Barack Obama: Our Moment Is Now, full speech

Senator Obama and his family

Obama: Four New Endorsements in 48 Hours

As a further sign of Democrat momentum shift, Barack Obama has received four new political endorsements in the last 48 hours. While endorsements were slow coming out of the gate, Obama's increasing assault on Hillary Clinton's lead in key early states seems to be convincing-enough evidence for some that his campaign is nationally-viable.

It started on Monday afternoon, with the announcement that anti-war proponent U.S. Representative Barbara Lee (D-CA) was endorsing Obama. More good news followed later from one of the earlier battleground states when news broke U.S. Representative Carol Shea-Porter (D-NH) also came out in favor of Obama, resisting a strong consideration to remain neutral.

After that, U.S. Representative Betty McCollom (D-MN)announced she, too, was now supporting Obama, as a leader she "respects and has sound judgment on the most important issues facing the nation".

And earlier this afternoon, the former chairman of the South Carolina Democratic Party Joe Erwin threw his backing behind Obama, stating:

"I believe in his message and I think in Senator Obama we see a candidate who does what to me is the most important thing we can do in this election and that's to change the course of American politics."

As Obama is beginning to hit his stride and get his message in front of voters, it seems some undecideds are beginning to get comfortable with embracing a candidate who geniunely represents a break from politics-as-usual.

Latest Poll: Obama Expanding Lead in Iowa, Closing Gap in SC

Strategic Vision just published the results of a 3-day poll taken in Iowa between November 30th and December 2nd, putting Barack Obama at 32% with John Edwards and Hillary Clinton tied at 25% with a 4.5% margin of error.

A new poll (link), released moments ago, shows Barack Obama riding a wave of momentum and slightly expanding his lead in Iowa.

And this is mostly before the recent switch by the Clinton campaign to attack mode. Such negative campaigning has historically not sat well with Iowa voters. John Edwards will undoubtedly benefit as well from the change in tone, but Obama's ground organization seems to be having an impact.

The email flap, Kindergate, and a number of other negative attacks sourced by the Clinton campaign are clearly not having the desired effect. Her national lead over Obama in the latest Rasmussen Reports presidential poll has dropped to just seven points.

Meanwhile, in SC, the Obama-Oprah roadshow has outsold the original 18,000-seat arena venue for their fundraiser to the point they've needed to move it to the 80,000-seat University of South Carolina football stadium. Within the state, Clinton's overall lead in South Carolina over Obama has dropped from 13 points in September to just 2 points.

There seems to be a movement underfoot.

[cross-posted at www.dailykos.com]

Dear Iowa, warm greetings from the O-Train w/video!

Dear Iowa, (and New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina)



It is my understanding that we Floridians have been known to botch an election or two. I am innocent I tell you but here I sit in the time-out beach chair just the same. Here's the thing; when you are in time-out, you have plenty of time to think. So, as I slather on my sunscreen, I am thinking about all the reasons to encourage you to vote for Senator Barack Obama.

I believe that Senator Barack Obama represents so many strands of who we are as a nation. I can feel the fierce urgency of now in the air. With Barack Obama's leadership, I believe that we can recover from 8 years of the current administration's dangerous and frightening lack of moral integrity. We have a good field of candidates but I can already see Obama inspiring unlikely volunteers to work together. I believe that Senator Obama is the one who can unite our country and turn us around. The fierce urgency is now. Now is our chance to stop them from driving us over the cliff. If the GOP maintains control of the White House in 2008, I don't think that our democracy can survive another term of attacks on the Constitution.

The Tampa Bay O-Train has been working to elect Senator Obama as the President of the United States, not the President of Florida, so even though our all-volunteer grassroots group continues to introduce Barack Obama's message to Florida, we also recognize the importance of what the four early primary states will be doing very soon. We have continued our fundraising efforts to help Obama win in your states.

We also created an all-volunteer Youtube music video. No, we are not professionals and probably shouldn't have tried this at home, but we have an abundance of audacity, so here it is in all its optimistic and amateurish glory. We hope that it inspires you as you suffer blustery conditions up north over the next month or two.



We shot our video at a few locations on both sides of Tampa Bay. We started in historic Ybor City, known as Tampa’s Latin Quarter. From its origins as a cigar manufacturing center, Ybor has become one of Florida's top-ranked nightspots. Ybor has a charm and beauty that is unique and is also one of only two National Historic Landmark Districts in Florida. The O-Train group meets regularly in Ybor City at the historic Marti-Maceo Club. The O - Train also organized a $25 fundraiser/rally last April at the Cuban Club in Ybor City where 3000 people welcomed Senator Obama to the Tampa Bay area.

We began our video shoot at King Corona Cigar Bar & Cafe where the owner, Don, welcomed us and you to come on over:



What is remarkable about Senator Obama is that he has attracted enthusiastic volunteers from all walks of life, all political parties, all ages, all races, religions and income levels. We discovered that our music video volunteers also represent that wide variety of people who would not normally be found working side by side. Obama's fresh unbeholden approach has brought us together. We are each trying to be part of the solution with newfound common ground and a strong sense of purpose.

Dr. Smith is feeling that sunshine!


Boofdah:


Sisters, sisters. There were never more devoted sisters:



Our next video shoot location was at Dr. Marty's home in the Clearwater area. Dr. Marty told us

"Just call me Marty because my mother didn't name me doctor."

Marty was a wonderful host who treated each volunteer with warmth and enthusiasm.


Marty's beautiful home:



O-Train volunteers getting ready to go.


Yeah, we had choreography but no spirit fingers:


We took the time to listen to the wisdom of our elders,

O!


while our youth taught their elders a thing or two:


The peanut gallery was fired up and ready to go:


Bobnbob tried out Marty's hammock.


mommabobnbob and law ninja taking a break:


Barbara for Barack!



Our last location was on Bayshore Blvd not far from MacDill Air Force Base. We received quite a few thumbs up and honks from cars driving by as we shot this footage.

thefos, jjackso1, bobnbob, Rozrod, Georgia & Mizonglohong


Eric & Frank:




That's a wrap!


Please come on over and caucus for Senator Obama on January 3rd!

More O-Train pics here:http://www.flickr.com/groups/362034@N21/


A very special thank you to Eric Billington, Mo Eppley and all the volunteers who participated and made this such a fun adventure!

'Twas the month before Caucus

'Twas the month before Caucus, when all through the state

Iowans were stirring, wanting a choice in their fate;

The candidates came before voters with care,

In hopes that the Caucuses soon would be theirs;

The volunteers were nestled all snug by their cell phones,

While visions of canvassing chilled them to their bones;

And mamma with her PC, and I with my laptop,

Had just settled down for a long-winded blog,

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,

I sprang from the keyboard to see what was the matter.

Away to the window I flew like a flash,

Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow

Gave the luster of mid-day to objects below,

When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,

But Senator Obama, armed with hope and not fear,

With young volunteers, so lively and quick,

I knew in a moment that Clinton must feel sick.

More rapid than eagles his followers they came,

He inspired optimism, and called them by name;

"Now, Red! Now, Blue! Now, Independent and Green!

Come Black! Come White! Come elderly and young, so lean!

To the top of the polls! Don’t you hear the call?

Now caucus away! Caucus away! Caucus away all!"

As our weary country did hunger for hope,

when met with an obstacle, they did not mope,

So up to the poll-top Obama’s crew flew,

With a sleigh full of audacity to hitch themselves to.

And then, in a twinkling, The Register did leak

Obama’s surge in the polls is strong and not weak.

As I drew in my hand, and was turning around,

Senator Barack Obama came in with a bound.

Equipped with integrity, from his head to his boot,

just hitting his stride, old polls and cynicism now moot.

With the wind of momentum now at his back,

he looks like a winner, who is right on track.

His eyes -- how they twinkle! His smile, wide as a brim

His ears sticking out, yet looking just right on him!

His manner a rare mix of confidence and humility,

Just what we need to break through hostility.

And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself;

A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,

Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;

He spoke of the law and Senate Foreign Relations

And pledged to work with all to bring peace to the nations.

As he left us with challenges to do more than our foe,

We said yes! We are fired up and ready to go!
He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a nod,

leaving behind clear visions for here and abroad.

And I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,

"Happy O-Caucus to all, and to Bush a good-night."

Barack Obama's Speech at the Jefferson Jackson Dinner

Although Nancy Pelosi introduced each Democratic candidate as "the next President of the United States," Senator Obama definitely received the loudest and most enthusiastic response from everyone in the crowd. The only exception seemed to be the greenish-yellow area of Hillary supporters and staffers:

Live from New York...it's Saturday Night!

Circus McClurkus

A couple of weekends ago, I had the pleasure of manning the O-Train booth at Circus McGurkus, a liberal St. Pete park festival. Gena Keebler, our Visibility Committee chair, did a wonderful job organizing and coordinating our presence, the net result being yet more local positive exposure for our favorite candidate with many O-Train volunteer signups.

For the past two weeks, another circus has enamored the mainstream media, this one involving a controversy over the appearance of gospel singer and minister Donnie McClurkin at an Obama fundraiser in South Carolina.

Obama met Donnie McClurkin last December at an HIV/AIDS summit for Rick Warren's Saddleback Church in California. McClurkin is lowly-regarded within the GLBT community for declaring himself a "reformed" homosexual, and views sexual orientation as a choice rather than genetic pre-disposition.

Consequently, Obama's selection of McClurkin as a headliner in his gospel concert raised not only cash, but the ire of many gays across the country. The blogosphere was lit up by condemnations of Obama, in what was seen as a deeply offensive promotion of a homophobic hypocrite. There was a call within the GLBT community to uninvite McClurkin, a move Obama was understandably reluctant to make. Instead, the Senator invited an openly-gay minister to perform the convocation and issued the following statement:

I have clearly stated my belief that gays and lesbians are our brothers and sisters and should be provided the respect, dignity, and rights of all other citizens. I have consistently spoken directly to African-American religious leaders about the need to overcome the homophobia that persists in some parts our community so that we can confront issues like HIV/AIDS and broaden the reach of equal rights in this country.

I strongly believe that African Americans and the GLBT community must stand together in the fight for equal rights. And so I strongly disagree with Reverend McClurkin’s views and will continue to fight for these rights as President of the United States to ensure that America is a country that spreads tolerance instead of division.

As an act of damage-control, these olive-branches were useful in repairing the breach. Obama later acknowledged his campaign had not vetted McClurkin on his gay and lesbian views as much as the Senator would have liked. That said, South Carolina is a very winnable state for our candidate, and McClurkin was a prize draw, many attendees saying their donation was based, in some measure, on the Grammy-winning minister participating in the concert. Further, the black vote is a key demographic within the state, making up 70% of the Democratic electorate. The black evangelical community was largely responsible for the 30% of the black vote Bush received there in 2004.

Predictably, a modest protest was assembled outside the concert on the part of the gay community, with Obama (who was not in attendance) again later reiterating his message of inclusion and painting the parallels in the struggle for racial equality and gay rights.

My take on the whole hubbub would be it is ridiculous to hold Obama to a standard that says everyone his campaign invokes for support has to be in idealogical lockstep with him on every issue. It is the very fact that nearly everyone can find elements of his message they can agree with is what accounts for his broad base of support. No doubt votes will be lost within the GLBT community as a result of the flap, regardless of the Senator's attempt to placate those offended. Those votes are theoretically made up for by evangelical independents, who will see Obama's firm stand as a victory for their viewpoint.

As usual with our candidate, everyone can take away something be happy about, even if not getting everything they were looking for. Let's hope that message has enough breadth to persuade those looking for a unifying candidate, at a time when America should be fully fed up with combative politics, that Obama is their man.

Obama is WristStrong & an Emotional Magnet

(Thefos and bobnbob's most excellent Obama adventure series)

Before I delve into my recent Obama experience, I feel that I must emphasize 3 points. Let’s call them “disclaimers,” shall we?

1. I think about Barack Obama and how campaigning must be taking a toll on him and his family. I think that Barack must be desperately missing his girls and that they probably do not understand the magnitude of what he is doing. They probably just want to sit on their daddy’s lap, maybe read a book together or just play with him. I imagine him trying to balance his job as a Senator with the demands of campaigning and time with his family. I think that his family is getting the short end of the stick; at least temporarily.

2. I believe that Barack is a brilliant man who understands the United States Constitution inside and out. He also understands the importance of a simple hello, thank you or handshake and what it means to the average citizen on the street. I think that his background in community organizing prepared him to connect with the average citizen. He understands that people want to touch him and he recognizes that he is an emotional magnet.

3. Last but not least, I am not bossy and I will tell all my friends and family to tell you that, so rules apply to everyone else but me. Yes, I am the exception. Our country will be much better off when everyone comes to terms with this final disclaimer.

As proud Florida Democrats, bobnbob and I are working hard to help elect Senator Barack Obama as the next President of the United States, not the President of Florida. So, if Senator Obama needs us to organize fundraisers, volunteer on the net or on the ground to help him compete and win the 4 early primary states, then that is what we'll do.

Our all-volunteer team is called the Tampa Bay O – Train. Under the leadership of Frank Sanchez, we had gracious hosts on both sides of the bay, local leaders and volunteers on the ground at the airport, on sidewalks in St. Pete and volunteers in place in both host homes. The O - Train was ready to welcome Senator Barack Obama back to the Tampa Bay area on Sunday, September 30, 2007. This was his first trip back here since last April.

I arrived at the first host home just in time to put out our O – Train signs and then settled in at the registration desk. The street was closed off, the Tampa police and SS (Secret Service) had everything covered.

After the bomb sniffing dog did one final sweep of the area, someone pointed out a small group of people on the front porch of a house across the street. I grabbed some signs and crossed the street and asked these porch dwellers if they were Obama supporters. When they said yes, I asked them if they wanted to hold signs on the sidewalk as Obama was soon to arrive. They jumped at the chance. One SS Agent, understood what I was doing, but another one was trying to order these people off their own property. I told the neighbors that if they “went down the street a little bit, you never know, Obama might stop and say hi.” They were very excited, so I took some pictures of them on the street.
Right after I snapped these pictures, I went back to the registration table. If only I would have stayed a minute or two longer, I could have taken some pictures when Obama's motorcade stopped and he shook their hands and thanked them. I had never met these people before so I had no idea what an impact this made on the 3 teenage boys in the picture. I received this email from the mom of one of them the next morning:

"It was good to meet you yesterday as you were helping out with the fundraiser on Orleans. My son, Grant, and the two young men who are being mentored as part of the Big Brother program were very excited to meet Senator Obama. One of the boys said he was never going to wash his hand after shaking hands with the Senator! It was a great experience for all of them."

Although I missed the shot of these teenagers meeting Obama, I did catch a priceless one of three young children who were anxiously awaiting his arrival. SS had moved them from their original spot, so they were straining to catch a glimpse of Obama from their new SS-approved location.

In between working the registration table, taking pictures and handing signs to the neighbors, I was also on the phone with both Obama's campaign and bobnbob because a large group of volunteers, who had staked out a position at the exit of the airport, had missed seeing him when his motorcade departed from the airport entrance instead of the exit.

From bobnbob’s perspective:

About 40-50 of us converged at a local airport to await his arrival. We weren’t planning on attending the fundraiser – our contribution to the campaign is our enthusiasm, our time, our canvassing, our phone-banking – you get the idea. We were the “grassroots” part of the Tampa Bay supporter club. It was organized by Team Captains Ann and Yasmin in Tampa and Suzanne and Andrea in St Pete.

We had folks from the age of 2 1/2 to approx 76. We were brown, white, red, and yellow, we were healthy and the not so healthy, we were walking on two legs, as well as rolling in for the fun. We had campaign signs, we had homemade signs, heck, and we even held “lollipop” signs with our local “Grassroots” group name – the Tampa Bay O-Train.

We felt a wonderful sense of hope in the waiting area – some of us have known each other for a couple of years (local/state candidate supporters), some hadn’t seen each other since the previous O-Train meeting, some had never met, and some were even from the local Students for Barack Obama!
Regardless, we were all connected to each other while supporting the next President of the United States.



We were urged (ok, bomb sniffing dogs entered) to go across the street to show our enthusiasm as Barack exited the airport – but funny thing with campaigns and Secret Service – the route is always a secret and it changes constantly. We were posted at the Exit and Barack and the SS left via the Entrance. Oh well, we knew that the SS guys had seen us, they cheered us on and the Senator was on his way for a quick refreshing before making an appearance at the first fundraiser. When Obama realized that he had missed the volunteers at the airport, thefos an his campaign contacted me to try to direct the volunteers to another location where he could stop and thank them. By that time, the only volunteers left were thefos’ daughter - Girlie Girl, a guy named Kurt, and me. So the three of us went to the new location where we were greeted and thanked by Obama. Sadly, the other volunteers had disbursed and there was no way to contact them but the good news was that there was a second sign waving scheduled in St. Petersburg a little later and Obama’s campaign and even the Secret Service were great about communicating with me so that he wouldn’t miss us again.

Meanwhile back at the house, I was relieved that bobnbob and the campaign were handling the volunteer visibility crisis. By now, I knew that she would be charming the SS agents and staffers. I could just imagine her calling them "Sugar" or "Darlin'" and I bet she even got a SS agent or two to crack a smile. I could now concentrate on trying to capture the day with my camera.

As I entered the house, Frank Sanchez, one of the Senator Obama’s national advisors, was guiding Obama through the crowded home and personally introducing him to everyone. I have spoken briefly to the Senator twice before, but this time, Frank formally introduced him to me. So, what do you say when you are introduced to the next President of the United States? Do you talk about the war? Maybe speak about the healthcare crisis? Or how about thanking him for his public service to our country? No, I told him that Girlie Girl said that he smelled like cinnamon. (Bobnbob and Girlie Girl had already told me about their Obama experience near the airport.) So, as I shook our next president’s hand, I told him that my daughter says that he smells like cinnamon. He thanked me for volunteering and laughed about the cinnamon comment.

It doesn’t make any difference what kind of crowd Obama is greeting, everyone seems to want a piece of him, so I backed off and concentrated on taking as many pictures as I could. After the Senator mingled with the guests, he made his way to the backyard where Frank Sanchez introduced the host, Tom Scarritt, who graciously welcomed his guests and Senator Barack Obama into his home.

As I roamed and snapped pictures as Obama spoke, I believe that I captured a few powerful images. The first one was when I bumped into Lauren, who is a caterer and old friend.
The last time I heard about Lauren, I was told that she had cancer and had left Florida to seek treatment because she didn’t have health insurance. Because she didn't have health insurance, the only treatment prescribed to her was invasive and drastic, so she was seeking alternative treatment elsewhere. When we spotted each other, we immediately embraced. I asked her if she was healthy and she said “Almost.” She was working the event, so we didn’t really have time to talk about it but I was really happy to see her and she looked great.

The second image I captured was of a waiter who was working the event. As he passed me, I could see one of our O – Train signs under the cloth of his serving trayI said, “I see that you have one of our signs under there.” He responded that he was hoping that Obama would sign it. I mentioned it to one of Obama’s staff members. I hope that he got it signed but I don’t know if he did.

When Obama finished addressing the guests, he made his way through the crowd. One of my friends, Patrick, decided to present Senator Obama with a WristStrong bracelet
I know that Senator Obama is a busy man, but he could not let the severity of wrist injuries go unrecognized.



WristStrong on The Colbert Report: http://www.milkandcookies.com/link/74324/detail/


The next good picture was successful because I used my "leadership qualities" to make it happen. I had observed the determined Delia Sanchez with cane in hand, following Obama as he made his way through the crowd. She cannot move quickly so she always seemed to be just one step behind him. As he tried to get into his car to head over to the next event, Miss Delia had finally caught up with him. Obama had graciously tolerated the cute teenage boy who had sidled up behind him while he was speaking
The boy was grinning ear to ear and Barack must have felt his breath on his neck, because he stopped in mid-sentence and allowed the boy’s grandmother to snap a picture. The Senator also astutely recognized when folks approached him for a second photo opportunity. Did I mention that this guy is brilliant? Obama said “Now, I know that you already got your picture and it was a good one!” He followed with the sage advice that “candid shots are better, trust me.”

Obama was trying to get into his car and when he saw me with my camera. He said that he had to get going. This is where my "alleged" bossiness first kicked in. I know that he couldn't possibly have known that Delia had been trying to catch up to him throughout the house. So even though I cared about disclaimers 1 & 2, number 3 clearly states that I am the exception, so I said "Come on, one last picture. It's for Frank's mother!" I think that Obama respected my "amazing dedication" because he allowed me to take this one last picture

As Obama drove away, I called to let bobnbob know that he was on his way.

So back to bobnbob's perspective:

Girlie Girl and I raced to the area of the 2nd fundraiser – as supporters were gathering to welcome Barack to this side of the Bay,too. We scoped out a great spot and hoped that Barack would be able to stop and say hi, or at least enjoy our “Welcome Back!” This group, there were many of the same from Tampa, but there were many new supporters, too.

We were welcoming everyone coming and leaving Snell Isle with great big chants of “Fired Up! Ready to Go!” We were waving and smiling, and showing off our signs and those great Barack Obama shirts! And lo and behold, coming up over the bridge was a caravan – and they pulled over and out steps Barack Obama, and a LOT of SS guys too! Barack apologized for not visiting with us over at the airport (can’t blame him, as he didn’t know we were going to be there,) shook every supporter’s hand, gave a few hugs and even signed a couple of books and a sign or two! Girlie Girl is right, the Senator smells like cinnamon! An awesome end to a fulfilling day welcoming the next President of the United States to Tampa Bay!

By this time, I was on my way to St. Pete. As I drove, I thought about the emotional connection that Obama volunteers have with Barack Obama and each other. After the volunteers were greeted by Obama, Georgia sent me this note:

I have been so excited since Sunday. When he finally reached the st.pete volunteers, we were so excited to see him up close. When he finally reached my hand [of course I was trembling] I could not stop saying I love you soooooo much, we love you soooooo much. He stopped, looked at me, gave me that beautiful smile and then said ‘come over here and give me a hug”........I will never wash that t-shirt!! I can’t wait to see the photos others have of him, the volunteers and sponsors and the events as well.

Obama didn't know that Georgia lost a husband to the Vietnam War or that as a young woman growing up in Georgia, she went against her family's wishes and volunteered with the civil rights movement. Obama didn't know that this is the first time that she has been involved in politics since the civil rights movement. Obama also didn't know that when Georgia couldn't get through to his website, she had written me a letter to make sure she didn't miss any meeting notices. Obama didn't know that her 37 year old son registered to vote for the first time because of her involvement in and support of Senator Obama's campaign. Georgia sent me another email:

I forgot to tell you that my husband recently registered to vote too!. He also wants to be a poll worker! It has been 20 years since he voted! He felt the same way; “My vote won’t count. Politicians are all crooks”............well something changed both of their minds! I never asked them to go register. They both did it on their own, at different times, and they never discussed it with each other or with me!

Thanks so much for the sign.........I will treasure it forever! I can also get the stick fixed and put it in my yard! Love and hugs, Georgia.........thought this would make you smile. Don’t I look silly?? Who cares, when you get old you can do anything.

Senator Obama didn't know anything about our own Georgia "Peach," but he felt her emotion, accepted it, embraced it and gave it back to her.
By the time I arrived at the 2nd Obama event, I had met bobnbob and Girlie Girl and led them to the house. They had been out for hours and needed to refresh themselves. We finally had a chance to relax, so bobnbob had her usual "something fruity" and I had a glass of Merlot. We also caught up with some more O - Train volunteers who were enjoying the calm after the storm:

After Obama spoke and answered questions, he let everyone know that he needed to catch a plane, so if you already had your picture taken with him, let someone else have an opportunity. Well, I made bobnbob get in line because the pictures taken with her camera didn't come out well at all. At this time, I had no prior knowledge that Kurt (who we never met before) would come through with a decent picture of bobnbob & Obama, so when Obama saw us, I said this is bobnbob and she was helping to coordinate the volunteers today. He responded with "I know her and she had her picture taken with me today." I said, "Yes, but it didn't turn out." So he patiently allowed us to take one last picture. But...here's the thing...bobnbob was trying to tell him at that particular moment that he made her feel empowered back in 2005 and that she was quoted in the Chicago Tribune way back then. When I took the picture, I could immediately see that it was a bad shot. Obama said "OK, you got your picture. I said "NO! It was good of you, bad of her!" I don't know if I shouted that or not, but Obama cooperated as I told bobnbob to shut up and smile. I give you exhibit A:


& B:


Before this case goes to you, the judge, a jury of my volunteer peers spoke on my behalf while they were waiting at the bridge. Let's call them "character witnesses," shall we? They didn't know that I would need this testimony but Georgia ended her email to me with this:

As we waited for him we talked about you and how dedicated you are to this campaign. We all agreed, you are amazing!!

Thanks for all that you do to make this such a wonderful experience for all of us! You inspire us to become more active and dedicated, more aware of politics and certainly more aware of our purpose on making this world a better place. That in itself is such a wonderful contribution to the planet......love and blessings

As much as I hate to give this guy any credit, I am quoting Republican pollster and Market Researcher, Frank Luntz: "80 percent of our life is emotion, and only 20 percent is intellect. I am much more interested in how you feel than how you think. I can change how you think, but how you feel is something deeper and stronger, and it's something that's inside you. How you think is on the outside, how you feel is on the inside, so that's what I need to understand." http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/persuaders/interviews/luntz.html

My thoughts on that: In 2004, approximately 1/2 of Americans voted with/for the emotion of fear. In 2008, a majority of Americans will vote with/for the emotion of hope.

In conclusion, am I bossy? Or am I an amazing volunteer who is dedicated to Senator Obama's campaign and an inspiration to other volunteers along the way?

You be the judge.

The defense rests.

By the way, I did not pose for a picture with Obama that day but someone snapped a candid shot when Obama was being introduced to me, so Obama was right; candid shots OK, too:


WristStrong on The Colbert Report: http://www.milkandcookies.com/link/74324/detail/

This is what it's all about......

"Well I’m not running for President to conform to Washington’s conventional thinking – I’m running to challenge it. I’m not running to join the kind of Washington groupthink that led us to war in Iraq – I’m running to change our politics and our policy so we can leave the world a better place than our generation has found it." - Barack Obama

This is why it is so important that I support Obama. We are playing for keeps in this time here and now, and we can't risk electing hawks or doves. We need someone savvy and compassionate, and the wisdom to know the difference. He may not have decades of "DC experience," but this man has surely pegged everything that he's said every step of the way from Iraq to Blackwater. He has all the human experience I need, and I would bet my life on him.

The Implication of Edwards' Financing Woes

John Edwards announced this past Friday that he will accept public financing for his presidential campaign. The former NC senator says this decision is not about money calculations, but rather about taking a "principled stand". Of course, one cannot help but wonder if he would be taking that stand were he leading the top-tier candidates in fundraising instead of trailing them.

Edwards has challenged the other candidates to join him, attempting to box-in Hillary Clinton with the statement, "Sen. Clinton said she is for public financing so she can step forward and show she actually means it". While Edwards is trying to claim a mantle of leadership, Obama was actually the first to throw down the challenge gauntlet on public financing.

Way back in February, Obama was the first candidate ever to ask the Federal Elections Commission whether he could accept money from private donors for the general election before the primary, but give it back, should he win the nomination, and accept public financing. Of course, the FEC was completely flummoxed, as no candidate had ever approached them with the novel idea of actually returning donated money.

The FEC answered affirmatively with the caveat that, among other restrictions, the general election monies had to be kept in a separate account. Obama's innovative approach allows options, such as proposing to an eventual Republican nominee that both parties only use matching Federal funds in the general election. Senator John McCain and Obama have, in fact, already entered such a pact.

Fast-forwarding to the present, we find Obama now taking the lead in Iowa (among caucus goers), a product of almost daily appearances in the state and 33 strategically placed field offices. To her credit, Clinton's campaign has steadied since the replacement of their Iowa Field Director Angelique Pirozzi, but it is Edwards for whom Iowa is make-or-break. His entire campaign strategy has been rooted from jumpstreet in Iowa, knowing Clinton would be a 2008 candidate and he wouldn't likely be able to out-fundraise her. Obama has cast a monkey-wrench into even that plan, however, by competing for the "anybody-but-Hillary" vote and drawing more than his fair share of fundraising oxygen -- largely at the expense of the Edwards campaign along with those of the second and third-tier candidates.

Should Edwards lose Iowa, his one-state campaign is effectively over. By petitioning for matching federal funds, he accepts with it the severe handicap on how that money can be spent. The most restrictive of these regulations regards per-state spending, which for Iowa amounts to a whopping $1,486,433. While the restrictions on this money are primary related to direct-mail and television advertising within 28 days of the primary date, this puts Edwards at a serious spending disadvantage in a state that is notorious for deciding late. Expect Obama (and Clinton, perhaps to a lesser degree) to spend cash like drunken sailors, saturating airwaves and mailboxes, while ground-canvassing the entire state.

Make no mistake about it, however. An Edwards loss in Iowa is important to Obama, while Mme. Clinton is rooting for an Edwards win -- perhaps even moreso than her own. An Edwards victory in Iowa allows him to remain competitive in the "anybody-but-Hillary" sweepstakes, and his presence will likely draw considerable votes from the Obama campaign. The longer Edwards remains viable, the longer the vote-split will continue, and the more Clinton will benefit. A perfect storm for her campaign would be to finish 2nd in Iowa to Edwards, while winning New Hampshire, South Carolina, and Nevada primaries with a plurality of votes. Heading into February 5th, all the candidates know that momentum is going to be the name of the game.

For Obama, a perfect storm would be to win Iowa, New Hampshire (where independents can vote in the primary, tilting the race decidedly in Obama's favor), and South Carolina (where half of the registered Democrats are black). The second-most favorable outcome would be a Clinton victory, with Obama a close second, eliminating Edwards while still lending legitimacy to his campaign by finishing second in a state that is 94% white. Under either scenario, Nevada might be sacrificed.

Since no candidate has won the nomination without winning two of the first four primaries, history would not favor Hillary assuming an Obama victory in Iowa. And with her cloak of inevitability pierced, the table could be set for an Obama landslide, as the "anybody-but-Hillary" vote unifies under his banner.

New York loves Obama part 3!

New York loves Obama part 2!

New York loves Obama part 1!

Obama Takes Lead on Security Contractors

You've likely never heard of Blackwater USA and they'd like to keep it that way. First, watch this video produced by Sam Graham-Felsen, Obama for America blogger:

Senator Obama is taking the lead on reigning in this nefarious organization:

I was disturbed by recent press accounts describing a firefight in which Blackwater USA security contractors killed at least 9 people and wounded many others. According to the Iraqi government, last weekend’s incident is one of seven incidents in which the company’s employees have allegedly opened fire on Iraqi civilians.
[. . . ]
In February, I introduced the Transparency and Accountability in Military and Security Contracting Act (S. 674). This bill would require federal agencies to report to Congress on: the total number of security contractors in Iraq and Afghanistan; the total cost of the contractors; the number of contractors killed or wounded; information about the military and safety equipment provided to contractors; and a description of disciplinary action taken against contractors. The bill also would improve coordination between security contractors and U.S. armed forces by requiring the issuance of rules of engagement, clarify the legal status of contractors, and require investigation of criminal misconduct committed by contractors.

Once again, Senator Obama sees the forest for the trees, attacking the larger issue of transparency and accountability in our government. He is also taking head-on national security, again dismantling the "experience " argument.

Believe in America again...Vote Obama 08!

Another great video by lovingj1:

Iraq Speech Dust Settling

Last week in a major speech, Senator Obama announced his plan for ending the war in Iraq. Predictably, Obama has again set the standard for other candidates as each now look to issue their own Iraq policy statement. Just as predictably, he has taken incoming fire from both Democrats and Republicans alike -- which, in the 2008 U.S. Presidential campaign, seems to be a cost of leadership.

For Democrats like Chris Dodd, the fact that Obama will not unequivocally state he is against any war funding bill going to Bush which does not contain timelines for withdrawal makes the plan a non-starter. From the other side of the aisle, any plan which presents Iraq withdrawal scenarios is tantamount to renouncing the War on Terrorism and a global surrender to Al-Qaeda. Appeasement. Capitulation.

Both sides, however, seem to be overlooking Obama's strategic point, which is mainly to provide cover for Republicans signing up onto his plan, exploding the current grid-lock over troop withdrawals, and providing a veto-proof majority. How?

Republicans have operated with three major objections to drawing down troops from Iraq:

1. Surrenders the Iraqi battlefield to Al-Qaeda, exposing the US to the possibility of having to re-engage a stronger enemy in Iraq than it left behind
   
   
2. Establishing a "date-certain" for withdrawal telegraphs to the enemy precisely how long they have to hold out
   
   
3. Manipulating troop levels essentially amounts to micro-managing the war effort, by depriving on-the-ground commanders with personnel resources that may be needed to execute various tactical plans
   

Obama's plan brilliantly undercuts these reservations, paving the way for the 67 votes needed to institute a veto-proof withdrawal plan.

Firstly, the battlefield is not surrendered, even after the final combat batallion has returned home in late 2008. Under Obama's plan, the US would maintain a sizable contingent of special-ops forces to help maintain "over-the-horizon" strike capability, in addition to providing training support to the Iraqi Army. US troops would no longer be used for routine patrol operations, but rather as supplemental muscle for Iraqi operations against Al-Qaeda.

If that government breaks down, the primary role of US forces are to try and keep the conflict from spreading over the border and destabilizing the whole region. This is an entirely different mission from nation-building, a role US military officials have distinctly tried to avoid, but in the current situation have it thrust upon them. Once a new government emerges from the conflict, the US support role will be no different than it was with the previous Iraqi government.

Secondly, no "date-certain" is established for the withdrawal of US troops. While regular combat troops are projected to be out of Iraq by late 2008, the US is expected to maintain a significant military capability within the region. The new American capability carries a much smaller footprint than today's force, leading to virtually zero-presence of US personnel on Iraqi city streets (other than Embassy protection). With the label of "occupier" invalidated, propoganda campaigns against US presence lack traction, credibility, and targets.

Lastly, Obama's responsible, phased withdrawal plan (1-2 combat batallions per month) results in troops being redeployed no faster than Bush's currently-proposed plan up to June, 2008. Consequently, there can be no calls of "micromanagement" before next summer that could not similarly have been levelled at Bush's plan. The difference is Obama's plan continues the slow drawdown beyond that date, while Bush has made no such commitment.

No one would contend that if Bush's plan has yielded no measurable progress by summer 2008 (e.g. no measurable progress in the Iraqi government arriving at the political accomodations necessary to insure the well-being of all Iraqis), that enough Republicans would vote to "continue the course" to save a presidential veto of troop drawdowns in the next round of funding (only 17 out of 49 Republican signatures needed). So, from the micromanagement standpoint, there is effectively no difference between Bush's current plan to reduce to pre-surge levels by the summer and Obama's plan. The pace of the withdrawals have to be agreeable to Republicans, while the goals of the plan have to be agreeable to Democrats.

Obama has removed the typical Republican resistance points, so they can sign on with a clear conscience and Dems can get some sort of genuine veto-proof withdrawal underway. It's not an extreme solution that folks like Kucinich or Richardson are calling for, but it's a workable solution that both sides of the aisle can get on board with and feel like they came away with something.

Vintage Obama.

From The "Tell Us Something We Don't Know" File

Still, the messenger is important, nonetheless:

Instead, notes former Federal Reserve Board Chairman Alan Greenspan, who served in that influential role from 1987 to 2006: "I am saddened that it is politically inconvenient to acknowledge what everyone knows: the Iraq war is largely about oil." The Federal Reserve Board chairman oversees the United States' Federal Reserve Bank system; Greenspan, who was appointed to his powerful post by Ronald Reagan, went on to serve under several presidents. A self-described "libertarian Republican," he makes his observation - and others that are sure to upset the Bush gang - in his much-anticipated memoirs, The Age of Turbulence: Adventures in a New World. The book is being published today in the U.S. (In Britain, the Daily Telegraph will begin serialzing excerpts from it tomorrow.) (Daily Telegraph; see also Radio Canada, French-language service)

But, Mr. Greenspan...but...Weapons of mass destruction...and...blah blah blah:

"I thought the issue of weapons of mass destruction as the excuse was utterly beside the point."

. . . Oh . . .

GOP losing its grip on Miami's Cuban-Americans

A job well done by fellow Florida Obama supporter Giancarlo Sopo...

When Democratic Party candidate Barack Obama took the same stage last month to address a crowd packed with Cuban-Americans he rebuked the Bush administration for tightening the embargo, a move Bush had made to appease Cuban-American hardliners.

If he became president, Obama said, he would grant "unrestricted" travel for Cuban-Americans to visit family and send remittances to the island.

In the audience was Giancarlo Sopo, a 24-year-old government and economics student, who carried a poster saying "Cubanos con Obama" despite a political pedigree that is thoroughbred Republican.

His father participated in the Bay of Pigs, and both parents were staunch Reaganites. Sopo, 24, supported Bush in 2000, though he was too young to vote then.

"I was a Bushie," he says over coffee near where he grew up in Miami's Little Havana. "I was following the traditional lineage of my family's politics."

He puts his conversion down to a confluence of factors, including Obama's inspirational life story. He also likes his humanitarian Cuba policy.

But mostly it was a factor he thinks could swing many young Cuban-American voters away from their traditional Republican party roots in 2008.

"What tipped me over? It was the Iraq war," he says.

Read more here.

And the endorsements keep coming in...

Join Barack at the Harkin Steak Fry

Hot off the presses...

Hillary's "Experience" In Foreign Affairs

The most prevalent meme out of the Clinton camp is that she is the candidate of experience. This is a farce. A lie. And, indeed, the narrative dichotomy of this campaign has already been determined: we must choose between the experienced candidate (apparently Clinton) and the candidate who will turn the page (clearly Obama). That is a rather narrow depiction of this race, but it's the one we've got right now. While the Obama meme is accurate, Clinton's is patently and demonstrably false. That doesn't stop her from trying, though. Especially in foreign affairs, where she routinely touts she's visited 82 countries. Well, that tired line doesn't fool anyone, in particular Zbigniew Brzezinski, former Carter National Security Adviser:

"I would say my travel agent has probably been to more than 82 countries," Brezezinski said with a smile, "but that doesn't qualify my travel agent to be secretary of state or president."

No, it certainly doesn't. Neither does being married to the president. When people talk about Hillary's experience, they evidently include the eight years she was First Lady. Being married to the guy who knows and does stuff is not the same thing as knowing and doing stuff. It doesn't show a grasp of policy and ability to courageously lead as, say, correctly opposing a war when it is politically unpopular to do so. Brzezinski understands that and draws the distinction between Obama and Clinton:

Being First Lady is not the same thing as showing, on her own, that she understands what is really at stake in a situation, and to understand it early on, and not to understand it when a lot of other people have belatedly reached the same conclusion.

Amen.

Obama Questions General Petraeus on Iraq

Watch it. Rate it. Share it.

A Message From Barack On This Sad Anniversary

Six years ago, on a bright and beautiful Tuesday morning, a new kind of enemy came to America's shores.

We will never forget the images of that terrible day -- the planes vanishing into buildings, the thick black clouds of smoke, and the haunting pictures of the missing.

On this anniversary, we pause to remember each and every victim of those attacks.

We celebrate the lives that were tragically cut short. We grieve with the families and friends who lost loved ones. We honor the service and sacrifice of the emergency responders who set an example to the whole world that in America we are our brother's keeper and our sister's keeper.

And we pause to honor the brave men and women of the United States military -- and their families -- who have borne such a heavy burden for the last six years.

We also remember how Americans were stirred to a common purpose. On the lines to donate blood or the candlelight vigils that stretched across our country, there was no red America and there was no blue America. We were united in our grief for our fellow citizens. We were united in our resolve to stand with one another and to stand up to terror. We were united as Americans.

Six years later, the threat to America has only grown. Al Qaeda has reconstituted a new safe-haven where it trains recruits and plots attacks. Al Qaeda's top two leaders, Osama bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahiri, continue to disseminate their hate-filled propaganda and inspire legions of followers. Like-minded extremists have struck in scores of countries. The war in Iraq continues to fuel terror and extremism. A Taliban insurgency rages on in Afghanistan. In too many disconnected corners of the world, hate is casting a shadow over hope.

Our calling today remains the same as it was on 9/11. We must write a new chapter in American history. We must bring justice to the terrorists who killed on our shores. We must devise new strategies, develop new capabilities, and build new alliances to defeat the threats of the 21st century. We must extend hope to the hopeless corners of the world and reaffirm our core values to counter the hateful message of the extremists. And we must secure a more resilient homeland.

To write that new American story, we must recapture that sense of common purpose that we had on September 11, 2001.

America is bigger than the challenge that came to our shores. Let us honor the legacy of those we lost by coming together anew. Let us always mark this day by affirming that hope will triumph over fear, and that a new generation of Americans will seek a safer, freer, and more perfect union.

Barack Obama

9/11 to Today

Well, today is the anniversary of the day we all have come to remember as the beginning of the end as the life we knew. I remember being at work and hearing that a plane had hit the Trade Center. I knew in that moment it was terrorism. People told me it wasn't, but it was a clear day in New York, and it couldn't have been a mistake. Then, the second plane hit. I was sure of my first inclination. It didn't take too long, and we were on our way to Afghanistan. Then out of no where, we jumped into Iraq, had our constitutional rights taken away, and our current administration tried to force us into a box life of fear and submission. That may have worked 50 years ago, but today, we are a nation of truth seekers, and those days of absolute obedience are over. We are free thinkers. We have been accused of not being patriotic because we question our administration's motifs, but I say we are more than patriotic because we do question. We are trying to protect ourselves and others from the misguided notion that we must give up rights in order to be safe. In fact, it is just the opposite. The more we hunker down, and give into fear, the more we are vulnerable to dictatorship, and history tells us how well that turns out. This government, our government, was based on the rights of its citizens to speak out against injustice. The Constitution is our law. So, today, on this day, we remember not only to mourn for the loss of the lives on 09-11-01, but we should remember to live and fight for the people that are still being victimized by 9/11. This tragedy has taught me that we need to always be vigilant. Not only in regard to the situation at hand, but to also keep looking behind the scenes. Especially when it comes to selecting leaders. We must select leaders with integrity and honor. They must always be true to what is in the best interest of the American people. I have found this in Barack Obama. He is who I have chosen to be the leader of the United Stated of America.

This Just In: Morons Work For Fox News

I apologize for the non-Obama blogging, but this was too confounding to pass up. I was watching Faux News yesterday (sometimes I tune in to recreationally hate it) and a makeup-caked Shepard Smith delivered this gem:

"'......[quoting latest Osama Bin Laden video] neo-conservatives such as Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld and Richard Perle.....'[Smith interjects] You remember Richard Perle, the Wall Street Journal journalist who was killed over there."

To review: Richard Perle is one of the neo-conservative architects of the Bush foreign policy. Daniel Pearl was the assassinated American journalist in Pakistan. And Shepard Smith is an idiot.

Kos' Selective Memory

Kos temporarily (possibly, but that remains to be seen, I guess.) takes leave of his senses, or conveniently forgets facts, as he waxes moronic:

So where are the two "front runner" candidates on Iraq? Have they conquered their fear and actually said something of substance regarding the pre-emptive capitulation bill?

There's more, of course, but you can read it for yourself. Basically, Kos accuses Obama (and Clinton) for not being aggressive enough on Iraq and credits (naively) John Edwards and Chris Dodd for their brave leadership.

Well, it's easy for a guy who isn't in the Senate (who, by the way, voted FOR this mismanaged, immoral war against his better judgment) and a Donahue-coiffed guy who doesn't have a shot. It's much more difficult to speak out on a controversial issue when it's politically unpopular to do so. Kos asserts there's a dearth of information about Obama's stance on Iraq on his campaign's website, but he apparently missed this. Oh, and this, too. Obama has done more than most on this subject. His stance has been unwavering. That's leadership.

The "O" Factor

I'm talking about Oprah this time and her potentially huge positive effect on the Senator's campaign, both financially and culturally:

Here's one way you can measure what Oprah Winfrey's endorsement means for Democrat Barack Obama: the fund-raiser she's throwing for him Saturday at her Santa Barbara mansion will likely raise some $3 million.

But as Oprah herself noted when she explained her first-ever presidential endorsement to CNN's Larry King, money may not be biggest asset she brings.

"I think my value to him, my support of him, is probably worth more than any check that I could write," she said.

Quite right. And what's more:

"She's got not just a TV show where she reaches over 40 million viewers a week, she has a Web site ... she's got magazines ... and she's been at it for years so she's built quite, not just a fan base but a following, and that's key," said Elizabeth MacDonald, a senior editor for Forbes Magazine. "It's not just that she has viewers, people act on what she says."

With her daily talk show, Oprah can put books on the best seller list and start fashion, diet and exercise crazes. She has also been talking to, and with, Americans about the most intimate aspects of their lives.

And she got me to read Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison, which surprised even me. So I don't doubt her influence.

Former Clinton Cabinet Member Endorses Obama

Booyah!:*

Former Clinton Cabinet member Federico Peña says he is endorsing Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama.

A formal announcement is scheduled later Friday.

Peña was secretary of energy and secretary of transportation under President Bill Clinton. He was mayor of Denver from 1983 to 1991 and is now a managing partner of a Denver investment company.

Obama, an Illinois senator, trails Hillary Clinton in most polls.

In a written statement, Peña praised Obama's judgment and leadership.

Asked for further comment about his support for Obama, Peña added, "He has better suits, too."

*People don't still say "booyah," do they?

Obama leads in campaign web site visits

I already knew that Obama is dominating onlne. It will just take the media a little longer to catch on:

Obama leads in campaign Web site visits

by John McCormick

Sen. Barack Obama is leading all presidential candidates in campaign Web
site visits, The Nielsen Company reported today.

Obama's web site had the most unique visitors in July, with 717,000,
according to Nielsen//NetRatings. Fellow Democrats Sen. Hillary Clinton had
437,000 unique visits, followed by 348,000 for former North Carolina Sen.
John Edwards.

To read the rest of the article, click on:

http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/news/politics/blog/2007/09/obama_leads_in_campaign_web_si.html

A message to the O-Train Team from Frank Sanchez

Dear O-Train members and Barack Obama supporters,

By the time you read this, you will likely already know that, for the time being, Barack Obama is going to abide by the DNC ruling and not campaign actively in any of the states that have been found to be in violation of moving up their primary elections earlier than February 5th. This includes Florida. The Obama campaign also urged states in danger of violating DNC rules to adjust their plans to comply with the DNC's calendar, so that every state contributes delegates to the nominating process. As of last weekend's ruling, there is still a 30 day window to try to work out a solution to lift the penalty and allow Florida delegates to be seated at the National Democratic Convention. While Barack will not be doing active political campaigning, he will make his commitment to be in Tampa Bay later this month. Therefore, we will still have Senator Obama in the Tampa Bay area on September 30th for the planned fundraising events.

I know this situation is extremely frustrating and disappointing to many people. Here is the reality: Barack is between a rock and hard place. No candidate from either party has ever won the nomination without winning at least two of the early states. If Barack ignored the DNC he risks alienating early states. If he made Florida happy and campaigned here, he likely would lose the early states and almost be guaranteed to lose the nomination. I don't like what is happening with the DNC. But I also want Barack to win the nomination and then the general election. I'm supporting him to be President of the United Sates not just to be a candidate in the Florida Primary. Am I pleased with this situation? NO! Still, I'm going to cut Barack some slack because I'm keeping my eye on the prize: putting Barack Obama in the White House. That is the O-Train's mission. As supporters in Florida, there are still plenty of things that we can do get him elected. We are not limited by the Florida border. Our O-Train team can support the campaign efforts in the early states of Iowa, Nevada, New Hampshire and South Carolina.

In the coming weeks, we will be discussing the activities that we, as strong supporters of Barack Obama, can continue to do, so that he wins the nomination and ultimately wins the White House in November 2008. I, along with our Chair, Co-Chairs and Executive Committee, look forward to seeing everyone at the next O-Train Meeting, where we will be able to answer any of your questions regarding this.

Thank you for your continued support on behalf of Senator Barack Obama. It is an honor to work with each and every one of you.

Frank Sanchez
Obama For America Finance Chair Tampa Bay
National Finance Committee

Brzezinski Says Obama More Suited to Be President Than Clinton

Aug. 24 (Bloomberg) --

Zbigniew Brzezinski, one of the most influential foreign-policy experts in the Democratic Party, threw his support behind Barack Obama's presidential candidacy, saying the Illinois senator has a better global grasp than his chief rival, Hillary Clinton.

To read the rest of the article:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/bloomberg/20070824/pl_bloomberg/a5lofo2yh6fe_1

It's all about priorities for Michelle Obama

It's all about priorities for Michelle Obama
L.A. Times | August 22, 2007
By Maria L. La Ganga

The candidate's wife with a six-figure income and two Ivy League degrees connects with women on the campaign trail over shared struggles.

Chicago -- The young professional woman was in a bind. She had a job interview scheduled with a prospective boss, but she didn't have a baby-sitter. Not even her Harvard law degree could help her.

So Michelle Obama -- still in maternity clothes -- strapped her newborn daughter, Sasha, in the stroller and headed out to meet Michael E. Riordan, president and chief executive of the University of Chicago Medical Center.

Luckily, Sasha kept her little mouth shut, but her presence that day in 2001 "was more than symbolic. It was significant," Riordan said in a recent interview. Obama "had her priorities in line. She really wanted to make that known to me. . . that family came first."

Michelle LaVaughn Robinson Obama, 43, is not your mother's political spouse.

She is 5-feet-11 in her stocking feet, earned more than $300,000 last year -- husband's paycheck not included -- has two Ivy League degrees and was just named to Vanity Fair's 68th annual international best-dressed list.

But on the campaign trail, she has carved out a niche connecting with women over shared daily struggles: to get the kids up, their hair brushed, their lunch packed and out the door; to have a job and a family and not go crazy; to hope for better things for their daughters when they grow up and are off on their own.

To read the rest of this article, click on:
http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-michelle22aug22,1,4822401,full.story?ctrack=1&cset=true

Experience v Good Judgement

Some people say

Some people say that Michelle Obama is controversial. Others know that she is a remarkable woman who supports her husband's candidacy and protects her children. I would love to meet her one day.

Michelle was speaking out about real family values. If Rudy had spoken about the same thing, which of his wives would he be referring to?

Barack Obama on The Daily Show tonight!

Here's the latest news from Barack Obama's campaign site--be sure to set your DVRs:

http://my.barackobama.com/page/invite/dailyshowtonight

Barack Obama will be a guest on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart tonight, August 22nd at 11:00 pm EDT.

I've got a Crush on Obama