My name is Margaret. I am a born again Christian, live in Lancaster County, PA, one of the most conseravtive areas of the country that usually go Republican. Well, guess what?!!! I am switching over to the Democratic side and voting for Obama. The rest of my family, including my 85 year old father who is a doctor, is, also.
Yes, I hear all my Christian friends and my pastor at church and my Amish friends and neighbors tell me over and over that they are going with McCain because of his stand on abortion and pro life. Well, I say, what stand? On this particular issue alone he has flip-flopped. If you look at McCain's history on this issue, it is well reported by large city newspapers, "Meet the Press," etc.; that he would not vote to overturn Roe v. Wade. He also has been reported to go on saying, that on the issue of abortion, he is concerned that if abortion were made illegal, it would force an "X" number of women to undergo illegal and dangerous operations.
These comments were said to the press on CNN, the San Fransisco Chronicle, as well as Meet the Press. No, McCain is no real anti-abortionist. I am not to be dissuaded in my vote for Obama just because of my Christian friends' delusional ideas that McCain is an anti-abortionist and pro-lifer. My Christian friends say they don't really like McCain but they will choose to vote for McCain because McCain is pro-life.
I say, wake up Christians, and smell the roses before it is too late. Just don't sit and listen to all those horribly negative McCain campaign ads on TV and believe everything they say. Do a little research and check up on the facts and the history. Don't be lazy and believe everything you hear just because you "think" what they trying to tell us about McCain is all truth.
I am actually almost ashamed to call myself a born again Christian at this present time in history. I am almost ashamed to say I am a white middle class Christian conservative. I think also that a lot of my white Christian middle class are secretly afraid of voting for Obama because he is "black." They won't say it outright but I think it comes out in the undertone, anyway.
I know of very few white middle class born again Christians who say bold facedly that they will vote for Obama I am one of them. Anyone else out there willing to admit that they will vote for Obama who is a white middle class born again Chriatian?
I wish the Obama Campaign would address the issue of abortion more as they are losing votes from white middle class conservatives and born again Christians because of this. Maybe also some black born again Christians would end up voting for McCain because of the abortion issue which has become "THE" issue for Christians.
Does anyone else out there agree with me here? I am afraid that in the last 2 days here many votes may go for McCain in this issue which hasn't been brought out more in the Obama Campaign.
McCain needs the votes of the conservative right wingers and Christian groups in order to win the election. I pray to the good Lord above that McCain won't gain that much ground here. I am scared that Obama may lose ground here because of this one issue.
As a 53 year old, 'conservative' Christian woman, I'm insulted by John McCain's choice for VP. If he thinks that we women choose our candidates because of gender it just shows how out of touch he is with reality. I did NOT choose to vote for Obama because of his race, or gender, or age. I have chosen to vote for Obama because he's right on the issues. As someone recently said: "Don't play me that small."
I'm pro-life, pro-choice. I'm for peace - not war. I BELIEVE ABSOLUTELY IN EQUAL PAY FOR EQUAL WORK.
I do NOT believe in "a bridge to nowhere." I do NOT believe in dependence on fossil fuels or drilling as a stop-gap measure. I do not believe that the second ammendment means that anyone and everyone has the "right" to carry a gun.
Bravo John McCain! You've just confirmed the wisdom of my choice!
With Barack's VP choice most likely coming in the very near future, there are so many eyes and ears listening. Lets take advantage of this!
Write a letter to friends and family
Canvass your neighborhood
Make a donation to Barack's campaign
Volunteer to do phone banking
Purchase a car magnet
Put a yard sign up
By showing our support during this incredibly exciting time, we can rest assured our enthusiasm WILL be seen! Now everyone sleep with your cell phones for the highly anticipated text!!! I know I will be
Most of you probably have seen that in June, Barack raised $52 million. That is incredible! While the Republican candidate and RNC still have more cash on hand, I think this is a remarkable feat for any candidate with an average donation of $68. This campaign proves itself month after month.
Donate now: https://donate.barackobama.com/junenumbers
By NEDRA PICKLER Associated Press Writer WASHINGTON May 1, 2008 (AP)
The Associated Press 59 comments
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A leader of the Democratic Party under Bill Clinton has switched his allegiance to Barack Obama and is encouraging fellow Democrats to "heal the rift in our party" and unite behind the Illinois senator.
Joe Andrew, who was Democratic National Committee chairman from 1999-2001, planned a news conference Thursday in his hometown of Indianapolis to urge other Hoosiers to support Obama in Tuesday's primary, perhaps the most important contest left in the White House race. He also has written a lengthy letter explaining his decision that he plans to send to other superdelegates.
"I am convinced that the primary process has devolved to the point that it's now bad for the Democratic Party," Andrew said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press.
Bill Clinton appointed Andrew chairman of the DNC near the end of his presidency, and Andrew endorsed the former first lady last year on the day she declared her candidacy for the White House.
Andrew said in his letter that he is switching his support because "a vote for Hillary Clinton is a vote to continue this process, and a vote to continue this process is a vote that assists (Republican) John McCain."
Just a reminder to all you folks in PA, round up everyone in the office and go vote at lunch, or after work!
For all of us in other states, email and call your friends and family who live there to be sure they take their neighbors to voting locations!
Did you see the Debate? Angry? Vent Baby Vent
There were 250 people here for the grand opening of the Obama for Goshen office this evening. It was pretty cool -- a couple state rep candidates, a district 3 house candidate (Mike Montagano), and a age/income/culturally diverse crowd representing all that makes Goshen and Elkhart an interesting place to live.
I haven't had time to give to the effort here, work is very crazy right now. But RedPost (my company) has donated internet, printers, bathrooms, and the front of the space we rent out. It's been energizing (and annoying at times :-) having all these people around. Kinda like a 3 ring circus!
This is the reason Barack will win the primary, the general, and go on to transform politics. No politician that's ever run in all of the U.S.'s short history has ever had an all-volunteer office put together in Goshen, Indiana. Ever. Not like this. No one would do this for Hillary. Or McCain. Top-down politics doesn't mesh with true grassroots.
Obama will change this country through his words, his inspiration, and his vision -- but that's the trick of it. He's not actually doing the hard work (although he is working hard). We all are the ones who have to do the work. It just takes someone like him to get us to do it. We're seeing the beginnings of what happens when a democracy actually operates by the people and for the people. It's going to be difficult. It's going to take hard work. But if what happened here in the past week (and I imagine has happened all over every state Obama's competed in) is possible, the sky's the limit.
Yes We Can.
A New Victory Garden
Throughout our extended weekend and stay with a gracious Obama volunteer in Pittsburgh, I must admit I wondered if someone had matched us, a white, Mennonite-by-choice, vegan couple with a 70 year-young, black, Reconciliation-by-choice, health-conscious grandmother. We had so much in common, but our differences made for deep and purposeful conversations. It was as if we had filled out a matchmaker form in great detail and were placed intentionally with Dolly.
We made the drive from Northwestern Ohio in order to register and speak with voters in Pennsylvania. Admittedly, there were trying moments from a few hecklers, but as Barack Obama pointed out in The Audacity of Hope, “When people ask me … how I can possibly operate in the current political environment, with all the negative campaigning and personal attacks, I may mention Nelson Mandela, Alseksandr Solzhenitsyn, or some guy in a Chinese or Egyptian prison somewhere. In truth, being called names is not such a bad deal.” Indeed, it’s not such a bad deal.
Dolly opened up her senior living apartment to us. We talked. We shared stories. We asked if we could attend worship services with her. Dolly explained that her church is a UCC ministry of Reconciliation. Years ago, three congregations joined as one as an answer to Dr. King’s truism about the Sunday hour being the most segregated of all. The congregation is vibrant, dynamic, and diverse. Dolly’s daughter is the pastor. We came away with our souls nurtured and fed.
On our last day, we made breakfast for Dolly. Sharing a meal can be a very personal event. Food, itself can be very controversial. Food should never be used as a weapon. Food should not be obtained by violent means. Food should nourish and sustain. Food is connected to many of the problems our country faces today. Better food choices are directly related to better health. Choosing local foods supports the local economy and saves resources. Learning about how our food is grown and manufactured connects us with our health, the economy, and the environment.
Dolly told us that she had heard people say they just don’t have time to fix healthy meals, but she couldn’t understand the logic. “I make a big batch of soup and put some of it in the freezer. When I’m busy, I don’t have to settle for an unhealthy snack.” We concurred. “Yeah, we can pay a little more now for healthy food as an investment for a healthier body in the future.”
It is an investment, isn’t it? It’s also a matter of education. We believe that the best place to start is with young people. Many start-up programs on the local level address putting children on a path to growing their own food. When children make the connection to their food, they are automatically connected to the care of their neighbors, water resources, how much sun is filtered through the clouds, soil health, wildlife that shares a garden space, garden science, the economy of seeds and supplies, commitment to pulling weeds, responsibility throughout the growing season, harvesting, transportation, marketing, local codes about selling, the satisfaction of meeting a customer face to face, and even profit. When young people appreciate the story that is food, they have the ability to make changes in how their family’s food dollar is spent. They learn that each penny spent is a vote.
Our lives would have been so much poorer if we had never met Dolly. Senator Obama brought us together. We believe that garden mentors and volunteers might have a similar influence on generations of children raised on highly processed, empty foods. If we reinvest ourselves in a commitment to our government, we will have a stronger republic. If we invest our children in a commitment to real food, many connections will fall into place. It’s a new purpose for a Victory Garden.
I'm here at my office today, the Obama campaign is opening a small field office in the front of my building. It's not one of their big regional offices, just a working office.
Anyways, Marcus emailed me to ask about how Obama's been treated here in Indiana. He hasn't visited Indiana much, other than a speech in Plainfield, if I'm not mistaken, which was covered decently.
My problem is, I don't read a lot of the local mainstream media so I'm not sure how they're covering it. My sense is that they're covering Clinton more right now, but she and Bill and Chelsea have been in the state a lot more, so that makes sense.
I think Obama's biggest asset is that we're right next door to his well-established grassroots network in Illinois...which helped him win Iowa. His second biggest asset is that a lot of Hoosier's don't like the Clintons and the scandals they bring with them. Hoosiers tend to be more on the conservative end, even though we've had Dem governors and legislators...our House is D-controlled right now and our governor is R, although he replaced a 15 year D.
According to this Howey-Gauge poll (the only Indiana poll I've seen), Obama's ahead 40-25%...which means there are 35% undecided voters. Thats a lot of undecideds. I really don't see Indiana going to Ciinton, although sometimes people say she's ahead and sometimes people say Obama's ahead. Hoosier's don't respond well to fake-ness, something Hillary tends to exude much more so than Obama.
It's going to be an interesting month. Too bad Hillary's already lost.
She's outrighting lying (or mis-speaking?):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iOsGo_HWP-c
Here's the breakdown on my family that I talked to over the weekend:
So...I swung 3 people to Obama. Most people in my family already were in his camp. I don't know that this is a good measure of PA overall, in fact, it isn't. But still, +3 for Obama = -6 net for Clinton!
I watched Anderson Cooper 360 last night and was worried about how Obama was going to respond to the whole Wright thing. I didn't think his response last night was very good.
Then I watched this:
Amazing. Now I remember why I started believing in Obama 2 months ago. Because he takes time to say what he means and means what he says.
