Citizens of Tallahassee and North Florida who support Senator Obama's bid for presidency in 2008.
We'll try and have local monthly meetings as the campaign progresses, and as the election nears we'll organize political outreach events in the community to try and gain the support of our fellow citizens.
Amazing. I am soo excited and emotional to be in this space of time, to be alive and present with my son on this glorious and historical day,
The day has finally arrived, WE BELIEVED, WE HOPED and WE DID!
GOD BLESS PRESIDENT BARRACK OBAMA!!
Lest we forget, here is Caroline Kennedy's endorsement of Barack Obama from January of 2008:
A President Like My FatherBy CAROLINE KENNEDYPublished: January 27, 2008OVER the years, I’ve been deeply moved by the people who’ve told me they wished they could feel inspired and hopeful about America the way people did when my father was president. This sense is even more profound today. That is why I am supporting a presidential candidate in the Democratic primaries, Barack Obama.My reasons are patriotic, political and personal, and the three are intertwined. All my life, people have told me that my father changed their lives, that they got involved in public service or politics because he asked them to. And the generation he inspired has passed that spirit on to its children. I meet young people who were born long after John F. Kennedy was president, yet who ask me how to live out his ideals.Sometimes it takes a while to recognize that someone has a special ability to get us to believe in ourselves, to tie that belief to our highest ideals and imagine that together we can do great things. In those rare moments, when such a person comes along, we need to put aside our plans and reach for what we know is possible.We have that kind of opportunity with Senator Obama. It isn’t that the other candidates are not experienced or knowledgeable. But this year, that may not be enough. We need a change in the leadership of this country — just as we did in 1960.Most of us would prefer to base our voting decision on policy differences. However, the candidates’ goals are similar. They have all laid out detailed plans on everything from strengthening our middle class to investing in early childhood education. So qualities of leadership, character and judgment play a larger role than usual.Senator Obama has demonstrated these qualities throughout his more than two decades of public service, not just in the United States Senate but in Illinois, where he helped turn around struggling communities, taught constitutional law and was an elected state official for eight years. And Senator Obama is showing the same qualities today. He has built a movement that is changing the face of politics in this country, and he has demonstrated a special gift for inspiring young people — known for a willingness to volunteer, but an aversion to politics — to become engaged in the political process.I have spent the past five years working in the New York City public schools and have three teenage children of my own. There is a generation coming of age that is hopeful, hard-working, innovative and imaginative. But too many of them are also hopeless, defeated and disengaged. As parents, we have a responsibility to help our children to believe in themselves and in their power to shape their future. Senator Obama is inspiring my children, my parents’ grandchildren, with that sense of possibility.Senator Obama is running a dignified and honest campaign. He has spoken eloquently about the role of faith in his life, and opened a window into his character in two compelling books. And when it comes to judgment, Barack Obama made the right call on the most important issue of our time by opposing the war in Iraq from the beginning.I want a president who understands that his responsibility is to articulate a vision and encourage others to achieve it; who holds himself, and those around him, to the highest ethical standards; who appeals to the hopes of those who still believe in the American Dream, and those around the world who still believe in the American ideal; and who can lift our spirits, and make us believe again that our country needs every one of us to get involved.I have never had a president who inspired me the way people tell me that my father inspired them. But for the first time, I believe I have found the man who could be that president — not just for me, but for a new generation of Americans.Caroline Kennedy is the author of “A Patriot’s Handbook: Songs, Poems, Stories and Speeches Celebrating the Land We Love.”
http://www.youtube.com/v/4FCNKwHRCQM
Smear emails like this one have been going around the Internet for months, and every word of them is manipulative and false. The truth is, Barack Obama is a committed Christian, and faith plays an important role in his life and the lives of his wife and daughters. He has never held any other faith.The YouTube video this smear cites has been heavily edited. For the transcript of Senator Obama's original speech, please click here:http://obama.senate.gov/speech/060628-call_to_renewal/Shameful shadowy smear emails started by anonymous attackers lie about Barack’s faith to create division and distrust in a time when we need to come together. Preying on cynicism and people's worst instincts is the worst kind of appeal to hate and fear, and it should have no place in our elections.There's no way to stop all of the dangerous, misleading viral emails, but together we can take the political process back from the cynical politics of fear. And we can all start by spreading the truth about Barack Obama. Start by heading to Fight the Smears, where you can find out the truth about a wide range of attacks on Barack:
http://www.fightthesmears.com Learn more about Barack's position on faith: http://www.barackobama.com/issues/faith/ And learn more about Barack's own faith: http://fightthesmears.com/articles/3/baracksfaith Here are a few facts about Barack Obama and his faith: * Barack has spoken often about his Christian faith: "I learned that my sins could be redeemed. I learned that those things I was too weak to accomplish myself, He would accomplish with me if I placed my trust in Him.… kneeling beneath that cross on the South Side, I felt I heard God's spirit beckoning me. I submitted myself to His will, and dedicated myself to discovering His truth and carrying out His works."
http://www.barackobama.com/2007/06/23/a_politics_of_conscience_1.php
* Barack Obama has been endorsed by a number of prominent Christian leaders, including Brian McLaren and Rev. Kirbyjon Caldwell. A group of pastors has also praised Obama for standing up for American families and addressing social justice concerns:
http://features.csmonitor.com/politics/2008/08/21/new-christian-group-airs-ads-%E2%80%93-for-obama/
* Other Christian leaders have announced they are supporting Barack Obama, and you can watch their video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6eUkc9GCMEQ
* Barack believes faith can be a powerful force to help those who need it most. As President, he will establish a Council for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships to help churches and religious groups provide much-needed social services in their communities:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/02/us/politics/02obama.html?_r=1&ref=politics&oref=sloginPlease forward this to anyone you know who has received hateful smear emails about Barack. Together we can make sure these negative and divisive attacks don't affect this election.
Early Voting for the entire state of Florida has just been extended.
Every Early Vote location in Florida will now be every day from 7am-7pm up through November 2.
Please pass along this great news to everyone you know who will be voting in Florida. Click here to find your nearest early vote location.
Here's the release:
GOVERNOR CRIST EXTENDS EARLY VOTING HOURS ~~ ~Ensures maximum number of Floridians can exercise right to vote~ ~~October 28, 2008Contact:GOVERNOR'S PRESS OFFICE(850) 488-5394TALLAHASSEE - Governor Charlie Crist today signed Executive Order 08-217, extending the hours for early voting during the current General Election. Effective immediately, early voting sites will be open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., through Friday, October 31, 2008, and for a total of 12 hours between 7:00 a.m. on Saturday, November 1, and 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, November 2, 2008. "I have spoken with the Secretary of State and members of the Florida Legislature and have concluded that it is always the right thing to do to give voters every opportunity to cast a ballot," Governor Crist said. "I have a responsibility to the voters of our state to ensure that the maximum number of citizens can participate in the electoral process, and that every person can exercise the right to vote." Prior to the 2008 General Election, Florida has seen historic numbers of Floridians registering to vote for the first time. In addition, record numbers of voters have chosen to cast a ballot during early voting. Early voting began on October 20 and runs through November 2. Current Florida law allows for early voting to be conducted eight hours per day on each weekday, and for a total of eight hours during both weekends during the early voting period. Floridians can contact their county's Supervisor of Elections for dates, times and locations of early voting. Florida voters can also request absentee ballots to be mailed to them until October 29. Please see the attached Executive Order 08-217. STATE OF FLORIDA OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR EXECUTIVE ORDER NUMBER 08-217 WHEREAS, early voting is scheduled to end November 2, 2008; and WHEREAS, early voting turnout has already reached record levels and is forecast to continue with record turnout. There are only 267 early voting sites throughout the state and long lines have formed at many of the early voting sites; and WHEREAS, a historic number of Floridians have registered to vote for the first time in this election; and WHEREAS, new voting equipment is being used in 15 Florida counties; WHEREAS, as a result of this unique combination of circumstances resulting from the historic voter turnout in this election, there is a possibility that election officials will be unable to conduct an orderly election, and thus residents in our state could be deprived of a meaningful opportunity to vote; andWHEREAS, because of the existing and continuing possibility of an emergency occurring before or during the regularly scheduled election, and in order to ensure maximum citizen participation in the electoral process, and provide a safe and orderly procedure for persons seeking to exercise their right to vote;NOW, THEREFORE, I, CHARLIE CRIST, as Governor of Florida, by virtue of the authority vested in me by Article IV, Section 1(a) of the Florida Constitution, by the Florida Elections Emergency Act, and by all other applicable laws, issue the following Executive Order, to take immediate effect:I hereby declare that, based on the above-described conditions, a state of emergency exists. It is hereby found and declared to be necessary to extend the voting hours during early voting. Accordingly, I order the Supervisors of Elections to open early voting sites from 7 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. through October 31, 2008 and open early voting sites for a total of twelve (12) hours between 7 a.m. November 1, 2008 and 7 p.m. November 2, 2008.IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Great Seal of the State of Florida to be affixed, at Tallahassee, the Capitol, this 28th day of October, 2008. GOVERNORATTEST:SECRETARY OF STATE
GOVERNOR CRIST EXTENDS EARLY VOTING HOURS
~~ ~Ensures maximum number of Floridians can exercise right to vote~ ~~
October 28, 2008
Contact:
GOVERNOR'S PRESS OFFICE(850) 488-5394
TALLAHASSEE - Governor Charlie Crist today signed Executive Order 08-217, extending the hours for early voting during the current General Election. Effective immediately, early voting sites will be open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., through Friday, October 31, 2008, and for a total of 12 hours between 7:00 a.m. on Saturday, November 1, and 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, November 2, 2008.
"I have spoken with the Secretary of State and members of the Florida Legislature and have concluded that it is always the right thing to do to give voters every opportunity to cast a ballot," Governor Crist said. "I have a responsibility to the voters of our state to ensure that the maximum number of citizens can participate in the electoral process, and that every person can exercise the right to vote."
Prior to the 2008 General Election, Florida has seen historic numbers of Floridians registering to vote for the first time. In addition, record numbers of voters have chosen to cast a ballot during early voting.
Early voting began on October 20 and runs through November 2. Current Florida law allows for early voting to be conducted eight hours per day on each weekday, and for a total of eight hours during both weekends during the early voting period. Floridians can contact their county's Supervisor of Elections for dates, times and locations of early voting.
Florida voters can also request absentee ballots to be mailed to them until October 29.
Please see the attached Executive Order 08-217.
STATE OF FLORIDA
OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR
EXECUTIVE ORDER NUMBER 08-217
WHEREAS, early voting is scheduled to end November 2, 2008; and
WHEREAS, early voting turnout has already reached record levels and is forecast to continue with record turnout. There are only 267 early voting sites throughout the state and long lines have formed at many of the early voting sites; and
WHEREAS, a historic number of Floridians have registered to vote for the first time in this election; and
WHEREAS, new voting equipment is being used in 15 Florida counties;
WHEREAS, as a result of this unique combination of circumstances resulting from the historic voter turnout in this election, there is a possibility that election officials will be unable to conduct an orderly election, and thus residents in our state could be deprived of a meaningful opportunity to vote; and
WHEREAS, because of the existing and continuing possibility of an emergency occurring before or during the regularly scheduled election, and in order to ensure maximum citizen participation in the electoral process, and provide a safe and orderly procedure for persons seeking to exercise their right to vote;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, CHARLIE CRIST, as Governor of Florida, by virtue of the authority vested in me by Article IV, Section 1(a) of the Florida Constitution, by the Florida Elections Emergency Act, and by all other applicable laws, issue the following Executive Order, to take immediate effect:
I hereby declare that, based on the above-described conditions, a state of emergency exists. It is hereby found and declared to be necessary to extend the voting hours during early voting. Accordingly, I order the Supervisors of Elections to open early voting sites from 7 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. through October 31, 2008 and open early voting sites for a total of twelve (12) hours between 7 a.m. November 1, 2008 and 7 p.m. November 2, 2008.
IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Great Seal of the State of Florida to be affixed, at Tallahassee, the Capitol, this 28th day of October, 2008.
GOVERNOR
ATTEST:
SECRETARY OF STATE
The New York Times editorial board has endorsed SenatorBarack Obama as the 44th president of the United States,stating: "We believe he has the will and the ability to forgethe broad political consensus that is essential to findingsolutions to this nation's problems."
http://www.nytimes.com/?emc=na October 24, 2008EditorialBarack Obama for President Hyperbole is the currency of presidential campaigns, but this year the nation's future truly hangs in the balance.The United States is battered and drifting after eight years of President Bush's failed leadership. He is saddling his successor with two wars, a scarred global image and a government systematically stripped of its ability to protect and help its citizens — whether they are fleeing a hurricane's floodwaters, searching for affordable health care or struggling to hold on to their homes, jobs, savings and pensions in the midst of a financial crisis that was foretold and preventable.As tough as the times are, the selection of a new president is easy. After nearly two years of a grueling and ugly campaign, Senator Barack Obama of Illinois has proved that he is the right choice to be the 44th president of the United States.•Mr. Obama has met challenge after challenge, growing as a leader and putting real flesh on his early promises of hope and change. He has shown a cool head and sound judgment. We believe he has the will and the ability to forge the broad political consensus that is essential to finding solutions to this nation's problems.In the same time, Senator John McCain of Arizona has retreated farther and farther to the fringe of American politics, running a campaign on partisan division, class warfare and even hints of racism. His policies and worldview are mired in the past. His choice of a running mate so evidently unfit for the office was a final act of opportunism and bad judgment that eclipsed the accomplishments of 26 years in Congress.Given the particularly ugly nature of Mr. McCain's campaign, the urge to choose on the basis of raw emotion is strong. But there is a greater value in looking closely at the facts of life in America today and at the prescriptions the candidates offer. The differences are profound. Mr. McCain offers more of the Republican every-man-for-himself ideology, now lying in shards on Wall Street and in Americans' bank accounts. Mr. Obama has another vision of government's role and responsibilities. In his convention speech in Denver, Mr. Obama said, "Government cannot solve all our problems, but what it should do is that which we cannot do for ourselves: protect us from harm and provide every child a decent education; keep our water clean and our toys safe; invest in new schools and new roads and new science and technology."Since the financial crisis, he has correctly identified the abject failure of government regulation that has brought the markets to the brink of collapse.The EconomyThe American financial system is the victim of decades of Republican deregulatory and anti-tax policies. Those ideas have been proved wrong at an unfathomable price, but Mr. McCain — a self-proclaimed "foot soldier in the Reagan revolution" — is still a believer. Mr. Obama sees that far-reaching reforms will be needed to protect Americans and American business.Mr. McCain talks about reform a lot, but his vision is pinched. His answer to any economic question is to eliminate pork-barrel spending — about $18 billion in a $3 trillion budget — cut taxes and wait for unfettered markets to solve the problem. Mr. Obama is clear that the nation's tax structure must be changed to make it fairer. That means the well-off Americans who have benefited disproportionately from Mr. Bush's tax cuts will have to pay some more. Working Americans, who have seen their standard of living fall and their children's options narrow, will benefit. Mr. Obama wants to raise the minimum wage and tie it to inflation, restore a climate in which workers are able to organize unions if they wish and expand educational opportunities.Mr. McCain, who once opposed President Bush's tax cuts for the wealthy as fiscally irresponsible, now wants to make them permanent. And while he talks about keeping taxes low for everyone, his proposed cuts would overwhelmingly benefit the top 1 percent of Americans while digging the country into a deeper fiscal hole.National SecurityThe American military — its people and equipment — is dangerously overstretched. Mr. Bush has neglected the necessary war in Afghanistan, which now threatens to spiral into defeat. The unnecessary and staggeringly costly war in Iraq must be ended as quickly and responsibly as possible.While Iraq's leaders insist on a swift drawdown of American troops and a deadline for the end of the occupation, Mr. McCain is still taking about some ill-defined "victory." As a result, he has offered no real plan for extracting American troops and limiting any further damage to Iraq and its neighbors. Mr. Obama was an early and thoughtful opponent of the war in Iraq, and he has presented a military and diplomatic plan for withdrawing American forces. Mr. Obama also has correctly warned that until the Pentagon starts pulling troops out of Iraq, there will not be enough troops to defeat the Taliban and Al Qaeda in Afghanistan. Mr. McCain, like Mr. Bush, has only belatedly focused on Afghanistan's dangerous unraveling and the threat that neighboring Pakistan may quickly follow.Mr. Obama would have a learning curve on foreign affairs, but he has already showed sounder judgment than his opponent on these critical issues. His choice of Senator Joseph Biden — who has deep foreign-policy expertise — as his running mate is another sign of that sound judgment. Mr. McCain's long interest in foreign policy and the many dangers this country now faces make his choice of Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska more irresponsible.Both presidential candidates talk about strengthening alliances in Europe and Asia, including NATO, and strongly support Israel. Both candidates talk about repairing America's image in the world. But it seems clear to us that Mr. Obama is far more likely to do that — and not just because the first black president would present a new American face to the world.Mr. Obama wants to reform the United Nations, while Mr. McCain wants to create a new entity, the League of Democracies — a move that would incite even fiercer anti-American furies around the world. Unfortunately, Mr. McCain, like Mr. Bush, sees the world as divided into friends (like Georgia) and adversaries (like Russia). He proposed kicking Russia out of the Group of 8 industrialized nations even before the invasion of Georgia. We have no sympathy for Moscow's bullying, but we also have no desire to replay the cold war. The United States must find a way to constrain the Russians' worst impulses, while preserving the ability to work with them on arms control and other vital initiatives.Both candidates talk tough on terrorism, and neither has ruled out military action to end Iran's nuclear weapons program. But Mr. Obama has called for a serious effort to try to wean Tehran from its nuclear ambitions with more credible diplomatic overtures and tougher sanctions. Mr. McCain's willingness to joke about bombing Iran was frightening. The Constitution and the Rule of LawUnder Mr. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney, the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, the justice system and the separation of powers have come under relentless attack. Mr. Bush chose to exploit the tragedy of Sept. 11, 2001, the moment in which he looked like the president of a unified nation, to try to place himself above the law. Mr. Bush has arrogated the power to imprison men without charges and browbeat Congress into granting an unfettered authority to spy on Americans. He has created untold numbers of "black" programs, including secret prisons and outsourced torture. The president has issued hundreds, if not thousands, of secret orders. We fear it will take years of forensic research to discover how many basic rights have been violated.Both candidates have renounced torture and are committed to closing the prison camp in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba.But Mr. Obama has gone beyond that, promising to identify and correct Mr. Bush's attacks on the democratic system. Mr. McCain has been silent on the subject.Mr. McCain improved protections for detainees. But then he helped the White House push through the appalling Military Commissions Act of 2006, which denied detainees the right to a hearing in a real court and put Washington in conflict with the Geneva Conventions, greatly increasing the risk to American troops. The next president will have the chance to appoint one or more justices to a Supreme Court that is on the brink of being dominated by a radical right wing. Mr. Obama may appoint less liberal judges than some of his followers might like, but Mr. McCain is certain to pick rigid ideologues. He has said he would never appoint a judge who believes in women's reproductive rights.The Candidates It will be an enormous challenge just to get the nation back to where it was before Mr. Bush, to begin to mend its image in the world and to restore its self-confidence and its self-respect. Doing all of that, and leading America forward, will require strength of will, character and intellect, sober judgment and a cool, steady hand.Mr. Obama has those qualities in abundance. Watching him being tested in the campaign has long since erased the reservations that led us to endorse Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton in the Democratic primaries. He has drawn in legions of new voters with powerful messages of hope and possibility and calls for shared sacrifice and social responsibility. Mr. McCain, whom we chose as the best Republican nominee in the primaries, has spent the last coins of his reputation for principle and sound judgment to placate the limitless demands and narrow vision of the far-right wing. His righteous fury at being driven out of the 2000 primaries on a racist tide aimed at his adopted daughter has been replaced by a zealous embrace of those same win-at-all-costs tactics and tacticians.He surrendered his standing as an independent thinker in his rush to embrace Mr. Bush's misbegotten tax policies and to abandon his leadership position on climate change and immigration reform.Mr. McCain could have seized the high ground on energy and the environment. Earlier in his career, he offered the first plausible bill to control America's emissions of greenhouse gases. Now his positions are a caricature of that record: think Ms. Palin leading chants of "drill, baby, drill."Mr. Obama has endorsed some offshore drilling, but as part of a comprehensive strategy including big investments in new, clean technologies. •Mr. Obama has withstood some of the toughest campaign attacks ever mounted against a candidate. He's been called un-American and accused of hiding a secret Islamic faith. The Republicans have linked him to domestic terrorists and questioned his wife's love of her country. Ms. Palin has also questioned millions of Americans' patriotism, calling Republican-leaning states "pro-America."This politics of fear, division and character assassination helped Mr. Bush drive Mr. McCain from the 2000 Republican primaries and defeat Senator John Kerry in 2004. It has been the dominant theme of his failed presidency. The nation's problems are simply too grave to be reduced to slashing "robo-calls" and negative ads. This country needs sensible leadership, compassionate leadership, honest leadership and strong leadership. Barack Obama has shown that he has all of those qualities.
Yesterday, CNN actually got around to reporting the news about the "Obsession" DVD that has been doing the rounds -- 28 million rounds! -- in the swing states; I live in Florida and am registered Democrat so you know I got one!
It turns out that the Clarion Fund are in some trouble over it since nonprofit organizations are not allowed to produce propaganda or announce their political views to the entire world. They also refuse to say who funded this. So, after a couple of minutes worth of Google and Wikipedea time, I find that one of the organizations behind the DVD is called Endowment for Middle East Truth (EMET). You will notice that sitting on the board is a certain James Woolsey who, oddly enough, used to be the Director of Central Intelligence...
Smell anything fishy...?!?
Obama/Biden '08!!
Does anyone have any ideas about how I should answer inquiries like this one:
"I am not a US citizen, but is there anything that we can do to help the Obama campaign in/from the UK?"
I am inclined to request prayers. Any other ideas?
Thanks.
Mike Underwood
Tallahassee, Florida USA
Wow, a sit com length commercial from Obama, to be aired almost right before election. I have to say I am pretty excited about this one, almost like waiting for the fist epiosde of a new show (hopefully this metaphor is a sign of things to come, keep your fingers crossed guys)
Check for more details here: http://kronomy.com/event/2bLnWX5swt/
Ruth
Need an article or video to convince an undecided voter to vote for Obama/Biden?MakeFloridaCount.com archives articles, videos and other organizing resources so that people making calls and going door to door can have easy access to the latest material. Organizers should look carefully at the left hand column of the site for useful resources. Here's a breakdown of some of what's there.Character Counts - What to expect from Barack Obama * The New Yorker endorsement * Press Conference on State of the Economy * Chicago Jews on their experience with Obama * Obama's speech on race and reaction to Rev. Wright Uproar * SFGate - Obama profile * NYTimes Obama archive
Character Counts - What to expect from John McCain * John McCain's Rage * NYTimes - Politics of Attack * Keating Economics * The Straight Talk Express (exposed) * NYTimes - McCain lifelong gambler * George Will - Can a dismaying temperment be fixed? * Nicholas Kristof - Impulsive, Impetuous, ImpatientNew organizing resources are added daily - MakeFloridaCount.com.
In unity.
Barbara Myers
please see extended post for more resources.
Today in Minnesota John McCain showed a little bit of his true self and was forced to defend Barack Obama against his base supporters. While it wasnt a ringing endorsement, he did the brave thing and stood up for Obama, when the easiest thing to do was remain silent.
Obama can sieze on this moment to further solidify his lead.
First, he should publicly thank McCain for standing up and maintaining a sense of decency. He should propose suspending all negative campaigning if the the McCain camp agrees (which they won't), and focus on improving our country through intelligent policy debate.
Second, and most significantly, Barack should put together a poignant and well publicized speech (a la his "race" speech) focusing on ending our divisiveness and uniting as a country in difficult times. The speech should not name McCain, should not blame anyone, and should not address policy or issues. It should be a broad announcement to America, something presidential -- a true demonstration of leadership.
I beleive that Obama's recent negative campaigning ("erratic," and the Keating video) is understandable considering the recent turn by Republicans, but Barack Obama does not need negativity to win the election. He has a significant electoral lead. From this perspective, democratic negativity comes across as petty and spiteful.
If the entire Obama camp does not rise above the negativity, they are only stoking the dangerous hate riled up by the McCain's campaign. Something that could come back to haunt Obama and Democrats.
Now is our opportunity to seize the moment, lock in a landslide victory, and begin making a real difference in this country, even before the Obama presidency oficially begins.
ps It would also be perfectly timed if he could get this together the day before the debate, essentially erasing McCain's shot of turning the debate negative.
How do we get this idea off the ground?
Since I've only lived in the USA for 8 years, and been a natrualized citizen for 3, I have struggled somewhat with the meaning of what it is to be 'Patriotic'.
To the best of my knowledge, being a patriot is, plainly and simply, contained at the end of Article II, Section 1, Clause 8 of the Constitution:
"I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."
From that I think we can assume that a patriot, in it's purest sense, is someone who will indeed "...preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."
What it does not say is that you should do whatever the government, or, more precisely, the Bush administration, tells us to; they have, as we have found to our great cost, been known to lie on occasion.
Personally, I saw the whole Iraq war ramp-up coming from a mile away. And I also knew that it was a bunch of crap!
World War II... now there was a war that people could get behind, could believe that they were laying down their lives for a purpose, and a good one at that. But Iraq? Does anyone know why we're there, or why we went there to begin with. I don't know why we're there -- not for sure anyway -- and I don't know anyone else who does.
In The Federalist Papers, Hamilton & Madison were accutely aware of the risk of the government becoming usurped and corrupted. They inisisted that attempts to undermine the constituion be spoken out against. The key would be vigilance, but then they also assumed the American people were 'enlightened'. Well, maybe they were at the time but now? I hardly think so.
And so I have to ask, is questioning the government's motives behind war, not supporting their views, and not believing that it is my duty to fight a war based on lies an affront to patriotism? Does it make me a traitor?
Not according to the Framers of the Constitution.
And so, when I hear someone in one of Palin's audiences shout 'treason!' in reference to Senator Obama, I can only believe that their patriotism is sadly misplaced.
The very meaning has been warped by the Republicans to mean that their 'followers' do whatever they ask of them... no questions asked.
From Lincoln's Gettysburg address:
"... that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom--and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."
This means, no matter what you might be told, that our -- Res publica -- Republican form of government is there for us and not the other way around.
Obama/Biden '08!
Just looking at the debate, I really can't say who I feel performed better. It's all pretty standard from both sides, no earth shattering new policies revealed and no major bloopers besides both sides stretching the facts a little, but that's to be expected in all political debates. What do you guys think?
http://kronomy.com/event/7GKhrYmWFt/
usbattle.com
