Scott of Holly Springs, NC knows more than a little about wartime voting. A Navy veteran, Scott did three tours in the Middle East in Operation Desert Storm. Scott has voted Republican for most of his life.
"When I was commissioned as a military officer in 1986, I thought that it would be in my best interest to register as a Republican because my Commander-in-Chief was a Republican," Scott says.
I didn't want to be singled out as someone who was not supportive of President Reagan. And in 2004 I voted for Bush because I felt like since we were in the middle of a wartime situation, the candidate who was most involved in it should be the person to finish it. … But I didn’t realize Bush was just going to make it worse.I decided it was time for a change. We needed someone different who could give us hope.
I didn't want to be singled out as someone who was not supportive of President Reagan. And in 2004 I voted for Bush because I felt like since we were in the middle of a wartime situation, the candidate who was most involved in it should be the person to finish it. … But I didn’t realize Bush was just going to make it worse.
I decided it was time for a change. We needed someone different who could give us hope.
Even though he had never voted for a Democrat before, Scott became an enthusiastic Obama supporter. “He had me at ‘Yes We Can.’”
Whenever Obama addresses an issue, I can tell that it’s coming from intellect and compassion, not empty rhetoric.
Scott quickly got busy volunteering for the campaign, going door to door in his community and contributing to the campaign.Scott, 44, is married with three young daughters, ages seven, four, and one. Concerned about his family, Scott sees healthcare as one of the biggest issues of the campaign.
The healthcare issue is not going away. People are always going to get sick. Unless we can tackle this issue, we’re going to have big problems.
Scott was injured earlier this year when he picked up a tablesaw and ruptured a disk in his lower back.
I had to have surgery, and the cost involved was staggering. The cost of that one surgery really set back my family for the rest of the year.
A former Navy man, Scott is also concerned about the war.
I’ve been there, and I want to see our guys come home. Our being there is holding Iraq in an unstable situation. Our presence there endangers our own people and doesn’t solve the major problems.
He thinks Barack’s plan to exit Iraq is a smart strategy.
Obama is the right person for America right now. We need someone who is smart, compassionate, and will improve our standing in the world.
It’s enough to get Scott to switch parties. “I don’t know if I’ll switch back, either,” he says.
Voices for Change is a series featuring profiles of Barack Obama's grassroots supporters from across the nation. The people who make up this movement come from all different backgrounds, but they share a common goal of helping bring about fundamental change in Washington.
Jeanie in Spokane has not just crossed political lines to vote for a candidate -- she’s changed her whole political philosophy.
"I have always voted in the past," she explained. "Always Republican. I believed that what was wrong with America was too much dependence on government. I believed our taxes were too high and that social programs had raised generation after generation of people who were destined to be dependent and not to stand up for themselves. I thought just voting Republican would be enough to ‘empower people.’"
But then I grew up. I realized I was more progressive all along. As the Right became more radical, I took a step back. And the Democratic Party has stepped up to the plate and become something of great stature.
Jeanie encountered Barack a few months before the primaries and was excited by his message of hope and his approach to the war in Iraq.
We as a people are in a somewhat dysfunctional society right now. And it holds us back. Barack’s message of “Hope! Change! Choice!” – those are real words to me. They mean something, You can change it all with one election.
As an emergency room nurse, Jeanie is most concerned about healthcare in this election.
Working in the ER… there is nowhere else the healthcare crisis is so apparent. The system is a mess. People can’t afford their prescriptions, so they stay sick and keep coming back to the ER. And they don’t have emergencies. They just can’t go anywhere else without insurance. The bottom line is that we have to fix it.
At 52 years old with four grown children and seven grandchildren, Jeanie has thrown herself full-force into the campaign. She’s volunteered, donated, and is currently organizing a massive grassroots event in Washington, DC.
I met a lot of supporters in Spokane, and we wanted to get even more people together, so I planned an event. And it’s so easy to do! And then I decided I wanted to do something different, something big. We’re planning this huge grassroots event now. We’ve reached out to people in North Dakota, Tennessee, Virginia, Florida… all coming together in DC. It’s going to be so exciting! When I first planned the event, I posted it on MyBo and went to work. That evening I had 14 pages of email about it!
A watercolor painter in her spare time, Jeanie even painted a watercolor of Barack that she hopes to auction to help support the event. Jeanie is excited about her upcoming event and for the future volunteer efforts she plans to do for Obama.
I am voting for Barack Obama because he seems to understand all of the issues we face, and yet he is able to rise up above the pettiness that plagues American politics. He seems to bring out the best in us.
John in St. Louis, Missouri didn’t just normally vote for Republicans – he used to work for them. "The last Democrat I voted for was John F. Kennedy in 1960," he says.
Since then, John served three Republican presidents in the White House – Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan, and the first George Bush.
But John went to an Obama rally in St. Louis a few months ago and realized it was time for change.
When I heard and saw Obama in person, I was sold. He inspired feelings in me that I have not had since college. I have read his positions on issues, his calls for a change in Washington. I like his message of bipartisanship, and he is right on the need for more transparency in government.
John also appreciates Barack’s approach to foreign policy. “I’m convinced that he understands what it is to be a citizen of the world, and that matters right now.”
Since his Obama conversion, John has made multiple donations to the campaign, and his wife is an avid phonebanker.
He says:
We’re ready for a new direction and new leadership, and we have an able, bright, person who can communicate well. I believe that Barack Obama does trust the American people and despite the temptation to pander to media, he actually thinks about and answers hard questions with thoughtful answers.
Reba, 60, of Hickory, North Carolina, considered herself a lifetime Republican. But that all changed when Barack Obama came along.
I liked his idea of change. In the last eight years we have seen the White House do whatever they want to do -- it doesn’t matter what the people want. So I decided to switch to Democrat and vote for Obama. Obama makes a whole lot more sense than the Republicans have. I can’t believe I voted for Bush a second time! I’m embarrassed.
As a realtor, Reba has been hit hard by the housing crisis. “It’s hard to help people buy a house right now. Being in so much debt is hard; it’s harder than ever to pay off a house.” The economy has impacted her in a big way. Reba used to own a small real estate brokerage company, but had to sell it when the housing market went bad. “It’s tough,” she says. “I’ve been in the real estate market for 24 years, and this is the worse I’ve ever seen it.”She’s hoping Obama will bring much-needed change.
Everything Obama says makes so much sense. Like his tax plan – it’s hard for most of us to pay our taxes right now, but Obama’s going to help those of us who don’t have a lot of money. The Republicans ask a lot from us, but give little in return.
Before the Obama campaign came along, Reba had never been politically involved. “I’d never volunteered, and never donated before.” But this time she’s given both time and money to the movement.
He’s something special, and I don’t want him to lose the election because he doesn’t have enough money to compete.
She says she got involved this time because she was inspired by Barack’s understanding of the issues.
What’s different is the desire to have someone in the White House who has a grasp of what’s going on and what real people need.
“And I think Obama will take North Carolina,” she says. “Just about everyone I talk to is going to vote for him!”
Bob of Portsmouth, Virginia knows what it means to serve our country. He served in the Army for 24 years and has worked in the government for a total of 45 years. For 17 of his years in the Army he was a broadcaster. “I’ve talked to a lot of interesting people,” he said, “President Reagan in Korea and Bush Sr. in Japan.” At 65 years old, he also has “long been a registered Republican. The only time I was going to vote Democratic was for JFK if he had run in 1964,” he said. After years of irritation with the current administration, Bob began to look for other candidates in this election and became inspired by Barack.
I’m from Iowa originally and was born in Des Moines. When Barack won Iowa I said, ‘Let me listen to this guy.’ I did some research online and followed him through the primaries. I was impressed. This is a man who has a lot of common sense and a hope for changing things. Without hope, there is no goal in life.
This last Wednesday, Bob and his girlfriend Silvia saw Michelle Obama and Virginia Governor Tim Kaine speak at the Harrison Opera House in Norfolk. “She was a fantastic, dynamic speaker and reflects what Barack is all about,” he said. Governor Kaine spoke of taking care of our veterans and making our country safe. As a veteran and in his current role on staff at the Norfolk Naval Base (“The largest naval base in the world,” he notes), these issues hit home with Bob.
Barack Obama cares about veterans. We need to help our soldiers who come back from overseas with no job, disabilities, and no healthcare. Barack will make this national policy. Homeland security is very important to me. I was a cop for 8 years with the Department of Defense. Some of the security even within our defense system isn’t good enough. We need to protect our sailors, soldiers and airmen.
Having a president who listens to the nation’s citizens and values their ideas is significant for Bob. Barack’s commitment to involving ordinary people is proof of this.
I like the way he cares a lot about the grassroots. He said, ‘I want you to plan the political platform for the Democratic Party.’ At the meeting I went to we talked for six hours about five different issues. One of the biggest issues was education. The students of tomorrow will run this country; we need to provide them with top notch education. We need to have a curriculum that teaches cultural differences from an early age and teaches a second language.
Bob is not a political regular. “I’ve never been involved in politics before and never donated money,” he said. In his first campaign he is fully immersed.
I give to this campaign because I believe in it. My girlfriend Silvia and I also went to two campaign office grand openings. For the office in Portsmouth, we bought banners, streamers and posters to decorate the office. We brought refreshments for all of the supporters who came. We wanted the office to look professional and to make a good impression. Then, that same Saturday afternoon, we went to the opening in Chesapeake.
Bob has surprised himself by his involvement in this campaign, but has no doubts. “I want to see this man be our president,” he said. “He’s the man for the job. With the ideas he’s got and our help, he’s going to be great.” Having inspired people around him, Bob is ready for the sprint to the general election. He wants to bring as many people into the campaign as possible. With his eye toward November, Bob said, “I’m fired up.”
Voices for Change is a series featuring profiles of Barack Obama's grassroots supporters from across the nation. The people who make up this movement come from all different backgrounds, but they share a common goal – to help bring about fundamental change in Washington.
Amanda is a 30-year-old real estate agent and mother from Kentucky. Growing up, her family always supported Republicans.
I'm a registered Republican, but I really liked [Barack] after the Democratic Convention the last time around. I really appreciated his viewpoint.
For Amanda, the handling of Hurricane Katrina left her looking to vote for change in 2008.
...The final straw came during Hurricane Katrina. I felt that the response was lacking. If it had been anyone else in the world or anywhere else in the world...then the response would have been a little bit quicker. We can do better.
Amanda has been working as hard as she can to get Barack elected. She's been talking to friends and family about Barack and the positive change that he'll bring to America.
I hope that by having an Obama sticker on my car and talking to everyone I know about what a different kind of politician Senator Obama is and why I believe in him, I can make sure that he's elected this fall.
Amanda is one of millions of supporters from across the country. Join her and others in supporting our campaign for change by making a grassroots donation today!
Voices for Change is a series featuring profiles of Barack Obama's grassroots supporters from across the nation. The people who make up this movement come from all walks of life, but they share a common goal: to help bring about fundamental change in Washington.
Every Friday in western North Carolina, Dave sits around a table with a handful of former Marines for lunch. When the topic turns to politics, Dave shares why he supports Barack. “I support him wherever I go,” he says. Dave is 66 years old and is a former Captain in the Marine Corps who hails from Glen Alpine, a rural town with a population of just over 1,000. He is also a proud, lifelong Republican. A number of years back he worked on a Republican congressional campaign in Colorado. “My daughter, who’s a Democrat, and I had an agreement that we would never talk about politics,” he says.
Then, last year, he started following Barack and listening to his message. Dave became convinced that in order to accomplish change, we need to work in a nonpartisan way. He even went so far as re-registering. “This past year I registered as ‘uncommitted,’ or independent, just so I could vote for Barack Obama in the primary,” he beamed.
Barack is going to be able to attract capable, courageous, people into government service. The president leads the country and encourages citizens to act. The last president who was a force in that office was Reagan. What drew me to Senator Obama was listening to him. He has his fabulous values, a lot of courage, and he’s unflappable. When McCain started talking about staying in Iraq for years, I was convinced. Democracy only works well through people; when they care and participate and when they’re inspired and led to do so.
In Dave’s view, people have been cut out of the process all too often in recent years, and his area is seeing the strains of this approach first hand.
The biggest issue for us here is the economy, the economy, the economy. North Carolina is suffering less than most, but the cost of petroleum, driving, fertilizer, and harvesting is exacerbating the agricultural problem and driving up the food costs. They’re destroying preserved land to produce energy here. Greed has run us into disaster when we have CEOs who make 400 times what the average worker makes.
Dave feels an urgency to be involved. “At no time since FDR led us out of the Depression, and not since then, has our country faced such a damaging prospect,” he says. “Nothing but dramatic change will save us.”
Every single day between now and the general election I’m going to be supporting Barack. They just opened up a headquarters near me in North Carolina. I haven’t been down yet, but I’m going to be. I’ll make telephone calls, write, speak, and advocate for Barack.
This campaign is changing the way we view electoral politics and Americans of all backgrounds are taking part. Join Dave and the millions of others who have made a clear statement that the time for change is now. “My mother, who is 89, gave birth to me as a Republican,” he said. “She too voted for Barack.”
Voices for Change is a series featuring profiles of Barack Obama's grassroots supporters from across the nation. The people who make up this movement come from all walks of life, but they share a common goal – to help bring about fundamental change in Washington.
Before the 2008 election cycle, 69-year-old Carolyn of Giddings, Texas had never voted Democratic before. She had also never caucused in her state or been elected delegate. She had never volunteered for a campaign before or donated money or registered voters. But even at age 69, there’s a first time for everything.
Carolyn, now retired, has nine grown children, 17 grandchildren, and 17 great-grandchildren with three more on the way. In her spare time she enjoys gardening, sewing, and mentoring teenagers in her community.
"All my kids are registered, and they’re all voting Obama,” she says. “Every month we all chip in a little bit, and we send the campaign a donation together. We’re an Obama clan! My mother is 93, and you better not say anything bad about Obama to her!"
Before this election, Carolyn always voted Republican. However, Barack’s message of change changed her mind.
I changed because I didn’t like the way things were going – on the economy, education, immigration, and Iraq. The citizens are losing.The economy is so bad. I really have to budget myself these days. I used to give what I could to my community, but I can’t help people as much as I used to these days.So I thought to myself, let’s see what these young people can do! The older people in government have their minds set in the old ways. It’s time to move in a different direction. You don’t have to be 60 or 70 years old to be a leader today. We need younger leaders. So I’m praying that Obama can bring this change. He’s going to need the prayers and the support of the whole nation. He must win. It’s just time.
I changed because I didn’t like the way things were going – on the economy, education, immigration, and Iraq. The citizens are losing.
The economy is so bad. I really have to budget myself these days. I used to give what I could to my community, but I can’t help people as much as I used to these days.
So I thought to myself, let’s see what these young people can do! The older people in government have their minds set in the old ways. It’s time to move in a different direction. You don’t have to be 60 or 70 years old to be a leader today. We need younger leaders. So I’m praying that Obama can bring this change. He’s going to need the prayers and the support of the whole nation. He must win. It’s just time.
Despite never having been interested in politics before, Carolyn is giving lots of her time to the Obama campaign.
I’ve never been interested in volunteering or donating before, but this time, I see a young man who really is trying hard to do something different.
Carolyn began by caucusing in her home precinct. “I chose to caucus because it’s important for Obama to win,” she says. “I didn’t know anything about caucusing, but I know if you don’t go out and make the change, it’s not going to happen.”
She has also been busy registering voters in her community.
I’ve been asking everybody to register. I just know that when you register people, you give them a voice. When I talk to young people, I tell them that this is their time.
The effect Obama had on young people moved Carolyn to volunteer in her community. “Obama began to speak, and young people began to listen, and he pulled them out of the slump of fear. He put the spirit back in them,” she says. “I began to see how alive and involved the young people were to go out in the hot sun and knock on doors for him. This is the generation that’s going to bring it around. And this is what inspired me.”
We’re excited that Barack Obama helped bring Carolyn into the political process and proud that her first-ever campaign contribution will go to support our efforts to bring change to Washington. You can join Carolyn and our millions of grassroots supporters across the country and be a part of our campaign for change.
Lauren is what some would consider an unlikely supporter of Senator Obama. A stay-at-home mother of two from Salt Lake City, Utah, Lauren was raised in a "very conservative" Republican family. And up until five years ago, she was a registered Republican herself.
I kind of had a paradigm shift in the fundamental way I look at the world. Now I consider myself a conservative Democrat.
She's been supporting Barack since before Super Tuesday.
I am so excited about Senator Obama. I've always been an extremely political person...but for the first time in my life I'm excited about a candidate. I'm excited about the idea of the first black man being President. And on a political level, I identify with him on domestic issues. I agree with him on the war in Iraq.
Barack's speech on race, A More Perfect Union, was helped solidify her support.
It was extremely moving. I think he has an absolutely amazing gift for oratory...his eloquence is really, really appreciated.
When it comes to the big issues, one stands out.
Well, me and 98% of the rest of Americans are really concerned about the economy. My household expenses went up 20% but we live on a stable income. I really appreciate that [Obama] has been more candid and honest with the American people, especially with the issue of the gas tax holiday, than most politicians have been in the past. He's not afraid to be honest with people and I really respect that.
Despite our nation's current economic woes, she's still found the extra money to contribute to the campaign. Join Lauren and our millions of supporters across the country today, our grassroots network of small dollar donors. Every cent makes a difference.
Thelma is a youthful 87-year-old lifelong Republican from Oregon, who has worked for six different start-ups in Silicon Valley. When she's not writing, she enjoys working in her garden and keeping in touch with her two children. Republicanism was instilled in her from an early age.
Well, I grew up in Oregon and my parents were rabid Republicans. I've been a Republican all of my life, until Obama came along and I said, "this is it". He's a very unusual person, and of course the parties have changed too. I never just voted for somebody because he was Republican or Democratic. I changed my voter registration from Republican to Democratic, and that was surprising to me after having been a Republican for a lifetime. I wouldn't vote for John McCain if he was the only person on the ballot.
She supports Senator Obama because he's a different kind of politician.
He is honest, and it seems as though he really is truly thinking about what is best for the people and for the country and he's not looking for something for himself and he's not even looking for something for the party. He seems to really be thinking for himself. I admire him because he is bright, and I admire his wife for the same reason. He has the qualities that seem like he's looking out for people, he's interested in people and what will be good for the country.
Although she sees a need for change in all areas of policy, she's particularly concerned about the environment.
I'm certainly concerned about the environment. I always have been since I was a child, when I went camping here in Oregon. My father taught us that when we build a fire, we put it out.
We'll be featuring many profiles of our supporters in the weeks and months to come. If you have an interesting story, e-mail it to blog@barackobama.com.
Where I live the schools are amazing but twenty miles away, in Washington DC, it’s a completely different story. It’s just not equitable. They don’t have books and computers and my kids school they’ve got talking white boards. It’s not right and it doesn’t make sense for the country going forward. I mean, we’re all one country. And it’s just so much more glaring to me because our schools are so excellent. It’s shocking that we have the resources in some places and not others.
We said there’s got to be others like us who’ve never volunteered before and who would love to get involved, but said ‘I can’t because I have small kids.’ I mean, there’s lots of stuff to do but not a lot that’s tailored with people with kids. And so we decided that a majority of our events would be kid-friendly. For example, we have “Coffee and Campaigning” play groups. For stay-at-home moms we have our own meetings where moms get together and our kids run amok and play and and we can read over Barack’s Iraq legislation.
Families for Obama was such a great idea that it became one of the fastest growing my.BarackObama.com groups and already has 26 chapters across the country. They are also in the process of working with state and local groups. “We want to let them know that if they have events that are large and not kid-friendly in the area, we can provide a kids activity group so that parents can still come,” says Ruthi.
Ruthi is both thrilled and overwhelmed with the experience of co-founding Families for Obama and seeing it grow so quickly. She’s glad she’s gotten involved in a movement for change, and she’s also happy that she’s made new friends. Ruthi is amazed by the diversity of people who show up to her group’s events.
We had an event called “Baking It Hot for Barack” where we had parents and kids in the kitchen baking brownies and cookies. Of the 30-35 people there we had an former Newt Gingrich staffer, a couple ex-Hippies, an Episcopal priest, a military lawyer… it was such an array of people!
