WI HQ Blog

OFA-Wisconsin 2009 in Review (Part I of IV)

Staci Leigh O'Brien — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 09:55:31 EST

In 2008, as an unprecedented election unfolded, one of the constant themes repeated by then-candidate Barack Obama was that this time, we weren’t going to stop after the election was over; we weren’t going to empty the offices, then go back to watching Survivor as the highlight of our week. This time, we were going to keep working, keep fighting, and keep pushing to give people back the voice they so rightly deserve in their own government. On the heels of an historic election, with historic participation and sacrifice on the part of volunteers on the ground, we were going to take Democracy out for a real test drive.

Newly elected President Obama said it best in his acceptance speech November 4, 2008:

The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or even one term, but America – I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there. I promise you – we as a people will get there.
There will be setbacks and false starts. There are many who won’t agree with every decision or policy I make as President, and we know that government can’t solve every problem. But I will always be honest with you about the challenges we face. I will listen to you, especially when we
disagree. And above all, I will ask you to join in the work of remaking this nation the only way it’s been done in America for two-hundred and twenty-one years – block by block, brick by brick, calloused hand by calloused hand.

What began twenty-one months ago in the depths of winter must not end on this autumn night. This victory alone is not the change we seek – it is only the chance for us to make that change. And that cannot happen if we go back to the way things were. It cannot happen without you.

Emerging from the campaign with an idealism over two hundred years in the making, staff, field organizers, and volunteers met in Chicago to shape and finetune a vision for what was then being called simply OFA 2.0. At the heart of it all was the simple belief that the important debates of our time should not happen only on cable TV among Washington D.C.’s politicians and pundits—these conversations need to take place on doorsteps, in backyards, and across dinner tables around the country.

Surveys went out to supporters across the country and over 600,000 were filled out in detail and returned. Months later, Dan Grandone was named the new Wisconsin State Director for Organizing for America. As his first act, he embarked on a listening tour through Wisconsin that led him through over twenty Wisconsin towns, getting feedback from both volunteers who stuck with us through the campaign and new faces moved into action by President Obama. During his listening tours, Dan liked to say “we’re building the plane as we fly it.” With the help, guidance, and feedback of volunteers all across the state, OFA-Wisconsin took off in the summer of 2009!

Organizing for America is President Obama keeping his promise to all of us. Now it’s time for us to keep our half of the deal.

Join OFA-Wisconsin HERE, become our friend on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter!

Keep an eye on the blog for Part II: OFA-Wisconsin’s Summer of Action.

Happy Holidays from OFA-Wisconsin!

Staci Leigh O'Brien — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 10:44:11 EST

Help us Ring in the Change we Need at OFA-Wisconsin!

Wisconsin's Rapid Response Program Makes a Difference!!

Staci Leigh O'Brien — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 15:16:34 EST

Wisconsin’s 2009 Rapid Response program wrapped up last Thursday, December 17, with a total of 32 call parties held across the state! Volunteers made over 6,500 calls to our neighbors in Wisconsin and Nebraska. Together we had over 1,600 conversations on the importance of health insurance reform and received over 1,000 commits to call members of Congress.

Later that evening a conference call was held with Organizing for America’s National Political Director, Addisu Demissie, explaining where we are with the Health Care Reform Bill currently making its way through the Senate. Volunteers from across the state had an opportunity to ask Addisu specific questions and give our State Director, Dan Grandone, feedback to send in a special memo to the White House this week. The call was a great opportunity to get the inside perspective on process and continue to strengthen the two-way conversation between our volunteers on the ground and our leaders in Washington, D.C.

Of course, the best news of all came on Saturday morning, when Senator Ben Nelson announced that he would be voting in support of the bill, giving us the much-needed sixtieth vote to pass the Health Care Reform Bill out of the Senate. After that historic vote—which we hope will take place before Christmas—the bill will go into conference committee, where the differences between the Senate and House Health Care bills will be resolved. The one bill that emerges from the conference committee then needs to go back to both the House and the Senate for a final vote before heading to President Obama’s desk. We will likely be calling representatives again at that time, but before we get too far down that road, let’s pause and celebrate what we’ve accomplished in the last two Rapid Response rounds...and please send us pictures of your event so we can add them to our scrapbook!

OFA Wisconsin's Rapid Response Parties Strike Again!

Staci Leigh O'Brien — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 20:12:24 EST

Mid-November, Wisconsin grassroots volunteers kicked into action by making over 6,500 calls into states of undecided Senators.

The purpose? To make sure people on the ground know the stakes in the current debate and encourage them to call their Senators and speak their hearts and minds about the need for health insurance reform. The result? Wisconsin alone encouraged more than 1,000 residents in these states to call their Senators and speak from their own experiences about health care--and we were only one state of many!

The efforts were enormously successful.

Reports from the states said that calls for health insurance reform had increased significantly in the last two weeks and the people who we reached out to called their Senators on their own instead of sending an email, spoke from the heart instead of reciting talking points, and told their own stories…making a difference one call at a time.

This week, Wisconsin activists are at it again, spending some of their holiday season making sure that the people who need it most are going to get the gift of health care reform. We’re setting up call parties all week to call constituents in other states and encourage them to call their Senators yet again and let them know how serious they are about the need for health care reform.

You can make a difference! Click here to find a Rapid Response Call party near you, or here if you would like to set up your own Rapid Response party, or here to send photos or stories about your Rapid Response party into the blog. Let’s show the world what action looks like!

OFA Wisconsin's National Weekend of Training

Staci Leigh O'Brien — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 15:18:34 EST

Organizing for America’s National Weekend of Training hit Wisconsin last weekend, spreading “snowflakey” leadership models (as one campus organizer described them) all over the state just before the real stuff hit!

Both Dane County and our first-ever statewide campus training event involved intensive training on organizing the Obama way, telling our story, building relationships, and—most importantly—moving our words into action. Teams got to know each other, practiced telling their own stories, practiced “one-on-one” meetings with volunteers, and left the day with strategies for organizing their own neighborhood in hand. At the end of the weekend, as a group, we had committed to going out into the snow and doing nearly two hundred “one-on-ones” across Wisconsin in addition to hosting Rapid Response call parties, House parties, and organizational meetings.

The weekend was part of a National Weekend of Training with over two hundred trainings across the country in forty-eight different states! In Wisconsin, they marked the sixth and seventh trainings held here since June, and the first wave of many that will take place in the upcoming year.

Volunteers who attended some of our meetings found them extremely helpful:

Thanks to OFA for putting on the training…. The material that was covered was excellent. When I answered your question of how did I feel about the training by saying "satisfied," I was saying that the training met my hopes of both being fun, informative, and very helpful… I've been to a lot of trainings in my life and taught a few, too. You all get an A+. Thank you!
Susan McKeegan-Guinn, Elkhorn Team Leader

Being a master’s level psychotherapist, I've been through many trainings. I've done many trainings, workshops, and conferences. This training was by far the most clearly defined and easy to follow. I came away with a sense of "I can do this. And it will be fun. And I won't be alone. There is a definite person I can call when I have questions."

Things I really appreciated about the training:
1) The structure for the day was very organized and outlined.
2) The materials were extensive and all prepared in a neat packet. So, I knew I didn't have to take a lot of notes because I could see that the whole day-long training was well laid out in the packet.
3) There was a variety of people presenting in their area of expertise. This kept the pace moving right along. And we had a chance to hear from everyone who is involved from my neighborhood right on through the state director.
4) It was relaxed, fun, and fast moving.
Margie Pecus, Wauwatosa Team Leader

Grab the opportunity to create the change we seek! Join OFA Wisconsin now!

Wisconsin Listening Tours: "The job is not done"

Christopher Hass — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 12:29:53 EDT

From the Wisconsin Daily Cardinal:

OFA kicked off a series of Wisconsin meetings Tuesday night with a town-hall-style discussion in Sun Prairie.

According to OFA State Director Dan Grandone, the two purposes of OFA are to build on the grassroots organization and activism that developed during the campaign and to promote Obama’s agenda on health care, education and energy. Tuesday’s listening session was the first of 20 stops Grandone will make throughout the state.

“We’re very excited of course about winning the election and President Obama becoming president … but people I think by and large realize the job is not done and now it’s time and an opportunity for us to try to pass the policies that were at the root of his platform during the campaign.” Grandone said.

He said since the campaign, the enthusiasm for Obama has not died out and OFA has received “thousands” of calls from people wanting to get involved in the organization.

After attendees shared stories about why they became involved in the Obama campaign, Grandone asked them to share their visions for OFA in Wisconsin, which is still in the process of defining itself.

“We are building this plane as we fly it,” Grandone said, adding he hopes to take attendees’ comments and incorporate them into OFA’s structure.

Some suggestions from supporters included keeping the statewide organization in contact through e-mail and encouraging involvement from youth and minority citizens.

Many agreed volunteer training will be essential for the organization, citing the need for volunteers to adapt to the idea of governing as opposed to campaigning and the hope that the organization can attract Democrats, Republicans and independents.

“Electing President Obama was not enough,” Grandone said. “Now we have got to take this to the next step … so we can move these issues that we care about forward.”

Listening Tours have already begun in Iowa, Georgia, Wisconsin, New Mexico, Missouri, Michigan, Indiana, Colorado, and Texas.

Back in Wisconsin

Christopher Hass — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 14:01:16 EDT

From Dan Grandone, the new Wisconsin State Director for Organizing for America:

Since Inauguration Day, Organizing for America has been dedicated to making real the change we fought for during the election. But to be successful, we need to hear from you -- your effort and commitment are the backbone of this movement and this organization.

That's why I'm so excited to announce that we're back on the ground in Wisconsin, and starting this Tuesday, April 14th, we'll be hosting Listening Tour Town Halls across the state.

Will you make your voice heard and join us on the Listening Tour?

At Listening Tour meetings, you'll get a chance to meet new state staff members, hear about some lessons learned during the general election, and offer your thoughts on how we can organize Wisconsin going forward. Your ideas will be used to write a Wisconsin-specific plan for Organizing for America in 2009 and beyond.

The campaign brought an unprecedented number of new voices into the process -- we need to make sure those voices remain at the center of the debate as the President and Congress work on providing solutions for our economy.

But these meetings are not just for folks who were involved in the campaign -- we're hopeful that every Wisconsinite will get involved.

We can't stop growing our movement now. We've never had a better opportunity to shape our future -- and just like during the election, we'll do it from the bottom up.

Sign up now to attend a Listening Tour event.

I look forward to seeing you,

Dan

Dan Grandone
Wisconsin State Director
Organizing for America

P.S. -- If you can't make it to a Listening Tour event, you can still get involved with Organizing for America in Wisconsin. Let us know how you'd like to see Wisconsin organized.

The President's Weekly Address: "Gearing up for a fight"

Christopher Hass — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 14:20:50 EST

On Thursday President Obama delivered his budget outline to Congress, a document that represents the ideas he campaigned on and millions of supporters fought for. "Because it represents real and dramatic change," the President explained, "it also represents a threat to the status quo in Washington." He acknowledged the fight ahead to bring this budget plan from outline to final legislation, but he also sent a clear message:

Two years ago, we set out on a journey to change the way that Washington works.

We sought a government that served not the interests of powerful lobbyists or the wealthiest few, but the middle-class Americans I met every day in every community along the campaign trail – responsible men and women who are working harder than ever, worrying about their jobs, and struggling to raise their families. In so many town halls and backyards, they spoke of their hopes for a government that finally confronts the challenges that their families face every day; a government that treats their tax dollars as responsibly as they treat their own hard-earned paychecks.

That is the change I promised as a candidate for president. It is the change the American people voted for in November. And it is the change represented by the budget I sent to Congress this week.
... I realize that passing this budget won’t be easy. Because it represents real and dramatic change, it also represents a threat to the status quo in Washington. I know that the insurance industry won’t like the idea that they’ll have to bid competitively to continue offering Medicare coverage, but that’s how we’ll help preserve and protect Medicare and lower health care costs for American families. I know that banks and big student lenders won’t like the idea that we’re ending their huge taxpayer subsidies, but that’s how we’ll save taxpayers nearly $50 billion and make college more affordable. I know that oil and gas companies won’t like us ending nearly $30 billion in tax breaks, but that’s how we’ll help fund a renewable energy economy that will create new jobs and new industries.
In other words, I know these steps won’t sit well with the special interests and lobbyists who are invested in the old way of doing business, and I know they’re gearing up for a fight as we speak. My message to them is this:

So am I.

The system we have now might work for the powerful and well-connected interests that have run Washington for far too long, but I don’t. I work for the American people. I didn’t come here to do the same thing we’ve been doing or to take small steps forward, I came to provide the sweeping change that this country demanded when it went to the polls in November. That is the change this budget starts to make, and that is the change I’ll be fighting for in the weeks ahead – change that will grow our economy, expand our middle-class, and keep the American Dream alive for all those men and women who have believed in this journey from the day it began.

Read the full text of the President's address . . .

Organizing for America

Christopher Hass — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 16:28:49 EST

In case you missed it, last Saturday then-President-elect Obama announced the next step for the unprecedented grassroots movement that grew out of this campaign: Organizing for America.

The Next Step: Attend a Change is Coming House Meeting Dec. 13-14

Christopher Hass — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 19:04:44 EST

Today David Plouffe sent out the following message to supporters, inviting them to attend one the many grassroots house meetings taking place throughout the country later this month:

Exactly one month ago, you made history by giving all Americans a real opportunity for change.

Now it's time to start preparing and working for change in our communities.

On December 13th and 14th, supporters are coming together in every part of the country to reflect on what we've accomplished and plan the future of this movement. Your ideas and feedback will be collected and used to guide this movement in the months and years ahead.

Join your friends and neighbors -- sign up to host or attend a Change is Coming house meeting near you.

Since the election, the challenges we face -- and our responsibility to take action -- have only gotten more urgent.

You can connect with fellow supporters, make progress on the issues you care about, and help shape the future of your community and our country.

Learn what you can do now to support President-elect Obama's agenda for change and continue to make a difference in your community.

Take the first important step by hosting or attending a Change is Coming house meeting. Sign up right now.

To get our country back on track, it will take all of us working together.

Barack and Joe have a clear agenda and an unprecedented opportunity for change. But they can't do it alone.

Will you join us at a house meeting and help plan the next steps for this movement?

Thanks,

David

David Plouffe
Campaign Manager
Obama for America

Video: Election Night Speech in Grant Park

Christopher Hass — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 11:06:36 EST

"I will never forget who this victory truly belongs to – it belongs to you." - Barack Obama, Election Night 2008

Read the full speech, as prepared for delivery . . .

We're Not Done Yet!

Ian Jungbacker — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 21:02:14 EST

The Polls have closed!

But we're not done yet!

If you're standing in line at a polling place -- or know someone who is -- remember, you can still vote!

In fact, you need to stay in line...

Take it from Michelle Obama:

"Right now it's up to the voters. That's one of out last pitches. We want to make sure our supporters quite frankly, all the voters in the state of Wisconsin get out there today, get in those lines, stay in there and not don't get out. This is the only day that matters even though we've been doing this for awhile," Michelle Obama said.

Don't leave the line! If someone you know is waiting in line at a polling center, give them a call and encourage them to stay in line and cast their ballot.

While we may be close to the end of the election here in Wisconsin, the polls are still open in the Battleground states of Nevada and Montana for another hour.

Help out our fellow supporters out West by making phone calls into one of these important Battleground states.

Last Call for Change in Wisconsin

Ian Jungbacker — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 19:34:38 EST

We're almost there Wisconsin!

There are less than 90 minutes to fight for change here in Wisconsin!

If you haven't voted yet, get to your nearest polling station now.

As long as you are in line before 8:00 p.m., you'll get to vote, no matter how long the line is.

Remember: Today is the only day you will be able to vote -- don't let anyone tell you otherwise!

If you've already voted we still need your help!

And there's still time to help Barack in Wisconsin. You can help by calling Barack's supporters using our convenient online tool.

Jump on the phones while there still time to make a difference!

Reminder: There's No Voting Tomorrow -- Today's the Day!

Ian Jungbacker — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 17:39:18 EST

Just a reminder:

Today is Election Day ... it's the one and only Election Day there will be this cycle.

If you're not in line by 8:00 p.m. tonight you will not be able to vote. No polls will be open tomorrow or the day after that -- regardless of what any one may tell you.

The polls will not be open tomorrow because of long lines today.

Take a minute to pass this message along to everyone you know -- just to make sure.

Thanks for everything you're doing for the campaign!

Less Than Four Hours Until The Polls Close

Thomas Kelley — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 17:09:39 EST

There are less than fours for you to be part of history. Tonight you will bear witness to history. It is between now and then that you will make history.

Find your polling location at voteforchange.com

Find where the nearest location is where you can volunteer.

Joe Biden Voting this Morning

Ian Jungbacker — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 16:25:59 EST

There's still time to get involved! Vote and then volunteer!

Find your polling location or call 1-877-0BAMA-WI for assistance.

Gov. Doyle Sends Off Canvassers at UW

Ian Jungbacker — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 14:47:15 EST

Over the lunch hour Gov. Jim Doyle made an appearance at the Library Mall staging location here in Madison. The Governor met with several dozen UW students who were preparing to spend the afternoon canvassing the Madison campus and environs.

Most of the students had already spent the morning getting getting out the vote and were preparing for a few more rounds leading right up until the polls close at 8:00 p.m.

There's still time to get involved! Vote and then volunteer!

Find your polling location or call 1-877-0BAMA-WI for assistance.

Help Get Out The Vote!

Thomas Kelley — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 12:30:00 EST

Today is Election Day -- the polls are open across the state. If you haven't voted yet, look up your polling place and vote for Barack by 8:00 p.m:

If you have already voted, here are a couple ways you can make an even bigger difference for Barack today:

Call every Wisconsin Obama supporter you know who is a registered voter and make sure they vote for Barack by 8:00 p.m. today. Then use our online phonebank tool to call even more supporters and help Get Out The Vote for Barack. You'll get a list of names and a script you can follow -- simplypick up the phone and start calling now:

Head over to your local Obama headquarters. Our offices across the state need as much help as they can get this afternoon, so find an office in your area and join us right away: Every voter contacted is one more possible vote for Barack. Everything we've worked for together comes down to what we do in these next few hours.

Please don't stop working until the polls close at 8:00 p.m.

Barack Obama Votes and So Should You

Thomas Kelley — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 11:17:16 EST

Find your polling location at voteforchange.com or call 1-877-OBAMA-WI

There's still time...to be part of history. Find out where here.

There's Still Time to Get to Polls this Morning!

Ian Jungbacker — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 10:22:04 EST

There's still so much that needs to be done today.

If you've already voted this morning -- stop by your local Campaign for Change office and see what you can do to get others out to the polls!

If you haven't voted yet, get to the polls as soon as you can!

Seen in Stevens Point This Morning

Ian Jungbacker — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 10:15:45 EST

There's still time to volunteer or make calls from home!

You Can Register to Vote and Vote On Election Day

Thomas Kelley — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 09:55:32 EST

Polls are open. If you have not registered to vote yet, you can do so at the polls. Watch this message from actress/model Joy Bryant on how easy it is to register and vote today, Election day.

Find you polling location at voteforchange.com.

After you have voted...

Help others make their voice heard. Find the nearest location where you can make a difference here.

Polls are Now Open in Wisconsin!

Ian Jungbacker — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 08:23:51 EST

The polls are now Open in Wisconsin!

You haven't registered to vote you can do so at your polling location. Go to our Wisconsin Voter Guide if you have any questions about voting or registering to vote today.

Today is the day Wisconsin makes its voice heard loud and clear. The polls have just opened and will remain open until 8pm tonight. If you haven't registered take your photo ID and proof of residency so you can register at the voting booth. Bring your friends and family with you to the polls or ask them if they need help to getting there.

Polls will only be open for 13 hours -- 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. -- and we're anticipating high turnout, so try to vote as soon asa you can today.

Then stop by your local Campaign for Change office and see what you can do to help get out the vote in your community!

Airplanes For Obama

Thomas Kelley — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 04:48:35 EST

Today's the Day

Ian Jungbacker — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 04:32:21 EST

Polls open in just about 3 hours.

The National Weather Service says that the weather today couldn't be better in just about all parts of Wisconsin:

Appleton: Mostly sunny, high of 71 degrees.

Ashland: Partly sunny, high of 66 degrees.

Green Bay: Mostly sunny, high of 70 degrees.

Oshkosh: Mostly sunny, high of 71 degrees.

Janesville: Mostly sunny, high of 72 degrees.

La Crosse: Partly sunny, high of 72 degrees.

Madison: Mostly sunny, high of 71 degrees.

Milwaukee: Mostly sunny, high of 72 degrees.

Rhinelander: Slight chance of showers (20%), high of 64 degrees.

Sheboygan: Mostly sunny, high of 52 degrees.

Superior: Partly sunny, high of 63 degrees.

Wausau: Slight chance of showers (20%), high of 66 degrees.

Vote as soon as you can today then stop by your local Campaign for Change office and see what you can do to win Wisconsin!

"We Still Have a Lot of Work to Do"

Ian Jungbacker — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 22:03:09 EST

Polls open in just under 10 hours.

Let's win this thing, Wisconsin!

Video: Concert For Change

Thomas Kelley — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 14:30:23 EST

This weekend the Campaign for Change welcomed Jeff Tweedy, John Stirratt, and Pat Sansone of the band Wilco to Madison. Joined by Senator Russ Feingold and Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin, the band played a short set before Congresswoman Baldwin led attendees on an Early Vote March to the Municipal Clerks office in order to vote ahead of Election Day. Watch the video below and then go vote. Today is the last day of Early Voting. Election Day is tomorrow Tuesday, November 4th.

Find your early voting location or Election Day polling location at voteforchange.com

Early Voting Closes in Four Hours!

Ian Jungbacker — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 13:52:56 EST

Today's your last chance to vote early in Wisconsin. All clerk's offices will stop issuing in-person absentee ballots at 5:00 p.m. this evening.

If you haven't early voted yet, be sure to hit your municipal clerk's office before dinner.

Photos submitted by Bobbie.

DECLARACIÓN GENERAL ACERCA DE LA VOTACIÓN CON PEDRO COLON

Thomas Kelley — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 13:12:18 EST

Get Out the Vote, Wisconsin!

Ian Jungbacker — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 11:54:03 EST

Photo by Bobbie

Polls close in 32 hours -- there's still time to vote early, find your local Campaign for Change office and reach out to voters today!

Get Out the Vote, Wisconsin!

Ian Jungbacker — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 05:55:57 EST

Photo by Bobbie Polls close in Wisconsin in 37 hours -- there's still time to vote early, find your local Campaign for Change office and reach out to voters today!

Get Out the Vote, Wisconsin!

Ian Jungbacker — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 05:33:50 EST

Photo by Bobbie

Polls close in Wisconsin in 39 hours -- there's still time to vote early, find your local Campaign for Change office and reach out to voters today!

One Day To Change The World

Thomas Kelley — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 01:16:45 EST

Let's Win This Thing. Be part of history now.

Guion de Derechos de Votante

Thomas Kelley — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 15:02:17 EST

Get out the Vote!

Ian Jungbacker — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 14:16:58 EST

The Campaign for Change's Get out the Vote (GOTV) operation is in full swing all across Wisconsin as thousands of volunteers are reaching out to undecided voters and reminding supporters to get to the polls.

At the Monroe Street office in Madison members of the Madison O's organizing team got some last minute instructions before venturing out into the neighboring wards. At the South Side office on Park street entire families took out canvassing packets and hit the streets to spread the word. And at the UW student office downtown volunteers worked late into the evening readying door hangers for the last days of the campaign.

Have a look at some of the action:

There's still time to help Get out the Vote for Barack -- stop by your local Campaign for Change office right now!

Wilco ... Madison ... Need I Say More?

Ian Jungbacker — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 23:29:19 EDT

Today in Madison, supporters of Brack Obama -- and great music -- were provided with a post-Halloween treat at an afternoon Concert for Change featuring Jeff Tweedy, John Stirratt and Pat Sansone of the legendary Midwestern band Wilco.

Sen. Russ Feingold introduced the event's special guests by describing how a staffer had turned him on to the band during the long drives between stops of his famously frequent travels across Wisconsin ... and there were few people with bigger smiles on their faces than Sen. Feingold when he took his seat to listen to the show after welcoming the special guests.

The band played a diverse set from their repertoire that included "Wilco the Song" -- a new number they debuted on The Colbert Report just two nights ago.

After the gig, Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin led a march to the Madison municipal clerk's office, where concert-goers and supporters cast their ballots.

Check out some photos from this afternoon:

UPDATE: Uppity Wisconsin has more from the show, complete with play list.

Happy (Second Night of) Halloween, Wisconsin!

Ian Jungbacker — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 19:09:13 EDT

Even though Halloween was yesterday, it's a safe bet to suggest that in many cities around Wisconsin the festivities are continuing well into this evening ... which is a great excuse for sharing these wonderful pumpkins that supporters Emily, Marilyn, Janet and Carolyn sent us:

Early Voting Hours Extended in Madison -- Now Open Tomorrow

Ian Jungbacker — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 15:04:15 EDT

From the Cap Times:

The Madison City Clerk's Office has extended early voting hours over the weekend due to demand.

The Clerk's Office will be open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Eligible voters can register and vote by absentee ballot until 5 p.m. Monday in the Clerk's Office -- in Room 103 in the City-County Building, 210 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.

Polling places open for Election Day Tuesday at 7 a.m. Voters must be in line by 8 p.m. to be eligible to vote. To find out where to vote, visit the city clerk's Web site.

The View from State Highway 81

Ian Jungbacker — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 14:42:35 EDT

Photo by Joseph from HQ

Vote Now! Vote Early!

Thomas Kelley — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 16:39:58 EDT

Municipal Clerks offices are still open around the state.

You can go vote right now.

You can go register and vote right now.

Find your early vote location at www.voteforchange.com.

Happy Halloween, Wisconsin!

Ian Jungbacker — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 12:35:25 EDT

Many thanks to Matt and Monica for emailing these photos!Send us your photos and stories to wisconsin@barackobama.com.

If you went trick or treating when you were younger (or took the kids around the neighborhood earlier this week) then you already know how much fun knocking on doors is.

There are only four days left...

Wisconsin Students Getting out the Vote

Ian Jungbacker — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 11:25:11 EDT

Today Joseph from HQ highlights some of the outstanding work being done by Wisconsin's students -- some of whom aren't even old enough to vote yet, but are still making their voices heard.

Voting age or not, the students of Wisconsin are showing up en masse to help Barack carry the state on election day. Across Wisconsin, at any given time, you're likely to encounter students on the phones, knocking on doors, or organizing campaign rallies.

For Katherin, a student at Beloit College who recently studied in Sénégal, this election is about supporting a candidate who will improve America's image abroad.

"Our reputation in the world has diminished in the last eight years. It's important to have a well-respected leader around the world."

Katherine points to Barack's ability to inspire, reminding us that "he got close to 80% student participation in the primaries... an incredible achievement!"

Mindy, a student at University of Wisconsin in Plateville, believes Barack is a natural choice among students because his positions are more in line with the views of today's youth. In her case, it's his views on the environment, among others, that propelled her from supporting him in the primaries to working in between classes as an intern. "The previous administration has a bad record on the environment. It's short-sighted that we haven't invested in greener technologies...and I feel Barack will do something about it."

Mindy and many of her fellow students working with the campaign in Plateville have voted early. "I voted two weeks ago," says Carlee Bocker, another student at UW Platevillle. "I voted early because I will be busy on election day getting out the vote."

For Jennifer, a 17 year-old high school student in Monroe, the idea that anyone of voting age wouldn't use their democratic right is enraging. "Your vote matters. If you don't use it, your opinion isn't heard."

Perhaps seeing how engaged she has become in the political process, her parents will be voting in this election for the first time in their lives. She says it's the first time her parents have felt a there is a candidate was worth voting for.

And they're voting for Barack Obama.

Get your friends involved, get your parents involved, get your community involved: sign up to help get out the vote for Barack Obama this weekend!

Happy Halloween!!

Thomas Kelley — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 01:00:01 EDT

Beware of Robots!

Defeat the Robots! Sign up to volunteer for Get out the vote weekend now!

1-877-OBAMA-WI

Thomas Kelley — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 22:01:44 EDT

Call 877-OBAMA-WI with any questions on:

1) Where to vote - Find your Early Vote Location or Election Day Polling Location
2) How to vote
3) Talk to our Voter Protection team
4) Finding a field office to volunteer
5) Get a Ride to the Polls

Call 877-OBAMA-WI and make your voice heard today!

Friends Helping Friends Vote Early in Beloit

Ian Jungbacker — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 19:33:57 EDT

Joseph from HQ got to take part in a wonderful display of friends helping friends get to the polls this week. Here's his story from the road:

While I was in Beloit speaking to volunteers, I asked a woman named Samira if we could chat. "Okay," she answered, "but I'm about to head out to drive a voter to City Hall so she can vote early, can we talk in the car?"

How could I pass up that opportunity?

We hopped into her car and drove out to pick up our voter friend. "We're driving to pick up someone who wants to vote, but she's not in the best condition and was worried about making the trip on election day. I told her about early voting, and she said that her condition prevented her from driving. So I offered to pick her up!"

Three minutes later we arrived at Ms. Miller's house. Samira walked her to the car and as we drove to City Hall, her friend Ms. Miller told us why she was voting for Barack:

"He's the right one. It's about who will do the job to help us. It's been messed up for a long time and I'm hoping he'll straighten it out."

Having spent the last six months in the hospital, she said she wanted to vote and that nothing would get in her way. Indeed, with Samira's help, nothing did get in her way.

Voting early was quick 'n easy:

1. Samira picked her up at her home.
2. Five minutes later, we arrived at City Hall
3. Ms. Miller registered to vote and cast her ballot
5. We left City Hall and Ms. Miller had a broad smile and a jump in her step.

From the time Samira left the Campaign for Change office to the time she returned, the trip took about 20 minutes.

After we brought Ms. Miller home, Samira told me why she took a week off work to help people like Ms. Miller: "I was compelled by Barack Obama...with the economy being the number one issue, I wanted to do my part to help him win." She will be joined later this week by her 8 year-old son, who has been equally inspired by Barack.

Help get out the vote this week in your community!

He Said He Would Hate To Live In Milwaukee?

Thomas Kelley — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 22:32:04 EDT

Get Involved! Help keep Wisconsin blue for Barack by volunteering here.

American Stories, American Solutions

Thomas Kelley — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 21:06:13 EDT

There is still time to be part of history. Sign up now to help get the vote out for Barack.

Russ Feingold: Every Vote Makes a Difference

Ian Jungbacker — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 18:38:04 EDT

Joseph from HQ made stops up to the Fox River Valley Yesterday to swing by a pair of campus events with U.S. Russ Feingold. Here's what he found:

In front of two packed houses at Lawrence University in Appleton and University of Wisconsin in Oshkosh, Senator Russ Feingold encouraged students and non-students alike to give one final push in these last but crucial days of the campaign. At this point in the game, the most important thing a supporter can do to get Barack elected, is to help get out the vote, he told the cheering crowds.

Fiengold -- on a tour of six central Wisconsin college campuses this week -- set out to rally supporters and encourage them all to vote early. "It's important that as many people as possible are available to help on election day," Fiengold said.

The three-term U.S. Senator pointed to the first time he was elected as an example for why every ounce of help makes a difference. "In 1982, I ran for the State Senate. I was 29, running against a well-established 83 year-old incumbent. I knocked on over 15,000 doors and at first count, I had lost by 19 votes. After three weeks of recounting, I ended up winning by 31 votes. The only reason I'm here today is because of the hard work my supporters gave me a the last minute."

Take it as a lesson learned, he emphasized. "I need you to push at the last minute to get the kind of victory we need."

Working for Change in Kenosha

Ian Jungbacker — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 14:19:04 EDT

Here's another dispatch from Joseph here at HQ -- this time from Kenosha

When Richard first heard Barack Obama speak two years ago, he felt like he had stepped into a time machine and transported back to the 1970s, a time Richard remembers, as one filled with hope and endless possibilities.

"I felt we had hope for a change. When I left the rally, I felt enlightened...Barack was a breath of fresh air."

The long-time Kenosa resident is joined by Jeremy in holding hope for a better future. The economics student is a former Republican who grew disillusioned with the divisive politics of the GOP and John McCain. He points to Barack's ability to bridge the gap between Democrats and Republicans as a necessary and crucial step to helping America reach its potential.

"I feel that Barack's absolutely inclusive of all people. He's the leader that wil make decisions that help everyone in this country. Seeing Colin Powell support Obama was something else. He's a former hero of mine and to see him support someone I believe in is amazing."

He believes this campaign is about not only the economy, but also social issues. "Whether it's for LGBT rights or people with disabilities, I know Obama will do great work on that."

Richard, who suffers from a disability, complete's the circle:

"As handicapped people, we're not treated equally. I think Barack will make it better for everyone, for all human beings in this country."

Help get out the vote for Barack Obama today -- find your local Campaign for Change office, invite your friends and family to vote early or reach out to voters today!

Wausau Daily Herald Endorses Barack

Ian Jungbacker — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 11:42:55 EDT

The distinctly different challenges the United States faces today demand a deliberative, steady and thoughtful leader who will guide our nation through what are sure to be a very perilous next four years.

Barack Obama is the man for that job.

[...]

We base our endorsement not just upon Obama's promise of hope and change, but also upon his positions on issues of importance to Americans.

Read the entire editorial here.

Help get out the vote for Barack Obama today -- find your local Campaign for Change office, invite you friends and family to vote early or reach out to voters today!

"We have to Work like Our Future Depends on it this Last Week, Because it does Depend on it this Week"

Ian Jungbacker — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 23:15:45 EDT

See the whole speech here.

Help get out the vote for Barack Obama today -- find your local Campaign for Change office, invite you friends and family to vote early or reach out to voters today!

Take Election Day Off and Help Make History

Thomas Kelley — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 20:45:59 EDT

Sign up here to take Election Day off.

Bringing Hope to Janesville!

Ian Jungbacker — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 18:27:00 EDT
Joseph from HQ brings us another update from the road.

The Milton Street campaign office in Janesville has a unique buzz about it. Sure, it looks like your typical office -- mounds of paraphernalia posted on all the walls and windows, papers strewn about and empty boxes of candy stacked by the recycling bin -- but the people who volunteer in this office give it a much different feel.

Trying to sit down with any of the volunteers for a brief interview proves to be a small challenge. Every two minutes someone new walks into the office asking for a yard sign, stickers, or information on how to vote early. As one volunteer tends to the visitor, another walks in and is cared for by a second volunteer. The chatter brings the office to life; every sentence ends with an upwards, positive inflection. In a city that has been hit hard by the GM plant closing, this campaign has taken on a special meaning -- there's a cautious hope in the air.

John has lived in Janesville his entire life - over 40 years. He voted for Barack Obama in the primaries, inspired by his economic policy. "His message is really important here in Janesville, he says. John's brother has worked at GM for over 20 years and has been hit hard by news of the closing. John was encouraged by Barack's emphasis on having the federal government assist the auto industry:

"Janesville has been making SUVs; our hope is that another product could be lined up. It's something that speaks to us because the economy is in precarious shape."

"Just seeing the decay of the middle class" spurns Lisa, another dedicated volunteer at this office, as she explains why she and her husband got involved in a political campaign for the first time in their lives. "I heard Barack speak and he stirred something in me like never before." Lisa wants to see the America she remembers returned:

"He made me feel like there was hope for this country, the country I grew up in, the one my father fought for in World War Two."

Learn How Easy It Is To Vote Early With Governor Napolitano of Arizona

Thomas Kelley — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 10:37:26 EDT

With interest in this election growing day by day, the expectation of large voter turnout is example of the continued strength of our Democracy. Many people have taken the opportunity to vote early rather than wait to vote on Election Day, November 4th. Skipping the lines and thus skipping the hassle of waiting until one single day, voters can vote now and its easy. Why wait till Election Day, do it on your own time now.
Watch the video below and learn how from Janet Napolitano, the current two term Governor of John McCain's home state of Arizona:
Find your municipal clerks office at www.voteforchange.com
Already voted? Take the second step towards electing barack by volunteering to get out the vote.

The Kenosha News Endorses Barack Obama

Ian Jungbacker — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 08:12:56 EDT

We strongly encourage readers to vote for Barack Obama for president.

[...]

By contrast [to McCain's campaign], Obama has been steady, thoughtful and inspirational. His "change-we-can-believe-in" campaign inspired thousands of people to get involved in politics for the first time. He's a Harvard lawyer, but he worked as a community organizer and consumer advocate before he went to law school. He has risen from humble beginnings to run for president.

In this brilliant campaign, he has earned our vote.

You can find the whole editorial here.

Help get out the vote for Barack Obama today -- find your local Campaign for Change office, invite you friends and family to vote early or reach out to voters today!

Looking at the Big Picture in Wisconsin Rapids

Ian Jungbacker — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 17:10:18 EDT
Here's another dispatch from Joseph from HQ -- this one comes from a recent stop in Wisconsin Rapids.

Nationwide, Barack Obama has inspired a generation of young Americans to get involved in the political process. Evidence of this is on full display at the Wisconsin Rapids field office. Walk in at 5:00 p.m. on any given day and you'll find Jamie working the phones tirelessly.

The 23 year-old University of Wisconsin graduate is an "intense" observer of politics. Having started out as a Republican in high school, she's now heavily involved in the campaign to get Barack Obama elected to the White House. She's doing so because she wants to see America live up to its promise:

"While Obama will have a heavy burden, I think he's better positioned to help our image abroad."

Having studied abroad and graduating with a degree in International Studies, Jamie is keeping a close eye on what this election means for America's position in the world. And she's not alone.

Sitting a couple feet over from her is Debby, a retired social worker who has also chosen to support Obama because of his foreign policy:

"The war is a major issue. I have been primarily concerned about people being killed in Iraq."

She means it. Debby, like Barack, has been against the War in Iraq since it began in 2003. Now she and her like-minded neighbors make phone calls every Sunday night to help promote Obama's plan to end the war responsibly. It's the first time Debby has been this involved in a presidential campaign and she attributes who motivation to Obama's youth and energy.

Join Jamie, Debby and the thousands of supporters around Wisconsin working for change this election season!Help get out the vote for Barack Obama today -- find your local Campaign for Change office, invite you friends and family to vote early or reach out to voters today!

Barack Obama is Endorsed by the La Crosse Tribune

Ian Jungbacker — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 13:50:20 EDT

The La Crosse Tribune endorses Sen. Barack Obama, the Democrat from Illinois, to provide the change in leadership, hope and vision we need to restore faith in our future and restore trust among our world partners.

[...]

Obama combines the discipline of pay-as-you-go budgeting with plans to reinvest in our crumbling national infrastructure and reduce our carbon emissions by 80 percent by the middle of this century -- a more thoughtful, visionary approach to an energy policy than simply crying, "Drill, Baby, Drill."

[...]

We believe Barack Obama will provide the leadership and inspiration we need.

Check out the whole endorsement. For a look back on Barack's visit to La Crosse earlier this month, click here and here.

Write a letter to the editor of you local newspaper and tell them why you support Barack!

Help get out the vote for Barack Obama today -- find your local Campaign for Change office, invite you friends and family to vote early or reach out to voters today!

The Chippewa Herald Endorses Barack Obama

Ian Jungbacker — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 11:12:09 EDT

Americans feel the need for new leadership, a renewal of our national spirit, and a desperate need to pull together in tough times.
This election is about such needs, not individual planks in a campaign platform. That's why the Herald endorses Barack Obama for president.
[...]
Restoring health to the nation's economy will be even more difficult considering the mess that the nation finds itself in at this point. It will likely require patience, sacrifice and a positive attitude from the American people. That will require inspirational leadership from the nation's president, and there is every reason to believe that is Obama's greatest strength.

Read the whole editorial here.

Help get out the vote for Barack Obama today -- find your local Campaign for Change office or invite you friends and family to vote early today!

Adams County is Ready for Change

Ian Jungbacker — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 09:49:32 EDT
Joseph from HQ is winding his way through the heat of America's Dairyland on his tour of the Badger State. He stopped by the Campaign for Change office in Adams County to check out what's been going on in central Wisconsin.

Adams may be a small town, but the folks here are pulling a herculean effort to bring a change to America.

"After the primaries, there was an expectation that Clinton supporters wouldn't come out for Obama," says Steve. "But there was none of that -- people jumped in to help Obama. I can't believe the number of volunteers we have."

It's not enough that this small town is focused on painting its own county blue on November 4th -- they're lending a hand to surrounding districts including Madison and Milwaukee.

So involved are they in helping Madison out, many will be voting early. "I'll be voting early because we're all going to Madison on Election Day to help get out the vote, says Bonnie, a frequent volunteer in the Adams office.

It's something Bonnie doesn't take for granted:

"Some people tell me they're not going to vote. But I tell them, 'you have to think ahead for your children and grandchildren."

Karen, a seasoned volunteer, has been phoning voters in Madison to encourage them to vote early "because lines will be long" on Election Day.

"I spoke to one man in La Crosse who waited four hours to vote in 2004. He got fed up and went home without voting, The voter turnout will be tremendous this year, and it's important to vote early."

It's incredible to see such a motivated community bringing change to neighboring communities. Help them make a difference. Call neighbors, volunteer, help get out the vote.

Don't delay! Email your friends and family today to vote early!

The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel Endorses Barack Obama

Ian Jungbacker — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 20:45:26 EDT

The Bush administration has bumbled from crisis to crisis for nearly eight years, competence gone AWOL. The nation needs resuscitating change like a new baby needs that first breath of air.

Two would-be successors pledge it. But Barack Obama is more believable. We recommend him to be the 44th president of the United States.

Obama's vision and potential to be that change agent trump his relative lack of experience, though the experience he possesses is valuable. The maturity and calm demeanor he has exhibited these past two years in the public spotlight and earlier, speak to able, careful, inclusive leadership. And he is simply the better of the two on the issues.

Read the whole editorial here.

Get involved! Help get out the vote for Barack Obama!

A Look at the Campaign for Change in Sauk County

Ian Jungbacker — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 18:33:10 EDT
Joseph from HQ sends more news from the road making a quick swing through Baraboo for a frop-by the Campaign for Change office in Sauk County. Here's what he found:

Throughout this campaign, Barack Obama has encouraged people to take ownership of the political process. That's exactly what a close-knit team of volunteers in Baraboo are doing.

Cynthia, a Michigan native who has lived in Baraboo for the past five years, volunteers three days a week, "I assist in the office. It's almost therapeutic."

Cynthia enjoys the bottom-up, grassroots approach that Obama has inspired. "I think Barack emphasizes we will work together, not I".

Working together has become a trademark for this team. "This team's done very well. They meet every Monday night and they all attend. They have taken on ownership of their roles," says Sarah, the Sauk County field organizer.

Team Leader Susan, a retired first-grade teacher is the architect of the team. Having volunteered on the Kerry campaign in 2004 she tapped her fellow '04 teammates to help Obama, and they were all eager to pitch in. "It's been a wonderful experience ever since," she says.

As fellow team member Nick, a 16-year resident of Baraboo, says, it's only natural in these circumstances:

You know when people are focused on something good, it's a momentous occasion. I've never seen anything like it in Baraboo before.

Join Cynthia, Susan and Nick in taking politics into your own hands -- get your friends to vote early or find the nearest Campaign for Change office and volunteer to Get out the Vote!

"Defining Moment"

Ian Jungbacker — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 14:12:31 EDT

Vote With Your Friends!

Ian Jungbacker — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 12:54:57 EDT

There's still time to get your friends involved in Barack's movement for change.

Arrange a time to vote early with your friends today!

Barack is Endorsed by the Stevens Point Journal

Ian Jungbacker — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 10:38:01 EDT
The Stevens Point Journal is the latest Wisconsin newspaper to endorse Barack Obama:

[Obama's] campaign is rooted in providing hope and inspiring Americans to find new solutions to combat problems in this new century. This philosophy is important considering the challenges the next president will face during the next four years, among them crafting a new strategy for Iraq and a financial system in tatters in part because of the skewing of wealth into fewer hands.

Obama also has excited people about the democratic process like few candidates in recent memory. Millions of potential voters considered "on the fringe" -- young adults, African Americans and Latinos -- have been energized to become involved and active in government.

Join the movement for change -- sign up to help get out the vote today!

Voices for Change: Jean Marie in Madison

Ian Jungbacker — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 19:54:57 EDT

Our friend Joseph here at Wisconsin HQ is traveling around Wisconsin talking with some of the amazing volunteers who have made Barack's movement for change possible. Joseph will be filing reports from all over the Badger state during the next few days -- stop by for more great stories of remarkable people working for change.

Like many Obama supporters across the state, Jean Marie was inspired by Barack's message of hope and change to get involved in politics for the first time in her life.

I watched the primaries, and for Barack Obama to be our choice - I sat there in awe. I couldn't be more thrilled to do what it takes to get him elected.

Jean Marie -- a nurse at the University of Wisconsin Hospital and mother of four -- soon learned that she wasn't alone in her excitement for Barack's message of change. After visiting Barack's website and seeing an invitation to attend the opening of the Monroe Street Campaign for Change office in Madison, she chose to attend, and expected only a handful of people to attend.

But the place was packed -- overflowing onto the street, more than anyone could have imagined.

And she hasn't looked back since. Having logged over 800 phone calls since September, she has become an integral part of the campaign in Wisconsin. She's a phone bank virtuoso, using the phones to persuade folks from around the state to join Barack's movement for change, all the while recruiting out-of-state supporters to Drive to Wisconsin for Election Day

Jean Marie gets her energy from the people she speaks with. Her most memorable call was with Lois, a 74 year-old life-long Republican. Jean Marie was expecting the call to be hostile, but found that both Lois and her husband were leaning towards Obama.

After asking her why, we talked and we talked. This kind of work is about people's stories. Lois is courageous to be open-minded to think of changing her life-long affiliation.

Perhaps it's these kind of calls that help Jean Marie believe that "change is possible to take this titanic country and steer it in the right direction." She's keenly aware that there are still 11 long days left in this campaign. "We can't take anything for granted."

And so she will continue to be welcome fixture at the Monroe Street campaign office. Working overtime to get out the vote in Wisconsin, Jean Marie is no doubt an inspiration to those around her. Like so many others, she has taken ownership of this campaign.

There's only a few days left to join Join Jean Marie -- sign up to win Wisconsin for Barack today!

Hope for Healthcare

Thomas Kelley — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 16:54:42 EDT

Learn more about the Obama/Biden healthcare plan here.
Get involved - Make Phone Calls - Go Door to Door - Sign up to work on Election Day

Gov. Janet Napolitano Barnstorms through Wisconsin

Ian Jungbacker — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 10:53:49 EDT
Arziona Governor Janet Napolitano began a tour of Wisconsin yesterday by stopping by the Campaign for Change's Madison field office.

From the Badger Herald:

“Wisconsin is a battleground state, and we have got to get the vote out,” Napolitano said. Napolitano emphasized the differences between Obama and Republican John McCain, who is also from Arizona, saying their economic policies differ greatly, with McCain giving tax cuts to the wealthy while Obama focuses more on the middle class.

Gov. Napolitano and Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar also headlined the Democratic Party of Wisconsin's annual Elanor Roosevelt Dinner last night. From Wispolitics.com:

Napolitano said Eleanor Roosevelt’s call to women in 1933 to engage in the political process as never before and to unite to solve the nation’s problems remains essential to “the new New Deal that we’re going to inaugurate in this country in January.”

She recalled her work as chairwoman of the Democratic Party’s national platform committee, where she served with U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwin, D-Madison, in calling the Obama-Biden ticket “the strongest on women’s issues in history.”

Napolitano will be making appearances today in Stevens Point, Appleton, West Bend and Oak Creek.

Barack Obama's Message to First Americans

Ian Jungbacker — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 10:20:23 EDT

The Obama Tax Calculator

Thomas Kelley — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 15:53:59 EDT

Barack Obama is proposing a TAX CUT for 95% of Americans. He is proposing larger TAX CUTS for Americans than John McCain is. Earlier in the week, the Campaign for Change shot a video of an undecided voter using the Obama Tax Cut Calculator. The Calculator allows Americans to enter their financial information, none of which is stored, and receive a comparison of the tax cut Barack Obama's plan is offering versus that of John McCain's.
Watch as this undecided voter uses the Obama Tax Cut Calculator to determine who they are going to vote for.

Find out how much your taxcut is today right here with the Obama Tax Cut Calculator.

Bama Bus Rolls Through Madison

Thomas Kelley — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 11:05:03 EDT

Grassroots organizing is about building from the bottom up to effect change at the top. Barack's community organizing roots provided him with the political philosophy that change happens when ordinary people come together in communities for a common goal. This movement for change has been grown by people owning a piece of this campaign by organizing their communities and spreading Barack's message of change in unique ways.
Whether using our online tool Neighbor to Neighbor, which allows people to print lists of potential voters in their area to call or go door to door with, becoming Neighborhood Team Leaders through our Unite for Change Neighborhood teams, or using my.barackobama.com to create online organizing groups to fight smears, raise money for the campaign, recruit volunteers and blog about the change happening on a local level; Barack Obama's supporters have embraced a level of grassroots organizing never seen before.
This has been relevant with the amount of unique T-shirts, signs, and messaging that have virally popped up across the nation and the world. The enthusiasm for change that has caused people to quit their jobs, put their lives on hold and work for change has proven Barack's decision to run for President some twenty one months ago to be a sound decision. It was also evident in Madison this weekend when a Gadi and Annie rolled through town in their "Bama Bus".
Creating T-shirts and selling them for gas money while they travel through battleground states to spread the message of change for Barack Obama, these artists are doing what they can to take action towards taking our country back. Watch the video here of their stop in Madison and here what they are doing to put their enthusiasm into action.
Follow the travels of the "Bama Bus" here through the battleground state tour.
Get Grassroots! Contact voters using our Neighbor to Neighbor tool and own a piece of history.

News from Around Wisconsin

Ian Jungbacker — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 10:31:08 EDT
Former Republican State Senator Barbara Lorman of Jefferson County is endorsing Barack Obama. The trailblazing Lorman was the first Republican woman to serve in the state Senate and the first woman from any party to win re-election to the body.

From the Capital Times:

"I'm a lifelong Republican, but Senator Obama is the right leader for our country and will deliver the change we need," she says. "After taking a careful look at the qualities of both McCain and Obama and who would be best for our country, I found that Senator Obama's ability to bridge the partisan divide to work toward solid solutions that will get our nation back on the right track meant he is the right choice this November."

Lorman joins Republicans from all over the state in supporting Barack.

Early voting is a big hit in Milwaukee, according to WTMJ-4:

There are only two weeks until Election Day, but why wait?

You can vote now if you're ready.

An unprecedented number of people have already cast their ballot in Milwaukee.

The city is seeing 500 early voters a day, and they're not alone. It's been busy at city halls and town halls all across the state.

Don't wait! Vote today ... and bring your friends!

The Jefferson County Union was at UW-Whitewater yesterday, where Gov. Doyle recalled how he came to support Barack during Wisconsin's February primary:

[I]n my case, my two sons - one in his early thirties and one in his late twenties, along with my daughters-in-law - just kept after me to support (Obama)."

Doyle noted that at first, he gave his children pat answers.

"But then I decided I needed to look through their eyes, not necessarily my eyes," the governor recalled. "In their eyes, Barack Obama showed he was a candidate that could build a great future. He was a candidate that represented getting past political fights that have gone on for 40 years. The divisions that happened in the 1960s have been fighting for 40 years. With Obama, we had a candidate that was a candidate that showed us what the future could be."

And last, but not least, the Capital Times became the second Wisconsin newspaper to endorse Barack.

Read the whole editorial here.

Around Wisconsin: Campaign for Change is in Full Swing!

Ian Jungbacker — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 14:02:11 EDT
With only two weeks left until Wisconsin goes to the polls the Campaign for Change is charging to the finish line at full speed.

Here's some news from around the Badger State:

In Janesville the Gazette has a wonderful profile on the flurry of activity buzzing around the local Obama Campaign for Change office:

[Gina] Smith, 56, of Janesville is among hundreds of volunteers across the state who are spending several hours each week making phone calls and going door-to-door in their communities, talking to voters about Obama.

"(The local campaign headquarters) is the up-close and personal connection between the campaign and the community," said Phil Walzak, communications director for the Obama campaign in Wisconsin. "It's the vehicle by which our campaign talks to voters on a one-on-one basis. It's the home base for activity."

The Obama campaign is "robust" in Wisconsin with 50 offices across the state, not only in areas that are Democratic strongholds but also in areas that are staunchly Republican, he said. And the success of the campaign in a battleground state such as Wisconsin depends on volunteers who week after week spread the word about Obama, he said.

In Racine the Journal Times reports on a visit to the local Campaign for Change office by Gov. Jim Doyle. The paper notes that Barack's movement for change won't just stop on November 4th:

Earlier, while waiting for [Gov.] Doyle to appear, Obama volunteer Brent Nance of Caledonia said the grass-roots organization working on Obama's behalf will be active even beyond Nov. 4.

"Obama is taking his training (as a community political organizer) and spreading it nationwide," said Nance, an Obama "team member" for a segment of Caledonia. Each city has a set of teams, he explained, that work together and become acquainted with each other during the campaign.

"When the election is over, we'll still have a network," Nance said. "So when the next election happens, we don't have to start all over. You will see them more active on local issues."

And up in the Northwoods folks in Rhinelander welcomed Gov. Chet Culver of Iowa:

Democratic Governor Chet Culver spoke to nearly 50 people at the Rhinelander District Library this afternoon.

Culver emphasized Barack Obama's concern for Wisconsin's agriculture, small communities and renewable energy.

The Governor says the last 18 days of the election are important here in Wisconsin. "We've got work to do. And that's why I'm crisscrossing Iowa and criss crossing Wisconsina and working with my fellow Governors like Jim Doyle and others who are so excited about Barack Obama's candidacy."

Obama supporters at today's event say it's important to have other politicians endorse the candidates in smaller communities.

Alan Vanraalte, an Obama supporter, says, "I think it's absolutely vital that they do. if it weren't the candidates would be spread pretty thin and they need to go to where the population centers are."

There are only two weeks left to experience the beginning of Barack's movement for change!

Sing up to volunteer to canvass this weekend or for a get out the vote shift.

Livestreaming: Barack Obama in Florida

Ian Jungbacker — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 10:47:22 EDT
The Event Starts at 10:00 a.m. CDT:

*Note: If you are having problems with viewing the live video or hearing the audio, refresh your browser.

*Start times appear as scheduled but may be subject to delay.

UPDATE:

The event is now over. Check back later for a link to the video from the event.

Charlie Bell of the Milwaukee Bucks Wants You to Get Out and Vote

Ian Jungbacker — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 18:22:17 EDT

Bradley Whitford Comes Back Home

Ian Jungbacker — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 10:33:37 EDT
Yesterday Madison native and actor Bradley Whitford made several stops around Wisconsin to speak with and thank supporters and volunteers.

From the Cap Times:

SUN PRAIRIE -- Actor Bradley Whitford, who spent seven years working in a fictional White House in "The West Wing," knows a thing or two about real-life campaigns as well. The Madison native previously stumped for former Democratic presidential candidates Al Gore and John Kerry before hitting the trail in support of current Democratic nominee Barack Obama.

Whitford says things are different this time around.

"I've never felt this sense of urgency. I have three kids and I'm sick of picking up the newspaper every day and seeing their future attacked," said Whitford, who was back in Dane County Sunday. Nearly 40 people turned up for Whitford's first stop of the day at Sen. Barack Obama's campaign office in Sun Prairie.

Whitford's main message was to keep pushing despite poll numbers showing Obama pulling ahead of Republican rival Sen. John McCain.

"No matter what the polls say, run hard because I don't trust those other guys. Run hard and through the finish line," said Whitford.

UPDATE:

Check a few photos at UW Union from this morning. After speaking to over 50 students, Whitford encouraged the crowd to go vote early. The Campaign for Change had vans waiting on Langdon Street ready to take students to the Madison municipal clerk's office downtown.

Chris Walla Of Death Cab for Cutie Visits Lambeau

Thomas Kelley — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 13:06:59 EDT

Today the Green Bay Packers get ready to square off at Lambeau against the Indianapolis Colts. The team from titletown is a intricate part of the fabric of culture here in Wisconsin. But this is not just known to Wisconsinites, it is known across America. So much so that when Chris Walla, guitarist of Death Cab for Cutie, visited our Campaign for Change office in Green Bay last week to do some canvassing in the Lambeau field area, he just had to stop by.
Check out Chris' visit to Lambeau after he knocked on some doors to spread Barack's message of change.
Get involved. Sign up to volunteer to get the vote out for Barack on election day here.

Chris Walla of Death Cab for Cutie Canvasses Green Bay

Thomas Kelley — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 16:13:42 EDT

Going door to door and talking to your neighbors about Barack Obama is one of the most important ways you can help the Campaign for Change here in Wisconsin. It is easy to do. Even if you have never done it before the campaign will provide you with all the training necessary to achieve your goals. It is such an enjoyable and rewarding experience that Chris Walla, the guitarist for Death Cab for Cutie took time out of his recent worldwide concert tour to knock on doors in the Lambeau field area of Green Bay.
Watch the video here and then sign up to knock on doors in your neighborhood. With only 17 days left until Election Day, the time is now to join the Campaign for Change and be part of this historic movement for change which has gripped the nation.

Get started right now by making phone calls or going door to door in your community using our Neighbor to Neighbor tool.
or
Find your local Campaign for Change office here.

"Obama is and will remain the friend of our veterans"

Ian Jungbacker — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 12:19:30 EDT
A retired Navy captain in Brussels writes a letter to the editor of the Green Bay Press-Gazette this morning:

BRUSSELS -- We all appreciate our right and privilege to vote in local, state or federal elections; it is, however, also our duty to be informed as well as we can. Unfortunately, many rely purely on the candidates' ads and even on unsubstantiated rumors.

As a retired Navy captain and former national program director at the Department of Veterans Affairs in Washington, D.C., I remain quite interested in whatever affects our veterans. I researched the voting records of Sens. John McCain and Barack Obama on matters affecting our veterans; the difference is staggering.

McCain voted consistently against bills that improved funding for veterans and the Veterans Administration. Just as an example, McCain opposed the 21st Century GI bill because it was too generous; and in 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007, McCain voted against increasing funding for veterans health care.

In contrast, Obama co-sponsored and voted for the new GI Bill of Rights, and he helped pass 10 key veterans bills and sponsored 36 additional veterans bills since 2007. In 65 percent of the pro-veterans bills, Obama was able to get co-sponsorship from Republicans.

Obama is and will remain the friend of our veterans who have earned and deserve our support.

Dr. Joseph E. Binard

Write a letter to the editor of you local newspaper here!

Every Day is Election Day

Ian Jungbacker — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 10:13:01 EDT
The Superior Telegram reminds it's readers that they can vote early:

[Y]ou don't even have to wait until election day. City of Superior residents can go to the Government Center and vote absentee in the City Clerk's office or county residents can contact their town or village clerk for an absentee ballot. You don't have to be going out of town or traveling to justify casting an absentee ballot. Anyone can vote absentee for any reason. And if you are concerned about waiting in long lines on Election Day, you are encouraged to vote absentee. Election officials are predicting a record turnout and the Superior City Clerk's office has extra help on hand now to assist early voters.

The same is true all over Wisconsin. Head on over to your municipal clerk's office to get either register or vote early.

Find your municipal clerk's office!

Nuestro Tiempo Comienza Ahora

Thomas Kelley — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 12:30:51 EDT

En Wisconsin, usted puede registrar a votar en el dia de la election.
Para averiguar donde esta la oficina municipal de votacion en voteforchange.com.

Video: John Kerry Fires Up Obama Supporters To Vote Early

Thomas Kelley — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 17:21:02 EDT

On Tuesday John Kerry was in four cities promoting the importance of voting early here in Wisconsin. It is the first way you can help elect Barack Obama the next President. The second way is after you vote early to get out and volunteer with the Campaign for Change. It is easy to volunteer and no prior campaign experience is necessary. The staff for the Campaign for Change will provide you all the training you need.
Voting early is easy in Wisconsin. It is called In-Person Absentee Voting and you can do it today. You can go right now and vote early. You can vote early even if you're not registered or have never voted before. Simply go to your local municipal clerk's office and you can register to vote and then vote at the same time.
Just bring your Wisconsin driver's license with you or if you don't have a driver's license you can bring the last four digits of your social security number. You also can register to vote and vote at the same time with a friend who can act as a witness that you live where you are registering to vote.
To learn more on voting in Wisconsin visit our Wisconsin Election Center here.
To find your local Municipal Clerk's Office visit voteforchange.com

A Special Message for Wisconsin From John Kerry

Thomas Kelley — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 11:42:51 EDT

On Tuesday, John Kerry was in Wisconsin to promote voting early here in the Badger state. Having won Wisconsin by a margin of two votes per ward in 2004, John Kerry knows a thing or two about close elections. That's why he recorded this special message for Wisconsinites before his rally in Milwaukee Tuesday morning.

Find your early voting location here at voteforchange.com

Sen. John Kerry is Getting Wisconsin Out to Vote Early

Ian Jungbacker — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 09:26:26 EDT
On Tuesday Sen. John Kerry barn-stormed through Wisconsin to promote early voting with rallies in Milwaukee, Oshkosh, Madison and Mineral Point.

Kerry kicked off the tour in Milwaukee with a well-attended morning rally at Red Arrow Park. The Massachusetts Senator and former Democratic Presidential nominee thanked Wisconsin for narrowly going in his favor in 2004 and reminded the crowd that his margin of victory boiled down to a scant two votes per ward.

That's why Wisconsin needs to vote early, Kerry said. Voting early is convenient, easy, keeps voters from having to wait in long lines on Election Day and, most importantly, frees supporters to help volunteer to get other folks out to the polls on November 4th.

From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

Speaking to several hundred supporters of Democratic nominee Barack Obama in downtown Milwaukee, Kerry reminded rally attendees that the last election turned on one state: Ohio, which President Bush won by about 59,000 votes.

"We're not going to let that happen this time, folks," Kerry said, later adding: "Let's go vote and get the job done."

Following the rally about 350 voters made their ways across the street to vote at the Zeidler Building.

Check out some pictures from the event:

Kerry took his early vote message up to students in Oshkosh with another outdoor rally at UW-O's Reeve Memorial Union.

From the Oshkosh Northwestern:

UWO sophomore Amy Gearhart, 19, vice president of Students for Barack Obama and membership director for UWO's College Democrats, said students will play a critical role in this election.

"It was the students who turned out to vote for Gordon Hintz in 2006. It was the student who showed up to the primaries to make Barack Obama the democratic nominee for president. And it is the students that will put Barack Obama over the top in Wisconsin for the general election," Gearhart said.

Much more after the jump…

Read More!

Lets Be Clear

Thomas Kelley — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 02:40:49 EDT

John McCain on George Bush

Thomas Kelley — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 00:20:37 EDT

Speak Out - Write a Letter To The Editor

Thomas Kelley — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 19:06:05 EDT

Tonight is the third and final Presidential debate. Barack has proven through the first two that he is the clear choice for the change America needs. Tonight will prove to the nation once more that Barack's judgement and leadership on the issues that matter to Americans is why he will be the 44th President of The United States.
After the debate tonight write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper and tell them in your own words what you thought. Speak out about the issues that matter to you and your community. Remember that one voice, your voice, can change the world. It starts on the local level in your community. Be heard and write a letter to the editor using our online tool tonight.
Here at the Wisconsin Campaign for Change we made it easy for you to write a letter to the editor. Skip the hassle of the old days and use our online tool. It's an easy process. Just type in your zipcode select the local papers that you want your letter to be sent to, write your letter and then click send. Your letter will be instantly emailed to the editor's inbox of the papers you selected. Yes, that's all there is to it. If you don't believe it's that easy, watch the video we made below.

Get started and write a letter to the editor now.

Barack Goes Door to Door

Thomas Kelley — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 12:04:37 EDT

Together we have grown this grassroots movement for change. By working together in our communities across the Badger state and across the country millions of volunteers have engaged in one on one contact with voters in their communities. Whether it is using our online tool Neighbor to Neighbor, phone calling at an office or online from home, or going door to door in your community, one on one contact with neighbors discussing the issues and the message of change that Barack Obama champions has shown that ordinary people can bring about change from the bottom up.
We have all heard the stories of Barack Obama's community organizing past and his belief that ordinary people who come together on a local level can change their community and do extraordinary things. However, those experiences that helped shaped Barack's character and political philosophy are still being practiced by the candidate himself.
In the video below, Barack goes door to door in Holland, Ohio to listen to people face to face about the issues that concern them. This is the embodiment of grassroots organizing that has grown the movement for change. For Barack and millions of volunteers who have joined this movement it is not just a philosophy it is also something that they put into action everyday.

Follow Barack's example and get involed today

Find your local Campaign for Change office here.

Women's Weekend of Action: On the Road with Sarah Weddington

Ian Jungbacker — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 19:14:34 EDT

With a smile and wit the size of her native Lone Star state, Sarah Weddington knows how to tell a story - and the trail-blazing lawyer has more than a few to tell.

Weddington was only 26 years old when she took her first contested case all the way to the Supreme Court, a stunning accomplishment that was only obscured by the magnitude of the case she won: Roe v. Wade.

Now she's a law professor at the University of Texas, but has always been active in fighting for women.

"I want to tell you why this election is so important to me," she told a gathering at Beloit College. "It's the Supreme Court." Weddington estimates that the next President will be responsible for two - maybe even three - appointments to the highest court in the country. "And women have come so far in my lifetime - and we have such a long way yet to go - to turn back now."

Recalling her childhood in Texas, Weddington remembered when women's basketball was a half-court game where "traveling was called if you dribbled more than twice" and where women were only allowed three career options: teaching, nursing, and being a secretary.

Not only did Weddington break through barriers in the legal profession, but she also went on to serve in the Texas State Assembly where she mentored a legislative assistant by the name of Anne Richards who famously went on to become the first woman Governor of Texas.

But Weddington and pioneering women like her were able to break through the glass ceilings of the past because the American legal system began to recognize that women deserve to be an equal footing with men - and the only person who is going to appoint Supreme Court Justices that will continue to protect women's rights is going to be Barack Obama.

"Wisconsin is so important this election," Weddington told Beloit, "and I can't wait to be a party back in Texas on Election Night and hear the voice on the TV announce 'And we're going to call Wisconsin for Obama!'"

Check out the photo's from the entire Women's Tour featuring Sarah Weddington and Congresswomen Susan Davis and Betty McCollum:

Sen. Russ Feingold gets out the Early Vote in Racine and Kenosha!

Ian Jungbacker — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 13:26:51 EDT
Sen. Russ Feingold made stops at the city halls in Racine and Kenosha yesterday to meet with supporters who were voting early for Barack Obama. "Voting early in Wisconsin is easy, it's convenient, and it frees you up to help get others out to vote on Election Day," Sen. Feingold said.

About 50 people turned out at each event, many of whom used the opportunity to drop by their municipal clerk's offices to vote early.

The event came on a day when the Campaign for Change sent out an email featuring a video of Barack urging Wisconsin voters to take advantage of the early voting option in Wisconsin.

Obama supporters online are also getting into the early voting act - check out how to vote early in Janesville at RockNetRoots Commentary.

Sen. Feingold told both crowds how important it was to vote by recalling his first campaign for state Senate. "I knocked on over 15,000 doors and at 4:00 in the morning on election night I thought I had lost by 18 votes," he explained. "I even gave a concession speech to the 12 people who were still around. But after three weeks of recounts it turned out that I actually won by 31 votes."

Every vote counts, Sen. Feingold reiterated - especially early votes!

Invite your friends to vote early today!

Check out some pictures from the events:

Republican for Obama Speaks of Support at Party's Birthplace In Ripon

Thomas Kelley — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 14:04:21 EDT

Early in the primaries, Barack talked about "something is stirring across America". He also relayed a story after the landmark victory in the Iowa Caucuses about people pouring into a Caucus location while he was standing in the corner observing the record turnout.
As Barack was standing there hours before his victory would propel his candidacy forward with the hard work of millions of volunteers and supporters around the country, a man came up to him and introduced himself. He whispered it had been a long time since he had come out to a Democratic Caucus. Barack thanked him for coming back into the electoral process and then the man whispered again "I'm a Republican." Barack answered back to the effect of that's ok, why are we whispering.
This was just the beginning of a transformative change in American politics. As we have seen since, this movement for change has brought Republicans, Independents, and Democrats together for a common goal. In Ripon, WI the Wisconsin Campaign for Change found another Republican who exemplifies this change in America. Watch the video and then sign up to volunteer and let's finish the movement we have started together.

Sign up here to volunteer and get out the vote for Barack Obama.

Wisconsin State Journal Endorses Barack!

Ian Jungbacker — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 10:12:21 EDT

America is at a pivotal point in its history -- a difficult time that demands talented leadership to renew our nation's spirit and pull us together to meet the incredible challenges ahead.

The right leader for the time is Barack Obama.

The Wisconsin State Journal endorses the dynamic and youthful senator from Illinois for president.

Far more than his opponent, Obama represents a new direction. He has shown he can inspire and lead people to action. And his relatively short time in corrupt, self-absorbed, terribly-failed Washington, D.C., may actually be a key strength. Obama is not stuck in the status quo of the Capitol crowd or its long-failed Congress.

Read the rest of the endorsement after the jump...

Read More!

Women's Weekend of Action: On the Road with Rep. Betty McCollum

Ian Jungbacker — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 18:19:14 EDT

Following the event at UW-Parkside the Sarah Weddington and Reps. Davis and McCollum made the drive down to Beloit College to participate in a Women's Issues Forum at the small liberal arts school.

At the forum Congresswoman Betty McCollum, who represents the St. Paul, Minnesota area in Washington, told a story of campaigning with Barack in the final days of the Iowa Caucus last December.

After a long day on the campaign bus the day following Christmas the crew decided to make an unscheduled stop at the nearest convenience store. When the bus pulled into the parking lot, people began to crowd around and were joined by others from the area as a line of Iowans began to form to meet Barack.

"Towards the end there was a little four-year old girl who was dragging her father by the hand to get into line." Barack went down the line, person-by-person, shaking hands and speaking with every person until he got reach this small girl and her father. "Then he got down on a knee and started talking to this four year-old girl," McCollum said.

"That really told me something about Barack," the Congresswoman continued. "It told me that he respected everyone. That little girl couldn't caucus, but Barack literally got down to her level to talk to her."

McCollum, who sits on the House Appropriations committee, said that the brief moment in Iowa was indicative of how Barack Obama would work for the American people on the host of issues that need solutions. She reminded the audience of Obama's painful experience fighting with an insurance company as his mother was dying of cancer. "That's how Barack's going to look at health care reform," she said. "He going to look at plan and ask, 'How is this going to help the person who is need of care."

It's also how he looks at education. "Barack knows we can't ask young kids to go to schools to hear adults say, 'You're important to us and we respect you, but - by the way - the roof leaks.'"

After the forum the Weddington, Davis, and McCollum made the quick trip down to the Beloit field office to meet and speak with volunteers before the evening phone bank. They arrived to discover a pair of Beloit College students helping paint large yard signs for the campaign and the two congresswomen could resist picking up a brush to help them out.

Here's a few photos from the scene:

Women's Weekend of Action: On the Road with Rep. Susan Davis

Ian Jungbacker — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 16:13:42 EDT

The Campaign for Change's Women's Weekend of Action got started yesterday with phone banks and canvasses around Wisconsin. Thousands of supporters and volunteers helped spread the message by making phone calls, knocking on doors and having personal conversations with their neighbors about the issues that matter to them.
And this weekend they had some help from a trio of extraordinary women who came to Wisconsin to share their stories and talk about women's issues.

Reps. Susan Davis of California and Betty McCollum of Minnesota were joined by Sarah Weddington, the lawyer who successfully argued Roe v. Wade before the Supreme Court. The women went on a whirlwind tour of Southeastern Wisconsin yesterday making stops in Racine, Kenosha, Beloit, and Madison.

At UW-Parkside an even mix of women and men gathered to hear Davis, McCollum and Weddington and to ask a few questions. The women were greeted with a standing ovation upon their arrival and were asked questions frequently accompanied with words of thanks in recognition of their individual accomplishments.

Congresswoman Davis, who sits on the House Armed Services Committee and represents a sizable chunk of San Diego, told the crowd that this was actually the first time she had traveled to Wisconsin. "The trees here are beautiful," she remarked. "The palm trees back home don't change color."

Davis spoke of how of her family gently nudged her into supporting Barack during the primaries. Her son had been a supporter and she later discovered her husband had been quietly donating to the campaign. "But the more I looked into it, the more I found that Barack was very concerned about women's issues."

Pay equity, in particular.

"The most important women's issues always end up being economic," Rep. Davis said, noting that Barack Obama is the only candidate that will be fighting to win women equal pay for equal work.

The California Congresswoman was asked about how women can assume leadership roles in their communities. "You already have," Davis replied. "Just by being here. You're going to go out and talk about being here today with your friends and family - and they'll notice that you're active and care about your community."

Talk to people often enough, Davis continued, and they'll eventually start coming to you about events or taking action in your community. "It's really all about talking to people."

Make a Difference...

Ian Jungbacker — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 07:57:59 EDT

Young Veterans For Obama Experience Tour Continues

Thomas Kelley — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 22:45:07 EDT

The Young Veterans for Obama Experience tour that is crossing the badger state continued yesterday. In Eau Claire and La Crosse, Corporal Zach Laporte, Specialist Abbie Pickett, and Sergeant Graham Clumpner spoke to students at the local University of Wisconsin branches about their experiences in the military and why they now are working to elect Senator Barack Obama.

The common theme amongst these Veterans for Obama was their desire to serve their country and community. Pickett, enlisted in 2000 into the National Guard at age 17. She felt a calling to serve but needed her parents signature in order to enlist. Her parents initially balked but after she reminded them that they always told her to be part of something bigger than herself and give back to her community and help others, Abbie's father and her went down to the local guard office, the papers were signed and Abbie began her service towards our country.
Clumpner and Laporte were called to serve after 9/11. Wanting to serve their country they felt the only option was to join the military as there were not that many other avenues that they saw could provide them with the opportunity to serve their community. Clumpner stated:
"Their weren't that many options for me to serve my community. Yes there was Peace Corps, but in a post 9/11 world I wanted to serve my community by serving my country. That's what's great about Barack. He was a community organizer and is providing tax credits to students who take a job serving the community. I wish there were more outlets for that and I think Barack will provide those for young people who want to give back but don't know how or can't afford to."
However, more importantly for these soldiers, their support for Barack was shaped during the battle over the recent vote on the G.I. Bill. When the bill expanding education benefits for students was raised in Congress, Barack Obama supported it straight away while John McCain took awhile to support this bill. Clumpner explains:
"As it is now, I get half of my tuition paid for. This bill will pay for 100% of Veterans education costs. What happened when 5 million G.I.'s came home from WWII, we put these Veterans through College and in 1949, 50, 51 we sent them out into the workforce and our economy and productivity exploded...We are at similar times. Our economy is hurting and we need to invest in Veterans and send them out into the workforce like we did then...McCain only voted for this bill when he saw the light because of the pressure on him because he was against it."
At each university these Veterans told their story. Their story of service to our country in uniform and now in the political process. Laporte characterized how he decided to speak out in support of Senator Obama with:
"I love my country and wanted to protect my country but then when we found out there were no WMD's I started to think about it...and it's veteran benefits. Barack has shown he supports Veterans."
Pickett echoed this sentiment by stating:
"I read John McCain's book and was for him but then I checked out his voting record through some Veterans groups. McCain got a D rating and Barack got a B. I liked McCain initially because I thought how great it would be to have a brother in Washington...but he has shown he does not support Veterans when they come home...I mean I myself overcame problems I was having with therapy through the VA Benefits and so many Veterans are having the same problems. When Walter Reed happened and Barack stood up for soldiers...you have to look at the record. Barack supports soldiers when they come home."

The crowds were sizable and despite the fact that these were hosted at Universities, there were faces of all ages who came out to hear the voices of young Veterans for Obama. They told stories of their experiences in war. They spoke positively of their experiences and their disappointment in the politicians who have exploited their service for their own personal gain.
Veterans of past wars were in the audience and at each event Clumpner, Laporte, and Pickett spent time after each event bonding with other Veterans in a way only other Veterans would understand. It was a sense of comraderie and support for one another that exemplifies the best in what America has to offer and something this writer can only observe but never fully understand.

Obama Supporters Rally in La Crosse

Thomas Kelley — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 19:14:34 EDT

La Crosse - When word got out that John McCain would be coming to La Crosse, U.S. Senator Herb Kohl and Congressman Ron Kind quickly took action. Holding a rally today just hours after John McCain was in town speaking to a crowd about a third of the size that Barack Obama spoke to last week in La Crosse, Senator Kohl and Congressman Kind expressed the reasons why Barack Obama represents real change and John McCain is out of touch.
Inroduced by Obama supporter Terry Brenner, a local YMCA employee, who stated:
"We need to put an end to John McCain's negative campaigning here in Wisconsin. Barack Obama has a fair tax plan and health plan that would help my family who is in a challenging situation"
After Brenner in Congressman Kind's words "best summed up the reasons we all are here", Congressman Kind spoke of his wonder in light of John McCain's recent actions why this election appears so close.
"This administration has drove us into a ditch...McCain and Bush are attached at the hip, he voted with George Bush 91% of the time...his attutude of de-regulation and trickle down thinking, that everything will work out hasn't happened. McCain does not get it. He has been erratic and inconsistence since day one. He said the economy was strong right before our current crisis. He admitted he never even read the rescue plan."
Congressman Kind continued by voicing that Barack Obama provides proven judgement and sound leadership. He stated that:
'We have 25 more days to change the focus and change the agenda. In 25 more days, working families will have a voice against the powerful corporate interest that have had a grip on Washington. It is time to turn the page on the last eight years and elect Barack Obama."
When Senator Kohl came to the podium to a resounding ovation it was clear that his presence excited the local supporters and fired up the volunteers to carry on with the movement for change they have grown in the last twenty months. Senator Kohl stated that we have a serious decision on November 4th and the issues are clear.
"With our country in trouble at home and abroad because of this administration's policies of the last eight years, here in Wisconsin we are not going to allow another eight years like this...There was a so called group of mavericks in town that aren't mavericks at all. In fact, we have a maverick of our own and he(Barack Obama) will be President on November 4th."
Check out these photos of this afternoon's rally:

Get involved! Find a local Campaign for Change office here!

"When it comes to protecting the interest of sportsmen, Barack Obama is the clear choice"

Ian Jungbacker — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 16:41:18 EDT
Check out this great commentary from yesterday's Ashland Daily Press:

Senator Obama has said repeatedly that the Second Amendment created an individual right to own and use firearms and that as president he would protect the rights of hunters and law abiding Americans to own and use firearm for sport and to protect their families.

The real difference between the candidates concerns fish and wildlife habitat conservation programs and public access to hunting and fishing. The Bush administration, with the support of Senator John McCain, has greatly reduced key conservation programs. Here are just a few examples: In its 2009 budget proposal for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Bush Administration has sought a 66 percent increase in the cost of a duck stamp for hunters, while simultaneously slashing the land acquisition budget under the Land and Water Conservation Fund by more than 70 percent. This shifts the burden for wetlands and wildlife habitat acquisitions almost entirely on the back of waterfowl hunters.

[...]

While many sportsmen only seem to be concerned about gun control, the very reason we own guns is being diminished and we unknowingly end up voting against our own interests. When it comes to protecting the interest of sportsmen, Barack Obama is the clear choice.

New Ad - "Tested"

Thomas Kelley — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 12:05:07 EDT

Be part of history and find a Campaign for Change office near you. Join us.

Jump on the Call with Hillary Clinton!

Ian Jungbacker — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 10:45:10 EDT

This weekend Sen. Hillary Clinton will kick-off the Campaign for Change's Women's Weekend of Action with a special conference call with Sen. Hillary Clinton.

Sign-up here to join us at any one of our Campaign for Change offices across the state. Sen. Clinton will be calling in at 10:00 a.m. this Saturday, October 11th to help fire up volunteers before they get ready take Barack's message of change into their communities.

It's a special event that's happening exclusively in Wisconsin, so stop in this Saturday!

Get Registered and Vote!

Thomas Kelley — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 22:57:01 EDT

Don't miss out on being part of history.
Not registered to vote? Visit voteforchange.com
Need to find your polling location? go to voteforchange.com
Need to find your municipal clerks office for in-person absentee voting? Go to voteforchange.com
Go to voteforchange.com today and make sure your voice is heard