Me being Me - Look where a joke takes my mind !
This is a perfect illustration of why my friends deserve a special spot in heaven and why my husband should immediately be knighted for having lived with me for 17 years ! I recieve this cute little e-mail and this is where my mind takes me. Sit back and keep reminding yourself of why you are so lucky you don't live with me.
However this is also why Senator Obama's committment to our veterans matters to me so much and why his philosophy is in line with my own... so I will consider myself in good company.
It was freezing cold in Waterloo last night, but that didn't stop more than 1,000 people from coming to hear Barack talk about the change he can bring to Washington. In this video, he explains the need for more transparency and bringing Republicans and Democrats together to get things done on tough issues like health care reform:
WATERLOO, Iowa — Senator Barack Obama is seeking to capitalize on a moment of opportunity in the weeks before the Iowa caucuses to challenge Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton’s long dominance of the Democratic field, and in doing so, he now faces intensified questions about his vulnerabilities in a general election.
These days, Mr. Obama spends less time acknowledging Mrs. Clinton as he speaks to Iowans. But he finds himself at the center of a fusillade of criticism from his rivals, including an assertion by former President Bill Clinton that to elect Mr. Obama would be to “roll the dice” for America — a comment that validates the political threat Mr. Obama poses.
Mr. Obama, in an interview on Friday, addressed the shift in sentiment about his prospects of beating Mrs. Clinton in Iowa and holding her off in New Hampshire and other states that follow. “A month ago, I was an idiot,” he said. “This month, I’m a genius.”
The campaign of Mr. Obama, which slogged uncertainly through a period in the late summer and fall, alarming contributors who feared that he might have missed his moment, is now brimming with confidence as he delivers a closing argument to Iowa voters. His speeches are noticeably crisper, his poise is more consistent and many supporters say they no longer must rely upon a leap of faith to envision him winning the nomination.
With one week remaining before the campaign pauses for Christmas, Mr. Obama is dashing through a 22-city tour from the Mississippi River in the east to the Missouri River in the west, rushing to lock in voters before a holiday interlude. His organization faces its greatest test yet: turning enthusiasm among many grass-roots Democrats into widespread support at the caucuses on Jan. 3 in precincts that will decide the outcome, particularly rural areas where his support still remains uneven after 10 months of campaigning.
As he traveled across Iowa a month ago, a chief element of Mr. Obama’s pitch was to draw sharp contrasts with Mrs. Clinton and to urge voters to consider whether she had been truthful in explaining her positions. One of the few mentions he made about his rival here Saturday was to respond to criticism by associates of the Clinton campaign that he was too inexperienced and his background was unexamined.
“I understand that there’s a history of politics being all about slash and burn and taking folks down,” Mr. Obama, of Illinois, told reporters. “I recall the Clintons themselves calling it the politics of personal destruction, which they decried. My suspicion is that’s just not where the country’s at right now. They are not interested in politics as a blood sport.”
Yet despite a fresh sense of confidence surrounding Mr. Obama, the race in Iowa remains remarkably unsettled, and on Saturday evening The Des Moines Register’s editorial pages announced its endorsement of Mrs. Clinton. Many potential caucusgoers are still making up their minds — or are open to changing them — as the six major Democratic candidates unleash advertising that urge voters to consider the gravity of the election.
A variety of polls show Mr. Obama, at worst, to be in a dead heat with Mrs. Clinton in Iowa and strongly gaining on her in New Hampshire, which will have a primary election on Jan. 8.
Strategists for Mr. Obama said that they believed he had sufficiently answered questions about his experience. But fresh doubts are being injected into the atmosphere of the race every day. In an advertisement, another Democratic opponent, Senator Joseph R. Biden Jr. of Delaware, says that “being president is not the same as running for president.”
Still, Mr. Obama finds himself in the tightest competition with Mrs. Clinton, who dropped her above-the-fray posture and became more combative in recent weeks, but even more directly with John Edwards, a former senator from North Carolina who placed second here in 2004 and has staked his candidacy on a strong showing. Mr. Edwards released a new television advertisement on Saturday, in which he says, “Saving the middle class is going to be an epic battle, and that’s a fight I was born for.”
Reflecting concern about Mr. Edwards’s campaign, Mr. Obama briefly mentioned him at a campaign stop on Saturday in Independence when he responded to criticism from Mr. Edwards about Mr. Obama’s health care plan. Both candidates are fighting for many of the same voters, a point underscored by their travel itineraries practically mirroring each other.
With the war in Iraq having lost some of its intensity as a distinguishing point among Democratic candidates (several audiences barely applauded on Saturday when Mr. Obama stated his opposition to the war), other issues have come to the fore, like health care, the economy and which candidate is best suited to win the general election.
Mr. Obama is seeking to remind voters of his judgment, temperament and unifying approach to seize upon what many Democrats see as a moment of vulnerability for Mrs. Clinton. At the same time, he has narrowed his focus to a micro-level in Iowa, calling sheriffs, local officials and prospective precinct captains when he passes through town.
Before leaving Iowa for the weekend, Mrs. Clinton forcefully, if obliquely, pressed the case that she was not only more experienced than Mr. Obama, but better able to take on what is sure to be an aggressive campaign by the Republican nominee.
“I’ve been vetted,” Mrs. Clinton, of New York, told reporters on Friday. “I’ve been tested. There are no surprises.”
An adviser to Mrs. Clinton’s campaign suggested last week that Mr. Obama’s admission of drug use as a young man could weaken his candidacy. Her campaign repudiated the remarks, Mrs. Clinton apologized and the adviser resigned. But she and her aides have kept the issue alive by referring to it publicly in what appeared to be an effort to drive up negative views of his character and to raise doubts about his ability to weather a general election.
In an interview, Mr. Obama responded that voters would ultimately be turned off by such attacks on him, particularly about his admission more than a decade ago that he used marijuana and cocaine in his youth.
“My past and my character seemed to be fine when I was 20 points down,” Mr. Obama said. “Those kinds of tactics or strategies, I think, are emblematic of an old politics. It’s the exactly the kind of politics that the American people are tired of.”
In the final 18 days of the race here, Mr. Obama intends to devote nearly all of his time to Iowa, with the exception of a two-day trip to New Hampshire. He completed his final fund-raiser of the year on Tuesday in Seattle, which freed his schedule for 15-hour days of back-to-back rallies and town meetings, a pace far more hectic than much of the year.
“The political climate on the night of the caucuses is as important to turnout as anything,” said his campaign manager, David Plouffe. “Right now, we have a good climate, but the next 20 days will seem like 20 years.”
So in the closing weeks of the race, as volunteers make about 10,000 phone calls every night on behalf of Mr. Obama except on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, they are given the task of collecting an answer to a new piece of information: If you are going away for the holidays, will you be back by Jan. 3?
In such a tight race, Mr. Plouffe said, a margin of 2,000 or 3,000 could tip the balance. That is why none of the candidates are leaving any possibilities to chance, from the students who will be 18 by Election Day in 2008 to the older voters who are being gently asked to stick around Iowa until the caucuses before moving to a warmer climate for the winter.
As he reaches out to those voters, Mr. Obama imposes upon them a heavy sense of responsibility. At the same time, he seems to unwittingly raise expectations for his own campaign here.
“You in Iowa have this extraordinary privilege of choosing who the next president of the United States is going to be,” Mr. Obama told an audience in Guttenberg on the opening leg of his bus tour. “Whoever wins this caucus is likely to win the nomination and is likely to win the presidency.”
By CLYNTON NAMUONew Hampshire Union Leader Correspondent
DURHAM – Sen. Barack Obama crushed the competition in a mock presidential primary at the University of New Hampshire this week. In results announced yesterday, Obama topped the Democratic field, garnering 890 votes, or 55 percent of ballots cast, easily outdistancing his closest competitors, Sen. Hillary Clinton and former Sen. John Edwards, who received 275 and 206 votes, respectively. On the Republican side, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani bested competitors with 242 votes (29 percent), beating Sen. John McCain and Congressman Ron Paul, who got 161 and 155 votes, respectively. ►For full UNH mock primary results, click here. ►Editor and Publisher: Bill says Hillary needs "miracle" in Iowa The numbers help shed light on 18- to 25-year-old voters, who tend to be more liberal and optimistic, often supporting candidates who are the same way, UNH assistant professor of political science Alynna Lyon said yesterday. Lyon said Obama's message of hope was a clear winner among students and called the support he got "impressive." On the flip side, the contest between Clinton and Edwards was much closer than expected, she said. "Statistically, that puts John Edwards and Clinton in a dead heat," she said. Officials did not track how many of the students who voted were actually registered or likely to vote, but the numbers do have some parallels to what has been happening on a larger scale throughout the state. Obama has gained ground on Clinton, recent polls show, and Paul has indeed attracted a strong following in the state, especially among younger voters. "Nobody would've expected a year ago that Ron Paul and John McCain would be in a dead heat anywhere in New Hampshire," Lyon said. Lyon also said Giuliani's strong showing is probably a result of a boost in campaign ads throughout the area and because he is seen as more liberal than his competitors. Of the university's 12,500 students, 2,438 voted. School officials pointed out yesterday that nearly 2,200 of the student voters live in campus dorms, making turnout for those who live on campus close to 50 percent. Obama backers predicted yesterday that the mock primary results are the beginning of an oncoming wave of support and said they show that students are more in tune with politics than most believe. "His message of hope and change really resonates with students here," said junior John Barrier, 20, of Leicester, Mass., who is president of UNH Students for Obama. "It shows UNH students pay attention to presidential politics and they don't fall for the name recognition."
Wow!! I have gone from being a supporter of Barack Obama to being an impassioned supporter for Barack. I got home from the JJ event in Des Moines at 2:00 AM Sunday, tired but with an energy that won't stop. I couldn't believe I was marching with a group of 4000 to Vet's Aud. doing the chants at the top of my lungs. I felt like a kid again. On a more serious note, Barack and Michelle's participation in the day's events was a class act and I am proud to do anything I can to make sure in my little corner of the world that he comes out with the most delegates from my precinct. I sat there listening to his speech with tears in my eyes. He passion for this country and what needs to happen to change America came through loud and clear. His speech was presidential and set him apart from his competitors.We all need to step it up a notch until January 3 to show the country that the best candidate for President of the United States IS Barack Obama.
Last Thursday, Senator Obama held a town hall at the Black Hawk County Boys and Girls Club in Waterloo. His focus was how to help our National Guardsmen and women cope with the increased strain of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Earlier this year, more than 600 soldiers in Iowa’s National Guard had their tours in Iraq extended to 16 months, and the families of those soldiers (and soldiers all over the country) are suffering due to these long deployments. Barack understands that supporting those who wear the uniform of the United States is our solemn obligation.
Barack was introduced at this event by Sergeant Ryan Murphy, a Guardsman from Waterloo who recently got back from Iraq. Ryan supports Barack because of the judgment and courage he showed in opposing the Iraq war from the very start. Here’s some video from the event.
What do you think about Barack’s ideas to honor our commitment to our service men and women?
What a day !!!!! It was to say the least the most upbeat and positive event i have attended to far.
If you havn't looked at the pics from the event, you really must take the time. The line of supporter was huge, and I felt the energy it created!!
Oh, and the reviews from all the different news reporters, wow, what coverage it got !
Let's keep this energy going!! Get out and talk to everyone you know, or meet, and spread the word, lets make history !!!
Every avalanche begins with a snowflake, every garden begins with seeds and every movement begins with a handful of folks who want change. This past weekend, the Obama for America campaign has shown just how hungry for change Iowans and people across America really are.I have worked in local Iowa politics since 2000 in one way or another, and never have I seen the type of excitement surrounding one candidate this early, as I have seen with the Obama for America campaign.
In 2006, during our first volunteer driven canvass program, we had less than 10 volunteers show up in Waterloo. It is truly remarkable that less than one year later over 100 canvassers knocked the doors of their family, friends and neighbors in the Cedar Valley.
It is a testament to Barack’s ability to turn the excitement into tangible results. Most of our volunteers were from the Cedar Valley area but we also had some of Barack’s supporters from the Chicago area helping us out. They were led by Barack’s good friend U.S. Rep. Danny Davis.
Rep. Davis gave a riveting speech before our canvassers began their decent into our great community, reminding us all why we are supporting Barack Obama for President of the United States of America.The important thing to remember is that an avalanche can not begin with a few snowflakes. Those snowflakes have to be accompanied by more snowflakes on top of more snowflakes until a swelling of snow begins to overflow, sparking an eruption of snow that builds upon itself down a hill.
The same must be said for this movement. A hundred or so volunteers is a great start, but we need more to keep the pressure on and the momentum going, until we can spark an eruption of change.
This campaign is built around the idea that the American people are ready for a change – they’re ready to end the war in Iraq, for universal health care and they’re ready for an improved education system for our children – and Barack Obama is the face of that change.
Again, Mr. Obama doesn't dissapoint !! I took my mother and 13 year old daughter to see him speak yesterday. I was very impressed with the massive turnout. Of course ya know we got there early and were right down front !
You know that he gave a riviting and very energetic speach if it can hold the attention of a 13 year old girl. She didn't take her eyes off him through the whole thing. My mother was equally impressed with him and his ideas.
When he finished speaking and was shaking hands, i had the opportunity to introduce him to my mom and my daughter. My daughter about fell down when he grabbed her hand and made this comment " What a pretty girl, very pretty girl". ( She is very pretty by the way...lol)
I plan to attend more events, and have purchased his books, and hope to have them signed at some point in the comming months. I also plan to continue my efforts to inform my friends, family, neighbors and community as a whole about Mr. Obama and my overwhelming desire to see him become our next president !!!!
Lets all do our part !
Today was my first opportunity to hear, in person, Mr Obama speak. WOW !!!!!!!!! I was excited about him before, but after hearing him and seeing him( standing directly in front of me) and getting to personally ask him a question on health care, I am even more determined to do my part to support him and his campaign.
Every person accross the country should have this opportunity. I know not everyone will. So, my thought, tell everyone accross the country about this web site, and have them view Barak speak here.
I hope each person who is even slightly interested in seeing Mr Obama become our next president do something, however small to help him achieve this goal. Volunteer, donate, speak to family, friends, co-workers and let them know that together we can make a difference in our country's future and WE HAVE THE MAN THAT CAN DO THE JOB !!!
Thank-you
Tamara
