Organizing for America | Posts with the tag Food Tasters for Obama

Posts with the tag Food Tasters for Obama

Personal Message to Food Tasters and Tips for Using Online Tools

By Mark Wiznitzer - Sep 16th, 2008 at 10:14 pm EDT

Also listed in: Food Tasters for Obama

Dear Food Tasters for Obama -

I wanted you to know that I am leaving this weekend to work (yes, I'm "coming out of retirement") for the Obama campaign in Ohio, and will be there through election day. For all of you who have kindly encouraged my blogging (my archive is here), this will explain my silence beginning September 22. During my absence, other carefully chosen administrators will assure this group's continued existence and maintain its selective standards for messaging, and the posting of events and blogs, to provide you only with the most enlightened and entertaining material.

Last Saturday I went to Manchester NH to help at the Obama rally (8000 people turned out!) and to canvass the working class neighborhood on the west side of town. Not surprisingly after these past few weeks and recent polls, I met many concerned voters. The number one question I heard was: "Can we win this?" The answer is definitely "Yes we can." But it will require Obama supporters to get involved. You've seen by now that John McCain will do and say anything to get elected, including his selection of an unvetted running mate who he had only met once before. And McCain is backed by Bush's political team for whom all tactics are fair game. So your vote alone just may not be enough this year. And you know from the last two elections that the religious right in this country knows how to get its voters to cast their ballots for the Republican candidate.

This election will be decided in crucial battleground state, like Ohio and New Hampshire. But the ground game is the same in all 50 states. There are three practical objectives in the remaining weeks: 1) register voters, 2) identify Obama supporters, and 3) get-out-the-vote (GOTV) either absentee, early or on election day. These tasks are labor intensive. If you cannot get away to NH or another swing state, there are activities scheduled almost daily at your nearest Obama campaign office. If you have not yet tried them, I've included at the bottom of this message suggestions on how to use the campaign's online tools from home. So you have no excuse not to participate actively.

There is one other thing I want to ask of you, especially if you have not yet done so or can do more. And that is Donate. I have not bothered you about this, but I am only asking you (US citizens and Residents only) to do what I and over two and a half million others have already done. So please go to my fundraising page on my.barackobama.com, click on "donate", and make a contribution of any amount you'd like, from $5 to $2300. You may not have agreed with the campaign's decision to forgo public financing. But the Republicans have already demonstrated that current public finance laws do not reduce the influence of lobbyist and special interest money on the electoral process. And the Obama campaign has proven that it manages its finances responsibly. So consider this a good investment in getting our country back on the right track.

Finally, make sure to register and vote. Voting early is now available and easy in most states. Take advantage of the online voter registration tool, ensure that your registration is up to date and make your vote count!

Regards, Mark Wiznitzer

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

Using the tools available at my.barackobama.com

Click on "Action", then "MyBarackObama.com".
When the page opens log-in or go to the second box to sign up to create your own page and account.

Once that is done, you can edit your profile, and this is where you can choose a screename so your identity is protected.

I suggest you check you're still properly registered to vote with the tool that was just added.
It allows you to find out also if you can vote early or absentee.
If needed, you can also request an absentee ballot from your state officials.

Once you are a part of the Obama network you will find "Contact Voters" at the top of the page.
That provides all sorts of opportunities to work from home contacting voters in your neighborhood.
At this time, the campaign needs to make sure that voters everywhere are properly registered and that we have identified all our supporters. This will be good practice for next month, when I expect the campaign will start to organize calls to get out the vote in the battleground states.

Other things you will find on the website:
-- what's going on in "My Neighborhood", which will show nearby events you can participate in,
-- online groups (of which there are thousands, including my own Food Tasters for Obama) you may want to join (like Women for Obama), and
-- a link to the online "neighbor to neighbor" tool that will get you started where you can have an immediate and tremendous impact, contacting people nearest you.

You can also use the tabs on the right of your My.BarackObama page to find more:
-- find "events" (by zip code)
-- find "groups" (by location, size or name)
-- find and invite "friends", and
-- read or write "blogs".
Don't ignore "Fundraising", because this campaign will require lots of money.
Most of our 2.5 million backers so far are small donors contributing to a campaign for the first time.
And after the past two weeks, you'd be surprised how urgently people are wanting to give.

I may have described a lot more here than you think you need.
But you will enjoy exploring all the possibilities available to you.
And feel free to send this message on to others you think may also want to become involved in this endeavor.

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Winners of the Barack Birthday Bake Off Contest

By Mark Wiznitzer - Aug 7th, 2008 at 3:22 pm EDT

Also listed in: 10 groups

Thanks to all who signed up and participated in the Barack Birthday Bake Off. There are four Food Tasters for Obama logo t-shirt winners instead of three, because we had a tie in the "organizing ideas" category. The winners (three wonderful recipes are avaiable below the fold) are:

Best Recipe: Erica Rivera's Black and White Birthday Cake (an original recipe)

Berry Spangled Baked Cheesecake and Banoffi Cheesecake on the Batavia ship's chest

Best Photo: Hanneke Hoogstrate's Berry Spangled Baked Cheesecake and Banoffi Cheesecake on the Batavia (Jakarta Indonesia's colonial name, providing one more degree of separation from the candidate) ship's chest (posted on her Dutch website at http://www.blago.net/_baking_08/08_04_berry_tart.php)

Best Organizing Ideas:

--David Levy's (who prepared a Unity Pound Cake for 60 at an outdoor party of the Prince George's County MD office), and

--Michaele Camp (whose Sour Cream Pound Cake won the Bake Off hosted by Gena Bowser and Sharon Wilkerson at the Urban Tea Loft in Chandler AZ)

Congratulations to the winners.

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Barack's Birthday Bake Off Contest Rules

By Mark Wiznitzer - Jul 21st, 2008 at 12:43 pm EDT

Also listed in: 10 groups

With exactly two weeks to go to August 4, participants in Barack’s Birthday Bake Off are franticly preparing for the big day. Most are happy just to celebrate while organizing for the campaign. But many are admittedly drawn by the chance to win an attractive t-shirt with the Food Tasters logo (see sample at http://www.onemillionstrong.us/showDiary.do?diaryId=1313); I know I’d be. So here is our best effort to answer your questions and lay out the contest rules:

1. You must be signed up for any one of the “Barack’s Birthday Bake Off” events hosted by “Mark Wiznitzer” on my.barackobama.com, such as the event at White House zip code “20500” at: http://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/organizing/4g9y9#rsvp

2. All contestants, except employees of the Obama campaign, must be registered as a member of “Food Tasters for Obama” at my.barackobama.com no later than midnight August 4. Not yet a member? Sign up at http://my.barackobama.com/page/group/FoodTastersforObama.

3. One Food Tasters for Obama t-shirt will be awarded to the winner in each for the following three categories: a) best recipe, b) best birthday campaign organizing idea, and c) photo of the best decorated desert.

4. After you have complied with requirements 1 and 2 above, submit your entry via email to markwiznitzer@gmail.com. Entries must be received no later than 11:59PM EDT on August 5 (in European that’s Greenwich 04:59 on 060808). To be considered the subject line of the email submission must read: “BARACK BIRTHDAY BAKE OFF CONTEST”. Sorry, as good as it may taste, we won’t be able to personally sample your baked goods (unless you happen to be in the Champlain Valley on August 4, in which case, let us know).

5. Entries need not be your own original, recipe, idea or decoration, but then you must indicate the source of your inspiration. Winning recipes, campaign organizing ideas and decorations remain the “property” of their owner, but will be shared with the world by Food Tasters for Obama. By your entry you acknowledge your compliance with these conditions.

6. We are not responsible for any emails that are not receive on time, are blocked by spam or other internet security filters, attached files that cannot be opened or viewed, or any terrorist incident or acts of public disorder, floods, earthquake or other natural disasters that may interfere with our ability to recognize your brilliant effort and reward you with a t-shirt.

7. Selection of winners will be entirely subjective, but this competition is open to anyone who supports Barack Obama for President, including but not limited to employees of Price Waterhouse, the Obama campaign, its surrogates and volunteers, first-time voters, former Hillary backers, Obamicans, or any minors or non-US citizens who would vote for Obama if they could.

Good Luck!

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Obama Goes Global: Visibility in Over 35 Countries

By Mark Wiznitzer - Jul 17th, 2008 at 2:40 pm EDT

Also listed in: 10 groups

Paris' Pont des Arts

Obama Supporters at Paris' Pont des Arts

Primary voters in early states were mightily surprised when they learned the man on the phone named "Skipp," whose genial voice urged their support for Barack Obama was calling from... Japan! Retired as president of Boeing Japan, Skipp Orr is one of many Obama supporters abroad who are doing what they can. In Skipp's case that also included fundraising and speaking to expatriates and students near his second home in Toulouse, France.

Like their counterparts at home, these supporters have formed grassroots groups and networks to help elect Obama. They are highly motivated, having witnessed and experienced first-hand the decline abroad of respect for America under the Bush Administration. So they take to the tasks of campaigning -- making calls, fundraising, writing to local publications, voting as Democrats Abroad, and requesting absentee ballots for November -- with tremendous fervor. And they have coordinated one of the most novel approaches to "visibility" through the Bridges for Obama project.

London's Millenium Footbridge

To date, Obama supporters -- American and foreign -- have conducted their visibility in over 35 countries, on every continent. Meredith Wheeler in France describes the effort:

"The project is gathering photographs and videos of Obama supporters around the world, posing at, on or under famous or scenic bridges, displaying Obama banners--the bridge being an ideal symbol for the Obama candidacy. Bridges unite two banks, spans chasms, gaps and troubled water, brings together opposing sides."

Lebanon Sowfar Bridge

Lebanon's Sowfar Bridge - Yes We Span!

A video montage of the project may be presented at the Democratic National Convention in Denver in August. But in the meantime, you can view a slideshow of the Yes We Span groups doing their thing here. A full list of the countries and bridges (several have multiple locations) is provided below.

Vienna's Kennedy Bridge

Vienna - Obama supporters on the Kennedy Bridge

Which brings me to another related bridge matter. New York State has voted to rededicate and rename the Triborough Bridge connecting New York City's Manhattan, Queens and Bronx boroughs. Culminating a year of events honoring his life and commemorating the 40th anniversary of his tragic death, it will officially become The Robert F. Kennedy Bridge in November. Now is a good time to learn more about or contribute to the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Center for Human Rights.

Senators Frank Moss (D-Utah) and Robert F. Kennedy (D-New York) with Art Buchwald (center) at Glen Canyon Dam in 1967.

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Fired Up! Ready to Bake!

By Mark Wiznitzer - Jul 11th, 2008 at 11:59 am EDT

Also listed in: 10 groups

In just over three weeks Barack Obama will be 47. And over 70 Obama supporters have already signed up for the big event on August 4, Barack’s Birthday Bake Off.

What better way to celebrate than with Baked Goods? Food Tasters for Obama is hosting this nationwide event. Sign up here, and send in your ideas, photos and recipes. The best ones will win prizes like this first run t-shirt.

Bake your favorite desert recipe in honor of Barack. And use this event to raise funds, attract and register voters or organize friends of Obama. Here are some of the ideas we’ve received so far from other Obama supporters:

- Lois: “I will make a peach cobbler.”
- Beverly: “Great Idea...will think of something special to do along the lines of Voter Registration!”
- Jessica: “We'll bake oatmeal chocolate/cherry cookies to celebrate and share them with our friends :-). The recipe can be found in the Obama cookbook.”
- Joan: “I definitely will be there! Since I wont turn oven on in summer (energy preservation), I will go directly to Whole Foods for an August 4th birthday treat for our leader. There will be singing, candles, and we will consciously taste and eat it for him.”
- Julie: “Great Idea the 'winning's should be donated to the Obama fund!! Let's get him IN the White house!! ~ ~ now there an idea...a White house cake !! :) let's have fun with this !!”
- Sarah: “Here is my recipe, but it was copied from an old Sara Lee ad years ago: Thaw a Sara Lee Pound Cake and cut lengthwise.
  Cut a one-inch thick slice of Neopolitan ice cream and trim to fit on the cake.
  Put the other half of the cake on top of the ice cream.
  Frost the whole thing with Cool Whip.
  Down the middle of the top of the cake, place maraschino cherries next to each other in a long line and put half a pecan on either side of the cherries.
  Put the cake back in the freezer. Take out 15 minutes before serving.” (Sounds deeelicious)
- Brian: “It's safer for all involved if I do not cook. But I'll go to McDonalds and stick a candle in an apple pie. Happy Birthday Obama!”
- Dianne: “His birthday is 4 days after mine, same year, so we will kind of be celebrating together!”
- William: “I won't be baking but there will be cake. My birthday is August 4th :) I guess I'll have to share that day this year. But it was mine first. I'll be 49.”

Join in folks. If you just are not into baking, don't fret. Just buy a birthday cake to celebrate. (We at Food Tasters for Obama are more into the eating than preparing anyhow.) Or you can just light a candle and sing Happy Birthday. Celebrate while organizing for Obama.

wizinit is the nom de guerre of a veteran diplomat and fan of the late columnist Art Buchwald. If you would like to be notified whenever wizinit posts serious analysis or political satire, click on the logo to join Food Tasters For Obama.

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New Food Tasters for Obama Logo

By Mark Wiznitzer - May 20th, 2008 at 10:19 pm EDT

Also listed in: 10 groups

Please leave a comment on the blog to let us know if you find our logo is in good taste.

Spice up your life. Join Food Tasters for Obama to receive both serious and satirical takes on Barack Obama's quest to become the next President of the United States.

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