This is your last chance to take part of this historic election. Polls are open right now in Indiana until 6:00 p.m.
Find your polling place and vote now.
After you've voted, talk to your fellow Hoosiers.
Pick up the phone, go door-to-door, and help your neighbors get to the polls.
Find your nearest staging location and get involved.
One person can make the difference in this election and that person could be you.
An estimated 1,600 people attended a town hall meeting in Elkhart, Indiana to hear Sen. Obama, who was joined by Indiana Sen. Evan Bayh, lay out his New Energy Plan for America, and engage him with some questions.
After the town hall, Sen. Obama stopped by Schoops diner in Portage to discuss issues with residents of the area.
Here is the day in pictures:
View the full version of Sen. Obama's New Energy Plan for America here.
Congressman Lee Hamilton joined Sen. Barack Obama once again this morning for a discussion on National Security and the war in Iraq.
In the course of this discussion, Sen. Obama laid his plan for making America and it's citizens safer:
In this same address, Sen. Obama also announced that he would once more be joining with Sen. Richard Lugar of Indiana, along with Sen. Joe Biden of Delaware in cosponsoring legislation which would impact our efforts in Pakistan.
Sen. Obama said the following:
"We must expect more of the Pakistani government, but we must offer more than a blank check to a General who has lost the confidence of his people. It's time to strengthen stability by standing up for the aspirations of the Pakistani people. That's why I'm cosponsoring a bill with Joe Biden and Richard Lugar to triple non-military aid to the Pakistani people."
From coast to coast over 30,000 Americans came together this Saturday to attend Unite for Change events, and many were occurring right here in Indiana.
If you attended one of these events, we want to hear from you!
Thank you to everyone who helped to make this weekend a rousing success!
Excitement is continuing to build around the list of key staffers being placed in Indiana. Following the Buzz surrounding the selection of Emily Parcell, Political Director in the key Iowa caucus campaign, to serve as Indiana's state Director, and the decision to bring native son Rohan Patel back to reprise his role as Political Director, Hoosiers were excited to read this in The Times of Northwest Indiana:
Barack Obama has hired an aide to U.S. Sen. Evan Bayh, D-Ind., to be his presidential campaign spokesman in Indiana. Jonathan Swain, Bayh's press secretary, took a leave of absence earlier this year to serve as Indiana communications director for Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign. Swain joined the Obama campaign on Monday. "We are honored to have Jonathan joining this campaign for change in Indiana," Emily Parcell, Obama's Indiana state director, said in a statement. "His many years of experience in Indiana politics will be a major asset to our campaign team. Senator Obama is in a strong position in Indiana and intends to compete for every single vote in the Hoosier state - where voters are hungry for the kind of change Barack Obama represents."
Barack Obama has hired an aide to U.S. Sen. Evan Bayh, D-Ind., to be his presidential campaign spokesman in Indiana.
Jonathan Swain, Bayh's press secretary, took a leave of absence earlier this year to serve as Indiana communications director for Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign. Swain joined the Obama campaign on Monday.
"We are honored to have Jonathan joining this campaign for change in Indiana," Emily Parcell, Obama's Indiana state director, said in a statement. "His many years of experience in Indiana politics will be a major asset to our campaign team. Senator Obama is in a strong position in Indiana and intends to compete for every single vote in the Hoosier state - where voters are hungry for the kind of change Barack Obama represents."
Emily is not alone in her belief that Indiana is ready for a change. Read what Brian Howey, of HPI Weekly had to say:
Come next November, can Barack Obama carry Indiana and its 11 Electoral College votes? Yes he can... There was a record 1.7 million turnout in the May primary, including 1.3 million who voted Democratic. The Obama campaign registered at least 90,000 new voters and has a goal of registering 100,000 more Hoosiers between now and October. "It's a new year," said Michael Davis of Gauge Market Research. ...Indiana is no longer an automatic red state. Six months ago I would have said I'd be shocked if Obama would carry the state. But today I would not." Chris Sautter, an Indiana native and Washington political media consultant, said, "I think the vast majority who voted in the primary will vote Democratic in the general. And there's more. The Obama people are coming back in."
Come next November, can Barack Obama carry Indiana and its 11 Electoral College votes? Yes he can...
There was a record 1.7 million turnout in the May primary, including 1.3 million who voted Democratic. The Obama campaign registered at least 90,000 new voters and has a goal of registering 100,000 more Hoosiers between now and October.
"It's a new year," said Michael Davis of Gauge Market Research. ...Indiana is no longer an automatic red state. Six months ago I would have said I'd be shocked if Obama would carry the state. But today I would not."
Chris Sautter, an Indiana native and Washington political media consultant, said, "I think the vast majority who voted in the primary will vote Democratic in the general. And there's more. The Obama people are coming back in."
Change is coming to Indiana. What part will you play?
Well, the 6 week epic battle of Pennsylvania has finished, and I think Barack did respectable. There were some mis steps, and some self inflicted to be sure, but overall, I think those issues are not a big deal in the long term. What I did see more than anything from Barack was leadership, in spite of the Repubican tactics from Hillary, who is doing John McCains job for him, I saw him take the high road as much as possible. Perhaps if he had used all the ammo he has to throw at Hillary, he could have won the state, lord knows that she is getting a soft ride from Barack, with her untruths, and all the baggage she herself says she has that a whole Union Local's worth of Baggage Handlers couldn't carry in one trip. If Barack had used every available negative attack on Hillary, he could claim as she does that this is just really a good thing, a public service to toughen her up for the Republicans. Barack is trying to live up to his goal of a new kind of politics, but this doesn't mean that he will be able to not "play the game", unfortuantely. If he always takes the high road, Hillary and probably the media as well will deamonize him for being "weak", when in reality it is a sign of strength. This is because to try to go too negative on a fellow Democrat, even though you are running against them for the nomination, is bad for the party. This man, Barack Obama, has withstood the attacks from both John McCain and Hillary, it is like a tag team match, and Hillary is truthfully the dirtiest fighter of the two so far. When I saw the Hillary add with Bin Laden featured, I knew she has gone too far, but it wasn't the first time I felt this way as she has a pattern of this since she realized that the nomination wasn't hers for the taking, just for showing up and being a Clinton. I'm proud that the person I support shares the sense of honor I have and hasn't dropped to that low level to win at any cost. The truth is that Hillary is not a Democrat anymore, not when she uses Bin Laden as an attack add, not when she continually praises John McCain and derides Barack, and not when she says that Fox News is the most fair and balanced and Bill Clinton goes on Rush Limbaugh's show for an interview. I think Barack has in mind the good of the Party, the good of the nation, and the fact that when he is the nominee, he will need Hillary's supporters. The man can see the big picture, and that is what a good leader does, these are his leadership skills on display. His actions show his concerns for her supporters, the party, and the Nation, while Hillary, sadly, has only her self interest in being President as her motivation. His actions speak louder than her words. She may possibly divide the party to the point of no repair, because if she can't be the nominee, which I am sure she is smart enough to realize is the case, she wants to try and damage Barack so he can't win and she can run again in 2012. She knows how to play the old style politics and she knows exactly what she is doing. I have more faith in the American people that this will not work this time, in this election. It is only going to get worse, because her tactics have worked in the past and we will see more of them. As long as she is rewarded for this, this will continue. Indiana HAS TO TAKE A STAND AND VOTE AGAINST this type of slash and burn scorched Earth Politics. What I see in the man, Barack Obama, is character, and I know when he is up against John McCain in the General Election, he will take it to him, he is from Chicago, and trust me, he does know how to do it. When he speaks from his heart and convictions he has a powerful message that the American people will respond to. The question is, do we reward Hillary for her agressive Republican style negative tactics or do we reward Barack for his big picture restraint on Hillary that he has displayed for the sake of the Democratic Party and for the good of the Nation? We need to remember our Hoosier Values, and the only candidate who stands for them not only in his words but in his actions is Barack Obama.
With Pennsylvania's primary to be decided today, Sens. Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton are returning to Indiana to make a push for this state's May 6 vote.Obama will hold a rally today at Roberts Municipal Stadium in Evansville, joined by his wife, Michelle, and Indiana rocker John Mellencamp. The event -- for which doors open at 7:30 p.m. CDT and which will begin sometime after Pennsylvania polls close at 8 p.m. EDT -- is the first in the state to feature both Obamas.
The inclusion of Mellencamp, famous for his "Small Town" song, is something of a coup for Obama, who has come under fire from Clinton and Republicans for comments he made suggesting that small-town folk are bitter about their economic straits.
Hello! I'm recruiting members for the Wayne Township Team to go out canvassing this week.
I will also need Precint Captains for Election Day if anyone is interested! There are canvassing events every night from 6-8pm Monday-Friday and at 2&5pm Saturday and Sunday. If you would like to join the Wayne Township Team, please send me a message or an e-mail at myrahaza@sbcglobal.net.
YES WE CAN!
By MORTON J. MARCUS
INDIANAPOLIS - This is not a political endorsement. It is, however, a cry of outrage that a candidate for President of the United States is attacked for speaking the truth. Barack Obama has been quoted as saying, “You go into these small towns in Pennsylvania and, like a lot of small towns in the Midwest, the jobs have been gone now for 25 years and nothing’s replaced them. And it’s not surprising then [that local residents] get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren’t like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations.” This is a brilliant description of what is certainly true of places in Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, and Illinois where I have traveled in the past quarter-century. Senator Obama did not sugar-coat the story. He told it as it is, as most local politicians would not dare.
Then along comes Sen. Hillary Clinton who ignores the reality of these remarks and goes on to accuse Obama of attacking people of faith. Worse the media labels Obama’s words as a “bungle.” Nonsense. The senator from Illinois knows exactly what is happening throughout the north and in many of the towns of the industrialized old south.
Manufacturing jobs that gave citizens good wages also provided identities to hundreds of towns. “This is the place where they make ABC or FGH.” I was proud of a Ford Meter Box from Wabash (IN) in a sidewalk of San Juan (PR). Folks from Bedford take pride in their limestone contributions to buildings and monuments nationwide. We don’t forget that CDs come from Terre Haute. We know that Hoosier steel and its many transformations are vital to cars, trucks, homes and offices. Shelbyville residents remind you that Old Hickory furniture originates in their town. Who can separate Columbus and Cummins? New Castle sees itself as the abandoned child of Chrysler while Kokomo prays it does not suffer the same fate.
Much of our struggle as a state is our mental distress. Just as it was finally sinking in that Indiana was not a farm state, we started to think that our preeminence in manufacturing was ending. There are still Hoosiers, in and out of the General Assembly, who do not see that manufacturing is the heart of our past 100 years and the essential core of our next century. Part of the problem is that RCA quit Marion and Bloomington, that Generals Motors and Electric have cut back their Indiana production facilities. But we don’t understand how the state is advancing in the essence of manufacturing: the embodiment of human knowledge into material goods.
People working with Bio Crossroads or the Indiana Health Industries Forum know what is going on. There are thousands of Hoosiers finding new ways to transform what we know about biology and chemistry into products that help protect humanity from disease and debilitation. This is manufacturing.
Most communities now understand the need to attract new firms and to retain existing manufacturing facilities. Few, however, are prepared to assist existing companies in the necessary migration to new approaches. This is more than job training for line workers. Indiana’s success depends on reassessing ourselves rather than blaming external forces. Owners, executives, and managers need to see where their old ways are proven paths to failure in the market place. They have to understand how to thrive in tomorrow’s world.
If we are to escape the sad reality pictured so accurately by Senator Obama, Indiana must embrace its highest aspirations rather than settling for the malignancy of mediocrity. Mr. Marcus is an independent economist formerly with IU’s Kelley School of Business. Contact Marcus for speaking engagements at:mortonjmarcus@yahoo.com or 317-626-8853.
Former Indiana congressman Andrew Jacobs Jr., a 15-term member of the U.S. House of Representatives, announced his endorsement of U.S. Sen. Barack Obama for president today. In his endorsement, Jacobs cited Obama’s commitment to uniting the country and ending special-interest influence in Washington to bring about change that we can believe in. Jacobs released the following statement: “Today, I am announcing my endorsement of our Illinois next-door neighbor, Senator Barack Obama, for president of the United States. My colleague Lee Hamilton has rightly said that Senator Obama, in the tradition of leaders such as Abraham Lincoln and Franklin Roosevelt, has the ability to bring our country together. There are two overarching issues facing our country today and Senator Obama is right on both. First, Senator Obama had the judgment and courage to oppose an unnecessary invasion with undetermined consequences in Iraq. He was right from the beginning, and now he has a plan to end the blunder and keep us safe by refocusing on the most dangerous threats we face. Second, he has refused contributions from political action committees and federal lobbyists. Senator Obama is committed to taking our government off the auction block and ending special-interest influence in Washington so that we can give the American government back to the American people. In short, when you get right down to it, I think Senator Obama is head and shoulders above his opponents.” Jacobs is shown here at the Westin Hotel on the night of the 7th CD special election.
Howey Politics Indiana
