Posts from — March 2008

The deadline for the first financial quarter of 2008 is 11:59 eastern daylight time tonight — just an hour away. If you donate before midnight tonight, your donation will be part of our March financial report to the FEC. This will be the final report before the next series of primaries, and the results will be seen as a key measure of the strength of our campaign.

We’ve heard from thousands of supporters today who have not only donated, but have who have also been motivated to take action in their own communities to work for change.  

Carol from California:

As an adult, I have never contributed to a political campaign because I have never believed in a politician. This is the first time I have worked on a political campaign in earnest. This is the first time I have believed in a politician as an honest person. It is my belief that Barack Obama has the power to inspire people and, therefore, our country to do great things.

Candy from Florida:

I’m 51 yrs old, have always voted Republican until now… We don’t need someone that thinks they have all the answers, we need someone that can build bridges with people and provide an atmosphere to work together to solve the great issues of our country. This country and our political process needs change and a leader that brings people together rather than alienates them… I am certain that Obama is the person to lead this change.

Amy from Oregon:

I have been so discouraged by the political scene of the past 10 years or so that I have done nothing but vote. Now, I feel that "Fierce urgency of now". I realize that Barack Obama gives us an opportunity to truly change how we do things in this country. I feel compelled to leave the shelter of home to go out and work for change. I have been phonebanking from home, writing postcards to women in Pennsylvania, tabling and registering voters on the Oregon State University campus, and working with the new Corvallis for Obama group.

When we started this campaign over a year ago, the pundits and the political insiders didn’t think it was possible to mobilize ordinary people to reject conventional thinking and fight for real change. Tonight, we have a chance to prove them wrong.

Help us finish this quarter strong:    

Analysis reveals slim hopes for Clinton if she decides to take her fight to seat the Florida and Michigan delegations to the Credentials Committee.

Over 4,000 people came out to Muhlenberg College in Allentown, Pennsylvania this evening to hear Barack.   Check out some pictures from the event!

Did you see Barack in Pennsylvania today? Tell us about it in the comments!

Brenda is a retired Post Production Supervisor in the film industry and a mother from rural southern New Mexico. She remembers being young and listening to President Kennedy speak to the nation — it was the first time that she heard a politician speak, and described her reaction as one of full of the hope that politics can be used to bring people together and make things better. After he was killed in 1963, she says that she disassociated herself from politics for a long time.  The first time that she heard Barack speak, she realized “we don’t have to give up on politics.”  

We’ve heard many stories of children convincing their parents to support Barack, but Brenda’s story works in reverse. She called her son and had to convince him that this kind of movement doesn’t come along frequently, and that “we cannot let go of it.” She continues, “It makes me tear up every time I think of it… Now almost all my son’s friends are supporting Obama.”

When I asked what Barack’s inspiration could do to help the country, Brenda struck a broad note …

One of the biggest things is the change that he could make in a whole general sense. He brings a different view not just to politics, but to the American culture. His speeches are about us, about the American people. He doesn’t just carry on about what he did and who he is, that’s where he’s different. What I think would happen are very great changes.

Brenda believes that the strength of a campaign, and this campaign in particular, comes from the ground up. The first thing we must do to make lasting change in America is to engage ourselves in its politics. This belief has been and remains the cornerstone of our campaign. Many people have already given and shared their own story with us. If you would like to become a part of this campaign, and want to be eligible for a chance to have “Dinner with Barack,” please donate by 11:59 PM EST tonight. 

John McCain today issued the following statement on the current situation in Zimbabwe:

John McCain’s presidential campaign today released a new web ad. The ad, entitled “American Heroes,” tells the story of John McCain’s Episcopal High School teacher and football coach, William B. Ravenel, who had a profound impact on his life. The ad details the honor code John McCain has faithfully lived his life by, taught first by his parents and reinforced by Mr. Ravenal in high school.

After visiting Wilbur Chocolate Company in Lititz, Barack headed to the Marvel Ranch Diner in Reading, Pennsylvania, where he shook hands with local folks and enjoyed some fries.

Folks were definitely surprised and excited to see him!

Stay tuned for coverage of Barack’s rally at Muhlenberg College in Allentown!

In communities across the country, our supporters have built grassroots networks and organizations that have been the backbone of this campaign. As the primary season begins to wind down, many of these supporters are still active, and many of these grassroots communities continue to thrive. 

Next month, supporters will be hosting Spring to Action fundraisers and organizational meetings as we continue to build momentum in all fifty states. Long after the last primary vote has been tallied, these supporters are still hard at work, still growing this movement.

Fundraisers will be taking place all throughout the month of April, but today is the last day to create an official Spring to Action event.

Here are just a few of the grassroots events that are being organized in states that have already voted or caucused:

• An "Obamarama" gathering at a bar in Chicago, IL
• A "Party for the Future" in San Fracisco, California
• A "Black & White" Party in New York City
• A "Scramble for Obama" golf tournament in Cathlamet, Washington

And in Salt Lake City, Utah, supporters are kicking off their post-primary organizing efforts with a Spring Back Into Action fundraiser. The Utah for Obama grassroots group is raising money and recruiting volunteers to help for participation in several upcoming local events, including the Democratic county conventions, the Utah State Democratic Convention, Utah Pride, Earth Day, the 4th of July, and Pioneer Day.

If you haven’t already created a My.BarackObama.com account, there’s no better time than now. It free, it’s easy, and within minutes you’ll be able to connect with groups and individuals within your own community. 

You can sign in now and create your own event or search for an event near you.

This afternoon, Barack stopped by Wilbur Chocolate Company Candy Store in Lititz, Pennsylvania, where he received a tour of the chocolate factory and sampled some tasty treats! Check out this slideshow of pictures from the visit.

Check out this video of Barack speaking about economics at the town hall meeting in Lancaster, Pennsylvania this morning!

There’s no better time to get involved in the campaign! Join a Neighborhood Team in your community today.

Stephanie is a Middle School Guidance Counselor in rural North Carolina. Yesterday she told me about why she decided to support Barack …

I feel the vision… I see the honesty that he brings, the integrity that he brings. I am a school counselor and live in a rural area; my kids are not afforded a lot of opportunity, and I think he’s going to make a change … He has remained calm through the storm of the campaign, and gives a message of hope. He is young, energetic, and someone that my middle school students can identify with when dealing with adversity.

Stephanie sees the downturn in the economy hurting her community, particularly difficult since many of her students already aren’t provided the kinds of breaks that other, more affluent students often are. 

She says, “a lot of my students come from single parent homes, some without as many role models as they could use.” Still, Barack provides them with this kind of role model, and again she reiterated that “he gives this great sense of hope, that he really wants to make the change” that can help her kids …

If he is able to do what he’s talking about in making college affordable, it allows me to keep preaching to my kids that if they work all of them can go to college …otherwise, these parents are having enough trouble feeding and clothing the kids, and the students see that their parents can’t afford to pay for them to go to college … And I won’t be able to be straight with them and tell them that.

Barack wants to work to make college affordable for every student in America. To read about Barack’s education plan, click here. To read about his plan to support rural communities, click here.

If you are inspired by Barack’s message of hope, as Stephanie is, please consider donating. If you donate by tonight at 11:59 PM EST, you’ll be eligible for a chance to have “Dinner with Barack.”  And don’t forget to share your story with us.

After his town hall meeting in Lancaster, Barack stopped by Molly’s Amerigreen gas station, a renewable fuel station in Manheim, Pennsylvania, to discuss energy independence and the importance of investing in alternative energy.

Barack explained that investing in renewable fuels will not only help America achieve energy independence and lead in the reduction of carbon emissions, but that it will also be a key step in taking on the oil and gas industry and making gas more affordable for all Americans.  At the Amerigreen gas station, E85 fuel, a gas mixture that is 85 percent ethanol, sells for $2.59 per gallon, nearly 25 percent less than regular gas.

You can read Barack’s full plan for a clean energy future here. 

Some of Barack’s favorite moments of this campaign have been meeting and talking with ordinary Americans across the country. Soon, Barack will have the opportunity to hear four more of your stories at the next "Dinner with Barack." 

In the last few days, thousands of supporters have shared their own personal stories about why they support Barack and why they donated. We’ve heard from ordinary people who have been moved to take action and engage in the political process, many for the first time. 

Rebecca from Oregon:

As a young woman in her twenties, I have never actively supported a political candidate of any sort and I mostly certainly have never been excited about one! This time it’s different. This time I have faith in the future of this country.

Bonnie from Indiana:

I have never contributed to a political candidate before, but my children and I believe that Barack Obama is the candidate who can change, who can heal the wounds our country has suffered for so many years, many more than even the last 8 years, that I have to do more. I have started a group in my very Republican county, my children are very active in their support, and I will do all I can to show all my neighbors that together, all of us, YES WE CAN.

Derek from North Carolina:

I am 29 years old, and this is the first time I’ve ever donated to a political campaign. I am an ex-Republican. In fact, just last week I changed my voter affiliation …

I believe this next election will be one of the most important in my lifetime, and I believe it is crucial that our next President be someone who has integrity of character, and a style of leadership that promotes transparency and effective communication, who unites us with the common goal of making our country great again. I sincerely believe that Senator Obama is the candidate who best embodies these qualities.

Kelly from Oregon:

I have witnessed first hand how a small group of people can solve big problems by joining together for the greater good. Whether it be the New Years Day Flood of ‘97 or the threatened closure of a local tennis club, this community has proven time and again that there is strength in numbers. If we can do these things in small towns, I feel certain we can accomplish it on a larger scale as well. This is why I want Barack Obama to lead this country.

You can share your own story, and if you donate by 11:59 p.m. EDT tonight, you could be one four supporters who will soon be joining Barack for dinner.

Check out this video of Barack rallying a crowd of over 22,000 people at Penn State University yesterday!

If you attend Penn State or live in State College, head down to our office at 224 South Allen Street to volunteer!  If you live elsewhere in Pennsylvania, find your local office here.

Day four of the "Road to Change" kicked off this morning with a town hall meeting in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  The crowd of more than 2,000 people was, as always, fired up and ready to ask Barack many questions about his plans and policies.

One resident asked Barack how he would take power away from drug companies, and provide funding for substance abuse prevention and mental health programs.  Barack said:

The insurance companies are some of the biggest players in Washington.  That’s why it’s so important to not have them finance your campaigns.  They’ve come to dominate the system so much that our healthcare system is not working for the American people.

If you have health insurance now, your biggest problem is rising costs.  In addition, many Americans don’t even have health insurance.  My healthcare plan will be available to all Americans, including the self-employed and small businesses, to buy affordable health coverage that is similar to the plan available to Members of Congress.  There will be affordable premiums, co-pays and deductibles, and no American will be turned away from any insurance plan because of illness or pre-existing conditions.  The more prevention we emphasize, the more long term savings we will get in the health care system.

I’m a strong supporter of mental health parity in our healthcare system.  To me that falls in the category of prevention, and it’s good for society as a whole.  If you talk to police officers, especially in urban areas, they would tell you that instead of preventing crime, a lot of their time is spent dealing with social services that could have been prevented if we had invested in prevention and treatment.

Another person asked Barack about the Patriot Act and protecting civil liberties.  He said:

Most of the damages to civil liberties were not done by the Patriot Act, they were done by Executive Orders under President Bush.  When I’m President, I will call in my Attorney General to look over all the Executive Orders that were issued and I will overturn ones that take away our civil liberties.

…There are some parts of the second Patriot Act that are good. Before the Patriot Act, you couldn’t wiretap phones that weren’t land-based.  However, this prevented us from being able to wiretap terrorists’ phones because people who are engaging in terrorism are not going to use land-based phones.

I taught Constitutional Law for 10 years.  I take the Constitution very seriously and will continue to do so as President.

After the event, I spoke to Mary and William who live here in Lancaster.

William, a retired truck driver and member of the Teamsters union, thought that Barack’s answers were "right on target" and really liked what Barack had to say about the economy and education.  He likes how Barack wants to focus on problems with public education and invest more money in public schools.

Mary, who originally supported Senator Clinton, recently switched her support to Senator Obama because she believes that "he will be better able to unify the country."  Mary really liked how Barack explained his policies and plans in ways that were easy for folks to understand.  She said, "he doesn’t talk down to people, and he makes it simple so that even children can understand how he’s going to address our problems."

Stay tuned for more coverage of the "Road to Change!" 

Party elders are clearly tilting against Hillary Clinton’s hopes for keeping the nomination contest open indefinitely.

The deadline to become one of the donors eligible for the upcoming "Dinner with Barack" is tonight at 11:59 p.m. EST. But even more importantly, tonight is the last chance for you to make an impact before the end of the first financial quarter.

If you donate before midnight tonight, your donation will be part of our March financial report to the FEC. This will be the final report before the next series of primaries, and the results will be sized up and interpreted by everyone trying to gauge the strength of our campaign.

As Barack himself explained in an email that went out this morning: 

There’s one thing we already know about the March fundraising results: Senator Clinton and Senator McCain have raised a significant portion of their money from Washington lobbyists and special interest PACs.

We’ve never done that, and we never will.

Instead, we will continue to rely on more than a million individual donors who support this campaign by giving only what they can afford.

Change does not come from the top down — it comes from the bottom up.

So rather than having expensive fundraising dinners to take contributions from Washington lobbyists, I’m hosting a different kind of dinner. If you are chosen from among the donors who give before midnight tonight, I’ll get to hear your personal story and ideas about how we can solve America’s biggest problems together.

… The pundits are slowly realizing something about our political process that we’ve known from the beginning: people matter.

In unprecedented numbers, ordinary people are volunteering and donating to this campaign. They’re taking true ownership in a way that has never happened before.

When we started this campaign over a year ago, the pundits and the political insiders didn’t think it was possible to mobilize ordinary people to reject conventional thinking and fight for real change.

We have a chance to prove them wrong.

Too many political fundraisers are hosted by Washington lobbyists and filled with representatives of special interests.

But our campaign is different.

Our funding comes from a movement of more than one million supporters like you giving whatever they can afford.

 Donate before 11:59 p.m. EDT tonight, and you could join Barack for dinner:   

Spokesman says campaign paid off all outstanding bills to providers. See Also: Clinton fails to pay bills

This morning, Senator Amy Klobuchar (Minnesota) became the 64th superdelegate to endorse Senator Obama since February 5th.

Chicago, IL – Today, United States Senator Amy Klobuchar endorsed Barack Obama, citing his leadership on historic ethics reform and consumer product issues, his ability to bring change that matters in the lives of families across the country, and his support within her state.

Senator Klobuchar said, “… I am endorsing Barack Obama today, because he has inspired an enthusiasm and idealism that we have not seen in this country in a long time. "

“I am endorsing Barack because he is a new kind of leader – speaking with a different voice, bringing a new perspective and inspiring a real excitement from the American people. He is able to dissolve the hard cynical edge that has dominated our politics under the Bush Administration. I believe Barack can unify the American people to address the many challenges facing our nation.”

“The energy that Barack has unleashed is impossible to contain,” said Klobuchar, noting caucus turnout in Minnesota was three times the previous record – more than anyone imagined or planned for – including many first-time caucus-goers, particularly young people and independents. Obama won Minnesota’s caucuses 66%-32%.

Among Senate superdelegates, Barack now leads Hillary Clinton.

From the Associated Press:

Shivering in blankets of Penn State’s colors, some 20,000 people filled a campus lawn Sunday to hear Barack Obama …

Supporters stood in long lines for hours to hear Obama ahead of the April 22 Pennsylvania primary.

On a sunny day with temperatures in the low 40’s, most bundled up for the type of large-scale rally that has become the candidate’s trademark.

"It’s been a while, and it’s a little cold, but we really like Barack. He’s inspiring," said 19-year-old Caitlin McDonnell, wrapped in a blue Nittany Lions blanket.

… Obama’s rally drew an estimated 20,000 to 22,000 people, according to university official Richard DiEugenio—by far the biggest in a weekend of smaller, face-to-face campaign stops since Obama launched a six-day bus tour through the state on Friday.

From Penn State, he traveled to the state capital of Harrisburg, where he delivered the same call for party unity. He also took aim at Republican nominee-to-be John McCain, saying the Arizona senator undercut his own credibility by supporting the lengthening of Bush administration tax cuts he previously opposed.

From the Houston Chronicle:

As the smoke cleared from this weekend’s regional Democratic conventions, Barack Obama emerged with a majority of the state’s at-large presidential nominating delegates and possibly a majority of all Texas delegates.

… Obama’s campaign claimed he came out of this weekend’s conventions with a 38-29 at-large delegate lead, giving him a five-pledged-delegate lead over Clinton.

"We can confirm now that Barack Obama won Texas," said Obama spokesman Josh Earnest.

… The actual number of delegates awarded to Obama and Clinton will not be official until the state party convention meets June 5-7 in Austin. The results of Saturday’s regional conventions were still being tallied Sunday, but Obama was winning about 58 percent of the delegates to the state convention.

About 100,000 people turned out for about 280 county and senatorial district conventions on Saturday. The final conventions were being held Sunday in Collin County.

While participants waited in long lines and spent hours helping to elect presidential nominating delegates, the chaos wasn’t nearly as bad as the March 4 caucuses, which attracted about 1 million voters, Democratic Party spokesman Hector Nieto said.

"Overall, (the conventions) went pretty well," Nieto said. "It was democracy in action."

From the New York Sun:

Call them the Obamacans: They are against continuing the Iraq war and reject what they see as Mr. Bush’s unconstitutional buildup of executive power.

… The Obamacans include a former senator of Rhode Island, Lincoln Chafee; a former senior Justice Department official under President Reagan and senior legal adviser to Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign, Douglas Kmiec, and a granddaughter of President Eisenhower, Susan Eisenhower.

… Part of Mr. Obama’s appeal to moderate Republicans in this election cycle is his early opposition to the Iraq war. Ms. Eisenhower, who worked on George H.W. Bush’s presidential campaign in 1988, said in an interview that she sees a temporary realignment on the war between the parties in the general election.

… "People have asked, ‘How can someone who worked for Ronald Reagan support Barack Obama?’" Mr. Kmiec said in an interview. "And the answer is simple: Both are natural leaders and have a great gift for communicating. Ronald Reagan used to tell me that his greatest achievement was to make Americans feel good about themselves again. But there has to be a genuine reason to feel good about ourselves, which there hasn’t been in a while."

… Of the 140,000 Pennsylvania Republicans and independents who switched registration in the last year to Democrat, the majority are Obama voters, the director of the Franklin and Marshall College poll, G. Terry Madonna, said. Registration for the state’s closed April 22 primary ended March 24. "If 2 million people vote in Pennsylvania, which would be a huge number, I think Obama gets 85,000 to 90,000 switchers," Mr. Madonna said. "That’s 3 or 4 or 5%, which is a big deal."

… A spokesman for the Obama campaign’s Pennsylvania operation, Sean Smith, said many Republicans had approached his campaign about registering to vote in the primary, and not the other way around.

"This is a close race. Our first goal was to make sure everyone who wanted to vote for Obama would be registered to do so. Other states have shown that when Republicans and independents have a chance to vote in primaries, they tend to vote in large numbers for us," Mr. Smith said.

From the Indiana Statesman:

Barack Obama campaign headquarters office, 425 Wabash Ave., was transformed Saturday morning during its grand opening with children’s pictures adorning the wall, supporters chatting over coffee and dessert and a saxophone player entertaining outside.

"I believe that the headquarters will encourage more students to get involved with voter registration drives and allow them the chance to fellowship with other supporters of Barack Obama, while also giving them the chance to persuade other voters on why they should support Obama," said Michael D. Lofton II, a senior sociology major and member of Students for Barack Obama.

… The meeting recruited volunteers to canvass the neighborhood for voter registration and to work in the Obama headquarters. Volunteers were quickly trained, given packets and sent to work.

… The Obama headquarters aims to register 2,000 voters by April 7, the deadline for voter registration. The goal for Saturday was for volunteers to collectively get 500 voters registered.

"I would encourage everybody to get involved because this election will determine the direction this country is going to go-whether it be more of the same, or something new," Lofton said. "Hopefully we get something new and someone with fresh eyes on the issues and someone who can inspire us all. But no matter what candidate one supports they should be involved in this political process, and one way is making sure they are registered to vote."

Energy was repeatedly mentioned as volunteers prepared to leave and work for the change they want to see.

"There are way too many people in this room and too much energy to let this go to waste," Moore said.

From the Washington Post:

[Barack Obama and Sen. Robert Casey's] weekend road show across the Keystone State stopped at factories, hot dog stands, sports bars and bowling alleys, where the two kept score as "Bar" and "Bob." The freshman senators played basketball, milked cows in matching new Timberland boots and shared the stage here Sunday at Penn State University before 22,000 cheering fans.

… The camaraderie between Casey and Obama is not surprising. They are about the same age, they both have daughters, and they represent a new generation of lawmakers in Washington who are less ideologically rigid than their forebears.

… Obama spoke [of Casey] at the Penn State rally: "He is not just smart, not just dedicated, not just hardworking — one of the finest senators we have — but he’s also a decent, moral, kind person, and you don’t always find that in politics."

Casey, low-key and serious around the Capitol, [said]: "I’ve been around politics my whole life. I’ve been through some rough, rough politics. And I must say, he’s inspired me."

Good morning! Day four of the "Road to Change" kicks off this morning, but before we get to today’s events, watch this video from last night’s town hall meeting in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. In the video, Barack answers a question about the wage disparity between men and women.

Do you have some free time today? Help make phone calls to some undecided Pennsylvanians!