Shortly after releasing his official statement on tonight's historic vote, President Obama sent out the following email to supporters:
This evening, at 11:15 p.m., the House of Representatives voted to pass their health insurance reform bill. Despite countless attempts over nearly a century, no chamber of Congress has ever before passed comprehensive health reform. This is history. But you and millions of your fellow Organizing for America supporters didn't just witness history tonight -- you helped make it. Each "yes" vote was a brave stand, backed up by countless hours of knocking on doors, outreach in town halls and town squares, millions of signatures, and hundreds of thousands of calls. You stood up. You spoke up. And you were heard. So this is a night to celebrate -- but not to rest. Those who voted for reform deserve our thanks, and the next phase of this fight has already begun. The final Senate bill hasn't even been released yet, but the insurance companies are already pressing hard for a filibuster to bury it. OFA has built a massive neighborhood-by-neighborhood operation to bring people's voices to Congress, and tonight we saw the results. But the coming days will put our efforts to the ultimate test. Winning will require each of us to give everything we can, starting right now. Can you donate $25 or whatever you can afford so we can finish this fight? Tonight's vote brought every American closer to the secure, affordable care we need. But it was also a watershed moment in how change is made. Even after last year's election, many insider lobbyists and partisan operatives really thought that the old formula of scare tactics, D.C. back-scratching and special-interest money would still be enough to block any idea they didn't like. Now, they're desperate. Because, tonight, you made it crystal clear: the old rules are changing -- and the people will not be ignored. In the final phases of last year's election, I often reminded folks, "Don't think for a minute that power concedes without a fight," and it's especially true today. But that's okay -- we're not afraid of a fight. And as you continue to prove, when all of us work together, we have what it takes to win. Please donate to OFA's campaign to win this fight and ensure that real health reform reaches my desk by the end of this year.Let's keep making history, President Barack Obama
This evening, at 11:15 p.m., the House of Representatives voted to pass their health insurance reform bill. Despite countless attempts over nearly a century, no chamber of Congress has ever before passed comprehensive health reform. This is history. But you and millions of your fellow Organizing for America supporters didn't just witness history tonight -- you helped make it. Each "yes" vote was a brave stand, backed up by countless hours of knocking on doors, outreach in town halls and town squares, millions of signatures, and hundreds of thousands of calls. You stood up. You spoke up. And you were heard. So this is a night to celebrate -- but not to rest. Those who voted for reform deserve our thanks, and the next phase of this fight has already begun. The final Senate bill hasn't even been released yet, but the insurance companies are already pressing hard for a filibuster to bury it. OFA has built a massive neighborhood-by-neighborhood operation to bring people's voices to Congress, and tonight we saw the results. But the coming days will put our efforts to the ultimate test. Winning will require each of us to give everything we can, starting right now. Can you donate $25 or whatever you can afford so we can finish this fight? Tonight's vote brought every American closer to the secure, affordable care we need. But it was also a watershed moment in how change is made. Even after last year's election, many insider lobbyists and partisan operatives really thought that the old formula of scare tactics, D.C. back-scratching and special-interest money would still be enough to block any idea they didn't like. Now, they're desperate. Because, tonight, you made it crystal clear: the old rules are changing -- and the people will not be ignored. In the final phases of last year's election, I often reminded folks, "Don't think for a minute that power concedes without a fight," and it's especially true today. But that's okay -- we're not afraid of a fight. And as you continue to prove, when all of us work together, we have what it takes to win. Please donate to OFA's campaign to win this fight and ensure that real health reform reaches my desk by the end of this year.
Let's keep making history, President Barack Obama
Shortly after the House of Representatives concluded tonight's vote on health insurance reform, President Obama released the following statement:
Tonight, in an historic vote, the House of Representatives passed a bill that would finally make real the promise of quality, affordable health care for the American people.The Affordable Health Care for America Act is a piece of legislation that will provide stability and security for Americans who have insurance; quality affordable options for those who don’t; and bring down the cost of health care for families, businesses, and the government while strengthening the financial health of Medicare. And it is legislation that is fully paid for and will reduce our long-term federal deficit.Thanks to the hard work of the House, we are just two steps away from achieving health insurance reform in America. Now the United States Senate must follow suit and pass its version of the legislation. I am absolutely confident it will, and I look forward to signing comprehensive health insurance reform into law by the end of the year.
Shortly after meeting with House Democrats on Capitol Hill in advance of the health reform vote, President Obama delivered the following remarks from the ground of the White House:
Good afternoon, everybody. I just want to say a few words about the landmark vote that the House of Representatives is poised to take today -- a vote that can bring us one step closer to making real the promise of quality, affordable health care for the American people.For the better part of a year now, members of the House and the Senate have been working diligently and constructively to craft legislation that will benefit millions of American families and millions of American businesses who urgently need it. For the first time ever, they've passed bills through every single committee responsible for reform. They've brought us closer than we have ever been to passing health insurance reform on behalf of the American people.Now is the time to finish the job. The bill that the House has produced will provide stability and security for Americans who have insurance; quality, affordable options for those who don't; and lower costs for American families and American businesses. And as I've insisted from the beginning, it is a bill that is fully paid for and will actually reduce our long-term federal deficit.This bill is change that the American people urgently need. Don't just take my word for it. Consider the national groups who've come out in support of this bill on behalf of their members: The Consumers Union supports it because it will create -- and I quote -- "a more secure, affordable health care system for the American people." The American Medical Association and the American Nurses Association support it on behalf of doctors and nurses and medical professionals who know firsthand what's broken in our current system, and who see what happens when their patients can't get the care they need because of insurance industry bureaucracies.The National Farmers Union supports this bill because it will control costs for farmers and ranchers, and address the unique challenges rural Americans face when it comes to receiving quality care.And the AARP supports it because it will achieve the goal for which the AARP has been fighting for decades -- reducing the cost of health care, expanding coverage for America's seniors, and strengthening Medicare for the long haul.Now, no bill can ever contain everything that everybody wants, or please every constituency and every district. That's an impossible task. But what is possible, what's in our grasp right now is the chance to prevent a future where every day 14,000 Americans continue to lose their health insurance, and every year 18,000 Americans die because they don't have it; a future where crushing costs keep small businesses from succeeding and big businesses from competing in the global economy; a future where countless dreams are deferred or scaled back because of a broken system we could have fixed when we had the chance.What we can do right now is choose a better future and pass a bill that brings us to the very cusp of building what so many generations of Americans have sought to build -- a better health care system for this country.Millions of Americans are watching right now. Their families and their businesses are counting on us. After all, this is why they sent us here, to finally confront the challenges that Washington had been putting off for decades -- to make their lives better, to leave this country stronger than we found it. I just came from the Hill where I talked to the members of Congress there, and I reminded them that opportunities like this come around maybe once in a generation. Most public servants pass through their entire careers without a chance to make as important a difference in the lives of their constituents and the life of this country. This is their moment, this is our moment, to live up to the trust that the American people have placed in us -- even when it's hard; especially when it's hard. This is our moment to deliver.I urge members of Congress to rise to this moment. Answer the call of history, and vote yes for health insurance reform for America.
There are only a few hours left to contact your representative before the vote and add your voice to the President's call.
An update from President Obama:
There are only a few hours left to contact your representative before the historic House vote on health reform.
The deadline to vote on your favorite videos in the OFA Health Reform Video Challenge is tonight at midnight. The winning video will air as part of a national television ad buy as we enter the final stages of the health reform fight:
From Mitch Stewart:
This is it -- the House of Representatives will vote on health insurance reform tomorrow. All signs point to it being incredibly close, possibly even coming down to a single vote. With the clock ticking, insurance company lobbyists are going all out to stop reform. Please call your represenative now. President Obama is visiting the House tomorrow to call for reform, and I hope you'll add your voice to his right away. If you haven't called before, now is the time. And if you have recently called, thank you -- now please ask friends, family members, and co-workers in your district to join you. http://my.barackobama.com/HouseVote Everything we're fighting for comes down to moments like this -- and every second counts. Thanks for stepping up, Mitch
From the Boston Globe
An Army psychiatrist set to be shipped overseas opened fire at the Fort Hood Army post yesterday, authorities said, a rampage that killed 12 people and left 31 wounded in the worst mass shooting ever at a military base in the United States...President Obama called the shooting at the Soldier Readiness Center, where soldiers who are about to be deployed or who are returning undergo medical screening, “a horrific outburst of violence.’’“It’s difficult enough when we lose these brave Americans in battles overseas,’’ Obama said. “It is horrifying that they should come under fire at an Army base on American soil.’’
An Army psychiatrist set to be shipped overseas opened fire at the Fort Hood Army post yesterday, authorities said, a rampage that killed 12 people and left 31 wounded in the worst mass shooting ever at a military base in the United States...
President Obama called the shooting at the Soldier Readiness Center, where soldiers who are about to be deployed or who are returning undergo medical screening, “a horrific outburst of violence.’’
“It’s difficult enough when we lose these brave Americans in battles overseas,’’ Obama said. “It is horrifying that they should come under fire at an Army base on American soil.’’
From USA Today
As the U.S. House prepares to vote on the most sweeping expansion of health care coverage in four decades, President Obama heads to Capitol Hill on Friday to make a push for a bill that now has the support of powerful groups representing retirees and doctors…The legislation got important last-minute support from the nation's largest association of retirees, AARP, and the American Medical Association…Obama celebrated with an impromptu appearance before White House reporters. "I am extraordinarily pleased and grateful," he said. "We are closer to passing this reform bill than ever before."Pelosi on Thursday called the bill "historic," and said it will provide coverage for 36 million more Americans.
As the U.S. House prepares to vote on the most sweeping expansion of health care coverage in four decades, President Obama heads to Capitol Hill on Friday to make a push for a bill that now has the support of powerful groups representing retirees and doctors…
The legislation got important last-minute support from the nation's largest association of retirees, AARP, and the American Medical Association…
Obama celebrated with an impromptu appearance before White House reporters. "I am extraordinarily pleased and grateful," he said. "We are closer to passing this reform bill than ever before."
Pelosi on Thursday called the bill "historic," and said it will provide coverage for 36 million more Americans.
From The New York Times
House Republican leaders have produced their own health care reform bill. Here is the first thing you need to know: It would do almost nothing to reduce the scandalously high number of Americans who have no insurance. And it makes only a token stab at slowing the relentlessly rising costs of medical care…The Republican bill is an amalgam of market-oriented and state-based reforms that conservatives have long proposed, including enhancement of tax-sheltered accounts to help pay premiums and allowing people to buy insurance in other states that might permit skimpier benefits than their home state. It has some good provisions, such as prohibiting insurers from imposing annual or lifetime caps on what they will pay and automatic enrollment of workers in employer-sponsored group coverage. But it would not prevent insurers from denying coverage or charging higher premiums based on pre-existing conditions...
House Republican leaders have produced their own health care reform bill. Here is the first thing you need to know: It would do almost nothing to reduce the scandalously high number of Americans who have no insurance. And it makes only a token stab at slowing the relentlessly rising costs of medical care…
The Republican bill is an amalgam of market-oriented and state-based reforms that conservatives have long proposed, including enhancement of tax-sheltered accounts to help pay premiums and allowing people to buy insurance in other states that might permit skimpier benefits than their home state.
It has some good provisions, such as prohibiting insurers from imposing annual or lifetime caps on what they will pay and automatic enrollment of workers in employer-sponsored group coverage. But it would not prevent insurers from denying coverage or charging higher premiums based on pre-existing conditions...
The American Medical Association (AMA) and AARP, the nation's largest and most influential association of Americans over 50, endorsed the House's health reform legislation today, in advance of the historic vote scheduled for Saturday.
In a briefing to the press, President Obama said:
…I am extraordinarily pleased and grateful to learn that the AARP and the American Medical Association are both supporting the health insurance reform bill that will soon come up to a vote in the House of Representatives. When it comes to the AARP, this is no small endorsement. For more than 50 years, they have been a leader in the fight to reduce the cost of health care and expand coverage for our senior citizens. They are a non-partisan organization, and their board made their decision to endorse only after a careful, intensive, objective scrutiny of this bill. They're endorsing this bill because they know it will strengthen Medicare, not jeopardize it. They know it will protect the benefits our seniors receive, not cut them. So I want everybody to remember that the next time you hear the same tired arguments to the contrary from the insurance companies and their lobbyists. And remember this endorsement the next time you see a bunch of misleading ads on television. The AARP knows this bill will make health care more affordable. They know it will make coverage more secure. They know it's a good deal for our seniors. And that's why we're thrilled that they're standing up for this effort. The same is true for the doctors and medical professionals who are supporting this bill today. These are men and women who know our health care system best and have been watching this debate closely. They would not be supporting it if they really believed that it would lead to government bureaucrats making decisions that are best left to doctors. They would not be with us if they believed that reform would in any way damage the critical and sacred doctor-patient relationship. Instead, they're supporting reform because they've seen firsthand what's broken about our health care system. They've seen what happens when patients can't get the care they need because some insurance company has decided to drop their coverage or water it down. They've seen what happens when a patient is forced to pay out-of-pocket costs of thousands of dollars that she doesn't have to get the treatment she desperately needs. They've seen what happens when patients don't come in for regular check-ups or screenings because either their insurance company doesn't cover them or they can't afford health insurance in the first place. And they've seen far, far too much of their time spent filling out forms and haggling with insurance company bureaucrats. So the doctors of America know what needs to be fixed about our health care system. They know that health insurance reform would go a long way toward doing that. We are closer to passing this reform than ever before. And now that the doctors and medical professionals of America are standing with us; now that the organizations charged with looking out for the interests of seniors are standing with us, we are even closer. I want to thank both organizations again for their support, and I urge Congress to listen to AARP, listen to the AMA, and pass this reform for hundreds of millions of Americans who will benefit from it. Thank you.
…I am extraordinarily pleased and grateful to learn that the AARP and the American Medical Association are both supporting the health insurance reform bill that will soon come up to a vote in the House of Representatives.
When it comes to the AARP, this is no small endorsement. For more than 50 years, they have been a leader in the fight to reduce the cost of health care and expand coverage for our senior citizens. They are a non-partisan organization, and their board made their decision to endorse only after a careful, intensive, objective scrutiny of this bill. They're endorsing this bill because they know it will strengthen Medicare, not jeopardize it. They know it will protect the benefits our seniors receive, not cut them. So I want everybody to remember that the next time you hear the same tired arguments to the contrary from the insurance companies and their lobbyists. And remember this endorsement the next time you see a bunch of misleading ads on television.
The AARP knows this bill will make health care more affordable. They know it will make coverage more secure. They know it's a good deal for our seniors. And that's why we're thrilled that they're standing up for this effort.
The same is true for the doctors and medical professionals who are supporting this bill today. These are men and women who know our health care system best and have been watching this debate closely. They would not be supporting it if they really believed that it would lead to government bureaucrats making decisions that are best left to doctors. They would not be with us if they believed that reform would in any way damage the critical and sacred doctor-patient relationship.
Instead, they're supporting reform because they've seen firsthand what's broken about our health care system. They've seen what happens when patients can't get the care they need because some insurance company has decided to drop their coverage or water it down. They've seen what happens when a patient is forced to pay out-of-pocket costs of thousands of dollars that she doesn't have to get the treatment she desperately needs. They've seen what happens when patients don't come in for regular check-ups or screenings because either their insurance company doesn't cover them or they can't afford health insurance in the first place. And they've seen far, far too much of their time spent filling out forms and haggling with insurance company bureaucrats.
So the doctors of America know what needs to be fixed about our health care system. They know that health insurance reform would go a long way toward doing that.
We are closer to passing this reform than ever before. And now that the doctors and medical professionals of America are standing with us; now that the organizations charged with looking out for the interests of seniors are standing with us, we are even closer.
I want to thank both organizations again for their support, and I urge Congress to listen to AARP, listen to the AMA, and pass this reform for hundreds of millions of Americans who will benefit from it. Thank you.
From the Washington Post
House leaders put in motion the machinery to hold a rare Saturday vote on the most far-reaching expansion of the health-care system in more than 40 years.Many Democrats said passing the measure has become even more crucial politically after Republicans won governor's races in Virginia and New Jersey this week. So Democratic whips worked their rank and file, while House leaders tried to secure a momentum-building endorsement from the AARP, the nation's largest association of people over 50. President Obama, meanwhile, laid plans to visit Capitol Hill on Thursday or Friday to address House Democrats in a final push for his signature domestic initiative…Late Wednesday, a bill that Republicans expect to offer as an alternative to the Democratic package received its assessment from congressional budget analysts, who concluded that the proposal would barely dent the ranks of the uninsured.The measure would cover 3 million additional people at a cost of $60 billion through 2019, according to an analysis by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. The Democrats' bill, by comparison, would cover far more -- 36 million additional Americans -- at a much higher cost -- $1.055 trillion through 2019, the CBO has said…
From the Wisconsin State Journal
On the anniversary of last year's historic election, President Barack Obama on Wednesday told an audience of more than 600 at Madison's Wright Middle School that he wanted to use more than $4 billion in federal incentives to "make education America's national mission…"Stressing in his 31-minute speech that the "currency of today's economy is knowledge," Obama said states must adopt high standards for student achievement, hold teachers accountable and even be prepared to step in and take over failing schools to win competitive federal grants.To help Wisconsin qualify for a share of the $4.35 billion in "Race to the Top" stimulus money, lawmakers are expected Thursday to remove a barrier in state law to using student test scores as a factor in evaluating teachers. But a further reform endorsed by Obama - allowing the state superintendent to change the curriculum and even the personnel in failing schools - is on hold for now in the Legislature."I'm proud to say that already a number of states have taken us up on this challenge," Obama said. "In states like California and Indiana and Wisconsin, you're seeing steps taken to remove these so-called firewall laws so we can have a clear look at how well our children are learning and what can be done to help them learn better."
From The Nation
On November 4, 2008, Barack Obama won 66 percent of voters under 30, increasing the Democratic share of the youth vote by 12 percent over 2004. Young people were among Obama's earliest and most important supporters; people under 30, for example, represented Obama's margin of victory in Iowa, the crucial first caucus. Rallies like this one, with thousands of young people putting their hands in the air for healthcare reform, are the most obvious indication of continuing youth enthusiasm for the president…West had never touched politics before Obama, and now she's addicted, continuing to volunteer thirty-five hours a week for Organizing for America, the DNC group that grew out of the Obama campaign….In interviews with thirty young people around the country who worked on the Obama field campaign, almost all said that they continued their activism well after the endorphins of winning wore off. Obama has been called a rock star, but this group's experiences suggest that the campaign instilled a commitment to service, not a cult of personality. Though many former campaigners are still fans and several now work for the Obama administration, most are less interested in Washington politics than they are in community organizing. As former staffer Marcus Ryan, 25, says, "Once you turn on that community organizing perspective, it's hard to turn off…”
From the Terre Haute Tribune Star
Snacking on cheese and crackers in an upstairs apartment, political activists took time to celebrate where they were this time last year. Jim Wright, a local activist with Organizing for America, hosted an informal reunion of President Barack Obama’s campaign supporters on the second floor of a former Unitarian Church carriage house at 416 S. Sixth St…We need to remember what we were doing a year ago,” he said, explaining the importance of maintaining the group’s organization and energy. Angie Heath, a Vigo County schoolteacher, said Obama’s was the first campaign in which she’d ever participated. “I got involved because of the candidate,” she said, describing health care reform as “something I’m passionate about…”Kim Danner also listed health care reform as topping her concerns. A recent biopsy scare made her wonder what might happen if she lost her existing coverage and had to conduct a search while bearing a pre-existing condition…
A special message from Obama for America Campaign Manager David Plouffe:
One year ago today, you made history. We all knew that electing Barack Obama President was only the opportunity to bring about change; that we would all have to keep working to fulfill the promise our victory offered. And you've come through -- by making hundreds of thousands of calls to Congress to push health reform forward, by pouring your effort into seemingly insurmountable challenges time and again, and, since January, by building on the power of our campaign to create Organizing for America. And now, with the finish line on health reform in sight, we need your voice more than ever before. To mark this special day, President Obama just recorded a video for supporters like you -- please watch his message, and sign up to join OFA in your community today.Thank you so much for fighting so hard and giving so much to make the promise of a stronger, more just and prosperous America in the years ahead a reality: http://my.barackobama.com/Year My best, David Plouffe
One year ago today, you made history. We all knew that electing Barack Obama President was only the opportunity to bring about change; that we would all have to keep working to fulfill the promise our victory offered. And you've come through -- by making hundreds of thousands of calls to Congress to push health reform forward, by pouring your effort into seemingly insurmountable challenges time and again, and, since January, by building on the power of our campaign to create Organizing for America. And now, with the finish line on health reform in sight, we need your voice more than ever before. To mark this special day, President Obama just recorded a video for supporters like you -- please watch his message, and sign up to join OFA in your community today.
Thank you so much for fighting so hard and giving so much to make the promise of a stronger, more just and prosperous America in the years ahead a reality: http://my.barackobama.com/Year My best, David Plouffe
From Chuck C. in Lancaster, PA
Our group of volunteers worked from 7:00 a.m. til after 8:00 p.m. on Election Day 2008, then sat down to watch returns. Volunteers came straggling in from knocking on doors until after dark, and our phone bank was making calls equally late. We watched the early returns at the home of our host family, than moved to the home of another volunteer to watch for another hour or two. Then my wife and I went home to watch President-Elect Obama speak in Grant Park. It's impossible to describe how good a feeling that gave us. A year has passed, and I'm heartened by the progress I see in rebuilding our economy and crafting a health reform bill. I support President Obama as strongly today as I did on Election Night 2008.
From Greg M.:
On November 4th, 2008 I got a call to action to leave the town where I had been volunteering -- Phoenixville -- and spend the day in Coatesville, a priority GOTV city in Chester County. I still get all choked up when I think of one very special exchange I had with an older woman, Esther, in a retirement high-rise. I could not gain access to her building, but I noticed our walk lists also had phone numbers, so I sat in the lobby of her building, calling the residents, staring at my reflection in the drizzle-streaked window, making sure they voted. My hundreds of hours, my vacation time, my energy, my efforts, my everything, were all rewarded by Esther telling me that she voted for "Our man, Barack Obama." And as exciting as it was to go back to Phoenixville and join with the other volunteers to celebrate our victory, nothing compares to that quiet moment on the phone with Esther.
From Betty W.:
November 4, 2008 in some ways seems like a vague dream, but full of unforgettable moments. I remember the intensity, the exhilaration, and the total exhaustion afterward. We had a volunteer office in Penn Hills and the campaign staffers had constantly told us for months that Obama had to carry Pennsylvania to win. In order to carry Pennsylvania, we had to carry Allegheny County, and to carry Allegheny County, we had to carry Penn Hills, (the largest suburb outside the city).After the polls closed, about 12 of us met at Morgan’s restaurant and watched the election results. We were expecting a tight race for PA, and were amazed when it was announced about 9:00 p.m. that we had solidly won the state. By 11:05, Barack Obama had been declared the President-Elect. The next hours were spent on the phone sharing joyous emotions with fellow campaign warriors, family, friends... and most surprisingly, people I had not talked to in ages; they were reaching out to share the intensity of their emotions.The experience of this campaign and election forged bonds and relationships that I will cherish forever.
November 4, 2008 in some ways seems like a vague dream, but full of unforgettable moments. I remember the intensity, the exhilaration, and the total exhaustion afterward. We had a volunteer office in Penn Hills and the campaign staffers had constantly told us for months that Obama had to carry Pennsylvania to win. In order to carry Pennsylvania, we had to carry Allegheny County, and to carry Allegheny County, we had to carry Penn Hills, (the largest suburb outside the city).
After the polls closed, about 12 of us met at Morgan’s restaurant and watched the election results. We were expecting a tight race for PA, and were amazed when it was announced about 9:00 p.m. that we had solidly won the state. By 11:05, Barack Obama had been declared the President-Elect. The next hours were spent on the phone sharing joyous emotions with fellow campaign warriors, family, friends... and most surprisingly, people I had not talked to in ages; they were reaching out to share the intensity of their emotions.
The experience of this campaign and election forged bonds and relationships that I will cherish forever.
It's been 44 years since Hoosiers elected a Democrat president, but in 2008 we defied tradition by turning Indiana blue for President Obama.
One year later in living rooms, restaurants and diners across the state, we're keeping with that trend -- organizing Hoosiers around health insurance reform and bringing our movement one step closer to real reform this year. Tonight supporters of President Obama and health insurance reform are gathering to reminisce with old and new friends with old and new friends. They're gathering to celebrate the Obama Administration’s accomplishments in 2009, and map out plans for OFA.
Find an event near you and to come see what you can do to continue our movement of change.
From Caroline W., Baldwin, New York:
During GOTV in rural Indiana, I was canvassing in a public housing development. A mother answered one of my doorbell rings, with a child on her hip and another four inside the tiny co-op. When I asked her if she was planning to vote, she said "my husband takes care of that." I then asked her what she was concerned about. We talked for maybe five minutes, but it felt longer. I explained how her vote counts too, and how Obama's message addressed most of her concerns. She was beginning to nod. I asked her again if she was going to vote, and she hesitated. "Right down the road? That's where I have to go?" she asked. Yes, I responded, it's very close. She nodded again, and said, in a voice barely above a whisper, "Well, I think I can make that."
From Wendy W., Manitou Springs, Colorado:
An indelible memory for me was on Election Day and I was canvassing my neighborhood to get out the vote. I went to the house of an elderly gentleman, probably around 90, and drove him to the polling place. He was in his pajamas and barely able to walk, but he wanted to help make a change in this country. Holding onto his frail arm brought tears to my eyes, but he was so proud to get out and vote.
From Crystal Z., Greenfield, Massachusetts:
I was canvassing in New Hampshire and we decided to take the most out of the way places. We'd run into some scary characters a couple times, and were a little worried about going down this long overgrown drive with no apparent exit, but it was on our list and we were determined. Toward the end, we could see a ramshackle trailer, a lot of 'retired' cars and other assorted 'stuff'. We were about to turn around when a shirtless guy charged out of the trailer. "Hey! What're you doing on my property?" Bravely, my canvas partner got out of the car and said, "We're getting out the vote for Obama." The guy rushed over, patted him on the back and said, "Good job! He's got my vote, and I never even voted before." Phew.
From Arno M., Wisconsin:
The tears running down my face were the same tears shed by the Muslim women wearing hijabs to my right, the young Latina girls to my left, and the enormous prematurely-balding white guy who danced with his toddler son on his shoulders in front of me. I found myself talking to a conservatively dressed older black man named Maurice when Barack Obama's presidency was announced. We embraced in one of the nicest, most pure hugs I've ever had the pleasure of taking part in; two complete strangers from what would be pointed out as vastly different backgrounds prior to that night, now celebrating the wonderful similarities pointed out by our common aspiration.
From Jennifer G., St. Louis, Missouri:
I served as the Team Coordinator/Site Director for the Obama campaign in my ward. On Saturday morning, November 2nd, I arrived at our office to open up for the day to run a GOTV practice. I found one new volunteer already there waiting for us. His name was Henry, and as he introduced himself with a strong British accent, and I asked where he was from. He said he had just flown in from London because he just couldn't sit idly by and watch our election happen -- this election was too important, not just for the U.S., but for the world. He had read that Missouri was going to be one of the toughest battleground states, so he bought a ticket for St. Louis so that he could lend his time. He canvassed TIRELESSLY for us that entire weekend -- sun-up to sun-down -- and kept our spirits up when we started to drag. It was amazing how inspirational he was to our other volunteers and it was so fun to celebrate with him on November 4th when the victory was announced.I still have a bottle of champagne he purchased that night, sitting in my fridge. He told me to keep it because he was going to come back in 2012 to make sure that next time, we win Missouri too.
Yesterday evening at CSPS in Cedar Rapids, OFA volunteers and former campaign volunteers gathered to discuss their experiences on the campaign, and how to get involved with Organizing for America. Cedar Rapids is a special place for me, in 2007 I was lucky enough to help with President Obama's first campaign stop at Iowa, and I had the chance to work for the campaign in Linn County until election day last year. The event was right after the announcement speech in Springfield, and Kennedy High School had a packed gym to welcome the President. We had a standing room only crowd on a very cold day.
Many of our volunteers, including our Marion Community Organizer Gretchen Lawyer, got to see the President for the first time that day and are still involved with OFA. Other former staff for OFA Iowa that worked in our Cedar Rapids office include our Iowa Field Director Shira Miller, and our current OFA Regional Field Director Matt Beltrami.
Last night two of the President's earliest supporters spoke to the crowd, County Supervisor Lu Barron, and State Representative Tyler Olson. Both Lu and Tyler know the importance of the volunteers that helped get the President to where we are today. Volunteers working with OFA are going to be the deciding factor in making sure those issues that we were knocking doors for in the winter of 2007, become a reality in Washington today.
From Lisa T. in Boca Raton, Florida:
On election day last year, I was with neighbors, friends, family and other volunteers from the South Florida team at a restaurant in Boca Raton. I had just spent my third day knocking on doors in Lake Worth, and I was so sweaty and tired, but so so so happy we had turned Florida Blue!
From Ed P. in Port Charlotte, Florida:
I was sitting in my living room watching the returns when the West Coast polling places closed. It was announced that Barack Obama was projected to be the next President of the United States! I jumped up from my chair and let out a loud whoop! I sat up until the new first family made their appearance at Grant Park and was ecstatic when they all came out. I called several family members and friends to share my joy! The next day, I went to the campaign offices here in Port Charlotte to share my excitement with the staff and helped them clean out the offices after a long and enthusiastic campaign.
From Donna C. in Ft. Myers, Florida:
My husband, Larry Hahn and I were in Miami for his emergency eye surgery. Luckily, we had voted early that week in our home district of Ft. Myers. Both Larry and I cried when Barack Obama was declared our new President. We heard clapping, singing and horns coming from the surrounding apartment balconies and from the streets. We went out on our hotel balcony and joined in the spontaneous clapping and singing from our nearby neighbors. We received a joyous phone call from our friends in Ft. Myers that night wishing Larry well and celebrating our big win! Larry's emergency eye surgery was a success as well as our early votes!
From Johanna S. in Hialeah, Florida:
One year ago today, we were in the City of Hialeah. We were driving people to the polls, canvassing 100% of our turf, and making the extra push to get people out there. We listened to the results coming in and broke down in tears because we did what we came to do and were victorious.
Share your story.
From Diana C., a grassroots leader and original member of Buffalo for Obama:
I remember the feeling I felt during the elation of election night -- in the midst of the exhaustion and exhilaration of the crowd, not knowing whether to scream, laugh or cry, so we did all three at the same time....It can be summed up in that word we campaigned so hard on -- hope. A mixture of the pride of the accomplishment. The security of knowing that we had worked so hard for so long in a cause we felt so deeply and had won, and it was time to celebrate. But we have to keep on going. We are in the middle of the battle for health reform, this is one that I work on every day. Being embroiled in the middle of it, it is so easy to get caught up in each and every shift of the tide. To become discouraged when we lose a skirmish one day. But as I watched the president's speech in New York on October 20th I remembered how far we have come -- Congress is getting ready to debate a health reform bill on the floor of both houses -- AND they both contain a public option. That is AMAZING if you look at the long history of health reform. When you think of what we are up against and then look down at your own hands armed with only a clipboard and a cell phone it can be overwhelming. But we are winning with the sheer power of millions of voices.And that is the feeling of hope. That we are not at our destination, but we are at a rest stop on the road to it.So I am so glad to celebrate another milestone. One year from the night of elation after staying up a full 24 hours to make sure we crossed the goal line with the ball in our hands. And I am realizing in this moment that I am so proud to be on that road with millions of others who believe we can all have something better. That we can do something to make our country stronger.
I remember the feeling I felt during the elation of election night -- in the midst of the exhaustion and exhilaration of the crowd, not knowing whether to scream, laugh or cry, so we did all three at the same time....
It can be summed up in that word we campaigned so hard on -- hope. A mixture of the pride of the accomplishment. The security of knowing that we had worked so hard for so long in a cause we felt so deeply and had won, and it was time to celebrate.
But we have to keep on going. We are in the middle of the battle for health reform, this is one that I work on every day. Being embroiled in the middle of it, it is so easy to get caught up in each and every shift of the tide. To become discouraged when we lose a skirmish one day. But as I watched the president's speech in New York on October 20th I remembered how far we have come -- Congress is getting ready to debate a health reform bill on the floor of both houses -- AND they both contain a public option. That is AMAZING if you look at the long history of health reform. When you think of what we are up against and then look down at your own hands armed with only a clipboard and a cell phone it can be overwhelming. But we are winning with the sheer power of millions of voices.
And that is the feeling of hope. That we are not at our destination, but we are at a rest stop on the road to it.
So I am so glad to celebrate another milestone. One year from the night of elation after staying up a full 24 hours to make sure we crossed the goal line with the ball in our hands. And I am realizing in this moment that I am so proud to be on that road with millions of others who believe we can all have something better. That we can do something to make our country stronger.
Today marks one year since we elected President Obama to the White House. Across the country, supporters are sharing with us their memories of election night in 2008. Share your story.
Lynda Woolard is a Community Organizer from New Orleans, Louisiana:
On the night of November 4, 2008, I was at the official Obama for America Election Night Watch Party in New Orleans, three blocks from the Maple Street Headquarters at Phillips Restaurant & Bar. I had spent the day answering questions about polling locations and giving out the voter protection hotline number. I spent the better part of the evening passing out the hundreds of "Generation Obama" Mardi Gras beads I had assembled the night before. From the day he declared he was going to run, I had been unfaltering in my confidence that hope would prevail this time and Barack Obama would be the next President of the United States. I was a cheerleader. We COULD win this thing. We MUST win this thing. But on election night, I was a nervous wreck. The significance of all we had been fighting for weighed heavy on me. Everything came down to this moment. Most of our volunteers and staff were at Phillips for the party, and someone actually snapped a shot of me as victory was announced. What an incredible gift it is for me to have this image captured. While I look deliriously happy, believe me, this is really the look of a woman who is relieved. It felt as if I had been holding my breath for hours. Tears were to follow. Lots of them. But I was not alone. There were smiles and tears combined everywhere I looked. It was wonderfully surreal; both exhausting and exhilarating. I am emotional even now looking back. I remain proud of our President, and I am honored to be a small part of the movement now with Organizing for America. I wouldn't have wanted to miss a second of it, or a single Yes We Can.
On the night of November 4, 2008, I was at the official Obama for America Election Night Watch Party in New Orleans, three blocks from the Maple Street Headquarters at Phillips Restaurant & Bar. I had spent the day answering questions about polling locations and giving out the voter protection hotline number. I spent the better part of the evening passing out the hundreds of "Generation Obama" Mardi Gras beads I had assembled the night before.
From the day he declared he was going to run, I had been unfaltering in my confidence that hope would prevail this time and Barack Obama would be the next President of the United States. I was a cheerleader. We COULD win this thing. We MUST win this thing. But on election night, I was a nervous wreck. The significance of all we had been fighting for weighed heavy on me. Everything came down to this moment.
Most of our volunteers and staff were at Phillips for the party, and someone actually snapped a shot of me as victory was announced. What an incredible gift it is for me to have this image captured. While I look deliriously happy, believe me, this is really the look of a woman who is relieved. It felt as if I had been holding my breath for hours. Tears were to follow. Lots of them. But I was not alone. There were smiles and tears combined everywhere I looked.
It was wonderfully surreal; both exhausting and exhilarating. I am emotional even now looking back. I remain proud of our President, and I am honored to be a small part of the movement now with Organizing for America. I wouldn't have wanted to miss a second of it, or a single Yes We Can.
Do you have a great memory from the election last year that you'd like to share? Tell us your story!
From Teresa H. in Henderson, Nevada:
I was a Neighborhood Team Leader, active the whole cycle, and took off from work the last three weeks before Election Day to launch canvasses from my garage. On the last Sunday evening before election day, my field organizer and two other volunteers were in my garage, tallying the day's completed walk packets when my phone rang. It was David Plouffe on a national conference call. "Stand by for Senator Obama." I put the call on speakerphone. While we waited, Plouffe informed us of the day's phenomenal results: over one million calls made and doors knocked. I felt so proud that here in Henderson hundreds of volunteers had done our part. Then Barack Obama came on the line, urging us not to assume victory, not to let up, not for a second. "There's a righteous wind at our backs," he concluded. I wept then and still tear up at the memory. Tears are running down my face as I type this. I invested considerable time, personal life and money in electing this president and would do it all again in a heartbeat.
From Lisa M. in St Clair, Michigan:
I took my five year old daughter out to put up door hangers with voting information and reminders a few nights before the election. The next day, after I picked her up from school, SHE asked ME if we could go out again. So, back we went to the staging house to get a few more. After all her hard work, I didn't want her to miss out on "voting." So, on election morning, I took her with me. She patiently stood in line for an hour without complaining. She was late for school, but her teacher understood. She got her "future voter" sticker and was happy as could be. Plus, she learned a new word - "campaigning" - and used it often.
From Eric C. in Tempe, Arizona:
I recall talking to my mother who grew up in pre-civil rights America and the sense of history she felt the day that she voted for Barack Obama.
From Samantha S. in Honolulu, Hawaii:
I remember waking up at 6 a.m. to watch the election night speech live and crying through the entire thing.
Dorothy Lipschultz in Naples, Florida:
On election day, I was alone in front of my TV. I shed a few tears of joy! We had worked so hard for so many hours. We made calls and we knocked on doors. We trained volunteers and we fed lots of volunteers that came in to work. We ran errands, we registered new voters, we made some special lasting friendships. Now, we must return to work to continue to help President Obama and Vice President Biden fulfill the promises they made and to clean up the mess that was left to them.
