With the announcement of Sarah Palin yesterday as his running mate, John McCain did several things. He chose an attractive young woman, adding much needed pizzazz to his convention. He pandered to his base to generate excitement among both social conservatives and cultural crusaders. Some even think he made a play to disaffected HRC voters, thought it could only be to those care about no issue other than electing a woman, as Hillary Clinton and Sarah Palin have almost nothing in common. By some standards, this move was bold, shrewd, clever, or even, by some, brilliant. In democratic circles, it was seen as criticized as being wreckless, as Gov. Palin seems to lack the experience to take over if the 72 year old cancer survivor were to die.
For my part, I was horrified over this selection. The base political calculation which seemed to disregard the need for truly qualified people to lead the country saddens me. The conservative pundits jumping at the bit to compare Gov. Palin's two year record of service (do we count the PTA?) with Sen. Obama's two years of national service is laughable on it's face. Beyond that, it ignores Obama's much longer history of achievement in his academic and professional lives, which underscore my belief in his level of ability. We've moved from wanting a candidate who seems like regular folk, to one that actually is regular folk. Sarah Palin may be a brilliant leader, but there is certainly nothing in her resume that gives one that sense.
But as I watched the 24 hour media cycle digest this selection, I also became frustrated that this campaign seemed off message -- at least off the message I would have sent. While everything I just wrote is undoubtedly true, the slam dunk critique of this choice, what makes it politically untenable, has nothing to do with Sarah Palin. For the last 6 weeks, all we've heard from John McCain is that Barack Obama lacks the experience to be president and this is why we should vote for McCain. It would not be news if you or I came out and said that this assertion is false or that we don't believe it, but it IS news when John McCain comes out and says HE doen't believe it either!! Think about it. By selecting a VP candidate with less experience than Obama, John McCain makes one of two unequivocal statements. Either he doesn't think that it is important for the VP to be qualified to be president, which is absurd and indefensible, or, he thinks both Palin and Obama ARE qualified and he's been making a specious argument for months. Both of these positions are utterly indefensible.
On CNN last night, Carville pecked at the edges of this construction and the McCain surrogate (I can't recall her name) seemed to take the first defense, that Palin is running for VP, not President. But Carville never asked the right question, the question that needs to be asked every day, over and over again for the next hundred days:
DOES JOHN MCCAIN BELIEVE THAT SARAH PALIN IS QUALIFIED TO LEAD OUR COUNTRY IF HE WERE TO BECOME UNABLE? IF THE ANSWER IS YES (AND I THINK IT WILL HAVE TO BE), WHAT MAKES SARAH PALIN MORE QUALIFIED THAN BARACK OBAMA? JOHN MCCAIN HAS INSISTED THAT BARACK OBAMA IS NOT READY TO LEAD, WHY SHOULD HIS TICKET BE HELD TO A DIFFERENT STANDARD?
The political issue here is very simple. Honesty and trustworthiness are the political capital that McCain trades on. The "Maverick" thing isn't so much about being independent as it is about being straightforward. After all, he's supposed to be the Straight Talk guy. The news today and everyday shoud now be that the "Honest" guy has been making an argument for the last 2 months that he doesn't believe himself. This indicts McCain at the core of his attractivenss as a candidate and he will not be able to withstand it. When the media gets tired of hearing this argument (in 2 or 3 days, for example), we need to keep at it like we're chopping down a tree. John McCain either doesn't believe that the VP needs to be ready to serve or he lied for 2 months about what he thinks is important. Case closed.
This weekend will be the largest voter registration drive and canvassing event of this campaign to date!! While groups across the US will be participating, I encourage you to find your local Obama office, or organize your own event.
In Harrisonburg, we will be meeting on Saturday morning at the Obama office to get organized. This is sure to be an energizing experience, and a unified show of just how determined we are to elect Barack Obama to office and start the CHANGE for the future!
Harrisonburg Voter Registration and Canvassing Details:
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
Last Saturday, the “Shenandoah County for Obama” Group had an energetic meeting with over 40 avid supporters in attendance. Almost an equal number of supporters expressed regrets that they were unable to attend but all wanted to be kept informed so they could assist later. With less than 100 days before the election, we have much work to do. We need all supporters to contribute time and effort as we near Election Day. The opposition is poised to use its traditional attack machine to malign our candidate. An example is Delegate Todd Gilbert’s recent charge that Obama is “a borderline communist.” It would be helpful if some of you would let our Delegate Gilbert know that his disparaging comments about Obama are not appreciated. We need not get down into the mud with him; just let him know that we expect more civility from Shenandoah County elected officials. In addition to letters to the editor, you may telephone, write or email comments to Gilbert at:
Delegate Todd C. Gilbert
P.O. Box 309
Woodstock, VA 22664
540-459-7550
deltgilbert@house.state.va.us
During the meeting, Jason Berry, Lead Field Organizer from the Obama office in Winchester, discussed campaign plans for Shenandoah County that include volunteers for canvassing and telephoning. Several supporters immediately agreed to lead efforts in their respective precincts. A one-hour training session on the process is scheduled for Thursday, August 1 at 7 P.M. in the Winchester office. Fortunately, that session is filled to the limit with volunteers. Others wishing to assist are encouraged to call the Winchester office for a schedule of future training opportunities. Visits to the office described below are also welcomed.
Jason Berry
Lead Field Organizer
Change for America
19 West Cork Street
Winchester, VA 22601
434-378-9847
Our efforts are being coordinated with the Shenandoah County Democratic Committee and the campaigns of U. S. Senate Candidate, Mark Warner and 6th District Congressional Candidate, Sam Rasoul.
Frequent the group website to stay abreast of future activities.
Coming soon to SAW land!
See story and photos from last weekend!
FIRED UP & READY TO GO!
Harrisonburg Obama HQ Grand Opening
it's because of: Got your back on 3. 1-2-3. Got your back.
Any John Mayer fans out there?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2DNz9xGPO4M
It's time to stop waiting on it. Time to do it.
If you are in this group and happen to live in Harrisonburg/Rockingham area, please also join our local group!
http://my.barackobama.com/page/group/HarrisonburgRockinghamResidentsforObama
Anyone from the Valley, JMU or Blue Ridge Students who are interested:
There is a canvasing event going on this Saturday at 10 just 1 hour and 45 minutes from Harrisonburg in Franklin County, PA. It would be a great way to get out and visit Shippensburg University to help register voters and get the word out in that community. Let me know if you need directions. The event can be looked up under the Franklin County for Obama group.
Our neighbors just to the North will be holding their primary April 22. This is where I was born and raised and I've been seeing alot of activity in my home area by the Franklin County Obama group. This is going to be a difficult fight, but I know we can win.
They once said that Virginia would be Clinton country, and look what happened....Obama won by a landslide.
There are several Universities just a little over an hour and a half drive from our area. If we each take a few hours and dedicate ourselves to this effort, I think we'll see tremendous results. The people of Pennsylvania are ready to help settle the score....lets help them out!
Caleb
The power of ONE - Ten Simple Things You Can Do to Help Elect Barack Obama
1. Buy ONE Obama 08 bumper sticker and put it on your car.
2. Make ONE donation to the campaign, any amount you can afford.
3. Make ONE phone call to Texas or Ohio for March 4th or any other upcoming primary states.
4. Make ONE phone call to someone in your state during the general election .
5. Make ONE phone call to another state during the general election .
6. Write ONE email to a friend or relative to encourage them to vote for Obama.
7. Buy ONE Obama button and wear it when & wherever you can.
8. Buy ONE Obama yard sign and use it.
9. Go to ONE local event to support Barack
10. Ask ONE person who you think might be supporting another candidate to please consider voting for Barack.
REPEAT ABOVE STEPS TILL WE WIN ON NOVEMBER 4th!
ADAPT - PERSEVERE - PREVAIL
I have spent the weekend in SC visiting my folks, and have tried so hard to talk to some die-hard republican family members about Obama. At one particular family gathering, a more cynical relative said "my vote doesn't count anyway". My husband shared this story. I think it answered the question very well -
Hope in Catlett, Virginia by: Donna C.According to the Virginia Board of Elections website, Senator Obama won in Catlett, Virginia by one vote. Catlett - a small town in Fauquier County Virginia where we live, is a very conservative place. There are not a lot of Democrats here. Over the years, as our sons have watched us vote for candidates who did not win, they have often asked me whether their vote would make a difference. My response has always been, "How can you hope to change things if you don 't vote?"When the campaign came to Virginia, we signed up to volunteer with a small group called "Fauquier for Obama '08". Since people in Fauquier County do not live close enough to each other to make canvassing worthwhile, our group got permission from Giant Foods to set up a table outside. We handed out stickers, copies of Senator Obama's policy proposals downloaded from the website and obtained names and contact information from the twenty or so people who were brave enough to come up to our table in front of all of the Republicans who were shopping that day.Our son manned a table at the local community college. He got about five more volunteers and handed out stickers. He and five other students organized a commuter waive along U.S. Highway 29 where they held up signs and braved lit cigarettes, obscene gestures and spit from passing cars and where they also got thumbs-up signs, smiles, honks and waives. On Election Day our sons voted for the first time . We sat at polls, passed out more stickers, and served coffee and hot chocolate to voters.Senator Obama won Virginia by a large margin. He won Fauquier County by a smaller margin. He won Catlett, by one vote. We will never know who cast that one vote that put him over the top. But never again will my sons ask me if their vote makes a difference. They know it did.Senator Obama is winning elections because of one vote at a time. Every person who is inspired to hope that our country could ever be united or that we could have affordable health care or that we could improve educational opportunities for average folks or that we do not have to fight wars just so oil companies, the arms industry and Halliburton can make obscene profits while young Americans die too young, can make a difference. We know this because he won in Catlett by one vote.Diarists note: While Donna approves of use of this story in hopes that it will inspire other towns to work to get out the vote even if they are a strong underdog, she's very humble and says she's somewhat embarassed by all the attention the story has gotten already. She wants to me to mention that there were other families involved in this effort too- who stood in the freezing rain getting out the vote at the polls. I'm told that Rebecca Jaramillo and Bill Day were also an instrumental part of their 14 person group so they deserve a nod.What a great job from a small group of people who weren't afraid to hope despite the odds! Obama supporters from coast to coast salute you. I for one, won't forget the name Catlett, VA.
This is crazy! The first election in 40 years, that I have taken personal action to make a difference. I have already given money, time and now will lose some more sleep over this election.
I head out to the polling places in my area of Augusta County, at 4:00 am tomorrow , to plant OBAMA yard signs! These were a rare few signs that made it to the local Dem HQ in the nick of time for distrubution to polling stations.
Thanks to all... young and old ... who are making the valiant effort here in VA.
I had a phonebank call Monday evening, from a very nice 73 yr old lady from CALIFORNIA... making sure I was supporting Barak. How cool was that!? Made my day and her day at the same time.
Fight On... YES WE CAN!
I am taking a group to Harrisonburg, VA this weekend. This area is loaded with Independents and crossover Republicans, so it will be an area where we need to squeeze out some delegates!
Then I will be at the JJ Dinner in Richmond!
This is the 8th state I have campaigned in so far this cycle. I'm shooting for a baker's dozen!
Welcome all! WOW! I can't believe that there are this may people as members of my group already, that's really wonderful guys.
I have had the oppertunity to be involved with several other groups involved in the NOVA and Valley area to the south of us recently. I did some phone banking in Leesburg and some on-campus canvasing at JMU.
I think that there are some definate possibilties to canvas on the Shenandoah University campus as well as do some phone banking of our own in Winchester. I am currently talking to someone about donating some office space for us to use for phone banking. I don't think that we will be able to use their phone lines but it would be available for us to use as a 'home base' as it were for the next several weeks. We can use cells phones to do cold calls and I have a friend who is a major face in the Democratic party in the Winchester/Frederick County area who will be able to get me the info needed to make cold calling possible (aka call sheets of people who have voted in Democratic Primaries in the past several years). If any one has any other ideas please do not hesatate to let me know. All ideas are valid and welcome. This is about us remember. If change is going to happen it is going to happen becouse of us. We can make it happen but we have to be willing to do everything we can and give everything we can to it.
YES WE CAN!
Fired up and READY TO GO WINCHESTER!!!!!
All the best to you all and I will see and talk to you all soon!
Yours In Music,
Michael Parker
Delasso@aol.com
Winchester (Frederick County) for Obama group modarator.
