New Hampshire Women for Obama

Sincere Sympathy On the Loss of Your Grandmother

Gretchen — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 18:33:12 EST

Grammy Toot your work is done, the sun has set and now I mourn. Before in sacrificial days, I remember all the love you gave. I softly cry though within, the loss I feel but strength that is. As sea washes clean the sands of time, the sun sets red just one last time. I see you walking slowly away, to heavenly skies and endless days. For what you are is what I've become, the man, the hope, the dreams of some. Tomorrow too soon has come today, the fight's been fought my heart now aches. A golden jewel is now set free, remembering what you told to me. No smaller fate would you allow, your legacy has make me proud. The world I must now embrace, goodbye sweet love, you're in God's grace.

Don't Be Scared This Halloween

Anne Marie @ NH HQ — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 16:59:28 EDT

When Robots Attack:

Fight the Robo-Calls by getting involved today!

Help Get Out The Vote

Make Calls From Home

Find Your Local Office

Fight The Smears

Saturday: John Kerry Returns to Granite State

Anne Marie @ NH HQ — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 10:12:01 EDT

MANCHESTER-- With less than 3 days until Election Day, Sen. John Kerry will be on the Seacoast of New Hampshire this Saturday, November 1st to rally voters in support of Sen. Barack Obama, Jeanne Shaheen, and Democrats up and down the ticket.

Saturday, November 1st:

5:00 p.m. Unity Rally with Sen. John Kerry, Jeanne Shaheen, and Democratic candidates
Portsmouth Public Library- Levenson Community Room
175 Parrott Avenue, Portsmouth

NH Republican Leaves McCain Campaign to Support Obama

Anne Marie @ NH HQ — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 10:07:43 EDT

MANCHESTER - Fred Bramante, a member of McCain's New Hampshire Leadership Committee and a 2008 Alternate Delegate to the Republican National Convention today announced his support for Senator Obama's Campaign for Change.

Bramante, a Co-Chair of Gov. Mike Huckabee's presidential campaign and former Republican gubernatorial candidate, is a past Chairman and current member of the New Hampshire State Board of Education. His endorsement marks the first time nationally that a delegate or alternate delegate to the 2008 Republican National Convention has publicly announced their decision to support Sen. Obama.

"I believe that America is at a critical point and that how our nation addresses the issue of education redesign will hold the key to America's future," said Fred Bramante. "Barack Obama is committed to reforming our public schools instead of abandoning them. To my disappointment, Senator McCain continues to support the use of vouchers, a divisive approach to education which has gotten us nowhere for decades and will not ensure that our children will live their lives in another American Century."

On the call, the Obama-Biden Campaign also announced 20 other prominent New Hampshire Republicans who support Obama for president.

"As a lifelong Republican and father of two, I believe Obama is the best choice for the future of our country. He has my support because of his views on the economy, his concern for America's standing in the world, and his opposition to the war in Iraq," said Barry Schuster of Lebanon. "As the former Chair of the school board, I know improving education policy will be critical to the Senator because of his own experiences and the value he places on reforming the system."

"It has been the Democratic candidate, Barack Obama, who has demonstrated sound judgment in dealing with this economic crisis," said Pamela Diamantis of Greenland. "I am supporting Obama because he meets the criteria I want in a president, which is someone who is a strong leader who has conviction around his ideas and has the skills and desire to effectively communicate and build a consensus."

This group of 20 New Hampshire Republicans joins a long list of other prominent Republicans supporting Obama including Republican State Representative Sandy Kearns, former Republican State Senator Richard Russman, former Republican State Representative William Tsiros, and former Republican State Representative Liz Hager.

American Stories and American Promises

Anne Marie @ NH HQ — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 20:59:54 EDT

Tonight, the Obama campaign aired a 30 min special about American stories - stories like yours, of families talking around the dinner table about the tough choices they are facing and their dreams for the future. This country was formed by stories like these - parents who moved to get a better schools for their children, men and women who have to go back to work after retirement to support their families, and young people seeking to better their future through work and education.

Barack's message tonight speaks to these American stories, and to the commitment that he makes to Granite Staters and all Americans to address these concerns.

In case you missed any part of it, or want to watch it again, or share this with your friends - you can watch Barack's message here:

The election ends in six days, and we need your help to get out the vote right here in New Hampshire. You can find a volunteer opportunity near you right now.

Ned Lamont Visits Manchester Office

Anne Marie @ NH HQ — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 14:26:46 EDT

This afternoon Ned Lamont, former Democratic candidate for Senate in CT against Joe Lieberman, stopped by the Campaign for Change office to show his support, thanking volunteers and making phone calls to help Get Out the Vote in the last week of the campaign.

In 2000 we were out hustled. In 2004 we were out muscled with the Swift Boat attacks. Now, with the power of our volunteer base, we won't be out hustled or out muscled this year.

Lamont, who endorsed Barack during the primaries, is the Chairman of Connecticut for Obama. His CT group has sent over a hundred volunteers to New Hampshire every weekend for months, and Lamont has been acting as a surrogate for the campaign at local Chamber of Commerce debates.

"Everyone has their eyes on New Hampshire," Lamont said.

Join Lamont's efforts: come to your nearest New Hampshire office to help Get Out the Vote.

Watch Ned Lamont's message of support from January here

Madeleine Albright Addresses Veterans and Military Families on the Eve of "the Most Critical Election of our Time"

Anne Marie @ NH HQ — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 13:48:25 EDT

This guest blog was written by Josh Levine, Director of Veterans Outreach for the New Hampshire Campaign for Change

Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, a strong supporter of Senator Barack Obama, met with veterans and military families Tuesday at the Public Library in Portsmouth, NH. Dr. Albright, who teaches at Georgetown University, spoke about our current national security situation and the failure of President Bush's approach to foreign policy over the last eight years. During her remarks, she described what she saw as the major issues facing the next President of the United States, and why she believed Barack Obama was uniquely qualified, in knowledge, demeanor, confidence, and judgment to begin the tough work of solving these complex problems.

Following her remarks she fielded questions from the forty-person audience. She spoke about the need for the United States to begin disengagement in Iraq, both to force the Iraqi government to solve its lingering political issues and so that we can focus on Afghanistan, the real immediate threat to American security. She endorsed Senator Obama's plans for dealing with Iraq through a multilateral regional solution and for intensifying efforts to rebuild Afghanistan and help Pakistan to stabilize itself. Other topics included restoring America's standing in the world, dealing with Iran, the world financial crisis, rethinking the use of the National Guard in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the current and future roles of NATO.

On each issue, Dr. Albright described her views and discussed with the audience Barack Obama's deep thoughtfulness, clear thinking, and confidence to lead our country through these tough times. She said that not only is Senator Obama the right man to address our great concerns abroad, but that he "will talk to us, tell us the truth" so that we as a nation can work together to meet our challenges at home.

If you're tired of the same failed foreign policies of the past and are ready for America to have a better standing in the world, sign up to help Get Out The Vote now.

Are YOU Ready to Get Out The Vote?

Anne Marie @ NH HQ — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 09:47:14 EDT

Change happens because the American people demand it. Because they rise up and insist on new leadership and new ideas, a new politics for a new time. - Sen. Barack Obama

Six days until the election - six days to join us in making history. This isn't the time to let up and rest on our laurels, it's the time to push forward to victory. This is what happens if we get complacent:

Don't trust the polls. We need to push through the finish line.

Sign up now to help us fight for every last vote.

Make calls with us, knock on doors with us, help out in your local office, bring food to volunteers and staff, house a volunteer, make calls from home, put Obama flyers around your town... whatever you can do our staff can help you with.

This is our time.

Senator Clinton Returns to the Granite State!

Anne Marie @ NH HQ — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 00:25:04 EDT

This blog was written by Colin at NH HQ

Today, Hillary Clinton returned to New Hampshire for the first time since her rally in Unity with Senator Obama back in June. She was welcomed with open arms by raucous crowds which greeted her in Manchester and Pelham. With the election only a week away, Hillary Clinton came to the Granite State to let everyone know why she is working so hard to elect Senator Obama to the White House.

Her first event was at Southern New Hampshire University in Manchester. She was introduced by former Gov. Jeanne Shaheen who is running for Senate against incumbent John Sununu. To get our country moving on the right track, Senator Obama will need Jeanne Shaheen in the Senate, so help elect her and Barack Obama by working as hard as you can this last week.

Hillary spoke passionately about the issues affecting our country - lack of access to health care, high energy prices, failing schools, and the sense of malaise sweeping the country due to the financial crisis. Hillary told the Granite State that a vote for McCain is a vote for more of the same and four more years of George W. Bush. She closed by urging all of her supporters from the primary to go out and work and vote for the Democratic ticket up and down the ballot.

THURSDAY: GOV. HOWARD DEAN TO ENERGIZE AND ENCOURAGE GRANITE STATE STUDENTS TO GET OUT THE VOTE

Anne Marie @ NH HQ — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 20:36:54 EDT

MANCHESTER-- Former Vermont governor and current chairman of the Democratic National Committee Howard Dean will be in New Hampshire this Thursday, October 30th for a Rally for Change. With just over a week until New Hampshire voters head to the polls, Gov. Dean will stress the incredibly high stakes of the election for young voters and encourage them to vote. Dean will also discuss Sen. Obama's plan to create jobs and improve the state of our economy so that young Granite Staters can successfully enter the workforce upon graduation.

Earlier today, the Obama campaign in New Hampshire released a list of 50 New Hampshire student leaders who are not only supporting Sen. Obama's Campaign for Change, but are working on campuses to elect former Gov. Jeanne Shaheen, Congresswoman Carol Shea-Porter, and Congressman Paul Hodes. These student leaders have been and will continue to play an active role in the last days of the campaign energizing students to vote and have dedicated their time to engaging classmates in the electoral process. New Hampshire students can visit NH.BarackObama.com for more information on voting and how to get involved in these final days of the campaign.

Thursday, October 30th

11:45 a.m. Rally for Change with Gov. Howard Dean

UNH Durham- Granite State Room-- MUB

83 Main Street, Durham

Field Blog #17: Dover Office: Weekends with Larry, Brigit, and Debbie

Anne Marie @ NH HQ — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 16:54:28 EDT

This blog was written by Field Organizer Butch Frey

Saturdays are a hoppin' time in the Dover office! With canvassers arriving both from out-of-state and in-state, we are fired up and ready to go! But both the organizers and the volunteers rely on a few special people that come in every weekend and help us orchestrate a smooth canvass. The "Dover Weekend Team" consists of three all-star regulars, Larry from Dover, Debbie from Dover, and Brigit from Rollinsford.

These great people provide the backbone for the great canvasses out of the Dover office.

Larry from Dover

Larry from Dover begins his Saturdays by arriving early to set up for volunteers, and ends his Sunday with volunteer calls and data entry with his daughter Zoe. Larry hasn't worked for a candidate in years but believes this election is special. He has said of this election, "This is clearly the most important election of my lifetime. I just don't know if I can do anything else on the weekends...this is too important, and we just simply can't let this oppourtunity slip away."

Brigit from Rollinsford

Brigit from Rollinsford works to recruit volunteers during the week, and then greets them on the weekend. With a jovial personality and kind smile, she works with people's schedules and helps deal with any issues that come up. She always is there to offer a sandwich or a good joke when volunteers or staff need a little nourishment.

The weekend team is completed by Debbie from Dover who answers questions and concerns from volunteers after they return from pounding the pavement. She supports Senator Obama because she believes they offer real change to the partisan politics of Washington, and will provide help to the middle class.

The Dover office runs on the help of great volunteers that believe in our grassroots movement for change. Come out and visit the Dover Weekend Team in action and help change the world!

Dover Campaign for Change

11 Chestnut St.

Dover, NH 03820

(603) 742-5416

Field Blog #16: Sandwich Fair in Central NH

Anne Marie @ NH HQ — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 16:15:09 EDT

Earlier this month, local Democrats flooded Central New Hampshire for the annual Sandwich Fair. Shaw, a local teacher and Obama fan, reported that foot traffic past the Democratic booth was awesome. According to Shaw, the Sandwich Democrats had wonderful support and enthusiasm from a crowd that some estimated at 10,000 people for the weekend. Folks loaded up on their favorite Obama gear, picked up information on volunteer opportunities with their Local Field Office, and educated themselves on all of the down-ticket Democratic candidates.

Shaw explained that the Sandwich Fair is a traditional agricultural fair that has been running annually for well over a century. It features an old fashion midway with rides as well as events like tractor pulls, oxen twitching, and show horse jumping. Dozens of farm animals are carefully groomed and judged- you'll find everything from chickens and rabbits, to cattle and llamas, to goats and ducks. As with most fairs, food is a big draw too. Blue ribbons are awarded for the best apple pie, top blueberry jam, biggest pumpkin, and most beautiful quilt - just to name a few.

Although Sandwich sits in one of the more rural sections of the state, local residents can volunteer at one of the four Obama Field Offices up north. Whether you only have an hour on a weeknight for some data entry or a couple hours for neighborhood canvassing or phone calls, we need you. With Marty in Plymouth, Scott and Ashley in Conway, Tim and Joe in Laconia, and Kate in Berlin, there's no shortage of field organizers to get you connected in the North Country. With eight days left to connect with undecided voters in Northern New Hampshire, the time to act is now. Your voice is too important. We need you. Join us. Sign-up to join New Hampshire for Obama

Come visit Marty, Scott, Ashely, Tim, Joe, and Kate at:

Plymouth
42 Main St. Apt. E
Plymouth, NH 03264
(603) 438-2762

Conway
85 Main St.
Conway, NH 03818
(603) 447-3330

Laconia
54 Canal St.
Laconia, NH 03246
(603) 528-2931

Berlin
225 Main St.
Berlin, NH 03570
(603) 752-2715

If you have any questions please call or email NH@BarackObama.com.

This guest Field blog was written by Martin Schubert, Field Organizer in Plymouth.

Field Blog #15: Kendal Seniors for Obama

Anne Marie @ NH HQ — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 14:09:12 EDT

This blog was written by Jennifer, a volunteer from the Upper Valley for Obama Team

Nestled in the beautiful landscape of Hanover, NH, the Kendal retirement community is renowned for its active, engaged senior residents. A dedicated group of Obama campaign volunteers from Kendal demonstrates why this reputation is well-deserved.

For several weeks now, Kendal residents have been holding their own phone bank for Obama out of their residences, with Edie taking the lead in organizing their efforts. The dedicated group has proven to be quite a force in reaching out to New Hampshire voters throughout the state, smashing their own calling records and earning a special trophy from campaign staff (seen below).

How do they do it? Each morning, Edie's pie basket (also seen below) appears with fresh calling packets for volunteers to pick up. By evening, packets are returned to the pie basket to be picked up by staffers for data entry. The next day, the process starts again, and hundreds of calls are made.

Hats off to our great team of Kendal volunteers!

If you'd like to get active and help out the efforts of our great Kendal team on the phones, find your local field office and get involved. Get Out The Vote starts tomorrow, so we need your help now more than ever. If you can't make it in to your local office, or if you have limited time to volunteer, think about using Neighbor to Neighbor, our online call tool, to make calls whenever it is convenient for you.

Field Blog #14: Answer the Call in Nashua

Anne Marie @ NH HQ — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 15:28:05 EDT

This blog was written by Field Organizer Gerad Teague

I answered the phone a couple of weeks ago when Jennifer was on the other end of the line. The other field organizers and I usually switch off picking up the phone--I had just a 1 out of 3 chance of getting there. I'm a lucky guy.

Jennifer told me that she would like to come to New Hampshire and that she thought we had a tough race going up here. She said that she'd like to be a part of our team here in the office. After completing Camp Obama, Jennifer needed a place put her skills to work. She'd learned our precious computer system, she'd read up on our organizing philosophy, and she'd blocked out her time to do the hard field work we need to do to get Barack and Joe into office. I reassured her that we could use her here.

Now I can't say for sure, but it seemed that after Jennifer arrived at our office the temperature rose a few degrees, our musty carpets smelled just a bit better, and it seemed like I had gotten a bit more sleep. All of a sudden our call sheets were organized. We didn't have to hunt down the rubber bands, because they were in our supply cabinet where they should be. The volunteers coming into the office were suddenly treated to a bright new face ready to help them with their calls and answer their questions.

I'm so glad to have such a fantastic addition to our team here in Nashua. There is so much that needs to get done in the next two weeks, we'll need Jennifer so much to make sure it gets done.

That said, Jennifer, however capable, won't be able to win New Hampshire by herself. She'll need all of your support. Come join her in the Nashua office, and help us bring change to Washington.

Three More Granite State Newspapers Endorse Obama Yesterday

Anne Marie @ NH HQ — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 15:06:28 EDT

The Valley News, The Keene Sentinel, and the Portsmouth Herald all endorsed Barack Obama yesterday, adding to New Hampshire's strong backing of Senator Obama and the endorsements of the Cabinent Press, the Concord Monitor and the Nashua Telegraph last week.

To read the full text of all endorsements, click here.

Excerpt from the Valley News:

As we see it, one of the two big questions this year is, whatever happened to John McCain? That the proud Republican maverick of previous years now bears the W. brand -- tax cuts for the rich, unbridled enthusiasm for offshore oil drilling and so on -- is puzzling to many of his longtime admirers (including members of this editorial board), as is his abandonment of sensible immigration reform.

Excerpt from the Keene Sentinel:

We can decide to continue down the path we have all been on since 2000, with a new leader who may be somewhat more broadminded and rational than his predecessor. Or, better yet, we can opt for a change in direction, with an articulate leader who offers imaginative new alternatives to failed policies at home and a reversal of the United States' growing isolation on the world stage.
The election of Barack Obama as president would constitute a fresh departure for our country, at a time when our country sorely needs a fresh departure.

Excerpt from the Portsmouth Herald:

We have no doubt about where the political direction of the country should go. It's a simple question of going backward or taking a major leap forward. When Americans cast their ballots on Nov. 4, Obama is our clear and convincing choice for president to lead the country come January.
During the lengthy campaign, Obama has unleashed a call to action for the entire country through his inspiring rhetoric and his ability to draw millions of new voters, young and old and across the political spectrum, into the ranks of those demanding an entirely new approach to governance.

Check out the full text of these endorsements, and three other major endorsements from the Cabinet Press, the Nashua Telegraph and the Concord Monitor here.

Announcing a new design of Neighbor to Neighbor

Anne Marie @ NH HQ — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 18:19:26 EDT

Chris Hughes, Director of Online Organizing, just wrote this blog post about our brand new redesign of Neighbor to Neighbor, a tool that thousands of supporters are using right now to call and canvass Granite Staters.

Check out the exciting changes, and join us now.

For two months now, tens of thousands of people have been making phonecalls from the comfort of their own homes, and knocking on doors in their own communities.
With 12 days to go, we’ve upgraded our calling and walking tool to make it easier to use.
Some of the things that we’ve changed:

•   New look and feel that is consistent with the rest of MyBO and BarackObama.com
•   The call script window is wider and easier to read. The Save button is now at the top, making it easier to move from one voter to the next. Less scrolling means more time calling.
•   Easier to report contacts after having a conversation
You’ll notice that no functionality has been removed. We’ve tried as hard as possible to avoid making any dramatic changes with only a few days to go before the election. It’s simply been our goal to make the system more intuitive and easier to use.
Let's get started calling!

Granite State Sportsmen for Obama Fired Up for Change

Anne Marie @ NH HQ — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 18:16:43 EDT

MANCHESTER, NH - In the midst of hunting season, Sportsmen and women across New Hampshire have joined together to announce their support for Senator Barack Obama for president. This announcement comes as hunters throughout the Granite State carry on the tradition of hunting from generation to generation during Youth Hunt Weekend for Deer, which is October 25-26 across the state.

"Growing up in New Hampshire, most of us spent our time outdoors hunting, fishing or hiking. These traditions were passed down from mothers and fathers to their children. As a hunter, I take pride in the outdoors and want a president who will honor that tradition while conserving our land and waterways," said Richard Moquin, statewide Chair for Sportsmen and Sportswomen for Obama. "Senator Obama will not only protect our Second Amendment rights, but preserve our wildlife so future generations can continue this tradition. I know he'll be a true friend of the sportsmen."

"I believe that hunting, fishing and spending time in the outdoors is a valuable experience for all generations - young and old," said Clinton King of Berlin. "An Obama administration will protect those rights, allowing national lands to stay open and continuing to allow gun owners to use our firearms, especially for hunting. As president, Obama will stand up for conservation, preserving national forest lands and ensuring that our wildlife is protected."

The New Hampshire Sportsmen and women for Obama is made up of one Statewide Chair and co-Chairs in each county of the state. They know that Senator Obama will stand up for their individual Second Amendment right to pursue their hunting traditions and ensure the future of hunting and fishing by expanding access to private hunting and fishing areas. The steering committee includes former New Hampshire Fish and Game Department officials, hunters, fishers and conservationists, as well members of the National Rifle Association.

As President, Barack Obama will continue to stand up for sportsmen and sportswomen by:

Protecting the rights of hunters and other law-abiding Americans to purchase, own and use guns.
Improving access by providing financial incentives to private land owners who voluntarily open their land to hunting and fishing.
Advocating funding of the Land and Water Conservation Fund, which provides needed resources to state agencies to conserve important wildlife habitat.
Recognizing that global warming is real, is happening now, and poses a real threat to America's fish, wildlife, and the future of hunting and fishing, and providing real leadership to combat climate change.
Supporting proposals endorsed by dozens of national hunting and fishing organizations to devote billions of dollars annually to state game and fish agencies and federal land management agencies to help them ensure that fish and wildlife survive the coming impacts of climate change.
Ensuring that Farm Bill conservation programs are funded to provide maximum benefit to fish and wildlife.
Supporting state efforts to educate youth in order to maintain hunting and fishing traditions.

Danzig, Former Sec. of the Navy, visits Obama Seacoast Office

Anne Marie @ NH HQ — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 13:59:32 EDT

This post was written by Colin Milligan at NH HQ

Richard Danzig, former Secretary of the Navy under President Clinton, visited our Portsmouth Campaign for Change office to meet and talk with Seacoast veterans. Danzig, a strong supporter of Senator Obama, was in town for the commissioning of the USS New Hampshire.

Danzig spoke to veterans and volunteers in the office about the connection between working on a political campaign and serving in the military. He said that both offer a chance for two people who have never met each other to have an instant bond and sense of comrade.

Danzig, who was in Ohio and Virginia recently, said that New Hampshire is one of the most important states in this election. With his words of encouragement, the volunteers and veterans headed off to knock on doors and make phone calls. He encouraged everyone to sign up for a GOTV shift.

If you're a veteran for Obama, please visit our website for NH Veterans to sign up to help!

Actor Jeffrey Wright: We're all in this together

Anne Marie @ NH HQ — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 13:46:20 EDT

Over two hundred people registered this morning at the Manchester City Hall, as a diverse crowd of gathered to chat, dance, listen to music, and hear Actor Jeffrey Wright ("W", Syriana, Casino Royale) speak about coming together to create one nation seeking change.

I look around me, wherever I go at Obama events, and I see the complexity of America represented in the faces of the people around me at these events. You know, a lot of what's happened in the last few months has been to narrow the vision of America down to Hockey Moms and Joe Six Packs and Joe the Plumbers. But America's more complicated than that. There's Jose the Barber. There's basketball big brothers. We're all here together and its we who make this country great.

Wight recently played Colin Powell in the movie "W", and spoke about Powell's endorsement of Barack last Sunday.

[Powell] talked about how the strength of this country is in our diversity, the strength of this country is in its complexity. Colin Powell himself was born from immigrant parents from Jamaica. That's the story of our country. And when we start to exclude, at such critical times as these in terms of America's place on the global stage, when we seek to exclude whole sections of the population as we try to face these challenges we undermine our capacity to really overcome them.

Although today marks the last day to early register, if you live in New Hampshire you can still register and vote at the polls on Election Day.

"Getting people to register the day of is a great opportunity," Wright said. "You've got to find these pockets, these pools of people to register."

Can you join us to Get Out The Vote this week? We only have ten days to remind people they can register on the day of, and participate in this election. Let's go out and win New Hampshire and change this country.

Actor Jeffrey Wright in NH this Saturday

Anne Marie @ NH HQ — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 08:05:05 EDT

Jeffrey Wright, an actor in films such as "W", Casino Royale, Syriana, Cadillac Records and The Manchurian Candidate, will be in Nashua and Manchester this Saturday, meeting Granite Staters to hear about the issues on their mind this election and speak about his support of Sen. Obama.

Wright is no stranger to politics. A native of our nation's capitol, Washington, D.C., Wright studied Political Science as well as acting while attending Amherst College.

Wright will encourage all eligible voters to participate in this historic election and bring about the change we need by voting for Barack Obama and Democrats up and down the ticket.

This is a great opportunity to get your friends who are undecided or unregistered involved in the political process. If you have time between knocking on doors and calling your neighbors this weekend, join us for a block party in Manchester or a meet and greet in Nashua this Saturday.

Join Actor Jeffrey Wright in Manchester
Block Party at City Hall Plaza
Food, Music, Canvassing and Fun
Starts at 10 a.m. RSVP at My.BarackObama.com

Join Actor Jeffrey Wright in Nashua
Meet and Greet Party at the Adult Learning Center, 4 Lake St.
Food, Music, Canvassing and Fun
Starts at 10 a.m. RSVP at My.BarackObama.com

Prominent Granite State Republicans Supporting Obama

Anne Marie @ NH HQ — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 08:36:17 EDT

McCain's Negative Campaign Tactics, Tax Policy, Economic Stances and War in Iraq Among the Many Reasons for the Move to Obama

MANCHESTER-- Citing McCain's negative attacks as well as his stances with Bush on the economy and the war, prominent New Hampshire Republicans have come out in support of Barack Obama's Campaign for Change.

"I think that Obama offers a better chance for change in the coming years. The current administration has done a disservice to the country - not just on economic issues but also on environmental issues," said former Republican State Senator Richard Russman. "I believe Senator Obama and Joe Biden will be much more interested in clear air, clear water and global warming issues, far better than Senator McCain and particularly Governor Palin."

"I'll be supporting Obama in November even though I have been a long-time Republican. I've been really turned off by McCain's negative attacks this year," said former Republican State Representative Sandy Kearns. "I rode the Straight Talk Express in New Hampshire with John McCain eight years ago, but when he launched his campaign this time around, I realized he had lost some of his maverick tendencies. The people of New Hampshire are the real mavericks. They know the government should be there for the people who need it, but we like to keep it out of our doctor's offices and bedrooms."

"As a long time Republican elected official in the state of New Hampshire, I think Obama has the best solution for the current economic crisis and he has the ability to really improve our healthcare system. These are critical issues in our state and for me personally," said former Republican State Representative William Tsiros. "McCain is offering the same policies of the current President who I completely disagree with when it comes to the war in Iraq and his economic policies. As a small business owner I can't afford another four years of Bush. I have been telling my fellow Republicans that it is time to wake up."

Learn More About the McCain of 2008

MANCHESTER, NH - Today, former U.S. Senator Lincoln Chafee and Marge Bonneville, from Tilton, New Hampshire, who voted for McCain in 2000, will hold a press conference to discuss what is at stake for Granite Staters in this election. Marge Bonneville was featured in a New Hampshire web ad, released by the Obama campaign this week, that highlighted individuals who voted for McCain in 2000 and are now supporting Senator Obama.

Here are the details:

Press Conference with Former U.S. Sentator Lincoln Chafee and Marge Bonneville of Tilton, NH

Legislative Office Building

33 North State Street, Concord NH

11:45 am TODAY

Slim Margins in NH: Be the Change in 2008

Anne Marie @ NH HQ — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 20:12:28 EDT

Every election, we are reminded just how important New Hampshire is to the national landscape. In 2000, Al Gore lost our state by just 7,000 votes. Four years later, John Kerry won by just 9,000.

It's going to be incredibly close this year, too. Barack needs your help today.

Hundreds of thousands have volunteered, and millions have registered to vote for the first time. Now we need to make sure that this incredible enthusiasm translates into votes.

With just two weeks until Election Day, we need you to look at your calendar and block off time to volunteer for the campaign. There are tens of thousands of voters who have not heard directly from this campaign and we must reach them before polls close on Tuesday, November 4th.

We need supporters like you out there doing the kind of work that wins elections -- knocking on doors and reaching out to undecided voters in person.

Sign up now to volunteer to make a difference in the final push, and bring a friend with you to double your impact.

These last few days before Election Day, November 4th, are the most crucial of the election. Barack is counting on supporters like you to make our get out the vote efforts as effective as possible.

Whatever you can do and however much time you can give, there's a job for everyone. We need people to canvass, make phone calls, help with visibility, and drive voters to the polls.

And given the rising negativity and attacks coming from the McCain campaign, it's more important than ever that voters learn more about Barack -- who he is and how he'll bring about the change we need.

Sign up now to volunteer and help Barack win New Hampshire:

nh.barackobama.com/gotvnh

Together we can help elect Barack and bring about the change we need.

Thanks for all that you do,

Katina

Katina Tsongas

Field Director

New Hampshire Campaign for Change

GOTV is Right Around the Corner

Anne Marie @ NH HQ — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 18:11:05 EDT

When the leaves start to change colors up here in Dover, New Hampshire, the residents begin to expect two things: tourists for "leaf peeping" season and an election to be just around the corner.

The Granite Staters are fired up and ready to go as they came out for a great training Monday night to learn how to get out the vote for Barack Obama. About 130 longtime veteran activists and volunteers working for a campaign the first time brought their calendars and fit as many volunteer shifts in as possible to help Barack become the 44th President of the United States. The training discussed the multiple tasks designed to get out the vote, from canvassing and phone calls, to poll watchers and rides to the polls.

You can join the Dover residents committed to change by signing up here to volunteer during GOTV. We're looking for more volunteers to join our ground game, knocking on doors and making phone calls to voters. You could also help us out by signing up to host a GOTV Volunteer in your house, bring a meal to your local office, or make calls from your own home on Neighbor to Neighbor.

Are you feeling the fierce urgency of now?

Red Arrow GOPer Switches to Obama

Anne Marie @ NH HQ — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 14:33:55 EDT

Red Arrow Diner Manager Elaine Boule Backs Obama

The Red Arrow Diner, a Manchester establishment since its founding in 1922, has had its fair share of politicians walk through their doors. A place for coffee and conversation, the Red Arrow Diner has drawn just about every candidate during the primaries.

Only one of those candidates has won over Manager Elaine Boule though, and that's Barack Obama and his steady response to the issues that impact New Hampshire voters, especially the economic crisis.

Listen to Elaine's views in this video:

"John McCain is a little too wishy-washy. I understand that he was in the service and he's a war hero, and he's very good about what's going to go on with the war. I appreciate his service. I don't think he'll make the next best president.

Read the whole article in today's Washington Post "The Trail" on their website.

Check out Barack in the Red Arrow last May on the campaign trail.

Field Blog #13: Hudson's Vivian

Anne Marie @ NH HQ — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 10:01:37 EDT

This blog was written by Field Organizer Calla Brown

Vivian is one of New Hampshire’s most enduring supporters of Barack Obama. Having met Barack at an event just a few months after he announced his candidacy, Vivian decided on the first-term senator from Illinois over the deep field of Democratic candidates. There was something in the way he talked to her—cool, intelligent, and thoughtful—that led Vivian to believe that he would change the way things had been going in recent years.

Perhaps one of the most persuasive people to set foot in the Nashua office, she has been known to turn an undecided voter into a full-fledged supporter while managing to schedule them to do repair work at her house the next weekend. She knocks on car windows while holding signs at intersections and poses tough questions about jobs and health care to McCain-stickered cars. She volunteers at every event in the area, whether it is a rally for Barack Obama himself or the last-minute organizational meeting before a big week of campaigning.

Just recently, in the wake of the collapse of finance giant Lehman Brothers, Vivian’s employer downsized its operation. The most recent hire, Vivian found herself at the bottom of the seniority ladder, and management had to let her go.

Tears still in her eyes, the first stop Vivian made after losing her job was our field office. With her usual big smile and eagerness to help out, she announced that she was going to have a few more hours to offer the campaign on top of her already substantial volunteering schedule. She proceeded to her usual position at the head of our phone bank, laughing in her usual way, but this time, with just a bit more determined than usual. Vivian McGuire is a constant reminder to all of us here in the Nashua office why we need change and why we need Barack Obama.

Join Vivian in our Nashua office to work tirelessly for the change we need:

Nashua
306 Amherst St.
Nashua, NH 03063
(603) 880-5122

Two Major Newspaper Endorsements for Obama in New Hampshire

Anne Marie @ NH HQ — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 10:44:41 EDT

Both the Nashua Telegraph and the Concord Monitor's editorial boards endorsed Barack today, echoing Barack's support among Granite Staters.

Below are clips from the editorials. Full remarks can be found on the Nashuatelegraph.com and the ConcordMonitor.com.

Today, we endorse Barack Obama in his historic bid to become the 44th president of the United States of America. At this critical point in the nation's 232-year history, the young senator from Illinois is the right person at the right time to lead this country back to its former greatness and standing in the world community.

At first, like many Americans, our initial attraction to Obama as a presidential candidate was influenced by his extraordinary speaking skills, which he has used to inspire millions all across the country.

But we were equally impressed when we met with him a little more than a year ago in the TV studios of Nashua High School South. (The video is available for viewing at www.nhprimary.com).

From the moment we opened the session by asking him to detail his strategy for removing U.S. troops from Iraq, Obama answered our questions with a thoughtfulness that transcended the talking-point responses we heard from other candidates.

But, given everything that is at stake, we have confidence that he would rise to the challenge, much as he has done at other key stages of his life, and use his considerable leadership skills to build consensus toward the public good.
Read the full article...

The choice could not be clearer. Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois should be this nation's next president. As the first African American to hold the highest office in the land, Obama would make history and instantly remake America's image abroad. But that is not why he deserves to win. Obama has the temperament, judgment, ideas and vision to be president. Despite his decades of experience and heroic history, John McCain is not the right candidate for this moment.

No decision highlights this difference more starkly than McCain's choice of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate. Unlike Obama's choice for vice president, Sen. Joe Biden, Palin is unqualified, profoundly so, to hold either of the nation's top two offices.

Obama's considerable skills are augmented by his intelligence and his ability to inspire. All of that will be necessary to tackle problems that have grown to seem insurmountable over the past eight years. Serious people are talking about the end of America's supremacy as the world's leading economic power. The nation's young assume that they will not be as well-off as their parents. Unless the nation changes course quickly, their parents fear they could be right.
Read the full article...

John Kerry: "Right to the Very End"

Anne Marie @ NH HQ — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 17:20:37 EDT

With only 17 days left until November 4th, John Kerry returned to New Hampshire to talk about turning NH blue, McCain's negative attack robo-calls, looking out for our troops and veterans and what's at stake in this critical moment of our history.

97 days from today George Bush leaves Washington. What's important is not just that he leaves but that we replace him with someone who has the right vision for this country.

As the McCain camp continues to hit NH homes with false and dishonorable robo-calls, John Kerry called on John Sununu to break his silence and speak out, as Sen. Collins (R-Maine) has against these smears.

I also call on John McCain to grab back that decency he exhibited four years ago, eight years ago, and to take those negative messages out of here. They do not belong in the United States' political system.

Speaking to a packed office of volunteers who had just returned from canvassing, Kerry took the time to thank New Hampshire, and the flood of residents of his own Massachusetts, for their relentless hard work, laying the groundwork four years ago, and for refusing to stop since.

I am confident because you've never quit, you've never stopped, you're out here knocking on doors and calling voters, that we're going to win the greatest victory we've ever won in 17 days... This is as important as it gets. On Thursday before the Tuesday Election, I was going to win. The next day Osama bin Ladin appeared in a tape on television and we froze in the polls. This takes hard work right to the very end.

There are 17 days left before election day, and we must make this battleground state our battleground. We must make calls, we must knock on doors and we must get involved. Don't let up.

And They're Off!

Anne Marie @ NH HQ — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 10:39:44 EDT

It's 10:30 am in Manchester, and hundreds of canvassers have already hit the doors. Coffee, coats, and stickers in hand, volunteers have been streaming in the office since 9 am, arriving in cars and by the bus load with friends, family and neighbors.

Over 550 canvassers are expected in our Manchester office alone today, coming in from Manchester, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut and Vermont.

"Lots of people, lots of energy," Ed, a full-time volunteer, said. We've even had dachshunds for Obama."

The dachshund, Stan, with owner Jennifer from Boston, has canvassed twice before. Stan came decked out in a "Bark Obama" t-shirt, tail swinging.

"The only problem is that he wants to go to every door," Jennifer said.

After arriving, the canvassers received a short training and tips for canvassing, and met with local field organizers to plan their morning of reaching out to Granite Staters.

Can you join us to canvass this weekend or next weekend? Sign up here to help us if you are from out of state, or sign up using this link to help out if you are a New Hampshire resident. You can also find your local office here.

We only have 17 days left to make the change we so desperately need in this country happen, so get involved now.

17 Days out: John Kerry to Campaign for Obama in NH

Anne Marie @ NH HQ — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 14:14:34 EDT

What are you doing this weekend? Can you join Sen. John Kerry at a canvass kickoff in Nashua or Manchester? Here are the details:

Kerry Will Denounce McCain Campaign Smear Tactics; Discuss Sen. Obama's Judgment and Plan to Bring Change to Washington

MANCHESTER-- With less than 20 days left until Election Day, U.S. Senator John Kerry will travel to New Hampshire this Saturday, October 18th to reach out to Granite State voters about the Obama-Biden plan to bring change to Washington. As someone who experienced firsthand the Republican smear tactics that were used with voters during the 2004 presidential election, Sen. Kerry will discuss Sen. McCain's decision to mislead voters with vicious and false information instead of address the real issues impacting American families. Kerry will be in Nashua and Manchester.

"The phone calls that Sen. McCain is using in the Granite State and across the country to scare voters and spread misinformation about Sen. Obama are incredibly offensive and demonstrate McCain's desperate attempt to distract from the economy," said Sandra Abrevaya, New Hampshire Communications Director. "We're thrilled that Sen. Kerry will be in the state this weekend to combat these false claims about Sen. Obama and discuss why Sen. McCain represents more of the same failed Republican leadership.

CANVASS EVENT with John Kerry IN NASHUA

SATURDAY, October 18 at 1:30 pm

306 AMHERST ST.

NASHUA, NH

VETERANS TO VETERANS VOTER CONTACT EVENT with John Kerry IN MANCHESTER

SATURDAY, October 18 at 3 pm

359 ELM ST.

MANCHESTER, NH

Join John Kerry in fighting against smear campaign tactics. To report a robo call and help the campaign respond to these desperate attacks faster please visit www.fightthesmears.com/report.

Hudson's Vivian

Calla- NH Campaign Field Staff — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 22:59:04 EDT

Vivian McGuire is one of New Hampshire’s most enduring supporters of Barack Obama. Having met Barack at an event just a few months after he announced his candidacy, Vivian decided on the first-term senator from Illinois over the deep field of Democratic candidates. There was something in the way he talked to her—cool, intelligent, and thoughtful—that led Vivian to believe that he would change the way things had been going in recent years.

"I have two words for you: New Hampshire"

Anne Marie @ NH HQ — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 17:20:29 EDT

Barack drew thousands of people to Mack's Apple's today in Londonderry, NH to listen to him speak about the Obama-Biden plan for change, the day after the final presidential debate.

Well, New Hampshire, last night we had a debate. I think you saw a bit of the McCain attack strategy in action. But here's what Senator McCain doesn't seem to understand. With the economy in turmoil and the American Dream at risk, the American people don't want to hear politicians attack each other - you want to hear about how we're going to attack the challenges facing middle class families each and every day. You want to hear about the issues that matter in your lives. You want to hear about how we're going to bring about the change that we desperately need for our country. That's what the American people want to hear.

Barack spoke to the serious concerns of New Hampshire voters - addressing the economic crisis, creating jobs for the American middle class, fighting for families and working tirelessly for you in Washington.

John McCain thinks this campaign is all about me - but the truth is, this campaign is about you. Your jobs. Your health care. Your retirement. Your children's future. That's what this election is about. That's what I'm fighting for. Because I can take 3 more weeks of these attacks from John McCain, but the American people can't take four more years of the same failed policies and the same divisive politics.

New Hampshire, we are 19 days away from changing this country. But for those of you who are getting a little cocky I have two words for you: New Hampshire. I learned right here that you can't let up or pay too much attention to the polls. We've got to keep making our case for change; we've got to keep fighting for every vote; we've got to keep running through that finish line. This election is too important to take anything for granted. The future that you and I seek for our children is too important to let up now. The time for change has come.

New Hampshire, let's join Barack Obama to fight for every vote, every step of the way. Sign up now to join the campaign's team in NH and find your local office.

We need your help today.

Biden in NH, Monday Oct. 13

Anne Marie @ NH HQ — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 17:40:04 EDT

Look, you can't change the next four years if you continue George Bush's shoot first, ask questions later foreign policy.

Joe Biden held two community gatherings in New Hampshire today, speaking to over 600 people in Rochester's American Legion Building and drawing a crowd of nearly 1,000 at Southern New Hampshire University in Manchester.

Biden spoke to the everyday, pressing concerns of Granite Staters - paying their heating bills this winter, keeping their jobs and their homes, and creating affordable healthcare.

"Will I have my job next month? Can I afford to go to the doctor? Is my house still worth what I paid for it?," Biden said. "These are questions that aren't going to be answered by negative attacks."

Today both John McCain and Barack Obama gave major speeches regarding our economic crisis and the tough issues facing Americans.

"What McCain is saying today ... is we have spent the last eight years gambling with our economy, and not a single thing he is proposing is different," Biden said. In today's speech McCain said that we have spent the last eight years waiting for our luck to change. "When Barack is president," Biden said, "we are not going to be waiting for our luck to change. We are changing our luck."

John McCain wants to attack Barack Obama. Barack Obama wants to attack the problems America faces. I guess when you vote with George Bush 90% of the time all you can do is attack 100% of the time.

Biden focused on real economic solutions, saying the crisis didn't start a day ago, a week ago or a month ago, but six or so years ago. We need, Biden said, to give tax cuts to 95% of Americans, create good paying jobs that stay in America, and put together the finest economic team in the country to work on these issues - before Jan. 20th.

Watch part of Biden's speech in Rochester here.

Help Sen. Biden make change happen now by finding your local office.

Spread the Truth about Barack

Anne Marie @ NH HQ — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 16:43:08 EDT

I just got the following email from Jon Carson, the National Field Director, about taking action now and contacting voters near me in NH. Every day from now until November 4th we will be reaching out to voters, and we need your help. Can you read this email and get involved today?

Dear Anne Marie,

The smears and lies about Barack are becoming more frequent, more outrageous, and more offensive.

While you and I know the truth, many undecided voters do not.

Right now, supporters like you who live in crucial battleground states are in a special position to influence this election by talking to undecided voters in your community. You can help by making phone calls or knocking on doors to set the record straight and win your state.

Get your list of potential supporters to contact. We'll give you talking points you can use.

This election is coming down to the wire. Voters are making up their minds, and in a number of states they are casting their votes early. You can help make sure the attacks we're seeing from the McCain campaign don't influence their decision at the polls.

No experience is required -- you can do it all from home. You'll join more than 200,000 supporters around the country who are using our voter contact tool to great success.

Ask friends and family to join you. If more supporters like you get involved, we can quickly reach the number of voters we need to win this election.

Get started right now:

http://my.barackobama.com/n2n

Thanks for all you do,
Jon
Jon Carson
National Field Director
Obama for America

Joe Biden in Rochester!

Anne Marie @ NH HQ — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 13:40:38 EDT

This Monday, October 13th, please join Joe Biden in Rochester, where he will talk about Barack's vision for creating the kind of change we need.

Community Gathering with Joe Biden

The American Legion Hall

94 Eastern Ave

Rochester

Doors Open: 8:00 a.m.

Get Your Tickets HERE

Joe Biden in Manchester this Monday!

Anne Marie @ NH HQ — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 17:59:31 EDT

This Monday, October 13th, please join Joe Biden in Manchester, where he will talk about Barack's vision for creating the kind of change we need.

Community Gathering with Joe Biden
Southern New Hampshire University Athletics & Recreation Complex Field House
2500 N. River Road
Manchester, NH

Monday, October 13th
Doors Open: 11:30 a.m. Program Begins: 1:30 p.m.
Get Your Tickets HERE

MONDAY: Howard Dean Returns To New Hampshire For College Voter Registration Events

Anne Marie @ NH HQ — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 17:57:24 EDT

The Campaign for Change just released the following statement:

MONDAY: Howard Dean Returns To New Hampshire For Keene State College Voter Registration Drive, Dartmouth College Community Event, Democratic Coordinated Campaign Phone Bank

Manchester, New Hampshire

Former Vermont Governor and current Chairman of the Democratic National Committee, Howard Dean, will return to New Hampshire this Monday for a voter registration drive at Keene State College, a community event with students at Dartmouth College and a Democratic Coordinated Campaign phone bank in Concord.

“Governor Dean will speak to students, faculty, and Keene community members about the importance of registering to vote this election year” said Sandra Abrevaya, New Hampshire Communications Director. “The stakes in this election are too high for young voters to sit this one out. Whether the issue is reviving our faltering economy, decreasing our dependence on foreign oil, or making higher education affordable to all, Senator Obama and Senator Biden will deliver the change New Hampshire needs.”

“Governor Dean will lay out the very clear choice that New Hampshire students and families have this November between six more years of the failed economic polices of the Bush-Sununu years, or a new direction with Jeanne Shaheen and Barack Obama,” said Kate Bedingfield, communications director for Jeanne Shaheen for Senate. “In addition to talking with students, he will also visit a Democratic Coordinated Campaign phone bank in Concord to join people who are on the phones with New Hampshire voters spreading the message of change on behalf of Barack Obama, Jeanne Shaheen and Democrats up and down the ticket. On November 4th, people across New Hampshire will have the opportunity to stand up, make their voices heard and demand real change.”

The New Hampshire Campaign for Change is engaging students and young voters across New Hampshire and will continue to do so in the remaining weeks. Granite Staters interested in doing their part to elect Sen. Obama, Sen. Biden, Jeanne Shaheen and Democrats up and down the ticket can visit nh.barackobama.com and www.jeanneshaheen.org to find their local office and get involved.

VIDEO: Why I'm Voting For Barack

Anne Marie @ NH HQ — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 17:41:32 EDT

I received an important email today that I wanted to share with all of you. Please check out John's story, and share it with five friends today...

Dear Anne Marie,

My name is John Hutson. I'm a retired United States Navy rear admiral. Until recently, I was a lifelong Republican. This year, I'm voting as a Democrat and supporting Barack Obama for President.

Now I need your help. I need you to send this video to five undecided voters right now:

The Republican Party I once knew is long gone -- replaced by John McCain's negative campaign, with its Karl Rove smear tactics and the failed politics of fear that John McCain decried in the 2000 Republican primary. These politics disgusted me then, and I'm disgusted now.

Barack Obama has proven to me that he's the only candidate who can unite this country and solve our challenges based not on one party's affiliation or ideology, but on common principles.

It's time to cast aside the politics and divisiveness of the past and elect someone who won't tax our health care benefits, who will address the economic crisis with good judgment, and who will restore our standing in the world.

Watch my video now and forward it to at least five undecided voters in New Hampshire today:

http://NH.BarackObama.com/HutsonVideo

New Hampshire has always led the way in bringing change to America -- by supporting leaders who show good judgment and independent thinking.

In this election, Barack Obama is that leader. Let's lead the way again.

Thanks,

John Hutson

Obama '08 Bumper Stickers and Yard Signs

Derek — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 15:08:15 EDT

I Just wanted to let others know I got a small shipment of bumper stickers, 12 blue and 12 white, Obama'08. Let me know if you need one for a friend or relative would like one for their car. I also have a small stash of lapel sticker for volunteer events. Email me at derekcaninenut@hotmail.com

also have 3 Obama/Biden yard signs left inf anyone needs one for a front yard or porch. I can pick up some more at the Ipswich HQ if anyone would like to match my donation of $50!!!

30 Days!

Fired Up, Ready to Go!

Field Blog #4: Fern from Nashua

Brian - NH HQ — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 14:22:40 EDT

For my blog post, I would like to introduce a truly remarkable part of our campaign, and dare I say a big reason why Barack Obama is going to win here Nashua. Her name is Fern. She lives here in Ward 1, and she works her heart out for the campaign. A mother of two delightful children and a guidance counselor at a local high school, she makes time to knock on doors every Saturday and Sunday, makes phone calls two evenings a week, throws fantastic house parties, and hosts Yours Truly in her home. She brings sumptuous meals to the office, feeds me vitamins when I’m sick, and sends her children out to hold signs at 7 AM in the morning.

She even sends her retired father up from Massachusetts to help out with the campaign during his free time. How does she do it? Where does the energy come from? What makes this dynamo tick?

But when I asked her, all she has to say on the matter is, “I do what I can.”

Fern, through her tenacity and intelligence, is able to do more than most. Not only does she go the extra mile, but the second, third, and fourth thereafter. She is an inspiration. But her answer to my question should tell us all exactly what it will take to win in November, and it has much less to do with the volume of work volunteers can do than the willingness to engage in the first place. In amongst a busy schedule and time spent with her family, she does the work Barack Obama and Joe Biden need to get done in order to bring about meaningful change in Washington DC. It’s not how much you do, it’s that you do it.

If you have just a small window of time in your schedule every week to visit our office and follow Fern’s lead, that will get us one step closer to winning on November 4th. You—through knocking those doors, making those calls, and talking to your neighbors—can bring about the change we so desperately need. I say it again: you.

This guest Field blog was written by Richard Davidson, Field Organizer for the Nashua area.

Come visit Richard at the Nashua office:
Nashua
306 Amherst St.
Nashua, NH 03063
(603) 880-5122

Please call or come to your Local Field Office. If you have any questions, email NH@BarackObama.com.

One percent

Mike from Lansing, MI — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 21:23:30 EDT

1%, or 1 vote out of 100

There have been 12 Presidential elections that were decided by less than a 1% margin; meaning if less than 1% of the voters in certain states had changed their mind to the other candidate the outcome of the entire election would have been different. More than half were decided by less than a 2% margin.

In 2004,    57,787 votes would have given us President Kerry.
In 2000,    269 votes would have given us President Gore
In 1996,    575,515 votes would have given us President Dole.

From ABC News:

http://blogs.abcnews.com/scienceandsociety/2008/09/squeakers.html

==========
"Squeakers"
Ned Potter
ABC News
September 29, 2008

How close have Presidential elections been? Closer, perhaps, than we ever guessed. Mike Sheppard, a grad student in statistics at Michigan State, has done a mathematical exercise that shows it.

He ran a computer program to answer this question: "What is the smallest number of total votes that need to be switched from one candidate to another, and from which states, to affect the outcome of the election?"

The answer: in some years, very, very few. Take a look at his analysis HERE. It shows the powerful interaction between the popular vote and the electoral college.

[...]
==========

Full article here:
http://blogs.abcnews.com/scienceandsociety/2008/09/squeakers.html

Detailed analysis here, including colored maps:
https://www.msu.edu/~sheppa28/elections.html

-Mike Sheppard

Swift Boat DVD Goes Out In Swing States: McCain's Obsession

Gretchen — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 13:43:04 EDT

If you do not live in a swing state then you probably have not received a copy of the DVD, Obsession in the local newspaper. I must admit that I threw it in the trash. I knew what it contained without even breaking open the cover. Scare tactics that breed fear, at least enough to get some of the people, 71,500 in this state, to vote for more war. The reviews on the internet gave me enough of a drift of what was going on. The same message that is being drilled into our heads from the McCain Camp. Apparently some were listening to my editorials, emails, and choice words about this low blow. I got a call from the editor Mike Cotton at the Union Leader.

He tried to defend his company's action by saying that he saw the video, and ran it by their lawyers. I asked him what kind of message was he trying to give to New Hampshire? I told him that this was not going to work this time and that he was hurting New Hampshire by allowing this propaganda. While I had him on the phone he happened to mention that 50 million dollars was spent nationwide to pass around this kind of nonsense.

I asked him if there was a DVD that promoted a message of hope, would he also include it in next Sunday's circular? "I would love to see someone come out with a positive video." So there you have it. For $3,500 they will do it. 71,500 subscribers will be allowed to hear the truth. Michael Moore? Slacker Uprising? What does this campaign want to see happen? If you are interested in contacting him he gave me his email. Mike Cotton: mcotton@unionleader.com

The bailout

Leslie from Henniker, NH — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 12:03:13 EDT

Has anyone else read this interview yet?

Perhaps we can send i tot Barack and Jason F. - though they likely already know of this perspective/resource

http://www.truthout.org/092508F

The first debate

Brian - NH HQ — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 18:20:15 EDT

This Friday, we'll reach another milestone in this campaign -- the first debate of the general election, on September 26th at 9:00 p.m. Eastern time.

Millions of Americans will tune in to watch Barack debate John McCain about America's foreign policy and our role in the world.

Barack will share his plan to bring the change we need -- to restore our place in the world, ensure security at home and abroad, and reestablish the United States as the world's economic leader.

This is a great opportunity for you to learn more about the issues. And it's also a great opportunity for you to share Barack's message of change with your friends, family, and neighbors by attending or hosting a Debate Watch Party.

Watch the debate with friends and supporters, and talk about how you can get involved in this movement.

I recorded a brief message about these parties. Please take a moment to watch the video and sign up to attend or host a Debate Watch Party in your community.

Many Americans are still learning about Barack and this movement for change.

They don't know about his plan to restore the middle class, cut taxes for 95 percent of American families, provide health care for every American, achieve energy independence, improve our schools, and responsibly end the war in Iraq.

Many people also don't know that John McCain has voted with George Bush more than 90 percent of the time -- including to continue Bush's failed Iraq policies, not investigating the government response to Katrina, not supporting children's health care, not supporting college benefits for returning veterans, and passing tax cuts for the rich at the expense of the middle class.

This debate is a chance for Americans to hear directly from Barack. And with just a few weeks left before Election Day, it's more important than ever that we bring people together and talk about the issues that matter in our communities.

I hope you'll watch my short message and sign up to attend or even host a Debate Watch Party:

http://my.barackobama.com/debate

Thank you for all that you're doing,

Michelle

Greed and irresponsibility

Brian - NH HQ — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 00:31:35 EDT

The era of greed and irresponsibility on Wall Street and in Washington has created a financial crisis as profound as any we have faced since the Great Depression.

Congress and the President are debating a bailout of our financial institutions with a price tag of $700 billion or more in taxpayer dollars. We cannot underestimate our responsibility in taking such an enormous step.

Whatever shape our recovery plan takes, it must be guided by core principles of fairness, balance, and responsibility to one another.

Please sign on to show your support for an economic recovery plan based on the following:

• No Golden Parachutes -- Taxpayer dollars should not be used to reward the irresponsible Wall Street executives who helmed this disaster.

• Main Street, Not Just Wall Street -- Any bailout plan must include a payback strategy for taxpayers who are footing the bill and aid to innocent homeowners who are facing foreclosure.

• Bipartisan Oversight -- The staggering amount of taxpayer money involved demands a bipartisan board to ensure accountability and oversight.Show your support and encourage your friends and family to join you:

http://my.barackobama.com/ourplan

The failed economic policies and the same corrupt culture that led us into this mess will not help get us out of it. We need to get to work immediately on reforming the broken government -- and the broken politics -- that allowed this crisis to happen in the first place.

And we have to understand that a recovery package is just the beginning. We have a plan that will guarantee our long-term prosperity -- including tax cuts for 95 percent of families, an economic stimulus package that creates millions of new jobs and leads us towards energy independence, and health care that is affordable to every American.

It won't be easy. The kind of change we're looking for never is.

But if we work together and stand by these principles, we can get through this crisis and emerge a stronger nation.

Thank you,

Barack

Contact Congress About the Trillion Dollar Bailout - Stop the Panick

Marianne Bergenholtz Delegate — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 16:11:33 EDT

An Open Letter to Congress:

Why does anyone think that giving a failed industry a trillion dollars is a good idea? Where is the guarantee that things will be different?

If this makes sense to you, please forward to your Congressman and Senators, and submit to Senator Obama's office.

Let's try a trickle up theory for a change. Let consumers decide, with their own dollars - which companies should survive.

Consider what would happen to the economy if Congress

1) Immediately enacts usury laws that lowers the maximum on interest rates and prohibits fees on all credit cards and other loans.

2) Enacts an emergency one time re-establishment of credit to foreclosed homeowners who are otherwise creditworthy, to purchase fair-market-appraised homes again through a special fund during the next two years, eliminating speculators and investors.

3) Repeals the recent bankruptcy laws that favor corporate rights and re-establishes citizens' rights to plead cases individually.

These steps will free consumers from unfair consumer and predatory practices choking the economy, and control the bank and mortgage industries, allowing free market environment that is balanced and pro-goods (manufacturing) instead of (money) services, creating more jobs that boost the economy, creating the upward spiral needed.

YOU'RE INVITED! - Bill Richardson in Manchester tomorrow!

Brian - NH HQ — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 10:28:20 EDT

On Tuesday, September 23rd, please join the New Hampshire Campaign for Change at a Foreign Policy and Economy Town Hall with New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson.

Come hear Governor Richardson discuss foreign policy and economy, and why he thinks Barack is the one candidate who will bring the change this country needs.

Here are the details:
New Hampshire Campaign for Change
Foreign Policy and Economy Town Hall
with Bill Richardson

Southern New Hampshire University
Robert Frost Hall -- Walker Auditorium
2500 N. River Road
Manchester, NH

Tuesday, September 23rd
10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.

http://nh.barackobama.com/BRManchRSVP
Please RSVP as space is limited and available on a first come, first served basis.

For security reasons, do not bring bags and please limit personal items. No signs or banners permitted.
If you cannot make it to this event but would still like to support Barack, you can make a donation here:

https://donate.barackobama.com/wecan

Women's Week: Keene Canvass Kick-off with Jan Schakowsky and Nancy Keenan

Brian - NH HQ — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 21:10:14 EDT

Saturday, Illinois Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky and NARAL President Nancy Keenan kicked off a canvass at our Campaign For Change office in Keene. Over 100 people showed up to help spread Barack’s message and to hear Congresswoman Schakowsky and Nancy Keenan discuss why Barack Obama is the best choice for women in this election. Both speakers stressed the fact that Obama is a strong advocate for issues like pay equity, reproductive rights, and expanding access to health care.

After kicking off the canvass, Schakowsky and Keenan headed to Keene State College on the other side of town. They walked around campus and talked to students, faculty and other members of the Keene State College community about Barack Obama and Joe Biden’s commitment to protecting the rights of women.

Following the Keene State College visit, Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky and Nancy Keenan traveled to the town of Peterborough where they held a discussion on women’s issues at the Toadstool Bookstore in town. Several dozen men and women attended the event where the two speakers addressed what was at stake for women in this election.

To cap off this weekend’s events, we’re asking you to join New Hampshire Women for Obama. As members, you can receive updates on upcoming events, host and attend house parties in your community, meet other Women for Obama members, and sign up to volunteer for the campaign.

In Barack’s words, Women have always made the difference in every election, and this year, your voice, your hope will be the deciding factors in forging a new future for America. Help us forge that future. Join today to help keep New Hampshire blue in 2008. Join New Hampshire Women for Obama. Thank you everyone who attended.

This guest blog was written by our own New Hampshire Press Assistant Colin Milligan. He even snapped these wonderful photos. Thanks Colin!

Women's Week Events - SATURDAY: Rep. Jan Schakowsky and NARAL President Nancy Keenan

Brian - NH HQ — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 10:42:55 EDT

REP. JAN SCHAKOWSKY AND NARAL PRESIDENT NANCY KEENAN TO DISCUSS OBAMA’S COMMITMENT TO FIGHTING FOR WOMEN

MANCHESTER -- Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D, IL-9) and NARAL Pro-Choice America President Nancy Keenan will be in New Hampshire this Saturday, September 20th to discuss the McCain-Palin record on choice and Senator Barack Obama’s commitment to protecting women’s rights with Granite State women in Keene, Peterborough, and Manchester.

“The stakes of this year’s election could not be higher for New Hampshire women and their families,” said Sandra Abrevaya, New Hampshire Communications Director. “This November, Granite State women will make a critical choice between the Obama- Biden ticket, which will fight for women’s issues on all fronts, and the McCain- Palin ticket, which wants to overturn Roe. V. Wade.”

Sen. Obama has been a consistent champion of reproductive choice and will make preserving women’s rights under Roe v. Wade a priority as president. John McCain, on the other hand, received a 0% rating from NARAL Pro-Choice America and Planned Parenthood, and has declared his support for a constitutional amendment to ban all abortion, even in the cases of rape and incest.

Rep. Schakowsky is a leading advocate for women's issues in Congress, sponsoring legislation that would prevent violence against immigrant women, establish transitional housing for women and children who are victims of abuse, and commemorate International Women's Day. During the 110th Congress, Rep. Schakowsky served as Democratic Vice Chair of the bipartisan Women's Caucus. Rep. Jan Schakowsky was elected to represent Illinois' 9th Congressional District on November 3, 1998, after serving for eight years in the Illinois State Assembly. She is in her fifth term.

Nancy Keenan began her tenure as president of NARAL Pro-Choice America in December 2004. Under Nancy's leadership, NARAL Pro-Choice America launched Prevention First, a values-based initiative encouraging lawmakers to focus on commonsense ways to prevent unintended pregnancies and reduce the need for abortion. A Montana native, Keenan began her career as a teacher before serving as a state legislator and the statewide elected superintendent of schools.

Saturday, September 20th:
10:00 a.m. Canvass Kickoff at the Keene Campaign for Change Field Office
305 Park Avenue, Keene
RSVP to attend at: http://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/officialevent/gs5hmf
11:00 a.m. Forum on Women’s Issues at Keene State College
Lloyd P. Young Student Center at Keene State College
Mountain View Room
RSVP to attend at: http://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/womenforobama/gsx4fg
2:00p.m. Event on Women’s Issues
Aesop’s Table (inside Toadstool Bookstore)
12 Depot Street, Peterborough
RSVP to attend at: http://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/womenforobama/gsx4cv

Michelle Obama asks all New Hampshire women to join Women's Week of Action

Brian - NH HQ — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 00:10:06 EDT

It's Women's Week in New Hampshire and we'll be having guest blogs by women all week and tomorrow's Women's Wednesday will be kicked off with a phone call from Jill Biden. Michelle Obama also sent out the following email asking women like you to join use for Women's Weekend of Action.

It's hard to believe there are less than 50 days before Election Day.

That's not a lot of time. And since women voters could decide this election, we have to take this opportunity to talk to our friends and family about what's at stake.

We've seen the power of women throughout this campaign -- educating each other about the issues and building this movement by sharing our personal stories.

That's why, over the next few weeks, women all across New Hampshire will be reaching out to one another through special Women's Week of Action phonebanks and canvasses.

On every issue important to women -- from access to healthcare and universal pre-school to equal pay for equal work -- Barack is the only candidate who can bring about the change we need.

Join a Women's Week of Action event and let other women in your community know why you're supporting Barack.

Barack was raised by a single mother and grandmother. He understands the tough choices that working women in this country face every single day -- because he lived it. And now, he and I are raising two young girls. They are the reason we're in this race -- to make the world a better place, full of opportunity, for them and for all of our children.

I know that Barack and Joe Biden are a strong team for women and families across the country because they have the record and the commitment to prove it -- but it's up to supporters like you to help get this message of change out into your communities.

Barack and Joe will pass tax cuts for 95 percent of American families, ensure that women get equal pay for the same jobs as men, put the needs of working and middle class families ahead of special interests, and change our broken school system so that every single child in this nation has a world-class education from pre-school through college.

But they can't do it alone. This campaign is counting on us. If women come together to support Barack and Joe, we can bring about the change we need.

Get started today by reaching out to other women in your community:

http://nh.barackobama.com/NHwomenswoa

The future of women and all of our families is at stake in this election.

Thank you so much for all that you do,

Michelle

P.S. -- Each Wednesday from now until Election Day, every New Hampshire Campaign for Change office will host a Women to Women Phonebank. Please stop by your local field office and get involved:

http://nh.barackobama.com/NHoffices

Women's Week Guest Blog: A Candidate for the 21st Century

Brian - NH HQ — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 23:21:29 EDT

I first saw Senator Obama speak at UNH, the same weekend in February 2007 that he announced his historic candidacy.
He was amazing. He's well versed on any topic you can throw at him, and it's easy to tell there is nothing glib or simple to his answers. He has really thought about all the issues that are important to Americans; thought deeply, and critically, and examined issues from all sides. I support him for so many reasons, but chief among them is his ability to wed hope and practicality, all the while steered by not ideology, but facts.
My big issue is climate change. I think it's tied to everything; foreign policy, national security, energy security, biodiversity loss, rising health care costs. So many of our problems stem from our poor management of our local and global environment. Science has been attacked for decades by people more concerned about their yacht than the health of the fauna in the ocean. Senator Obama respects science and the incredible ability it gives us to help shape our future, for better or worse. He will enact policies that reflect what our best scientists are telling us: that we have much to do, and soon. The world needs a leader in America, not a reckless consumer, and yet that has been our legacy over the last eight years.
My role in helping elect Barack Obama started out immediately after he visited my campus: I became Vice President of the fledgling UNH Students for Barack Obama group. I was a campaign intern in the days leading up to the NH primary, and afterwards I volunteered in MA, RI, and ME.
Now I'm president of our student group on campus, and we're very active and growing. The energy that poured onto campus with the wave of freshmen is almost palpable. We are excited about the chance to make our mark on history, and the hours we put into reaching out to other students show it. From now until Election Day, we'll be registering students, holding informative and fun events to get students involved and thinking about the issues, and canvassing and phonebanking the surrounding community for Obama.
There's lots of work to do. I dare you to go to the nearest Local Field Office, find an organizer, look them in the eye, and say: "I'm free Wednesdays in the afternoon." Or some variation of that, depending on your schedule. Incidentally, Women's Wednesdays are phonebanking opportunities for women to speak directly to women about how Obama's candidacy is the one that will ensure equal pay for equal work, reproductive rights, and a healing economy.
Or, if you're a more restless type, canvassing in the fall in New England is the best way you can spend time outdoors! Beautiful turning leaves and undecided voters abound. It's my favorite way to volunteer, and far and away the most effective.
If you haven't yet, please, get involved now. The organizers need your energy and your passion; it's the way New Hampshire is always won. Sign up for a Women's Week event HERE or to volunteer go HERE.
Fired up!
Morgan

(Morgan is below wedged between Barack and the guy in the blue Obama shirt)

Our Economy is Strong??

Mindy — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 09:44:54 EDT

When John McCain proclaimed yesterday (the worst day in our stock market since 9/11), that "the fundamentals of our economy are strong", he has proven, once again, that he knows nothing about our economy, or how to fix it. Upon realizing his obvious mistake, he tried to say that what he meant by "fundamentals" were the American workers. Can you imagine if the Republicans were able to get social security privatized, what a disaster for our elderly yesterday would have been? We need a president who will change from the policies of George Bush, who has a plan for the economic stability and growth of our country, and who will keep Social Security in tact. We desperately need Barack Obama. Take this message to all of your co-workers, friends, and neighbors--there is such a short time left to get it right this time!

Women's Week Blog: Amy and Athena after the Rally with Barack on Saturday

Brian - NH HQ — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 21:38:55 EDT

Amy and her daughter Anthena are from Manchester. They went to the "CHANGE WE NEED" rally with Barack Obama at Veterans Memorial Park and were so excited afterward.

Athena has been excited about Barack Obama since the 2004 Convention speech. This was the first time she got a chance to see him. She said she was shaking and ready to cry. Mom rolled her eyes but Athena was quick to note she had signed up to volunteer to make phone calls. She can't vote yet, but she's ready to do whatever is needed to convince those that can vote, do vote for Barack Obama and Joe Biden on November 4th.

Amy switched her support to Barack Obama because he is sincere, honest, and she loves his heart. She doesn't want to wake up four years from now and see that nothing has changed and things are worse. She added:

The issues are way too important to ignore.

Join Amy and Athena here at the Manchester Office at 359 Elm Street or find a Local Field Office near you. This election in November is not going to be an easy win here in the Granite State. It's going to take you, like Amy and Athena, to make the change you need for yourselves by reaching out to friends, relatives and neighbors. It's not about Barack Obama and Joe Biden. This election is about us, the issues that matter to the people, that matter to New Hampshire. Get involved. There has been no more important time than NOW!

The "Lipstick on a Pig" Debacle is Masking a Larger Issue

Katie Loud — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 11:37:29 EDT

A political cartoon depicting Barack Obama as a mental asylum inmate appeared in my local newspaper yesterday. Restrained in a straitjacket, Glenn McCoy's Obama has clearly been writing the word "Sarah" with his foot all over the walls of his padded white room ... in lipstick. The clearly simian bend of McCoy's portrayal (the monkey-like face is overshadowed by the clenched ape foot clutching the tube of lipstick) is obviously a not-so-subtle jab at Obama's race. The cartoon is available at http://townhall.com/funnies/cartoonist/GlennMcCoy/2008/09/3

What I want to know is, where is the outcry? I mean, the chorus of dissent over Obama's use of a popular political phrase reached the rafters, but why are cheap shots about the fact that Obama is an African-American allowed to pass without comment? I'm a white female, and my increasing awareness of the double-standard allowing everything that might possibly be construed as anti-woman being blown out of proportion while blatant jabs at African-Americans are evidently fair game is starting to really make me angry.

If anyone hasn't heard about it, Senator Obama said, in reference to McCain's economic policy, "You can put lipstick on a pig, but it's still a pig." For some reason, this was taken as somehow referring to Governor Palin and, faster than you can say hypocrisy, the word was out that Obama had made an anti-woman crack.

The phrase, "You can put lipstick on a pig, but it's still a pig" is clearly another way of saying that, no matter what short-term appearance fixer you put on something ugly, it's still going to be ugly. In other words, you can't change what something is by playing with its outward appearance. A similar phrase involves the inability to make chicken salad out of chicken s***, but I digress.

The fact that John McCain said of Hillary Clinton's health care plan, "I think they put some lipstick on a pig, but it's still a pig" in Iowa last October (that's less than a year ago) is for some reason not getting the same press. There was no feminist outcry last October, and there is very little mention of this in response to the public skewering Obama is currently taking. The ultimate irony, in my humble opinion, is that Hillary Clinton is a far greater champion of women than Sarah Palin will ever be.

A longtime part of used-car dealership jargon, the phrase was, according to Time magazine, first exposed to the public in 1985 when a news station said using its financial surplus to renovate Candlestick Park would be like "putting lipstick on a pig." Since then, the phrase has been used by (in no particular order) Elizabeth Edwards, Dick Cheney, Torie Clark (former Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs under Rumsfeld, former communications chief for the Pentagon for a portion of Bush's presidency, and former McCain press secretary), John Edwards, and House Minority Leader John Boehner as well as by John McCain and Barack Obama.

The overblown criticism Obama has taken for his use of a saying that has been used by a variety of people from differing walks of life is just adding to the surreality of this campaign. That direct cracks directed at Obama (a la McCoy's political cartoon) are somehow fair game only add to the bitterness that is starting to really bog me down and look at my country with a cynical eye.

Has anyone else noticed this, or am I just overly sensitive, cynical, or out-and-out wrong?

Forced Balancing Act is Inappropriate and Unfair ... to Obama and to Women

Katie Loud — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 19:25:41 EDT

I am appalled at the game the McCain campaign is playing in the name of feminism. I am even more appalled that it’s, at least to a degree, working.

Conventional wisdom in recent political blogs seems to be that McCain’s choice of Sarah Palin for a running mate caught Barack Obama completely by surprise, that his perceived “shakiness” in responding to her reflects poorly on his ability to think fast in response to sudden curveballs should he become president. Has it not occurred to those of this mindset that this is a situation with unwritten rules, that proceeding with caution is the only recourse available when every step you take is so open to criticism from every direction?

Obama’s position as the first viable African-American presidential candidate has already given this election a unique feel. Some feel that the media has given Obama a free ride because of his race, or even that his ethnicity is the sole reason for his meteoric rise as the Democratic candidate. And sometimes it gets far uglier than that. American citizens post hundreds of internet comments about “Barack Hussein Obama” as though this “proves” that the senator is a distant relative of Saddam. He is targeted as the anti-Christ, accused of being a radical Muslim even as he is simultaneously taken to task for worshipping at a Christian church (where, in response to questionable comments by the pastor, Obama severed his ties), written off as an arrogant upstart, and insulted in various ways that speak directly to an unfortunate and frightening degree of racism still present in America today.

Obama is exposed to abuse and harassment from the media in various forms, the American people (the internet has really allowed the crazies a place to speak their supposed minds), and even subtly from politicians. As an African-American, Senator Obama has put up with words and actions that are chilling even as he faces a crushing silent doubt. There is a belief by many in the working class demographic that Obama is untrustworthy, elitist, and unable to relate. I’ve heard many people say, “There’s just something about him that rubs me the wrong way.” Although I’d like to hope it’s otherwise, I’m scared that this is because he’s an African-American from humble origins that has somehow managed to succeed.

Our country has come a long way, but there is unfortunately still a degree of doubt when a young boy born to a white mother and black father, raised with help from his grandparents, no stranger to words like food stamps and student loans, is able to rise to the top. There’s a certain degree of, “Why him and not me?” Although pains have been taken to keep this simple truth under wraps, here it is: Barack Obama is more like the typical American than most politicians will ever be.

The McCain campaign’s selection of Sarah Palin as his vice-presidential candidate has proven to be a brilliant move. If an attempt is made to hold Palin’s feet to the fire on the issues, there will no doubt be an outcry because “she’s being picked on for being a girl.” If Palin is given a pass on some of her ridiculous statements or actions while in public office, an outcry is equally likely under the “she’s getting away with it because she’s a girl” argument.

Senator Obama, who has withstood varying degrees of both active and passive negative response to his race throughout his campaign, is walking a tightrope with the addition of Palin that his opponents—and a media that has allegedly given Obama an easy ride—seem bent on blowing him down from.

I’m a professional working mother and a proud believer in equal rights for women. I am ashamed of Sarah Palin’s candidacy on behalf of the hundreds of better-qualified Republican women whose policies I can disagree with even while I respect them as people and workers for the greater good. I am ashamed of John McCain’s manipulation of those that believe in women’s equality. I am ashamed of those women supporting Palin solely because she’s a woman with little or no thought given to her beliefs or her record.

The reaction to Palin’s candidacy is a huge step backward for feminism because doors are simultaneously forced open and held closed in the name of women’s rights; if the country had truly come as far as we’d like to believe in terms of equal rights for women, a female candidate would be able to comfortably open a door and walk on through by herself.

Instead, there is a disturbing focus on how wrong Obama's attitude toward Palin's inclusion on the Republican ticket is no matter what he does. This is especially ironic when one realizes that, if anyone can understand the frustration of being judged on outward appearance and stereotypes instead of accomplishments, it's Barack Obama.

Joe Biden explained real change to Nashua last Wednesday

Brian - NH HQ — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 00:32:13 EDT

Frank and Ginger were excited to come to Nashua to see Joe Biden last Wednesday. They live in Bedford.

Frank was pacing the floor before the Change We Need Rally began, saying he was "interested" in what the Senator had to say. Frank, a retired Chief of the FDNY, was a Biden supporter in the New Hampshire Primary, wrote a letter to the editor in his local paper about his support for Senator Biden.

Ginger, is Frank's beautiful wife, and she supported Hillary in the New Hampshire Primary and is now making phone calls for the Obama-Biden campaign in her Local Field Office. She exudes unity.

Every woman that I know who voted for Hillary is voting for Barack and Joe.

Ginger was excited to hear about Women's Wednesdays, a weekly event from now until the week before Election Day on November 4th, where women come to their Local Field Office and make calls to women and talk about the issues important to women.

Join us on Wednesday! Find an office near you here: http://nh.barackobama.com/nhoffices.

Also, Come to the Rally in Veterans Memorial Park in Manchester Saturday morning and join the hundreds of volunteers that are going to go door-to-door and knock on undecided voters doors all weekend. Join us!

SATURDAY: OBAMA AND BIDEN TO HOLD RALLY IN MANCHESTER

Brian - NH HQ — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 19:40:55 EDT

**UPDATED DETAILS**

Manchester, New Hampshire – The Obama Campaign today announced that Senator Joe Biden will join Senator Barack Obama for a rally in Manchester, NH on Saturday. Obama and Biden will discuss their plan to bring the change we need to Washington, D.C.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 13
Manchester, NH

“Change We Need” Rally with Barack Obama and Joe Biden

Veterans Memorial Park

889 Elm Street

Manchester, NH

Doors open at 8:00 am

Program begins at 10:30 am

This event is free and open to the public.

RSVP is strongly encouraged, please visit: http://nh.barackobama.com/manchesterchange

***For security reasons, do not bring bags. Please limit personal items. No signs or banners allowed.***

UPDATE: Senator Obama's trip to New Hampshire Friday and Saturday

Brian - NH HQ — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 03:23:18 EDT

United States Senator Barack Obama will be coming to New Hampshire this Friday and Saturday to rally Granite State voters and discuss the Obama/Biden blueprint for change.

“We are excited to welcome back Senator Obama to discuss his commitment to helping working Granite Staters and bringing the change we need to Washington, D.C.,” said Sandra Abrevaya, New Hampshire Communications Director. “Senator Obama will deliver real change by ending the Bush policy of showering big corporations with tax giveaways and ending the politics that are rigged against working New Hampshire families.”

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 12

Concord, NH

“Change We Need” Rally with Barack Obama

       New Hampshire Technical Institute
       Goldie Crocker Wellness Center
       31 College Drive
       Concord, NH 03301

Doors Open at 4:30pm
Program Begins at 6:00pm

This event is free and open to the public. Free tickets are available at the locations listed below. Tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Ticket Distribution Locations:
Distribution times: Thursday, September 11th 12pm-9pm

       Campaign for Change - Concord
       4a Eagle Square
       Concord, NH 03301
       (603) 223-0387

       Campaign for Change - Manchester
       359 Elm Street
       Manchester, NH 03101
       (603) 668-2008

***For security reasons, do not bring bags. Please limit personal items. No signs or banners allowed.***

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 13

Manchester, NH

Details TBA - Visit http://NH.barackobama.com for updates.

Joe Biden speaks to New Hampshire at a Town Hall in Nashua

Brian - NH HQ — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 23:40:09 EDT

Senator Joe Biden was in Nashua, New Hampshire today and motivated the crowd at the Nashua Community College.

The crowd of over 500 felt the urgency as the days tick away toward November 4th. This election is different. We can no longer sit back and wait for others to make it better. This election is about us; each one of us; you, me, and our neighbors coming out and talking to each other about how we can change the world ourselves. This is new.

Senator Biden knows the change we need. You know the change we need. It's clear and it includes addressing the healthcare crisis, the energy crisis, the housing crisis, the education crisis... how many crises can we take all at once? We need solutions that make sense for all hard working Americans, like those below, who came to hear about this change.

We need you to motivate. We need you to get involved. We need you to talk to your neighbors in New Hampshire and spread the word. Without you, we cannot reach out to everyone it will take to win this crucial state. It's going to be close here in New Hampshire, real close. There are so many Independents, Republicans, and Democrats that want the change Barack Obama and Joe Biden will bring. You can bring that change too! Come to your nearest Field Office. Undecided voters are waiting. They need to hear from you. Our problems won't get solved without you!

Take the Fight Back to McCain

Mindy — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 09:42:34 EDT

I am fed up with lies. I really want to see the lies thrown back in the face of McCain. I want Barack to ask him, "John, you do you believe I am sexist?" and see what he says. The McCain campaign is getting by with putting out lines- out of context- calling Obama sexist, sitting back and laughing while Barack has to defend himself. They are lieing about his sex education plan he sponsored in Illinois, they are calling their ticket the "change" ticket. I feel that if Barack has to keep going back to Palin, it will backfire. Take it to McCain.....he is almost a sideshow- throwing out the dirt, keeping his VP pick by his side, so she can avoid all questions from reporters, and laughing at the game. This election is NOT a game. It is NOT a game if you care about the economy, the environment, health care, education for our children, the war, and our standing in the world. When Barack can go head-to-head with John McCain, he can WIN this election. Take the fight straight to him, Barack, and do it now. That is a fight you can win!

Joe Biden in Nashua Wednesday for Change We Need Town Hall

Brian - NH HQ — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 17:44:23 EDT

United States Senator Joe Biden will be coming to Nashua, New Hampshire this Wednesday to rally Granite State voters and discuss the Obama/Biden blueprint for change.

Change We Need Town Hall with Senator Joe Biden

The Wellness Center

Nashua Community College

505 Amherst Street

Nashua, NH

Wednesday, September 10

Doors Open at 1:30 PM

Ticketing:
This event is free and open to the public. Tickets are limited and will be available on a first come, first serve basis at the ticket distribution location listed below.

Ticket Distribution Location:

Obama Campaign for Change – Nashua Office

306 Amherst St.

Nashua, NH

Tickets will be available Tuesday, September 9th, from 10:30 AM to 9:00 PM.

***For security reasons, do not bring bags. Please limit personal items. No signs or banners allowed.***

Senator Biden has been traveling across the country and he's fired up! See for yourself below and then go to the Nashua Campaign for Change office tomorrow and get a ticket. You won't want to miss another inspiring speech by Senator Biden!

Are you using the Neighbor to Neighbor Online Organizing Tool?

Brian - NH HQ — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 15:18:59 EDT

This week at the Republican convention, John McCain and his surrogates attacked Barack Obama and mocked the power of community organizing.

They sneered at the idea that people like you can play a crucial role in turning this country around.

The Republicans just don't get it. Our movement was built by ordinary people working together in their communities -- and that's how we're going to win on Election Day.

We have a new tool called Neighbor to Neighbor that makes it easier than ever to connect with potential supporters in your community. It allows you to reach out to your fellow voters by making phone calls or knocking on doors -- the choice is yours.

Learn more and start making a difference in your neighborhood right now.

Barack is making history by competing in every corner of the country.

It's an aggressive strategy, and only you can make it work.

No one knows your community better than you -- and no one is better suited to strengthen our movement from the bottom up.

Neighbor to Neighbor gives you a list of potential supporters in your community, suggested topics to talk about, and an easy way to report back on who you've contacted.

With less than nine weeks till Election Day, we need to act now. Reach out in your community and build this movement for change:

http://my.barackobama.com/n2n

You've owned this campaign from the very start. By making a few phone calls or knocking on a few doors today, you'll own it more than ever before.

Thanks,

Jon

Jon Carson
National Field Director
Obama for America

Must see videos...

Brian - NH HQ — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 11:40:35 EDT

One to inspire you:

And one to remind you why you need to get involved in the campaign here in New Hampshire:

Find a Local Field Office near you and help bring the change we need to Washington.

Women's Wednesdays Kick-Off in Portsmouth

Brian - NH HQ — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 16:50:23 EDT

This last week was the launch of Women's Wednesdays Women Unite for Change Women-to-Women Outreach in every Campaign for Change office across New Hampshire. About 40 women turned out at the Portsmouth office to hear from several speakers, including State Senators Martha Fuller Clark and Maggie Hassan, about the importance of the women's vote in this presidential election.

After a short welcome and brief remarks from the Senators, participants hit the phones to make calls and reach out to other women in New Hampshire to talk about why they support Barack Obama and Joe Biden. Women's Wednesdays will continue every Wednesday evening until the November 4th election.

Join New Hampshire Women for Obama today and come to your Local Office each Wednesday and get involved to help bring the change we need.

Obama-Biden supporter Deb from Stratham contributed both the summary and pictures from the evening.

Thank you Deb!

The AFL-CIO Labor Day Breakfast in Manchester

Brian - NH HQ — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 13:40:51 EDT

In honor of Labor Day, a day where we recognize the invaluable contributions of the laborers who have built this country, I wanted to share with you a special message from Barack Obama delivered at the AFL-CIO Labor Day Breakfast in Manchester last Monday:

Join us New Hampshire and get more involved! As hard working Americans we need to get more involved to bring our country and our political system, the change we need.

"All across America something is stirring..."

Brian - NH HQ — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 10:30:55 EDT

On Thursday, August 28th, 2008 Barack Obama accepted the nomination from the Democratic Party to run for President of the United States of America.

It was powerful and inspiring. Senator Obama spoke about how we must move past that which divides America, that the tough issues should strengthen our union by challenging us to work together to develop a fair solution. In the Senator's words:

America, our work will not be easy. The challenges we face require tough choices, and Democrats as well as Republicans will need to cast off the worn-out ideas and politics of the past. For part of what has been lost these past eight years can't just be measured by lost wages or bigger trade deficits. What has also been lost is our sense of common purpose - our sense of higher purpose. And that's what we have to restore.

We may not agree on abortion, but surely we can agree on reducing the number of unwanted pregnancies in this country. The reality of gun ownership may be different for hunters in rural Ohio than for those plagued by gang-violence in Cleveland, but don't tell me we can't uphold the Second Amendment while keeping AK-47s out of the hands of criminals. I know there are differences on same-sex marriage, but surely we can agree that our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters deserve to visit the person they love in the hospital and to live lives free of discrimination. Passions fly on immigration, but I don't know anyone who benefits when a mother is separated from her infant child or an employer undercuts American wages by hiring illegal workers. This too is part of America's promise - the promise of a democracy where we can find the strength and grace to bridge divides and unite in common effort.

I know there are those who dismiss such beliefs as happy talk. They claim that our insistence on something larger, something firmer and more honest in our public life is just a Trojan Horse for higher taxes and the abandonment of traditional values. And that's to be expected. Because if you don't have any fresh ideas, then you use stale tactics to scare the voters. If you don't have a record to run on, then you paint your opponent as someone people should run from.

You make a big election about small things.

And you know what - it's worked before. Because it feeds into the cynicism we all have about government. When Washington doesn't work, all its promises seem empty. If your hopes have been dashed again and again, then it's best to stop hoping, and settle for what you already know.

But the change that we need will not happen without people standing up and joining this historic campaign. You must talk to your friends, family and neighbors about the new direction we need and how Barack Obama and Joe Biden will fight for us to change the broken system in Washington.

But I stand before you tonight because all across America something is stirring. What the nay-sayers don't understand is that this election has never been about me. It's been about you.

For eighteen long months, you have stood up, one by one, and said enough to the politics of the past. You understand that in this election, the greatest risk we can take is to try the same old politics with the same old players and expect a different result. You have shown what history teaches us - that at defining moments like this one, the change we need doesn't come from Washington. Change comes to Washington. Change happens because the American people demand it - because they rise up and insist on new ideas and new leadership, a new politics for a new time.

America, this is one of those moments.

I believe that as hard as it will be, the change we need is coming. Because I've seen it. Because I've lived it.

Volunteer in New Hampshire NOW!

Watch the acceptance speech again or for the first time, then call (603) 668-2008 or go to your local Campaign for Change Office and find out how you can help OBAMA-BIDEN win New Hampshire on November 4th.

Barack's speech watched across New Hampshire

Brian - NH HQ — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 15:56:55 EDT

Convention watch parties were held all across New Hampshire so people could share their experience listening to Senator Obama accept the Democratic Nomination for President of the United State. The message message was change and the message carried the need for action.

Below is a slideshow from many of them in New Hampshire. Join those in the photo in talking to New Hampshire voters about Barack Obama and Joe Biden. The hard work is worth the reward and we cannot change politics without you!

From Dave Choate at The Portsmouth Harold:

Brewery party a celebration of Dem nominee

PORTSMOUTH -- As Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama accepted his nomination in front of 84,000 in Denver, dozens of Seacoast supporters cheered him on from 2,000 miles away.

Those supporters packed the lower floor at The Portsmouth Brewery downtown late Thursday night to celebrate Obama's candidacy with drinks, food and conversation. Amid the chaos, nearly every person in the room sat or stood riveted to the big screen television during speeches by Democratic luminaries such as Al Gore, greeting his remarks with applause.

Obama staffer Ellen Whelan-Wuest told the crowd that volunteers would be needed for what she called the "weekend of action" over the next few days, with supporters pushing hard in the community for the candidate. She said Thursday night would go down as an important occurrence in American history.

"We want to stress that tonight is a celebration," she said.

Volunteer John Tackeff wasn't difficult to spot as he stood by the door to sign up interested supporters. He said he began volunteering with the Obama campaign about a year ago and he agrees with most of the candidate's policies on the economy and health care.

Supporters with Obama stickers and buttons said they favor him because of his policies and his personality. Monica Greenleaf of Portsmouth said she hopes Obama would be able to aid in improving the economic situation of the country.

"This country needs someone with his intelligence, honesty and values," Greenleaf said.

Joe and Adrianne Harrison said they were also out to hear Obama's speech and support the candidate. Joe Harrison said he isn't normally a very politically active person, but both spoke about volunteering.

"I feel more socially aligned with Obama," he said. "I feel strongly that this country needs to change direction."

For more information on volunteering for the campaign, visit

NH.barackobama.com.

From Adam Krauss at Foster's Daily Democrat:

On an historic night, locals listen and celebrate Obama's nomination

For the "proud Marine mom who's scared to death," Barack Obama's acceptance speech late Thursday night gave her hope.

For the former National Guardsman who reluctantly admitted he just turned 30, the moment reaffirmed his belief in the idea of a leader.

And for the 64-year-old man who never before now donated to a political campaign, the night brought the country closer to that "giant step forward."

Across the Seacoast, people representing some of the diversity that is the American electorate watched as Sen. Barack Obama, the first African-American to lead a major party ticket, accepted the Democratic nomination for the presidency of the United States.

At Central Wave in downtown Dover -- where the campaign organized one of 10,000 watch parties nationwide -- the crowd erupted in applause as Obama strode on the stage at Invesco Field in Denver.

Some of the 30 or so people there put down their drinks in favor of signs declaring "Change." When Obama declared "I accept your nomination," the crowd unleashed a short but thunderous roar.

Sue Monaghan, 48, had already left the scene. But she was likely watching the speech at the Rollinsford home she shares with her partner of 23 years, Brigit Ordway.

Her son, Jeffrey, 26, will leave with the Marines soon for a tour of duty in Iraq. Obama's step closer to winning the White House "gives me hope that he'll come home safer ... than if there was a commander in chief with the same mentality as what led us into this," she said. "I feel so much better."

Gordon Simmons, 30, said he, too, was drawn to Obama's judgment. Life will change in a world with a President Obama, he said.

"It's going to change for all of us," he said. "For me, it reaffirms my belief we can trust our leaders -- that a leader can make change happen."

It was not lost on supporters that Obama's speech fell on the 45th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech. Ann Fredette, who's in her 60s, said she remembers growing up in Boston when African-Americans weren't allowed to drink from the same public water fountain.

"I don't think" Obama's nomination "will close the door" on that history, "but I think we have made a lot of progress," she said.

"I just think the outlook in this country will change," said her husband, Bob. "He at least gives you a chance to change the direction of the country."

READ MORE.

From Kathy Ahern at Laconia Citizen:

Lakes Region Dems show support for Obama

New Hampshire Democrats of all ages met at the house of Jim and Judie Reever Thursday night to watch the end of the Democratic National Convention and see Barack Obama accept their party's nomination.

Judie Reever, a Laconia state representative and long-time political activist, provided a relaxing atmosphere with snacks and punch.

Young adults sat cross-legged on the floor, glued to the television screen, while adults placed themselves in chairs all over the living room.

The Democrats came from all over, including two girls here from Sweden. They all came to show their support for Senator Obama and watch his historical speech to accept the position of the Democratic presidential candidate.

All who attended complained about Republican Sen. John McCain. Judy Reever said she does not trust Republicans and feels that "they have screwed up bigtime." She added, "We're going to clean up the mess that you made!"

Serious Democrats Jim and Beth Arsenault agreed that Sen. Obama is the right person for the job. Jim likes the senator because he feels he has "the ability to inspire people."

Jim also said he thinks a candidate's policies are useless to him and said he votes for the person behind the candidate. He thinks Sen. Obama has the ability to "articulate a common ground for everyone to agree on."

Most of the Democrats who attended the party agreed that the senator will handle the war in Iraq gracefully and professionally.

But they also agree that no one has really defined what the "end" of this war would be. They feel the war could just keep going on forever if no one does anything about it. They also think McCain is just going to keep us there for as long as possible.

Some of the Democrats also said they were pleased when they found out that Joe Biden was chosen to be Obama's vice-presidential running mate.

Jon Arsenault, a young Democrat, said, "There could have been some others that I would have chosen, but he's pretty good; he's one of the top of my list."

Let's take all this excitement and bring change now! Join New Hampshire for Obama and make the change you need with friends or sign up to volunteer this most important weekend, the first for Democratic Nominee Barack Obama and his running mate Joe Biden. NH for OBAMA-BIDEN '08.

Video Collection from the 2008 DNC so far

Brian - NH HQ — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 10:08:01 EDT

The nights go back to back to back with unbelievable speakers. Hillary said it best when she said "No way. No how. No McCain!" and the Twin City reference. Michelle shared the power of her and Barack's stories, they're our stories, they're American stories. And Teddy "The torch will be passed again". President Clinton and Senator Biden made Wednesday powerful.

But now it's Thursday. One big speach for the ages. Four years we've been waiting. Enjoy these below and come to a watch party to share and watch the now official Democratic Nominee for President of the United States: Barack Obama.

Wednesday night - Joe:

Wednesday night - John Kerry:

Wednesday night - President Clinton:

Wednesday - Hillary makes it official:

Tuesday night - Hillary:

Monday night - Michelle:

Monday night - Caroline and Teddy:

Sen. Obama Welcomes Endorsement of the Business and Professional Women/USA PAC

Anne Brewer, Women's Vote Coordinator — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 12:54:34 EDT

Following yesterday's endorsement from the Business and Professional Women/USA PAC, Senator Obama responded with the statement below. The BPW PAC endorsement signals how critical this election will be for its members and shines a light on the stark contrast between Senator Obama and Senator McCain on issues of concern to working women. Senator Obama has a long record of standing up for working women and their families – on everything from pay equity and Family and Medical Leave, to strong support for women-owned businesses. Click here to learn more about the 50-state impact of Sen. Obama's Plan for Working Women.

CHICAGO, IL - Today Senator Obama released the following statement after receiving the endorsement from the Business and Professional Women/PAC:

"Since the early 1980's the Business and Professional Women/USA has led the way in mobilizing women to ensure equality in the workplace. From equal pay, to healthcare and social security benefits, the BPW/PAC has been a consistent voice advocating on behalf of working women and I am honored to have their support because I have been a fighter for their issues," said Senator Barack Obama.
"As a state senator in Illinois I fought for working women and families everywhere - from extending equal pay protections to 330,000 working women to increasing childcare funding and expanding affordable health care to more than 150,000 working parents and their kids. Unlike John McCain, I will stand with women to close the equal pay gap that exists today and ensure that we are doing our part as a nation to help them to balance work and family, from expanding access to adequate afterschool programs to guaranteed sick days. For generations ordinary women have taken on extraordinary odds to give their daughters the chance for more opportunities than they everhad. In so many ways we have succeeded, but in so many areas we have much work left to do and I look forward to tackling these issues as President with the support of BPW/USA and BPW/PAC. "

###

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Contact: Obama Press Office; (312) 819-2423

Did fear politics lead to assassnation attempt on Barack?

amadeusmax — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 00:15:49 EDT

With all the fear pumped into the campaign by far right wing, and the the fringe videos on the McCain website, I wonder did they basically plant the seeds for an assanation attempt? Tharin Gartrell may have been one of those hatefull posters on the many message boards, or just a reader of them. If you don't know about the assassnation attempt, read about it hear,

Did all those fear based campaigning inspire 4 people to try to make an attempt on Barack Obama life. Those muslim rumours, and others attacking his religion with no profound sense. Those mass email campaigns, are they guilty for planting the seeds of murder into some weak minds? I'm not talking about conspiracy here, I'm talking about influence.

Are those people proud that their ad campaings, their smear campaigns worked so well that there were attempts made on someones life? That these vicious attacks promoted and inspired a group of people to get together to kill an innocent person?

Is this politics America, has our political process dropped down to a third world nation?

Business and Professional Women/USA Endorses Senator Obama for President

Anne Brewer, Women's Vote Coordinator — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 15:19:48 EDT

Business and Professional Women/USA PAC issued the following statement today to announce their endorsement of Senator Obama for President. The organization will use its voice to educate its members, and working women across the country, on the contrasts between Senator Obama and Senator McCain on many issues affecting them in this "critical" election....

   Business and Professional Women PAC Endorses Barack Obama for President;

            Points to Strong Support for Working Women and their Families

[August 25, 2008 -- Washington, DC] --Citing Senator Barack Obama’s strong support of working women and their families, BPW/PAC, the political arm of Business and Professional Women/USA (BPW/USA) has endorsed Senator Obama for President of the United States.

“The Trustees of BPW/PAC carefully analyzed the positions of both candidates before deciding to endorse Senator Obama,” said BPW/PAC Board of Trustees Chair Terri Freer of Texas. “The Senator’s commitment to sign the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, increase retirement savings opportunities for women, expand paid sick leave and FMLA, along with his support of workplace flexibility and affordable healthcare made it clear that he was the candidate most supportive of our mission to achieve equity for all women in the workplace.”

“In addition, Senator Obama’s assurance that he will ratify the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and his support of reproductive rights, programs to fight violence against women and passage of the Equal Rights Amendment makes it clear that he is committed to ensuring that women’s voices will be heard in his administration,” concluded Board Chair Freer.

“2008 is a critical election for working women. Our wages, our ability to care for our families, our access to health care and our retirement security are at stake,” said Trish Knight of Michigan, BPW/PAC Board Vice-Chair. “That is why BPW/PAC felt it was essential to let working women know which presidential candidate will best promote and protect the rights of workingwomen.”

Established in 1979, the nonpartisan Business and Professional Women Political Action Committee (BPW/PAC) helps shape the national agenda on workingwomen’s issues. Through education, endorsements and financial contributions, BPW/PAC supports federal candidates who will be strong advocates for equity for all women in the workplace.

For more information on BPW/PAC visit www.bpwusa.org.

###

New Hampshire Veterans for Obama Steering Committee Roundtable in Manchester, NH

Brian - NH HQ — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 03:02:00 EDT

Thursday night, at the American Legion Sweeney Post in Manchester, New Hampshire a group of Veterans met at a roundtable to discuss Senator Barack Obama's stance on Veteran affairs and benefits. Medal of Honor recipient and Vietnam veteran, Captain Paul "Bud" Bucha, joined them to kickoff the New Hampshire Veterans for Obama Steering Committee.

Bill from the Manchester Sweeney Post started off:

We need a change in this country. We need a change now. We need to bring somebody into the White House who will speak for us veterans, who will get us a VA facility like we need here in Manchester; the only state in the United States that doesn't have a full service VA hospital. We need people here to help us. We need Obama in office. We need Carol Shea-Porter in office. We need Governor Shaheen in office. We need everyone to help us veterans. A lot of guys who have got a lot of issues, they can't get them taken care of here. They have to travel to Massachusetts. They have to travel to Vermont, whether it's for cancer treatment or mental health facilities.

Jim Smith, retired Air Force General, served 28 years mainly as a fighter pilot, introduced Captain Bucha:

I supported Senator Obama early because I saw in him someone who understood that the last seven years of this nation's experience did not match what our nation stood for. And I think in Senator Obama we've got a candidate, that not only is right for this time, he probably represents the best candidate for change we've seen in several generations.

BILL, CAPTAIN "BUD" BUCHA (standing) AND GENERAL SMITH

Captain Bucha shared many great stories with this group of veterans, but when he spoke about leadership he listed his five elements of leadership: integrity, confidence, competence, compassion, and humility. In twenty years he hasn't found more than those five, but he found all five in Senator Obama:

I looked at those five things and I said, that's Barack! He didn't wait like they said... He told us the truth of who he was and everything about him. He didn't hide it... He wrote it in a book and it's there. So he's been honest and he's been compassionate... But no where in those five things is timing great. No where does it say, 'oh in 20 years experience'... If there were, David wouldn't have thrown that rock at Goliath. It would have been an old guy. Alexander would never have conquered Persia. It would have been an old guy. Abraham Lincoln would have never been allowed to be President. It would have been an old guy. Ulysses S. Grant wouldn't have accepted the surrender. It would have been an old guy. Martin Luther wouldn't have walked up those steps. It would have been an old minister. Dave Patreaus would not be leading in Iraq and I would have never been given command of my company. I didn't have five minutes of experience before I became a company commander. I'd been at the business school in Stanford. And as a result, time and grade wasn't important. History is repleat with people who are young, who rise to the occation, who have these other elements of leadership. And that's what I saw in Barack.

Captain Bucha continued, making it known and clear that Senator Obama's voting record has been and will remain strong for veterans. He believes in what Senator Obama told him, "I believe it starts with the oath and ends with the cemetery." Captain Bucha followed with verility:

You take your oath. You die. That's the obligation of the country to the veteran. And the only difference is some point along the way you take your uniform off, whether it's 30 years or whether it's two years. But the obligation remains. And I thought, that was a unique concept to finally have someone have the guts to say.

It was inspiring. But the above picture has one empty chair. YOU need to fill that chair! The New Hampshire Veterans for Obama Steering Committee needs you. All veterans need you! Join New Hampshire Veterans for Obama and reach out to your fellow veterans: at home, in email, at the VFW, and local gatherings. Sign-up to get more involved and keep up to date with the important events all across the Granite State and the issues important to all veterans.

Community Cleanup - A Great Event

Derek — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 01:08:33 EDT

We had our Community cleanup event on Saturday and it turned out great! The weather was perfect and the volunteers were fired up/ready to Go! Since it was our first cleanup event we decided to stay in one group for better visibility. Thanks to all the volunteers, you guys did great!

The timing of this event could not have been better, we planned it for 4:00 on Saturday and we literally started right after the announcemnet in Springfield! We used the second hour of the event as a visibility oppurtunity and waved signs and cleaned the corners of a local market.

TO host your own community cleanup visit the create an event page here

All you need:

Trash Bags
Gloves
Rake/Broom/Dustpan (In case of glass)
Signs/Shirts (homemade/campaing gear)
Water/Snacks

TO anyone who would like to plan one for your town/city we can try to coordinate a large event, email me derekcaninenut@hotmail.com

New TV Ad: Seven

Brian - NH HQ — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 15:21:18 EDT

Press Release:

Highlights Just How Out of Touch John McCain Is

CHICAGO – Today, the Obama campaign released a new 30-second TV ad, Seven, discussing just how out of touch John McCain is with the struggles of everyday people. The ad highlight’s John McCain’s desire to just offer more of the same economic policies we’ve gotten from President Bush, as just yesterday he declared “the fundamentals of our economy are strong” and lost track of how many houses he owns.

The Ad-Seven

Seven will air on national cable beginning today.

Adolfo Carrion talks Obama at the Latino Festival in Manchester

Brian - NH HQ — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 16:22:40 EDT

This last Saturday, Adolfo Carrion Jr., president of the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials, traveled to the Granite State to talk to voters at the Latino Festival in downtown Manchester about Senator Obama's plan to help working New Hampshire families.

Mr. Carrion spoke to people in the community about healthcare, the economy, party unity, and the importance of registering new voters. The current number of unregistered Latinos in New Hampshire is likely to be more than what made the difference in the presidental elections here in New Hampshire in both 2000 and 2004. New Hampshire Latinos can make the difference in this election. Visit the New Hampshire Election Headquarters.

Mr. Carrion had an opportunity to talk about the issues important to New Hampshire with U.S. Congresswoman Carol Shea-Porter (above). Throughout the day, Mr Carrion was joined by State Senator Lou D'Allessandro (below) and local community leader, Lillye from Manchester.

The highlight of the day was the warm welcome Mr. Carrion and Lillye (below) received walking up and down Union Street. The owners of almost every shop were eager to talk about this critically important election and put signs in their windows showing support for Senator Obama. As Mr. Carrion recounted later at the New Hampshire Campaign for Change Headquarters, he was amazed at what the folks had to say... they were just waiting for someone to stop by and ask for their support.

See New Hampshire! We need to get out there and ask for support! The excitement is in the air. The Convention starts next week. Attend a Convention Watch Party near you. Organization meetings will be held across the state this week, Wednesday evening, August 20th. Find your local office. Get involved!

Visit NH.barackobama.com and become a part of this historical movement.

Troops Favor Obama

A DREAMER — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 11:30:48 EDT

The Center for Responsive Politics has found that the bona fide war hero is garnering far less financial support from the troops than the Harvard-trained lawyer.

"Democrat Barack Obama has received nearly six times as much money from troops deployed overseas at the time of their contributions than has Republican John McCain, and the fiercely antiwar Ron Paul, though he suspended his campaign for the Republican nomination months ago, has received more than four times McCain's haul," the report said.

The report also included this surprise: "Members of the armed services overall -- whether stationed overseas or at home -- are also favoring Obama with their campaign contributions in 2008. . . . Although 59 percent of federal contributions by military personnel have gone to Republicans this cycle, of money from the military to the presumed presidential nominees, 57 percent has gone to Obama."

The analysis of campaign records found Obama has raised more than $60,000 from 134 men and women deployed overseas. McCain has raised $10,665 from 26 deployed donors.

Barack's VP: Be the First to Know

Brian - NH HQ — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 22:10:31 EDT

Barack Obama is about to make one of the most important decisions of this campaign -- choosing a running mate.

You have helped build this movement from the bottom up, and Barack wants you to be the first to know his choice.

http://my.barackobama.com/vp

You will receive an email the moment Barack makes his decision, or you can text VP to 62262 to receive a text message on your mobile phone.

Once you've signed up, please forward this email to your friends, family, and coworkers to let them know about this special opportunity.

No other campaign has done this before. You can be part of this important moment.

Be the first to know who Barack selects as his running mate.

Thanks,

David

David Plouffe
Campaign Manager
Obama for America

New Energy For America

Derek — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 19:22:06 EDT

Hey Guys,

Here is a great link if anyone is asked about Barack's energy policy. His new ad "Hands" is going to be airing during the olympics and it shows the website NewEnergyforAmerica.com I'm sure it's going to be a top issue. The site is great, you can send in your thoughts and ideas, which is a lot more than we can do currently with our l"eadership" in Washington.

While your at it, visit EnvironmentalistsforObama.com. Another great group!

Take care,

Derek

Watch The Ad "Hands" Below. Click The second blue link.

LIVE VIDEO: Michelle Obama with military spouses at roundtable in Virginia

Anne Brewer, Women's Vote Coordinator — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 13:38:54 EDT

Watch a live stream of Michelle Obama talking with military spouses at a town hall event in Norfolk, VA!

Click here and then click on "WAVY Live Streaming Webcast" in the upper left hand side of the screen

Connie Schultz interviews Michelle Obama

Anne Brewer, Women's Vote Coordinator — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 10:53:34 EDT

Connie Schultz, Pulitzer Prize-winning syndicated columnist for the Cleveland Plain Dealer, had the chance to sit down with Michelle Obama and talk at length about Michelle's devotion to the role of mother while balancing the role of "auditioning for first lady."

When you're trying to schedule an interview with Michelle Obama, one of the first things you notice is the time zone she navigates.
Regardless of where you are calling from, you will heed Chicago's time zone, which is probably best understood as Malia-and-Sasha Time. They are the young daughters of Barack and Michelle Obama. Every interview, every campaign event for their mother is weighed by this test: How will it affect the daily lives of 10-year-old Malia and 7-year-old Sasha?
Michelle's mother, Marian Robinson, helps with child care, but Michelle joins them most days, and the goal on every day is to get home sooner rather than later.
As her communications director, Katie McCormick Lelyveld, stressed, "Michelle wants to be home when they get home from camp."
It is a willful attempt at normalcy in an all-too-abnormal life these days, but she insists that her daughters will not suffer the skyrocket highs and deep-valley lows of her husband's presidential race. Even as she rides the wave in her own travels across the country to raise money and to reach out to women and working-class voters in Ohio, there's a part of Michelle Obama who wants to believe that her family's life hasn't changed. Not too much, anyway.
"We've always been the kind of people who go to the soccer games, shop at Target, go for bike rides and make sure the girls get to the sleepovers they've been invited to," she said in an interview Wednesday. "We still do that, but we usually have a lot of people watching now."

I wanted to talk with Michelle Obama because she is, indeed, auditioning for first lady and a lot of voters don't know much about her beyond media controversies.

Click here to read the entire article...

Dolce & Obama???Obama inspires Milan men’s runway styles

Bianca Walker — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 21:13:11 EDT

Donatella Versace dedicates 2009 collection to the presidential candidate

Barack Obama is even bringing change to the fashion world. Recently, Donatella Versace dedicated her spring-summer 2009 collection to him. She suggested, though, that he “get rid of that tie and jazz up the shirt.”

The latest “first” for Barack Obama comes off the Milan runway.

Calling the U.S. presidential hopeful “the man of the moment,” Donatella Versace dedicated her spring/summer 2009 collection presented Saturday evening to Obama, creating a style she said was designed for “a relaxed man who doesn't need to flex muscles to show he has power.”

Chatting with reporters in the cool of the garden of her private palazzo in downtown Milan at an after-show dinner party, the designer also had some fashion tips for the campaign trail. “I would get rid of the tie and jazz up the shirt,” she said.

In fact, there were no ties in Donatella's latest show, and shirts under jackets were either super easy with rolled up sleeves or replaced by a silk T-shirt.

The new Versace suit has a structured jacket softened by a double lapel or no lapel at all and slim trousers with slick techno-fabric sheen. Crazy zigzags break up the monotony of pinstripes and checks, while the pastel palette gives the collection a warm summer feel.

Sitting in the front row, actor Rupert Everett applauded enthusiastically, showing that even if it was not dedicated to him, he found the collection right up his alley.

Overall, this round of "moda Milanese" menswear preview collections, which ends Wednesday, promises to be all about chilling out, a refreshing thought in a Milan in the grip of this summer's first heat wave.

The relaxed feel of the collections is epitomized by the return of the unlined jacket, which, when coupled with wide loose trousers, creates a casual yet elegant summer suit.

Right at home with this look was Tomas Maier, the creative director at Bottega Veneta, who presented his collection Sunday morning.

From the ultra soft pajama jacket to the classic blazer, to the white shantung silk dinner jacket, the idea is to keep a guy stylish and comfortable throughout the day. Novelty comes in the "double jacket" which appears to have separate layers, creating a two-jackets-in-one effect.

“If you think about the gap in menswear between a tailored suit and a T-shirt and jeans, it's filled by the jacket,” Maier says in his show notes.

Antonio Calanni / AP fileModels wear creations part by Versace men's spring/summer 2009 fashion collection, at Milan fashion week. Dontella Versace said she dedicated this collection to Barack Obama, saying he was the "man of the moment."Ultra-soft trousers with well-defined cuff, cool khaki and pastel shades, loafers and saddle shoes, and the latest men's shopping bag in Bottega's exquisite leather complete the collection's casual chic.

Sunday afternoon, Giorgio Armani presented his second line Emporio collection aimed at a younger customer.

The first part of the show reflected the current return of the jacket and suit, with the added attraction of the vest, either as part of the suit or on its own. Here the designer was tops, but then suit tailoring comes naturally to the maestro who invented the unlined jacket back in the 1970's. An Armani suit is a must in the closets of the rich and famous.

The second half of the show, dedicated to sportswear, strayed from this tradition. Ruffled surfing shorts and rubberized — or were they patent leather? — Bermudas made one yearn for Armani the tailor.

Earlier Saturday, Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana underlined the relaxed feel of these previews with a series of silk bathrobes and boxer shorts — the utmost in the luxury of indolence.

Models walked down the runway of the designers' theater in downtown Milan wearing pinstriped suits as loose and easy as silk pajamas. Their horn-rimmed eyeglasses and leather sandals told a tale of a contemporary business man who can combine beach and office with ease.

When home he might be lucky enough to find his better half in a Dolce&Gabbana robe number, just like the one Naomi Campbell flaunted for the show's finale.

Also showing Saturday, Christopher Bailey for Burberry embraced the easy life for next summer wrinkling everything from jacket to trench coat before it gets crumpled in a suitcase or soaked in the rain.

Typically British, the summer Burberry man can't part with his cardigan — this round so light it can hardly be called sensible — and his traditional hat, the latest version a cross between Paddington Bear and a scarecrow.

To complete the first day of showings, the minimalist Jil Sander label presented its take on the current casual look: Jackets cut close to the body in color blocks like a Mondrian print with zippers instead of buttons for an extra cool fit.

Senator Obama visits with German Chancellor Angela Merkel

Anne Brewer, Women's Vote Coordinator — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 13:35:09 EDT

Earlier today, Senator Obama met with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Below is the campaign's statement on their discussions, as well as a photo from their visit...

Earlier this morning, Senator Obama had a warm and productive conversation with Chancellor Merkel. They covered a wide range of foreign policy issues, including Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, the Middle East peace process, Russia, and NATO. Senator Obama offered an overview of his trip and key impressions from discussions with leaders in the region, focusing, in particular, on the urgency of stopping Iran’s pursuit of nuclear weapons. They also discussed climate change and broader economic challenges. He applauded the Chancellor’s leading role in promoting international efforts on climate change and affirmed his own pledge to pursue an 80% reduction in US green house gas emissions by 2050.

Click here to read more about the visit

Portsmouth Women for Obama Visibility & Women's Walk for Change

Judith Stadtman — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 20:39:39 EDT

NH Seacoast area Women for Obama -- and several supporters who traveled all the way from MA to join us -- gathered in downtown Portsmouth's Market Square (photo) on Saturday, July 19 to honor the 160th anniversary of the First Convention on Women's Rights at Seneca Falls (July 19-20, 1848). The visibility was followed our first Women's Walk for Change canvass in Portsmouth neighborhoods -- and despite the sweltering temperatures, we had a terrific turnout of enthusiastic volunteers for both events.

In 1848, the assembly at Seneca Falls adopted a resolution demanding legal recognition of women's "inalienable right to the elective franchise" -- an idea that was so radical at the time it was nearly rejected by the Convention. Although the struggle for women's suffrage soon became the defining issue of the first wave of the women's rights movement in the United States, over 72 years passed between the day Elizabeth Cady Stanton presented her Declaration of Sentiments to the assembly in Seneca Falls and American women won the right to vote.

Thanks to the activism of our great-grandmothers (and great-great-grandmothers) -- and all those who fought for women's right to shape the future of American democracy through the ballot box -- "Votes for Women" is no longer the rallying cry of advocates for women's equality. But today -- and perhaps in this election more than any other in the last half-century -- votes for women still matter. The choice is clear: We can vote for a leader with a a heartfelt commitment to the advancement of women, and the insight and leadership experience to address the health care shortages and barriers to economic security America's women and working families face in their daily lives -- or we can elect a candidate who has pledged to roll back women's progress. Thanks to all the volunteers who braved the scorching summer heat to knock on doors and talk to women voters in Portsmouth, NH today. Because a vote for change -- a vote for Barack Obama -- is a vote for women. And right here, right now, every vote can make a difference.

Platform Meeting to be held at Worcester MA Library

Marianne Bergenholtz Delegate — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 19:12:35 EDT

A Platform Meeting open to the general public is scheduled for Tuesday, July 22, 5 -8PM at the Worcester Public Library. Several National Platform Delegates and pledged Obama delegates will be at the meeting to assist members of the public in writing their recommendations for the 2008 Democratic Platform to be voted on at the National Convention in August. There will be opportunities for discussion on the topics of interest. Hosted by Marianne Brady Bergenholtz, 3rd MA District, Obama Pledged Delegate

Maximum 140 people. Cookies, Lemonade and Iced Tea will be available.

Make history on Tuesday. Participate in our democracy!

Event posted at http://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/4gwyl

Reservations recommended, but not required.

Prepare to Attend Platform Meetings

Marianne Bergenholtz Delegate — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 18:51:01 EDT

For those who are attending a Platform Meeting this upcoming week, thank you for your interest. To get the most out of the meeting, the Platform Event Committee has asked hosts to pass on this information so you can be prepared for maximum participation. As a host, I am passing it on to everyone since I believe knowledge is power.

1) download the 1992 and 2004 by copying these links and pasting them into your browser. http://www.democrats.org/pdfs/2004platform.pdf http://www.udel.edu/htr/Psc105/Texts/demoplat.html

Compare the two Tables of Contents to see how the Platform has changed over the years from Clinton to post 9/11 Bush.

Choose the area(s) of interest you would like to address, read those sections and formulate your ideas before you come to the meeting. There will be some opportunity for you to refine your ideas with others at the meeting if you wish before submitting your recommendations to change the Platform. Many meetings will be attended by National Platform Committee Delegates who will prepare the Platform that will be brought before the National Convention to be voted on by all the delegates.

Make history on Tuesday. Participate in our democracy!

Marianne Bergenholtz

"Let's Talk" -- Michelle Obama on BlogHer.com

Anne Brewer, Women's Vote Coordinator — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 13:28:31 EDT

Today, Michelle Obama published her first blog entry on BlogHer.com, introducing herself to the nation's number-one community for and guide to blogs by women. BlogHer's mission is to create opportunities for women who blog to pursue exposure, education, community and economic empowerment. As of July, 2008, more than 26,000 members have listed over 15,000 blogs by women on BlogHer.com.

"Let's Talk"

by Michelle Obama

Hi everybody,
I’m excited to be posting on BlogHer. Not only because blogging is something I’ve actually been able to beat my daughters to; but because it gives me the opportunity to tell you a little bit about them, my husband, myself, and our experiences traveling all over this great country.

Over the course of this campaign, I’ve been hosting roundtable discussions with working women all across America. I’m there to talk about my husband, of course – but more importantly, I’m there to listen. We talk about what it’s like to play multiple roles at once and what it’s like to feel stretched thin between the demands of a career and family.

And of course, we talk about our children. How they’re the first thing we think about when we wake up in the morning, and the last thing we think about when we go to bed at night. I know that no matter where I am – work, the campaign trail, wherever – my girls are always on my mind.

What I find is that our stories are similar. But what I also hear at each roundtable is that women are struggling. They are working hard and playing by the rules, doing the most important job of raising the next generation, but somehow can never get ahead. They’re desperate for change.

I’ve heard from mothers struggling to make ends meet because their salaries aren’t keeping up with the cost of groceries. But if they take a second job, they can’t afford the additional cost of childcare. Or the moms who are nervous about taking time from their jobs to care for a sick child. Or the moms-to-be who are scared of getting fired if the boss finds out they’re pregnant.

Then there are women who work hard every day doing the same jobs as men, but earning less. And the military families, who struggle to make ends meet with one paycheck where there used to be two. They welcome their loved ones home with full hearts but little support from their government for their service.

I hear similar stories everywhere I go. These struggles – the struggles of working women and families across America – aren’t new to me or to any of us. And they’re certainly not new to Barack.

Click here to read more of Michelle's blog!

New Yorker Cover: WRITE A LETTER TO THE EDITOR!!!

Allison Ruby Reid-Cunningham — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 20:12:24 EDT

I couldn't believe what is on the cover of The New Yorker. I usually look forward to the funny and often deeply satirical cover art, but this one shocked and outraged me.

The cover shows Obama in a turban and traditional Muslim garb and his wife Michelle dressed in fatigues--rocking an afro and combat boots--and packing an assault rifle. They are giving one another a congratulatory "fist-bump." There is a portrait of Osama Bin Laden above the fireplace where the American flag is burning. Oh, and by the way, the room they're standing in... it's the Oval Office!

Now I know that The New Yorker is known for cartoons that people either "get" or "don't get"...

But I have to say, "I don't get it!"

Could someone please explain the joke to me?

The New Yorker described Barry Blitt's work as lampooning of "scare tactics and misinformation in the Presidential election to derail Barack Obama's campaign."

"The New Yorker may think, as one of their staff explained to us, that their cover is a satirical lampoon of the caricature Senator Obama's right-wing critics have tried to create," Obama campaign spokesman Bill Burton said.

"But most readers will see it as tasteless and offensive. And we agree," Burton added.

Cartoonist Barry Blitt defended his work, saying this:

I think the idea that the Obamas are branded as unpatriotic [let alone as terrorists] in certain sectors is preposterous. It seemed to me that depicting the concept would show it as the fear-mongering ridiculousness that it is.

Although this may be the intention, the damaging impact of reinforcing rumors of the "Manchurian Candidate" variety by depicting imagery like this in the American popular media cannot be underestimated.

Throughout America, it is still widely believed that Barack Obama is a Muslim--and many readers may not realize that the cover is meant to be satirical. In its attempt to point out the obvious--that Obama is NOT a terrorist or Muslim or Black Power/"kill whitey" candidate--it may unfortunately have the opposite effect.

I'm not including the cover image here because I don't want to proliferate it unnecessarily, but I would like to encourage you to write a letter to the editor of the New Yorker to express your outrage at this racist, divisive, offensive and generally unfunny cover art.

East Coast Bloggers Needed!!

Allison Ruby Reid-Cunningham — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 15:50:17 EDT

I've invited bloggers to commit to writing one post per week about Obama for the next 10 weeks. This will take us through the convention in Denver. Our guidelines are simply that the posts are positive and honest. The movement is building: already 25+ bloggers signed up, so that's at least 250 posts over the next 10 weeks, and more folks sign on everyday!

We want to get at least one person from every state involved with spreading this positive message over the web... so we need you!

Especially if you are already an active blogger, it doesn't take any extra effort. and your blog will probably get more traffic, since I'll be linking all the bloggers and promoting the event. If you're new to blogging, I can get you set up with you own blog in less than 5 minutes! so why not? Join Operation HOPE!

Please check out the event details and sign up if you're interested in blogging for Obama: http://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/44hfj

I am coordinating the bloggers (with links to all the active bloggers doing 10 posts in 10 weeks) on my "Crush on Obama" blog at: http://rubycrushonobama.blogspot.com

Hope to see you in the blogosphere!

-Ruby

McCain: Viagra or Birth Control

Anne Brewer, Women's Vote Coordinator — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 19:25:15 EDT

This video captures a reporter questioning John McCain on comments earlier this week from Carly Fiorina, one of his top campaign advisors. Ms. Fiorina suggested that it is unfair for health insurance companies to cover Viagra and not birth control -- meanwhile, Senator McCain previously voted against requiring health insurance companies to cover birth control.

Click here to watch Senator McCain's response...

Barack Obama is 100% Pro-Choice. Period.

Anne Brewer, Women's Vote Coordinator — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 10:28:00 EDT

Please take the time to read this superb blog piece written by Erin Kotecki Vest, Political Director and Election '08 Producer for BlogHer.com and a regular contributor to the Huffington Post.

PunditMom is considering NOT voting, Cynematic has warning bells blazing, Gloria Feldt is closing her wallet, and AnnRose is recounting her days at a hospital specializing in late abortion.
This is too big.
This has too many women wondering.
I am not comfortable wondering, and I have no intention of wondering my way to November.
I'm taking action.
I talked with Pam Sutherland today, President and CEO of the Illinois Planned Parenthood Council.
We each had one thing on our minds and we both understood it's importance. There was no small talk. There was no chit-chat.
This conversation was arranged knowing what was at stake. She knew what she needed to say, and I knew what I hoped to hear.
And now I get to tell you.

Pam Sutherland does NOT have ONE doubt in her mind that Senator Barack Obama is anything but 100% pro-choice.
And she should know.

Click here to read the entire piece.

LET'S ASK FOR HELP AGAINST THE EPUBLICAN TROLLS!

Tonya from Tyngsboro, MA — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 07:15:47 EDT

TO ALL LEGITAMATE OBAMA SUPPORTERS. PLEASE ASK THE SITE ADMINISTRATOR FOR HELP GETTING RID OF THE REPUBLICAN TROLLS. PLEASE START REPORTING THE OBVIOUS ONES.

BUT DON'T RISK REPORTING ANYONE UNLESS IT IS TRULY OBVIOUSE, SINCE WE REALLY ARE INVOLVED IN SEVERAL DEBATES TOGETHER. WE HAVE A RIGHT TO DEBATE AMONGST OURSELVES WITHOUT BEING INVADED BY PEOPLE WITH AN AGENDA TO HELP MCCAIN.

RULE OF THUMB: NO TRUE DEMOCRAT, LIBERAL OR OBAMA SUPPORTER WOULD EVER CONSIDER DOING ANYTHING THAT WOULD HELP MCBUSH AND THE REPUBLICAN PARTY. ANYONE CALLING FOR SUCH ACTION SHOULD BE SCRUTINIZED.

We have even heard from some of these trolls, like "The Summer Leaf" challenging us directly, while admitting out right that they are trolls. EVEN TELLING US TO GET OFF OUR OWN SITE!

If you read the blogs, you would think the MAJORITY of Obama supporters were now going to vote for McCain or not going to vote at all. We KNOW this is not true. The evidence is clear, the trolls have mostly started invading since June; it is a blatant attack and aside from trying to get us not to vote, they are trying to get us not to donate, as some sort of twisted punishment for Obama that will only punish ourselves. This is not surprising, coming from the cash-strapped McCain campaign.

The other objective they have is to portray our legitimate questioning of Obama as ridiculously inflated so the media is convinced that we are all rebelling en mass. And the media is buying this crap. They are not investigating it AT ALL!

Since this is a community of Barack Obama supporters, we have a right not to be disrupted by the Republican trolls.

One of my favorite posters said earlier she was just giving up on the site, since it was no fun anymore, wading through the crap. THAT IS UNACCEPTABLE!

Join me in asking the site administrator to either change this into a mediated site or to create an additional site that IS mediated to allow us to continue our legitimate support activities.

Thank you.

LETS ASK FOR HELP AGAINST TROLLS

Tonya from Tyngsboro, MA — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 21:13:36 EDT

TO ALL LEGITAMATE OBAMA SUPPORTERS. PLEASE ASK THE SITE ADMINISTRATOR FOR HELP GETTING RID OF THE REPUBLICAN TROLLS. PLEASE START REPORTING THE OBVIOUS ONES (BUT DON'T RISK REPORTING ANYONE UNLESS IT IS TRULY OBVIOUSE, SINCE WE REALLY ARE INVOLVED IN SEVERAL DEBATES TOGETHER.)

We have even heard from some of these trolls, like "The Summer Leaf" challenging us directly, while admitting out right that they are trolls. EVEN TELLING US TO GET OFF OUR OWN SITE!

If you read the blogs, you would think the MAJORITY of Obama supporters were now going to vote for McCain or not going to vote at all. We KNOW this is not true. The evidence is clear, the trolls have mostly started invading since June; it is a blatant attack and aside from trying to get us not to vote, they are trying to get us not to donate, as some sort of twisted punishment for Obama that will only punish ourselves. This is not surprising, coming from the cash-strapped McCain campaign.

The other objective they have is to portray our legitimate questioning of Obama as ridiculously inflated so the media is convinced that we are all rebelling en-mass. And the media is buying this crap. They are not investigating it AT ALL!

Since this is a community of Barack Obama supporters, we have a right not to be disrupted by the Republican trolls.

One of my favorite posters said earlier she was just giving up on the site, since it was no fun anymore, wading through the crap.

Join me in asking the site administrator to either change this into a mediated site or to create an additional site that IS mediated to allow us to continue our legitimate support activities.

Thank you.

PROVE IT!!!

Tonya from Tyngsboro, MA — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 18:48:31 EDT

TO "BUDROCKET" (AND ALL OTHER SUSPECTED McBUSH TROLLS CLAIMING TO HAVE BEEN ACTIVE OBAMA SUPPORTERS):

You CLAIM to have been a grass-roots Obama supporter, too busy out there "pounding the pavement" on his behalf to blog before now. That is how you explain that you suddenly popped up here with all the Republican trolls attacking Barack.

I SAY PROVE IT!

If it is true, then you have to belong to one of the Obama grass-roots groups. These groups are documented by the campaign and they can vouch for you. Name your group, tell us what events you've been involved in, give us the name of your group's leader. Give us tracebale information and we will investigate. And if you're really feeling brave, post under your own name.

Until you prove you are not a Republican troll, we will not believe you. We have seen the dishonorable tactics of the McBush trolls already. I'm sorry if you are the exception, but we have good reason to doubt you.

This is too important to go unanswered; WE have to take responsibility--

Connie from Memphis, TN — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 17:27:29 EDT

Tell "THE TRUTH ABOUT TAXES"...McCain scaring working families--

EVERYDAY, in every city he speaks, McCain not only claims that Obama will raise everyone's taxes, he says Obama's tax proposal would raise rates on those who make as little as $32,000 a year. In a year where the economy is the number one issue to most undecided voters, we cannot afford ANY VOTER not to know the truth--

"If you are a family making $250,000 or less, I will not raise your taxes," Obama said. "Not your income tax. Not your payroll tax, not your capital gains tax. Not any tax. I will cut your taxes."

This is too important to go unanswered, I took an informal poll in my neighborhood, and even most of Obama supporters were unsure what his tax policy was...undecided voters thought just what they hear on the street or on Fox news.It's time we take responsibility for at least our neighbors, our friends and coworkers to know the truth about taxes.

And it's so simple to do...please take a moment to look at this "THE TRUTH ABOUT TAXES" factsheet. and in your spare time print some copies for your neighborhood, at the very least.

You can print it from this direct link--http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v254/giveupdefunk/std.jpg

This is too important to go unanswered,

"THE TRUTH ABOUT TAXES"

Connie from Memphis, TN — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 17:12:56 EDT

FISA, Religion & Campaign Financing

Tonya from Tyngsboro, MA — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 20:21:12 EDT

By Tonya J. Roberts (may be reposted, citing source)

To all those concerned about Barack Obama's supposed "flip-flopping" on FISA, religion and campaign financing, they should go back and watch the ENTIRE content of his speeches and read his ENTIRE answers on these subjects. They should not rely on the one-liners the McCain campaign and its media cohorts keep throwing in his face. Obama's answers on serious subjects are seldom one-liners and almost never unbending decisions. His opinions are normally nuanced, leaving himself room to consider new information and to flesh out his opinions later. Those intent on discrediting Obama, deliberately cut-and-paste to remove the context in their quick sound-bites, because they know if we have the whole story, Americans are smart enough to understand Obama's thoughtful answers.

I also strongly recommend reading Obama's books; since it will shed a very bright light on his motivations and his decision making process. He is an outstanding writer, so it is also well worth the time.

I feel sorry for those most extreme liberals who have not read Obama's books and watched every speech as eagerly as I have, since his often liberal voting record might make them think he is as left of the center as they are.

The truth is: Barack Obama is a constitutional scholar, and no matter what your personal feelings are, if you believe in the constitution and you are in the US Senate, most of your votes will seem liberal. It is the right-wing extremists who have made voting constitutionally seem leftist. I think our founding fathers would be aghast at this development. On the other hand, Obama has also surprised his supporters by occasionally seeming to vote to the right. Sorry McCain, he isn't "flip-flopping" here either, he's only upholding the constitution.

I, by the way, am a pretty extreme liberal myself; but Obama never has been. It took some really strong arguments on his part, for me to see things the way he does. The very core of his being is about finding balance. That's no wonder, considering his diverse background; he had to find balance in order to find his own identity.

Out of this deep struggle with himself, came his core message: We all have more in common to unite us than we have differences that divide us. No matter whether we are Democrats, Independents or Republicans; black, white or Hispanic; Christian, Muslim or atheist; poor, middle-class or rich, we all want a chance to get ahead; we all want to be treated fairly; we all want financial security for ourselves and our children; we all want the world to be a safer place...etc. There is such a long list of concerns we ALL share as Americans; it makes the divisions seem meaningless.

Obama wants our government to be focused on the concerns we all share; but he also recognizes that the "other side" has not only a constitutional right, but a deep responsibility to express and work on issues we don't share. The government's job is to try to come to a constitutionally acceptable consensus, while fostering peace amongst those who disagree. Compromise is absolutely necessary, since everyone believes they are right and the other side is wrong. Obama points out that if everyone thinks they are right, they must BE right on some level. Respecting minority opinions is as much a part of "for the people" as is finding a consensus.

The FISA Court was originally established with a consensus in 1978 for the purpose of overseeing the government's surveillance of suspected foreign agents in the USA; it provided strict rules for this activity to protect the civil liberties of US citizens. The Bush Administration has broken FISA's rules by wire-tapping millions of Americans with little or no legitimate excuse and without seeking warrants from the FISA court. The Administration has claimed this was legal, using an argument that in war-time, FISA is superseded by the Patriot Act, and thus has loopholes for this very purpose. To see said loopholes, you need to squint and tilt your head far to the right; but we have a President well equipped for such gymnastics.

Obama and many others want desperately to close those supposed "loopholes" with a resounding bang, spelling out, in no uncertain terms, that the Administration does not have the special right to ignore FISA. The new FISA bill, however imperfect, does accomplish this critical goal, if only by being dated after the inception of the Patriot Act. As Obama himself wrote:

"The exclusivity provision makes it clear to any President or telecommunications company that no law supersedes the authority of the FISA court. In a dangerous world, government must have the authority to collect the intelligence we need to protect the American people. But in a free society, that authority cannot be unlimited...The Inspectors General Report also provides a real mechanism for accountability and should not be discounted. It will allow a close look at past misconduct without hurdles that would exist in federal court because of classification issues...I've chosen to support the current compromise. I do so with the firm intention --once I'm sworn in as President-- to have my Attorney General conduct a comprehensive review of all our surveillance programs, and to make further recommendations on any steps needed to preserve civil liberties and to prevent executive branch abuses in the future."

Bush's faith based initiative program, as it stands, is an executive branch abuse, since it allows beneficiary organizations to discriminate against perspective employees and vendors based on their religious affiliations. Tax-payer money can be used to support social programs; but it is against the constitution for tax-payer money to be used to support religious discrimination.

Obama's program will disallow any discrimination and beneficiary organizations will be dropped from the program if they do not adhere to this rule. They will also not be allowed to use the program benefits for the purpose of converting "non-believers." There will be other significant secular restraints, since Obama is, after-all, NOT a right-wing extremist.

As a community organizer, Obama found that churches of all religious persuasions often have extremely efficient social programs. They reach out to help people in need throughout America and all over the world. He has said all along that working with these programs was at the heart of his own spiritual growth, and he has repeatedly asserted that faith has a place in politics. He has further stipulated that this place is mainly to instill a sense of moral purpose and concern for humanity. Religious beliefs must never supplant the Constitution or be used to suppress another person's constitutional rights, including religious freedom. Given his openness on this topic, it is not a big surprise that Obama would find a way to support these social programs in a constitutionally acceptable way.

As for campaign financing, Obama stated early-on that he would pursue an agreement with the Republican nominee that they would both use only Government provided public funds in the general election, with no cash from lobbyists and no use of 527 groups or other under-the-table financing methods. That was his wish-list.

Not long after this, McCain used his Government provided campaign funds as security on a private loan to keep his campaign afloat. This was not only illegal, it was a clear indicator that McCain would use ANY under-the-table financing methods he felt he could get away with. After he became the presumptive nominee, McCain also refused to attempt any control over the 527 groups, the RNC or any other group spreading lies on his behalf. McCain's extensive use of lobbyists to fund and organize his campaign should also be noted.

Obama may be a strong proponent of campaign finance reform, but he is no fool. No matter what McCain said, he was obviously NOT going to run an above-board campaign. Since Obama had never accepted lobbyist or PAC funds in this election; had already asserted control over the DNC to stop them from accepting lobbyist and PAC funds; had already made it clear there would be no under-the-table financing; had already convinced MoveOn.org to stay out of the general election; and had stated clearly that he wanted no help from 527 groups, Obama would be at an extreme disadvantage were he to rely solely on Government provided funds.

Even though McCain was able to justify it to himself, Obama could not, WOULD not accept Government provided funds and also unleash the DNC, MoveOn.org and the 527's. No under-the-table financing was acceptable for Obama. Being boxed in, he had only one choice: to use ONLY the small donations he had been receiving all along. It was a risky choice, since he could not guarantee the donations would keep poring in. He might eventually exhaust the resources of his mainly middle-class donors.

Since McCain has been proven untrustworthy in this area (and is under investigation for borrowing against Government provided funds), there can be no honorable agreement between him and Obama on this topic. Obama would be a fool to accept limitations that McCain does not. I don't think we want a fool for a President.

As for the charge that Obama may actually be a centrist...well...in many ways, he is more a centrist than anyone we have ever seen before in public office. He is level-headed and prone to thinking things through carefully, looking at all sides and then presenting sincerely balanced opinions.

In years past, I shook my fist and demanded a completely liberal Government. I pointed my finger accusingly at the right-wingers and said they were just wrong. I have grown up quite a bit since then. Now, Barack Obama's message rings clear and true in my ears: We all have more in common to unite us than we have differences that divide us.

*Please note: Just because I have pointed out that Obama has not actually "flip-flopped" on these subjects, that does not mean I think there is anything wrong with changing one's mind. People learn and grow as they acquire new information, so of course they also change their minds. That is why I have not itemized the many "flip-flops" of John McCain.

The Truth About McCain's Record on Birth Control -- NARAL Pro-Choice America Press Release

Anne Brewer, Women's Vote Coordinator — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 13:34:54 EDT

Carly Fiorina Slips Up on McCain’s Record

McCain adviser brings up insurance coverage for birth control, even though he voted against such coverage

Washington, D.C. – Nancy Keenan, president of NARAL Pro-Choice America, said the organization is sending a copy of Sen. John McCain’s voting record on women’s health issues to Carly Fiorina, an adviser to the anti-choice candidate, who yesterday made a statement in direct conflict with McCain’s position on birth control.

According to the Washington Post, during a discussion with reporters about women and health insurance, Fiorina said, "a real, live example which I've been hearing a lot about from women: There are many health insurance plans that will cover Viagra but won't cover birth-control medication. Those women would like a choice." [Washington Post, July 8, 2008]

Fiorina’s comments are in direct contradiction with McCain’s record. In fact, McCain voted against a proposal that would have required insurance companies to cover prescription contraception in the same way they pay for Viagra. [Clinton/Reid amendment to FY’06 Budget Resolution, S.Con.Res.18, 3/17/05.]

“If Carly Fiorina is so concerned about making sure women have choices that include coverage for birth control, than she should support the only presidential candidate who actually supports health insurance coverage for birth control…Barack Obama,” Keenan said. “Women are concerned about health-care inequities—and that’s why we are working to elect Sen. Barack Obama as the next president. Unlike McCain, who has voted against family planning 22 times, Sen. Obama supports legislation that would ensure fairness in insurance coverage for birth control, which represents one of the best ways to prevent unintended pregnancy and thus reduce the need for abortion. That’s a clear difference between these candidates.”

Keenan cited McCain’s extensive record of votes against birth control, including a vote to eliminate the Title X family-planning program, which provides millions of women with health-care services ranging from birth control to breast cancer screenings. [Weicker motion to table Helms amendment to FY’89 Labor, HHS, and Education appropriations bill, H.R.4783, 7/25/88; motion to invoke cloture on Family Planning Amendments Act, S.110, 9/26/90.] For a complete listing of McCain’s votes against family planning, please visit

http://www.prochoiceamerica.org/assets/files/mccain_fact_sheet.pdf

In addition, Keenan said McCain’s votes against birth control would be especially troublesome for the unique audience of women voters NARAL Pro-Choice America is targeting: Independent and Republican pro-choice women in suburban and exurban swing districts that will play a pivotal role in the presidential election. Recent polling confirms how, once these voters know McCain’s opposition to a woman’s right to choose and votes against family planning, they will switch parties to support Sen. Barack Obama. The polling may be found at the following link:

http://www.prochoiceamerica.org/assets/files/naralpollmemo061608.pdf

###

FISA, Religion & Campaign Financing-NOT FLIP-FLOPPING!

Tonya from Tyngsboro, MA — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 06:17:18 EDT

To all those concerned about Barack Obama's supposed "flip-flopping" on FISA, religion and campaign financing, they should go back and watch the ENTIRE content of his speeches and read his ENTIRE answers on these subjects. They should not rely on the one-liners the McCain campaign and its media cohorts keep throwing in his face. Obama's answers on serious subjects are seldom one-liners and almost never unbending decisions. His opinions are normally nuanced, leaving himself room to consider new information and to flesh out his opinions later. Those intent on discrediting Obama, deliberately cut-and-paste to remove the context in their quick sound-bites, because they know if we have the whole story, Americans are smart enough to understand Obama's thoughtful answers.

I also strongly recommend reading Obama's books; since it will shed a very bright light on his motivations and his decision making process. He is an outstanding writer, so it is also well worth the time.

I feel sorry for those most extreme liberals who have not read Obama's books and watched every speech as eagerly as I have, since his often liberal voting record might make them think he is as left of the center as they are.

The truth is: Barack Obama is a constitutional scholar, and no matter what your personal feelings are, if you believe in the constitution and you are in the US Senate, most of your votes will seem liberal. It is the right-wing extremists who have made voting constitutionally seem leftist. I think our founding fathers would be aghast at this development. On the other hand, Obama has also surprised his supporters by occasionally seeming to vote to the right. Sorry McCain, he isn't "flip-flopping" here either, he's only upholding the constitution.

I, by the way, am a pretty extreme liberal myself; but Obama never has been. It took some really strong arguments on his part, for me to see things the way he does. The very core of his being is about finding balance. That's no wonder, considering his diverse background; he had to find balance in order to find his own identity.

Out of this deep struggle with himself, came his core message: We all have more in common to unite us than we have differences that divide us. No matter whether we are Democrats, Independents or Republicans; black, white or Hispanic; Christian, Muslim or atheist; poor, middle-class or rich, we all want a chance to get ahead; we all want to be treated fairly; we all want financial security for ourselves and our children; we all want the world to be a safer place...etc. There is such a long list of concerns we ALL share as Americans; it makes the divisions seem meaningless.

Obama wants our government to be focused on the concerns we all share; but he also recognizes that the "other side" has not only a constitutional right, but a deep responsibility to express and work on issues we don't share. The government's job is to try to come to a constitutionally acceptable consensus, while fostering peace amongst those who disagree. Compromise is absolutely necessary, since everyone believes they are right and the other side is wrong. Obama points out that if everyone thinks they are right, they must BE right on some level. Respecting minority opinions is as much a part of "for the people" as is finding a consensus.

The FISA Court was originally established with a consensus in 1978 for the purpose of overseeing the government's surveillance of suspected foreign agents in the USA; it provided strict rules for this activity to protect the civil liberties of US citizens. The Bush Administration has broken FISA's rules by wire-tapping millions of Americans with little or no legitimate excuse and without seeking warrants from the FISA court. The Administration has claimed this was legal, using an argument that in war-time, FISA is superseded by the Patriot Act, and thus has loopholes for this very purpose. To see said loopholes, you need to squint and tilt your head far to the right; but we have a President well equipped for such gymnastics.

Obama and many others want desperately to close those supposed "loopholes" with a resounding bang, spelling out, in no uncertain terms, that the Administration does not have the special right to ignore FISA. The new FISA bill, however imperfect, does accomplish this critical goal, if only by being dated after the inception of the Patriot Act. As Obama himself wrote:

"The exclusivity provision makes it clear to any President or telecommunications company that no law supersedes the authority of the FISA court. In a dangerous world, government must have the authority to collect the intelligence we need to protect the American people. But in a free society, that authority cannot be unlimited...The Inspectors General Report also provides a real mechanism for accountability and should not be discounted. It will allow a close look at past misconduct without hurdles that would exist in federal court because of classification issues...I've chosen to support the current compromise. I do so with the firm intention --once I'm sworn in as President-- to have my Attorney General conduct a comprehensive review of all our surveillance programs, and to make further recommendations on any steps needed to preserve civil liberties and to prevent executive branch abuses in the future."

Bush's faith based initiative program, as it stands, is an executive branch abuse, since it allows beneficiary organizations to discriminate against perspective employees and vendors based on their religious affiliations. Tax-payer money can be used to support social programs; but it is against the constitution for tax-payer money to be used to support religious discrimination.

Obama's program will disallow any discrimination and beneficiary organizations will be dropped from the program if they do not adhere to this rule. They will also not be allowed to use the program benefits for the purpose of converting "non-believers." There will be other significant secular restraints, since Obama is, after-all, NOT a right-wing extremist.

As a community organizer, Obama found that churches of all religious persuasions often have extremely efficient social programs. They reach out to help people in need throughout America and all over the world. He has said all along that working with these programs was at the heart of his own spiritual growth, and he has repeatedly asserted that faith has a place in politics. He has further stipulated that this place is mainly to instill a sense of moral purpose and concern for humanity. Religious beliefs must never supplant the Constitution or be used to suppress another person's constitutional rights, including religious freedom. Given his openness on this topic, it is not a big surprise that Obama would find a way to support these social programs in a constitutionally acceptable way.

As for campaign financing, Obama stated early-on that he would pursue an agreement with the Republican nominee that they would both use only Government provided public funds in the general election, with no cash from lobbyists and no use of 527 groups or other under-the-table financing methods. That was his wish-list.

Not long after this, McCain used his Government provided campaign funds as security on a private loan to keep his campaign afloat. This was not only illegal, it was a clear indicator that McCain would use ANY under-the-table financing methods he felt he could get away with. After he became the presumptive nominee, McCain also refused to attempt any control over the 527 groups, the RNC or any other group spreading lies on his behalf. McCain's extensive use of lobbyists to fund and organize his campaign should also be noted.

Obama may be a strong proponent of campaign finance reform, but he is no fool. No matter what McCain said, he was obviously NOT going to run an above-board campaign. Since Obama had never accepted lobbyist or PAC funds in this election; had already asserted control over the DNC to stop them from accepting lobbyist and PAC funds; had already made it clear there would be no under-the-table financing; had already convinced MoveOn.org to stay out of the general election; and had stated clearly that he wanted no help from 527 groups, Obama would be at an extreme disadvantage were he to rely solely on Government provided funds.

Even though McCain was able to justify it to himself, Obama could not, WOULD not accept Government provided funds and also unleash the DNC, MoveOn.org and the 527's. No under-the-table financing was acceptable for Obama. Being boxed in, he had only one choice: to use ONLY the small donations he had been receiving all along. It was a risky choice, since he could not guarantee the donations would keep poring in. He might eventually exhaust the resources of his mainly middle-class donors.

Since McCain has been proven untrustworthy in this area (and is under investigation for borrowing against Government provided funds), there can be no honorable agreement between him and Obama on this topic. Obama would be a fool to accept limitations that McCain does not. I don't think we want a fool for a President.

As for the charge that Obama may actually be a centrist...well...in many ways, he is more a centrist than anyone we have ever seen before in public office. He is level-headed and prone to thinking things through carefully, looking at all sides and then presenting sincerely balanced opinions.

In years past, I shook my fist and demanded a completely liberal Government. I pointed my finger accusingly at the right-wingers and said they were just wrong. I have grown up quite a bit since then. Now, Barack Obama's message rings clear and true in my ears: We all have more in common to unite us than we have differences that divide us.

*Please note: Just because I have pointed out that Obama has not actually "flip-flopped" on these subjects, that does not mean I think there is anything wrong with changing one's mind. People learn and grow as they acquire new information, so of course they also change their minds. That is why I have not itemized the many "flip-flops" of John McCain.

Planned Parenthood Endorses Barack Obama

Anne Brewer, Women's Vote Coordinator — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 20:22:10 EDT

PRESS RELEASE: Planned Parenthood Action Fund Endorses Barack Obama

Applauds Obama's Record of Standing Up for Women's Health Care

July 7, 2008

Washington, DC - The Planned Parenthood Action Fund, the political and advocacy arm of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, today announced its endorsement of Sen. Barack Obama for president of the United States.
"The Planned Parenthood Action Fund is proud to endorse Barack Obama for president of the United States," said Action Fund president Cecile Richards. "He is a passionate advocate for women's rights, and has a long and consistent record of standing up for women's health care. As president, he will improve access to quality health care for women, support and protect a woman's right to choose, support comprehensive sex education to keep our young people healthy and safe, and invest in prevention programs, including family planning services and breast cancer screenings."
On a conference call today with Planned Parenthood Action Fund members from all across the country, Sen. Obama said, "As president I'll make sure women have access to affordable health care, including affordable reproductive services. I thank you for your endorsement and your leadership."
This marks only the second time in Planned Parenthood's history that the Action Fund has made an endorsement in a presidential campaign. Last month, the board of the national Planned Parenthood Action Fund voted unanimously to recommend endorsing Senator Obama. That recommendation was ratified by Planned Parenthood's local action organizations, which represent the interests of all 100 Planned Parenthood affiliates.
Sen. Obama has received a 100 percent rating from the Planned Parenthood Action Fund. As a state senator in Illinois and a U.S. senator, Sen. Obama has a strong voting record when it comes to women's health.
- Sen. Obama is the co-sponsor of multiple pieces of legislation that focus on common sense prevention measures to reduce the number of unintended pregnancies, including the Prevention First Act; the Communities of Color Teen Pregnancy Prevention Act; and the Responsible Education About Life (REAL) Act.
- Sen. Obama supports affordable quality health care, including family planning services, breast cancer screenings, and other preventive health care that Planned Parenthood provides.
- Sen. Obama supports a woman's right to choose and is a co-sponsor of the Freedom of Choice Act, which would codify and protect a woman's right to choose.
- Sen. Obama supports expanding access to affordable birth control and is a co-sponsor of the Prevention Through Affordable Access Act, which would restore affordable birth control to safety-net clinics and college health clinics.
- Sen. Obama is a champion of family planning access for women worldwide and voted to repeal the destructive global gag rule, which bars any U.S. aid for international family planning organizations that perform or promote abortions.
- Sen. Obama supports medically accurate comprehensive sex education to keep our young people healthy and safe, and voted in favor of legislation to fund medically accurate sex education.
In contrast, Sen. John McCain, the presumptive Republican nominee, has a zero percent voting record on women's reproductive health and has stated he wants to overturn Roe v. Wade. In 25 years in Washington, DC, Sen. McCain has cast 125 votes against women's health.
Earlier this year, the Planned Parenthood Action Fund launched its One Million Strong Campaign, a grass-roots program to educate voters about women's health care issues, and turn out one million pro-choice and pro-women's health care voters in the fall. From house parties to online education to one-on-one conversations, the One Million Strong Campaign will educate voters about women's health issues and turn out women voters, a key demographic in the election.
Planned Parenthood is a trusted health care provider and educator to millions of women and young adults, with a presence in all 50 states. One in four American women visits a Planned Parenthood health center sometime during her lifetime.
"It has never been more important to elect a president who will partner with us in our work," said Richards. "And there is no organization better positioned to reach out to women voters than the Planned Parenthood Action Fund. We will do all that we can to support Barack Obama and ensure that all women have access to quality, affordable health care."

Attend a Fourth of July Event Near You

New Hampshire HQ — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 20:12:58 EDT

Supporters across the state will be gathering at parades, fireworks shows, and other events across the state tonight and tomorrow to show their Obama Pride.

Visit http://nh.barackobama.com/NHJuly4 to find an event near you.

Happy Fourth of July from the NH Obama Team.

"Insights from Unity, NH"

Anne Brewer, Women's Vote Coordinator — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 12:12:42 EDT

Kathy Gillett attended the Clinton-Obama rally last week in Unity, and wrote to share some of her thoughts on the day.

You can watch the speeches, and sift through the spin, but the stories that should be shared from Unity, N.H. were told on the buses and bleachers where ordinary people explained why they had invested a year and a half of their energy and talents in support of an historic presidential candidate. On the ride up from Sunapee, I sat behind two women from Boston, close friends who had volunteered full time, one for Obama, and the other for Clinton. The Clinton supporter had sent in money whenever she could, and volunteered in four states. She respected, admired, loved her candidate and she was still not ready to channel that activism into Barack's candidacy, though she did plan to vote for him.
There has always been a great deal of listening involved in this campaign business, but never has it been more important for us to listen, empathize, and validate all that Hillary's supporters are feeling right now. The reality is, these are our people. They share our disdain for what the Bush administration has done to our environment, our civil liberties, our reputation as a just world leader, our complete disregard for education, health care, and even decent housing for the least among us.
As I listened to my new friend, I realized how powerful her story was. I told her that she confirmed Barack's perceptions that we are good and decent people, that we can find common ground on the things that matter, and that we can work together towards specific goals. I told her that Hillary held Barack accountable for his revolutionary vision allowing Americans to come to know the depth and substance that underlies his soaring rhetoric. She challenged him, and he is a better candidate, and will be a better president because she expected so much.
I didn't see her afterwords, but I have to believe Hillary then gave her exactly what she needed in that field in Unity New Hampshire: permission to walk forward together. I heard many other stories yesterday, but two stand out, maybe because they are related. There was the woman who first met Barack at a house party last summer. He asked her "Now why are you here?" She told him, "Because I wanted to look you in the eyes to see if you were an honest man." She said his eyes actually welled up, then he told her, "You will have to judge me by my actions, not just my words." A few minutes later, I saw the Mayor of Unity who had welcomed us all with a charming, genuine account of how his town had prepared for this day, and how he, a life long Republican who voted for John McCain, was rethinking that choice and he just "might be part of this change."