Today Americans came together across the nation to talk about Barack Obama at a Unite for Change event. I hosted two such events here in Austin, TX, where people showed up to learn how we’re going to elect Barack Obama this November.
There were over a dozen events across the city, and many more around Central Texas. Some folks held pool parties, others barbecues. My group gathered at a local coffee shop, Flightpath, where my precinct organized during the primary. Originally I’d just scheduled one meeting for noon, but when it quickly filled up to forty RSVP’s on my.barackobama.com, I added a second at 3 p.m. That one filled up too. The list of names was largely new to me, which was exciting—it’s always great to see more people involved in taking our country back.
More party pictures, observations, and ways you can help below.
It's always amazing to hear the many reasons folks came to support Obama. His health care plan, his books, his DNC speech, his nuanced approach to complex issues, his experience as a community organizer. It's also notable that a lot of folks came to Obama after supporting other candidates. There were plenty of former Richardson supporters, and many Clinton folks came out to get involved with Obama. Edwards, Kucinich, Dodd -- their supporters are all ready to get behind Obama and do what they can to elect the Democrat this November.
Excitement is particularly high here in the Lone Star State, where voters are relieved that soon our state will no longer be mis-led by a Bush at any level of government. A new poll by a legitimate non-partisan group shows the race narrowing, with McCain holding a slim five-point lead. Meanwhile, there’s a wide swath of undecided voters, and there’s no time like the present for volunteers to start sussing them out and swaying them to Obama.
We talked a lot about how folks can help, and answered a lot of questions. There were plenty of experienced volunteers and staffers from past campaigns present, and they all remarked at how organized and effective the Obama campaign has been, on a national and local level. It will be good to have their seasoned knowledge teaching the new volunteers the ropes, and learning from each others.
It’s worth noting that these regular citizens in Texas are very optimistic about Obama’s chances here in the general election. If a collective fourteen years of Bush rule hasn’t dampened these spirits, then there’s no limit to the power of hope and the desire to make positive change for this country.
You Can Help, Too
You all might not have been at a Unite for Change party today, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still help. Here’s what I tasked my own attendees with:
Voter Registration. The most important thing you can do right now is register more folks to vote for Obama. Is there a Vote for Change event near you? If not, find out what you need to do to register voters in your state, grab a friend, and get out there. Stand at a busy intersection in your Obama shirt, or head out to a community event—we have great success at parades, festivals, and open-air concerts.
I co-coordinate our Vote for Change drive here in Austin, and we’ve got teams out on the street four times a week. We’ve registered hundreds of new voters, and our only limits are the number of volunteers who come out, and the number of voter registration forms we get from the county. Best of all, our Obama shirts and visible support help engage folks about the candidate, and tend to make the unregistered Republicans run in the other direction. Oh well. I don’t see any McCain volunteers busting their butts to get their folks registered.
Remember, so much of this process is about engaging folks and bringing new people to the process. Find folks who have never registered, never voted before. Ask them what issues matter to them, and really listen. As progressives and Democrats, we believe that we’re all in this, together. Find out how your fellow citizens feel, and encourage them to do something about it, and vote for Obama.
House Parties. Host your own gathering this summer to talk about Obama, especially with friends who might not be engaged or following the race. We will all be impacted by the outcome of this race. Food prices. Gas prices. Quality of education. The environment. Health care. Social security. Engage with your neighbors and find out what issues matter to them, and explain why Obama’s simply the best choice for the problems facing our country. I asked those in attendance who can host their own Obama house party and invite 5-10 people who aren’t familiar with Obama yet. Each will receive a link in their email about how to proceed with their own Unite for Change events. Information is available here on the Obama website.
Folks left with flyers about Obama’s positions on the issues, information about how to get involved, and the promise of an email with even more information later this weekend. Many signed up to do voter registration in the next two weeks. All of them are more engaged, and armed with information about what they can pro-actively do to help take back our country.
Pitch In At Netroots Nation!
Since so many folks are headed down to Austin in a few weeks for Netroots Nation, fellow Kossack casperr had the great idea to organize our own Netroots Nation Vote for Change event, the day before the convention starts. We’ll be meeting on Wednesday at 2 p.m. in the Hilton. We will deputize you, train you, and head out as a group to register more voters. casperr has even designed fantastic t-shirts, and I’ll kick in Texans for Obama bumperstickers for those who participate.
Join us. I know you want to leave Texas a little bit bluer than when you arrived!