This year looks to bring another opportunity for gains, with races in the 3rd and the 4th popping up on many national lists as races to watch. Couple that with a competitive gubernatorial contest and races for attorney general and superintendent of public instruction, and it is easy to see why so many are excited at the prospect of the Obama campaign dedicating resources to turn out voters in November.

...This presidential contest is shaping up to be a face-off between a targeted campaign of yesteryear and a truly national campaign. I don't need to tell you who my money is on.

When the speech ended, I rode the Metrolink home, sitting next to a 65 year old black man, a retired ninth grade Social Studies teacher named Stan.... He told me he never thought he'd live to see the day that the Democratic nominee was a black man. When he said goodbye, he asked me to write something that would help Obama get elected.

That's a tall order. I just do what I can. I'm one of hundreds of thousands of people doing what they can to get Obama elected.

Posted by admin Posted in: Obama's Official Blog No Comments » July 2008

Video: Barack At The League Of United Latin American Citizens National Conference

Barack spoke at League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) earlier today. He said...

...I’m told that today’s theme is “diversity in government.”  So I’ve been thinking about why that’s important and about what it means to have a government that represents all Americans. It’s not just about making sure that men and women of every race, religion, and background are represented at every level of government – though that’s a critical part of it. It’s not just about sending a message to our children that everyone can lead and everyone can serve – although that too is important. It’s about making sure that we have a government that knows that a problem facing any American is a problem facing all Americans.

It’s about making sure our government knows that when there’s a Hispanic girl stuck in a crumbling school who graduates without learning to read or doesn’t graduate at all, that isn’t just a Hispanic-American problem, that’s an American problem.

When Hispanics lose their jobs faster than almost anybody else, or work jobs that pay less, and come with fewer benefits than almost anybody else, that isn’t a Hispanic-American problem, that’s an American problem.

When 12 million people live in hiding in this country and hundreds of thousands of people cross our borders illegally each year; when companies hire undocumented workers instead of legal citizens to avoid paying overtime or to avoid a union; and a nursing mother is torn away from her baby by an immigration raid, that is a problem that all of us – black, white, and brown – must solve as one nation.

A government that works for all Americans – that’s the kind of government I’m talking about. And that’s the kind of government I’ve been fighting to build throughout my over 20 years in public service.

Watch the video from his speech and some pictures from the event...

Read the full remarks, as prepared for delivery...

Posted by admin Posted in: Obama's Official Blog No Comments » July 2008

The Open Convention: Your Voices

Since we announced the Open Convention yesterday, the campaign has heard an incredible response from our supporters. People everywhere are excited about the opportunity to see Barack accept the Democratic Nomination in person, with 75,000 other supporters, at INVESCO Field at Mile High in Denver.

This year, the acceptance speech won't be given before just delegates and VIPs in the airtight convention hall.  Barack will deliver his acceptance directly to you, ordinary Americans, under the wide open Colorado sky.

Kirby from Georgia remembers another defining speech in American history:

I am a retired Army officer and a veteran of the initial invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq. My first assignment in the Army was in the Old Guard of the Army beginning in the summer of '83. I was there on the Mall during the 20th anniversary of Dr King's "I have a Dream" speech. I can think of no place better to be on the 45th anniversary of that speech than in Denver watching and listening to Barack accept the Democratic Party's nomination for President of the United States.

 Justin from California recognizes the Open Convention as a true break from the past:

I am a huge Denver Broncos fan who lives in Los Angeles. I go to one game a year in Denver. For Barack Obama to accept the nomination at this stadium is truly an honor for me and to millions of other people out there.

Instead of just doing the same old thing, which would have been fine because Obama would have made it work, he has chosen to come out and share it with the world.

It truly shows his dedication to how much he is thankful to all the small donors of his campaign and he truly recognizes how important it is for us to be a part of it.

And Andy from Washington sent us this lofty prediction:

I am excited about the idea of an open convention-it certainly mirrors the theme of opening up our political process to ALL citizens.

My guess is that after Barack's speech, the 'mile high' city will be at about double that altitude!

August 28 is sure to be an incredible night - one that will go down in the history books. You have the chance to join Barack and thousands of other supporters in Denver - if you join our network of small donors with a donation of $5 or more today, you could be one of ten supporters chosen to fly to Denver to see him speak and meet with Barack backstage.

This is the first convention that will be truly open to the public - both Barack's acceptance and our party platform will be accessible to ordinary Americans for the first time.  Don't miss your chance to be a part of history.

Posted by admin Posted in: Obama's Official Blog No Comments » July 2008

Share your thoughts on Barack’s address before LULAC

I marched with you in the streets of Chicago to meet our immigration challenge. I fought with you in the Senate for comprehensive immigration reform. And I will make it a top priority in my first year as President - not only because we have an obligation to secure our borders and get control of who comes in and out of our country. And not only because we have to crack down on employers who are abusing undocumented immigrants instead of hiring citizens. But because we have to finally bring undocumented immigrants out of the shadows.

- Barack Obama before the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC)

Posted by admin Posted in: Obama's Official Blog No Comments » July 2008

Airline Says Obama’s Plane was Safe

Midwest Airlines says the safety of a flight chartered by Barack Obama was never compromised, even though the pilot struggled to keep the plane's nose at the necessary angle after taking off from Chicago.

Posted by admin Posted in: Obama on Topix No Comments » July 2008

Watch Barack LIVE at the League of United Latin American Citizens

Barack will be speaking at the League of United Latin American Citizens in Washington, D.C. this afternoon.  Founded in 1929, LULAC is the nation's oldest and largest Hispanic advocacy organization, with approximately 115,000 members throughout the United States and Puerto Rico.

You can watch a live stream of the event below:

Posted by admin Posted in: Obama's Official Blog No Comments » July 2008

Organizing Fellows: Laura in St. Louis, Missouri

As part of a continuing series, we're following Obama Organizing Fellows as they share their stories and their experiences. They discuss the people they meet, the hardships of organizing, what the campaign means to them, and how this summer is changing their perspective.

Laura is an Organizing Fellow in St. Louis, Missouri. Her stories appear each Monday.

I love the sky in St. Louis; the clouds are big, the sky is wide and no buildings blocks the view. I also love Forest Park—a huge park with a beautiful Art museum plopped on top of it and a river of sorts flowing through the center. I love the City Museum: a grand, recycled, playground that invites guests into its chambers (literally) until the early hours of the morning. And if the sights aren’t enough, I am continually appreciative of the opportunity to work with the people who live here—people as various, playful, and beautiful as the parts of the city I am growing to love.

This past week, I had the opportunity to see a lot of different sides of St. Louis. I experienced the crowd at the infamous Warped Tour, where fellows and volunteers gathered for eight hours to register new voters. We began by walking down the line, which grew and grew as we marched along, asking people to register.

There, we experienced the usual mix of responses—apathy, excitement, anger and gratitude—and successfully registered a lot of young people excited about Obama and punk rock. As the day continued, we went to every different entrance, exit, and bathroom, and tried to register more and more young voters. One of our volunteers plastered himself with stickers and walked through the crowds, screaming over the singers (who were screaming themselves), “If you are 18 by November, register here now!” Another stood for over two hours with sticker sheets draped around her neck, ready and willing to give people the opportunity to show their support. None of us left without a sunburn.

At my July 4th event, my team planned a voter registration event with a very different crowd. We went to the fireworks event in Kirkwood, MO, which is a picturesque town in the County. Not surprisingly, it also has a large amount of proud, registered, voters so the event was somewhat “unsuccessful.” That said, our volunteers were extraordinary and inspiring—a woman named Linda opened up her house as a meeting place and another woman named Marilyn pulled in the largest number of registrations that we had the whole evening.

After the July 4th weekend, I took the down time I had to explore the city a bit. Without numbers to call and events to plan (for at least a day), I ended up at the Art Museum in Forest Park, sucked in by the German expressionist painter, Max Beckmann. His art was compelling but his life was what intrigued me most.

He was a prolific painter who went into exile during Hitler’s rise to power when he was deemed a “threat” of some sort. After that, he was not allowed then to teach or make his art. My first reaction was that of disbelief; I couldn’t really imagine a world in which an artist would feel the need to leave his country and enter a life of poverty because of his passion was somehow threatening to the government. As I thought more about it, however, I realized that people are silenced every day, for merely expressing themselves and their passions. When I do voter registration, there is usually a comment of some sort that makes me want shut my mouth, turn the other direction, and run away. And I remembered, as I stared at Beckmann’s wild paintings—paintings full of chaotic carnivals and warped perspectives—that this is part of the reason I am here: to give citizens their voices back and get those voices heard.

Check back next Tuesday for more from Laura in St. Louis, Missouri, and visit our Flickr page for more of her photos.

Posted by admin Posted in: Obama's Official Blog No Comments » July 2008

Jersey Journal columnist has hit the nail on the head

The Jersey Journal is one of my favorite newspapers in this state, and has been for years.

Posted by admin Posted in: Obama on Topix No Comments » July 2008

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