More on Taking the War to the Election

post from Progressives for Obama on 19 April 2008 04:32:00 AM. © Progressives for Obama

Photo: Brownsville, Fayette County, PA, on 'the Mon.'

Making Connections
in Fayette County, PA

By Carl Davidson

If you're going to work against the war in this election and beyond, you have to get outside your comfort zones and meet new people.

That's the idea we had in mind as we put a stack of Peace Voter Guides in our car and headed 70 miles south to Fayette County, PA, along the Monongahela River, past the rolling hills of farms, small factories and old coal mining country.

We were off to see Sister James Ann Germuska, a Franciscan nun who runs a social service agency for the elderly in the little town of Brownsville, PA, not too far from the California University of Pennsylvania.

Before we got 500 feet down Route 18, though, we saw one of our neighbors outside. He'd just put up 'Vote Out All Incumbents' signs in his front yard, and was busily adding 'Obama 2008' signs along with them. So we did a quick U-Turn, and introduced ourselves. There was a young man from the local campaign office with him. Turned out the neighbor knows my brother from the Volunteer Fire Department, so we became fast allies, and left him a bunch of voter guides. This inspired my partner on the trip to keep a running tally of yard signs all along the route to Brownsville and back.

We had found Sister James Ann online at Meetups.org with a search for people interested in Obama, but outside the campaign. When I plunked in my zip code, up popped Sister James Ann with a message that she would really like to do something, but she's in charge of a 501C3, and has restrictions. I blocked her name and trusty Google returned the name and phone number of her agency. I called to tell her I have just what's needed for 501C3s to work the election.

Brownsville would make a lovely picture postcard in any weather, and it was a gorgeous day. The town runs along 'The Mon', as it's called around here, and the streets run up the sides of steep hills. Sister James Ann's place--a substantial operation-- is near the top.

Inside we were greeted by Louise Hicks, the administrative assistant, who was a little puzzled as we explained who we are, and talked about voter guides. Then I mentioned my talk with the sister on the phone, and at the word, 'Obama,' everything lights up, 'Oh! Stay right here, I'll find her. She definitely wants to talk to you!'

We talked for an hour, covering a lot of ground. I explained that the voter guides are fairly straightforward in that they just rate the three candidates on the war. 'That's all right,' says Sister, 'we know just what to do with them. We can use more for the NAACP here, too. She sent me to the car for more for Hicks, who's also active in the African American community.

Stopping the war is at the top of these women's priorities, but Obama's wider program fires them up. 'I can't stand Clinton, and forget about McCain--and everyone knows where I stand,? says Sister James Ann, clearly a strong woman who speaks her mind. They told us how they drove for hours to Penn State in the central mountains to attend the rally of 22,000.

?We got up front, within a few feet of him,? said Hicks. ?He was wonderful,? added Sister. ?We desperately need new leadership. With the downturn in the economy and the cutbacks, we're suffering here. . . We need change in a big way.? I noted that Obama is certainly charismatic, and she knows the definition of that term: touched by grace. ?Yes! Exactly, and a lot of it!? she laughed in reply, adding that many local students are enthusiastic for the campaign, mainly around stopping the war. ?See if you can get him here, and if not him, then Michelle, and if not her, then YOU come back.? I laughed that I'm hardly in the same league, but we'll see what happens.

We left Brownsville with the approaching evening, and took a short detour to a smaller place called Fredericktown, also along 'The Mon.' One of my partner's Grandfathers back in the late 1700s ran a ferry there. As we come off the hill and down into the little river town, there's the ferry, still running, just pulling out, and we snapped a picture of it. How cool is that?

She kept counting yard signs on that way back-first Hillary up by one, then Obama, very few McCain signs, for some reason, since he still has support here. Then just as we neared home, we saw two new ones for Obama, and he squeaked over the top for the day. Hopefully, it's a sign of things to come.

At the end of the day, we got out 1000 voters guides, we have new connections in the neighborhood, and we have more allies in the religious, peace and African American communities. Working an election isn't just about votes, if you go about it in the right way. And it's not rocket science, just get outside your comfort zone, keep your eyes on the prize, and see what happens.

http://progressivesforobama.blogspot.com

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Obama has Massive Lead - Newsweek

post from Barack Obama 2008 on 19 April 2008 03:46:00 AM. © Barack Obama 2008

The latest Newsweek poll, conducted over the last few days, has Barack Obama leading Hillary Clinton by nearly 20 points among registered Democrats.

The survey of 1209 registered Democrats found that Obama leads Clinton 54% to 35% - a massive turnaround from the March Newsweek poll which had the split favoring Obama 45% to 44% - a statistical tie.

The amazing turnaround has come in a month where Obama has been subjected to increasing pressure by the Clinton camp and the media.

Of particular note is the fact that this poll was conducted after the "bitter" comments which were apparently to have played badly among Democrats. Not so according to these figures.

These latest results will be another blow to the Clinton campaign in the lead up to the crucial vote this Tuesday in Pennsylvania.

The only bright spot in this poll is the fact that both Obama and Clinton lead John McCain as the preferred President among all registered voters.

Registered voters give Obama a favorable rating of 56% compared to Clinton on 49%. Clinton has also suffered in the trustworthy question. Only 41% of people now consider her trustworthy - not a very promising figure for a candidate running for President.

Read The Full Article:
http://2008obama.blogspot.com/2008/04/obama-has-massive-lead-newsweek.html

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Obama's speech to 35,000 in Philly

Barack Obama spoke to over 35,000 people at the Independence Center in Philadelphia yesterday, ahead of the crucial primary in Pennsylvania on Tuesday. This was the biggest crowd that Obama has addressed in the campaign till this point. Can it get any bigger?

This is the best of the speech.

video details and more

Read The Full Article:
http://2008obama.blogspot.com/2008/04/obamas-speech-to-35000-in-philly.html

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More on Taking the War to the Election

Obama has Massive Lead - Newsweek

Obama's speech to 35,000 in Philly