Hi FriendThere is a new group that just started on Facebook that I thought Organizing for America members may be interested in joining. Please see United Against Racism -
http://apps.facebook.com/causes/354956/80588439?m=9dc74a6eUnited Against Racism
posted by David Apperson
As President Obama recently related to me regarding local service; "Now is our time to work together, reaffirm our enduring spirit, and choose our better history."
It is our responsibility as Americans to vote, and vote we must. And now is the time to prepare for the next election. I invite all citizens of Nevada to post a message on the Nevada Election Blog.
Nevada Election Blognevada-elections.blogspot.com
During the first 100 days of the Obama presidency we have seen outstanding leadership in tackling the many issues facing our great nation. And it seems that overwhelming poll numbers indicate that America agrees with President Obama. see THE WHITE HOUSEThe question remains; What can we as fellow Americans do to help our neighbors and countrymen? Included are nine things you can do to help the President celebrate his first 100 Days in office:1. Donate unused suits to the Salvation Army2. Donate time to Americorps3. Donate toys for children at Toys for Tots4. Donate blood at the Red Cross5. Donate a can of food each week to a Local Shelter or Food Pantry6. Donate money to Save the Children7. Donate time at local a Veterans Hospital8. Donate an hour a day to your Child9. Donate to the Make a Wish FoundationParticipation is greatly appreciated. What you do for the least of our brethren, you do for yourself -http://donate.barackobama.com/page/community/post/president/gGxWJh
Barack Obama First 100 Days posted by David Apperson
Ain't she SWEET? We all know the tune...sing along! (see her walkin' down the (now heavily guarded) street/ the kind of girl I'd like to meet/ Ain't she sweet!)
I never before really cared about "First Laidies" until Michelle burst upon the scene. All of the recent ones, with the exception of Hillary, seemed to be either NUTS (witness Barbara!) or hoplessly shallow (you'd have to be to put up with "43"...a number to which he couldn't count; which has been scientifically proven; and we ALL know how much they held science close to their hearts!)
I, of course, cannot bring any of the First Ladies from Jackie-O back into the fray, as THEY all had class and even inluence!
Presidential Inaugural Address Delivered by President Barack Obama on 20 Jan 2009
My fellow citizens -I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition. Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because We the People have remained faithful to the ideals of our forbearers, and true to our founding documents. So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans. That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land - a nagging fear that America's decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower its sights. Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America - they will be met. On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord. On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics. We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of short-cuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted - for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things - some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labor, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life.For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth.For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sahn.Time and again these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction. This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions - that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The state of the economy calls for action, bold and swift, and we will act - not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together. We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology's wonders to raise health care's quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. And all this we will do.Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions - who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short. For they have forgotten what this country has already done; what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage. What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them - that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works - whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. And those of us who manage the public's dollars will be held to account - to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day - because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched, but this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control - and that a nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous. The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our Gross Domestic Product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on our ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart - not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good.As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our Founding Fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience's sake. And so to all other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more. Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort - even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet. We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus - and non-believers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society's ills on the West - know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world's resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us today, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages. We honor them not only because they are guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service; a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves. And yet, at this moment - a moment that will define a generation - it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all.For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter's courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent's willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate. Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends - hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism - these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility - a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.This is the price and the promise of citizenship.This is the source of our confidence - the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed - why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent mall, and why a man whose father less than sixty years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have traveled. In the year of America's birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:"Let it be told to the future world...that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive...that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet it."America. In the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.President Barack Obama
My fellow citizens -
I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition. Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because We the People have remained faithful to the ideals of our forbearers, and true to our founding documents. So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.
That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.
These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land - a nagging fear that America's decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower its sights.
Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America - they will be met.
On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.
On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics.
We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.
In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of short-cuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted - for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things - some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labor, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.
For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life.
For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth.
For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sahn.
Time and again these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction.
This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions - that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.
For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The state of the economy calls for action, bold and swift, and we will act - not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together. We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology's wonders to raise health care's quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. And all this we will do.
Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions - who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short. For they have forgotten what this country has already done; what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage.
What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them - that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works - whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. And those of us who manage the public's dollars will be held to account - to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day - because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.
Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched, but this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control - and that a nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous. The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our Gross Domestic Product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on our ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart - not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good.
As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our Founding Fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience's sake. And so to all other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more.
Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.
We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort - even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet. We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.
For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus - and non-believers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.
To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society's ills on the West - know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.
To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world's resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.
As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us today, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages. We honor them not only because they are guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service; a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves. And yet, at this moment - a moment that will define a generation - it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all.
For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter's courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent's willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate.
Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends - hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism - these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility - a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.
This is the price and the promise of citizenship.
This is the source of our confidence - the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.
This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed - why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent mall, and why a man whose father less than sixty years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.
So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have traveled. In the year of America's birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:
"Let it be told to the future world...that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive...that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet it."
America. In the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.
President Barack Obama
Presidential Inaugural Speech - A message for all peoplehttp://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/president/gGxHqT
source: David Apperson, webmaster
The Pickens Plan: For those who would like to become an active participant in a solution for our nations energy needs I urge you to join with T.Boone Pickens in his quest for a cleaner planet through alternative energy.
Also see Green Wave Energy: Green Wave was founded by Mark Holmes and was formulated for viable alternative energy solutions. Green Wave Energy is promoting state-of-the-art energy-saving products and services throughout the country.
Green Wave Energy understands alternative energy technology will become “main stream” when
Call 949.645.1701 for information on how Green Wave Energy can help you save the planet.
Alternative EnergySource: David Apperson
url: http://veterans.barackobama.com/page/community/tag/alternative-energy
Obama-Biden PRESIDENTIAL TRANSITION TEAM is giving all people a voice in the administration -
The PRESIDENTIAL TRANSITION TEAM is doing a great job. Thank the Almighty Creator that this is a new day in the history of this great nation.
Internet Webmasters, Designers and Developers
If you are an independent webmaster, designer or developer and have linked a business, personal, or political website or blog to your barack obama posts or other barackobama.com web pages and would like to be recognized for your efforts let me know. Mail your contact and other pertinent information to: David Apperson, Webmaster 10336 Loch Lomond Rd PMB 105Middletown CA 95461or email contact information to yofast@gmail.com
Alamo * Amargosa Valley * Austin * Baker * Battle Mountain * Beatty * Blue Diamond * Boulder City * Bunkerville * Cal-Nev-Ari * Caliente * Carlin * Carson City * Crescent Valley * Crystal Bay * Deeth * Denio * Duckwater * Dyer * Elko * Ely * Empire * Eureka * Fallon * Fernley * Gabbs * Gardnerville * Gardnerville Ranchos * Genoa * Gerlach * Gerlach Empire * Glenbrook * Golconda * Goldfield * Halleck * Hawthorne * Henderson * Hiko * Imlay * Incline Village * Indian Springs * Jackpot * Jarbidge * Jean * Kingsbury * Lamoille * Las Vegas * Laughlin * Logandale * Lovelock * Lund * Luning * Manhattan * McDermitt * McGill * Mercury * Mesquite * Mina * Minden * Moapa * Montello * Mountain City * Nellis AFB * Nixon * North Las Vegas * Orovada * Overton * Owyhee * Pahrump * Panaca * Paradise * Pioche * Reno * Round Mountain * Ruby Valley * Ruth * Schurz * Searchlight * Silver City * Silver Springs * Silverpeak * Smith * Sparks * Spring Creek * Stateline * Summerlin South * Sun Valley * The Lakes * Tonopah * Tuscarora * Valmy * Virginia City * Wadsworth * Washoe Valley * Wellington * Wells * West Wendover * Winnemucca * Yerington * Zephyr Cove
Nevada * Nevada Bible Study * Obama for Nevada * State of Nevada
I've been here in Nevada for almost a week from California. I'm here in Nevada to help re-enforce change as we did in California. Would you believe that I'm disabled? However, as in life, we have to fight like our life depends on it and not get too comfortable.
We are turning Nevada blue with much determination. I got a chance to see Senator Obama and Michelle on separate occasions while here working. I was sad to hear of Obama's Grandmother on the day Michelle was here and our blessings and heart goes out to them. They are both amazing and I know they will be great leaders for the United States of America. We all know that it has been such a challenge for people with disabilities dealing with our meds and healthcare. Let's all help bring this win home and make this the United States we all love, especially those with disablilites!!!
YES WE CAN!!
Please be inspired by this video we made in California:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2E8DYDbHxUs
Tracy Hardy-Mosbey
Nevada
2004 Final Results:
Kerry 48%
Bush 51%
2004 Final Results (Distribution by Party):
Democrats 35.0 %
Republicans 39.0 %
Independents 36.0 %
2008 Early Voting (Distribution by Party):
Democrats 51.0 % (gained 16% compared to 2004)
Republicans 31.6 % (lost 7.4%)
Independents 17.4 % (lost 8.6%)
A total of 59% of 2004 turnout already voted (as of October 31).
New Mexico
Kerry 49%
Bush 50%
Democrats 40.0 %
Republicans 33.0 %
Independents 27.0 %
Democrats 52.7 % (gained 12.7% compared to 2004)
Republicans 32.8 % (lost 0.2%)
Independents 14.5 % (lost 12.5%)
A total of 25% of 2004 turnout already voted (as of November 1).
Iowa
Democrats 34.0 %
Republicans 36.0 %
Independents 30.0 %
Democrats 46.9 % (gained 12.9% compared to 2004)
Republicans 28.9 % (lost 7.1%)
Independents 24.2 % (lost 5.8%)
A total of 32% of 2004 turnout already voted (as of November 1).
North Carolina
Kerry 44%
Bush 56%
Democrats 39.0 %
Republicans 40.0 %
Independents 21.0 %
Democrats 51.5 % (gained 12.5% compared to 2004)
Republicans 30.1 % (lost 9.9%)
Independents 18.4 % (lost 2.6%)
A total of 74% of 2004 turnout already voted (as of November 2).
Florida
Kerry 47%
Bush 52%
Democrats 37.0 %
Republicans 41.0 %
Independents 22.0 %
Democrats 45.7 % (gained 8.7% compared to 2004)
Republicans 37.2 % (lost 3.8%)
Independents 17.1 % (lost 4.9%)
A total of 56% of 2004 turnout already voted (as of November 2).
Colorado
Democrats 29.0 %
Republicans 38.0 %
Independents 33.0 %
Democrats 37.7 % (gained 8.7% compared to 2004)
Republicans 35.9 % (lost 2.1%)
Independents 26.4 % (lost 6.6%)
A total of 61% of 2004 turnout already voted (as of October 31).
_____________________________________________________________
Sources:
CNN (2004 results): http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2004/pages/results/president/
CNN (2008 early vote results): http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/10/27/early.voting.map/index.html
US Election Project (2008 early vote results): http://elections.gmu.edu/early_vote_2008.html
Four days before Election Day 2008, I drove with a friend from my home in the San Francisco Bay Area to Henderson, Nevada, just outside Las Vegas, for a rally with Barack Obama. We arrived in Las Vegas on the Friday night preceding the Saturday morning event, which also happened to be Halloween. With little else to do before driving out to Henderson to take our places among the first in line for the Obama rally, we did what any other visitor does on a Friday night in Vegas: We went to the Strip. This was of course a strange prelude to the Saturday morning event, as apolitical a beginning to a political weekend as I can imagine. Surprisingly, among the crowds of revelers along the Strip in almost any kind of costume one can imagine, I didn't see a single Barack Obama, John McCain, Joe Biden, or Sarah Palin. As always, Vegas seemed to occupy a world entirely its own.
Once we tired of the Strip, we drove the few miles out to Henderson on the southern edge of metropolitan Las Vegas and located the rally site, a local high school football stadium. By two or three o'clock in the morning, dedicated Obama supporters were already taking their places in line at the gate, and we soon took our places among them. I personally had never "camped out" for any kind of event, be it a political rally, rock concert, or movie premiere, but at this event I had no intention of being any further from the front than I had to be. Our diligence paid off, and once the gates were opened we and other early arrivals were able to take places along the rope line in front of a crowd that grew to number around 15,000 (see BarackObama.com, Las Vegas Review-Journal; photos available also at Flickr).
Obama's 25-minute speech contained many of the same points he has made throughout his campaign, but lacked nothing in excitement for being what one might describe as a "standard Obama stump speech" with a little extra dose of urgency just three days before Election Day. Introduced by Nevada's own Senate majority leader Harry Reid, Obama arrived at the podium to wild applause and screams of support, the energy all positive. I couldn't help but take wonder at how the overwhelmingly positive atmosphere at this event contrasted the ugly rage, bitterness, and hate we have all seen on video from McCain/Palin rallies. The one time booing started at the mention of John McCain, Obama reminded the crowd as at other rallies recently, "You don't need to boo. You just need to vote."
In his speech Obama reminded his supporters that the election has yet to be won: "Don't believe for a second this election is over. Don't think for a minute that power concedes. We have to work like our future depends on it in these last few days, because it does. But I know this, Nevada: The time for change has come." As he spoke, the tiny silhouettes of police and/or Secret Service lookouts could be seen atop buildings and other high points around the rally site, just in case anyone should wish to harm the Democratic nominee. Secret Service agents also patrolled the crowd and shared the open space between Obama's stage and the rope line with news photographers taking rapid-fire shots both of Obama up at the podium and of the cheering crowd. A helicopter circled over the rally site, too high to tell whether it was a news helicopter or police.
For us and others at the front of the crowd, the climax of the event came at the close of Obama's speech, as he began to make his way along the rope line to depart. Surrounded by Secret Service agents and rapid-firing news photographers, Obama moved along the rope line shaking hands, kissing babies, and thanking his supporters. The Secret Service agents pushed back against the metal barriers as the crowd surged forward to get a glimpse of Obama or shake his hand. My friend and I suddenly found ourselves with little room to move or even breathe as Obama approached and the crowd pressed in around us, holding their hands out in hopes of getting a handshake with the man they hope will be the next President of United States. We both did get handshakes with Obama when he finally arrived at our place along the rope line, and when my turn came I looked into Obama's face and told him the first thing I could think of to say: "You are going to be a great president." Obama looked back at me and said in all sincerity, "Thank you." Then he was gone.
Finally, as Obama moved away from us along the rope line shaking more hands and kissing more babies, we got a chance also to shake hands with Harry Reid. Having previously shaken hands with Ted Kennedy at an Obama event in Oakland just before the California primary, I can now say that I have shaken hands with three of the people Republicans most love to hate. One of those hands, I hope, will soon be holding the keys to the White House.
As predicted some polls believe the Nevada Race is tightening. I did not notice in my last calls to Nevada for the first time there were a greater shared of committed to McCain than in previous calls. We are going to need to work harder.
RGJ political reporter Anjeanette Damon provides breaking news, insider observations and experienced analysis from Nevada's political arena.
While U.S. Sen. Barack Obama appears to be maintaining a consistent lead over U.S. Sen. John McCain, the latest RGJ poll indicates that the late undecided voters appear to be breaking for McCain, as many political observers predicted they would.
The numbers are small and well within the margin of error so it's difficult to draw too firm of a conclusion. But compared to the last time the RGJ polled earlier this month, the number of undecideds has dropped from 4 percent to 2 percent, while McCain's support has increased from 43 percent to 45 percent. Obama has remained steady across the two polls at 50 percent.
With the margin of error, this could remain a neck-and-neck race and the tiny number of undecideds could ultimately decide it.
As for other interesting findings in the poll, Obama continues to do well among women and Latino voters. Among Hispanics he's favored by a 43-point margin. He also continues to lag with white voters and men.
In Washoe County, McCain appears to have made up some ground compared to the last poll. He's favored 48 percent to 45 percent over Obama. Last time he was favored by just 1 point. However, the numbers I'm hearing on internal polls from both parties has Obama leading in Washoe County.
Further bad news for McCain: he hasn't improved his favorability rating with Nevada voters-- it remains at 45 percent favorable and 49 percent unfavorable-- and the number of voters with an unfavorable view of his running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, has increased by 5 points. Palin's favorables are 40 percent, compared to 51 percent unfavorable.
Obama has maintained a 54 percent favorability rating compared to 42 percent unfavorable.
I've lived in California all my life and in the San Francisco Bay area for the last 25 years. As an activist it often feels like I'm just working to get the converted moving. My most fulfilling times have been when I have extended to more difficult areas.
I have been making calls out of state, but I really want to travel to Las Vegas to get out the vote. Unfortunately I am currently out of work and a bit too old to start searching travel websites to find strangers that will let me crash in their house. Does anyone know of any organized efforts of SF Bay area folks to travel to Las Vegas beginning this weekend? I'm looking to share housing and gas costs.
Please consider passing this on to others in the Obama campaign. I have already changed two votes in ID and five in CA and many others in NV by sharing this story about my family. MAKING A DIFFERENCESaturday, the 18th, my family lost a loved one on the Obama campaign trail. My uncle-in-law, Dewey Swensen of Sparks, NV, and fellow democrats were going door to door, when he suffered a massive heart attack and literally dropped dead on someone's doorstep. His wife Susan, was shocked on Monday to receive flowers and a phone call from Senator Barrack Obama himself, expressing heartfelt condolence. Later, that same day, Senator Obama announced he was leaving campaigning to be with his ailing grandmother. Taking the time during campaigning and a time of personal crisis to personally call Susan, made my family and family-in-law, feel that he mattered, he made a difference, and Dewey didn't die forgotten and for nothing. We are grieving his loss greatly, and we feel that regardless of one's political views, this story is worth sharing because it supercedes politics. It is a matter of human to human kindness. Please keep a moment to remember Dewey, who passed-away doing something he believed in. Heather
Kuna, Idaho
Last weekend, I traveled with 150 friends to the battleground state of Nevada, joining thousands of Californians in campaigning for Senator Barack Obama. Over the weekend, our group knocked on over 5,000 doors. We spread out across Las Vegas, meeting people in their homes and talking to them about their hopes and concerns. What we heard is that Nevadans, like many of their fellow Americans, are worried. They are yearning for change and strong leadership to put our country back on track. Most were responsive to Senator Obama's economic plan of tax cuts for the middle class and smarter regulation of our financial sector. I know that an Obama administration would bring renewed focus toward reviving our urban centers, and I will be working to bring that message to other voters between now and Election Day. Join us on another Drive for Change for the final Get Out the Vote Weekend.
"I can't tell my husband, but I am 100% behind Obama," a voter from Nevada told me one night while phone banking. Our Ojai volunteer campaign office has placed more than 5,000 calls to Nevada and New Mexico and we are hearing similar stories from men, women, and children from these more conservative battleground states. Quite the opposite of the occasional news-line that "closet racism" may hurt Senator Obama's election bid, we are finding undecided voters to be overwhelming Obama supporters! Our office polls show Senator Obama ahead 3 to 1 amongst undecided voters in Nevada, even higher in New Mexico, and a 6 to 1 margin in our California calling. More and more, people are feeling the power that comes with making up your own mind for yourself and they are asking for yard signs, buttons, and tee shirts more than at any point in this campaign. The people who are not honest about their own beliefs and that harbor such feelings weren't going to vote Democrat anyway: they will not sway this election even a part of one point, so forget about 'em!
Let's stay positive, remain confident that we are on the brink of monumental progress in our great country, and push on through to November 4! Faith in our fellow citizens is a two way street: we get as we give. We know others will do the right thing as we ourselves are sure we will do the same for them! Keep it up and smile, smile, smile.
Thanks for listening.
David
Well this is really something!
Although, it is not impossible, it seems very unlikely that somebody else has my exact name, so I write today to clear up this confusion that I have just this day, discovered... "I" am the real "flesh and blood" "Todd Larkin"!
I share few if any views with the mystery blogger and supposed vet_08 author of the other "Todd Larkin's Blog" on this site. I would appreciate it's prompt removal as a possible imposter since I am an exceedingly conservative/libertarian minded Republican in good standing. I live in Alaska, burn wood, kill stuff too eat, don't want government to get another dime from American business and workers and so on...
If (and that is a big "if") I had any reason at all to support the likes of Barack/Biden, it would only be in the desperate hope, that a hard enough or radical enough turn to the left and full embrace of socialism or outright Communism, would be 'enough' to shake people out of their slumber and reject such notions once and for all as the failed experiment they are. Then we might get back to what built the most successful and powerful country the world has ever seen; principals such as, free market exchange between common citizens, unfettered by government constrictions or taxation, or, applying the occasional biblical principal to such things as work ethic/caring for the needy/treatment of others/government actions/etc... and finally, the right to (yes) fail! We once honored the right to bet the farm or just never even get up and milk the darn cow and suffer for the consequences without the constant and hugely expensive "safety nets" government sets up and complicates life with.
Beyond that singular reasoning for Obama support, i am at a loss as to why one would vote for this man or any similar socialist.
Now if it is not obvious, I am supporting, McCain/Palin in this presidential race, not that my party's nominee is terribly conservative but, with the addition of Palin, it seems there is a brighter future for us conservatives and a seat at the table; nevertheless, it is McCain/Palin that I endorse and NOT Obama/Biden, so I would thank you to not create confusion around my name. I am active and somewhat known in Alaska political circles and do not appreciate it one bit!
You (the Obama Campaign) would do well to 'vet out' whether your "vet" is who he claims to be before a lawsuit arrives at your campaign doorstep. As for me? Vet me out all you like, I AM "Todd Larkin", the real thing! I live here in Alaska with my dog in a small one bedroom house I built myself and barely afford. I'm here all the time and darn easy to find, so get on it! If you want pictures... Google me and you'll see that I "am" and that I have a bit of political activity under my belt and all those people I dealt with are pretty sure I'm really me too (especially my enemies, don't be one).
As for the "other" Todd... if by some outside chance you are just another guy with my exact name, I (and my name) are very disappointed in what you've become. Stop feeling and start thinking! Go try to find the socialist or communist society that worked out well for the people or didn't result in mass killings, and wake up to the failed experiment, Jeeze man!?
Slightly frustrated regards,
Todd Larkin
>>>>>>>>>10/08/2008>>>>>>>>>>>>>
The national polls are instructive early in the fall presidential campaign season. They tell us whether a candidate has strength, momentum, a chance.
But as the campaign enters its final stage -- with election day less than a month away -- the numbers from the states start to matter. That's where the electoral votes start to pile up. So what of the battleground states? Forget about states, competitive or otherwise, that backed Democrat John Kerry in 2004.
The latest polls from all of them favor Democrat Barack Obama this year. (Indeed, the analysts at Real Clear Politics have in recent days moved four 2004 states Kerry states that were supposed to be battlegrounds this year -- Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey and Pennsylvania -- from "Leans Obama" status to "Solid Obama.")
What of the states that backed Republican George Bush in 2004? Where are they trending. Here's something to ponder:
In 2004, Bush secured the presidency with the electoral votes of: Colorado Florida Iowa Missouri Nevada New Mexico North Carolina Ohio Florida
As of today, the Real Clear Politics poll of polls for each state -- which averages all the recent surveys of voters -- has Obama winning every one of these battlegrounds. If the election were held today, and if the polls proved correct, Obama would win the Electoral College by a margin of 364 votes to 174 -- a split roughly parallel to that in the 1996 race between Democrat Bill Clinton and Republican Bob Dole.
"Fascism should more appropriately be called Corporatism because it is a merger of state and corporate power" - Benito Mussolini
