Northern Iowa for Barack Obama

Poverty part 1

Walt — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 18:53:15 EST

Most of us will endure poverty during a portion of our lifetimes. If you haven't been poor yet in your life, odds are that you will be at some time. Some will experience it during childhood; others will be poor during their golden years. Still others, through accident or misfortune, will be poor for a period during their working adulthood. The social safety net is there to help us through periods of poverty when we need help. Some are in and out of poverty repeatedly while others never escape. It is the safety net that some want to further dismantle. The would-be dismantlers say that poverty is a person's own fault. Anyone can escape poverty if they really try. That is not true.

Seventy-five per cent of the poor are poor through no fault of their own. Some are children too young to work; others are the aged, 65 and older. Still others are adults aged 18 to 64 years who have physical or mental disabilities that prevent meaningful employment. In toto, these groups make up three quarters of the poor. The remaining poor work for a living at jobs that pay little or they cannot find work. That is a problem that our society faces, not enough good paying jobs to go around. I will discuss that in Poverty, part 2, but first I want to digress a bit and discuss my own encounters with poverty.

I think that the only time I was really poor was as a child. We had enough to get by, but all my friends and relatives had more. I felt poor. I worked hard in school and got good grades. I went to college but did not graduate. Then I found employment and worked my way up to middle management. By the time I was forty, I was a financial success. The rising tide had lifted my boat along with many others and I could afford some of life's luxuries. Then the tide turned, and my boat started to drift downward with many others. Hard work was not enough to keep up with the Joneses or inflation. I used debt to try to maintain a lifestyle that became more and more difficult to achieve any other way. Finally in 2003, my wife and I moved from California to Utah to extinguish our debts and get a new start.

We sold our home in California and bought a larger home in Utah and paid cash. We also planned to use a portion of our proceeds to eliminate the rest of our debt. It did not happen according to plan. Shortly after moving to Utah, I was involved in an auto accident in Las Vegas that destroyed my vehicle and left me with a sore shoulder that is not completely healed six years later. Then six weeks later I fell and broke a leg that prevented me from working for seven months. A veritable one two punch. Our small nest egg disappeared in a hurry. We paid our bills using credit cards and dug a deep hole of debt. Six years later, we are still trying to dig our way out. I am not poor, but I can see how easily an accident or illness can devastate the best laid plans.

To be continued

Global warming

Walt — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 11:45:18 EST

Global warming is fact, not fiction. We can disagree about the causes: natural, man-made or a combination, but we cannot argue about its existence. Here in the West, we are concerned about oceans rising and severe weather, but in the Orient, their concerns are more grave. The glaciers of the Himalayas are melting. If you doubt that, ask anyone who lives in that neighborhood. The glaciers of the Himalayas are the source of the major rivers of Asia. They supply drinking water and water for food crops to India, China, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Thailand, Vietnam and several smaller countries in that area. About half the people of the world depend on that water for survival. We can expect major flooding downstream on those rivers initially. Then as the glaciers continue to melt and the flooding subsides, severe drought will follow. Famine will ensue. War and pestilence usually accompany severe famine. It is up to us to try to prevent this from happening.

COBRA bites

Walt — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 15:28:47 EST

Beginning yesterday, the emergency government subsidy that lasted 9 months began expiring for the first recipients of COBRA help. COBRA is the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act and it enables the unemployed to keep their health insurance for 9 months after losing a job if they can afford to make the exorbitant payments. When my wife and I moved to Utah, we paid about $850 per month for just the two of us. The average cost for a family across the US is about $1100 and the government subsidy paid about $700. Imagine being unemployed and being required to pay $400 per month with government help or $1100 per month without government help for health insurance. COBRA really does bite.

Earmarks

Walt — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 11:37:03 EST

I have not made a final decision about earmarks. I suppose that one person's valued project is another person's wasteful spending. The money will be spent and someone must decide how it is spent. In Congress, as in life, it may be necessary to go along to get along. In his book Catastrophe, Dick Morris has a list of earmarks that he disapproves of, I believe. They are listed by title and amount which is insufficient information to decide the merits of the expenditures. One earmark caught my attention, $1,791,000 for swine odor and manure management research in Iowa. Apparently Dick has never lived near a pig farm. I have not either, but I understand the smell is horrific. If he had lived near a pig farm, I am sure he would support increasing the funding.

I sometimes must drive from Southern California to Northern California on Interstate 5. In Central California along the east side of the freeway is a cattle feedlot. The animals are packed tightly and the odor is terrible. Rolling up the car windows and closing the air conditioning vents is insufficient to keep the odor out. All one can do is speed up and hold one's breath. I cannot hold my breath for the five minutes required to escape the odor entirely.

Collateral damage

Walt — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 11:39:47 EST

Collateral damage used to refer to property damage around a bombing target when bombs were dropped from aircraft. Now it has been expanded and is used as a euphemism to cover injuries and deaths caused by US attacks on those we suspect are guilty of something. Here in the US if the authorities suspect you of nefarious behavior, you are given a chance to explain. If your explanation is not satisfactory, there are protections, legal safeguards, to protect the innocent from arbitrary arrest and/or punishment. We do not punish for evil intentions.

Abroad those protections do not exist. If the US suspects you of evil intent or behavior, they very well may fire a Hellfire missile at you. You have no opportunity to explain what you were doing. If the weapon kills or injures the innocent, well, too bad. In the news here in the US, your death will be reported as a statistic; so many militants or so many terrorist suspects died today in whatever was your home.

Those who are innocent and survive a US attack are understandably upset. I would be in their place. Is it any wonder that we cannot defeat the terrorists/insurgents when our actions make it so much easier for al-Qaeda and others to recruit from a growing pool of angry potential recruits?

India

Walt — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 12:34:40 EST

Why is India important to the US? India is the most populous democracy in the world and is expected to surpass China in 40 years to become the most populous nation in the world. We outsource factory jobs to China and we outsource service jobs to India. India can also play a critical role in our battle with al-Qaeda. Look at the map and you will see that Pakistan is sandwiched between India on the east and Afghanistan on the west. Since partition in 1947, India and Pakistan have disputed over many issues with Kashmir being the most important.

India and Pakistan have fought three wars over Kashmir and now both countries have nuclear arms. Some experts consider this dispute to be the most dangerous on the globe. The state of Kashmir in the north of India is checkerboard or crazy quilt of various peoples and religions. Some want to join India and some want to join Pakistan while some want to be independent of both. Untangling the conflicting claims will take the wisdom of Solomon. There has been no progress in solving the Kashmir problem in the 60 plus years that India and Pakistan have disputed the area. I think that at some distant future, India and Pakistan may both share rule of the area with a co-dominion. That will require a degree of cooperation that presently does not exist.

Returning to the present situation, some elements of the Pakistan government and military support the Taliban in Afghanistan so that Pakistan can face India without a threat from a hostile power in the rear. If Barack can reduce tensions between India and Pakistan, perhaps Pakistan will be more willing and able to confront al-Qaeda in Pakistan itself. We can use all the help in the tribal areas of Pakistan that we can enlist.

I love Barack

Walt — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 10:55:19 EST

I love what Barack is doing for the country. It is so nice to be able to respect the President. I love Barack.

Iraq/Afghanistan/Vietnam

Walt — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:27:09 EST

There is no significant similarity among these three wars except for the financial impact on the US. Vietnam was partially financed by taxes and the deficits led to increasing inflation that culminated in Jimmy Carter's defeat in 1980 by Ronald Reagan. The current wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have been financed entirely by borrowing which will probably lead to inflation in the near future. That deficit spending contributed to the crash of 2008 and led to John McCain's defeat by Barack Obama.

Living wage

Walt — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 12:04:48 EST

I support a living wage, which varies depending on where you live, and is approximately double the minimum wage. The living wage is defined as the amount needed to bring a family of four up to the federal poverty line. Why do I support it? If the minimum wage were increased to a living wage, all other wages would be increased and all of us would enjoy a higher standard of living. Detractors point out that some entry level jobs would disappear. That is true. I would train those lacking jobs to fill higher paying skilled jobs.

The question that needs to be asked and no one is asking is: who is willing, are you or are we, to be associated with an economy that forces millions to work for near starvation wages? I am NOT. This nation has the resources to provide a dignified life for all who work. If a job is worth doing, it is worth paying a living wage for its performance.

Capitalism

Walt — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 12:03:53 EST

Some prefer unbridled capitalism. I prefer capitalism with a bridle. Opponents call capitalism with a bridle socialism. I prefer to think of it as compassionate conservatism.

Michael Moore's new movie called Capitalism: a Love Story is an uneven treatment of the recent financial meltdown. There were two parts of the movie I found particularly interesting. He had extensive film of the recent, December 2008, sit-in in Chicago of the terminated workers at a factory that made windows until it could no longer get financing from Bank of America. The workers were not paid what they were owed and were thrown out of work just prior to Christmas. I grew up in Chicago and the film showed how close to the Loop the factory was. The Loop is Chicago's center of political and financial power. During the sit-in, a Catholic Bishop visited the strikers to voice support. He told how his life was shaped by growing up on the South side of Chicago where abandoned steel mills sit empty and the lost jobs they represent. His experience was similar to Barack's when he was a community organizer in the same area.

The other part of the movie that impressed me was a much shorter segment that showed FDR making a radio address just before his death. FDR thought that the voters should see that part of his speech so he invited movie cameras into the office where he was broadcasting. FDR proposed another bill of rights for the US in which certain rights would be guaranteed: adequate affordable healthcare, a living wage, decent housing and affordable higher education. He died before these rights could be enacted, but the US imposed these rights on the constitutions of our defeated enemies in WW2, Germany and Japan. Isn't it ironic that our defeated enemies enjoy those rights now and after more than 60 years, US citizens are still denied them?

Cheney's chutzpah

Walt — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 14:51:14 EDT

Dick Cheney, the master of pulling strings on his puppets from backstage, has lost his position backstage at the White House and his puppets who have retired, resigned or been convicted of a crime. Now that he is in the unfamiliar position of speaking for himself in front of the curtain, he is trying to be a Republican spokesman at the same time as he tries to defend himself from looming charges of sponsoring torture. To suggest that the Obama administration is incapable of defending the country when he and his puppets let bin Laden escape, invaded Iraq needlessly and neglected Afghanistan is the height of chutzpah and hypocrisy.

Opportunity

Walt — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 13:49:39 EDT

The US is the land of opportunity. However, not everyone gets an equal opportunity to succeed. Some start life with wealthy parents and some don't. The child of privilege will be able to afford to live in a good neighborhood, enjoy good food and a healthy life style and a quality education. The child of poverty will be denied so many of those things. So much for equal opportunity for all. It's like a race with varying starting positions with the starting point determined by a draw. The slowest racer may be required to go two or three times as far as the fastest. That's not fair.

Turkey/Armenia or Armenia/Turkey

Walt — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 11:44:33 EDT

The recently announced agreement of Turkey and Armenia to recognize each other is a big deal. In itself, it almost justifies Barack's Nobel peace prize. Since the forced relocation of Christian Armenians during WW 1 by the failing Muslim Ottoman Empire as a potential fifth column in which 1 million to 1.5 million Armenians died, both sides have been at odds. Armenians both in the US and Armenia have been demanding that Turkey acknowledge past misdeeds, which some have labeled genocide.

For its part, Turkey has always denied responsibility for the actions of the Ottoman Empire although Turkey occupies the heart of the former Ottoman Empire. When he established modern Turkey, Kemal Ataturk westernized the Turkish alphabet making it very hard for Turks to read the voluminous documents from the past.

Why is this first step to better relations between Armenia and Turkey so important? Turkey and Armenia at peace with each other will make it easier to route oil from farther east through the area. Turkey is a member of NATO and a US ally. Turkey wants to join the European Union and this brings them closer to membership.

I am not an expert on the events of WW 1 and the Ottoman Empire, but I am currently reading A Shameful Act by Turkish historian Taner Akcam which covers that period.
This bodes well for the soon to happen Arab/Israeli talks.

Nothing

Walt — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 14:56:51 EDT

Barack has accomplished nothing say his critics. If he had accomplished anything, they would have opposed it. If he had accomplished nothing, then much of the reason is the opposition of so many in Congress.

On the contrary, I say he has accomplished a great deal in nine months and the prospects for more look excellent. Jobs and homes have been saved and more is on the way. Relations with the world are improving. The wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and possibly Pakistan are receiving a hard look. Neglected reform and infrastructure here in the US are receiving the attention they need.

Patrick Henry

Walt — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 11:29:22 EDT

Why did the Patrick Henry Caucus choose Patrick Henry for the name of their organization? For his quote, "Give me liberty or give me death," I suppose. During his lifetime, Patrick Henry was the greatest living speaker. People said that he could convince anyone of anything. He teamed with John Marshall for a short period. It is the opinion of some that Marshall and Henry made the greatest legal team of all teams anywhere in the world for all time. Marshall wrote the legal arguments and Henry delivered them. As much as I respect Patrick Henry, there were two members of the Supreme Court who I regard more highly, John Marshall and Louis Brandeis.

John Marshall served with Washington during the Revolutionary War and later wrote a long biography of Washington. He served as John Adams secretary of state at a time when the Secretary of State assumed the duties of the Presidency when the President was out of town. This was before the Vice President assumed those duties. Adams was out of town a lot. At the end of his Presidency, Adams appointed Marshall Chief Justice of the Supreme Court where he served for many years. Marshall was the third Chief Justice but it was during his tenure that the form and substance of our federal court system took shape. Marshall was related to Jefferson but they were on opposite sides politically.

Louis Brandeis was an associate justice of the Supreme Court from 1916 to 1939. Before went on the Court, he did a lot of pro bono work for the disadvantaged. He actually defeated the insurance companies of his day in New England when they tried to overcharge workers for term life insurance. Before he went on the Court, he defended an Oregon law that limited the daily work of women in factories. He won that case using vast amounts of economic data gathered by volunteers. With this case he changed how cases were argued before the Supreme Court and later as a member, he changed how cases were decided. At first, he and Holmes were on the minority side of 7-2 decisions, but over time his decisions carried the majority.

I think that the country would be better off with more citizens like Louis Brandeis. They have been too rare in our history. Now if we return to strict construction of the Constitution as the Patrick Henry Caucus and others advocate, we will be overturning the good work of Brandeis and others to protect the weak. Do we really want to strike down laws that protect the weak, such as hours worked by women in factories? I think not.

Passionate

Walt — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 10:12:50 EDT

Last night, Keith Olbermann devoted the entire hour of Countdown to a passionate denunciation of health care insurers. I enjoyed every minute of it. If you play by the rules, you expect to be treated fairly. I was not treated fairly by my insurers and they keep changing the rules in their favor.

To be fair, the insurers are not the only problem with health care. There is big pharma overcharging for drugs; malpractice suits frequently over reward a few and neglect the many; records are archaic, and doctors are forced to practice defensive medicine. Please watch this special comment

www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NEPUo_IcO8&feature=related

Jobs, jobs, jobs

Walt — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 10:32:31 EDT

Between now and November 2010, Barack's critics will be talking jobs, jobs, jobs. It will be all talk and no cigar. I respectfully suggest that all those talking heads, members of Congress, lobbyists, and think tank members resign their current positions and look for a job in the manufacturing or the service industry. Only with a real job will they be qualified to talk about jobs, jobs, jobs. I wish them luck in finding a job with no REAL job experience in their resumes. Instead of pointless criticism, what the country and the jobless really need is constructive suggestions to reduce unemployment soon.

AFL-CIO

Walt — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 14:10:48 EDT

Just moments ago, Barack Obama concluded a stirring speech in Pittsburgh to the AFL-CIO. He expressed the many ways that unions, organized labor, are essential to the American middle class. He expressed his support for EFCA, the Employee Free Choice Act. I recently sent an email to Senator Orrin Hatch asking him to support EFCA in Washington. He is very good in responding and he did so expressing his opposition as I expected. I wanted him to know that there are EFCA supporters in Utah. His response to my email took the form of a letter delivered by snail mail, the US Postal Service. The form of his response and his mindset are behind the times, at least in my opinion.

Fetal rights

Walt — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 12:59:47 EDT

What rights does a foetus have? If life begins at conception, the rights of a foetus don't stop at birth. The foetus has a right to good prenatal care so that she/he will be born healthy. Then the new US citizen by virtue of being born in the US has the right to affordable health care that ensures his/her life is not cut short by illness in childhood or as a young adult.

Zeitoun

Walt — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 16:24:17 EDT

Zeitoun by Dave Eggers is the true story of Abdulrahman Zeitoun's life as a painting contractor in New Orleans before, during and after Katrina. He is a Syrian-American known by his last name because people found it easier to pronounce. He arrived in Houston by ship and found an American woman to marry and raise a family and start a successful business. His family evacuated before the hurricane but he decided to stay and look after the rental properties they owned. The hurricane did little damage in his part of the city but the flooding caused by the levee breaches did extensive flood damage. He helped rescue some people who were stranded and fed some abandoned pets. He owned a used canoe which he used to get around. About a week into the aftermath of Katrina, he and three other men were arrested on suspicion of being looters or terrorists. He was held incommunicado for about three weeks before he was able to smuggle out a message to his wife who was able to contact a lawyer for help in arranging his release. The experience humiliated him and caused weight loss and aging. His wife is suffering from a mysterious illness which may be PTSS, post traumatic stress syndrome.

This book is well worth the read. Then please recommend it to a friend. A portion of the purchase price is being donated to the rebuilding of New Orleans.

Writing

Walt — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 16:04:05 EDT

When I was a student, writing was hard. What do I say? Now as a senior citizen, I have something to say and writing down my thoughts and opinions is easier. The more practice I get, the easier it becomes. If you want to make your thoughts known and possibly have an influence on national or local issues, write to your Congressman/woman, US Senators and local newspaper. You can find their email addresses by using Google. Use your own words, just don't forward someone else's work. Once is not enough. To have an effect, you must write repeatedly and redouble your efforts when an election looms. Write to those you agree with and those you don't. Here are the email addresses of a liberal and a conservative to get you started. rachel@msnbc.com and georgewill@washpost.com

Bin Laden

Walt — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 11:30:04 EDT

Where in the world is Osama bin Laden? Pakistan probably, acting as a magnet to draw the US into another war we cannot win.

We invaded Afghanistan to punish the Taliban for harboring bin Laden. It is a Muslim country and bin Laden was a Muslim guest. Treating guests well, even enemies, is paramount with the Afghans. To expect them to surrender him to the unbelievers of the West was not realistic.

Then to show off his mojo, George W. Bush led us into Iraq where al-Qaeda and bin Laden were not. Now we think that bin Laden is in that part of Pakistan that was once part of Afghanistan. The British made it into a buffer zone when they incorporated it into India, now Pakistan. The people inhabiting that area still regard it as part of Afghanistan. To them the tribe comes first, then religion second, and country a distant third.

Obama is sending more troops to Afghanistan. A stategy that will not work unless we are very lucky and more skillful than the British and Russians before us. Bin Laden is hoping that our actions destroy the fragile balance that is Pakistan. I hope that Barack has a better strategy for Pakistan. Let's outsmart bin Laden this time with a plan that does not rely on the use of force.

China

Walt — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 12:08:12 EDT

With more than one billion people, Western capitalists look upon China as a huge potential market but that is an illusion, a will of the wisp, a chimera. China is not one large market; it is a grouping of many smaller markets. Even if it were one huge market, the Chinese government would never permit Western access to that market. In order to have any access to China, Western companies must set up shared production in China and give or license their latest technology. Once the Chinese have that technology, they will invade Western markets with cheaper knock-off products that capture the Western markets. At the same time, they will freeze the Western companies out of Chinese markets.

Karl Marx once said, "The last capitalist we hang shall be the one who sold us the rope." That was the policy of the Soviet Union. The Chinese communists have taken this a step further. They don't just buy the rope from Western companies seeking short term gain at long term expense, they buy or steal the factories so that they can make the rope cheaper and then capture all the markets. This of course is at the expense of the Western capitalists and Western workers.

To lie

Walt — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 10:18:43 EDT

I lie

He/she lies

You lie

We lie

You lie

They lie

Who tells the truth?

Who do you trust?

Barack Obama

Deficits be darned

Walt — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 10:50:57 EDT

Republican voices are being raised and crocodile tears shed at the rising federal deficit. During my lifetime, Republican incumbents have a historical record of pumping up the economy every four years to win the White House and if successful, then slamming the brakes on the economy to fight deficits and inflation. Usually their efforts are at the expense of the middle class and the poor, never the fat cats who support them.

Now that they are out of power, the same people who support deficits to win the White House are raising warning flags about the current deficit. I have confidence in the Obama administration that once the economy is firmly on the road to recovery, they will take the needed steps. Healthcare reform is one of the first steps required to combat that deficit.

Afghanistan

Walt — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 11:09:22 EDT

More troops for Afghanistan? I thought that we changed commanders there to implement a new strategy.

Afghanistan will not go away. I recommend two books to get a feeling for the situation. The first is An Unexpected Light, Travels inAfghanistan by Jason Elliot. The unexpected light is caused by Afghanistan's altitude and thin air. It describes the country before the Soviet invasion. The second book is hiding from me at this time so I cannot list the title and author. However, it should be required reading for all our troops over there. It was written by Afghan rebel leaders and describes their tactics in attacking and defeating the Soviet troops. The geography of the country has not changed and what worked before will work now.

Statistics

Walt — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 10:34:32 EDT

Statistics are the last refuge of a scoundrel. In a recent survey of scoundrels, of those responding 83% stated that they had taken refuge in statistics within the past 30 days.

The Wrecking Crew

Walt — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 12:42:00 EST

The George W. Bush administration, also known as the Wrecking Crew, has succeeded beyond its supporter’s wildest dream in destroying the US government. The Department of Justice is now the Department of Injustice. Border Security is more porous than a sieve. FEMA is ineffective. EPA supports global warming. FDA does not protect us from Chinese corrupt practices in supplying us with food and drugs. Free trade is too expensive. The Fair Taxers both within and without the administration want to destroy the IRS to preserve permanently the current distribution of wealth within the country. And finally in a brilliant move, the Wrecking Crew has used the greed of Wall Street to wreck not only our economy but also that of the whole world. Now that is a breathtaking achievement in only eight years.

The Economy

Walt — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 12:14:48 EST

Imagine the US economy as a huge pie consisting of $10 trillion. In round numbers there are 300 million of us Americans. Dividing $10 trillion by 300 million gives an answer of $33,333 per person if the pie were divided equally. However, it is not divided equally. The top 1% receive 40% of the pie and the rest of us divide the remaining 60%. That adds $1,300,000 to each slice of pie for people in the top 1% making their individual slices $1,333,000.

What does that do to the slice that 99% of us receive? It reduces that slice from $33,333 to $20,200. That means that 99% of us donate one-third or $13,000 plus of our slices to the richest 1% in our country. Is this right or fair? No it is not. We can change the distribution by letting Congress know that we will not accept this distribution any longer.

Change for America/ now we must act.

Kirk — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 14:21:47 EST

To America,

I pledge to help president elec Obama all that I can to put america in the write direction. The economy,affordable healthcare,renewable energy,and reform in government. there has not been a time as important as this since FDR orJFK.

Kirk McDermott

Barack Morning Buzz - 4-22-08

Barack Daily Buzz - Victory2008.net — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 08:48:23 EDT

Barack Morning Buzz - 4-22-08
On to Victory in November

(1) Your Guide to the Pennsylvania Primary
CNN-Election Center 2008
http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/04/22/pennsylvania.guide/

(2) Rivals Trade Barbs in Pennsylvania Finale
Nedra Pickler and Liz Sidoti-Associated Press
http://news.aol.com/elections/story/_a/rivals-trade-barbs-in-pennsylvania/20080421114809990001

(3) Obama Far Outpaces Clinton in the Money Race
Dan Morain-Los Angeles Times
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/politics/la-na-money22apr22,1,7550765.story

(4) In Obama vs. Clinton, Age is a Great Predictor
Katherine Q. Seelye-New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/22/us/politics/22age.html?hp

(5) Filmmaker Michael Moores Endorses Obama and Chides Clinton
Associated Press
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hCG-ZiBhGkg_T8HeUFmBDrV_fSLgD906L8AG0

(6) Moment of Drama in Marathon Race
Kevin Connolly-BBC News
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7360151.stm

(7) Obama Frustrated by Questions about His Religion and Patriotism
Maria Gavrilovic-CBS News-From The Road
http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2008/04/22/politics/fromtheroad/entry4033784.shtml

(8) Obama Talks about Rumors
Jeff Zeleny-New York Times
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/04/21/obama-talks-about-rumors/

(9) Democrats' Rules Set Stage for Messy Nomination
June Kronholz-Wall Street Journal
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120881878986032809.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

(10) Hillary's Plan to Win Relies on Improbable Finale at Convention
Steven Rosenfeld-Alternet
http://www.alternet.org/election08/83074/

Proof Clinton went further than Obama when talking about Reagon

Mr. Mr. — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 19:03:10 EST

(We must send this to everyone)http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2008/01/bill_clinton_credited_reagan_i.html

**************

It was a remarkable moment: A young, free-thinking presidential hopeful named Bill Clinton sat down with reporters and editors at The Washington Post in October 1991 and started saying things most Democrats wouldn't allow to pass their lips.

Ronald Reagan, Clinton said, deserved credit for winning the Cold War. He praised Reagan's "rhetoric in defense of freedom" and his role in "advancing the idea that communism could be rolled back."

"The idea that we were going to stand firm and reaffirm our containment strategy, and the fact that we forced them to spend even more when they were already producing a Cadillac defense system and a dinosaur economy, I think it hastened their undoing," Clinton declared.

Clinton was careful to add that the Reagan military program included "a lot of wasted money and unnecessary expenditure," but the signal had been sent: Clinton was willing to move beyond "the brain-dead politics in both parties," as he so often put it.

His apostasy was widely noticed. The Memphis Commercial Appeal praised Clinton two days later for daring to "set himself apart from the pack of contenders for the Democratic nomination by saying something nice about Ronald Reagan." Clinton's "readiness to defy his party's prevailing Reaganphobia and admit it," the paper wrote, "is one reason he's a candidate to watch."

*************

I think the above, from the Washington Post, indicates a number of things. First, Bill Clinton is an absolute hypocrite and the Clinton campaign's attacks about Obama's references to Reagan now borderline on the pure disgusting. Second, Bill Clinton went much further than Obama. Obama commented on Reagon's tactics while Clinton applauded Reagon's content - the policy.

Proof Clinton went further than Obama when talking about Reagon

Mr. Mr. — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 19:02:01 EST

DOING ALL YOU CAN

Gab — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 21:39:11 EST

Since i was elected as a delegate to go to he county convention to represent MR. Obama i have been doing more to get him out there and be known such as calling all of my other relatives taht live in other states and telling them about obama, to get him out there. i want obama to get to be president and i am going to do everything in my power to make it happen.

BUT THE QUESTION IS NOT WHAT CAN I DO FOR HIM BUT ASK YUORSELF WAHT CAN YOU DO.

stand tall and never give up

Gab — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 16:44:42 EST

Despite what people may say about Barrack Obama, he is not giving up and will not drop out like other want him to. in my personal opinion i am going to stick with him till the end of the campign or until he is no longer president. for the sole fact that he is the only presidential candidate that is ready to impliment the change he isn't lying to us about what he is and wants to do with this country. so please everyone stand with us , and do not focus on the bad parts of this election,but the good stuff that will come out of Obama being President.

The Losing Candidate Disrespected Iowa Once She Left

Sat, 05 Jan 2008 14:49:03 EST

Hillary did diss Iowa once she landed in New Hampshire. Remember that the Clintons only care about themselves. They never recognize mistakes (the vote for the war), they never apologize or only if you can test a "blue dress". They both do that over and over and over. It is insane. Iowans need to know and New Hampshire should be aware.
Watch the video on WMUR 9 website:

Video: Clinton In Tight Race With Obama In N.H.
Link

And from the L.A. Times:

Link

America Our Moment Is Now!

Go OBAMA'08

A Change We Can Believe In

Edward's apologies

Tue, 01 Jan 2008 11:39:51 EST

You can open a Video store with Edward's flip flops!

Here is another one:
Obama SmackDown Series: Smacks down Edwards on Iraq
Link

Here he is on ABC News:
Link

Obama comparing two candidates: Walk the walk talk!

Link

NIE
Link

(forget the music...watch the details)
Link

Newsweek article
Link

factcheck
Link

America Our Moment Is Now!

Go OBAMA'08
A Change We Can Believe In.

Some Characteristics of the OBAMA'08 Campaign

Tue, 01 Jan 2008 01:26:10 EST

I think it will be nice if the campaign HQ can provide a summary of the characteristics of the OBAMA'08 Hope campaign before the first caucus/vote is casted. This information has been disclosed on various occasions but it has not been presented in a written form.

I believe it will also help a lot of people in Iowa, around the nation and around the world who will all be visiting this website in the coming hours/days/weeks or months to try to understand the amazing results. How history has been made with new set of ethic principles?

I am thinking of something that gathers the ethic of this campaign by the people and for the people:
1- No PAC money
2- No personal or character attack
3- Stay positive
4- Draw contrast with other candidate's policies
5- Focus on the same message: Change based on Hope
6- "Hope is not singing Kumbaya together and waiting for change to happen"
7- Respect to voters and the competitors
8- Present the most comprehensive policies on issues that matter to the people
9- No 527 group, "I don't control them", swift boat tactics
10- Listen, listen, listen
11- Never compromised on principles
12- Keep Hope alive for a Change We Can Believe In!
...
You probably get the idea. I hope someone will take this, improve it and complete it.

Thank you all and Happy New Year 2008! We know it will be a great year for this country and its people as One. When the American people sees greatness they know it.
Thank you in advance Iowa! Thank so much to all volunteers.

History will be made!
Go OBAMA'08

When Encouraging Iowans to Caucus for Obama

Mr. Mr. — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 19:35:15 EST

Help Iowans to understand they can be a part of making history by supporting Obama on January 3rd. Caucusing for Obama is transforming the country and the world positively. The world will take notice. It will be like the era of J. F. Kennedy! Good judgement and new approaches.

John Edweards could not deliver his home state for Kerry in 2004. He does not have the funds or organization to go all the way.

In relation to Hillary, I just don't want the same old approach, boring, divisive, cautious managing of the status quo which Hillary would bring. She would unite the Republicans and the country will end up more divided than ever before.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=LrXARjssOOM

At work

Patrick — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 02:02:16 EST

I went to work today and talked with some of the workers, they all are in the CNC field of work. I even talked to my boss, which was kind of unplanned. But, as it goes he agrees with me about how hillary is not a favorite and he really doesn't see the message that clear from her. So, they are also watching your campaign very closely. I got the general drift that many of them are going to vote your direction come election time.

Get Fired up, Ready to go. :)

Patrick — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 03:18:10 EST

I'm sorry I didn't get to see all of your speeches at the Newman Catholic School here in Mason City. From what I did see you answered all the questions pretty well. I can't imagine it is all that easy to fill the role of president, and often I wonder who would after such a bad term with Mr. Bush. Anyways, I walked up to you and shook your hand, and I asked you about voting when we work second shift. I really don't think it's fair not to be able to be included on the day we are supposed to vote, and it is plain wrong not to be able to go. Every person should be able to do this. I have a few questions for you:

You talk about the millitary, and believe me they need some improvements. I was a millitary person for two months until they found that I had degenerative disc in my back and neck. It is manageable through chiropractic care once a month. Yet, in the millitary they discharge you for medical because of this, and you feel worse when you get treated as scum going through the lunch line, and by drill sargeants who have no option left but to lead a group of discharges until their career ends. I didn't ask to get sent home but, the treatment in there made me view the millitary as a bad egg. Of course, I really don't have to tell you this as you have seen bad eggs get court martialed for what they do overseas. Does the millitary really have to act in this manner?

You talk about health care, and yes it needs an overhaul really bad. I just dropped my insurance at work as it is to costly. If I can't take enough home to pay rent and utilities, then what am I supposed to do. They already tax me and with the insurance their is nothing left, I have barely enough to make it back and forth to work for two weeks to go through the same process. Just when am I supposed to be able to save money and put away for my retirement? The insurance wasn't of much use except they rake in the cash while you have to wait a year to get out of the pre existing condition list which according to the law is acceptable. You know what that is a bunch of crap. I'm going to pay them for an entire year before I can get coverage, let alone pay their large deductible first before coverage begins. Let's get real here Mr. Obama. When do we get a chance to breathe?

Housing: I rent of course, which right now seems to be the right thing to do considering the market for housing. I almost bought a home on a loan a few months back and decided not to. But, I am glad I didn't because, you are probably fully aware of all the foreclosures. Our rent and groceries go up faster than any pay increases here, and most places hire to low and families starting out get discouraged and move away to better cities and better pay. What is your thoughts on housing?

Before I actually was able to be hired on, I was stuck in temp services. Do you know how long it has been since I have had a vacation? try 10 years. I have finally had my first one and I thank god I am not going through those awful cycles of one job to the next or wherever they needed me. Pay was lousy and you get treated like crap anyways. When they get caught up off to the next you go. If your lucky enough to get a temp to hire and they hire you you still have to wait another 3 months to get benefits for a total of 6 months or longer depending on the temp term. I was hired once from temp to full time, you wanna know what happened? I showed up the next morning after working a year and 2 months working as a janitor, and they told me they shut down the department they hired me to be in.

Mr Obama, you said you went out to this small little place an hour and a half away, and I bet you were dead tired. :) I go to school online for my Business Degree and work full time now. I know how tiring it can get, and along with that I raise my two children. You already met my daughter, and she thinks highly of you. You said change a city, change a country, change the world. How about, Make a smile, make a lasting impression, change someones perspective, change someones life, shape the future.

This is the first time I have ever went to a presidential candidates speech, and when I saw your commercial, something said you know what I really like what he has to say, I really can see his perspective, I can see change, I can see a brighter future for me and my family, I can see hope in mine and my childrens lives. In essence sir, you made me smile for the first time seeing a candidate, you changed my perspective, you changed my life in a way, and you may change my future yet, and most of all it gives me back some hope. People are hurting across the country, and I believe you see it day in and day out, and I also believe that you are going to do the right thing as president.

To my fellow Iowans: Please believe in him, talk to him in person, hes not going to fill you full of that hillary clinton practiced speech, he gives it to you straight, and that is what I like. Like me, you are also tired of the run around you typically get in politics. I didn't see that here in this case. Hillary says he doesn't have the experience, well alot don't when they get there, and only they do when they get there. So, then there is Ron Paul, yeah he has filled everyones head with all sorts of stuff, and most of those issues are well known. I wish that I could help get you to the white house with funding except you already know by now why I can't.

You said your first 100 days, you will have goals to meet, and that you will be directing staff. I sure hope so and I sure hope we don't have to wait those 100 days for the help we need here in iowa. ;D

Some Decency If Anything Please

Fri, 21 Dec 2007 03:53:15 EST

About all the personal attacks from Bill Clinton, can anyone say which policy of Senator Obama he doesn't like?

When was the last time we saw any member of the First Family (father, mother or wife) attacked the character of any candidate of either side?
When you are dealing with people who have a little bit of decency (like Bush 1 or his wife Barbara Bush demonstrated) you will not see all that excess of hypocrisy that Bill Clinton is showing the country and the world these days.

Link

Some people only cares about themselves. They will do anything to stay above people's interests. They never admit mistakes like the vote for the war in Iraq, they never apologize (or only if you can test a blue dress).

They are suggesting that you can get two for the price of one. Remember, we cut that deal fifteen years ago. Now, we should have two for less than half the price of one after the Iowa Caucus of Januray 3rd 2008 because of the time wear and tear! They are offering old ideas and same old politics.

Don't let them fool you. Oh! No ...

America Our Moment is Now!
Change We Can Believe In.

Go OBAMA'08

Multiple SC Journal Obama Items

Sioux City Obama 08 — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 10:38:03 EST

Obama: Change would occur in my presidency

http://www.siouxcityjournal.com/articles/2007/12/19/news/top/330e7e909187071e862573b500804de2.txt

Complete audio of Obama's meeting with the Sioux City Journal editorial board.

http://www.siouxcityjournal.com/audio/audio_player.php?v=20071218_obama

Sioux City Journal Political Reporter Bret Hayworth Blogs about Obama's meeting with the Journal's editorial board.

http://www.siouxcityjournal.com/blogs/politically_speaking/?p=405

Obama is a canidate for change

Mason Dixon — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 13:33:58 EST

The size of the national expenditure on the military now reaches over one trillion dollars. The US foreign policies have led us to mortgage the future of our country and our children. The war in Iraq has little to do with the 9/11 attack and while many people here in the homeland over look this point- few in the countries we have invaded will. How can fiscal and social responsibility be so overlooked by our current administration? How can we reconcile the indefensible misleading of our soldiers? It takes only one signature. It takes only one mind to make real change towards fairness- towards transparency- towards making the decisions that will keep America strong for generations to come. The only candidate for change in the upcoming election is Obama.

May The Truth Be Told! (http://factcheck.barackobama.com)

Jill 4 Obama — Sat, 17 Nov 2007 19:59:16 EST

May the truth be told!

Brand new Obama Fact Check page!

Be sure to read it often and pass it on to all your friends and every group.

Check out the this New Fact page, the campaign's new Rapid Response page:

http://factcheck.barackobama.com/

Many thanks to all those involved!

Stay one step ahead with Fact Check to set the record straight.

"I'm running for president because I think we can"

Nick Kimball — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 10:17:17 EST

Here is one of the best moments from last night's debate - a moment that crystallizes why Barack Obama is the best person to be the next President of the United States.

Iowa Independent: Barack turned in 'strongest presidential debate performance'

Nick Kimball — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 09:50:14 EST

In last night's debate in Nevada, Barack gave clear, honest answers to tough questions on the major issues facing our country. And he boldly challenged the cynicism that says we can’t solve our nation’s problems.

Last night we saw that Barack is the one candidate who offers change we can believe in -- the ability to bring our country together, stand up to special interests, and tell the American people not just what he thinks they want to hear, but what they need to know about the challenges we face.

Here's how the Iowa Independent saw it:

U.S. Sen. Barack Obama tonight turned in his strongest presidential debate performance and exposed a clear regional difference with front-runner Hillary Clinton.

Is $97,000 a lot of money? In most of Obama's Illinois and just about all of Iowa the answer to that is "yes," which makes Obama's position on the question of whether to raise or lift the cap on Social Security taxes more reasonable to Hawkeye State voters than the New York shape-shifting of Clinton.

As it stands, the first $97,500 of a person's annual income is subject to the Social Security tax. Obama supports lifting that to shore up the future of the system while Clinton went with the nostalgia card, suggesting that the she could resurrect the macroeconomic picture that prevailed under her husband and cause the Social Security problem to disappear without hard choices. She suggested that popping the cap would hurt middle-class Americans and argued that in some parts of the nation (namely high-priced New York City which she represents) $97,500 isn't a lot of money. It would be interesting to hear her make that argument in Audubon County, Iowa, where the average home is worth half that much, $49,000.

And here's the New Republic:

This was a solid night for Obama. He was focused, energized, tough, charismatic.

Video: JJ Domination

Nick Kimball — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 16:01:58 EST

Everyone is talking about Barack's incredible speech that he delivered at Saturday's Jefferson Jackson Dinner. JJ is the premier Iowa political event of the year and all the campaigns tried to organize the strongest presence.

We live-blogged all night from Veterans Memorial Auditorium. It was clear that Barack delivered the best speech and our Iowa supporters and volunteers had the strongest presence.

Here is a video we put together that shows what a great event it was!

barack is in town

juan — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 11:04:08 EST

Just was told that barack will be in wright county on monday 19th in clarion ia. I am all pumped up for this event tell everyone!!

Carol Gordon's reaction to the JJ dinner

Matt Nappe — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 15:55:37 EST

I got this email yesterday from Carol Gordon, Grundy County Precinct 7 Chair talking about her experience at JJ:

Wow!! I have gone from being a supporter of Barack Obama to being an impassioned supporter for Barack. I got home from the JJ event in Des Moines at 2:00 AM Sunday, tired but with an energy that won't stop. I couldn't believe I was marching with a group of 4000 to Vet's Aud. doing the chants at the top of my lungs. I felt like a kid again.

On a more serious note, Barack and Michelle's participation in the day's events was a class act and I am proud to do anything I can to make sure in my little corner of the world that he comes out with the most delegates from my precinct.

I sat there listening to his speech with tears in my eyes. He passion for this country and what needs to happen to change America came through loud and clear. His speech was presidential and set him apart from his competitors.

We all need to step it up a notch until January 3 to show the country that the best candidate for President of the United States IS Barack Obama.

To see the parade Carol took place in, click here. To see Barack's speech at JJ, click here.

Did you attend JJ? Tell us about it in the comments.

Please

Walt — Sun, 28 Oct 2007 12:31:32 EDT

In a little more than two months the voters of Iowa will decide in caucuses who the next President of the US may be. Please give the voters in the other 49 states the opportunity to vote for Barack Obama. We need his honesty and leadership over the four years of the next presidential term in the difficult times that are coming. I decided to become involved in his campaign for the sake of my son who at age twenty-five is just beginning his adult life. For his sake and for the sakes of all our sons and daughters, I ask the voters of Iowa to ensure that the next President is a person worthy of the office and worthy to continue the traditions of this great nation when those traditions are under attack both from within and without. Please. Thank you.

Our visit with Duffy Lyon, the Butter Cow Lady

Greg Hauenstein — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 19:33:18 EDT

Yesterday we unveiled a radio ad featuring Duffy Lyon, the famous Iowa State Fair Butter Cow Lady. Click here to listen to it:

http://iowa.barackobama.com/forus

When Duffy Lyon sculpted her annual butter cow for the Iowa State Fair in 2006, it was to be her last. After years of making the world-famous butter statue, she was ready to spend more quality time with her husband, Joe. Both still live on their farm in Tama County.

But Senator Obama's message of change for rural America made it impossible for her to hang up her gloves. She wanted to help steer her country back to the right track. So she went to work on a butter "O."

This summer, we spent some time with Duffy and Joe on their farm in Tama. Here's the video.

Obama Appearances and Debates

Jill 4 Obama — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 08:44:22 EDT

Obama Appearances

October 22, 2007 - Countdown to Change, Newark, NJ

October 22, 2007 - Meet the Candidate, Dover, NH

October 22, 2007 - Lunchtime with Barack Obama, Concord, NH

October 23, 2007 - Rally in Boston with Barack Obama & Gov. Deval Patrick, Boston, MA

October 26, 2007 - Countdown To Change, Columbus, OH

October 26, 2007 - Countdown To Change, St. Louis, MO

October 26-28, 2007 - Gospel Concert Series, South Carolina

October 29, 2007 - Michelle Obama with Congressman Patrick Murphy, Philadelphia, PA

October 29, 2007 - Countdown To Change, Charlottesville, VA

Debate Schedule

October 30, 2007 - Philadelphia, PA

November 15, 2007 - Las Vegas, NV

December 10, 2007 - Los Angeles, CA

January 6, 2008 - Johnson County, Iowa

January 15, 2008 - Las Vegas, Nevada

January 31, 2008 - California

Barack Obama: Leadership on Foreign Policy

Nick Kimball — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 22:03:50 EDT

Jaime live-blogged Barack's speech today at Drake University where he laid out precisely why he is the person with the judgment to be our next Commander in Chief. Here are some video excerpts from the speech.

On offering a stark choice on foreign policy:

On the lessons that should be learned from Iraq:

On Iran:

On conventional thinking and foreign policy:

To read and watch the whole speech, click here.

Johnson County BarackStars

Greg Hauenstein — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 16:30:11 EDT

Last week, we told you about some Dubuque and Waukee BarackStars and all the great work they have been doing.

After Senator Obama's speech to over 1,400 people in Coralville last week, he met with some BarackStars from all over Johnson County who helped out with the event.

Are you a BarackStar? What inspires you about Barack Obama? Post a comment!

Obama "actually understands Iowa"

Nick Kimball — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 09:38:21 EDT

Every Iowa caucus veteran will tell you that one factor, above all others, is key to success here: organization. You can have a great candidate and all the money in the world, but none of it matters if you can't put together an organization that gets people out to caucus on a cold night in January.

Barack has attracted a lot of enthusiasm around his candidacy for president, but the question that remained was whether he could harness the enthusiasm and actually turn people out.

Well, I think that question has been answered.

In the comments section, Maria from Delmar, NY, pointed out this column from veteran political reporter Roger Simon about the organization that Barack has built in Iowa. The column speaks for itself:

Barack Obama acts like he understands Iowa
By: Roger Simon
DES MOINES, Iowa — Barack Obama began his speech in an odd and important way, a way that did not make a single news story.
Obama was delivering a major address, reminding voters of his early opposition to the Iraq war. It was big deal speech. There were prepared texts handed out to the press and everything.
But Obama’s first words were not in his text, even though they may have been the most important words he spoke all day.
“If you have not yet signed up as a Barack Obama supporter, hopefully after the speech you will,” he told the crowd at the Polk County Convention Complex.
“Fill out one of those cards. We’ll have volunteers all across the doors. You won’t be able to get out without seeing one of these cards.”
Pretty mundane stuff, right? Which is why most candidates don’t bother with it. Especially not in a speech being covered by the national press, with six TV cameras grinding away.
But that Obama did bother with it is the most important sign I have seen that he actually understands Iowa.
...
I traveled around Iowa with Fred Thompson one day this week and never heard him ask anyone to sign up for his campaign, fill out a card or even vote for him in the caucus.
And his staff didn’t hand out sign-up cards in a disciplined fashion.
Obama’s staff did. There were staffers at every entrance and exit. They collected names, home and e-mail addresses, and phone numbers.
These names will be added to other names to form huge lists. The campaign then will contact every person on the list (several times) to pitch them on the candidate, answer questions and judge the level of support.
This is the unglamorous, arduous drudge work that in Iowa is absolutely essential.
...
Having an inspiring, energetic, magnetic candidate is real nice, but without an organization to back him up, it doesn’t mean much.
While I was in Des Moines, I talked to Gordon and Monica Fischer. Gordon was the Democratic Party chairman here during the last presidential election. Monica worked in the administration of former Gov. Tom Vilsack.
Every Democratic presidential campaign called the Fischers this time to ask for their support. Last week, the couple announced they were going to work for Obama.
One reason, they told me, is they think Obama is the best candidate, with the greatest chance of winning.
But there was another reason.
“He is the best-organized in Iowa,” Gordon said. “He has the best ground game.”
“And his people,” Monica said, “are relentless.”
Relentless is good. Real good. Relentless works in Iowa.
After Obama’s speech, he worked the rope line, which just about every candidate does. But on the rope line, there was a staff person behind him, with sign-up cards in her hand.
And if you shook the candidate’s hand, or got an autograph from him or got him to pose for a picture with you, she handed you a card and asked you to sign up, to volunteer, to bring four friends with you next time.
...
“You know there is starting to get a little zip in the air,” Obama said. “It is time to make a decision. And I hope you make a decision on my behalf.”
Mundane stuff. The stuff that didn’t make a single story.
But the zip is in the air in Iowa. And soon the snow will fall. And caucus night will come.
And the race is not always to the swift here. It is often to the relentless.

Change

Walt — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 11:28:32 EDT

Who is the real candidate of change? Barack Obama. It is not enough to promise change. Anyonr can do that. To be the real candidate of change, it is necessary to able to work with the other party to actually accomplish the changes that you promise. Barack has demonstrated in Springfield and in Washington DC that he can actually deliver change. Don't be fooled by those promising change who can't deliver. Support and vote for the real candidate of change, Barack Obama.

Trust

Walt — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 11:19:32 EDT

How many people do you trust? Are any of them politicians? I trust Barack Obama. He has sufficient experience that I trust his judgment. I may not agree with all of his positions, but it is not necessary to agree on every possible question. I think that he knows more than I do about the details of many questions that face our nation and he knows better than I do what is possible. It comes down to a question of trust, and I trust Barack to do the right thing as he sees it. That is why I support him, that is why I am working for his nomination and election and that is why I will vote for him.

Barack Top Ten - 9-22-07 - Victory2008.net

Barack Daily Buzz - Victory2008.net — Sat, 22 Sep 2007 17:20:10 EDT

1) Obama Condemns Jena Charges during Iowa State University Speech
9-22-07
Lisa Rossi - Des Moines Register
http://desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070922/NEWS09/709220328/-1/NEWS04

2) Obama and Edwards Step Up Criticism of Clinton
9-22-07
Beth Fouhy - Associated Press
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jPDo-NMvpVY4UgXpm2c296R0i3Jw

3) Obama Leads Both Giuliani and Thompson in Recent Poll
9-22-07
Rasmussen Reports
http://news.yahoo.com/s/rasmussen/20070921/pl_rasmussen/obamamatchup20070921_1

4) Obama's Mother Featured in New TV Ad Airing in Iowa
9-22-07
John McCormick - Chicago Tribune
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/obama/chi-obama_adsep21,0,7546153.story?coll=chi-news-col

5) JFK Advisor, Counsel and Speechwriter Ted Sorensen Backs Obama
9-22-07
Jennifer Feals - Seacoast Online
http://www.seacoastonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070921/NEWS/709210402/-1/NEWS11&sfad=1

6) Students Like Obama in Iowa But Will They Caucus?
9-22-07
Dan Gearino - Sioux City Journal
http://www.siouxcityjournal.com/articles/2007/09/22/news/iowa/3d06824cc7f1e10c8625735e000ce490.txt

7) Obama Wants to Expand Senior Volunteer Programs
9-22-07
Mike Glover - Associated Press
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jDkaLoCLlGNuKVxZbfOhsUW7F7Dg

8) Democrats 2008 - Clinton - 36% - Obama - 23% - John Edwards - 18%
9-22-07
Angus Reid Global Monitor
http://www.angus-reid.com/polls/view/28315/democrats_2008_hillary_36_obama_at_23/

9) Ben & Jerry's Co-Founder Ben Cohen Accuses Obama and Clinton of Timidity over Pentagon Cuts
9-22-07
Teddy Davis and Mike Chesney
http://www.abcnews.go.com/Politics/Vote2008/story?id=3632367&page=1

10) In Polls Obama Lurks - Analysts Say Barack Needs to Soar
9-22-07
Jason Clayworth - Des Moines Register
http://desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070922/NEWS/709220332/1001/ENT

$$ & cents

Walt — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 10:40:09 EDT

Dollars and sense. George W. Bush still has 14 months to serve in his term but he is already looking forward to the time when he can earn the big bucks for speaking. I think that he owes the American public a duty to continue to do his best for the country. On the other hand, you have Barack Obama making the most sense of any candidate. Listen to what he says, not what the media says he says. I can respect any candidate who says what he thinks. I cannot respect a candidate who says something silly just to try to win some votes. To win my respect, a candidate must respect my intelligence and that is something that Barack does better than any other candidate.

.

O-BA-MA

Walt — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 11:43:31 EDT

O-BA-MA, O-BA-MA

Barack speaks.

People listen

and applaud.

People ask questions.

Barack thinks before responding.

His answers resonate with sincerity.

Experience his judgment

before you judge his experience.

Insider or outsider is irrelevant.

Barack is on your side.

Canvas your friends and neighbors.

If a voter says no,

let him go.

Many other voters have needs

that can be met by the words and deeds

of Obama.

O-BA-MA, O-BA-MA

O-BA-MA

"If you join me, we're gonna take our country back"

Jaime Mulligan — Wed, 05 Sep 2007 16:46:17 EDT

If you haven't seen it yet, we have a new ad up on tv here in Iowa. The ad talks about Barack's efforts to improve transparency in government, including his work in Illinois to pass sweeping ethics reform and his efforts in the U.S. Senate to force lobbyists to disclose campaign fundraising.

It focuses on a simple American principle: to change the results in Washington, we need to change the politics of Washington. That’s exactly why Barack Obama is running for president.

Former Kennedy advisor backs Obama on foreign policy

Jaime Mulligan — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 18:43:41 EDT

If you didn't see it yet, Ted Sorenson has an op-ed in the Des Moines Register today about how many of the things that are being said about Barack and foreign policy are similiar to things that were said about President John F. Kennedy. Sorenson's unique perspective - as someone who worked with President Kennedy for 11 years as an assistant and special counsel and knew him personally - is very interesting to read. Here's an excerpt:

Obama's critics have used such code words as "well-intended but naive" (Joe Biden), "ill-timed and ill-considered" (Mitt Romney), a subject "that should not be discussed" (Hillary Clinton), and "prompted by political consideration" (George W. Bush).

Obama is not the first young senator running for president to discomfort the Washington foreign-policy establishment by speaking frankly on a subject displeasing to an American ally. Fifty years ago this summer, a 40-year-old first-term senator, John F. Kennedy, called on the Senate floor for the U.S. government to pressure its French ally into halting its war against Algerian independence.

The response from all quarters - both French and American, both Republican and Democratic - was swift and overwhelmingly negative. Kennedy's critics used words such as "juvenile" (former Truman Secretary of State Dean Acheson), "brashly political and damaging" (Vice President Richard Nixon), an "oversimplification" (President Dwight D. Eisenhower), and "immature" (a senior congressional ally of Senate Majority Leader Lyndon B. Johnson). A New York Times columnist called Kennedy a "well-intentioned but amateur statesman."

In time, the French realized that Kennedy's advice was not the "unthinkable error" they had initially termed it, and they departed Algeria. Kennedy's keen understanding of nationalist aspirations in the post-colonial era, as demonstrated in his Algerian initiative, was the reason he refused to send combat troop divisions to Vietnam and instead sent food, Peace Corps volunteers and diplomats to less developed nations around the world.

...That record - not the traditional nay-sayers in Washington who copy Bush's "politics of fear" - represents the proudest past of the Democratic Party. Obama - though he, too, is called amateur and naive - represents its future.

Below is a video where Sorenson talks a little bit more about why he's supporting Barack:

Road to Change: Keynote at the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake

Nick Kimball — Fri, 17 Aug 2007 21:55:09 EDT

Barack is speaking now at the last event of the evening - the annual Wing-Ding Dinner hosted by the Hancock, Cerro Gordo, and Winnebago County Democrats at the famous Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake.

Many of you will recall that Buddy Holly played the Surf Ballroom the night before he, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper died in a plane crash shortly after taking off from a Mason City airport in 1959.

The ballroom was kind enough to put Barack's name up on the marquee!

Tom Miller, Iowa’s great attorney general, did the introduction. And Barack took the stage to a standing ovation.

A much-deserved shout-out goes to the Hancock, Cerro Gordo, and Winnebago County Democrats and the folks at the Surf Ballroom for this event. The decorations looked amazing!

For many of the Road to Change events Barack has kept his remarks to a minimum so he could respond to the specific issues raised by the audience. But this was a keynote speech so Barack injected a significant amount of policy into his remarks.

He hit three big issues:

Health Care

If we invest in prevention, make sure everyone has a primary-care physician and is getting regular checkups, we will save money.
...
Transitioning to electronic medical records will save us $100-$150 billion each year and we can take that money to ensure that every American has universal health care by the end of the next president's first term - by the end of my first term as president of the United States.

Education

And there is no reason we can’t fix our education system. Teachers tell me all the time that the kids who are behind are the ones who start out behind. If we want to fix that, we need to invest in early childhood education.
...
If we invest those resources early in life there is no reason these children can’t succeed.
...
And we must also invest in our teaching corps - the most important people at the head of the classroom. Why wouldn’t we pay them more money? Why wouldn't we give them more flexibility to tailor lessons to their specific classes? We should tell them don't just teach to the test, we’re not going to punish you, we’re going to reward you when you do good.

Foreign Policy

We must re-engage the world in ways we haven’t in a very long time. I imagine going before the United Nations in my first year as president and saying America is back. We’re going to lead - and not just with our military but with our values and ideals. We want to work with you to defeat terror and on nuclear proliferation.
We want to work with you on Darfur, and to build schools in the Middle East that teach math and science - not just hate of America.
...
And we're going to close Guantanamo and restore habeas corpus because that’s not who we are.

We have a small window of opportunity with this election and we need to seize it.

Barack is confident in his ability to lead our country - otherwise he wouldn't be running. But he can't do it alone. He is fond of saying that change in America never happens from the top down, it happens from the bottom up. It happens because ordinary people decide they want to make their voices heard.

You can take a look at Barack's specific policy ideas here:

http://www.barackobama.com/issues

But the fact is, nothing will happen unless everyone makes their voices heard.

If you're in Iowa, sign up as an Obama supporter here, and let us hear your voice!

Tomorrow is a big day, with several events in Waverly and Cedar Rapids. Then it's off to Des Moines for the big debate on Sunday!

Cedar Falls: "Things won't change if we decide they're not going to change."

Jaime Mulligan — Wed, 15 Aug 2007 17:21:25 EDT

Dr. Francis Degnin, professor in the Department of Philosopy and Religion at the University of Northern Iowa, introduced the Obama family.

Michelle, Malia and Sasha walked Barack out to the podium, and Michelle introduced her husband, saying that this country doesn't just need "a change in party but a change in the way we see ourselves as Americans."

Barack spoke for just a few minutes before taking questions. Some highlights of his speech:

"We passed an ethics reform bill that made sure that every lobbyist who raises money and bundles for a candidate is disclosed, so that we can be held more accountable---to you."

"When I'm President of the United States, you can't leave my administration and then go lobby. We don't need people who are cashing in on their public service...Those are the kind of structural reforms that we're going to push during this election. But I can't do it alone...we can't just leave this to 'the professionals.' It's going to take millions of us."

Barack then started taking questions from the audience, ranging from healthcare, veterans issues, and jobs going overseas, to the military industrial complex. But the last question he took was about all the promises that are made by politicians, all the things that are still not as good as they could be: "What is really going to change?"

Barack's response: "I think people have a right to be cynical, because...every four years we talk about universal healthcare...we talk about a bold energy plan...we talk about how we're gonna salute our veterans and take care of them. Every four years we talk about I'm gonna be the education president and then nothing happens. So I understand the cynicism. But can I remind people that we have been through tougher times before...we had two world wars, a cold war, segregation, slavery...so we've done it. It's not like things haven't changed. If things hadn't changed I wouldn't be standing here."

He continued: "Things won't change if we decide they're not going to change...I can't guarantee you that if I'm elected president your children will suddenly have good manners...But what I can guarantee is that I'll wake up every morning thinking about how we can make the lives of our children and our grandchildren better. It's not gonna be perfect-but we can make improvements....If we're working together there's no reason that we can't do a whole lot better than we've been doing."

Kicking Off the Road to Change

Jaime Mulligan — Wed, 15 Aug 2007 09:22:02 EDT

Barack and his family begin a five day road trip across Iowa today. From Grilling with Barack in Cedar Rapids to the ABC News Debate in Des Moines, we'll have video footage, photos and blog coverage about their travels right here on Iowa.BarackObama.com.

To find an event near you, click here.

By the end of the week, Barack will have stopped in Council Blufffs, Atlantic, Des Moines at the State Fair, Tama, Ames, Clear Lake, Waverly, Cedar Rapids and Des Moines, and will have had discussions about foreign policy, energy security, and rural issues. Check out this excellent video highlighting where Barack will be this week:

On Friday, he is convening a panel of experts at a rural issues summit in Tama. Three key areas will be discussed: rural economic development and quality of life, energy, and agriculture. He knows not everyone will make it to Tama, though, so click here to take part in the virtual summit. The ideas we get from the virtual summit will be included as part of the conversation on Friday.

Be sure to check back all week!

Why poll results in critical states are not as important as in previous years

Mr. Mr. — Sun, 29 Jul 2007 18:08:12 EDT

Why poll results in critical states are not as important as in previous years. Obama is attracting thousands of new supporters in these states that are not showing up in polls. A lot of these supporters are newly registered or have never voted, so pollsters do not have their phone numbers to call to ask poll questions. Many of these that Obama have attracted to politics are young people with cell phones who’ll not be called by pollsters. It’s interesting that in straw polls, for example one straw poll at a fair in Iowa, Obama came out on top. The key is, we must continue to sign up people for Obama, get them registered, and get them out to vote in Jan-Feb. If this means picking them up, finding baby sitters for them etc; we must get them out to vote.. It will be tough getting the young people out to vote in the primaries. They have let down past campaigns who relied on them, but we can change this. We must strategies on how to get EACH person we enroll in the Obama dream, out to vote! Iowa, NH, South Carolina, Nevada, and Florida are critical. Let’s individually make a difference. We all know people in one or more of these states. Think on how you can individually be a campaign manager for Obama, marshaling forces to get him nominated as the Democratic candidate. Hold those who support him close so you can get them out to vote on that crucial day. My favorite mantra is: ‘If it’s going to be, it’s up to me!

Obama took lead in straw poll at Iowa fair

Mr. Mr. — Fri, 27 Jul 2007 10:32:28 EDT

Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., took the lead Thursday in a mock election at the Johnson County Fair, according to a news release sent out by the Auditor's Office.

As of 11 a.m. Thursday, 632 people had used touch-screen voting machines and paper ballots to cast votes, the release said. Obama, a Democratic presidential candidate, took the lead with 163 votes. Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., came in second with 115 votes, and former U.S. Sen. John Edwards, a Democrat, came in third with 82 votes.

A total of 474 Democratic ballots were cast.

http://www.press-citizen.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070727/NEWS01/707270330/1079

A fundamental foreign-policy change

Nick Kimball — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 13:20:06 EDT

For the past six years the Bush/Cheney Administration has employed a foreign-policy strategy of putting our head in the sand and refusing to engage the world, while our enemies continued getting stronger and stronger.

On Monday evening, at the CNN/YouTube Democratic debate, a question was asked about whether the candidates would continue the Bush/Cheney strategy or would they be willing to reengage the world and offer a new world view.

Only one candidate on the stage said he would offer a true break from Bush/Cheney: Barack Obama.

On that debate stage, Senator Obama articulated a fundamental change in U.S. foreign policy from the Bush/Cheney approach.

Under a President Obama, the United States will be engaged with the world. We will reach out to our enemies because refusing to talk to them doesn’t punish them. We will engage our enemies as President Kennedy and President Reagan did – eventually bringing the Soviet Union to its knees. We will have a foreign policy that exhausts all the tools of diplomacy, as Air Force General Scott Gration laid out last week, before resorting to the military hammer.

On January 21, 2009, if a President Obama has taken the oath of office, it will send a clear signal to the world that America is turning the page. We will be able to stand before the world and say, “The United States is back. We are here and we are ready to lead again.”

Today, the Quad-City Times ran an editorial laying out the clear change that Senator Obama articulated on Monday evening. The editorial also points out that other candidates favor an approach more closely aligned with the Bush/Cheney way of doing things. Here’s an excerpt:

In Monday’s Democrat presidential debate, Obama seemed clear. He favors reaching out to all nations, even those recklessly dubbed “axis of evil,” by President Bush. Obama neither said nor implied he would blindly accede to these nations or even negotiate with them. He simply suggested he would be open to new, constructive relationships, even with nations run by dictators who say nasty things about the United States.
Clinton had seemed to support such diplomatic openness, but now clarifies it by suggesting these nations would have to meet certain conditions before she would permit U.S. overtures toward them.

You can check out the whole editorial here: http://www.qctimes.com/articles/2007/07/26/opinion/opinion/doc46a7eec4cf681864772104.txt.

Ride for Change.

Tue, 24 Jul 2007 19:31:41 EDT

My name is Brandon Neil, one of the leaders of UNI Students for Barack Obama and a volunteer in the Cedar Falls, Iowa field office.

Join Obama supporters from across Iowa as we ride the Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa (RAGBRAI) from July 24-27. We’ll be riding from Hampton to Dyersville in support of Senator Obama.

Laurant, our intern for Benton and Tama counties shows off his Obama "Ride for Change " shirt.

If you are planning to ride RAGBRAI, we’d love to hear from you. Give us a call at (319) 389-7274 or look for anyone with a Barack Obama “Ride for Change” shirt.

If you’re supporting, make sure to sign a supporter card!

Saturday in the Park in Sioux City

Jaime Mulligan — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 22:18:47 EDT

Saturday in the Park is an annual music festival in Sioux City that features tons of bands (including the legendary B.B. King this year), a Kids' Zone with rides, an Arts Alley featuring the work of local craftspeople, and a huge variety of food vendors, including amazing gyros from Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church.

Obama volunteers met up at the entrance to the park all day long during the festival, gathering near a statute of Abraham Lincoln which featured the following quote:

After talking a little bit about our goals for the day and the history of the festival, volunteers headed into the park to enjoy themselves, listen to the music and talk to the 20,000+ attendees about their faith in Barack's vision.

Anyone reading this and not familiar with Saturday in the Park may be surprised to find out that the event is the brainchild of a few ordinary Sioux City citizens who felt their town needed a music festival and went ahead and put it together. Moreover, you might be even more surprised to find out that the event is free – you don't need any $50 tickets to come and enjoy the music.

In a time when it's hard to remain optimistic, the symbolism of a group of Americans who just decided to do something speaks to something larger within our own history. Each year the event’s organizers experience a true exercise in a community coming together to achieve a common goal.

Throughout the day festival attendees would run up to the Obama organizers and supporters and ask to sign up to volunteer. You'd see enthusiastic supporters wearing Obama '08 stickers rocking out to the music, representing the community of Americans ready for something new and better in our country.

It got us talking…just like Saturday in the Park's inception, all we really need is the idea and the time and effort to make it happen. That's what this country is all about.

Do you share the vision of everyday Americans coming together? Then join our campaign!

Mardi Gras in Sioux City: Perfect Weather, Raining Beads

Jaime Mulligan — Sat, 30 Jun 2007 20:39:01 EDT

The name of the game is beads. As many beads as is humanly possible. And Obama volunteers had them by the handful, tossing them out to eager crowds during Friday night's Mardi Gras Parade in Sioux City:

And a few excited Obama supporters watching the event even got some t-shirts:

The Parade is part of Sioux City's annual Mardi Gras celebration and the Obama team here had a great time participating. Below you can see some of our volunteers just after the parade ended, ready to go check out some of the rides and music waiting just up the street near the riverfront.

Lots of people signed supporter cards while waiting in line for custard or funnel cake; others asked for some more information about Barack's vision for uniting our country and solving the issues that confront us each and every day.

For those of you who are in the Sioux City area and would like to find out more, please feel free to stop by our office, located at 1322 Pierce Street. You can also give us a call at 712-255-5860.

For more pictures of the parade, click here.

Have a story about marching in a parade representing Barack? Tell us about it in the comments!

Also, be sure to check back later tonight and tomorrow for highlights of former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle's stops in northwestern Iowa today. And next Tuesday and Wednesday we'll have extensive coverage of the Obama family's swing through southeastern and central Iowa. Click here to see where they'll be!

Tom Daschle in northern Iowa on Saturday; Obama family in southern Iowa next week!

Jaime Mulligan — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 16:31:56 EDT

The next week here in Iowa has a bunch of events featuring Senator Tom Daschle or members of the next First Family. All of these events are free and open to the public – so bring your friends and family!

Sat, June 30th

Mason City: Town Hall with Tom Daschle at 10:30 am. Elks Lodge, 11 2nd St NW. Contact Lindsey Pagel at 641-423-1825 or email her at lpagel(at)barackobama.com to RSVP or to get more details.

Algona: Office Opening with Tom Daschle at 12:30 pm. 14 Dodge St. Contact Nate Hundt at 712-212-5098 or nhundt(at)barackobama.com to RSVP or for more details.

Spencer: Office Opening with Tom Daschle at 4 pm. 301 Grand Ave. Contact Bess Evans at 515-227-6477 or bevans(at)barackobama.com to RSVP or for more details.

Tue, July 3rd

Keokuk: Meet the Candidate Event with Barack Obama at 12 pm. Hawthorne Elementary School at 2940 Decatur St. Contact Chris Farrell at 319-752-4967 or cfarrell(at)barackobama.com to RSVP or for more details.

Mt. Pleasant: House Party with Barack Obama at 3:15 pm. At the home of Lois and Frederick Crane at 601 N. White St. Contact Seth London at 319-752-4967 slondon(at)barackobama.com to RSVP or for more details.

Fairfield: An Evening in the Park with Barack Obama at 7 pm. Fairfield Town Square between Main St. and Court St. on Burlington Ave. Contact Graham Wilson at 641-740-7217 or gwilson(at)barackobama.com to RSVP or for more details.

Wed, July 4th

Barack’s whole family will be joining him on the 4th!

Oskaloosa: Breakfast with the Obamas at 9 am. Smokey Row Coffee House. Contact Chris Zielinski at 612-636-2300 or czielinski(at)barackobama.com to RSVP or for more details.

Pella: Independence Day Celebration with the Obama Family at 11:30 am. At the home of Dan and Heather Vroom at 909 W 3rd St. Contact Abby Van Dusseldorp at 515-883-2008 or avandusseldorp(at)barackobama.com to RSVP or for more details.

Beaverdale: Independence Day Celebration with the Obama Family at 4:15 pm. Beaverdale Park. Contact Ali Sutton at 515-883-2008 or asutton(at)barackobama.com to RSVP or for more details.

Not going to be in town this weekend or during the week of the 4th? Don't worry; there's always local events going on! Click here to see everything that's going on around the state. You can also select "Find an Event" on this page and type in your home zip code to pull up the things closest to you.

Want to help out at one of the events above or volunteer for the campaign?? Click here to find your local field office.

Hope to see you at one of the events!

One Small Step for Volunteers, A Huge Step for the Future

Jaime Mulligan — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 01:13:49 EDT

Here in Iowa, every weekend (and actually, every day) Obama supporters are spending some hours walking from house to house, finding out which issues are in the forefront of everyone's minds, and introducing people to Barack. It can be hot and sticky or it can be cold and rainy but dedicated volunteers from everywhere in Iowa still make it out, gathering at our field offices and then heading out to their neighborhoods.

Here's some pictures from some people doing just that in Fort Dodge yesterday:

One of the fun things about canvassing door-to-door is hearing how much of an impact every person makes just by participating in the process. Lois D., from Fort Dodge said one supporter "just wanted to get me involved right away to talk about Senator Obama with everyone. When you talk to them, the message of Senator Obama comes across. [It] makes you feel like you should get out and do something."

Getting out and doing something to change this country for the better is what this campaign is all about. Do you have a few hours to help spread the word about the campaign? We'd love to see you.

Here's a link to our field offices around the state - you can select your county to get the location and phone number of the one closest to you. After all, it's definitely time to get our country back on track, but as Barack says, it's going to take all of us working together:

Have you canvassed before? Comment below about your experiences!

Hope to canvass with you soon!

Video from Webster City potluck

Nick Kimball — Sun, 17 Jun 2007 17:33:38 EDT

Here's a nice quick video of Barack at the Webster City Potluck yesterday. Thanks to Sam for posting it on YouTube!

Barack in the YouTube spotlight!

Nick Kimball — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 16:20:19 EDT

Barack is being featured in this week’s YouTube spotlight. He recorded a short video asking you to submit your ideas on how we can change our country.

Check it out:

Go to BarackTV on Youtube and send us your video responses.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel to be alerted about our new videos.
Share your ideas either at BarackTV on YouTube or in the comments section here!

Every avalanche begins with a snowflake

Tavis Hall — Mon, 11 Jun 2007 21:10:18 EDT

Every avalanche begins with a snowflake, every garden begins with seeds and every movement begins with a handful of folks who want change. This past weekend, the Obama for America campaign has shown just how hungry for change Iowans and people across America really are.

I have worked in local Iowa politics since 2000 in one way or another, and never have I seen the type of excitement surrounding one candidate this early, as I have seen with the Obama for America campaign.

In 2006, during our first volunteer driven canvass program, we had less than 10 volunteers show up in Waterloo. It is truly remarkable that less than one year later over 100 canvassers knocked the doors of their family, friends and neighbors in the Cedar Valley.

It is a testament to Barack’s ability to turn the excitement into tangible results.

Most of our volunteers were from the Cedar Valley area but we also had some of Barack’s supporters from the Chicago area helping us out. They were led by Barack’s good friend U.S. Rep. Danny Davis.

Rep. Davis gave a riveting speech before our canvassers began their decent into our great community, reminding us all why we are supporting Barack Obama for President of the United States of America.

The important thing to remember is that an avalanche can not begin with a few snowflakes. Those snowflakes have to be accompanied by more snowflakes on top of more snowflakes until a swelling of snow begins to overflow, sparking an eruption of snow that builds upon itself down a hill.

The same must be said for this movement. A hundred or so volunteers is a great start, but we need more to keep the pressure on and the momentum going, until we can spark an eruption of change.

This campaign is built around the idea that the American people are ready for a change – they’re ready to end the war in Iraq, for universal health care and they’re ready for an improved education system for our children – and Barack Obama is the face of that change.

Walk for Change

Nick Kimball — Sun, 10 Jun 2007 19:25:05 EDT

Wow. What an incredibly inspiring weekend. Throughout Iowa, we had more than 1,500 volunteers knocking on doors as part of 38 different canvasses for our Walk for Change. Nationwide we had more than 10,000 volunteers in all 50 states!

And we were lucky enough to have Barack kickoff the canvass here in Iowa. Check him out at Lincoln Elementary School in Dubuque.

This is just a little taste of what's to come. We'll have many more images and stories from all over the state tomorrow. But in the meantime, check out a cool video that shows Barack hitting the doors in Dubuque after the kickoff event.

Memorial Day in Davenport

Nick Kimball — Sun, 03 Jun 2007 17:48:47 EDT

Last week, Barack observed Memorial Day at a reception with some veterans from the Davenport area and their families. I promised these pictures earlier this week - sorry it took a little longer than expected get them up.

The reception was held at the Golden Leaf Banquet Center in Davenport. It was a solemn but hopeful occasion. Barack honored the sacrifice of those patriots who have given their lives in support of our country and also talked about a positive vision for a future where the sacred trust between this country and those who serve it is restored.

The Davenport North High School Junior ROTC Color Guard started things off by presenting the colors.

Then Barack was introduced by Bob Konrardy - a Vietnam veteran, longtime Republican and a strong supporter of Barack's candidacy.

After initially supporting the war, Bob spent four days last March embedded in Iraq with the same First Cavalry platoon that he commanded in Vietnam in 1965. There, his views on the war changed dramatically and significantly.

After meeting Barack at a veterans' center, Bob knew then and there that he was the right leader for this critical time in history. Barack has a plan to end the war in Iraq and bring our troops home.

After Bob's heartfelt introduction, Barack took the microphone and spoke just briefly about the need to never forget the sacrifice of the fallen, and also spoke poignantly about the need for our country to regain the trust of our men and women in uniform.

It is a trust that begins the moment a service member signs on. If they want to serve their country, then this grateful nation will train them. If they put on the uniform then this nation will give them the bullets, armor and tools they need to complete the mission. And when they come home, this nation will honor their service by making sure that our veterans’ and their families’ cares and concerns are met. Barack has a clear vision about how we must honor our veterans - read about it here.

Barack only spoke briefly because this was an occasion to honor the fallen and listen to the veterans who came out to meet him. So after his remarks, Barack stayed until he had a chance to talk face-to-face with every last person who wanted to meet him. And there were a lot! (Special thanks to Brent Hill for the photo!)

One family that I met after the event was Decker and Gina Truesdell, and Gina's parents Richard and Rose Smith.

Richard is a Navy veteran and served from 1954-1958. This was the first time all four had seen Barack in person but they had been following him and hoping he would run for president since 2004. Decker said the biggest factor in Barack earning his support was that he believes Barack will bring honor back to the presidency. Rose said, "Barack is sincere, we need a change and he can take us in the new direction that we so desperately need."

I also met Sue Ann Smith and Pat Day.

It was difficult not be touched by the enthusiasm and hope in their eyes as they waited for Barack to make his way over to shake their hands. Sue Ann's husband Jerry is a Vietnam veteran who served in the Navy. Jerry desperately wanted to make it to the reception but ultimately couldn't. Her father served in Korea in the Army.

When Barack got to them, Pat told him simply, "Thank you for being here, thank you for being who you are and thank you for running."

Going to these events, and meeting the diverse people who are there and who are so moved by Barack, really reminds me time and again why I was inspired to work for him. Barack truly represents something different. He has a vision for this country that transcends simple party politics. I meet Democrats, Republicans and independents; I meet young people, seniors and everybody in between; I meet veterans, farmers, business professionals and retirees. They are very different and yet they are all drawn to Barack's candidacy.

His specific policy proposals combined with his genuine desire and ability to bring people together around his ideas gives me hope that our country is on the verge of getting past the bitter partisanship that pervades Washington.

Pat Day said it perfectly - I'm just glad Barack is here to lead us in a new direction.

Iowa-specific health care plan info

Nick Kimball — Wed, 30 May 2007 12:18:21 EDT

As I said in my previous post, you can get more information about Barack's health care plan (including the full plan) here. But if you'd like some Iowa-specific info, check out this fact sheet (pdf).

Also, click here to read the text of Barack's speech yesterday (pdf).

Uphill Battle

Holly — Thu, 24 May 2007 21:04:24 EDT

So I married a Republican. Sounds like a movie title...but it is true. Actually, he is a registered Independent, but votes Republican almost every ticket.

Come election time I have the great battle of trying to "sell" my candidates and issues to my husband. Opposites definitely attract in this case. Where I am all about a woman's right to choose, ending the war, human rights, etc.....he is soooo not about that. I will admit, I have swayed him a bit on the woman's right to choose and human rights, but the war is something that we disagree on completely. In fact, we have disagreed on every presidential candidate so far in the history of our marriage. (I will give him this - he voted for Bill Clinton before I met him!)

Right now he is totally on the fence, but I think he is leaning towards McCain or Giuliani. I have been having him watch some of Obama's speeches on his website, and so far it seems like he isn't totally opposed to him like he is to John Edwards. However I know when it comes time for voting, he will ignore all I have told him. In fact, we never argue, but around election time it is like civil war in our house. My question to you folks is....has anybody else been in this situation? I really think Obama is the guy to get the job done, and I feel very passionately about it. Any advice on how to "caucus" my husband for Obama? :)

Field report from Dubuque!

Nick Kimball — Wed, 23 May 2007 15:48:20 EDT

Note: This report was sent in from one of our field organizers in Dubuque - Orrin Evans.

This past weekend we had our first door-to-door canvass here in Dubuque.

We all met up at our new office right off Main St., at 219 West 9th Street, Dubuque and teamed up.

Friendships were made and stories were swapped.

We then loaded our bottled water and peanut butter sandwiches and hit the streets knocking. Check out a few of the pictures to see the excitement.

When people sign up to help us out, they aren't just joining a campaign, they’re joining a movement – a movement that holds the promise of what can be possible if people cross bridges to create change.

You can see some more pictures from the canvass if you go over to our Flickr account!

Our next big canvass is coming up on June 9. We have organized canvasses all over the state. These are important opportunities to introduce your neighbors to Barack. Click here to find a canvass in your area. I hope you'll sign up!

Daschle in Des Moines

Nick Kimball — Sat, 19 May 2007 15:26:42 EDT

Senator Daschle just left the grand opening of our office in Des Moines. We had a nice crowd on a beautiful day! There are still many volunteers milling around the office. It's definitely an energetic atmosphere on East Locust Street!

Check out a few pictures from today's festivities below. That's Senator Daschle and State Treasurer Mike Fitzgerald speaking in the bed of the truck. You can click on the pictures to see the full size.

What a great day! There were quite a few people taking pictures so we might have more. Be sure to check back!

The Gilmore Girls, Iowa and Barack Obama

Bobby Gravitz — Thu, 17 May 2007 17:57:31 EDT

My co-worker stopped by yesterday and told me that on this week's episode of the television show 'The Gilmore Girls' the main character takes a job as a reporter covering Barack Obama in Iowa. I wanted to share the video with you all.

It turns out this video comes from the series finale, and that Rory Gilmore (the main character) will leave the show and the town she grew up in for the greener pastures of Iowa and the Barack Obama campaign. Look out for the Sioux City reference and for her desire to be "gum-buddies" with the "next president of the United States."

Oh and by the way, my co-worker was on the tread-mill when she watched the clip and said she nearly fell off the machine.

Tom Daschle coming to Des Moines!

Nick Kimball — Wed, 16 May 2007 13:43:34 EDT

This Saturday, former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle is coming to Des Moines to host the grand opening of our state headquarters. Senator Daschle has been a big supporter of Barack’s from very early on and it’s exciting to have him here!

In an email that Senator Daschle just sent out to Iowans in the Des Moines area, he talked a little about why he’s supporting Barack:

Sometimes exceptional leaders come along at the right time to guide us through pivotal periods in the course of history. With a tragic war raging indefinitely, millions of Americans (and thousands of Iowans) living precariously without adequate health care, and our moral standing in the world community severely diminished, today we stand at one of those pivotal times.
Thankfully, Barack Obama has emerged as a leader with a vision for changing the way things are done and leading our country towards a brighter future. That's why I'm standing with him in this campaign.

We’re going to have (free!) refreshments, music and a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Saturday. Barack’s been pretty active in Iowa for awhile now but this is the official opening of our HQ.

We’re at 323 E. Locust in the East Village. Things will get started around Noon.

Go here to RSVP. Bring your friends and family. It should be a good time!

Election Day Registration: A Positive for Obama?

Jose — Fri, 11 May 2007 14:05:47 EDT

In today's NY Times Op-Ed page, there is an excellent discussion on Election Day Registration (EDR) and why it is important to ensure that every citizen should be able to register (and vote) on election day. Both of the writers of the article are secretaries of states who believe there is sound evidence that it can work effectively and safely.

The article briefly mentions young voters who often forget to register in time and are prevented from voting on election day. I would also mention that many minority voters are often in the same category. And as we know, these are two large voting consituencies that represent a significant portion of Senator Obama's potential supporters.

For that reason alone (as well as others), we should consider lobbying our state legislators to pass the necessary laws to require local authorities to permit EDR.

Our advantage? We have the grassroots organizations in every state to do it.

The more young and minority voters we can get to the poll in our states....the greater the likelihood Senator Obama will be our next President.

What are we waiting for?

Jose Torres, Latinos 4 Obama

Selection of MidWest Large Minded or Million Goal Groups including a Midwest Top 150! Join One Million MySpace Friends for Obama'08 here and on MySpace. See URLs below. Thanks!

One Million MySpace Friends for Obama'08 in Iowa — Mon, 09 Apr 2007 11:30:49 EDT

1.) My.BarackObama.com: Link (PLACE HOLDER)

2.) Official MySpace profile: Link (under construction)

3.) Official Group profile on MySpace: Link (PLACE HOLDER)

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PLEASE DONATE WHATEVER YOU CAN TO ONE MILLION MYSPACE FRIENDS FOR OBAMA'08'S MIDWEST $10,000 CAMPAIGN COFFER DRIVES!

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<A href="Link Dakota!</A>

<A href="Link Dakota!</A>

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MIDWEST'S TOP 150! If you would like your group to be added or deleted from my list please let me know.

Obama Endorses Senator Durbin's Fair Elections Now Act!

One Million MySpace Friends for Obama'08 in Iowa — Sat, 07 Apr 2007 12:21:11 EDT

Presidential Hopefuls on Public Financing and FENA
The three front-runners for the Democratic nomination for
President are on the record in support of public financing of
elections. John Edwards, Hillary Clinton, and Barack Obama have
all come out strongly in favor of a change to the system. You
can see Edwards' endorsement here
Link and Clinton's here
Link. See this clip
Link of Obama's recent endorsement
of Senator Richard Durbin's Fair Elections Now Act, and
exhortation for public pressure on the issue here. Republican
presidential hopeful, John McCain, meanwhile has been less
supportive of public financing while on the campaign trail this
year, but has supported it strongly in the past
Link at the state level as well as
for the Presidential race. He has joined Obama in promising to
run under public financing in the general election if his
opponent agrees to do the same. It's encouraging to see
discussion of and support for this policy from the presidential
field; nobody knows better than the candidates racing to raise
the millions they'll need to get to the White House that
campaign financing needs an overhaul.

Speaking of the Fair Elections Now Act, it's been popping up in
the news left and right drawing positive editorials and LOTS of
attention on the letters to editor page
Link thanks to efforts of Public
Campaign Action Fund members. You can write your own letter to
the editor using our tool here
Link />
New Mexico Close to Judicial Public Financing
Great news! New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson plans to turn
his endorsement of public financing for judicial races into
action when he signs the bill recently passed out of the state
legislature in special session that would expand the state's
public financing program to include state Supreme and Appellate
court races: Link. He plans to
line-item veto the "poison pill" provision in the bill that
would require voters to amend the state constitution to
eliminate retention elections (making those judges run in
partisan races) before the public financing system could take
effect. New Mexico already has public financing available to
candidates for the state's Public Regulation Commission, and the
city of Albuquerque approved public financing for municipal
elections by ballot initiative in 2005. Many thanks to New
Mexico Common Cause and Public Campaign Board member Richard
Romero, for their efforts in passing this bill!

Maryland Campaign in Final Days
Thousands of emails, hundreds of calls, and a pair of lobby days
later we are in the last week of the Maryland legislative
session: the moment of truth for a Clean Elections win in the
state this year Link. In fact, the
Senate is schedule to vote today on the bill that would bring
full public financing for legislative elections in Maryland --
the state Assembly is already in support. Though Senate
President Mike Miller (D) is notoriously opposed to Clean
Elections, the gossip in Annapolis is that grassroots organizing
(all those emails, all those calls) and the tireless efforts of
Progressive Maryland, Maryland NAACP, Maryland Common Cause,
Maryland Sierra Club, and The Reform Institute, have really
boosted support among previously ambivalent legislators for
passing Clean Elections. It's going to be quite a showdown -- as
soon as we get the results of the vote we'll let you know!

April Showers?
Did Uncle Sam give you a refund on your federal tax return this
year? How about turning a little bit of that around with an
investment in winning Clean Elections through a gift to Public
Campaign Action Fund Link Your tax
dollars fund the policies of the country, what better way to
ensure they are spent responsibly than by establishing Clean
Elections systems that make elected officials accountable to
you?

VOICEing Support
Public Campaign staffers checked their inboxes a few weeks ago
and found an email from National Field Director Jeannette
Galanis: "I think we need to go to Iowa." Why? Because a
dedicated group of legislators and activists from Iowa Citizens
for Community Improvement and the Clean Elections Coalition had
advanced full public financing legislation, the Voter-Owned Iowa
Clean Elections (VOICE) Act, farther than they ever had in the
state: far enough to make a win this year a real possibility.

A pair of bills, HSB 105 championed by Representative Pam Jochum
(D-Dubuque) and SSB 1173 headed up by Senator Mike Connolly
(D-Dubuque) have passed out of their respective State Government
committees and are moving on to Appropriations, where they look
to face formidable opposition. We are gearing up for a full
court press grassroots field effort; getting calls in to
legislators in support of VOICE, getting the word out through
door-to-door canvassing and phone banking, and ramping up
lobbying efforts in Des Moines to win Clean Elections for Iowa!
You can find out more about the campaign here
Link />
Blog/News Roundup
Have you been reading Paid For By?, Public Campaign Action
Fund?s blog? In case you missed this week, check out the stories
we've been following on?

- New Jersey Governor John Corzine signing the bill continuing
his state's Clean Elections Pilot project
Link />- Presidential candidates raising money any way they can --
ethics? What ethics? Link
- Energy for change: watch Senator Durbin's passionate speech
Link introducing the Fair Elections
Now Act on the floor of the Senate here.

MILLION GOAL! SELECTION OF IA, IL, IN NATIONAL OR LARGE MINDED GROUPS PLUS A TOP 25 LIST JOIN ONE MILLION MYSPACE FRIENDS FOR OBAMA'08 AND POST YOUR EVENTS AND BLOGS ON OUR PAGES!

blueball3 — Fri, 30 Mar 2007 12:49:58 EDT

JOIN ONE MILLION MYSPACE FRIENDS FOR OBAMA'08 AND POST YOUR EVENTS AND BLOGS ON OUR PAGES!

1.) My.BarackObama.com: Link (PLACE HOLDER)

2.) Official MySpace profile: Link (under construction)

3.) Official Group profile on MySpace: Link (PLACE HOLDER)

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Following is a SELECTION OF IA, IL, IN GROUPS list INCLUDING A TOP 25 of National OR Large Testimonial Groups that need everyone to join TODAY regardless of their State of residence in most instances. If you would like your group URL(s) to be added or deleted from my list please let me know.

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1.) Relay for Life Obama Team, Cedar Falls, April 13: Link (PLACE HOLDER)

2.) Ragbrai riders for OBAMA: Link (PLACE HOLDER)

3.) Single Parents Support Barack: Link (PLACE HOLDER)

4.) Barack the Vote: Link (PLACE HOLDER)

5.) Diversity4Obama: Link (PLACE HOLDER)

6.) Minorityspacers for Obama '08!: Link (PLACE HOLDER)

7.) Youth for Obama: Link (PLACE HOLDER)

8.) America for Obama: Link (PLACE HOLDER)

9.) Military for Barack Obama: Link (PLACE HOLDER)

10.) Vietnam Veterans for Obama: Link (PLACE HOLDER)

11.) 1,000,000 Americans for Obama: Link (PLACE HOLDER)

12.) Caregivers for Barack: Link (PLACE HOLDER)

13.) One Million MySpace Friends for Obama'08!: Link (PLACE HOLDER)

The Official Profile on MySpace: Link (PLACE HOLDER)

The Official Group on Myspace: Link (PLACE HOLDER)

14.) Barack Obama (One Million Strong for Barack): Link (PLACE HOLDER)

The Official profile of the outstanding Facebook group on Myspace: Link (PLACE HOLDER)

15.) Illinois Students for Barack Obama (Official Chapter): Link (PLACE HOLDER)

16.) Iowa Students For Barack Obama (Official State Chapter): Link (PLACE HOLDER)

17.) Mamas for Obama: Link (PLACE HOLDER)

18.) Dads for Obama: Link (PLACE HOLDER)

19.) Bark for Barack: Link (PLACE HOLDER)

20.) Peace and Justice Voters for Obama: Link (PLACE HOLDER)

21.) Organized Labor for Obama: Link (PLACE HOLDER)

22.) Moodlers for Obama: Link (PLACE HOLDER)

23.) Young Women Voters Support Obama: Link (PLACE HOLDER)

24.) Indiana Obama Backers: Link (PLACE HOLDER)

25.) So. Indiana for Obama: Link (PLACE HOLDER)

Our first campus meeting

Thu, 08 Mar 2007 01:35:11 EST

A few hours ago we had the first of many Students for Barack Obama meetings at the University of Northern Iowa. I don't mean to make that sentence sound fatigued - "the first of many" - I just mean we have a long journey ahead. And I think the group of students huddled together in the middle of the student union know that. This campaign is a about change in politics and I think students across the country know that too. We have a chance to be a part of something special, something that truly is about us.

We met with the Waterloo Obama for America staff and they emphasized that this campaign can truly go as far as we as student organizers can take it. Idea after idea came as we began to brainstorm about the best ways to get new students registered to vote and how we can get students active in politics one again. I think this election can be the year of the student voice. Not since the 60’s and 70’s have students been so dynamic and ready to work toward something they believe in.

With the Internet being such an integrated and natural way of communication for our generation, it’s easy to network and work toward our cause. This website along with other social networking websites can be just as effective as the traditional print, radio and television mediums. Perhaps even more effective. I'm excited to be a part of something so fresh and exciting.

Stay tuned for more from Cedar Falls and Northeast Iowa.