Organizing for America | Posts with the tag Election Day

Posts with the tag Election Day

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By Kevin Agnese - Nov 5th, 2009 at 12:25 am EST

Wednesday marked one year since President Obama's historic election to the
White House.

The president reminded us that while Election Day 2008 was a
day of hope and possibility, it was also a "sobering one because we
knew even then that we faced an array of challenges that would test us
as a country."

As the president said, while we have a long way to go, we have "made
meaningful progress" towards rescuing the economy from the possibility
of imminent collapse, as the Recovery Act created or saved hundreds of
thousands of jobs.

While we're making progress the president has said that he will not
rest until every American who wants a job can find one.

So, as we celebrate the anniversary of the president's election to the
White House--let us pledge our commitment to a stabilized economy,
health insurance reform, clean energy, and the best possible education
for America's sons and daughters.

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Barack Headlines Across the World Video

By Atinuke from Fort Washington, MD - Nov 20th, 2008 at 9:12 pm EST

A Musical Video Montage of Headlines across the world the day after election day.

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Election Day - Sights and Sounds

By Elidyl - Nov 10th, 2008 at 5:49 pm EST

Election Day in Chicago and Indiana ...

The day began early with a call from the Obama campaign and a special request to help get out the vote in Indiana. I called my good friend Chris, a native Hoosier from Bloomington, and we headed out to Merrillville to canvass for voters and hang door knockers. A flood of early support, and many volunteers finished up their routes by noon. Nearly all of the people on our canvassing route voted when the polls opened at 6 a.m. One voter in his 80s said he only missed one vote, when he was serving overseas in WWII. He didn't tell us who he supported, but he was happy to see us out talking to voters on election day. It was a gorgeous and beautiful day, warm weather, and plenty of sun.

At the end of our route, at one of our last houses, we met Sonny, an elderly African American man who didn't have a ride to the polls. He had surgery scheduled for the next day and was struggling with cancer. His polling station was 25 minutes away, and we got to hear much of his story. He worked 30 years in the steel mills, fought in Vietnam, missed the primary because he was in the hospital, and is receiving a stem cell treatment for his cancer. He wore a bright yellow Obama tee shirt, and fought valiantly to maintain his strength during the trip. Some of his friends and neighbors worked at the polling station. They rushed out with assistance (we had to cover his Obama tee shirt), and there was a huge outpouring of support for his effort. There were tears, and lots of hugs. Everyone gave us their prayers, and about 30 poll workers applauded as we drove him back to his home. An astounding and courageous moment.

In Chicago, too many impressions and feelings. We joined the gathering of volunteers and supporters in Grant Park. It was all anybody could talk about on the train. "They called Ohio," one person said. "What is the news on Indiana," asked another. It was a carnival atmosphere. At the main event, surrounded by video monitors and people sending text messages that read "wow" and "amazing," everything was happening so quickly. A ripple came over the crowd and we reacted immediately to the news. Was this really happening. Pandemonium and joy, respect and awe, hope and exaltation, and so much more. We have a lot to be thankful for. November 04 was a day for all of us. I have some photos and videos to share from the event (please see below). This is my postcard (and one person's story) from Chicago.

Photos:

Grant Park: Election Day 2008

My Videos:

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Look at the "WE" - from all around the world who loves President Obama

By Beth from Albany Oregon - Nov 9th, 2008 at 5:56 pm EST

"WE," the people known collectively as, ObamaCANs, do hereby declare our love and abiding devotion to, the 44th President of the United States of America, Barack Obama, as witnessed by our virtual signatures below:

1. Beth, Albany, Oregon, U.S.A. (me, of course)

2. Simone, Geneva Switzerland

3. Theresa. I live in Rockport, Maine, born in Geneva, Switzerland, now a US citizen who voted for OBAMA

4. Yvette, Delaware

5. Michelle, Smithfield, NC

6. Julie R., Logan, WV

7. Jackie, Phoenix Arizona

8. Heidi, New Haven, CT

9. Maria & Dante, St. Petersburg, Florida

10. Beth, Chicago, Illinois

11. Emma, Uppsala, Sweden

12. Maria, Porto, Portugal

13. Jacqueline, Lakeland, FL!

14. Sheri, Williston, ND

15. Linda, Brewster, WA

16. Karleen, Miami, FL

17. Trina, Etowah,Tn.

18. Marti, Portland, OR

19. John, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, USA

20. Suzanne, Raleigh, NC

21. Kristin, Honolulu, HI

22. Vicki, Marshalltown, Iowa

23. Verdene C. California

24. Helen, Mt. Tamborine, Queensland, Australia

25. Betsy, Helena, MT; USA

26. Debi ("I keep peeking at the blog"), Rock Island, IL, USA

27. Stanley Krute, Camp Creek, Siskiyou County, CA

28. Nate, Long Beach, CA

29. Suzie Mckay, Las Vegas, Nevada

30. Jim, Meadville, PA.

31. Arlene, Buxton, Maine

32. Sherrie, Eugene Oregon, USA

33. Margareth, Queens, NY

34. Helaine, Beaufort, SC

35. Michaele, AZ

36. Reggie, Living in Germany via New York, N.Y.

37. Cece Bulkley

38. Haleiwa, HI

39. Sykie, Bainbridge Island, Washington, USA

40. Stan Z, Sayreville, New Jersey

41. Mary Bailey, Chicago, IL

42. Livvy. Sydney, Australia

43. Angelika from Berlin, Germany

44. Lemeki - Suva, Fiji Islands

45. Johnnie in Saratoga Springs, NY

46. Connie, Phoenix, AZ

47. Regina, Virginia Beach, VA USA

48. Larry, Fargo, North Dakota

49. Anne Melbourne, Australia

50. Manica, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

51. Marcello, Lantana FL

52. Judy, Coloma, Michigan

53. Robyn, Fort Lauderdale, FL

54. Sharon Gibson City, IL

55. Denelle, Marion, Iowa

56. Georgette, DeKalb, IL

57. Bert, Las Vegas, NV

58. Cheryl, Cambridge Ontario, Canada

59. Sampo, Helsinki, Finland

60. Jessica, in Ottumwa, Iowa

61. Cindy, Tucson, AZ

62. Lace, Neenah, Wisconsin

63. Ethel Harrisburg, PA

64. Robin, Sparta, NJ

65. Cilla, Jamaica,NY

66. Katrina, Fanwood, New Jersey

67. Doris, Germantown, MD

68. Sarah Moberly, MO

69. Glenn,Lakeland, FL

70. Toni, St. Louis, MO

71. Carol, Charles Town, Jefferson County (blue county), WV

72. Carrie, Winter Haven. FL

73. Glenn, Lakeland, FL

74. Toni, St. Louis, MO

75. Lawrence, Atlanta, GA

76. Carole, Lancaster, PA

77. Sandy, Baldwin, NY

78. Robert, Memphis, TN

79. Millie, Badenton, FL

80. Loretta, Stockton, CA

81. Becky, Jacksonville, FL

82. Coli, Columbus, OH

83. Emma, Gashen, NY

84. Marti, Syracuse, NY

85. Samantha, Southaven, Mississippi

86. Chris, Ted & Shelly, Sun City Center, FL

87. Steve, Aurora, CO

88. Joan, Latham, NY

89. Donna, Gorham, NH

90. Chuck, OK

91. Anita M., El Cerrito, CA

92. Ed, Sandy, UT

93. Felicia, Detroit, MI

94. Paula, Tollesboro, KY

95. Peggy, Eugene, OR

96. Matt M., Georgetown, KY

97. Art, Kay, Tempe, AZ

98. Sonia, Folsom, CA

99. Tori, Greenville, SC

100. Jay G, Indianapolis

101. Vicki, Lewisville, PA

102. Asmeret, London, UK

103. Chele, Hillsborough NJ

104. Holly, Eugene OR

105. Janet, Media, PA

106. Debbie East Sussex UK

107. Mary K., Front Royal, Virginia

108. Luevonia, Anderson, South Carolina

109. Doreen, Canada

110. Wanda C, Chesapeake, VA

111. Cherylene, Hartford, CT

112. Janet - Greenville, SC

113.

1000.

Signed,

All ObamaCANs

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A Heartbreaking Election Day For A Million Obama Supporters in California!

By Rob from Los Angeles, CA - Nov 8th, 2008 at 3:09 pm EST

The day before you were elected I enjoyed full equality as a gay person living in California and the day after you were elected I had lost my civil rights and been relegated to second class citizenship when Prop. 8 was passed. Where was your leadership when it mattered most? Why didn't you urge everyone, especially the African American community who knows what it's like to be discriminated against, to vote no on Prop 8.? Many were lied to by their pastors who claimed that their churches would be forced to perform gay weddings or else lose their tax-exempt status (which they should anyway) and that gay marriage would be taught in schools. These are both lies of course. 70% of them voted to strip away our rights, including the rights of gay African Americans, even though straight blacks have made a complete mockery of marriage with the the highest divorce rate and number of broken families in the nation. Some religious blacks and others think that this is not a civil rights issue because people choose to be gay. This is crazy! I've never met anyone who chose to be gay. Why would anyone want to be ridiculed, taunted, and discriminated against by society and be relegated to second class citizenship? Why in God's name would a black person living during times of segregation choose to be gay? To risk being jailed or even beaten to death? You find me one single person, black, white, brown, any color or ethnicity, who says they woke up one day and decided to be gay. Good Luck! You say you favor equality and non-discrimination for everyone but at the same time oppose same-sex marriage? Unfortunately your own voice stating your opposition to same-sex marriage at the Saddleback Ranch in front of an evangelical audience was exactly the ammunition conservative Black and White reverends, pastors, and ministers was used on robocalls to hundreds of thousands of conservative churchgoers throughout California as well as Rick Warren's e-mail to his massive following of worshippers that used your direct quote as he urged everyone to vote yes on Prop. 8. In my heart I know you really don't oppose same-sex marriage, but you were afraid of not getting elected if you came out in support of it. So you tried to play it both ways. Well guess what? You put politics ahead of liberty and equality. You would have been elected anyway. As a result of your lack of leadership over a million gay citizens in California lost their equal rights, including the entire black gay African community. I donated to your campaign and wore a shirt with your picture for weeks leading up to Election Day. Now I feel like throwing it in a trash bin. Have you even bothered to see all the protest marches against Prop 8 that have been going on throughout California everyday since the election? This state is in a state of chaos right now. You contributed to it.
While millions of people celebrated on Nov. 4th, over a million gay citizens of California that had voted for you were devastated.
All I can say is: SHAME ON YOU BARACK OBAMA!! If I wanted a president who supports discrimination I could have voted for McCain.

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Canvassing on Election Day in Marietta, Ohio

By Llysse Smith Wylle - Nov 7th, 2008 at 4:04 pm EST

Also listed in: Country living West Virginians For Obama | Southeast Ohio Farmers for Obama | West Virginians For Obama

I canvassed in Marietta, Ohio on Election Day, having voted a couple weeks ago. I somehow doubt I was the most effective of volunteers. I was on foot, so I walked and knocked. I'd never done this before, and seeing as how I hate to be bothered by this sort of thing myself, it made me rather uncomfortable to do it to someone else. However, I did look carefully for no trespassing or no soliciting signs, and I didn't find any at my assigned houses. I left at 10 am and only returned to headquarters by a little after 2.

I was not really surprised by the amount of activity that was going on in the field office. Apparently, that amazing energy is endemic to Obama campaign offices. As I recall, the total number of volunteers I saw posted "on the big board" later in the day was 64. That's rather a lot for a small town like Marietta. The amount of food donated to and by the volunteers was staggering, and it occurred to me that in some ways the funds raised for the campaign were probably higher if you were to factor in all the quiches and ham sandwiches and hummus and pizza and fruit and everything else that must have been donated to all the folks working such long hours to get Obama elected.

Luckily, it was a beautiful day in Southeastern Ohio on November 4, and that heartened me... not just because I was myself outside working, but because I was given to understand that good weather favors democratic turnout, and Ohio was important. I had logged in to the Obama-Biden website to see if there was anything local in West Virginia to volunteer for, but the closest thing I could find was in Ravenswood--too, too far. Plus, I knew Ohio to be one of the most important states. McCain was focusing on Pennsylvania, but he really had little chance of winning it. According to Nate Silver of 538, if McCain lost Ohio, the model showed a 0% chance of his pulling off a win.

With that in mind, I couldn't bear the idea of sitting at home on election day only to hear later that Obama lost by only a few votes if I could have made a difference. (As it turned out, of course, the vote was close in Ohio, but not THAT close.)

At any rate, I rode into town with my husband (who works in Marietta), and presented myself at the field office. There was a short training session, and we were out the door with a list of registered democrats we were to encourage to get out to vote. We should make certain they knew where their polling place was, as apparently these had changed, although how recently I don't know. I get the impression it wasn't too recently, but if these are voters that don't get out to vote too often, I suppose they could be confused. We even had a hotline number to call if they needed a ride to the polls. The lines in our area seemed to be short.

I started my "turf" near the downtown along the river. The neighborhood was a poor one, but pretty in the way things can be in a river city like Marietta. Not long ago the whole area was flooded. Was that three years ago? Most of downtown was under water, so this area would have been, too. There were quite a few empty lots, and I wondered if there had previously been houses there that had been taken down.

In the distance, dogs barked, and I was occasionally showered with the leaves of sugar or silver maples. I couldn't locate the first address; many of the houses here had no numbers. I guessed and knocked several times, but there was no answer. I left the hanger on the door. It showed the polling times and the democratic slate of candidates. Several dogs peered at me warily through curtains.

The next place was a townhouse; an older gentleman politely informed me he had already voted for McCain. I was here to speak with his wife. "She's not well enough to vote," he said.

"I'm sorry to hear that," I responded, and left, wishing him a good day. I marked the conversation down on my slip of paper.

I was wearing on Obama shirt with a button of my own I had purchased in Chillicothe at the rally; they'd also given me a "Canvasser" button with the O logo. I had a clipboard and a manila envelope full of collaterals, as well as a little map of the territory, and my script. I suppose I was as official looking as one could get.

The next stop was a garage apartment, decked out for halloween. I knocked the door, and an old man with rheumy eyes opened the door. He wore an oxygen mask, and generally looked to be in poor health.

"Are you the nurse?" he asked in a weak voice.

"No," I said. I gave him my name and explained I was volunteering with the Obama Campaign for Change in Marietta, according to the script. He was not the person I was there to see; I was looking for a woman of approximately my age. I explained who I was there to see and asked if she was available.

"Yes," he said, and asked me in, ushering me past several tiny barking dogs into a tiny room. I carefully stepped over the tubes that hooked him to his oxygen, although it seemed to me the dogs just barrelled across. There were two worn and lopsided armchairs, and he motioned me into one.

"Im waiting for the nurse," he repeated in a shaky, friendly voice. I had rather expected him to call for his daughter--I presumed it was likely his daughter's name I had. However, he seemed a little confused. Poor old guy.

The smell of the house was reminiscent of the my Grandpa Shock's house, when he was ill with parkinson's disease. A WWII hero, he'd lived alone in his little house in Webster Springs for years, visited quite loyally by his sister Columbia. Occasionally, the family would hire people to come in and help him, but this always turned out badly. He had things stolen many times, unable to even get out of his wheelchair on bad days. Grandpa Shock.

I looked into the eyes of the old man in front of me, and he reminded me of my grandpa in some indefinable way. His skin was greyish, and I glanced at his nails, but I couldn't see how cyantotic they might be. I hoped the nurse would come.

I smiled encouragingly. "Do you have a way to get to the polls and vote?" I asked.

He did, he said. He rattled off a rambling list of all the things that would be happening today. He mentioned the nurse again, twice more.

"Oh, my! Sounds like you have a full day!" I remarked. I felt awkward. Maybe I should ask if his daughter was available again.

From the room behind me, the refrigerator kicked on, loudly. I looked back, and there was a woman at a little table pushed up against a wall, sitting at a computer. I raised my voice to ask if she was the person I was looking for, and she said she was.

I smiled again and stood, repeating the introductory remarks of my script in a casual way.

"I can tell you now you're in the wrong house," she said with an edge to her voice. "I'll never vote for a nigger." She pronouced it "nagger," and stood looking at me with crossed arms and challenge on her face.

As I said, she was approximately my age. White, as you may have guessed. She was overweight, and her long, fine hair was straight and dirty blonde, pulled casually back from her face with some plastic contraption that its silkiness would doubtless always have it slipping out of, as it was now. My hair is the same way. Her shirt had a hole in the shoulder; many of mine have holes. There are just other things to spend money on when the holes are small enough.

I was surprised by my lack of reaction, to be honest. Normally such things would have me fuming with outrage, but instead I was just instantly sorry for her. I instantly felt TRUE and DEEP pity. I'm sure it must have shown on my face, and it wasn't what she was expecting either, because her confident, belligerent stance faltered.

"I'm sorry," I said honestly.

She tossed her head, not meeting my eyes, and a lank piece of hair escaped its clasp. "I'm not voting for McCain either. I've been a democrat all my life. I don't have no one to vote for this year. I'm not voting," she asserted.

"It's all right," I said. Her father said he had a little oxygen tank he could take with him in the car.

I cleared my throat. "If you change your mind and decide to vote, the polls close at 7:30, and if you're in line by then, they have to let you." I made sure she knew where her polling place was, and wished her well.

The old man rose to let me out, and his jumble of tubes jumbled, and the dogs all jumped and barked, and the television in the little room blathered on with some sort of talk show. One dog got stepped on as the woman tried to step aside and it yelped and ran in a circle, upsetting some papers. I gave it a pat, wished them a good day, again, and left.

It was sunny outside, but I had the illusion of clouds. She had no intention of voting for Obama, even to help her poor, ailing father, whose greatest concern was apparently when his nurse would come.

Well, I think [health care] should be a right for every American. In a country as wealthy as ours, for us to have people who are going bankrupt because they can't pay their medical bills -- for my mother to die of cancer at the age of 53 and have to spend the last months of her life in the hospital room arguing with insurance companies because they're saying that this may be a pre-existing condition and they don't have to pay her treatment--there's something fundamentally wrong about that.

Perhaps I should have argued with her, or pointed out that the healthcare plan could help them. However, I don't think so. My job was to get people who were voting for Obama to the polls, not to try to convince non-supporters. However, it made me sad.

On Greene Street, perhaps an hour or so later, some random hater threw a stone at me from a car. A few minutes beforehand, someone had driven by, screaming "McCain!" I have to think the same vehicle circled back to throw the stone, although I didn't really see it either time. With the screaming, it wasn't really worth my while. With the stone, I have to say I was just a bit stunned, and it took me thrity seconds or so to realize what had happened. That doesn't really sound like a long time, but really it's long enough to drive away and lose yourself in traffic seeing as how I wasn't on the ball enough to be paying attention.

I am presuming the stone came from the same car that screamed at me. They were so close together. And after all, not many people drive along with stones in their cars, so it would have to be sort of premeditated. I would guess they drove off to an alley or whatever and came back to throw it. It seems like it was only a few minutes apart.

In any case, they didn't come close to hitting me, and frankly I wasn't so much scared as flabbergasted. It landed in front of me, and I thought, "Where did that fall from?" not connecting it with the screeching tires and laughter from the passing car. By the time I realized what had happened and thought to look for the car, it was either gone or I just didn't know which one it was amonst the various cars that had passed. (In fact it rather reminded me of the episode of The Andy Griffith Show called "Opie and the Spoiled Kid," in which Barnie is berating a "civilian" for not being able to identify which little kid it was that knocked her off her feet riding his bike on the sidewalk when he himself is knocked down by the same kid. All Barnie can exclaim is "Garsh, it happened so fast!")

I had to walk by McCain headquarters twice--it's located not far from Obama headquarters in the downtown. The forst time was 10-ish when I left, and there didn't seem to be anyone there, although the door was open. (I am presuming there were people working inside.) The second time, there were two old guys standing outside, and they smiled kindly at me. I smiled back.

There was a McCain standee. Strangely, the photo used for this life-sized prop wasn't very flattering. He looked like a sort of hunched up old guy with a vague-ish smile on his face. I've seen heroic-looking photos of JM before. What was with that? It looked to be "official" campaign stuff. Whose fault was that photo? I don't get it. I don't think the collaterals were managed very well.

I had lunch at the field office, and went back out after, this time with a driver, as I was going further afield. My legs ached. I never ran into another racist, or another stone-throwing McCain supporter. Of course, it helps to be with someone, too. And in a car.

I did speak to several other people who were enthusiastic in their support, and received for the most part lots of smiles and waves and beeps of (what I presumed to be) appreciation. I take short beeps to be appreciative. They seem more polite than laying on the horn. Mostly I got smiles and waves and thumbs up.

At one McMansion, however, there were three laborers outside roofing the house. The yard had an Obama sign in it, but the residents were out. Perhaps they were voting, or they could have been at work. There was still literature on the door from the first pass at the house (we were making three passes at each house until we got an "I voted" or an "I'm not a supporter" or a "Moved," for example).

As we were leaving to go to our next area, I smiled at the folks working there and made some comment to the effect that it was a nice day for working outside.

"We're not from around here," one guy said forcefully, giving his pants a yank up, "but we're planning on voting several times on the way home since we registered through ACORN."

"Gosh, you have a fake passport or fake drivers licenses that will pass muster with ALL those election officials for THAT many identities?" I asked pleasantly, and he looked confused. He didn't say anything else. Evidently he was a low information voter.

At the end of the day, I was exhausted, and my husband actually treated me to Las Trancas on the way home. I love Mexican food. When we got home that evening it was already dark. I felt sorry for the chickens, who had spent the entire day locked in the coop. It was for a good cause, ladies. Also, I suspect Robin has been hiding her eggs somewhere, so I don't suppose it will hurt to try keeping her in the coop one day to encourage her to use the nests again.

We tuned in the TV that night, since the I-net has been frustratingly out. NEVER GET WILD BLUE. It was staticky, but as I have mentioned before, we should be able to get a channel (weakly) until February.

Then we watched as the electoral votes rolled in for Obama.

I loved when Ohio was called. I screamed. I squeezed Alan's hand too hard. He gave me a dirty look, and I didn't care. Matt called. I screamed, "I know I justsaw canyoubelieveitohmygodsIwishI couldcheck538!"

I didn't understand why they didn't call it then. I understand that on Fox news, Karl Rove was in the middle of explaining how McCain would have to win Ohio, and was interrupted with the information that Ohio had gone to Obama. Rove, Buch, McCain, Palin: that moment is courtesy of all of those people you don't care about--all those people whose civil liberties you were so anxious to take away. Did you feel your heart drop? That wasn't our aim, I assure you. We were trying to get Senator Obama elected. However, please do think of us in the future, as it may save you further heartache.

And please think of that poor, sick old man on the oxygen tanks in that little garage apartment near the Ohio River. Even if his daughter didn't vote for President-Elect Obama, I hope they still benefit by what he brings to this country... and I hope that in four years she can see that she has someone to vote for after all.

It occurred to me that I encountered the McCain campaign in its fullness in just that one day in Ohio, in microcosm. I encountered the racism your campaign was drumming up, the crazy ACORN charges, the terrorism fears and violence (which I associate with the stone throwing)--it ran the gamut. I also encountered Obama supporters who were excited, who talked about change, who ranged in age from just 18 to retired and poor to rich. Most of the people I spoke to had already voted, but I hope I was able to help remind some to vote that perhaps would not otherwise have bothered.

One lady was so excited nabout voting for Obama that she even took me next door to show me the homemade sign her neighbor had made and put in his yard.

"It's so pretty," she said. And it was. It simply said "Barack Obama." The letters were simple and black, but the background was all the colors of the rainbow.

"He did that himself," she said.

We all did. Yes, we did.

http://www.youtube.com/v/jxmw7-8F1QQ&hl

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Election Day photos

By Barbara in Northeast Portland - Nov 7th, 2008 at 1:28 am EST

Also listed in: Keep It Going in N/NE Portland!

Jason has posted lots of his Election Day photos at the N/NE office on flickr, along with links to other photos of N/NE Portland Obama supporters and the office at 15th & Killingsworth!

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What A Great Day!

By Rudy4Obama - Nov 6th, 2008 at 4:31 pm EST

Election Day 2008: What A Great Day !

Congrats first to President Elect Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle and Vice President Elect Joe Biden and Dr. Jill Biden for one historically GREAT campaign and for winning the GE.

"From here and now a new era of world history emanates and you can say having been part of it." (Johann Wolfgang von Goethe on the Battle of Valmy on 20 September 1792 – how true for today, too.)

President Elect Obama and Vice President Elect Biden: Celebrate today – you've earned the right to do so. And then START to change this country and the world as of TOMORROW. We'll all need this and we'll all be commited to help.

I've not been eligible to vote b/c being "only" a Legally-Admitted Permanet Resident in the USA. (And, as a German, not beeing a 'native speaker', too.) I've supported this campaign almost from the beginning by the means given to me legally. Now I'm so glad about coming home shortly to my "alternate homeland" as I call the USA with a President-To-Be who really cares for middle class people, for Vets (I'm a Cold War 'old NATO' Vet, retired colonel) and for the homeless ones plus those 47 million people who not even can afford Health Care.

Congrats, Mr. President Elect. God bless you, your family, and may God bless the United States.

Big congrats and KUDOS to all the wonderful grassroots people who worked so very hard to finally make this happen. This "21st century grassroots style campaign" – implementing and successfully operating any 21st century technical – 'communications' related - means available will go down in history as the BIG success story it is. Campaign staff: You've been unsurpassable in planning and organizing. Grassrooters, YOU made it happen. Big TKS.

America, my "alternate homeland", look forward to substantial, "transformational" improvement under soon to be President Obama and his administration. You all know that this won't happen "over night". It'll take some time and hard work, too. Yet be assured that at the end of the day all of you (including myself and even including those who voted for the McCain/Palin ticket) will be so much better off than we're now. This indeed is America's " 21st Century New Deal Now ". >Our Time< for to step-by-step restoring America's economy, education and health care systems, financial standing and, equally important, her international standing by responsibly ending the war in Irak and instead strongly going after Taliban and Al Quida in Afghanistan, in order to bring this great country back on track and back to trusted leadership of the free world.

I also say this one:

Senator McCain: I recommend you retire from the US Senate and live those further few years you might be entitled to peacefully with your wife and family – and restrain yourself from politics. Your last century's " political recipes" are no longer asked for this time. I'm entitled to say this since I'm exactly your age, feeling not so well as to live some more (single digits) years and not even having been diagnosed with cancer. Furthermore: On this very day, two years ago, my beloved wife, having worked 30+ years for USArmy Military Police as a Police Liaison Specialist, died in her office of a Sunday afternoon of a sudden cardio-vascular stroke at the age of only 63. So I had to learn it the hard way: It can happen any time. Senator McCain, read the signs, enjoy life now and restrain yourself from politics. Will do you good.

Governor Palin: I may remind you on your own words: "God will do the right thing on election day". Looks to me like HE really did the right thing on election day.

Hurry to get back to Alaska. They really love you there and eagerly are awaiting you. And, once being there, please, do me – and the majority of Americans – the favor of just vanishing into thin Alaskan air.

Once again: Congrats to President Elect Barack Obama and Vice President Elect Joe Biden for one historically GREAT campaign and for winning the GE.

Mr. President Elect Obama: Your dear mother and your dear grandmother, they both are so proud of you.

Obama / Biden 2008 and 2012

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YES WE DID

By GARLAND - Nov 5th, 2008 at 8:16 pm EST

Last night I experienced the most exciting and historic event of my life time. The election of Senator Obama as the 44th President of the United States of America has been something that I dreamed of and worked for and believed would happen. I was fortunate enough to share the victory with my 84 year old Dad who had never voted before. I personally registered him and took him to the polls to be sure that his vote counted. Unfortunately my Mother passed away in 1996 and was unable to witness this unforgettable historical event.

I am so proud of the way President-elect Obama managed his campaign. He started out positve and remained positve inspite of the negative remarks and dirty tricks being used by the Republicans. The same was true of the interviews that He and Michelle were involved in. Neither one of them would allow the interviewer to put words in their mouths.

I grew up doing the period of segregation. The things that I experienced during that period made this election an event that is hard to put in words. The emotions are too numerous.

My advice to the younger generation is NEVER, NEVER, GIVE UP and KEEP HOPE ALIVE.

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A life expereance

By mike crowley - Nov 5th, 2008 at 5:03 pm EST

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The day before was busy and exciting. Checking poles, making phone calls, and losing tons of sleep, class and work time in order to ensure a better and safer secure future for not only my country but the world. I check the weather forecast across the country, the weather is beautiful. Hope springs in the air and yet fear automs within my subconscious. I slept every night having the same dream of me going downstairs to my parents house in their family room and their television reads "McCain wins the presidency." I wake up every night being thankful it was a dream but also scared of it as a reality. I go to sleep with this on my mind as I toss and turn until 3-am only getting 3 hours of sleep for tomorrow morning's last trip to Wisconsin.

I wake up to the sound of my alarm. A slight gleam of sunrise is gleaming from the edges of my shades. A good sign. I get in my car and take the long drive up to Milwaukee Wisconsin. It is flooded with volunteers, the thought of the last day to an event of a 2 or even year build up is still not entering my mind. I knock on as many doors as I can getting voters to stations. I then take the long and exulting drive back downtown to my apartment as I am falling asleep at the wheel.

I meet my sister as we go down to Grant Park together. We hop a cab and our feeling excited as the projections look great. A text message arrives from my friend reading "Obama won Ohio." The thought of victory is unusually comforting and real. I arrive at a bar, take a sip of cool beer as I look at the nations projections, hoping for that final push. I go amongst the crowd with my sister. The streets are filled as if the world is going to a concert. A squeeze through people like a sponge. I go to another bar, taking a break from walking. A few steps before stepping into the bar I hear loud cheering. I rush into the bar to check what the T.V. says, it reads "Obama wins presidency." The feeling is not the feeling I fantasize about. I feel like I am floating like I am dreaming. I take to the streets with my sister as we chant and cheer firing up people, everyone embracing one another like family. Total strangers hugging each other, loving each other unlike anything I have only dreamt about. I squeeze like the sponge I am to a large screen as I hear the voice of John McCain. I look up noticing a large screen showing McCain conceding. Now I know it's real. I felt like I was in the twilight zone. I'm about to see the next president of the united states live in my own city on a day of history. I anxiously wait for the future president's appearance. He shows up, the crowd roars as I stand on my toes to see what's going on. I feel my emotions swelling up as he speaks. I finally understood what people meant by America giving hope. As I left I noticed people climbing up bridges to get out. But we were all united, and knew that my life and my children's life will be secure. I feel proud to be an American again. I feel as if my freedom has been handed back to me. God bless and may every man woman and child be loved.

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Introduction and Congratulations!

By DJ Silver Wolf - Nov 5th, 2008 at 5:24 am EST

Firstly, I would like to congratulate Mr. Obama on his win of the Presidency...Congratz and Nicely Done, Barack! I hope to see great things from you, and I do not believe you will disappoint :).

Now, to introduce myself. I just joined this site, and note that I would have earlier had I known it was here. I am not normally one to be very political, but I always vote my conscious each election, and there are some issues that I feel very strongly about. I am a 32 year old Floridian, and disabled due to legal blindness from birth. I am also a non-Christian, who tends to have liberal ideals, with some center-line leanings. I believe strongly in equality, free speech, freedom of religion, and in those who have helping those who do not.

It is my strong opinion that over the last eight years, our country has fallen into great disarray. I have watched as many of my friends and family have lost jobs, lost health care, lost money, lost homes, and lost hope. I work with many people in Europe, particularly in the United Kingdom, and am well aware that the world in general does not see us the same way they did in years past. Many are angry, some are baffled, ans still others consider us the laughingstock of the world these days. I want that to change, and hope that we once again re-earn the respect of the world at large. I do not say this in arrogance, for even though we are one of the largest powers in the world, we are no better or worse than any other country or its people. I just want peace and international cooperation wherever possible.

I want to see things improve, especially for the poor and disabled. Many of us cannot afford to live on our own anymore, myself included. We simply don't have enough money to do so. I am not saying we deserve to be rich, but I do think that we should at least be able to rent our own quarters and be able to pay our bills, put food on our tables, and not have to worry about being treated as 'second class' citizens by the health care system. We are not numbers, or charity cases. We are citizens of this great country, and bottom line, we are human beings who deserve just as much honor and dignity as those with more assets than us.

I would also like to see our nation start to really make changes to energy means and uses. We have but this one planet to live on for the time being, and we need to take care of it. I am not anti-technology (obviously, since I use a computer and modern conveniences), but I am all for keping our planet a good place for us, and for future generations, to call home. Pollution in moderation is to be expected in our modern world, but we do need to find better, cleaner, and cheaper ways of powering our modern lifestyles. We depend too heavily on oil, a resource which is not as plentiful as it once was, and is costing so much, both in money and in lives. There are many options available to us, and I feel we should truly start harnessing them on a larger scale, and release ourselves from the costly tethers of oil as a majority of our energy source.

Well...I think I have said enough, some may think too much, I expect. However, I have finally found a place where I feel I can express my views to those who feel as I do. I'm not a genius, and I live a simple life for the most part. I don't understand a lot about polotics, nor do I make it a large part of my life. I just want things to improve, and I strongly feel that Barack Obama will usher in those changes that we need so desperately.

Peace, and Brightest Blessings to you, Mr. Obama, and to all.

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Aloha & Mahalo, My Friends!

By Ms_CongenialityHI - Nov 5th, 2008 at 4:49 am EST

Also listed in: 10 groups

I did a bit of sign waving with another dozen volunteers, made reminder calls in the afternoon, but others had done such a great job with GOTV efforts, just about everyone we reached tonight had already voted. Someone brought champagne for all, but we dare not jinx the outcome by celebrating victory prematurely, so a toast was said in gratitude and memory of Barack's Tutu (grandmother).

On to the watch party and celebration, which was packed full of supporters. A heartfelt letter from Barack's sister, Maya (who has been caring for their grandmother in these last few days) was read. I think the longest line this Election Day was the buffet, but it was ono (real good)!

99% of the Hawai`i count is in now, and we've made our staff's goal to bring in the largest percentage of Obama/Biden votes... 72%!

My favorite personal experiences of the campaign... on a Sunday afternoon of sign waving, seeing a car come around the median in a U-turn (heading to McDonald's) full of tutus (grandmas) all vigorously waving back at us after seeing our Obama-Biden signs. Registering a student to vote who was turning 18 on Election Day... and shaking hands with both our State Senators for the first time tonight!

Mahalo (thank you) to all campaign staff and supporters for making my HOPE a REALITY!

IMUA (go forward)!

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Yes We Can :: From Barack Obama, President-Elect

By Sarah Gallagher - Nov 4th, 2008 at 10:20 pm EST

Also listed in: 72 groups

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

We just made history.

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

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

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

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

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

All of this happened because of you.

Thank you,

Barack

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One hour left to vote in Iowa

By Zachary Scott Edwards - Nov 4th, 2008 at 8:39 pm EST

Iowa is where this campaign started, and we need to make sure we finish it here.

Check out this quick video of Barack’s trip here last week and then MAKE CALLS RIGHT NOW.

If you haven’t voted yet, you have until 9 PM to cast your ballot. Click here to find your polling location. If you are in line by 9 PM, you have the right to vote.

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Less than four hours left to vote in Iowa

By Zachary Scott Edwards - Nov 4th, 2008 at 6:43 pm EST

There are still a few hours to make a big difference in this election.

Before the polls close in Iowa -- a crucial battleground state -- here's what you can do:

1. If you haven't already -- VOTE RIGHT NOW—you have until 9:00 PM: Find out where to vote

2. Call or email everyone you know and make sure they've voted.

3. Help turn out voters at a volunteer event near you: Find the closest event

4. Go back to your polling location and encourage everyone to stay in line until they vote. Anyone who is in line before the polls close can cast their ballot, no matter how long the line.

5. If you can't leave your house, get out the vote by calling voters: Choose the state you'd like to call

The election in your state is going to be close -- and you can help bring the change we need.

Make history right now by voting and helping others vote.

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Election Day: OPEN THREAD

By Michael in Ohio - Nov 4th, 2008 at 5:00 pm EST

Also listed in: 9 groups

This post is just a call for comments and open discussion. Share your experiences voting today, or questions you have, in the comment section below.

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"I'm Getting Involved Because of My Children"

By Michael in Ohio - Nov 4th, 2008 at 4:53 pm EST

Also listed in: 9 groups

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Have ELECTION DAY Questions?

By Michael in Ohio - Nov 4th, 2008 at 4:50 pm EST

Also listed in: 9 groups

If it's urgent, dial 877-622-6264 or 614-409-4701
If it is less than urgent, email ohio@barackobama.com
Looking for your polling location? Visit www.voteforchange.com

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I Believe We're Going to See a Change

By Michael in Ohio - Nov 4th, 2008 at 4:34 pm EST

Also listed in: 9 groups

You can make that change happen. There are two hours and forty-five minutes until the polls close. There is still time for you to help elect Barack Obama. Click HERE to find a place near you to volunteer.

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It's No Mystery

By Michael in Ohio - Nov 4th, 2008 at 3:33 pm EST

Also listed in: 9 groups

Throughout the day, the Ohio homepage will be bringing you videos of Buckeyes who just cast their ballots. Here's the first:

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