Hello to all my fellow Obama-ites. We had a successful campaign and election! The work is not over. The County and State governments still need our help. Get involved in your local politics, join committees and boards, volunteer and work strongly with OFA.
For those in Iowa, in particular Linn County; the Linn County Democrats meet the 4th Wednesday of every month. Longbranch Hotel/Convention Center, 7pm.
The Linn County Democrats are hosting a Pancake breakfast fundraiser on May 2. 8 am to 1 pm at the Fairfax American Legion, 216 Main St Fairfax IA.
Further Info Needed, contact me; ebony.luensman@msn.com.
Remember, "We are the ones we have been waiting for!"
In 2004, I watched the news media declare Bush the projected winner; again. I knew then it was going to be the longest four years of my life. Two years later, on October 18, 2006, I was flipping through the channels on my television and decided to stop and watch the Oprah Show, which was all ready in progress. Since I started watching sometime after the show began, I had no idea who the man was that Oprah was talking with, or what they had been talking about. However, something about this man fascinated me and I began to listen to what he was saying.
I watched this man, a man who was discussing ideas about his vision for a better America. I was very intrigued with his comments about “beneath the surface, we all have the same hopes and dreams and fears and that the human story is universal.” I also heard him discuss what we needed to instill in our country and in our children was a sense of “are you useful, to others and are you making other people’s lives a little bit better." Are you Useful? That statement was such a novel idea for me. By the time he said “there's a wonderful saying that…the most important office in a democracy is the office of citizen;" this man, had my complete attention. I was so captivated by his progressive ideas that a quite unusual thought crossed my mind; “I wish that man would run for President." I had now idea at the time my wish would set me on a journey less spoken because my support and admiration of this man could cause trouble for me if people were to discover that I was supporting an African-American who may become the President of the United States.
I knew nothing at all about the man I was introduced to for "the very first time" when Oprah was interviewing him about his book. At the time of the interview, I had tuned in too late to know what this man’s name was or the name of the book that I now know was “The Audacity of Hope.” Although I knew nothing about him or his life, I did know one important thing about him; he needed to become “my” President.
Several minutes after I had made my wish for this unknown man to run for President, Oprah spoke up and asked him, “would you run for President?” So, now there were at least two people who wanted him to become President, but one of us had no clue who he was. Although I didn't know anything about the man, I wondered if he could become President; not because of the color of his skin, but because I was clueless about the political process and if there were any rules and qualifications for a person to become President; other than you had to be a naturally born citizen of the United States.
Time past; and as the months went by, the memory of my introduction to this man faded. So when he announced he would begin a campaign to become the President. I recognized him immediately. I don't know how I knew it was him, but I knew. I paid close attention and found out his name was Senator Obama. I don't think I heard his first name; just "Senator Obama." There that man stood; at last I knew his last name and I discovered he was a Democratic Senator from Illinois. Not only did I feel something greater than me had heard my wish; but my journey less spoken had begun and I was committed to make my wish come true!
As soon as I heard his announcement on that cold February day, I began my search for a way to become involved in his political campaign. I need to say that prior to Senator Obama’s announcement, I had never participated in any political campaign, nor had I ever volunteered or donated to any political party. I had at least voted, but as an “unaffiliated voter,” I was usually voting for the “lesser of two evils,” not “for” a candidate I actually wanted to be President.
My first involvement with Senator Obama’s campaign was during the Oregon primaries. Now I, a lowly person, scared to talk to strangers, me, did my first ever canvass just prior to the primary elections. It took all the courage I had while sitting in a borrowed car, and I took at least10 minutes convincing myself that I could overcome my fear of talking to strangers for the GREATER GOOD of our Country. The "GREATER GOOD" won out; and I knocked on my first door. I was fortunate that who I spoke with, were kind and respectful, which gave me the courage to knock on that second door.
Since I had my first experience with canvassing, I continued to face my greatest challenge; stepping out of my home, and even more so, talking to complete strangers. I have knocked on hundreds of doors, spoke to over one hundred complete strangers at outdoor community events, and participated in phone banking. Even after having doors slammed in my face and in one instance, being run of a man’s property, I pushed forward with my fear stuck in my back pocket and continued to knock on door after door.
The night of the Primaries I was glued to the TV to see Obama win the state of Oregon, which for one of the first times, our state mattered to the outcome of an Election. Since the Primaries ended, I became a political junky. I started my personal fund-raising on the Obama website, continued to canvass and make phone calls. I continued to be committed to our Democratic Candidate. Even through all of the attacks against him, I saw him stay firmly committed to his vision and message that drew me to him in the first place. I was confident that when Obama was elected, he would begin the healing of our Country, and little did I know at the time, he would become the healer and President of our world.
Soon after the Oregon primaries, we were assigned an area organizer in my small town. We put on an acceptance speech party that turned into a great resource for volunteers. From that time forward, up through Election Day, we were working night and day to get every Obama vote we could in our “red” rural county.
As much as I could, between watching my grandson so that my daughter could attend college, and taking care of my own special needs son, I was volunteering for the Obama campaign. As Election Day got closer, I donated more and more hours at the O-office. Since I have bad asthma, once the weather changed, I had become an office “assistant.” I had already participated in canvassing, phone banking, data entry, and preparing canvas packets, but as our pool of volunteers grew, the area organizer became extremely busy. He was either training new volunteers, or when the focus of contacting people would change he would have to re-train volunteers.
It soon became obvious to me that we needed someone to organize the check-in and check-out process and assist volunteers with their paperwork when they returned. I decided that I would just do it. I saw the need, I knew I had the skills, so it was natural for me to just step up and do it. I went about making the whole process more efficient and organized; at the time, I had no idea how important that organization would become until one night, even with three of us in the office, it had been so busy that even with all my organization, I was close to being overwhelmed. In the seven hours that I was there we had only one fifteen minute lull in one of our busiest nights. I can’t even begin to explain how exhausted I was; yet I didn’t let it deter me from showing up the next day and night to do it all over again.
I also assisted in another endeavor that many of us were asked to participate in. We were asked to start submitting “letters to the editor” and “Op-eds” targeting battleground states. Our efforts started with few volunteers, but rapidly grew into a movement. We had much success publishing in those battleground states and I regained my writing skills that I use to have before I had a brain injury. As a result of participating in this, I was able to publish many articles, a couple of columns, and had some success in posting in some Florida online newspapers. This volunteering work played a huge role in my increased self confidence and gave me more than I can ever express.
One night, after a very long day and after everyone had left; our area organizer set down on the table, one of the many cell phones he was messing with, and put it on speaker. At this point my area organizer just turned and looked at me with this sheepish grin, but didn’t say a word. All of the sudden a man started talking and said that Obama would soon be on the line to speak with us. I think my mouth dropped clear to the floor. I thought to myself “no way.” But within just a few minutes, I heard his voice. As he spoke to the 20,000 listeners around the Country, I could hear in his voice that he was tired. He had just landed and it was about 10pm in the time zone where he was about to give another speech.
There may have been many defining and memorable moments in my life, but, other than the birth of my children and grandchildren, this was one of them. I had not been able to go see him speak when he was in Oregon, but here I was listening to him on a cell phone. His words were supportive of our efforts, and to remind us that we were not to let up with our efforts, not for one minute. Just having the opportunity to hear his voice, filled me with intense joy and it took everything to keep from having tears run down my cheeks. I was on such an emotional high that I didn’t sleep at all that night. Yet, I went right back to the O-office the next day to work another 7 hours.
The evening before the election it was announced that Obama’s grandmother had passed away. I cried, I sobbed, and cried some more. I wanted her to see her grandson become the 44th President of the United States of America, and she lost her battle with cancer just one day to soon. Then that evening I watched a very moving moment, as Obama spoke about her, I saw him wipe away his tears; as he wept, I cried. But what stirred inside of me, was how could anyone not see, he was “of the people,” no different than the rest of us, and had wept, not just in front of a large crowd of people who had come to see him, but in front of every viewer watching him on TV. I knew the answer to my rhetorical question, but I asked myself, had anyone ever, I mean ever, seen a President or someone who would become President, weep in front of millions?
The day and evening of Nov. 4th there were many volunteers helping us so much, taking two or three packets at a time, and would return to tell me their most moving moments, which made every day they had volunteered worth their effort. I was fortunate to hear their stories as I continued to work hard in the office on up to election night and the excitement and buzz was increasing every hour. We still had volunteers on the phone and canvassing, up until 30 minutes prior to Oregon’s polls closing. Once again I was manning the office, only this time, I was honored that the area organizer had trusted me enough to give me that responsibility. However, in accepting that responsibility, I had no idea, what that meant for me on election night.
I am probably one of two billion around the world, which actually missed all the fun leading up to the media projecting that Obama would be our next President of the United States. For Election night, I had been manning the County Democratic Office of all those who were running for positions in my city and county that were already at the Election party, while I was without a television or the Internet. I was unable to leave until someone returned to lock up and relieve me thirty minutes after the polls closed.
It was a long couple of hours for me, with no contact with another human, and without any idea how the election was going. It soon became evident that having the honor of being trusted by the area organizer to "hold down the fort" while he stayed at the elections office to be a "watcher," would cause me to miss what everyone else, all the volunteers, all of those running for local office were watching at the election party.
In my predicament, I did experience one bit irony that momentarily brightened my night. The phone rang, thinking it was my area organizer, I answered it. However, it was actually a young republican volunteer, doing last minute phone banking. He was as confused as I was about why he called the Country Democratic office to talk to a “republican” about making sure that their “republican” ballot got turned in before the polls closed in fifteen minutes. He really was quite baffled, but I was cordial and said, “I realize that you are just doing your phone banking job, but I don’t think you realized that you have called the County Democratic office,” I heard a awkward laugh from him and I ended the call saying have a good night. I couldn’t hang up the phone fast enough before I fell on the floor and laughed my head off.
Eventually I was relieved of my duty and arrived at what was left of the Election party, just one minute before our President-elect’s acceptance speech. As I watched, I was astonished at the beauty of all the faces that looked upon this man, as their new great hope. I saw tears of joy not only on women and young ones faces, but on the cheeks of grown men who were openly sobbing; a sight I had not seen before. Not only was it the grandest moment of the accumulation of nearly two years of my effort, but it was an amazing, historic event that I was thankful I had been given the opportunity to be a part of.
On my drive home, after his historic speech, I had some time to reflect upon my journey less spoken, and how my journey had come full circle. I started my less spoken journey two-years ago not knowing who this great man was, but having an unspoken wish that someday he could be my President; that night, November 4th, 2008, he became everyone’s President; and while on my journey, I was thoroughly introduced to that man I once knew nothing about. I am so grateful that my unspoken wish from two-years ago has now become our 44th President of the United States of America, President Barack Obama.
“Be the Change you wish to see in the World”
– Gandhi said it
– Obama guided it
– We believed it
– The World is seeing it
– And future generations will live it!
. . . as history writes itself, the Greater Good of Humanity prevails.
by, B. Roberts (Nov. 5, 2008)
So for mine and yours posterity, and the nation’s future, I will continue wearing out My Obama shoes through the night Obama wins the Presidency, and for the next time I will be called to report for duty.
This just in from my friends at Planned Parenthood of Iowa, thought I'd encourage you all to check and see what YOUR governor is doing about it!!
Gov. Culver joins the opposition to this rule click here to read
Birth control = Abortion? If a new rule proposed by the Bush Administration is enacted that would become U.S. policy.
A proposed rule which sidesteps the legislative process is currently in the works at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. This rule would redefine birth control as abortion! It would also make it easier for doctors and pharmacists to refuse to provide contraceptives.
Iowa Planned Parenthood Affiliate League (IPPAL) knows this is a vital public health issue and has created multiple actions you can take right now to fight this new measure.
Birth Control is NOT Abortion Action Center
Send an e-mail to President Bush telling him why this new rule is a bad idea.Click here to send Pres. Bush an e-mail
The major news media in Iowa have not picked up this story yet! Click here to write a letter to the editor in opposition to this new rule.
Gov. Culver recently opposed this new measure.Click here to send Gov. Culver a thank-you letter
Your help is essential to blocking this new rule change. Changing the definition of birth control and making it abortion will severely impact family planning services in Iowa, and across the nation.
Blocking access to family planning services for millions of women and families is just wrong. Do your part today and take action!
The war in Iraq has gone on for nearly five years. The unbearable costs at home and abroad keep mounting. It's clear that Americans are ready for a real change in direction.On March 19th, tens of thousands of people across the country will gather to observe the fifth anniversary of the war with candlelight vigils. We'll commemorate the sacrifices too many families have made, and the billions of dollars wasted in Iraq that could have been better invested at home.Join us at a candlelight vigil on Wednesday, March 19th. Honor the sacrifice. Change our priorities. Bring the troops home.
You can sign up for this event at:http://political.moveon.org/event/5yearsvigil/45242
or at:
http://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/452r#rsvp
I hope you'll sign up.
Join us at a solemn candlelight vigil on Wednesday, March 19th. Across the country, tens of thousands of people will gather to observe the fifth anniversary of the war with candlelight vigils. We'll honor the sacrifices too many families have made, and the billions of dollars wasted in Iraq that could have been better invested at home.We will hold a dignified, peaceful candlelight vigil outside the Federal Building in Cedar Rapids. It will be on public property, and we will conduct ourselves in a manner befitting an event honoring those who have sacrificed so much in this tragic conflict. Since we will be assembling outside (on the sidewalk), the spot is accessible to persons with disabilities. Candles will be available, but in limited quantity, so please bring some of your own just in case. Appropriate signs and symbols (the Peace Symbol, a dove), American Flags, and pictures of loved ones who have served or are currently serving would all be appropriate). If you are serving or have served and wish to come in uniform, please feel free to do so. I perform professionally as Abraham Lincoln--and look just like him--so I will be easy to identify.
Gretchen Lawyer who was a phenomenal precinct captain for Barack Obama in Marion 1-3 is running for State House Representative out of District 36. This is the seat that Swati Dandekar currently holds but will be vacating to persue a State Senate seat. My involvement with Barack's campaign has got me interested in "grassroots" politics and this also has been Gretchen's driving force. I am heading up her volunteer network and thought I would post this and see if any would like to help with a local campaign. We are currently looking for volunteers to help canvass-"door knock" and make phone calls. Even if you dont live in District 36 but are wanting to help we will take you. I will have more information at a later time on the specifics of her campaign and other events. But for now volunteers are what we are looking for. If this sounds interesting to you please contact me. My email is ebony.luensman@msn.com. More to come after the county convention.
Gretchen Lawyer. Leadership that's good for ALL of us!!
Dear Emily, Hillary has won big in every corner of the nation. After wins in Ohio, Texas and Rhode Island last week, the race is neck and neck and every delegate counts. You worked so hard leading up to the Iowa Caucus in January, but the delegate selection process is not over. County conventions are happening this Saturday, March 15. The state of Iowa controls 57 delegates and with a race this close, those 57 delegates can make all the difference. Hillary still needs your help to make sure your votes count. Will you help Hillary one more time at your county convention? If you were selected as a delegate, now is the time to stand up for your precinct. Even if you weren't selected as a delegate, it's important for you to show up in case your precinct needs an alternate. You won't want to miss your opportunity to make a big difference for Hillary in Iowa. Click here to sign up to attend and let us know we can count on you to stand up for Hillary. This Saturday, we need you to stand up for Hillary so she can stand up for all of us in the White House. It is very important that you attend. Thank you for all you do.Sincerely,Hillary Clinton for President
Trying to Heal a Rift in New Hampshire By Alec MacGillis
http://blog.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/01/18/trying_to_heal_a_rift_in_new_h_1.html
Three New Hampshire Democratic leaders who signed a letter two days before the state's primary at the request of Hillary Clinton's campaign, attacking Barack Obama as soft in his support for abortion rights, are asking Obama supporters in the state to put the rifts of the primary campaign behind them and praising Obama for being "strongly pro-choice." Of the two dozen prominent women who signed the critical letter, e-mailed by the Clinton campaign to a list of supporters and undecided voters, three have now signed their names to another missive asking abortion rights supporters in the state to come together and take comfort in the fact that all of the Democratic presidential candidates are firmly pro-choice. One of the three Clinton supporters went even further, saying in an interview Thursday that signing the letter attacking Obama was a "mistake." Katie Wheeler, a former state senator, said the Clinton campaign had not given her background information about Obama's record on abortion rights when it asked her to sign the letter calling him weak on the issue, and said that, as a result, she did not understand the context of the votes that the letter was attacking him over. "It should never have gotten to the point where anyone thought Obama was not pro-choice," said Wheeler, a founder of the New Hampshire chapter of NARAL Pro-Choice America. "I don't think the Clinton campaign should have done that. It was divisive and unnecessary...I think it was a mistake and I've spoken to the national [Clinton campaign] and told them it caused problems in New Hampshire, and am hoping they won't do it again."
The new letter and comments by Wheeler are the latest twist in a back-and-forth that Obama supporters believe did real damage to his campaign in the final days in New Hampshire, though Wheeler said she doubted that the e-mail had that much impact in the final day of the race. "I don't think this one thing would sway people," she said. Nonetheless, the conflict over Obama's "present" -- rather than "yes" or "no" -- votes on abortion bills in the Illinois legislature has left behind such deep divisions among the state's Democrats that some Obama supporters vowed, in the wake of her come-from-behind N.H. win, not to vote for Clinton, should she become the party's nominee. The e-mail arrived in selected New Hampshire in-boxes shortly after a postcard from the Clinton campaign that attacked Obama for being "unwilling to take a stand for choice" was mailed to homes. "The difference between Hillary's repeatedly standing up strong on choice and Obama's unwillingness to vote 'yes' or 'no' is a clear contrast, and we believe the voters in New Hampshire deserve to know this difference," the e-mail stated. "We support Hillary Clinton because she never ducked when choice was at stake."
The Clinton campaign has made the same charge repeatedly over the past year, including a couple weeks before the Iowa caucus. The Obama campaign had rebuffed it by invoking statements by an Illinois Planned Parenthood official, who said the "present" votes were part of a deliberate strategy to protect other pro-choice legislators, other than Obama, in vulnerable districts. But the fresh New Hampshire attack arrived much closer to election day, leaving the Obama forces scrambling to respond by rushing out an automated phone call on the evening of Jan. 6, two days before the vote. On primary day, Clinton won by two percentage points after trailing in the final polls by as much as 10 percent, thanks in large part to a last-minute surge in support from women.
The new e-mail seeking conciliation was signed by five prominent Clinton supporters in the state -- including Wheeler, House Speaker Terie Norelli, and state senator Maggie Hassan, the three who signed the initial attack. The letter, which was also signed by several Obama supporters, states that "many of us...engaged in good faith in the rough and tumble of competitive politics. In doing so, feelings have been bruised and some deep anger has emerged." It goes on to downplay the dispute created by the initial e-mail as "nuanced differences" which should not be allowed to "drain our energy." And it concludes, in seeming contrast to the initial attack on Obama's abortion rights credentials, that "The good news is that all of the candidates within the Democratic Party are strongly pro-choice and we should be proud that our efforts have led to such a solid field. "
In the interview Thursday, Wheeler said she was not aware of the explanation of Obama's present votes by Illinois Planned Parenthood when she agreed to sign the critical letter at the request of Clinton officials in New Hampshire. "What we didn't know was the circumstances of those Illinois pro-choice votes. Since then we've learned that it was the plan of the pro-choice community in Illinois. These were subtleties that those of us in the Clinton campaign here didn't understand," she said. "I for one did not understand the present votes....I did not know the full context." Wheeler said she regretted the ill will it had caused. "I'm sorry there was a misunderstanding, and we're hoping to heal divisions that still may exist," she said. "It's a real pity it got so intense, but that's what happens in that close an election. People get impassioned and lose their judgment..It was the heat of emotions in a tight election where everybody cared deeply about the issue, and many of us over-reacted."
The other two Clinton supporters who signed both the critical e-mail and the conciliatory one stood more strongly by the initial one. Sen. Hassan said she, too, was unaware of the Illinois Planned Parenthood defense of Obama at the time she signed the critical letter, that she had only been told by the Clinton campaign that the Illinois chapter of NOW had cited concerns about Obama's present votes. She said it was wrong for anyone to suggest that Obama was not pro-choice, and that she was sorry about the upset that the letter had caused. But Hassan stood by what she said was the main point of the initial e-mail, that Clinton was the most staunchly pro-choice Democrat. "All of the leading Democratic candidates are strongly pro-choice but I think Hillary's record is unparalleled. I stand by what I signed before the election and don't think it's inconsistent with" the new e-mail stating that Obama is strongly pro-choice, Hassan said. "Everybody's going to interpret these letters and e-mails as they want to."
Norelli, the House Speaker, said she had been aware of the Planned Parenthood defense of Obama's Illinois record at the time she signed the critical e-mail but was comfortable with the letter's attack against Obama nonetheless, noting the concerns of the Illinois NOW chapter had raised about the votes. "I would say that the record is clear that he voted 'present' seven times. Planned Parenthood, some of the time at least, says it was part of a deal. Well, NOW says that in 2004, they chose not to endorse Sen. Obama" because of the votes, Norelli said. "I would say every voter needs to have all the factual information and each individual needs to make their own decision." As for the new conciliatory note, Norelli said there was no inconsistency in calling Obama "strongly pro-choice" after attacking him on the present votes. "I would take any of the Democratic candidates on issues of choice over any of the Republican candidates. But I would take Hillary Clinton and her leadership on choice over Senator Obama," she said. Norelli said the purpose of the latest e-mail was to help calm the ruffled feathers of the Obama supporters. "We are working to heal any problems that there are among the Democrats and looking forward to working together closely," she said. "They have time to get over it."
One of the Obama supporters who signed the reconciliation e-mail, Mary Rauh, said she did so because she was very worried that the rift created by the primary could seriously harm abortion rights efforts in the state if it was left unadressed. But she said that she remained aggrieved by the Clinton attack and by the willingness of so many Democratic leaders in the state to go along with it, and worried by reports that similar e-mails attacking Obama on abortion rights have gone out in other states preparing to vote.
"We still have battles to fight in New Hampshire and we can't let dirty politics destroy the choice voice here. It's too important," Rauh said. "But for Clinton to do this to the choice community is so appalling. I can't tell you how it distresses me ... how devastating this and how horrified I am that the Clinton campaign would do this. I fear it will happen elsewhere and it's just appalling."
Posted at 4:06 PM ET on Jan 18, 2008
We did it and it was fantastic.. My precinct had 3 of 5 delegates and we won a few additional supporters from HRC in addition to the Biden/Richardson and the Kucininch caucusers. The other precinct that was in our area I believe also got 3 of 5 for Obama. It was a wonderful turnout. Lots of first timers. They said we couldnt do it but we did. Hope lives and Change will be here in a little over 1 yr (01/20/09). Now on to the other states. I would love to help out in NH or SC or any of the other Super Tuesday states but with 2 little ones travel isnt going to be possible. I can phone bank from home if any one out there needs it. I also want to thank all the support we have had from the surrounding states as with others that have traveled from afar. I also would like to thank the staff out of Cedar Rapids. Jeff, Allison, Derek and Chris , YOU GUYS ROCK!! I will miss each of you as Im sure others will. Where ever you may go I hope "Change" is a brewing. More later when Ive taken it all in.. I will also post pics.
Ebony 4 Obama 08
Twas 10 days before caucuses and all through the state
The SUN IS SHINING BRIGHTLY, our lunch it was great!
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter
I crawled off the couch to see what was the matter....
When what to my wondering eyes should appear?
But yards FULL of signs saying
"Obama!" and "Hope"--Oh DEAR!!!
My head was aswimming (from the sugar no doubt)
But I'd swear there were more today,
Someone's been putting more out!
Now behind me I heard such a crash and a cuss
I knew my brother dropped something, making a muss
But my family just smiled and knew that by this time next year
We would be packing for DC and preparing our gear
For the Inauguration of Hope, For the promise of Faith
For the future of our Nation, OH we could not wait!
So we cleaned up the mess and said Thank you to God,
As we prepared to eat another snack, not too worried about the bod...
We knew in the next few days we'd get our exercise in,
As we call and we knock and we HELP THIS MAN WIN!!!!!
"America, Our Moment is NOW!" "Let's go change the world!" http://my.barackobama.com/page/outreach/view/christmas/marytnurse
Now, Anyone else want to add a line?
