Thursday, January 31, 2008

Judgment


For awhile, it was all about "Change" vs. "Experience"

Then, in the leadup to South Carolina, it became about honesty.

Now, it seems to be back to JUDGMENT.

This video contains a few moments of Barack's October 2002 speech, where he first opposed the war. The rest of the video was lost...but the text was not.

In the creative, proactive manner of the Obama campaign, the rest of the text of the speech was re-enacted by supporters across the country. It speaks just as loudly today as it did then.

Lots of people say "I like Obama, but I just don't see that he's that different from Clinton on policy". Indeed, in terms of policy, there are many similarities, including health care plans which are (according to Barack's campaign itself) 95% similar.

The difference isn't really poicy. It's Judgment. Barack has it.

DIGG!


Digg is a great way to bring certain articles and websites up in the Google rankings. Go to Digg, spend one minute joining, and then "digg" all of the Obama articles...particularly the ones you find the most relevant to the issues you find most important.

Here's Obama for America's Digg page.

Tiger Woods


Tiger is impressed...but has not, as yet, endorsed.

Contact Tiger and give Obama a boost! The endorsement of bi-racial celebrity like Tiger would be really meaningful.

Napa Valley, CA columnist supports Obama


Please chime in on this article. Lots of disillusioned Edwards supporters already have. Please show your support --- California is so very important.

MSNBC poll


Please vote in this MSNBC poll: whom should Edwards endorse?

Independent Voice poll


Please vote in this poll by Independent Voice.

what started it all for me...


2004 Convention Speech Highlights

It's great to take a few minutes, every now and then in these busy next few days, to remember this moment in 2004. It was the first time I heard Barack speak. I was doing chores around the house, but I had to stop in my tracks and listen to every word.

The phrase "voice of a generation" usually sounds overblown...but not when applied to Barack!

Keep working, phoning, blogging, sign-waving, leafleting, and talking up he campaign in these critical next few days. THANK YOU, everybody!

Write a letter to the editor!


Now is the PERFECT time.

Choose a topic which is most important to you. Choose a paper which is nearby to you (or a national paper, like USA today). Keep it personal to you.

Here is a list of daily newspapers from Obama's website. Email is preferred, given the short timeframe; most papers prefer emailed letters, anyway.

FIRE AWAY!

Some possible talking points to consider, updated 2/1/08:

* Yesterday, the American people saw that this choice in this election is clear - it's about the past versus the future, and Barack Obama represents the future. The American people are ready to turn the page on the failed politics and policies of the past. Obama is the only candidate who can take on the special interests, put an end to petty partisanship, be honest with American people about the challenges we face, and unite this nation around a common purpose so we can finally start making progress for ordinary Americans.

* Barack Obama has a plan to make health care affordable and accessible for all Americans. The reason people go without health insurance isn't because no one forced them to buy it; it's because no one has made it affordable. That's why Obama's plan focuses on bringing costs down, so that we can cover every American. As President, Obama will bring Democrats and Republicans together to stand up to the drug and insurance companies - that's how he delivered health insurance for hundreds of thousands of Illinois families, and that's how he'll pass universal health care as President.

* Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton disagreed on the most important foreign policy decision in a generation. Obama strongly opposed the war, and predicted its disastrous consequences. Hillary Clinton voted for a resolution entitled a "Resolution to Authorize the Use of United States armed forces against Iraq." Being President is about judgment. Because you don't just have to be ready on Day One - you have to be right from Day One - and on the Iraq War, Obama has been right from the beginning.

* When he is the nominee, Barack Obama will provide a clear choice on national security. It's time for new leadership that understands that the way to win a debate with John McCain is not by nominating someone who agreed with him on voting for the war in Iraq; who agreed with him in voting to give George Bush the benefit of the doubt on Iran; and who agrees with him in embracing the Bush-Cheney policy of not talking to leaders we don't like. Obama will offer that contrast, because that's what America needs in our next Commander in Chief.

* The American people saw why Barack Obama is the best candidate to strengthen our economy so it works for ordinary Americans. He's been fighting for working Americans since he was a community organizer more than two decades ago and that's what he'll do as President. He'll provide a middle class tax cut so we can put more money into the pockets of working Americans and seniors, and he'll restore fairness to our tax code and balance to our economy. He'll give struggling homeowners the support they need and make sure that working Americans have decent wages, and pensions that are protected. And he'll change the politics in Washington that puts Wall Street ahead of Main Street.

* Obama showed why he's the Democrat who's most likely to win in November. Polls show Obama appeals to Republicans and Independents far more than Senator Clinton. He has brought tens of thousands of Americans into the political process for the first time. That's why he's the only candidate who can change the electoral math that's been all about division, and make it about addition. As our nominee, he'll help Democrats get elected across the country - especially in conservative areas where Democrats have not fared well for decades. Obama won't just win an election, he'll win a new majority for change, so we can finally solve the problems we've been talking about for decades.

contact CNN re: coverage


Currently, CNN is expressing its delegates count with the superdelegates included.

However, superdelegates can change their minds at anytime, unlike normal delegates, which are unchageably committed to a given candidate. The situation with superdelegates is quite fluid; some have started to break for Obama.

Please contact CNN and ask them to change their coverage to reflect the nuanced situation regarding delegates vs. superdelegates.

Vice President Al Gore


Please write to former Vice President Al Gore and request that he endorse Barack. Other than the fact that there's not much love lost between Gore and the Clintons, it would be good to keep in mind that Obama received a 96 out of 100 score from the League of Conservation Voters --- the highest score of any frontrunning candidate.

All I have for now is a postal address; anyone have better leads?

Hon. Al Gore
2100 West End Avenue, Suite 620
Nashville, TN 37203

FAX: 615-327-1323

New York Times


Based on this article as well as this video alone...(and there are plenty of other reasons!):

Please contact the New York Times and ask them to withdraw their endorsement of Hillary Clinton. It's time that the The Grey Lady reconsidered --- and put the interests of the nation ahead of New York State politics-as-usual.

Wednesday, January 30, 2008

AOL poll


Please vote for Obama in this AOL poll.

Thank Professor Marshall Ganz


Harvard/Kennedy School of Government Professor Marshall Ganz, who is an expert in the history of the farm workers' movement in California, has endorsed Obama.

Please contact Professor Ganz to thank him for his endorsement:

contact undecided superdelegates and Edwards superdelegates


Superdelegates can change their mind right up until the Convention, so this is perhaps not as time-sensitive a task as some others. But please contact these superdelegates (for finding contact information, Google usually works well) and ask the to support Obama. If you're from the same state as a given superdelegate, that's what works best.

Here's a good overview article on superdelegates.

EDWARDS SUPERDELEGATES

Rep. Bruce Braley (D-Iowa)
Rep. Bob Etheridge (D-N.C.)
Rep. Stephanie Herseth-Sandlin (D-S.D.)
Rep. Charlie Gonzalez (D-Texas)
Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-Texas)
Rep. Mike McIntyre (D-N.C.)
Rep. Mike Michaud (D-Maine)
Rep. Brad Miller (D-N.C.)
Rep. Jim Oberstar (D-Minn.)
Rep. David Obey (D-Wis.)
Rep. David Price (D-N.C.)
Rep. Heath Shuler (D-N.C.)
Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mich.)
Rep. Mel Watt (D-N.C.)

UNDECIDED SUPERDELEGATES

Name/State/District

Bud Cramer AL 5
Blanche Lincoln AR 0
Gabi Giffords AZ 8
Harry Mitchell AZ 5
Howard Berman CA 28
Barbara Boxer CA 0
Lois Capps CA 23
Jim Costa CA 20
Susan Davis CA 53
Anna Eshoo CA 14
Sam Farr CA 17
Bob Filner CA 51
Mike Honda CA 15
Jerry McNerney CA 11
Nancy Pelosi CA 8
Pete Stark CA 13
Henry Waxman CA 30
Ken Salazar CO 0
John Salazar CO 3
Mark Udall CO 2
Joe Courtney CT 2
Rosa DeLauro CT 3
Chris Dodd CT 0
John Larson CT 1
Chris Murphy CT 5
Eleanor Holmes Norton DC AL
Joe Biden DE 0
Tom Carper DE 0
Allen Boyd FL 2
Kathy Castor FL 11
Ron Klein FL 22
Tim Mahoney FL 16
Bill Nelson FL 0
John Barrow GA 12
Jim Marshall GA 8
Madeleine Bordallo GUAM AL
Dan (Danny) Akaka HI 0
Mazie Hirono HI 2
Tom Harkin IA 0
Rahm Emanuel IL 5
Andre Carson IN 7
Joe Donnelly IN 2
Brad Ellsworth IN 8
Baron Hill IN 9
Pete Visclosky IN 1
Nancy Boyda KS 2
Dennis Moore KS 3
Ben Chandler KY 6
John Yarmuth KY 3
Bill Jefferson LA 2
Mary Landrieu LA 0
Charlie Melancon LA 3
Michael Capuano MA 8
Ed Markey MA 7
John Olver MA 1
John Tierney MA 6
Nikki Tsongas MA 5
Benjamin Cardin MD 0
Steny Hoyer MD 5
John Sarbanes MD 3
Chris Van Hollen MD 8
Tom Allen ME 1
John Dingell MI 15
Dale Kildee MI 5
Carolyn Kilpatrick MI 13
Carl Levin MI 0
Amy Klobuchar MN 0
Collin Peterson MN 7
Tim Walz MN 1
Ike Skelton MO 4
Gene Taylor MS 4
Max Baucus MT 0
Jon Tester MT 0
Byron Dorgan ND 0
Earl Pomeroy ND AL
Rush Holt NJ 12
Frank Lautenberg NJ 0
Jeff Bingaman NM 0
Tom Udall NM 3
Harry Reid NV 0
Sherrod Brown OH 0
Marcy Kaptur OH 9
Dennis Kucinich OH 10
Tim Ryan OH 17
Zach Space OH 18
Betty Sutton OH 13
Charlie Wilson OH 6
Dan Boren OK 2
Earl Blumenauer OR 3
Peter DeFazio OR 4
David Wu OR 1
Ron Wyden OR 0
Jason Altmire PA 4
Bob Brady PA 1
Chris Carney PA 10
Bob Casey PA 0
Mike Doyle PA 14
Tim Holden PA 17
Paul Kanjorski PA 11
Jack Murtha PA 12
Patrick Kennedy RI 1
Jack Reed RI 0
Jim Clyburn SC 6
John Spratt SC 5
Steve Cohen TN 9
Lincoln Davis TN 4
Bart Gordon TN 6
John Tanner TN 8
Lloyd Doggett TX 25
Chet Edwards TX 17
Gene Green TX 29
Nick Lampson TX 22
Solomon Ortiz TX 27
Ciro Rodriguez TX 23
Jim Matheson UT 2
Jim Webb VA 0
Bernie Sanders VT 0
Brian Baird WA 3
Rick Larsen WA 2
Jim McDermott WA 7
Russ Feingold WI 0
Steve Kagen WI 8
Ron Kind WI 3
Herb Kohl WI 0
Robert Byrd WV 0
Alan Mollohan WV 1
Nick Joe Rahall WV 3
Jay Rockefeller WV 0

Barack support at the hair salon


Bill Maher's show, Real Time, had a great video piece on a recent episode.

A journalist conducted an informal interview with a small group of black women in California. It was conducted after the South Carolina debate, but just before the South Carolina election.

Informative, interesting, funny, and sometimes a little raw!

Check it out!

NOW isn't done slamming various Kennedy family members...


Apparently, one can only be considered a feminist if one is solidly in the Hillary camp. Now the National Organization for Women is slamming Caroline Kennedy.

How patently ridiculous.

Pick up the phone, fire up the emails, write letters to the editor. This kind of reductionist thinking, when combined with NOW's media expertise, must not go unanswered. FULL COURT PRESS.

Signed,

a VERY angry NH feminist and pointedly NON-NOW member.

Thank Senator Kennedy


Please contact Senator Kennedy for endorsing Barack on 1/28/08. The footage of his joint appearance with his niece Caroline and Obama is just riveting. The pressure on him to do otherwise was stratospheric!

Kennedy's webpage

Care2 online poll


Please vote in the Care2 online poll. Obama has a lead, but only a small one!

UPDATE: Barack wins the poll! Thank you!

Thank President Carter


Former President Jimmy Carter, while stopping short of endorsing Obama, has praised him mightily of late.

Please contact President Carter via the Carter Center to thank him.

Phone:
(404) 420-5100 or (800) 550-3560


E-mail:
carterweb@emory.edu

La Opinion, Los Angeles


Particularly if you're a Spanish speaker (but even if you're not), writing to La Opinion, an influential Los Angeles-area Spanish-speaking media outlet could make a big difference for Obama in California.

Monica Lozano is the contact for letters to the editor:

monica.lozano@laopinion.com

UPDATE, 2/2/08: La Opinion has endorsed Obama!

Blog listing Obama endorsements


Here is a blog which tracks endorsements for Obama. If you're looking for more thank-you letters or emails to write, please visit this wonderful site!

Obama Endorsements

Newsmax Poll


Straightforward poll: Clinton vs. Obama

Newsmax poll link

Petition regarding FL and MI delegates


Please sign this petition, asking Senator Clinton to stop her rumblings about having the delegates from Michigan and Florida seated. The DNC has said that the will not be seated --- MI and FL jumped the line in trying to schedule their primaries before Super Tuesday. We need election reform in terms of primary scheduling, but this isn't the way to do it. Further, Clinton must honor the pledge she signed (along with all other Democratic candidates) that she would stand by the DNC's decision. Let's hold her to her word.

Link to petition

Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Thank Caroline Kennedy


Please contact Caroline Kennedy, daughter of former President John F. Kennedy, and thank her for her pivotally important endorsement of Barack on January 28. It's really hard to tabulate the importance of this one.

Caroline Kennedy
John F. Kennedy Library Foundation
Columbia Point
Boston, MA 02125

617-514-1550

foundation@jfklfoundation.org

Chatanoogan.com


Chatanoogan.com, an online newspaper in Tennessee, has a poll going. Currently, Barack's ahead of Clinton, but trails Edwards. Please vote!

Chatanoogan.com poll

NY State Chapter of NOW


Raspberries to the New York State Chapter of NOW, who directed this completely inappropriate scolding at Sen. Ted Kennedy after he endorsed Obama.

As if it's impossible for a person with a Y chromosome to be a feminist and fight for feminist ideals...sigh.

NYS NOW later moderated its statement, perhaps due to a lot of letters and emails.

Please contact NYS NOW to let them know how off-base they were for attacking Kennedy, one of the staunchest allies for women's issues over the years, simply for making a perfectly valid endorsement for President.

Thank Gov. Kathleen Sebelius


Please contact Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius for endorsing Barack. She's on the short list for VP, some say!

Gov. Sebelius's contact info

Here's a great new Obama ad featuring Governor Sebelius: Sebelius Obama endorsement ad

And here she is delivering the Democratic response to the 2008 State of the Union address in late January, as well.

Thank Representative Xavier Becerra


Please contact Xavier Becerra to thank him for his endorsement of Barack:

Becerra's website

Becerra is the highest-ranking Latino Democrat in the nation. Better yet, he's from California!

NevadaDem's Diary on DailyKos


NevadaDem has a poll attached to his blog on DailyKos.

"Do you respect Bill and Hillary Clinton?"

You'll be impressed, but maybe not surprised, by the staggering results.

TV shananigans


From the Obama Rapid Response group:

See message below. Obama’s appearance on a local news station in Washington was preempted today for an infomercial. The station claimed it was ABC’s decision, who can be reached at 818-460-7477. Perhaps if we call, they will air it tomorrow.

From a fellow Washington Obama supporter:

My wife and I turned on KOMO-TV (Channel 4 in Seattle) this morning, as we often do at

9 AM on Sunday morning, to watch "This Week with George Stephanopoulos." We were particularly eager to watch this morning because George's "special guest" was Senator Obama on the morning after his dramatic and hugely important victory in the South Carolina primary. This was going to be Senator Obama's first opportunity following his extraordinary speech Saturday evening to speak about both the significance of that victory and of the tactics employed by Bill and Hillary Clinton in that campaign.

To our dismay, we found that KOMO-TV had preempted Senator Obama's appearance on "This Week" to show an "infomercial" on some skin care product.

I am concerned that this may have been a deliberate decision by KOMO management to preclude viewers in Washington state from seeing Senator Obama "up close and personal" on the morning immediately following his stunning victory and a mere two weeks before the Washington Democratic caucuses.

KOMO stated the pre-emption was ABC's decision. Please everyone, call ABC Monday to complain LOUDLY. The number KOMO gave me is 818-460-7477.

Senator Russ Feingold (Wisconsin)


Please email Sen. Feingold and ask him to endorse Barack:

russ@progressivepatriotsfund.com

MoveOn.Org

MoveOn.Org will endorse a candidate if they receive 51% or more of the responses in this straw poll. Please vote!

UPDATE, 2/1/08:

MoveOn.org has thrown its endorsement behind Obama. He received 70% of the votes cast! THANK YOU!

Save Fitchburg (Massachusetts) poll


Save Fitchburg

(scroll down, on right)

Save Fitchburg is a blog about Fitchburg, Massachusetts --- a small Mass. city which is likely to be full of Clintonistas.

Newsday


Newsday online poll

(scroll down, on left)