Posts with the tag volunteering

Health Care Needs Changing Now!

Tom Rodgers — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 19:56:02 EDT

Please write a letter,email or call your local Senators,Congressional Representatives and ask them to support Health care Reform. There needs to be changes made to our country's entire health care system. Please ask them to elimate "The Pre-Existing Clause" From all Health Insurance Employer Group Plans, I personally believe this will be a great first start to helping improve Health Care in The United States of America. Please help my organization serve the needs of the needy citizens in our area by making a donation through PayPal, please click the link below to make a donation. Any amount will be greatly appreciated. https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=6692110

The President unveiled "United We Serve"

Melanie — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 13:35:26 EDT

Dear Friend, Today, in a video message, President Obama unveiled United We Serve - a sustained effort to expand the size and impact of volunteer efforts in addressing tough challenges facing the nation. The initiative, which will be led by the Corporation for National and Community Service, officially kicks off on June 22, and runs for 81 days through a new National Day of Service and Remembrance on September 11. To make it easy to get involved, the President is urging Americans to visit the Corporation's web site, Serve.gov, where visitors can search for local volunteer opportunities, recruit volunteers by posting their organization's projects, or get ideas for creating their own projects with friends, families, and neighbors. During this summer, the President is renewing his call to all Americans to identify needs in their communities, engage in meaningful service to create change - and stay engaged long after September. The President's call focuses on four key areas where everyone can make an impact in their community: energy and the environment, health care, education and community renewal. Please go to Serve.gov today to view the President's video, and get started on your summer of service. In Service, Nicola Goren
Acting CEO
Corporation for National and Community Service

The President unveiled "United We Serve"

Melanie — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 13:34:37 EDT

Chicago Cares Serve-A-Thon, June 13!

Seminarians for Change — Wed, 06 May 2009 13:55:00 EDT

President Obama has called on all of us to help support our local communities through service and here's an opportunity for you to get together with some of your former Obama Campaign HQ call/correspondence center colleagues and help our city.

Organizing for America is inviting you to join in service at the 16th Annual Chicago Cares Serve-a-thon on Saturday, June 13. We are among the 8,000 volunteers who have committed to making Chicago a better place by painting, planting, building and beautifying schools across the city.

Together, Serve-a-thon volunteers will help 30,000 Chicago students succeed by transforming their schools into vibrant places to learn and grow. Volunteering is always more fun when we do it together, and as Team Captains, we are trying to recruit as many former campaign colleagues as we can to assist in this effort.

Please join one of our teams today and volunteer to make Chicago a better place!

The registration deadline is Monday, June 8 (or whenever the event reaches capacity) so visit www.chicagocares.org to register today. Be sure to select "Join a Team" and search for one of our teams when you do so:

Organizing for America1 (Team Captain, Kathy Gallo)

Organizing for America2 (Team Captain, Susan Gottlieb)

Organizing for America3 (Team Captain, Janet Taylor)

Organizing for America4 (Team Captain, Caryl Steinberg)

Here is some additional information:

There is a $30 fee per participant.

Participants must be 12 years old on June 13, 2009, and until age 17 they must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

If you have any questions, please contact one of us or visit www.chicagocares.org.

We hope to see you on June 13.

Be the change for Obama!!

Keith from West Chester, PA — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 13:59:42 EDT

Putting Obama in office was just the beginning. We’ve won a major battle but not the whole war. Now we have the equally daunting and critical challenge of making sure that Obama is able to fulfill the promise that he represents. We need to keep working to take back our democracy and advance Obama’s progressive agenda.

That’s why I’m working with a network of progressive people throughout Maryland to get communities across the state organized and mobilized to in support of building a new clean green, inclusive energy economy and bold federal climate action – two major priorities for president Obama. We’ve teamed up with an amazing national grassroots climate campaign called 1Sky whose goal is to build volunteer climate action teams in every community that will push our congressional leaders to be champions of bold federal climate and clean energy policy. For more info go to http://local.1sky.org/en/.

As you may know, Maryland Congresspeople including House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, Chris Van Hollen, and John Sarbanes are extremely influential and will have a big impact on the type of climate policy that congress passes. By influencing them we can have a huge influence on the climate fight, but we need to act now because Congress is working on climate legislation as we speak.

2009 is going to be the pivotal year for climate action! If you care about the issue this is the year to act. You can make a difference in just a few hours a month. Help us make history. Please contact me today to let me know if your interested in joining our local 1Sky climate precinct team!

Keith Harrington

MD 1Sky Field Organizer

Chesapeake Climate Action Network

240-396-1985

keith@chesapeakeclimate.org

Join the Red Cross

Gayle — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 09:40:37 EST

I'm a Red Cross Disaster Volunteer. Are you? If not , why not? Join today.

THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary

February 27, 2009

AMERICAN RED CROSS MONTH, 2009
- - - - - - -
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

A PROCLAMATION

Sixty-two years after its founding, the Red Cross was instrumental in what President Franklin D. Roosevelt called the "greatest single crusade of mercy in all of history." In 1943, at the height of World War II, President Roosevelt called on the American people to support the troops by supporting the Red Cross, which provided food, blood, and supplies to American troops, allies, and civilians across the world. President Roosevelt asked Americans to donate funds to the Red Cross, setting a goal of $125 million for 6 weeks of fundraising. The American people responded with characteristic generosity, opening their hearts and wallets. The Red Cross met this goal in less than 6 weeks. During that season of generosity and unity, President Roosevelt proclaimed March 1943 as the first Red Cross Month.

The Red Cross has continued to serve those suffering from large- and small-scale disasters. The organization is best known for its work helping communities deal with major disasters such as hurricanes, floods, and wildfires. These large-scale disasters represent a major part of the work of the American Red Cross. Just as important are the tens of thousands of small-scale disasters that occur every day in communities nationwide, and the volunteers who respond to them.

These efforts include supporting our military and their families, collecting and distributing blood, helping the needy, delivering health and safety education, and providing aid abroad.
In every response, volunteers are the key to Red Cross efforts. Volunteers represent 96 percent of the Red Cross workforce. Without their giving spirit, disaster relief operations would fall short, blood donations would fail, and the mission of the Red Cross would go unfulfilled. Whether helping military families stay connected with service members around the world, teaching CPR and first aid, or supporting other members of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, volunteers are critical to the success of each and every Red Cross endeavor. These individuals epitomize the generosity and community spirit of the American people.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America and Honorary Chairman of the American Red Cross, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States do hereby proclaim
March 2009 as American Red Cross Month. I encourage all Americans to support this organization's noble humanitarian mission.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
twenty-seventh day of February, in the year of our Lord two thousand nine, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-third.

BARACK OBAMA
# # #

B4B

Support the SERVE AMERICA ACT

Kristin from West New York, NJ — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 17:41:35 EST

January 23rd, 2009

Did you see the article, “Volunteer to Save the Economy,” in the New York Times today?

As a consultant for social networking and non-profit outreach, this article hits close to my heart. With unemployment soaring near 6%, and almost double that for women in the NYC vicinity, we need to support alternative employment opportunities for working moms and students at both the undergraduate and graduate level. If our communities expand telecommuting options and better care for infants and young children, they will allow more women to enter the workforce and provide better financial support for their families. The commercial goods and services industry already knows that moms are their most important consumer base, the government needs to remember these women in its Economic Stimulus Plan. Please read the article below, which explains the importance of the SERVE AMERICA ACT.

NYT Article: Volunteer to Save the Economy
By BRUCE REED and JOHN BRIDGELAND
Published: January 22, 2009, Washington
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/23/opinion/23reed.html?emc=eta1

Read more commentary on my blog at http://www.kristinreign.com

Post-election Survey: Don't Ask, Don't tell

kerdc — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 01:37:55 EST

The on-line survey the campaign is currently asking supporters to fill out should be titled, "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" because they don't ask the hard questions so supporters don't have the chance to tell the campaign about any problems or negative experiences encountered while volunteering.

All the survey's questions are framed in the positive and the answer options are only positive. They are as useful and insightful as asking, "Which superlative would you use describe our phenomenal campaign staff?"

a. fantastic

b. wonderful

c. fabulous

d. the best darn team ever to run a campaign

Is this anyway to collect meaningful information?

The survey never asked

a. What did the campaign do that impeded your volunteer efforts?

b. Were the on-line tools easy to use?

c. Were the on-line tools were useful?

d. Was your training adequate?

e. Did you feel your phone calling or canvassing had a positive effect on voters you contacted?

f. Did the state or national Obama campaign headquarters provide appropriate support to the office where you volunteered?

g. What did you like least about your volunteer experience?

I hope I'm wrong, but it seems Plouffe and company don't ask the tough questions because they don't want supporters to tell them the sometimes ugly truth.

Where's the love?

kerdc — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 00:56:21 EST

Has any volunteer received thanks or recognition for the work you did for the Obama campaign? Any contributors?

I'm not feeling the love. I contributed thousands of dollars and three weeks of 12-15 hour days working in Virginia, but haven't heard a word from the campaign -- except requests for more money. Mark Warner's campaign thanked me, but not Plouffe and company. At best this is bad manners, at worst it shows the campaign was merely paying lip service to the notion of valuing everyone's contribution.

I hope this lapse is not a foreshadowing of things to come in the next four years.

Change is Coming! Not your typical House Party

Lisa M — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 01:37:24 EST

Tonight I attended a very special house party. It wasn't a typical house party, it wasn't held in a house, nor was it a party. More than 25 people came to Cafe Kili in Temple Terrace. For team members who worked with Field Organizer's Genora Reed, Sheila Cherizard Donovan Nwokeji and Jill Stracko, Cafe Kili was our satellite North Tampa Field Office, our outpost, our home. Special, because Patrick and Rose, the owners, are Kenyans; they opened their shop to us, even opening for us on their one day off; they sacrificed their only day of rest to help the Obama Campaign, they gave more than any of us had been asked to give. You see, their son died in Iraq - the first Kenyan-American to die in service to our country. They knew the importance of our mission, they knew we needed the Change Barack Obama would bring; a man whose Kenyan heritage was part of their family and their countries, Kenya and America.

We listened to the message from the incoming Administration; we listened to our Field Organizers, Sheila Cherizard and Ryan Metcalf and from Jerid Fox, Biji Anchery and others who attested to the resolve of every individual who contributed their precious time canvassing, phone banking and registering voters. People who worked the Early Vote, Vote by Mail and finally the Get Out The Vote campaigns, the local candidate literature drops and even on Election Day were canvassing or driving people to the polls. We shared stories of the recent past while at the same time looked forward to, and planned for the future.

The Obama Administration has developed Obama 2.0, tech speak for the next phase. This Presidency is like no other in our generation. They built a network of communities, of neighborhoods; they spent countless hours and many millions of dollars to wake the sleeping giant of Democrats and Progressives in America. Scores of volunteers and organizers, who maybe until now had not realized their potential, who rose to the challenge, who now are recognized in their own towns as citizens engaged in the process of government; who found their voice. We can and we will Change the face of politics in America.

There will be one more house party, this one in a house and it is a party. Dr. Alayne Unterberger is a proud community organizer, who as one of the founders of the Florida Institute for Community Studies, was chosen to introduce Senator Hillary Clinton during the Florida campaign effort. She has worked to educate a community who others have ignored, her organization teaches English, conducts AIDS education and testing, provides health assessments for those at risk of Diabetes and offers after school child care. Her center is even a "Safe Place" chartered by the State of Florida is so committed to being the "Change We have been Waiting For" that she has opened her home to the campaign once again, this time not as a staging location for canvassers, but to continue to Change America has been waiting for effort.

If you can, please join us Monday, December 15th at 7pm to be a part of the Change which has come to America, to continue your service to your neighborhood, or to begin your journey of civic engagement.

Whether you are a Democrat, an Independent, an informed Republican, a Green Party member, or any associated with any other affiliation, you can bring Change to America, you can make a difference. Your community needs you. Tampa needs you, Temple Terrace needs you, and your neighbor needs you. Come to find out how you can make a difference.

Visit BarackObama.com search events for your zip code on a regular basis. We are out here, waiting for you, welcoming you, engaged in service to our community.

Wishing you Peace,

Lisa Montelione

Ask not what your country can do for you

Pam Hayes — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 12:42:06 EST

As John F. Kennedy once said, “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.” It was a great and historic statement. However, until I volunteered for the Obama campaign, I never seriously considered applying it to myself. I have thought for years about volunteering locally. By doing so, I would be doing something for my country.

I don’t think I’m crazy

Pam Hayes — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 12:32:00 EST

I wrote this on Tuesday, November 11th.

I thought maybe I was crazy for missing the election. After each debate, I heaved a sigh of relief that it was one less I would have to watch. I am guess I am relieved to know the outcome; not to have to worry anymore. However, now that the election is gone, I miss it terribly. Not the debates, of course! They were something close to torture.

Serving my country

Pam Hayes — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 12:15:52 EST

I wrote this back on October 16th.

Guess what? You don't have to be in the military or the Peace Corps to serve your country. No, you can do something as simple as taking a day off work on November 4th, and volunteering. I have volunteered to give rides to people who would not otherwise have a way to get to the polls on election day.

My Day as an Obama Volunteer 6: Celebrating!

Pam Hayes — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 12:11:24 EST

After our final effort to get out the vote in the LeMoyne Gardens project of Inkster, MI, we returned to the Obama headquarters jubilant but exhausted. I wanted a beer. I really, really wanted a beer! It was the best reward (besides Obama winning) I could think of. I was pleased that, in the supposedly low-turnout area we had canvassed, everyone we talked to had voted.

My Day as an Obama Volunteer 5: You want me to do what??

Pam Hayes — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 12:06:53 EST

My canvassing buddy Donald and I returned to the Inskster, MI Obama campaign headquarters exhausted after canvassing Wayne, MI nearly all day. It was almost 6 p.m., and with the exception of sitting down to eat lunch and sitting on a curb as we waited for our ride, we had been on our feet since noon. I began rubbing my eyes as I felt the exhaustion deep in my bones. I was hungry, and wanted a hot meal, and hoped for a beer.

My Day as an Obama Volunteer 4: A big job

Pam Hayes — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 12:01:14 EST

This story is preceeded by "Learning to do my job". Canvassing an area of the size we were assigned took many hours. My buddy Donald and I hit the ground around noon and were not finished until after 5 p.m. Most people were “not home”, although in at least one case, I could see the person inside her house, but she chose not to answer.

My Day as an Obama Volunteer 3: Learning to do my job

Pam Hayes — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 11:53:38 EST

This story follows “My Day as an Obama Volunteer: A sinking feeling”. Donald, my door-to-door buddy, and I each had a canvassing packet. You might find a detailed description of each packet tedious to read. If so, it would be because everything was so organized and detailed. Nevertheless, please bear with me. Inside each packet were the following items:

My Day as an Obama Volunteer 2: A sinking feeling

Pam Hayes — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 11:48:56 EST

See the intro: Oh, what a feeling!

My day as a volunteer evolved from the time I called to express my interest right down to the last two hours before the polls closed. The Obama campaign was not just organized, but also agile. As needs changed or were fulfilled, the organizers quickly “re-prioritized”.

My Day as an Obama Volunteer 1: Oh, what a feeling!

Pam Hayes — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 11:46:36 EST

I volunteered all day on November 4th, election day. Afterwards, I wished I had done more! Never mind that the actual value I contributed in the big picture was probably quite small.

I voted!

Pam Hayes — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 11:43:33 EST

I wrote this back on November 3rd.

I'm so excited. I voted absentee this morning. I had volunteered for the Obama campaign tomorrow. I had thought I would have time during the day to vote, but they had to do some last minute "reprioritization", so I am now being bused down to a town 30 minutes away for almost the entire voting period to go door to door in a last minute "get out the vote" effort. I got the call on Saturday.

What November 4, 2008 Meant to Me

S Lesesne — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 12:52:46 EST

People around the world said "Yes we can" on Tuesday, November 4, 2008. Yet, the work has only begun. While I am really delighted that Barack Obama is the President-Elect of the United States, I see my journey towards change in a more personal way. It is about who I help.

As with any leader, if the people do what the leader does change will come about. Otherwise, it was just hype. What President-Elect Obama has done so far is serve. And he's also opened himself up for major criticism. But at least he has done something and is willing, despite the criticism, to do more.

How many of us ordinary folk have gone to neighborhoods unlike our own to talk to people about the things they can do to make change? How many of us ordinary folk have the courage to put ourselves on the front lines in order to inspire others?

Barack and Michelle Obama have taken on a great task. They are the face of the service and of course they will get the most criticism. But what does it mean for me? It means volunteering in my community. It means being active in changing the things that negatively affect people who are not like me. It is a great undertaking and I am scared to death. But doing something is better than doing nothing. That is what Barack Obama has inspired me to do. Something.

While I may not change the entire world (who can?) I can change the part of the world that I live in. And that is what November 4, 2008 meant to me.

Election Day Early Thoughts

Rachael Nike — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 14:31:55 EST

What a morning. I have been volunteerin for our campaign for over a month now from door knocking, face to face, street canvassing, and today being a comfort captain. I am working my pollig place and antcipated it being a crazy mess. I have seen how all of our hardwork has paid off by getting information out to the masses about registering, getting a mail in ballot, then early voting. I am a building captain for a 50 unit complex and I can say that we will have a 95 percent turn-out. The polls have been calm, well organized, very professionally run, and I can see all our hard work and efforts paying off for change. What ever happens this evening - this campaign has changed my community forever. People are passionate for our country again, I am feeling community once again, I see the HOPE for our nation. We are tired of laying down and taking what the past eight years has NOT given us. I feel like I live in a village again and everyone is valued, everyone's voice counts, everyone cares for each other. THANK YOU BARACK!!!!! For caring about our nation, for every human being, for having the guts to make a difference. I am tired of this machine and it's time to create a new, hightech, multi-faceted machine that will make us once again a great nation!!!!!

McCain says Fight, Obama says work together!

Susan — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 21:14:59 EST

John McCain was stumping in Florida today saying, We need to fight our enemies, get out there help get out the vote, fight! He's still reacting to his Vietnam experience, everything is a fight.

Meanwhile Barack Obama is emphasizing that we need to reach out across this red-blue divide, that we are all Americans, .... what a difference.

I am calling up until the last minute. It keeps me from being to worried and its be a great experience. I have talked to 80 year old women in N. Carolina full of energy and enthusiasm saying, "Let's hope people take the blinders off and vote for the man who will make change and mend this country."

I have spoken to a 23 year old woman with two children 1 and 3 whose husband will be sent to Iraq in January. She is away from home for the first time, way out in a rural area of New York, I told her to call me sometime this winter, if she gets too lonely.

I talked to a father who is taking is kids to the polls to learn the importance of voting. They are all voting for Obama.

One woman answered the phone and said aggressively, "Who's paying you people to do this?" I proudly answered, "No one, I'm volunteering for Obama because I really think it is important for our kids, for jobs, for the environment...etc..." She was impressed.

Americans are fascinating and I am as hopeful about them as Obama is....I just hope that our elections tomorrow are fair, and that everyone gets a chance to vote. The good news, a higher percentage of voting than anytime in recent history.

New Hampshire, Guns & Election Day

Kelly Salasin, citizen — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 14:52:05 EST

A tall vibrant looking man in a flannel shirt held his dog back, only slightly, while he asked if we were Jehovah Witnesses or Mormans.When the four of us answered "No" to each question from behind our car's doors, he told us we could approach his house, a beautiful log cabin overlooking fields with a long view of distant Vermont hillsides.
He softened a bit at the sight of Lloyd and Aidan in Obama "Change" t-shirts (the ones they bought in Unity) before telling us that someone had already been to his house twice that week from the campaign. We apologized for the intrusion, explaining that we weren't meant to be duplicating efforts, and he said that the others- a young couple and a two college students had said the same thing. More apologies followed after which he explained that he was a lifetime Republican of 40 years- until this election.
Clipboard in hand, Lloyd asked if he would be voting for the NH democratic candidate for Senate, to which he firmly replied, "No." When he told us that he was voting for Obama however, we all relaxed. He shared how nervous he was about the election and asked us if we thought Obama could win. "Watching the television is making me crazy," he said. We commiserated with him. We didn't have tv.
"You could call your friends or email them," we offered in consolation for his anxiety, "Especially if they live in Pennsylvannia or Ohio."
"That won't help," he explained. "They're all like I used to be... making six figures. They just won't get it."
Aidan offered him some campaign materials which he politely refused before we said our goodbyes on almost friendly terms. Just as he stepped onto his porch, he turned back and asked if anyone needed to use the bathroom. There was a pause and then a "Yes, thank you!" from me whose bladder had been full after the first road we canvassed. He invited everyone in to see the house as Casey had shared that he had wanted to build a log cabin at one time.
His unsuspecting wife was in the kitchen emptying groceries when four strangers poured in through the mudroom. "Just some Jehovah Witnesses," I joked before slipping thankfully into her bathroom. She winced when her husband offered to take Casey and the boys upstairs. "The bed isn't made," she said to derail him, but he headed onward, engaged in a conversation with Casey who had appreciatively noticed his collection of antique pistols.
By the time I was out of the bathroom, she was giving the kids handfuls of leftover Halloween candy and he was pouring everyone lemondaide. They seemed to admire what we were doing for the campaign and held onto this brief connection with us. "It's so great you're doing this, especially with your boys," his wife offered, almost guiltily. My own sons are grown but I called them and reminded them to vote. My oldest works on Wall Street. As she and I talked, her husband invited Casey downstairs to see his WWII machine gun. The boys quickly followed behind. "His brother gave it to him," his wife explained as we discussed how far she had to travel for groceries and how much we both liked the Obama website. When the men returned, we said goodbye, refusing even kinder offers for lunch, and they walked us to door with a warmth typically shared with family. He waved as we pulled down the road and wished us luck.
The next stop was a horsefarm across the road. A man in coveralls told us it was his cidering day, and we offered to make it quick while he dropped apples into the grinder. He politely but firmly refused and his young daughter stared as we drove away up the dirt road. The split level a quarter mile down was the next one on our list and we were almost turned away there too. It was nice day for early November and as we pulled into the driveway, we came across a man strapping a kayak to his Subaru. We hadn't even gotten out of the car before he complained that they had already been visited that week, twice. We apologized and once again explained that we didn't know why they'd send us to the same places. Checking the democratic polling sheet, we asked if we had his name correct, only to discover that it was his son's name that we had down. "This household was divided up until a month ago," he said with some lingering angst. We've always voted Republican. My son is out at sea.
"Oh," we replied cautiously, figuring we were heading into dangerous waters having a political conversation with someone whose son was in the service.
"Not in the service," he said, seemingly reading our faces. He's out on a "Semester at Sea." He pointed to his baseball cap that said, "SEA." He told us all about his son and how he had gotten interested in Marine Biology after a childhood visit to Sea World and how he had combined Psychology with that major to work with dolphins. My other son's in college too. "We're all voting for Obama now," he told us.
"What changed?" we wondered. He spoke of McCain's age and Obama's ability to relate to the people, of Sarah Palin and of the economy. "My friends and I all owned businesses during the Clinton years and we did really well for ourselves, really well. None of us are doing that well now."
We told him that we had heard a similar Republican-Democratic shift from his neighbor up the road. "Who, Stan?" he asked, taken aback. We didn't recall the name and didn't feel right saying who. "The guy with the shooting range?" he pressed increduously while my sons' heads bobbed. My own boys used to go up to his place and shoot, he said. "Wow, Stan's voting for Obama, who would have thought!" he said with a sheepish grin that grew bigger and bigger. "You know, one of the last things that kept me from voting Democratic was that I didn't want to loose my guns." he explained.
"Did something change?" we asked out of curiosity.
"Oh, yeah," he answered. "Biden said that no one is taking away his Glocks "
He went on to reiterate that he wanted a President that could relate to the world and to our day to day lives. He said that Americans needed a wakeup call. He thought we all needed to reconnect with what makes this country great.
Guns aside, we all agreed.

Call Ohio Now!

Michael in Ohio — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 11:07:06 EST

Are you not from Ohio and want to help the state go blue? ARE from Ohio and want to reach some fellow Buckeyes so you can be proud on Election Night? Then call Ohio voters now! Just click the button below:

Reaching out to still undecided voters one of the best things you can do right now, during this get-out-the-vote effort. Many of the people you call will already be supporters--they just need a reminder to go and vote! If you click the button above, you'll get directions and a list of people to call--the campaign makes everything very easy and unintimidating for you.

This movement has always been about neighbors talking to neighbors about what they see in Barack Obama, and it's going to end that way too--right now hundreds of thousands of people across the United States are organizing and going door to door and calling voters. Now is your final chance to get involved. Don't let this moment pass you by.

Call Ohio now. It's waiting to hear from you.

A Picture of a Movement: Profiles of Ohio Volunteers

Michael in Ohio — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 09:18:46 EST

Right now, tens of thousands of volunteers are getting out the vote for Barack Obama, in this final stage of the Election. Their work is crucial--now more than ever--so in honor of them, the Ohio Campaign for Change takes a look at some of the people who make this campaign the powerhouse that it is.

Marion is practically a celebrity in the world of Obama volunteers. She recently had a whole article written about her and her dedication to volunteering in the Dayton Daily News, entitled "Fairborn Grandmother Hits the Streets for Obama." Hers is a special story--she got involved in the campaign shortly after her husband Lanny died from cancer, after losing his job and being left without health insurance. She's featured in two YouTube videos hugging Barack at rallies in the Dayton area, but more importantly, she makes an appearance as a Neighborhood Team Leader in this video from the campaign. She's the one who makes the joke about the conservative politics of Greene County, where she lives:

(It's not too late to be a leader in your neighborhood-- sign up to get out the vote right now).

Many an Ohio Field Organizer sings the praises of his or her best volunteers. Here's some appreciation from Tommy:

Sherill, one of my NTL's, tore something in her foot (doctors think it might be a stressed ligament or something) while canvassing earlier this week. That shift she got something like 85 doors. When she called me this evening, I was expecting her to cancel her shift tomorrow to go door to door, but instead she called to tell me that if she wrapped her foot in an Ace bandage and wore the right shoes, she could walk on the foot. She said that we only had a few days until the election and that she didn’t have time to not be on the doors. And so, with a wrapped foot, she’s going to lead a canvass tomorrow of 12 volunteers. Not a story from today’s work, but worth noting nonetheless.

Here's a picture of Mr. Hanna--as his Field Organizer Seth describes him: "86 years old, fired up and making calls."

Richard in Scioto County recounts a day of activity amongst his volunteers:

Volunteers traveled out to the home of Christina, our Western Scioto Neighborhood Team Leader who already had their maps, clipboards and sign-in sheets prepared. Christina gave an inspiring training, explaining to the students why she supports Obama and then allowing them to share as well. They knocked on doors, and found a stray dog that they promptly named “Scioto.” They took the dog and themselves out to the Scioto County Sorghum Festival, where they helped us sign up supporters at the Democratic Party booth. They and their new dog “Scioto” are now sitting fat and happy, bellies full of sorghum molasses, making phone calls here in the office.

And finally, Graham in Lawrence County swears by his tough guy volunteer, Sparky:

Sparky -- Charles if you look him up in the voter file -- is seen here posing in front of his truck, with the Lawrence County Democratic Headquarters and the Lawrence County Courthouse in the backdrop. Sparky makes sure that everyone in Lawrence County is properly registered to vote and makes sure that people are voting for Sen. Obama. Sparky doesn't understand how we are spending ten BILLION dollars each month in Iraq paving roads, building hospitals, and improving infrastructure in Iraq when there is no hospital in Lawrence County and people worry when they drive over the Ironton-Russell bridge because of its dilapidated condition. Sparky doesn't understand why the people in the upper echelons of society are relishing in the Bush tax cuts when people who depend on fixed incomes are spending a large fraction of it on soaring health care costs. Sparky doesn't understand these things because it is hard to understand that these things are happening in America. What Sparky does understand is that in America, we can do better. Sparky works everyday telling people he talks to in Lawrence County that in order for us to do better as a nation, they need to vote for Sen. Obama and that Sen. Obama is not going to take away his guns. Sparky knows that Sen. Obama is a supporter of the 2nd Amendment as he is. That is why he has two GUN OWNER for Obama stickers on his truck.

Are you a volunteer--a part of the backbone of this campaign? Give us your story in the comments section below.

GOTV -- Hard, Necessary and Joyous Work!

T Boston — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 17:13:58 EST

What a week! Intense phonebanking to voters started this weekend. If you can spare some time you can phonebank at the following locations:

1. DC Obama (803 Florida Avenue NW -- green and yellow line at U Street/Cardozo)

2. National Education Association (1201 16th Street NW)

3. Warehouse (7th Street NW -- yellow and green line @ Mount Vernon Square)

The DC Obama field staff and volunteers are an enthusiastic, committed, appreciative, and helpful community. Phonebanking for GOTV fueled my own volunteer enthusiasm. After telling the owner of the hair salon that I frequent about donations of food I made to the DC Obama Office she offered to have Ethiopian food catered for the office as well.

On Saturday, when I rejoined Team Woodbridge to canvas Obama supporters and undecideds, there were so many volunteers that the Woodbridge Obama office had to send folks to Dumfries when they ran out of canvas packets. I spent the day going door-to-door with a former legislative assistant from my organization and another woman who works with a local PBS station that I helped connect with the Obama campaign. The former LA was especially helpful to a first-time voter in explaining the procedure and answering her questions. Who knew that canvassing would turn into a bonding experience?

I expect November 3 and Election Day to be long, hard days of work to GOTV. But as the song goes "I wouldn't take nothin' for the journey."

Donations

Ed — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 22:15:55 EDT

I am retired, living on Social Security and a small pension from the company I worked for for 14 years. I live from paycheck to paycheck. I have donated a total of $125 over a period of the last two-three months, $25 at each time. My last donation was this AM, and it was $25. When I returned home this afternoon, I had received an e-mail offering a trip to Chicago for election night to be in the front row with Barak if I made another donation today. I have already made one early today, prior to receiving the e-mail, and I hope it is counts toward the chance to be offered a trip to Chicago.

I have been working with the local campaign office, have made nearly 600 phone calls, knocked on countless doors, drove many elderly to the polls to early vote and have just about reached my limit on participation. I have offered to continue driving people to the polls, and may get in a hundred or so phone calls before election day. I have given talks to local civic organizations and the senior activities center encouraging people to vote for Obama, stating that we haven't had a candidate as compassionate, qualified and sincere since John F. Kennedy.

I am retired, 72 years old, a lifelong democrat and a disabled veteran of over 18 years of military service, but I am limited in my activities because of my health, but I will continue to work toward Obama's election doing the best I possibly can, up until the polls close on Tuesday evening, just as I did in the 2000 election and the 2004 election.

Antidotes To Complacency: Four Reasons To Not Take The Election For Granted

Paul from Seattle, WA — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 04:38:29 EDT

It's tempting to begin taking the likelihood of Obama's victory just a bit for granted. The polls look good. McCain and Palin are flailing, and Ted Stevens is headed for jail. The Republicans have started their blame game.

But it's dangerous to assume that the election is over, or to settle for a narrow margin. Here are four reasons to keep doing all we can to keep working (and get our procrastinating friends to finally donate and volunteer) so we can create broadest possible mandate for Obama and his Democratic allies.

How I've been helping

Teri — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 23:53:33 EDT

I have been volunteering with the campaign, something I have never done before. I was lucky, one of my neighbors who had been volunteering first, put me in touch with some of the people here in Chicago. Over the last few weeks I've been calling donors with foreign addresses to verify citizenship, calling campaign supporters who have raised their hands to go to battleground states to get the ball rolling for them, and doing computer work to vet major donors, trying to identify lobbyists, money launderers, criminals, other felons, so we can return their funds. I am pleased to say that of all the people I checked, no felons, and only one lobbyist. The rest appeared to be people just like me, who care about who wins this election, because they don't agree with the way the country is being run and our government's priorities. Everyone I've met along the way have been terrific, smart, engaged, enthusiastic, optimistic people. It's been terrific.

This weekend, I'm planning on doing two trips to Indiana, with different sets of friends. I'm not sure what the campaign will have us doing, but I expect to be talking to voters, maybe helping them make their decision, identify where their polling place is, making calls to energize people who might otherwise not make the effort to vote, etc. I am looking forward to it.

And I've been sharing my Obama materials. I have 2 car magnets on my car, a sign in my front window, buttons on all my button-able jackets, and I'm sharing the extra stuff I got with my friends. Oddly, my friend who got me connect to volunteer at the offices couldn't get her hands on a sign, so I was pleased to give her the second one that arrived. I also seem to have acquired a different campaign related shirt for every day of the week. Now that it is cold, I am sorry I didn't buy a fleece jacket or sweatshirt!

And I've given more money to this campaign than I have to any previous candidate - with the possible exception of a cousin who made a gubernatorial run, as a Republican. Heck, it's family, and he's moderate, and smart. But I digress.

I'll keep plugging away through Election Day to do what I can to ensure that we get a chance to actually experience the positive change that we've been envisioning. Frankly, I am not sure what I'll do if we don't win this. I may need to seek out anti-depressants.

Volunteering in Colorado

Brenden Kendall — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 17:40:08 EDT

I had the pleasure of volunteering for the Obama campaign in Denver, CO, this weekend. I drove to Englewood, just south of Denver, Friday evening. Saturday and Sunday were full days - knocking on doors, talking to residents, attending training, facilitating the Denver rally. I met many active, energetic, hopeful people - each one of them working ardently to make change in our national political system. Sunday's rally, with near or more than 100,000 people gathered in downtown Denver, was exciting, energizing, and moving. Now back in Salt Lake City, I will continue knocking on doors, supporting local candidates. But, I will also return to the phones, calling the good people of Colorado, sharing my aspirations for our country. I encourage you, too, to give at least a few hours of your time. My trip to Denver was not a sacrifice; the community and movement I discovered there was a gift from those active friends and citizens making change near their home and across the nation.

At an empty UAW building on the east side of Indianapolis...

Adam Jay Southerland — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 22:21:56 EDT

As i try to do what i can for the campaign each day, today due to cold weather i decided to log on to my.barackobama.com and start making some calls. I had made calls from the new Warren Township Campaign Office on Washington & Mitthoeffer last week, have done the neighbor-to-neighbor knock on doors thing, and as a former phone canvasser that fought utility deregulation for Citizens Action Coalition, i think my main strength is on the phone. The cold weather helps that decision.

But after logging on to the site to get voters to call, I kept getting the message "No Voters" for the Indiana phone campaign. I called the field director that got me more closely involved in the campaign as a volunteer to see if he had any phone voter rolls i could use and he sent me to meet him at a building on the east side of Indy, just east of 30th & Arlington Ave.

As my field director mentioned when he first entered the building, he was reminded of the scene in the Lord of the Rings when they enter the great temple filled with relics from great dwarves. This hall was once a temple to the midwestern auto worker, a worker we see far less on this side of town.

The building is an old vacant United Auto Workers office and hall. I'll be meeting with many more volunteers from next weekend through election day at this location to help Barack win this election. The fact that the building is vacant and now for sale in this skeleton that is left of the real estate industry is perhaps the most poetic yet disheartening illustration of why we need CHANGE.

If anyone would like to help us on election day, or the days leading up. please email me at djadamjay@gmail.com

We need all-day volunteers for the polls primarily, but have many other ways to help. Many teenagers will be knocking on doors for us, seniors making calls, and the moms and sisters of great volunteers helping to keep all the other volunteers fed, hydrated, and motivated! You can help too! We will be coordinating lots of volunteer efforts from this and the Washington & Mitthoeffer location. Email me for more info!

Michelle Obama Rallies and Makes Phone Calls for Change in Columbus and Akron!

Michael in Ohio — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 20:52:31 EDT

Sad circumstances may have brought Michelle Obama to the Buckeye State today (she was filling in for Barack, who is visiting his ailing grandmother in Hawaii), but for the people in Ohio it was nothing but an absolute pleasure to see the woman they hope will be the next First Lady.

At rallies in Columbus and Akron, crowds packed gyms to hear her speak about who her husband is, and why this is so important. She had special guests at each, with Senator Sherrod Brown on hand in Columbus, and actress Jurnee Smollett amongst the crowd in Akron. There, local volunteer Gail took the stage to introduce Michelle. Gail spoke about how she had lost her job, and became a victim of predatory lending, to the point where her home was foreclosed. She nearly teared up as she talked about how it is to drive by the old family home now. But she fervently urged the crowd to get involved volunteering, and to cast their vote early.

I hate politics. This is the first time in my life that I've ever been involved whatsoever...
I do whatever I can do. Because when you don't have a job... you have a lot of time!
I have voted early, and I brought my mother. If you're wondering if voting early is complicated--trust me, it's not!

Here are some pictures from the events:

At her rallies, Michelle talked about Barack as only she could. In her own passionate way, she riled the crowd by imparting to them just why her husband is running for president, and exactly what is at stake. Even more than at a Barack rally, she traded jokes and back-and-forth conversations with people in the crowd. At one moment she stopped because something caught her eye. "Ooo, it's an Obama mask! I forgot it was Halloween!"

With Michelle, there is never a shortage of great sound bites, but she was best when talking simply about how...

Barack gets it.
There's something that happens to you when you grow up regular.
Don't we deserve a leader who knows what it's like to carry a little loan debt?

And that is what she drove home: that Barack will work for working people, because it's in him. He knows what it's like to pay off debt, work two jobs, and sacrifice some daily expenses for others when money is tight.

Between events, Michelle made phone calls with volunteers at the Summit County Headquarters, and at the Akron rally she mentioned one woman she had talked to:

This woman had gone blind, her husband had left her, and her son had gone off to war. And she was praying for Barack's grandmother. That's America.

Michelle also did a stellar job of making everyone in the crowd feel the importance of doing their part--volunteering, and voting early. Not only did they hear her, but they were fired up and ready to do it. As she said:

Barack can bring us 85% of the way there. But it's on us--we have to provide the last 15%.
Don't wait until Election Day to vote! You might have a flat tire! You might not have gas!

Do your part.

Volunteer in these last 11 days.

And vote early.

Volunteering... after the election. Maintain The Campaign.

Adam Jay Southerland — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 14:59:07 EDT

Barack says in his speeches, ads, and i even found it on the script of my neighbor-to-neighbor walklist, that in order for change to truly take place we all have to want it to. I hope that "Turning off the TV" goes beyond rhetoric and hyperbole this time around.

Barack has done alot to energize a great many of us, and my hope is that if he is elected our energy does not dwindle back into complacency and that we don't rely on Washington to bring us all the change we need. In doing neighbor-to-neighbor canvassing, while i may only be able to dedicated four or five hours a week to it, i have relearned why volunteering is so crucial to the spirit of our country.

A Letter from A Leader in Volunteerism!!!

Nina Calahan-James, Freelance Writer — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 17:51:04 EDT

I am a 25 year old Non-Profit Fundraising Consultant born, raised and now working in the city of Detroit that I love more than any city in the world. I Hope that this will inspire you and others to volunteer and Elect Senator Obama.

I started my journey about 3 months ago, as a person that has traveled around the world, seen developments socially and economically that have been made there and started to lose faith in this Country. I decided to go to the rally at Joe Louis Arena with Al Gore and Senator Obama headlining, I was inspired by the event and decided to start to volunteer and became a “Team Leader” at the brand new office in Downtown Birmingham. Within a few weeks because of the amazing Field Organizers and the other passionate volunteers we were able to break record after record of phone-banking and door knocking.

During the course of my time there, I was invited to the Farmington Hills Rally with Senator Obama. When Senator Obama asked if there were any questions, I literally jumped at the opportunity (which he saw and laughed) regarding the Automotive/Automotive supplier industry (which is near and dear to my heart) he more than responded to my question. I was impressed by the answer and was in complete agreement that a re-tooled, more efficient automotive industry will be key for economic success/stability in the future. A few weeks later after my experience in Farmington Hills, I decided then it was time for a change.

The office in Birmingham was running extremely well and thought my talents could be used elsewhere towards a new challenge, a city not far in length but very different in economic, diverse population and income: Southfield, Michigan. I was very excited for a change of scenery, most of the people in Southfield are already voting for Senator Obama and that means that different measures are taken to ensure the Senator will be elected. There were some experiences in Birmingham that moved me, however, in Southfield the experiences changed my life.

I had an extra lawn sign in my car and a gentleman contacted me to ask if he could have one, obviously I said yes but I had a family emergency and could not get there for at least 90 minutes. It ended up taking 2 hours and to my surprise the gentleman was still sitting waiting eagerly for his sign. He personally thanked me and his actions made me realize this was no ordinary movement. Later the next day, I went to a home that houses mentally, physically challenged people as well as people that just needed a place to stay to get back on their feet.. A woman came in the office and asked me to come there and help them register to vote. It took about 2 hours and a lot of patience but to see the joy in these people eyes that have never had a say in the Political process or a voice in this world made it all worth it. I had to hold my emotions in because I was tearing up watching their reaction.

The next day I decided to take my volunteering a step forward. I took a non-paid leave of absence with my job so I would be able to give ALL my time to volunteering (all is capitalized for a reason). I felt that this was more important and that the sacrifice financially was well worth it, my employer/father understood (albeit wasn’t 100% happy as a boss but incredibly supportive as a father) After a few weeks in Southfield I was asked if I was interested in a paid position with the campaign as a Field Organizer, I was flattered but polite fully declined, I want to be a volunteer and not be compensated in any shape or form. I also really like having the freedom to be able to move around to difference locations so that I can hopefully influence and inspire as many people that I can.

I will now be going over to West Bloomfield and hopefully influencing a population with a heavy percentage of members of the Jewish community (one that is very close to my heart and family) for the duration of the election.

Throughout this journey I’ve met the Senator, I've met celebrities touring for Senator Obama and it has been amazing. However, helping people is what gets me through the day and keeps me going. As I write this, exhausted with a horse voice from a weekend in East Lansing that included talking to as many Ohio State fans as possible about the importance of volunteering in Ohio (even though all they wanted to talk about was the score), talking to as many Michigan State students/alumni/friends/owners of certain “establishments” that would listen,(and yes like many others with the campaign I have talked more than people want to listen) and of course some other “leisurely” activities (obviously I am still 25).

So a special thank you to my family, friends, my dog(who doesn’t like me anymore since I’m never around), new friends, Field Organizers (don’t think I forgot about you two),for being my support system, helping me push forward and putting up with me and all of the election talk.

I'm sharing this story with you and others to hopefully inspire others to get people out to vote and VOLUNTEER because there is no alternative. Yes we might be classified as Seniors, Adults, Youth, Black, White, Muslim, Christian, Jewish, Gay, Straight, Republicans, Democrats, Spartans, Wolverines, Buckeyes etc... but at the end of the day we are all human beings and for the first time in a while and we have the direct chance to make a difference in this world as one people and that time is NOW, we need more help now more than ever so please sacrifice some of your time, come volunteer, make some phone calls, knock on some doors and just go help in the community there are no excuses, there is something for you to do we are almost there and we cannot let this opportunity pass us by.

Thank you for taking the time to read this but more importantly hopefully you will vote, and VOLUNTEER your time for Senator Obama.

Scott

In a few days, we will post a video interview Scott had with Senator Obama.

Canvassing in Elkhart--- My first campaign.

Matt Heckler — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 23:53:35 EDT

I recieved a call earlier in the week asking if I would be willing to volunteer to help out the Obama campaign, after having signed up early in the primary season to do so. I was excited to finally get the call, and signed up to go today, Saturday the 18th. We met in the parking lot of All Nations Church in Homewood, IL, and carpooled our way to the Northern Indiana town of Elkhart, where Obama has made several appearances himself. I went with a few very nice people, Jerry, Mary Ellen, Henry, and an aspiring politician and my canvassing partner Mutee.

The entire experience was exciting, I enjoyed every minute of it. Though I was exhausted by the end of it from the walking of several miles in my not-so-perfect shape, it was my first campaigning experience and really got me in the sort of mood to do it much more. It's something I'm looking forward to doing a lot more of, as it really made me feel like I made a difference. Politics and activism are my passions, and this is as good as it gets. The people in Elkhart are very nice at the headquarters as well as the locals, and I feel like we really reached some people. It's funny, I'm an Illinois native but I feel like now I'm invested in Indiana potentially going for Obama. Here's to hoping!

The REAL Reason Why I Canvass for Barack Every Week-End

weebug — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 22:05:32 EDT

I started volunteering for the Suffolk Campaign for Change office for two reasons, because I sooooo believe that Barack Obama is the best choice for our next President and because I was looking for a way to meet people in Suffolk. We moved to Suffolk only about a year ago and since I work from home I don't get much opportunity to meet people. When an Obama canvasser knocked on my door about a month ago and asked me (among other things) if I would like to volunteer I thought, "Heck yeah! I can maybe make a friend or two AND spend some time doing something other than staring at my monitor all day, something that makes a difference in our weary world"!

I was a professional canvasser years ago for Clean Water Action Project and I loved it. I became a field manager within the first year and never lost my enthusiasm for the grass-roots system of trying to make our planet, our country and our communties a better place. "Think Globally, Act Locally" was our motto. I believed that then and I believe it now. Barack and Michelle Obama have reignited that part of my spirit that had slowly dipped into dormancy over the last decade or so, and I am grateful to have found that place in my soul again.

After a month of canvassing for Presidential Hopeful Obama, I've come to think that if everyone spent just a few hours a week volunteering for something they believe in, something they feel will better their community and the lives of others around them, whether it be politics, a free clinic, the arts, their children's PTA, public radio, an animal shelter or an environmental advocacy group, our world will be a much happier, considerate and content place for all. Is that socialist thinking? Some people may think so, but I think it is just being neighborly in a global community. I think it is just being a responsible and caring citizen.

Thank you Mr. and Mrs. Obama for helping me find that part of my spirit again!

Oh, and yes, I think I am finally starting to make some new friends!

Rene.

Retrievers to Virginia

Ray — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 15:18:28 EDT

Retrievers: This is from another Retriever who lives in VA asking for your help.

Dear Friends, Family members, and Colleagues, living in DC and MD:

Virginia needs your help over the few remaining days before Election !!

As you know VA is a key battleground state and could easily determine the entire course of the election. Over the past few months I have met countless dedicated Obama volunteers from DC and MD, taking time out of their busy schedules to come to Fairfax County and help us increase direct voter contact in VA, the most important way to reach out to voters.

Over the remaining days before election direct voter contact across communities in Fairfax County is going to be critical, and we need the continued support of our neighbors in MD and DC to make Barack Obama our next President !!
Note: as part of this effort, we will be also doing outreach to the Latino community in Fairfax, so bilingual speakers
are also needed !!

Please join us at the Daily Grind for coffee, good conversation, and a huge canvass effort to talk to our neighbors
in Lorton. Easy Access from I-95, no meandering around Northern VA !!!
===========================================================================
Daily Grind coffee shop - 9000 Lorton Station Blvd, Lorton:
Saturday: 10:00 AM -7:00 PM (last shift is 5 PM)
Sunday 12:00 AM -6:00 PM (last shift is 4 PM)

(note: if at all possible, the afternoons and evenings are preferred as that is when people tend to be home the most)

Directions from DC and MD:
Take I-95 South past the Springfield Interchange (accessible from the Beltway if you are coming from MD)
Take Lorton exit (a few exists after Springfield interchange)
at the bottom of the ramp, left onto Lorton Road
at second light, left onto Lorton Station Blvd
go about 1/3 mile, Daily Grind Coffee shop is to the left, 9000 Lorton Station Blvd
================================================================================
Please let me know if you are free to join us, this weekend or over the remaining days prior to election day. Canvass
in Lorton will take place every weekend until election day.

Also feel free to contact me for further directions, questions, concerns, if you need a mode of transportation,
or to find out about alternative volunteer opportunities from here until November 4th

PS: we also need volunteers on election day, so vote early and plan to take the day off !!

Contact:
Ana Prados
Latinos for Obama
South County Volunteer Coordinator
703-338-2119
ana_prados@yahoo.com

Cincinnati Votes Early and Rocks Late at Fountain Square

Michael in Ohio — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 14:04:55 EDT

Yesterday evening, at an event independent of the campaign, the good people of Cincinnati were treated to a rally and concert to promote voting early, at the beautiful, neon-lit Fountain Square in the center of the city. The name of the event, appropriately, was "Vote Early, Rock Late."

Renowned rock act The Breeders were the first to go on, and were followed by speakers both locally and nationally known--including supporter actress Natalie Portman (who also rallied students at the University of Cincinnati this morning!). The event started at 5:00 pm, well before the early voting location shut its doors, so between acts locals could walk just a few blocks over and cast their ballots.

The headline act of the night was The National, a band born and bred in Cincinnati. Their show had the feeling of a family reunion, and indeed lead singer Matt talked about the healthy and passionate political discourse that is inherent to the citizens and families of Cincinnati.

Fans and committed volunteers from the Ohio State University, Jordan and Ellen, are two of those passionate citizens--Jordan grew up in Cincinnati himself. True to the informal nature of the show, they had the opportunity to meet and talk with Bryce, the band's guitarist, afterwards. Jordan and Bryce went to rival high schools.

Keeping with the theme of the importance of talking to family and friends about politics and the change we need, at one point lead singer Matt yielded the floor to his own Uncle Jack, a local activist for Democratic candidates and Barack Obama. Jack spoke about the importance of this moment in history, and how essential it is for everyone to work as hard as they can for Barack in the coming 18 days.

After that, one of the last songs they played was "Fake Empire," a fitting conclusion since it is featured in this inspiring campaign video, "Signs of Hope and Change."

Turn that hope and change into a reality. Vote early. Volunteer after.

The "Chicago Lick"

GoyitoMKE — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 12:23:36 EDT

About 10 years ago, while on summer break from the University of Minnesota, my son worked as a lifeguard at a water park in Wisconsin Dells, one of the largest in the country. Having worked as a lifeguard at the public pools in Milwaukee for a couple of seasons while in high school, and having made three or four water rescues, he was well prepared for the job… or so he thought. He had little idea that he would make 87 “jumps” from his lifeguard stand before the season ended.

What he hadn’t counted on was that the water park is one of the biggest seasonal sellers of beer in the sate of Wisconsin, said to be second only to the baseball stadium that is home to our beloved Milwaukee Brewers. Unfortunately, on a hot summer day, many of the water park patrons overindulge in the suds and end up intoxicated, presenting a serious danger to themselves and others.

One afternoon, a senior manager of the water park came around for a visit. As he was chatting with my son’s supervisor, a man fell off of a zip line and splashed into the water. Obviously inebriated and unable to swim, the man began flailing around and screaming for help. My son dived off his lifeguard stand into the 16 feet deep pool to save the man’s life. Terrified and clueless about what to do, in desperation the drunk grabbed my son around the neck, dragging the both of them under water in the process. My son kicked to the surface and as he grabbed a lung full of air, punched the man as hard as he could in the solar plexus. The drowning man let go, and my son swam him over to safety, rescuing him from death. The man was embarrassed, but gave my son nothing but thanks for saving him.

The water park manager came over to congratulate my son on a job well done, and joked, “I don’t think I’ve ever seen that particular move before.” My son quipped, “No? Well, we call that move the ‘Milwaukee lick’.”

At 3:30 yesterday morning, the day of the final debate in the 2008 presidential election, I woke up thinking about my son’s rescue of the terrified, clueless, desperate and inebriated man. I was also thinking of Senator Obama, McCain, and their campaigns. And while I admit that I miss the talk of hope and unity, I sure am glad that Barack Obama has fought back, and fought back hard, against the nasty rhetoric and outright lies that his opponents continue to spew.

Like the drunk at the water park in their desperation, John McCain and Sarah Palin along with their friends Bush and Cheney have grabbed us Americans by our collective throats. Terrified and clueless, they cling for dear life while threatening to drown us all.

Fortunately, Senator Barack Obama of Illinois is no stranger to the McCain campaign’s dirty tactics. In last night’s debate he gave the McCain campaign a good, solid, “Chicago lick”, and he’ll keep it up through November 4th. In the end, they and the rest of America are going to thank him for rescuing us from the McCain-Bush-Cheney gang’s many screwed up messes.

But we can’t rest on Obama’s apparent lead. Turnout is key to winning. I’m taking Election Day off from work to work for the campaign. If you haven’t already signed up to do so, I encourage you to do so as well.

1st blog post

Courtney — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 11:33:12 EDT

This is my first blog post here. Life has been moving fast and there's so much to do. I think I'll be sad when the campaign is over but then I can focus on other volunteer oppurtunities. I was going to go down to headquarters today but I'm sick thanks to my coworkers.

I've been reading stuff about Obama and McCain on the Obama_2008 Livejournal and I learned two things from an article that I didn't know previously. I apologize for not having the link. This article was actually comparing Barack and Bush. The interesting things I found out if Obama supports the Patriot Act which I'm against, I think it takes away privacy. Why do I have to sign a paper saying I'm not a terrorist when I buy a car? Also, I learned that Barack Obama supports the death penalty. This is very rare for a democrat or liberal. I find it amusing that they call him the most liberal senator. There was a quote from Obama saying in some cases like mass murder and the rape and murder of a child, he supports the death penalty. I can't say I don't agree. Most of my liberal friends down in Orlando were against it and it's one of those subjects we didn't talk about too often.

Well, that's all I have to say for now. More later hopefully.

It's Crunch Time

Gayle — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 16:57:29 EDT

Friends,

Stand up, step forward and commit to doing everything you can to elect Barack Obama President of the United States. During the next three weeks make one extra phone call, knock on one more door, urge one more person to vote early or recruit one more volunteer. You make the difference.

Reflections on Canvassing

Xavier Lopez-Ayala — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 16:50:18 EDT

Last week, we posted a video of two friends, Anya & Emily, canvassing in Minneapolis.

Both Anya and Emily have made a personal commitment to volunteer for at least three hours each week to make sure Barack wins Minnesota on November 4th.

Watch the video of the drive back from the canvass, as Emily and Anya share their experiences with each other:

When you get out and talk to voters about Barack, you feel like you're making a difference, because...you are!

Check out Neighbor to Neighbor right now and see how easy it is to print up a list of people to canvass right in your own neighborhood.

This post-debate weekend is the perfect weekend to get out there and talk to your neighbors about the real differences between Barack Obama and John McCain. Getting a real live visit from a real live supporter makes a difference at this crucial time when voters are making up their minds.

And it's also a great time to get your kids involved!

Anya said it best: it's inspiring just to hear how excited other people are about Barack Obama.

Barack Knocks for Barack in Toledo!

Michael in Ohio — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 19:56:19 EDT

As any volunteer knows, the Campaign for Change in Ohio holds canvassing sessions every weekend, where supporters go door-to-door to talk to voters about why Barack Obama is their choice for President. This, along with phone calls to voters, is the meat-and-potatoes of the voter outreach field effort, and such neighbor-to-neighbor interaction has been proven to have more of an effect than any other sort of less direct contact. These door-to-door outings are often called "Weekly Walks," or "Knock for Barack." Sometimes canvassing can be tiring and frustrating, but it is the most important thing anyone can do.

But today in Toledo, proving that no one is above anyone in this movement, Barack himself knocked for Barack. Just like any other volunteer, he went door-to-door to bring his platform of change to the people in Lucas County. He carried a walk list, and marked voters on a scale from 1 to 5 depending on their level of support.

He listened to their concerns and spoke to the solutions he would propose as President. Conversations involved the auto industry, the credit crisis, health care, and other day-to-day things on the minds of the people of Toledo.

Barack has clearly developed an affinity for the Buckeye State. He made five stops on Thursday and Friday (Dayton, Cincinnati, Portsmouth, Chillicothe, and Columbus), and is staying in the Toledo area from now until Wednesday to prepare for the debate that night.

But between the cheering rallies and the strategy sessions, there may be nothing Barack does during his stay in Ohio that better sums up the meaning of the grass roots organization that this movement has built than knocking doors in Toledo. It's proof that change comes from the bottom up... and then to the bottom again.

Be a part of that change. Knock doors like Barack.

Live Blog: Get-Out-the-Vote Training in Columbus

Michael in Ohio — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 17:53:49 EDT

This is how we win.

Approximately 600 organizers, in one room, treated to a detailed manual, a dynamic visual presentation, and a strong voice at the front, all informing them exactly what to do in the next few weeks, to make sure that every single supporter casts their vote for Barack Obama.

That may sound less-than-stimulating to most people, but this crew is proud to call themselves community organizers, and jump at the opportunity to share ideas and absorb knowledge on how to effectively mobilize their area to get them to the polls to make change. To say that they're fired up is putting it mildly. This is their livelihood. This is what they do, and what they've spent every waking hour doing for the last several weeks, months, and for some, even years.

And as is the Obama field team motto, they were respected, empowered, and included. Respected, by being allowed a time for each to tell their story of why they are working for change, and being trusted to take what was learned today and adapting it to each community. Empowered, by being armed with an arsenal of meticulously thought out materials and presented with G.O.T.V. simulations that problem-solve every possible issue that could come up on Election Day. And included, by bringing them into the conversation with the biggest names in the movement. Today they were visited by Governor Ted Strickland, Senator Sherrod Brown... and, oh yeah, this guy:

That's right--Barack Obama himself, after two rallies today in Chillicothe and Columbus, took time off his schedule to meet with six hundred people in Ohio... whose votes he can surely count on. He met with them because these are some of the people working the hardest for him in the whole country, let alone Ohio. He met with them because community organizing and the power of it is fundamental not only to his own personal biography, but also to the philosophy of this campaign. He met with them because even after November 4th, after the votes have been gotten out, change will start from the bottom up.

This is how we win. Get out your own vote, and then you can be a part.

VIRGINIA! Or: how to volunteer.

Nada — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 13:31:45 EDT

My friend Pete from DC and I are going to go to Virginia for the week (or so) before the election. Last night we looked over the 2004 presidential election map by county, and the voter turnout in 2006 and 2004, and pinpointed Buchanan and Tazewell counties as areas with Democratic views, medium-high population, and low voter turnout - those are counties in the far SW of VA, where the state makes a little sharkfin shape. This morning, I was able to speak with the Tazewell office directly, and the director there welcomed us with open arms and is making arrangements for us to come. I contrast this with the approach of simply using the "come to Virginia" link or contacting the VA campaign outreach - there we were met with little enthusiasm and a lot of vagueness about what we could do. I would much rather work hard and know I was making a difference, personally, so I'm REALLY EXCITED about this opportunity.

I was also just speaking with Fred Wong of the Tallahassee office in Florida, and he's saying that they're very, very eager for volunteers down there, and will have no trouble hooking you up with work and housing if you need it. It sounds like Florida is gearing up in capacity to handle out-of-state volunteers, but I note that the Florida page doesn't have an obvious "Come to Florida" link. So, if you're interested, I'd suggest that you try contacting Tallahassee directly. ;)

I guess that in sum I would just like to say: it's hard to organize volunteers, especially out of state volunteers. Obama offices want you, and if they fail to respond to your generous offer of volunteering the first time, don't give up. Keep trying, get creative, try to talk to specific people. I know it's more work, but it will pay off - you'll get a more rewarding volunteer experience, the offices will get the help they badly need, and hey, maybe America will even get the president we so richly deserve.

P.S.: If you're in NYC, Harlem4Obama is always looking for more office volunteers. They're located at 2479 Frederick Douglass just below 133rd. You can also call 347.577.7547.

Day Three: Act like Barack

Porter Mason — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 22:41:02 EDT

Well, on the third day I ever even set foot in the office here, me and a few other DFOs (Deputy Field Organizers) ended up being in charge of the whole operation for a day.

Due to scheduling, all the Field Organizers (the guys whom we work for) and their bosses (the guys whom they work for) had to be out of town. But of course, the campaign doesn't stop. Volunteers don't stop showing up. People don't stop incessantly wanting yard signs (more on this in a second).

So... we, very green and having very few answers, were being asked a lot of questions and asked to make decisions.

It's one of those moments where you just need to remember to: Act Like Barack.

And what I mean by that is, in moments of stress, moments of crisis, in life's trials, that's the time where you need to be calm, collected and have a steady hand, so you can make clear rational decisions. Just think about Barack in those debates. Or Barack in his convention speech. Or Barack speaking in front of hundreds of thousands of people.

The man never lets you see him sweat.

In fact, one of the two most interesting parts of Tuesday's debate, to me, was when McCain began describing how we need our president to be a rock, be rational and have grace under pressure in moments of national crisis. I completely agreeed with him, and he seemed to be framing the perfect selling point for steadfast Obama vs erratic McCain.

The second weirdest point in the debate was when Obama stated his position on a potential strike to kill Bin Laden in Pakistan, and McCain completely misstated Obama's position about 20 SECONDS later. I mean, it's one thing to post negative ads and misconstrue words, put them out of context for people well after the original words were said.

But the audacity to severely twist someone's words... SECONDS after they just said them... it was bizarre. And he did it twice in a row in the Pakistan argument. That's not reading comprehension we can believe in.

Finally, a plea to all the good Obama supporters of the world: I know you want yard signs and t-shirts and buttons and bumper stickers. And I'm happy you want to show your support. But please, for the love of all that is holy, if you get some of that stuff from the campaign, match each item with one measly hour of volunteering.

Your signs and buttons and stickers... they don't turn out votes. I know you desparatey think they do. But compared to volunteering and in doing so contributing to the get-out-the-vote operation, your yard sign is meaningless.

So please, GET a yard sign, and also phone bank for an hour at your Obama office. Get a bumper sticker, and sign up for a weekend canvass somewhere. Get a button, and invite four friends to come with you and volunteer.

This will happen if we make it happen. Don't wake up November 5th thinking, "I could've done more."

Your yard sign won't console you.

Focus on: Ohio Republicans for Obama

Michael in Ohio — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 14:16:05 EDT

With this blog post, the Campaign for Change formally presents the group OHIO REPUBLICANS FOR OBAMA. Ever since the beginning of the primaries, Barack has found the support of a wide swath of Republicans or former Republicans, who after the failed policies and bitter partisanship of the last 8 years are happy to make the move for something different. As a different kind of candidate, Barack aims to find common ground with all Americans, regardless of race, background, socio-economic status, and certainly political affiliation. Click here, or go to http://OH.BarackObama.com/OHRepublicans, to join now.

The group is hosting an inaugural event with none other than the President of Ohio Republicans for Obama, former Senator Lincoln Chafee (R - Rhode Island). Details, and link to RSVP are below:

ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION WITH SEN. LINCOLN CHAFEE
Wednesday, October 8 at 2:00 PM
RUSTY BUCKET (Columbus, OH)
1635 W. LANE AVE
Columbus, OH 43221
RSVP at:
http://OH.barackobama.com/Chafee

In the Campaign for Change field offices, and amongst the volunteer teams, it is an ordinary occurrence to run into someone who considers themselves conservative, or a Republican, or formerly Republican. Just this past Sunday, the Neighborhood Team that knocked on more than 4000 doors for the opportunity to introduce Bruce Springsteen at the OSU rally, was headed by a lifelong Republican named Dave. Watch the video below for a profile of another Ohio Republican for Obama, Gene, from Smithfield.

Click HERE to join Ohio Republicans for Obama.

Long days' journey.

Porter Mason — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 02:50:12 EDT

Whew. Well, I'm here. I took Amtrak down here, and while I love trains, the American train system offers few options in terms of scheduling for infrequently traveled routes.

Which meant a 3am train out of Penn Station for me. Fun! But I finally made it to the Mason Family Compound at around 2pm and unpacked in my room.

But no matter, I got here. I was on essentially no sleep, so I went down to the Virginia Beach Obama office (which is on the Boulevard, near Rosemont) to check in and then went home to crash.

Lots of activity there. People walking in off the street to register, as well as people phone banking and the field directors and organizers planning out stuff. And it wasn't even particularly bustling, as a lot of folks were out on the streets canvassing.

If you're nearby and want to help out, come by the office! There's always someone there.

Let me rephrase that, if you're nearby, you NEED to come help out. Stop by. Here's a map.

And if you're not nearby, volunteer wherever IS nearby. There's no excuses for not pitching in this year.

Off to bed, first day of real work (for me) is tomorrow. I shall cast a long shadow of volunteering on my hometown

P.S. As always, buy me a virtual beer if you like.

Making Change: Registering Voters in Detroit

David Conrad — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 22:45:55 EDT

Wow! What a great feeling! I was out registering voters yesterday and today on the east side of Detroit. On Saturday I was flying solo, just me and my clipboard talking to people at a couple of different gas stations. I managed to get six registrations plus one guy who took a form for his brother to fill out and bring in to the campaign office.

On Sunday I had another volunteer with me, and between us we managed to get about 10 or 11 people registered. I only got four people on Sunday, but I know she got at least six. I feel fired up and ready to go! If you haven't done this, you should give it a try. It isn't nearly as hard to talk to people as you might think. Registration closes here in Michigan on October 6 (tomorrow), but in some states registration is open right up until election day.

It's a wonderful feeling to know that I've done something real to help make change a reality!

Participation

James — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 23:01:36 EDT

I am admittedly a latecomer to activism. Prior to this election, the time I call BB (Before Barack), my notion of participation was to write a check. Now, AB (After Barack) I find myself at rallies and calling total strangers at Obama phone banks. However, today (Saturday) I did something that I had not done before, which was to canvass a neighborhood with the hopes of registering voters. This is not novel nor am I trying to imply that I did anything special -- hundreds of thousands of supporters have been doing this for many, many months and I personally thank them all.

What I'd like to share with you, in this post, though is my experience. I went to the designated location, received training, got matched up with a small group and marched out to do my best. A lot of people weren't home (or they didn't answer their doors), but all of the people that we approached and spoke with were nice, polite and appreciative. Many people smiled and waved from their passing cars and one conscientious young man pulled over, got out of his car and asked us to register him. Plus I made a couple of new friends. It was just a few hours, but extremely rewarding and I never felt more connected to the campaign than today.

I bring this all up simply to remind folks that there is only one month left before election day. The poll numbers look good now, but in politics a lot can happen in four weeks (and the time will fly by). Even though voter registration will end soon, there is still a need to continue these outreach efforts to talk about issues and ensure that people actually vote. And from a selfish perspective, for those (like myself) who may not have extended themselves before today there is still time to actively participate and personally connect with the campaign. I must have caught the bug because I printed out a Neighbor-to-Neighbor list that I'm going to work tomorrow. Yes We Can!

Get Active to achieve the change!

Michael — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 18:58:04 EDT

Today was a great day. I got into the Hollywood office for the Campaign for Change and got on the phones. I called as many people as I could before my brain turned into marshmallow (that turned out to be 170 or so). I want to say I am glad I decided to get involved. It is easy to sit and say you want change but if you truly want the change you will do what you need to do to get it. I urge everyone reading this to go to their local office and volunteer, if you can't do that use the neighbors for neighbors on this site! Get involved, help create the change! It is the truest form of Democracy on the ground level and I have to say I love it!! In order to achieve change we have to get involved and defeat the apathy.

Apathy can be overcome by enthusiasm, and enthusiasm can only be aroused by two things: first, an ideal, with takes the imagination by storm, and second, a definite intelligible plan for carrying that ideal into practice. ----Arnold Toynbee

A Call to Action

Tom Lloyd — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 23:33:51 EDT

It is a very busy time right now in the political arena, and it is about to get a lot busier. Accordingly, I feel it an appropriate time to reach out and jot down a few thoughts on the status of GO-IDAHO, the hopes we have for November, and, most importantly, why it is imperative that we all start working harder than ever to elect Barack Obama. Some of you will be reading this in an email, others on myspace, and still others on facebook. No matter how you have found us, connected with us, and/or kept up with us, I want to again welcome you to our movement. We've got a unique opportunity this election, and I am confident in Idaho's youth to turn some heads on November 4th.

We are less than two months from the day that our country will decide who will be the next president of these United States. I doubt that I am preaching to anyone but the choir here, but I feel it necessary to reiterate the importance of this election. The position of the Obama campaign from the very beginning (I've been with the movement for over a year now) has been to stay "above the fray" of the negative campaigning of the past. Doing so has often been very hard, as we've made our way through a very trying primary cycle into an even nastier general race. And when you consider how the past eight years have brought out the worst in our country, the challenge of remaining positive becomes even harder to master.

But what we have to remember is that all of that cynicism, negativity, and partisan bickering CAN be defeated in 2008. We, as the youngest people to go to the polls this year and as the future leaders of the state of Idaho and the United States of America, have a duty to each other, to our own kids, to our brothers and sisters, and to our elders, to make the statement that we demand CHANGE in the way politics and government are run in this country.

Many of you may be curious as to who I am, as the director of our GO-IDAHO group. As I said above, I have now been involved with the Obama campaign for a little over a year. I was initially approached by some old friends back in D.C. who asked if I'd head up an Idaho chapter of a group called Young Lawyers for Obama. After some careful thought and some heavy research into the candidate, I found myself being called by that same idea that Barack frequently attributes to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.: "The fierce urgency of now." I accepted the invitation, and soon integrated my efforts into the overall grassroots movement to elect Sen. Obama.

I remained an active volunteer throughout the primary season, and proudly shared some truly awe-inspiring moments on the journey. When we got news that Barack Obama would ACTUALLY be visiting Boise, the excitement was almost uncontrollable. Because of my consistent volunteer efforts, I had the distinct honor of being selected to drive in the motorcade that brought Obama and his staff from the airport to the Grove Hotel the night before his speech. While I did not drive the Senator, I did have three of his top advisors. I remember driving down Broadway (we took an interesting route) and being asked by one of the three gentlemen how many people I expected to show up. Having grown up in eastern Idaho and, therefore, having a healthy skepticism about the willingness of Democrats to show their faces in public, I answered, "I think we'll have a good four or five thousand." Without needing to go into much more detail, I'll only say that I shared in the profound disbelief when over 14,000 showed up the next morning. All I can remember thinking is, "We've done something here... we have changed Idaho politics forever."

Just a few days later we made history with (1) record attendance (2) at a caucus in every county in Idaho for the first time in history, (3) resulting in a larger percentage win for Barack Obama here than in any other state. Needless to say, this has been a very exciting time to be involved in politics in Idaho and to be involved in the Idaho Democratic Party. (Kudos must go to Kassie Cerami, TJ Thomson, Katie Whittier, Shelly Landry, Randy Johnson, and all other Idahoans that made caucuses appear in every county.)

When the general election began to heat up again, I knew that I had to reprise my role in the campaign, because I believe too strongly in the opportunity placed before us. I believe too strongly in the need for CHANGE in the direction of our country on so many fronts - from the economy, to our place in the international arena, to the irresponsible use of our brave men and women in the armed forces, to the future of energy production and use, to the risks confronting our beautiful environment in the next several years... need I continue? So when we all started to get underway, the campaign staff asked me to expand the Young Lawyers group to become a chapter of the GO movement. Again, after careful consideration about various factors in my own life, I accepted the challenge.

What a lot of people don't know, however, is that this isn't my job. I do what I can during my lunch hours, my evenings, and my weekends. I still have a 40+ hour/week job as a practicing attorney at a firm in downtown Boise. For something this important, it isn't about having time; it is about MAKING time.

And the success of our campaign is entirely dependent upon volunteer contributions of time, energy, and ideas. Not that this message isn't long enough already, I want to share two brief stories. Just the other day, we were doing voter registration drives at the Saturday Market and at Art in the Park in Boise. During the morning Market session, I had a new volunteer show up, Anna, who had been convinced to come along by another volunteer, Kelsey. Doing what we do can be intimidating, so I let the two of them pair up to add a bit of comfort for Anna in the new experience. By the end of the drive, Anna was completely into it and loving it. It's things like Anna's smile after two and a half hours of voter registration that reassure me we're doing the right thing here.

Just a couple of hours later, we'd moved our drive to the outskirts of the Art in the Park festival, and we were seeing some more great success. After about an hour or two, I had a gentleman come up to me because he'd been told by some other volunteers that I was the one in charge. He introduced himself as Jim and asked what he could do to help out. I interpreted that as a general question about volunteering overall, and began to give him my standard answer about coming into the office, joining our myspace pages, etc. Recognizing that I'd misunderstood his question, Jim cut me off saying, "No no no... I mean NOW. How can I help you right now?" Shocked, and inspired, I handed him a clipboard with voter registration cards and he went to work. Jim stayed that day for over two hours, having just happened to have been passing us on the street.

I tell these stories to emphasize that volunteering for this campaign is not something you should be afraid of doing; everyone... EVERYONE... has skills that we can utilize, but we need you to step up. We can't find the volunteer power on our own to turn this state and country around, but together WE CAN.

So I've asked before, but I want to encourage you to reach out to me to let me know how you think you can help in your community. Since this isn't a real job for me, I am somewhat bound to the Boise area. I can't travel around the state organizing younger volunteers because I like my paycheck! But if you're in Pocatello, or Moscow, or Idaho Falls, or Twin Falls, or Couer D'Alene, or Salmon, or McCall, or Lewiston, or Rigby, or Challis, or Rexburg... OR ANYWHERE and you think you can host some events (debate watching parties, etc.), organize some voter registration drives (at your local tailgate party for example), or just get a few volunteers to dawn some Obama gear and head out to do some community service, please let me know! And if you don't know where to start, but want to be involved, I will always be here as your resource. We have some really good ideas, we just need people who are willing to step up to make them happen. (Oh, and we also have a lot of fun, even though I haven't made that a real emphasis of this call to action. I should still say it!)

I've now made this message a bit longer than perhaps originally intended, but I want you to recognize that we want, need, and deeply appreciate your involvement. To conclude, in case you haven't seen or really considered it, I'm including the GO-IDAHO Mission Statement:

As the next generation of civic, political, and social leaders in Idaho, we between the ages of 18 and 35 have the unique responsibility of framing the future of our remarkable state. The mission of the Idaho chapter of Generation Obama (GO-IDAHO) is to harness the enthusiasm and awareness that Barack Obama has brought to the young people of Idaho, and to translate that passion into active engagement of our peers, service to our community, and new voter turnout in November. Although we are often dismissed by our predecessors as being uninvolved, apathetic, and inexperienced idealists, the truth is that we wield an awe-inspiring power to effect real change throughout Idaho. GO-IDAHO intends to impact the 2008 election with a youth and new voter turnout that has not been seen before during our lifetimes, and to do so by demonstrating that our generation will no longer acquiesce to the negative politics of the past several decades. We will work positively and with all of the vigor and energy of our youth to ensure that Barack Obama is elected the next President of the United States of America.

Take care everyone, and I hope to hear from you very soon! In the meantime, I've got a few upcoming events I'll be posting in the next day or so.

Best,

Tom

Join the Oregon AAPI Action Team!

Ramey Ko — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 19:04:24 EDT

For too long, the Asian American & Pacific Islander vote has been forgotten or ignored. Sen. Obama is committed to real change and giving AAPIs a real voice in this election. Join the Oregon Obama campaign's AAPI Action Team and help organize efforts in the Oregon AAPI community to:

1) Register as many new voters as possible by the Oct. 14th deadline;
2) Reaching out to undecided AAPI voters; &
3) Make sure everyone votes once ballots drop on Oct. 17th.

Sign up today on MyBarackObama.com: http://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/gshcd2

Ramey Ko
www.AsianAmericansforObama.com
Donate
http://Donate.AsianAmericansforObama.com
Join us at BarackObama.com
http://My.AsianAmericansforObama.com/
Join us at Facebook
http://Fans.AsianAmericansforObama.com

Oh! What A Sunday in 2008 in WV!

Dr. Mercy Tsiwo-Chigubu — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 14:46:25 EDT

INCIDENT ONE: I COULD NOT BELIEVE IT!

These two separate responses caught me unawares! First, I meet a very friendly elderly lady (79 years old she told me) pushing her dog in what used to be a toddler's pushing trolley or cart. We exchange views on how Chihuahua dogs react to strangers and how cute they can be! I finally got the chance to ask her if she was registered to vote and to share with me who she would vote for. She replied: "I am not registered, no not yet!" I went on to ask, "If you were registered, who would you vote for?" She answered with a warm and inviting smile: "I would vote for Obama of course! I want CHANGE! But, I don't care to vote! I will pray hard that those who vote, should vote for Obama! I begged and said please, go and register to vote! Why are you not interested in voting. She said: "Let me tell you something! It began a very very long time ago when as a single mother, I could not find anyone to watch my children, and I did not have enough money to pay babysitters, I told myself that I do not go voting, and all my life I have never voted!" I just shook my head with regret, and said to her: "Do Obama some favor and change your mind". It seemed it went in through one ear and out through the other ear as we parted our ways!

Question: If you were in my shoes, what would you have done to win this vote for Obama?

A little frustrated

Nance Cedar — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 14:15:18 EDT

I feel like it shouldn't matter if I get recognition for my volunteer efforts, but it bothers me a little that I do so much work at my local Obama campaign office, but I can't get credit for it on my dashboard. I work the phonebank, the front desk, and do voter registration, but it doesn't raise my number here.

One voter at a time

Corey — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 09:35:34 EDT

I just had one of those calls with a (semi)-undecided voter that makes your day. I called and asked for "John". The lady who answered said he was deceased. I said "I'm sorry to hear that". Then she asked if I was talking about the "John" is his 60s, and I said, no the 25 year old John. Apparently, this was her son, and he doesn't live there any more.

Heather's Birthday For Obama

Heather Berman — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 09:12:06 EDT

Last weekend I hosted my birthday party/Obama phone bank

Political Soul Rejuvenated: My Obama Volunteering Experience

A Movemant Can Begin With One Person.... — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 14:53:34 EDT

Lately, I’ve been very emotionally drained and angry when it comes to the election and all things politics. I watched the 60 Minutes special with McCain, and I was silenced by the fear that he could very well be our next president. In addition, I can’t bare the site or mention of Governor Palin. The very thought of her gives my left eye a severe twitch and my head a pulsing headache.

Because of these hardened feelings, I made a personal promise to volunteer each week for the Obama campaign. If I can sit and complain about the election, I better be willing to get off my butt and contribute to the change I want.

So, I went last night to Barack Obama’s Campaign for Change in Arlington. The weight of “my self-inflicted obligation to volunteer” was immediately lifted. Upon walking into this small, cramped office, I was overwhelmed by the hand-made posters (reminiscent of the signs I used to make for the Owatonna Huskies as a cheerleader), smiling faces, and buzzing phone lines. It gave me chills. Everyone there was so positive and really there to help.

I spent the next two hours making phone calls to local Arlington residents asking them to donate their time this coming weekend to canvass and register people to vote. A few signed-up (I was actually surprised at how well I did with the phone banking). In addition, I got to meet some very interesting people. One African-American gentleman who had to be at least 70, simply said, “I never thought I’d live to see the day a black man would be running for President. That’s why I’m here each week, doing what I can.” Another couple shared their stories of canvassing around south Arlington and how gratifying it was to register people to vote. Then there was the Clinton-for-Obama supporter. “I’m here volunteering for the Obama, because I’m sick of Clinton supporters getting a bad wrap. Obama won the nomination, let’s move on, and win this damn thing!”

By the end of my two hours, I was reminded that I am not simply voting against McCain/Palin. I am voting FOR Obama. He is my candidate. He holds my same values. He has the policy plans that I think are needed to turn this country around. With my recent feelings of “republican distress,” I needed that reminder. I am comforted by the fact that my political soul has been rejuvenated. It’s like being a cheerleader again, but for a much bigger cause than winning a football game. I’m looking forward to volunteering next week.

Election Day is Only 5 Days Away...

Michael in Ohio — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 14:24:13 EDT

That's right, you heard correctly. Five days from now is Election Day. And so is the day after that, and the day after that, and every day from September 30th until November 4th.

Because in Ohio, you can vote early. It's the easiest, most worry-free way to cast a vote for Barack... before all the chaos and lines of Election Day. You can have the comfort of knowing your democratic duty is taken care of-- and then you can dedicate yourself to swaying undecided voters and getting supportive ones voting early too!

Make the pledge to Vote Early today. You'll be provided with all the information and resources you need to get your vote in early, and out of the way.

And be sure to visit VoteForChange.com to register to vote, check your registration status, request an absentee ballot, or get your early vote location.

Ask Not...

Karen Funk Blocher — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 01:16:35 EDT

Adapted from last night's Outpost Mavarin entry:

Yesterday I found my way to an odd little discontinuous stretch of 1st St. behind Speedway here in Tucson. I had been a little surprised that there even was an Obama HQ in Tucson, since it's John McCain's constituency and the new statewide Obama office in Phoenix was just announced in email last week, with no mention of a Tucson one. When I actually arrived at the place, though, all was revealed. It was the Pima County Democratic Headquarters. There were so many campaign signs on the wall outside for so many different races that I looked them over three times before I found the Obama one. Okay, so I'm not the most observant person in the world.

Photo: The table I worked at, in a room with many campaign signs.

Inside, though, it quickly became clear that much of the activity was centered on getting Obama elected. I found myself speaking to several people and being gradually conducted counterclockwise around an entire rectangle of rooms with tables, a cubicles and a couple actual offices. I filled in a form, and they hoped to put me to work updating lists of volunteers. One problem: they didn't have a computer available for me to use.

No problem. I drove home and brought back mine.

I ended up working until just after 5 PM, sharing a folding table with several other volunteers doing similar work. One of them joked that we were a table of Old White Women (which in my mind, I immediately abbreviated as OWW). I refrained from mentioning that I'm not even close to 60 years old. I'm not sure I got as much work done as I should have, because of a very minor learning curve, a few technical issues, and (mostly) because we were enjoying each other's company a little too much. I'll do better tomorrow.

The guy in charge (Estaban) was smart and funny and appreciative. He said that the retro shirt I was wearing reminded him of Good 'N' Plenty. From now on, that's my Good 'N' Plenty shirt. He said something about some people not wanting to do volunteer work once they learn it's "not glamorous. It's appreciated, but not glamorous." Once people find out it's not about getting to meet George Clooney, he said, they don't want to do it.

I said that it might not be glamorous, but there's a certain romantic idealism to it. I mentioned my childhood friend Joel, who was working for Eugene McCarthy's election back when we were in sixth grade. I didn't give details, but here in the blog I'll tell you that I never thought I could get involved in social or political causes the way Joel did and and still does. But I admired him for doing in, and still do. Estaban said that McCarthy came to Tucson in the 1980s(?) for a poetry festival.

Photo: I see Rose Mofford, and Janet Napolitano, and...!

In the front of the HQ are books and framed photos. The photos are of past and present Democratic presidents and governors and so on. Three of them are of JFK: a portrait, an enlarged photo of him with two men I don't recognize, and a 1960 campaign poster. I don't want to call the area with the campaign poster a shrine, but in a secular way it almost is, at least for me. As a lifelong democrat who actually remembers the day JFK was shot, I was impressed to be working in a room decked out with vintage Kennedy stuff, and nearly 50 years of party history.

Photo: JFK campaign poster. Drat. I messed up with the flash.

It's probably facile to compare JFK with Barack Obama, but I'm going to do it anyway. In 1960, Kennedy had to deal with mistrust on the part of some people because he was *gasp* a Roman Catholic. Obama is carrying a similar burden several times over, as a black man with a mixed parentage that I think was still illegal in some places in 1960. If that's not enough, xenophobic idiots get all aflutter about his Muslim-sounding middle name, and accuse him of being secretly part of the one religion it's socially acceptable to hate, at least in some quarters. Throw in an anti-intellectual charge of elitism and other spurious claims, and you have an effective bit of what my husband John calls "hate porn."

Photo: JFK and supporters. I bet these guys were inspired by their candidate too.

But if Obama has an exaggerated version of Kennedy's challenge as a member of a mistrusted minority, he also has some of Kennedy's strengths. He's smart and articulate and funny, with great rhetorical skills. He has relative youth, charisma, and a rare combination of optimism, idealism and pragmatism. Like Kennedy, Obama inspires others to do for their country, to believe they can do more than they ever thought they could accomplish. From what I saw yesterday, I'm just one of millions of people who are inspired and enthusiastic and accomplishing things after decades of depression and disappointment and cynicism.

Will it all translate to a win in November, or fall before the constant onslaught of lies and hate porn, and all come to nothing? Can we overcome both open and hidden bigotry, ignorance and greed, honest disagreement, voter fraud, deliberate falsehood and reckless disregard for the truth? If he's elected, can we expect policies to be made and laws enacted that start to make things better than they are now?

Okay, so it's not a certainty. Far from it.

But yes we can.

Karen

Update: My second scheduled day of volunteering fizzled today due to a personal crisis involving my unemployment claim, but I'll be back tomorrow. Meanwhile, I was in long enough to see more volunteer enthusiasm, and amazement at McCain's odd attempt to postpone the debate. Will anyone but his core supporters take this week's actions by the McCain campaign as Presidential or reasonable? Time will tell!

Canvassing for Obama in Reno, Nevada

Bruce Mirken — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 23:25:34 EDT

Last weekend, I ventured out from my safe little enclave in San Francisco to spend a weekend in Reno walking precincts for the campaign. The campaign has asked volunteers not to publicize certain strategic details, but this should give you a flavor of what it was like.

Bottom line: It was tiring but exhilarating. If you're on the fence about doing this sort of campaign volunteering, DO IT.

The most striking fact was the mob of volunteers Obama has generated. There were so many people signing up that they realized around midweek that they couldn't do the weekend's orientation/training in their Reno headquarters, and got a local supporter to let the campaign use her business's WAREHOUSE for the weekend. I am not making this up.

The number exceeded the campaign's wildest hopes by a big margin.There were so many of us, in fact, that it somewhat overwhelmed the local Democratic organization, which I suspect is rather a cottage industry most of the time. But under the circumstances, the logistical snafus weren't too bad overall, and everyone mostly kept their sense of humor. Hopefully they will get better having had this weekend under their belts, but anyone going to Reno for the campaign should definitely plan on taking careful notes and being sure to write down phone numbers of all the contacts you need in case of mixups. It wasn't too hard to roll with the punches, but it does help to anticipate that there will be a few little bumps along the way and come prepared to be as self-reliant as you can. Do NOT leave your cell phone at home!!!

By the way, if McCain has any sort of ground operation in Reno, it's not visible.

The voters I talked to were were generally friendly. I did get one door slammed in my face (he looked at my Obama shirt and said, "Wrong door for that guy!"), but I also talked to several Republicans for Obama (and not one Democrat for McCain!), I also had a fairly lengthy chat with another self-described conservative who is unhappy with the Bush crowd, and I seriously think I moved him a notch closer to the Obama column. And I registered three new Obama voters. Some supporters I spoke to were wonderfully, infectiously enthusiastic.

The economy is a huge issue in Nevada, one of the states hardest hit by the foreclosure crisis. In one affluent neighborhood I walked there was a truly shocking number of "For Sale" signs. People are beginning to get rattled about the state of economy.

Aside from the strains from what is normally a fairly small local Democratic organization trying to organize what surely was the largest mass of volunteers they've ever had, it went well and was pretty damn exciting. And I'm pretty ****ing sunburned. But I'll survive.

And it was a really wonderful group of people to spend the weekend with.Seriously, folks DO THIS. Pick your nearest swing state (for my fellow Californians, that's definitely Nevada), and get your body there. Or if you can't possibly do that, hook up with the folks coordinating phonebanking. I'm more convinced than ever that our grassroots army is what can win this thing.

"I Have One Home: My Farm"

Michael in Ohio — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 12:04:29 EDT

Heartland Issues Week may have technically ended on Sunday, but there's so much grass-roots activity going on in rural areas and small towns in Ohio that it would be a lost opportunity not to keep covering it on the blog!

Here is an account of a recent supporter meeting in Marengo (which, like Mount Gilead, is also in Morrow County), from Regional Field Director Shira:

17 residents of Morrow County attended a house meeting at the farm of Dick and Carolyn... Dick, who attended the Neighborhood Team Leader training in Columbus in August, spoke to the group, which included Obama supporters who have been lifelong Democrats, Independents, as well as Republicans.

Dick had this to say:

I can relate to Barack Obama. I can’t relate to John McCain, a man who can’t even remember how many homes he owns. I own this one property, my farm... Barack Obama is a man I relate to.

Dick also said that no presidential campaign had ever come to his home until this year, when Field Organizer Amin called to ask Dick to meet up and discuss the effort in Morrow County. With his passion and determination, Dick will lead the Marengo Obama team to victory this fall.

The group also discussed strategies for reaching out to undecided voters in Morrow County, including planning phone banks and writing letters to the editor (of which 3 were recently published in one day!)

Morrow County is putting up a fight. You can do the same: Volunteer. Go door-to-door. Write letters to the editor. Host a house meeting for your undecided friends.

173,651

Michael in Ohio — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 18:58:55 EDT

The Campaign for Change had set a mighty goal for itself this weekend: it aimed to knock on the doors of 118,602 voters--one more than Bush's margin of victory in Ohio in 2004. But volunteers not only met the challenge--they busted through it and kept on going... This weekend, the tireless people of Ohio committed to changing this country knocked on no fewer than

173,651 doors.

That means that 1 out of every 45 registered voters got a knock on their door this weekend from an Obama supporter ready and waiting to talk about Barack's vision for the country. To outline his issues, to clarify misunderstandings, and to express what his presidency could mean personally and to the nation.

But you don't need to drive to a field office or wait for the weekend to get in on the action. Through groundbreaking technology called Neighbor2Neighbor, the campaign now has a simple program to provide you with everything you need to talk to your own neighbors--a list of addresses, flyers, and easy instructions on how to talk to voters. It's all explained in this handy video, from Nicole:

You can use Neighbor2Neighbor by clicking HERE. What's it like going door-to-door, you might ask? Don't take it from the campaign--take it from this first-hand account, recently posted in the blogosphere, from volunteer Heidi, in Northeast Ohio:

I live in a suburb of Cleveland and "white, working class" would probably be the best description. After a brief training we were sent out in pairs with our packets of turf. My canvass partner was a woman in her 60s (I'm 40 years old) and we hit it off right away...
We approached the last house together... and the woman who answered the door was friendly and told us she was undecided. She didn't like John McCain but just didn't know enough about Barack Obama. We started discussing different ways the current economy had affected all of us, her positions on issues, our positions on issues and you could feel the connection forming between the three of us... At the end of conversation she said she felt like she knew a lot more about him and would most likely vote for him.
I felt so happy as I tallied my canvass sheet back at the office. This is what canvassing is about - the informed voter sharing information with the less informed voter, neighbors sharing their stories with other neighbors, and all of us realizing what's at stake in this election.

Such an expansive door-to-door effort this weekend was the perfect way to cap off Heartland Issues Week, since canvassing brought Barack's message to many small towns and rural areas that wouldn't typically get attention from past campaigns. Signs of the overwhelming field presence in the state are everywhere--below is a picture of volunteers at an office opening in tiny Mount Gilead:

Our moment is now... and it's happening everywhere.

National Day of Service On September 27

Tom — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 01:02:11 EDT

We have just launched a new web site called Citizen Service for Obama at http://www.citizenserviceforobama.org. The site is designed to provide information on where and how to become involved in public service as a volunteer.

We hope to connect Obama supporters to more than 2500 community service events in all 50 states as part of a National Service Day of Action on September 27, 2008.

We feel that Obama supporters can show their enthusiasm for the campaign by participating in local community events. When a group of Obama supporters participates in local volunteer events, it shows that we are interested in doing more than just talking about service.

CitizenServiceForObama.org (http://www.citizenserviceforobama.org) provides event information where Obama supporters can give back to their communities, in the same spirit that Senator Obama passed up lucrative job offers on Wall Street after law school to serve struggling communities on Chicago’s South side. The National Service Day of Action on September 27 provides an opportunity for all Americans to be engaged and improve their communities.

We want to invite everyone to visit the site, check out the information, and use these community service events to promote the Obama campaign to continue in our efforts to elect Barack Obama the next President. You can also register on the site for future information on service events – including those after November 4.

Senator Obama has been a strong supporter of national service. In December 2007 he unveiled his plan to expand AmeriCorps slots and increase opportunities for all Americans to volunteer. On September 11, 2008, he participated in the ServiceNation Presidential Forum in New York City on national service where he said, "Part of what makes America work is the fact that we believe in individual responsibility and self-reliance, but we also believe in mutual responsibility, in neighborliness, in a sense that we are committed to something larger than ourselves."