 30thDoors Open: 4:00 p.m.Program Begins: 5:45 p.m.RSVP Now:http://mt.barackobama.com/greatfallsThe event is free and open to the public. Tickets are not required, but an RSVP is strongly encouraged. Admission is on a first-come, first-served basis.
Limited preferred viewing tickets are also available on a first-come, first-served basis at the following location:
18 Sixth Street North Great Falls, MT
Thursday, May 29th Tickets Available: 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Please note: preferred viewing tickets are not required for admission.
For security reasons, do not bring bags. Please limit personal belongings. No signs or banners permitted.
We need your help volunteering at the rally sign up to volunteer!
Find your Early Vote location and vote for Barack today!
Barack will be holding events in Billings and Bozeman on Monday, May 19! Here are the details:Town Hall With Barack ObamaBillings West High School2201 St. Johns AvenueBillings, MT 59102Monday, May 19th, 2008Doors Open: 9:00 a.m.Program Begins: 10:45 a.m.The event is free and open to the public. For security reasons, do not bring bags. Please limit personal items. No signs or banners permitted. Tickets are required. Admission is first-come, first-served for ticket-holders. Seating is limited and is based on a first-come first-serve basis. Tickets can be picked up at:Obama for America Headquarters222 North BroadwayBillings, MT 59101Tickets are available:
Friday, May 16 - 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.Rally With Barack ObamaBrick Breeden Field HouseMontana State University1 Bobcat CircleBozeman, MT 59715 Monday, May 19th, 2008Doors Open: 5:30 PMProgram Begins: 7:30 PM The event is free and open to the public. For security reasons, do not brings bags. Please limit personal items. No signs or banners permitted.Tickets are required. Admission is first-come, first-served for ticket-holders. Seating is limited and is based on a first-come first-serve basis. Tickets can be picked up at:Obama for America Headquarters105 West Main StreetSuite 1 Mezzanine WestBozeman, MT 59715Tickets are available:Friday, May 16 – 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.Saturday, May 17 – 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.Sunday, May 18 – 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.Monday, May 19 – 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Make sure that you vote early after you pick up a ticket! Hope to see you at an event!
Dee is a native of Great Falls, Montana who works with juvenile offenders and has a son with a disability. She grew up in a military family and has a nephew who served in Afghanistan.
Dee supports Barack because "he has his pulse on what the nation needs...What a great opportunity we have to move his agenda forward and let the public know more about him."
Dee and her son are currently uninsured and have no access to medicine to help ease his disabilily. She supports Barack's plan to provide quality, affordable health insurance to all Americans.
Dee phonebanks in our Great Falls office and recruits volunteers to help spread the word about Barack. She shares her feelings about Barack and sets the record straight about false attacks against him. She says:
I ask people if they are happy with where they are right now, and if they see their family getting better or worse. I tell people that Barack is not divisive. He knows our stories are the same. We want to not live from paycheck to paycheck. We all have hope for the future.
You can make a difference in your community -- sign up to volunteer in your local office here, and make sure to vote early!
Dear Caitlin,Volunteer in Montana Last night, Barack won a decisive victory in North Carolina and finished closer than anyone expected in Indiana.Today, the spotlight turns to the 6 remaining contests -- and with less than one month to go before Primary Day, Montana is playing an increasingly vital role in this election.Together, we can finish this race off and secure the nomination, but we need your help. And the best place for you to make a difference is at the Obama office nearest you.There are lots of ways you can help out at your local Obama office, so find yours today and sign up to volunteer before the primary:http://mt.barackobama.com/MTofficevolLike you, I've seen the excitement on the ground here for Barack's message of change.It's because of this excitement -- and the amazing work of grassroots supporters like you across the country -- that we've won the most states, the most votes, and the most delegates with only 6 contests remaining.You've helped create a movement that will compete in all 50 states in November, but we need to finish primary season strongly. And as the last state to vote, Montana can make a powerful statement that change is coming to our country.We have just four weeks to make this happen, so sign up to volunteer at your local office:http://mt.barackobama.com/MTofficevolThank you,CarrieCarrie GlennMontana Field DirectorObama for AmericaP.S. -- One-Stop Early Voting is underway in Montana, so you don't have to wait another day to add your voice to the millions in this country calling for change.Even if you aren't registered to vote, you can register and vote early for Barack all at once.Look up your early voting location and vote for Barack today:http://mt.barackobama.com/MTonestoplookupIf you've already voted early, use our simple online tool to make sure your friends and family in Montana know where to vote early:http://mt.barackobama.com/MTlookupinvite
Yesterday, our campaign began running a 60-second radio ad entitled “Tradition,” which features Montanan Jim Posewitz, a lifelong sportsman, member of Helena Hunters and Anglers Association and retired biologist with the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Commission. Mr. Posewitz affirms Barack’s commitment to preserving the Second Amendment and the rights of hunters and sportsmen.
You can listen to the ad here:Make sure that you vote early!
