<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;Join these supporters, declare your independence and show your support today. &lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;An Investment in the Future&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2007-04-18 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/samgrahamfelsen/CZs8" rowid="42050852" side="oba" srcid="278063" text="Cecilia R. of Gilbert, Arizona, has been working as a nurse for forty years.&amp;ldquo;From when I was a young child, it had always been my goal to be a nurse,&amp;rdquo; says Cecilia. &amp;ldquo;I can remember reading books on Nurse Clara Barton and couldn&amp;rsquo;t tear myself away.&amp;rdquo;Over the decades, she has seen the failures of our health care system up close.&amp;ldquo;I think it&amp;#39;s horrible, first of all, that so many people get turned away,&amp;rdquo; says Cecilia. One of these people was her pastor. He didn&amp;rsquo;t have health insurance and he wound up getting sick. The city hospital had just closed and people like him, with no insurance, had nowhere to go. One of the physicians at my hospital at the time, who happened to also be a member of the church, finally got him admitted. But it was too late. A week later he was dead. He was my pastor and he was only 36 years old.&lt;p&gt;During the summers, Cecilia works as a nurse for a sleepover camp, where counselors from all over the world work as well. &amp;ldquo;The people I&amp;rsquo;ve met at camp from Australia and Europe tell me about their health care system and it&amp;rsquo;s not like that,&amp;rdquo; says Cecilia. &amp;ldquo;It makes me really angry. It&amp;rsquo;s just not right that we can&amp;rsquo;t provide for our people. I mean, people are bleeding just trying to pay for health care.&amp;rdquo;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In spite of these experiences, Cecilia has a lot of hope that Barack can change things.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;ldquo;Some people say we&amp;#39;re not ready,&amp;rdquo; says Cecilia, who grew up on 122nd Street in Harlem and remembers going to Amateur Night at The Apollo with her grandmother. &amp;ldquo;And I say if not now, when? When would we be ready?&lt;/p&gt;When I listen to them I think about that movie Guess Who&amp;#39;s Coming to Dinner. The scene where the character played by Sidney Poitier is talking to his father and says, &amp;ldquo;You and your whole lousy generation believes the way it was for you is the way it&amp;#39;s got to be.&amp;rdquo; That&amp;rsquo;s the feeling I get when I hear people my age say things like that. I tell them, stop being so restricted in what you can dream about.&lt;p&gt;&amp;ldquo;And I tell them, you know, I don&amp;rsquo;t even think it&amp;rsquo;s a dream. He&amp;rsquo;s a viable candidate. He can win, he can make it happen.&amp;rdquo;&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;And I say if not now, when?&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-06-21 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/amandascott/gG5Sn9" rowid="42054880" side="oba" srcid="274535" text="The grassroots supporters of this campaign have stood together for months now. Supporters are doing whatever they can to bring change to Washington. They have gotten involved in a variety of ways so that politics will not be about the politicians, but the people.Brian, a real estate consultant in Wisconsin, is no different&amp;hellip;I believe Senator Obama enough to give him money in hopes that he will not be obligated to serve the interest of organized lobbyists. This is a grand experiment and a unique time in history in which the Internet has given power back to the average citizen and allowed us to collectively hold off the lobbyist&amp;#39;s one little donation at a time.I am 48 years old and remember President Kennedy. I remember Martin Luther King Jr, and &amp;nbsp;I remember their speeches and the hope that they kindled in my young mind. At that time for me, the world could be different, we could make a difference and we could do the right thing without fear of some dark and sinister power that was constantly trying to defeat our nation.I can see a political climate where the many can once again be heard and considered a force that is much greater then the few, wealthy and better-equipped&amp;nbsp;special interest groups that have controlled the debate of this nation for generations. &amp;nbsp;I have hope that Senator Obama can do what he believes is the right thing for the nation and the world, rather than consider what he might have to do to obtain enough money to get reelected...It doesn&amp;#39;t matter if he is a Republican or a Democrat, he can be free to lead the people from a wide base of support with no strings attached. &amp;nbsp;That would be a very good place to start when leading our country to better times.Barack has said that this is &amp;ldquo;our moment, our time&amp;rdquo; to change Washington. By declaring your independence from a broken system, you are taking the first step in bringing change to America." title="&quot;Back To The People&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-07-29 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/amandascott/gGxyNg" rowid="42055388" side="oba" srcid="280937" text="&lt;p&gt;Barack is surrounded by strong women on a daily basis. He knows the impact that women have on this country because of his background and the women who helped to shape him.

&lt;a&gt;Barack&lt;/a&gt; was raised by a &lt;a&gt;single mother&lt;/a&gt; who put herself through school, followed her passion for helping others, and taught Barack that there are no barriers to success if you are willing to work for it. 

His grandmother, who also helped to raise him, worked on a bomber assembly line during World War II. With only a high school diploma, she worked her way up from secretary at a bank to become the family's primary earner.

&lt;a&gt;Michelle&lt;/a&gt;, Barack's wife, has been described as &amp;quot;the rock of the Obama family.&amp;quot; She juggles jobs and parenting after working her way up from modest roots on the South Side of Chicago. She and Barack want their two daughters, Malia and Sasha, to grow up in an America where both work and family are part of the American Dream. 

All of Barack's accomplishments have been made possible because of these women. And it is because of these women that Barack fights for &lt;a&gt;women's rights&lt;/a&gt;. He fights for healthcare and education, support for working parents and an insistence on equality. 

These are the issues that are important to the &lt;a&gt;women who support Barack&lt;/a&gt; -- women who come from all types of backgrounds, but are united by care for their families and their communities. Many of these women have shared their stories with us...&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Sophia in &lt;a&gt;Iowa&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;I support Barack Obama because he is a true advocate for women. He understands the challenges that we face and has worked hard to mitigate these as a senator, husband and father. He has never forgotten how the strong women in his life have influenced him, and I believe that Obama will continue to work to ensure that ALL women have a better quality of life.&lt;p&gt;Ruthie in &lt;a&gt;Virginia&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;I am a Woman for Barack -- a mother, wife, daughter, sister, friend -- and a citizen of the United States of America. For far too long, I have been uninspired and unmotivated by the current state of politics in our country. In 2004, I heard a voice that stirred me from my apathy. A voice that dared to speak to us about hope. Hope for our country, our children, and our future. Senator Obama had the audacity to suggest that we don't have to be satisfied with the way things are. 

&amp;quot;We the people&amp;quot; have the power to change our country from the ground up. We have the capacity to heal our divisions and build a unified system where all Americans have a voice. It has been said that our children are our future. I owe my children a future of hope. And I feel that Senator Obama is my best chance to lead my children forward into a future that is bright, and fair, and full of hopeful possibility. I will do all that I can do make this future a reality. For now, in my life, this means that I feel a responsibility to support Barack Obama in every way that I can on this journey toward the White House.&lt;p&gt;Shelly in &lt;a&gt;Utah&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;I am a small business owner who has been out in corporate America and has faced discrimination just because of my gender. I am a woman, who just this last year was diagnosed with breast cancer. I am a mother of two incredible young men. One of those young men will be leaving our home to fulfill his lifelong dream of becoming a Marine. 

I believe Senator Obama really cares about my issues as a woman. Not because it will garner him the women's vote, but because he truly cares about the issues important to me. He has inspired me to vote again.&lt;p&gt;The new &lt;a&gt;Women and Families Blueprint&lt;/a&gt; is for Ruthie, Shelly, Sophia and all of the other women who are struggling to get by in the current economy and who want to reclaim their dreams for themselves and their families. These women know that Barack represents change we can believe in.&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;Barack is a True Advocate for Women&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-07-29 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/amandascott/gGxyNg" rowid="42055387" side="oba" srcid="280911" text="&lt;p&gt;Barack is surrounded by strong women on a daily basis. He knows the importance that women have on this country because of his background and the women who helped to shape him.

&lt;a&gt;Barack&lt;/a&gt; was raised by a &lt;a&gt;single mother&lt;/a&gt; who put herself through school, followed her passion for helping others, and taught Barack that there are no barriers to success if you are willing to work for it. 

His grandmother, who also helped to raise him, worked on a bomber assembly line during World War II. With only a high school diploma, she worked her way up from secretary at a bank to become the family's primary earner.

&lt;a&gt;Michelle&lt;/a&gt;, Barack's wife, has been described as &amp;quot;the rock of the Obama family.&amp;quot; She juggles jobs and parenting after working her way up from modest roots on the South Side of Chicago. She and Barack want their two daughters, Malia and Sasha, to grow up in an America where both work and family are part of the American Dream. 

All of Barack's accomplishments have been made possible because of these women. And it is because of these women that Barack fights for &lt;a&gt;women's rights&lt;/a&gt;. He fights for healthcare and education, support for working parents and an insistence on equality. 

These are the issues that are important to the &lt;a&gt;women who support Barack&lt;/a&gt; -- women who come from all types of backgrounds, but are united by care for their families and their communities. Many of these women have shared their stories with us...&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Sophia in &lt;a&gt;Iowa&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;I support Barack Obama because he is a true advocate for women. He understands the challenges that we face and has worked hard to mitigate these as a senator, husband and father. He has never forgotten how the strong women in his life have influenced him, and I believe that Obama will continue to work to ensure that ALL women have a better quality of life.&lt;p&gt;Ruthie in &lt;a&gt;Virginia&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;I am a Woman for Barack -- a mother, wife, daughter, sister, friend -- and a citizen of the United States of America. For far too long, I have been uninspired and unmotivated by the current state of politics in our country. In 2004, I heard a voice that stirred me from my apathy. A voice that dared to speak to us about hope. Hope for our country, our children, and our future. Senator Obama had the audacity to suggest that we don't have to be satisfied with the way things are. 

&amp;quot;We the people&amp;quot; have the power to change our country from the ground up. We have the capacity to heal our divisions and build a unified system where all Americans have a voice. It has been said that our children are our future. I owe my children a future of hope. And I feel that Senator Obama is my best chance to lead my children forward into a future that is bright, and fair, and full of hopeful possibility. I will do all that I can do make this future a reality. For now, in my life, this means that I feel a responsibility to support Barack Obama in every way that I can on this journey toward the White House.&lt;p&gt;Shelly in &lt;a&gt;Utah&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;I am a small business owner who has been out in corporate America and has faced discrimination just because of my gender. I am a woman, who just this last year was diagnosed with breast cancer. I am a mother of two incredible young men. One of those young men will be leaving our home to fulfill his lifelong dream of becoming a Marine. 

I believe Senator Obama really cares about my issues as a woman. Not because it will garner him the women's vote, but because he truly cares about the issues important to me. He has inspired me to vote again.&lt;p&gt;The new &lt;a&gt;Women and Families Blueprint&lt;/a&gt; is for Ruthie, Shelly, Sophia and all of the other women who are struggling to get by in the current economy and who want to reclaim their dreams for themselves and their families. These women know that Barack represents change we can believe in.&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;Barack is a True Advocate for Women&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-10-11 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/amandascott/gGgbPN" rowid="42056781" side="oba" srcid="309131" text="&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a&gt;St. Louis Post-Dispatch&lt;/a&gt; endorsed Barack Obama for president this morning. The newspaper tells readers that Barack is right on the issues, will bring public service back to Washington and can unite America in a time of economic crisis. Read the endorsement below... &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Nine Days before the Feb. 5 presidential primaries in Missouri and Illinois, this editorial page endorsed Barack Obama and John McCain in their respective races.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;We did so enthusiastically. We wrote that either Mr. Obama&amp;rsquo;s message of hope or Mr. McCain&amp;rsquo;s independence and integrity offered America &amp;ldquo;the chance to turn the page on 28 years of contentious, greed-driven politics and move into a new era of possibility.&amp;rdquo;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Over the past nine months, Mr. Obama, the junior senator from Illinois, has emerged as the only truly transformative candidate in the race. In the crucible that is a presidential campaign, his intellect, his temperament and equanimity under pressure consistently have been impressive. He has surrounded himself with smart, capable advisers who have helped him refine thorough, nuanced policy positions.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In a word, Mr. Obama has been presidential.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;...In making political endorsements, this editorial page is guided first by the principles espoused by Joseph Pulitzer in The Post-Dispatch Platform printed daily at the top of this page. Then we consider questions of character, life experience and intellect, as well as specific policy and issue positions. Each member of the editorial board weighs in.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;On all counts, the consensus was clear: Barack Obama of Illinois should be the next president of the United States.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;We didn&amp;rsquo;t know nine months ago that before Election Day, America would face its greatest economic challenge since the Great Depression. The crisis on Wall Street is devastating, but it has offered voters a useful preview of how the two presidential candidates would respond to a crisis.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Very early on, Mr. Obama reached out to his impressive corps of economic advisers and developed a comprehensive set of recommendations for addressing the problems. He set them forth calmly and explained them carefully.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;...Mr. McCain first was elected to Congress in 1982 when Mr. Obama was in his senior year at Columbia University. Yet the younger man&amp;rsquo;s intellectual curiosity and capacity &amp;mdash; and, yes, also the skills he developed as a community organizer and his instincts as a political conciliator &amp;mdash; more than compensate for his lack of more traditional Washington experience.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;A presidency is defined less by what happens in the Oval Office than by what is done by the more than 3,000 men and women the president appoints to government office. Only 600 of them are subject to Senate approval. The rest serve at the pleasure of the president.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;We have little doubt that Mr. Obama&amp;rsquo;s appointees would bring a level of competence, compassion and intellectual achievement to the executive branch that hasn&amp;rsquo;t been seen since the New Frontier. He has energized a new generation of Americans who would put the concept of service back in &amp;ldquo;public service.&amp;rdquo;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;...The idea that 3,000 bright, dedicated and accomplished Americans would be joining the Obama administration to serve the public &amp;mdash; as opposed to padding their resum&amp;eacute;s or shilling for the corporate interests they&amp;rsquo;re sworn to oversee &amp;mdash; is reassuring. That they would be serving a president who actually would listen to them is staggering.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;And the fact that Mr. Obama can explain his thoughts and policies in language that can instruct and inspire is exciting. Eloquence isn&amp;rsquo;t everything in a president, but it is not nothing, either.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;...He sees the complicated world as it is today, not as a binary division between us and them, but as a kaleidoscope of shifting alliances and interests. As he often notes, he is the son of a Kenyan father and a mother from Kansas, an internationalist who yet acknowledges that America is the only nation in the world in which someone of his distinctly modest background could rise as far as his talent, intellect and hard work would take him.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Given the damage that has been done to America&amp;rsquo;s moral standing in the world in the last eight years...Mr. Obama&amp;rsquo;s election would help America reclaim the moral high ground.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;It also must be said that Mr. Obama is right on the issues. He was right on the war in Iraq. He is right that all Americans deserve access to health care and right in his pragmatic approach to meeting that goal. He is right on tax policy, infrastructure investment, energy policy and environmental issues. He is right on American ideals.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;He was right when he said in his remarkable speech in March in Philadelphia that &amp;ldquo;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: that we do unto others as we would have them do unto us. Let us be our brother&amp;rsquo;s keeper, Scripture tells us. Let us be our sister&amp;rsquo;s keeper. Let us find that common stake we all have in one another, and let our politics reflect that spirit as well.&amp;rdquo;&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;Barack Obama for President&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-09-08 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/mollyclaflinblog/gG5pPG" rowid="42056116" side="oba" srcid="303916" text="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; Since he began public service many years ago in Chicago, disabled Americans have found Senator Obama a champion of disability rights. Barack works hard to create a country of equal opportunities for all Americans &amp;ndash; whatever their abilities. 

He has a plan to ensure educational opportunities for disabled Americans, to end discrimination and promote workplace equality, and to help disabled Americans live independent lives. 

Barack was recently a co-sponsor of the Americans with Disabilities Reform Act. In sponsoring the act, Barack said:&lt;/p&gt;With nearly 54 million Americans living with disabilities today, we have a responsibility to ensure they have better access, more opportunities, and increased independence.&amp;nbsp; 

Enacting the Americans with Disabilities Act was a historic milestone when it was signed into law eighteen years ago, but we still have more to do.&amp;nbsp; We must reaffirm our nation&amp;rsquo;s commitment to those with disabilities by immediately passing legislation to reverse judicial decisions that permit discrimination against persons with disabilities.&lt;p&gt;Disabled Americans recognize Barack&amp;rsquo;s commitment to equality and disability rights and have been quick to show their support of his campaign. Here are a few of their stories:

Sue in Bethesda, Maryland says:&lt;/p&gt;I have been working to improve policies and supports for Americans with Disabilities since my son, Charlie, was first identified as having complex and multiple disabilities 25 years ago.&amp;nbsp; I support Barack Obama for President because he calls on all of us to engage to make our country better.&amp;nbsp; We have so much to do to bring everyone into the mainstream of American communities -- some of it is policy work, some of it is politics -- and some is the kind of everyday work each of us does in our families and in our communities to help our nation get better.&lt;p&gt;Alana from Chicago, Illinois says:&lt;/p&gt;I especially encourage Americans with disabilities and those who are concerned with disability issues to support Barack Obama. I am excited to work for his campaign in every way I can! I wholeheartedly believe that Barack will ensure that all Americans will have an equal opportunity to achieve the American Dream.&lt;p&gt;Jenna in Bainbrige Island, Washington says:&lt;/p&gt;My ultimate goal is a better world for the next generations of disabled kids.&amp;nbsp; I never imagined I could have that hope for myself, I just knew I didn&amp;rsquo;t want the next generation as disenfranchised as disabled people are today.
I now have the hope that my goals are also within reach, and like millions of others I have Senator Obama to thank for that.&amp;nbsp; His attention to disability issues is unprecedented for a presidential candidate.&amp;nbsp; I&amp;rsquo;m still awed by it, by the way millions of disabled Americans are being treated as citizens of this country and not just a medical problem to &amp;lsquo;fix.&amp;rsquo; We need to stand up and say enough.&amp;nbsp; Scream it if we have to, and use our collective voices to be the change.&lt;p&gt;AnneMarie from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania says:&lt;/p&gt;I am supporting Senator Obama, because I know that he will work to ensure that all Americans have access to quality health care, and quality education.&amp;nbsp; I know that Senator Obama is committed to the fair treatment of every American, and he will fight to ensure that our policies are reflective of those views.&amp;nbsp; Senator Obama will not make false distinctions between people who have physical disabilities and those with emotional problems or serious mental illness. I support Senator Obama for President of the United States because Senator Obama will ensure that every American can live with dignity despite the nature of his or her particular challenge.&lt;p&gt;&lt;a&gt;Join Americans with Disability for Obama&lt;/a&gt; to connect with others in your community supporting Barack Obama.&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;Barack will ensure that all Americans will have an equal opportunity to achieve the American Dream&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-09-30 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/amandascott/gGxCjX" rowid="42056529" side="oba" srcid="307103" text="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Supporters are spending this week &lt;a&gt;registering voters&lt;/a&gt; before state deadlines begin. Even in Tulsa, Oklahoma, people are coming out in record numbers to &lt;a&gt;register to vote&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Day after day dedicated volunteers show up in packs to register voters and tell people why they support Barack Obama. This weekend was no different.&amp;nbsp; The half dozen voter registration events that took place over the weekend resulted in 379 voter registrations in Tulsa, OK.

The Generation Destiny Community Center was the biggest event of the weekend.&amp;nbsp; This event was a little different from some of the others which were set up outside restaurants and shopping centers. It was organized by a yet to be opened youth community center, in an area where people are struggling more often than not.&amp;nbsp; The people who came to this voter registration drive were there, not so much because they want change, but because they desperately need change.&amp;nbsp; Many people happened to be passing by and stopped in for the food and festivities, but a great deal were bussed in from local neighborhoods and apartment complexes.&amp;nbsp; Of the nearly 200 registrants only one registered as a republican and all but 28 were registering and voting for the first time.

In a state that has traditionally been dubbed a red state, there is an obvious shift.&amp;nbsp; This shift isn't so much because people prefer one party or the other but because they are ready for government that works for them, not against them.&amp;nbsp; The time for change is now...and Tulsa Oklahoma is fired up!&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Here are some pictures from the event...&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Are you &lt;a&gt;registered&lt;/a&gt;? Are your family and friends &lt;a&gt;registered&lt;/a&gt;? Make sure everyone you know is &lt;a&gt;registered&lt;/a&gt; today. &lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;Because they desperately need change&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-07-07 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/amandascott/gGxdGC" rowid="42055054" side="oba" srcid="274361" text="&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;The campaign announced that Barack will leave the convention hall and join more than 75,000 people for a huge, free, open-air event where he will deliver his acceptance speech to the American people on Thursday, August 28th.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Here are just a few of the articles that have been ran about the campaign&amp;#39;s decision... &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;From Reuters:&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;	 	  Barack Obama will accept the Democratic presidential nomination next month at a Denver football stadium that can hold more than 75,000 people after the political party decided to open the event to a broader audience, officials said on Monday. &amp;quot;Senator Obama&amp;#39;s candidacy has generated an enormous amount of excitement and interest,&amp;quot; Howard Dean, chairman of the Democratic National Committee, said in a statement. &amp;quot;By bringing the last night of the convention out to the people, we will be able to showcase Barack Obama&amp;#39;s positive, people-centered vision for our country in a big way.&amp;quot; The Democratic Party holds its nominating convention August 25-28 in Denver, with daytime meetings and councils held at the Colorado Convention Center and televised evening events at the Pepsi Center sports arena, which can hold up to 20,000 people. The party decided to hold the final evening&amp;#39;s televised events, including Obama&amp;#39;s nomination acceptance speech, at INVESCO Field at Mile High, the 76,125-seat stadium that is hone to the Denver Broncos football team. The additional space enables the party to open the event a broader audience. Attendance at nominating conventions in generally limited to delegates, elected officials and volunteers, a convention spokeswoman said. &amp;quot;This change in the convention program will allow thousands of first-time participants a chance to take part,&amp;quot; said convention co-chair Kathleen Sebelius, the governor of Kansas. &amp;quot;I can&amp;#39;t think of a better convention finale for our nominee, who has made reaching out to voters a hallmark of his campaign.&amp;quot; &lt;/p&gt;     &lt;p&gt;From the Denver Post:&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;	 	  Breaking the mold of traditional political Conventions, the Democratic National Convention Committee (DNCC) today announced that Senator Barack Obama will accept the Democratic nomination for President of the United States at Denver&amp;#39;s INVESCO Field at Mile High. INVESCO Field can accommodate more than 75,000 people and will be the site of the 2008 Democratic Convention&amp;#39;s final day of programming on Thursday, August 28, 2008. ... &amp;quot;When we said we wanted to &amp;#39;bring down the walls,&amp;#39; open up this Convention like never before and truly speak to the American people, we meant it,&amp;quot; said Leah D. Daughtry, CEO of the DNCC. &amp;quot;On August 28, we will offer grassroots Democrats, who have turned out in record numbers this year, the opportunity to witness history shoulder to shoulder with thousands of Americans standing up for the change our country desperately needs.&amp;quot; &amp;quot;Senator Obama and the DNCC have truly brought the community into the Convention,&amp;quot; said Colorado Governor Bill Ritter, Jr. &amp;quot;This decision will enable thousands of residents from Colorado, the Rocky Mountain West and across the nation to witness history first hand. What a way to fire up our grassroots activists as we head into the fall campaign.&amp;quot; Primetime Convention activities Monday, August 25 through Wednesday, August 27 will continue to be held at the Pepsi Center. The final day of the Convention on Thursday, August 28, including the nomination acceptance speech of Senator Barack Obama, will be held at INVESCO Field at Mile High, also located in downtown Denver. Daytime Convention events, including meetings of the Democratic caucuses and councils will continue to be held at the Colorado Convention Center. The DNCC announced today that a special block of &amp;quot;Community&amp;quot; credentials will be reserved for Colorado residents for Thursday night&amp;#39;s program at INVESCO Field. Details about how to sign up and receive a &amp;quot;Community Credential&amp;quot; for the last night of the Convention will be released in the coming weeks. &amp;quot;This is the type of Convention people will want to experience together with family, friends and neighbors, and we hope this move enables thousands of Americans to come together, experience history and put Senator Obama on the path to victory in November,&amp;quot; Daughtry added. &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;From  Denver CBS-4:&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Barack Obama&amp;#39;s campaign is inviting supporters to make a donation and enter for a chance to be one of 10 people flown to Denver for the Democratic National Convention in late August. The pitch, sent in an email Monday morning, was tied to the campaign&amp;#39;s announcement of plans to hold Obama&amp;#39;s acceptance speech at the 76,000 seat Invesco Field instead of the smaller Pepsi Center. The campaign email said the speech will be &amp;quot;an amazing event, and Barack would like you to join him.&amp;quot; Team Obama said special seats for selected supporters have been reserved. The email said donors who give $5 or more by the end of July will be entered for a chance to win a trip to Denver, spending two days and nights in the mile high city. The 10 winners will reportedly get to meet Obama backstage and watch the speech in person. Each winner can bring a guest. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Tell us your thoughts in the comment section below. And don&amp;#39;t forget about your chance to have a front-row seat on August 28th.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;Bringing The Community To The Convention&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-07-10 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/amandascott/gGxdGC" rowid="42055106" side="oba" srcid="273909" text="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;The campaign announced that Barack will leave the convention hall and join more than 75,000 people for a huge, free, open-air event where he will deliver his acceptance speech to the American people on Thursday, August 28th.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Here are just a few of the articles that have been ran about the campaign's decision... &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;From &lt;a&gt;Reuters:&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;	 	  

Barack Obama will accept the Democratic presidential nomination next month at a Denver football stadium that can hold more than 75,000 people after the political party decided to open the event to a broader audience, officials said on Monday.

 &amp;quot;Senator Obama's candidacy has generated an enormous amount of excitement and interest,&amp;quot; Howard Dean, chairman of the Democratic National Committee, said in a statement. &amp;quot;By bringing the last night of the convention out to the people, we will be able to showcase Barack Obama's positive, people-centered vision for our country in a big way.&amp;quot;

 The Democratic Party holds its nominating convention August 25-28 in Denver, with daytime meetings and councils held at the Colorado Convention Center and televised evening events at the Pepsi Center sports arena, which can hold up to 20,000 people.

 The party decided to hold the final evening's televised events, including Obama's nomination acceptance speech, at INVESCO Field at Mile High, the 76,125-seat stadium that is hone to the Denver Broncos football team.

 The additional space enables the party to open the event a broader audience. Attendance at nominating conventions in generally limited to delegates, elected officials and volunteers, a convention spokeswoman said.

 &amp;quot;This change in the convention program will allow thousands of first-time participants a chance to take part,&amp;quot; said convention co-chair Kathleen Sebelius, the governor of Kansas. &amp;quot;I can't think of a better convention finale for our nominee, who has made reaching out to voters a hallmark of his campaign.&amp;quot; &lt;/p&gt;     &lt;p&gt;From the &lt;a&gt;Denver Post:&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;	 	  

Breaking the mold of traditional political Conventions, the Democratic National Convention Committee (DNCC) today announced that Senator Barack Obama will accept the Democratic nomination for President of the United States at Denver's INVESCO Field at Mile High. INVESCO Field can accommodate more than 75,000 people and will be the site of the 2008 Democratic Convention's final day of programming on Thursday, August 28, 2008.

 ... &amp;quot;When we said we wanted to 'bring down the walls,' open up this Convention like never before and truly speak to the American people, we meant it,&amp;quot; said Leah D. Daughtry, CEO of the DNCC. &amp;quot;On August 28, we will offer grassroots Democrats, who have turned out in record numbers this year, the opportunity to witness history shoulder to shoulder with thousands of Americans standing up for the change our country desperately needs.&amp;quot;

 &amp;quot;Senator Obama and the DNCC have truly brought the community into the Convention,&amp;quot; said Colorado Governor Bill Ritter, Jr. &amp;quot;This decision will enable thousands of residents from Colorado, the Rocky Mountain West and across the nation to witness history first hand. What a way to fire up our grassroots activists as we head into the fall campaign.&amp;quot;

 Primetime Convention activities Monday, August 25 through Wednesday, August 27 will continue to be held at the Pepsi Center. The final day of the Convention on Thursday, August 28, including the nomination acceptance speech of Senator Barack Obama, will be held at INVESCO Field at Mile High, also located in downtown Denver. Daytime Convention events, including meetings of the Democratic caucuses and councils will continue to be held at the Colorado Convention Center.

 The DNCC announced today that a special block of &amp;quot;Community&amp;quot; credentials will be reserved for Colorado residents for Thursday night's program at INVESCO Field. Details about how to sign up and receive a &amp;quot;Community Credential&amp;quot; for the last night of the Convention will be released in the coming weeks.

 &amp;quot;This is the type of Convention people will want to experience together with family, friends and neighbors, and we hope this move enables thousands of Americans to come together, experience history and put Senator Obama on the path to victory in November,&amp;quot; Daughtry added. &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;From &lt;a&gt; Denver CBS-4:&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;

Barack Obama's campaign is inviting supporters to make a donation and enter for a chance to be one of 10 people flown to Denver for the Democratic National Convention in late August. The pitch, sent in an email Monday morning, was tied to the campaign's announcement of plans to hold Obama's acceptance speech at the 76,000 seat Invesco Field instead of the smaller Pepsi Center.

 The campaign email said the speech will be &amp;quot;an amazing event, and Barack would like you to join him.&amp;quot;

 Team Obama said special seats for selected supporters have been reserved.

 The email said donors who give $5 or more by the end of July will be entered for a chance to win a trip to Denver, spending two days and nights in the mile high city.

 The 10 winners will reportedly get to meet Obama backstage and watch the speech in person. Each winner can bring a guest. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Tell us your thoughts in the comment section below. And don't forget about your chance to have a front-row seat on August 28th.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;Bringing The Community To The Convention&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-01-02 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/timfoley/Cglc" rowid="42052343" side="oba" srcid="276372" text="&lt;p&gt;Canvassing in sub-zero temperatures through the snow and ice we&amp;#39;ve experienced these past few weeks in New Hampshire is a tall order, even for the hardiest volunteer.&amp;nbsp; But if you have any doubts about the power of one voice to make difference, read this email we received from a supporter whose conversation with one of our volunteers turned her into a solid vote for Barack on Primary Day.&lt;/p&gt;&amp;quot;I  want to thank&amp;nbsp;your canvasser&amp;nbsp;for a job very well done when he came to my house  last week. I had a sinking feeling I was going to have to cast my ballot without  being sure I was voting for the best candidate. I can now vote with peace of  mind.&amp;quot;Canvassers&amp;#39; efforts really do make a  difference! The extra time spent at someone&amp;#39;s home might well result in a vote  for your candidate, and the last presidential election showed how important  every single vote is. Campaign workers are often considered  a nuisance. In my eyes, they are doing the work of democracy.&amp;quot; " title="&quot;Canvassers' efforts really do make a difference!&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-07-06 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/amandascott/gGxlh8" rowid="42055045" side="oba" srcid="274370" text="&lt;p&gt;Kristen is in Florida working for the Obama campaign. She spent her weekend at voter registration events. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Never leaving the house without a couple of blank registration forms, Democrats across Florida grabbed a few extra this 4th of July.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Hady, from Melbourne, organized an all day voter registration drive to coincide with the Independence Day festivities.&amp;nbsp; He organized volunteers by the hour and sent us some exciting numbers.&lt;/p&gt;We got 91 Voter Registration forms, and about 15-20 volunteers showed up, and another 15 signed up for events in the future! &amp;nbsp;&lt;p&gt;Across the state in Tallahassee, an Obama crowd set up a tent at Tom Brown Park.&amp;nbsp; Here&amp;#39;s a note from Rick, an organizer of the event:&lt;/p&gt;The Obama campaign had an EXCELLENT showing at Tallahassee&amp;#39;s Fourth of July festival at Tom Brown Park!&amp;nbsp; We set up our tent around 1pm, and our first shift of about twenty volunteers arrived soon afterwards to receive training on voter registration.&amp;nbsp;The local newspaper estimated that up to 40,000 people visited the park yesterday, and we were in a prime location.&amp;nbsp; Thousands of people got off the shuttle busses and couldn&amp;#39;t miss our tent as they walked to the main concert stage.&amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp;The sun beat down on us all day, but the heat couldn&amp;#39;t stifle the energy and enthusiasm for the next President of the United States!!&amp;nbsp; All throughout the afternoon and evening, people LINED UP to talk with us about the Obama campaign, register to vote, volunteer, and take a picture with our lifesized, cardboard version of Barack! &lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;In Brandon, the East Hillsborough County Democratic Club rocked the SS Liberty in their parade (check out a couple of boat shots above), while the Oviedo crew of eleven volunteers collected close to 50 voter registration forms!&amp;nbsp; Let&amp;#39;s keep rolling, remember never leave home without a few voter registration forms." title="&quot;Celebrating Independence In Florida&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-07-10 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/amandascott/gGxlh8" rowid="42055115" side="oba" srcid="273918" text="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a&gt;Kristen&lt;/a&gt; is in &lt;a&gt;Florida&lt;/a&gt; working for the Obama campaign. She spent her weekend at voter registration events. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Never leaving the house without a couple of blank registration forms, Democrats across Florida grabbed a few extra this 4th of July.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Hady, from Melbourne, organized an all day voter registration drive to coincide with the Independence Day festivities.&amp;nbsp; He organized volunteers by the hour and sent us some exciting numbers.&lt;/p&gt;We got 91 Voter Registration forms, and about 15-20 volunteers showed up, and another 15 signed up for events in the future! &amp;nbsp;&lt;p&gt;Across the state in Tallahassee, an Obama crowd set up a tent at Tom Brown Park.&amp;nbsp; Here's a note from Rick, an organizer of the event:&lt;/p&gt;The Obama campaign had an EXCELLENT showing at Tallahassee's Fourth of July festival at Tom Brown Park!&amp;nbsp; We set up our tent around 1pm, and our first shift of about twenty volunteers arrived soon afterwards to receive training on voter registration.
&amp;nbsp;
The local newspaper estimated that up to 40,000 people visited the park yesterday, and we were in a prime location.&amp;nbsp; Thousands of people got off the shuttle busses and couldn't miss our tent as they walked to the main concert stage.&amp;nbsp; 
&amp;nbsp;
The sun beat down on us all day, but the heat couldn't stifle the energy and enthusiasm for the next President of the United States!!&amp;nbsp; All throughout the afternoon and evening, people LINED UP to talk with us about the Obama campaign, register to vote, volunteer, and take a picture with our lifesized, cardboard version of Barack! &lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;

In Brandon, the East Hillsborough County Democratic Club rocked the SS Liberty in their parade (check out a couple of boat shots above), while the Oviedo crew of eleven volunteers collected close to 50 voter registration forms!&amp;nbsp; Let's keep rolling, remember never leave home without a few&lt;a&gt; voter registration forms&lt;/a&gt;." title="&quot;Celebrating Independence In Florida&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2007-11-15 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/timfoley/CxC3" rowid="42051858" side="oba" srcid="276957" text="We are excited to announce that we will begin airing our Sixth television ad in New Hampshire -- &amp;quot;Chances I Had.&amp;quot; The thirty-second ad discusses Barack&amp;#39;s plan to ensure every child gets the same educational opportunities that allowed him to succeed, and he stresses parents&amp;rsquo; responsibility to do their part in helping kids learn. We&amp;#39;ll be hosting ten roundtable discussions on education around the state today and tomorrow, November 15 and 16.&amp;nbsp; The discussions -- many of which will be hosted by members of New Hampshire Educators for Obama -- will bring Granite Staters together to learn more about Obama&amp;rsquo;s commitment to excellence for every child and support for every teacher." title="&quot;Chances I Had&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2007-12-17 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/tneil/CCpF" rowid="42052170" side="oba" srcid="276545" text="Today, we&amp;#39;re excited to announce that the campaign is returning to the air tomorrow with an ad, &amp;quot;Chances I Had,&amp;quot; that highlights Barack Obama&amp;#39;s education plan-- an initiative that envisions a partnership between teachers, government and parents. 

" title="&quot;Chances I Had&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2007-10-23 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/samgrahamfelsen/CJjG" rowid="42051649" side="oba" srcid="277166" text="&lt;p&gt;Barack Obama is that rare candidate who has chosen principle over power throughout his life. Many of us were inspired by his decision to work as a community organizer in the South Side of Chicago -- and his choice to return to work in the community after graduating from Harvard Law School. In this new ad airing in New Hampshire, folks who have known Barack from his days as an organizer in Chicago and at Harvard speak about his choice to work for change on a grassroots level.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;Choices&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-07-06 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/amandascott/gGxdz8" rowid="42055049" side="oba" srcid="274366" text="&lt;p&gt;For the past two weeks, we asked you to declare your independence from a broken system. You did just that. And when we asked you to tell us why, you responded. Dan shared his story in a letter to his friend Greg who died two years ago.&lt;/p&gt;Dear Greg,You have been and always will be my closest friend.... I am finally writing to you now, two years after you left us on April 11, 2006 (what I refer to as 4-11), because I miss our times.......A few months after 4-11, towards the end of 2006, I heard your voice. My soul was lifted for a brief moment&amp;hellip; then reality brought me back. Then I heard your voice again, coming from the television. I turned and saw your welcoming smile, your truthful and sincere eyes met mine, and I had another brief moment before coming back.It wasn&amp;rsquo;t you; it was a man named Barack Obama.Greg, this guy could be your twin, a little on the skinny side. I&amp;#39;m not just talking about his looks...I am referring to the comforting tone of his voice and the selfless look in his eyes, and a whole entourage of qualities he exuberates that remind me of the best parts of your character. It was truly amazing.Now the bad news&amp;hellip;I found out he&amp;rsquo;s a democrat! I hope I didn&amp;rsquo;t offend you, Greg. But the resemblance was so remarkable. I remember you and I would watch O&amp;rsquo;Reilly and listen to Rush all the time&amp;hellip;such good memories. As long-standing, conservative republicans, we would take no ills from the likes of the left. So, I turned off the television. Sorry, Greg. Bye-bye Barack.A whole year went by, and then I heard the voice again, right before the 2008 New Year. Your twin was on television again, this time running for president. I guess he had been running for a while; but you know how I am, Greg. I never liked politics too much. Whoever the republican candidate is gets our vote.Well, this time I listened. And I listened to the whole thing. You&amp;rsquo;re going to tell me I wasted my time, but I googled him and checked out his website&amp;hellip;I even listened to this convention speech he made during the last election. So, this Obama guy had my interest a little. But Greg, I have to be honest. Not because of the voice, or the smile, and not because he reminds me of you&amp;hellip;but I began to really listen and like this new guy. What is true are the goals we share, the prosperity we desire, the dreams we strive to achieve, the success we wish for our children, the health we bestow on our planet, the peace we crave with our world neighborhood, the health and well being every human deserves, the freedom to express and be heard, and the hope that ignites our souls.These truths are paramount. I hope, in your now improved vision, that you can see what now I see and feel that this man can do. Just like you made me appreciate America and its values, he enriches these feelings and unites a hard-core republican like me with a greater universal need. United we stand and united we heal.This is a world now where the United States doesn&amp;rsquo;t exist outside of our borders&amp;hellip;to the world we are just America. We need to become the United States again, and Obama is the one to do it. He has your wisdom, Greg, and your integrity. He has your character and your sincerity. He is devoted to his family, and devoted to this country. I know you can see me, Greg. And I know you can hear me. You are probably shaking your head at the &amp;ldquo;Republicans for Obama&amp;rdquo; sticker on my truck, or the flag flying from the window. But what I truly hope you are doing is smiling and saying to me, &amp;ldquo;Yes we can.&amp;rdquo;Love you and miss you bro, Dan&lt;p&gt;Tell us your story at blog@barackobama.com.&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;Dear Greg&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-07-10 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/amandascott/gGxdz8" rowid="42055111" side="oba" srcid="273914" text="&lt;p&gt;For the past two weeks, we asked you to &lt;a&gt;declare your independence&lt;/a&gt; from a broken system. You did just that. And when we asked you to tell us why, you responded. Dan shared his story in a letter to his friend Greg who died two years ago.&lt;/p&gt;Dear Greg,

You have been and always will be my closest friend.... I am finally writing to you now, two years after you left us on April 11, 2006 (what I refer to as 4-11), because I miss our times....

...A few months after 4-11, towards the end of 2006, I heard your voice. My soul was lifted for a brief moment&amp;hellip; then reality brought me back. Then I heard your voice again, coming from the television. I turned and saw your welcoming smile, your truthful and sincere eyes met mine, and I had another brief moment before coming back.

It wasn&amp;rsquo;t you; it was a man named Barack Obama.

Greg, this guy could be your twin, a little on the skinny side. I'm not just talking about his looks...I am referring to the comforting tone of his voice and the selfless look in his eyes, and a whole entourage of qualities he exuberates that remind me of the best parts of your character. It was truly amazing.

Now the bad news&amp;hellip;I found out he&amp;rsquo;s a democrat! I hope I didn&amp;rsquo;t offend you, Greg. But the resemblance was so remarkable. I remember you and I would watch O&amp;rsquo;Reilly and listen to Rush all the time&amp;hellip;such good memories. As long-standing, conservative republicans, we would take no ills from the likes of the left. So, I turned off the television. Sorry, Greg. Bye-bye Barack.

A whole year went by, and then I heard the voice again, right before the 2008 New Year. Your twin was on television again, this time running for president. I guess he had been running for a while; but you know how I am, Greg. I never liked politics too much. Whoever the republican candidate is gets our vote.

Well, this time I listened. And I listened to the whole thing. You&amp;rsquo;re going to tell me I wasted my time, but I googled him and checked out his website&amp;hellip;I even listened to this convention speech he made during the last election. 

So, this Obama guy had my interest a little. 

But Greg, I have to be honest. Not because of the voice, or the smile, and not because he reminds me of you&amp;hellip;but I began to really listen and like this new guy. 

What is true are the goals we share, the prosperity we desire, the dreams we strive to achieve, the success we wish for our children, the health we bestow on our planet, the peace we crave with our world neighborhood, the health and well being every human deserves, the freedom to express and be heard, and the hope that ignites our souls.

These truths are paramount. I hope, in your now improved vision, that you can see what now I see and feel that this man can do. Just like you made me appreciate America and its values, he enriches these feelings and unites a hard-core republican like me with a greater universal need. United we stand and united we heal.

This is a world now where the United States doesn&amp;rsquo;t exist outside of our borders&amp;hellip;to the world we are just America. We need to become the United States again, and Obama is the one to do it. He has your wisdom, Greg, and your integrity. He has your character and your sincerity. He is devoted to his family, and devoted to this country. 

I know you can see me, Greg. And I know you can hear me. You are probably shaking your head at the &amp;ldquo;Republicans for Obama&amp;rdquo; sticker on my truck, or the flag flying from the window. But what I truly hope you are doing is smiling and saying to me, &amp;ldquo;Yes we can.&amp;rdquo;

Love you and miss you bro, 

Dan&lt;p&gt;Tell us your story at &lt;a&gt;blog@barackobama.com&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;Dear Greg&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-06-30 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/amandascott/gG55QS" rowid="42054973" side="oba" srcid="274442" text="&lt;p&gt;Our campaign announced the release of its second television advertisement for the general election today.&amp;nbsp; This ad, entitled &amp;quot;Dignity,&amp;quot; will begin airing in eighteen states across the country underscoring Senator Obama&amp;#39;s commitment to being an advocate for workers and children.The ad highlights Senator Obama&amp;#39;s decision to bypass big money jobs and help lift neighborhoods stung by job loss. It illustrates Senator Obama&amp;#39;s record of working hard to move people from welfare to work, passing tax cuts for workers and providing healthcare for children.Watch the ad here&amp;hellip;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Here is the script of the ad...&lt;/p&gt;I&amp;#39;m Barack Obama, and I approve this message.Announcer: He worked his way through college and Harvard Law.Turned down big money offers, and helped lift neighborhoods stung by job loss. Fought for workers&amp;#39; rights.He passed a law to move people from welfare to work, slashed the rolls by eighty percent.&amp;nbsp; Passed tax cuts for workers; health care for kids.As president, he&amp;#39;ll end tax breaks for companies that export jobs, reward those that create jobs in America.And never forget the dignity that comes from work." title="&quot;Dignity&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-08-25 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/amandascott/gG5dCK" rowid="42055793" side="oba" srcid="301973" text="&lt;p&gt;Obama Campaign Releases New TV Ad Focused on The Economy
Highlights McCain&amp;rsquo;s Desire To Offer Just More of the Same Economic Policies As President Bush &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;CHICAGO, IL - Today, the Obama campaign released a new 30-second TV ad detailing McCain&amp;rsquo;s inability to manage the economy. The ad, Don&amp;rsquo;t Know Much demonstrates Senator McCain&amp;rsquo;s desire to instead, just offer four more years of failed Bush economic policies.
&amp;nbsp;
At a time when Americans are struggling with soaring costs, McCain will provide more tax breaks to corporations that ship American jobs overseas&amp;mdash;and provide no direct relief at all for more than 100 million middle class families. Well, we&amp;rsquo;ve tried this approach, and look where it&amp;rsquo;s gotten us. Barack Obama knows that these policies haven&amp;rsquo;t worked for the past eight years and they won&amp;rsquo;t work now.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Watch the ad below...&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;Don't Know Much&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2007-04-24 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/samgrahamfelsen/CrYq" rowid="42050867" side="oba" srcid="278048" text="&lt;p&gt;Here&amp;#39;s Barack&amp;#39;s statement on Equal Pay Day:&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;For too many years, not only have women across America been undercompensated for their hard work, they have been undervalued.&amp;nbsp; Women only earn 77 cents to every dollar that a man makes.&amp;nbsp; Equal work deserves the guarantee of equal pay.&amp;nbsp; We must eliminate the legacy of discrimination that continues to face women in the workplace, by ending penalties for women that choose to have both a career and raise a family and by making it easier for women to organize.&amp;nbsp; Setting that standard will strengthen our workforce, raise our productivity, and benefit our economy as a whole. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Check out our Women for Obama blog at women.BarackObama.com for more news, info and events.&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;Equal work deserves the guarantee of equal pay&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2007-05-16 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/samgrahamfelsen/Cc4H" rowid="42050924" side="oba" srcid="277991" text="&amp;ldquo;I started getting involved in politics in the past few years,&amp;rdquo; says Kevin R. a law student from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, &amp;ldquo;and Obama was the first one to inspire me.&amp;rdquo;When Kevin was in his first week of law school, Hurricane Katrina hit. &amp;ldquo;It affected people all over the state, not just in New Orleans,&amp;rdquo; he says. &amp;ldquo;I didn&amp;rsquo;t know anyone who didn&amp;rsquo;t have family members staying with them. My wife&amp;rsquo;s dad, who&amp;rsquo;s from a parish right outside of New Orleans, stayed with us.&amp;rdquo;Kevin says it was hard to do grapple with the aftermath of the disaster, but&amp;nbsp; that &amp;ldquo;life goes on.&amp;rdquo; He was heartened by the sacrifice of his fellow Louisianans. &amp;ldquo;Everyone was busy taking care of each other and doing volunteer work. It was something we all had to do. My mom was doing work out of church, help with pancake breakfasts.&amp;rdquo; Kevin helped out by doing legal monitoring in the mayoral race shortly after the hurricane.While Louisiana is working hard to pick itself up, Kevin says that it &amp;ldquo;just does not have the economy to take care of itself on its own right now.&amp;rdquo; He was heartened by Barack&amp;rsquo;s recent visit to Baton Rouge, in which the Senator vowed to help rebuild the economy and fight poverty.In addition to the economy, Kevin cares deeply about civil rights, and he says he is frustrated by the constitutional amendment recently passed in his state than bans gay marriage. &amp;ldquo;I&amp;rsquo;m a straight married man,&amp;rdquo; he says, &amp;ldquo;but I have a lot of gay friends and it breaks my heart that they don&amp;rsquo;t have protections I have.&amp;rdquo;Kevin believes Barack can tackle the problems he cares about by reaching across partisan line. &amp;ldquo;I think non-partisanship resonates everywhere,&amp;rdquo; says Kevin. &amp;ldquo;No one likes partisanship except for politicians themselves.&amp;rdquo;After law school, Kevin aims to enter into civil rights practice because he wants &amp;ldquo;to make an impact.&amp;rdquo; Until then, he and his wife Emily both work at a traditional French-style restaurant, to pay off his loans and provide for their five year-old-son, Connor.The night I called Kevin, he had just finished his second year of law school. I asked him if he planned to go out on the town and celebrate. &amp;ldquo;Nah,&amp;rdquo; he told me. &amp;ldquo;I&amp;rsquo;ll be doing my celebrating right here at home, hanging out with Connor.&amp;rdquo;" title="&quot;Everyone was busy taking care of each other&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-08-28 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/mollyclaflinblog/gG5lkk" rowid="42055878" side="oba" srcid="302329" text="&lt;a&gt;&lt;/a&gt;Our campaign is built on a strong foundation of grassroots organizing &amp;ndash; of friends talking to friends, neighbors talking to neighbors, and ordinary Americans working for change in their communities. 

The &lt;a&gt;Asian American and Pacific Islanders&lt;/a&gt; video features AAPI supporters from across the nation explaining why they support Barack Obama. As Barack&amp;rsquo;s sister Maya says, &amp;ldquo;It&amp;rsquo;s time for us to speak out to reach out, to raise our voices collectively and individually and make sure that the concerns of the AAPI community are heard.&amp;rdquo; As one supporter in the video notes, Asian Americans are stepping up to volunteer for Barack because &amp;ldquo;we are asked to be part of something larger.&amp;rdquo;

Watch the new AAPI video here:
" title="&quot;Excellence can come from the Asian American community&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2007-07-02 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/alexmaccallum/Cv2K" rowid="42051083" side="oba" srcid="277732" text="&lt;p&gt;With your support, Barack raised an incredible amount of money this quarter &amp;ndash; from a record-breaking number of donors.Over a quarter of a million donors contributed $32.5 million for the general election and $31 million for the primary.ABC News called both numbers &amp;quot;eye-popping.&amp;quot;Joe Sudbay of AmericaBlog: &amp;quot;This is truly impressive.&amp;quot;Andrew Sullivan wrote: &lt;/p&gt;[The numbers are] astonishing&amp;hellip; Obama&amp;#39;s achievement as a freshman senator so far suggests to me that there is a real phenomenon here. And it could change America.&lt;p&gt;The Washington Post&amp;#39;s Chris Cizzilla took a break from his vacation to weigh in:&lt;/p&gt;[The] conventional wisdom has been upended as Obama has outraised Clinton in primary cash for the second straight quarter. Obama&amp;#39;s success on the fundraising trail came even as Clinton rode high in national polls&amp;hellip;&lt;p&gt;The CarpetBaggerReport:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Obama&amp;#39;s haul&amp;hellip; is clearly the big story...The money raised is important, but so is the total number of donors. Obama drew support from over 154,000 new contributors, bringing his total for 2007 to 258,000 people over the first six months. That&amp;#39;s simply astounding&amp;hellip; the entire [campaign&amp;#39;s]&amp;nbsp; dynamic has been turned on its ear.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Marc Ambinder of the Atlantic:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;A quarter of a million Democratic donors are hungry for something different, and they&amp;#39;ve invested direclty in Barack Obama.&lt;/p&gt;Thank you all so much for your generous support of the campaign over the last few months. This whole story is about your support: It wouldn&amp;#39;t have been possible had you not contributed, and asked your friends and their friends to contribute.Speaking with a number of you the last couple weeks, I found your enthusiasm about Barack truly&amp;nbsp; inspiring. From Republicans to Democrats to Independants, you all found his message of hope and unity compelling. Even on your teacher salaries or despite your student loans, you gave what you could, making this movement for change possible. " title="&quot;Eye-Popping&quot; Totals" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-06-23 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/amandascott/gG5hqC" rowid="42054901" side="oba" srcid="274514" text="When Barack announced last Thursday that he would not take public financing, he asked supporters to help him declare independence from a broken system. The response has been incredible. Our supporters are taking action to stand by Barack and show their support for this campaign. Aaron, a real estate consultant in California, explains why this decision is so important&amp;hellip;There is no doubt in my mind that this country is in need of a change. People are what make this democracy and our country great. And yet, it is the people who are being left behind in the process.&amp;nbsp; It is for this reason that I whole-heartedly support Barack Obama for President.&amp;nbsp; Barack Obama has been a champion of the people, of all walks of life, since the beginning of his political career and he continues to do so as he inches closer and closer to the White House.&amp;nbsp; Nothing is more symbolic in my mind than Barack Obama&amp;#39;s decision to not accept public financing in his campaign.&amp;nbsp; As he stated when he made this announcement, his campaign from the start has always been about a grassroots movement in which people all across this nation are contributing and fighting for change in America.&amp;nbsp; It is the people who are being represented by Barack Obama and it is the people who must work to promote change in this country. &amp;hellip;I fully support Barack Obama, who will work tirelessly to bring about such change on a national as well as a global level.Throughout this campaign, Barack has relied on support from ordinary people. And our supporters have responded in extraordinary ways. Our campaign set the goal of having 50,000 people declare their independence by July 4. Within 36 hours, grassroots supporters broke that goal. And they broke the second goal of 75,000 within another 48 hours. Join these thousands of supporters and declare your independence from a broken system." title="&quot;Fighting For Change&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-07-06 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/amandascott/gGxln7" rowid="42055043" side="oba" srcid="274372" text="&lt;p&gt;Jen is in Colorado working on the campaign. Yesterday, she attended a voter registration drive as part of Indepedence weekend celebrations. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;On any given day there are hundreds of voter registration drives all around the country. Not all of them involve a live buffalo.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Ralphie&amp;#39;s Annual Independence Day Blast, named after CU&amp;#39;s mascot, is a huge family friendly event so it was a perfect opportunity for the campaign to reach the masses and get all who are interested involved.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Among the thousands of people walking to CU&amp;#39;s Folsom Field, there were the local Obama Organizing Fellows making sure all who attended were registered to vote.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Devon, one of the Fellows was particularly excited:&lt;/p&gt;Boulder is terrific and everyone out here loves Obama. We&amp;rsquo;re getting a lot of support -- high fives, a lot slaps on the back. Our job is about letting people know about the opportunities for them... because they&amp;#39;re already so active and engaged.&lt;p&gt;Devon spent the morning at a pancake breakfast in Superior, where a number of people ended up registering to vote and changing their party affiliation.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The Obama campaign wasn&amp;#39;t the only one present at Boulder&amp;#39;s biggest fireworks display -- organizers from Mark Udall&amp;#39;s senatorial campaign and other local grassroots organizations were also taking the nation&amp;#39;s birthday to make sure that the people of Boulder were engaged in the political process.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Voter registration events will be going on through October, you can get involved by attending one near you.&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;Fireworks and fun at Folsom Field&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-07-10 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/amandascott/gGxln7" rowid="42055119" side="oba" srcid="273920" text="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a&gt;Jen&lt;/a&gt; is in &lt;a&gt;Colorado&lt;/a&gt; working on the campaign. Yesterday, she attended a voter registration drive as part of Indepedence weekend celebrations. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;On any given day there are hundreds of voter registration drives all around the country. Not all of them involve a live buffalo.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Ralphie's Annual Independence Day Blast, named after CU's mascot, is a huge family friendly event so it was a perfect opportunity for the campaign to reach the masses and get all who are interested involved.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Among the thousands of people walking to CU's Folsom Field, there were the local Obama Organizing Fellows making sure all who attended were registered to vote.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Devon, one of the Fellows was particularly excited:&lt;/p&gt;Boulder is terrific and everyone out here loves Obama. We&amp;rsquo;re getting a lot of support -- high fives, a lot slaps on the back. Our job is about letting people know about the opportunities for them... because they're already so active and engaged.&lt;p&gt;Devon spent the morning at a pancake breakfast in Superior, where a number of people ended up registering to vote and changing their party affiliation.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The Obama campaign wasn't the only one present at Boulder's biggest fireworks display -- organizers from Mark Udall's senatorial campaign and other local grassroots organizations were also taking the nation's birthday to make sure that the people of Boulder were engaged in the political process.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Voter registration events will be going on through October, you can get involved by attending &lt;a&gt;one near you.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;Fireworks and fun at Folsom Field&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2007-09-10 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/samgrahamfelsen/CcQH" rowid="42051382" side="oba" srcid="277433" text="&lt;p&gt;Check out this MyDD post on our grassroots operation in California:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;It&amp;#39;s this 53-congressional district strategy that was on full display yesterday, as Obama&amp;#39;s California state campaign director as well as his CA field director spoke to motivate the crowd to join the Santa Barbara area local campaigns. Their goal is to create 53 cd teams, within which they will have a city team within which they will have community teams and then finally precinct teams. This is about engaging the people on the ground to spread the word about Obama, wear your buttons and stickers, they urged us, e-mail your friends. They&amp;#39;re banking on the peer to peer method of communicating as being the most effective to win in such a huge state as California...&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;His strategy in California also takes into account his appeal among independents who can vote in the Democratic primary but not the Republican primary. Another thing that was made clear yesterday was that out of the 21 states voting on February 5, California actually represents 25% of the delegates awarded that day. Obama clearly sees California as crucial to his winning and his strategy reflects this and shows that there is forward movement in his campaign, arguably where it matters most.&lt;/p&gt; If you want to get involved in California, check out our brand new site, California.BarackObama.com. You&amp;#39;ll find precinct leader trainings, organizing meetings, grassroots groups in your area, as well as updated campaign news and videos from the Golden State." title="&quot;Forward movement&quot; in California" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-09-12 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/amandascott/gG5Qyc" rowid="42056173" side="oba" srcid="304590" text="&lt;p&gt;Barack just sent out this email... &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a&gt;&lt;/a&gt;Amanda -- 

You'd be surprised by how many people you know who aren't registered to vote. 

Registration deadlines are coming up soon, and we need every single vote we can get to win this election. 

Tell your friends, family, and neighbors to check out &lt;a&gt;our new one-stop voter registration website.&lt;/a&gt; 

Just forward this message. 

VoteforChange.com makes it easier than ever to register. Instead of tracking down the right forms, all you need to do is answer a few basic questions and you'll be ready to vote. You can also: 

&amp;bull;Confirm your existing registration
&amp;bull;Apply to vote absentee
&amp;bull;Find your polling place

If you don't know your own registration status or you'd like to learn more, &lt;a&gt;take a minute to visit the site right now. &lt;/a&gt;

This race is too close and too important to stay home on Election Day. 

If you take the time to register and vote -- and make sure everyone you know is registered as well -- we'll be able to turn the tide of the past eight years. 

It's people just like you who will transform this nation. 

Thanks, 

Barack &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;Forward This Message&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-08-28 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/mollyclaflinblog/gG5lkd" rowid="42055879" side="oba" srcid="302330" text="&lt;a&gt;&lt;/a&gt;Our campaign is built on a strong foundation of grassroots organizing &amp;ndash; of friends talking to friends, neighbors talking to neighbors, and ordinary Americans working for change in their communities. 

Constituency groups play a key role in this movement, as they connect Americans in distinct communities with others who share their goals for change. 

In the &lt;a&gt;African American&lt;/a&gt; constituency video, Barack speaks about his time as a community organizer in minority communities. His supporters say Barack &amp;ldquo;know the importance of registering and getting out the vote.&amp;rdquo; And, they realize &amp;ldquo;he can&amp;rsquo;t win without us.&amp;rdquo;
" title="&quot;He can't win without us&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2007-06-28 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/alexmaccallum/CXRs" rowid="42051065" side="oba" srcid="277850" text="Another member of the movement, Anita, a retired social worker from Longmont, Colorado. She talked to me about the importance of empathy, and why she thinks Barack is inspiring:Barack has honesty, integrity and empathy &amp;ndash; he has incredible empathy for people who have not been as lucky as he has been.I retired a couple years ago, and thank God for Medicare, but I know that not having medical insurance people can really hurt people. Barack supports everyone having access to healthcare &amp;ndash; even though he has been fortunate enough to be of more than average means. A lot of life is pure luck, and it&amp;rsquo;s a moral a responsibility, helping people who are not as fortunate. Barack he understands that.I&amp;rsquo;m 65. I was born and raised in the south during segregation. As a little girl, I used to march to the back of the bus and sit back there because I knew it would get me in trouble. Look how far we&amp;rsquo;ve&amp;nbsp; come.Join the movement. Share your story and donate here." title="&quot;He Has Incredible Empathy&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-07-30 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/amandascott/gGx7tp" rowid="42055404" side="oba" srcid="298410" text="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;All across the nation, people are coming together to work to elect Barack Obama as the next president. Young and old, people of all generations are inspired by Barack. Whether it is for the first time or the first time in years, people are taking part in the political process and are making a campaign their own.&amp;nbsp; Donating to the campaign is one way of taking ownership in the process and investing in the future.&amp;nbsp; Here are a few of the stories of folks who have already contributed some of their hard-earned money to the campaign&amp;hellip; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Cindy in &lt;a&gt;Pennsylvania&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;I have recently begun to care for my 86-year-old father. He is a veteran of World War II and in fairly good health, and he&amp;rsquo;s an ardent Obama supporter. I have been appalled to learn what our country does not provide to its elderly veterans. He needs three things, things older people almost all need: a hearing aid, glasses and prescriptions. None of these, I have come to discover, are covered. I am appalled.

I have donated frequently on my $29,000 salary because I believe Barack is the hope for my dad and others like him. It has been a hardship for me since I am paying for his hearing aid, his glasses, and his medications, but I will continue to give because I believe in Barack.
&lt;p&gt;David in &lt;a&gt;Utah&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;Barack has made me care about politics again... I'd never donated to a campaign before and never thought there was a meaningful difference in candidates before. But we're going to do it in 2008, and Barack is going to be a great blessing to this nation and the world.&lt;p&gt;James in &lt;a&gt;Virginia&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;I am just thrilled to be part of this movement in history. I have little money to be donating, and I wish that I could donate more. Donating the $5 I did this morning means a lot to me in a time where my family just doesn't have the extras to give to anyone.

My belief is if I can give to Barack and this overall movement of CHANGE then my $5 will be rewarded 10-times more when he is in office and he can began to change the economy. Then I can finish college and be able to afford the loans. I'll be able to fill my tank up with not worrying if I should do that or buy groceries.

I believe that Michelle and Barack are fit to run this country, and I am just so excited and passionate about this election.&amp;nbsp; I have never felt this much energy in any past elections. So once again, I am sorry that I couldn't donate hundreds, but I will try to donate again, and I look forward to Barack being are next president. 
&lt;p&gt;Joan in &lt;a&gt;New York&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;I am a 65-year old white woman who cannot wait to vote for Barack Obama in November. I changed my party affiliation just so I could vote for him in the primary. I'm on Social Security, but I make it my business to donate $10 per month to his campaign. Not much, but I feel I'm doing my part as best I can. 
&lt;p&gt;Andrea in &lt;a&gt;California&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;On my limited income, I have donated more money to support his candidacy than all other campaigns combined in my 43 years of voting. He inspires me, an &amp;quot;older white woman,&amp;quot; to talk with my six grandkids about a better world where we can, indeed, be one people, relating with a God of our own personal understanding, standing for truth, justice and peace for all beings and nations...working together for a healthy environment, better support for schools and teachers, health care that is excellent/affordable/available, negotiating with all hard-to-get-along-with folks rather than hitting and running away (kid's ways of understanding!) Barack Obama MUST be the next president of the United States of America.
This campaign is about building a different kind of politics. We don't take money from Washington lobbyists or special-interest political action committees. Instead, our broad base of individual donors ensures that this campaign answers to no one but the people.

And that starts with you.&amp;nbsp; Let your voice be heard today.

&lt;p&gt;&lt;a&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;He Inspires Me&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-07-30 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/amandascott/gGx7tp" rowid="42055408" side="oba" srcid="298454" text="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;All across the nation, people are coming together to work to elect Barack Obama as the next president. Young and old, people of all generations are inspired by Barack. Whether it is for the first time or the first time in years, people are taking part in the political process and are making a campaign their own.&amp;nbsp; Donating to the campaign is one way of taking ownership in the process and investing in the future.&amp;nbsp; Here are a few of the stories of folks who have already contributed some of their hard-earned money to the campaign&amp;hellip; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Cindy in &lt;a&gt;Pennsylvania&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;I have recently begun to care for my 86-year-old father. He is a veteran of World War II and in fairly good health, and he&amp;rsquo;s an ardent Obama supporter. I have been appalled to learn what our country does not provide to its elderly veterans. He needs three things, things older people almost all need: a hearing aid, glasses and prescriptions. None of these, I have come to discover, are covered. I am appalled.

I have donated frequently on my $29,000 salary because I believe Barack is the hope for my dad and others like him. It has been a hardship for me since I am paying for his hearing aid, his glasses, and his medications, but I will continue to give because I believe in Barack.
&lt;p&gt;David in &lt;a&gt;Utah&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;Barack has made me care about politics again... I'd never donated to a campaign before and never thought there was a meaningful difference in candidates before. But we're going to do it in 2008, and Barack is going to be a great blessing to this nation and the world.&lt;p&gt;James in &lt;a&gt;Virginia&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;I am just thrilled to be part of this movement in history. I have little money to be donating, and I wish that I could donate more. Donating the $5 I did this morning means a lot to me in a time where my family just doesn't have the extras to give to anyone.

My belief is if I can give to Barack and this overall movement of CHANGE then my $5 will be rewarded 10-times more when he is in office and he can began to change the economy. Then I can finish college and be able to afford the loans. I'll be able to fill my tank up with not worrying if I should do that or buy groceries.

I believe that Michelle and Barack are fit to run this country, and I am just so excited and passionate about this election.&amp;nbsp; I have never felt this much energy in any past elections. So once again, I am sorry that I couldn't donate hundreds, but I will try to donate again, and I look forward to Barack being are next president. 
&lt;p&gt;Joan in &lt;a&gt;New York&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;I am a 65-year old white woman who cannot wait to vote for Barack Obama in November. I changed my party affiliation just so I could vote for him in the primary. I'm on Social Security, but I make it my business to donate $10 per month to his campaign. Not much, but I feel I'm doing my part as best I can. 
&lt;p&gt;Andrea in &lt;a&gt;California&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;On my limited income, I have donated more money to support his candidacy than all other campaigns combined in my 43 years of voting. He inspires me, an &amp;quot;older white woman,&amp;quot; to talk with my six grandkids about a better world where we can, indeed, be one people, relating with a God of our own personal understanding, standing for truth, justice and peace for all beings and nations...working together for a healthy environment, better support for schools and teachers, health care that is excellent/affordable/available, negotiating with all hard-to-get-along-with folks rather than hitting and running away (kid's ways of understanding!) Barack Obama MUST be the next president of the United States of America.
&lt;p&gt;This campaign is about building a different kind of politics. We don't take money from Washington lobbyists or special-interest political action committees. Instead, our broad base of individual donors ensures that this campaign answers to no one but the people.

And that starts with you.&amp;nbsp; Let your voice be heard today.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;He Inspires Me&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2007-07-24 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/samgrahamfelsen/CpxP" rowid="42051189" side="oba" srcid="277626" text="&lt;p&gt;Barack drew some phenomenal reviews for his performance tonight...&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Fox News-- Frank Luntz on Focus Group Results: &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;He is off the charts.&amp;nbsp; I mean, this is as high as it can go. He&amp;rsquo;s explicit.&amp;nbsp; He has drawn the contrast.&amp;nbsp; He has hit a home run... [H]e seems to represent people rather than politics.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;CNN-- Mary Snow on NH/Nevada Responses: &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;We&amp;#39;re here with 24 democrats, independents, who thought that Senator Hillary Clinton would be the best performer here tonight, but the results that we just got in, this is a focus group, show that Barack Obama got the most favorable in terms of the best performance from the 24 people who are here tonight.&amp;rdquo; &amp;ldquo;Senator Barack Obama was showing some favorable responses to his answers. Some of the things that he got favorable responses were when he talked about fighting lobbyists, particularly on health care.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Washington Post-- Chris Cillizza from The Fix: &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Time and time again Obama sought to take specific questions and broaden them into a conversation over who represented real change in the field. He castigated lobbyists and special interests in Washington, offering a sweeping condemnation of business as usual (by both parties) in the nation&amp;#39;s capital. &amp;quot;We don&amp;#39;t need just a change in political parties,&amp;quot; said Obama. &amp;quot;We need a change in attitudes of the people representing Americans.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;What&amp;#39;d you guys think?&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;He is off the charts&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-08-11 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/stateupdate2/gG5bFJ" rowid="42055555" side="oba" srcid="300247" text="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; On March 18, 2008, Barack Obama delivered a seminal &lt;a&gt;speech&lt;/a&gt; on race in America. Speaking in front of the historic Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, he said:&lt;/p&gt;This was one of the tasks we set forth at the beginning of this campaign - 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. 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 - 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 - towards a better future for of children and our grandchildren.&lt;p&gt;Millions of &lt;a&gt;African Americans&lt;/a&gt; across the country are standing up to support Barack and help him on his long march to the White House. Here are a few of their stories:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Jenifer from Bowie, Maryland says:&lt;/p&gt;I trust him and feel he would make the best decisions for all Americans. I believe in his message and admire his ability to connect with all people. I came wait to meet him and let him know that he is the first candidate I have ever whole-heartedly supported. I am a 29-year-old African-American female banker that is first generation college-educated and I know that Senator Obama will change this country and the world. Keep me believing in you!&lt;p&gt;Curtis in Columbus, Ohio says: &lt;/p&gt;I am a 53-year-old African-American who was born and lived in Tuscaloosa, Alabama until the age of 16. I saw the prejudices and hatred that existed. I believe that Mr. Obama is the product of all the hard work, sacrifice and dedication of the civil rights movement of the 60's. Make us proud Mr. Obama!&lt;p&gt;Sheena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: &lt;/p&gt;I support Barack Obama because he personifies the best in us -- period. He's brilliant, passionate, a visionary, an optimist and a man who's willing to &amp;quot;put in work,&amp;quot; as they say, to see those visions realized for the greater good of all of us. I'm a black woman with 10-year-old twin boys, and my children wear their &amp;quot;Obama '08&amp;quot; tee shirts with great pride; their narrow little chests swell up, and they express to me -- and everyone, in fact -- how happy they are that there's a black man who could actually become their president (already, the political apple hasn't fallen far from the tree!). There's something magical in that, something that goes far beyond mere racial pride, particularly when our boys have so many obstacles to overcome simply to survive in this country. So yes, I proudly support Barack Obama. I'm proud of him, and I'm proud that he can inspire my children and so many countless others, letting them know that if they too are audacious enough to simply believe in hope and work to make each day better for mankind, they too can achieve great things and inspire generations. &lt;p&gt;Torialyn in Auburn, Alabama says:&lt;/p&gt;I am a 29 year old African American female who was born and raised in Chicago and I see the importance and the need for Barack.&amp;nbsp; I have been following Barack since he got elected to the senate. Society needs a man preferably a strong person to represent social change and diversity, influence government policies in a positive way, and to just stand for something!&amp;nbsp; Though Barack is just a man like everyone else, he knows what it means to persevere and appeal to the needs of not just African Americans, but people from all walks of life.&lt;p&gt;Jessica in Hoffman Estates, Illinois says:&lt;/p&gt;I support Barack Obama because he has been the only politician that speaks with an authentic voice for the people.&amp;nbsp; Though I am an African-American woman, I am not the only person that Barack is speaking to and for.&amp;nbsp; He has and displays an attitude that promotes hope and equality in a country that has put issues of education and equal pay on the back burner for the last eight years.&amp;nbsp; Barack has my vote mainly because he stood and fault for the people earnestly before he became a senator. It's a no brainer.&lt;p&gt;Join &lt;a&gt;African Americans for Obama&lt;/a&gt; to connect with other supporters and get more involved in the campaign in your community.&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;He Personifies The Best In Us&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-08-15 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/stateupdate2/gG5bFJ" rowid="42055620" side="oba" srcid="300917" text="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; On March 18, 2008, Barack Obama delivered a seminal &lt;a&gt;speech&lt;/a&gt; on race in America. Speaking in front of the historic Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, he said:&lt;/p&gt;This was one of the tasks we set forth at the beginning of this campaign - 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. 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 - 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 - towards a better future for of children and our grandchildren.&lt;p&gt;Millions of &lt;a&gt;African Americans&lt;/a&gt; across the country are standing up to support Barack and help him on his long march to the White House. Here are a few of their stories:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Jenifer from Bowie, Maryland says:&lt;/p&gt;I trust him and feel he would make the best decisions for all Americans. I believe in his message and admire his ability to connect with all people. I came wait to meet him and let him know that he is the first candidate I have ever whole-heartedly supported. I am a 29-year-old African-American female banker that is first generation college-educated and I know that Senator Obama will change this country and the world. Keep me believing in you!&lt;p&gt;Curtis in Columbus, Ohio says: &lt;/p&gt;I am a 53-year-old African-American who was born and lived in Tuscaloosa, Alabama until the age of 16. I saw the prejudices and hatred that existed. I believe that Mr. Obama is the product of all the hard work, sacrifice and dedication of the civil rights movement of the 60's. Make us proud Mr. Obama!&lt;p&gt;Sheena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: &lt;/p&gt;I support Barack Obama because he personifies the best in us -- period. He's brilliant, passionate, a visionary, an optimist and a man who's willing to &amp;quot;put in work,&amp;quot; as they say, to see those visions realized for the greater good of all of us. I'm a black woman with 10-year-old twin boys, and my children wear their &amp;quot;Obama '08&amp;quot; tee shirts with great pride; their narrow little chests swell up, and they express to me -- and everyone, in fact -- how happy they are that there's a black man who could actually become their president (already, the political apple hasn't fallen far from the tree!). There's something magical in that, something that goes far beyond mere racial pride, particularly when our boys have so many obstacles to overcome simply to survive in this country. So yes, I proudly support Barack Obama. I'm proud of him, and I'm proud that he can inspire my children and so many countless others, letting them know that if they too are audacious enough to simply believe in hope and work to make each day better for mankind, they too can achieve great things and inspire generations. &lt;p&gt;Torialyn in Auburn, Alabama says:&lt;/p&gt;I am a 29 year old African American female who was born and raised in Chicago and I see the importance and the need for Barack.&amp;nbsp; I have been following Barack since he got elected to the senate. Society needs a man preferably a strong person to represent social change and diversity, influence government policies in a positive way, and to just stand for something!&amp;nbsp; Though Barack is just a man like everyone else, he knows what it means to persevere and appeal to the needs of not just African Americans, but people from all walks of life.&lt;p&gt;Jessica in Hoffman Estates, Illinois says:&lt;/p&gt;I support Barack Obama because he has been the only politician that speaks with an authentic voice for the people.&amp;nbsp; Though I am an African-American woman, I am not the only person that Barack is speaking to and for.&amp;nbsp; He has and displays an attitude that promotes hope and equality in a country that has put issues of education and equal pay on the back burner for the last eight years.&amp;nbsp; Barack has my vote mainly because he stood and fought for the people earnestly before he became a senator. It's a no brainer.&lt;p&gt;Join &lt;a&gt;African Americans for Obama&lt;/a&gt; to connect with other supporters and get more involved in the campaign in your community.&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;He Personifies The Best In Us&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-08-18 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/mollyclaflinblog/gG5bFJ" rowid="42055675" side="oba" srcid="301096" text="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; On March 18, 2008, Barack Obama delivered a seminal &lt;a&gt;speech&lt;/a&gt; on race in America. Speaking in front of the historic Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, he said:&lt;/p&gt;This was one of the tasks we set forth at the beginning of this campaign - 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. 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 - 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 - towards a better future for of children and our grandchildren.&lt;p&gt;Millions of &lt;a&gt;African Americans&lt;/a&gt; across the country are standing up to support Barack and help him on his long march to the White House. Here are a few of their stories:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Jenifer from Bowie, Maryland says:&lt;/p&gt;I trust him and feel he would make the best decisions for all Americans. I believe in his message and admire his ability to connect with all people. I came wait to meet him and let him know that he is the first candidate I have ever whole-heartedly supported. I am a 29-year-old African-American female banker that is first generation college-educated and I know that Senator Obama will change this country and the world. Keep me believing in you!&lt;p&gt;Curtis in Columbus, Ohio says: &lt;/p&gt;I am a 53-year-old African-American who was born and lived in Tuscaloosa, Alabama until the age of 16. I saw the prejudices and hatred that existed. I believe that Mr. Obama is the product of all the hard work, sacrifice and dedication of the civil rights movement of the 60's. Make us proud Mr. Obama!&lt;p&gt;Sheena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: &lt;/p&gt;I support Barack Obama because he personifies the best in us -- period. He's brilliant, passionate, a visionary, an optimist and a man who's willing to &amp;quot;put in work,&amp;quot; as they say, to see those visions realized for the greater good of all of us. I'm a black woman with 10-year-old twin boys, and my children wear their &amp;quot;Obama '08&amp;quot; tee shirts with great pride; their narrow little chests swell up, and they express to me -- and everyone, in fact -- how happy they are that there's a black man who could actually become their president (already, the political apple hasn't fallen far from the tree!). There's something magical in that, something that goes far beyond mere racial pride, particularly when our boys have so many obstacles to overcome simply to survive in this country. So yes, I proudly support Barack Obama. I'm proud of him, and I'm proud that he can inspire my children and so many countless others, letting them know that if they too are audacious enough to simply believe in hope and work to make each day better for mankind, they too can achieve great things and inspire generations. &lt;p&gt;Torialyn in Auburn, Alabama says:&lt;/p&gt;I am a 29 year old African American female who was born and raised in Chicago and I see the importance and the need for Barack.&amp;nbsp; I have been following Barack since he got elected to the senate. Society needs a man preferably a strong person to represent social change and diversity, influence government policies in a positive way, and to just stand for something!&amp;nbsp; Though Barack is just a man like everyone else, he knows what it means to persevere and appeal to the needs of not just African Americans, but people from all walks of life.&lt;p&gt;Jessica in Hoffman Estates, Illinois says:&lt;/p&gt;I support Barack Obama because he has been the only politician that speaks with an authentic voice for the people.&amp;nbsp; Though I am an African-American woman, I am not the only person that Barack is speaking to and for.&amp;nbsp; He has and displays an attitude that promotes hope and equality in a country that has put issues of education and equal pay on the back burner for the last eight years.&amp;nbsp; Barack has my vote mainly because he stood and fought for the people earnestly before he became a senator. It's a no brainer.&lt;p&gt;Join &lt;a&gt;African Americans for Obama&lt;/a&gt; to connect with other supporters and get more involved in the campaign in your community.&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;He Personifies The Best In Us&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2007-04-13 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/samgrahamfelsen/CZHq" rowid="42050842" side="oba" srcid="278073" text="&lt;p&gt;Carol M. of Springfield, Illinois has been working at her &amp;quot;dream job&amp;quot; for the past couple years.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;As a child, Carol would frequent the birthplace of Abraham Lincoln with her mother, who Carol says was a &amp;quot;huge Lincoln buff.&amp;quot; Soon, Carol became a serious Lincoln enthusiast herself. &amp;quot;I think the biggest thing she told me about Lincoln was how self-made he was,&amp;quot; Carol remembers. &amp;quot;He educated himself. She spoke about his honesty, his integrity, and how he tried to preserve the union. She emphasized that he was a local person, a real mid-westerner, but that his interest was in keeping the nation together.&amp;quot; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Decades later, after her daughter graduated from college, Carol decided to go back to school and pursue her lifelong passion: history. As Carol was finishing up her masters degree, her mother became quite ill. Carol moved in to take care of her. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Her mother&amp;#39;s condition continued to worsen. One day, Carol came across a job listing for a position of as an educator for high school students at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield. &amp;quot;I called and called and called, and finally, I got the job,&amp;quot; she says. &amp;quot;It was a dream come true.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;A few days later, Carol&amp;#39;s mother passed away.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;She was really happy I got the job,&amp;quot; says Carol. &amp;quot;It was a comfort to me when I first started because she knew I was going to be in a job I loved, and she knew I&amp;#39;d be with Lincoln. Sometimes when I walk into the museum it&amp;#39;s almost as though I can hear him saying &amp;#39;It&amp;#39;s gonna be alright&amp;#39; to me.&amp;quot;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;When Barack announced that he was going to run for president, Carol showed up at the Capitol in Springfield-- the very spot where Lincoln had once delivered his great &amp;quot;A House Divided Against Itself Cannot Stand&amp;quot; address. &amp;quot;It was around seven degrees out,&amp;quot; she says, &amp;quot;but you could just feel the energy and hope. It was palpable.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Carol says there are some real similarities between Senator Obama and Lincoln. &amp;quot;Lincoln didn&amp;#39;t have things handed to him on a silver platter and he knew what it was like to not completely fit in, and he wrote about it,&amp;quot; says Carol. &amp;quot;He moved to a new place, Salem, by himself and he tried to make it on his own. He succeeded, but the road was jagged, it wasn&amp;#39;t always easy. But those experiences, each step along the way, each thoughtful choice he made-- this is what helped guide him to become the man he was.&amp;quot; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Like the country was under Lincoln, we are so divided right now,&amp;quot; says Carol. &amp;quot;The division between Democrats and Republicans is so hateful. If you&amp;#39;re not for the war you&amp;#39;re not patriotic-- that whole mindset. And what appeals to me about senator Obama is that he wants to bring us back together. He wants a dialog. He&amp;#39;s emphasizing that, and not the hate, and thats what gives me hope.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;He Wants to Bring Us Back Together&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2007-04-18 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/samgrahamfelsen/CZmh" rowid="42050854" side="oba" srcid="278061" text="John A. is a 58-year-old farmer from Randolph, Nebraska. He and his brother both own a thousand acres and they share equipment. John farms a rotating crop of corn and soybeans, and he also finishes two to three hundred cows and around eight hundred hogs a year.I belong to a pig co-op where I get pigs, take &amp;lsquo;em to my farm at 40 pounds and get &amp;lsquo;em up to 260 pounds and market them to producers out of Sioux City. They collect all of us independent producers and they market the hogs as a whole.I am in 10% of the producers today that market hogs on an open livestock market. That means the hogs aren&amp;rsquo;t under contract, I&amp;rsquo;m not under contract. We are a very a small minority. Many of the big producers, they also slaughter their own hogs, which gives them a huge and unfair advantage against people like me.This is the first time John has ever given to a presidential campaign. He has become more involved with politics in the last four or five years, because he&amp;rsquo;s &amp;ldquo;been looking at what&amp;rsquo;s going on around me.&amp;rdquo;I farm 1000 acres and I&amp;rsquo;m considered to be in between a small and medium-sized farmer. To compare myself to some larger farmers around me, they have anywhere from 8 to 18,000 thousand acres of corn. How can I as an individual farmer compete against that person who farms that much land and gets subsidized by the government?John calls the 2002 Farm Bill, particularly the lack of payment limits, was &amp;ldquo;the worst thing that could have happened.&amp;nbsp; It was really was devastating, particularly for us in the Midwest.&amp;rdquo;Farming runs in John&amp;rsquo;s family. His great grandfather settled in Nebraska and started a farm, and his grandfather and father followed suit. But in all likelihood, none of John&amp;rsquo;s three children will become farmers.&amp;ldquo;In one way I&amp;#39;d like to see &amp;lsquo;em carry it on and on the other hand, I look at what they have to face, and it&amp;#39;s such an uphill battle, so I havent pushed &amp;lsquo;em,&amp;rdquo; says John. When my dad farmed and when I was a young man and a neighbor had some land he wanted to sell, he would approach his neighbor first. It&amp;rsquo;s not like that today. They pull in with huge tractors and combines and they&amp;rsquo;re right across the road. When John graduated there were 70 people in his class and there also was a Catholic high school with about 30 kids down the road. It&amp;rsquo;s not there anymore. And the public school graduating class this year had 37 students. The kindergarten class only has 17.John hasn&amp;rsquo;t always voted Democratic. In the 80&amp;rsquo;s, he voted for Reagan. &amp;ldquo;He had a lot of charisma and he seemed like a strong leader. But at the time, I didn&amp;rsquo;t really know about the corporate ties of the Republican party.&amp;rdquo;&amp;ldquo;I think our country is in the worst shape its been in a long time,&amp;rdquo; says John, &amp;ldquo;and I think a lot of it comes down to the lack of government interest in the people. But I think Obama, of all the candidates, just sticks out as someone with a sense of caring about what I think.&amp;rdquo; &amp;ldquo;He would be a president of the people.&amp;rdquo;" title="&quot;He would be a president of the people&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2007-06-29 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/alexmaccallum/CXJ9" rowid="42051070" side="oba" srcid="277845" text="&amp;quot;It feels like the American dream is slowly slipping out from under my fingertips,&amp;quot; said Kathy, from Miamisburg, Ohio. She lives right near, Dayton, a city that&amp;#39;s population is rapidly evaporating. A report released today listed Dayton as having the sixth highest population loss in the US. It used to have seven Delphi plants that supplied GM with parts, but recent cutbacks have slashed that number to one. Kathy explained how the hard times have affected her personally, and why she thinks Barack could make a difference.I&amp;#39;ve gotten rid of all my car payments, I don&amp;#39;t have any more babysitting fees, I&amp;#39;m making more money than I used to. So theoretically, I should have more income. But I don&amp;#39;t. I feel lik the American dream is slowly slipping out of my fingertips &amp;ndash; I&amp;#39;m making more but retaining less.We&amp;#39;re so divided as a country, over the Iraq war, that we haven&amp;#39;t been able to focus on what&amp;#39;s important domestically. I don&amp;#39;t think Senator Obama is the status quo politician. I think he&amp;#39;s genuine, that he could make a difference. I see a light at the end of the tunnel, and Barack is his name!Share your story and donate here." title="&quot;He's Genuine, He Could Make a Difference&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-07-01 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/amandascott/gG5x4M" rowid="42054988" side="oba" srcid="274427" text="&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Lucas Fleischer is on the ground in Ohio, helping lay the groundwork for the state&amp;#39;s general election campaign. He was in Zanesville this morning to speak with the volunteers of the Eastside Community Ministry.&amp;nbsp; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;It was a sunny day here in Zanesville, a town in Southeastern Ohio, where Barack came to talk about the place where faith and community meet.  The Eastside Community Ministry seems to be that very place.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Eastside, which provides a food pantry, emergency relief, clothing bank, and special outreach programs along with its flagship youth tutoring program, is exactly the kind of faith-based organization Barack was talking about in his speech today when he called for &amp;quot;an all hands on deck approach&amp;quot; to solving some of today&amp;#39;s challenges.&amp;nbsp; As he has said in the past, Barack believes that people don&amp;#39;t want the government to solve their problems, but they would like to feel like the government is trying to help. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Sam, a volunteer at Eastside, described a similar approach here...&lt;/p&gt;We&amp;#39;re not attempting to give a handout, but training... to help people change their situation.&lt;p&gt;Mike, who volunteers here with Sam and teaches physical education at a local school, said that approach is useful in a place like Zanesville...&lt;/p&gt;It has a small town feel, but it&amp;#39;s big enough to have a little niche for everybody... diverse, with wealthy people as well as low-income... I see doctors&amp;#39; kids playing alongside kids who wear the same clothes to school every day.&lt;p&gt;Their life skills program with training in finance, health and nutrition, and even laundry, attempts to offer people all the skills they need to fight multi-generational poverty in a town that has been hard hit.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;While Barack was here to talk about his support of faith-based programs, he stopped in to check on the kids who are part of the youth tutoring program.&amp;nbsp; Sam told us:&lt;/p&gt;They&amp;#39;re excited.&amp;nbsp; Some of them are not going to wash their hands any time soon [after shaking hands with Barack]. He made those kids&amp;#39; day, that&amp;#39;s for sure.&amp;nbsp; If not year.&lt;p&gt;A few of the volunteers at Eastside are Republicans, and even joked about not wanting to be interviewed for fear of getting kicked out of the Young Republicans Club, but when asked about Barack coming here today, one said:&lt;/p&gt;The more public politicians talk about these issues, the better it will get... When he entered the race, I went to his website and learned all about him.&amp;nbsp; And I was excited by the spirit of what he said.&amp;nbsp; If he does what he says he&amp;#39;ll do, and keeps talking about the things he&amp;#39;s talking about, I&amp;#39;ll probably vote for him in November. &lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;Helping People Change Their Situation&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-07-10 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/amandascott/gG5x4M" rowid="42055173" side="oba" srcid="273975" text="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a&gt;Lucas Fleischer&lt;/a&gt; is on the ground in Ohio, helping lay the groundwork for the state's general election campaign. He was in Zanesville this morning to speak with the volunteers of the Eastside Community Ministry.&amp;nbsp; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;It was a sunny day here in Zanesville, a town in Southeastern Ohio, where Barack came to talk about the place where faith and community meet.  The Eastside Community Ministry seems to be that very place.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Eastside, which provides a food pantry, emergency relief, clothing bank, and special outreach programs along with its flagship youth tutoring program, is exactly the kind of faith-based organization Barack was talking about in his speech today when he called for &amp;quot;an all hands on deck approach&amp;quot; to solving some of today's challenges.&amp;nbsp; As he has said in the past, Barack believes that people don't want the government to solve their problems, but they would like to feel like the government is trying to help. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Sam, a volunteer at Eastside, described a similar approach here...&lt;/p&gt;We're not attempting to give a handout, but training... to help people change their situation.&lt;p&gt;Mike, who volunteers here with Sam and teaches physical education at a local school, said that approach is useful in a place like Zanesville...&lt;/p&gt;It has a small town feel, but it's big enough to have a little niche for everybody... diverse, with wealthy people as well as low-income... I see doctors' kids playing alongside kids who wear the same clothes to school every day.&lt;p&gt;Their life skills program with training in finance, health and nutrition, and even laundry, attempts to offer people all the skills they need to fight multi-generational poverty in a town that has been hard hit.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;While Barack was here to talk about his support of faith-based programs, he stopped in to check on the kids who are part of the youth tutoring program.&amp;nbsp; Sam told us:&lt;/p&gt;They're excited.&amp;nbsp; Some of them are not going to wash their hands any time soon [after shaking hands with Barack]. He made those kids' day, that's for sure.&amp;nbsp; If not year.&lt;p&gt;A few of the volunteers at Eastside are Republicans, and even joked about not wanting to be interviewed for fear of getting kicked out of the Young Republicans Club, but when asked about Barack coming here today, one said:&lt;/p&gt;The more public politicians talk about these issues, the better it will get... When he entered the race, I went to his website and learned all about him.&amp;nbsp; And I was excited by the spirit of what he said.&amp;nbsp; If he does what he says he'll do, and keeps talking about the things he's talking about, I'll probably vote for him in November. &lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;Helping People Change Their Situation&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-07-05 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/amandascott/gGxd9l" rowid="42055035" side="oba" srcid="274380" text="&lt;p&gt;Across the country people spent their Fourth of July registering voters at local events. In Ohio, one event caught the attention of the local ABC channel...&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt; Judy Kraus spent July 4th marching down Hamilton Avenue with other Barack Obama supporters in the annual Northside holiday parade. Along the route the Northside woman and other volunteers stopped and approached members of the crowd with clipboards. They were canvassing men and women of voting age, making sure they were registered to cast ballots in the November general election. &amp;quot;We can reach a lot of people this way,&amp;quot; Kraus said. &amp;quot;We know a lot of them are disenfranchised, but we know they want to vote so we&amp;#39;re going to help them to vote.&amp;quot; Similar efforts occurred Friday in Akron, Cleveland, Columbus, Lima and other Ohio cities. More than 2,000 volunteers participated.&lt;p&gt;Sign up to attend a local voter registration event to help those who want to vote. In some states, the 2004 election was won by a small margin of votes. Every vote counts, and this campaign wants to make sure everyone has the opportunity to make their voice heard. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;Helping People Vote&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-07-10 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/amandascott/gGxd9l" rowid="42055126" side="oba" srcid="273928" text="&lt;p&gt;Across the country people spent their Fourth of July registering voters at local events. In &lt;a&gt;Ohio&lt;/a&gt;, one event caught the attention of the &lt;a&gt;local ABC channel&lt;/a&gt;...&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt; Judy Kraus spent July 4th marching down Hamilton Avenue with other Barack Obama supporters in the annual Northside holiday parade.

 Along the route the Northside woman and other volunteers stopped and approached members of the crowd with clipboards.

 They were canvassing men and women of voting age, making sure they were registered to cast ballots in the November general election.

 &amp;quot;We can reach a lot of people this way,&amp;quot; Kraus said. &amp;quot;We know a lot of them are disenfranchised, but we know they want to vote so we're going to help them to vote.&amp;quot;

 Similar efforts occurred Friday in Akron, Cleveland, Columbus, Lima and other Ohio cities.

 More than 2,000 volunteers participated.&lt;p&gt;Sign up to attend a local &lt;a&gt;voter registration event&lt;/a&gt; to help those who want to vote. In some states, the 2004 election was won by a small margin of votes. Every vote counts, and this campaign wants to make sure everyone has the opportunity to make their voice heard. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;Helping People Vote&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-10-07 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/stateupdates/gGgP5C" rowid="42056674" side="oba" srcid="308178" text="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a&gt;USA Today&lt;/a&gt; reports on Bill and Hilary Clinton's recent efforts in support of Barack Obama:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton has raised more than $8 million for former rival Barack Obama's presidential campaign since July and plans to barnstorm the country for even more cash, as the New York senator works to show she is aggressively helping the candidate who cut short her White House bid.

&amp;quot;I am using every tool that I have to help Democrats win,&amp;quot; Clinton told USA TODAY. She was between fundraising events in Texas and California that brought in another $1.5 million for Obama and congressional candidates on Friday and Saturday.

Later this month, Clinton will headline Obama fundraisers in Chicago, Philadelphia and Little Rock along with 11 events to raise money for Democratic congressional candidates and state parties. 

... The former first lady said in the interview late Friday that her goal is straightforward: &amp;quot;We have a lot to repair in America, and I believe that Democratic leadership is essential to fixing the damage that we are going to inherit.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;... &amp;quot;I'm looking forward to going to the White House someday and standing there when President Obama signs a bill guaranteeing quality, affordable health care for every American,&amp;quot; she said, citing an issue that was a signature of her campaign

... Clinton has hit 40 campaign events for Obama in battleground states from New Hampshire to Nevada in the past two months. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Last Wednesday, Bill Clinton made his first campaign stop for Barack Obama in Orlando, Florida. In front of an enthusiastic crowd at the University of Central Florida, he urged voters to support Obama, saying: &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;He's got better answers -- better answers for the economy, for energy, for healthcare, for education. He knows what it will take to get this country back on track. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Here's the full video of Bill Clinton's speech: &lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;Hillary goes to bat for Obama and party&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-09-14 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/stateupdates/gG5Z5k" rowid="42056200" side="oba" srcid="304730" text="&lt;p&gt;Responding to a recent &lt;a&gt;Time magazine report&lt;/a&gt; that John McCain tapped Washington super lobbyist Bill Timmons to plan his administration, the Obama campaign released a new 30-second TV ad called His Administration today. The new ad details how, just like his campaign, a John McCain White House would be lobbyist-run with corporate special interests rigging the system.&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;His Administration&quot; - John McCain's Lobbyist-Run White House" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2007-12-10 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/samgrahamfelsen/CN8q" rowid="42052073" side="oba" srcid="276742" text="&lt;p&gt;Blogger Oliver Willis writes:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Sen. Obama represents the next generation of leadership, someone with knowledge of the past and the advances and mistakes that have been made there but free of the sort of legacy that makes someone just a little too gun shy to be transformational. After the destruction done to our national psyche, our global image, and all of our lives by the current leadership team, we need someone like Sen. Obama to put us back on the right path and lead us out of the valley of fear...&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;On January 20, 2009, I want to see Barack Obama raise his hand and take the oath making him the most powerful human being on the planet. Barack Obama for President. &lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;Hope begins&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-07-31 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/amandascott/gGx4sd" rowid="42055422" side="oba" srcid="298602" text="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The grassroots supporters of this campaign are a diverse group.&amp;nbsp; Many of them are first time canvassers, have never been involved in politics, and are looking at this election as the first of its kind. No matter the city or state, our supporters are taking action and making their voice heard.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Bryan in &lt;a&gt;Pennsylvania&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;I never cared about a politician, donated to a campaign, or took more than a minor interest in politics before Barack Obama. I was struck by his energy, eloquence, and his honesty. He is unlike any politician I&amp;rsquo;ve ever seen. Barack is living proof of the American Dream, and I know as president he would do his best to make sure every American got their piece of that dream too. 
&lt;p&gt;Martin in &lt;a&gt;Michigan&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;I've always considered myself a moderate, but I've never been excited, though, in the way I am about Barack Obama. I always just voted because I believed it was a civic duty. I've also never donated to a political campaign before, and it still feels weird every time I do it for Obama. This year was also the first time I ever voted in a primary (or in my case, a caucus), and it felt good to be so involved with the process. I'm very proud of Barack Obama, and as long as he keeps giving this country hope, I'll keep giving him donations :)&lt;p&gt;Laurel in &lt;a&gt;Arizona&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;My husband is a police officer, and I am a homemaker to two wonderful children. I am finishing my bachelor's degree this year, and our funds are extremely limited in the meantime. However, the hope that we both feel when we hear Obama speak and the desperation we feel in the need for change have driven us to pinch pennies, stop eating out, and donate to Barack Obama's campaign. We want this for our country more than we want dinner out or a new pair of shoes.

I will graduate from college in December, and that month will be the best month of my life because my degree will offer me hope for my future financially, and Obama as president will be offering hope for the future of Americans in every way possible.
&lt;p&gt;Carolyn in &lt;a&gt;Tennessee&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;I am 54 and have not voted in years. It was always the same old rhetoric every election cycle but a different face. We, as a country, are at a crossroads, and Senator Obama has given me hope for the future. I have never donated to a campaign before Senator Obama inspired me with his message. I feel we are at a pivotal moment in history and as a country. Senator Obama is the man to turn things around. Both my daughters have become very active on the volunteer scene, doing voter registration, among other things. Both are inspired by Senator Obama. 
&lt;p&gt;Lori in &lt;a&gt;California&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;Likes thousands and thousands of others, Senator Obama has inspired me to action. Having never donated in the past to any political campaign, I have been inspired to submit several donations to the Senator and several other democratic campaigns and organizations. I attend local meetings and house parties. I have hope, faith and inspiration at a level I have never experienced. Thank you, Senator Obama!&lt;p&gt;This campaign is about change. It's about coming together as Americans and moving toward the future in a new direction. It's about real solutions to the long term challenges we face. But we can't do it without you. Every grassroots supporters is an important part of this campaign.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;Hope For The Future&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2007-12-29 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/samgrahamfelsen/Cgtj" rowid="42052282" side="oba" srcid="276433" text="&lt;p&gt;Check out &amp;quot;Hope,&amp;quot; our new ad running in Iowa:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;Hope&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-07-31 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/amandascott/gGx4sD" rowid="42055421" side="oba" srcid="298573" text="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;People in this country are hungry for change and are getting involved in every level of this campaign. Here are a few individuals empowered by this movement for change&amp;hellip;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Matthew in &lt;a&gt;Louisiana&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;My name is Matthew, and this presidential election will be the first I will be able to participate in, and I wish to do so in as many ways as possible. I have already done small campaigning at my university, and now I have donated money. I will do everything I can to draw support for Sen. Obama in central Louisiana. &amp;hellip; I have already made a commitment to do this to the best of my ability. 
&lt;p&gt;Linda in &lt;a&gt;Illinois&lt;/a&gt;: &lt;/p&gt;I am retired and do not have a lot of money, but I donate because Obama must win. The question to my mind is not, &amp;ldquo;Can I afford to donate to his campaign?&amp;rdquo; The question is, &amp;ldquo;How can I afford not to?&amp;rdquo; The alternative is unacceptable to me and my friends. It will take the keen intellect and vision of an Obama presidency to make this country great again - for ALL of us. 
&lt;p&gt;Robert in &lt;a&gt;Virginia&lt;/a&gt;: &lt;/p&gt;I am a senior, so I have experienced the best and worst in governmental leadership. I rejoiced in my youth at the election of the most outstanding president of all time, John F. Kennedy, and I have now somehow endured the disgraceful and non-democratic leadership of the worst president in American history.

I eagerly anticipate witnessing the acceptance speech and the inauguration of the next great president of the United States of America, Barack Obama. I will rejoice on January 20, 2009 and gain the peace of mind that my three wonderful children will have their confidence in our government restored and will live in a world as good or better than I grew up in.

I proudly donate to the first campaign in my life because I want to once again believe in the future of our great country.
&lt;p&gt;Melissa in &lt;a&gt;California&lt;/a&gt;: &lt;/p&gt;I am a 58-year-old woman and I have voted in every national election since I became eligible to vote at the age of 21. However, until now, I have never volunteered my time to help elect a candidate, have never donated to a campaign, and have never been enthusiastic about my choices when I went to the polls.

This time it's different. This time I am enthusiastic, I am excited, and I am inspired. This time I absolutely know that if we elect Barack Obama the next president of the United States, our country will be on the way back to greatness. We can make that happen together. YES, WE CAN!!!
&lt;p&gt;Are you ready for change? Take the next step and join Melissa, Robert and Matthew in making this campaign yours. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;How Can I Afford Not To?&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-10-13 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/amandascott/gGgFr9" rowid="42056806" side="oba" srcid="309196" text="&lt;p&gt;During a trip to Lebanon, Virginia Barack spoke about his belief in and respect for the Second Amendment. He told the audience outright that he would not take their guns away. 

In the video below, Ray Shoenke, Washington Redskin great and President of the American Hunters and Shooters Association formally endorses Barack and explains why he will make the best president for sportsmen across the country. &lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;I believe in the Second Amendment&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2007-08-15 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/samgrahamfelsen/CJvT" rowid="42051273" side="oba" srcid="277542" text="&lt;p&gt;Check out the cover story in the Washington Post today. Barack contrasts himself to the other candidates and argues that he&amp;#39;s the one who can fundamentally change Washington and unite the country:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;It&amp;#39;s not going to be a matter of mouthing the conventional wisdom for points on a r&amp;eacute;sum&amp;eacute;. It&amp;#39;s really going to have to do with the capacity to inspire confidence in the American people to restore a sense of our values and our ideals&amp;quot;... &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;The insurance and drug companies can have a seat at the table in our health-care debate; they just can&amp;#39;t buy all the chairs,&amp;quot; he said. &amp;quot;My argument is not that they are the source of all evil. My argument is that things are out of balance in Washington and that their influence is disproportionate.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;This afternoon, in Cedar Falls, Barack will discuss his plan to curb the influence of lobbyists and make our government more open and accountable. Click here for more details on how Barack will clean up Washington and stay tuned for coverage from Cedar Falls.&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;I can bring the country together more effectively&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2007-06-28 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/alexmaccallum/CXnS" rowid="42051061" side="oba" srcid="277854" text="&amp;quot;There&amp;#39;s lots of time for political conversation when you&amp;#39;re working the night shift at a gas station,&amp;quot; Frank said to me on the phone this morning. He talked politics with customers as they filled up theirtanks, late at night in Monteagle, Tennessee. Everyone complained about the high gas prices, but no one thought anyone in government could change things. Frank thinks Barack can:Everyone wants to blame someone, usually the politicians. Whether they think it&amp;#39;s the fault of Bush or Ted Kennedy, no one thinks &amp;quot;I could vote for someone who could do something better.&amp;quot;I can&amp;#39;t be that pessimistic. I have to think you can fix things. Barack emphasizes hope, change, and optimism. I think he could bring about change because he&amp;#39;s moderate. He listens, and compromises. The fact that I&amp;#39;m on the phone with you right now is evidence he listens.We need compromise more than ever. It&amp;#39;s all this schoolyard squabbling right now. We need someone to break through and get things moving for the people who need it.Share your story and donate here." title="&quot;I Could Vote for Someone Who Could Do Something Better&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2007-05-02 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/samgrahamfelsen/CvSM" rowid="42050889" side="oba" srcid="278026" text="&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;I like the fact that Obama&amp;#39;s done so much so far with small donations. He talks about a new brand of politics where regular people can get involved,&amp;quot; says Ned H. of Harrisburg, South Dakota.  Ned, a 21-year-old junior at Augustana College in Sioux Falls, donated to a campaign for the first time in his life last week. Despite his age, Ned has been engaged in politics on the local level and beyond for quite some time. Ned twice ran unsuccessfully for the school board of Harrisburg (once coming within 2 votes against an long-term incumbent). &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;His passion has been education reform: &lt;/p&gt; When I went to college, I realized I wasn&amp;#39;t prepared nearly enough and that the education I had received simply was not up to par. I ran two times for school board to try to change things. I wanted to make sure teachers got paid better, to improve the quality of education. At least in my school district, it was more about educating everyone at the bottom level, more about preparing kids to go straight into the workforce rather than into college. The agriculture department in our school was really big and there&amp;#39;s definitely a place for that, but the emphasis could have gone to upper level classes rather than emphasizing that students know how to judge cattle.  The other issue that hits home for Ned is the war in Iraq. One of Ned&amp;#39;s best friends is an Army Ranger who has been to Iraq and will certainly be going back. Ned says he attended his friend&amp;#39;s graduation from training school while he was &amp;quot;incredibly proud,&amp;quot; he was also &amp;quot;nervous.&amp;quot;  I try to keep an open mind and I think suddenly pulling out is a bad idea, but at the same time I don&amp;#39;t think this war worth is losing my best friend over. I&amp;#39;ve opposed the war from the beginning. I couldn&amp;#39;t see losing someone over this.&lt;p&gt;  Ned is a Democrat but he says he doesn&amp;#39;t consider himself &amp;quot;very far left at all.&amp;quot; He says there are plenty of issues on which he disagrees with the majority of Democrats. Part of it, he says, is cultural. His family has been in South Dakota for generations, ever since his great great grandfather settled there thanks to the Homestead Act.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Ultimately, as a person from a predominantly Republican state, Ned is interested in a leader that can do &amp;quot;what Bush promised and failed to do&amp;hellip; &amp;#39;be a uniter, not a divider.&amp;#39;&amp;quot;  &amp;quot;I think it&amp;#39;s time for someone who brings us together based on what we have in common,&amp;quot; says Ned.&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;I don't think this war is worth losing my best friend over&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-02-20 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/samgrahamfelsen/gGC728" rowid="42053279" side="oba" srcid="275336" text="&lt;p&gt;Check out this Burnt Orange Report diary from a Texan who attended the rally in Dallas...&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;I&amp;#39;m a son of two teenage parents, born into a middle, and often time&amp;#39;s, poor class home in Euless, Texas. Our family struggled through Reaganomic&amp;#39;s like most families did during the 80&amp;#39;s.&amp;nbsp; Despite the hard times, we talked about, and prayed about the hope of a better day.&amp;nbsp; My father worked at times three jobs while my mother stayed at home to tend to my brother, later my sister, and I.&amp;nbsp; We lived in a trailer home for some time in East Texas where we often lived off of macaroni, cheese, and tuna.&amp;nbsp; My father took up the trade of being a brick mason and managed to stabilize our nuclear family as a standard middle class family in Euless, Texas.&amp;nbsp; Despite these struggles we always talked about, and prayed about, the hope of a better day.My mother was a stay at home mom who, with strict discipline, challenged my siblings and me to work harder, think smarter, and demand better of ourselves.&amp;nbsp; To hope that better days would lay in our future by being good contributors to society and that through our hard work we too can achieve the American Dream and not have to struggle like they did.The power of hope is what has sustained my family and defined my life.&amp;nbsp; It is what has managed to build the foundation from which my 28 years of life bore, thus far, for all to see. Hope is all that millions of Americans have these days after the eight years of pure hell we&amp;#39;ve experienced under Bush administration policies.&amp;nbsp; Hope is what leads me to believe that, with hard work, a little intelligence, giving back to my community, and a bit of discipline, that a gay man from Euless, Texas, can be president some day.&amp;nbsp; This, all of these thoughts, are what wound through my mind as I listened to Obama.&amp;nbsp; It is what I reflected on as we drove home this afternoon.&amp;nbsp; It is what has tears in my eyes as I write.&amp;nbsp; My life is hope.&amp;nbsp; And hope is what is sending me to the polls 10 minutes from now to cast my vote for Barack Obama, and caucus for him at 7:15pm on March 4th.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;If you&amp;#39;re from Texas, click here to find out how you can vote early. Folks from around the country, make calls into Texas and consider making a donation to help us hold more rallies like this across the country... &lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;I Felt the 'Fierce Urgency of Now' in Dallas&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2007-09-25 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/samgrahamfelsen/ChkD" rowid="42051458" side="oba" srcid="277357" text="&lt;p&gt;Jos&amp;eacute;, 23, works as a sales associate at a 7-eleven in California. Like so many others, Jose first became inspired in 2004, when Barack delivered his speech at the DNC. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Ever since that speech,&amp;quot; says Jos&amp;eacute;, &amp;quot;I thought that he was the kind of man we need to be president. He inspired me and gave me hope that there&amp;rsquo;s better days ahead of us. He has the ablity to get things back the way they were and fix our real problems and not just fight over little things.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Jos&amp;eacute; is chiefly concerned with issues like reducing our national debt and repairing infrastructure (&amp;quot;We especially need that here in California,&amp;quot; he says). So he began donating to the campaign a few months ago and decided to give again and participate in our match program to bring in new donors.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;I got involved so that other people would get involved,&amp;quot; he says.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Mecheille, a 40-year-old claims examiner from Philadelphia, was one of the people Jos&amp;eacute; brought into the movement. Up to this point, she had never donated to a campaign in her life.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Jos&amp;eacute; sent her this note:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;I believe Senator Obama is the right president at the right time, the one that can bring us together, as Americans, not as people from the left, the right, or a party, but as people sharing a common destiny.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Mecheille responded:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Barack is the most inspirational and exciting candidate we have seen in years!&amp;nbsp; I agree with you about moving forward with him (in so many ways), and I believe he is the only candidate who can really accomplish that task.  &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Health care, education, and jobs are of chief concern to Mecheille. She says that without a support system from the government, too many people in inner city neighborhoods like hers end up turning to violence. And she says that the problems with our criminal justice system have left many people in the inner city with a lack of trust in government. &amp;quot;These are the issues that affect my area, and these are the issues that I believe he has the strength to take action on,&amp;quot; she says. &amp;quot;I believe in him, and I think so many others like me have found a reason to believe in politics again because he&amp;#39;s real. He&amp;#39;s not old guard.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;The thing that has made his campaign so special,&amp;quot; says Mecheille, &amp;quot;is that he appeals to the masses and not just those powerful interests. He has reached out to the little people and the little people are wiling to give five and ten dollars. If you get five and ten from everybody in North Philly, that really adds up!&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Make your match today and help convince someone else to believe again.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;I got involved so that other people would get involved&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-08-29 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/nikkisutton/gG5lCG" rowid="42055935" side="oba" srcid="302573" text="&lt;p&gt; &lt;a&gt;&lt;/a&gt;Forty-five years ago today the nation stopped to listen. Martin Luther King Jr. stood on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial and gave a speech that created the vision of what could be possible in America. &amp;nbsp;

Tonight the nation&amp;rsquo;s attention will be captured once again as Barack Obama accepts the Democratic party's nomination. &amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;Representative John Lewis from Georgia joined Bernice King and Martin Luther King III this evening in paying tribute to Martin Luther King Jr. &amp;nbsp;

 " title="&quot;I Have A Dream...&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-01-05 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/samgrahamfelsen/CCf9" rowid="42052406" side="oba" srcid="276309" text="&lt;p&gt;From Talking Points Memo&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Just in from Nashua&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;TPM Reader JV checks in from Nashua&lt;/p&gt;The Obama rally at Nashua North High School at 10AM this morning is right down the street, so I went to see him. I didn&amp;#39;t get there until just before 10, and the place was jammed. I had to park in a church lot a half mile away. This is a new High School, with what must be the largest gym in the state. It was full to overflowing. The picture attached was the line waiting to get in a little after 10. The line extends as far back in the other direction too. Shortly after I took this photo, the line stopped for several minutes. When it started moving again, it was to let us into the &amp;quot;secondary gym&amp;quot; (which is about as large as most high school primary gyms) and they filled that one too. So we didn&amp;#39;t get to see Obama, but we did get to hear him. When he finished, he briefly popped into our room to thank us for coming out. (video below) I&amp;#39;ve lived in NH for 27 years now. I&amp;#39;ve never seen a candidate pull crowds anything like this. Shortly after Obama started, he asked how many undecideds were in the room, and (from what I was told later by people that we in the main gym) there was a fairly good number that raised their hands. He talked for 30-35 minutes, and he was good. He talked about hope. He took on all the points that Hillary is hitting him on (lack of experience etc). (One of his best lines was something like &amp;quot;they want me to stew for a while until all the hope has boiled off&amp;quot;.) I suspect he convinced a lot of those people that were on the fence. " title="&quot;I have never seen a candidate pull crowds anything like this&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-08-23 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/amandascott/gG5sTy" rowid="42055765" side="oba" srcid="301913" text="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;This morning, Barack &lt;a&gt;announced&lt;/a&gt; that Joe Biden will be the Democratic Nominee for Vice President. And a lot of our grassroots supporters are &lt;a&gt;sharing their personal messages to Joe&lt;/a&gt; and showing their excitement for the new ticket. Here are some of your welcome messages...&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Donald in Minnesota:&lt;/p&gt;This is a DREAM TICKET! A ticket that can speak to the hearts and minds of Americans to bring the changes needed in our country. 

In Minnesota, we need tax relief. Our roads need repair, our bridges are falling down. We need teachers and police officers. We need veteran's facilities and services. We haven't had a wage increase for a long time and our employers are shipping our jobs overseas. 

With President Obama and Vice President Biden, we can work to make all of these changes real. Our faith in government will be restored, our economy will improve, we'll end our independence on foreign energy. The world will once again look up to the United States of America.

I am SO EXCITED!&lt;p&gt;Sharon in Michigan:&lt;/p&gt;Dear Senator Biden,

It is with great pleasure that I welcome you to be the next Vice-President of the United States of America. Many of us are doing our best to hang on until we get the news in November that you and Senator Obama will be leading our nation out of the mess that it is in. I sincerely thank you for accepting this nomination and for your dedication to the people of this country.&lt;p&gt;Jana in Ohio:&lt;/p&gt;I'm filled with joy for Joe, for Barack and for America. You are the right men, this is the right time. Fight the good fight! Take the lead and change our country-- at last!

God bless America!&lt;p&gt;Ed in Massachusetts:&lt;/p&gt;Dear Senator Biden,

I can't tell you how thrilled I am that Senator Obama has chosen you to be his Vice President and running mate to recapture the White House in the November elections. I have long been an admirer of yours, your record and long service to our country. Our country needs, desperately, the solid leadership, inspiration and values I believe you and Senator Obama both share in abundance. I look forward to working hard to do everything I can for the fall campaign to make sure you make it in Pennsylvania Avenue and I look forward to calling you Mr. Vice President.

My very best wishes and congratulations,
Ed&lt;p&gt;Colby in Utah:&lt;/p&gt;VP Joe Biden! Congratulations! Welcome to the campaign, I am very excited to hear you are the VP pick. 

I am a college student from Utah and have made it a personal goal to make a difference in any way I can. I really do believe you and Barack can do amazing things for our country, and so I am doing all that I can to promote and spread awareness of the changes you two can make in the White House. Now I know full well that I am just a student, and I have heard time and time again that I am just one person and my vote doesn't count. But I strongly believe that my voice does. 

I know that when you two take the White House you will look out upon our country and realize it is in worse shape than the press is portraying. I hear everyday the harsh impact our crippled economy has on my neighbors, friends, and family. It is sad to hear weekly of huge, long-standing American companies getting bought out by European or Asian countries because they are hurting for any profit in the USA. I grow tired of hearing about another local business going out of business, and another family losing their home. It happens far more often than the press covers, and it is demoralizing. 

I'll do anything I can to help, and I hope, for the sake of our nation, you never forget the little guys that are by your side every step of the way.&lt;p&gt;Donna in Wisconsin:&lt;/p&gt;I am a 72-year-old white female living on limited income.&amp;nbsp; I believe this team will lead the country to a more positive America.&amp;nbsp; Welcome Senator Biden - this is a great team.

Donna&lt;p&gt;Debra in Louisiana:&lt;/p&gt;I have been so excited about the Obama candidacy and now with Joe Binden on the ticket I am even more excited.&amp;nbsp; I was pleased when Joe Biden was running for President.&amp;nbsp; I think he is an excellent choice for the Vice President.&amp;nbsp; This will be a well balanced team.&amp;nbsp; Welcome aboard Mr. Biden, it's an exciting time, the people want there government back, we feel connected for a change, no pun intended.&amp;nbsp; We are a great nation but have lost our way some under the current administration and we as a nation can do better for it's people.&amp;nbsp; 

Obama/Biden 08 is the team that can turn things around.&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;I look forward to calling you Mr. Vice President&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-08-23 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/amandascott/gG5sTy" rowid="42055759" side="oba" srcid="301905" text="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;This morning, Barack &lt;a&gt;announced&lt;/a&gt; that Senator Joe Biden will be the Democratic Nominee for Vice President. And a lot of our grassroots supporters are &lt;a&gt;sharing their personal messages to Joe&lt;/a&gt; and showing their excitement for the new ticket. Here are some of your welcome messages...&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Donald in Minnesota:&lt;/p&gt;This is a DREAM TICKET! A ticket that can speak to the hearts and minds of Americans to bring the changes needed in our country. 

In Minnesota, we need tax relief. Our roads need repair, our bridges are falling down. We need teachers and police officers. We need veteran's facilities and services. We haven't had a wage increase for a long time and our employers are shipping our jobs overseas. 

With President Obama and Vice President Biden, we can work to make all of these changes real. Our faith in government will be restored, our economy will improve, we'll end our independence on foreign energy. The world will once again look up to the United States of America.

I am SO EXCITED!&lt;p&gt;Sharon in Michigan:&lt;/p&gt;Dear Senator Biden,

It is with great pleasure that I welcome you to be the next Vice-President of the United States of America. Many of us are doing our best to hang on until we get the news in November that you and Senator Obama will be leading our nation out of the mess that it is in. I sincerely thank you for accepting this nomination and for your dedication to the people of this country.&lt;p&gt;Jana in Ohio:&lt;/p&gt;I'm filled with joy for Joe, for Barack and for America. You are the right men, this is the right time. Fight the good fight! Take the lead and change our country-- at last!

God bless America!&lt;p&gt;Ed in Massachusetts:&lt;/p&gt;Dear Senator Biden,

I can't tell you how thrilled I am that Senator Obama has chosen you to be his Vice President and running mate to recapture the White House in the November elections. I have long been an admirer of yours, your record and long service to our country. Our country needs, desperately, the solid leadership, inspiration and values I believe you and Senator Obama both share in abundance. I look forward to working hard to do everything I can for the fall campaign to make sure you make it in Pennsylvania Avenue and I look forward to calling you Mr. Vice President.

My very best wishes and congratulations,
Ed&lt;p&gt;Colby in Utah:&lt;/p&gt;VP Joe Biden! Congratulations! Welcome to the campaign, I am very excited to hear you are the VP pick. 

I am a college student from Utah and have made it a personal goal to make a difference in any way I can. I really do believe you and Barack can do amazing things for our country, and so I am doing all that I can to promote and spread awareness of the changes you two can make in the White House. Now I know full well that I am just a student, and I have heard time and time again that I am just one person and my vote doesn't count. But I strongly believe that my voice does. 

I know that when you two take the White House you will look out upon our country and realize it is in worse shape than the press is portraying. I hear everyday the harsh impact our crippled economy has on my neighbors, friends, and family. It is sad to hear weekly of huge, long-standing American companies getting bought out by European or Asian countries because they are hurting for any profit in the USA. I grow tired of hearing about another local business going out of business, and another family losing their home. It happens far more often than the press covers, and it is demoralizing. 

I'll do anything I can to help, and I hope, for the sake of our nation, you never forget the little guys that are by your side every step of the way.&lt;p&gt;Donna in Wisconsin:&lt;/p&gt;I am a 72-year-old white female living on limited income.&amp;nbsp; I believe this team will lead the country to a more positive America.&amp;nbsp; Welcome Senator Biden - this is a great team.

Donna&lt;p&gt;Debra in Louisiana:&lt;/p&gt;I have been so excited about the Obama candidacy and now with Joe Binden on the ticket I am even more excited.&amp;nbsp; I was pleased when Joe Biden was running for President.&amp;nbsp; I think he is an excellent choice for the Vice President.&amp;nbsp; This will be a well balanced team.&amp;nbsp; Welcome aboard Mr. Biden, it's an exciting time, the people want there government back, we feel connected for a change, no pun intended.&amp;nbsp; We are a great nation but have lost our way some under the current administration and we as a nation can do better for it's people.&amp;nbsp; 

Obama/Biden 08 is the team that can turn things around.&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;I look forward to calling you Mr. Vice President&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-10-01 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/amandascott/gGxCNq" rowid="42056549" side="oba" srcid="307435" text="&lt;p&gt;Are you &lt;a&gt;registered&lt;/a&gt; to vote?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a&gt;Get registered today.&lt;/a&gt; State deadlines start October 5.&amp;nbsp; &lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;I Refuse To Be A Bystander&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-10-01 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/amandascott/gGxCNq" rowid="42056545" side="oba" srcid="307409" text="&lt;p&gt;Are you &lt;a&gt;registered&lt;/a&gt; to vote?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a&gt;Get registered today.&lt;/a&gt; State deadlines start October 6.&amp;nbsp; &lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;I Refuse To Be A Bystander&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2007-04-19 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/samgrahamfelsen/CZy5" rowid="42050855" side="oba" srcid="278060" text="&lt;p&gt;Zahra M. is an 18-year-old first-year student at Wellesley College. Zahra was born in London and immigrated to Queens, New York with her family when she was three years old. Her father, who runs a tutoring program, is of Indian descent and originally hails from Guyana and her mother, a dance teacher, is from a small West Indian island called Domenica. She says this is the &amp;ldquo;most interested&amp;rdquo; she&amp;rsquo;s ever been in politics. &amp;ldquo;I don&amp;rsquo;t usually follow politics because it just seems like candidates are trying to sell a product all of the time, but Barack Obama is clearly different.&amp;rdquo;She identifies with Barack&amp;rsquo;s early struggles with identity, and she says she deeply connected to his book, Dreams from My Father, which she read &amp;ldquo;long before&amp;rdquo; Senator Obama decided to run for President. &amp;ldquo;I remember reading it in high school and telling all of my classmates, &amp;lsquo;This man has to run for president some day.&amp;rsquo; I just really admired him as a person,&amp;rdquo; she says.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Zahra says that her generation&amp;mdash;which has come of age in a profoundly troubling time&amp;mdash;needs Barack&amp;rsquo;s leadership. &amp;ldquo;We live in such a delicate world. I just feel like anything can happen at any time right now,&amp;rdquo; says Zahra, whose high school, Stuyvesant, was yards away from the World Trade Center. On Monday, Zahra and her friends went to watch the Boston Marathon. &amp;ldquo;We were having a great time, cheering, everyone was in good spirits,&amp;rdquo; she says. But when she returned to campus, her roommate told her the news about Virginia Tech. &lt;/p&gt;It just blew my mind. It was so upsetting. I don&amp;rsquo;t personally know anyone who goes there but they&amp;rsquo;re students just like me and all they were doing was going to class. Just trying to get by. To have your life taken away from you like that, it&amp;rsquo;s devastating. It&amp;rsquo;s like wow, it can just happen. I think there needs to be more resources out there. There are counselors, anonymous hotlines- but at the end of the day there&amp;rsquo;s such a taboo to saying &amp;lsquo;I need help.&amp;rsquo; Much more needs to be done. People need to know it&amp;rsquo;s not a crime to need help and need to talk to someone.But Zahra says, despite such tragic events, she and her peers are buoyed by hope. There may be people trying to take these things away from us, whether they&amp;rsquo;re terrorists or students on our own campus. Bad things are going to happen. But if we lose all hope there&amp;rsquo;s no way we can continue to try and make things better. Its wrong to say &amp;lsquo;Hey it&amp;rsquo;s all good, we live in a world where the sun always shines and butterflies fly around.&amp;rsquo; But we need this sense of hope. &amp;ldquo;We need to believe that things can and will be better if we work for change.&amp;rdquo;" title="&quot;I remember telling all of my classmates, 'This man has to run for president some day.'&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-07-01 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/amandascott/gG5xKy" rowid="42054990" side="oba" srcid="274425" text="&lt;p&gt;In today&amp;rsquo;s economy, the stories of people living paycheck to paycheck are, sadly, not far and few between. They are happening in every city, in every state, across the country. They happen to families of all shapes and sizes. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;People struggle through the hard times, all the while holding on to the hope that things will get better in the end. And that&amp;rsquo;s why this Independence Day, supporters will be declaring their independence from a broken system to help Barack bring change to a country that so desperately needs it. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;Tina recently shared her story and her declaration of independence&amp;hellip;Because I still believe in the American Dream, and the only way that we as a nation can dream again...is with change. Barack is the change we as a nation not only need, but deserve. Our children deserve better. I know that what I&amp;#39;m saying seems really simple, but because of the last administration, it also seems so far away. I have never felt so helpless. I want my children to have a better life than me. I am a 40-year-old woman that lives in Montana. My youngest son is half-black...he is 17 years old, but has the wisdom of a 30-year-old man. My oldest son is 20-years-old and is in the Air Force, and I fear for his safety every day. Barack inspires both my sons.I am a single mother, and have worked two jobs almost my entire adult life. I have a great job during the day, and health insurance. However, I had to take a second job again about 4 years ago just to pay the power bill, or buy groceries, etc. I work about 65 hours a week, and I&amp;#39;m always tired. Both of my children are very active in sports, and the community. They are volunteers, and enjoy life to its fullest. My only dream is to be able to only work one job and spend more time with them. There is never enough money left over for vacations, so we try to get away for a day hike nearby. I&amp;#39;m on the verge of losing my house due to foreclosure, but there are not enough hours in the day to take yet another job to help pay the bills. I am a Veteran myself, and the issues that are important to me are shared with Barack. I wish that we as Americans...could dream again and not feel so frustrated. This is the first campaign that I have ever donated or given my time too, but its so worth it.Declare your independence and help reclaim the American Dream for people like Tina. Every person can make a difference. And when supporters come together as one, change can happen." title="&quot;I Still Believe In The American Dream&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-07-10 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/amandascott/gG5xKy" rowid="42055171" side="oba" srcid="273973" text="&lt;p&gt;In today&amp;rsquo;s economy, the stories of people living paycheck to paycheck are, sadly, not far and few between. They are happening in every city, in every state, across the country. They happen to families of all shapes and sizes. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;People struggle through the hard times, all the while holding on to the hope that things will get better in the end. And that&amp;rsquo;s why this Independence Day, supporters will be declaring their &lt;a&gt;independence from a broken system&lt;/a&gt; to help Barack bring change to a country that so desperately needs it. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;Tina recently shared her story and her &lt;a&gt;declaration of independence&lt;/a&gt;&amp;hellip;

Because I still believe in the American Dream, and the only way that we as a nation can dream again...is with change. Barack is the change we as a nation not only need, but deserve. Our children deserve better. I know that what I'm saying seems really simple, but because of the last administration, it also seems so far away. I have never felt so helpless. 

I want my children to have a better life than me. 

I am a 40-year-old woman that lives in Montana. My youngest son is half-black...he is 17 years old, but has the wisdom of a 30-year-old man. My oldest son is 20-years-old and is in the Air Force, and I fear for his safety every day. 

Barack inspires both my sons.

I am a single mother, and have worked two jobs almost my entire adult life. I have a great job during the day, and health insurance. However, I had to take a second job again about 4 years ago just to pay the power bill, or buy groceries, etc. 

I work about 65 hours a week, and I'm always tired. 

Both of my children are very active in sports, and the community. They are volunteers, and enjoy life to its fullest. My only dream is to be able to only work one job and spend more time with them. There is never enough money left over for vacations, so we try to get away for a day hike nearby. 

I'm on the verge of losing my house due to foreclosure, but there are not enough hours in the day to take yet another job to help pay the bills. I am a Veteran myself, and the issues that are important to me are shared with Barack. 

I wish that we as Americans...could dream again and not feel so frustrated. This is the first campaign that I have ever donated or given my time too, but its so worth it.

&lt;a&gt;Declare your independence&lt;/a&gt; and help reclaim the American Dream for people like Tina. Every person can make a difference. And when supporters come together as one, change can happen." title="&quot;I Still Believe In The American Dream&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2007-04-27 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/samgrahamfelsen/CvGH" rowid="42050879" side="oba" srcid="278036" text="Dalton R. is a youth minister working at a United Methodist church in Atlanta, Georgia.He grew up in Memphis, Tennessee in a &amp;ldquo;very conservative&amp;rdquo; household. Dalton&amp;rsquo;s parents, who are members of an evangelical mega-church, raised him as a Republican and he remained one all throughout high school. But when I got to college, and began studying politics and religion, it all started to slowly make sense to me. I didn&amp;rsquo;t buy the compassionate conservative stuff&amp;mdash; it didn&amp;rsquo;t work. I appreciate the idea of limited government in some ways, I mean, I&amp;rsquo;m against wasteful spending. But the problem I have is that Republicans don&amp;rsquo;t actually believe in limited government&amp;mdash;they believe in cutting programs that don&amp;rsquo;t get them votes. I didn&amp;rsquo;t all of a sudden say &amp;lsquo;I&amp;rsquo;m a Democrat&amp;rsquo; but I slowly began to realize that there was a lot of injustice out there. I felt that both religion and politics had a role to play in dealing with these problems, and that the Democratic party was best equipped to tackle the problems that the church can&amp;rsquo;t on its own, especially with regards to health care. As a youth minister, Dalton is extremely concerned with the state of public education policy. &amp;ldquo;Every week one of my youth tells me they&amp;rsquo;re going through testing that week in school and they&amp;rsquo;re exhausted and worried and completely nervous about the tests,&amp;rdquo; says Dalton. Under No Child Left Behind, he says, these students are so bombarded by mandatory exams that they learn little to nothing beyond test prep. &amp;ldquo;A standardized test education takes away from what teachers can teach and what students can learn,&amp;rdquo; says Dalton. &amp;ldquo;The students can&amp;rsquo;t blossom and grow under the current system.&amp;rdquo;Dalton also discusses the Iraq war with his congregation. Several of them have parents and friends&amp;rsquo; older siblings who have fought or are currently fighting in the war.They are a bit confused because of what&amp;rsquo;s going on&amp;mdash;a lot of them have been told by their parents we&amp;rsquo;re in Iraq because they attacked us first. We talk about whether it&amp;rsquo;s a just war, why we should be over there. They know something should be done but they&amp;rsquo;re scared to death because they don&amp;rsquo;t think they can do anything about it. One of the things I try to tell them is that getting involved in politics, especially voting (when they&amp;rsquo;re old enough), is a way to actually change things. It&amp;rsquo;s not fair for me to say, &amp;lsquo;It&amp;rsquo;s gonna be alright,&amp;rsquo; because I&amp;rsquo;m not sure what&amp;rsquo;s gonna happen. Dalton says he &amp;ldquo;got on board&amp;rdquo; after hearing Barack deliver a speech on faith and politics at the Call to Renewal conference last year.Barrack doesn&amp;rsquo;t just co-opt evangelical language in order to appeal to the lowest common denominator of religious voters. So many politicians just say God or Jesus or the Lord and I feel like those are just code words to try for &amp;lsquo;I&amp;rsquo;m faithful, you should vote for me.&amp;rsquo; At the Call to Renewal conference, he talked about doing more than just doing lip service. He presented a more nuanced understanding of religion&amp;mdash;making religious values a part of your life. He talked about the way someone disagreed with him on abortion and how there is real room for people to disagree on fundamental matters of faith in a way that is civil and not divisive.&lt;p&gt;Here&amp;rsquo;s a picture of Dalton and his wife Stacey. They married in January.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;For Dalton, Barack&amp;rsquo;s message of hope resonates on a deep level. &amp;ldquo;I tell the young people I work with that the Gospel is a message of hope and to remember at all times to be hopeful.&amp;rdquo;Dalton, who is working and paying his way through Seminary, gave ten dollars to the campaign. &amp;ldquo;It&amp;rsquo;s not a lot, but it&amp;rsquo;s what I could give considering my circumstances. I think it&amp;rsquo;s important to become involved the best way you can,&amp;rdquo; he says.Dalton was counted among the more than 40,000 of you who have given in April. Now it&amp;rsquo;s your turn. Stand up and be counted.&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;I tell the young people I work with that the Gospel is a message of hope&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-05-13 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/stateupdates/gGBdxl" rowid="42054436" side="oba" srcid="278332" text="&lt;p&gt;Earlier today, Brooke in Charleston, West Virginia sent out this message:&lt;/p&gt;I live in Charleston, West Virginia. And I voted for Barack Obama today.So did my wife. And my mother-in-law, my father-in-law, my Presbyterian pastor and his wife, my friend the retired Episcopalian priest and his wife, my bank teller, my boss, my co-worker, the lady who runs the business on the second floor of our building and her husband, the waitress at my favorite restaurant, at least two dozen of my neighbors, my State Senator, my United States Senator, my company&amp;#39;s tech guy, my college Sociology professor, a couple who runs a bed and breakfast in Sutton, WV and several of their staff, several first time voters from my church&amp;#39;s youth group, several more church members, the cooks at The Purple Fiddle in Thomas, WV, a local Municipal Judge and his wife, and the older lady who exited the polling place alongside my wife and I this morning.These folks represent black and white, rich and middle class, young and old, religious and not... just like every other town in America. As Barack says, we are not as divided as our politics suggest. That being said...Yes West Virginia Can!" title="&quot;I voted for Barack Obama today.&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-10-03 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/amandascott/gGxjtH" rowid="42056610" side="oba" srcid="307843" text="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a&gt;&lt;/a&gt;Residents of Oberlin, &lt;a&gt;Ohio&lt;/a&gt; are flooding the local Board of Elections to &lt;a&gt;vote early &lt;/a&gt;this week. Two buses from Oberlin College &lt;a&gt;shuttled over 100 students&lt;/a&gt; to vote yesterday, and over &lt;a&gt;400 Lorain County residents&lt;/a&gt; registered to vote. Students are excited to make their first vote in a presidential election early - especially in such an important and historic election. Buses will continue to shuttle students to &lt;a&gt;register and vote&lt;/a&gt; this weekend. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Katheryn voted yesterday in Oberlin and told us a little bit about what that experience was like.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;I was excited to vote early. When I arrived there were many cars in the parking lot with Barack Obama bumper stickers. When I went inside to vote there was already a line and a 15 minute wait. There was a muted buzz of excitement.

When it was my turn to vote, I cried.

My family, like Barack's is a lovely rainbow. I cried for my two sons, who will vote for Barack, and for the first time in their lifetime be able to see themselves and their children in him.

I voted for my late mother, a teacher, and father, a truck driver, who instilled in all of us a sense of community, responsibility, the importance of education, and struggled to send us to college.

I voted for all the men and women and children in my family who have worked for generations to contribute to this country, and after many years, have finally found a principled leader who represents us all.

I voted for my precious grandchildren for whom I've dedicated all my work for Barack to these past 19 months.

Finally, I voted for all the lost, the lonely, the disenfranchised, the poor, handicapped, ALL Americans who never had the opportunity to vote.

Today I have joined with millions of Americans of all backgrounds who have come together to help change the United States into the honorable and extraordinary country we've all known it can be -- with the help of Barack Obama. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Ohio residents still have until Monday for &lt;a&gt;One-Stop Early Voting&lt;/a&gt;. And every day between now and November 4 is election day. Go out and &lt;a&gt;make your voice heard&lt;/a&gt; today. &lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;I Voted&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2007-07-25 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/alexmaccallum/CpSL" rowid="42051199" side="oba" srcid="277616" text="When you read a lot of opinion pieces and watch a lot of cable news, it is refreshing to listen to someone whose life does not revolve around politics. Someone who cares deeply about our country, but who has some distance from the horse race. I talked to Constance, from Knoxville, Tennessee today. She is an artist, and spends much of her time in her studio. She doesn&amp;#39;t have much time or money to give to political campaigns, but thought that if she ever where to contribute politically, now is the time. &amp;nbsp;She explained why she&amp;#39;s tired of sitting on the sidelines, and why she supports Barack: I gave to Barack because I&amp;#39;ve been impressed by him from the first time I saw him, by all of his appearances &amp;ndash; just the by the way he thinks. His ideas and his vision are so appealing after what this country has been through over the last few years. I&amp;#39;m in a hotbed of conservatives where I live. I have just sat by and haven&amp;#39;t expressed the way I feel I&amp;#39;m just appalled by the way the Supreme Court has injected politics in to every issue. I&amp;#39;m also appalled by how the Bush administration has injected politics into everything. It&amp;#39;s just made me angry. Barack seems to be above politics. Maybe every politician is a political animal in some way, but he has a philosophical approach that is above politics. I think that approach supported and encouraged. I just felt like if not now, when am I going to do something? If there is a chance that we can change the direction that the country is going in, I want to help. I want my voice to be heard even if it&amp;#39;s a squeak." title="&quot;I Want My Voice to Be Heard&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-08-10 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/amandascott/gG5KYH" rowid="42055545" side="oba" srcid="300055" text="&lt;p&gt;Canvassing is one of the easiest ways to get involved in this campaign. And face-to-face contact with friends, neighbors, and undecided voters is the most effective way to grow our movement. Two women shared their canvassing experiences with us as they get ready for the fall.

Pam in &lt;a&gt;South Dakota&lt;/a&gt; said:&lt;/p&gt;This is the first time I have ever been inspired to help out with a political campaign, not just because of who Senator Obama is but because my husband is in the military and I want to see an end to this war.

The greatest experience I had while canvassing was when I rang the doorbell of a 54-year-old woman and her first words were, &amp;quot;Oh, I don't vote.&amp;nbsp; I've never voted.&amp;nbsp; But if I did, I'd vote for Obama.&amp;quot;&amp;nbsp; I told her I really wished she would reconsider because this is one of the most important elections we have ever had in this country, and her voice is just as important as mine.&amp;nbsp; We chatted, comfortably, for a few minutes, and ended our conversation with a commitment from her that she would vote in the primary.&amp;nbsp; She even seemed a little proud to have changed her mind.&amp;nbsp; I hope she kept her word, and I believe she did.

Senator Obama won in my precinct, and I would like to believe I was a part of that.&amp;nbsp; We did a lot of walking and talking in South Dakota to wind things up in this primary.&amp;nbsp; We had fun, met a lot of people, got drenched, dried off and walked some more.&amp;nbsp; Wherever you are, I encourage you to join the efforts in the months to come.&amp;nbsp; You can't imagine how rewarding it is until you've actually done it.&lt;p&gt;Carolyn in &lt;a&gt;North Carolina&lt;/a&gt; said:&lt;/p&gt;I am 52-years-old and I have always been uninterested in politics.&amp;nbsp; But this year Barack Obama opened a new and inspiring chapter in my life. &amp;nbsp;

I had been depressed for several years about the world, especially climate change.&amp;nbsp; Now I feel hope every day, and a great sense of being part of a positive &amp;quot;movement&amp;quot; where people are going to be willing to make lifestyle changes that will bring us all a more meaningful quality of life.&amp;nbsp; I think in Barack Obama we have a leader they can bring that out in us.

Two days before the North Carolina primary, I decided to try canvassing.&amp;nbsp; I wanted to do something to help make history happen.&amp;nbsp; It was kind of like taking a survey, but some people seemed to enjoy talking.&amp;nbsp; Thirteen people were voting for Obama, 11 were undecided, and one said she was voting for Hillary.

I called some of my friends to catch up, and asked them who they were voting for.&amp;nbsp; Several said that they were undecided.&amp;nbsp; I told them that I was voting for Obama, and did they mind if I shared why I thought he would be a better president?&amp;nbsp; We had good conversations and listened to each other.&amp;nbsp; I think all my friends ended up voting for Obama.

All the people that I have met working together on this campaign have been warm -- it's like a big happy family.&amp;nbsp; I wear a Barack Obama T-shirt when I go into the city and people stop me to talk to me.&amp;nbsp; I have never been politically active in my life before and it feels great to care about things and to join hands with others who do as well.

This will make you know you are part of something bigger than just yourself.&amp;nbsp; We are all connected.&lt;p&gt;And with less than 100 days to go before the general election, we can't afford to sit on the sidelines -- we have to start now. Visit our &lt;a&gt;Action Center&lt;/a&gt; to get involved in your community today.&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;I Wanted To Do Something To Help Make History&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2007-11-15 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/samgrahamfelsen/CxN4" rowid="42051868" side="oba" srcid="276947" text="&lt;p&gt;What a moment:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;I'm running for president because I think we can&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2007-10-16 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/samgrahamfelsen/ChJP" rowid="42051592" side="oba" srcid="277223" text="&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;I&amp;#39;m 80 years old and this is the first time I&amp;#39;ve gone out for anything,&amp;quot; says Ethel of Florence, South Carolina. &amp;quot;I&amp;#39;ve never been involved in anything like this in my life.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Ethel was born in South Carolina but she and her family left for New York when she was three years old. She worked for the US Army Corps of Engineers and in other military occupations for decades in New York, but retired and moved back to South Carolina a few years ago. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;She says Obama reminds her of two other great American leaders who inspired her in the past.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;I used to listen to FDR on the radio, and he used to talk to you like a friend. He seemed like he was listening to you, responding to you, trying to reach you as a human being. Obama makes me feel that way too. He goes out of his way to go to the barber shops. He doesn&amp;rsquo;t rush off, he sits there and talks.&amp;quot; says Ethel. &amp;quot;And he reaches out to everybody, whether you&amp;rsquo;re black white, whatever. He welcomes everybody, just like Martin Luther King.&amp;quot; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; Ethel believes that Barack Obama can renew a sense of shared responsibility in this country. &amp;quot;During World War II, we gave up rations, we gave up our butter, to aid the effort. Bush has not asked the American people to give up anything. If Obama asked folks what are we willing to do to support the country, to give back to the country, we&amp;#39;d respond.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Until recently, says Ethel, &amp;quot;I&amp;rsquo;ve always been in the background, never been involved in politics or parades or marches. I don&amp;rsquo;t like the limelight. I&amp;rsquo;ve always been reserved.&amp;quot; But now, she dedicates three days a week to volunteering at her local Obama campaign office, where she makes phone calls to people all over South Carolina and encourages them to back Barack. &amp;quot;We&amp;#39;re not talking one or two hours of volunteering,&amp;quot; says Florence field organizer Ryan Cooper, who drives Ethel to the office, &amp;quot;we&amp;#39;re talking 9am to 3pm, three days a week. She&amp;#39;s unbelievable.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;I have a passion and want to work as hard as I can. I don&amp;#39;t want to leave the office,&amp;quot; says Ethel. &amp;quot;When I call people I tell them, &amp;#39;This is our opportunity to make our voices heard.&amp;#39; I think he would give us African-Americans a hope we never had. I tell them &amp;#39;Come on now, we&amp;#39;ve got to make a change. We may not have this chance again. I&amp;rsquo;m 80 and this is our time.&amp;#39;&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Check out SC.BarackObama.com for more on South Carolina and the remarkable people like Ethel who are helping Barack in the Palmetto State. If you&amp;#39;re in the Palmetto State, click here to find your local field office and work with a field organizer to get involved in phonebanking.  And if you&amp;#39;re inspired to help Barack win in South Carolina, donate now and make an impact in this critical early state. &lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;I’ve never been involved in anything like this in my life&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-06-20 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/amandascott/gG5hlq" rowid="42054869" side="oba" srcid="275546" text="&lt;p&gt;Supporters everywhere are declaring their independence and making a statement to Washington. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;They are ordinary workers, stay-at-home moms, artists, teachers, people who want to see change and are showing their support with small donations that go a long way.&amp;nbsp; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Paula in California:&lt;/p&gt;I support Barack&amp;rsquo;s stance and I wanted to show my support because Republicans are going to be attacking him&amp;mdash;they are already playing the game.&amp;nbsp; I&amp;rsquo;ve been a supporter since before he announced. I&amp;rsquo;ve given small donations the whole time and I wanted to chime in one more time.I watched the video and his new commercial this morning and was extremely impressed with his love of the country and his motivations for public service. This is a chance for lots of people to show their support and get excited about making small donations and owning a little bit of the campaign. It&amp;rsquo;s exciting to see people involved like this. It&amp;rsquo;s a great thing to do instead of taking the public financing.&lt;p&gt;Tim in Massachusetts:&lt;/p&gt;I have supported Barack since the beginning, always at $25 each time. I support Barack because he will help the United States change its image overseas with our allies and enemies and change our self-perception as well. We have seen during the last 8 years how wrong it is to allow divisiveness within the country and Barack is inclusive.As for today&amp;#39;s donation, I felt right away that I wanted to send a message that this campaign belongs to all of the people who contribute and that I want Barack to have the freedom to spend his contributions without having to play the games that the politicians have been playing since Watergate.If we want change, we need to contribute to it.&lt;p&gt;Sandra in Tennessee:&lt;/p&gt;I was pretty impressed with Barack&amp;rsquo;s stance. I was a Hillary supporter, and was on the fence for a while. This impressed me very much. He&amp;rsquo;s doing it on his own.I&amp;rsquo;m on disability and can&amp;rsquo;t afford to give much but I figure the $10 is worth it. I think it says a lot about the grassroots supporters. It means that everyone owns a part and wants to be a part of the process. This is the first time in a long time that even the ones who can&amp;rsquo;t afford it are giving, and are excited about a candidate and excited about the process.Julie in Illinois:I contributed this morning because I read a newsflash from my New York Times service, which led me directly to the Obama site, and was impressed by the video.&amp;nbsp; I had been thinking about supporting his campaign financially for some time, but held off because I supported Hillary first. &amp;nbsp;...the spirit and intent to engage his contributors to take &amp;quot;ownership&amp;quot; of changing their future was very successful in prompting me to open my pocketbook.&amp;nbsp;Let&amp;#39;s hope we celebrate an Obama White House in January!Join the thousands of supporters and declare your independence from a broken system. &lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&amp;nbsp;" title="&quot;If We Want Change, We Need To Contribute To It&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2007-09-05 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/jaimemulligan/CchB" rowid="42051365" side="oba" srcid="277450" text="If you haven&amp;#39;t seen it yet, we have a new ad up on tv here in Iowa. The ad talks about Barack&amp;#39;s efforts to improve transparency in government, including his work in Illinois to pass sweeping ethics reform and his efforts in the U.S. Senate to force lobbyists to disclose campaign fundraising. It focuses on a simple American principle: to change the results in Washington, we need to change the politics of Washington.&amp;nbsp; That&amp;rsquo;s exactly why Barack Obama is running for president." title="&quot;If you join me, we're gonna take our country back&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-01-04 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/timfoley/CCKv" rowid="42052395" side="oba" srcid="276320" text="&lt;p&gt;Our campaign will begin airing a  new television ad in New  Hampshire.&amp;nbsp; A thirty-second spot, entitled &amp;ldquo; Independence,&amp;rdquo; highlights Barack&amp;rsquo;s New Hampshire newspapers  endorsements, which praise his independent thinking and ability to unify the  country.&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;Independence&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-07-07 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/amandascott/gGxlJr" rowid="42055060" side="oba" srcid="274355" text="Barack has always said that this campaign is about the American people. He asks every supporter to believe in his or her own ability to bring change to Washington. And he knows, as a former community organizer, that change comes from the bottom up. Because when people get involved and come together, they can create a movement and make things happen.Dissent Magazine recently featured an article on Barack&amp;rsquo;s history in community organizing and the significance that it has had on the campaign&amp;hellip;Americans are used to voting for presidential candidates with backgrounds as lawyers, military officers, farmers, businessmen, and career politicians, but this is the first time we&amp;#39;ve been asked to vote for someone who has been a community organizer. Of course, Barack Obama has also been a lawyer, a law professor, and an elected official, but throughout this campaign he has frequently referred to the three years he spent as a community organizer in Chicago in the mid-1980s as &amp;ldquo;the best education I ever had.&amp;rdquo;...But, perhaps most important, there has not been a candidate since Bobby Kennedy and Eugene McCarthy who has inspired so many young people to become involved in public service and grassroots activism.  Through his constant references to his own organizing experience, and his persistent praise for organizers at every campaign stop, Obama is helping recruit a new wave of idealistic young Americans who want to bring about change. According to surveys and exit polls, interest in politics and voter turnout among the millennial generation (18-29) has increased dramatically this year. But Obama isn&amp;rsquo;t just catalyzing young people to vote or volunteer for his campaign. Professors report that a growing number of college students are taking courses in community organizing and social activism. According to community organizing groups, unions and environmental groups, the number of young people seeking jobs as organizers has spiked in the past year in the wake of Obama&amp;#39;s candidacy.&amp;hellip;In 1985, at age 23, Obama was hired by the Developing Communities Project, a coalition of churches on Chicago&amp;#39;s South Side, to help empower residents to win improved playgrounds, after-school programs, job training, housing, and other concerns affecting a neighborhood hurt by large-scale layoffs from the nearby steel mills and neglect by banks, retail stores, and the local government. He knocked on doors and talked to people in their kitchens, living rooms, and churches about the problems they faced and why they needed to get involved to change things.Obama often refers to the valuable lessons he learned working &amp;quot;in the streets&amp;quot; of Chicago. &amp;quot;I&amp;#39;ve won some good fights and I&amp;#39;ve also lost some fights,&amp;quot; he said in a speech during the primary season, &amp;quot;because good intentions are not enough, when not fortified with political will and political power.&amp;quot; ...This is reflected in his campaign for president. Community organizers distinguish themselves from traditional political campaign operatives who approach voters as customers through direct mail, telemarketing, and canvassing. Most political campaigns immediately put volunteers to work on the &amp;quot;grunt&amp;quot; work of the campaign&amp;mdash;making phone calls, handing out leaflets, or walking door to door. According to Temo Figueroa -- Obama&amp;rsquo;s national field director and a long-time union organizer&amp;mdash;the Obama campaign has been different. &amp;ldquo;When I came on board what attracted me was his history as an organizer,&amp;rdquo; says Figueroa, who was working as AFSCME&amp;#39;s assistant political director. &amp;ldquo;At the time I wasn&amp;rsquo;t sure I was joining the winning team. Most of us thought we were jumping on the little engine that could. We were believers. We wanted something bigger than ourselves. A movement.&amp;rdquo;&amp;hellip;&amp;quot;Nothing in this country worthwhile has ever happened except when somebody somewhere was willing to hope,&amp;quot; Obama explained. &amp;quot;That is how workers won the right to organize against violence and intimidation. That&amp;#39;s how women won the right to vote. That&amp;#39;s how young people traveled south to march and to sit in and to be beaten, and some went to jail and some died for freedom&amp;#39;s cause.&amp;quot; Change comes about, Obama said, by &amp;quot;imagining, and then fighting for, and then working for, what did not seem possible before.&amp;quot;In town forums and living-room meetings, Obama says that &amp;quot;real change&amp;quot; only comes about from the &amp;quot;bottom up,&amp;quot; but that as president, he can give voice to those organizing in their workplaces, communities, and congregations around a positive vision for change. &amp;quot;That&amp;#39;s leadership,&amp;quot; he says.&amp;hellip;Now comes Obama, a one-time organizer, who consistently reminds Americans of the importance of grassroots organizing. If he&amp;#39;s elected president, he knows that he will have to find a balance between working inside the Beltway and encouraging Americans to organize and mobilize. He understands that his ability to reform health care, tackle global warming, and restore job security and decent wages will depend, in large measure, on whether he can use his bully pulpit to mobilize public opinion and encourage Americans to battle powerful corporate interests and members of Congress who resist change.&amp;hellip;If Obama wins the White House, progressives within his inner circle will look for opportunities to encourage his organizing instincts to shape how he governs the nation, whom he appoints to key positions, and which policies to prioritize. Meanwhile, a new generation of volunteer activists and paid organizers will be looking to join President Obama&amp;#39;s progressive crusade to change America.Click here to read the full article. The fight for the White House is going to be tough. And Barack can&amp;rsquo;t do it alone. That&amp;rsquo;s why he&amp;rsquo;s asking each and every American to get involved and help shape the future." title="&quot;Inspiring A New Generation Of Organizers&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-07-10 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/amandascott/gGxlJr" rowid="42055101" side="oba" srcid="273903" text="Barack has always said that this campaign is about the American people. He asks every supporter to believe in his or her own ability to bring change to Washington. And he knows, as a former community organizer, that change comes from the bottom up. Because when people get involved and come together, they can create a movement and make things happen.

&lt;a&gt;Dissent Magazine&lt;/a&gt; recently featured an article on Barack&amp;rsquo;s history in community organizing and the significance that it has had on the campaign&amp;hellip;



Americans are used to voting for presidential candidates with backgrounds as lawyers, military officers, farmers, businessmen, and career politicians, but this is the first time we've been asked to vote for someone who has been a community organizer. Of course, Barack Obama has also been a lawyer, a law professor, and an elected official, but throughout this campaign he has frequently referred to the three years he spent as a community organizer in Chicago in the mid-1980s as &amp;ldquo;the best education I ever had.&amp;rdquo;

...But, perhaps most important, there has not been a candidate since Bobby Kennedy and Eugene McCarthy who has inspired so many young people to become involved in public service and grassroots activism.
 
 Through his constant references to his own organizing experience, and his persistent praise for organizers at every campaign stop, Obama is helping recruit a new wave of idealistic young Americans who want to bring about change. According to surveys and exit polls, interest in politics and voter turnout among the millennial generation (18-29) has increased dramatically this year. But Obama isn&amp;rsquo;t just catalyzing young people to vote or volunteer for his campaign. Professors report that a growing number of college students are taking courses in community organizing and social activism. According to community organizing groups, unions and environmental groups, the number of young people seeking jobs as organizers has spiked in the past year in the wake of Obama's candidacy.

&amp;hellip;In 1985, at age 23, Obama was hired by the Developing Communities Project, a coalition of churches on Chicago's South Side, to help empower residents to win improved playgrounds, after-school programs, job training, housing, and other concerns affecting a neighborhood hurt by large-scale layoffs from the nearby steel mills and neglect by banks, retail stores, and the local government. He knocked on doors and talked to people in their kitchens, living rooms, and churches about the problems they faced and why they needed to get involved to change things.

Obama often refers to the valuable lessons he learned working &amp;quot;in the streets&amp;quot; of Chicago. &amp;quot;I've won some good fights and I've also lost some fights,&amp;quot; he said in a speech during the primary season, &amp;quot;because good intentions are not enough, when not fortified with political will and political power.&amp;quot; 

...This is reflected in his campaign for president. Community organizers distinguish themselves from traditional political campaign operatives who approach voters as customers through direct mail, telemarketing, and canvassing. Most political campaigns immediately put volunteers to work on the &amp;quot;grunt&amp;quot; work of the campaign&amp;mdash;making phone calls, handing out leaflets, or walking door to door. According to Temo Figueroa -- Obama&amp;rsquo;s national field director and a long-time union organizer&amp;mdash;the Obama campaign has been different. &amp;ldquo;When I came on board what attracted me was his history as an organizer,&amp;rdquo; says Figueroa, who was working as AFSCME's assistant political director. &amp;ldquo;At the time I wasn&amp;rsquo;t sure I was joining the winning team. Most of us thought we were jumping on the little engine that could. We were believers. We wanted something bigger than ourselves. A movement.&amp;rdquo;

&amp;hellip;&amp;quot;Nothing in this country worthwhile has ever happened except when somebody somewhere was willing to hope,&amp;quot; Obama explained. &amp;quot;That is how workers won the right to organize against violence and intimidation. That's how women won the right to vote. That's how young people traveled south to march and to sit in and to be beaten, and some went to jail and some died for freedom's cause.&amp;quot; Change comes about, Obama said, by &amp;quot;imagining, and then fighting for, and then working for, what did not seem possible before.&amp;quot;

In town forums and living-room meetings, Obama says that &amp;quot;real change&amp;quot; only comes about from the &amp;quot;bottom up,&amp;quot; but that as president, he can give voice to those organizing in their workplaces, communities, and congregations around a positive vision for change. &amp;quot;That's leadership,&amp;quot; he says.

&amp;hellip;Now comes Obama, a one-time organizer, who consistently reminds Americans of the importance of grassroots organizing. If he's elected president, he knows that he will have to find a balance between working inside the Beltway and encouraging Americans to organize and mobilize. He understands that his ability to reform health care, tackle global warming, and restore job security and decent wages will depend, in large measure, on whether he can use his bully pulpit to mobilize public opinion and encourage Americans to battle powerful corporate interests and members of Congress who resist change.

&amp;hellip;If Obama wins the White House, progressives within his inner circle will look for opportunities to encourage his organizing instincts to shape how he governs the nation, whom he appoints to key positions, and which policies to prioritize. Meanwhile, a new generation of volunteer activists and paid organizers will be looking to join President Obama's progressive crusade to change America.

&lt;a&gt;Click here&lt;/a&gt; to read the full article. 

The fight for the White House is going to be tough. And Barack can&amp;rsquo;t do it alone. That&amp;rsquo;s why he&amp;rsquo;s asking each and every American to &lt;a&gt;get involved&lt;/a&gt; and help shape the future." title="&quot;Inspiring A New Generation Of Organizers&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2007-04-24 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/samgrahamfelsen/Crf8" rowid="42050866" side="oba" srcid="278049" text="&lt;p&gt;A week ago, Terry D. of West Linn, Oregon got a call she hoped she&amp;rsquo;d never get. It was her oldest daughter, Erin, a Marine Corps reservist who was in her fifth and final year of service. She had just received word that she was going to be deployed to Iraq.&lt;/p&gt;Iraq is the last place you want your child to have to go to. Physically my body knew it was coming, though I&amp;rsquo;ve been dreading it for five years and hoping she wouldn&amp;rsquo;t have to go. I told my husband and he just sat there for three hours and was unable to move. Everybody deals with things different. For me I couldn&amp;rsquo;t sleep for a week. My husband and I sent out emails asking for prayers and have received a lot of support that way.&lt;p&gt;Terry says Erin has never fully articulated why she enlisted in the military, only that it &amp;ldquo;was a calling she felt.&amp;rdquo; She says she was &amp;ldquo;surprised&amp;rdquo; when her daughter, a &amp;ldquo;pretty, popular, athletic, straight A student&amp;rdquo; told her that she had signed up with a recruiter. Terry&amp;rsquo;s husband tried to dissuade their daughter, but she was undeterred. &amp;ldquo;This was even before September 11th,&amp;rdquo; says Terry. &amp;ldquo;She just felt this call and wanted to answer it.&amp;rdquo;Erin has two other two sisters, Tracy, 21, and Kelly, 20, both of whom are working to pay their way through college. Terry says they have provided tremendous support to her in the past week. &amp;ldquo;We&amp;rsquo;re such a close family and that&amp;rsquo;s been a great comfort,&amp;rdquo; she says.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;It&amp;rsquo;s been particularly hard for Terry because she opposed the war to begin with. &amp;ldquo;I thought, who are we to do this?&amp;rdquo; says Terry. &amp;ldquo;I didn&amp;rsquo;t believe there was a plan. I could&amp;rsquo;ve echoed what Barack was saying from the beginning. I didn&amp;rsquo;t believe it was justified from start and I don&amp;rsquo;t believe we&amp;rsquo;re justified in continuing it.&amp;rdquo;Unlike many, who will never feel the personal sting of this war, for Terry, it hits close to home. &amp;ldquo;For my family, there&amp;rsquo;s a very real price,&amp;rdquo; she says, &amp;ldquo;a very real price.&amp;rdquo; That&amp;rsquo;s part of why Terry has decided to become actively involved in this election cycle, something she has never done before.Terry became interested in Barack several weeks ago, after reading his book The Audacity of Hope. She was so impressed she not only decided to support him, but she implored all of her friends to read the book. One of her friends told her that she went to the local library and tried to take out the book, but was told that there was a waiting list of 103 people. &amp;ldquo;I said &amp;lsquo;103 people&amp;hellip; You&amp;rsquo;re kidding me! Well we have to do something about that.&amp;rsquo; So I went out and I bought ten copies of the book and gave five each to both of the local branches in my neighborhood.&amp;rdquo; Terry then took things a step further and shared her idea at my.BarackObama.com, encouraging others across the country to follow suit. &amp;ldquo;I figured there&amp;rsquo;s probably lots of waiting lists all across the country,&amp;rdquo; she says, &amp;ldquo;and I think it&amp;rsquo;s so important that people get a chance to read this book.An Apple computer enthusiast, Terry also started another group called Macs for Barack, which encourages people to donate their old Macs. Some she says, she hopes to donate to the campaign for staffers who may need them. Others will go to people who previously lacked internet access so that they can learn about Barack online. She says she has already gotten 12 people across the country to donate computers.Keeping busy and active has helped Terry get her mind, at least for the time being, away from the pain of her daughter leaving for Iraq. &lt;/p&gt;We&amp;rsquo;re just taking it a day at a time. I think &amp;#39;Oh it&amp;#39;s gonna be a good day this is great&amp;#39; and then im paralyzed the next day. Sometimes I feel like there&amp;rsquo;s really no healthy way to deal with it, because its such an unhealthy war. It&amp;#39;s only been a week. But this campaign, Barack, emanates a hope.&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;If he can deliver that into action, which I believe he can, we&amp;#39;re going to end this war and change the country.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;Iraq is the last place you want your child to have to go to&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-06-30 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/amandascott/gG5xQm" rowid="42054979" side="oba" srcid="274436" text="&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Our supporters are not stopping until November. And they&amp;#39;re encouraging everyone else to not stop either...&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Victoria in Pennsylvania:&lt;/p&gt;I donated today. I never thought that I would donate to a political campaign - until now. I will do everything I can to help Senator Obama. I am so excited about him being our next POTUS. This is a wonderful time in our country. I&amp;#39;m very excited.&lt;p&gt;Jayne in Florida:&lt;/p&gt;I just got my credit card bill and I was shocked at the number of times I donated to the campaign last month! I just am so invested in making sure Obama has the resources we know he&amp;#39;ll need to fight the smears they will put on the airwaves and through the emails. We have seen some of it already. So, they do &amp;quot;get&amp;quot; me every few days - out comes the credit card - I just can&amp;#39;t help it&amp;hellip;. It makes me feel so good to know that I am contributing to this movement which means so much to me.&lt;p&gt;Cindy in Texas:&lt;/p&gt;&amp;hellip;I think we are all there with you, but you know it&amp;#39;s worth it and I&amp;#39;m not slowing down now. My husband calls to check our account balance everyday. He comes in everyday and asks &amp;quot;how much money did WE give Barack today&amp;quot;?I&amp;#39;m having a blast!&lt;p&gt;Ty in Germany:&lt;/p&gt;I donated on about 29 different occasions in the month of April and I have donated at least 10 times this month of June so I know what you mean. But I feel like it is all a worthy investment for my children&amp;rsquo;s future. I&amp;#39;m gonna keep giving to this campaign until Barack wins the GE. This is too important. Definitely too important for me to just sit back and do nothing.&lt;p&gt;Kim in California:&lt;/p&gt;Thank you to every American who has donated to this campaign. Thank you to every American who has worked on this campaign.Let us not become complacent -- if you can, please give! Today is a fund-raising deadline and Senator Obama&amp;#39;s decision and leadership to get the Democratic Party to forego PAC and lobbyist money is under scrutiny. Thanks again!&lt;p&gt;Diane in North Carolina:&lt;/p&gt;In order to fight the GOP smear machine we are gonna need all of us nickle and dimers to get the ole purse out and give till it hurts. I know I have. &amp;hellip;You can do it and you should!&lt;p&gt;Tracy in Connecticut:&lt;/p&gt;I was shocked to see that I hit the primary max the other day so I am on to general election contributions. The reason I was shocked is because most of my contributions have been $10 &amp;amp; $25 contributions (a few $100 ones but not many)over the course of the last several months.So I guess what I am trying to say is that all of those small donations REALLY do add up!!!!!!!!!!!&lt;p&gt;Suzanne in Oregon:&lt;/p&gt;I am out of work at the moment but just sent some more money to the campaign. I know they need it. &amp;hellip;Oregon can NOT be complacent. Republicans think they can win this state, and indeed, maverick state that we are, that could happen if we are not vigilant and [don&amp;rsquo;t] work hard. There are large pockets of Republicans in our rural areas and McCain got a good reception from leaders when he came to Portland recently. Even our Democratic gov. hung out with him and made a big deal about his visit. SO ...WE NEED CASH..and WE NEED TO WORK HARD IN OREGON, also.&amp;hellip;DONATE..even if it is $2...we are behind McCain and we need to help Sen. Obama win the cash battle for June.&lt;p&gt;David in Ohio:&lt;/p&gt;Just gave $30, my first General Election Donation, and there will be many more as we go along this journey!Obama 08&lt;p&gt;There&amp;#39;s still time to donate and make an impact in June. Help the campaign to fight against John McCain in all 50 states. Every donation counts.  &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;It Adds Up&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2007-09-25 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/sarahramey/ChlD" rowid="42051460" side="oba" srcid="277355" text="&lt;p&gt;There are 214 native languages in Cameroon.&amp;nbsp; Valerie, a native Cameroonian, speaks several of them, along with French, German, and English.&amp;nbsp; She was raised by her grandmother in central Africa, got her Master&amp;rsquo;s degree in Germany and returned home working with a non-profit organization to train men and women in Botswana, Cameroon, and Sierra Leone with basic job skills.&amp;nbsp; &amp;ldquo;I have witnessed the atrocities in Sierra Leone; I have spent months working with the Bushmen in Botswana.&amp;rdquo;&amp;nbsp; In 1998, Valerie immigrated to the United States, and when asked why, her answer is straightforward: &amp;ldquo;The American Dream.&amp;rdquo; Around the world, Valerie says, America is an idea.&amp;nbsp; Like many people, she relocated her whole life here based on that idea.&amp;nbsp; And, like many people, over the last eight years she has watched the dream lose it&amp;rsquo;s luster.&amp;nbsp; Now, when she travels abroad, she senses that people are no longer dreaming of America, they are disappointed. But Valerie did not come here to be disappointed&amp;mdash;and this is exactly why she just made her first $25 match donation to Barack Obama.&amp;nbsp; When she sat down in 2004 to watch the keynote speaker at the Democratic National Convention&amp;mdash;a little-known Senatorial candidate from Illinois&amp;mdash;she felt an unexpected jolt.&amp;nbsp; &amp;ldquo;It ignited my heart,&amp;rdquo; she says.&amp;nbsp; &amp;ldquo;It was just awesome.&amp;rdquo; Valerie is now a stay-at-home mom in North Dallas, TX with her four kids, ages 8, 7, 4 and 10 months old.&amp;nbsp; Despite fluency in four languages and a master&amp;rsquo;s degree, she eventually had to quit her job because the cost of day care outweighed her income. &amp;nbsp;In the same vein, &amp;ldquo;Healthcare issues have affected me and my family badly. We cannot afford it with one middle income. When we pray, the first words are &amp;quot;God, please keep us healthy...&amp;quot; The match program appealed to Valerie because she could pledge an amount she could afford and know that it would immediately double.&amp;nbsp; Furthermore:&amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;It creates a chain, not only do we raise more money&amp;mdash;but we also feel connected even though we don&amp;#39;t know who has matched the donation; it gives me a sense of belonging somewhere, being a part of a great group&amp;mdash;it is like the extended family I was used to growing up in Africa, every member is connected to the other and we just celebrate that feeling of being part of something larger than ourselves.&lt;p&gt;Valerie wants America to be the America that brought her here.&amp;nbsp; By reaching out and connecting to other supporters, she is finding she is not the only one still dreaming of America.&amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp;To be a part of the extended family, you can make a match here. &lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;It is like the extended family&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2007-07-20 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/alexmaccallum/Ctc4" rowid="42051165" side="oba" srcid="277650" text="Yesterday, Barack reiterated his support for bringing US troops home from Iraq: It is time to bring our troops home because it has made us less safe... [The administration has] said that they recognize the surge is not working the way it should and it is time for us to have a change of course. But that&amp;#39;s not how they voted in Washington, and so it is important for the people of New Hampshire and all across the country to say to the senators in a respectful way that if you recognize it is time to change course, then you&amp;#39;ve got to vote in order to change course. An audience member in the New Hampshire crowd agreed with Barack&amp;#39;s assement. &amp;quot;I like that he was against the war from the outset,&amp;quot; said she said. &amp;quot;He&amp;#39;s got a great deal of credibility in my eyes.&amp;quot;As Thomas Friedmen noted in his New York Times column yesterday, the President would like to re-evaluate the surge in September. However, the Iraqi Parliament is about to go on vacation for the entire month of August, making a September re-evaluation unrealistic. White House spokesman Tony Snow explained that it&amp;#39;s just too hot in Baghdad for the Parliament to get work done in August. Friedman&amp;#39;s take: So let&amp;#39;s get this straight: Iraqi parliamentarians, at least those not already boycotting the Parliament, will be on vacation in August so they can be cool, while young American men and women, and Iraqi Army soldiers, will be fighting in the heat in order to create a proper security environment in which Iraqi politicians can come back in September and continue squabbling while their country burns. Barack has a plan to withdraw troops from Iraq -- read it here. And write a letter to the editor of your local paper, expressing your disappointment with Senate Republicans and the White House on their Iraq policy here." title="&quot;It Is Time to Bring Our Troops Home&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2007-09-04 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/samgrahamfelsen/Cc5K" rowid="42051363" side="oba" srcid="277452" text="&lt;p&gt;Last night, four Americans -- an Iraq vet from Florida, a college junior at Howard University, a former-Republican grandmother from Colorado, and a young mom from New Hampshire -- got together and had dinner with Barack Obama.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;After the dinner, they decided to continue the night. &amp;quot;We had such a great time,&amp;quot; said Dottie Unruh, who I just spoke to from her home in Colorado. &amp;quot;Nobody wanted it to be over. So we stayed out till 2:30 am!&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;We all hit it off right away. It was the most amazing conversation,&amp;quot; Gaby Grossman, of Exeter, NH, told me. &amp;quot;Michael was talking about his Iraq stories and they were so beautiful. And Dottie -- she was somewhat reserved during the meal but she&amp;#39;s got a lot of fire!&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Photo taken by Michael Wilson -- from left to right: Dottie, Gaby, and Brittany.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Dottie said it was &amp;quot;probably the most unique experience of my life.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;We talked about our lives and it was so interesting to hear people share their stories,&amp;quot; she said. &amp;quot;Brittany talked about racism and the challenges she&amp;#39;s encountered and Gaby discussed the struggles she faces as a mom because her son was diagnosed with autism. It&amp;#39;ll be an experience I remember always.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The four promised to stay in touch and have already planned to reunite next year in Denver. &amp;quot;We&amp;#39;re going to watch Barack accept the nomination together,&amp;quot; says Gaby. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;It&amp;#39;s not just empty campaign rhetoric to say that this campaign is uniting people like no other in recent memory. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;People aren&amp;#39;t just coming together temporarily because they like the same candidate; they&amp;#39;re forging genuine, lasting relationships with one another based on common hopes. They&amp;#39;re uniting because they share a vision for the kind of country America can be. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;That&amp;#39;s what this campaign is fundamentally about: improbable bonds, continuing conversations, the building of something permanent. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;If you&amp;#39;ve met someone new through this movement -- someone from a different neighborhood, or a different state, or a different party, or a different religion or race, someone you never thought you&amp;#39;d meet before -- let us know. Share your stories below. &lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;It was the most amazing conversation&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-06-19 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/amandascott/gG5nGr" rowid="42054860" side="oba" srcid="275555" text="&lt;p&gt;This morning Barack announced to his supporters that he would not be taking public financing for the general election. Barack is putting his faith in ordinary citizens giving only what they can afford and will not participate in the broken public finance system that our opponents manipulate to raise as much money as possible.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In response to Barack&amp;#39;s decision, supporters across the country are standing behind him. Here is what a few of them had to say... &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Tim in Texas:&lt;/p&gt;Today, for the first time in my life, I contributed to a political campaign.&amp;nbsp; I did so because I have always believed that true power&amp;nbsp;rests with the people, if only those people could be organized.&amp;nbsp; Now, that power enables us (Obama and the people who support him) to fight back against the special interest groups and lobbyists&amp;hellip;It&amp;#39;s time that people learn what their contributions can accomplish.&amp;nbsp; We have the power to take back our country from the special interest groups.&amp;nbsp; There are more of us and when we act together, we are the force that can dictate the direction our country will take.&amp;nbsp; It&amp;#39;s called democracy and it signals the end of our dependence on politicians and the beginning of their dependence upon us.&amp;nbsp; Now, they answer, not to the lobbyists and special interest groups, but&amp;nbsp;to us.Christy in Ohio:Actually, I&amp;#39;ve been meaning to donate to the Obama campaign for awhile. The fact that he has decided not to accept public funding is the reason I donated. I am completely behind Obama and will be contacting our local Democrat club to see how I can help get him elected this fall. I don&amp;#39;t think Obama needs the public money - I just regret that my tax dollars are going to help finance McCain&amp;#39;s campaign!Matt in Oregon:I support Barack because he represents a move away from the conservative, moneyed interests of Washington. When wealthy special interests buy votes, that dignity is diminished and justice is not served. My hope is that the entire campaign funding paradigm is changed and that in the future, all candidates will be publicly financed.Join the thousands of supporters who are declaring their independence from a broken system today. &lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;It's Called Democracy&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2007-07-25 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/alexmaccallum/CpNJ" rowid="42051198" side="oba" srcid="277617" text=" Barack is on the air in South Carolina, with a 60-second radio ad that will run statewide, on 36 stations. The ad plays clips from Barack&amp;#39;s speeches, and talks about his storied life history.  Listen to the ad on the South Carolina homepage. It&amp;#39;s on the right hand side. Click the &amp;quot;Play&amp;quot; symbol on the &amp;quot;On the Air&amp;quot; button. " title="&quot;It's Time for Barack Obama&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-10-03 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/amandascott/gGxjLq" rowid="42056594" side="oba" srcid="307787" text="&lt;p&gt;CBS News/Knowledge Networks Poll: 
(Uncommitted Voters who watched the debate)

46% of uncommitted voters who watched the debate tonight thought Joe Biden was the winner. 21% thought Sarah Palin won, 33% thought it was a draw&amp;hellip; 98% after the debate saw [Biden] as knowledgeable (79% before the debate).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;CNN/Opinion Research Corporation Poll:
&lt;a&gt;Debate Watchers&lt;/a&gt;
&amp;nbsp;
Regardless of which candidate you happen to support, who do you think did the best job in the debate - Joe Biden or Sarah Palin? 
&amp;nbsp;
Biden&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 51%
Palin&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 36%&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;Joe Biden was the winner&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-09-21 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/stateupdates/gGg9fS" rowid="42056345" side="oba" srcid="305720" text="&lt;p&gt;Despite the current economic crisis, John McCain is arguing for more deregulation &amp;ndash; this time in the health insurance marketplace. Below is what Senator John McCain has to say about healthcare reform in the most recent issues of Contingencies magazine:&lt;/p&gt;&amp;ldquo;Opening up the health insurance market to more vigorous nationwide competition, as we have done over the last decade in banking, would provide more choices of innovative products less burdened by the worst excesses of state-based regulation.&amp;rdquo; - John McCain
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a&gt;Read the full article here... &lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Yesterday in Daytona Beach, Florida Barack addressed John McCain's comments head on: &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Today and throughout the week, the Obama-Biden campaign in conjunction with the DNC and state parties will hold events across the country to address John McCain&amp;rsquo;s statement.&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;John McCain wants to run health care like they've been running Wall Street&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-02-15 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/sarahramey/gGgGyB" rowid="42053167" side="oba" srcid="275448" text="&lt;p&gt;COLUMBUS, OH &amp;ndash; The Ohio Obama for America campaign today announced that Senator Barack Obama will hold a &amp;ldquo;Keeping America&amp;rsquo;s Promise&amp;rdquo; rally in Youngstown on Monday.&amp;nbsp; The event will be free and open to the public.Leading into the rally in Youngstown, the Obama campaign is encouraging supporters to take advantage of early voting opportunities in Ohio.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; All registered voters can start voting as early as today through March 3, 2008 at their local county Board of Elections.&amp;nbsp; Election Day is Tuesday, March 4.&amp;nbsp; Polls are open from 6:30am &amp;ndash; 7:30pm.&amp;nbsp; Voters are encouraged to call the campaign at 866-675-2008 for information.&amp;ldquo;KEEPING AMERICA&amp;rsquo;S PROMISE&amp;rdquo; RALLY WITH BARACK OBAMAYoungstown State UniversityBeeghly Center224 Spring StreetYoungstown, OHDoors Open: 12:00 PMProgram Begins: 2:00 PM&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;This event is free and open to the public.&amp;nbsp; Tickets are not required, but RSVPs are encouraged.&amp;nbsp; To RSVP, please visit http://oh.barackobama.com/youngstown.&amp;nbsp; Please note: RSVP&amp;rsquo;s do not guarantee admission. Seating is available on a first come first serve basis.***For security reasons, no bags are allowed and please limit personal belongings.&amp;nbsp; No signs or banners permitted.*** &lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;Keeping America's Promise&quot; rally in Youngstown, Ohio" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2007-06-25 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/alexmaccallum/CXxz" rowid="42051038" side="oba" srcid="277877" text="&amp;quot;Lead by example&amp;quot; &amp;ndash; that&amp;#39;s what Barack said yesterday in San Antonio, Texas. Speaking about some of the most important issues of our day &amp;ndash; poverty, nuclear proliferation, and the violence in Darfur &amp;ndash;&amp;nbsp; Barack said he wants to change the way politics is done &amp;ndash;&amp;nbsp; on a worldwide scale.&amp;quot;We&amp;#39;re going to lead [the world] by example &amp;mdash; by not just word but by deed. That&amp;#39;s our vision for the future.&amp;quot;Not only that &amp;ndash; &amp;quot;While we&amp;#39;re at it, we&amp;#39;re going to close Guantanamo. And we&amp;#39;re going to restore habeas corpus,&amp;quot; Barack said.Reasserting the importance of our Constitutional rights, and ensuring that the US is internationally respected again are the kind of things that will give Americans faith in their country &amp;ndash; and in the political process &amp;ndash; again.Barack sees it, and is saying it all across the country. " title="&quot;Lead by Example&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-01-02 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/samgrahamfelsen/CglV" rowid="42052341" side="oba" srcid="276374" text="&lt;p&gt;This ad is airing across Iowa tonight. If you&amp;#39;re an Iowa resident, click here to find your caucus location.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;Leader&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-09-23 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/amandascott/gGgYlc" rowid="42056385" side="oba" srcid="305977" text="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;a&gt;Voter registration&lt;/a&gt; deadlines are coming up -- and some are less than two weeks away. Local newspapers around the country are reporting on the deadlines and encouraging everyone to register and make their voice heard.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;From the &lt;a&gt;KVBC Las Vegas:&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;The clock is ticking for Nevadans to register to vote in the November 4 general election.

 The last day to register without having to appear in person at the Clark County Election Department is October 4, less than two weeks away. After that Clark County residents will have an additional ten days -- until October 14 -- to register in person at either of the two Election offices.

 ...New voters aren't the only ones who need to get their application forms turned in. People who want to change their political party affiliation or have changed their name since previously registering will also need to re-register before the deadline. &lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p&gt;From the &lt;a&gt;Daily Press&lt;/a&gt; in Virginia: &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;There are 43 days left until this year's historic presidential election, but only two weeks left to register to vote in it.

 With Virginia playing the role of battleground state in a presidential race for the first time in decades, voter rolls have grown by 280,000 names this year.

 Nine of every 10 of those newly registered voters will be voting in Virginia for the first time. &lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p&gt;From the &lt;a&gt;WSPA&lt;/a&gt; in South Carolina: &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;The deadline for voter registration to vote in the November election is Oct. 4, according to the South Carolina Election Commission.

 Voters who have changed their county of residence must register in their new county by Oct. 4 as well. 

 ...All registered voters should check their voter registration cards to ensure their information is correct.  &lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p&gt;From the &lt;a&gt;HattiesburgAmerican&lt;/a&gt; in Mississippi: &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;The League of Women Voters reminds Mississippians that the Voter Registration deadline is near. In order to cast a ballot in the upcoming election, citizens must be registered to vote by October 3.

 ...League of Women Voters of Mississippi president, Fran Leber, raises the question, &amp;ldquo;If you could do something easy that could help your family, your community and your country, would you do it? That&amp;rsquo;s what voting is all about, an easy way to make a difference.&amp;rdquo; &lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p&gt;From the &lt;a&gt;News-Leader&lt;/a&gt; in Missouri: &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;If you're telling yourself you won't make a difference, stop right there. Have you seen the presidential polls lately?

 The good news statewide is that at least a couple hundred thousand new voters have registered. The bad news is that you have only a few weeks left -- if you're one of those lackadaisical folks.

 Greene County [Missouri] Clerk Richard Struckhoff said his office has registered 4,826 new voters since the August primary. He said the county now has 186,041 total voters registered.

 Oct. 8 is the registration deadline, until 5 p.m. at the clerk's office but a little later at area libraries.

 ...No excuses. Do it. &lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p&gt;Are you registered to vote? Do you know someone who is not registered to vote? We need every single vote we can get to win this election and that involves our supporters making sure that everyone they know is &lt;a&gt;registered&lt;/a&gt;. Go to our &lt;a&gt;one-stop voter registration website&lt;/a&gt; to register or get answers to your questions.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;a&gt;VoteforChange.com&lt;/a&gt; makes it easier than ever to register. Instead of tracking down the right forms, all you need to do is answer a few basic questions and you'll be ready to vote. You can also: 

 &amp;bull;&amp;nbsp; Confirm your existing registration&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;bull;&amp;nbsp; Apply to vote absentee&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;bull;&amp;nbsp; Learn about early vote options&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;bull;&amp;nbsp; Find your polling place&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Visit &lt;a&gt;voteforchange.com&lt;/a&gt; today and to register and ensure that your voice is heard.&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;Less than two weeks left&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-10-14 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/stateupdates/gGgHlr" rowid="42056835" side="oba" srcid="309433" text="&lt;p&gt;Campaign spokesman Bill Burton made the following statement this morning, in response to John McCain's latest economoic proposals:&lt;/p&gt;John McCain's latest gambit is a day late and 101 million middle-class families short. McCain's plan would spend $300 billion to bailout the same irresponsible Wall Street banks that got us into this mess without doing anything to help jumpstart job growth for America's middle class. His plan continues to provide no tax relief at all to 101 million hardworking families, including 97 percent of senior citizens, and it does nothing to cut taxes for small businesses or give them access to credit.&amp;nbsp; Senator McCain also shows how little he understands the economy by offering lower capital gains rates in a year in which people don&amp;rsquo;t have an awful lot of capital gains.&amp;nbsp; His trickle-down, ideological recipes won&amp;rsquo;t strengthen our economy and grow our middle-class, but Barack Obama&amp;rsquo;s pro-jobs, pro-family economic policies will.&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;McCain plan leaves middle class, job creation and seniors behind&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2007-08-15 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/samgrahamfelsen/CJqk" rowid="42051275" side="oba" srcid="277540" text="&lt;p&gt;The LA Times writes:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;This may be a first.The opening ad by a major presidential candidate (Barack Obama) in a state of some importance in the nominating process (Nevada) is in a foreign language (Spanish)...Latinos are expected to represent a major share of those attending Nevada&amp;#39;s Democratic caucuses... Obama&amp;#39;s ad underscores that the state is likely to be a battleground.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;You can listen to the ad at Nevada HQ -- Nevada.BarackObama.com.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Also, check out BarackObama.com/Espanol for the Spanish language version of our site and click here to watch BarackTV with Spanish captions. &lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;Me llamo Obama&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2007-11-28 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/samgrahamfelsen/CNYz" rowid="42051969" side="oba" srcid="276846" text="&lt;p&gt;Virtually everyone who meets Michelle or sees her speak is blown away by her sincerity, frankness, fierce intelligence, and warmth. While many public figures like to portray themselves as &amp;quot;authentic,&amp;quot; Michelle is the rare &amp;quot;real deal&amp;quot; who lives up to the term.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; Today, Salon&amp;#39;s featured story is on Michelle Obama and the effect she&amp;#39;s having on ordinary people across Iowa. Here&amp;#39;s an excerpt from the piece:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;p&gt; Ron Hughes, a small-business owner in Dubuque, tells me that he&amp;#39;s a Joe Biden man through and through, and his wife, next to him, is totally apathetic about the political process. &amp;quot;She just comes for the socializing,&amp;quot; Hughes assures me. But as Obama begins the most rollicking rendition of the stump speech that I will see on this visit, Hughes leans in to me and acknowledges, &amp;quot;I do like her sense of humor.&amp;quot; &lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p&gt; By the time Obama gets into the part about how fear is used to bully and divide us, Hughes&amp;#39; purportedly apathetic wife is nodding in assent, and leans in to her husband to say, &amp;quot;She&amp;#39;s right on.&amp;quot; &lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p&gt; Tonight, Obama lingers on the cowardice of her husband&amp;#39;s opponents in their votes for the Iraq war, arguing that Barack, though he was not yet in the Senate to cast a vote of his own, acted courageously by coming out against the invasion during his tight Illinois primary race. &amp;quot;That race looked a lot like this race,&amp;quot; she says. &amp;quot;He wasn&amp;#39;t supposed to win. He had a funny name, he was too young. We&amp;#39;ve heard it! Been there! Done that! But even in the middle of all that, he said no, the war was a bad idea.&amp;quot; &lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p&gt; She remains insistent -- despite the flak she&amp;#39;s received for minimizing her husband&amp;#39;s deity-like status -- on being realistic. &amp;quot;It&amp;#39;s not that we&amp;#39;re going to elect a president who will deliver us from evil,&amp;quot; she tells the Jochum fundraiser. &amp;quot;We are our own evil. We have to be engaged and passionate.&amp;quot; Without courage, she says, we will never get anywhere. &lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p&gt; &amp;quot;I think I found my candidate,&amp;quot; says Hughes&amp;#39; wife, 59-year-old Suzette, a retired physical therapist, as Obama receives a standing ovation. &amp;quot;I hadn&amp;#39;t felt the need to make a decision until tonight. I hadn&amp;#39;t been moved until tonight.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;Michelle Obama Gets Real&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2007-11-19 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/oliviam/Cxct" rowid="42051894" side="oba" srcid="276921" text="&lt;p&gt;Tamara is busy.&amp;nbsp; In addition to raising two young children, she is the treasurer for her local sorority alumnae group and for her local women&amp;rsquo;s club; she helps the local alumni group for Illinois State University to plan events and she serves as the vice president of the Newcomers Club of Greater Peoria; she&amp;#39;s involved with a local moms group; and recently, she chaired her community&amp;rsquo;s annual St. Jude charity auction.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;Then there is everything she does as a volunteer to support the Obama campaign.&amp;nbsp; She has been active since Barack&amp;rsquo;s announcement in February, making phone calls, contributing to her state&amp;rsquo;s campaign web site, and spreading the word by blogging on www.my.barackobama.com, where she helps run a few groups, including Moms for Obama (where you may know her as &amp;quot;Mid America Mom&amp;quot;). &lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Phew.&amp;nbsp; On top of that, Tamara goes to town halls, fundraisers, BBQ&amp;rsquo;s for Barack, debate watching parties, and she travels to Iowa to canvass.&amp;nbsp; She has even hosted her own events, like an &amp;quot;Obama playdate&amp;quot;.&amp;nbsp; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;She may seem like a political pro, but this is the first time Tamara has ever campaigned for or contributed to a candidate.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Why would someone with so much on her plate take on so much more? Tamara explains: &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;My family&amp;#39;s roots are Republican. Being from Illinois I of course knew about the Senator.&amp;nbsp;With the publication of Obama&amp;#39;s recent book and the frenzy in the fall surrounding him I decided to look at him some more.&amp;nbsp; I sat down and thought what our present President had done for the party - meaning what went wrong.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;I did not support the war though all my friends and family did.&amp;nbsp; Not because of peace advocacy but on the grounds of diplomacy.&amp;nbsp; We lacked the backing of the UN and most of our greatest allies in NATO.&amp;nbsp; I thought it a poor move from the start.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Then we had No Child Left Behind - a federal mandate on our state-run schools with no money.&amp;nbsp; And the greatest expansion of Medicare since LBJ - a prescription drug program that is confusing even to me (someone who worked in benefits).&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;Then I see this man, Barack Obama, talking about how we need to work on a diplomatic solution in Iraq.&amp;nbsp; How we should empower citizens in their community.&amp;nbsp; Healthcare is a right and we can provide it.&amp;nbsp; We need to be more active with our children in their schooling and supportive of teachers.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Some say his experience is not enough but I think we need to see more like his!&amp;nbsp; Civil rights lawyer, community activist, constitutional law professor, state legislator, and now senator all in one.&amp;nbsp; He is not from a well connected family -- he is here by his own being -- how much more American can you get than that?&amp;nbsp; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;I do not look at him as Democrat or Republican but as a leader.&amp;nbsp;Most important he has respect from others and for others, a great &amp;ldquo;can do&amp;rdquo; attitude, and the skill that America needs at this juncture.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;So with all of this in mind I decided Barack Obama has my vote. I am so excited at the prospect of his being our President, I am betting the &amp;ldquo;trifecta&amp;rdquo; -- I am giving him my money, my time, and pulling a Democratic primary ballot for the first time in my life.&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;Mid America Mom&quot; and why she supports Barack" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2007-05-01 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/samgrahamfelsen/Cvg2" rowid="42050885" side="oba" srcid="278030" text="&lt;p&gt;Here&amp;#39;s what Barack had to say on the 4th anniversary of Bush&amp;#39;s &amp;quot;Mission Accomplished&amp;quot; speech:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Four years after President Bush landed on an aircraft carrier and declared &amp;lsquo;Mission Accomplished,&amp;rsquo; we are still in a war where more than one hundred American service members have died in just the month of April.&amp;nbsp; We grieve for them today and urge the President to avoid making another tragic mistake by signing the bill that will end this war and bring our troops home.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;We are now one signature away from ending this war.&amp;nbsp; The majority of the American people and their Congress now agree that there is no military solution to the conflict in Iraq, and that the best way to pressure the warring factions to reach a political settlement that can end this war is still a phased withdrawal of American forces with the goal of removing all combat brigades from Iraq by March 30th, 2008.&amp;nbsp; It is time to end this war so we can bring our troops home and redeploy our forces to help fight the broader struggle against terrorism and other threats of this new century.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;For a bold alternative to Bush&amp;#39;s misguided foreign policy and empty rhetoric, check out Barack&amp;#39;s speech at the Chicago Council on Global Affairs. And to be a part of the movement to demand that Bush sign this bill and bring our troops home, click here. &lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;Mission Accomplished&quot;: Four Years Later" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2007-08-20 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/samgrahamfelsen/CJzD" rowid="42051309" side="oba" srcid="277506" text="&lt;p&gt;Barack has said that one of the most rewarding experiences of this campaign for him was the day he spent in the shoes of SEIU member and home care worker Pauline Beck.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Here&amp;#39;s a blog post by Pauline on the SEIU website:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;When we got to Mr. John&amp;rsquo;s, the Senator was ready and willing to do whatever task was at hand.&amp;nbsp; He jumped in and made Mr. John breakfast, helped with the laundry, did some chores around the house, and gave me a hand changing Mr. John&amp;rsquo;s sheets. Besides making sure that Mr. John&amp;rsquo;s house is in order and that he gets the help he needs to start his day, my job has a lot of physical demands. I told the Senator&amp;mdash;and he got to see for himself&amp;mdash;that homecare is very rewarding, but it&amp;rsquo;s also really hard work.&amp;nbsp; I also explained to him that even though I work through Alameda County, if I get sick, I receive no paid time off like other County and State employees&amp;mdash;and homecare workers don&amp;rsquo;t get any paid vacation.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;My day with Senator Obama was one I&amp;rsquo;ll never forget &amp;ndash; and I hope he never forgets it as well.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In case you missed it, click here for a video on Barack&amp;#39;s day with Pauline.&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;My day with Senator Obama was one I’ll never forget&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2007-11-02 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/samgrahamfelsen/CnVR" rowid="42051732" side="oba" srcid="277083" text="&lt;p&gt;In this ad, which will air in New Hampshire tomorrow, Barack discusses his plan to strengthen our middle class:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;Need&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-09-21 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/mollyclaflinblog/gG53KY" rowid="42056335" side="oba" srcid="305688" text="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a&gt;&lt;/a&gt;From the very beginning, our campaign has been about building a grassroots movement for change. It's a movement that's been built by ordinary people going into their communities to talk to neighbors about Barack and to bring them into our campaign.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;To help you reach more people in these final, crucial weeks, we&amp;rsquo;ve created a new online tool called &lt;a&gt;Neighbor to Neighbor&lt;/a&gt;. Neighbor to Neighbor allows you to easily find lists of undecided voters in your neighborhood, go door-to-door to talk to them about Barack, and then report back to the campaign what you've learned.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;We&amp;rsquo;ve created a short video tutorial to help you learn how to use &lt;a&gt;Neighbor to Neighbor&lt;/a&gt; below:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;With &lt;a&gt;Neighbor to Neighbor&lt;/a&gt;, you can print walk lists and a map of those undecided voters in your area. You'll also be provided with a sample script and a printable flyer with information on Barack and many of the key issues in this election. When you get home from canvassing, you can report back to the campaign what you learned so that we can bring those new voters into the process.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Now matter where you live, you can access &lt;a&gt;Neighbor to Neighbor&lt;/a&gt; and get started talking to voters in your community right now. We'll be updating and adding to the voter lists and features frequently as we move into the final month of the election. If you can help, today or in the weeks to come, please &lt;a&gt;sign up now&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a&gt;In Florida today&lt;/a&gt;, Barack asked the assembled supporters to &amp;quot;walk with me, so that we can turn the page on the failed policies of the past.&amp;quot; And when he asked the crowd to organize, block by block and neighborhood by neighborhood, this is what he meant:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;Neighborhood by Neighborhood&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-09-09 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/stateupdates/gG5pzT" rowid="42056122" side="oba" srcid="303947" text="&lt;p&gt;Today, in response to the McCain ad &amp;ldquo;Maverick,&amp;rdquo; the Obama campaign released a new 30-second TV ad, &amp;quot;No Maverick.&amp;quot; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Despite calling himself a &amp;quot;maverick,&amp;quot; seven of John McCain's top campaign advisors are Washington lobbyists, and he's voted with George W. Bush 90% of the time. Sarah Palin probably touts how she was against the so-called &amp;quot;&lt;a&gt;bridge to nowhere&lt;/a&gt;,&amp;quot; despite the fact that she originally supported it.&amp;nbsp; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;If you are tired of the same cynical approach to politics, you can &lt;a&gt;make a donation now&lt;/a&gt;.&amp;nbsp; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;No Maverick&amp;quot; will air in key battleground states across the country beginning today. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;No Maverick&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-09-20 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/stateupdates/gGgmB2" rowid="42056333" side="oba" srcid="305686" text="&lt;p&gt;From &lt;a&gt;the earliest days of the campaign&lt;/a&gt;, Barack has closed his speeches not just with an ask for a vote, but with a call to action. From the beginning, this campaign has been built on the belief that ordinary people can make a difference in their lives and in their nation's government, but only if they act.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In his closing remarks in Daytona Beach this morning, Barack made this case as clear as ever:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;I hope you'll join me. I hope you'll walk with me, so that we can turn the page on the failed policies of the past. And if you make that commitment, if everybody out here is &lt;a&gt;getting registered&lt;/a&gt;, if everybody is out there &lt;a&gt;volunteering&lt;/a&gt;, if all of you are doing a little community organizing, if you're making phone calls, sending out emails, knocking on doors, talking to folks at church, if you've decided that you want to roll up your sleeves and join with me and change this country, block by block, neighborhood by neighborhood, county by county, state by state, then I promise you this -- we will not just win Florida. We will win this general election, and then you and I together are going to change this country and change the world.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a&gt;his speech in Wooster, Ohio&lt;/a&gt; last Wednesday, Joe Biden referred to this moment as an &amp;quot;inflection point&amp;quot; on the issues of war, global warming, the economy and more.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;But it is more than just that. This moment is a leverage point, in which the work you do over the next 45 days will have a greater impact that at perhaps any other point in your life.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Right now, this race is neck-and-neck. In over a dozens states, the margin between winning and losing -- the margin between a government that institutionalizes the policies and mistakes of the last eight years and an administration that brings real change to Washington -- will be the work done on the ground by ordinary people.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Over the course of the evening, we'll be showing you a number of ways in which you can get involved, no matter where you live or what your past political experience is.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;This first step is simple:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;Now it's our turn.&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-09-21 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/stateupdates/gGgmB2" rowid="42056338" side="oba" srcid="305691" text="&lt;p&gt;From &lt;a&gt;the earliest days of the campaign&lt;/a&gt;, Barack has closed his speeches not just with an ask for a vote, but with a call to action. From the beginning, this campaign has been built on the belief that ordinary people can make a difference in their lives and in their nation's government, but only if they act.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In his closing remarks in Daytona Beach this morning, Barack made this case as clear as ever:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;I hope you'll join me. I hope you'll walk with me, so that we can turn the page on the failed policies of the past. And if you make that commitment, if everybody out here is &lt;a&gt;getting registered&lt;/a&gt;, if everybody is out there &lt;a&gt;volunteering&lt;/a&gt;, if all of you are doing a little &lt;a&gt;community organizing&lt;/a&gt;, if you're making phone calls, sending out emails, knocking on doors, talking to folks at church, if you've decided that you want to roll up your sleeves and join with me and change this country, block by block, neighborhood by neighborhood, county by county, state by state, then I promise you this -- we will not just win Florida. We will win this general election, and then you and I together are going to change this country and change the world.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a&gt;his speech in Wooster, Ohio&lt;/a&gt; last Wednesday, Joe Biden referred to this moment as an &amp;quot;inflection point&amp;quot; on the issues of war, global warming, the economy and more.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;But it is more than just that. This moment is a leverage point, in which the work you do over the next 45 days will have a greater impact that at perhaps any other point in your life.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Right now, this race is neck-and-neck. In over a dozens states, the margin between winning and losing -- the margin between a government that institutionalizes the policies and mistakes of the last eight years and an administration that brings real change to Washington -- will be the work done on the ground by ordinary people.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Over the course of the evening, we'll be showing you a number of ways in which you can get involved, no matter where you live or what your past political experience is.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;This first step is simple:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;Now it's our turn.&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-05-25 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/stateupdates/gGB7Hg" rowid="42054590" side="oba" srcid="277825" text="&lt;p&gt;The front page of this morning&amp;#39;s edition of the Puerto Rican newspaper El Nuevo Dia:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;Obama encanta a Puerto Rico&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2007-08-01 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/samgrahamfelsen/CpHP" rowid="42051223" side="oba" srcid="277592" text="&lt;p&gt;AJ Rossmiller of AMERICAblog:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Obama delivered a speech today on terrorism, demonstrating his clear understanding of both the situation in Iraq and the real threats we continue to face abroad. Crucially, he addressed Iraq not as something we need to fix in order to fight terrorists but rather *a significant detriment to* our anti-terrorism goals and policies. Iraq has gone from being completely unrelated to global terrorism to a major factor in advancing its cause, and unlike the Bush administration, Obama recognizes the affirmative policies necessary...  &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;He went on to stress the importance of non-military activity in Afghanistan as well. It&amp;#39;s this kind of overall foreign policy understanding, as well as the insight to know that al Qaeda is neither the primary source of violence in Iraq nor widely supported, that makes him such an attractive candidate from a foreign policy perspective.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Update-- Make sure to also check out Oliver Willis at the Huffington Post:&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In a major foreign policy speech today, Barack Obama vowed that if he is elected Commander In Chief, he would do anything to pursue, apprehend, or kill the perpetrators of the 9/11 attacks against New York, Washington D.C., and Pennsylvania. This is a position supported by the vast majority of Americans, and was the reason why the invasion of Afghanistan in 2001 had such widespread support...&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Sen. Obama proposed a common sense foreign policy alternative to the Bush doctrine of terrorist appeasement. This should be cheered...&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;Obama gets it&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2007-09-14 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/samgrahamfelsen/CWCK" rowid="42051404" side="oba" srcid="277411" text="&lt;p&gt;A.J. Rossmiller of AMERICAblog:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Obama is once again impressive on foreign policy. In Wednesday&amp;#39;s major address on Iraq the Senator expressed his views on the military and political situation in the country, and his analysis was insightful, reality-based, and pragmatic.The crucial element of Obama&amp;#39;s speech, and a focus that demonstrates his sound judgment and macro understanding of the situation in Iraq, was his dismissal of the status quo debate over military &amp;quot;progress.&amp;quot; Instead, he insisted, reasonable and serious evaluation of (and indeed, planning regarding) Iraq must focus on the political situation. This is the type of statement that those of us who follow the issue immediately process as true and unremarkable, but, of course, it&amp;#39;s a vital point, and one that the current administration is working hard to obscure...&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Obama offered a programmatic solution -- or at least plan -- and he hit all the right notes on humanitarian issues to go along with an appropriate focus on transitioning from a military focus to a diplomatic one. His grasp of the realities of Iraq appears excellent, from the suffering of the Iraqi people to subtle regional elements to our strategic role.It&amp;#39;s nice to remember what real leadership looks like. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Rossmiller is a former Intelligence Officer for the Iraq office of the Department of Defense.&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;Obama gets it&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2007-08-24 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/samgrahamfelsen/CJsh" rowid="42051336" side="oba" srcid="277479" text="&lt;p&gt;Make sure you check out Neil&amp;#39;s blog on Barack&amp;#39;s visit to South Carolina yesterday. Here&amp;#39;s a wrap-up from the Myrtle Beach Sun News -- more evidence that Barack is driving a new generation of young voters to the polls: &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Presidential hopeful Barack Obama rallied a crowd of about 1,800 people Thursday night at Coastal Carolina University, telling them why the nation needs a change and why he&amp;#39;s the person to bring it about...&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;CCU student Megan Hayes, 18, said she got to shake the senator&amp;#39;s hand after he spoke, and even got a hug.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;I was really impressed. I&amp;#39;m definitely going to vote for him next year,&amp;quot; she said. &amp;quot;I was ecstatic.&amp;quot; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;...Jessica Causer, 18, said she hasn&amp;#39;t been interested in politics very long, but Obama made a good impression on her and her friends with his stance on education and pulling out of Iraq.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;We just started getting into politics so we thought it would be neat to come out,&amp;quot; she said.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;For more on Barack in South Carolina check out SC.BarackObama.com, and for more on how young people are getting involved, check out Students.BarackObama.com. &lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;Obama impresses crowd at CCU&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2007-05-01 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/samgrahamfelsen/CvNQ" rowid="42050887" side="oba" srcid="278028" text="&lt;p&gt;Jose C. is a 27-year-old math tutor from North Hollywood, California. He recently graduated from the University of California at Berkeley. After high school, Jose worked full time to help his mother pay the bills; eventually he went on to community college, and from there, was accepted into UC Berkeley, one of California&amp;rsquo;s finest schools. Jose&amp;rsquo;s parents immigrated to the United States from Mexico in 1975. &amp;ldquo;It was a time of economic crisis in Mexico and economic opportunity in America,&amp;rdquo; says Jose. &amp;ldquo;They came in search of opportunity and to provide a better life for their children.&amp;rdquo; Both have worked in what Jose describes as &amp;ldquo;hard labor jobs&amp;rdquo;; his father is a gardener and his mother is a housekeeper at a hotel. Neither of them ever got a chance to receive an education. &amp;ldquo;My parents feel proud that I graduated from Berkeley,&amp;rdquo; says Jose. &amp;ldquo;At first, they didn&amp;rsquo;t really understand the magnitude of it, but now they do, and they realize that all of their sacrifices were worth it.&amp;rdquo;Jose, who majored in engineering, is currently working as a math tutor. He serves many privileged children who can afford his tutoring, but he also offers discounted tutoring to poor children who can&amp;rsquo;t afford his normal rates. &amp;ldquo;I come from a low-income, underprivileged family, and I know what it feels like to struggle and work hard so you can go to a good school,&amp;rdquo; he says. &amp;ldquo;I relate to the underprivileged population and I want to give back.&amp;rdquo;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;As a child of immigrants, Jose cares deeply about the direction of immigration policy. &amp;quot;We have to understand as Americans that the country was built by immigrants and we need immigrants,&amp;quot; says Jose. &amp;quot;People have to understand why immigrants are coming here, and once we understand that, then we can start creating fair policies.&amp;nbsp; &lt;/p&gt;Jose supports Senator Obama because he believes Barack will address the issue of immigration in a fair and just way. &amp;ldquo;Obama comes from a very diverse background and I think he understands where a lot of Americans are coming from,&amp;rdquo; says Jose. &amp;ldquo;A lot of Americans today also come from diverse backgrounds and Obama is a leader for the future... he represents the diversity of this country.&amp;rdquo;This is the first time Jose has ever donated to a campaign. &amp;ldquo;In fact,&amp;rdquo; says Jose, &amp;ldquo;Obama is the first candidate I ever liked in my life.&amp;rdquo;&amp;ldquo;I feel Obama&amp;mdash;the way he came to be. He didn&amp;rsquo;t get where he is just because his relatives were in positions of power,&amp;rdquo; says Jose. &amp;ldquo;He came to where he is today because he worked hard for it, from the bottom up. He understands the grassroots because he is grassroots.&amp;rdquo;" title="&quot;Obama is a leader for the future... he represents the diversity of this country&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2007-07-12 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/alexmaccallum/CtGZ" rowid="42051129" side="oba" srcid="277686" text="Another glowing story just came out about Barack&amp;#39;s performance at the NAACP convention today.&amp;quot;Obama Outshines Fellow Dems at NAACP,&amp;quot; according to the AP. Presidential hopeful Barack Obama outshone his Democratic rivals Thursday, drawing&amp;nbsp; the loudest cheers at a civil rights forum as he assailed the Bush administration&amp;#39;s record on race relations.Black voters are a core party constituency, the AP noted, and Barack &amp;quot;bested&amp;quot; all the other candidates at the forum.CBS5 has a video of all the candidates&amp;#39; entrances here. Barack received the loudest applause &amp;ndash; and you can see the delegates jump to their feet as he walks on the stage. We&amp;#39;ll post more video as it becomes available.&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;Obama Outshines Fellow Dems at NAACP&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2007-07-12 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/alexmaccallum/Cv7X" rowid="42051127" side="oba" srcid="277688" text="Barack stole the show today at the NAACP&amp;#39;s Presidential Forum in Detroit, Michigan.As the AP noted, &amp;quot;While all the contenders were warmly received as they took their place onstage, Obama received a boisterous, sustained ovation.&amp;quot;Questions ranged from how each candidate would address gun violence to their health care plans. On gun violence, Barack said it was time to care just as much about children in Chicago public schools dying because of gun violence as we do about the victims of the Virgina Tech massacre.On health care, Obama noted that he does not take federal lobbyist money. He also said that in this country, if you&amp;#39;re poor, it&amp;#39;s hazardous to your health. But &amp;quot;if you&amp;#39;re black and poor, that&amp;#39;s downright deadly.&amp;quot; He talked about specific ways to close the gap between the uninsured and the insured, and said we cannot close the gap until we create a universal healthcare system.&amp;quot;Insurance companies can have a seat at the negotiations, but they can&amp;#39;t have every single chair,&amp;quot; Barack said.The Detroit Free-Press called him &amp;quot;the rock star&amp;quot; of the event, and reported that Barack&amp;#39;s responses prompted &amp;quot;enthusiastic standing ovations both at his introduction and after his soaring three-minute speech to the crowd of more than 1,000 people.&amp;quot;MSNBC&amp;#39;s First Read just published a story under the headline &amp;quot;Obama Stars&amp;quot; and reported that he was &amp;quot;greeted by thunderous applause and shouts -- much more so than any other candidate.&amp;quot;" title="&quot;Obama Stars&quot; at NAACP Forum" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2007-07-27 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/alexmaccallum/CpJR" rowid="42051208" side="oba" srcid="277607" text="The reviews are in. Barack &amp;quot;wowed&amp;quot; the College Democrats of America yesterday, bringing everyone in the room to his or her feet. The Columbia State headlines its article on the convention:&amp;nbsp; &amp;quot;Obama wows convention.&amp;quot; Sen. Barack Obama brought college students to their feet Thursday at USC, reinforcing for many of them why he has captured their attention in the 2008 Democratic presidential race. In his speech, Barack talked about uniting the country: The reason that this president has failed to lead this country is because he hasn&amp;#39;t been able to unite our country. He&amp;#39;s polarized us when he should have pulled us together. That&amp;#39;s why the experience we need in the next president is the ability to bring this country together. It&amp;#39;s not enough to just change parties. Check out video of the speech here. And join Students for Barack Obama here." title="&quot;Obama Wows College Democrats Convention&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2007-11-20 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/samgrahamfelsen/CxqQ" rowid="42051905" side="oba" srcid="276910" text="&lt;p&gt;Sam Sedaei, a young man who moved from Iran to America on his own when he was sixteen, writes that Obama is &amp;quot;America&amp;#39;s best hope&amp;quot; in the Huffington Post:&lt;/p&gt;... Senator Obama is the agent of competence and change, and he should be our party&amp;#39;s candidate. His commitment to bring change goes beyond words in his speeches. Throughout his public and private life, he has showed an impressive level of understanding and sound judgment. Following his graduation from Columbia University, he could have pursued a lucrative career. But instead, he chose to spend five years doing community organizing in the struggling neighborhoods in Southside Chicago. As a state senator, he united democrats and republicans to pass the biggest lobbying reform for the first time in twenty-five years. On foreign policy, he has consistently opposed the disastrous war in Iraq since the beginning, even when it was not the popular thing to do.&lt;p&gt;But perhaps the most important reason why I support him is that he is the only candidate whose philosophy rejects the false choices that are often given to us by mainstream politicians, such as having to choose between economic growth and protecting the American worker, national security and civil liberties or idealism (supporting democracies abroad) and realism (protecting America&amp;#39;s interest) as if these concepts are opposing values. Obama&amp;#39;s policy of diplomacy with Iran, in my judgment, is the soundest policy option offered by any candidate on either side. And his charisma, progressive message, candor and rejection of old politics not only makes him the best candidate to bring the country together, but he is also the only candidate who can bring a whole new generation of young people into the Democratic Party with his unmatched appeal to the youth.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;As Obama&amp;#39;s message reaches more people, more voters join his movement for change. According to the newest Washington Post/ABC News poll in Iowa, 30% of likely caucus voters intend to vote for Obama while that number is 26% for Clinton, and according to a new SurveyUSA Election Poll of Iowans, Barack Obama will fare significantly better than Hillary Clinton in the general election. Both surveys indicate that he is the most electable candidate in the Democratic Party.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Obama&amp;#39;s message is attractive because he gets past the politics of loyalties to parties and special interests and appeals to the American people&amp;#39;s faith in the core of the American identity. That is why I consider Barack Obama the best candidate who will lead this country to live up to its promise and once again earn the respect of the world.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;Obama: America's Best Hope&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2007-05-04 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/samgrahamfelsen/CvcW" rowid="42050897" side="oba" srcid="278018" text="&lt;p&gt;This letter just came in from Claudine B., a supporter from Kansas City, Kansas.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Dear Senator Obama:I want you to personally know how excited we are to share this wonderful experience of seeing you on the 12th in Kansas City with our eight-year-old daughter, Olivia.&amp;nbsp; Being a bi-racial family, Olivia has a keen awareness of the lack of representation of African Americans in the role of government.&amp;nbsp; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;When the television stations broke the news that you would be running for president, Olivia&amp;#39;s eyes lit up like a lighthouse in the dark!!&amp;nbsp; She looked at me and said, &amp;quot;Mom, do you actually think a black man can make it into the Whitehouse?&amp;quot;&amp;nbsp; I told her that not only do I think it, I know it because you are so different from all of the other runners.&amp;nbsp; You are what America wants and needs in order to make this world a better place. Olivia just toured the State Capital in Topeka this week with her third-grade class.&amp;nbsp; She was able to see where all the government leaders meet for legislative sessions AND she got to sit in Governor Sebellius&amp;#39; chair.&amp;nbsp; She thought that was downright amazing!&amp;nbsp; Because of you, she now sees that people of all colors and races (including herself) can play a vital role in government.&amp;nbsp; Truth be told, I think the kid has visions of being elected and someday getting to work in Sebellius&amp;#39; chair!&amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp;Looking forward to seeing you on the 12th!&amp;nbsp; Keep doing what you&amp;#39;re doing.&amp;nbsp; We&amp;#39;re pulling for you, as are many other people in Kansas!Sincerely,Claudine B.&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;Olivia's eyes lit up like a lighthouse in the dark&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-09-23 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/mollyclaflinblog/gGgyhW" rowid="42056378" side="oba" srcid="305910" text="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; Voter registration is a fun and easy way you can make a big difference in this election. With your help, we&amp;rsquo;ve made big headway in &lt;a&gt;voter registration&lt;/a&gt; and are confident that on November 4th, all your efforts will pay off. 

Many states have voter registration deadlines coming up in the next few weeks, so go out into your neighborhood and help register new voters to make sure your neighbors have a voice in November. &amp;nbsp;

Marsha in Salem, Massachusetts has been busy registering voters for months. &lt;/p&gt;In the last few months, I've organized several Vote 4 Change events in Massachusetts.&amp;nbsp; It's been very invigorating and I still get that rush of excitement when I'm registering a new voter, or teaching others to how to register voters.&amp;nbsp; It truly feels like I'm part of something way bigger than myself.&amp;nbsp; 

It's humbling to think that each person I've helped register is now able to exercise their right to vote, and it feels incredible to have been a part of that experience.&amp;nbsp; Knowing that I can help this campaign - one new voter at a time - gives me great satisfaction and keeps me motivated to continue to do the hard work it's going to take to win this election in November.

Registering voters has always been meaningful for me.&amp;nbsp; I registered my first voter as a college student studying at Brooklyn College in NYC about 20 years ago.&amp;nbsp; Back then I was volunteering for the New York Public Interest Research Group (NYPIRG), the same organization Barack Obama worked for briefly at City College back when he was just learning about community organizing.&amp;nbsp; It was during that time that I came to realize and experience first hand how the simple act of registering a voter is both sacred and empowering - both for them and for myself.&lt;p&gt;You can get involved in voter registration in your community, too. Send your friends and family to &lt;a&gt;www.voteforchange.com&lt;/a&gt; to register, and check out our &lt;a&gt;Voter Registration Center&lt;/a&gt; to find out how you can get involved registering others in your neighborhood. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;One new voter at a time&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-07-03 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/amandascott/gGxsFh" rowid="42055013" side="oba" srcid="274402" text="&lt;p&gt;Over the past couple of weeks, the campaign has asked grassroots supporters to declare their independence from a broken system. We&amp;#39;ve asked you to tell us why you think it&amp;#39;s important that this campaign is truly funded by the people. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Here are some comments from people who matched donations or had their first donation matched... &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Cilly from Texas:&lt;/p&gt;When I decided to make this donation, I asked myself what is important about this cause?&amp;nbsp; My answer was if this man is elected president all of the other things I am passionate about will be closer to resolution like environmental concerns, homeless and uninsured children, a neverending war sending home unappreciated veterans.&amp;nbsp; This small donation is one step closer to real change.&lt;p&gt;Nancy from Wisconsin:&lt;/p&gt;I hope you are as inspired by Barack Obama as my husband and I are.&amp;nbsp; He represents a real opportunity for our country to be something different, something better than it has been in a very long time (perhaps, ever).&amp;nbsp; We have donated many times to his campaign, and even though the amount has been small, it has made a difference.&amp;nbsp; Let&amp;#39;s bring about this much needed change together.&lt;p&gt;Virginia from California:&lt;/p&gt;As someone who came of age in the 60&amp;#39;s this presidential election has been a long time coming, and I am very excited by the possibility of electing Barack Obama as our next president.&amp;nbsp; It is inspiring to see the numbers of young people as well as my generation and older participating in this campaign.&amp;nbsp; While there seems to be a huge groundswell of energy and enthusiasm, it is paramount that we stay connected, engaged and active in growing this movement and getting the result we want in this election. &amp;nbsp;I have never been a political activist, but it really is time for all of us to be heard and seize this opportunity for change.&amp;nbsp; Thank you for joining me in contributing to Obama&amp;#39;s campaign.&amp;nbsp; If possible, let&amp;#39;s do it not just this once, but as often and as much as we can and get others to do the same.&lt;p&gt;Kathleen in New Jersey:&lt;/p&gt;I am so proud to be part of this grassroots movement that is changing politics from the same-old to the new...of integrity, organization, and vitality. I have given small donations throughout Obama&amp;#39;s campaign and am proud to do so as often as possible. Welcome to a positive and powerful group of people!&lt;p&gt;Let us know what you&amp;#39;re doing in honor of this weekend in the comment section below.&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;One Step Closer To Real Change&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-07-10 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/amandascott/gGxsFh" rowid="42055148" side="oba" srcid="273950" text="&lt;p&gt;Over the past couple of weeks, the campaign has asked grassroots supporters to declare their independence from a broken system. We've asked you to tell us why you think it's important that this campaign is truly funded by the people. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Here are some comments from people who matched donations or had their first donation matched... &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Cilly from Texas:&lt;/p&gt;When I decided to make this donation, I asked myself what is important about this cause?&amp;nbsp; My answer was if this man is elected president all of the other things I am passionate about will be closer to resolution like environmental concerns, homeless and uninsured children, a neverending war sending home unappreciated veterans.&amp;nbsp; This small donation is one step closer to real change.
&lt;p&gt;Nancy from Wisconsin:&lt;/p&gt;I hope you are as inspired by Barack Obama as my husband and I are.&amp;nbsp; He represents a real opportunity for our country to be something different, something better than it has been in a very long time (perhaps, ever).&amp;nbsp; We have donated many times to his campaign, and even though the amount has been small, it has made a difference.
&amp;nbsp; 
Let's bring about this much needed change together.
&lt;p&gt;Virginia from California:&lt;/p&gt;As someone who came of age in the 60's this presidential election has been a long time coming, and I am very excited by the possibility of electing Barack Obama as our next president.&amp;nbsp; It is inspiring to see the numbers of young people as well as my generation and older participating in this campaign.&amp;nbsp; While there seems to be a huge groundswell of energy and enthusiasm, it is paramount that we stay connected, engaged and active in growing this movement and getting the result we want in this election. &amp;nbsp;

I have never been a political activist, but it really is time for all of us to be heard and seize this opportunity for change.&amp;nbsp; Thank you for joining me in contributing to Obama's campaign.&amp;nbsp; If possible, let's do it not just this once, but as often and as much as we can and get others to do the same.
&lt;p&gt;Kathleen in New Jersey:&lt;/p&gt;I am so proud to be part of this grassroots movement that is changing politics from the same-old to the new...of integrity, organization, and vitality. I have given small donations throughout Obama's campaign and am proud to do so as often as possible. Welcome to a positive and powerful group of people!&lt;p&gt;Let us know what you're doing in honor of this weekend in the comment section below.&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;One Step Closer To Real Change&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2007-12-06 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/samgrahamfelsen/CR2b" rowid="42052034" side="oba" srcid="276781" text="&lt;p&gt;You don&amp;#39;t want to miss this new ad airing in Iowa:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Click here to read or watch the entire JJ speech. &lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;Our Moment Is Now&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-08-28 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/mollyclaflinblog/gG5l8D" rowid="42055888" side="oba" srcid="302394" text="&lt;a&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a&gt;Student for Barack Obama&lt;/a&gt; has become the backbone of our grassroots movement. From Iowa to the convention, young people are coming out in record numbers to take part in the political process. They&amp;rsquo;re voting, volunteering, and most importantly, organizing in their communities to propel our movement for change. 

The Students for Barack Obama video features students and young people taking about their role in the campaign. As one Georgetown Law Professor notes, &amp;ldquo;For the first time in their lives, [young people] have faith that their efforts will amount to something.&amp;rdquo; 

The Obama campaign is powered by the enthusiasm of our young supporters. And based on what they&amp;rsquo;ve already done so far on this campaign, we can&amp;rsquo;t wait to see what this generation will do for America in the future. 

Watch the Students for Barack Obama video here:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;Our moment is now&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-09-29 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/amandascott/gGxCMN" rowid="42056505" side="oba" srcid="306817" text="&lt;p&gt;Today, the Obama-Biden campaign released a new 30 second TV ad, Parachute, which highlights how Obama is fighting to stop the practice of corporate executives giving themselves million dollar golden parachutes while leaving workers high and dry. The ad also points out McCain&amp;rsquo;s own advisor, Carly Fiorina, was a fired CEO who left with $42 million.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Watch Parachute below... &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a&gt;Donate today&lt;/a&gt; to help get this ad on the air. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;Parachute&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2007-05-07 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/samgrahamfelsen/CvZg" rowid="42050903" side="oba" srcid="278012" text="&lt;p&gt;We only need sixteen votes to end this war. President Bush stubbornly refuses to bring our troops home, flouting the will of the American people. Now the power is in Congress&amp;#39; hands. Will they stand by Bush or the American people, the great majority of whom oppose this war? Ty C., a supporter from Huntsville, Alabama is one of these people. Like Barack, he opposed the war from the beginning and strongly opposes it now. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Ty C., a chef from Huntsville, Alabama, spent a lot of his youth traveling around the world because his father was in the military. &amp;ldquo;I&amp;rsquo;ve lived in Germany, Guam, England, Korea, Japan, other places,&amp;rdquo; says Ty. &amp;ldquo;And that experience has just cemented the idea for me that we are only as good as we behave. It&amp;rsquo;s so much easier to make friends with someone when you try to help somebody rather than when you try to knock down the door with a baseball bat. I just believe that we&amp;rsquo;re here to help each other.&amp;rdquo;Ty&amp;rsquo;s grandmother, who he says &amp;ldquo;was a very devout Christian and a very wise person&amp;rdquo; also strongly influenced his ideas on foreign policy.&lt;/p&gt;She used to tell me that if someone wronged you, you don&amp;rsquo;t pick up a stick whack someone on the head with it. If you felt slighted by someone, you did what you could do to make things work out for everybody. I was raised in that old Southern tradition which is not to just turn the cheek all the time but to be generally gracious.In conversations with his neighbors, Ty has noticed that people are starting to seriously question the war and Bush&amp;rsquo;s general foreign policy approach. People where I&amp;rsquo;m from are very proud to be American. I&amp;rsquo;m very proud to be American. Southerners have always been the first people to send our kids off to war. That&amp;rsquo;s just what we do. But now people are starting to realize something is wrong here. You&amp;rsquo;re starting to see it in the churches; people are starting to ask questions. We wanna know: &amp;lsquo;what are we doing?&amp;rsquo; We Southerners have a long history of being stubborn-minded but once we asking questions, we apply that same stubbornness to getting answers. We wanna know why our kids are getting shot.&lt;p&gt;Ty donated ten dollars to the campaign. &amp;ldquo;I&amp;rsquo;m 35 years old and this is the first time I&amp;rsquo;ve donated,&amp;rdquo; says Ty. &amp;ldquo;As somebody who works hard for a living, I can tell you I&amp;rsquo;ve had about all I can take of this. I know it sounds corny but it&amp;rsquo;s time for a change.&amp;rdquo;&amp;ldquo;People in the South,&amp;rdquo; says Ty, &amp;ldquo;want somebody to stand up.&amp;rdquo;&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;People are starting to ask questions...&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-06-02 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/HQblog/gGBmgR" rowid="42054680" side="oba" srcid="276735" text="&lt;p&gt;When the polls close in Montana at 8 pm MST tomorrow, it will mark an important milestone in this campaign: the end of the two final contests of the primary season. For many of you, this has been a bit of a roller coaster ride; bouncing from one contest to the next, and riding the momentum from state to state. Many of you are tired, but you&amp;rsquo;ve stuck with it regardless; Making calls and donating what you can. This campaign has always been about you: your voice, your ideals, your actions. We are here today because of you.&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p&gt;With Florida and Michigan now included, we are just 42.5 delegates from the nomination. Between Montana and South Dakota, there are 31 delegates up for grabs tomorrow. A strong showing there can help push us right to the edge of achieving that goal. &lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p&gt;If you&amp;rsquo;ve ever thought about making calls, now is the time to start. If you&amp;rsquo;ve made calls in the past, push yourself to go a little further. This is your last chance of this primary season to directly affect change. &lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p&gt;Many of you have already taken that step, and have seen the impact it can have. Here are just two examples of people who are hard at work, making sure their voice is heard.&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p&gt;Herschel from Texas... &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;I did those calls today!!! I made over 300 to Montana, and got a GREAT reception. Please join me making those calls!  YES YOU CAN!!! YES WE CAN!!!&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p&gt;Marsha from Massachusetts...&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;I made 25 calls to South Dakota yesterday and they were very responsive. Quite a few Obama supporters and the one HRC supporter I talked to was curt, but nice. If I have time tonight I&amp;#39;ll make more calls. They&amp;#39;re pretty easy and the campaign is asking us NOT to leave messages, so you can get thru a list of 25 pretty quick.&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p&gt;Follow their lead and pick up the phone. You can call South Dakota until 9pm Central Time, and Montana until 9pm Mountain Time.&amp;nbsp; When you&amp;rsquo;re done, feel free to come back here and discuss your experience with the rest of the community. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;Please Join Me&quot;: Call South Dakota and Montana" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-07-04 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/Obamahqblogupdate/gGxdgN" rowid="42055020" side="oba" srcid="274395" text="Barack certainly has an inspirational American story of uplift.  But he is not alone. Libby from Connecticut shared her story and why she is supporting Barack.About three years ago I had just finished college and taken a job.  This was a last-minute decision - I&amp;#39;d been applying for grad schools and had been accepted, but my father was dying.  On top of the psychological turmoil that one might expect with losing a parent, there were financial implications we didn&amp;#39;t see coming.  I could not in good conscience choose school and incur debt while my parents&amp;#39; financial security was being buried in the piling medical bills. You might suspect that we were uninsured or under insured, but it was quite the opposite.  My dad was a civil servant for more than 20 years, and had great benefits.  Even though my mom was also employed with good health insurance, he continued paying his own premiums for the most expensive and comprehensive plan, because he didn&amp;#39;t want to worry about medical bills in his retirement.  Despite the foresight and best efforts, Dad fell through the cracks of a crappy system.Suddenly, collection notices showed up at my parents&amp;#39; home-- the same parents who faithfully paid bills on time and didn&amp;#39;t even own credit cards when I was growing up.  The week after we buried my dad, it broke my heart to find collection notices that he&amp;#39;d hidden away, I guess in embarrassment.  In his right mind, he would never have done that, but sick people can&amp;#39;t be expected to act and think as if they&amp;#39;re healthy.   So I took a job, worked with my mom and siblings to dig us out of the hole, and eventually went back to grad school for Public Health going to classes at night.  The plan is to continue on to med school, to do what I can not only to help ease individual suffering, but also to advocate for the sick and their families.  That career path is a ways off, and right now the best thing I can do is support policymakers who are in a position to effect change.   The only solution is to elect lawmakers who share the belief that a certain level of health care is our right, and a social good that benefits all Americans.  This is what I tell people who ask why my vote is for Obama.&lt;p&gt; Libby&amp;#39;s story is one that many can relate to. Her struggles with the failing health care system are not uncommon among Americans today. Nonetheless, Libby, like most Americans, will proudly celebrate her country&amp;#39;s birth today. &lt;/p&gt;4th of July is one of our big holidays.  It&amp;#39;s probably no accident - I was born on Flag Day and my name means Freedom in Spanish. Each year it becomes more evident that the 4th is what we Floreses do right.  We all pile into my oldest brother&amp;#39;s house in mid-Michigan, where once a year, his wife permits the use of his prized smoker.&lt;p&gt; For Libby&amp;#39;s family, the 4th of July is to celebrate their pride for America. &lt;/p&gt;Patriotism to me means thoughtfully supporting ideals that living in the US guarantees us.  By thoughtful, I mean that I believe in the fundamental importance of free speech...I suppose defending the beliefs that have made our country great is most important when, in times like these, it is most challenging.&lt;p&gt; Enjoy your holiday weekend, and share how you&amp;#39;re celebrating July 4th at blog@barackobama.com.&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;Pride For America&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-07-10 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/Obamahqblogupdate/gGxdgN" rowid="42055142" side="oba" srcid="273943" text="Barack certainly has an &lt;a&gt;inspirational American story&lt;/a&gt; of uplift.  But he is not alone. Libby from Connecticut shared her story and why she is supporting Barack.

About three years ago I had just finished college and taken a job.  This was a last-minute decision - I'd been applying for grad schools and had been accepted, but my father was dying.  On top of the psychological turmoil that one might expect with losing a parent, there were financial implications we didn't see coming.  I could not in good conscience choose school and incur debt while my parents' financial security was being buried in the piling medical bills.

 You might suspect that we were uninsured or under insured, but it was quite the opposite.  My dad was a civil servant for more than 20 years, and had great benefits.  Even though my mom was also employed with good health insurance, he continued paying his own premiums for the most expensive and comprehensive plan, because he didn't want to worry about medical bills in his retirement.  Despite the foresight and best efforts, Dad fell through the cracks of a crappy system.

Suddenly, collection notices showed up at my parents' home-- the same parents who faithfully paid bills on time and didn't even own credit cards when I was growing up.  The week after we buried my dad, it broke my heart to find collection notices that he'd hidden away, I guess in embarrassment.  In his right mind, he would never have done that, but sick people can't be expected to act and think as if they're healthy. 
 
 So I took a job, worked with my mom and siblings to dig us out of the hole, and eventually went back to grad school for Public Health going to classes at night.  The plan is to continue on to med school, to do what I can not only to help ease individual suffering, but also to advocate for the sick and their families.  That career path is a ways off, and right now the best thing I can do is support policymakers who are in a position to effect change. 
 
 The only solution is to elect lawmakers who share the belief that a certain level of health care is our right, and a social good that benefits all Americans.  This is what I tell people who ask why my vote is for Obama.&lt;p&gt; Libby's story is one that many can relate to. Her struggles with the failing &lt;a&gt;health care&lt;/a&gt; system are not uncommon among Americans today. Nonetheless, Libby, like most Americans, will proudly celebrate her country's birth today. &lt;/p&gt;4th of July is one of our big holidays.  It's probably no accident - I was born on Flag Day and my name means Freedom in Spanish. Each year it becomes more evident that the 4th is what we Floreses do right.  We all pile into my oldest brother's house in mid-Michigan, where once a year, his wife permits the use of his prized smoker.&lt;p&gt; For Libby's family, the 4th of July is to celebrate their pride for America. &lt;/p&gt;Patriotism to me means thoughtfully supporting ideals that living in the US guarantees us.  By thoughtful, I mean that I believe in the fundamental importance of free speech...I suppose defending the beliefs that have made our country great is most important when, in times like these, it is most challenging.&lt;p&gt; Enjoy your holiday weekend, and share how you're celebrating July 4th at blog@barackobama.com.&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;Pride For America&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2007-07-17 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/samgrahamfelsen/Ct5l" rowid="42051148" side="oba" srcid="277667" text="&lt;p&gt;Last week, Bush said we were making &amp;quot;progress&amp;quot; in Iraq. As Barack said, does he think we don&amp;#39;t read the news? &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;New York Times:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Assassinations and car bombs killed at least 39 people in Iraq on Tuesday, and details emerged of a mass attack in Diyala Province in which at least 29 people were killed earlier this week.  &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; A car bomb exploded in the Zayouna neighborhood of Baghdad, killing 20 people, four of them Iraqi Army soldiers, and injuring 20, according to a police official at the Interior Ministry. The bomb exploded behind the Sunni Arab Al Rubaie mosque and the target appeared to be a passing Iraqi Army patrol.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;It&amp;#39;s time to get out. Barack has a plan.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;Progress&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2007-10-10 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/samgrahamfelsen/ChhK" rowid="42051564" side="oba" srcid="277251" text="&lt;p&gt;Barack isn&amp;#39;t afraid to say what he believes is right for this country, even when he&amp;#39;s in front of an audience that might not agree with him. That&amp;#39;s what he did in front of the automakers in Detroit in May.&amp;nbsp; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Check out our new TV ad running in New Hampshire:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;Quiet&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-07-21 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/amandascott/gGxPR9" rowid="42055306" side="oba" srcid="279847" text="&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Barack has always valued the importance and the service of Veterans. In a recent speech in Fargo, North Dakota, Barack said...&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The brave Americans who fight today believe deeply in this country. And no matter how many you meet, or how many stories of heroism you hear, every encounter reminds that they are truly special. That through their service, they are living out the ideals that stir so many of us as Americans - pride, duty, and sacrifice. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;As a grandson of a World War II veteran who went to college on the G.I. Bill, Senator Obama is committed to helping the heroes who defend our nation today and the veterans who fought in years past. And veterans across the country are responding. Here are some of their stories... &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;David in Missouri:&lt;/p&gt;I am a veteran of the first Gulf War, and a lifelong Republican voter. I have become disillusioned in recent years with the current political process. When I see Mr. Obama campaign I really feel a sense of change, of freshness with new ideas that this country truly needs. We need to get away from the politics of personal destruction. 

If I was still in the military and for necessary reasons we had to go to war, I would proudly and enthusiastically say &amp;quot;Reporting for duty, sir&amp;quot;.&lt;p&gt;Mike in Ohio:&lt;/p&gt;Of the many reasons, I support Barack because he supports me. I am a 24 year old veteran of the Iraq war and feel support for veterans under the Bush administration has been less than adequate. Barack realizes the sacrifices all of us have made. His views and policy ideas regarding veteran issues are refreshingly honest and straightforward. They also show that he truly cares about issues that affect us.&lt;p&gt;Orlando in Georgia:&lt;/p&gt;I support Obama for several reasons, primarily because I believe as he does that America is far too divided along political, economic, and racial lines. We have lost sight of the fact that we are all citizens of the United States of America. The American dream is slowing slipping away from the masses, and expanding for the privileged few. 

I believe along with him that it is time for the people to reclaim America, take it back from the special interests and wealthy few. I plan to cast my vote for Obama because I truly believe that he has the qualities that we need to show to the world.&lt;p&gt;Kevin in Virginia:&lt;/p&gt;I believe that Barack Obama understands that the oath I took as a seventeen year old, to defend the Constitution against all enemies, was a solemn one. I believe he understands that when a person is willing to offer their life in defense of their country, their elected leaders have an obligation no less solemn; to send them to war only as a last resort. 

I believe Barack Obama understands that the lives of soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines should never be used to further political aims and that the duty to uphold and defend the Constitution should be held just as sacred by our government as it is by those who risk their lives for it. I believe that Barack Obama will allow me to be proud, once more, to say, &amp;quot;I served my country in the Army of the United States of America.&amp;quot; " title="&quot;Refeshingly Honest and Straightforward&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-09-22 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/stateupdates/gGgyQb" rowid="42056352" side="oba" srcid="305728" text="&lt;p&gt;From Joe Biden ...&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;a&gt;&lt;/a&gt; Our team has built a tool called &lt;a&gt;Neighbor to Neighbor&lt;/a&gt; that lets you tap into the power of this grassroots movement right from your home.

  You can reach out to potential supporters by knocking on doors or making phone calls at any time that's convenient for you.

&lt;a&gt;  &lt;/a&gt;&lt;a&gt;Take this election into your own hands right now by signing up and talking to voters about Barack and our campaign for change.&lt;/a&gt;

  Right now, this race is neck-and-neck.

  And it's all going to come down to what supporters like you do -- or don't do -- in these last 44 days.

  The events of the past week have really put into focus what this election is all about.

 The failed economic policies of the past eight years have hurt American workers and put our economy on shaky ground. We're up against an opponent who not only supports those policies, but is so out of touch that he actually believes &amp;quot;&lt;a&gt;the fundamentals of our economy are strong&lt;/a&gt;.&amp;quot;

 Millions of Americans are counting on Barack and me to defeat John McCain and deliver the change this country needs -- but we can't do it alone.

 Each of us needs to do our part. What's going to win this election for us is organizing on the ground, person-to-person, and growing this movement.

  Reach out now to potential supporters and do your part to change this country and move us in a new direction:

&lt;a&gt;http://my.barackobama.com/n2n&lt;/a&gt;

  Bringing fundamental change to Washington is a big challenge -- but it's never been more important.

  Thank you for being part of this movement and working hard to make this country better for all Americans.

  Thanks,

  Joe" title="&quot;Roll up your sleeves&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-07-11 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/amandascott/gGxDWD" rowid="42055210" side="oba" srcid="274233" text="&lt;p&gt;John McCain and the Republican National Committee recently launched a dishonest attach ad aimed at Barack Obama and his tax policies -- an dishonest ad that was quickly debunked by a number of independent sources.&amp;nbsp; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The McCain ad makes the false claim that Obama voted to raise taxes on Americans who make as little as $32,000 per year. But the non-partisan &lt;a&gt;FactCheck.org shot down&lt;/a&gt; that assertion.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In response, the campaign released a new 60 second radio ad, &amp;quot;Same as Bush.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;ldquo;Obama&amp;rsquo;s plan cuts taxes on the middle class &amp;ndash; and won&amp;rsquo;t raise taxes on anybody making less than two hundred fifty thousand a year,&amp;rdquo; the husband in the ad says to his wife. &amp;ldquo;But McCain wants billions in new corporate tax breaks&amp;hellip;and no way to pay for it.&amp;rdquo;
 &amp;nbsp;
 The new spot is running on radio stations in northern Virginia and Dayton, Ohio where the RNC reportedly aired its misleading attack ad.
 &amp;nbsp;
 According to an analysis done on the tax plans put forward by Obama and McCain by the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center, FactCheck.org writes that a &amp;ldquo;hypothetical taxpayer with the $32,000 in taxable income would get &lt;a&gt;a $502 tax cut&lt;/a&gt; under Obama's plan. McCain's plan, by contrast, would leave that person's taxes unchanged.&amp;rdquo;
 
 According to FactCheck.org, &amp;ldquo;We do find that the McCain campaign is simply wrong to say Obama supported raising taxes on those making &amp;lsquo;as little as $32,000 a year.&amp;rsquo;&amp;rdquo;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;You can listen to the ad below...&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;You can read the full script below...
&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&amp;ldquo;Same as Bush,&amp;rdquo; :60 seconds
&amp;nbsp;
MAN: Oh man &amp;ndash; he&amp;rsquo;s starting already&amp;hellip;
&amp;nbsp;
WOMAN: What now, honey?
&amp;nbsp;
MAN: John McCain.&amp;nbsp; He&amp;rsquo;s got new ads attacking Barack Obama on taxes.
&amp;nbsp;
WOMAN: Well, that&amp;rsquo;s not new. Bush, McCain, Karl Rove &amp;ndash; that&amp;rsquo;s how those guys work.
&amp;nbsp;
MAN: Oh yeah, but this is shameful.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; He&amp;rsquo;s just makin&amp;rsquo; stuff up.
&amp;nbsp;
WOMAN: Yeah?
&amp;nbsp;
MAN: But get this.&amp;nbsp; Independent sources are putting McCain in his place.&amp;nbsp; I went to FactCheck dot org.&amp;nbsp; They said quote &amp;ldquo;it&amp;rsquo;s not true.&amp;rdquo;
&amp;nbsp;
WOMAN: Huh.
&amp;nbsp;
MAN: And look what Time says.&amp;nbsp; Quote, &amp;ldquo;It makes sense that McCain is returning to the old playbook.&amp;nbsp; But that doesn&amp;rsquo;t mean he can just make up his own facts.&amp;rdquo;&amp;nbsp; End Quote.
&amp;nbsp;
WOMAN: Yowza!&amp;nbsp; So what&amp;rsquo;s the truth?
&amp;nbsp;
MAN: Obama&amp;rsquo;s plan cuts taxes on the middle class &amp;ndash; and won&amp;rsquo;t raise taxes on anybody making less than two hundred fifty thousand a year.&amp;nbsp; But McCain wants billions in new corporate tax breaks&amp;hellip;and no way to pay for it.
&amp;nbsp;
WOMAN: Hmm.&amp;nbsp; Sounds like George Bush all over again.
&amp;nbsp;
MAN: Guess that&amp;rsquo;s why they say: John McCain &amp;ndash; McSame as Bush!
&amp;nbsp;
WOMAN: Uh-huh.
&amp;nbsp;
Voiceover: On taxes, get the facts. Visit BarackObama.com
&amp;nbsp;
Obama: I&amp;rsquo;m Barack Obama, candidate for President, and I approve this message.
&amp;nbsp;
Paid for by Obama for America.
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;Same as Bush&quot; - Response to Dishonest McCain/RNC Attack Ad" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-09-02 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/mollyclaflinblog/gG5t8j" rowid="42056016" side="oba" srcid="302955" text="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;From his time working as a community organizer to his years in public office, Barack has worked hard for the Latino community on issues like fair pay, healthcare, and comprehensive immigration reform. 

At a speech to Latinos in July, Barack said:&lt;/p&gt;It's about making sure our government knows that when there's a Hispanic girl stuck in a crumbling school who graduates without learning to read or doesn't graduate at all, that isn't just a Hispanic-American problem, that's an American problem.

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

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

A government that works for all Americans - that's the kind of government I'm talking about. And that's the kind of government I've been fighting to build throughout my over 20 years in public service. &lt;p&gt;As Barack stands up for Latino Americans, more and more Latino voters are standing up for Barack &amp;ndash; becoming a part of our historic movement for change.&amp;nbsp; Here are a few of their stories:

Cecelia from Apopka, Florida says:&lt;/p&gt;I came to this wonderful country on 1988 -- not too long ago, but long enough to love, respect and want the best for this my home-sweet-home, United States of America. Barack Obama is the best for America, he talks -- and most importantly acts -- with the love and respect that the people who live in this country of ours desperately needs.&amp;nbsp; I give thanks to his family -- as I know how hard is to have to leave your family to pursue a dream. A dream that we Latinos share is to have someone like Obama as a President, someone with courage to say &amp;lsquo;no&amp;rsquo; to the special interests and lobbyists, and someone who puts real Americans first. I just became an American citizen.&amp;nbsp; Now I will have the happiness of having my first vote to be cast for Obama.&lt;p&gt;Rigoberto in Austin, Texas says:&lt;/p&gt;I support Obama because he speaks what the people need to hear and not what the people want to hear.&amp;nbsp; I watched him speak on C-SPAN recently and I was absolutely moved by every topic he touched and the answers he gave people.&amp;nbsp; And because I believe he will do the right thing for all Hispanics, including the immigrants who are now part of this nation.&lt;p&gt;Carolina in Phoenix, Arizona says:&lt;/p&gt;I want change! We need change! When I vote, you are actually hearing the voices of six people. My parents and other family members are not yet citizens and do not have this right. They are responsible, functional, taxpayers in this society. Like my father told me &amp;lsquo;We are created equal but not treated so.&amp;rsquo; Education is the main reason for me personally voting. My children are not in a wel-performing school. I would like for my child to have the same opportunities as other Americans. I want to help my community, not run away so someone else can inherit my problem.&amp;nbsp; I hope Obama will help us. Our community is holding its breath, but we're exicited about the possibility of change.&lt;p&gt;Willa in Charlottesville, Virginia says:&lt;/p&gt;I appreciate Senator Obama's support of the immigrant population. A couple of generations ago, one of my great aunts received immigrant's social service care during her first pregnancy and gave birth to a son at what is now the University of Chicago Hospital. The boy, given a good start, grew up to become a professor of Physics at Illinois Tech. America&amp;rsquo;s history of generosity need not be considered wasted. Obama understands how much we Latinos have to contribute.&lt;p&gt;Join &lt;a&gt;Latinos for Obama &lt;/a&gt;to connect with other supporters and find out how you can be a part of the movement. You can also read the Latino Blueprint for Change &lt;a&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;Someone who puts Americans first&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-10-01 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/amandascott/gGxjdl" rowid="42056546" side="oba" srcid="307410" text="&lt;p&gt;Today, the Obama-Biden campaign released a new 30 second TV ad, Spending Spree, which highlights John McCain&amp;rsquo;s big spending, including his tax plan bringing along three trillion in debt, his plan to privatize social security and his tax breaks for companies that export jobs.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Watch Spending Spree below...&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a&gt;Donate today&lt;/a&gt; to help get this ad on the air. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;Spending Spree&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-09-26 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/stateupdates/gGgs8S" rowid="42056429" side="oba" srcid="306480" text="  &lt;p&gt;TO: &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;Interested Parties
 FR: &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;Bill Burton, National Press Secretary
 RE: &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;Suspending disbelief, not the McCain campaign
 DA: &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;Thursday, September 25, 2008&lt;/p&gt;      &lt;p&gt;John McCain sought to change the subject from his out-of-touch response to the economic crisis with a big announcement that he was &amp;quot;suspending&amp;quot; his campaign. &amp;nbsp;But the only thing McCain really wants suspended is the American people's disbelief. &amp;nbsp;In fact, he's been in full campaign mode the entire time.&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p&gt;Instead of heading to Washington right away, Senator McCain stuck around in New York to do TV interviews, spend the night, and give a scheduled speech. &amp;nbsp;Though the McCain campaign announced yesterday that they were also &amp;quot;suspending&amp;quot; their attack ads, they continued to run Thursday.&amp;nbsp; &lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p&gt;When McCain finally arrived in Washington, almost twenty-four hours after his announcement &amp;ndash; and after Congressional leadership announced a deal in principle &amp;ndash; he huddled with his lobbyist campaign advisors while his running mate held a political rally and his political spokesmen and surrogates were out in full force, continuing to attack Barack Obama.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; &lt;/p&gt;      &lt;p&gt;So make no mistake: John McCain did not &amp;quot;suspend&amp;quot; his campaign.&amp;nbsp; He just turned a national crisis into an occasion to promote his campaign.&amp;nbsp; It's become just another political stunt, aimed more at shoring up the Senator's aimed more at shoring up the Senator's political fortunes than the nation's economy.&amp;nbsp; And it does nothing to help advance this critical legislation to protect the American people during this time of economic crisis. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a&gt;THE FOLLOWING CLIPS TELL THE STORY . . . &lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;Suspending disbelief, not the McCain campaign&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-09-26 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/stateupdates/gGgs8S" rowid="42056434" side="oba" srcid="306490" text="  &lt;p&gt;TO: &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;Interested Parties
 FR: &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;Bill Burton, National Press Secretary
 RE: &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;Suspending disbelief, not the McCain campaign
 DA: &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;Thursday, September 25, 2008&lt;/p&gt;      &lt;p&gt;John McCain sought to change the subject from his out-of-touch response to the economic crisis with a big announcement that he was &amp;quot;suspending&amp;quot; his campaign. &amp;nbsp;But the only thing McCain really wants suspended is the American people's disbelief. &amp;nbsp;In fact, he's been in full campaign mode the entire time.&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p&gt;Instead of heading to Washington right away, Senator McCain stuck around in New York to do TV interviews, spend the night, and give a scheduled speech. &amp;nbsp;Though the McCain campaign announced yesterday that they were also &amp;quot;suspending&amp;quot; their attack ads, they continued to run Thursday.&amp;nbsp; &lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p&gt;When McCain finally arrived in Washington, almost twenty-four hours after his announcement &amp;ndash; and after Congressional leadership announced a deal in principle &amp;ndash; he huddled with his lobbyist campaign advisors while his running mate held a political rally and his political spokesmen and surrogates were out in full force, continuing to attack Barack Obama.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; &lt;/p&gt;      &lt;p&gt;So make no mistake: John McCain did not &amp;quot;suspend&amp;quot; his campaign.&amp;nbsp; He just turned a national crisis into an occasion to promote his campaign.&amp;nbsp; It's become just another political stunt, aimed more at shoring up the Senator's political fortunes than the nation's economy.&amp;nbsp; And it does nothing to help advance this critical legislation to protect the American people during this time of economic crisis. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a&gt;THE FOLLOWING CLIPS TELL THE STORY . . . &lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;Suspending disbelief, not the McCain campaign&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2007-09-26 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/samgrahamfelsen/ChsD" rowid="42051473" side="oba" srcid="277342" text="&lt;p&gt;Here&amp;#39;s one reason Barack is the kind of leader we need right now: because, as he just said in the debate, he will tell &amp;quot;the truth to the American people even when it&amp;#39;s tough.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;That&amp;#39;s what he did on October 2, 2002, when he gave a bold speech against a popular war -- a war that he knew was a mistake. Click here to learn more about Barack&amp;#39;s early stance against the war and click here to sign up for a rally on October 2, 2007 and voice your opposition to the war and the kind of establishment thinking that got us into Iraq.&amp;nbsp; &lt;/p&gt;Update: Watch video of Barack explaining why he is running for President.  " title="&quot;Telling the truth to the American people even when it's tough&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2007-07-05 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/alexmaccallum/CvDk" rowid="42051100" side="oba" srcid="277715" text="&lt;p&gt;Barack, Michelle, and their daughters criss-crossed Iowa yesterday, going to an AAA Cubs game and meeting with small groups of supporters.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;During one stop, Barack came within a few blocks of Sen. Sam Brownback, Republican of Kansas. He and Barack are far apart ideologically on almost all issues. But Barack has crossed party lines to work with Sen. Brownback on bringing an end to the genocide in Darfur.When Sen. Brownback heard of Barack&amp;#39;s presence nearby, he called him &amp;quot;a friend and someone I&amp;#39;ve worked well with.&amp;quot;In an interview yesterday with the AP, Barack talked about his ability to bridge partisan divisions:&lt;/p&gt;What I know is the kind of experience I have outside of Washington as a community organizer working with families that are struggling, as a constitutional law professor, as a state legislator dealing with the very issues that affect people, people find that experience at least as relevant, maybe more relevant, than experience in Washington. I would not be in this race if I didn&amp;#39;t think I had the capacity to bridge divisions along partisan lines, racial lines, religious lines, that was unequaled in the field.&lt;p&gt;Barack and Michelle also stopped at the Smokey Row Coffeehouse, where supporters pressed their faces to the glass to get an eye-full of the couple.&amp;nbsp; Michelle spoke to those who snagged spots inside about being a citizen and a mother:&lt;/p&gt;I&amp;#39;m a mother, a wife and a professional, but I&amp;#39;m a citizen of this country, too. When I think about sacrifices, I think about children. I want to be in a world where people feel good about this country, where people feel good to be a part of this society.&lt;p&gt;And Barack made sure to shake everyone&amp;#39;s hand outside afterwards.Check out the Iowa HQ blog for more on their Independence Day trip. &lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;The Capacity to Bridge Partisan Divisions&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2007-05-10 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/samgrahamfelsen/CcdZ" rowid="42050910" side="oba" srcid="278005" text="&lt;p&gt;On Saturday, May 12, Barack Obama will visit Kansas City, Missouri. People from all across Missouri and Kansas have already signed up to attend (click here for information and tickets). Barack&amp;rsquo;s visit comes in the wake of the tornado disaster that leveled Greensburg, Kansas and left many of the surrounding areas severely flooded. I recently spoke with Nathan H., a 19-year-old student from Wichita, Kansas, whose community is currently grappling with the floods.&amp;ldquo;We have tornadoes all the time out here in Kansas, but this was an F5 tornado that directly hit a community,&amp;rdquo; says Nathan. &amp;ldquo;I haven&amp;rsquo;t been around for anything like this before. Lots of people are pitching in to help the folks in Greensburg, though. The outpouring of support has been incredible.&amp;rdquo;In the aftermath of the disaster, Governer Kathleen Sebelius criticized President Bush for overstretching the National Guard and not giving them adequate resources for responding to domestic disasters. Nathan says he stands by his governor: &lt;/p&gt;I trust her a whole lot more than I trust President Bush. I find it hard to believe that as many people as we&amp;rsquo;ve sent to Iraq&amp;mdash;that it hasn&amp;rsquo;t hindered our abilities to respond to crises at home. I wish we had our full resources at home to deal with this. It&amp;rsquo;s not up to the soldiers. They&amp;rsquo;re doing what they are told and doing a great job. Fortunately, the citizens of Kansas are picking up the slack.&lt;p&gt;Nathan says he opposed the war to begin with and says &amp;ldquo;it&amp;rsquo;s a tragedy each day it continues.&amp;rdquo; A member of Nathan&amp;rsquo;s community jazz band (Nathan plays piano) served in Iraq, and when he returned one day to practice after being deployed for a year, &amp;ldquo;everyone in the room had their breath taken away.&amp;rdquo; Nathan says his band-mate and friend has struggled to settle back into his old life, reestablish his career and provide for his family after returning from Iraq.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;A member of Students for Barack Obama, Nathan says he sports an Obama bumper sticker on his car, says he was drawn to Barack, &amp;ldquo;because he can get young people excited and connect to the country as a whole.&amp;rdquo;One day, Nathan hopes to enter into politics himself. &amp;ldquo;People say to me (like they once said to Barack), you&amp;rsquo;re so young, you&amp;rsquo;re so bright, why in the world would you want to enter into politics?&amp;rdquo;&amp;ldquo;And I tell them, &amp;lsquo;Because I&amp;rsquo;m young and smart!&amp;#39;&amp;rdquo;&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;The citizens of Kansas are picking up the slack&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-10-08 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/amandascott/gGg73c" rowid="42056698" side="oba" srcid="308396" text="&lt;p&gt;FOX News focus group: Obama
CNN focus group: Obama &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;CNN Poll:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Who won the debate?
Obama: 54%
McCain: 30%&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a&gt;CBS Poll&lt;/a&gt;: Uncommitted Voters Say Obama Won Debate&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Who won the debate?
Obama: 39%
McCain: 27% &lt;/p&gt;CBS News and Knowledge Networks have, once again, conducted a nationally representative poll of uncommitted voters to get their immediate reaction to tonight's presidential debate. 

And this new poll has good news for the Democratic ticket: Just as in the first presidential debate and the vice presidential face off, more uncommitted voters say the Democratic candidate won the debate. 

9 percent of the uncommitted voters surveyed identified Barack Obama as tonight's winner; 27 percent said John McCain won, while 35 percent saw the debate as a draw. 

After the debate, 68 percent of uncommitted voters said that they think Obama will make the right decisions on the economy, compared to 54 percent who said that before the debate. Fewer thought McCain would do so &amp;ndash; 49 percent after the debate, and 41 percent before. 

Before the debate, 60 percent thought Obama understands voters&amp;rsquo; needs and problems; that rose to 80 percent after the debate. For McCain, 35 percent felt he understands voters&amp;rsquo; needs before the debate, and 46 percent thought so afterwards. 

Before the debate, 42 percent thought Obama was prepared for the job of president. That percentage rose to 57 percent after the debate. For McCain, 80 percent felt he was prepared for the job before the debate, and 84 percent thought so afterwards. 

We will have a full report on the poll later on. Uncommitted voters are those who don't yet know who they will vote for, or who have chosen a candidate but may still change their minds." title="&quot;The Clear Winner Is Obama&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-10-08 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/amandascott/gGg73c" rowid="42056715" side="oba" srcid="308490" text="&lt;p&gt;FOX News focus group: Obama
CNN focus group: Obama &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;CNN Poll:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Who won the debate?
Obama: 54%
McCain: 30%&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a&gt;CBS Poll&lt;/a&gt;: Uncommitted Voters Say Obama Won Debate&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Who won the debate?
Obama: 39%
McCain: 27% &lt;/p&gt;CBS News and Knowledge Networks have, once again, conducted a nationally representative poll of uncommitted voters to get their immediate reaction to tonight's presidential debate. 

And this new poll has good news for the Democratic ticket: Just as in the first presidential debate and the vice presidential face off, more uncommitted voters say the Democratic candidate won the debate. 
39 percent of the uncommitted voters surveyed identified Barack Obama as tonight's winner; 27 percent said John McCain won, while 35 percent saw the debate as a draw. 

After the debate, 68 percent of uncommitted voters said that they think Obama will make the right decisions on the economy, compared to 54 percent who said that before the debate. Fewer thought McCain would do so &amp;ndash; 49 percent after the debate, and 41 percent before. 

Before the debate, 60 percent thought Obama understands voters&amp;rsquo; needs and problems; that rose to 80 percent after the debate. For McCain, 35 percent felt he understands voters&amp;rsquo; needs before the debate, and 46 percent thought so afterwards. 

Before the debate, 42 percent thought Obama was prepared for the job of president. That percentage rose to 57 percent after the debate. For McCain, 80 percent felt he was prepared for the job before the debate, and 84 percent thought so afterwards. 

We will have a full report on the poll later on. Uncommitted voters are those who don't yet know who they will vote for, or who have chosen a candidate but may still change their minds." title="&quot;The Clear Winner Is Obama&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-06-19 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/amandascott/gG5nVL" rowid="42054858" side="oba" srcid="275557" text="&lt;p&gt;Our campaign announced the release of our first television advertisement for the general election today.&amp;nbsp; This ad, entitled &amp;quot;Country I Love,&amp;quot; will begin airing in eighteen states across the country tomorrow. This ad shows how our shared values have shaped Senator Obama&amp;#39;s life.In this ad, Barack speaks about the core values this country was founded on and how they guided him to work hard for his education, to bypass jobs on Wall Street to work as a community organizer, and to lead the fight for America&amp;#39;s families and veterans as an Illinois and United States Senator.It also presents Barack&amp;#39;s record of passing laws to reform welfare, to cut taxes for working families, and to ensure that America&amp;#39;s veterans have the health care they deserve.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;You can watch the ad below...&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Here is the script of the ad...&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;I&amp;#39;m Barack Obama.America is a country of strong families and strong values.&amp;nbsp; My life&amp;#39;s been blessed by both.I was raised by a single mom and my grandparents. We didn&amp;#39;t have much money, but they taught me values straight from the Kansas heartland where they grew up.&amp;nbsp; Accountability and self-reliance.&amp;nbsp; Love of country.&amp;nbsp; Working hard without making excuses. Treating your neighbor as you&amp;#39;d like to be treated.&amp;nbsp; It&amp;#39;s what guided me as I worked my way up &amp;ndash; taking jobs and loans to make it through college.It&amp;#39;s what led me to pass up Wall Street jobs and go to Chicago instead, helping neighborhoods devastated when steel plants closed.That&amp;#39;s why I passed laws moving people from welfare to work, cut taxes for working families and extended health care for wounded troops who&amp;#39;d been neglected.I approved this message because I&amp;#39;ll never forget those values, and if I have the honor of taking the oath of office as President, it will be with a deep and abiding faith in the country I love.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;What do you love about this country? Let us know in the comments below... &lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;The Country I Love&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-10-03 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/stateupdates/gGxjqb" rowid="42056593" side="oba" srcid="307786" text="&lt;p&gt;Following the conclusion of tonight's debate, Obama-Biden Campaign Spokesman Bill Burton said the following:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Tonight, the American people heard the disturbing truth about John McCain&amp;rsquo;s healthcare plan: that while he would offer tax credits to help families pay for insurance, he would pay for them by taxing health care benefits for the first time in history. The McCain healthcare tax would come directly out of your pockets, but the tax credit would go directly to the insurance companies.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; It&amp;rsquo;s an old Washington bait and switch: he gives you a tax credit with one hand, but raises your taxes with the other. Barack Obama&amp;rsquo;s healthcare plan will cut costs, lower premiums for the average family by as much as $2,500, and provide affordable, accessible health insurance for every American. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a&gt;Learn the three facts&lt;/a&gt; that everyone should know about &lt;a&gt;John McCain's healthcare plan&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;The disturbing truth about John McCain's healthcare plan&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-10-04 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/amandascott/gGxCNr" rowid="42056633" side="oba" srcid="307971" text="&lt;p&gt;People &lt;a&gt;register&lt;/a&gt; to vote for different reasons. What's yours?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a&gt;Register your friends and family today.&lt;/a&gt; Your vote is your voice. &lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;The Economy Stinks&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2007-11-12 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/samgrahamfelsen/C524" rowid="42051825" side="oba" srcid="276990" text="&lt;p&gt;David Plouffe sent out this email today:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Sam --&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p&gt;Barack Obama gave what could be the most important speech of the campaign to more than 9,000 Iowa Democrats in Des Moines this weekend. &lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p&gt;Here&amp;#39;s how Iowa&amp;#39;s top political analyst, David Yepsen, responded yesterday:&lt;/p&gt;  Should he win the Iowa caucuses, Saturday&amp;#39;s dinner will be remembered as one of the turning points in his campaign, a point where he laid down the marker and began closing on Clinton, the national frontrunner.  &lt;p&gt;Barack sparked new momentum on the ground in Iowa, where the January 3rd caucuses will be the first true test of our campaign and Senator Clinton&amp;#39;s.&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p&gt;We need to react quickly to build on this moment. &lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p&gt;Here&amp;#39;s how we can do it. Barack is scheduled to travel the country for major fundraising events over the next several weeks.&lt;/p&gt;   &lt;p&gt;I want to eliminate at least one of those trips so Barack can spend as much time in Iowa as possible. &lt;/p&gt;   &lt;p&gt;If we can raise $850,000 over the Internet this week, Barack can return to Iowa and build on the momentum he created this weekend.&lt;/p&gt;   &lt;p&gt;We put together a video so you can see for yourself what happened in Iowa on Saturday.&lt;/p&gt;   &lt;p&gt;Please watch and make a donation of $25 to reclaim a day that Barack can spend on the ground in Iowa:&lt;/p&gt;      &lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p&gt;https://donate.barackobama.com/reclaimaday&lt;/p&gt;     &lt;p&gt;We try to balance Barack&amp;#39;s schedule between raising money and talking with voters in the early states.&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p&gt;But after his speech on Saturday, we need to shift that balance and send him back to Iowa as soon as possible.&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p&gt;That means finding another way to meet our fundraising goals. We must stay competitive in the four early states and more than 20 other states that will hold their contests on February 5th. But we have to do it in a way that gives Barack more time with voters.&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p&gt;Something very special happened in Iowa this weekend.&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p&gt;I haven&amp;#39;t seen a crowd this energized by a political leader since Barack electrified the country at the 2004 convention. &lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p&gt;Let&amp;#39;s rise together to meet this occasion:&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p&gt;https://donate.barackobama.com/reclaimaday&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p&gt;David&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p&gt;David Plouffe Campaign Manager Obama for America&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;The fierce urgency of now&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2007-06-11 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/emilybokar/Ctzf" rowid="42050991" side="oba" srcid="277924" text="&lt;p&gt;This past Saturday thousands of supporters hit the streets.&amp;nbsp; In some places they braved the heat, in others they braved the rain.&amp;nbsp; But together they reached their neighbors in all 50 states. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Here are some of their experiences:&lt;/p&gt;It&amp;#39;s hard to describe how special the weekend was. We all came away energized and charged up feeling that we had made an impact and knowing that we all&amp;nbsp; learned a lot from each other and our friends in Iowa. We know that if we and others continue these treks to Iowa over the next several months that we will be that much more energized when we wake up on the morning after the caucus to read the headline&amp;nbsp; &amp;quot;Obama sweeps Caucus vote&amp;quot; Together we can all help the editors of the papers throughout the nation write that headline. - Elliott from Buffalo Grove, IL&amp;nbsp;I am very happy to have been apart of the June 9th &amp;quot;Walk for Change&amp;quot; day. I am 30 years old and this event was my first time ever participating in any such political event. It was a step of faith for me putting aside my fears and moving forward. - Antonio from Chicago, IL&lt;p&gt;In Columbus, OH supporters kicked off their Walk for Change with a picnic in Linden Park.&amp;nbsp; They raised money for the event by hosting a garage sale for Obama the week before.  &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;A little heat didn&amp;#39;t stop Arizonans for Obama. They knocked on over 1,000 doors in 100 degree weather! &lt;/p&gt;   &lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Ready to try canvassing on your own?&amp;nbsp; Katie from Little Rock, AK shared her experiences along with some tips in her blog &amp;quot;The first door is the hardest:&amp;quot; &lt;/p&gt;Let&amp;#39;s just say this about Saturday:&amp;nbsp; It was HOT.&amp;nbsp; And Muggy.&amp;nbsp; Despite that, we had a great event.&amp;nbsp; MacArthur Park was full of fishermen (and women) and even a wedding.&amp;nbsp; We had a LOT of people just walk up to our table and volunteer.&amp;nbsp; People are genuinely hungry for change and you could see that when they put down their fishing poles and picked up a pen to sign the petition and volunteer sheets. Knocking on doors is hard work.&amp;nbsp; Not only is it physically tiring, but it&amp;#39;s also taxing on your nerves.&amp;nbsp; You never know how the person on the other side of the door will react.&amp;nbsp; &amp;quot;The first door is the hardest&amp;quot;, which is true, by the way.&amp;nbsp; Laura and I went to Stifft Station and tackled about 80 houses each.&amp;nbsp; I think we only had one flat out &amp;quot;no&amp;quot; for each of us (and even then, people were polite).A few door knocking tips:1.&amp;nbsp; EXTRA Deoderant!2.&amp;nbsp; Comfortable Shoes3.&amp;nbsp; Water4.&amp;nbsp; Extra Pens&amp;nbsp;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;How did your Walk for Change go?&amp;nbsp; Submit photos and upload video or post your own blog at my.barackobama.com. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;The first door is the hardest.&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-09-30 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/amandascott/gGxCN2" rowid="42056532" side="oba" srcid="307106" text="&lt;p&gt;Why are you &lt;a&gt;registered&lt;/a&gt; to vote? &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;State deadlines start this Sunday. &lt;a&gt;Encourage your friends and family to register to vote today&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;The Future Won't Run On Oil&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-09-30 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/amandascott/gGxCN2" rowid="42056524" side="oba" srcid="307009" text="&lt;p&gt;Why are you &lt;a&gt;registered&lt;/a&gt; to vote? &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;State deadlines start this Sunday. &lt;a&gt;Register your friends and family today&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;The Future Won't Run On Oil&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2007-11-26 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/sarahsewall/Cxy7" rowid="42051951" side="oba" srcid="276864" text="&lt;p&gt;Cross-posted on Daily Kos and Blue Hampshire.&amp;nbsp; The Foreign Policy Forum will be broadcast live tomorrow at 11:00 am at nh.barackobama.com/fpforum&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;I&amp;#39;ve spent a career in foreign policy and national security, but it doesn&amp;#39;t take an expert to know that after eight years of the Bush Administration&amp;#39;s narrow-minded foreign policy and disastrous war in Iraq, our next president will urgently face enormous challenges in restoring America&amp;#39;s global leadership. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;We must renew America&amp;#39;s image and show a new face to the world after eight years of alienating our allies and refusing to engage our enemies. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;We must end a misguided war and restore a military stretched to the breaking point by a war that has already cost hundreds of billions of dollars and thousands of lives while distracting us from the real threat of Al-Qaeda and making us less safe. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;We must reclaim our nation&amp;#39;s values by rejecting torture and the violation of our civil liberties, and by trusting in our Constitution and proud legacy of individual freedoms. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;We must proactively and patiently use all of our nation&amp;#39;s strength - diplomatic, economic, and intelligence - to lead the world instead of relying solely upon military power because we ignored or rejected other options. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;We must rebuild strong alliances and rally international action to combat the common enemies of the 21st - terrorism and nuclear weapons, poverty and disease, genocide and climate change. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;We must genuinely redefine American leadership and challenge conventional Washington thinking, so that hope triumphs over fear in a world with real danger and unconventional challenges. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;This is what America needs, and it will take bold leadership to meet this challenge. &amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;                    I&amp;#39;m supporting Senator Barack Obama because he has the courage, the judgment, and the vision to achieve these goals, and to meet the unanticipated new challenges that are certain to arise. True leadership is based upon courage, not driven by fear. True leadership calls us to our better selves, to come together, and to summon our collective courage to create the world we wish for. Barack Obama has proven that he understands our changing world, thinks unconventionally, speaks forthrightly, and fights for his ideals. On the day he is inaugurated, he will fundamentally transform the way the world thinks about America, and what we expect of ourselves. &lt;p&gt;Barack Obama is the leader who will speak directly to nations and peoples disillusioned with America&amp;#39;s policies. &amp;nbsp;His life both abroad and here at home reflects his deep understanding of the universal human struggle for dignity and security. He recognizes that our security and future are increasingly linked to those of others. And Obama knows that America cannot just stand against terrorism, it must stand for freedom, hope and opportunity for all and for common security and international stability. &amp;nbsp; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;He offers a comprehensive foreign policy vision that combines national values and interests and reflects America at its best. He has developed concrete policies and initiatives to fulfill that vision - from doubling investment in international economic development and helping others build prosperity and peace; to calling Americans to service and launching a new era of American diplomacy; to creating a Shared Security Partnership to fight terrorism and training other nations to protect their citizens; to helping secure all loose nuclear materials and leading toward a world without nuclear weapons. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Obama offers smart, strong, and sustainable policy alternatives at this crucial juncture in our history. &amp;nbsp;Not only did he have the courage and judgment to oppose the Iraq War from the start; his plan to end that war reflects understanding of the broader regional context and America&amp;#39;s long-term interests. &amp;nbsp;Not only is he standing up to the saber-rattling toward Iran; he&amp;#39;s offering a credible alternative path to security through vigorous presidential diplomacy. &amp;nbsp; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Obama&amp;#39;s foreign policy represents not just a break from the Bush-Cheney years of failed foreign policy, but from the decades of conventional thinking that led us to this perilous moment in our history. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;It is no coincidence that one of the most secretive Administrations in history has pursued disastrous and deceitful international policies. This stands in stark contrast to Barack Obama&amp;#39;s commitment to openness and his honesty about where he stands on the tough issues. Consistent with this commitment, Obama will host a foreign policy forum with New Hampshire residents on Tuesday, November 27th. &amp;nbsp; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The forum will bring together scholars and soldiers, national security experts and university professors, for a participatory discussion with New Hampshire voters about the foreign policy challenges we face and the kind of leadership and action it will take to tackle them. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;There, Senator Obama and I will be joined by leading local and national Obama advisors and foreign policy experts, all of whom share my belief that it&amp;#39;s time for a fundamental change in our foreign policy - time for a 21st century vision that replaces empty threats with smart, tough diplomacy, and regains our moral leadership by staying true to the values and ideals on which America was built. &amp;nbsp;Panels will feature: &lt;/p&gt;Richard Danzig - Former Secretary of the Navy under President ClintonTony Lake - National Security Advisor to President ClintonAdm. John Hutson (USN Ret.) - Bow, NH resident; Dean of Franklin Pierce Law Center; former U.S. Navy Judge Advocate General and nationally-known expert on detention and interrogation policySamantha Power - Pulitzer Prize-winning author and renowned professor of human rights and foreign policySusan Rice - Former Assistant Secretary of State for African AffairsGen. Jim Smith (USAF Ret.) - Salem, NH resident; retired U.S. Air Force Brigadier GeneralRyan Gray (USMC Ret.) - Goffstown, NH resident; served two tours in Iraq with the Marine Corps&lt;p&gt;I hope you can join us online for this important discussion about our nation&amp;#39;s security challenges and how Barack Obama&amp;#39;s strength and vision can help create a safer and more hopeful world. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Please join us tomorrow at 11:00 am for a live broadcast at nh.barackobama.com/fpforum &lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;The Judgment to Lead&quot; - Obama Foreign Policy Forum in New Hampshire" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-08-03 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/stateupdates/gG5kqg" rowid="42055466" side="oba" srcid="298943" text="&lt;p&gt;This is what a ground game looks like:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The election site FiveThirtyEight &lt;a&gt;reports today&lt;/a&gt;: &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a&gt;Alaska&lt;/a&gt;, Obama has four field offices open (Juneau, Fairbanks, Anchorage, Palmer) to McCain&amp;rsquo;s none.  In &lt;a&gt;Montana&lt;/a&gt;, Obama had six offices to McCain&amp;rsquo;s none in July ...

In &lt;a&gt;Virginia&lt;/a&gt;, Obama has a 20-6 field office edge, with as many as 60 expected to be open in the near future ... in each of &lt;a&gt;Florida and Pennsylvania&lt;/a&gt; Obama is expected to have a minimum of 200 paid organizers.
 
In &lt;a&gt;Wisconsin&lt;/a&gt;, Obama has 15 offices open now, with 24 expected to be open by mid-August. The staffers are directly paid by Obama&amp;rsquo;s &amp;ldquo;Campaign for Change&amp;rdquo; organization. By contrast, Republicans have five party offices open that handle both McCain field work as well as the state leg. races, which somewhat dilutes the effort. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Already there is staff on the ground in traditional battleground states, as well as a number of nontraditional ones. Current plans call for large-scale operations in at least 22 states, with medium operations in many, many others. But paid staff are just one small part of what campaign manager David Plouffe has described as &amp;quot;&lt;a&gt;the persuasion army&lt;/a&gt;.&amp;quot; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;From the July 19th edition of the &lt;a&gt;Boston Globe&lt;/a&gt;: &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; &amp;quot;The climate has made millions of Americans who haven't been involved in a political campaign ever in their lifetimes very active,&amp;quot; [deputy campaign manager Steve Hildebrand] said. &amp;quot;We estimate that 70 percent of our grass-roots volunteers haven't worked in a campaign before. . . . We're somewhere just shy of 2 million volunteers, and we think we can potentially triple that on Election Day.&amp;quot; 

 That would mean 6 million volunteers. For comparison, about 116 million people voted in the 2004 presidential election. 

 The Obama-Clinton battle set primary turnout records in state after state, and Hildebrand expects more of the same in November: &amp;quot;We think the turnout will be beyond record turnout, and if we're effective, we will have done two additional things - brought in millions of new people who are registered to vote and we will increase the percentage of registered voters who will turn out.&amp;quot; 

 To accomplish that, Obama's campaign is assembling what would be the largest field operation in the history of American politics. Advertising and campaign communications will be important and debate performances will be critical, but the Obama campaign is investing heavily in the importance of organizing voters and getting them to the polls on Nov. 4. 

 ... &amp;quot;This allows us to increase the volume of voters we're talking to and have it be done with people who live in their community,&amp;quot; Hildebrand said. 

 Veteran Democratic operative John Sasso of Massachusetts said that level of organization is &amp;quot;unprecedented on the Democratic side.&amp;quot; The Obama model, particularly in its use of the Internet as an organizing tool, is a significant upgrade, he said. 

 &amp;quot;People tend to believe information delivered by people they know and who live in their neighborhood more than an ad they see on television or what some third party from out of their state is telling them,&amp;quot; said Sasso, who supported Clinton in the primaries and has played key roles in many presidential campaigns. &amp;quot;It can really &lt;a&gt;change the electoral map&lt;/a&gt;.&amp;quot; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Throughout the day today, we'll be looking at some of the many events that have been going on across the country as we begin to build out our ground operation. In many places, there are already staff and offices that you can connect with. No matter where you live, you can &lt;a&gt;sign-up for updates&lt;/a&gt; on campaign activities in your area and &lt;a&gt;connect with grassroots supporters&lt;/a&gt; in your community. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;There is no better way to reach to voters than through face to face contact. What began in &lt;a&gt;Iowa&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a&gt;South Carolina&lt;/a&gt; is now being replicated across the country. The largest field operation in the history of American politics presents an unprecedented opportunity for ordinary people to &lt;a&gt;get involved&lt;/a&gt;.&amp;nbsp; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;The largest field operation in the history of American politics&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-08-28 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/bradleyportnoy/gG5lfp" rowid="42055897" side="oba" srcid="302413" text="&lt;a&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;p&gt;In this election, Latinos are an important constituency group, and Barack Obama is firmly committed to the issues that are important to the Latino community.  Take a moment and watch this video.  It highlights the efforts of Latinos around the country in building our grassroots movement.&lt;/p&gt;

" title="&quot;The Latino community holds this election in its hands.&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-06-10 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/HQblog/gG5G9T" rowid="42054770" side="oba" srcid="276645" text="&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt; Over the past few weeks we have been making a significant push to register new voters all across the country, so they can make their voice heard in this crucial election. Many of you have already responded to this call to action, organizing and participating in your own voter registration events.&lt;p&gt;In Mercer County, New Jersey, a dedicated group of grassroots supporters have been coming together for months now to help grow the movement. They recently decided to turn their attention to our Vote for Change drive, as Liz, one of the group members explained:&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p&gt;We have an active team, so we try to have something going every weekend. We had a brainstorming session a couple weeks ago, with about fourty people in attendance, including Harry. Harry suggested we register voters at Heritage Days in Trenton, and called the organizers of the event to get permission and register for a table. We were hoping to hang up our Obama signs and pass out Obama stickers as well as registering voters, but the organizers of the event said we needed to remain non-partisan. So I painted some plain &amp;quot;Register to Vote Here&amp;quot; signs with my kids.&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p&gt;While the initial circumstances might have been less than ideal, the group was determined to make an impact. Upon receiving permission to have a presence at Heritage Days, they began recruiting volunteers to help at the event.&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p&gt;The people staffing the table were a mix of volunteers that Harry and Marc recruited from their personal networks, active volunteers on our Mercer County for Obama team, and newer volunteers who signed up on my.barackobama. Harry was very successful in reaching out to Obama supporters and even some former Hillary supporters in his East Ward Democratic Organization -- for some of them, this was their first time volunteering for Obama. Within days, we had more volunteers than we could accommodate.&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p&gt;When the day finally came, there was a lingering sense of anxiety about the event. As Harry explains, weather conditions were a cause of concern&amp;hellip;&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p&gt;The weather was extremely hot. I thought that would be a problem with both volunteers and patrons of the festival. However, we have some very energetic people in our organization and my fears of that did not materialize.&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p&gt;The group overcame the heat and ended up registering 100 new voters over the course of two days. They documented their activities, while profiling some excited new voters and dedicated volunteers. It&amp;rsquo;s an inspiring and informative video that you can view here.&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p&gt;Simply having an excited base does not necessarily mean you will be successful. It takes a connected organization and attention to detail. People need to know their efforts matter, as the organizers of this event were well aware. Harry explained how he connected and motivated his volunteer base:&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p&gt;I kept all volunteers informed &amp;hellip; After the success of the first day, I sent e-mails to those that had volunteered and also to those that were scheduled for the next day. I thanked them and let them know how successful we were on day one.&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p&gt;That kind of communication is often what separates cohesive groups from collections of individuals, and leads to improved results and a better experience for everyone. For people who have thought about getting involved in a group or starting their own, Liz says now is the time to start and registering voters is a fantastic way to do it&amp;hellip;&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p&gt;This is a great time to start a group for a lot of reasons. Now that the Democrats have chosen a candidate, it&amp;#39;s easier to mobilize people to work on getting ready for the general election. We did several tabling events back in the fall before our Feb. 5th primary, and the response we&amp;#39;ve been getting recently has been much more enthusiastic.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Also, registering new voters is an activity that appeals to a lot of volunteers. We&amp;#39;ve found that people are even more likely to sign up if they know they will be at a table with other volunteers. We have a lot of people who have never volunteered for a Presidential campaign before, and this is an easy first-time activity and a way to get them involved.&lt;/p&gt;        &lt;p&gt;Liz also shared a few lessons that the Mercer group learned during their Heritage Day event. Insights that should be helpful to anyone looking to register voters in the future:&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p&gt;Next time I will print out copies of a sample voter registration application to have at the table for volunteers to cross-reference so they can be sure the forms are being filled out fully. Also, be sure to have volunteer sign up forms, and invitations or information about your upcoming events. It&amp;#39;s also good to have copies of the contribution form in case someone is feeling generous. We collected $250 three weeks ago at a table in downtown Princeton, mostly in increments of $5.&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p&gt;If you want to follow the lead of this dedicated group and continue to build the movement for change, click here to find an event in your area or create your own. As for the Mercer County group, this Saturday they&amp;rsquo;ll be registering voters at the Trenton Farmers Market. Feel free to join them and other groups across the nation, so we can make sure every voice is heard this November.&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;The Most Important Part of We... is You&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2007-12-07 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/eddielee/C5PZ" rowid="42052042" side="oba" srcid="276773" text="&lt;p&gt;Harvard Law professor Laurence Tribe believes that you can tell a lot about a person&amp;rsquo;s character by looking at the decisions he or she makes.&amp;nbsp; As Barack&amp;rsquo;s constitutional law professor and lifelong mentor, Professor Tribe has unique insight into Barack&amp;rsquo;s character.&amp;nbsp; Though many of Professor Tribe&amp;rsquo;s students leave his classroom to seek lucrative opportunities, Obama turned away from this path to fulfill a greater calling&amp;mdash;the call to serve. &amp;nbsp;As a community organizer, a civil rights attorney, a constitutional law professor, and now a candidate for the United States Presidency, Senator Obama sees the urgency and opportunity that this moment in history brings to change the country for the better. &lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;The Qualities of Greatness&quot; - Professor Laurence Tribe" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-09-02 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/mollyclaflinblog/gG5tkM" rowid="42056019" side="oba" srcid="302965" text="&lt;p&gt;Over the past 17 months, millions of Americans from every corner of this country have taken part in the political process and built an unprecedented movement for change. We asked you to send in your own photos of standing up for hope and change, and thousands of you responded. This video, featuring footage and photos from supporters across the country, documents this grassroots movement and the supporters who truly are the backbone of this campaign.&amp;nbsp; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;This video is about you. Watch your story here: &lt;/p&gt; " title="&quot;The relationships that we have with one another - that is our strength&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-09-07 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/mollyclaflinblog/gG5WS8" rowid="42056105" side="oba" srcid="303705" text="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;One of the most exciting things about this campaign is how it brings Americans together &amp;ndash; &lt;a&gt;across generations&lt;/a&gt;, ethnicities, and even party lines &amp;ndash; to work together for change. So many Republicans were standing up to voice their support for Barack Obama that we had to give them their own group. And so Republicans for Obama was founded. 

Through &lt;a&gt;Republicans for Obama&lt;/a&gt;, thousands of current and former Republicans are coming together to build the movement in their communities. Republicans across American, from Maine to Florida to Washington, are joining together to bring real change. 

Former U.S. Senator from Rhode Island and lifelong Republican Lincoln Chaffee recently spoke at a gathering of republicans for Obama in Palm Beach, Florida. The &lt;a&gt;St. Petersburg Times reported&lt;/a&gt; that Chafee was the lone Senate Republican to vote against the Iraq War resolution. He lost his seat in 2006 to a Democrat, then registered as an independent and cast a ballot for Barack Obama in the presidential primary, his first vote for a Democrat. 

Bill Ruckelshaus, who served in both the Nixon and Reagan administrations, is also voting for Barack Obama. Ruckhouse said &lt;a&gt;he is voting for Obama because&lt;/a&gt;:
Senator Obama has a specific plan that will reduce our dependence on foreign oil, grow our economy, and tackle climate change. Senator Obama's New Energy for America Plan will invest $150 billion over the next ten years to encourage private efforts to develop clean energy technologies in a clean energy future. Not only is it Obama's intention to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 80 percent by 2050, but his plan should create millions of new green jobs. 
&lt;p&gt;In Maine, the Republicans for Obama group is headed by former Maine Republican Party Chairman Robert Monks and former Republican state Rep. Sherry Huber. The &lt;a&gt;Portland Press-Herald reported&lt;/a&gt; that Monks said he was impressed by Obama's positions on energy policy, conservation and retirement funding. &amp;quot;Obama is good for Maine businesses,&amp;quot; he said. 

A number of high-profile Republicans have come out in support of Obama. Susan Eisenhower, granddaughter of Republican former president Dwight Eisenhower, is voting for Obama because:&lt;/p&gt;We want to have the strongest country we can and also the most prosperous &amp;hellip; and I think Senator Obama brings to this race a little capacity to engage people not only across the aisle, but across generations and across racial divides and I think he has his eyes firmly set on the long-term strategic picture. 
&lt;p&gt;Here is a video of a few of the &lt;a&gt;Republicans for Obama&lt;/a&gt; in Indiana:

&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;If you are a Republican who&amp;rsquo;s ready for a change, and ready for an administration that works across party lines for all Americans, &lt;a&gt;join Republicans for Obama&lt;/a&gt; today.&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;The Republican Party needs to see that the new ideas are coming from a different candidate&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-09-07 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/mollyclaflinblog/gG5WS8" rowid="42056107" side="oba" srcid="303707" text="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;One of the most exciting things about this campaign is how it brings Americans together &amp;ndash; &lt;a&gt;across generations&lt;/a&gt;, ethnicities, and even party lines &amp;ndash; to work together for change. So many Republicans were standing up to voice their support for Barack Obama that we had to give them their own group. And so Republicans for Obama was founded. 

Through &lt;a&gt;Republicans for Obama&lt;/a&gt;, thousands of current and former Republicans are coming together to build the movement in their communities. Republicans across American, from Maine to Florida to Washington, are joining together to bring real change. 

Former U.S. Senator from Rhode Island and lifelong Republican Lincoln Chaffee recently spoke at a gathering of republicans for Obama in Palm Beach, Florida. The &lt;a&gt;St. Petersburg Times reported&lt;/a&gt; that Chafee was the lone Senate Republican to vote against the Iraq War resolution. He lost his seat in 2006 to a Democrat, then registered as an independent and cast a ballot for Barack Obama in the presidential primary, his first vote for a Democrat. 

Bill Ruckelshaus, who served in both the Nixon and Reagan administrations, is also voting for Barack Obama. Ruckhouse said &lt;a&gt;he is voting for Obama because&lt;/a&gt;:

Senator Obama has a specific plan that will reduce our dependence on foreign oil, grow our economy, and tackle climate change. Senator Obama's New Energy for America Plan will invest $150 billion over the next ten years to encourage private efforts to develop clean energy technologies in a clean energy future. Not only is it Obama's intention to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 80 percent by 2050, but his plan should create millions of new green jobs. 
&lt;p&gt;In Maine, the Republicans for Obama group is headed by former Maine Republican Party Chairman Robert Monks and former Republican state Rep. Sherry Huber. The &lt;a&gt;Portland Press-Herald reported&lt;/a&gt; that Monks said he was impressed by Obama's positions on energy policy, conservation and retirement funding. &amp;quot;Obama is good for Maine businesses,&amp;quot; he said. 

A number of high-profile Republicans have come out in support of Obama. Susan Eisenhower, granddaughter of Republican former president Dwight Eisenhower, is voting for Obama because:&lt;/p&gt;We want to have the strongest country we can and also the most prosperous &amp;hellip; and I think Senator Obama brings to this race a little capacity to engage people not only across the aisle, but across generations and across racial divides and I think he has his eyes firmly set on the long-term strategic picture. 
&lt;p&gt;Here is a video of a few of the &lt;a&gt;Republicans for Obama&lt;/a&gt; in Indiana:

&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;If you are a Republican who&amp;rsquo;s ready for a change, and ready for an administration that works across party lines for all Americans, &lt;a&gt;join Republicans for Obama&lt;/a&gt; today.&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;The Republican Party needs to see that the new ideas are coming from a different candidate&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-08-24 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/bradleyportnoy/gG5sYb" rowid="42055776" side="oba" srcid="301928" text="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;A few hours ago, Barack made his first public appearance with his choice to be the VP nominee, Senator Joe Biden.  We've been watching the comments section here on the HQ blog, and our supporters have been discussing the choice and offering their own welcome messages to Joe as he joins our campaign.

Rene from Pennsylvania writes:&lt;/p&gt;Hi Senator Biden. Welcome to the Obama family. We're excited and honored to have you on your team. We know you will campaign hard and work your heart out for Barack and that you will always be a champion of the people when you and Barack take office in January. Welcome aboard the O'train!&lt;p&gt;Ben from Texas:&lt;/p&gt;Sen. Joe Biden has been in Washington for 30 years but is not of Washington. He goes home every night to DE.

  Sen. Joe Biden is CHANGE...

  We now have a ticket. This is the best ticket. And this is what the country needs. All Americans should be happy and proud of Sen. Obama's choice.

  Another proof of Senator Obama's sound judgment.  Congrats, Senator Biden, and welcome!&lt;p&gt;Phyllis from Dallas, Texas:&lt;/p&gt; I love Biden and I can't stop smiling today.  Welcome home, Joe!&lt;p&gt;Patrick is from Delaware, and has seen firsthand the good work that Joe Biden does:&lt;/p&gt;As any Delawarean I am proud that Senator Biden, our favorite son, has been offered the VP of the Democratic Party. His presence on the ticket with Senator Obama will help immensely. The uniqueness that they will offer as candidates for the leadership of America, for all people across our great nation, is a promise of great things to come.

  Senator Biden is a happy warrior of the Senate with a great knowledge of foreign affairs, as well as being a great orator and debater par excellence. Right person at the right time.

  Great judgement by Senator Barack Obama.And finally, this welcome for Joe's wife, Jill, courtesy of Gloria from Englewood, FL:Wait until America meets Jill Biden - an educator for 27 years! Born in Pennsylvania, headed to Pennsylvania Avenue. She's terrific!&lt;p&gt;If you haven't commented yet, leave your welcome for Joe in the comments, or &lt;a&gt;add your message&lt;/a&gt; to the thousands of others who have already written in to welcome Joe Biden to our movement.&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;The Right Person at the Right Time&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-04-24 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/stateupdates/gGCjTy" rowid="42054187" side="oba" srcid="278581" text="&lt;p&gt;Earlier today, the campaign released a memo to all superdelegates, demonstrating why Barack Obama is best positioned to defeat John McCain in November:&lt;/p&gt;Who&amp;#39;s the strongest candidate to take on John McCain?After 45 contests, Senator Obama has won more delegates, twice as many states and territories, and more of the popular vote. He&amp;#39;s won in every part of the country, and has scored victories among every segment of electorate. He&amp;#39;s inspired Democrats, Independents, and Republicans, building an unprecedented coalition of more than 1.4 million contributors. And when it comes to head-to-head match-ups versus John McCain, Obama performs better than Clinton in key states and shows the potential to put new states in play for Democrats up and down the ballot.Polling data from across the country, from large states and small, reflects the advantage Senator Obama would bring in a race this fall.&amp;nbsp; His ability to expand the Democratic base, and his ability to capture the crucial Independent vote, make him a stronger candidate than Senator Clinton, who would enter the fall campaign with the highest unfavorable ratings of any nominee in half a century.Big States:California: Obama beats McCain by 27, Clinton beats him by 23. (SurveyUSA, 2/23)New York: A February poll of Clinton&amp;#39;s home state shows her beating McCain by 11, while Obama beats McCain by 10. (Quinnipiac, 3/18)New Jersey: Obama and Clinton both beat McCain by 5. (Farleigh Dickinson, 3/30)Illinois: Obama beats McCain by 29 in his home state, while Clinton wins by 9. (SurveyUSA, 2/28)Traditional Battlegrounds:Iowa: Obama up 7, Clinton down 6. (SurveyUSA, 4/17), Among Independents: Obama up 9, Clinton down 31. (Rasmussen, 3/31)North Carolina: Clinton trails McCain by 11, Obama ties him. (Rasmussen, 4/10)Among Independents: Obama up 8, Clinton down 16. (Rasmussen, 4/10)Oregon: Obama up 9, Clinton up only 1 (SurveyUSA, 4/17) A march poll showed Obama up 6 and Clinton down 6 (Rasmussen, 3/26)Among Independents: Obama up 11, Clinton up 4. (Rasmussen, 3/26)Wisconsin: Obama up 5 while Clinton ties. (SurveyUSA, 4/17) A March poll showed Obama up 4 and Clinton down 4. (WPR, 3/26)Among Independents: Obama up 17, Clinton up 2. (Rasmussen, 3/26)Michigan: Obama trailing by 1, Clinton trailing by 3. (Rasmussen, 3/25) A February poll showed Obama up 8 and Clinton tied. (Rasmussen, 2/17)New Mexico: Obama up by 3, Clinton down by 3. (Rasmussen, 4/8)Among Independents: Obama up 8, Clinton down 5. (Rasmussen, 4/8)Nevada: Obama leads by 4, Clinton leads by 1. (Rasmussen 3/19)Minnesota: Obama up 14, Clinton up 5. (Rasmussen, 4/22)Among Independents: Obama up 9, Clinton down 14. (Rasmussen 3/19)Pennsylvania: Clinton up 9, Obama up 8 (Rasmussen, 4/9)Among Independents: Obama down 1, Clinton down 19. (Rasmussen, 4/9)Making New States Competitive:Colorado: Obama up 3, Clinton down 14. (Rasmussen, 4/19) A February poll showed up Obama up 9 and Clinton down 6. (SurveyUSA, 2/28)Among Independents: Obama up 9, Clinton down 13. (Rasmussen, 3/17)North Dakota: Obama up 4, Clinton down 19. (SurveyUSA, 2/28)Among Independents: Obama up 9, Clinton down 29. (Survey USA, 2/28)Virginia: Obama down 8, Clinton down 16. (SurveyUSA, 4/17)Among Independents: Obama up 10, Clinton down 8. (SurveyUSA, 3/16)Montana: Obama down 5, Clinton down 18 (Rasmussen, 4/6)Among Independents: Obama down 2, Clinton down 12&amp;nbsp; (Rasmussen, 4/6)Texas: Obama down only 1, Clinton down 7 (SurveyUSA, 2/28)&lt;p&gt;Help us finish these last nine contests strong, and build the foundation to win in November: &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;The Strongest Candidate to Face John McCain&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-07-30 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/amandascott/gGx7tR" rowid="42055407" side="oba" srcid="298453" text="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Over the past month, the campaign has opened offices, dispatched staffers, and held events in states across the country. We're gearing up for November, and that means fighting for every state and every vote. Our grassroots supporters have been with us every step of the way, and here are just a few people who have helped to make this possible...&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Jennifer in &lt;a&gt;Illinois&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;I'm a 33 year-old stay-at-home mom to two young boys (ages 3 and 4). Since Senator Barack Obama came on the scene, I feel like he is the change we need. (Isn't the saying, &amp;quot;We are the change we are waiting for&amp;quot;?) I believe that Senator Obama IS the change we've been waiting for... for me, for my 2 boys, for our nation. Even for my husband -- who votes Republican, although with some hesitation the past few times! I have donated to Senator Obama's campaign before, and although I can't afford to donate as much as I did last time, I think that my dollars are helping in perhaps a small way!

Thank YOU, Senator Obama... for raising my expectations to what a campaign (and election) should be. 
&lt;p&gt;Hyacinth in &lt;a&gt;Florida&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;Thank you for giving me the opportunity to be a part of this unprecedented event in American history. Although I am a US citizen, I have never donated to any presidential campaign before because I did not think my opinions or views mattered. I have surprised myself by not only contributing four times, but I am actually considering putting up election workers in my home. 
&lt;p&gt;Laura in &lt;a&gt;Missouri&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;I've never cared much for politics or even donated to a political campaign - until this election. Barack Obama has inspired me to believe in my country, to take notice, and fight for change. He is uniting Americans all over this great land and making me proud to be a part of this piece of history. Go get 'em, Barack!&amp;nbsp; &lt;p&gt;Marissa in &lt;a&gt;Indiana&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;This is the last five dollars that I have for the week. As someone who spends well over sixty percent of my income on gasoline every week, I don't take donating money lightly. I donated because even though I work hard every week at being a college student, a library employee, and a family member, I know Barack Obama is out there every day, too, working harder than I am to make sure that people like me and people like my father (who will likely be laid off from his factory job next year) will someday have easier circumstances to live by. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to support a great campaign and a great man. 
&lt;p&gt;Shawna in &lt;a&gt;Pennsylvania&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;I am a 30-year-old single woman who works at a non-profit in Pittsburgh, PA. We work to alleviate poverty in developing countries by sending donated pharmaceuticals and medical supplies to small health clinics and hospitals that serve the poor. While my salary barely covers my bills these days with the rising costs of gas and groceries, I didn't even hesitate to donate to Barack's campaign. I know that right now is the time to seize the opportunity for change that Barack is offering up to us.

Every chance I get, I talk to my friends and family about how much electing Barack president would impact not only our lives but lives around the globe. Americans need a president that we can admire. I have admired Barack Obama since the day he walked on stage at the Democratic National Convention in 2004. He is still the same man today, one who represents hope, respect, strength, courage, dedication and intelligence. I am honored to make a donation for Barack Obama. 
&lt;p&gt;Grassroots supporters are helping to make this campaign one of a kind. And with every donation, no matter the size, we are one step closer to electing Barack president. Join the movement today.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;a&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;The Time To Seize The Opportunity&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2007-07-15 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/samgrahamfelsen/Ctxt" rowid="42051140" side="oba" srcid="277675" text="&lt;p&gt;This year, the nation reacted in horror as 33 students&amp;#39; lives were taken at Virginia Tech. Yet few have mourned, or even seemed to notice, as over thirty young people in the Chicago Public Schools have fallen to gun violence the past school year.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Today, at the Vernon Park Church of God in the South Side of Chicago, Barack spoke on the need to limit gun violence through more stringent background checks, making the assault weapons ban permanent, and better enforcement of existing laws.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;From the Chicago Tribune:&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Our playgrounds have become battlegrounds. Our streets have become cemeteries. Our schools have become places to mourn the ones we&amp;#39;ve lost,&amp;quot; Obama told a standing-room-only congregation...&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; &amp;quot;The violence is unacceptable, and it&amp;#39;s got to stop,&amp;quot; he said...&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Obama, who was often interrupted by audience members saying &amp;quot;amen&amp;quot; and one man who said &amp;quot;Speak to me, Mr. President,&amp;quot; said Chicago is not alone in feeling the pain of gun violence.  &amp;quot;From South Central L.A., to Newark, New Jersey, there&amp;#39;s an epidemic of violence that&amp;#39;s sickening the soul of this nation,&amp;quot; he said. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Last week, Barack also touched on the theme at the NAACP forum in Detroit, another city that has been wracked by gun violence. Watch the video:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;The violence is unacceptable&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-08-28 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/bradleyportnoy/gG5lTR" rowid="42055877" side="oba" srcid="302328" text="&lt;a&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;p&gt;Check out this video that was shown just a bit ago at the convention.  It highlights Barack's commitment to the fundamental equality of our &lt;a&gt;LGBT&lt;/a&gt; brothers and sisters.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;They are our brothers, and they are our sisters.&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-08-28 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/bradleyportnoy/gG5lTR" rowid="42055892" side="oba" srcid="302398" text="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a&gt;&lt;/a&gt;Check out this video that was shown just a bit ago at the convention.  It highlights Barack's commitment to the fundamental equality of our &lt;a&gt;LGBT&lt;/a&gt; brothers and sisters.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;They are our brothers, and they are our sisters.&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-08-23 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/amandascott/gG5ssh" rowid="42055763" side="oba" srcid="301911" text="&lt;p&gt;At the very same place where Barack announced his candidacy for President 19 months ago, he formally introduced his running mate, Joe Biden, to America. 

Here's what Joe told the 35,000 plus supporters in Springfield, Illinois just a little bit ago... &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Well, it's great to be here! On the steps of the old State House in the land of Lincoln. President Lincoln once instructed us to be sure to put your feet in the right place. Then stand firm. Today, Springfield, I know my feet are in the right place. And I am proud to stand firm for the next president of the United States of America, Barack Obama. 

Folks, Barack and I come from very different places, but we share a common story. An American story. He was the son of a single mom, a single mom who had to struggle to support her son and her kids. But she raised him. She raised him to believe in America. To believe that in this country there is no obstacle that could keep you from your dreams. If you are willing to work hard and fight for it. 

I was different. I was an Irish-Catholic kid from Scranton with a father who like many of yours in tough economic times fell on hard times, but my mom and dad raised me to believe, it's a saying Barack you heard me say before, my dad repeated it and repeated it. Said champ, it's not how many times you get knocked down, it's how quickly you get up. It&amp;rsquo;s how quickly you get up. Ladies and gentlemen, that's your story. That&amp;rsquo;s America's story. It&amp;rsquo;s about if you get up, you can make it. 

That&amp;rsquo;s the America Barack Obama and I believe in. That's the American dream. And ladies and gentlemen, is there no ordinary times, and this is no ordinary election. Because the truth of the matter is, and you know it, that American dream under eight years of Bush and McCain, that American dream is slipping away. I don't have to tell you that. 

You feel it in your lives. You see it in your shrinking wages, and the cost of everything from groceries to health care to college to filling up your car at the gas station. It keeps going up and up and up, and the future keeps receding further and further and further away as you reach for your dreams. You know, ladies and gentlemen, it is not a mere political saying. I say with every fiber of my being I believe we cannot as a nation stand for four more years of this. 

We cannot afford to keep giving tax cuts after tax cuts to big corporations and the wealthiest Americans while the middle class America, middle class families are falling behind and their wages are actually shrinking. 

We can't afford four more years of a government that does nothing while they watch the housing market collapse. As you know, it's not just the millions of people facing foreclosure. It&amp;rsquo;s the tens of millions of your neighbors who are seeing the values of their homes drop off a cliff along with their dreams.&amp;nbsp; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Ladies and gentlemen, we believe that our tomorrows will be better than our yesterdays, and we believe we&amp;rsquo;ll pass on to our children an even better life than the one we lived. That literally has been the American way, and it can be that way again 



...My wife Jill and I are honored to join Barack and Michelle on this journey, because that's what it is. it's a journey. We share the same values, the values that we had passed on to us by our parents and the values Jill and I are passing on to our sons Beau and Hunter and Ashley. 
&amp;nbsp;
Ladies and gentlemen, I&amp;rsquo;m here for their future. I&amp;rsquo;m here for the future of your kids. I&amp;rsquo;m here for everyone I &amp;ndash; I&amp;rsquo;m here for everyone I grew up in Scranton, Pennsylvania, who&amp;rsquo;s been forgotten and everybody in Claymont, Delaware, in Wilmington where I lived. I&amp;rsquo;m here for the cops and the fire fighters, the teachers and the line workers, the folks who live &amp;ndash; the folks whose lives are the measure of whether the American dream endures. 
&amp;nbsp;
Ladies and gentlemen, this is no ordinary time. This is no ordinary election. And this may be our last chance to reclaim the America we love, to restore America&amp;rsquo;s soul. Ladies and gentlemen, America gave Jill and me our chance. It gave Barack and Michelle their chance to stand on this stage today. It&amp;rsquo;s literally incredible. These values, this country gave us that chance. And now it's time for all of us, as Lincoln said, to put our feet in the right place and to stand firm. Ladies and gentlemen, it's time to elect Barack Obama president. It&amp;rsquo;s our time. It&amp;rsquo;s America&amp;rsquo;s time.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a&gt;Read Joe's full remarks... &lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;This Is No Ordinary Time, This is No Ordinary Election&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2007-06-30 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/alexmaccallum/CXn9" rowid="42051078" side="oba" srcid="277837" text="Terry, from Plantation, Florida donated because she feels that she can actually vote for Barack &amp;ndash; She&amp;#39;s not forced to choose between the lesser of two evils.When I was younger, the only person I wanted to vote for was Bobby Kennedy. Recently, it&amp;#39;s been the lesser of two evils. The minute I saw Obama speak, I thought &amp;quot;Oh man, this is someone I could vote for.&amp;quot; He&amp;#39;s really so different from everyone else. He talks to you and he&amp;#39;s so honest. You don&amp;#39;t get that in politics anymore, at least in my lifetime. It&amp;#39;s more than charisma &amp;ndash; it comes form honesty rather than a polished line. And I&amp;#39;ve never seen him in person. I&amp;#39;ve hear in person he&amp;#39;s even more compelling.I&amp;#39;ve originally from Brooklyn. We can spot bull a mile away &amp;ndash; and this man doesn&amp;#39;t have any in him.He also has this ability to go past the boundary that everyone else seems to make. He can talk to someone who you might consider an enemy. The only way to get out of this war is to get all the parties talking and I think that he&amp;#39;s the only who could do that.Domestically, I think everyone is concerned about trade agreements &amp;ndash; CAFTA &amp;ndash; he voted against that. It&amp;#39;s so important for the workers that are losing their jobs &amp;ndash;Barack would be for the people, he&amp;#39;s not for the big businesses.Healthcare is another thing. We just changed our healthcare provider at work, I work for the city of Plantation, but I have a co-worker whose son is battling cancer. Besides making her crazy that she may be losing her son, she&amp;#39;s had to fight with this new provider. Less and less is being provided to take care of people&amp;#39;s health.I believe most Americans, are sick of politicians, canned speeches, rehearsed sound-bites. I see in him the same integrity of character as Bobby Kennedy.We have only a few hours left until the deadline. Share your story and donate here." title="&quot;This Is Someone I Could Vote For&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-09-16 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/amandascott/gG5qlj" rowid="42056237" side="oba" srcid="304999" text="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Over 2,500,000 people have donated to this campaign. That's 2,500,000 people who are standing for change and fighting back against the deceptive, lobbyist-driven campaign of John McCain. Since the beginning of this election, Barack has refused to take money from PACs and lobbyists because he is running a different kind of campaign -- a campaign powered by the American people and accountable to those people.

In recent weeks, the dishonest and misleading ads and statements from the McCain campaign have increased drastically. But our grassroots supporters won't stand for it. The only way to bring change to Washington is to continue to grow this movement and stand up for the principles Barack is fighting for.

Supporters started making &lt;a&gt;matching donations&lt;/a&gt; yesterday to encourage others to get involved in this campaign with a goal of 50,000 new supporters by Friday. Here's what some of them had to say:

Matthew from Arizona:&lt;/p&gt;While McCain is taking millions of dollars from big lobbyists to continue the problems that we have today with no real plans on solving anything, Obama is campaigning with money the people are donating.&amp;nbsp; We need change now. It is time for big business to stop running our elections and government.&lt;p&gt;Linda from Georgia:&lt;/p&gt;I believe this is a critical time in the history of politics in our country.&amp;nbsp; I have never contributed to a campaign before, but this time is different.&amp;nbsp; For the first time in my life I feel that we the people can and will make a difference. 

We can change the face of &amp;quot;politics as usual.&amp;quot;&amp;nbsp; It is time to put an end to smear campaigns and &amp;quot;bought and paid for&amp;quot; politicians.&amp;nbsp; I am glad you are contributing too!&lt;p&gt;Christin from Nevada:&lt;/p&gt;Thank you for donating to Obama's campaign.&amp;nbsp; This election is much too important to sit by and not take a stand.&amp;nbsp; We can make a difference.&amp;nbsp; I urge you to get involved in any way that you can.&amp;nbsp; If you volunteer in your community you will meet many wonderful people and you will feel great just knowing that you are responsible for moving this campaign forward.&lt;p&gt;Rafael from New York:&lt;/p&gt;Thanks for joining in support of Barack Obama's presidential campaign.

This is our opportunity to turn the existing campaign financing and election models upside down.&amp;nbsp; Instead of lobbyists, corporations, and big-money insiders dictating policy, it will be us, the people, calling the shots.

This is truly an exciting time to be involved in national politics and I thank for your support!&lt;p&gt;Evie from Pennsylvania:&lt;/p&gt;I am a life-long Republican who has crossed-over.&amp;nbsp; I'm so tired of the juvenile &amp;quot;politics as usual,&amp;quot; as demonstrated by McCain's campaign.&amp;nbsp; I want someone in the White House who has integrity and strength -- a leader who will not bow to the greedy lobbyists who are controlling where my tax money goes. 

We need a man of vision and conviction to lead our country...I believe that man is Barack Obama.&lt;p&gt;Anniruddha from Ohio:&lt;/p&gt;We will not allow negative and political attacks cloud the real issues at stake in this election. Not this year, not when we have a chance to reclaim our nation. 
&lt;p&gt;Yvonne from Delaware:&lt;/p&gt;I love this campaign, and I support Barack Obama. There has never been a more &amp;quot;for the people, by the people&amp;quot; campaign in history. Obama's campaign has excited and involved more people in this process than ever before. Let's show Washington what it's really all about!&lt;p&gt;Sherry from Washington:&lt;/p&gt;This is our chance to show that politics as usual no longer works.&amp;nbsp; We must have change.&amp;nbsp; Thanks for being our partner in this effort. 
&lt;p&gt;Teresa from Michigan:&lt;/p&gt;Thank you for being a part of this campaign. Nothing is more important right now than getting Barack Obama elected to the White House. We need to change the same old politics, tired politics. Please do whatever you can in your state to make a difference.&lt;p&gt;We only have 49 days left to build the campaign and elect Barack president. Right now, a &lt;a&gt;donation&lt;/a&gt; will inspire a fellow supporter to join you in owning a piece of this campaign. If you are a &lt;a&gt;first time donor&lt;/a&gt;, a previous donor (an ordinary person just like you) has promised to match your donation if you step up.

&lt;a&gt;Double your impact&lt;/a&gt; to combat McCain's dishonest campaign tactics today.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;Tired of politics as usual&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-08-01 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/amandascott/gGx4YS" rowid="42055426" side="oba" srcid="298687" text="&lt;p&gt;&lt;a&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Almost 2 million supporters have come together to build up a movement for change since Barack announced his candidacy for president last February. And over the past 17 months, supporters have joined this effort to bring Americans together, end the divisive politics of Washington, and give government back to the people.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Jackie in &lt;a&gt;New Mexico&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;I am a 59-year-old female and have never donated to a political candidate before Barack. I heard him speak here at Santa Fe Community College where I work and, I guess like so many others, for the first time in such a very long time, I did have hope again, and I cried.

I'd all but given up on ever again believing in our political system, in ever again thinking that it could work for the good of the people or that anyone would make any sense again. And then I heard him speak and my heart nearly broke. I really didn't want to trust again. I was so crushed by what had happened to our idealism, in the sixties but he really did give me hope. 
&lt;p&gt;Travis in &lt;a&gt;Washington, DC&lt;/a&gt;: &lt;/p&gt;I recently started what I am calling the &amp;quot;Obama Diet&amp;quot; (no, I am not trying to become as skinny as Obama). For the past two years, I have gone out and paid for lunch every single day. Now, I keep a loaf of bread at my desk so I can make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches at lunch.

The money I save goes to Obama. This is not much of a sacrifice when compared to what people in much more difficult financial circumstances are doing for Obama - like my grandmother, who saves money from her Social Security checks to donate - but it's a fun way to help the campaign.
&lt;p&gt;Cindi in &lt;a&gt;Utah&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;/p&gt;Barack Obama has inspired me to become involved with the political process for the first time in my life. I am a 42-year-old typical white woman who grew up in Texas in a &amp;quot;backward, redneck&amp;quot; home.

My oldest son heard Barack speak at an event in Los Angeles (my son is attending Occidental College) and was so impressed by Barack. I started watching the primary process and listening to Barack myself. I became inspired to get involved. I have never voted in a primary, a city or a state election, nor have I ever campaigned or donated to a campaign until this year.
I heard on the radio that the Obama campaign had an office here in St. George, Utah, and I called the radio station to find out the address and went immediately to the office and started making phone calls. I also went door to door asking people to get out and vote. This is quite a feat because I tend to suffer from social anxiety, but I did it &amp;ndash; while having anxiety attacks &amp;ndash; because I felt it was so important for our country.

Barack inspired me to want to make a difference and to be a better person. Barack Obama is what our country needs at this time. His time is NOW! I feel Barack is the one candidate who can bring this change about. I wanted to do all I could to make a difference even with being a busy mother of 7 (5 of my own and 2 step-children).

We cannot do it alone but together we can make a difference &amp;ndash; Yes, we can!!!
&lt;p&gt;Anthony in &lt;a&gt;California&lt;/a&gt;: &lt;/p&gt;I have been a registered Republican for some time and changed my registration to independent in 2007 because I became disillusioned with the party. I am inspired by Barack Obama. I am proud to donate to the campaign, inform others about the truth and fight the smears as well as make it to the polls in November and bringing as many as I can with me. 
&lt;p&gt; With fewer than 100 days to go, our supporters are coming together and bringing their friends into this movement. Join them today.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;a&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;" title="&quot;Together We Can Make A Difference&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2007-07-26 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/alexmaccallum/CpJ4" rowid="42051203" side="oba" srcid="277612" text="&lt;p&gt;A lot of discussion has taken place about Barack&amp;rsquo;s non-establishment approach to foreign policy since Monday&amp;rsquo;s debate. Here&amp;rsquo;s what Barack had to say about his approach in a conference call with reporters this morning: &lt;/p&gt;It&amp;#39;s a debate over the same conventional thinking that led people to authorize the war in Iraq without asking questions&amp;hellip; Part of what I believe we have to have is a willingness ... to talk tough, but be tough and smart enough to engage our enemies. &lt;p&gt;Over the last couple days, bloggers have noted that a different approach to foreign policy could serve us well. Atrios writes that the: &amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;[F]oreign policy establishment has its own arbitrary parameters of debate which it imposes on political candidates, a sort of legacy of decades of debates piled on other debates, which often have little relationship to reality. It tries to impose those rules onto candidates, declaring this or that a &amp;quot;foreign policy gaffe,&amp;quot; even though it&amp;#39;s often only a gaffe to the very serious people who brought us George Bush&amp;#39;s excellent Iraqi adventure&lt;p&gt;Kos writes: &lt;/p&gt;I think Obama can score a lot of points by running against Washington D.C., and I hope he keeps this up. I haven&amp;#39;t been too impressed with what all those &amp;quot;experienced&amp;quot; people in Washington have delivered.&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;A.J. Rossmiller writes on Americablog: &lt;/p&gt;Fundamentally, this is an example of establishment thinking versus normal thinking&amp;hellip; I think [Obama] was saying that negotiations with bad leaders are *theoretically possible* in an Obama administration, whereas they&amp;#39;re not even a consideration for the current one&amp;hellip; His sentiment is absolutely right. Watch how CNN viewers reacted to Barack&amp;rsquo;s answer on the foreign policy question. He&amp;nbsp; scored &amp;ldquo;one of the peaks&amp;rdquo; of the debate when he noted that Ronald Reagan and JFK constantly spoke to their Soviet counterparts, even while they were bitter enemies. " title="&quot;Tough and Smart Enough to Engage Our Enemies&quot;" />
  <downingstreetsaid date="2008-06-19 00:00:00" link="http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/amandascott/gG5hsK" rowid="42054862" side="oba" srcid="275553" text="&lt;p&gt;Over 26,000 people have declared their independence from a broken political system since this morning. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;And they are showing their support for Barack and the future of this campaign. Here&amp;#39;s what they are saying...&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Monica from South Carolina:&lt;/p&gt;I love how he has explained this. The way that his primary and now his general election campaigns have been funded truly gives the power to the citize