<downingstreetsays>
  <downingstreetsaid date="2007-08-24 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/samgrahamfelsen/CJsj" rowid="42051335" side="oba" srcid="277480" text="&lt;p&gt;Barack Obama is that rare candidate who transcends partisan lines without sacrificing his core values.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Salon.com has a great piece today about Barack&amp;#39;s appeal to traditionally Republican voters:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;There is a segment of society that is desperately looking for a less partisan, less divisive approach,&amp;quot; Luntz says of Obama. &amp;quot;For them, he is the perfect candidate.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;...Perhaps abetted by this decline in enthusiasm, Obama has been able to attract people like Joe Rowe, 63, a retired pharmacist in Raleigh, N.C., who describes himself as a lifelong Republican in favor of tort reform and privatizing Social Security. Though he says he has always voted for Republican presidents in the past, he now makes monthly contributions to the Obama campaign. &amp;quot;You have to make a stand sometime, and there is so much partisanship, and I would love to see someone who can be a reconciler,&amp;quot; Rowe explained this week in a phone interview. &amp;quot;I think we can get a lot done with his approach.&amp;quot; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;There are several Republican-themed groups on My.BarackObama.com, including one of our more active online groups, Republicans for Obama.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;It&amp;#39;s important to note the kind of support Barack is getting from these crossover voters. These Republicans support Barack despite their strong disagreement with his progressive stances on issues because, in a time when so many of us are fed up with the conventional Washington thinking and old patterns of politics, he&amp;#39;s someone who can turn the page and usher in a new era of change. They&amp;#39;re willing to support a Democrat not because of calculated triangulation tactics or compromising core principles. They&amp;#39;re willing to support a Democrat -- Barack Obama -- who can truly change the face of Washington and repair what&amp;#39;s broken with our political process. &lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;...[S]omeone who can be a reconciler&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-10-12 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/amandascott/gGgbDS" rowid="42056789" side="oba" srcid="309139" text="&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a&gt;Dayton Daily News&lt;/a&gt; endorsed Barack for president today. The Ohio newspaper lays out why Barack is the right person to take on Washington politics and the failing economy. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In this unhappy passage, the nation faces a happy choice: a brilliant young man offering a new generation of leadership &amp;mdash; and a remarkable turning point in the nation's history &amp;mdash; opposes an accomplished veteran who has punched all the right tickets in his rise toward the presidency.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; Both are thoughtful, modern people alert to the real problems of the world and the nation.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;...Sen. Obama's opposition to the war goes a long way toward making the case that experience isn't necessarily the magic ingredient in making a national leader.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;...They must be comforted, though, by Sen. Obama's cool, even masterful performance in the campaign. Nobody could have expected any more. He has made his supporters proud, as Sen. McCain has made his supporters wonder.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;...Added to their vice-presidential decisions, and to the ability of the younger man to stand next to the veteran in debates and demonstrate every bit as much command of issues, the bailout incident was a suggestion of readiness.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Barack Obama has been in the public spotlight for four years (since his memorable debut speech at his party's 2004 convention). He has withstood relentless, withering attacks. The more attacks he survives, the more comfortable people seem with the idea of him as a leader.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;On the issues, he is in the liberal mainstream of the Democratic Party. He worries less about the taxes of the people at the top of the economic system than those in the middle. He unambiguously embraces decent health care as a &amp;quot;right.&amp;quot; He would like to put more public resources into education and efforts to extend the American dream to those still dreaming. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;He favors more regulation of Wall Street. He sees diplomacy as underused by the current president. He wants...to shape trade treaties so that they work better for American workers.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;...He built his early appeal around the promise to get beyond the liberal-conservative wars, to show a level of respect for the views of others that helps build a new kind of politics. It is his most ambitious promise.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;...The nation's moment of choice arrives even as some sort of new era has arrived in the realm of the economy.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;...But in a time of change, Sen. Obama is the more promising leader. With his agile mind, often pitch-perfect judgment and preternatural calm and self-confidence, he seems built for the job of sorting through this thing, if anybody can.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The nation faces a choice that looks more and more like a choice between the future and the past. It has never been one to shrink from the future.&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;2 good men; Obama right leader for today&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-07-30 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/amandascott/gGx4sf" rowid="42055411" side="oba" srcid="298474" text="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;People across the country are struggling. They are ready for change, and they know that Barack represents that change. They are ready for a new direction and are ready to come together.... &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Rhiannon in &lt;a&gt;Washington&lt;/a&gt;: &lt;/p&gt;I am a 31-year-old woman, a mom, a wife, a friend, a coworker, a small business owner, a community member, and a citizen of the United States. I have never been moved by a politician, I&amp;rsquo;ve never been actively engaged in the political process, I&amp;rsquo;ve never attended a political rally, I&amp;rsquo;ve never donated to a political campaign, I&amp;rsquo;ve never been excited to hear a politician speak, I&amp;rsquo;ve never purchased a politician&amp;rsquo;s swag for myself or my husband or my car or my front yard, I&amp;rsquo;ve never been excited to watch the Democratic National Convention, and I&amp;rsquo;ve never been excited to watch debates.

That is until Barack Obama ran for president of the United States. My name is Rhiannon, and for me, Barack Obama has been a beacon of hope, inspiration and motivation. He has intrigued my interest and involvement in the political process.&amp;nbsp; He has taught me that politics isn&amp;rsquo;t only for the wealthy, privileged and highly educated, but, rather, is for people like me, a tool to give me the power to create a nation that I am proud of. Thank you. 
&lt;p&gt;Joseph in &lt;a&gt;Arizona&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;Despite state budget cuts and an uncertain economic future, I'm trying to donate every extra cent I can so that we can make change a reality. This is the most important election in my lifetime, and the U.S. must reverse its course and get back on leading the world in innovation, discovery, and economic and moral authority.&lt;p&gt;Corinne in &lt;a&gt;Illinois&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;I donated my &amp;quot;stimulus check refund&amp;quot; to your campaign. I couldn't think of a better way to stimulate the economy! 
&lt;p&gt;Connie in &lt;a&gt;Pennsylvania&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;I am a 67-year-old, white, female, who switched from Republican.&amp;nbsp; I am inspired and hopeful.&amp;nbsp; I have donated, volunteered, and gotten involved in an election for the first time &amp;ndash; thanks to Senator Obama. I will do everything I can to see that he's our next president and to give him a chance to put this amazing country back on course. It&amp;rsquo;s a huge job, but I truly believe he's ready to lead us.&lt;p&gt;And even though the economy is hurting, people like Joseph and Corinne know that by contributing to this campaign, they can help make an impact. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;A Beacon Of Hope&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-08-28 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/mollyclaflinblog/gG5lTg" rowid="42055891" side="oba" srcid="302397" text="&lt;a&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;a&gt;Seniors for Obama&lt;/a&gt; will play a special role in this election. We&amp;rsquo;ve built a grassroots movement to get Americans of all ages involved, and seniors can help us build a future that will be strong for our children and grandchildren. The Seniors video features Barack&amp;rsquo;s goal of economic security. As Barack says, &amp;ldquo;I believe Americans who worked hard their entire lives have earned the right to dignity and security.&amp;rdquo; 

Watch the new Seniors for Obama video here:
" title="&quot;A better life for our children and grandchildren&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-08-28 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/mollyclaflinblog/gG5lTg" rowid="42055876" side="oba" srcid="302327" text="&lt;a&gt;&lt;/a&gt;Seniors for Obama will play a special role in this election. We&amp;rsquo;ve built a grassroots movement to get Americans of all ages involved, and seniors can help us build a future that will be strong for our children and grandchildren. The Seniors video features Barack&amp;rsquo;s goal of economic security. As Barack says, &amp;ldquo;I believe Americans who worked hard their entire lives have earned the right to dignity and security.&amp;rdquo; 

Watch the new Seniors for Obama video here:
" title="&quot;A better life for our children and grandchildren&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-08-19 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/mollyclaflinblog/gG59BY" rowid="42055691" side="oba" srcid="301188" text="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;First Americans are going to have a big impact on the 2008 election. According to a recent article by the &lt;a&gt;Native American Times&lt;/a&gt; , this year it is estimated that there will be &lt;a&gt;over 150 Native American delegates&lt;/a&gt; to the Democratic National Convention in Denver.&amp;nbsp; This is an increase from just seven in 2000. 

Barack Obama is committed to First Americans&amp;rsquo; issues and challenges, and he is vigorously working to earn their support in this election. At a recent &lt;a&gt;UNITY journalism conference&lt;/a&gt; in Chicago, Obama said of his First American apology position, &amp;quot;I personally would like to see the tragic elements of our history acknowledged. We've got some sad things to account for.&amp;quot; 

First Americans are excited to have a candidate on their side. 

Abrum of Duluth, Minnesota says:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Being a Native American young person I think brings a very unique perspective to the table. I believe Barack shares my perspective. He believes in a new beginning for America. A time when we can change the way Washington politics affects our lives so we as Americans feel like the government is by the people for the people. Barack is the only candidate that has showed support for the indigenous peoples of North America. Retaining our sovereignty, and moving forward to better our people after many decades &amp;hellip; is something that I believe Barack will help us achieve. Barack is an open-minded individual who is very driven, and is willing to go the distance to make sure that not only Native Americans, but all people have fair and equal opportunities in this country.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Myrna in Anchorage, Alaska says:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;I am a Tlingit &amp;amp; Haida Indian. Our people have spent hundreds of years listening to politicians. Obama is a man of integrity and believes in giving respect. Alaska Natives and American Indians have the opportunity to unite behind a candidate who will respect us, honor our treaties and give us a voice in the White House. We deserve a president who can truly say he understands growing up a minority. I am honored to support him and ask you to join us in standing for a change and unite our country.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Michelle in Portland, Oregon says:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;I am very fortunate to have met Barack Obama in WDC, and also as part of a tribal delegation of 10 native people in Portland, Oregon in September 2007. He was charismatic, and interested in the issues of Indian Affairs which are important to me as a Navajo woman. Protecting Tribal sovereignty, honoring the government-to-government relationship, and also working to provide quality health care to all, including native people. After meeting him, and reviewing his platform for tribal people, I feel confident that his inspiration, his energy, and his concerns for tribal people as partners in his Administration are sincere and what I need in a President. Join me, and support Obama in '08. Can we make change as Native people in this Electoral Process? To quote Obama, &amp;quot;Yes, we can!&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Charles in Washington DC:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;As a member of the Navajo Nation and as an attorney working in tribal policy I've seen only the same old ideas on improving life for Indian Country rehashed and restated by a successive line of Presidents.&amp;nbsp; In fact, there have been no great efforts from a President that have shown concrete results for Indian Country since the Nixon Administration and the beginning of the era of Self Determination. Barack Obama represents Indian Country hope to be brought back into the political process.&amp;nbsp; Great ideas have always existed in Indian Country but what has been lacking is the commitment of the administration to listed to them and muster the political will to carry them out.&amp;nbsp; Barack Obama&amp;iacute;s positions on civil rights, bringing excluded people back into the political process and the ideas expressed on his webpage for First Americans demonstrate his commitment to being the leader that Indian Country needs in the White House. As a Senator from a State with no recognized tribes, the commitment he has shown to Indian Country by trying to increase funding for IHS and by being the only Presidential candidate to support the Indian Health Care Improvement Act from the beginning as an original co-sponsor demonstrate his deep conviction and true commitment to Indian Country.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Edward in Tucson, Arizona says:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;As a proud American Indian, and military veteran.&amp;nbsp; I am impressed by the attention Barack Obama has paid to Indian Country. I am a law enforcement professional serving Indian Country for over 30 years and have fought consistently to right the injustice in Indian Country particularly the jurisdictional issues that hamper justice and service to our people. I an encouraged to see Barack Obama note this deficiency. I am hopeful that Barack Obama will right this injustice and bring hope back to Indian Country.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Join &lt;a&gt;First Americans for Obama&lt;/a&gt; to connect with other First Americans in your community.&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;A Candidate Who Will Respect Us&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-08-05 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/stateupdate2/gG58PD" rowid="42055488" side="oba" srcid="299208" text="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;Barack Obama has proven himself as the candidate committed to the environment. Barack proposed a new comprehensive energy plan today, designed to address the current energy crisis and plan for the future. The plan includes components such as reducing carbon emissions by 80 percent by 2050; ensuring that 10 percent of our electricity comes from renewable sources by 2012, and 25 percent by 2025; putting more hybrid cars on the road; and helping create five million new jobs by strategically investing $150 billion over the next ten years to catalyze private efforts to build a clean energy future.
&lt;p&gt;Barack said: &lt;/p&gt;I want you all to think for a minute about the next four years, and even the next ten years.&amp;nbsp; We can continue down the path we've been traveling. &amp;hellip; Or we can choose another future.&amp;nbsp; We can decide that we will face the realities of the 21st century by building a 21st century economy.&amp;nbsp; In just a few years, we can watch cars that run on a plug-in battery come off the same assembly lines that once produced the first Ford and the first Chrysler.&amp;nbsp; We can see shuttered factories open their doors to manufacturers that sell wind turbines and solar panels that will power our homes and our businesses.&amp;nbsp; We can watch as millions of new jobs with good pay and good benefits are created for American workers, and we can take pride as the technologies, and discoveries, and industries of the future flourish in the United States of America.&amp;nbsp; We can lead the world, secure our nation, and meet our moral obligations to future generations.&lt;p&gt;You can read Barack&amp;rsquo;s energy plan &lt;a&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Environmentalists have responded enthusiastically to Barack&amp;rsquo;s environmental policy. Here are a few of their stories:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;George in Olympia, WA says:&lt;/p&gt;I support Barack Obama because of his clarity of focus and vision for fighting global warming and climate change.&amp;nbsp; We need a genuine sense of urgency and a serious commitment to deal with this planetary emergency and he's got it.&lt;p&gt;Cameron in Evanston, IL says:&lt;/p&gt;On a sunny Saturday morning in 1998, Barack Obama walked up to our 31st Street beach cleanup with his wife Michelle and pushing their daughter in a stroller. Surrounded by dozens of volunteers, we held a press conference to talk about why Lake Michigan and its beaches were in jeopardy and why people were giving their valuable time to do something about these problems.

That was nine years ago today. This year I've vowed to support Obama. Barack Obama is the same guy running for president that he was when I first met him pushing his daughter in a stroller. And, the second reason: if 50% of success in life is &amp;quot;showing up,&amp;quot; he did just that because he cared then and cares now about the fate of the waters that give all of us life.&lt;p&gt;Jed in Binghampton, NY says:&lt;/p&gt;The future brings climate change -- taking effect more and more each day. We need to change how we see the world. It is indeed time for change, no more talking about change. The time is now to bring change. Barack Obama will bring that change.&lt;p&gt;Adam in Bethesda, MD says:&lt;/p&gt;Barack Obama is the one candidate who will take the most positive steps in favor of environmental protection, conservation, and natural resources preservation.&amp;nbsp; Barack has provided a comprehensive energy plan to reduce fossil fuels and increase U.S. reliance on renewable resources.

Our National Parks, our rivers, and our planet need a President who will make sure that lobbyists will not control our government and who will stand up to ensure that we have clean air, clean water, and a healthy natural environment.&amp;nbsp; Barack Obama's 11 years as an elected official on the state and national levels have proven him to be a champion of the environment; and thus, he has my support.&lt;p&gt;Join &lt;a&gt;Environmentalists for Obama&lt;/a&gt; to get more involved in bringing Barack's vision of a cleaner Earth to your community.&amp;nbsp; &lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;A Champion Of The Environment&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-04-06 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/stateupdates/gGBvNT" rowid="42053928" side="oba" srcid="274687" text="&lt;p&gt;Barack at Harvard Law School&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In 1988, after working as a community organizer on the south side of Chicago for three years, Barack Obama enrolled in Harvard Law school. In his book, &amp;quot;Dreams From My Father,&amp;quot; Barack wrote about the difficulty of leaving behind the community he had spent so much time with in order to go to Harvard. But he explained that: &lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p&gt;I had things to learn in law school, things that would help me bring about real change. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Barack promised the people in the communities he had helped organize that he would return to Chicago to continue his work, and he kept his word.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;From the Los Angeles Times:&lt;/p&gt;Obama arrived in Chicago in 1993 with a degree from Harvard Law School and was hired as a junior lawyer at the firm then known as Davis, Miner, Barnhill &amp;amp; Gallard. He helped represent clients in civil and voting rights matters and wrongful firings, argued a case before a federal appellate court, and took the lead in writing a suit to expand voter registration.&lt;p&gt;From the New York Times:&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;Obama chose not to trade his golden credentials, including the presidency of The Harvard Law Review, for a big-money job at a corporate firm. Instead, he worked at a small Chicago civil rights firm, representing people who said they had been discriminated against or denied the right to vote.&amp;ldquo;He was a good lawyer working a very hard beat,&amp;rdquo; said Richard Epstein, a law professor at the University of Chicago.&lt;p&gt;Once again from the Los Angeles Times:&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;Obama spent about 70% of his time on voting rights, civil rights and employment, generally as a junior associate. The rest of his time was spent on matters related to real estate transactions, filing incorporation papers and defending clients against minor lawsuits.... He did have some noteworthy cases. Among them, Obama filed a major 1995 suit that successfully forced Illinois to enforce the 1993 federal Motor Voter law, which sought to make it easier for people to register to vote.&lt;p&gt;Of Davis, Miner, Barnhill &amp;amp; Gallard&amp;#39;s reputation, the Boston Globe reported: &lt;/p&gt;&amp;quot;It&amp;#39;s a real do-good firm,&amp;quot; says Fay Clayton, lead counsel for the National Organization for Women in a landmark lawsuit aimed at stopping abortion clinic violence. &amp;quot;Barack and that firm were a perfect fit. He wasn&amp;#39;t going to make as much money there as he would at a LaSalle Street firm or in New York, but money was never Barack&amp;#39;s first priority anyway.&amp;quot;... Obama was part of a team of lawyers representing black voters and aldermen that forced Chicago to redraw ward boundaries that the City Council drew up after the 1990 census. They said the boundaries were discriminatory.After an appeals court ruled the map violated the federal Voting Rights Act, attorneys for both sides drew up a new set of ward boundaries.&lt;p&gt;Barack&amp;#39;s legal work dropped off sharply after he was elected to the Illinois Senate. The Boston Globe quoted Judson Miner recounting how &amp;quot;on [Barack&amp;#39;s] second day down in Springfield he called me and said, &amp;#39;Don&amp;#39;t pay me &amp;mdash; this is a full-time job.&amp;#39;&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Barack continued working for the firm during the summer when the state legislature was out of session, but he stepped down from practicing law completely by 2002 as his political career took hold.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;David Axelrod, the chief campaign strategist, explained that:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; This is a central part of [Barack&amp;#39;s] life and story. He could have written his ticket at any law firm in the country. . . . He decided instead that he wanted to be a civil rights attorney, and he signed up with a small firm that had a reputation for doing this kind of work.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;You can learn more about Barack&amp;#39;s life, as well as his stance on civil rights. You can also read an interview with a former colleague of his from the University of Chicago, reflecting on Barack&amp;#39;s unique approach to the law and what an Obama presidency might look like. &lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;A Good Lawyer Working a Very Hard Beat&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-09-17 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/amandascott/gG5qjn" rowid="42056249" side="oba" srcid="305065" text="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a&gt;Yesterday&lt;/a&gt; we asked you to help us reach 50,000 new donors to our movement by Friday at midnight. Our supporters are stepping up to that challenge to fight against the John McCain's dishonest and negative campaign. They know that change does not come from lobbyists running a campaign, but it comes from the bottom up. It comes from the ordinary Americans who stand together and fight against the divisive politics of Washington. &amp;nbsp;

To help reach our goal, a first time &lt;a&gt;donation&lt;/a&gt; will be matched by regular donors'. That means that regular donors can inspire someone to make their first &lt;a&gt;donation&lt;/a&gt;. And every &lt;a&gt;donation&lt;/a&gt; that is made will go twice as far. Supporters are reaching out to each other and here's what they are saying... 

Jessamyn from North Carolina:&lt;/p&gt;I am so excited to see a politician refuse money from Washington lobbyists. I don't have a lot of money, but Barack Obama winning this election is important to me. I hope it is important to you too! &lt;p&gt;Chyrise from New York:&lt;/p&gt;We are sick of the war on the middle class. We need change in Washington and in the USA. If you believe that change can happen from grassroots action please support Barack's campaign.&lt;p&gt;Eric from Colorado:&lt;/p&gt;Now is the time to end the greed in this country that has practically eliminated the middle class. Its time for our government to work for us and not special interests with big money.&lt;p&gt;Joseph from Georgia:&lt;/p&gt;Thank You for your helping Barack Obama do what needs to be done right now: Take special interest groups and PACs out of Washington and give it back to the people! 

Your Donation will help do just that.&lt;p&gt;JB from Tennessee:&lt;/p&gt;Don't believe the Republicans' campaign of &amp;quot;fear and smear&amp;quot; again. Eight years of incompetence is more than enough for any nation.&lt;p&gt;Steve from California:&lt;/p&gt;Thanks for joining the millions of regular people, each contributing hundreds of dollars instead of hundreds of special interests contributing millions of dollars to keep power in the hands of the few. Some smart guys once wrote &amp;quot;We, the People...&amp;quot; We deserve a government of the people, by the people and for the people. Thanks and pass it on. &lt;p&gt;Anna from Texas:&lt;/p&gt;I am supporting Obama because he is NOT a Washington insider which is what this country needs: someone who will not think like McCain, someone who will think outside the box and not be influenced by lobbyists and PACs. I want a candidate who works for me, not big business.&lt;p&gt;Priscilla from New York:&lt;/p&gt;It is my pleasure to match your campaign contribution. Because Senator Obama does not accept money from federal lobbyists and PAC's it is all the more important that individuals like you are willing to invest in this campaign.&amp;nbsp; Thank you for your support.&lt;p&gt;Randy from Colorado:&lt;/p&gt;Thank you for your help with America's hope for change and fresh leadership. This is truly a grassroots effort to beat the mean political machine of the RNC.&lt;p&gt;Joanna from Illinois:&lt;/p&gt;I'm so glad that you are able and ready to join the financial support of the campaign. I know it can be hard to make the sacrifice, but it also feels great to be a part of this. We are funding this campaign, not big oil, not big pharmacy money, not lobbyists. It is this feeling of being a part of the process that makes the Obama campaign feel different, and work differently.&lt;p&gt;Kem from Texas:&lt;/p&gt;We're fighting against the big Washington lobbyists and the Republican smear machine.&lt;p&gt;Help us bring change to Washington. &lt;a&gt;Make a donation today&lt;/a&gt; and inspire a fellow supporter to join you in owning a piece of this campaign.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;A grassroots effort&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-10-13 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/stateupdates/gGgFrb" rowid="42056805" side="oba" srcid="309195" text="&lt;p&gt;With the constant demands of the campaign trail, Barack is rarely home in Chicago these days. But on a Friday night last July, he made an appearance at Park West for a special concert with Jeff Tweedy, Pat Sansone, and Glenn Kotche of the band Wilco.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Jeff Tweedy:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;I think that there are a lot of reasons to be involved with this campaign. It almost feels to me like a last chance to start getting things right and to start putting things on the right path towards having not only a country that reminds me of the one I feel like I grew up in, but having a country that reminds me of the one that I felt like we used to aspire to when I was growing up. This is the first time in my life that a politician has really re-awoken that spirit in people.&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;A Last Chance&quot; - Jeff Tweedy at Park West, Chicago" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-07-17 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/obamahqblog/gGxPxn" rowid="42055271" side="oba" srcid="279400" text="&lt;p&gt;Thelma is a youthful 87-year-old lifelong Republican from Oregon, who has worked for six different start-ups in Silicon Valley.  When she's not writing, she enjoys working in her garden and keeping in touch with her two children.  Republicanism was instilled in her from an early age.&lt;/p&gt;Well, I grew up in Oregon and my parents were rabid Republicans.  I've been a Republican all of my life, until Obama came along and I said, &amp;quot;this is it&amp;quot;.

  He's a  very unusual person, and of course the parties have changed too.  I never just voted for somebody because he was Republican or Democratic.  I changed my voter registration from Republican to Democratic, and that was surprising to me after having been a Republican for a lifetime.  I wouldn't vote for John McCain if he was the only person on the ballot.&lt;p&gt;She supports Senator Obama because he's a different kind of politician.&lt;/p&gt;He is honest, and it seems as though he really is truly thinking about what is best for the people and for the country and he's not looking for something for himself and he's not even looking for something for the party. He seems to really be thinking for himself.  

I admire him because he is bright, and I admire his wife for the same reason.  He has the qualities that seem like he's looking out for people, he's interested in people and what will be good for the country. &lt;p&gt;Although she sees a need for change in all areas of policy, she's particularly concerned about the environment.&lt;/p&gt;I'm certainly concerned about the environment. I always have been since I was a child, when I went camping here in Oregon.  My father taught us that when we build a fire, we put it out.&lt;p&gt;We'll be featuring many profiles of our supporters in the weeks and months to come.  If you have an interesting story, e-mail it to &lt;a&gt;blog@barackobama.com&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;A Lifelong Republican&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2007-08-28 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/samgrahamfelsen/CpBC" rowid="42051346" side="oba" srcid="277469" text="The Census Bureau released statistics today showing that, in 2006, the percentage of Americans without health insurance hit &amp;quot;a record high&amp;quot; and that the number of uninsured children increased significantly since 2005.&amp;nbsp;Barack Obama -- who has a comprehensive plan to provide Americans with affordable health insurance coverage -- had this to say:In the richest nation on Earth, it is a moral outrage that one in ten American families live in poverty and 47 million Americans do not have health care.  We can keep making excuses for this or ignore it altogether, but as long as these statistics exist they will always be a betrayal of the ideals we hold as Americans.  We deserve better than leaders who slash anti-poverty supports and threaten to deny children health insurance at a time when 8.7 million don&amp;rsquo;t have any.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;    In this country &amp;ndash; of all countries &amp;ndash; no child&amp;rsquo;s destiny should be determined before he takes his first step.  No single mother should have to work two jobs and still be unable to afford child care or the rent.  Our government cannot guarantee success and happiness in life, but what we can do as a nation is to ensure that every American who wants to work is able to find a job, able to afford health care, and able to stay out of poverty.  What we can do is retire the phrase &amp;ldquo;working poor&amp;rdquo; in our time.  That&amp;rsquo;s what we can do, and that&amp;rsquo;s what we will do together when I am President of the United States." title="&quot;A moral outrage&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-03-18 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/samgrahamfelsen/gGBbKG" rowid="42053695" side="oba" srcid="274920" text="&lt;p&gt;As Prepared for Delivery...&lt;/p&gt; &amp;ldquo;We the people, in order to form a more perfect union.&amp;rdquo;&amp;nbsp;   Two hundred and twenty one years ago, in a hall that still stands across the street, a group of men gathered and, with these simple words, launched America&amp;rsquo;s improbable experiment in democracy.&amp;nbsp; Farmers and scholars; statesmen and patriots who had traveled across an ocean to escape tyranny and persecution finally made real their declaration of independence at a Philadelphia convention that lasted through the spring of 1787.&amp;nbsp;   The document they produced was eventually signed but ultimately unfinished.&amp;nbsp; It was stained by this nation&amp;rsquo;s original sin of slavery, a question that divided the colonies and brought the convention to a stalemate until the founders chose to allow the slave trade to continue for at least twenty more years, and to leave any final resolution to future generations.&amp;nbsp;   Of course, the answer to the slavery question was already embedded within our Constitution &amp;ndash; a Constitution that had at is very core the ideal of equal citizenship under the law; a Constitution that promised its people liberty, and justice, and a union that could be and should be perfected over time.&amp;nbsp;   And yet words on a parchment would not be enough to deliver slaves from bondage, or provide men and women of every color and creed their full rights and obligations as citizens of the United States.&amp;nbsp; What would be needed were Americans in successive generations who were willing to do their part &amp;ndash; through protests and struggle, on the streets and in the courts, through a civil war and civil disobedience and always at great risk - to narrow that gap between the promise of our ideals and the reality of their time.  This was one of the tasks we set forth at the beginning of this campaign &amp;ndash; to continue the long march of those who came before us, a march for a more just, more equal, more free, more caring and more prosperous America.&amp;nbsp; I chose to run for the presidency at this moment in history because I believe deeply that we cannot solve the challenges of our time unless we solve them together &amp;ndash; unless we perfect our union by understanding that we may have different stories, but we hold common hopes; that we may not look the same and we may not have come from the same place, but we all want to move in the same direction &amp;ndash; towards a better future for of children and our grandchildren.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;   This belief comes from my unyielding faith in the decency and generosity of the American people.&amp;nbsp; But it also comes from my own American story.&amp;nbsp;   I am the son of a black man from Kenya and a white woman from Kansas.&amp;nbsp; I was raised with the help of a white grandfather who survived a Depression to serve in Patton&amp;rsquo;s Army during World War II and a white grandmother who worked on a bomber assembly line at Fort Leavenworth while he was overseas.&amp;nbsp; I&amp;rsquo;ve gone to some of the best schools in America and lived in one of the world&amp;rsquo;s poorest nations.&amp;nbsp; I am married to a black American who carries within her the blood of slaves and slaveowners &amp;ndash; an inheritance we pass on to our two precious daughters.&amp;nbsp; I have brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews, uncles and cousins, of every race and every hue, scattered across three continents, and for as long as I live, I will never forget that in no other country on Earth is my story even possible.&amp;nbsp;   It&amp;rsquo;s a story that hasn&amp;rsquo;t made me the most conventional candidate.&amp;nbsp; But it is a story that has seared into my genetic makeup the idea that this nation is more than the sum of its parts &amp;ndash; that out of many, we are truly one.&amp;nbsp;   Throughout the first year of this campaign, against all predictions to the contrary, we saw how hungry the American people were for this message of unity.&amp;nbsp; Despite the temptation to view my candidacy through a purely racial lens, we won commanding victories in states with some of the whitest populations in the country.&amp;nbsp; In South Carolina, where the Confederate Flag still flies, we built a powerful coalition of African Americans and white Americans.&amp;nbsp;   This is not to say that race has not been an issue in the campaign.&amp;nbsp; At various stages in the campaign, some commentators have deemed me either &amp;ldquo;too black&amp;rdquo; or &amp;ldquo;not black enough.&amp;rdquo;&amp;nbsp; We saw racial tensions bubble to the surface during the week before the South Carolina primary.&amp;nbsp; The press has scoured every exit poll for the latest evidence of racial polarization, not just in terms of white and black, but black and brown as well.  And yet, it has only been in the last couple of weeks that the discussion of race in this campaign has taken a particularly divisive turn.&amp;nbsp;   On one end of the spectrum, we&amp;rsquo;ve heard the implication that my candidacy is somehow an exercise in affirmative action; that it&amp;rsquo;s based solely on the desire of wide-eyed liberals to purchase racial reconciliation on the cheap.&amp;nbsp; On the other end, we&amp;rsquo;ve heard my former pastor, Reverend Jeremiah Wright, use incendiary language to express views that have the potential not only to widen the racial divide, but views that denigrate both the greatness and the goodness of our nation; that rightly offend white and black alike.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;   I have already condemned, in unequivocal terms, the statements of Reverend Wright that have caused such controversy.&amp;nbsp; For some, nagging questions remain.&amp;nbsp; Did I know him to be an occasionally fierce critic of American domestic and foreign policy?&amp;nbsp; Of course.&amp;nbsp; Did I ever hear him make remarks that could be considered controversial while I sat in church?&amp;nbsp; Yes.&amp;nbsp; Did I strongly disagree with many of his political views?&amp;nbsp; Absolutely &amp;ndash; just as I&amp;rsquo;m sure many of you have heard remarks from your pastors, priests, or rabbis with which you strongly disagreed.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;   But the remarks that have caused this recent firestorm weren&amp;rsquo;t simply controversial.&amp;nbsp; They weren&amp;rsquo;t simply a religious leader&amp;rsquo;s effort to speak out against perceived injustice.&amp;nbsp; Instead, they expressed a profoundly distorted view of this country &amp;ndash; a view that sees white racism as endemic, and that elevates what is wrong with America above all that we know is right with America; a view that sees the conflicts in the Middle East as rooted primarily in the actions of stalwart allies like Israel, instead of emanating from the perverse and hateful ideologies of radical Islam.&amp;nbsp;   As such, Reverend Wright&amp;rsquo;s comments were not only wrong but divisive, divisive at a time when we need unity; racially charged at a time when we need to come together to solve a set of monumental problems &amp;ndash; two wars, a terrorist threat, a falling economy, a chronic health care crisis and potentially devastating climate change; problems that are neither black or white or Latino or Asian, but rather problems that confront us all.  Given my background, my politics, and my professed values and ideals, there will no doubt be those for whom my statements of condemnation are not enough.&amp;nbsp; Why associate myself with Reverend Wright in the first place, they may ask?&amp;nbsp; Why not join another church?&amp;nbsp; And I confess that if all that I knew of Reverend Wright were the snippets of those sermons that have run in an endless loop on the television and You Tube, or if Trinity United Church of Christ conformed to the caricatures being peddled by some commentators, there is no doubt that I would react in much the same way&amp;nbsp;   But the truth is, that isn&amp;rsquo;t all that I know of the man.&amp;nbsp; The man I met more than twenty years ago is a man who helped introduce me to my Christian faith, a man who spoke to me about our obligations to love one another; to care for the sick and lift up the poor.&amp;nbsp; He is a man who served his country as a U.S. Marine; who has studied and lectured at some of the finest universities and seminaries in the country, and who for over thirty years led a church that serves the community by doing God&amp;rsquo;s work here on Earth &amp;ndash; by housing the homeless, ministering to the needy, providing day care services and scholarships and prison ministries, and reaching out to those suffering from HIV/AIDS.  In my first book, Dreams From My Father, I described the experience of my first service at Trinity:  &amp;ldquo;People began to shout, to rise from their seats and clap and cry out, a forceful wind carrying the reverend&amp;rsquo;s voice up into the rafters&amp;hellip;.And in that single note &amp;ndash; hope! &amp;ndash; I heard something else; at the foot of that cross, inside the thousands of churches across the city, I imagined the stories of ordinary black people merging with the stories of David and Goliath, Moses and Pharaoh, the Christians in the lion&amp;rsquo;s den, Ezekiel&amp;rsquo;s field of dry bones.&amp;nbsp; Those stories &amp;ndash; of survival, and freedom, and hope &amp;ndash; became our story, my story; the blood that had spilled was our blood, the tears our tears; until this black church, on this bright day, seemed once more a vessel carrying the story of a people into future generations and into a larger world.&amp;nbsp; Our trials and triumphs became at once unique and universal, black and more than black; in chronicling our journey, the stories and songs gave us a means to reclaim memories tha t we didn&amp;rsquo;t need to feel shame about&amp;hellip;memories that all people might study and cherish &amp;ndash; and with which we could start to rebuild.&amp;rdquo;  That has been my experience at Trinity.&amp;nbsp; Like other predominantly black churches across the country, Trinity embodies the black community in its entirety &amp;ndash; the doctor and the welfare mom, the model student and the former gang-banger.&amp;nbsp; Like other black churches, Trinity&amp;rsquo;s services are full of raucous laughter and sometimes bawdy humor.&amp;nbsp; They are full of dancing, clapping, screaming and shouting that may seem jarring to the untrained ear.&amp;nbsp; The church contains in full the kindness and cruelty, the fierce intelligence and the shocking ignorance, the struggles and successes, the love and yes, the bitterness and bias that make up the black experience in America.  And this helps explain, perhaps, my relationship with Reverend Wright.&amp;nbsp; As imperfect as he may be, he has been like family to me.&amp;nbsp; He strengthened my faith, officiated my wedding, and baptized my children.&amp;nbsp; Not once in my conversations with him have I heard him talk about any ethnic group in derogatory terms, or treat whites with whom he interacted with anything but courtesy and respect.&amp;nbsp; He contains within him the contradictions &amp;ndash; the good and the bad &amp;ndash; of the community that he has served diligently for so many years.  I can no more disown him than I can disown the black community.&amp;nbsp; I can no more disown him than I can my white grandmother &amp;ndash; a woman who helped raise me, a woman who sacrificed again and again for me, a woman who loves me as much as she loves anything in this world, but a woman who once confessed her fear of black men who passed by her on the street, and who on more than one occasion has uttered racial or ethnic stereotypes that made me cringe. &amp;nbsp; These people are a part of me.&amp;nbsp; And they are a part of America, this country that I love.  Some will see this as an attempt to justify or excuse comments that are simply inexcusable.&amp;nbsp; I can assure you it is not.&amp;nbsp; I suppose the politically safe thing would be to move on from this episode and just hope that it fades into the woodwork.&amp;nbsp; We can dismiss Reverend Wright as a crank or a demagogue, just as some have dismissed Geraldine Ferraro, in the aftermath of her recent statements, as harboring some deep-seated racial bias.&amp;nbsp;   But race is an issue that I believe this nation cannot afford to ignore right now.&amp;nbsp; We would be making the same mistake that Reverend Wright made in his offending sermons about America &amp;ndash; to simplify and stereotype and amplify the negative to the point that it distorts reality.&amp;nbsp;   The fact is that the comments that have been made and the issues that have surfaced over the last few weeks reflect the complexities of race in this country that we&amp;rsquo;ve never really worked through &amp;ndash; a part of our union that we have yet to perfect.&amp;nbsp; And if we walk away now, if we simply retreat into our respective corners, we will never be able to come together and solve challenges like health care, or education, or the need to find good jobs for every American.&amp;nbsp;   Understanding this reality requires a reminder of how we arrived at this point.&amp;nbsp; As William Faulkner once wrote, &amp;ldquo;The past isn&amp;rsquo;t dead and buried.&amp;nbsp; In fact, it isn&amp;rsquo;t even past.&amp;rdquo;&amp;nbsp; We do not need to recite here the history of racial injustice in this country.&amp;nbsp; But we do need to remind ourselves that so many of the disparities that exist in the African-American community today can be directly traced to inequalities passed on from an earlier generation that suffered under the brutal legacy of slavery and Jim Crow.  Segregated schools were, and are, inferior schools; we still haven&amp;rsquo;t fixed them, fifty years after Brown v. Board of Education, and the inferior education they provided, then and now, helps explain the pervasive achievement gap between today&amp;rsquo;s black and white students.  Legalized discrimination - where blacks were prevented, often through violence, from owning property, or loans were not granted to African-American business owners, or black homeowners could not access FHA mortgages, or blacks were excluded from unions, or the police force, or fire departments &amp;ndash; meant that black families could not amass any meaningful wealth to bequeath to future generations.&amp;nbsp; That history helps explain the wealth and income gap between black and white, and the concentrated pockets of poverty that persists in so many of today&amp;rsquo;s urban and rural communities.  A lack of economic opportunity among black men, and the shame and frustration that came from not being able to provide for one&amp;rsquo;s family, contributed to the erosion of black families &amp;ndash; a problem that welfare policies for many years may have worsened.&amp;nbsp; And the lack of basic services in so many urban black neighborhoods &amp;ndash; parks for kids to play in, police walking the beat, regular garbage pick-up and building code enforcement &amp;ndash; all helped create a cycle of violence, blight and neglect that continue to haunt us.&amp;nbsp;   This is the reality in which Reverend Wright and other African-Americans of his generation grew up.&amp;nbsp; They came of age in the late fifties and early sixties, a time when segregation was still the law of the land and opportunity was systematically constricted.&amp;nbsp; What&amp;rsquo;s remarkable is not how many failed in the face of discrimination, but rather how many men and women overcame the odds; how many were able to make a way out of no way for those like me who would come after them.  But for all those who scratched and clawed their way to get a piece of the American Dream, there were many who didn&amp;rsquo;t make it &amp;ndash; those who were ultimately defeated, in one way or another, by discrimination.&amp;nbsp; That legacy of defeat was passed on to future generations &amp;ndash; those young men and increasingly young women who we see standing on street corners or languishing in our prisons, without hope or prospects for the future.&amp;nbsp; Even for those blacks who did make it, questions of race, and racism, continue to define their worldview in fundamental ways.&amp;nbsp; For the men and women of Reverend Wright&amp;rsquo;s generation, the memories of humiliation and doubt and fear have not gone away; nor has the anger and the bitterness of those years.&amp;nbsp; That anger may not get expressed in public, in front of white co-workers or white friends.&amp;nbsp; But it does find voice in the barbershop or around the kitchen table.&amp;nbsp; At times, that anger is exploited by politicia ns, to gin up votes along racial lines, or to make up for a politician&amp;rsquo;s own failings.  And occasionally it finds voice in the church on Sunday morning, in the pulpit and in the pews.&amp;nbsp; The fact that so many people are surprised to hear that anger in some of Reverend Wright&amp;rsquo;s sermons simply reminds us of the old truism that the most segregated hour in American life occurs on Sunday morning.&amp;nbsp; That anger is not always productive; indeed, all too often it distracts attention from solving real problems; it keeps us from squarely facing our own complicity in our condition, and prevents the African-American community from forging the alliances it needs to bring about real change.&amp;nbsp; But the anger is real; it is powerful; and to simply wish it away, to condemn it without understanding its roots, only serves to widen the chasm of misunderstanding that exists between the races.  In fact, a similar anger exists within segments of the white community.&amp;nbsp; Most working- and middle-class white Americans don&amp;rsquo;t feel that they have been particularly privileged by their race.&amp;nbsp; Their experience is the immigrant experience &amp;ndash; as far as they&amp;rsquo;re concerned, no one&amp;rsquo;s handed them anything, they&amp;rsquo;ve built it from scratch.&amp;nbsp; They&amp;rsquo;ve worked hard all their lives, many times only to see their jobs shipped overseas or their pension dumped after a lifetime of labor.&amp;nbsp; They are anxious about their futures, and feel their dreams slipping away; in an era of stagnant wages and global competition, opportunity comes to be seen as a zero sum game, in which your dreams come at my expense.&amp;nbsp; So when they are told to bus their children to a school across town; when they hear that an African American is getting an advantage in landing a good job or a spot in a good college because of an injustice that they themselves never committ ed; when they&amp;rsquo;re told that their fears about crime in urban neighborhoods are somehow prejudiced, resentment builds over time.&amp;nbsp;   Like the anger within the black community, these resentments aren&amp;rsquo;t always expressed in polite company.&amp;nbsp; But they have helped shape the political landscape for at least a generation.&amp;nbsp; Anger over welfare and affirmative action helped forge the Reagan Coalition.&amp;nbsp; Politicians routinely exploited fears of crime for their own electoral ends.&amp;nbsp; Talk show hosts and conservative commentators built entire careers unmasking bogus claims of racism while dismissing legitimate discussions of racial injustice and inequality as mere political correctness or reverse racism.  Just as black anger often proved counterproductive, so have these white resentments distracted attention from the real culprits of the middle class squeeze &amp;ndash; a corporate culture rife with inside dealing, questionable accounting practices, and short-term greed; a Washington dominated by lobbyists and special interests; economic policies that favor the few over the many.&amp;nbsp; And yet, to wish away the resentments of white Americans, to label them as misguided or even racist, without recognizing they are grounded in legitimate concerns &amp;ndash; this too widens the racial divide, and blocks the path to understanding.&amp;nbsp;   This is where we are right now.&amp;nbsp; It&amp;rsquo;s a racial stalemate we&amp;rsquo;ve been stuck in for years.&amp;nbsp; Contrary to the claims of some of my critics, black and white, I have never been so na&amp;iuml;ve as to believe that we can get beyond our racial divisions in a single election cycle, or with a single candidacy &amp;ndash; particularly a candidacy as imperfect as my own.  But I have asserted a firm conviction &amp;ndash; a conviction rooted in my faith in God and my faith in the American people &amp;ndash; that working together we can move beyond some of our old racial wounds, and that in fact we have no choice is we are to continue on the path of a more perfect union.&amp;nbsp;   For the African-American community, that path means embracing the burdens of our past without becoming victims of our past.&amp;nbsp; It means continuing to insist on a full measure of justice in every aspect of American life.&amp;nbsp; But it also means binding our particular grievances &amp;ndash; for better health care, and better schools, and better jobs - to the larger aspirations of all Americans -- the white woman struggling to break the glass ceiling, the white man whose been laid off, the immigrant trying to feed his family.&amp;nbsp; And it means taking full responsibility for own lives &amp;ndash; by demanding more from our fathers, and spending more time with our children, and reading to them, and teaching them that while they may face challenges and discrimination in their own lives, they must never succumb to despair or cynicism; they must always believe that they can write their own destiny.  Ironically, this quintessentially American &amp;ndash; and yes, conservative &amp;ndash; notion of self-help found frequent expression in Reverend Wright&amp;rsquo;s sermons.&amp;nbsp; But what my former pastor too often failed to understand is that embarking on a program of self-help also requires a belief that society can change.&amp;nbsp;   The profound mistake of Reverend Wright&amp;rsquo;s sermons is not that he spoke about racism in our society.&amp;nbsp; It&amp;rsquo;s that he spoke as if our society was static; as if no progress has been made; as if this country &amp;ndash; a country that has made it possible for one of his own members to run for the highest office in the land and build a coalition of white and black; Latino and Asian, rich and poor, young and old -- is still irrevocably bound to a tragic past.&amp;nbsp; But what we know -- what we have seen &amp;ndash; is that America can change.&amp;nbsp; That is true genius of this nation.&amp;nbsp; What we have already achieved gives us hope &amp;ndash; the audacity to hope &amp;ndash; for what we can and must achieve tomorrow.  In the white community, the path to a more perfect union means acknowledging that what ails the African-American community does not just exist in the minds of black people; that the legacy of discrimination - and current incidents of discrimination, while less overt than in the past - are real and must be addressed.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; Not just with words, but with deeds &amp;ndash; by investing in our schools and our communities; by enforcing our civil rights laws and ensuring fairness in our criminal justice system; by providing this generation with ladders of opportunity that were unavailable for previous generations.&amp;nbsp; It requires all Americans to realize that your dreams do not have to come at the expense of my dreams; that investing in the health, welfare, and education of black and brown and white children will ultimately help all of America prosper.&amp;nbsp;   In the end, then, what is called for is nothing more, and nothing less, than what all the world&amp;rsquo;s great religions demand &amp;ndash; that we do unto others as we would have them do unto us.&amp;nbsp; Let us be our brother&amp;rsquo;s keeper, Scripture tells us.&amp;nbsp; Let us be our sister&amp;rsquo;s keeper.&amp;nbsp; Let us find that common stake we all have in one another, and let our politics reflect that spirit as well.&amp;nbsp;   For we have a choice in this country.&amp;nbsp; We can accept a politics that breeds division, and conflict, and cynicism.&amp;nbsp; We can tackle race only as spectacle &amp;ndash; as we did in the OJ trial &amp;ndash; or in the wake of tragedy, as we did in the aftermath of Katrina - or as fodder for the nightly news.&amp;nbsp; We can play Reverend Wright&amp;rsquo;s sermons on every channel, every day and talk about them from now until the election, and make the only question in this campaign whether or not the American people think that I somehow believe or sympathize with his most offensive words.&amp;nbsp; We can pounce on some gaffe by a Hillary supporter as evidence that she&amp;rsquo;s playing the race card, or we can speculate on whether white men will all flock to John McCain in the general election regardless of his policies.  We can do that. &amp;nbsp;  But if we do, I can tell you that in the next election, we&amp;rsquo;ll be talking about some other distraction.&amp;nbsp; And then another one.&amp;nbsp; And then another one.&amp;nbsp; And nothing will change.&amp;nbsp;   That is one option.&amp;nbsp; Or, at this moment, in this election, we can come together and say, &amp;ldquo;Not this time.&amp;rdquo;&amp;nbsp; This time we want to talk about the crumbling schools that are stealing the future of black children and white children and Asian children and Hispanic children and Native American children.&amp;nbsp; This time we want to reject the cynicism that tells us that these kids can&amp;rsquo;t learn; that those kids who don&amp;rsquo;t look like us are somebody else&amp;rsquo;s problem.&amp;nbsp; The children of America are not those kids, they are our kids, and we will not let them fall behind in a 21st century economy.&amp;nbsp; Not this time.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;   This time we want to talk about how the lines in the Emergency Room are filled with whites and blacks and Hispanics who do not have health care; who don&amp;rsquo;t have the power on their own to overcome the special interests in Washington, but who can take them on if we do it together.&amp;nbsp;   This time we want to talk about the shuttered mills that once provided a decent life for men and women of every race, and the homes for sale that once belonged to Americans from every religion, every region, every walk of life.&amp;nbsp; This time we want to talk about the fact that the real problem is not that someone who doesn&amp;rsquo;t look like you might take your job; it&amp;rsquo;s that the corporation you work for will ship it overseas for nothing more than a profit.&amp;nbsp;   This time we want to talk about the men and women of every color and creed who serve together, and fight together, and bleed together under the same proud flag.&amp;nbsp; We want to talk about how to bring them home from a war that never should&amp;rsquo;ve been authorized and never should&amp;rsquo;ve been waged, and we want to talk about how we&amp;rsquo;ll show our patriotism by caring for them, and their families, and giving them the benefits they have earned.&amp;nbsp;   I would not be running for President if I didn&amp;rsquo;t believe with all my heart that this is what the vast majority of Americans want for this country.&amp;nbsp; This union may never be perfect, but generation after generation has shown that it can always be perfected.&amp;nbsp; And today, whenever I find myself feeling doubtful or cynical about this possibility, what gives me the most hope is the next generation &amp;ndash; the young people whose attitudes and beliefs and openness to change have already made history in this election.&amp;nbsp;   There is one story in particularly that I&amp;rsquo;d like to leave you with today &amp;ndash; a story I told when I had the great honor of speaking on Dr. King&amp;rsquo;s birthday at his home church, Ebenezer Baptist, in Atlanta.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;   There is a young, twenty-three year old white woman named Ashley Baia who organized for our campaign in Florence, South Carolina.&amp;nbsp; She had been working to organize a mostly African-American community since the beginning of this campaign, and one day she was at a roundtable discussion where everyone went around telling their story and why they were there.&amp;nbsp;   And Ashley said that when she was nine years old, her mother got cancer.&amp;nbsp; And because she had to miss days of work, she was let go and lost her health care.&amp;nbsp; They had to file for bankruptcy, and that&amp;rsquo;s when Ashley decided that she had to do something to help her mom.  She knew that food was one of their most expensive costs, and so Ashley convinced her mother that what she really liked and really wanted to eat more than anything else was mustard and relish sandwiches.&amp;nbsp; Because that was the cheapest way to eat.   She did this for a year until her mom got better, and she told everyone at the roundtable that the reason she joined our campaign was so that she could help the millions of other children in the country who want and need to help their parents too.  Now Ashley might have made a different choice.&amp;nbsp; Perhaps somebody told her along the way that the source of her mother&amp;rsquo;s problems were blacks who were on welfare and too lazy to work, or Hispanics who were coming into the country illegally.&amp;nbsp; But she didn&amp;rsquo;t.&amp;nbsp; She sought out allies in her fight against injustice.  Anyway, Ashley finishes her story and then goes around the room and asks everyone else why they&amp;rsquo;re supporting the campaign.&amp;nbsp; They all have different stories and reasons.&amp;nbsp; Many bring up a specific issue.&amp;nbsp; And finally they come to this elderly black man who&amp;rsquo;s been sitting there quietly the entire time.&amp;nbsp; And Ashley asks him why he&amp;rsquo;s there.&amp;nbsp; And he does not bring up a specific issue.&amp;nbsp; He does not say health care or the economy.&amp;nbsp; He does not say education or the war.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; He does not say that he was there because of Barack Obama.&amp;nbsp; He simply says to everyone in the room, &amp;ldquo;I am here because of Ashley.&amp;rdquo;&amp;nbsp;   &amp;ldquo;I&amp;rsquo;m here because of Ashley.&amp;rdquo;&amp;nbsp; By itself, that single moment of recognition between that young white girl and that old black man is not enough.&amp;nbsp; It is not enough to give health care to the sick, or jobs to the jobless, or education to our children.  But it is where we start.&amp;nbsp; It is where our union grows stronger.&amp;nbsp; And as so many generations have come to realize over the course of the two-hundred and twenty one years since a band of patriots signed that document in Philadelphia, that is where the perfection begins.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; " title="&quot;A More Perfect Union&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-06-20 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/amandascott/gG5hzk" rowid="42054871" side="oba" srcid="275544" text="More than 50,000 people have declared their independence from a broken campaign finance system since Barack&amp;#39;s announcement yesterday morning. The majority of our supporters are everyday Americans, giving small amounts whenever they can afford to. Barack takes pride in the grassroots movement that the campaign has built, because these same people are doing everything they can to get involved and &amp;ldquo;own&amp;rdquo; a piece of this historic moment. Gaea is a supporter and a volunteer. She lives in Virginia, and works with Women for Obama in Washington, DC. She is a small-donor supporter who believes in Barack and his message.Barack Obama brings a level of sincerity and practical intelligence to the public sphere that I haven&amp;rsquo;t ever seen in my lifetime. &amp;nbsp;I believe Barack Obama holds, at the very center of his heart and mind, a true commitment and concern for the well being of all Americans and the future of our country. &amp;nbsp;So often, the airwaves are filled with a disingenuous, tongue-in-cheek dialogue of false debate. Barack Obama is a refreshing, hope inspiring alternative to business as usual. &amp;nbsp;It&amp;#39;s clear that the DNC is not yet strong enough to battle the RNC and conservative 527s effectively. &amp;nbsp;They don&amp;#39;t have the war chest or the track record of success... Barack will need all the resources possible to tell Americans how he&amp;#39;s going to help us and combat unfair tactics from the opposition. &amp;nbsp;The one thing we haven&amp;#39;t had in the past is financial resources -- and that makes a bigger difference when you&amp;#39;re the new kid on the block. &amp;nbsp;And, let&amp;#39;s not forget that his opponent tried to wiggle out of his obligations just a few months ago.So, as a small business owner struggling in this economy, I don&amp;#39;t really have the resources to even give the $10 that I did, but I believe in Barack Obama&amp;#39;s ability to lead us into a more promising future and I&amp;#39;m willing to set myself back a few dollars to support him.Every person will make an impact in this election. Every supporter will make a difference in this movement. Join the already thousands of Americans who want to make change and declare your independence from a broken system." title="&quot;A More Promising Future&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-10-13 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/amandascott/gGgFt5" rowid="42056809" side="oba" srcid="309207" text="&lt;p&gt;Our final video of the night is &amp;quot;A Mother's Promise,&amp;quot; the biography that was shown at the Democratic National Convention this August, moments before Barack took the stage to accept the nomination for president.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;It is also currently the feature video on our newly redesigned &lt;a&gt;BarackTV&lt;/a&gt; page: &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a&gt;BarackTV&lt;/a&gt; includes high quality versions of many of our best videos, with special playlists for everyone. Supporters can watch videos that introduce Barack, Michelle and Joe to America. They can watch the Road to Change videos from the primary season, favorite Barack speeches or feature videos hand-picked by the campaign's video team. 

Another great feature of &lt;a&gt;BarackTV&lt;/a&gt; is the channels. We have videos that cover almost all of the major issues and all of our constituent groups. If you are looking for a video that explains Barack's stand on &lt;a&gt;rural policy&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a&gt;healthcare&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a&gt;education&lt;/a&gt; or &lt;a&gt;civil rights&lt;/a&gt;, just visit the issues channel on BarackTV. If you are wanting to see videos focused on &lt;a&gt;African Americans&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a&gt;Latinos&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a&gt;Republicans&lt;/a&gt; or &lt;a&gt;Women&lt;/a&gt;, check out the people channel.

&lt;a&gt;BarackTV&lt;/a&gt; even offers videos in &lt;a&gt;Spanish&lt;/a&gt; and with &lt;a&gt;closed captioning&lt;/a&gt;. 

Twenty months, over 1,500 videos, countless stories. Your stories.&amp;nbsp; &lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;A Mother's Promise&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-07-15 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/amandascott/gGxkFr" rowid="42055242" side="oba" srcid="278990" text="&lt;p&gt;Barack delivered a speech on the war in Iraq and national security in Washington, DC this morning. He laid out his strategy for making America safer: ending the war in Iraq responsibly; finishing the fight against al Qaeda and the Taliban; securing nuclear weapons and materials from terrorists and rogue states; achieving true energy security; and rebuilding our alliances to meet the challenges of the 21st century. He said... &lt;/p&gt;The attacks of September 11 brought this new reality into a terrible and ominous focus. On that bright and beautiful day, the world of peace and prosperity that was the legacy of our Cold War victory seemed to suddenly vanish under rubble, and twisted steel, and clouds of smoke.
 
 But the depth of this tragedy also drew out the decency and determination of our nation. At blood banks and vigils; in schools and in the United States Congress, Americans were united &amp;ndash; more united, even, than we were at the dawn of the Cold War. The world, too, was united against the perpetrators of this evil act, as old allies, new friends, and even long-time adversaries stood by our side. It was time &amp;ndash; once again &amp;ndash; for America&amp;rsquo;s might and moral suasion to be harnessed; it was time to once again shape a new security strategy for an ever-changing world. 
 
 Imagine, for a moment, what we could have done in those days, and months, and years after 9/11. 
 
 We could have deployed the full force of American power to hunt down and destroy Osama bin Laden, al Qaeda, the Taliban, and all of the terrorists responsible for 9/11, while supporting real security in Afghanistan. 
 
 We could have secured loose nuclear materials around the world, and updated a 20th century non-proliferation framework to meet the challenges of the 21st.
 
 We could have invested hundreds of billions of dollars in alternative sources of energy to grow our economy, save our planet, and end the tyranny of oil. 
 
 We could have strengthened old alliances, formed new partnerships, and renewed international institutions to advance peace and prosperity. 
 
 We could have called on a new generation to step into the strong currents of history, and to serve their country as troops and teachers, Peace Corps volunteers and police officers. 
 
 We could have secured our homeland&amp;mdash;investing in sophisticated new protection for our ports, our trains and our power plants. 
 
 We could have rebuilt our roads and bridges, laid down new rail and broadband and electricity systems, and made college affordable for every American to strengthen our ability to compete. 
 
 We could have done that. 
 
 Instead, we have lost thousands of American lives, spent nearly a trillion dollars, alienated allies and neglected emerging threats &amp;ndash; all in the cause of fighting a war for well over five years in a country that had absolutely nothing to do with the 9/11 attacks. 
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a&gt;Read the full remarks, as prepared for delivery...&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;A New Strategy for a New World&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-07-15 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/amandascott/gGxkFr" rowid="42055247" side="oba" srcid="279047" text="&lt;p&gt;Barack delivered a speech on the war in Iraq and national security in Washington, DC this morning. He laid out his strategy for making America safer: ending the war in Iraq responsibly; finishing the fight against al Qaeda and the Taliban; securing nuclear weapons and materials from terrorists and rogue states; achieving true energy security; and rebuilding our alliances to meet the challenges of the 21st century.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;He said... &lt;/p&gt;I am running for President of the United States to lead this country in a new direction &amp;ndash; to seize this moment&amp;rsquo;s promise. Instead of being distracted from the most pressing threats that we face, I want to overcome them. Instead of pushing the entire burden of our foreign policy on to the brave men and women of our military, I want to use all elements of American power to keep us safe, and prosperous, and free. Instead of alienating ourselves from the world, I want America &amp;ndash; once again &amp;ndash; to lead.

 As President, I will pursue a tough, smart and principled national security strategy &amp;ndash; one that recognizes that we have interests not just in Baghdad, but in Kandahar and Karachi, in Tokyo and London, in Beijing and Berlin. I will focus this strategy on five goals essential to making America safer: ending the war in Iraq responsibly; finishing the fight against al Qaeda and the Taliban; securing all nuclear weapons and materials from terrorists and rogue states; achieving true energy security; and rebuilding our alliances to meet the challenges of the 21st century.&lt;p&gt;Here are some pictures from the event...&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a&gt;Read the full remarks, as prepared for delivery...&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;A New Strategy for a New World&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-07-16 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/amandascott/gGxkFr" rowid="42055253" side="oba" srcid="279065" text="&lt;p&gt;Senator Obama delivered a speech on the war in Iraq and national security in Washington, DC this morning. He laid out his strategy for making America safer: ending the war in Iraq responsibly; finishing the fight against al Qaeda and the Taliban; securing nuclear weapons and materials from terrorists and rogue states; achieving true energy security; and rebuilding our alliances to meet the challenges of the 21st century.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;He said... &lt;/p&gt;I am running for President of the United States to lead this country in a new direction &amp;ndash; to seize this moment&amp;rsquo;s promise. Instead of being distracted from the most pressing threats that we face, I want to overcome them. Instead of pushing the entire burden of our foreign policy on to the brave men and women of our military, I want to use all elements of American power to keep us safe, and prosperous, and free. Instead of alienating ourselves from the world, I want America &amp;ndash; once again &amp;ndash; to lead.

 As President, I will pursue a tough, smart and principled national security strategy &amp;ndash; one that recognizes that we have interests not just in Baghdad, but in Kandahar and Karachi, in Tokyo and London, in Beijing and Berlin. I will focus this strategy on five goals essential to making America safer: ending the war in Iraq responsibly; finishing the fight against al Qaeda and the Taliban; securing all nuclear weapons and materials from terrorists and rogue states; achieving true energy security; and rebuilding our alliances to meet the challenges of the 21st century.&lt;p&gt;Here are some pictures from the event...&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a&gt;Read the full remarks, as prepared for delivery...&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;A New Strategy for a New World&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-07-30 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/amandascott/gGx7tJ" rowid="42055405" side="oba" srcid="298411" text="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In the month of June, thousands of ordinary people from across the country contributed to building our campaign for change. Many were first-time donors, giving only what they could afford.&amp;nbsp; The average donation was just $68! Here are just a few comments of the many grassroots supporters who donated in June...&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Donna in &lt;a&gt;Pennsylvania&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;I was trying to donate $25 a month, but with the rise in gas prices and everything else, money has gotten tighter. Everything has gone up but my wages. However, I know how important the next president is, so I am cutting out some of my tiny simple pleasures to be able to send you my hard-earned cash. Please spend it wisely.&lt;p&gt;Annette in &lt;a&gt;Florida&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;I just donated to the campaign for the second time (my husband has donated as well), and we are waiting on the arrival of our yard sign and buttons to show our support. I signed up last night to volunteer to help canvass for Barack Obama. And I found out the new Fort Myers, Florida campaign office is just down the street. This is really the first time I have been this involved in any political campaign. Mr. Obama is truly an inspirational candidate. 
&lt;p&gt;Esther in &lt;a&gt;California&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;Never before have I been so aligned with a candidate that I was willing to donate to the campaign. Barack has touched my core with hope, trust, and a belief that change can happen and I can participate in the process. Although I am 64, I share the enthusiasm of a new generation that is more readily able to embrace the idea that we can change. We must change. We must be real.&lt;p&gt;Michel in &lt;a&gt;Virginia&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;When I look at Barack Obama, I see a renaissance man who represents commitment to marriage, family, and country. He is the epitome of a strong, classy administrator and political leader. Without equivocation, I have been able to point to Mr. Obama and tell my students that they can indeed change the world as they pursue their dreams.

Although I am a Republican at heart, I will be voting for Barack Obama this year. Incidentally, this is the first time in my life that I have ever donated money to any candidate running for a political office. Thanks for making every aspect of the campaign process so accessible. 
&lt;p&gt;Karen in &lt;a&gt;Massachusettes&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;This campaign has been very exciting for me. Not only do I see Obama as a once in a lifetime kind of great leader, but the way the campaign is being run and the grassroots focus has enthralled me. I wish I could contribute more financially but my situation, like many people&amp;rsquo;s, does not allow for much extra spending money.

I will, however pledge, to donate $5 a week from now until the election. I think most of us can find a way to absorb a $5 deduction from our weekly paychecks, and it is great to feel that it can actually make a difference. Good job, Barack, for encouraging this type of grassroots campaign, and good job to all you who are working so hard to make it work!
&lt;p&gt;Cari in &lt;a&gt;Kansas&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;This is only my second time to donate, and I feel grateful that I am able to be a part of this campaign in some way. My passion for this wave of hope and change began over a year and a half ago while reading The Audacity of Hope. It has continued to inspire me since then, and I am willing to tell anybody and everybody that Barack Obama is a qualified candidate who will help us innovate and achieve the new American Dream. 
&lt;p&gt;Our grassroots supporters continue to prove what ordinary Americans committed to change can accomplish, despite the Washington lobbyists and special interest PACs&amp;rsquo; funding so much of our opponents' campaign.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;But we can't stop now. We must work together and fight back against their efforts.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;a&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;A Part Of The Campaign&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2007-04-13 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/samgrahamfelsen/CZ2p" rowid="42050845" side="oba" srcid="278070" text="Jane P. is a retired educator from Pinopolis, South Carolina. She worked for decades as a teacher, principal, and eventually, a superintendent in the South Carolina public schools. Throughout her career, Jane specifically sought out the most underprivileged schools to work in. &amp;quot;It&amp;#39;s just a calling, I guess,&amp;quot; says Jane.Like Barack, Jane moved around a lot as a child. Her father was in the military, and so her family bounced around from South Carolina to Maryland to France to Morocco. &amp;quot;I grew up with a tradition of duty and self-sacrifice,&amp;quot; she says. &amp;quot;I think in all our military families, there&amp;#39;s just this tremendous sense of service. I&amp;#39;ve been blessed with wonderful parents and a strong family support system, and they just instilled in me, early on, that serving.&amp;quot;Right out of college, Jane started her career as a teacher in the Birmingham, Alabama public schools. The year was 1968. A few years earlier, Birmingham police commissioner Bull Connor had unleashed dogs and fire-hoses on peaceful civil rights demonstrators. That very year, Alabama&amp;#39;s schools had been desegregated for the first time. &amp;quot;But in reality, there was no integration,&amp;quot; says Jane, &amp;quot;because white parents simply refused to send their children to public schools.&amp;quot; Jane&amp;#39;s school, which was entirely composed of black students, had been deeply neglected. Furniture was old and often broken. Text books were tattered and &amp;quot;hopelessly outdated.&amp;quot; One day, the roof of the school gym collapsed. &amp;quot;Luckily, it happened to fall on a weekend, and so no one was hurt,&amp;quot; Jane says. Jane was assigned to teach tenth graders, many of whom had been so neglected that they could barely read. I was trained as an English teacher. Nobody ever taught me how to teach reading. So i went back to school and took elemnetray reading courses just to learn how to teach my kids... I became a reading teacher by default.&lt;p&gt;Months after Jane began teaching, Martin Luther King, who penned his great letter from the Birmingham City Jail, was shot dead. Jane remembers the &amp;quot;tremendous sadness&amp;quot; in her classroom the day Dr. King died. Her students had lost their hero, and along with him, much of their hope. &amp;quot;It was a terribly distressing time,&amp;quot; she says. For the next three decades Jane remained in the South Carolina public schools. She&amp;#39;s been around long enough to understand the complexities of education policy and she has a lot to say about how we&amp;#39;re failing America&amp;#39;s students, especially poor ones. That&amp;#39;s why she attended today&amp;#39;s education town meting event with Barack in Florence, South Carolina. Below is a picture of Jane and a shot of students from her former school district.  &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Im a pragmatist politically,&amp;quot; says Jane, &amp;quot;but also an incredible optimist.&amp;quot; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;She calls Bush&amp;#39;s No Child Left Behind plan &amp;quot;a farce,&amp;quot; and says &amp;quot;not only is it underfunded, but it tries to punish students into getting better. That&amp;#39;s not how learning works.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;And it&amp;#39;s completely unfair with regard to second language learners and special education students. You&amp;#39;ve got kids whove been in this country less than a year and they have to take the same test everyone else takes in English! I have sat with kids who were mentally retarded and had to take that test at grade level and just cried because they just couldn&amp;#39;t do it. Jane says that among many other necessary advances, two major steps must be taken to start improving America&amp;#39;s education system: stronger early childhood education and stronger vocational training for high school students.She also says that we need to solve our health care crisis if we really want to tackle our educational crisis. I care about universal health care deeply because pre-natal and early childhood care affects people&amp;#39;s ability to learn. In the district I worked in, 92% of students qualified for free or reduced-priced lunch. Those kids used the emergency room for health care. They didn&amp;#39;t get any preventative care. We had a much higher than average number of kids in special education, and I trace that to inadequate pre-natal and early childhood care. &lt;p&gt;But before any of these issues can be addressed, Jane believes America must move beyond the current climate of fierce partisanship. &amp;quot;Partisanship is a huge barrier to getting education issues solved,&amp;quot; she says. &amp;quot;People are just so polarized and what they fail to realize that it&amp;#39;s not what we disagree on what moves us forward. It&amp;#39;s what we can manage to agree on.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;I&amp;#39;m optimistic about Senator Obama because he understands that what we need to ask is, &amp;#39;What is it we have in common? What is it that makes us better?&amp;#39;&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;A pragmatist politically, but also an incredible optimist&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-07-31 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/amandascott/gGx4sk" rowid="42055413" side="oba" srcid="298476" text="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;All across this country, people are feeling the effects of the slowing economy and the costs of war. But even though people are struggling, our supporters are finding reasons to get active and bring hope and change to their communities.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Leslie in &lt;a&gt;Connecticut&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;I'm a single mom (my son is 9-months-old) struggling to pay the bills &amp;ndash; the old cliche, I know&amp;hellip;
I took a year off from work to be home with my son and care for him while he was so small. I have been living off savings. I donate to Barack in hopes of universal health care for me and my child. No one should have to worry about what to do if their child gets sick.

My niece who is 9-years-old may have leukemia. We are waiting on blood tests to confirm the diagnosis. My sister, her mom, has only the state-sponsored care for her so she will get minimal treatment at best. It breaks my heart, and I will spend my last dollar to help to get her the best care, but we shouldn't have to....

I hope Barack will help people like me and my family improve our lives. Good Luck! I can't wait to go and fill in my bubble on the electronic scan sheet for you! God Bless and God Speed toward victory!
&lt;p&gt;Rob in &lt;a&gt;Washington&lt;/a&gt;: &lt;/p&gt;I, like millions of Americans, have become increasingly disappointed and angered by the policies of our government. I've never followed politics with the passion I have since first listening to Senator Obama's message of hope for the future.

As a teacher, my financial commitment towards his campaign is minimal -- two small donations of $25 -- but they represent the colossal change I sense is possible with Senator Obama's plan.

I've never donated before. Never read the book of a candidate before. Never considered going to a political rally.

My story is simple. It is like those of millions of other Americans. We are fed up with the failed policies and empty rhetoric of our current leaders and are encouraged and united by the hope that Senator Obama and his beautiful family bring forth. 
&lt;p&gt;Yvonne in &lt;a&gt;Colorado&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt; As a 58-year-old white woman, maybe I don't fit the statistics of Obama supporters, but I have never been more energized to support a candidate in my life.

We need a leader who can inspire, who is discerning and thoughtful and who believes in the potential of the American people.

Never before have I donated money to a campaign, and now I have also been moved to get out of my comfort zone and make phone calls! Thank you, Senator Obama, for providing me with a reason to get active. I am ready to do more!
&lt;p&gt;We've already accomplished so much together. But this grassroots movement won't just happen on its own.&amp;nbsp; We rely on supporters like you need to help make it happen. &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;a&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;A Reason To Get Active&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-08-24 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/amandascott/gG5ss9" rowid="42055770" side="oba" srcid="301922" text="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Obama supporters have been sharing their stories and personal messages with the new Democratic nominee for Vice President Joe Biden. The responses have been overwhelming, filled with hope and excitement for the new running mate. Here are some of the welcome messages you are sharing:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Sherry in Michigan:&lt;/p&gt;Joe -

I've always appreciated your &amp;quot;real straight talk&amp;quot; and your obvious knowledge of all the issues.&amp;nbsp; You will certainly be a great addition to this ticket and a wonderful advocate for the change that needs to occur in this country.&amp;nbsp; You and Barack can turn things around.&amp;nbsp; 

Personally, I admire and share your values and commitment.&amp;nbsp; As a retired woman, a college grad from a middle class background, I've seen a lot of history and a lot of empty rhetoric from politicians but you and Barack offer the real deal!&lt;p&gt;Carol in Arizona:&lt;/p&gt;Hello Joe Biden!

I am very happy that you are Barack Obama's vice presidential choice. I like that Barack wants a VP who will work along side him and who will challenge him. I trust that you are exactly the right person to do just that!

My story is that I am a woman from Tucson, Arizona, who was raised in a conservative Republican home, but who became disenchanted with those beliefs in my early 20's.&amp;nbsp; I became an Independent for awhile, but then I registered as a Democrat so that I could vote in the primary elections. 

I've raised five kids, mostly alone, and now have raised two of my grandsons and a third one for awhile, entirely alone.&amp;nbsp; I am still raising my 21-year-old deaf and moderately developmentally delayed grandson, as well as a 23-year-old autistic, severely developmentally delayed and epileptic foster son.

I am sickened by the way this country has gone during the last eight years.&amp;nbsp; We need to become a nation with honor again, to go back to governing according to our Constitution, to go back to good-paying jobs for our people who just want to support their families and live in a decent home, to have affordable health care and medications for everyone, to have social services in place for those who desperately need them, to have other countries in the world look at us with admiration and trust again.

Welcome to the Democratic ticket, Joe!&amp;nbsp; We love you.

Carol&lt;p&gt;Sharon in Maryland:&lt;/p&gt;Dear Senator Biden:

I am thrilled to learn that you have joined Barack Obama on this historic presidential ticket.&amp;nbsp; At age 48, this is the first presidential election that I have become involved with, and I've been working as a volunteer for the campaign since Barack Obama announced in 2007.&amp;nbsp; As a matter of fact, I worked in Wilmington for the week leading up to the primary election there and I got to know some wonderful people.

I am so excited that you will bring your experience to this ticket, and I know that you will help us seal the deal with many of the undecided Americans still out there.

Welcome aboard!&amp;nbsp; Enjoy the experience, and let's bring this home and change this country.&amp;nbsp; Let's make America great again.

Sincerely,
Sharon&lt;p&gt;Richard in Georgia:&lt;/p&gt;Welcome to the ticket Senator Biden. I'm glad that you were Senator Obama's choice. We need a strong ticket to defeat the Republicans in November!

I truly believe that if we have another four years of the current administration's style policies, the country would be in such a poor shape both economically and the standing of the USA in the world. We've been badly damaged over the last eight years but I feel with your and Senator Obama's leadership, we can recover but it will take time. 

Again Congratulations in being the best pick that could have been made! My whole family is pleased with your name being put up for Vice President!

Sincerely,
Richard&lt;p&gt;Lois in Indiana:&lt;/p&gt;Welcome Joe to the movement for change and being our future Vice President! This is going to be a tough election to win. But I think you will be there fighting right with Barack.&amp;nbsp; 

I am a grandmother on disability. I can barely make ends meet now.&amp;nbsp; I'm afraid of losing my home. There is not much I can do to help or make it to meetings or gatherings. But have been trying to use my internet to spread the word and encourage people to join in and vote. I will be cheering for you and Barack all the way.&amp;nbsp; We need a change! 

Sincerely, Lois&lt;p&gt;Sherre in Colorado:&lt;/p&gt;Congratulations!&amp;nbsp; I had you picked from the very beginning!&amp;nbsp; I knew you would and will bring to the Presidency and the Vice Presidency everything that will make the change happen. 

My husband and I are facing financial ruin, losing our home, declaring bankruptcy and facing becoming part of the largest number of &amp;quot;middle income American homeless.&amp;quot;&amp;nbsp; The American dream has become the American nightmare but with this Obama-Biden team we can save all that has been lost and and bring the nightmare to an end.&amp;nbsp; I only hope, like many Americans, that we can hold on long enough until the turnaround begins.&amp;nbsp; Our hopes, dreams, homes and very lives are at stake. 

Welcome, we need a fighter, a diplomat and person with the experience needed in these very serious and dire times.

Sincerely, 
Sherre

PS -- I will be working hard for the election - nothing can be taken for granted!&lt;p&gt;Please take a minute to &lt;a&gt;share your story with Joe &lt;/a&gt;&lt;a&gt;and welcome him&lt;/a&gt; into our movement for change. For those of you who are from Delaware and know Joe best, we'd love to &lt;a&gt;hear your experiences as a constituent&lt;/a&gt; of Senator Biden's. &lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;A Strong Ticket&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-09-25 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/amandascott/gGgsVF" rowid="42056419" side="oba" srcid="306341" text="&lt;p&gt;CHICAGO, IL &amp;ndash; Today, the Obama-Biden campaign released a new 60 second TV ad, A Stronger Economy, which has Senator Obama telling the American people what he will do as President to put the middle class first and get our economy back on track. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Watch A Stronger Economy below...&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a&gt;Donate today&lt;/a&gt; to help put this ad on the air.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;A Stronger Economy&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-09-27 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/amandascott/gGgdC4" rowid="42056450" side="oba" srcid="306703" text="&lt;p&gt;The first question of the debate tonight was in reference to the current financial crisis.&amp;nbsp; Here are&amp;nbsp; the following principles that Senator Obama believes should guide legislation designed to address the current economic rescue plan:&lt;/p&gt;First, there must be oversight. We should not hand over a blank check to the discretion of one man. We support an independent, bipartisan board to ensure accountability and complete transparency.

Second, we need to protect taxpayers. There should be a path for taxpayers to recover their money, and to turn a profit if Wall Street prospers.

Third, no Wall Street executive should profit from taxpayer dollars. This plan cannot be a welfare program for CEOs whose greed and irresponsibility has contributed to this crisis.

Fourth, we must help families who are struggling to stay in their homes. We cannot bail out Wall Street without helping millions of families facing foreclosure on Main Street.

Fifth, we both agree that this financial rescue package should move on its own without any earmarks or other measures. We have different views about the need for other action, but this must be a clean bill.

This is a time to rise above politics for the good of the country. We cannot risk an economic catastrophe. This is not a Democratic problem or a Republican problem &amp;ndash; this is an American problem. Now, we must find an American solution.&lt;p&gt;In Barack's most recent video, a direct to camera released yesterday, he talks specifically to Americans about how he will strengthen the middle class and help get the economy back on track. Watch the video &amp;quot;A stronger economy&amp;quot; below... &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Visit &lt;a&gt;BarackObama.com/plan&lt;/a&gt; for more on Senator Obama's plan to bring about real change to our economy.&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;A Stronger Economy&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-07-18 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/amandascott/gGxPhm" rowid="42055288" side="oba" srcid="279787" text="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Every Obama supporter has a story. They each have a unique background that shapes why they are voting for Barack. And &lt;a&gt;veterans&lt;/a&gt; are no different. All across the country, Veterans are coming together to support Obama for numerous reasons. Here are just a few of their stories...&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Thomas in Tennessee:&lt;/p&gt;My vision of the United States is one of greatness tempered with understanding.&amp;nbsp; I envision my President as a man who knows where I have been, who knows what it takes to make ends meet and who will listen. 

I can see Barack standing at a gas pump, filling his own vehicle and wondering why he is paying $4.00 a gallon for the fuel.&amp;nbsp; I see him wondering why soldiers are dying everyday and being forsaken at home.&amp;nbsp; I see him wondering why grandmothers are worried about paying for their medical care or freezing to death.&amp;nbsp; I see him wondering why middle class Americans are thinking, &amp;quot;Do I pay this new mortgage payment or buy food?&amp;quot;&amp;nbsp; I see him wondering why a middle class family is at the bank cashing in their retirement savings to pay for their child's college education. &amp;nbsp;

And finally, I see him filled with a desire, a desire to be a president who not only listens but who also hears.&amp;nbsp; I know he will not forsake his people but will be a President of monumental stature.&lt;p&gt;Jim in Florida:&lt;/p&gt;It's time for a change.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; My name is Jim and I am a retired US Army veteran. I served our country in uniform for over 20 years.&amp;nbsp; I have been a Republican for the last 20 years but then something changed. I changed. I found something that can reshape America and the view that the world has of our great nation. 

I found something that can inspire my generation and the next generation of Americans. It has inspired me to examine my core beliefs and dedicate myself to asking what is right for America at this crucial point in our Nations history.

Senator Obama's message of transformation had led me to rededicate myself to participate in a cause greater than myself, to examine what truly matters to me. 

I care deeply for this country and the time for change is now!&amp;nbsp; We have an opportunity to change the world and inspire people in a global community. 

I support Barrack Obama for President of the United States! Change is on the way.&lt;p&gt;Ken in Minnesota:&lt;/p&gt;We need someone who understands the meaning of the middle class as President. Someone who is not blinded to the existence of the working American by privilege or status. Someone who is more interested in the humanity of America than being lobbied by the status quo or the desire to be a career politician. 

America needs a fresh voice. A sincere voice. An overwhelming American voice. America does not need another politician. America needs and deserves a President that will show the faces and the will of the American people, not the facade of the personal wealth of those in the American government. 

There is no single person better suited to accomplishing this task than Barack. The paradigms under which the many past administrations have operated are no longer valid. Our country needs change. He is the instrument of that change.&lt;p&gt;Chad in Colorado&lt;/p&gt;I am on active duty military, and have, along with many of my peers, voted for the Republican party.&amp;nbsp; I am not happy about the direction that the Republicans have taken this country and I am truly excited about Barack Obama.&amp;nbsp; I believe he is sincere, and that he will take our country forward. &amp;nbsp;

I've served two combat tours in Iraq, and I think we need a change in our current policy.&amp;nbsp; I feel that Obama can deliver that change.&amp;nbsp; I've never researched a candidate in so much depth, and I absolutely agree with his position on several key issues.&amp;nbsp; I am excited about his potential as the next President, and I am committed to helping any way I can, even if in a small way by donating. I am surprised that many of my fellow soldiers are of the same opinion.&amp;nbsp; Barack Obama is indeed the candidate that offers the most hope to propel us into a bright future.&lt;p&gt;Chris, who is stationed in Japan:&lt;/p&gt;Let me start by saying that I never would have believed that I would find myself on a Democratic candidate's website pledging my support. I am a 34-year-old Iraq war vet and the spouse of a Navy nurse stationed in Okinawa, Japan. In addition, I am a card carrying Republican and former Congressional staffer for a southern California congressman and political consultant for several campaigns. I even co-managed the Bush 2000 campaign in San Diego county. 

With that being said, I will tell you why I, a Republican and a vet, support Mr. Obama. The reason is simple and is the main message: Change! I believe Americans need to feel inspired in this time of uncertainty and Mr. Obama is a symbol of hope and a new direction for America. I know it has been said already, but he truly is my generations JFK.

In addition to my vote, I will also do what I can here to win military votes for Mr. Obama. I believe that Obama has a wonderful opportunity to cut into the traditional Republican voting bloc of military voters. 

So good luck to Mr. Obama and I look forward to voting for him in the general.&lt;p&gt;Visit our&lt;a&gt; Veterans for Obama&lt;/a&gt; page to &lt;a&gt;join the veterans community&lt;/a&gt; and learn more about &lt;a&gt;Barack's plans for Veterans&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;A Symbol Of New Direction&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-07-19 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/amandascott/gGxPhm" rowid="42055290" side="oba" srcid="279819" text="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Every Obama supporter has a story. They each have a unique background that shapes why they are voting for Barack. And &lt;a&gt;veterans&lt;/a&gt; are no different. All across the country, veterans are coming together to support Obama for numerous reasons. Here are just a few of their stories...&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Thomas in Tennessee:&lt;/p&gt;My vision of the United States is one of greatness tempered with understanding.&amp;nbsp; I envision my President as a man who knows where I have been, who knows what it takes to make ends meet and who will listen. 

I can see Barack standing at a gas pump, filling his own vehicle and wondering why he is paying $4.00 a gallon for the fuel.&amp;nbsp; I see him wondering why soldiers are dying everyday and being forsaken at home.&amp;nbsp; I see him wondering why grandmothers are worried about paying for their medical care or freezing to death.&amp;nbsp; I see him wondering why middle class Americans are thinking, &amp;quot;Do I pay this new mortgage payment or buy food?&amp;quot;&amp;nbsp; I see him wondering why a middle class family is at the bank cashing in their retirement savings to pay for their child's college education. &amp;nbsp;

And finally, I see him filled with a desire, a desire to be a president who not only listens but who also hears.&amp;nbsp; I know he will not forsake his people but will be a President of monumental stature.&lt;p&gt;Jim in Florida:&lt;/p&gt;It's time for a change.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; My name is Jim and I am a retired US Army veteran. I served our country in uniform for over 20 years.&amp;nbsp; I have been a Republican for the last 20 years but then something changed. I changed. I found something that can reshape America and the view that the world has of our great nation. 

I found something that can inspire my generation and the next generation of Americans. It has inspired me to examine my core beliefs and dedicate myself to asking what is right for America at this crucial point in our Nations history.

Senator Obama's message of transformation had led me to rededicate myself to participate in a cause greater than myself, to examine what truly matters to me. 

I care deeply for this country and the time for change is now!&amp;nbsp; We have an opportunity to change the world and inspire people in a global community. 

I support Barrack Obama for President of the United States! Change is on the way.&lt;p&gt;Ken in Minnesota:&lt;/p&gt;We need someone who understands the meaning of the middle class as President. Someone who is not blinded to the existence of the working American by privilege or status. Someone who is more interested in the humanity of America than being lobbied by the status quo or the desire to be a career politician. 

America needs a fresh voice. A sincere voice. An overwhelming American voice. America does not need another politician. America needs and deserves a President that will show the faces and the will of the American people, not the facade of the personal wealth of those in the American government. 

There is no single person better suited to accomplishing this task than Barack. The paradigms under which the many past administrations have operated are no longer valid. Our country needs change. He is the instrument of that change.&lt;p&gt;Chad in Colorado:&lt;/p&gt;I am on active duty military, and have, along with many of my peers, voted for the Republican Party.&amp;nbsp; I am not happy about the direction that the Republicans have taken this country and I am truly excited about Barack Obama.&amp;nbsp; I believe he is sincere, and that he will take our country forward. &amp;nbsp;

I've served two combat tours in Iraq, and I think we need a change in our current policy.&amp;nbsp; I feel that Obama can deliver that change.&amp;nbsp; I've never researched a candidate in so much depth, and I absolutely agree with his position on several key issues.&amp;nbsp; I am excited about his potential as the next President, and I am committed to helping any way I can, even if in a small way by donating. I am surprised that many of my fellow soldiers are of the same opinion.&amp;nbsp; Barack Obama is indeed the candidate that offers the most hope to propel us into a bright future.&lt;p&gt;Chris, who is stationed in Japan:&lt;/p&gt;Let me start by saying that I never would have believed that I would find myself on a Democratic candidate's website pledging my support. I am a 34-year-old Iraq war vet and the spouse of a Navy nurse stationed in Okinawa, Japan. In addition, I am a card-carrying Republican and former Congressional staffer for a Southern California congressman and political consultant for several campaigns. I even co-managed the Bush 2000 campaign in San Diego county. 

With that being said, I will tell you why I, a Republican and a vet, support Mr. Obama. The reason is simple and is the main message: Change! I believe Americans need to feel inspired in this time of uncertainty and Mr. Obama is a symbol of hope and a new direction for America. I know it has been said already, but he truly is my generation's JFK.

In addition to my vote, I will also do what I can here to win military votes for Mr. Obama. I believe that Obama has a wonderful opportunity to cut into the traditional Republican voting bloc of military voters. 

So good luck to Mr. Obama and I look forward to voting for him in the general.&lt;p&gt;Visit our&lt;a&gt; Veterans for Obama&lt;/a&gt; page to &lt;a&gt;join the veterans community&lt;/a&gt; and learn more about &lt;a&gt;Barack's plans for veterans&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;A Symbol Of New Direction&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2007-06-29 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/alexmaccallum/CXp2" rowid="42051077" side="oba" srcid="277838" text="Alyson, a special education teacher from Halethorpe, Maryland, supports Barack because she cares deeply about our broken healthcare system. She worries about the children she teaches who aren&amp;#39;t covered by Medicaid and who don&amp;#39;t have access to basic healthcare. Barack, she says, has made a firm commitment to fixing the health care system.Alyson watched Barack live last night from Howard University gymnasium, and explained why she thinks the country needs the unifying power Barack can provide.One child that I teach lives in a public housing community. There&amp;#39;s violence and drug dealing &amp;ndash; he&amp;#39;s exposed to things that no five-year-old should be. He threatens people with knives; he got access to a BB gun. He&amp;#39;s a sweet, sweet child and in the right environment would be. His mom is a recovering meth addict, but he has this wonderful grandmother who is fully capable of taking care of him. But if his grandmother takes him, he loses Medicaid so won&amp;#39;t have medical coverage. So he lives in this unsafe environment or his grandma is stuck with taking on this child with all these issues, and paying for all his doctor&amp;#39;s bills, which she can&amp;#39;t afford.I see what happens when the most vulnerable members of our community are denied health services. Barack&amp;#39;s making a really firm commitment to fix the healthcare system by the end of his first term. Given all that he&amp;#39;s accomplished in the little time he&amp;#39;s been in government, I think he can make it happen.Barack brings people together, and represents this country as a whole. He&amp;#39;ll bring people together from a wide variety of communities, locally, nationally, and internationally. His unifying power really draws me to him.He&amp;#39;ll be a unifying presence for the country whether he&amp;#39;s President or not, but the country really needs him. We need the kind of moral guidance he would provide.Share your story and donate here." title="&quot;A Unifying Presence for the Country&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-10-09 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/stateupdates/gGgPXq" rowid="42056724" side="oba" srcid="308594" text="&lt;p&gt;The Obama campaign's national voter registration drive officially kicked off on May 10, nearly five months ago. At the time, it represented a massive commitment in money and manpower with no guaranteed return. To some, it could have looked like a costly gamble. But five months later, with voter registration deadlines nearing or having already passed in many states, the impact of this effort is beginning to come into view. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Sunday's &lt;a&gt;Washington Post&lt;/a&gt; reported:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In the past year, the rolls have expanded by about 4 million voters in a dozen key states -- 11 Obama targets that were carried by George W. Bush in 2004 (Ohio, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Virginia, Indiana, Missouri, Colorado, Iowa, Nevada and New Mexico) plus Pennsylvania, the largest state carried by Sen. John F. Kerry that Sen. John McCain is targeting. 

  In Florida, Democratic registration gains this year are more than double those made by Republicans; in Colorado and Nevada the ratio is 4 to 1, and in North Carolina it is 6 to 1. 

...The Obama campaign says it expects the numbers of new voters in swing states to swell even more later this month as elections offices process the tens of thousands of registrations still pouring in. And it exudes confidence about its ability to turn the new voters out with a vigorous follow-up operation. &amp;quot;This a lesson we learned. The old-fashioned way of registering voters was to stand on the corner of the street, stand on the campus quad and register one by one, which we still do,&amp;quot; said Jon Carson, the campaign's national field director. &amp;quot;But another important component is getting people the information they need to participate.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;For months now, we've shared stories of ordinary people who have given up their time and their labor to help register voters in their communities, one at a time. As &lt;a&gt;The Nation&lt;/a&gt; conceded:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The only way a campaign can implement a registration drive on a sufficient scale is to make sure that volunteers do the lion's share of the work. That's the reason the Obama campaign can take on Vote for Change: throughout the primary, it built a nationwide organization that not only draws in volunteers by the thousands but trains and empowers them to become de facto organizers.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;State by state, this grassroots effort has re-shaped the electoral map. A week ago, the &lt;a&gt;Washington Post&lt;/a&gt; reported that in September alone, 106,150 people had registered to vote in Virginia.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;[That] places Barack Obama's campaign ahead its goal of making sure 150,000 Virginians got added to the rolls in the months since the primaries ended (on top of the 142,000 Virginians who registered in the first five months of the year).

As it now stands, there have been 163,000 voters added to the rolls during the general election period, for a total of 305,000 new voters since the start of the year. And a few days still remain before the Oct. 6 registration deadline.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;As far back as September 10th, &lt;a&gt;TIME&lt;/a&gt; was reporting:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Three states &amp;mdash; Florida, Michigan and North Carolina &amp;mdash; have seen increases of more than 400,000 new voters, and 10 more states have recorded new registrations of more than 100,000. Though these numbers include registrants to all parties, in 14 of the states at least half of the new voters are under 35, a key demographic for Obama.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a&gt;Louisville Courier-Journal&lt;/a&gt; reported that as of last Thursday:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;With state and national polls indicating soaring interest in the Nov. 4 presidential election, voter registration in Kentucky and Indiana has hit an all-time high -- and is still growing.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;And from the &lt;a&gt;Los Angeles Times&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;For months, Barack Obama's presidential campaign said it would capture traditionally Republican states this fall by registering more African Americans, younger Americans and other voters, in essence reshaping the electorate. Now, the results of that ambitious effort are coming into view.

[Monday] is the deadline for new voters to register in many of the battleground states that will probably decide the election, including Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Florida, Indiana and Colorado. In some of these states, Obama and his allies have added substantial numbers of Democrats to the voting rolls.

As the balloting approaches, voter interest has reached a level that is leaving some state elections offices strained. Nancy Rodrigues, chief elections officer for Virginia, said she had recruited scores of volunteers just to answer phones. One day last week, her office was inundated with 8,000 calls.

... In Nevada, another Republican state that Obama is trying to move into the Democratic column, Democrats outnumber Republicans by more than 80,000, according to figures posted by the state in September, before the voter registration deadline last Saturday. Four years ago, Republicans held a registration edge of 4,431.

Democratic registration has ballooned in Pennsylvania, presenting a challenge to Republicans who hoped to swing the state to their column. Obama's party now outnumbers Republicans by nearly 1.15 million registered voters.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Again, from &lt;a&gt;The Nation&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Transmuting nonvoters into voters requires a tremendous amount of painstaking labor and a massive volunteer mobilization that few campaigns have the financial or organizational resources to pull off. Indeed, before Iowa, old hands were scoffing at Obama's plan to rely on new voters, particularly the young. But youth turnout in the caucus doubled, and young voters turned out (perhaps for the first time in American history) at the same rate as senior citizens did. Clearly, the Obama campaign had figured something out that others hadn't.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Five months later, it's becoming clear that this effort was not a gamble; it was an investment. It was an investment in direct democracy, but also in the grassroots movement that rose to the challenge and embraced voter registration as a way to return disenfranchised communities and disillusioned people to the political process. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;These numbers show that, as Barack said in the opening of his acceptance speech in Denver, something is happening in America. All across America, something is stirring.&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;All across America, something is stirring&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-08-01 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/amandascott/gGx4s8" rowid="42055425" side="oba" srcid="298677" text="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;This summer the Obama campaign is building a robust, 50-state campaign. We're going to make sure that every voice is heard and every supporter has a chance to get involved. Throughout the primaries, people declared their support for Barack and took action in their communities - and for many, this was their first political experience.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Martin in &lt;a&gt;Nevada&lt;/a&gt;: &lt;/p&gt;I am a self-employed Certified Public Accountant who started my own firm one year ago. Money is tight. We, my wife and two teenage children, have had to manage our money carefully and are able to make ends meet on my wife's earnings (she is working three jobs) plus my small contributions from my fledgling business. To date we have both donated to Barack Obama's campaign in amounts that are significant for us.

Although I am 57-years-old, I have NEVER made a contribution to ANY candidate. I was a registered Republican before changing my party affiliation to Democrat in order to vote for Barack in Nevada's caucus. America is at the crossroads of history. I believe we must take this path to heal our national soul and to return us to the path of moral high ground. In the past eight years, we, as a nation, have deviated from this path and now find ourselves on the WRONG side of too many issues.&amp;nbsp;&lt;p&gt;Linda in &lt;a&gt;North Carolina&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;I'm 60-years-old and will be 61 before the election. I was raised in a politically active (albeit Republican) family and was a &amp;ldquo;child of the sixties,&amp;rdquo; graduating from college in 1969. But until this year, I had never worked for nor donated to any political campaign . . . NEVER. I know my story isn't unique, which is precisely what is so wonderful about this election. (As a note, not ALL of those 'over 60 white women' are for McCain.)&lt;p&gt;Vanessa in &lt;a&gt;New York&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;It's sad to say, but true, that this is the first time I've donated to a presidential campaign. But finally someone has come along who truly inspires me to be a better person, to try to make change happen in the world and in my life, AND to believe that big dreams can come true. I believe in Barack Obama and what he can do for our country. I will be so proud as an American to be able to introduce this man as the president of our fine country!&lt;p&gt;With your help, we can keep the momentum going and continue to involve the American people in this campaign, this movement. Join us today. &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;a&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;America Is At The Crossroads Of History&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2007-08-23 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/samgrahamfelsen/CJfy" rowid="42051327" side="oba" srcid="277488" text="&lt;p&gt;Months ago, we met Gregory Smith, a doorman from Brooklyn who immigrated from Jamaica as a young boy. Gregory, who had never donated to a campaign before, donated five dollars online, and has been making recurring small donations since. Watch the video for Gregory&amp;#39;s story. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Last night, Gregory emailed me and wrote that he had just experienced his &amp;quot;American moment.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Hours earlier, he took to the stage with his son Gabriel and introduced Barack to a packed Brooklyn audience, calling the Senator &amp;quot;an ambassador of hope.&amp;quot; &amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Gregory&amp;#39;s wife, Jackie, took this photo:&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The New York Post on Obama&amp;#39;s response to Gregory&amp;#39;s intro:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; &amp;quot;He actually a sent me a little bit of money at a time when things were pretty tough for him,&amp;quot; Obama said. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; &amp;quot;Gregory giving me the money he gave meant more than anybody writing a $2,300 check [the maximum permitted contribution] where it&amp;#39;s a lot easier for them,&amp;quot; the Illinois Democrat said. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; He said Smith &amp;quot;symbolizes&amp;quot; what his campaign is about. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; Smith made his first-ever political contribution when he gave Obama&amp;#39;s campaign the online donation. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The New York Times, Newsday and the New York Sun have more on last night&amp;#39;s event and Brooklyn for Barack.&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;An ambassador of hope&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2007-06-22 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/samgrahamfelsen/CXBC" rowid="42051031" side="oba" srcid="277884" text="&lt;p&gt;BuckeyeStateBlog covered Barack&amp;#39;s speech on Blue Hampshire this afternoon, calling it &amp;quot;electrifying.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Here&amp;#39;s their breakdown of what Barack had to say: &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;One, close the revolving door between the executive branch and the lobbying sector. As he said, &amp;quot;...working in an Obama Administration is not about serving your former employer, or your bank account...when you walk into my administration, you will not be able to work on regulations or contracts directly related to your former employer for two years...when you leave, you will not be able to lobby the Administration throughout the remainder of my term in office.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;It&amp;#39;s a bold statement, and though definitely nuanced, Obama could carry it out through vigilant oversight.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Secondly, no more no bid contracts will be issued from the Whitehouse. Obama&amp;#39;s actually got the credibility to carry this out too...&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Third, an absolute gift ban.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Fourth, hiring folks on competence - not ideology. Really, this section of the speech was the best...&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;You can read the whole speech and learn more about Barack&amp;#39;s efforts to clean up our politics here.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;It&amp;#39;s clear that Barack doesn&amp;#39;t just talk the talk. He has spent his life fighting for government of, by, and for the people. People like Haile Rivera, a community activist from The Bronx, New York, who gave $25 dollars to the campaign. Haile, who will join three other supporters for dinner with Barack in the coming weeks, was profiled in the New York Daily News today. Stay tuned for in-depth stories and video on Haile and the other grassroots supporters who will share their concerns and ideas with Barack at the upcoming dinner. &lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;An electrifying speech&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-06-21 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/amandascott/gG5Sh9" rowid="42054885" side="oba" srcid="274530" text="&lt;p&gt;Over 70,000 supporters have declared their independence from a broken campaign finance system in less than 48 hours. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;They all have different stories, but are brought together by their support for Barack and this campaign. Here&amp;#39;s what some of them had to say... &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Maureen in Florida:&lt;/p&gt;I support Barack because I believe he is sincere in his hopes and aspirations for our county. I donated [Thursay] after listening to his message because I know the system is broken and someone is finally talking about it. Barack tells it like it is. And with his inspiring message, I know that he can gain the support of millions of Americans that are sick of all the promises year after year. Only the career politicians and their&amp;nbsp;lobbyists&amp;nbsp;and consultants win in Washington. Not the people they are supposedly serving. &amp;nbsp;I think Barack can work collaboratively with others that do care for something other than their own self-interests and can truly make a&amp;nbsp;difference.&lt;p&gt;Scott in Washington, DC:&lt;/p&gt;I have donated before to Obama&amp;rsquo;s campaign, but I thought it was important to send a message with a campaign contribution after his announcement to opt out of public financing. I did this for two reasons:First, Republican opposition is already raising a tremendous amount of funds to support 527 so-called &amp;ldquo;issue ads&amp;rdquo; that will be outside the scope of public financing limitations to McCain&amp;rsquo;s campaign. We have already seen that those behind the 527 ads will show no hesitation to distort the truth and scare voters with all kinds of nonsense. Second, and perhaps most importantly, it&amp;rsquo;s important to win in November &amp;ndash; [this is] the most important election that I have participated in over my 20 years of casting votes. Barack shows the courage to take us in the right direction when it comes to energy policy, succeeding in the real war on terror in Afghanistan (not Iraq), and ensuring a healthy environment for future generations.&lt;p&gt;Sarah in North Carolina:&lt;/p&gt;I support Barack for so many reasons. He gives me hope for a new kind of politics, for a return to the time when politicians were public servants, working for the love of the American people.&amp;nbsp; I was glad to hear that Barack was not taking public financing. It isn&amp;#39;t right that there are so many loopholes in the system... Opting out of public financing, so as to not be limited in how much Barack can raise, seems like the only option for fairly and ethically fighting these kind of unfair Swift-Boat style tactics.An investment in Barack strikes me as being an investment in the future -- I strongly believe that everyone in this country and in the world will be better off if he wins as President.&amp;nbsp; As a mother of a 17 month old, this is something I can do for my daughter, for the country she will inherit.&lt;p&gt;Koethi in New York:&lt;/p&gt;I had planned all along to donate for the general election, as I did for the primaries. I thought it would be inspirational if he made that announcement and then got tons of donations immediately thereafter...thereby proving that individual Americans were funding this campaign with small donations.&amp;nbsp; For me Barack is the most inspirational candidate I&amp;#39;ve ever seen. Also, I work with a couple of people who went to law school with him, so I hear amazing personal stories about him as well.&amp;nbsp; Finally, a brilliant, thoughtful candidate who won&amp;#39;t pander to the dumbed-down style of contemporary politics. &lt;p&gt;Pam in New Mexico:&lt;/p&gt;I am a 51-year-old wife and mother who has been inspired by Mr. Obama since the very beginning of his campaign, largely because he hasn&amp;#39;t been influenced by big government.&amp;nbsp; I&amp;#39;m so relieved to see a candidate who actually speaks for the people, young and old alike, who speaks to those who need the most help financially, who speaks about the war (or rather the way to end the war) in a way that makes us seem less like tyrants of the world and more like we&amp;#39;re a member of a community in this big world of ours.&amp;nbsp; Hooray to Mr. Obama for sticking to his principles. Keep it up and you&amp;#39;ll be president very soon. I&amp;#39;m proud to say I have my bumper sticker supporting you and will continue to give financially when you ask and it is needed. I know you won&amp;#39;t waste it!!&lt;p&gt;Margaret in Maine:&lt;/p&gt;I support Senator Obama for President because our country needs a change and I hope he will bring our country together. I am 84 years old and am unable to campaign for Barack Obama door to door, but I can contribute financially. I think it is better if hundreds of thousands of individual citizens contribute small amounts than if tax dollars or large companies or lobbyists control the financing of a Presidential campaign.&amp;nbsp; The best time of your life is when you are working and striving for a goal;&amp;nbsp;that is when you are happiest. I have achieved my goals in my life and with what I&amp;rsquo;ve got now, I can help others, such as Senator Obama achieve their goals. I am confident that he will help us all.&lt;p&gt;