Back from the district convention yesterday!
Day started at 5 AM for me, in the shower and ready to go by 530. Waited for the two peole riding with me.
In the car and on the road at 6AM. It takes about 3 hours to get to Boone from where I am. As we drove we talked about everything you can think of...(ME TALK???lol)
After enjoying a week of 70 degree weather it was actually spitting flurries this morning~ But it went away as we were driving. We got there about 830 (so we did good on time~~fast driving!)
Waited in a short line and checked in, several of the people running for congress where there passing out water and coffee(no cream and sugar~~my complaint!) as we went into the room and people were checking us in by alphabet(last name) I noticed that a majority of the people checking in folks were wearing Obama shirts and buttons (yay). I of course had lost my letter to get in (I have EVERY OTHER piece of paper from this campaign, but not that) I used my voter registration and drivers licence, they let me in. the next table we spent 7 dollars on a box lunch, to be decided later, so we got a ticket.
As we walked in the main room, it looked like a mini National convention. Our counties were up high on signs, alphabetical. I found Howard Co. and we set our things down. We then were approached one by one as the morning went on by the people running for national delegates from both sides. Mostly Obama people. They need to have at least 6 signatures from delegates to be recognized. You can sign any sheet, but do not need to vote for that person in the end, so I signed them all.
There was a young girl with a mini booth set up with her picture and other pictures of her doing her Obama thing, setting up students for Obama in her school, canvassing, calling, meeting Obama and the like. Some people had business cards and one woman had a very elegant long card with "I Believe" and the Obama "circle" on the back and her story on the front. some had flyers. All would need to give a speech after the alignments were final and we knew how many delegates we were sending. Some of those peole were so impressive. A 50 something woman with the last name Miller was there, she is the first elected woman and the first elected black woman to represent any county in Iowa! She was awesome. I voted for her in the end. I hope she went. I left before it was over.
Here in district 4 it was 3 delegates for Barck 2 for Clinton and 1 for Edwards. We had 507 people there, all alternates were seated because of missing delegates for each side.
there were 274 people for Barack 187 for Clinton and 56 for Edwards.
As the day went on we heard from representatives for both candidates and voted on special platform groups. People that wanted to go on to nationals had flyers and cards, free cookies and pens to give away (it was pretty cool)
By 130 in the afternoon we were ready to spit into groups.
Then we split into preference groups and cast our first vote on a ballot after one hour of deliberation(not needed). The votes were counted.
The people in the Edwards group went into a special room. The chosen few from Obama and Clinton went in to talk to these people. There were rumors flying everywhere as to the deals. Then the Clinton group on the other side of the room cheered and we were a bit dejected as a few Edwards people came to them. We thought thru the rumor mill that they had accepted a deal that Clinton then offered them 12 delegates to make them viable. That was all the talk! We were dejected, but knew that we at least would not lose a delegate.
The story that came out from the Edwards people was that indeed the Clinton people had offered them 12 delegate to keep them viable, but that was only if they choose one of those people to go to nationals! Then the Edwards people asked if they would stay with them at the state level to keep them viable and the Hillary people would not do that. We offerd them 5 of the 6 platform committee spots at state since our platforms are the same essentially and that the reason they were there for Edwards is because they want him to have a voice. We gave it to them, and they came to us.
As time went on suddenly the doors flew open the Edwards people came out and all the rest came to us! We only needed 25 people to get to another delegate, we got it as we recieved 32 of them! They were gladly received and were smiling, I of course hugged all that would be hugged!
The final count 306 for Obama, 199 for Clinton and 2 for Edwards (non viable)
SO now district 4(there are 5 districts in Iowa) is Obama 4 Clinton 2!!!!
Pictures here:
http://good-times.webshots.com/album/563227563CUrRuS?vhost=good-times
I am dying to know how the other 4 districts went? I heard rumors that Hillary picked up a delegate? But from what district?
FIRED UP!
I am not going on to nationals,,,but to state. There were people MUCH MORE deserving and qualified than me to go I can assure you! Let me tell you something. Be careful who you send to nationals. Study those people and assure yourself that they will not be swayed. If there is any chance they can be swayed and I am sure the national convention will be much more contintious than this district was, there will be some dirty deeds trying to be delt there. Make sure you send your strongest!
This is the address to the Iowa Democratic Party:
http://www.iowademocrats.org/ht/d/Home/pid/315115
here you can click on your county and print off your convention information (mine was 57 pages long!) and get other information on how to get more involved with your county and state.
Lets do this for Senator Obama( President Obama) lets join, get our "activist" on and make some changes! It will take all of us to be a part of this movement of taking America back!
WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR!!! (not pushy am I? lol)
Cant wait to meet you all!!!
On Saturday, April 26th, Iowa's five congressional districts will each hold a Congressional District Convention. We need as many Obama supporters as possible to attend and help make sure we win as many delegates as possible.
Convention locations are below.
Please note: by signing up below, you are NOT registering for your Congressional District Convention.
Dubuque Senior High School1800 Clarke Dr. Dubuque, IA 52001
Contact: Nathan Blake515-783-6190nblake@barackobama.com
Mt. Vernon High School731 Palisades Rd SWMt. Vernon, IA 52314
Contact: Kevin Geiken515-745-4969kgeiken@gmail.com
Valley High School3650 Woodland AvenueWest Des Moines, IA 50266
Boone County FairgroundsCommunity BuildingBoone, IA 50036
Mid-America Center1 Arena WayCouncil Bluffs, IA 51501
Its 10 AM. I am wandering around my house, checking and double checking my supplies for tonight. Yup, they are still in my BIG purse. NO problems. 12AM I go out to get the brownie mix for this evening, some how I let myself run out. I have my car completly covered with Obama signs, I have my shirt on, buttons on my jacket and my scarf. I am by all accounts a polictical buttetin board. I am full of nerves, but really not bad. I keep a big smile on my face everywhere I go. I am happy, I am confident.
I call my field director Million and I pick up some last minute supplies for another precinct caption. I go to drop them off in his store and only his wife is there, she says with out looking at me, oh he cant make it tonight. I start to freak a little. But I now of another great supporter in the area and tell million I will give it to her. She is not home, so I ask in town where it is she works, they say she runs her own business fixing computers out of her home, but does things at peoples homes too. I give up and decided I will catch her just before the caucus! OH MY wont she be surprised! poor thing.
I look through the stuff in the OBAMA TUBE, there are signs with UNITY and a little piece of paper with the call in numbers on it and a string attached to hang around your neck, I decide I WILL NOT WEAR this. ha ha.
I leave my house at 5 PM, stop by the other supporters house and give her the information. I tell her that I will help her when we get there. She is shocked but OK with it. Basically just hanginig up the signs and standing there to welcome supporters.
I told my people to get there at 645, Some of them needed extra time because of milking cows and work. I figured this would be a great strategy anyway. I was still praying.
I got there and set up my signs by 615 and there was a room filled with Edwards and Hillary supporters looking at me with pittiful looks. Asking me if I was ok. yeah I was ok! I smiled, no one seemed to be greating anyone, so I took over and spread the signin sheets out, helped people find thier names, gave them voter registration sheets if they needed them., still no one was there by 640. just me and my kids... Then suddenly here they came, I smiled helped them sign in and one by one stuck my stickers on them. I am not being mean here, but one Hillary supporter was staring me down so hard, but I kept smiling.
We counted the room 2 times and came up with different numbers. I decided that we should just count off, which worked well. We had 47 people. In a caucus that usually gets 1-5 particpants this was amazing! Then we seperated into prefrence groups and I was amazed at my number I had 16, Hillary 16 and Edwards 14 and Richrdson 1. The Richardson guy left. But we still had to count him as a participant. so out of 5 delegates OBAMA got 2 Hillary 2 and Edwards 1.
I cried, I was shaking and I gave every single person standing with me a hug, thinking of Auntie B and all the others on BarackObama.com that have inspired me. I thought of Barack and his wonderful family. I felt like I was a big winner. I kept my promise. I was asked to get 10 to stand up I got 16. One less phone call, one less door knock...would have made a difference. People showed up for Barack that have never ever caucused before. Out of the 16 people I had 12 NEW voters and caucus goers. I was shaking and shaking and the people that were there for me were smiling. I looked every single one of them in the eye and thanked them over and over, I told them that without them Barack would not have ever gotten close in this tiny precinct. I felt like a good friend to them. And I feel like I am.
The kids and I took down our signs. I shook the hands of the Edwards caption (it was my husbands cousin and his Aunt and Uncle were on the other side of the room) I just kept smiling! The Hillary caption came over and said, what is your name? I said Laura Hubka, he said ahhh yes you called me before. and I said, "not too much" We had you pegged as the Hillary caption about 3 months ago" and he said "oh yeah?" Yeah, so I left you alone. " He just laughed and said, you did really good. I am pretty impressed!" I think he thought that by the end of the night Hillary would be the winner. I'd like to talk to him today. ...well maybe not.
There was a little other business, I ended up getting voted in as delegate (I wanted it anyway) and then signed on for the platform committee (taking things to the county and state for the county...i.e. road work, hog confinments..ect)
We left and drove for an hour to get to the Decorah field office. I called into the Sirius channel 146 LEFT. I told them of our win and our energy. Someone called in from Des Moines saying that there is usually 100 people there, but there was 380 people there and 181 stood up for Barack 101 for Hillary and 75 for Edwards! In Decorah People were walking by, driving by honking and screaming! I parked and got in the office. I met Pete and his son from Michigan and Hugh again! We all hugged. We had the TV on and 2 computers with constant updates. WE were eating cake and talking laughing, telling our stories. It was like the blog would be if were all together on caucus or primary night! The energy was high.
We stuck around for the final numbers and all hugged Victoria for her hard work. I cried knowing they were leaving. I called Million who was in New Hampton he was all caught up in the evening and could not talk long.
I havent seen them since. I miss them already.
I am ready to be a delegate! Especially at the national convention. I have to talk to get my way to that, but I think I have the words! Especially if Barack is the nominee!
I Love you all!!
January 3, 2007
Senator Obama,
YES WE CAN! Congratulations Barack! Thank You Iowa! Thank You Obamans!
We have never been so thrilled about a political outcome!
You, Senator Obama have our utmost respect and continuing support straight to the Presidency.
Never has a Time been more important.......the Fierce Urgency of NOW!
“If you're walking down the right path and you're willing to keep walking, eventually you'll make progress.”
“As Americans, we can take enormous pride in the fact that courage has been inspired by our own struggle for freedom, by the tradition of democratic law secured by our forefathers and enshrined in our Constitution. It is a tradition that says all men are created equal under the law and that no one is above it.”
"There is not a liberal America and a conservative America - there is the United States of America. There is not a black America and a white America and Latino America and Asian America - there's the United States of America."
Quotes by Barack Obama
Happy New Year! I'm so glad it's finally 2008--the year we will elect Barack Obama to be the next president of the United States of America.
We were fired up in Waukee's 3rd precinct today and working hard to bring in the caucus for Barack. I don't know what the temperature or wind chill factor was--it was damn cold! But every time my canvassing buddy and I talked to a once-undecided voter--who is now firmly in Barack's corner--we were fired up again! We're not taking anything for granted and will continue to work hard until the caucassing begins on Thursday night. I can't wait! Wish us luck and then get ready to do the hard work where you live. OBAMA '08
Iowa newspaper interviews Obama in a no glitz setting. This video shows why I support Obama. He is a candidate of good judgent!
Please copy link below and past to your address bar (browser):
http://videos.qctimes.com/p/video?id=1609167
He is a measured, thoughtful, non-conventional leader, who doesn't just take a poll of what's most popular, but actually has convictions and principles which guide his decisions and his vision. I think everyone should watch this. I think Obama clearly makes the case as to why he would be the best qualified person to be our next President.
Help Iowans to understand they can be a part of making history by supporting Obama on January 3rd. Caucusing for Obama is transforming the country and the world positively. The world will take notice. It will be like the era of J. F. Kennedy! Good judgement and new approaches.
John Edweards could not deliver his home state for Kerry in 2004. He does not have the funds or organization to go all the way.
In relation to Hillary, I just don't want the same old approach, boring, divisive, cautious managing of the status quo which Hillary would bring. She would unite the Republicans and the country will end up more divided than ever before.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=LrXARjssOOM
By PAUL B. HERTNEKYMonday, Dec. 24, 2007
INSTEAD OF COMPARING Hillary Clinton's and Barack Obama's experience -- a vague set of claims -- I turned my attention toward accomplishments. Not what they've accomplished for themselves, but what they've accomplished for others.
In doing so, I excluded purely personal gains. I also eliminated all distinctions or honors. For similar reasons, I ignored the elections they've won. These credentials are well-known.
Also, like any alert prospective employer, I am informed by what they support, worked on, worked toward and fought for, but I am more interested in what they have accomplished for their constituents.
After graduating from Columbia, Obama went to work with churches that organized job training and other programs for residents of a massive housing project in Chicago. He persuaded the city to provide summer jobs, remove asbestos, repair toilets, pipes and ceilings. He went door to door, offering help for three years, then went to Harvard Law School.
Upon graduating from Wellesley, Hillary Rodham made a commencement speech that moved her audience. She went immediately to Yale Law School.
Obama returned to Chicago to lead Project Vote, which signed up about 150,000 new African-American voters. He also joined a big law firm.
Following Yale, and a year in Washington, Rodham moved to Arkansas and married Bill Clinton. She taught at the University of Arkansas and joined a big law firm.
Clinton established a legal aid clinic at the university, where she taught for two years. Obama began teaching at the University of Chicago, where he would continue to lecture for 11 years. I mention teaching because I consider it an accomplishment in the service of others.
During her time as an attorney in Arkansas, Clinton gave birth to Chelsea. Her husband ran unsuccessfully for Congress, successfully for attorney general, and governor. During Obama's time as an attorney in Chicago, he became a husband and father of two daughters. He entered the Illinois Senate in 1994.
As a member of the minority party of the Senate for six of his eight years there, Obama wrote a health insurance law that covered an additional 20,000 children, a welfare reform law, an earned-income-tax-credit law for working-poor families, and death penalty reform that passed unanimously. During his last two years in the majority, he sponsored 780 bills, 280 of which became law.
As first lady of Arkansas, and of the United States, Clinton served on many boards. She chaired only one: the Task Force on National Health Care Reform, which failed, accomplishing only political traction for Republicans and a setback for her husband.
She fended off prosecution involving the White House Travel Office and her investments with Whitewater. Although these are personal accomplishments, they also served constituents by protecting her husband.
A year after Clinton became a senator, she secured $20 billion for New York City in the wake of 9/11. Among other funding measures she directed toward her state, she prevented the closing of a military base there. Although she is considered to be one of the most influential Democrats in the Senate, most of her sponsored legislation has been symbolic -- naming two post offices, two courthouses, honoring and congratulating sports teams and historic figures from New York.
Since Obama entered the U.S. Senate in 2004, he has joined Republican Richard Lugar in writing a law that funds the destruction or securing of loose nuclear and conventional weapons (shoulder-fired anti-aircraft missiles, for example) throughout the world. He also introduced the first bill, that soon became law, to fund and address pandemic flu preparedness.
In one inspiring discovery, Obama and Clinton teamed up to pass a law that helps hospitals disclose medical errors. It goes a long way toward serving patients while reducing malpractice claims.
There is no way to assess the value of each candidate's participation in collective efforts to serve our country. Clinton has given time to many efforts and lived approximately 5,000 more days than Obama, amassing supporters, money and fame. But time spent achieving such goals can hardly be seen as accomplishments for the good of the people.
Obama's accomplishments show greater efficiency and clarity of purpose, forming productive alliances, making the most of his comparatively short career.
People talk about his charisma, but give me that skill and focus, trained on a four-year term, and we could see unprecedented results.
Scott reached out to me on my MYSPACE page NE IOWA for OBAMA 08.
This is what he wrote:
Members of the 110th US Congress Campaign Letter, State Governors and Lt. Gov. what have you done to enforce this legal precedents set by the Supreme Court in your state. To make them aware of Nationwide Problem! The Supreme Court Olmstead decision, Presidential mandate Executive Order 13217 of June 18, 2001 Community Based Alternatives for Individuals with Disabilities which are federally funded by Medicaid and Medicare Census 2005 50 million families reporting at least one person with disability in family or more. Scott G. LaLonde Slow Website: http:/sglalonde.tripod.com/ MySpace Group Disabled civil rights
All Honorable Presidential Candidates, November 18, 2007
I am writing about an extreme situation affecting people with disabilities in the State of Florida. This denial of basic civil rights has led to individuals such as myself who are contributing members of society to be confined to their beds 18-20 hours per day against their will. I am asking that you as an elected official tell me how you can help to remedy the situation.
I am a 42 year old man with an extreme case of muscular dystrophy known as Becker’s Muscular Dystrophy. I volunteer at a local elementary school working with young children. I am a mentor, a friend, and an educator. I live in my community, I shop here and I play here just like you. Yet I am dependent upon others for my care as I only have function from my neck up and can not tend to my functions of daily living. Each day I require assistance to bathe, prepare meals, and to be put into and out of bed. Because of things such as the Olmstead Decision and Presidential Executive Order 13217, I have been given the right to live in the community and receive services, rather than being institutionalized away from my family and the community. Medicaid waivers have helped make this a reality for many individuals like myself. Unfortunately, I fell through the cracks as have many other individuals in my situation. Even though I was placed on the waiver program, was protected by Presidential Executive Order 13217 which entitles me to care in the community, and dollars were set aside for my care, my county subcontracted out these care services to an organization that only did business from 8:00-5:00 daily. This meant that I would be taken out of bed in the morning at 8:00 and put back in bed around 4:00 each evening to face 16 hours in that prison. This is unconscionable. I suffered this unbearable fate for about 8 years and was even forced to pay out of my own pocket if I wanted to get out of bed at all on weekends or on holidays when the agency was closed. Recently I was placed on another program known as CDC+ which is working well for my care and puts more choice and decision with the individual. However I can not remain quiet as so many others still face the awful fate that I endured for 8 years. Even worse Governor Charlie Crist is now cutting the waiver programs so that many people are being forced off or will have reductions in care. I want to know what you will do to stop these cuts, and also to ensure that those who are on the Medicaid Waiver program will have care that goes beyond the 8:00-5:00 Monday-Friday schedule and that no one will be forced against their will to spend 16 hours per day in bed. I eagerly await your reply.
, Scott G. LaLonde
I was probably the only woman in central Iowa to attend yesterday’s event who didn’t really care what Oprah Winfrey had to say about Barack Obama.
Don’t get me wrong. There was a time when I considered myself a tried and true Oprah fan. She was the girlfriend who sat down for a chat five days a week, while my babies were napping. I was one of the faithful who listened to her words and valued her opinion. But, somewhere along the line, maybe it was after going through a personal trial-by-fire experience; maybe it was finally getting past the sleep-deprivation stage of parenthood, I began to think for myself again. Oprah’s opinion on what books were worth reading and what should be considered as “favorite things”, were just that. Her opinion, nothing more.
In the end, I did listen to Oprah’s eloquent endorsement of the candidate and was surprised by her words. She and I know that we, the American people, have not lost our greatness. The fine reputation of America has, however, been squandered and tarnished in the world’s eye by the current administration. We both want a leader with the courage to tell the truth, minus the varnish and spin, about the tough issues facing our nation. She urged Iowa voters—and America—to think! Think.!
RSVP and attend the Caucus For Change houseparty in Waukee 3 on December 13th.
Caucus for Obama on Thursday, January 3, 2008.
