allGLBT for OBAMA = gay lesbian bisexual transgender

Meeting with Zoe Lofgren

L J Laubenheimer — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 04:42:28 EDT

"Politics of the possible"

Tuesday, September 1, my SO and I had a face to face meeting with our congresscritter, Rep. Zoe Lofgren.

I had emailed her office last week, asking to set up a meeting. They called me Monday, said she'd had cancellations, could I come the next afternoon for a ten minute meeting. Of course I said yes - I'm unemployed, and live a few blocks away, but even if I'd been working I would have taken time off.

Knowing full well that ten minutes just wouldn't be enough to cover all of the issues I was concerned with, I typed up a list - my own words, the real concerns I had.

At the top of that list was healthcare. Then came GLBT issues. Then economy and finance, and more.

We brought copies, one for us, one for Zoe, one for her aides.

Yes, she has to be diplomatic, she has to negotiate with the rest of the House. She declined to comment on my sentiment that Grassley and Baucus were a waste of space. I felt like she was trying not to chuckle.

But I also felt that she needed to hear from the little people - the working (or unemployed) person, the woman trying to start a small consulting business, the people paying the highest tax rates when working because they're gay, childfree renters without tax shelters.

If people like me are willing to fork over for singlepayer, or at least a strong public option, then the rest of the contry can give up a little for the assurance that they and their children will have healthcare regardless of their economic circumstance.

She agreed with me on the GLBT items, talked about trying to get some of the more strident religious folks to see how gay marriage really isn't a threat to their religious freedom.

She told me, she has to be diplomatic, but as an activist, I don't.

Activists and advocates don't need to put their positions in terms of compromise, and we shouldn't.

The right wing knows this, and is ready to fling shit.

We need to push, and hard. We need to let our congresspeople know what we need.

Believe me, Rep Lofgren will be seeing me again. I'll be keeping track, and there will be praise given or questions asked.

Your Reps work for you. Make the time to go see them. Write down your concerns, so they have stuff to take back to Washington with them.

NEPA Pridefest 2009 (Organizing For America Event)

Bill Browne — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 19:53:33 EDT

NEPA Pridefest 2009 (Community Service)NEPA Pridefest 2009 is scheduled for Sunday, August 9th, in Wilkes Barre City's Kirby Park from Noon till 5:00 pm. We are planning to have vendors, entertainment/music and more. THIS WILL BE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR THE GLBT COMMUNITY AND THEIR ALLIES TO COME OUT AND SHOW THEIR SUPPORT AND FOR US TO SHOW OUR SUPPORT FOR THEM.***** ORGANIZING FOR AMERICA WILL HAVE A BOOTH COVERING THE ISSUES *****

Join National Online Discussion: Health Care Reform

EsquireUK — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 09:36:16 EDT

On Wednesday, President Obama will hold another online town hall, this time focused on health care reform. From WhiteHouse.gov:

This online town hall will be a little different than the last one. This time around, we are engaging online networks outside of WhiteHouse.gov, such as Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.
You can get started today by watching the President's video and posting your 20-30 second video response here:

National Health Care Day of Service

EsquireUK — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 12:36:30 EDT

National Health Care Day of Service

This summer, Organizing for America will fight to ensure Americans receive much-needed health care reform in 2009. Community service is a critical piece of our health care campaign and our National Health Care Day of Service on June 27, 2009 will highlight its importance.

These health care service projects give volunteers a chance to make an impact in their own communities while we simultaneously fight for long term, systemic health care reform.

Why Service?

Volunteers who participate in the National Health Care Day of Service will be stronger advocates for health care reform. Volunteer projects directly expose participants to the reality of our country’s health care system and the millions of people who it is currently failing.

Suggested National Health Care Day of Service Opportunities:

Where do you see the need for health care reform in your community? Some ideas include:

• Volunteer at a Community Health Center
• Coordinate a Community Blood Drive
• Run a Healthy Food Drive
• Provide education to the community on Children's Health Insurance Programs

Download our Host Guide for more information.

http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/servicehost

You don’t need to be an expert to help out. If you have a few hours to spare, you can help people near you get the care they need, and raise awareness about the urgent reform our nation requires.

President Obama: This Is Just A Start...

EsquireUK — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 11:25:54 EDT

President Obama just concluded signing a Presidential Memorandum directing the Secretary of State and the Director of the Office of Personnel Management to extend benefits to the same-sex partners of Federal employees, where doing so can be achieved consistent with Federal law. The President also added:

This Presidential Memorandum is just a start. Unfortunately, my Administration is not authorized by existing Federal law to provide same-sex couples with the full range of benefits enjoyed by heterosexual married couples. That's why I stand by my long-standing commitment to work with Congress to repeal the so-called Defense of Marriage Act. It's discriminatory, it interferes with States' rights, and it's time we overturned it.
Here's the full text of the President's statement:

In 2007, Michael Guest, the first openly gay Ambassador confirmed by the United States Senate, resigned from the Foreign Service. He loved his career, but he had to leave it in the end -- because he believed that the country he served was failing to implement the principles of equality it espoused abroad. His partner was ineligible for training provided to Ambassadorial spouses; he bore the costs of his partner's transportation to his placements abroad; and his partner did not receive the overseas benefits and allowances given to spouses of Ambassadors.

It is too late to prevent Ambassador Guest from having to make the choice he made, but today I am proud to issue a Presidential Memorandum that will go a long way toward achieving equality for many of the hard-working, dedicated, and patriotic LGBT Americans serving in our Federal Government -- Americans like Ambassador Guest. In consultation with Secretary Clinton, who in her role as Secretary of State oversees our foreign service employees, and Office of Personnel Management Director John Berry, who oversees human resource management for our civil service employees, my Administration has identified a number of areas in which greater equality can be achieved under existing law by extending to the same-sex partners of Federal employees many of the same benefits already available to the spouses of heterosexual Federal employees. I am therefore requesting the Secretary of State and the Director of the Office of Personnel Management to extend the benefits they have identified to the same-sex partners of Federal employees where doing so can be achieved consistent with Federal law. I am also requesting the heads of all other executive departments and agencies to conduct a review of the benefits they administer to determine which may legally be extended to same-sex partners.

But this Presidential Memorandum is just a start. Unfortunately, my Administration is not authorized by existing Federal law to provide same-sex couples with the full range of benefits enjoyed by heterosexual married couples. That's why I stand by my long-standing commitment to work with Congress to repeal the so-called Defense of Marriage Act. It's discriminatory, it interferes with States' rights, and it's time we overturned it.

I am also proud to announce my support for an important piece of legislation introduced in both Houses of Congress last month -- the Domestic Partners Benefits and Obligations Act of 2009. This legislation will extend to the same-sex partners of Federal employees the same benefits already enjoyed by the opposite-sex spouses of Federal employees. The legislation has a number of co-sponsors in both Houses of Congress, but among those many sponsors, I want to recognize one in particular -- Representative Tammy Baldwin, who has been a real leader on this issue, and more broadly on the LGBT struggle for equality. Representative Baldwin, I look forward to working with you to achieve the important objectives set out in this bill as it moves through the legislative process. I also look forward to working with the bill's Senate champions, Senators Lieberman and Collins; I know that they will approach this process with the same spirit of cooperation in pursuit of our shared goals that they bring to all of their work in the Senate.

Extending equal benefits to the same-sex partners of Federal employees is the right thing to do. It is also sound economic policy. Many top employers in the private sector already offer benefits to the same-sex partners of their employees; those companies recognize that offering partner benefits helps them compete for and retain the brightest and most talented employees. The Federal Government is at a disadvantage on that score right now, and change is long overdue.

As Americans, we are all affected when our promises of equality go unfulfilled. Through measures like the Presidential Memorandum I am issuing today and the Domestic Partners Benefits and Obligations Act of 2009, we will advance the principles upon which our Nation was founded and continue to perfect our Union.

Withhold Contributions Until Obama Comes Through on His Promise

A Private Person — Sat, 16 May 2009 15:34:30 EDT

I would expect that very many gay or gay-friendly people contributed many millions of dollars to Obama's presidential campaign.

Those of us who did are currently being asked to continue to support the President's work through "Organizing for America" (and perhaps other groups).

Even Nancy Pelosi has stated that it is "not the right time" to address same-sex marriage at the federal level.

I suggest that we all respond to such solicitations for financial support with something along these lines:

=============
If you want my continued financial support, you're going to have to honor your campaign promise to grant all 1,138 federal rights of marriage to same-sex couples.

Not a penny until that's done. You don't get to choose "when the time is right" for equal protection under the law.
=============

Why wait? Sneak ending "Don't ask, don't tell" into the stimulus bill. The Religious Right won't even notice

Me — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 17:21:15 EST

http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/01/14/obama.gays.military/

You said on the campaign that people told you to wait until you were "experienced" to be president, but wisely knew that our time is now. Nothing you can do will end the recession quickly, so while everyone is distracted by the economy, use this opportunity to keep campaign promises to the LGBT community, environmental activists, and the various groups that got you elected. If you get this kind of work done, you will be reelected in 2012 and given a wide berth on the economy.

America...Change Can't Happen Without You

EsquireUK — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 23:24:47 EST

Monday, 5th January 2009

Washington, D.C.

The historic grassroots Barack Obama presidential campaign captured through the lens of http://phottto.blogspot.com/

REMEMBERING OUR DEAD NOV 20TH

Danielle Clarke USA Vietnam Vet — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 14:34:16 EST

http://www.gender.org/remember/day/

The Transgender Day of Remembrance was set aside to memorialize those who were killed due to anti-transgender hatred or prejudice. The event is held in November to honor Rita Hester, whose murder on November 28th, 1998 kicked off the “Remembering Our Dead” web project and a San Francisco candlelight vigil in 1999. Rita Hester’s murder — like most anti-transgender murder cases — has yet to be solved.

Although not every person represented during the Day of Remembrance self-identified as transgendered — that is, as a transsexual, crossdresser, or otherwise gender-variant — each was a victim of violence based on bias against transgendered people.

We live in times more sensitive than ever to hatred based violence, especially since the events of September 11th. Yet even now, the deaths of those based on anti-transgender hatred or prejudice are largely ignored. Over the last decade, more than one person per month has died due to transgender-based hate or prejudice, regardless of any other factors in their lives. This trend shows no sign of abating.

The Transgender Day of Remembrance serves several purposes. It raises public awareness of hate crimes against transgendered people, an action that current media doesn’t perform. Day of Remembrance publicly mourns and honors the lives of our brothers and sisters who might otherwise be forgotten. Through the vigil, we express love and respect for our people in the face of national indifference and hatred. Day of Remembrance reminds non-transgendered people that we are their sons, daughters, parents, friends and lovers. Day of Remembrance gives our allies a chance to step forward with us and stand in vigil, memorializing those of us who’ve died by anti-transgender violence.

If you are coordinating a TDOR and you do not see your event listed here, please contact Ethan St.Pierre, Radicalguy@gmail.com

BELOW FROM ETHAN A FTM

I am still gathering more information on the other 2 Iraqi women who are listed at the bottom of the page.

Including those 2 women, there are now 29 people on this list.

I am updating the statistics and events locations while I wait for more information.

Kellie Telesford
Location: Thornton Heath, UK
Cause of Death: Strangled
Date of Death: November 21, 2007
Kellie was strangled to death with a scarf, by 18 year old Shanniel Hyatt, who then covered the body of 39-year-old Kellie Telesford with a white blanket - with the brown furry scarf used to choke her still bound tightly round her neck. Hyatt said he killer her after discovering she had a penis.

Brian McGlothin (Liked to dress in Women's clothes
Location: Cincinnati, Ohio
Cause of Death: Shot in the head with an automatic rifle by Antonio Williams who is serving a six year sentence. Brian was 25 years old.
Date of Death: December 23, 2007

Gabriela Alejandra Albornoz
Location: Santiago, Chile
Cause of Death: Attacked and stabbed
Date of Death: December 28, 2007

Patrick Murphy (Found Dressed in Women's clothes)
Location: Albuquerque, NM
Cause of Death: Shot Several times in the head
Date of Death: January 8, 2008
Patrick was 39 years old.

Stacy Brown
Location: Baltimore, MD
Cause of Death: Shot in the head
Date of Death: January 8, 2008
Stacy was 30 years old.

Adolphus Simmons
Location: Charleston, SC
Cause of Death: Shot to Death (Aldophus was 18 yrs. old)
Date of Death: January 21, 2008

Fedra (a known transvestite)
Location: Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia
Cause of Death: Was found lying face up in a pool of blood,
cause of death was not reported.
Date of Death: January 22, 2008

Ashley Sweeney
Location: Detroit, Michigan
Cause of Death: Shot in the head
Date of Death: February 4, 2008
The age of Ashley Sweeney is unknown, she was only described as a young transgender woman in a press release.

Sanesha (Talib) Stewart
Location: Bronx, NY
Cause of Death: Stabbed to Death
Date of Death: February 10, 2008
Sanesha was 25 years old.

Lawrence King
Location: Oxnard, California
Cause of Death: Shot to death by a classmate because he liked to wear
women's clothes. (Lawrence King was 15 years old).
Date of Death: February 12, 2008

Simmie Williams Jr.
Location: Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Cause of Death: Shot to death, Simmie was found wearing women's clothing. (Simmie was 17 years old)
Date of Death: February 22, 2008

Luna (no last name reported)
Location: Lisbon, Portugal
Cause of Death: Brutally beaten to death and tossed into a dumpster.
Date of Death: March 15, 2008

Lloyd Nixon
Location: West Palm Beach, Florida
Cause of Death:Repeatedly beat in the head with a brick.
Date of Death: April 16, 2008
Lloyd was 45 years old.

Felicia Melton-Smyth
Location: Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
Cause of Death: brutally stabbed to death by Francisco Javier Hollos, who said he killed her because she would not pay for sex. Felicia was an HIV activist on vacation from Wisconsin.
Date of Death: May 26, 2008

Silvana Berisha
Location: Hamburg, Germany
Cause of Death: Stabbed to Death
Date of Death: June 24, 2008

Ebony (Rodney) Whitaker
Location: Memphis, Tennessee
Cause of Death:Shot (Ebony was 20 yrs. old)
Date of Death:July 1, 2008

Rosa Pazos
Location: Sevilla, Spain
Cause of Death: Was found in her apartment, she had been stabbed in the throat.
Date of Death: July 11, 2008

Juan Carlos Aucalle Coronel
Location: Lombardi, Italy
Cause of Death severely beaten causing fractures to the head and face before being run over by a car.
Date of Death July 14, 2008
Juan Carlos was 35 years old.

Angie Zapata
Location: Greeley, Colorado
Cause of Death: She was found in her home with two severe fractures in her skull.
Angie was murdered by 31 year old, Alan Ray Andrade. Angie was 18 years old.
Date of Death: July 17, 2008

Jaylynn L. Namauu
Location: Makiki Honolulu, Hawaii
Cause of Death: Stabbed to Death
Date of Death: July 17, 2008
Jaylynn was 35 years old.

Samantha Rangel Brandau
Location: Milan, Italy
Cause of Death: beaten, gang raped and stabbed numerous times before being left for dead.
Date of Death: July 29, 2008
Samantha was 30 years old.

Ruby MolinaLocation: Sacramento, California
Cause of Death: Drowned
Date of Death: September 21, 2008
Ruby's naked body was found floating in the American river.
She was 22 years old.

Aimee Wilcoxson
Location: Aurora, Colorado
Cause of Death: undetermined (Police have yet to reveal cause)
Date of Death: November 3, 2008
Aimee was found dead in her bed. She was 34 years old.

Duanna Johnson
Location: Memphis, Tennessee
Cause of Death: Shot
Date of Death: November 9, 2008
Duanna was found dead in the middle of the street. She was 42 years old.

Dilek Ince
Location: Ankara, Turkey
Cause of Death:Shot in the back of the head
Date of Death: November 11, 2008

Teish (Moses) Cannon
Location: Syracuse, New York
Cause of Death: Shot
Date of Death: November 14, 2008
Teish was 22 years old.

Ali
Location:Iraq
Cause of Death:executed for being transgender
Date of Death:2008, Month is Unknown
Video of Ali before she was executed: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2tDVtjQNfQ

*IMPORTANT NOTE - (In case I don't get the details posted in time) There were 2 other Iraqi, transgender women who were executed at the same time as Ali. Please remember them at your TDoR event.

Contact Ethan at Radicalguy@...

--
Ethan

For Transgender people, losing a job can be a death sentence.

THE RIGHT TO BAN RIGHTS

luv4obama — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 18:34:26 EST

The Nov. 4th 2008 Election Results was a catch 22 for me, as a black men I was proud of the fact that after all we as American has been through where able to elected the fist black President of America, but as a Gay men I was so disappointed that we as a whole nation took a step backward by banning gay marriage and banning the RIGHTS for not only GAY men and women to adopt but Single, educated, straight men and women to adopt. The FCAC lists three primary reasons for the law: For the safety of children, to increase the number of prospective homes, and to “blunt a homosexual agenda, now I don't know where the FCAC as been for the last hundred years but they should know that you can’t get "it" from standing in the room with a gay person, or talking, living, or befriending a gay person but I can't fault the FCAC they were doing their Job and now it's time for us to do our as a Arkansan I’m not shocked that this law passed but amazed at the double standard while so called Christian Arkansans turn their noses at the gay lifestyle they bathe in hate, incest, and bad fashion. So let this be a warning to all Arkansans who think their better, or more so entitled to rights then others we will not stand for this, we will not go quietly back into the closet, will fight, we will march, we will knock on doors our voices will be heard we will have equal rights for all Americans in a changing America

Terrance-Darnell blog

Feeling let down

Stardust, Germany — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 07:44:30 EST

I must say, I am as joyfull by the election of Barack as I am devastated by the backlash against our rights as gays and lesbians. And I have to say it and air my frustration: I feel also let down by this campaign and by Barack. He and Joe Biden in particular have taken a less than satisfactory stance on gay marriage all the way and the high african-american vote in favor of Prop 8 has been their failure to a large extent. Once more, solidarity was a one-way-road for the gay community. We gave all we could and received a slap in the face!

Take Action

Len Rogers - StoneWall Society — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 12:26:45 EST

We can blame race, ignorance, politicians etc for the passage of Prop 8 and the other religious persecutions passed in the last election. That will get us no where. We need to take action, we all do. Yep that means you too! We can start by signing a petition to remove the tax exempt status of the financial backers of this modern day witch burning, the LDS aka Mormon Church. Start there and add to that any church, such as another financial backer 7th Day Adventists, which uses pulpit to effect political change.
Start now by signing http://www. mormonsstoleourrights. com/.

Get off the couch, be involved.
Send this link to every person you know and lobby for a signature!
Together - YES WE CAN!
Len
Founder
StoneWall Society
www.stonewallsociety.com

MICHELLE OBAMA DRESS!!

luv4obama — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 19:34:35 EST

CAN I JUST SAY LAST NIGHT WAS BEAUTIFUL, EVERYTHING WAS BEAUTIFUL, THE TEARS WAS BEAUTIFUL, THE HISTORY, MOMENT, THE TIME STANDING STILL ALL WAS JUST BEAUTIFUL AND THIS BRING ME TO "THE DRESS" FIRST LADY MICHELLE OBAMA AND BEST FRIEND TO PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA GAVE YOU SUCCESS, CULTURAL, PASSION ALL IN REFINED TASTE..., "THE DRESS" READ VERY INCH OF HER 5 FEET 1O AND A HALF INCH FRAME,.... NOW PUT ABOUT FIVE INCHES OF RAW MARTRIAL TO HOLD HER UP AND SISTA THAT'S WHAT YOU CALL A WOMAN,. THIS WAS MRS. OBAMA BEING MICHELLE, BEING SISTA,BEING MOMMA, BEING BEST FRIEND, AND NOW FIRST LADY MRS. MICHELLE OBAMA,.. I CAN NOT WAIT TO SEE MORE.

TERRANCE-DARNELL,BLOG

President-Elect Barack Obama's Message Of Thanks

EsquireUK — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 11:12:30 EST

www.barackobama.com

Wednesday, 5th November 2008

Chicago, Illinois

Barack sent the following message last night...We Just Made History...

Raphael --

I'm about to head to Grant Park to talk to everyone gathered there, but I wanted to write to you first.

We just made history.

And I don't want you to forget how we did it.

You made history every single day during this campaign -- every day you knocked on doors, made a donation, or talked to your family, friends, and neighbors about why you believe it's time for change.

I want to thank all of you who gave your time, talent, and passion to this campaign.

We have a lot of work to do to get our country back on track, and I'll be in touch soon about what comes next.

But I want to be very clear about one thing...

All of this happened because of you.

Thank you,

Barack

www.barackobama.com

GOOD MORNING PREISDENT OBAMA

luv4obama — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 08:53:05 EST

WOW! THERE IS NO WORDS FOR HOW I'M FEELING THIS MORNING ON A 24 HOUR NATURAUAL HIGH THAT I JUST DON'T WANT TO COME DOWN FROM...... MY LIFE WILL NEVER BE THE SAME. IT WAS 21 MONTHS AGO MY WORLD WAS TAKING OVER WITH BARACK OBAMA, IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE IT'S OVER, I KNEW THIS DAY WAS GOING TO COME, I BELIEVE THIS DAY WAS GOING TO COME, NOW THAT IT'S OVER WHAT AM I GOING TO DO? LAST NIGHT WAS THE DEFINING MOMENT IN MY GENARATIONS LIFETIME, AND AFTER IT WAS ALL OVER I COULDN'T OR WOULDN'T GO TO SLEEP I THOUGHT "MAYBE THIS IS JUST A BAD JOKE" AND IF I GO TO SLEEP IT WOULD ALL BE OVER SO AS I WRITE THIS I BELIEVE TODAY, THAT IT IS A NEW DAY TODAY "WE HOLD OUR FUTURE IN OUR HANDS" AND WE MUST DO BETTER, BE BETTER, THINK BETTER, AND LIVE BETTER TODAY IS THE TODAY AMERICA OUR FUTURE AWAITS US LETS GO GET IT.

TERRANCE-DARNELL,

There Are Only 80 More Days Of George W. Bush...

EsquireUK — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 13:52:18 EST

www.barackobama.com

Monday, 3rd November 2008

Chicago, Illinois

Barack Obama's position has become somewhat stronger since our update this afternoon. We now have him with a 5.8 point lead in the national popular vote, and winning the election 96.3 percent of the time. Earlier today, those figures were 5.4 and 93.7, respectively.

I continue to find a hair's worth of tightening on balance in the state-by-state polls -- even as Obama's position in the national trackers seems to be roughly as strong as it has ever been. This, ironically, is the exact reverse of the position we saw earlier in the week, when the national polls seemed to be tightening even as the state polls weren't.
However, Obama's win percentage has ticked upward again for a couple of reasons. Firstly, he's gotten some relatively good numbers out of Pennsylvania since our last update, with PPP and Zogby giving him leads of 8 and 14 points, respectively, and Rasmussen showing his lead expanding to 6 points after having been at 4 before. (The Zogby poll is probably an outlier, but may serve to balance out outliers like Strategic Vision on the other side).
Secondly, McCain's clock has simply run out. While there is arguable evidence of a small tightening, there is no evidence of a dramatic tightening of the sort he would need to make Tuesday night interesting.

[FiveThirtyEight.Com]

UPDATE - 8:30 PM ET: Two new polls released late Sunday give Barack Obama a commanding lead heading into Election Day.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/11/02/latest-presidential-polls_n_140177.html

www.barackobama.com

24 hours to go

Bill Crews — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 11:59:51 EST

I am not a good blogger to keep up to date, but I have been to Winchester, VA several saturdays and now here thru election. on Tuesday I will be an 'outside' attorney at a precinct where the local registrar denied 500 university students, so Tuesday should be busy (and long)

last night about 140 volunteers met to plan the last 48 hours while the McSame HQs was dark. the only thing staying Red out here will be the Maple trees.

Fired up ready to go

Jason and Alexandra are our GREAT STaffers here!!!

I Found that hour you said you needed

Bill Browne — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 02:41:36 EDT

People keep telling me they have no time or that they are too busy to help with the Obama/Biden campaign. Well this very important weekend is our GOTV (Get Out The Vote) final push from November 1st till November 4th (Election Day). And wouldn't you know it I found that extra hour that they were complaining about needing.

The Closing Argument.

Jamie Citron — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 11:36:42 EDT

Yes, government must lead the way on energy independence, but each of us must do our part to make our homes and our businesses more efficient. Yes, we must provide more ladders to success for young men who fall into lives of crime and despair. But all of us must do our part as parents to turn off the television and read to our children and take responsibility for providing the love and guidance they need. Yes, we can argue and debate our positions passionately, but at this defining moment, all of us must summon the strength and grace to bridge our differences and unite in common effort – black, white, Latino, Asian, Native American; Democrat and Republican, young and old, rich and poor, gay and straight, disabled or not.
- Senator Barack Obama

Only 8 More Days Remain Until 4th November

EsquireUK — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 09:49:14 EDT

www.barackobama.com

Monday, 27th October 2008

Chicago, Illinois

End of Battle Centers on Turf Bush Carried

By ADAM NAGOURNEY and JEFF ZELENY

Senator John McCain and Senator Barack Obama are heading into the final week of the presidential campaign planning to spend nearly all their time in states that President Bush won last time, testimony to the increasingly dire position of Mr. McCain and his party as Election Day approaches.

With optimism brimming in Democratic circles, Mr. Obama will present on Monday what aides described as a summing-up speech for his campaign in Canton, Ohio, reprising the themes he first presented in February 2007, when he began his campaign for the presidency.

From here on out, Mr. Obama’s aides said, attacks on Mr. McCain will be joined by an emphasis on broader and less partisan themes, like the need to unify the country after a difficult election.

Mr. McCain has settled on Pennsylvania as the one state that Democrats won in 2004 where he has a decent chance of winning, a view not shared by Mr. Obama’s advisers.

But Mr. McCain and his running mate, Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska, are planning to spend most of their time in Florida, Ohio, Virginia, North Carolina, Missouri, and Indiana, all states that Republicans had entered the campaign thinking they could bank on.

Mr. McCain will stick with the message he has embraced over the last week, presenting Mr. Obama as an advocate of big government and raising taxes. His advisers say they will limit the numbers of rallies where he and Ms. Palin appear together, to cover more ground in the final days.

While some Republicans said they still had hope that Mr. McCain could pull this out, there were signs of growing concern that Mr. McCain and the party were heading for a big defeat that could leave the party weakened for years.

“Any serious Republican has to ask, ‘How did we get into this mess?’ ” Newt Gingrich, the former Republican house speaker, said in an interview. “It’s not where we should be, and it’s not where we had to be. This was not bad luck.”

As Mr. Obama uses his money and political organization to try expand the political map, Mr. McCain is being forced to shore up support in states like Indiana and North Carolina that have not been contested for decades. His decision to campaign on Sunday in Iowa, a day after Ms. Palin campaigned there, was questioned even by Republicans who noted polls that showed Mr. Obama pulling away there. But it reflected how few options the campaign really has, as poll after poll suggests that Mr. Obama is solidifying his position.

Mr. McCain has found relatively small crowds — particularly compared with those that are turning out for Mr. Obama — even as he has campaigned in battleground states.

His campaign has become embroiled by infighting, with signs of tension between Mr. McCain’s advisers and Ms. Palin’s staff, and subject to unusual public criticism from other Republicans for how his advisers have handled this race.

Republicans and Democrats said there were signs that two states that had once appeared overwhelmingly Republican, Georgia and South Carolina, were tightening, in part, because of surge of early-voting by African-Americans. An Obama win in the states seemed unlikely — and no plans were immediately on his itinerary to travel to them — but it is a sign of how volatile a year this is that more states would seem to be coming into play, rather than being settled, as the election approaches.

Mr. McCain’s aides said they remained confident that they could win. They said their candidate did not plan to introduce any kind of formal closing speech, the way Mr. Obama is doing, but would instead hammer home the issues of taxes and spending they said appeared to be giving them some steam.

“We feel good that when people hear the message about spreading the wealth versus raising taxes , they respond,” said Nicolle Wallace, a senior McCain adviser. “It’s just a matter of whether, given Obama’s saturation paid advertising, we can get the message out there.”

The contours of these final days suggest a culmination of a strategy that Mr. Obama’s advisers put in place at the beginning: to use his huge fund-raising edge to try to put as many states in play as possible and overwhelm Mr. McCain in the final days of the race.

“It’s now a big map, so you have to be in a lot of states over the last eight days,” said David Plouffe, Mr. Obama’s campaign manager.

As of right now, Pennsylvania is the only Democratic-leaning state Mr. Obama is planning to visit, and that is only in response to what Mr. Obama’s advisers argued was Mr. McCain’s misplaced faith that he could win there. More strikingly, Mr. Obama also is making a vigorous push in Florida, after a campaign stop there last week convinced his advisers that he has a real shot of winning there.

Mr. Obama is to spend at least part of two days in the state, including a late-night rally with former President Bill Clinton on Wednesday in Orlando timed to make the 11 p.m. news.

Mr. Obama’s aides said that his closing speech, written with his top speechwriter, Jon Favreau, would return to the theme that he offered when he announced his candidacy, calling for change. Mr. Obama’s advisers said that after a long and often acerbic campaign, they believed voters were hungering for that kind of positive appeal to close out the race.

That said, they made clear that while attacks on Mr. McCain might diminish, they would not by any means disappear. “We’re in a good place right now, but nine days is a long time, so we’re just going step upon the gas,” said David Axelrod, Mr. Obama’s chief strategist. “It’s time to sum up the case in broader terms.”

www.barackobama.com

The closing argument will be amplified by Mr. Obama in a 30-minute prime time infomercial presented across the major television networks on Wednesday in a rare and expensive move by a presidential candidate.

His aides said they were going to great lengths to make certain that no one becomes lulled by polls showing Mr. Obama in a strong position. Senator Joseph R. Biden Jr. of Delaware, Mr. Obama’s running mate, has forbidden any discussion of the election result or what happens after Election Day, said David Wade, his press secretary.

“This is someone who won his first Senate race by 3,162 votes, and he hasn’t hesitated to remind his traveling staff that he expects this race to be no different,” Mr. Wade said.

Mr. Obama began boiling down his pitch to voters on Sunday, raising a question to supporters in Denver: “Don’t you think it’s time that we want to try something new?”

At Civic Center Park, tens of thousands of people spilled from an outdoor plaza outside the golden-tipped Capitol as Mr. Obama returned to the city where he accepted the Democratic nomination two months ago.

“Just this morning, Senator McCain said that he and President Bush share a common philosophy,” Mr. Obama said. “I guess that was John McCain finally giving us a little straight talk, and owning up to the fact that he and George Bush actually have a whole lot in common.”

The tensions between the McCain and Palin camps have been played out mainly in anonymous attacks from both sides over how Ms. Palin was first presented as a candidate and, most recently, over the dispute that arose following the disclosure that the Republican National Committee had spent $150,000 on clothing and accessories for Mrs. Palin and her family.

A McCain adviser came to the back of Mr. McCain’s plane on Sunday to say, only on the condition of anonymity, that those reports were overblown.

Mr. Obama opens the last eight days of the race with an incursion into several Republican-leaning regions of Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and North Carolina. With his Democratic supporters already highly motivated, aides said, Mr. Obama is purposefully focusing on voters who may need to take one final measure of him.

As he opens the week with a stop in Canton on Monday, Mr. Obama is working to offset Mr. McCain’s margins in conservative stretches of both states. He also is taking what could be a final trip to Pennsylvania, staging a stop in Pittsburgh and to the Philadelphia suburbs to counter an intense push by Ms. Palin in the state this week.

Mr. McCain is in Ohio on Monday, before heading to Pennsylvania.

www.barackobama.com

Reporting was contributed by John M. Broder in Washington, Julie Bosman in Kissimmee, Fla., Michael Cooper in New York, and Larry Rohter from Iowa.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/27/us/politics/27campaign.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=john%20mccain%20dire&st=cse&oref=slogin

An Open Letter To Senator John McCain

EsquireUK — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 18:01:46 EDT

www.barackobama.com

Wednesday, 22nd October 2008

Chicago, Illinois

“Obama/Biden are running on the strongest platform for women’s rights of any major party in U.S. history”

Eleanor Smeal, President of Feminist Majority

Dear Senator McCain,

This week you have lashed out against the "Feminist Left." I understand your frustration. You see that women are not flocking to the McCain/Palin ticket and you don't understand why. Allow me to illuminate you.

The truth is, Senator McCain, your candidacy is the worst for women in recent history. You thought that women would vote for you once you put a woman on your ticket. But women aren't fooled by this tactic. Women, Senator McCain, vote on issues important to us, not on whether or not the candidate wears a skirt.

The problem, Senator McCain, is your voting record, platform, and policies. You have consistently voted wrong on issues that directly impact American women's bank accounts, personal liberties and health.

• You voted 19 times against increasing the minimum wage (the majority of minimum wage earners are women) - before you finally voted for it because it included business tax cuts. You voted to gut the Family and Medical Leave act - and you oppose expanding its coverage.

• You oppose the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, which would restore women's ability to fight wage discrimination in the courts - telling women our problem was that we needed to get more education and training.

• You voted NO on the Violence Against Women Act and NO on funding for the Office of Violence Against Women.

• You voted NO on starting the Army's Breast Cancer Research Program which has funded hundreds of millions in breast cancer research. You voted NO on reauthorizing the State Children's Health Insurance Program and supported Bush's veto.

• You oppose a woman's right to choose, and your running mate Sarah Palin opposes legal abortion even in cases of rape and incest.

• You voted to terminate federal funds for family planning and you have ducked questions on contraceptive insurance discrimination.

• You have stated that you admire the voting records of Supreme Court Justices Antonin Scalia and John Roberts, and have stated that you would like to put Justices like them - Justices who want to overturn Roe v. Wade - on the Supreme Court.

We have compared the votes and platforms of Obama/Biden and McCain/Palin on women's issues and the record is clear. No matter how you look at it - Obama/Biden score close to 100% and McCain/Palin approach a zero on women's rights and issues.

If credit should be given for consistency, you deserve such credit when it comes to voting against women's interests. Twenty-six years of voting against women's rights and issues and you think women, when given a clear choice, won't notice?

Eleanor Smeal is the President of The Feminist Majority. Her analysis of the candidates' records on women's issues can be found at www.feministsforobama.org.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/eleanor-smeal/an-open-letter-to-senator_b_136985.html

Two weeks out!

Jamie Citron — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 11:42:01 EDT

Believe it or not, Election Day is just two weeks away. We need all hands on deck as we work to turn the page on the last eight years of failed policies and divisive politics promoted by George Bush, usually with the backing of John McCain, that have been so hurtful to the LGBT community. And we can, in fact, bring the change our community desperately needs. We’re close. But we all need to work as hard as we ever have over the next 14 days to make sure we cross the finish line.
I’m asking you to not just spend some time over these last 14 days helping us get out the vote. I’m also asking you to mobilize your network of supporters, contacts, and friends – and ask them to do the same.
PLEASE, IF YOU HAVEN’T ALREADY, TAKE GOTV WEEKEND OFF AND HELP US TURN OUT VOTERS
This campaign has built an unprecedented field program that has successfully contacted millions of voters. But we can’t let up in the final days. Help us meet our ambitious goals over the final days. There are so many states in play this year, which means there’s most likely a battleground state within driving distance of wherever you may be right now. To find out where we need YOUR help the most, and to sign up to help out in that state, please check out our Drive for Change program here: http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/driveforchange
CALL EVERYONE YOU KNOW, AGAIN, AND ASK THEM TO VOTE OBAMA-BIDEN
Whether or not you can take GOTV weekend off and travel to a battleground state, you can still help out from your home. We’ve got two tools that can help you reach out to people you have relationships with and talk to them about the importance of voting for Barack and Joe. The first, Hometown Pride, helps you brainstorm all the people you know “back home.” Check it out here: http://my.barackobama.com/page/s/hometownpride
The second, for those of you with iPhones, is a handy application that prioritizes your contacts by key battleground states, and keeps track of your results in one place. Find it here: http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/iphone
WRITE A LETTER TO THE EDITOR OR AN OP-ED ABOUT WHY YOU SUPPORT THE TICKET
You are a leader in the LGBT community, and people care about what you have to say. In these last weeks, it’s important that LGBT people hear from you about why you support the Obama-Biden ticket. Help us spread the word about Barack’s record on issues important to our community. We’ve created a Letter to the Editor tool that makes it easy to submit a letter to the editor of your local LGBT paper. It’s at http://my.barackobama.com/page/speakout/prideletter?js=true. Of course, you should also consider submitting an Op-Ed. If, while you’re writing, you’ve got a question about where Barack stands on an issue, you can find all the information you should need under the Resources section at http://pride.barackobama.com.
CALL VOTERS FROM THE COMFORT OF YOUR OWN HOME
Finally, you can also phone bank callers in key states right from the comfort of your couch. We’ve got a tool that will link you with voters we need to contact in battleground states, that you can access online. You can also get a group of friends or supporters together to participate in this easy way. Check it out at http://my.barackobama.com/modules/votercontact/login_signup.php.
I also want to extend a personal thank you for everything you have been doing to make sure we win in November. The LGBT community has come together and worked hard to make sure LGBT voters understand the vast contrasts between Barack and John McCain on the issues we care about. I know a lot of that hard work has come from you, and from the work you’ve done to inspire the people around you to step up and make a difference. Thank you for that, and thank you for what I know you will do over these last few weeks to help us win on November 4th.
And please forward these tools to everyone you think will find them helpful!
Thanks,
Dave Noble
National LGBT Vote Director
Obama for America

There Are Only 93 More Days Of George W. Bush...

EsquireUK — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 10:15:12 EDT

www.barackobama.com

Tuesday, 21st October 2008

Chicago, Illinois

Obama Appeal Rises in Poll; No Gains for McCain Ticket

s voters have gotten to know Senator Barack Obama, they have warmed up to him, with more than half, 53 percent, now saying they have a favorable impression of him and 33 percent saying they have an unfavorable view. But as voters have gotten to know Senator John McCain, they have not warmed, with only 36 percent of voters saying they view him favorably while 45 percent view him unfavorably.

www.barackobama.com

Even voters who are planning to vote for Mr. McCain say their enthusiasm has waned. In New York Times and CBS News polls conducted with the same respondents before the first presidential debate and again after the last debate, Mr. McCain made no progress in appealing to voters on a personal level, and he and his running mate, Gov. Sarah Palin, had alienated some voters.

Personal appeal is an intangible element in voters’ decisions. Each voter has a personal reason for connecting with a candidate or not. But the percentage of those who hold a favorable opinion of Mr. Obama is up 10 points since last month. Opinion of Senator Joseph R. Biden Jr., Mr. Obama’s running mate, is also up, to 50 percent last weekend from 36 percent in September.

In contrast, favorable opinion of Mr. McCain remained stable, and unfavorable opinion rose to 45 percent now from 35 percent in September. Mrs. Palin’s negatives are up, to 41 percent now from 29 percent in September.

www.barackobama.com

Mr. Obama’s favorability is the highest for a presidential candidate running for a first term in the last 28 years of Times/CBS polls. Mrs. Palin’s negative rating is the highest for a vice-presidential candidate as measured by The Times and CBS News. Even Dan Quayle, with whom Mrs. Palin is often compared because of her age and inexperience on the national scene, was not viewed as negatively in the 1988 campaign.

The nationwide telephone poll was conducted Sept. 21-24, with re-interviews completed Friday through Sunday of 518 adults, 476 of whom are registered voters. The margin of sampling error is plus or minus five percentage points for all adults and voters.

Among the voters who said their opinion of Mr. Obama had improved, many cited his debate performance, saying they liked his calm demeanor and the way he had handled the attacks on him from the McCain campaign.

www.barackobama.com

America, Please Vote

EsquireUK — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 17:31:37 EDT

www.barackobama.com

http://www.cctvcambridge.org/node/4611

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amukRM9SSoo

Monday, 20th October 2008

Chicago, Illinois

All across the country, thousands of people are already voting for Barack Obama. More than a dozen states have early voting this year, where voters can cast their ballots early and avoid the long lines on Election Day.

Today is the kickoff of early voting in Florida, Arizona, Colorado, Texas and Alaska. These states can help put Barack over the top and win on November 4.

www.barackobama.com

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amukRM9SSoo

www.barackobama.com

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amukRM9SSoo

Early voting is good for everybody. It helps more people get to the polls, it means our supporters will be free to help others get to the polls on election day, and – most importantly – it locks in your vote for Barack.

Many of our supporters have already voted and told us a little bit about their experience.

Tony from Wisconsin:

My wife and I voted for Obama this morning in Wisconsin … two votes down, millions to go!

BJ from Chicago, Illinois:

I voted on Monday, and I am still smiling!

Andrea from Pensacola, Florida:

I voted for Barack Obama this week here in Florida via absentee/mail-in ballot.

I am so proud to vote for the Barack Obama/Joe Biden ticket because I know they will look out for the middle class and working families of America!

We need to keep voting running smoothly. We can decrease the number of people at the polls by many of us voting for Obama via absentee or mail-in ballots!

Doreen from Davenport, Iowa:

Hey you guys -- my 19-year-old, 21-year-old, 22-year-old, and I have all voted for our next President! We are very happy and proud. Now it’s your turn!

Vanessa from Austin, Texas:

Early voting starts today here in Texas. I can’t wait to vote for Obama/Biden!

Ty, an Army Officer stationed in Iraq:

I voted for Obama. And not only that -- after I voted I helped numerous soldiers here vote via Write In/Absentee Ballot because they hadn't received their actual ballot yet.

Tina in Franklin, North Carolina:

In about two hours I will cast my vote for Obama here in North Carolina. Can't wait!

Sin in Tennessee:

I went to Early Voting this morning, its first day in Tennessee. I arrived before the voting station opened to find that some voters had camped out over night to be sure they were among the first to vote. I waited in a line for an hour and a half to get to cast my vote for Obama/Biden. Tennessee may not be a player in this election, but it is very important for all of us to vote. For the remainder of the week, young people are taking parents and grandparents to the polls early. We will be working in Georgia with friends as soon as this week is over.

Veronica in Albuquerque, New Mexico:

I just voted early in New Mexico. Make me proud Barack. WIN BIG.

Be one of the millions of Obama supporters around the country voting early and standing up for change. Don’t wait until November – make a difference today. Vote.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amukRM9SSoo

Queers United Supports Obama/Biden '08

queerunity — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 16:54:28 EDT

Queers United stands firmly in support of Barack Obama for president because of his principles of fairness and equality for all citizens.

Barack Obama's Stance:

-Supports civil unions

-Supports the repeal of (Defense of Marriage Act)

-Supports repealing Don't Ask Don't Tell Policy

-Supports expanding federal hate crimes to include sexual orientation/gender identity

-Supports Employment Non-discrimination Act

-Supports adoption rights by LGBT families

-Committed to fighting HIV/AIDS on a global level

-Opposed to a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage

100,000 At Obama Rally In St. Louis

EsquireUK — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 16:38:07 EDT

www.barackobama.com

Barack Obama drew a crowd of 100,000 at a rally near the Gateway Arch in St. Louis on Saturday, the AP reports. McCain spent the day campaigning in North Carolina.

The focus on the stump Saturday for both Obama and McCain continued to be taxes, and the candidates traded sharp criticisms of each other's plans.

Joe the Plumber, meet Shaun the Computer Guy…

Shaun — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 11:55:06 EDT

Hi Joe,

I’m glad you expect to bring home more than $250,000 per year but for clarification, higher taxes won’t affect your business’s success, just your personal take home money. If you take out more than $250,000 for personal use, then yes, you should pay more personal income taxes. Business expenses as you mentioned, vehicles, maintenance, etc. are tax deductable.

I might be a business owner but in the end I make less than a waitress. I can’t afford these high taxes anymore and it’s killing my business of 8 years.

I think the point is, if you are able to afford to bring home so much money, you can afford to pay your fair share. It seems the majority of the American people are finally starting to “get it”, as John McCain seems to drift further and further away from reality.

Obama Counts On Boosting Voter Turnout...

EsquireUK — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 11:19:26 EDT

www.barackobama.com

Thursday, 16th October 2008

Chicago, Illinois

Oct. 16 (Bloomberg) -- Four years ago, Ralph Bresler, a Democratic county chairman in southeast Virginia, had to pay a college student to go to a nearby party office to get a list of registered voters he could use to target supporters of presidential candidate John Kerry.

That approach yielded ``very few results,'' Bresler said, and Massachusetts Senator Kerry lost James City County by almost 23 points.

This year, Democratic nominee Barack Obama has an office in nearby Williamsburg, one of eight in the Hampton Roads area. Across the state, Obama and the Democratic National Committee have a combined 69 offices, compared with 20 for Republican John McCain and his party.

Obama's supporters are armed not only with voter lists but with detailed ``walk sheets'' containing people's views on specific issues. They have reached most of the neighborhoods in James City County and registered thousands of new voters in the effort to beat McCain in Virginia, which hasn't been carried by a Democratic presidential candidate since 1964.

``If you had told me a year ago that Obama would have an office in Williamsburg, I would have told you you had been drinking too much,'' said Bresler, 65.

Leading in Virginia

Going into last night's debate, the final one before the Nov. 4 election, Illinois Senator Obama was running slightly ahead in Virginia: A Rasmussen poll last week showed the Democrat leading 50-48; other polls show a wider lead. Now, he needs to ensure he can translate that edge into votes.

That means boosting turnout, a feat Democrats haven't sufficiently pulled off in the last two elections. This time, Obama has built the party's strongest get-out-the-vote operation in decades, said Curtis Gans, director of the Center for the Study of the American Electorate at American University in Washington.

www.barackobama.com

``It's the best thing that's going right now,'' Gans said.

To be sure, Gans said it was only the best operation overall since President George W. Bush's in 2004, when strategist Karl Rove crafted a program that allowed Republicans to target voters. The Bush campaign also had supporters reach out to others in their community, a Obama is emulating this year.

``People who come to the door are authentic, enthusiastic and can immediately strike up a rapport,'' Donald Green, director of the Institution for Social and Policy Studies at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut. Now, ``both sides are on top of the idea.''

Across the U.S.

The Obama campaign is replicating this tactic in swing states and Republican areas across the U.S.

Cheryl Hibbeler, 54, took a sabbatical from her job as a customer-service representative last year to work for the Democrats in Missouri. She now spends 40 to 60 hours a week at an Obama office in St. Peters and on two local campaigns.

In her St. Charles County, which encompasses suburban St. Louis and went for Bush by almost 18 percentage points in 2004, Obama's campaign has registered about 11,000 new voters. Those and other supporters or possible supporters ``are going to hear from us two, three, four, five, six times,'' between now and Election Day, Hibbeler said.

Bill James, a 65-year-old retired electrical engineer in Nevada, told a similar story. He said he had canvassed for Obama near his home in Henderson several times, and in much more effective ways than when he worked for Kerry four years ago.

Kerry Campaign

``With Kerry they would just say `work these streets and put stuff up on every door,''' James said. By contrast, the Obama campaign provided a spreadsheet identifying only those homeowners who would be open to voting for the candidate.

On college campuses, the Democrats are even offering to drive students to their home districts to vote. They are also allowing voters to set up ride-sharing groups on the campaign's Web site.

``The get-out-the-vote phase will be decisive,'' Green said, because a strong voter-mobilization effort can make a difference of up to 3 percentage points in a tight contest.

The Republicans aren't sitting by idly, and said their get- out-the-vote efforts have only improved since 2004. They are using phone technology that connects directly to a database that comes up with specific questions to ask. In a recent three-week period, volunteers made 40 percent more contacts with voters than they did at the same time in 2004.

`More Surgical'

Mike DuHaime, McCain's political director, said the Obama campaign had registered an impressive number of new voters, but the Republicans are ``probably more surgical about who we register.''

The Obama campaign, however, has more money than past Democratic candidates, having out-raised McCain by a better than a 2-to-1 margin, allowing the Democrat to compete in traditionally Republican states such as Virginia.

Such organizing ``hasn't been done on a presidential level in 44 years,'' said Mitch Stewart, Obama's Virginia director.

www.barackobama.com

Northern Loudoun County -- near Washington and one of the country's wealthiest counties -- supported Bush by 12 points in 2004. Arizona Senator McCain, 72, didn't have an office there until last month; Obama, 47, has two.

This past weekend, Obama's main office in Leesburg was bustling; 20 people were making phone calls and entering data. By comparison, there were just a few volunteers in McCain's Sterling office; three were making calls.

`Challenging Year'

``This is a challenging year for Republicans,'' Loudoun County Republican Party chairman Glen Caroline said. Still, he said that he believes his county leans Republican and his volunteers started earlier with better targeting. ``We have scores of people knocking on hundreds of doors.''

The Obama campaign is confident that 80 percent of the voters it registered will support their candidate, and that 75 percent will vote, a rate based on primary turnout.

To get that result, the campaign doesn't hesitate to wheel out its biggest . At an Oct. 10 training session in Columbus, Ohio, for about 750 volunteers, the candidate himself showed up to offer encouragement.

``Let's see how this baby runs,'' he said of his grassroots organization. ``Your voice can change the world.''

www.barackobama.com

To contact the reporters on this story: Kristin Jensen in Washington at kjensen@bloomberg.net; Julianna Goldman in Ohio at jgoldman6@bloomberg.net

Last Updated: October 16, 2008 00:01 EDT

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601070&sid=asgE3Ehgqfh4&refer=politics

http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/www.raphaelholomanfranklinsupportObama08.com/CRBt

$200

Brian L from Plano, TX — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 22:47:41 EDT

I've been donating $25 a pop through Obama's campaign -- and I just hit the $200 mark tonight.

I know it's not much money in the big scheme of things, but it's a lot of money to me -- and is by far the most money I've ever donated to a campaign!

Let's all rally together and do everything we can these last few weeks to help the campaign! Whether it's donating money, making phone calls, knocking on doors, hanging information packets on doors, or even just wearing an Obama t-shirt -- let's all do something to help!

The Presumption of Ignorance

Brian Normoyle — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 23:34:49 EDT

Brian 1:2 So spake the Fool in prayer before the angry masses on that 11th Day of October 2008, the year of our Lord: "there are millions of people around this world praying to their god—whether it's Hindu, Buddha, Allah—that [Barack Obama] wins, for a variety of reasons. And Lord, I pray that you will guard your own reputation, because they're going to think that their God is bigger than you if that happens."

Brian 1:3 And lo, the huddled mob—rabid with loathing and stricken, like others before them, with a fear of change and leaders of color—praised the Fool with applause. And both were pleased in their ignorance.

The fool in question of course is Arnold Conrad, former pastor of Grace Evangelical Free Church, pleading with God at a John McCain rally in Iowa. However, unlike the shrewd fools in literature from Socrates to Shakespeare, this one is anything but wise.

For the sake of argument, let's ignore the fact he's a pastor and alleged scholar of religion and give the Fool the benefit of the doubt. After all, an imbecile can't reasonably be expected to know that Hindu is not a god (or even a proper noun for that matter), Buddha isn't a deity either, and neither are prayed to by anyone. Anywhere.

And of course, while any average idiot—except this one apparently—knows Allah is the same God prayed to and worshiped by Christians and Jews, we needn't require Pastor Arnie to understand these or other religions and cultures. Why? Because, despite his Doctor of Ministry degree, that brand of cultural sensitivity and theological understanding is anathema to a myopic and intellectually incurious fundamentalist.

The pomposity of this self-righteous dolt notwithstanding, I'm always amazed by proselytizers who pray, prattle and pontificate with the arrogant assumption they know who God is rooting for—as if God has a stake or interest in a particular candidate.

Prayers like Pastor Arnie's are futile of course and as patently absurd as asking the almighty to intervene in the Superbowl. But the obvious silliness doesn't stop so many evangelicals from so frequently contending Republicans are the party of God and John McCain (R-Nazareth) is Christ's personally vetted nominee for President. Their presumption is as comical as their worldview is provincial.

My personal hunch is that God doesn't much care about American electoral politics but, if s/he does, I doubt s/he'd be categorically opposed to a Democrat. Barack Obama is a Christian. He was "saved," he was baptized, and he was a regular congregant in a Church of Christ for over 20 years.

Besides—from the right to universal health care, nondiscrimination, and racial/gender equality to the eradication of poverty, earning of a living wage, dealing with AIDS and tax relief for those who actually need it—Democrats and their standard-bearers have traditionally favored policies uniquely more suited for and geared towards the middle and working classes and the poor/disenfranchised. In other words, Obama's policies tend to support the very people that the foolish pastor's God named "the Salt of the Earth" in the best-selling book s/he "authored" thousands of years ago.

Christ didn't say much in favor of the free market, unprovoked war, assault weapons for "hunting," or tax-cuts for the rich and he was completely silent on those "cardinal sins" of abortion and gay marriage. But he did have an abundance of opinions about equality, justice, compassion, tolerance, forgiveness and love, as well as leaving judgment of others to God and taking care of our neediest brothers and sisters.

So frankly, Pastor Arnie, I still don't think God is rooting for either candidate, but if s/he is, given their agreement on the issues, my money's on Obama. I'll give you 5:1 odds on your money for McCain, but I'd call that a Fool's Bet.

Matthew 25:40 "And the King answering shall say to them, 'Verily, I say to you, Inasmuch as ye have done it to one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it to me.'"

LGBT Activists Headed to Columbus, OH

Jamie Citron — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 22:06:45 EDT

Gay and Lesbian friends of Michelle and Sen. Barack Obama from Chicago and LGBT activists from coast-to-coast are converging on Columbus for a Weekend of Action to Win Ohio, October 18th and 19th, sponsored by Obama Pride.

The event kicks off at 9 a.m. at UFCW Union Hall, 4510 East Main St., Columbus, with a short rally. Participants will then fan out to canvass neighborhoods in Central Ohio critical to all Democratic candidates in the coming election.

Personal friends of the Obamas who will be firing up Columbus’ LGBT volunteers include:

Mary Morten, interim executive director for the Chicago Foundation for Women, which is one of the world’s largest women’s funds.

Dan Sprehe, a Chicago LGBT activist who worked on Obama’s 2004 Senate Campaign.

Kevin Thompson, Sen. Obama’s 2004 “Bodyman.” In the world of politics, that’s a personal assistant who travels with a candidate and takes care of everything from transportation and lodging to keeping the candidate’s favorite snacks and pens on hand.

Marsha Botzer, a National Co-Chair of Obama Pride America. She has served as co-chair of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Board of Directors. Botzer is also a founding member of Equal Rights Washington and founded Seattle’s Ingersoll Gender Center, an organization that serves the transgender community.

Jane M. Saks, founding executive director of the Ellen Stone Belic Institute for the Study of Women and Gender in the Arts and Media at Columbia College Chicago.

Additionally, a bus of 50-plus LGBT activists from Massachusetts will make the trip to join the effort.

The canvass will run for two days, with four-hour shifts being assigned at the rally. Those who can’t attend the rally, but still want to participate in the canvass in the should contact Sean Pflendler at spfendler@ohiodems.org. And those without cars will be partnered with drivers.

Host A Final 2008 Presidential DebateWatch Party

EsquireUK — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 16:09:31 EDT

www.barackobama.com

Monday, 13th October 2008

Chicago, Illinois

Hofstra University is pleased to be the site of the October 15, 2008 presidential debate, produced by the Commission on Presidential Debates.

Visit Educate '08 for a detailed event schedule on lectures, exhibits, symposia, events, town hall meetings, debate watch events, entertainment and other initiatives; as well as photos and videos of past events, a look at Hofstra's history of presidential conferences, and other resources.

Submit your debate watch sites to us by emailing educate08@hofstra.edu and we'll post them on our DebateWatch site and send you five (5) free official "debate '08" buttons!

DebateWatch is a voter education program of the Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD). DebateWatch brings citizens like you together to watch the televised debates, talk about what you learned, and, if you choose to, share your reactions with the CPD.

For more DebateWatch information from the Commission on Presidential Debates, click here.

Hofstra University is a voter education partner of the commission on presidential debates and will be hosting its own DebateWatches which are listed below. Please note all DebateWatch events are open to the public unless otherwise noted.

Third Presidential Debate
Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY
Wednesday, October 15PLEASE NOTE: DebatWatch events are simulcast locations. The Community DebateWatch requires online registration. Please see event listings below for more information.

Student Debate Watch
*Open to Hofstra University students only*
Location: Student Center/Student Center Theater
8 p.m.: Faculty panel with Mary Anne Trasciatti, Moderator (Speech Communication and Rhetorical Studies), Carolyn Dudek, Panelist (Political Science) and Paul Fritz, Department of Political Science
9 p.m.: Simulcast viewing of the Final Presidential Debate
10:30 p.m.: Breakout sessions in Student Center rooms 141, 142, 143 and 145, Commuter Lounge and Multipurpose Room

Community Debate Watch
TO REGISTER FOR THIS DEBATE WATCH, CLICK HERE.
Location: Monroe Lecture Center
8 p.m.: Faculty Panel with Dr. Robert Guttman, Department of Economics, Dr. Carolyn Eisenberg, Department of History, Dr. Jonathan Lightfoot, Department of Foundations, Leadership and Policy Studies, Dr. Mary Kahl, State University of New York, New Paltz and Dr. Susan Drucker, Department of Journalism, Media Studies and Public Relations
9 p.m.: Simulcast viewing of the Final Presidential Debate
10:30 p.m.: Breakout sessions

Campus Progress Presentation
*Open to Hofstra University students only*
Location: Student Center Dining Room
7:30 p.m.: After the debate simulcast, join students for a facilitated conversation about whether the candidates addressed the issues that are most important to them. Watch video clips of Hofstra students talking about the issues that are driving them to the polls, and discuss how the candidates addressed those issues during the debate. Dessert will be served.
"I'm Voting For" is a non-partisan project sponsored by Campus Progress Action.

Campus Bands/Performances
*Open to Hofstra University students only*
Location: Hofstra USA
7:30 p.m.: Campus Bands performance(s)
9 p.m.: Simulcast viewing of Final Presidential Debate

"Hands-On" Stations
*Open to Hofstra University students only*
Location: The Netherlands Residence Halls
7:30 p.m.: Hands On Stations; Get your picture taken with a card-board cutout of each presidential candidate!
9 p.m.: Simulcast viewing of Final Presidential Debate
The Office of the Attorney General in Nassau County!Tuesday October 7th at 7:00 pm at the Caroline G. Atkinson School (58 W. Seaman Ave.; Freeport, NY). This meeting will discuss issues of concern to the residents of Nassau County including environmental protection, health care, consumer protection, civil rights, workers rights, internet safety, and student loans.

Be sure to stay around to watch the presidential debate at 9:00pm which we will be shown on site.

Light refreshments will be served. For more information about this DebateWatch call (516) 248-3300.
Southern Utah University

The Michael O. Leavitt Center for Politics and Public Service at Southern Utah University is have a huge debate party; 50 to 100 students will attend! The debate will be shown at 9 p.m. (EST) on a projection screen and a student forum willl be held after the debate.

www.barackobama.com

Voices from the Field: Ben Z.

Jamie Citron — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 14:21:20 EDT

Obama Pride Chicago hit the doors of Davenport, Iowa this past weekend working hard to ensure an Obama Victory on November 4th. Obama Pride member Ben Z. reports:

Obama Pride Chicago joined nearly 100 other local Obama supporters on Saturday on a three hour bus ride to the Obama field office just outside of Davenport, Iowa. As it happened, John McCain was holding a rally downtown at the same time we were set to knock on doors in the city's precincts. His presence in the Quad Cities made us even more fired up to get out into the neighborhoods and get out the vote for Obama…

Read the rest of Ben Z.'s post HERE.

Or, plan your own target state trip by emailing us at pride@barackobama.com

McCain's Attacks Persist...

EsquireUK — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 16:39:57 EDT

www.barackobama.com

McCain's Desperate Claim: Obama is Dangerous. Vote for Me If You Want to Live!

Arianna Huffington

The McCain campaign is all set to roll out its message for the last 30 days of the campaign: "We may not be good for your bank account, your mortgage, your health care, or your job security -- but none of that will matter if you are dead. John McCain: If You Want to Live."

It's coming a little earlier than expected, but with an imploding economy and no solutions from the McCain camp other than yet another round of tax cuts, Team McCain is hitting the GOP's default key: Be Very Afraid!

The title of McCain's latest TV ad says it all: "Dangerous." The ad brands Obama as "dishonorable," "dangerous," and "too risky for America." That's right, folks, it time to appeal to the voters' Lizard Brains.

For the moment, McCain is allowing his high-sticking hockey mom to lead the fear-mongering parade, accusing Obama of "palling around with terrorists" and not seeing America "like you and I see America." For bad measure, Palin also teamed up with her mentor Bill "Henry Higgins" Kristol to re-pry the manhole cover off the Jeremiah Wright sewer.

But Palin's Alaska crude will soon be mixed with McCain's own Maverick mud. At a Colorado town hall last Thursday, McCain was asked, "When are you going to take the gloves off?" His grinning reply: "How about Tuesday night?" So how long into Debate II do you think it will be before McCain brings up Bill Ayers, Jeremiah Wright, or Tony Rezko?

Clearly, McCain has concluded that the only way he can get enough votes is to pay for them with his once-valued dignity and honor. And it appears he's not planning to leave any of that precious personal capital in the bank by the time election day rolls around.

So here it comes. One last desperate, pathetic, sordid attempt to distract the country from anything resembling a real debate about a real issue. Don't have health care? Rezko, Rezko, Rezko. Wonder why our financial system is on the brink of collapse? Ayers, Ayers, Ayers. Worried about whether we'll ever get out of Iraq? Wright, Wright, Wright.

Much to Karl Rove's chagrin, those around McCain have been very upfront about the campaign's intentions. "There's no question that we have to change the subject here," a senior Republican operative told the Washington Post. McCain adviser Greg Strimple cut to the chase, saying the campaign is "looking forward to turning a page on this financial crisis." Yeah, who wants to read any more of those boring old stories about foreclosures, job losses, and the market losing another 500 points, especially when there are so many more urgent things to talk about -- like why Barack Obama wants to let his terrorist pals blow us all up?

McCain and his hatchet mom VP nominee are hoping to expose the "real" Barack Obama to the people of America; but what they are really exposing is how morally corrupt McCain has become. And how complete has been his transformation from a noble reformer, willing to stand up to his own party when it failed to meet his moral code, into an ignoble hack, willing to abandon his most deeply held values in his lust for the presidency.

"Sooner or later people are going to figure out that if all you run is negative attack ads you don't have much of a vision for the future, or you're not ready to articulate it."

That was John McCain in 2000, commenting on the disgusting attacks against him by Karl Rove, George Bush, and a few of the people now doing their very dirty work for him.

Wise words from a man who doesn't exist anymore. To paraphrase the classic Hughes Mearns' poem:

"As I was walking up the stair/I met a maverick who wasn't there/He wasn't there again today/I wish, I wish he'd go away."

Making his disappearing act all the more tragic is the fact that the noble McCain is still around, lurking inside the corrupted candidate, occasionally bubbling to the surface before being shoved back into hiding by his baser instincts.

For instance, it was just this past April when McCain took a principled stand against the muck being flung at Obama over his association with Rev. Wright, saying "there's no place for that kind of campaigning, and the American people don't want it."

A little over five months, and an increasingly blue electoral map later, McCain now stands on the sidelines while Palin unabashedly gives the American people what McCain knew they don't want.

Despite its best efforts, the McCain camp's sneering attacks are not proving that Barack Obama is not like the rest of us. They are proving that John McCain is not like the rest of us. Americans are hungry for a serious conversation about the multiple crises we are facing. And by ignoring that conversation in favor of yet another round of fear-mongering, McCain is showing himself to be the candidate who is "not a man who sees America like you and I see America."

The most revealing thing about the nature of McCain's attacks isn't the contempt he has for Obama (that's been on display for a while now) -- it's the contempt he has for the country he claims to be putting first.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/arianna-huffington/mccains-desperate-claim-o_b_132350.html

www.barackobama.com

Obama Pride celebrates National Coming Out Day

Jamie Citron — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 16:09:13 EDT

A message from LGBT Vote Director, Dave Noble:

Today is National Coming Out Day, an occasion in the LGBT community when we all take special pride in living our lives openly, no matter our sexual orientation or gender identity. I’m encouraged today, as every day on this campaign, by the huge numbers of out activists playing an important role in our campaign. We have organized Obama Pride networks in almost every state, and every day we are talking to fellow members of our communities about the importance of this election for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.
We’ve got just 23 days left to make sure we elect Barack Obama and Joe Biden, and finally turn the page on the policies and politics of the current Administration. While we come out today to family and friends, don’t forget to also “come out” to a battleground state and knock on doors over a weekend before Election Day! Our Chicago LGBT team is out in the field and we want you to join us. Email us at pride@barackobama.com and let us know where and when you can come out – for change!

Obama Pride at the Debate

Jamie Citron — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 10:30:22 EDT

Members of Obama Pride Nashville woke early in the morning to attend a pre-debate rally on the Belmont campus today!

Don't forget to join Obama Pride Nashville and watch the debate tonight.

SECOND PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE
TIME-DATE: 9 p.m. EDT, Tuesday, Oct. 7.
PLACE: Belmont University, Nashville, Tenn.
SUBJECT: Issues raised by audience members and submitted by Internet participants, in town-hall format.
MODERATOR: NBC's Tom Brokaw.

Friends of Barack visit Ohio

Jamie Citron — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 11:38:24 EDT

Mary Morten and Dan Sprehe are LGBT Chicagoans who have known the Obamas for a long time. This weekend they joined Obama Pride in Cleveland and Columbus to talk with LGBT voters about the Barack and Michelle they know. Mary, as the interim director and past president of the Chicago Foundation for Women has worked closely with Michelle and has done great work for the LGBT community in her home city, having been inducted into the LGBT hall of fame in 1996.

Mary & Dan spent Saturday morning pumping up volunteers and talking with undecided voters at the Cleveland AIDS Walk then headed down to Columbus for an afternoon Vote Rally where they shared the stage with Congressman Conyers, Congressman Abercrombie and local band Saving Jane!

Mary had this to say about her visit:

The LGBT volunteers on the ground in Cleveland and Columbus were unbelievable! There was so much excitement and enthusiasm along with a strong commitment to reaching out to their communities. It was contagious! I was thrilled to be part of this work!

Five (5) lessons about the way we treat people.

Jim "Hussein" Rice — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 16:15:03 EDT

I don't remember where I got these from, but they are profound beyond words. I also believe that they describe Barack Obama's principles to a T.

Please read and share with others.

Thanks,

Jim

Write About It.

Jamie Citron — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 19:52:24 EDT

Have something to say?

Want to share with the LGBT community why you support Obama?

The most powerful voice is yours. Write a letter to the editor today.

Click the icon below (or click 'write a letter to the editor' in the TAKE ACTION section above) and get started. Don't know what your local LGBT paper is? No problem, we have them listed for you. Not sure what to say? We have talking points at the ready to help you get started. You are one click away from making your voice heard in a way that will spread Barack's message to those who need to hear it, our community.

Writing a letter to the editor is an important way to keep our movement growing, as the LGBT press is an effective and targeted way to reach undecided LGBT voters. In addition to promoting Barack’s message of equality, your letters will play a crucial role in inspiring other supporters to get involved.

THANK YOU JOE BIDEN

Shaun — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 22:38:09 EDT

You are AMAZING... THANK YOU SO MUCH JOE BIDEN... THANK YOU!!!!

See, I'm sitting here in tears.... Thank you so much.

On another note... I AM TERRIFIED OF SARAH PALIN

"We're going to be the edge."

Jamie Citron — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 19:52:50 EDT

“It's going to be really close in Florida, but my hope is that when Barack Obama wins, we're going to know that those were LGBT votes. And last time they used us as a wedge, but this time we're going to be the edge.”

Cynthia Nixon, of Sex & The City fame, stumped for Obama in South Florida on October 1st and drove home the fact that in tight races such as Florida, it could all come down to the LGBT Vote. The South Florida Blade reports:

"I've never done this before,” said Cynthia Nixon, to a standing-room only crowd. “I have never flown to another state to campaign for somebody. I've never made a speech on behalf of a presidential candidate. I've never given the maximum amount I am allowed by law to give to a Presidential candidate. But I have done those three things this month...I believe we are at a moment in our history when we need to say, ‘We're going the wrong way."

Speaking at the Wilton Manors GLBT Get Out The Vote center, Nixon urged a crowd of LGBT Floridians to get involved, sharing with the crowd her own passionate committement to Obama and the reasons she decided to get involved for the first time.

She noted Obama’s support for gay-inclusive anti-discrimination laws in Illinois while he was a state senator; she also praised Obama’s running mate Sen. Joe Biden, who wrote the federal Violence Against Women Act.

Drive For Change

EsquireUK — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 10:42:52 EDT

Thursday, 2nd October 2008

Presidential Election 2008

Saturday marks exactly one month until Election Day. That's not a lot of time.

You live near a crucial battleground state -- New Hampshire -- where supporters from neighboring states are playing a huge role in helping to put Barack Obama and Joe Biden over the top.

This weekend, we're organizing teams of supporters from across the northeast to come to New Hampshire for our Drive for Change weekend canvass.

Sign up to come to New Hampshire and help Barack and all Democrats up and down the ticket.

New Hampshire has been decided by fewer than 10,000 votes in each of the last two presidential elections, and it was the only state in the country that voted for the Republican candidate in 2000, but the Democratic candidate in 2004.

Since 2000, thousands of new voters have moved to New Hampshire and time is running out to reach them before November 4th.

Undecided Granite Staters need to hear Barack's message on how he will fix the economy, and we are depending on you to tell them Obama-Biden is the right choice in this election.

Join us and Drive for Change to help make a huge difference in New Hampshire:

http://my.barackobama.com/CometoNH

No prior experience is required. Staff will provide you with everything you need.

We can't do this without you.

Thanks,

Katina Tsongas
Field Director
New Hampshire Campaign for Change

P.S. -- Want to meet fellow supporters and save gas? Sign up to carpool to New Hampshire and organize your ride:

http://my.barackobama.com/NHride

Fair Wisconsin endorses Barack!

Jamie Citron — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 15:35:08 EDT

Fair Wisconsin would like to announce to its members the endorsement of Barack Obama and Joe Biden. There are only 36 days until the election, and there is much work to be done. Please take action to help elect Barack Obama President on November 4th!

Senator Obama has called for an end to federal discrimination by fully repealing the Defense of Marriage Act and Don't Ask, Don't Tell, and supports an Employment Non-Discrimination Act that includes sexual orientation and gender identity. Wisconsin's own Our Lives Magazine recently profiled Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin, a national leader for LGBT equality and the co-chair of Barack's national gay leadership and policy committee. For more information about Barack's positions on issues important to the LGBT community, please visit http://pride.barackobama.com

Are you from Wisconsin? Do you have friends or family there? Help us win Wisconsin without leaving home!

Who is the LGBT candidate?

Jamie Citron — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 11:48:57 EDT

Huffington Post contributor, and Obama volunteer, Tanene Allison spent some time comparing the web presence and policy positions of Obama and McCain on LGBT issues.

Oftentimes in an election season, you hear the familiar cry from disillusioned voters that there really is no substantial difference between the two main candidates. In this election, that isn't the problem we face. A read-through of the platforms of the two parties and the policy proposals of the candidates quickly calls out their starkly different beliefs of where this nation should head. In particular, on the topic of LGBT Rights, the difference between the candidates could not be more stark.

For Tanene's full comparison, CLICK HERE.

Trans Blog Day for Obama

Jamie Citron — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 11:35:35 EDT

Yesterday, transgender bloggers coordinated a special blogging day harnessing the power of the trans community and trans allies to show their support for Barack Obama and to make a difference in the 2008 election! Dozens of bloggers participated, posting on their sites and encouraging trans community members and allies to donate to the campaign through a page set up by the National Stonewall Democrats. By the end of the day hundreds of people had donated, sending the message that they support Obama and transgender equality!

Annie Rushden, of Gardens in Bloom, had this to say:

The transgender community and our allies play a vital role in electing candidates across the country. We need to support Barack Obama based on his strong record of advocacy for the LGBT community; we also need to make sure we measure the impact transgender people and our allies are having on the campaign.

Obama Pride is honored by the enthusiastic support of so many in the transgender community and we congratulate all the participants in Trans Blog for Obama day for their huge success!

UPDATE: The quote above, attributed to Annie Rushden, is actually from the National Stonewall Democrats actblue page. Sorry for the error and thank you for pointing it out! You can still join in the cause and join the transgender community and allies support Obama campaign HERE.

LGBT Rights and Obama/Biden

Jay — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 03:55:53 EDT

"While we have come a long way since the Stonewall riots of 1969, we still have a lot of work to do. Too often, the issue of LGBT rights is exploited by those seeking to divide us. But at it's core, this issue is about who we are as Americans. It's about whether this nation is going to live up to it's founding promise of equality by treating all it's citizens with dignity and respect." (Barack Obama 6/1/2007)

As a gay man I want to take a few moments and express my feelings on this issue, as it is an issue I hold very close and dear to my heart. Hate crimes hit home when my boyfriend suffered from one. I hope he will get the opportunity to elaborate on this. I will let him tell his story. Please stay up-to-date on this blog as I don't know when he will have the opportunity to post his comments. Obama has a grwat vision for the future, and it is my hope that you will take the next few moments to review this.

1) Expand Hate Crime Statues

2) Fight Workplace Discrimination

3) Promote LGBT Rights

4) Support Civil Unions and Federal Rights for LGBT Couples

5) Oppose a Constitution Ban on Same-sex Marriage

6) Repeal "Don't Ask Don't Tell"

7) Exapnd Adoption Rights

8) Promote HIV/AIDS Prevention

9) Empower Women to Prevent HIV/AIDS.

In this blog I really want to focus on number one and six listed aove.

On October 12th, 2008 we will observing the 10th Anniversary of a tragic day in history. Matthew Shepard Passed away. I am sure most of you know the story, but for those of you who dont just follow the link posted at the bottom of this blog. Matthew Shepard was cold bloodedly murdered by two other men. Yet the two other men were able to argue teporary insanity. How was this allowed to happen ? What a travisty. Yes we have come some distance since then, but we sure ahve a long way to go.

When the Don't Ask, Don't Tell law took effect do you realize that stopped a lot of able bodied Americans like myself from wanting to serve in our military ? When this law passed what were they affraid of ? Is it because they think we are not capable of doing the same job as the rest of the men and women serving ? What were they thinking ?

Unfortunatly we may never know. All I do know is that I am not as free as people think I am being a gay man. What a travisty in a Country where the Constitution clearly states "All men are created equal ! !"

A Healthy America

Jay — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 03:09:53 EDT

Barack Obama and Joe Biden see a few problems that I see as well with our failed healthcare system as it is today.

1) Millions of Americans are uninsured or underisnured becauseof rising medical costs.

2) Healthcare costs are skyrocketing

3) underinvestment in prevention and public health.

These two gentleman have come up with a wonderful plan

A) Provide affordable, comprehensive and portable health coverage to every American.

B) Modernize the U.S. health care system to contain spiraling healthcare costs, as well as improve th equality of patient care.

C) Promoting prevention and strengthening public health, to prevent disease, as well as protect against natural amd man-made disasters.

Why I Support Obama

Jay — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 02:50:06 EDT

This blog is intended to hopefully educate and inform people as to why I support Obama for President. If you don't agree you may leave this site now ! !

This blog is a direct post from Obama's Vision for Security In The 21st Century

1) ENDING THE WAR IN IRAQ

2) RESTORE OUR MILITARY

3) SECURE AND STOP THE SPREAD OF WMD'S

4) REBUILD OUR ALLIANCES

5) GLOBAL SECURITY AND OPPORTUNITY

Restoring our military is vital. Let me take the next few moments to explain myself.

Facts:

1) 1.4 million troops have served in Iraq or Afghanistan: More than 420,000 troops have been deployed more than once. All but one of the Army's 44 combat brigades have served in Iraq or Afghanistan, and 1/4 of these fighting units have been deployed 3 or more times.

2) According to General Peter Pace (Chairman of the Joint Cheifs of Staff) 40% of Army as well as Marine Corps equipment is either in Iraq, or being repaired. In addition, the Army National Guard hasd just 1/3 of it's required equipment on hand today in non-deployed units due to war losses, and wera and tear.

Now in my opinion what would happen if we truely needed these men and women, as well as this equipment ?

Unfortunatly for us we would be sunk, before we ever got started ! !

Obamas plan to restore our military includes

A) Rebuild and Repair Military

B) Transform Military to Meets 21st Century Threats

C) Use of Armed Forces Wisely and Responsibly

Wall Street vs. Main Street

Jay — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 01:28:46 EDT

Today I received an email from soem family members that was very concerning. These folks ar eso mis-informed that it is unbelivable. I would like to see us over the next few weeks start writting letters to our local editors. Let's start informing the public on just who is for "Main Street" and who will preserve it. Rather than spending all our time worrying about "Wall Street." Yes "Wall Street" is important, however it's not as important as preserving "Main Street"

What Do You Want ????

Jay — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 04:43:36 EDT

Our current administrator on March, 7th of this year had a press briefing. He stated the following. "The work force lost 62,000 payroll jobs, but the unemployment rate in-proved to 4.8 %." Does he honestly think were stupid or something. "I knows Americans are worried about the state of our economy, and so am I." Well he cant be to worried about it. It was not until September that he sent a bill down to the house to recover the economy. Yes prior to this he sent the stimulas bill down but we see how much that helped. "We took evasive action to boost the economy." If passing that stimulas package is what he calles evasive action, boy is he stupid. Oh' excuse me look who I am speaking about here. "Incentives for businesses, to make growth this year."Wait a minute earlier in his speach he just said our unemployment rate was only 4.8%. If thats the case why would big business need these growth incentives. Once again he thinks the Americans are stupid, when in all reality he's the moron. "We expect businesses will create new jobs in the months ahead." What an idiot we were to beleive these words. Like his father everything that comes out of his mouth is a bold face lie. "We expect the stimulas will boost consumer spending, and that will boost job creation as well." With the average home receiving about a thousand dollars did this idiot honestly think that would boost the job market. When today it takes $165,630.00 to raise a child. So a thousand dollars is going to make a difference right ? "We beleive the actions taken will have a positive effect on the economy." Well here we are in September of the same year, and we see where that got us. "I know this is a difficult time for our economy, but we recognized the problem early." Oh did you now. Let me guess. You never seen this problem that we have today approaching. "We provided the ecomomy with a booster shot, and we will see the impact over the coming months." We sure did. Homlessness at an all time high, Worst economy in history aside of the "Great Depression", which were not very far from. Wall Street at an all time low since the "Great Depression". Highest forclosure rate in history. Need I say more ? Since I did enough damage I am going to close with the following statement. Our history books will reveal what kind of dictator we had to deal with for 8 years, fortunatly it will tell the full story to those who don't want to see it right now. Thank God it is soon overwith. Seeing what has conspired over the last eight years, who in their right mind could put another GOP member in the oval office ? Do you honestly think it will be different this time ? Let's see we have a person who built a bridge to nowhere running for the office of vice-president. Remember It's John McCain who put her in that position. That goes to show how honest he is.

Obama Pride North Carolina Marches!

Jamie Citron — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 16:15:36 EDT

June may be over but Pride festivals are happening all the way into the fall.

Obama Pride North Carolina spent the weekend registering voters, signing up volunteers and spreading the word about Barack's fantastic record on LGBT issues at North Carolina Pride.

Good work Obama Pride NC!

Only 37 Days Remain Until 4th November...

EsquireUK — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 01:02:35 EDT

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amukRM9SSoo

Arianna Huffington

How busy imploding was John McCain this week? Over three crisis-laden days, he couldn't find the time to read Sec. Paulson's original 3-page bailout plan. How not-ready-for-prime-time was Sarah Palin? When pressed to cite an example of McCain pushing for oversight of Wall Street, she told Katie Couric: "I'll try to find you some, and I'll bring 'em to you." How bitter was Bill Clinton? He couldn't stop singing McCain's praises, from Larry King to The View to Letterman to GMA. How much did Joe Biden need a history book? He claimed, "When the stock market crashed, Franklin Roosevelt got on television." How unhinged was Newt Gingrich? He called McCain's campaign suspension gambit "the greatest single act of responsible leadership ever taken by a presidential candidate." How steamed was David Letterman? See for yourself.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/arianna-huffington/sunday-roundup_b_129941.html

http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/stateupdates/gGxBDQ

http://www.cctvcambridge.org/raphael_holomanfranklin

first debate

luv4obama — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 10:57:14 EDT

After the first debate i realize why Barack Obama will be the next President, Barack showed himself as a steady stream,doing it's job, flowing and keeping the natural balance of things, while John McCain seemed to be an unreliable shower-head in a run down New York apt., "when you turn it on you never know what your going to get".

while Barack come across as strong, confidence and ready, McCain come across as uneasy, not willing to play with others, and frankly as a Liar, my mother always told me "if someone can't look you in the eyes while their talking they are lying" McCain not once looked Barack in the eyes.

On the other hand McCain had many many stories to tell about his 20 something years in service but time and time again Barack was clear and direct challenging McCain record "McCain may have a long record, but is it a record of helping the people" and that reminded me of something i read somewhere "what prophets a man to gain the whole world and lose his soul" ummm that seems to fit McCain's record.

round one goes to Barack Obama!!

Grin on His Face

Jay — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 09:57:35 EDT

Did anybody besides me notice when George was speaking this morning he had a grin on his face ?This morning he was speaking about the economy and how vital a situation he got us involved in. Here is my solution to this matter. If he would donate half of his spoon-fed fortune to help the economy we would not be in this situation. Just remember his family owns many oil Wells. With the price of fuel he should be able to do this. I certainly don't want anybody to think I'm jealous of his fortune. Cause, with what the history books will write it won't pretty, so I don't envy him at all. However I can't argue the point that the history books have written thus far. A Concerned American That's Looking Forward To Our Future President.Jason Obama in 08'

A Concerned American

Jay — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 06:55:13 EDT

Well here we are with our present administration, driving us further in the hole. Let me take the next few minutes to explain.

This week alone we had FOUR banking institutions go under because of the housing market. Upon the closing bell yesterday at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) we seen alarming numbers (7927.87 down 16.45). Then we also seen the Dow Jones Industrial slump to 11022.06 down 29 points.

Now let me take the opportunity to explain why this is a problem.

I hope as you all know the Dow Jones tells us what the manufacturing base in the US is doing. With these numbers continuing to slump that tells us that more and more industry is folding. In turn our NYSE is also slumping cause people can no longer afford to live.

Now if you were to take a look at the census report on homelessness you will find those numbers to be very alarming. Since our present administration has taken over, our last eight years have been a continuous decrease in our economy.

The following is a matter of my personal opinion, never the less it's my opinion why this has happened.

Immediately after Bush took office. We were hit be a "terrorist" attack. Yes I agree this was a horrible day in American history. But if you were to take the time to read the book "Bushworld", you would find this administration is very deceiving. I am not saying the attack never happened, but my question is "Did it happen exactly the way he said it did ?" According to the 9/11 commission report the answer is "NO." So we sceamed up the story that Saddam had WMD's (weapons of mass destruction) that he was hiding. So what did our administration decide to do about it ? He choose to send our troops to Iraq to finish the job his father didn't. Then we find out there were never any WMD's. Sounds like an honest President to me.

Since John McCain voted with our present administration to send our troops to Iraq. Can he be trusted to run the United States of America ? My answer is "NO"

ATTENTION DEMOCRATS!!!

Shaun — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 12:14:27 EDT

VISIT http://community.mccainspace.com AND POST YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT MCCAIN ON THEIR FORUM - IT'S AN OPEN FORUM AND THEY DON'T HAVE CONTROL OF THE POSTS, AS LONG AS YOU KEEP IT CIVIL YOU CAN TELL THE RIGHT WINGER'S WHERE TO STICK IT (POLITELY)

PS: There is NO email verification, put in a fake address, they don't care.

McCain Seeks To Delay First Presidential Debate

EsquireUK — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 16:34:29 EDT

http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/stateupdates/gGgYvq

http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/nomaverick_ad/

The Obama campaign just issued this statement on President Bush's address...

"While Senator Obama believed that the Administration’s initial proposal was flawed and unacceptable to the American taxpayer, he was heartened tonight that the President seemed to be moving in the direction of the principles that Senator Obama outlined over the last week, including limits on CEO pay, independent oversight, and taxpayer protection. He was also encouraged that the President suggested strengthening an outdated regulatory structure that led to this crisis, something that Senator Obama specifically proposed last March,” said Obama-Biden spokesman Bill Burton.

Wednesday, 24th September 2008

Senator John McCain said Wednesday that he planned to suspend campaigning on Thursday, and seek a delay in this week’s planned presidential debate, so that he could return to Washington to try to forge a consensus on a financial bailout package. short time later the Obama campaign issued a statement saying that the two presidential candidates had spoken on the telephone Wednesday morning about issuing a statement on the financial difficulties facing the nation, but it did not address canceling the debate.

In fact, aides to Mr. Obama said that he was inclined to go ahead with the debate, and was planning to explain his position during a late-afternoon news briefing in Florida. "There are serious global financial issues at stake and the American people deserve to hear how the next president will handle them," said one senior Obama adviser, speaking on condition of anonymity.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/25/us/politics/25mccain.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin

http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/stateupdates/gGgYvq

http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/nomaverick_ad/

Michelle Obama: "He has never stopped pursuing that better world."

Jamie Citron — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 14:11:17 EDT

Michelle Obama states her case in The Advocate:

The World As It Should Be
By: Michelle Obama
In about a month, Americans will head to the polls to cast their votes for the next president of the United States. It will be a momentous day. But this presidential election has already changed our country in profound ways. The candidacies of Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton have smashed old barriers and broadened opportunities for all Americans. And I’m grateful to them -- both as a citizen and as a parent of two young girls.
But our country’s journey toward equality is not finished. It’s been five years since Lawrence v. Texas. It’s been 39 years since Stonewall. And we still have more work to do before we achieve equality for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender Americans.
Election Day offers an opportunity to take another crucial step toward equality. Millions have joined this movement for change. People are hoping again -- believing again -- that we can come together to create a stronger, fairer nation. And on November 4 we’ll have a chance to put that hope into action.
Translating hope into action is something Barack has done for his entire career.
Barack and I met in Chicago 20 years ago. He thought the best way for me to know him was to get a sense of the work he cared about most. After college he had worked in neighborhoods that were devastated when steel plants shut down and jobs dried up. He’d been invited back to speak to people from those neighborhoods about how to create new opportunities for their families. He asked me to come with him.
I watched as Barack took off his jacket, rolled up his sleeves, and instantly connected with every person in that room. He gave the most eloquent talk about “the world as it is” and “the world as it should be.”
Too often, he said, we accept the distance between the two, and we settle for the world as it is -- even when it doesn’t reflect our values and aspirations. But he reminded us that we know what fairness and justice and opportunity look like. And he urged us to believe in ourselves and find the strength to strive for the world as it should be.
Barack Obama, the 2008 presidential nominee, is the same man I fell in love with on that day 20 years ago. He has never stopped pursuing that better world.
As an Illinois state senator, Barack championed the law that amended the Illinois Human Rights Act to prohibit discrimination on the basis of both sexual orientation and gender identity in the workplace, in housing, and in public places. In the middle of a tight race for U.S. Senate, Barack went on the record supporting a complete repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act. As a U.S. senator, he voted to protect our Constitution from the stain of discrimination by voting against the Federal Marriage Amendment.
He has supported full funding for the Ryan White CARE Act and has pledged to implement a national HIV/AIDS strategy to combat the continuing epidemic in the United States. He has also spoken out against the stigma surrounding HIV testing, a stigma tied all too often to homophobia. And he’s led by example: On our trip to Kenya, we both took a public HIV test.
This is why Barack is running for president—because he believes that if we work together, we can build the world as it should be.
We all know what that world looks like.
It’s a world where we repeal laws like DOMA and “don’t ask, don’t tell” and oppose amendments that would write discrimination into our Constitution—because discrimination has no place in a nation founded on the promise of equality.
It’s a world where the federal government protects us all against hate crimes and we recognize that equality in relationship, family, and adoption rights isn’t an abstract principle but goes directly to whether all Americans can lead lives of dignity and freedom.

Hometown Pride: How to get started!

Jamie Citron — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 21:33:14 EDT

We are just weeks away from the most critical election of our lifetime and every vote counts. The difference between Barack Obama and John McCain could not be clearer and as LGBT people we know what's at stake. Senator Obama's LGBT Vote team is asking you to take part in a program unlike anything done before. Not only are we asking you to get involved where you live, but we are also asking you to make a difference where you are from. It's crucial to remember all the contacts we have – even if we don't live near them anymore – and talk to them, we can bring in the handful of votes that decide this election. LGBT Americans are from every corner of the country. Join us today and make a difference in a corner of the US that you know best.

Find three to five people back in your hometown who you think you could have a conversation with about Barack and Joe. When you talk with these people, tell them why you personally support Barack and Joe. These are your friends and people who know you, tell them your story.

Get Started Today.

Not sure who to talk to? Think about people you're still close to, like family members – but also think about people you might not have talked to in years. Think about:

Family members, Former Teachers, High School Friends, Your Piano Teacher, Sports or Drama Coach, an old Babysitter, Barber or Sunday School teacher. T-Ball Teammates, College Friends, Mentors and Professors. Your first boss and co-workers at the drive-in, bookstore or corner diner. What about your first boyfriend/girlfriend?

Not sure what to say? If you're talking about LGBT issues, we have some great talking points to help you start the conversation.

· John McCain has never once voted to progress LGBT equality. He voted against federal legislation that would protect LGBT people from being fired just for who they are, he believes gay people should not be able to serve in the military, visit their loved ones in the hospital and he isn't even sure we should be able to adopt.

· Barack Obama has a clear and consistent record in support of LGBT people. He promises to include me and other LGBT people in his vision of America and will work to make sure I am secure in my job, safe from hate crimes and equal in the eyes of the law.

· The Supreme Court is one vote away from overturning important decisions about personal privacy, like Lawrence vs. Texas and Roe vs. Wade, that protect all Americans from government intrusion – especially LGBT people.

Don't stop here. Do you know that your former high school English teacher is worried about social security? Is your softball coach or first boss worried about the struggling economy? Did your uncle just lose his job? Find out about Barack's plans to help every American HERE.

Friday Night

Jamie Citron — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 17:19:16 EDT

Don't forget to tune in to the first Presidential Debate this Friday night! The theme of this week's debate is Foreign Policy.

FIRST PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE
TIME-DATE: 9 p.m. EDT, Friday, Sept. 26.
PLACE: University of Mississippi, Oxford, Miss.
SUBJECT: Foreign policy.
MODERATOR: PBS' Jim Lehrer, "The NewsHour."

Find a place to watch with other supporters, or host an Obama Pride Watch Party and invite your friends who are still undecided.

Find details on all four debates HERE.

Really Important Poll on PBS!

Sammie — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 15:53:16 EDT

I don’t know if this made it to the Obama groups, and I don’t know if Rove is actually paying anyone, but the results are saying that 52% of voters think Sarah Palin is qualified to be VP. If you disagree, please follow the link below.

Date: Sat, 20 Sep 2008
ACTION: Rove hijacking PBS. Vote now on PBS- Is Palin Qualified?!

Please do this..... here is a small thing you can do in two clicks. Check this out please and fast!

Karl Rove is paying people to HIJACK PBS and vote that Palin is qualified. We are losing 2:1 right now.

Let's turn this around!!!

PBS has a poll that asks: Is Sarah Palin qualified

You don't have to give your name or email address in order to vote.

It's very simple .

Here's the link:

http://www.pbs.org/now/polls/poll-435.html

Latest News from Ohio

Jay — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 14:34:06 EDT

On Sunday, September 21st, 2008, the Vindicator from Youngstown, Ohio released the latest polls from Ohio voters. this news I found very disturbing. Below you will find the facts this poll has shown, as well as my personal opinion on these facts.

This poll was conducted by the Ohio News Organization a cooperative formed this year by the state's eight largest newspapers, including the Vindicator. The organization surveyed 869 likely voters.

Question 1: If the elections were held today, whom would you vote for ?

Obama 42% McCain 48%

Question 2: Do you think you will definitely vote your choice ?

81%

Question 3: Who do you think would use better judgement in crisis ?

Obama 37% McCain 52%

Question 4: Who is more likable ?

Obama 53% McCain 28%

Question 5: Who is more qualified for the job ?

Obama 32% McCain 50%

Question 6: Who has a more clear plan for solving the country's problems ?

Obama 36% McCain 39%

Question 7: Who better understands the problems facing Ohio ?

Obama 46% McCain 39%

If would like to view what the rest of the poll reported, you can follow the link to www.vindy.com

Now here is my opinion on all of this. In question number one you will remember the John McCain is over Barack Obama by 6%. Then you look at question number seven and you will find Barack Obama over John McCain by 7%.

I have a very difficult time trying to unerstnd this. 869 Ohioans agree ohio is facing problems, and thankfully 46% agree Obama is the man who will help the state of economy, as well as many other issues we face.

Then you look at question number one, and it tells the story that some of the same people who say Obama is the best person who will help Ohio's issues. Are going to vote for McCain.

This is an election we as Americans can't afford to loose. Since Ohio is such a battleground state. It is my hope that we take up the torch that Barack has left for us, use the resources he's given us to educate these folks who live in Ohio.

There Are Only 123 More Days Of George W. Bush

EsquireUK — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 07:20:30 EDT

By PATRICK HEALY Published: September 20, 2008

The Obama and McCain campaigns have agreed to an unusual free-flowing format for the three televised presidential debates, which begin Friday, but the McCain camp fought for and won a much more structured approach for the questioning at the vice-presidential debate, advisers to both campaigns said Saturday.

At the insistence of the McCain campaign, the Oct. 2 debate between the Republican nominee for vice president, Gov. Sarah Palin, and her Democratic rival, Senator Joseph R. Biden Jr., will have shorter question-and-answer segments than those for the presidential nominees, the advisers said. There will also be much less opportunity for free-wheeling, direct exchanges between the running mates.

McCain advisers said they had been concerned that a loose format could leave Ms. Palin, a relatively inexperienced debater, at a disadvantage and largely on the defensive.

The wrangling was chiefly between the McCain-Palin camp and the nonpartisan Commission on Presidential Debates, which is sponsoring the forums.

Commission members wanted a relaxed format that included time for unpredictable questioning and challenges between the two vice-presidential candidates. On Wednesday, the commission unanimously rejected a proposal sought by advisers to Ms. Palin and Senator John McCain of Arizona, the Republican presidential nominee, to have the moderator ask questions and the candidates answer, with no time for unfettered exchanges. Advisers to Mr. Biden say they were comfortable with either format.

Both campaigns see the four debates as pivotal moments in a presidential race that is not only extraordinarily close but also drawing intense interest from voters; roughly 40 million viewers watched the major speeches at the two parties’ conventions. The upheaval in the financial markets has recast the race in recent days, moreover, which both sides believe will only heighten attention for the debates.

A commission member said that the new agreement on the vice-presidential debate was reached late Saturday morning. It calls for shorter blocks of candidate statements and open discussion than at the presidential debates.

McCain advisers said they were only somewhat concerned about Ms. Palin’s debating skills compared with those of Mr. Biden, who has served six terms in the Senate, or about his chances of tripping her up. Instead, they say, they wanted Ms. Palin to have opportunities to present Mr. McCain’s positions, rather than spending time talking about her experience or playing defense.

While the debates between presidential nominees are traditionally the main events in the fall election season, the public interest in Ms. Palin has proved extraordinary, and a large audience is expected for her national debate debut.

Indeed, both the McCain and Obama campaigns have similar concerns about the vice-presidential matchup in St. Louis: that Ms. Palin, of Alaska, as a new player in national politics, or Mr. Biden, of Delaware, as a loquacious and gaffe-prone speaker, could commit a momentum-changing misstep in their debate.

The negotiations for the three 90-minute debates between the men at the top of the tickets were largely free of brinksmanship. Neither side threatened to pull out, and concerns about camera angles and stagecraft were minor.

Senator Barack Obama of Illinois, the Democratic nominee for president, and Mr. McCain did not intercede personally to settle any disputes. They agreed to one substantive change to the format originally proposed by the debate commission, giving them two minutes apiece to make a statement at the beginning of each segment on a new topic.

Mr. Obama successfully sought to flip the proposed topics for the first and third debates, so foreign policy is now coming first and economic and other domestic issues come last. There is a second debate, in the format of a town hall meeting, in which the candidates will sit on director’s chairs and take questions from the audience and Internet users on any topic.

The debate commission had proposed that the first debate be on economic issues and the third on foreign policy — in part, people involved in the process said, because the first debate is usually the most watched, and many voters rank the economy as their top concern.

Mr. Obama wanted foreign policy first to show viewers that he could provide depth, strength and intelligence on those issues, his advisers said, given that Mr. McCain consistently wins higher ratings in opinion polls as a potential commander in chief.

Mr. Obama wanted domestic issues to come last; advisers said that they believed even before the start of the financial crisis that the election was most likely to turn on the state of the economy and that he wanted the final televised exchange to focus on those concerns. He has argued that Mr. McCain would continue the economic policies of President Bush.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/21/us/politics/21debate.html?hp

http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/debate-watch-party/

An intolerable risk?

Jamie Citron — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 16:18:58 EDT

Two weeks ago in St. Paul, Minnesota, John McCain and the Republican Party justified continuing the discriminatory ban on LGBT Americans serving openly in the United States military by including a plank in their national platform extolling "the benefits of traditional military culture, and the incompatibility of homosexuality with military service." This was no surprise in light of Sen. McCain's longstanding support for the discriminatory "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy. In fact, in a 2007 letter, McCain said that the law "unambiguously maintains that open homosexuality within the military services presents an intolerable risk to morale, cohesion and discipline." An intolerable risk? Barack Obama thinks differently. It's time for a change.

Few people know this better than Marine Staff Sgt. Eric Alva, the first American casualty in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Alva underscored the need to repeal Don't Ask, Don't' Tell and his support for Barack Obama in a YouTube video message HERE.

In a September 17th conference call with reporters, the campaign's LGBT Vote Program underscored Sen. Obama's strong belief that the key test for military service should be patriotism, a sense of duty, and a willingness to serve. Discrimination should have no place in our military.

On the call, Lt. Gen. Claudia Kennedy, the first female three-star general, said Senator McCain is "out of touch with reality" and "reckless … to put aside the reality of our world and try to stick with a very old, outmoded way of thinking about people. We should be looking at people on the basis of merit and on the basis of performance… Senator Obama, in my view, is the perfect commander-in-Chief for the Twenty-First Century." Kennedy emphasized that our nation's security was particularly undermined when intelligence officers, like translators, are discharged under Don't Ask, Don't Tell.

Congressman Patrick Murphy (D-PA), a West Point Graduate and Army JAG recruiter, told reporters that Barack Obama was prepared to "put the full force of his administration on repealing the Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy and for that I applaud him and think that's exactly the right approach." Murphy also observed that "John McCain does not believe our military personnel are as professional as the twenty-three other NATO countries that allow their military members to serve openly."

It's clear that John McCain is wrong. After gay Navy linguist Jason Knight was discharged in 2005, he was recalled back to service and sent to Kuwait where he had the support of his commanders and colleagues. You can watch Knight's video message HERE.

Barack Obama's commitment to LGBT equality does not end with his vow to rescind Don't Ask, Don't Tell. As president, he also pledged full repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act and promised to sign into law LGBT inclusive hate crimes and employment nondiscrimination legislation

Barbara Streisland: We Can't Afford to Elect John McCain

EsquireUK — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 01:57:36 EDT

http://www.barbrastreisand.com/index.php?page=statements&n_id=883

We are in the worst financial crisis this country has faced in modern times. During these eight long years of Republican control, we have seen runaway greed, the deregulation of financial institutions and the mismanagement of the housing market resulting in the skyrocketing number of home foreclosures. This has led to a disastrous unraveling of the U.S. economy. We can't continue with four more years of the irresponsible practices and policies of the Bush administration.

The country can't afford to elect John McCain! In his own words he admitted that he doesn't know much about the economy. The day the stock market plunged 504 points, McCain agreed with President Bush that "the fundamentals of the economy are strong."

McCain has illustrated his lack of judgment time and time again. Not only did he pick an unqualified running mate, but he supported the Bush Doctrine, this preemptive, unnecessary war in Iraq, a war that Barack Obama was against from the beginning. Five years later, the war continues, costing the American public $435 million a day -- money that is desperately needed here at home.

So, as the war wages on and the economy continues to falter, as the government spends billions bailing out companies from bankruptcy, who is left to pay the bill? The American taxpayers -- the people who are working harder for less and are watching their 401K, pensions and life savings disappear. Barack Obama is fighting for these people.

We need a President Obama, a man of intelligence, integrity and vision, to end the war, to lift us out of this economic storm, and to lead this country back on the road to prosperity.

http://www.barbrastreisand.com/index.php?page=statements&n_id=883

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/barbra-streisand/the-country-cant-afford-t_b_127846.html

Homlessness In America

Jay — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 13:53:17 EDT

CNN and the Associated Press (AP). Have reported on a very disturbing issue today. If you wish to look at CNN's website feel free to view the story titled "Growing Tent Cities Blamed On Foreclosure Crisis."

In some of Americas major cities it appears we have tent cities popping up. Nearly 61 percent of homless coalitions from across the nation say they have experienced a rise in homlessness since the foreclosure crisis had begun in 2007.

Michael Stoops of the "National Coalition for the Homless" reported. "It is clear that poverty and homlessness have increased." "The economy is in chaos, were in an unofficial ressesion (which by the way our current administration denies), and Americans are worried, from the homeless, to the middle class, about their future."

It is reported that the situation hasn't been this bad since the 80's. I know as for me I can't remember a situation like this being so vital. I know our economy is in bad shape. Yet we have an administration that is willing to do nothing about except bail out big business.

Then you have John McCain who says he is all about change. Yet when you look at his voting history in the Senate you will find that his history expresses that no matter what our current administration wanted he was sure to go along and vote for it.

In my eyes if John McCain wanted to see change, he would have recognized the warning signs like Barack and did something about it. But since he chose not to do this. That proves to me that John McCain is not about the change America is in desperate of.

Welcome Matthew Cataline To LGBT Ohio for Obama

Jay — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 23:52:53 EDT

Matt and I meet a few weeks ago now. I would like you all to take this opportunity to make him feel welcome to our group. Matt is my boyfriend, and comes to the table with a lot of political experience. In 2002 he ran for the seat of State Rep., then again in 2006 he ran for the un-expired term for State Senator.

Barack Obama: Solving Our Financial Crisis

EsquireUK — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 18:22:21 EDT

Thursday, 18th September 2008

Cambridge, MA

Barack just sent out this email...

Raphael --

The economy hit a new low this week, and in every part of the country, people like you are feeling it.

The recent financial disasters -- from the collapse of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to the historic drop in the stock market -- are not just a string of bad luck. They are the result of years of bad decisions made in favor of big corporate special interests instead of America's working families.

More than 600,000 Americans have lost their jobs since January. Home foreclosures are skyrocketing, and home values are plunging. Gas prices are at an all-time high, and we're still spending more than $10 billion every month on a war in Iraq that should never have been waged.

John McCain's campaign is doing everything it can to focus attention on false personal attacks and distractions -- but there's too much at stake for that kind of politics.

I need your help to get the conversation back on track.

I recorded a two-minute TV ad about our economy and my plan to solve this crisis. Please watch the ad and share it with everyone you know:
For eight years, Bush-McCain economic policies have favored reckless deregulation and huge tax loopholes for big corporations. Now, as these corporations crumble, American taxpayers are facing costly bailouts.

More of the same failed ideas are not going to solve our economic problems.

I'm calling for a $1,000 tax break for middle-class families -- not just because they need help dealing with the rising costs of gas, food, and health care, but also because our economy needs to be reinvigorated from the bottom up, not the top down.

I'm proposing a second stimulus package to save over one million jobs and provide immediate relief to struggling families.

And I'll end the "anything goes" culture on Wall Street with real regulation. We can see clearly that our economy is stronger when we protect investments and pensions, and avoid devastating bankruptcies and bailouts.

This is no ordinary time, and it shouldn't be an ordinary election. Help keep the discussion focused on the issues.

Please watch the video and share it with your friends today:

http://my.barackobama.com/economyvideo

Thanks for helping to bring the change this country needs,

Barack

OUT in the Field: LGBT Students for Obama Penn State

Jamie Citron — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 15:31:20 EDT

Daniel Kolbe, working with Penn State Students for Obama, wants to make sure the LGBT community on campus is throwing it's weight behind Barack Obama and that LGBT and human rights issues are at the forefront of the debate. The Daily Collegian reports:

Daniel Kolbe said this election will directly affect how he lives his life.
"It's important to me to have the right to be an equal citizen in our country," said Kolbe, a member of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community (LGBT).
Passionate about his beliefs, Kolbe is president of LGBT Students for Obama, created in March. Kolbe (junior-information sciences and technology) would like to bring LGBT issues into the spotlight this election by informing voters.
Both Kolbe and Zachary Zabel, president of Penn State Students for Barack Obama, said Obama has the community's best interests in mind.
"We want to basically try and bring a lot of LGBT and basic human rights issues to the front and have people look honestly at all the issues within the campaign and make informed decisions on who they are going to be voting for... Ultimately, considering the age of the average college students, this election is what's going to impact their future," Kolbe said.

OUT in the Field: Rebecca & Julia

Jamie Citron — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 15:20:05 EDT

Periodically, we at Obama Pride want to share with you the voices and views of LGBT Americans across the nation. The reasons why LGBT people choose to support Barack Obama for President are as diverse as our community itself. This week we bring you Rebecca & Julia from San Francisco, California. Check back often for other LGBT Voices in support of Obama.

We endorsed Barack Obama for president last fall and we want to tell you why.
First, let us introduce ourselves. We are Julia Adams and Rebecca Prozan. We have been together for 6 ½ years, 5 ½ of which we've had the fortune of legal recognition and protection as domestic partners. We met in law school. Julia has been committed to public interest law and social justice issues all her life and currently manifests that practice as an attorney focusing on plaintiff-side employment discrimination and tenant's rights. Rebecca has been deeply dedicated to public service, both pre and post law school, and currently serves as an Assistant District Attorney in San Francisco.
Prior to law school, Julia worked with the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network. There, she became very familiar with the Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy. Currently, SLDN estimates that every single day two highly-trained, devoted Americans are fired from the military as a result of DADT. For more than a decade, thousands of lives have been ruined by this policy. While some of us may not choose to serve our country in this way, those who do should be able to do so openly and proudly. Obama has been clear – the only test should be a sense of duty and an ongoing willingness and capacity to serve our country, without consideration of one's sexual orientation.
Rebecca worked as the LGBT Community Liaison for San Francisco Mayor Willie L. Brown, Jr. before attending law school. During that time, she helped organize the first public domestic partner ceremonies, which became an annual event during Mayor Brown's administration. The public ceremonies provided many people with their first view of same sex commitment ceremonies. This year, domestic partnership finally evolved into marriage rights for same sex couples in California. The issue of marriage equality is important to Californians, and Obama supports the extension of equal rights and benefits to same sex couples under both state and federal law. Obama opposes Proposition 8, a discriminatory ballot initiative on the November 2008 ballot that seeks to amend the California Constitution to prohibit same sex marriage.
We are lucky to live in tolerant San Francisco, which is home to the most vibrant LGBT community in the country. However, we've noticed that San Francisco has become inaccessible for many. Like the rest of the country, our economic outlook is not as bright as it once was. Layoffs are more and more common and no longer a surprise to hear about. Families are leaving the City due to being priced out of our housing market and because the school system is failing. Public safety concerns continue to threaten our quality of life. And we would like to see a world where folks do not have to call the streets their home.
We trust Barack Obama to firmly and appropriately address these nuts and bolts issues once elected. Obama's experience as a community organizer gives us confidence that he understands how the White House will need to concretely step up and take action to turn things around. The fact that he and his wife recently paid off their graduate school loans, from the proceeds of one of Obama's books, demonstrates that the Obama family knows what it is like to work to make ends meet.
In addition, Obama had the good judgment to stand up and oppose the war in Iraq from day one. He knows that every day we fail to address global warming means another day less for humankind in the end.
We cannot wait another four years for action – Obama must win this November.

The Next President Confronting The Market Turmoil

EsquireUK — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 07:33:31 EDT

"This country can't afford another four years of this failed philosophy. For years, I have consistently called for modernizing the rules of the road to suit a 21st century market - rules that would protect American investors and consumers. And I've called for policies that grow our economy and our middle-class together. That is the change I am calling for in this campaign, and that is the change I will bring as President," said Senator Barack Obama.

http://www.barackobama.com/2008/09/15/statement_from_senator_barack_6.php

Tuesday, 16th September 2008

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. -- The U.S. banking crisis is shaking up the presidential race as well as the agenda of the next president, forcing both candidates to confront a financial calamity.

John McCain and Barack Obama jockeyed to seize an advantage on the financial crisis, signaling how Wall Street's troubles have become a bigger concern on Main Street. The candidates wrapped the market instability into broader campaign themes but found themselves wrestling on unfamiliar territory. Republican candidate Sen. McCain pointed to his credentials cleaning up Washington's excesses while Democratic candidate Sen. Obama blamed the crisis on Washington's deregulatory bent over the past three decades.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122151017079138227.html

Barack Obama on Monday mocked John McCain's promise to bring change to Washington, saying the Republican presidential nominee has marched loyally with President Bush and was out of touch with the economic distress of struggling Americans.

"In 19 months he has not named one thing he would do differently from this administration on the central issue of this election," Obama said of McCain. "Not one thing. And we know that if we go down that path, that the next four years will look exactly like the last eight."

Seven weeks before the election, Obama sought to portray McCain as an unshakable ally of the unpopular Bush and Washington lobbyists -- unsympathetic to the pocketbook issues that are the No. 1 concern of American voters. Obama delivered a frontal attack that showed none of the hesistancy that has worried some of his own supporters as McCain edged ahead in the polls.

"Can you afford to take a chance on someone who's voted against the minimum wage 19 times," Obama asked a crowd of thousands under a blazing sun at a rally in western Colorado at the start of a swing through contested Western states. "When it was $4, he was against it, when it was $5 he was against it, when it was $6 he was against it."

Obama closed the day in Pueblo with a rally at the Colorado State Fairgrounds before a wildly enthusiastic crowd estimated by the facility's general manager at 13,500.

The nation's economic anxieties were sharpened by a historic upheaval on Wall Street with the announcements that financial giant Lehman Brothers was filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy while titan Merrill Lynch was being bought by Bank of America for about $50 billion.

Charging that McCain was out of touch, Obama said, "He doesn't get what's happening between the mountains in Sedona where he lives and the corridors of power where he works. Why else would he say that we've made great progress economically under George Bush. Why else would he say that the economy isn't something he understands as well as he should.

"Why else would he say, today of all days, just a few hours ago -- think about this, we just woke up to news of financial disaster -- and this morning he said that the fundamentals of the economy are still strong. Sen. McCain, what economy are you talking about?"

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/09/15/obama-slams-mccain-over-t_n_126692.html

Why the Shakeup on Wall Street Is Good News for Obama

John Lennon once sang that "Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans." So, it seems, is politics.

The news this morning that two of Wall Street's most storied firms, Merrill Lynch & Co. and Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc., were following their distinguished former competitor Bear Stearns toward extinction was met with misery and fear in living rooms and conference rooms across the country. "The biggest reshaping of the financial industry since the Great Depression," wrote Bloomberg News. "Catastrophe," added the New York Post. But something tells me that Barack Obama's brain trust didn't react quite so pessimistically. For two weeks, Chicago has struggled to stay in the news as John McCain and Co. have distracted the nation--or, more accurately, the nation's newspapermen, magazinists, on-air bloviators and blogospheric scavengers--with a lot of yadda about lipstick, pigs and kindergarten sexcapades. But today's massive financial shakeup finally gives us a more important topic to prattle on about: the economy. For Obama, this is a huge opportunity--a chance not only to be heard addressing an issue that matters, but also to pivot away from a losing message to one that could actually win him the election.

http://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/stumper/archive/2008/09/15/econ.aspx

http://www.democrats.org/a/2008/09/no_reformer.php

25 REASONS WHY AMERICA WILL BE THE 2ND MOST POWERFUL COUNTRY IN 2012,...IF

luv4obama — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 12:30:49 EDT

"THE LIST"

25. ALL 50 STATES

24. MINORITY -VS- MAJORITY

23. EUROPE

22. 5 DAY WORK WEEK

21. AIDS

20. WALL STREET

19. BUSH

18. JUSTICE SYSTEM

17. RELIGION

16. LIES

15. GREED

14. DEMOCRATS

13. AMERICAN HISTORY

12. AFRICA

11. THE CLIMATE

10. ECONOMY

09. RUSSIA

08. EDUCATION SYSTEM

07. WATER

06. THE 20TH CENTURY

05. TAXES

04. "WE THE PEOPLE"

03. REPUBLICANS

02. CHINA

01. SEAN HANNITY

THE REASONS BEHIND THE LIST COMING 9/26

McCain Opts For The Culture Wars...More Of The Same...

EsquireUK — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 21:50:35 EDT

McCain opts for the culture wars... By Peter Watchorn 14th September, 2008 Also listed in: 10 group

September 14th, 2008

The New York Times is a good read today with excellent articles by Friedman, Rich and Dowd. Tom Friedman argues that McCain and the Republican Party, the party of business, is essentially wedding America to its addiction to 19th Century energy technology based on oil. The ugly chanting of "drill, baby, drill!" that graced their convention, at the behest of "America's Mayor", Guiliani, is analagous, in Friedman's words to favouring typewriters over computers. As he puts it:

As I have argued before, it reminds me of someone who, on the eve of the I.T. revolution — on the eve of PCs and the Internet — is pounding the table for America to make more I.B.M. typewriters and carbon paper. “Typewriters, baby, typewriters.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/14/opinion/14friedman.html?th&emc=th

He also makes one very important and urgent point: lets get off the subject of a putative Palin presidency and shift the emphasis back to the increasingly pathetic shell of McCain the Maverick, now sadly reduced to McCain the Inheritor and Purveyer of the Bush Legacy (something we need to be examining in detail).

Here's Frank Rich, who cogently makes the case that it is McCain himself, rather than Palin, who is unfit to serve, in part because of the way he has simply pandered to the expedient road to the Whitehouse to which the Neocons have now led him. His incompetence and pandering to the Right and the resulting emasculation of any message he might once have had are now the elephant(s) in the room. He reveals Palin herself (borne out by a feature article also in the Times about how she ran her government in Alaska) as a far more ruthless and chilling figure than the feisty, perhaps ill-informed but charismatic mom that her scripted image so far suggests. That the ruse has worked so far is depressingly clear from conversations I've had recently with two female friends of mine, both of whom like Palin and do not see beyond the immediate visual and oratical veneer. They'd vote for her, and I suspect that many more American women (and some men) would agree. So how to counter this?

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/14/opinion/14rich.html?th&emc=th

Maureen Dowd this morning:

An Arctic blast of action has swept into the 2008 race, making thinking passé. We don’t really need to hurt our brains studying the world; we just need the world to know we’re capable of bringing a world of hurt to the world if the world continues to be hell-bent on misbehaving.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/14/opinion/14dowd.html?th&emc=th

She notes Palin's close resemblance to the clueless Bush in 2000: even sharing with him his signature mispronunciation of the word: nuclear as nookular.

Nevertheless, McCain is the Republican's presidential candidate, the heartbeat that stands between Palin's (and her backers') own vision becoming fact and the debate (for now) needs to come back to a close scrutiny of his positions and likely behaviour in government. In a way it's useful to have the Palin question added: her appearance on the ticket and McCain's increasing dependency on appearing jointly with her are the best guide to what a McCain presidency would look like: change, but for the worse: with Palin in any position of influence or power, far worse. Did anyone believe that there could be a government worse than the present one. Yes there could...

Peter

http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/blog/peterwatchorn

http://www.barackobama.com/issues/

Only 52 Days Remain Until 4th November...

EsquireUK — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 08:25:01 EDT

US candidates trade sharper attacks

By Edward Luce and Andrew Ward in Washington

September 12 2008

Barack Obama sought to sharpen his attacks on John McCain on Friday as the two camps exchanged ever more scathing charges and counter-charges amid polls showing Mr McCain so far sustaining his “bounce” from last week’s Republican convention.

After one of the most brutal weeks of his campaign, Mr Obama signalled that he was prepared to hit back harder at Mr McCain – in line with the advice of many supporters, including that of former president Bill Clinton, whom he met for two hours on Thursday.

http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/www.raphaelholomanfranklinsupportObama08.com/gG5LKH

“The McCain campaign’s lies make it clear that John McCain would rather lose his integrity than lose this election,” said an Obama spokesman in response to the latest McCain advertisement about the Republican ticket’s reformist record.

Mr Obama also issued a “pledge” in New Hampshire not to raise “any kind of tax” on any household earning less than $250,000 a year – a tightening of his previous stance that one adviser conceded was necessitated by politics.

“I can guarantee you we’re going to be hitting back,” said Mr Obama on Friday. “We have been hitting back hard but I’m not going to start making up lies about John McCain.”

But Mr Obama’s apparent attempt to change the subject from the recent “character wars”, which have cost him and Joe Biden more than Mr McCain or Ms Palin in the polls, were drowned out by a series of Republican counter-punches.

http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/www.raphaelholomanfranklinsupportObama08.com/gG5LKH

In an interview with ABC on Friday night, Ms Palin taunted that Mr Obama must be ruing his decision to pass over Hillary Clinton as his running mate. “I think he’s regretting not picking her now, I do,” she said. “What determination and grit, and even grace through some tough shots that were fired her way – she handled those well.”

Mr McCain also issued another ad mocking Mr Obama. While factually disputable, such attacks are keeping Mr Obama on the defensive during what many Democrats fear could be a defining phase of the general election.

“He was the world’s biggest celebrity but his star’s fading,” the ad says. “So they lashed out at Sarah Palin. Dismissed her as good looking. That backfired, so they said she was doing ‘what she was told’. Then desperately called Sarah Palin a liar. How disrespectful. And how Governor Sarah Palin proves them wrong, every day.”

The newly aggressive approach of the Obama campaign responds to mounting unease among Democrats after a series of polls showed him slipping behind his Republican rival nationally and losing ground in swing states. An Associated Press survey released on Friday put Mr McCain ahead with 48 per cent, to Mr Obama’s 44 per cent, with a decisive lead among suburban and working-class white voters.

The new Obama advertisement mocks Mr McCain as an ageing Washington insider, featuring unflattering images of him wearing an old-fashioned suit and thick-rimmed glasses at a Senate hearing in the 1980s.

“1982, John McCain goes to Washington,” an announcer says over 1980s music. “Things have changed in the last 26 years, but McCain hasn’t.”

http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/www.raphaelholomanfranklinsupportObama08.com/gG5LKH

Meanwhile, Alaska lawmakers issued subpoenas on Friday to Ms Palin’s husband, Todd, and her aides who have refused to co-operate with a probe into whether she improperly fired the head of the state police.

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/4286a210-80ed-11dd-82dd-000077b07658.html

http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/samgrahamfelsen/gG53SH

NEW VIDEO: Michelle at the LGBT Delegates Luncheon

Jamie Citron — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 17:24:15 EDT

Lawrence Goldyn, openly gay professor and mentor to Barack Obama, speaks to the Washington Blade

Jamie Citron — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 11:30:04 EDT

Around 1980, Lawrence Goldyn was an openly gay political science professor, an outspoken supporter of Civil Rights and a conduit for open discussion at Occidental College in Los Angeles. Not an easy thing to be on a campus known for its socially conservative leanings. Goldyn was also a mentor to a politically burgeoning Barack Obama. He recently sat down with the Washington Blade to talk about his experience teaching eighteen year old Obama.

Goldyn on Barack:

“He was remarkable in that he was not intimidated by a publicly gay figure and, in fact, was interested in learning from me, whether formally or informally. That required an extraordinary kind of confidence in an 18 or 19 year old — the kind that comes from somewhere deep inside, that was still finding its way into his adult personality.
“He demonstrated a kind of social courage, which has served him well and helped get him where he is today,” said Goldyn, who described himself as a strong supporter of Obama’s presidential campaign.

Barack on Goldyn:

“He was a wonderful guy,” Obama said of Goldyn in that interview. “He was the first openly gay professor that I had ever come into contact with, or openly gay person of authority that I had come in contact with... just his comfort in his own skin and the friendship we developed helped to educate me on a number of these issues.”

Colorado has its say

Jamie Citron — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 10:51:20 EDT

The Colorado Stonewall Democrats enthusiastically endorsed Barack Obama today:

After the historic National Democratic Convention held in the Mile High City the Colorado Stonewall Democrats proudly endorsed Senator Barack Obama for President of the United States as the best candidate in this presidential race looking out for LGBT Americans. From hate crimes legislation to an inclusive ENDA and from HIV prevention to Gays in the Military, Senator Obama is on the right side of the issues. As demonstrated during Senator Obama’s acceptance speech at Mile High he, like millions of fair minded Americans believes that we can rise to our greater natures and find respect and a place at the table for LGBT Americans.

Between The Lines endorses Barack Obama

Jamie Citron — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 19:11:16 EDT

Michigan's LGBT newspaper endorsed Senator Obama today, and in no uncertain terms, made it clear how much is at stake in this election. Read the whole thing here.

Unlike four long years ago, the Michigan LGBT vote is being strongly courted outloud and proud by the National Democratic party this year with the leadership of Barack Obama... The stakes in this election could not be higher. All of us in the 11 battleground states of 2004 know the effects of letting our opponents win wars that restrict our rights. We cannot afford to risk anything less than electing and swearing into office President Obama on Jan. 20, 2009.
The stark contrast between candidates is easy to see with a look at LGBT-issue Web site www.pride.barackobama.com versus Sen. John McCain, who has no such site. Or, look at the National Democratic Platform and compare it with the National Republican Platform on LGBT issues...
BarackObama has asked for and will receive our support, endorsement and anything else we can help them with in the next 60 days. We urge all our readers to educate themselves, their family members and co-workers about the urgency of this election in our lives. Tell them how harmful the last four years have been for those of us living under this assault. Enough is enough. Pick up the phones, register people to vote (last day is Oct. 6), share your stories and please vote for Barack Obama on Nov. 4. because, "Yes we can!"

Quinn on Obama

Jamie Citron — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 14:18:11 EDT

The first openly gay New York City Council Speaker, Christine Quinn, joined 50 LGBT organizational leaders and Obama Pride New York for an Obama Pride Rally and mass endorsement on the steps on City Hall.

"I am confident . . . he will be the most pro-LGBT president we've had", said Quinn.

Canvassing and Phonebank Training by DFA

Jim "Hussein" Rice — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 13:43:22 EDT

All should try to attend this event or obtaining the CD material.

FACTS ON EARMARKS

luv4obama — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 12:38:52 EDT

MCCAIN HAS VOTED FOR 12,673 EARMARKS TOTALING 144 BILLIONS DOLLARS IN JUST SIX OF THE 25 YEARS IN CONGRESS. SO WHEN MCCAIN SAY HE IS GOING TO VETO ALL EARMARKS MAYBE HE MEANS ALL BUT THE ONES HE FEEL WILL BENEFIT HIM.

PALIN HAS HIRED LOBBYIST TO HELP GET 27 MILLION DOLLARS IN EARMARKS FOR HER TOWN OF 6,700 RESIDENTS YET PALIN SAYS BARACK OBAMA AS ASKED FOR BILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN EARMARKS.

FACT BARACK OBAMA HAS ASKED FOR 311 MILLION DOLLARS THAT IS 25 DOLLARS FOR EVERY ILLINOIS RESIDENT, PALIN AS ASKED WASHINGTON FOR 10 TIMES MORE PER CITIZEN.ASKING FOR 198 MILLION THAT'S ABOUT 295 PER CITIZEN. SO ASK YOURSELF IS MCCAIN-PALIN CHANGE WE CAN BELIEVE IN?

OR IS SHE AND MCCAIN JUST THE FAVOR OF THE MONTH.

TERRANCE-DARNELL,BLOG

FACTS ON EARMARKS

luv4obama — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 12:34:21 EDT

PALIN HAS HIRED LOBBYIST TO HELP GET 27 MILLION DOLLARS IN EARMARKS FOR HER TOWN OF 6,700 RESIDENTS YET PALIN SAYS BARACK OBAMA AS ASKED FOR BILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN EARMARKS.

OR IS SHE AND MCCAIN JUST THE FAVOR OF THE MONTH.

TERRANCE-DARNELL,BLOG

Ask everyone you know to vote for Obama

Marcus — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 02:36:54 EDT

Just ask for the vote, we need everyone for this election.

Barack talks to the Washington Blade

Jamie Citron — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 21:18:22 EDT

Recently LGBT newspaper The Washington Blade submitted a series of questions to Senator Obama regarding his potential Administration and the LGBT Community. Below are a few excerpts.

On Role Models

Blade: Do you have any role models who are openly gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender?
Obama: A college professor of mine helped me to see the lives of LGBT people from a different perspective. He was the first openly gay professor that I had ever come in contact with, or openly gay person of authority that I had come in contact with. And he was just a terrific guy. His comfort in his own skin and the friendship we developed helped to educate me on a number of these issues.

On Executive Appointments

Blade: Would you resume the practice started by President Clinton but discontinued by President Bush of creating a high-level White House staff position serving as liaison to the GLBT community?
Obama: I will make sure the voices of LGBT people are heard in the White House and I thought it was wrong that the Bush White House eliminated this position.

On Judges

Blade: Would you decline to nominate a qualified Supreme Court justice or cabinet member who had a history of anti-gay rulings?
Obama: I would have to consider the totality of the candidate’s record and qualifications. However, I think someone who has an established record of failing to support equal opportunities for all Americans would not fare well in an Obama-Biden administration.

On HIV/AIDS

Blade: President Bush has been praised for his AIDS relief efforts in Africa, but many domestic AIDS service providers say the U.S. focus on the epidemic abroad ignores growing infection rates here at home. How would your AIDS policies differ from President Bush’s and would you put a greater focus on the domestic problem?
Obama: President Bush has done a good job with international AIDS programs, but I think we need to do more, especially domestically. If elected, during my first year in office, I will develop and implement a comprehensive national HIV/AIDS strategy that includes all federal agencies. That strategy will reduce HIV infections, increase access to care and reduce HIV-related health disparities. Congress should pass the JUSTICE Act to combat infection within our prison population. And, as President, I will continue to confront the stigma — too often tied to homophobia — that continues to surround HIV/AIDS.

On DOMA

Blade: You have called for the full repeal of DOMA. If elected president, will you introduce legislation calling for its repeal during your first year in office?
Obama: I have long been on record opposing DOMA, and an Obama-Biden administration will work hard to ensure that we can pass a repeal of that law as soon as possible.

On the passing of Del Martin

Blade: Del Martin died on Aug. 27 — she and Phyllis Lyon, her partner of 55 years, got married in the first legal gay union in California in June — affording Phyllis many of the basic protections and rights granted to married couples, such as hospital visitations and estate planning issues. Do you envision a time when all GLBT citizens will have similar basic rights? During your administration?
Obama: Michelle and I were extremely saddened to learn about Del’s passing. Del committed her life to fighting discrimination and promoting equality.
As I have said before, I’m running for President to build an America that lives up to our founding promise of equality for all — a promise that certainly extends to the LGBT community. I do envision a time when we all enjoy that promise, but we have to work hard to get there. LGBT Americans deserve real change, and they deserve it now. Certainly as a nation we can all agree that discrimination has no place in our America. Same-sex couples face legal discrimination every day — that we can, and must, end — by repealing DOMA, providing federal rights and responsibilities to same-sex families, and supporting LGBT parents, to start. And we need to remember that it’s not just couples that need protection — we need to pass long overdue legislation that ends employment discrimination, enhances hate crimes protections, and repeals “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell.”

Obama Responds To McCain's Phoney Outrage...Enough Is Enough

EsquireUK — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 17:00:59 EDT

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7581501.stm

September 10, 2008, 11:30 am

Obama Responds to ‘Phony Outrage’By Jeff Zeleny

NORFOLK, Va. — Senator Barack Obama accused his Republican rivals on Wednesday of stirring “phony outrage” over a colloquial comment he made one day earlier about putting “lipstick on a pig,” which he said was a clear reference to Senator John McCain’s policies not a derogatory slur against his running-mate.

“Enough!” Mr. Obama said, interrupting a speech on education to address the latest controversy in the heated presidential campaign. “I don’t care what they say about me, but I love this country too much to let them take over another election with lies and phony outrage and swift boat politics. Enough is enough.”

Senator Obama Responds To Latest Round Of Attacks

By Laurin Manning - Sep 10th, 2008 at 1:56 pm EDT

Comments | Mail to a Friend | Report Objectionable Content

Today in Norfolk, Virginia, Senator Obama responded to the latest round of outrageous attacks and manufactured controversy:

http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/laurinmanning/gG5Lfg

Had enough of slash-and-burn, "swiftboat" politics? Make a contribution today and help us end the politics of diversions and distractions.

http://www.barackobama.com/index.php

http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/blog/peterwatchorn

By Peter Watchorn - Sep 10th, 2008 at 6:58 am EDTAlso listed in: 10 groups

In 1974, Gough Whitlam, Australia's Labor Prime Minister was in the middle of an election campaign that had been called because the opposition conservatives had blocked the money supply in the upper house of Australia's parliament. For the first part of the campaign Whitlam, who was an extraordinary orator and a genuine agent of change, appeared unable to take the measure of his opponent, Bill Snedden, a very average and opportunistic politician. Whitlam seemed unable to engage the voters until one day when he turned the opposition's argument on its head and defended his own economic performance with passion and conviction. He won - narrowly.

In the wake of the McCain/Palin circus, I feel that Barack's campaign is at a similar crossroad. Please take a careful look at Tom Friedman's piece in the New York Times this morning. I hope the campaign has read it and is taking his advice to heart. Voters need to be re-focused on all the issues that led Barack to run in the first place, which are too numerous to mention, but which every voter knows instinctively. The economy, the war, gas prices, energy concerns, global warming. At the moment the electorate is badly distracted.

I think that, unless voters are re-energized by Barack regarding these issues, and soon, there's a real possibility that the Republicans could steal this one as well as the last two. I am simply not seeing the compelling arguments delivered forcefully and consistently enough. Perhaps it's campaign fatigue (understandably). But the Republicans appear to have seized the initiative through the improbable choice of Sarah Palin as the VP candidate, ridiculous though that is. McCain can't believe his luck. As a result, I perceive that we are in trouble.

In any case, Gough Whitlam had an epiphany in 1974 and returned to the gut issues that voters were feeling. It became known as the "day Gough pulled his finger out". By effectively projecting belief in his own message he narrowly won the subsequent election, a very near thing indeed. He turned it around two weeks before the election. I hope that Barack's campaign has a similar moment, and in the very near future. As mentioned, Tom Friedman states the case perfectly in this morning's times.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/10/opinion/10friedman.html?th&emc=th

Maureen Dowd deals again with Palin and the fact that everything she has done to achieve her (hopefully brief) celebrity, a word McCain shunned until recently, has been based on a single tightly controlled speech on a teleprompter written by someone else (and repeated verbatim around the country). The gullibility of Americans seems to be evident, if the polls can be believed. She has not yet answered a single question on her own. She is perilously close to being not only VP but, potentially, the Leader ofthe Free World. A genuine Monty Python-esqu prospect.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/10/opinion/10dowd.html?th&emc=th

It is fine to laugh at the Palin choice, since it is a cheap stunt that is designed to distract from the issues. However, the nightmare prospect that her election and possible appointment represents is very real. The polls regarding white women flocking to her are alarming. No other way to describe it.

We need to regain the momentum and get this election back to the real issues. Substance over charade. To do this we need to truly engage the feelings of foreboding and deep concern that people are feeling internally over the state of the country. Barack knows this. He needs to make people know that he knows it. And do it soon.

Peter

http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/blog/peterwatchorn

Compare Obama and McCain on LGBT Issues

Jamie Citron — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 17:01:13 EDT

Obama Pride has released a comprehensive list of issue contrasts between Senator Obama and Senator McCain covering an array of topics. You can view it by CLICKING HERE or by visiting the resources section on pride.barackobama.com

Below is a sample of some of the issues covered, click above for the whole piece and spread the word! Please send to at least five of your friends and encourage them to do the same.

MEDIA, Palin, ISSUES, BARACK, and PLANS for,...

luv4obama — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 14:09:50 EDT

to the media
Sarah Palin is a woman who will be the number two of the soon to be replaced most powerful country
if your upsets with Sarah Palin looks, hair, make-up,(lots of make-up),clothes then America is in worst shape then i thought
it's a sad day for "the people" when it's about Palin physical appears, more so then her ability to govern.
America ENOUGH

Hillary Clinton: No McCain...No Palin

EsquireUK — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 05:48:26 EDT

Tuesday, 9th September 2008

Sen. Clinton Hits the Trail

By CHRISTOPHER COOPER and AMY CHOZICK

ORLANDO, Fla. -- Hillary Clinton, campaigning publicly for Barack Obama for the first time since Sarah Palin's addition to the Republican ticket, notably avoided taking any sharp jabs at the Alaskan governor who has made a bid to win over former Clinton supporters.

Campaigning at a rally for several hundred in Kissimmee in a stronghold for her, Central Florida, Sen. Clinton also won an endorsement from a union for Sen. Obama. "I want you to tell everybody that it is absolutely undeniable, when the Democrats are in the White House, average Americans do better," Sen. Clinton told the crowd. "To slightly paraphrase my comments from the convention: 'No way no how, no McCain, no Palin.' "

But even as Sen. Clinton avoided saying much about Gov. Palin, Sen. Obama, campaigning in Michigan, lit into the vice-presidential nominee as a "sham reformer," his toughest words yet. Early polls suggest the race has tightened since Republican presidential nominee John McCain tapped Gov. Palin for the ticket.

Sen. Clinton's reference to Gov. Palin was one of the few she made about the Republican vice presidential candidate even after she was pressed at a news conference. Her visit came nearly two weeks after she urged her supporters to back Sen. Obama at the Democratic National Convention.

"I'm talking about the positive case for Sen. Obama and Sen. [Joe] Biden," Sen. Clinton said. While having a Republican woman on the ticket was a historic achievement and a source of national pride, she said, questions about Gov. Palin were a diversion. "It's so easy to get diverted in this election," Sen. Clinton said.

Sen. Clinton then appeared at a convention of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, a union that had backed her primary bid against Sen. Obama.

After accepting an invitation to become an honorary union member, she moved that the body endorse Sen. Obama. The crowd of about 1,500 union leaders gave Sen. Obama his first post-convention union endorsement.

On Monday, the McCain campaign unveiled a television advertisement portraying Gov. Palin as a crusader against government waste. The ad showcased her opposition to the so-called Bridge to Nowhere, an expensive federal road project that proposed to link a small Alaskan village to the mainland.

Some media reports say Gov. Palin was an early supporter of the project and opposed the bridge when it became expedient to do so. At a rally in Flint, Mich., Sen. Obama honed in on the flip-flop accusation. "You can't just re-create yourself," he said.

The McCain campaign says Sen. Obama is trying to hide the fact that he voted to fund the bridge. "Barack Obama can't 'reinvent' the fact that he...has requested a million dollars in pork barrel spending for every working-day that he's been in the senate," says McCain campaign spokesman Tucker Bounds.

Though some Obama campaign advisers cite internal polling as showing that Gov. Palin carries a higher negative among voters than her Democratic counterpart, Sen. Biden, a USA Today/Gallup poll released on Monday suggests otherwise.

According to that poll, Sen. McCain's support has surged since Gov. Palin joined his ticket, and he now leads Sen. Obama among likely voters by 54% to 44%, with a margin of error of plus or minus three percentage points. NBC News, which tracks statewide surveys, on Monday continued to give Sen. Obama an electoral vote edge of 228 to 200, with several states too close to call.

Sen. Clinton, who also made an unscheduled stop at Obama campaign headquarters in Lakeland and took part in an evening rally in Tampa as part of her Florida tour, made the economy her main theme. She noted that Florida is among the country's hardest hit in terms of home foreclosures and unemployment rates.

Sen. Clinton's small clutch of advisers said the former first lady believes serving as an attack dog against Gov. Palin would limit the effectiveness of a presidential aspirant who garnered 18 million votes during the primary season. She will maintain "a laser-like focus on who's running for president, and not Gov. Palin," one adviser said.

At the Kissimmee event, Sen. Clinton appeared to be making inroads with former supporters, some of whom eagerly snapped up leftover Hillary campaign buttons and T-shirts stacked next to Obama gear.

"Here's a whole row of old white women who are voting for Obama and have no hesitation about it," said 64-year-old Karen McFadyen of Orlando, as her companions nodded agreement. "The only thing Sarah Palin has in common with me is that she wears a skirt."

Write to Christopher Cooper at christopher.cooper@wsj.com and Amy Chozick at amy.chozick@wsj.com

http://online.wsj.com/public/article/SB122092391339613173.html?mod=special_page_campaign2008_topbox

Obama Pride at Gender Odyssey

Jamie Citron — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 15:19:11 EDT

Obama Pride National Co-Chair, Marsha Botzer, led a team of Obama Pride volunteers registering voters and signing up supporters at the 6th annual Gender Odyssey Conference. Here is what she had to say about their efforts:

Labor Day Weekend saw the 6th annual Gender Odyssey Conference at the Convention Center in downtown Seattle, and Obama Pride was there with a table right at the entrance. This conference deals with gender identity and expression concerns, and hundreds of individuals, families, professional providers, allies and friends attend this conference each year. We talked about Obama to most of them! This conference draws folks from all over the world, many quickly affirming their support for Obama, their commitment to vote, and their thumbs up support and best wishes. We signed up lots of new Obama Pride members, handed out a huge number of Obama Pride stickers, and registered a good number of first-time voters! All in all, a very successful Washington State Obama Pride effort.

Thanks Marsha and Obama Pride Washington!

I need an answer

Shaun — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 10:04:48 EDT

Why is McCain ahead in the polls? What's going on with that?

Only 57 Days Remain Until 4th November...

EsquireUK — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 08:56:45 EDT

Back to Reality

By Peter Watchorn

September 8th, 2008 at 7:26 am EDT

Also listed in: 10 group

The corporate media are trumpeting McCain/Palin's overtaking of Obam/Biden in the "real" Gallup poll this morning. In the Disneyland media world we presently seem to inhabit (from which most Americans derive their information and, hence, their view of the world and reality) today's buzz (this from Jake Tapper at ABC News)

http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/09/mccain-pulls-ah.html

is about the voters preferring, for the moment, McCain's message of "change" to the actual message of change that Obama has presented from the outset. Meanwhile, as the inevitable media flirtation with the appalling Sarah Palin continues (again, for the moment at least), the dark reality of Bush's looming legacy (the ACTUAL reality, that is, i.e. the one that threatens to engulf us all) continues to swirl around us. Look at these stories in today's New York Times:

Here's Roger Cohen on the foreign policy mess, which seems to be buried under reports that Barack was forced to admit that the "surge" was a success:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/08/opinion/08cohen.html?th&emc=th

Paul Krugman on the meltdown of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and Bush's "big government" bail out of both:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/08/opinion/08krugman.html?th&emc=th

Remember that Candidate McCain at one time opposed any bailout of those "irresponsible" mortgage owners who believed the advertising lies that exhorted them to spend money they didn't have. And now this man and his deputy pose as the agents of "the change we need". Question is: will Americans fall for it again?

Meanwhile, in Sunday's Times, Frank Rich once again showed his mettle with an excellent piece on the hasty marriage between McCain and Palin, and why it shows McCain up as just another opportunistic, sel-deluding politician. And a dangerous one at that.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/07/opinion/07rich.html?_r=1&em&oref=slogin

while my other favourite, Maureen Dowd (America's very own version of the great Australian satirist/journalist, Mungo McCallum), as usual cutting through all the self-important posturings and outrageous lies spun by politicians gave us the following projection for 2012: Palin vs Hillary

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/07/opinion/07dowd.html?em

Politics is a funny thing, and the media's role in it (or their effectiveness in determining outcomes of election or people's voting tendencies) is hard to gauge. Perhaps, given the pendulous nature of things, it's good to be perceived, once in a while, as being the underdog. However, while this largely manufactured drama is being created by the media for our diversion, the great challenge for Barack's campaign lies in permanently rousing people from the twenty-eight year long daydream into which Reagan and his Republican successors (aided and abetted by the mainstream media) have seduced them: that America is always right, no matter what it does; that we should have stayed in Vietnam and won; that we have the right to trash the environment and drive the biggest and most wasteful cars in the world; that we have the right to take over countries to secure the oil to drive them and, the grandest lie of all: that government is not our voice but our enemy.

This time reality is calling and time is short (just under 60 days, in fact).

Despite all the great journalists and their undoubtedly insightful perspectives whose columns appear in papers like the New York Times, many more Americans are vulnerable to the lies that are still being peddled by the Republican side, often presented uncritically as fact. We all know about Fox News (from Murdoch's Limited News Corporation), which Barack resisted for as long as he could. Here is an example of one of the more literate of the Republicans' cheerleaders, again in the New York Times, this from their token conservative correspondent, William Kristol. The Times' other token Republican, David Brooks, at least appears to acknowledge that the Palin choice is, well, questionable (or at least he does when arguing with Mark Shields on PBS's News Hour with Jim Lehrer).

Here's Kristol arguing that Americans really want to see Sarah Palin a heartbeat away and why it might even be good for us:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/08/opinion/08kristol.html?th&emc=th

The irony of these cheerleaders arguing for the McCain/Palin view of things is that they are all in the boat with us: it is their world, too, that is heading inexorably towards disaster, due to the tender ministrations of Bush/Cheney (who are extraordinarily absent from this campaign, aren't they?), whose mantle McCain and Palin will simply assume, despite everything they're telling us.

Underlining the way many Americans actually see the world, this morning we read that there has been a nationwide rush to buy rimless glasses like Palin's. An apt metaphor, perhaps for the blind leading the blind? It's clear that, whatever we might think of her, the way she has been packaged and teleprompted to national fame has unleashed some sort of dark force. That's the power of Disney-like fantasy, folks. How, then, to get people back to a properly urgent consideration of the bottomless cesspool that awaits us all as the legacy of the very party that is now trying to stealth its way past the voters as "agents of change"? That's the real question. How do we get the message across, with the nation (or a goodly part of it) still firmly asleep? How, in other words, will we make Americans discern truth from fiction? There is our challenge.

Peter

http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/blog/peterwatchorn

New Video!

Shaun — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 22:10:31 EDT

Check out my new video, a response to a thread I started on McCain's web site about the real meaning of the word liberal and why it's under attack.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-AjOuxG3IqA

Feel free to respond!

wow, McCain pushed a woman in a wheelchair

Marcus — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 16:06:16 EDT

his temper scares me, not someone I would want in the White House

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/09/07/report-mccain-pushed-woma_n_124615.html

ON THE RECORD!!!!!

luv4obama — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 12:48:58 EDT

WE THE PEOPLE DEMAND A "RECORD SHOWDOWN" I WILL PUT BARACK OBAMA TWELVE YEAR RECORD TO JOHN MCCAIN'S TWENTY-NINE YEAR RECORD AND SEE WHO IS "FOR THE PEOPLE" AND RISE YOU JOE BIDEN TWENTY YEAR RECORD AGAINST SARAH PALIN ? YEAR RECORD AND LETS JUST SEE WHO IS REALLY "FOR THE PEOPLE".

Obama Goes on the Offensive! Calls Out McCain

Ernie Lou — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 20:04:41 EDT

Obama Goes on the Offensive! This is what Obama/Biden Have to Do! Be AGGRESSIVE and CALL THEM OUT

Here is the first example and hope this is the strategy going forward!

"The Democratic presidential nominee ridiculed John McCain and his running mate, the Alaska governor, for describing themselves as agents of change at this week's GOP convention."

"Don't be fooled," Obama told the crowd surrounding him in a large barn. "John McCain's party, with the help of John McCain, has been in charge" for nearly eight years. "And suddenly he's the change agent? Ha. He says, 'I'm going to tell those lobbyists that their days of running Washington are over.' Who is he going to tell? Is he going to tell his campaign chairman, who's one of the biggest corporate lobbyists in Washington? Is he going to tell his campaign manager, who was one of the biggest corporate lobbyists in Washington?"

"I mean, come on, they must think you're stupid," (Watch Barack's comments on You Tube)

Barack Obama on McCain's campaign lobbyists http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9AknbG8LaEc

ARKANSANS ACTIVITY!! please respond back!!!

luv4obama — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 18:44:48 EDT

This is it Arkansans we the people must get involve NOW please take the time to read and respond to this blog. As a member of Barack Obama Finance Committee I've put together two Events, to rise money and to resistor voters. The first will be a Fundraiser held September 26,08 and i will need volunteers for about 4 hours on that day , the next Event will be held October 1st, 08. A Voter Registration Drive and i will need volunteers in four locations around Arkansas for that. please I'm asking as a volunteer, citizen, Arkansan,.. Get Involve "your future is in your hands,.. what are you going to do with it"

Raising awareness and teamwork

JustineCredible — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 23:05:32 EDT

Hello again.

Yup, it's your friendly Chicago area transplant to Centre County here.
The same gal who volunteered with Equality Illinois to get ENDA passed for Illinois. Yup, Barack not only supported this important piece of legislation in my home state, but he urged many fellow state Legislators to do the same! Because of his bipartisan outreach Illinois GLBTQ enjoy the freedom and security of Equal Opportunity for Employment and Housing!
The same gal knocked on doors in Kendal County, IL when Barack ran for the U.S. Senate. (Those who don't know...Kendal County is where our former Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert is from and a notoriously RED County...surprisingly as it's a western Suburb of Chicago!)
The same gal who's sister-in-law got me to knock on those doors and when she died just months later...Michelle Obama attended her funeral along with many, many friends and family.

I'm here now; in Centre County and My Goodness...it's Time to do it again!

Ok, I know I've been a bit pre-occupied recently and haven't really been here all that often lately, but the truth is, sometimes life gets in the way. In my case, personal health. But, never mind me, I'm ok now and really fired up.
If the DNC Convention wasn't enough to get me really motivated and excited, the RNC and all the controversy of the Republican Presidential/Vice Presidential Ticket really has!

All Righty...let's see. We have a fantastic winning team with Obama/Biden we all know that. But what's even better for us is the loosing team of McCain/Palin. McCain has voted with Bush 90% of the time, Palin has absolutely no clue of what a VP's job is. McCain attempted to hi-jack the "Change" ideal but we all know what kind of "change" he represents...NAME ONLY. The same policies, the same values, the same "Me first, anyone else...last" behavior. Not only would McCain/Palin be four more years of a Bush-like White House, but it would continue the Regan legacy of "trickle down" economics we know all too well.... DOESN'T work!

WE can't afford it!
We can't afford BILLIONS of Dollars spent EACH MONTH on a war that has no end!
We can't afford HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS of OUR OWN going without Health Insurance.
We can't afford ALL OUT CHILDREN being LEFT BEHIND!
We can't afford "Compassionate Conservatism" which is compassionate to THEIR pockets ONLY!
We can't afford an "Abstenence Only" Campaign that has resulted in an INCREASE in Unwed/Teen Pregnancy!
We can't afford an EVER RISING UNEMPLOYMENT RATE! (One which the RNC seems completely oblivious to)
We can't afford a President who admits he knows very little about energy alternatives, but who just months ago said he would NOT back Off-shore drilling...but who just hours ago Promised to begin off-shore drilling ASAP!
We can't afford McCain/Palin.

Look, I'm hosting a Volunteer Organizing event at my home on Sunday September 7th at 6pm.

Please, come by, meet other like-minded and just as worried citizens. Offer up a couple hours here and there to help us make sure Centre County turns BLUE this November! Even if it's only a couple hours a week...any amount is welcome!
All Northern Centre County Residents of Blanchard, Marsh Creek, Howard, Milesburg, Bellefonte, Julian, Unionville and all others I may have (and honestly I'm sure I have) forgotten to mention. (remember...I'm still new in town.)

Please join us Sunday evening.

I really believe in Senator Obama, his message and his ability to lead effectively, compassionately, skillfully and with the good of ALL Americans at heart of everything he will do!

I've seen him in action, I've had the amazing pleasure of talking to him One-On-One and I can tell you now, the very first time I met him and shook his hand I just knew! I knew this man was headed for our White House. I knew it then and I know it now!

Don't let me down Centre County!
I know we can!!!

come out, come out, come out,..... wherever you are

luv4obama — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 17:46:20 EDT

Mrs. Hillary Clinton

Mrs. Michelle Obama

Mrs. Nancy Pelosi

Mrs. Jill Biden

Mrs. Claire McCaskill

Mrs. Dianne Feinstein

BACK TO THE ISSUES!!!!!

Obama Pride launches official Facebook page!

Jamie Citron — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 16:55:10 EDT

Obama Pride is now officially on Facebook. Join and find other supporters in your area, keep up with the blog, take a peek at new photos and videos from speeches and events around the country, register to vote, post and find Obama Pride activities near you.

JOIN TODAY!

My first obama video, hope you enjoy!

Shaun — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 11:44:33 EDT

My first obama video, hope you enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2REL7tiw4aU