A little background music please…I was born in NYC at about the time dinosaurs roamed the Earth and were the principal mode of transportation. After graduating from a small college on the outskirts of Boston and marrying, I made my way to northern California where I earned my Master’s Degree in Clinical Psychology. Two children and four grandchildren later the voice came once again, "Go west young man, go west". The ants had returned, infesting my pants, and once again, West we went— this time to Hawaii. I decided to run as a delegate to fulfill my destiny. I really never had a doubt I would be selected as a delegate. This is not ego speaking. I had only been living in Hawaii for two years. I did not have deep roots in either the Kauai or Hawaii Democratic Party. To say my state and county political resume was anorexic would be an understatement, yet in the end, how can you argue with destiny? While in California I did work successfully in several County Supervisors races as a campaign strategist and advisor. I was here in Hawaii at the beginning of Senator Obama's Presidential campaign, walking the island of Kauai, going door to door armed only with flyers and my deep personal conviction of Senator Obama’s character.I hosted a gathering at my home which included as guest speakers, Senator Obama's sister Maya Soetoro-Ng, and Hawaii State Campaign Director Andy Winer. We had an enthusiastic turnout of more than 100 Kauai voters— many of whom became volunteers and donors in the campaign. For idealistic reasons, I immersed myself in this campaign. While the world holds its collective breath, we stand as a nation at a pivotal crossroads in writing the history of America. I believe it is time for our nation to send a strong message to all the people who share this planet: we are ready for cooperation and want to work with all global citizens in creating and sustaining a healthy, just and peaceful planet imbued with respect for the rich diversity of the world's many cultures. We stand ready to be a global partner. I am convinced Senator Obama embodies this message.Not only is the election of Barack Obama critical to this end, but we must work tirelessly to support his Presidency through the election of Democrats to Congress who share the vision. I try and swim in the ocean several times a week and walk a couple of miles each day. I am writing a young adult fiction book. I also work with other community leaders on Kauai on issues affecting our island paradise. I do hope that Senator Barack Obama will fulfill his destiny—to become the next President of the United States.
A little background music please…
I was born in NYC at about the time dinosaurs roamed the Earth and were the principal mode of transportation. After graduating from a small college on the outskirts of Boston and marrying, I made my way to northern California where I earned my Master’s Degree in Clinical Psychology. Two children and four grandchildren later the voice came once again, "Go west young man, go west". The ants had returned, infesting my pants, and once again, West we went— this time to Hawaii.
I decided to run as a delegate to fulfill my destiny. I really never had a doubt I would be selected as a delegate. This is not ego speaking. I had only been living in Hawaii for two years. I did not have deep roots in either the Kauai or Hawaii Democratic Party. To say my state and county political resume was anorexic would be an understatement, yet in the end, how can you argue with destiny?
While in California I did work successfully in several County Supervisors races as a campaign strategist and advisor. I was here in Hawaii at the beginning of Senator Obama's Presidential campaign, walking the island of Kauai, going door to door armed only with flyers and my deep personal conviction of Senator Obama’s character.
I hosted a gathering at my home which included as guest speakers, Senator Obama's sister Maya Soetoro-Ng, and Hawaii State Campaign Director Andy Winer. We had an enthusiastic turnout of more than 100 Kauai voters— many of whom became volunteers and donors in the campaign.
For idealistic reasons, I immersed myself in this campaign. While the world holds its collective breath, we stand as a nation at a pivotal crossroads in writing the history of America. I believe it is time for our nation to send a strong message to all the people who share this planet: we are ready for cooperation and want to work with all global citizens in creating and sustaining a healthy, just and peaceful planet imbued with respect for the rich diversity of the world's many cultures. We stand ready to be a global partner. I am convinced Senator Obama embodies this message.
Not only is the election of Barack Obama critical to this end, but we must work tirelessly to support his Presidency through the election of Democrats to Congress who share the vision.
Virginia Delegate Bernard was certain his heart would never beat again when his wife passed away. When his sorrow restricted him from even moving from the living room chair, his daughter handed him a piece of paper with a single phrase: www.barackobama.com.
He followed Virginia’s link and found the respective Grassroots group associated with his city of Asburn. After not leaving the house for quite some time, he decided that he would spend a single afternoon phone banking. According to Bernard, answering a few calls turned into door knocking and canvassing on street corners and in intersections. Soon Bernard was spending all his time registering people to vote, pounding pavement, and serving as one of Virginia’s number one volunteer leaders.
Bernard laughs as he recalls how he and his wife would sit in front of the television watching the conventions and laugh at all the funny hats and silly clothes that the delegates would be wearing. “No way I’d ever do that! Those people look like idiots!” He said. However, the more realistic the possibility of Bernard serving as a Delegate became, the more he wanted the position.
Sure enough, at the Virginia Delegate breakfast, Bernard caught me up on his ventures and his excitement particularly for the women’s caucus. “Women are so important and so often ignored. These are our sisters, our mothers! We have to support them.”
Bernard may even make himself a silly hat.
Kierra, a delegate from Washington, DC is excited to finally be in Denver. We talked to Kierra earlier this summer when she was first selected as a delegate and were lucky enough to catch up with her in Denver.
“I’m having such a great time!” She said enthusiastically.
It’s so nice to be physically next to delegations on the Convention floor that we have been trying to work with so that we can all lobby together to fight for Barack Obama and the issues that are most important to us.
Colorado is pretty familiar to Kierra – she attended high school and college here – but she was thrilled to be back. “It’s so nice to be back under different pretenses. It is always interesting to return to somewhere you haven’t been for awhile to see the new perspective you have. I was here in high school and college just beginning my education about the world, and now I am back as a professional."
Besides Barack’s acceptance speech on Thursday night, Kierra is most excited about the Women’s Caucus where passionate women will come together and discuss some of the big issues of this election. “Hopefully it’s going to be one big sister love fest,” Kierra said.
Since she has been at the convention, Kierra has met California Congresswoman Maxine Waters, connected with other Democrats, and has focused on promoting women’s rights as a major issue in this campaign. She says,
I can’t imagine how much better it can get!
Although Kathy calls herself an “unlikely” delegate candidate, her odds were actually pretty good. Her hometown of Joe Town, population 100 (mostly Amish), was allowed to send one person to the convention, and Kathy was elected! This is not really a surprise considering the hard work she has put forth for the Democratic Party. While initially a Hillary Clinton and John Edwards supporter, Kathy is more concerned with uniting the Democratic Party for Barack.
Kathy is a super volunteer when it comes to in canvassing—she’s knocked on hundreds of doors in both her county and surrounding counties, debating with republicans in their living rooms, and calling fellow Iowa residents on behalf of the Democrats since January of 2008. In fact, due to her efforts, her local caucus went from 23 attendees at the last caucus to 200 this year. Kathy’s family spent 14 hours squished in a car to make it all the way to Denver where Kathy can work to fight for the issues she cares about the most. Her family -- husband Scott, son Zachary, and daughter Cassie -- joined her at the delegate breakfast yesterday.Kathy chose to home school them because of her strong dislike for the No Child Left Behind Act. She explains that while the Act looks good on paper, the idea is not working because there hasn’t been enough reallocation of funding. Additionally, schools are now teaching kids information that is only relevant to pass the state tests. This lifelong Democrat has proven that one voice can go a long way. Kathy suffers from an arthritic condition called Fiber Malaga (which didn’t stop her from canvassing all over Iowa), and therefore speaks on behalf of those with disabilities. She serves on the Platform Committee and attended the meeting in Pittsburg where she introduced a platform for disability rights. Kathy says that she is simply a mom, a part-time librarian, and “someone that cares about where the country is going.” Others say she’s a warrior for change.
I was encouraged by the Hamilton County Democrats Chair to run as her replacement in 2005. I did and was elected the youngest County Chair in Wisconsin at the age of 26!
But don’t be fooled by Indiana delegate Keith’s age. His interest in politics was spurned by watching his father’s Union fight for his rights as an employee of GM. Keith’s curiosity transformed into action when he joined the Ball State College Democrats during his sophomore year in college. Upon graduation, he immediately contacted the Democratic Party in his county and began work on a mayor’s campaign, only to be promoted to Assistant Campaign Manager by the time it was over. Keith was then appointed Precinct Committee Person and eventually Township Chair.
Keith decided to be a delegate because he knew he wanted to participate in one of the most exciting conventions in Democratic history. “I wanted to personally nominate Senator Obama as our candidate,” he said. Hoping for a better future for his daughter Lillian and wife Jessica, he strongly supports the movement for change that Senator Obama has created with the help of millions of Americans across the country.
After Senator Obama’s Iowa performance, I was convinced he was the candidate our party needed to unite behind. His vision of hope and change resonated with me. The fact that Senator Obama refuses corporate or lobbyist donations means to me that the only people he owes are the American citizens. Our country desperately needs change and I believe Senator Obama has the vision, judgment, and leadership to get things done and get our country back on track.
Growing up poor in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, we were taught to help each other in any way we could by babysitting, sharing garden vegetables, carpooling to the grocery store and to church…
Michigan Delegate Diana is familiar with fiscal struggle and is worried about today’s economy. Although originally a Clinton Delegate, Diana had the opportunity to hear Senator Obama speak in Lansing, Michigan recently about his energy policy. She says...
I was impressed by his pragmatic approach to alleviating the pain at the gas pump. When someone is only making $8-$10 an hour, these gas prices are a catch-22. Too many people have to cut back on food and medication just to keep gas in the car to get to work. Also, senior citizens on fixed incomes are worried about having enough money to pay to heat their homes in the winter.
Diana decided to run as a delegate to the National Convention to help the Democratic Party win the presidency in 2008 and to play a significant role in deciding which issues are incorporated into our party platform. Diana is concerned about “the alarming rate of decent paying jobs that are disappearing from our communities” as well as lack of available decent healthcare. “It’s a shame that too many families have to put out ‘coffee cans’ at local businesses to collect nickels and dimes from the public to help defray the cost of medical care for cancer victims, accident victims, transplant patients, etc.”Additionally, “as a mother, aunt, and friend, I’m concerned that our country will be permanently at war and that at some point a draft will be instituted and the children of my family, friends, and neighbors will be drafted to fight in the Middle East.” Diana has been an active grassroots Democrat for the past 30 years. She has worked as a volunteer in each of the county and congressional districts that she has lived in. She’s excited about the local support she sees for Barack.
What’s interesting to me is the fact that even the moderate Republicans in our area are considering voting for Barack Obama. I’m impressed with Senator Obama’s ability to motivate a broad range of voters—from the guy in the blue jeans and baseball cap to the women with expensive jewelry who come into our office asking how they can support Obama. The number of young people who have volunteered to make phone calls, canvass neighborhoods, and register their peers to vote is amazing. I haven’t seen this much energy in the 30 years that I’ve been involved. I truly look forward to working for and electing Senator Barack Obama as President of the United States of America!
For mother and daughter Charlene and Lisa, a passion for politics and a love for Senator Obama clearly run in the family.Hailing from Arizona, Charlene has paved the way for her daughter with her experience on past campaigns. Since 1979, she has served as a precinct captain and has volunteered on many Arizona campaigns, among them the gubernatorial race of Governor Janet Napolitano, as well as Terry Goddard’s race for Attorney General. Charlene moved up from volunteering when she was hired by Congressman Ed Pastor to run his congressional district office in Yuma, where Charlene served for 12 years. Most recently, she has held office as Chairwoman of the Yuma County Democratic Party.
I supported Senator Obama from the beginning but could not show my enthusiasm because I was a County Chair and wanted to stay neutral. However, when the position of First Vice Chair of the Arizona Democratic Party opened, I ran and won. With that title came the honor of superdelegate status, and I announced my support for Senator Obama that day.
Similarly, Charlene’s daughter Lisa ran as a delegate because she is a huge Obama supporter. In fact, like her mother, she has been on board since day one and was one of the founders of Arizonans For Obama. Only 21 years old, Lisa is currently a student at Arizona State University, where she has been active in the ASU Young Democrats, working her way up to serve as their president. For both mother and daughter, the entire primary was exhilarating. Charlene enjoyed watching the numbers of people that turned out just to vote for Barack.
Brett, a delegate from Wisconsin, has dedicated his life to preserving nature and protecting the environment. For seventeen years Brett was an educator and advocate for the Sierra Club—the nation’s oldest grassroots conservation group. He has served as Senior Midwest Regional Representative working to protect his community’s rivers, lakes, parks, and air. Brett was the Environmental Policy Advisor to President Clinton and an Energy Conservation Advocate in the Carter administration.Brett is currently the President of Better Environment Solutions, an environmental consulting firm that specializes in practical solutions that save lives, jobs, and money. Additionally, Brett has been a Dane County, WI, Board Supervisors for ten years where he has led efforts to clean up his home state.The decision to run for delegate came from Brett’s opinion that the country needs the perspective of members of local governments because those local officials provide the most services to the state. He is committed to Senator Obama because “I feel Senator Obama has the right experience and vision to bring the change we need to our country and get us heading in the right direction.”Brett and his wife have two children, Tyler and Leah, and two cats, and a hamster named Butterscotch. When Brett isn’t saving the environment he enjoys teaching at his church. He likes to play sports with his kids, hike, fish, garden, and boat with his family. He also recently completed the Ironman triathlon.Brett is excited to bring his perspective and environmental knowledge to Denver where he can take his passion to the federal level.
Joe is a government high school teacher at Albia Community High School in Iowa. This past year he tried to get his students more involved by giving out copies of the Constitution to his junior and senior classes. Joe accompanied his students to the local caucuses, where they had elected officials sign their copies of the Constitution.Now that he has made it to Denver as a delegate to the Convention, he's trying to collect as many signatures as he can on his copy of the Constitution to bring back home to his students. Yesterday, he collected Senator Harkin's autograph at the Iowa Delegation breakfast.
Joe has been passionate about politics since he canvassing for Senator Harkin when he was only six years old. He was also an Al Gore delegate at the 2000 Democratic Convention.
As an educator, he has seen the apathy that young people often hold for the political process. But this year, both he and his students have been inspired by Barack's campaign."Four years ago they didn't care," he says. Now, however, Senator Obama has the younger generation "fired up" and Joe is delighted to guide their enthusiasm in a positive direction.Along with helping his students get involved, Joe participated in major grassroots work in the lead-up to the Iowa caucus, making phone calls in the evening and knocking on doors eight hours a day for nearly a month in the dead of winter.
But it will all be worth it for Joe when Senator Obama accepts the nomination this week in Denver.
Marlene, a delegate from Greenville, Wisconsin, is a retired high school English teacher. Throughout her 45 years of teaching, Marlene has seen face-to-face many of the issues that children face in today’s society.
This year we truly had wonderful candidates. How awesome to have been able to vote for such a diverse group of Democratic candidates! This election really captures your imagination and brings excitement about the potential it promotes. The fact that large segments of the population recognize that all different kinds of people can lead the nation—perhaps our country has progressed after all.
Monica from Duanesburg, New York will be walking into the convention not only as a first-time delegate, but also as a first time voter and new American citizen.She came to the United States 20 years ago from Costa Rica but just recently applied for citizenship. “Sometimes immigrants hold back and don’t want to make that change and give up their home country. But I finally did and am so excited that my first vote will go to Barack Obama.” Monica’s mother and sister became citizens at the same time and will also be placing their first-ever votes for Barack in November.Because this is her first time voting, Monica feels a great sense of pride being chosen a delegate.
Voting this year means a lot to me. It means that I really believe in my vote, and I believe it’s going to make a difference. We really need people involved this year because we can’t continue with the current government and politics. Voting this year means that I am officially part of the democracy. I can’t tell you how excited I am! I am part of this movement.
A 37-year-old legislative budget analyst for the New York State Assembly, Monica is very involved in her community, especially with a number of local Latino organizations. She works with Hispanic Outreach Services, which provides tutoring, language help, and after school programs to the community. She says she is very concerned with how high fuel prices, a lack of quality healthcare, and childcare costs have impacted her local Latino community.Monica had never been politically involved before the Obama campaign came calling. But she’s been doing all she could for the campaign for months – from helping with voter registration to being the treasurer for her local Obama office, to traveling to Ohio to knock on doors.
Knocking on doors? I would never have done that before! But I feel that Barack is going to do something for us, so we have to do something for him first.The fact that Barack inspired me to move and do something is incredible. He’s very passionate about what he believes. The fact that he moves people is very important to me. To bring the changes that he wants to bring, we need everyone involved.
With one day to go until the start of the Democratic National Convention, excitement is building in Denver and across America. Soon, delegates from all fifty states will convene in the Mile High City to cast their ballots for Barack Obama and witness his acceptance of the Democratic Party's nomination for president of the United States. Thursday, August 28th will be the biggest night of the campaign so far. Even if you can’t be in Denver, you can be a part of this historic convention by attending a Convention Watch Party in your area.
At the HQ blog, we get to talk to a lot of supporters. Most of them point to Barack's speech at the 2004 convention or their experience reading one of his books as the point at which they become supporters. Cori, on the other hand, admits that her support was in some ways accidental. She hadn't settled on a choice in the Democratic primary, but the Obama campaign showed up in Kansas before any other campaign, and that made the difference.
I hadn't decided between the primary candidates, but the Obama campaign was the first to show up in Kansas since the 1980s, so when they set up an office in my home town it was a big deal. They had a caucus training and I really wanted to learn how to caucus since it was my first year. So I went. Everyone there was so nice and excited about Barack that I couldn't help but sign up to volunteer.
Cori decided to start a chapter of Students for Barack Obama at her high school. She was skeptical: a chapter of the Young Democrats that she had tried to get going has failed for lack of interest. This time was different.
The first meeting had 40 people at it. People were really committed not just to hanging out, watching debates, and having fun, but to canvassing on the weekends and phonebanking on school nights.
On caucus night, Cori volunteered as a precinct captain, but her assigned location hit its 2,000 person capacity, and people had to be redirected to the overflow location. Cori rushed ahead to set up and make sure that everyone was organized, and at the end of the night, a staffer suggested that she try to become a national delegate.
Cori wanted to be a delegate so that she could represent all the young people who had worked so hard during the primary campaign. She sees important issues that are affecting people her age, and will be essential to secure America's future. Cori will be leaving straight from the convention to attend her freshman orientation at Babson College, and she's seen first hand this year the effect that our flagging economy has had on her friends as they've made choices about college.
People I'm close to aren't able to go to the schools that they've been accepted at because they just can't afford it. They can't get loans anymore because of the credit shortage. So I think what Barack is talking about, making it easier for kids to actually go to college, will help a lot of my friends. Some of them got into really great schools or even just state schools but are struggling to figure out if they can make the loans. A lot of their decisions were based solely on money this year, and that made me really sad.
Cori knows that Barack's education plan will make college more affordable for people across America. Under his American Opportunity Tax Credit, the first $4,000 of a college education will be completely free for most Americans. That's two-thirds the cost of tuition at the average public college or university.
Denver isn't the end of the road for Cori. She's going to be volunteering through the end of the campaign, working to make sure that the opportunity to go to the college of your dreams isn't just for the wealthy. You can help too - sign up to volunteer today, and join our grassroots campaign.
Boots on the ground. In a political campaign, sometimes that's what it comes down to: how many supporters do you have giving up their time to help the cause? Our movement is built on our supporters, and in many cases, they had organized themselves in later primary states months before official campaign staff arrived. It was the difference between defeat and victory.
In Arkansas, Omaya was one of those volunteers.
Before the campaign came here formally, we were doing stuff on our own in terms of canvassing and going out with material that we'd printed up ourselves. The first real event that was did was in June of last year, when we organized a Walk for Change event. The campaign didn't come to Arkansas until about two weeks before Super Tuesday.
It was organization like that that earned us nomination, and it's the kind of work that we're going to need to win in November. Omaya's already traveled out-of-state to volunteer: he canvassed in Texas and Louisiana before their state primaries and he plans to volunteer through the general election.
He decided that being a national delegate was a good way to show his support for Barack. Omaya remembers the national online town hall that we held in March of last year: "There were other candidates, but Barack was the real deal. He seemed more genuine to me in his message and the policies he was putting forward."
Omaya's also supports Barack because he was against the war from the beginning.
I knew that he had the right judgment and the ability to make good calls. He was more aware of what was going on, and he wasn't even in the United States Senate with access to all the information that the senators who made the wrong decision had.
Omaya knows we need that judgment in the White House. That's why he's spending all of his free time helping out with the campaign. You can help out just like Omaya - sign up to volunteer today, and join our grassroots campaign.
With the tools available on My.BarackObama.com, it couldn't be easier. Create an account to network with other supporters, or sign up to volunteer and be a part of the movement.
I became politically involved as a teenager. We realized that to effect change, we had to come together and understand the process of politics. We had to involve as many people as possible. I got involved because of one Ms. Fanny Lou Hammer – a civil rights leader in Mississippi who came to help people get the right to vote. She said, “It doesn’t matter what people do to me. I’m still going to fight for what is right.” And I followed that message.
I do it to help get people more politically involved. There were people who died to provide us the right to vote, and so many young people don’t have an appreciation for that. It’s my job to help people understand the history and the obligation – and privilege – to vote because they are lucky to be free and living in the United States. We all need to encourage our friends and family to go out and vote!We can all effect change. Get out the vote, knock on doors, make calls, help on Election Day. We need to all do the best we can now because the best change we can effect today is to take back the White House.
Gerri, who retired from General Motors a few years ago, sees jobs, healthcare, and the mortgage crisis as the major issues affecting her community right now. “GM is one of the biggest companies here in the state. They’ve been forced to downsize, and it’s really affecting our community. So people need to be retrained with new skills to get new jobs.”Gerri’s looking forward to the convention and hopes that she can bring some of what she learns back home to Flint.
This is my first convention. I am so very excited! We all know that we’re making history here. I am so honored that my county elected me to represent them, and I will do the very best job that I can. I hope to network with other Democrats, get ideas to bring back to Michigan, and empower our residents here in Genesee County.
Gerri is excited about the historic nature of Barack’s candidacy.
I remember when Reverend Martin Luther King was alive, and he tried to help America understand that people should be judged not by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character. I think Obama personifies what Dr. King was referring to. He’s a strong, kind, intelligent man with a strong sense of community. For him to be the nominee, I am overwhelmed with pride and so happy that we are moving to a time where we can look at people for their character and what they stand for.
Theo wasn't exactly Utah's most politically active citizen. Growing up in one of the most Republican states in the union, he was never very engaged in politics. In fact, his family leaned Republican, when they thought about politics at all. Barack Obama changed all that for Theo. Barack's message reached him even before the Senator announced his candidacy, and Theo saw the potential for a new kind of politics.
He has this very even handed way, being able to say "I like this idea, but I also like parts of this other idea." And I'd never seen a politician have this kind of level headed approach to policy.
Theo got involved in the Utah Draft Obama effort, which just lead him into more involvement with the campaign. His first stop was finding other supporters, and he did it through our network of supporters on My.BarackObama.com.
I went to the website, which is this wonderful community-based site that allows you to connect with other supporters in your area. And I started going to local Utah for Obama Meetings. I became secretary of that group, and we eventually helped get the Senator to stop and do a rally in Park City. One of the events that I put on was a fundraiser where the vice chair of Utah Democratic Party spoke on the subject of how to become a national delegate.
It was then that Theo decided to try his hand at campaigning to be one of the Obama pledged delegates. It wasn't easy - there were a lot of people who wanted the spot.
I got helped for advice by a local party official, and someone at headquarters who told me to make phone calls. I did that, and I got my friends and family to make phone calls as well. I created campaign material, did my own branding and stickers and fliers. I went to the county caucus meetings promoted myself. Honestly, I was skeptical that I'd win because I was competing against a local millionaire celebrity, but I pulled it off.
Theo's a true example of how open our movement is - we're built on the strength of our grassroots volunteers and small dollar donors. As Theo said, "George Bush and all these other characters have taught us you have to know someone to get involved. But you don't. If you want to get involved in the campaign or the party you just have to show up and be passionate and honest and work hard."
With the tools available on My.BarackObama.com, it couldn't be easier. Create an account there to network with other supporters, or sign up to volunteer today.
Across America, Obama delegates are busy preparing for the trip to Denver for the Democratic National Convention. We’re excited to meet them when they get there! Meanwhile, here are some of their stories as they prepare for the journey to the convention.From the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (Georgia):
Next week [Quentin] Howell will witness Barack Obama accept the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination in front of 75,000 people at Invesco Field in Denver.... Howell is one of 132 members of the Georgia delegation that began gathering in Denver this weekend. Howell, the Georgia Democratic Party’s vice chair of the 12th Congressional District, is an alternate delegate, meaning he will only get to cast a vote if one of the regular delegates can’t make it. But that isn’t putting a damper on the trip, his first to a national convention, he said.“It’s going to be loud and full and very exciting,” he said.
From Time Magazine:
Anton Gunn is a first-time delegate to the Democratic National Convention from South Carolina, and he has never so much as watched a political convention on television before. Even Barack Obama's famous keynote address in 2004 didn't grab his attention (he sheepishly admits he still hasn't listened to it). In fact, until two years ago, when Gunn ran for a state house seat in Columbia and lost by 298 votes, he'd never been involved in electoral politics.Obama's candidacy has brought a wave of new voters and volunteers into the Democratic Party, but even among them, Gunn, 35, stands out. In addition to being a Democratic delegate and a candidate once again for the state legislature, he now has a line on his political résumé few can match: political director for the Obama campaign in South Carolina, the state that more than any other launched the Illinois Senator's successful candidacy.
From the Times-Herald Recorder (New York):
As the Democratic National Convention nears, our local delegates prepare to head to Denver to cast their ballots. Unifying the party and positioning themselves for a victory in November are two key things that lie before them."We're going in and we're going to back Barack Obama," said Vanessa Tirado, an alternate Clinton delegate from Newburgh in the 22nd Congressional District.The convention begins Monday, and there are five delegates in our region who are slated to attend.Sonia Ayala, an Obama delegate from the 19th Congressional District, was also a delegate in 2004. Ayala, of Monroe, said she's looking forward to Obama's speech."I'm just grateful to be a part of the convention," Ayala said. "I never thought I'd be a part of something like this. It's amazing."
From Milwaukee’s TMJ Channel 4 (Wisconsin):
A young man from Milwaukee will be the youngest superdelegate at the convention.Jason Rae is en route to Denver Thursday. He made national news this past winter when the superdelegates were being wooed by the Clinton and Obama campaigns for his vote.“I am excited to be out there. It will be a great time,” Rae said.He says attending the convention will be the icing on the cake in what he can only describe as a fantasy political year. … “I have loved this experience. It has been something that I could not have anticipated. Being 21 and getting to go to the national convention, being on the floor,” Rae said.
From the Tri-State Defender (Tennessee):
A number of other Memphis-area folks will be [at the convetion].Lexie Carter, an Obama delegate, will be among them. … Carter is a veteran from the Vietnam era. She is originally from California and is married to a retired U.S. Navy man, who also did a tour in Vietnam and served on the USS Enterprise.A delegate to the 2004 delegate, Carter has served on the executive committee for the Shelby County Democratic Party.
From the Washington Daily News (North Carolina):
Ed Booth is more than excited about Barack Obama. And he’s nearly beside himself to be going to the Democratic National Convention in Denver next week to support him.“I’m going to be Barack, Barack, Barack. No matter what happens, I’m going to be Barack, Barack, Barack,” he said.He said the Illinois senator’s clinching of the Democratic nomination — the first time a black candidate has done so — was a momentous event in the nation’s history.“It showed us that America is really, really trying to come to her promise — that we can do things together,” he said.
From the Daily Record (New Jersey):
The extent of self-confessed "complete political novice" Diane Zitek's involvement in politics was casting her vote on Election Day.That changed when the 61-year-old Harding resident began campaigning for Barack Obama -- even hosting a meeting in her home -- and now is a delegate alternate who's leaving for Denver Saturday to attend the Democratic National Convention.Zitek is one of five delegates or alternates from Morris County, and one of 174 from the state."I really liked Obama going all the way back to the 2004 convention," she said. "I was so upset when Bush won the second time. I said next election I'm going to do everything I possibly can ... to elect a Democrat. Obama was the perfect candidate for me. ... That was all the energy I needed to get involved."
From South Florida’s NBC 6 News (Florida):
As Democrats begin heading to Denver for the Democratic National Convention next week, a South Florida delegate is pondering how different his 10th convention will be from his first."I am excited about going," delegate Preston Marshall said.Marshall said he has never looked forward to a convention more than he is the 2008 DNC, and he has been to every one since 1972. That was the year Democrats met in Miami Beach to nominate George McGovern. Marshall was not originally part of Florida's nearly all-white delegation."We went over there to demonstrate and protest," Marshall said.… Nine conventions later, Marshall prepares to help nominate a candidate of color.
From the Orange County Register (California):
Erik Sjobeck has never been active in politics.But Obama's message got to him. He went to the Web site, signed up, heard back from the campaign and has been volunteering for the Illinois senator ever since.For Sjobeck, change is more than swapping a Democrat for a Republican in the Oval Office. And it goes beyond the positions a politician takes on the economy or foreign policy."Change is getting the American people and American voices involved,'' says the 47 year-old clothing designer who has been sidelined from his career by AIDS.… Sjobeck, who grew up in Orange County, says he is noticing friends and neighbors looking at their own political patterns differently."You see Barack Obama stickers in the windows of homes on Balboa Island where my mom lives,'' he said. "I can walk down the street in Newport Beach with an Obama T-shirt on and people will give me a thumbs up.''
We'll be highlighting our delegates all weekend. Check back later to learn more about the Obama supporters across the nation who are making their way to Denver this week.With three days to go until the start of the Democratic National Convention, excitement is building in Denver and across America. Soon, delegates from all fifty states will convene in the Mile High City to cast their ballots for Barack Obama and witness his acceptance of the Democratic Party's nomination for president of the United States. Thursday, August 28th will be the biggest night of the campaign so far. Even if you can’t be in Denver, you can be a part of this historic convention by attending a Convention Watch Party in your area.
Julia, 59, of Westminster, Colorado has been involved in Democratic politics just about as long as she can remember. She first got involved in 1960 when she was 11, walking precincts in North Carolina with her grandfather and passing out literature about JFK.
My grandfather only had a ninth grade education, but he always believed in democracy and getting people involved and voting. He believed that was the only way we were going to change things. This was in the segregation era, so he couldn’t join the Party, but he could hand out literature. So that was my introduction to politics, and I’ve been involved ever since.
Julia has moved around a lot since, but “every time we moved, the next day I would call the local Democratic Party and say, ‘I’m here – what do you need me to do?’ And then I get back involved.”And Julia has certainly been involved. Even with four children and eight grandkids, she has been everything from a precinct captain to Vice Chair of the Colorado Democratic Party.Julia has a long history with the conventions. She has attended every Democratic convention since 1968. In 1968, she was a protester outside the convention, but every year since Julia has been inside voting as a delegate.
My favorite convention was Atlanta in 1988, which was a very historic year and also 1996 because we were back in Chicago. That time I wasn’t stuck outside the convention but actually a delegate voting for Bill Clinton.
But she thinks this time will be extra special.
This time is historic. You can’t get any higher than this.We can change the country! We need to come out and show America that we are united and hitting the ground running. This is about us taking our country back.
With three days to go until the start of the Democratic National Convention, excitement is building in Denver and across America. Soon, delegates from all fifty states will convene in the Mile High City to cast their ballots for Barack Obama and witness his acceptance of the Democratic Party's nomination for president of the United States. Thursday, August 28th will be the biggest night of the campaign so far. Even if you can’t be in Denver, you can be a part of this historic convention by attending a Convention Watch Party in your area.
“I care deeply about this country and believe that the political process, even with all its flaws, is the best way to change our current direction and policies”
During different times, some might call Jan, a delegate from Ohio, an optimist. However, Senator Obama is leading a movement that has restored the faith of the American people, and has made such a dream a possible reality. Although she originally backed Senator Clinton, Jan has decided to support Senator Obama “because of his good judgment, intelligence, honesty, grace, humility, and ability to work with others to unite this country.”
Jan has always surrounded herself with people who are equally as passionate about politics and committed to playing their part in taking advantage of the liberties of democracy. Social justice issues are of primary importance to Jan, especially a fair economy, health care, and education. Jan lends her time to several non-profits in the Cleveland area. She works with the Lutheran Metropolitan Ministries that coordinate and deliver services to the elderly, at-risk youth, the disabled, and those returning from incarceration. Additionally, Jan works with the Cleveland City Club—the oldest continuous running forum for free speech in the country that features internationally prominent speakers, and the Cleveland Bar Foundation that raises money for pro-bono legal education and legal assistance efforts. Her favorite and highest regarded organization, however, is the Near West Theater—a community theater that works with intergenerational people to produce great theater art while simultaneously providing social service and self-esteem for its participants.
As far as Jan’s political experience, “as a full time practicing lawyer and mother of three, I’ve always been a volunteer. I have worked on local elections and chaired Ohio Women for Kerry. I am also one of the founders of the Ohio Democratic Women’s Caucus—an official caucus of the Ohio Democratic Party.
Although passionate about her community participation, Jan’s number one priority is her family (including her husband, three sons, and two dogs.) She enjoys traveling and reading, and cannot wait for next week in Denver where she can continue playing her part in strengthening civil service for all.
Idaho Delegate Debu was immediately taken by Senator Obama. He was in London on a government assignment when he heard the Senator’s speech announcing his candidacy, and immediately felt a connection. “I feel as though Obama is a candidate who is not a normal politico; he is the one who will usher a new era in the United States.”
Familiar with the need for change, Debu moved to the United States from Calcutta, India in 1964—only nine months after President Kennedy was killed. He came to study and research physics, on federal funds, due to the late President’s goal to make America the leader in technology. After finishing degrees at the University of Pennsylvania, SUNY at Stony Brook, and the University of Michigan, and working for several years at Brookhaven National Laboratory on Long Island, NY, Debu joined the U.S. Department of Energy in Idaho Falls, Idaho.
: Debu has been deeply involved with energy research since the Oil embargo in 1973. Since moving to the United States, the U.S. government has sent him to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna, Austria for three years (1999 – 2002) and the World Nuclear University in London, UK for one year. Finding a new energy source is clearly one of Debu’s concerns. “In the late 1970s I bought a diesel car which gave 35 miles per gallon. Now we struggle to find cars with gas mileages in the 20s! I strongly believe that we must conserve energy to the fullest extent possible and all non-carbon energy technologies should be pursued.”
After earning his PhD in Physics, Debu has learned the benefits of a solid math and science education and has voluntarily given many talks to stress the importance of such. “I know firsthand how children in other countries study and I know that their technical abilities are growing each year. These abilities are decreasing in the United States. If we do not enhance math and science education, the U.S. will not be able to compete in the global market.”
Debu is currently an ambassador for Idaho Fall’s Mayor’s Race Relations Committee an Op-ed columnist for the Post Register. He has also published a book titled From The Granges to the Snake River that interweaves Indian culture with Idaho reality. “In one of the articles, I wrote about global citizenship. One day people in the world will be educated and be able to go beyond regional boundaries to solve problems.”
“Unfortunately, the vision that President Kennedy once had for the United States has steadily deteriorated over the years, reaching the lowest point today. However, I strongly believe Obama will rejuvenate and restore the aspirations and the lives and dreams of common citizens and also the country that the world once admired—the ideals for which the United States truly stands for.”
