What have you done for Barack Obama lately?
This contest isn’t over yet. We may be winning in states, votes, and delegates, but we need to do all we can to protect Barack Obama’s lead. We’ve got a tough primary calendar coming up, and we can’t slack off now. Have you gotten complacent? Too much mass-media negativity got you worried? You’re in luck: there’s a time-honored cure for frustration and anxiety, and it’s called action. Today, Obama needs you to give just one hour of your time to his campaign. Make calls. Write letters. Donate.
Join other Kossacks below as we report on our efforts. We’re hoping for a few field reports from Pennsylvania, and I’ll be posting pictures from my precinct’s Action HQ after 2 p.m. Central, where we’re making calls. But don't just sit back and watch other people act. We have to do it ourselves!
"Change will not come if we wait for some other person or if we wait for some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek."
--Barack Obama
We’re still organizing like crazy on the ground here in Texas, what with the county conventions next weekend. Thousands of delegates will head to their county or state senate district convention and continue to pledge their support for Barack. Here’s a photo from my precinct’s meeting earlier this week, where we talked about how we can best help Barack Obama. See these folks? They’re not just standing around. (Ok, well, they are standing.) They’re learning how to get involved and take action. And so can you.
Calling For Change
Nothing can stand in the way of the power of millions of voices calling for change.
--Barack Obama
Call Voters in Pennsylvania.
Make sure independents register as Democrats so they can vote for Barack. The deadline is Monday. Help dig into Hillary’s lead by telling voters why you support Barack Obama. Yes We Can! Click Here to Get Started.
Call Delegates and Alternates in Texas.
Make sure they will attend the County Conventions next March 29. Remind them that Barack Obama is counting on them to help protect his victory amongst Texas delegates. (Note: not all of these people will be Obama delegates. We need to call all of them to find out who each precinct delegate is supprting. As always, bonus points if one of you calls me.) Click Here to Get Started.
Head on over to the National Calling Tool. Sway new voters today!
You Make The Call
Did you make a phonebanking pledge? How many calls can you make before April 22? These great Kossacks have taken the challenge. Join them, make a pledge, and make the call for Obama. If you made a pledge, update us on your progress!
DailyKos Obama Phonebanking Pledges |
Bloggers listed have pledged to make their calls before April 22. |
Diarist | Call Pledge | Calls Made |
1. kath25 | 500 | 20 |
2. Elise | 2000 | |
3. Chicago Lulu | 200 | 45 |
4. moira | 300 | |
5. Femlaw | 250 | |
6. Femlaw's friends | 750 | |
7. thereisnospoon | 500 | |
8. casperr | 20 | |
9. Jennifer Clare | 1000 | |
10. pepper mint | 100 | |
11. momEEE | 100 | |
12. dotster | 500 | |
13. hbanks | 200 | |
14. Dem in the heart of Texas | 100 | |
15. mahjula | 100 | |
16. distraught | 200 | |
17. icebergslim | 250 | |
18. Avila | 100 | |
19. | | |
Total: | 7170 | |
Every call helps. If you can't make it to an upcoming primary state in person, send your voice instead.
Changing Minds About Barack Obama
Have you written your local paper about Barack Obama yet? Use the collective power of the internet to send positive letters about Obama to newspapers nationwide. Letters to the Editor are very influential, and do get tremendous readership. The more pro-Obama letters a paper receives, the more it will print.
The Democratic Party has a great online letter-writing tool that lets you compose a letter and send it to multiple sources at once. I sent mine to seven papers with just a few clicks of the mouse. MoveOn.org also has a letter-writing tool that reaches different papers. Firedoglake also put together a generic tool. Hooray for making action easy!
Write from the heart, and feel free to post your letters below in the comment. Stumped? Here are a few ideas:
"To the Editor:
Barack Obama’s speech this week was one for the history books. We need to elect a leader like Obama who speaks honestly to all Americans and works to unite us again into one strong nation. Only in the United States is his story even remotely possible. I am so proud that millions of America have listened to his story, heard his ideas, and joined me in supporting his historic candidacy. I look forward to voting for him this November.
Sincerely,
You."
::
"Dear Editor,
Barack Obama offers the best opportunity to move our country forward. His speeches this week—on ending the war in Iraq, repairing our economy and helping working families, and healing the divisions between ourselves—demonstrate that he will be the strong leader our country needs. After eight years of the Bush administration, we need a competent President who is committed to returning a sense of unity to America. As Obama said in Philadelphia, "we cannot solve the challenges of our time unless we solve them together."
Regards,
You."
Nothing is more influential than the voice of another volunteer explaining why she or he supports Barack Obama. Add your voice to that conversation today.
Change We Can Count
Have you donated to the Obamathon yet? Populista has a goal of raising another $100K before April 22. Every little bit helps, so go toss in this week’s coffee and beer money or a chunk of that tax return.
Over one million people have already donated to Barack Obama. Are you one of the One Million Strong? And if you are... want to be one of the One Million Stronger?
"We Are the Change That We Seek"
What will YOU do for Barack Obama today?
Make Calls.
Write Letters.
Donate.
It all adds up. Our collective effort will make a big difference.
But you don’t have to take my word for it. Needing a little motivation from your favorite grassroots organizer-turned-Presidential candidate? Check out this great video from the Obama campaign about Project Vote. After graduating Harvard Law, Obama returned to Chicago to organize voters in Chicago. Here’s the story:
"He can’t win without us. Because he was Executive Director of Project Vote, then you know that he knows the importance of registering and getting out the vote."
--Rita Whitfield, Project Vote Volunteer
Barack Obama cannot win without you and your efforts. He knows it, and we all know it too. Give him just one hour of your time to help propel him to victory.
Yes We Can / Si Se Puede
If you're in Austin: Stop by the Obama office at 816 Congress and put yourself to work. There's tons to do before the County Conventions, and the staff really needs your help!
Updated! Live From The Precinct 136 Action HQ
Greetings from Flightpath, the local independent coffee shop where my precinct has held its meetings for the past month to organize for Obama. We're making calls today as well, and also filling out postcards to send to delegates across Texas reminding them of the county convention next weekend.
We've got a big stack of postcards to get through, but we're up to the challenge. I'll let you know how many calls we make, too!
One Last Update!
My volunteers are done here, having finished addressing hundreds of postcards to delegates across Texas. Great work! the Obamathon is up to $54,536 with 1,009 donors! That's almost $2,000 just today! Excellent! Phonebankers, if you want to check in and report on your total calls for today, reply to my tip jar and I'll add it in later. Now, I've got to go get these postcards in the mail! Great work, everyone! Yes We Can!
And a huge thanks to everyone who has pledged to make hundreds more phone calls, to donate, and to write letters to your local papers. It makes a difference. You are making a difference for Barack Obama!!