Posts with the tag walk for change

Fri: Debate Watch Party; Sat and Sun: Register Voters

Shayne Adamski — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 18:07:20 EDT

On Fri, Sept 26, join fellow Obama supporters at debate watch parties throughout the whole state. As we get one step closer to Election Day, this debate will highlight the differences between the two candidates. Bring a friend too!

Click to host or attend a watch party.

And after we're all fired up from the debate, join us on Saturday and Sunday for our Walk for Change.

This is the second to last weekend that we have to register new voters before the Voter Registration deadline on Tues, Oct 7. The importance of this --- is that if someone wants to vote for Obama-Biden and it's after Oct 7, and they aren't already registered to vote, they can't vote. So we need everyone's help to reach as many voters as possible between now and Oct 7.

Click to join a canvass this weekend!

And make sure all of your friends are registered to vote TODAY. Visit www.voteforchange.com to register to vote. It's quick and easy.

Please spread the word and forward this to a friend.

Walk for Change: 3 Weekends Left to Register Voters

Shayne Adamski — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 17:21:36 EDT

Including this weekend, there are only 3 full weekends left to register voters until the Voter Registration deadline on Tuesday, October 7. After October 7, no one can register to vote in the General Election.

If people aren't registered to vote by October 7, they can't vote on November 4 for Obama-Biden. So please join us this weekend as we Walk for Change throughout the whole state.

Every voter that we talk to is important, and the more volunteers that we have out canvassing means that we talk to more voters.

Find a canvass near you: http://my.barackobama.com/nmregions

...and please spend part of your weekend with us.

This is the best thing that you can do for Barack and Joe, because it's all about the number of voters we register.

YES WE CAN!!

New Mexico Campaign for Change
http://nm.barackobama.com
text NM to 62262

Join us this weekend and Walk for Change

Shayne Adamski — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 18:15:48 EDT

We're entering a crucial time in the campaign --- there are just over 50 days left until November 4th and every day counts. Every day that goes by is a day that we can't get back, so we need to work hard every day.

Join us this weekend for our Walk for Change throughout the whole state. This is an opportunity for you to make a big impact because this is the best thing that you can do for the campaign and for Barack.

Every voter that we talk to is important, and the more volunteers that we have out canvassing means that we talk to more voters.

Please spend part of your weekend with us.

Find a canvass near you.

We'll see you this weekend!

Talking to Neighbors- New Mexico Working for Change

Zachary Scott Edwards — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 15:00:36 EST

This morning all across New Mexico, hundreds of grassroots volunteers met in 15 cities to kick start a weekend full of canvasses. Barack’s message of hope, accountability, and honesty has energized hundreds of people to get involved for the first time in a campaign because we finally have a candidate we can believe in.

It’s so inspiring to see the young people coming in everyday looking to get involved, asking for literature on Barack’s policies, which are now available online at our New Mexico Resource Center. Barack has been bringing in thousands of new young voters in every election so far, and it is clear that New Mexico will be following in these footsteps by engaging and empowering young people and giving them opportunities like our new get out the vote internship program.

This election is about change, and Barack’s commitment to ensuring that special interest and Washington lobbyists are no longer the only people with seats at the negotiation table. This is the time when we can finally stand up and say that we want honesty and accountability in the White House. You can read more about Barack’s plan to restore trust in our government and his deep desire to shine the light on lobbying, earmarks, and tax breaks.

Now is the time to stand up for change and take back Washington with Barack. Our grassroots supporters will be holding statewide canvasses this afternoon at 2 PM and tomorrow at noon. If you would like to join us, you can contact our organizers who are working with the grassroots.

Ian Adams at 505-235-5416 for Santa Fe and Northern New Mexico
Anna Humphrey at 505-228-0496 for Albuquerque and Central New Mexico
Tyler Lechtenberg at 505-205-6689 for Las Cruces and Southern New Mexico
Brent Welder at 563-321-8419 for Roswell and Rural New Mexico

The February 5th primary in New Mexico is just around the corner and now is the time to get involved.

Walk your block, Talk to neighbors, Help change the world.

Photos From MA2NH Canvassing Initiative

Rena — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 23:11:43 EST

Here are a few photos from my trip to Nashua on November 10th. Still don't get why the Hillary people were wasting their time there chanting at people who were obviously unpaid volunteers (and therefore a lost cause for conversions) at the Obama Nashua HQ. Meh. It was great to hear Governor Patrick speak, and despite a few moments when we wondered how much our door knocking was really doing, it felt great to be involved and to speak to people about the issues. So many undecided voters! I get the feeling that the people in NH stay undecided right up until the last minute.

Oh, while I'm thinking of it, does anybody know what Obama's stance is on Second Amendment rights? Not like anybody is really reading this, but if you happen to see this post and you know, hook me up... that's definitely something I need to research before going back to the Live Free or Die state.

NECN clip of Deval Patrick arriving in Nashua, NH to campaign for Obama

Rena — Sun, 11 Nov 2007 19:38:30 EST

I was standing out in front of the Nashua HQ office when the bus with Gov. Patrick arrived. Here's a pretty good news clip... Particularly amusing for me because I'm the one he's shaking hands with. :)

Why you should canvass this weekend

V, aka VCubed/Virginia V — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 23:31:11 EDT

Why you should canvass this weekend By Sam Graham-Felsen - Oct 11th, 2007 at 8:27 pm EDT Mail to a Friend It has been a half-decade since Congress authorized President Bush to invade Iraq.

We've been in Iraq longer than we were engaged in World War II and longer than we fought in the Civil War. We've lost over 3,800 American lives. More than 27,600 have been wounded. The Iraqi civilian death toll is climbing towards a staggering 1 million people. There are 2.4 million Iraqi refugees througout the Middle East. Nearly half a trillion dollars have been spent.

Barack Obama publicly opposed this war from the beginning. And he has a plan to end it now.

Let's walk through our neighborhoods this Saturday, all across America, and let's let our neighbors know that it's time to make a judgment call -- between a candidate with the conviction to challenge this war from the start and a candidate who championed this war until it became convenient to oppose it.

Let's let our neighbors know that there is a difference here. There is a difference between a candidate who will fundamentally reshape our foreign policy and a candidate who will make the same mistake again as the drumbeat for war with Iran grows.

Let's make sure our neighbors understand there is a clear choice here.

If we want the country to see what we see, we've got to walk the walk.

If you've got other obligations this Saturday, you can still make an impact by contributing to this campaign. Your donation will help us show this country that there is a critical choice here -- and that Barack Obama is the right one.

Obamawood October 13 KNOCK for CHANGE

Lucia - Team Coordinator for OBAMAWOOD — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 17:34:28 EDT

Please sign up at:

http://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/4vmbf

On Saturday, October 13th in cities and towns across the country, Barack Obama supporters like you will organize to canvass door-to-door to build support for Barack's plan to turn the page in Iraq. As part of this exciting opportunity, we're having our own Knock For Change here in Obamawood (Hollywood, Los Feliz, Silverlake, parts of Hancock Park and Koreatown)!

We urgently need your help to make this a success. Please contact me or our Canvass Coordinator, Reginald Nelson, (qb17@sbcglobal.net), if you have any questions or need help getting a ride to the event.

The details are as follows:

Time:
Saturday, October 13 at 9:30 AM

Duration:
4 hours

Host:
Lucia Brawley

Contact Phone:
646-408-4783

Location:

below the Greek Theater in Griffith Park. (Los Angeles, CA)
2700 North Vermont, in Griffith Park
Los Angeles, CA 90027

IF YOU CAN, PLEASE BRING A WALKING BUDDY. If not, we'll help you find one at the event. It's much safer, more fun and effective to walk with a partner. Also, wear your Obama swag, if you've got it. We'll have some there, too.

We will begin the day by checking in, enjoying coffee, collecting our materials, and having a quick training session. Then we'll drive to our precincts with our partners, park our cars, and knock on doors to get out the word about why we're voting for Barack and why they should, too =0) We want MANY people, so we can cover a lot of territory. If you have a clipboard, feel free to bring that, too.

I know canvassing may seem like a daunting thing to do if you've never done it before. We'll make sure everyone understands where to go, what to say, and that everyone has fun.

If you have certain physical limitations, we'll be sure to put you in a flat walking area. Or you don't have to walk at all. We could really use your help registering people, watching our stuff while we walk, and then collecting everyone's data at the end. We also could use help with refreshments. You can help without ever having to leave our base camp in Griffith Park.

If you or anyone you know is bilingual in either Spanish, Armenian, Korean or Thai and wants to walk with us, please let us know ASAP!

Thank you for your time and enthusiasm. Go Obama!

Lucia Brawley (luciabrawley@hotmail.com)
Obamawood Team Coordinator
33rd Congressional District

Obamawood October 13 KNOCK for CHANGE

Lucia - Team Coordinator for OBAMAWOOD — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 17:33:47 EDT

Obamawood October 13 KNOCK for CHANGE

Lucia - Team Coordinator for OBAMAWOOD — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 17:32:49 EDT

Obamawood October 13 KNOCK for CHANGE

Lucia - Team Coordinator for OBAMAWOOD — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 17:31:27 EDT

Obamawood October 13 KNOCK for CHANGE

Lucia - Team Coordinator for OBAMAWOOD — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 17:29:55 EDT

Obamawood October 13 KNOCK for CHANGE

Lucia - Team Coordinator for OBAMAWOOD — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 17:28:46 EDT

Obamawood October 13 KNOCK for CHANGE

Lucia - Team Coordinator for OBAMAWOOD — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 17:27:44 EDT

Obamawood October 13 KNOCK for CHANGE

Lucia - Team Coordinator for OBAMAWOOD — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 17:26:53 EDT

Obamawood October 13 KNOCK for CHANGE

Lucia - Team Coordinator for OBAMAWOOD — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 17:25:56 EDT

Obamawood October 13 KNOCK for CHANGE

Lucia - Team Coordinator for OBAMAWOOD — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 17:24:22 EDT

Walk for Change -- Monrovia (26west)

Vickere Murphy - Regional Field Organizer — Mon, 08 Oct 2007 23:43:15 EDT

Join us at the Coffee Bean in Monrovia (Foothill at Myrtle) on Saturday morning at 9am before we hit the streets! We're going to enjoy some coffee and have a look at National's canvass training video and then team up to go door to door, talking to neighbors to spread the word and build support for Senator Obama's 4-point plan to turn the page in Iraq.

You too can make a difference in this campaign to change our country! RSVP at http://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/4v9xr. See you Saturday!

Walk for Change - this Saturday, October 13

Victoria — Sun, 07 Oct 2007 21:22:36 EDT

Do you live or work in Westwood, Bel Air, West Hollywood, the Grove, Beverlywood, Palms, Beverly Hills, or adjacent areas? If so, please join the CD 30 East Walk for Change. We are meeting first at The Lot in West Hollywood at 10 am this Saturday, for a brief training then we will be assigned specific addresses of Democratic and Decline to State voters to go and speak to about Senator Obama. Click here for more info, and to RSVP http://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/4vmgb

Walk For Change 10/13 in 26west!

Vickere Murphy - Regional Field Organizer — Sat, 29 Sep 2007 18:54:00 EDT

Put on your walking shoes and get ready to knock on some doors and carry Barack Obama's message to your neighbors! We're having our first ever Walk for Change in the 26th district's left half on Saturday, October 13. We're starting at 9am from locations in La Crescenta, La Canada, Monrovia, and Glendora. On Sunday the 14th, we're having an additional start in Monrovia at 4 in the afternoon. If you'd like to jump on in, email cd26west@gmail.com.

Perfect Day in the Palmetto State

Jeremy Bird — Sat, 29 Sep 2007 10:20:23 EDT

Waking up the morning of a massive canvass day is always a great thing. I mean, it is usually hard to get to sleep at all with all of the excitement in the air. But, I managed a few hours.

The first thing I always do, with a bit of trepidation, is walk outside, look up at the skies and pray it’s going to be a good day. Well, we are blessed in South Carolina today. It is sunny and mid-80s outside. Ah, a perfect day to Walk for Change!

I’m here at the main office in Columbia where canvassers are already showing up. But, the main office is only one of six staging locations we have here in the Midlands Region alone.

We’ve got 31 different sites where canvassers will be meeting this morning. In 26 counties. They are walking in rural Bamberg. They are walking in Hampton. They are walking in Greenville, Anderson, Union, Greenwood, Charleston, Beaufort, Horry, Chesterfield and more.

I’ll keep you updated throughout the day. We’ll post some photos and stories from the streets.

If you’re in South Carolina and want to walk, it’s never too late... we’ve got some extra walk packets... just in case you feel moved to join us. You can find all our staging locations here.

Let’s go change the world.

September 29: Walking for Change in South Carolina

T. Neil Sroka — Sat, 15 Sep 2007 16:16:46 EDT

Psst... you'll be hearing a lot more from us about this in the near future, but I wanted to let our faith blog readers know that we're doing our second Walk for Change in South Carolina on Sept. 29.

Three great volunteers (Alta, Steve, and Nhala) who walked for change with me in Charleston back in June.

Starting at over twenty sites across the Palmetto State, the O-Train will be making its way once again through the neighborhoods from the Pee Dee to the Piedmont and everywhere in between.

So what's different about the Walk this time around? Well, for one, we probably won't be hitting the streets in heat-indexes above 100-degrees F. More importantly, we'll be brining in friends from across the Southeast to help us speak to even more South Carolinians!

Have a friend in Florida, an Auntie in Atlanta, or a nephew in North Carolina who supports Barack and wants to help the Senator win where it REALLY counts? Have him or her sign-up to join us for South Carolina's second Walk for Change online.

Oh, and while you're at it, sign up to Walk for Change yourself. After all, there's nothing better than South Carolinians talking to South Carolinians about changing this country, right?

Houston For Obama July 14th Walk For Change Canvass

Robert Commiskey — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 17:44:52 EDT

Hello, everyone. Houston For Obama will be canvassing this Saturday. The event can be accessed here:

http://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/organizing/4j4g5

We will be canvassing every 2nd and 4th Saturday of the month. If anyone is interested, join up with us and lets make sure Houston votes Obama in 2008.

Hope to see you out there.

If needed, I can be contacted at Robert.Commiskey@gmail.com

Have a good week.

-Robert

It posted late with Obama and I announced it here even later...

WNYmathGuy — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 02:43:29 EDT

We had one small video from the Hamburg walk for change. It's posted on two web resources; BrightCove (which handles the BarackTV stuff), and the famous YouTube site.
(I think it plays better off of YouTube.)

If you get an idea for some kind of campaign enhancing production but need help with the technical stuff, let me know, I'll be happy to help.

Walking for Change in Iowa

Claudine B. — Sun, 17 Jun 2007 01:54:05 EDT

Hello everyone. I thought I'd share my experience of helping people in another state during the Walk for Change. Living in Lawrence, KS, I had every hope of creating a Walk for Change in my own community on June 9th. I was asked, however, by a campaign staff member in Iowa to consider driving up to Council Bluffs and helping volunteers up there canvass the area. Knowing that Iowa was a caucus state, I realized the importance of focusing as many volunteers up there as possible. Needless to say, my eight-year-old daugther, Olivia, and I made the decision to drive up there! (My husband stayed behind with Liam, our two-year-old son who does NOT enjoy long car trips...)

When we got up to Council Bluffs, we were welcomed by some wonderful staff members and other volunteers in the West Broadway office. Since I've never gone door-to-door to help a political candidate before, I was quite anxious taking on this new endeavor. Fortunately, Olivia and I were paired with another individual (his name was Michael and he is a campaign intern/college student) who had done this type of work before. We loaded up into my little Honda Civic with my "Audaciously Hopealicious" bumper sticker on the back bumper. We were ready to walk for change!

The first house we went to was a very bad experience. When we introduced ourselves and said we were volunteers for Senator Obama, the elderly gentleman said he would do nothing to support a black man getting into office. He then proceeded to mumble further inappropriate remarks, which Michael and I attempted to derail by simply thanking him for his time, apologizing for bothering him, and walking away.

Since my husband is black, my fears of my daughter someday witnessing racism were unfolded that day right before my eyes. To my astonishment, however, Olivia did not cry or even act in an angry manner. Rather, she looked at me and said, "Mom, why would he say something like that?" With Michael walking beside us to the next house, I told Michael and Olivia how Olivia's Grandma Boldridge (my husband's mother) once told me that I must learn to see racism for what it is - simple ignorance. I went on to tell Olivia that this gentleman was most likely raised to believe that people of color were not respectable. That was why it was so important for ALL OF US to do what we can to get such a wonderful man in the Oval Office - to replace ignorance with new knowledge and understanding.

As for the remainder of the day, there were a couple other houses where people were unkind regarding Senator Obama's race. For the most part, however, people in Council Bluffs were respectful and willing to listen. When people in the neighborhoods I canvassed asked me why I chose to volunteer for the day, I told them that Senator Obama was once quoted as saying that we must all lead by deed and example; and Senator Obama is the best example of this. Not only does he verbalize a desire for change in government, his years of service in Chicago and refusal to accept campaign money from lobbyists are a testament to his belief that change will indeed occur with our COLLECTIVE examples and deeds.

Because of Senator Obama, I've come to realize and believe that we are ALL NECESSARY for change. We need a leader like him to help us get on the right path; but all of us must walk that path with him and do what we can do in our own little parts of this world to make our families, communities, and nation better.

Let's do what we can to help him make this world a better place for ourselves and our children.

Walk for Change: Your Feedback

Sam Graham-Felsen — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 12:44:10 EDT

We asked you to give us feedback on your Walk for Change experiences. Your responses were overwhelmingly positive. Here are a few:

When attendees and hosts were asked if they would like to participate in an event like this again the responses, nearly every single participant expressed a desire to volunteer again and several of the attendees hoped to host an event of their own the next time.

"Absolutely! This is the first time anything like this has been done in my community and those that had never canvassed before loved the experience. Sure, we got some grumps, but for the most part the event was received well and the participants can't wait for another opportunity like this!" -- Samantha, Wyoming

“Yes! This is the first time I have volunteered for any political candidate and I strongly believe in Obama message of hope. The group I was with on Saturday was almost entirely made up of first time volunteers which I think speaks powerfully for Obama's message.” -- Kathleen, California

“Absolutely. I rarely get involved because I never came across a candidate that I could fully support. But, finally, I feel that we have a candidate that I want to fully support. Our country needs a change in direction and I know Senator Obama is the man.” -- Kat, Texas

"I already scheduled the next event! We had so much fun and it felt really great to be out and about, letting people know that we are excited about Barack Obama and what he stands for." -- Amy, Florida

Walking for Change in South Central

Sam Graham-Felsen — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 20:19:43 EDT

For some, South Central Los Angeles might conjure up images of despair-- but on Saturday, the neighborhood pulsed with hope.

Over 220 people, young and old, black, white, Latino, and Asian, Republican, Democrat, and unaffiliated, showed up to Walk for Change. They walked through the streets, knocked on thousands of doors, had hundreds of conversations, and registered dozens of new voters.

Volunteer organizer Steven Belhumeur told me that a great many of the people who walked "would not have classified themselves as political at all before this."

"These people are excited because they feel he’s genuinely different—that his candidacy changes all the dynamics," said Steven. "There’s something about the way he shares his ideas that makes people feel like they have a voice, a seat at the table for the first time. That’s what these people, who haven't voted in the past and who generally don’t vote and participate, shared with me."

Steven continued:

People who say this is about celebrity are missing the point. This was a nice sunny beautiful day in the middle summer for an event that is seven months away. Everyone had something better to do. We actually reached out to celebrities and elected officials to come to the event and the first question they asked was, “Is Barack gonna be there?” But none of the canvassers asked that. They weren’t there to see Barack, they were there to walk. To make a difference. A couple of them even told me “You’re training us for too long, we wanna walk.”

Did you Walk for Change? Watch the video and share your story.

A lifetime in the making...

Michael Negron — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 15:19:04 EDT

This past Saturday’s Walk for Change, which inspired more than 10,000 people across the country to hit the streets to canvass their neighborhoods, was a lifetime in the making.

As a community organizer on the South Side of Chicago in the early 1980s, Barack challenged people to act to take control over their own lives. In neighborhoods anxious and doubtful about steel mill and meat-packing factory closings, Barack worked to help people help themselves by joining together to get things done. This experience confirmed his belief that real change comes from the bottom up not the top down, and the lesson has guided Barack ever since.

On Saturday, thousands of people hit the streets to support Barack and work towards a new kind of politics from the grassroots up. Check out this video of the nationwide canvass:

There were more than a dozen canvasses across New Hampshire on Saturday. In Nashua, I tagged along with a dynamic father-daughter duo as they knocked on doors to share Barack’s message with their neighbors.

These canvasses, like the huge crowds Barack attracts across the country, are the early stirrings of something new to politics but very familiar to Barack: people organizing themselves to change a political system that isn’t working and reclaim control of their lives.

Walk for Change Recap: What a Movement Looks Like

Sam Graham-Felsen — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 11:21:22 EDT

In early May, we tried something that might have seemed preposterous a few years ago.

We announced that on June 9, there would be a nationwide Walk for Change, where thousands of grassroots supporters from across the country would pound the pavement in their neighborhoods and share Barack’s hope for a new kind of politics. In the history of political campaigns, nothing like this with people in all fifty states participating this early on in a campaign—- had ever been done before. But we believed that by combining unmatched grassroots energy for a candidate with unprecedented integration of online tools, you guys could pull it off.

Below is the story, with video and photos, of Walk for Change. It's the story an unprecedented grassroots mobilization that brought more than 10,000 people out to the streets. It's the story of ordinary people working together to share their hopes and dreams; ultimately, it's the story of an effort to reclaim our democracy.

Rooting for Change

Sam Graham-Felsen — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 16:54:04 EDT

It's great to see so many creative spin-offs of the Walk for Change events that took place this weekend.

This email came in from Cynthia of Berks for Obama:

On Sunday June 10 Berks for Obama capped off the Walk for Change weekend with a trip to a Reading Phillies game (our local AA team). We got our group name on the scoreboard, and distributed Obama lit, bumperstickers & pins. Sierra Gladfelter, a high school junior, organized 12 young Obama supporters from her church to attend the game.

We had a lot of fun in our Obama gear. Alas, the Reading Phillies lost to Trenton.

Here are some shots from the event. Looks like it was a great time!

Video: Walking in South Carolina

Sam Graham-Felsen — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 11:03:51 EDT

Palmetto Staters showed they were primed for change this past weekend, as hundreds walked in their neighborhoods to share Barack's hope for a new kind of politics.

I was lucky enough to tag along with Reverend Scipio as he walked through his neighborhood in North Charleston. The Reverend was a tireless canvasser and showed true grit and commitment to spreading Barack's message and changing the country, one person at a time. Below is a video of the canvass:

Thanks to all the South Carolinians who took time out of their busy weekends to walk in the heat for Barack! You made a difference this weekend, and we hope you'll continue to be actively engaged in this movement for change. For updates on how you can make a difference in South Carolina, check out SC.BarackObama.com.

Llamas for Obama

Sam Graham-Felsen — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 19:12:33 EDT

People weren't the only ones walking on Saturday...

That's not photo-shopped or CGI-- it's a real live llama that just so happens to heart Obama. I just spoke to the owner, Pat McNally, an active grassroots supporter from Iowa.

Pat's llama, named Mr Eko after the mystical character from the TV show Lost, was a huge attraction at the Strawberry Day Parade in Clayton County, Iowa this weekend.

"The kids loved it," says Pat. "So many of them were saying, 'Look ma! It's a llama that loves Obama!' and then coming over to pet him."

Pat, who first took an interest in Barack during the 2004 DNC-- and became even more excited about him during last summer's Tom Harkin's Steak Fry-- says he plans on bringing the llama to more upcoming parades and public events to spread awareness about Barack.

This probably takes the cake for the Most Creative Obama Supporter Ever award, but if you think you can top Pat, share your story in the comments section below!

Wow

Jason Zimmerman — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 15:12:38 EDT

Every single day, all of you do something else that simply makes me speechless. Thinking about the fantastic job of the grass-root fundraising campaign, and how you all exceeded expectations, I thought nothing could top that. I was proved wrong on Saturday, with the thousands of volunteers supporting Barack Obama out en masse to canvass, to speak, and to listen. In a previous post, I forecasted the amount of people who participated in the event at over a thousand. Technically, I was right. More than a thousand concerned citizens did go out and stump for the candidate they believed to be the source of needed change in American politics. I was just off by a factor of 10.

The Des Moines Register covered the event, along with many other news sources, and in an article entitled Obama Chooses Shoe Leather Over TV Ads, reported that "The event, known officially as the "Walk for Change” attracted more than 10,000 volunteers in 50 states." It seems that you all took the Senator's words to heart when he said "Change always comes from the bottom up not the top down."

Showing up was the first step, and while you all should be applauded for doing that, the next step was walking, and once again your success left me speechless. Kim Bee, the Executive Chairwoman for Obama in Sacramento summed up perfectly what your goals were, "Speak from your heart; that's what will win people over. Be respectful of people's time, be safe and have fun." In Charlotte, "Volunteers went to more than 1,000 houses and signed up 50 new supporters" with words spoken from the heart like Hugh Schintzius who said, "It's the first time in my life I've wanted to vote for someone." In Dubuque, where the Senator himself canvassed, resident June Manning said her time speaking with the Senator was like, "15 minutes in the sunshine.”

Whether it was in Utah or Los Angeles, Hawaii or Orlando, large or small, city or state, the turn-out was impressive. And with the turn-out being so large, the message was loud and clear. In his pre-event conference call, Obama said "All we're doing is starting to lay some groundwork and we're going to keep on doing that and over time we're going to build the kind of movement that really is going to change the country." With the numerous media sources covering the event, the success cannot be measured in how many supporters were signed up, or how many doors were knocked on. Rather, with the coverage of Democracy in action, the success can be measured by all of you, your belief in change, and your ability to show up.

I wanted to end the post with a witty comment or some form of congratulatory message, but Steve Weingard of the Sacramento Bee put it best, and I just want to echo his words, "The real value of the work being done here isn't in how effective it turns out to be. The real value is that there are people who still believe in the system enough to show up and do the work."

Participating for the First Time

Sam Graham-Felsen — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 14:22:32 EDT

Perhaps the most exciting result of Barack's campaign is the huge number of people who have been inspired to participate in politics for the first time. Tons of young people are donating to the campaign, pounding the pavement, and volunteering here in Chicago and in field offices across the country.

But it's not only students and young people who are getting involved for the first time-- older people who have long been turned off by politics are now throwing their hats in the ring as well.

Take Antonio, who Walked for Change this Saturday:

I am very happy to have been apart of the June 9th "Walk for Change" day. I am 30 years old and this event was my first time every participating in any such political event. It was a step of faith for me putting aside my fears and moving forward. Senator Obama is fresh and exciting. He provides a sense of hope for me as a young black male who is an entrepreneur working hard to provide the American dream for my family. Today was a great day!.. Me and my mother n law hit the streets together and we got results!

Or Andre, who canvassed in front of his local grocery store:

It's been 37 years since I immigrated into this country, and I never got involved in politics before... Well, I guess it's never too late to get started.
Actually, I did not walk on Saturday. Together with another enthusiastic couple, we decided to post ourselves at the entrance of one of San Francisco's busiest Safeway stores (48th Avenue & La Playa) and spread the good word about our next President...
What I love about San Francisco is the diversity of its population. I talked to Russian immigrants, Asian families, whites and blacks, young couples and old ones, gays and straights, you name it. Just about everyone seemed to agree that we had to stop the war in Iraq now, and that a universal health coverage was very much needed in the richest country in the world.

Barack often says, "If you decide that you're going to get involved, we're not only going to win an election, we're going to change the country." This is exactly what he's talking about-- reversing the dark cloud of cynicism that has loomed over our politics for too long and getting ordinary people to believe that they can make a difference, to understand that the process can work for them if they participate.

That's what happened this weekend, and that's what's happening every day in this campaign. Someone who didn't care yesterday, cares today. Someone who didn't believe in the possibility of change yesterday, believes today. Someone who never thought they'd ever get active in the political process yesterday, got active today.

Iowans blanket the state to Walk for Change

Nick Kimball — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 01:08:58 EDT

I posted earlier about the incredible kickoff of our Walk for Change this weekend. After the big event, Barack and thousands of others across the state (and country) put on their walking shoes and sunscreen, grabbed some clipboards and took to the streets spreading the word about Barack’s plan to make universal, affordable health care a reality.

Barack hit up a picturesque neighborhood in Dubuque not far from Lincoln Elementary School. He spent over an hour going door-to-door.

I actually got to the neighborhood a little before Barack. While I was waiting, I ran into Bud and Lola Noonan. Bud and Lola are very enthusiastic supporters. They were on their way out the door to a wedding and were quite disappointed that they couldn’t stick around when I let slip the secret of Barack’s imminent arrival in their neighborhood.

Hopefully, we’ll catch you next time Barack’s in Dubuque!

As soon as Barack arrived, he started walking. It wasn’t long before the word was out and neighbors were calling neighbors and folks started coming outside.

Barack was canvassing with superstar volunteer Gabe Ward – a married father of twins and a Dubuque resident. Gabe did excellent work complementing Barack at the doors. He spent quite the day with Barack! (That's him to Barack's immediate left below.)

Thanks, Gabe!

Here are a couple more pictures from some of the doors that Barack hit. He had in-depth conversations on a variety of issues, including the war in Iraq, the genocide in Darfur, health care and education.

Look for a video in this space on Wednesday that will give you a fantastic inside peak at Barack’s canvass. We got some great footage! You can get a sneak preview here:

As I mentioned, we had folks all over the state Walking for Change this weekend. Some of our folks out in the field wrote up great posts about their experiences – complete with pictures.

Sioux City: Sioux City Walk for Change, by Adam Elkington

Mason City: Talking Neighbor-to-Neighbor in Mason City, by Annick Febrey

Cedar Valley: Every avalanche begins with a snowflake, by Tavis Hall

Council Bluffs: Obama: One Step Closer, by Jawed Yusufi

Indianola: Walk For Change a success in Indianola, by Jeff Philips

Burlington: Walking Change, Talking Change, by Seth London

Cedar Rapids: Change in the Cedar Rapids air, by Jaime Mulligan

Polk County: "Aloha" from Polk County's Walk for Change, by Sam Liebert

Don’t forget to check out all the pictures from around Iowa on our Flickr page.

If you canvassed for Barack over the weekend, I strongly encourage you to write up a post on your My.BarackObama.com blog and post the link in the comments section of this post! Or shoot me an email with a link to any pictures you took.

This was an incredible and historic weekend. The overwhelming majority of reports I’ve gotten from around the state share the same theme: people are ready for change.

And people believe that Barack’s ideas can turn their passion for change into something real – a governing agenda.

Walked for Change

Jason Zimmerman — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 00:46:13 EDT

On Saturday, more than a thousand volunteers from the Barack Obama campaign went out and continued the process of changing the world. These volunteers, the building blocks of this campaign, went canvassing in hundreds of cities nationwide, including thirty-eight in the ever important state of Iowa. The event, which the Senator attended and did a fine job of wearing out his walking shoes, has already been covered by the Associated Press, found here, and the CNN Political Ticker, found here. Both articles discussed the most important part of this event, which is Obama's incredible gift of mobilizing people who just simply want change.

Speaking in Dubuque where he was walking, Senator Obama laid down the gauntlet to his supporters, stating "They are hungry and they want to turn the page. I can't do it by myself and that's why I'm here today." With the thousands upon thousands of doors knocked on all across the nation, it was made clear Saturday that the Senator was not alone in his hunger for change.

Alexandra Sova, a Student for Barack Obama member, was one such person who decided to pick up the gauntlet. Alexandra organized the Walk for Change event for all of Lansing, MI (adult and student alike). I was fortunate enough to be able to interview Alexandra and if she is the type of caliber of person that Obama has working for him nationwide, he has nothing to worry about. While every question I asked was directed to her in a way that she could explain her leadership qualities and detail what she did to organize the event, every single answer she gave was in praise of the volunteers and residents who were affected during the Walk for Change.

I wanted to make this post about her particular leadership skills, but she deflected that question with, "Everyone who came out to canvass was an extraordinary leader who was dedicated not only to change Lansing, MI, but America." When asked about the effort required to get people organized, she praised each and every person that assisted the event.

And obviously, with the pictures below as evidence, the Walk for Change Event in Lansing, MI was an absolute success. When asked if the event turnout was more or less than expected, Alexandra said that, "We were able to accomplish our goal of fifty houses per canvasser and the response from the neighborhoods in general was very positive."

Alexandra also answered a question I posed in a previous blog of mine and came up with two outstanding ideas that can build off the excitement from the Walk for Change. A Race for Obama, which would be a pledge based fundraising event, as well as a Battle of the Bands style fundraising, which she suggested for campuses in Michigan, but I believe could be a nationwide event.

We can read stories about the Senator's grassroots campaign, and we can see on CNN reports about the Walk for Change. But understand this: It is the efforts of leaders like Alexandra that make the grassroots campaigning work. And it is the efforts of all of those she praised who made the Walk for Change successful.

Walk for Change in Defiance, Ohio

Jerri — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 00:21:21 EDT

Three of us stepped out on a warm, sunny morning and knocked on doors for three hours in our small city. Some of our volunteers didn’t make it and we didn’t receive our box of materials, but we were determined. Using our own printers, we printed 100 copies of the fliers that were available online, as well as several copies of the issue pages. In the places where no one was home, we tucked a flier in the door.

Several folks were out mowing their lawns, and they often stopped and talked to us. Other folks listened politely and seemed open to learning more about Obama. We also encountered some who were clearly already excited about this campaign. As we walked up one driveway wearing our Obama gear, the homeowner grinned and said, “It’s time for a change!” Other folks talked to us at length about their hopes and concerns.

Blog for Change part 1

Scott Safranek — Mon, 11 Jun 2007 22:29:57 EDT

BlogForChange - Part I --

By James Hansen and Scott Safranek

During June 9th's Walk for Change, Scott Safranek and James Hansen canvassed a couple of blocks in Jefferson Park, CA.

Our first few doors didn’t amount to much. People weren't home and, even when we could hear movement and voices, they wouldn't come to the door. We caught a woman on her way out and were able to get a curt exchange with just enough time to leave our literature on her doorstep. Not much, but something.

It was just after noon when we reached the small one story duplex surrounded by a chain-link fence. Almost all the houses in this neighborhood had fences, and we knew we were imposing as we unclasped the gates. This fence had two gates, each with a path to a separate front door on a shared porch. The lawn was spotty but well kept. The paint was old but nowhere flaking.

We opened the first gate and approached. The large wooden door stood open, but an iron “screen” door, whose tiny holes gave a bit of ventilation, allowed us to see only passing shadows inside. We tried the doorbell with little faith.

“Who is it?” an African American male voice asked.

“Hi, I’m Scott Safranek. I’m a volunteer with Senator Obama’s campaign for President. Are you registered to vote?”

A shadow moved behind the door.

“I’m sorry, what did you say?”

The voice was now coming from directly behind the screen, but there was still no way to see who was speaking.

“I’m a volunteer for Barack Obama, sir. Are you registered to vote?”

“Of course I’m registered to vote.”

This would be a common theme in the neighborhood. Despite any talk of self-disenfranchised minorities, the area demonstrated little will to lay politically idle. Some of this can be attributed to the work of the area’s State Senator Mark Ridley-Thomas and his organization, AAVREP. His name would often bring knowing smiles to the faces we met.

“Is there anyone else in the house who might not be registered?”

“Nah. Only one person lives here, my sister. Who’d you folks say you were with? Barack O-bama?”

The “O” was emphasized, lending a cartoon quality to his tone, giving us hope that this conversation might be different. The screen door finally opened, and the man stood on his threshold. He was in his late thirties, wearing a black button down with short sleeves and a broad grey stripe across his chest. His pants were neatly pressed and on his face he wore a smile.

“Do you support the Senator’s campaign for President?”

“Well now, we got two good people running. It might be Hillary. It might be Barack. Both of them’d be a whole lot better than what we got. So yeah, I’d support Barack, but I also support Hillary.”

“So you’re undecided?”

“Yeah, I’m undecided. It’s still early. What are you guys doing out here this early anyway?”

“For the most part, we’re just trying to start some conversations, get people thinking about the campaign. Also get people registered.”

We told him about the Senator’s “Walk for Change,” and that we were volunteers. That fact seemed to surprise some people and that’s understandable. AAVREP pays its workers $5 for every voter they register. As the conversation went on, he moved from the doorway to take a seat on his porch.

“So what issue is going to decide this for you?”

“Whew, I guess I’d have to say jobs. We used to have railway jobs around here, but now it’s tough to find work. I don’t know what he can do about that, but we have to find a way to get some work here. That and the war.”

“You know that Obama was against this war from the beginning, right?”

“Course I know.”

“And at the same time Hillary was voting for it?”

“That’s true, too,” he nodded.

As we continued to talk we could see him warming up not only to us, but also to the idea of an Obama presidency. For all the worry we might have had about starting conversations, it was seeming that the difficulty might actually be in trying to leave. Our walk was just starting, and we had more houses to get to. We had him fill out a small card so that the campaign could be in touch with him, and then made our way over to the next door, again barred only by the thick black heavy iron screen.

We knocked and waited.

“Yeah, who’s there?” a thick voice came from behind the screen.

“Hi, I’m James Hansen, I’m a volunteer with Senator Barack Obama’s presidential campaign. Are you registered to vote?”

“Yes, I am.”

“Do you have a few minutes to talk with us about the upcoming campaign?”

A well-built black man who looked just a bit over 50 stepped out of his doorway and onto his porch, where he took a seat on the ledge.

“I sure do.”

“What issues are most important to you?”

“War,” he said matter-of-factly, but he was worried we had misunderstood him. “I don’t necessarily like the way it was managed, but when you got a man like that in charge of a country, you just can’t have that. We had to go in there and take him out.”

“So you don’t approve of the way Bush has handled the war?”

“Nooo,” he said sternly. “He’s got our forces stretched too thin. Sending those kids out there without the Humvees, without the body armor. You can’t do that. I was a soldier for a time, and we have to do a better job keeping up our military."

"How long did you serve?"

"1971-1982." He looked up at us and said, "Does Obama have an opinion on the draft?”

“He hasn't come out with a position, but he wants to increase the size of the armed forces by about 50,000 soldiers and 25,000 marines. He wants to pay them more too, cutting out defense spending to programs like Star Wars and all that. Not to mention better benefits after they serve."

"You heard about that army hospital over in DC? What's it called, Army Reed or something? Just terrible what they were doing to those veterans. Obama want to do anything about all that?"

"Walter Reed. And yeah, that's really the point of all this. Military spending is going through the roof and we don't have the soldiers to show for it. Places like Darfur and Afghanistan don't need F-22s, they need boots on the ground."

"Yeah, we gotta do something about that, but we need a draft to do it right."

"Maybe," we acknowledged, surprised to see this position in only our second conversation. You could see where he was coming from, but we also knew the draft is a non-starter on the Hill. There are few less-likely changes imaginable.

"What you guys doing involved with this stuff now anyway?"

"Obama just inspires us. He's an amazing person, and he's really just the kind of person we need to fix this country."

"Well, maybe to you folks he's just an amazing guy, but to me, it's one of those things that I'd like to see just once before I die. But I tell you, I'm just not sure it can happen. Hillary's got Bill behind her, and she's gonna do a fine job. But Obama, that would be something pretty special. I don't know."

The conversation wound down after that. We did our best to convince him that Obama was different, that Bradley's '82 campaign was a long time ago, that Obama has a real chance and is worth voting for. He seemed hopeful but not yet convinced.

“You already talk to that Republican over there?” He gestured towards the neighbor we had just spoken with.

"Yeah. We were just there. It was great talking with you. We're going to go try to hit some more houses, but thank you very much for your time."

We shook hands with him. He had a firm handshake and waved goodbye to us as we walked along his path and out the chain-link fence.

As we walked out, we noticed two kids, early twenties, sitting in a white SUV. We began to make our way to the next house when the Army fellow called out to us, pointing back at the two kids we had just passed by.

“They’re not at home, but we got a couple more Republicans right here.” The very mention of 'Republican' again sufficing for a joke.

We headed over to the truck on his recommendation. The two kids opened their doors a little awkwardly. We tried to kind of lean our way into the doors to carry on a conversation.

"Afternoon," we greeted.

"Hey there," said the white kid in the passenger seat. The black kid next to him nodded his head towards us.

"You guys registered to vote?"

"Yeah."

"That's great to hear."

"How do you guys feel about Bush?"

"We hate him."

It just got boring asking everyone if they were Democrats. It almost went without saying. I felt a little sheepish going for the easy victory, but it was a quick and easy way to build up a bit of rapport.

"What do you guys know about Barack Obama?"

"He's running for President," said the white guy.

“Anything else?”

“Not really.”

“Hey, we’re going up to have a few beers with that guy. You want to come up and talk over there?”

He gestured back at the porch of the first man we talked to. The black kid was mostly staying quiet.

“That sounds great.”

As we walked back to the porch we had just left, the soldier came out of his door too and pulled up a chair over to his friend’s side of the house. The two kids stood leaning against the porch pillars and the first man came out of his home with a few half-size bottles of Mickey’s. Inside, you could here the crisp bass of a smooth jazz album playing over what appeared to be a quality stereo.

“Our buddy here is putting in a new stereo for his sister,” the white kid said, gesturing.

“Tryin’ to,” said the soldier, leaning back against the wall a little.

“Did you guys vote in the last election?”

“Yeah,” they all said. The white kid continued — “We have a precinct a couple blocks north of here. Real close. We try to go to all of them.”

“It’s just crazy what Bush has done to our country,” said the budding stereo mechanic. “You go traveling, and they just don’t treat you the way they used to. It used to be they loved Americans; now it’s not so much. It’s Bush.”

The soldier leaned forward again. “Say, why don’t you let me have one of those voter registration cards. I moved a little while ago and I just want to make sure they’ve got me in the right place.” We took out a card and were excited for our first chance to register someone.

“In a lot of ways, you know, Barack is kind of the Anti-Bush. He is already looked at as a role model in Africa and around the world. Father from Kenya, mother from Kansas; you don’t think that’ll put a different face out there for the rest of the world to see?”

“It would, but all that foreign stuff, you gotta have experience."

"Do you?"

“Absolutely. You don't want someone up there learning on the job. With Hillary at least, you know she's been there."

"But would you say that she really has the experience? She was First Lady, sure, but..."

"Hillary doesn’t need experience. She’s got Bill.”

“It’s still going to be her call though. In the end, it’s not going to be Bill making these decisions, it's going to be Hillary. And I don't mean to say that Hillary can't do a good job. She's up to the task, she'd make a good President. But we don't have to settle for adequate. We can get the right person for our moment in history. You put Barack Obama in the White House and we can change this country."

We can’t say for sure that we convinced any of these people, but we could see in their eyes the faint beginnings of belief taking hold, that 1982 was 25 years ago, that there is power in hope, and that few obstacles can withstand the power of millions of voices calling for change. We know that Barack Obama should be our next President and, if these beliefs continue to spread, he will be.

LA Walk For Change - Part I

James Hansen — Mon, 11 Jun 2007 22:29:50 EDT

BlogForChange - Part I --

By James Hansen and Scott Safranek

During June 9th's Walk for Change, Scott Safranek and James Hansen canvassed a couple of blocks in Jefferson Park, CA.

Our first few doors didn’t amount to much. They weren't home and, even when we could hear movement and voices, they wouldn't come to the door. We caught a woman on her way out and were able to get a curt exchange with just enough time to leave our literature on her doorstep. Not much, but something.

“Who is it?” The voice of an African American male asked.

“Hi, I’m Scott Safranek. I’m a volunteer with Senator Obama’s campaign for President. Are you registered to vote?”

A shadow moved behind the door.

“I’m sorry, what did you say?”

The voice was now coming from directly behind the screen, but there was still no way to see who was speaking.

“I’m a volunteer for Barack Obama, sir. Are you registered to vote?”

“Of course I’m registered to vote.”

This would be a common theme in the neighborhood. Despite any talk of self-disenfranchised minorities, the area demonstrated little will to lay politically idle. Some of this can be attributed to the work of the area’s State Senator Mark Ridley-Thomas and his organization, AAVREP. Many of the people we spoke with had been registered by his roving gangs and his name would often bring knowing smiles to the faces we met.

“Is there anyone else in the house who might not be registered?”

“Nah. Only one person lives here, my sister. Who’d you folks say you were with? Barack O-bama?”

“Do you support the Senator’s campaign for President?”

“So you’re undecided?”

“Yeah, I’m undecided. It’s still early. What are you guys doing out here this early anyway?”

“For the most part, we’re just trying to start some conversations, get people thinking about the campaign. Also get people registered.”

“So what issue is going to decide this for you?”

“You know that Obama was against this war from the beginning, right?”

“Course I know.”

“And at the same time Hillary was voting for it?”

“That’s true, too,” he nodded.

We knocked and waited.

“Yeah, who’s there?” a thick voice came from behind the screen.

“Hi, I’m James Hansen, I’m a volunteer with Senator Barack Obama’s presidential campaign. Are you registered to vote?”

“Yes, I am.”

“Do you have a few minutes to talk with us about the upcoming campaign?”

A well-built black man who looked just a bit over 50 stepped out of his doorway and onto his porch, where he took a seat on the ledge.

“I sure do.”

“What issues are most important to you?”

“So you don’t approve of the way Bush has handled the war?”

"How long did you serve?"

"1971-1982." He looked up at us and said, "Does Obama have an opinion on the draft?”

"You heard about that army hospital over in DC? What's it called, Army Reed or something? Just terrible what they were doing to those veterans. Obama want to do anything about all that?"

"Yeah, we gotta do something about that, but we need a draft to do it right."

"Maybe," we acknowledged, surprised to see this position in only our second conversation. You could see where he was coming from, but we also knew the draft is a non-starter on the hill. There are few less-likely changes imaginable.

"What you guys doing involved with this stuff now anyway?"

"Obama just inspires us. He's an amazing person, and he's really just the kind of person we need to fix this country."

“You already talk to that Republican over there?” He gestured towards the neighbor we had just spoken with.

"Yeah. We were just there. It was great talking with you. We're going to go try to hit some more houses, but thank you very much for your time."

We shook hands with him. He had a firm handshake and waved goodbye to us as we walked along his path and out the chain-link fence.

“They’re not at home, but we got a couple more Republicans right here.” The very mention of 'Republican' again sufficing for a joke.

We headed over to the truck on his recommendation. The two kids opened their doors a little awkwardly. We tried to kind of lean our way into the doors to carry on a conversation.

"Afternoon," we greeted.

"Hey there," said the white kid in the passenger seat. The black kid next to him nodded his head towards us.

"You guys registered to vote?"

"Yeah."

"That's great to hear."

"How do you guys feel about Bush?"

"We hate him."

"What do you guys know about Barack Obama?"

"He's running for President," said the white guy.

“Anything else?”

“Not really.”

“Hey, we’re going up to have a few beers with that guy. You want to come up and talk over there?”

He gestured back at the porch of the first man we talked to. The black kid was mostly staying quiet.

“That sounds great.”

“Our buddy here is putting in a new stereo for his sister,” the white kid said, gesturing.

“Tryin’ to,” said the soldier, leaning back against the wall a little.

“Did you guys vote in the last election?”

“Yeah,” they all said. The white kid continued — “We have a precinct a couple blocks north of here. Real close. We try to go to all of them.”

“It would, but all that foreign stuff, you gotta have experience."

"Do you?"

“Absolutely. You don't want someone up there learning on the job. With Hillary at least, you know she's been there."

"But would you say that she really has the experience? She was First Lady, sure, but..."

"Hillary doesn’t need experience. She’s got Bill.”

A historic day across Iowa

Nick Kimball — Mon, 11 Jun 2007 21:57:02 EDT

On Saturday, June 9, Barack Obama supporters fanned out across Iowa to spread Barack’s message of hope, change and unity across this great state. All told, more than 1,500 volunteers knocked on thousands of doors and had many conversations as part of 38 Iowa Walks for Change.

Never before has Iowa seen such a massive, well-organized effort to reach Iowans at their doorsteps this early in a campaign. This effort was replicated across the country. It was truly a historic weekend.

Here in Iowa, we were lucky enough to have Barack in Dubuque to kick off the canvass – and even to hit the streets himself.

He started the day at Lincoln Elementary School on Nevada Street, where he spoke from the bed of a pickup to folks who were set to head out canvassing in Dubuque.

Before the event got started, some Dubuque supporters – including two who attended Lincoln Elementary as kids – fired up the grill across the street and played some bags to get in the festive mood.

From left to right: Jason Tuthill, Chad Burkart, Levi Sweeney, Sara Schumacher, Nick "the Wags" Wagner and Marty Stoffel. Jason and "the Wags" actually went to Lincoln Elementary and all of them live in Dubuque.

(Side note: If any of you read this, please email me your names so I can give you a shout out. I lost the flier you wrote them on!)

Barack got there a little early so we got started ahead of schedule. Dubuque Mayor Roy Buol introduced Barack and then he hopped up on the truck – of course he worked the ropeline first.

Barack kept his remarks short because he wanted to get down to the business of the day – hitting the streets. He talked about how important it is to bring his messages – especially changing the health care system to bring universal health care coverage to every American – directly to potential caucus-goers. That’s why he was out there pounding on doors.

As he wrapped up his remarks, Barack introduced Nick Meyer, who is our organizer in Dubuque.

Then it was time to hit the doors. Barack worked the ropeline a bit more, grabbed his turf and headed out to doorknock.

I’ll have a post up in a little bit that highlights Barack’s canvassing and also points you to a number of other posts from folks around the state with reports on how their Walks for Change went.

Stay tuned...

In the meantime, check out all the pictures from the Iowa Walk for Change on our Flickr page!

***Update***

Sara Schumacher, the only female in the BBQ group picture above, just shot me an email with each of their names. See above. Thanks, Sara!

Every avalanche begins with a snowflake

Tavis Hall — Mon, 11 Jun 2007 21:10:18 EDT

Every avalanche begins with a snowflake, every garden begins with seeds and every movement begins with a handful of folks who want change. This past weekend, the Obama for America campaign has shown just how hungry for change Iowans and people across America really are.

I have worked in local Iowa politics since 2000 in one way or another, and never have I seen the type of excitement surrounding one candidate this early, as I have seen with the Obama for America campaign.

In 2006, during our first volunteer driven canvass program, we had less than 10 volunteers show up in Waterloo. It is truly remarkable that less than one year later over 100 canvassers knocked the doors of their family, friends and neighbors in the Cedar Valley.

It is a testament to Barack’s ability to turn the excitement into tangible results.

Most of our volunteers were from the Cedar Valley area but we also had some of Barack’s supporters from the Chicago area helping us out. They were led by Barack’s good friend U.S. Rep. Danny Davis.

Rep. Davis gave a riveting speech before our canvassers began their decent into our great community, reminding us all why we are supporting Barack Obama for President of the United States of America.

The important thing to remember is that an avalanche can not begin with a few snowflakes. Those snowflakes have to be accompanied by more snowflakes on top of more snowflakes until a swelling of snow begins to overflow, sparking an eruption of snow that builds upon itself down a hill.

The same must be said for this movement. A hundred or so volunteers is a great start, but we need more to keep the pressure on and the momentum going, until we can spark an eruption of change.

This campaign is built around the idea that the American people are ready for a change – they’re ready to end the war in Iraq, for universal health care and they’re ready for an improved education system for our children – and Barack Obama is the face of that change.

"Aloha" from Polk County's Walk for Change

Sam Liebert — Mon, 11 Jun 2007 18:38:44 EDT

This weekend’s ‘Walk for Change’ was amazing! People began filing into the Des Moines field office at 11:00am, and excitement was in the air. Supporters from all across Polk County were meeting and talking to each other before we started, and began conversations that spanned from the inner city to the suburbs.

At noon, Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller spoke to the volunteers about the importance of this race.

He said that in his 30 years of electoral experience, he has never been so inspired or excited about a candidate as he is by Barack Obama.

After he spoke, we broke into separate staging areas where Field Organizers showed volunteers how to conduct a successful canvass.

After the training, former Des Moines city manager Richard Wilkey introduced Representative Neil Abercrombie from Hawaii, who opened with an "Aloha."

Rep. Abercrombie attended the University of Hawaii with Sen. Obama's father, and told the crowd that Barack's values will help unite our country. He said, "Barack was born into a world where diversity defines us, rather than divides us." And he noted that the Hawaiian word "ohana," which means "family," describes the movement that Barack Obama has started in America.

Grassroots canvassing is where it all starts, and we joined together in "ohana" to pound the pavement for change.

After Rep. Abercrombie's inspiring speech, we drove to our respective neighborhoods and communities.

With over 100 canvassers county-wide, we talked with our neighbors, family and friends about Senator Obama, and his vision to end the Iraq War, provide universal health care coverage, and make sure our children have the education they need to compete in the global economy.

The day was incredible. Due to the hard work and effort at the grassroots level, we talked with thousands of people across Polk County, and across the nation.

I think that's what this campaign is truly about - bringing people together around common goals, and letting them know that hope is just over the horizon, and that we as the "United States" can achieve anything when we are united, and not divided.

Obama: One Step Closer

Jawed Yusufi — Mon, 11 Jun 2007 17:49:50 EDT

On a beautiful Saturday afternoon, 32 volunteers gathered to spread the word about Barack Obama in Council Bluffs.

These volunteers gathered for one goal: to change our country by helping Barack get to the White House.

Volunteers arrived at the Council Bluffs office. Excitement and optimism spread from volunteer to volunteer with everyone knowing their mission and what today's activities would do for the campaign.

Most of our volunteers were from the Council Bluffs area, but two particular volunteers were not. Claudine and Olivia B. made the three hour trek from Lawrence, Kansas, to participate in the walk.

To watch Olivia's video, please click here

Olivia, an eight year old student, gave a speech at the Kansas City kickoff in front of over 2,000 people that gathered to see Barack. She told me that she was scared to go up there at first and towards the end she almost forgot to finish her speech. She said she was very happy when Barack thanked her for the speech.

Hearing something like this is just awesome - to have an eight-year-old joining the cause is great but to speak in front of a large crowd at that young of an age, now that's gutsy. Thanks, Olivia!

Following the walk, everyone gathered back to enjoy a wonderful BBQ. Our chef, Ken D., put together a great meal that included hot dogs and hamburgers for the crowd.

What stood out during the BBQ was everyone's enthusiasm and hope for the future. Everyone wanted Barack to succeed and to finally change the landscape in America.

All in all, it was a great event that brought together Barack supporters to accomplish one goal: Obama in '08!

Manchester Walk for Change: An Inside Look

Michael Negron — Mon, 11 Jun 2007 17:44:22 EDT

This weekend's Walk for Change demonstrated the very real power of ordinary Americans to join together and take action to accomplish extraordinary things. People from all walks of life ventured out on Saturday morning to knock on doors and talk to neighbors about Barack's vision for the country.

More than 10,000 people participated in over 1,000 events in all 50 states. This remarkable grass-roots enthusiasm – people taking to the streets in both in the scorching heat and in the pouring rain – is a sign of Barack’s appeal as a unifying leader at a time when all we see in Washington is division.

The Chicago Tribune brought their cameras to our Manchester headquarters this past Saturday during Walk for Change. The Tribune got some great footage of:

Manchester Regional Field Director Jack Shapiro training our volunteer canvassers as they prepared to head out in the heavy rain;
Obama Field Organizer Ali Zaidi explaining what motivated him to jump onto the campaign; and
One of our fearless canvassers explaining her commitment to Barack and her and her husband’s thoughtful approach to canvassing.

Check it out:

Change in the Cedar Rapids air

Jaime Mulligan — Mon, 11 Jun 2007 16:57:15 EDT

History is made by those who show up, and this weekend a whole lot of people did just that in Cedar Rapids. Headquarters in Linn County buzzed with energy as dozens and dozens of Obama supporters gathered to pound the pavement.

Former state Senator Steve Sovern and Barack's good friend from Illinois state Senator John Cullerton kicked off the day. Then with all the other volunteers, they headed off to their assigned areas. Here's Senator Cullerton, his wife Pam, and Barack supporter Mickey D. getting ready to go visit some people.

([From left] Pam Cullerton, Senator John Cullerton, Mickey D.)

Knocking on doors is a critical and necessary part of building any movement and is one of the only real ways to have a chance to listen to the concerns of your neighbors. But it takes a few necessities to do it right:

And when it's over it isn't really over - you have to tally your data and enter it in the computer:

All the hard work surely explains why, at the end of the day, we often found volunteers trying to catch a few moments of much-earned downtime.

But really, there's nothing like coming together to dedicate a few hours to something you believe in, as you can see from the smiles on the faces of these volunteers at the potluck in Noelridge Park that immediately followed the canvassing effort:

Volunteers relayed their greatest hits from the day during the potluck, many of which spoke volumes about what's happening all across the country and here in Iowa when people learn about Barack. Theodore F. discussed one supporter who he met: "He told me he was for Barack because Barack's not a politician; he's a public servant." When was the last time any of us felt that way about one of our candidates?

For more pictures of the Walk activities in Cedar Rapids, click here. To find out more about Barack or volunteer with the campaign, get in touch with our office in Linn County:

1420 1st Avenue NE, Room 105
Cedar Rapids, IA 52402
319.366.0475

Salt Lake City Walked for Change

Misty F — Mon, 11 Jun 2007 16:14:27 EDT

Our Walk for Change didn't just make the news here, here, here and here. We also got shown a little love from Campaign Headquarters. Check out the latest official blog.

Thanks so much to each of you for the support that has been given. Even those of you that didn't make it Saturday have still helped in other ways that made this possible. Helping with previous events, coming to meetings, even blog posting. All of your efforts led to the incredible success that we had.

Walking Change, Talking Change

Seth — Mon, 11 Jun 2007 15:53:12 EDT

It was inspiring.

On Saturday in Burlington, an army of volunteers empowered by Barack Obama's message of hope proved that change is not only possible, but that it is happening in Iowa.

Rep. Jan Schakowsky, a good friend of Barack's from the Chicago area, kicked off the day's events addressing the throngs of people that came from all over to take part in the extraordinary movement for change.

The topic of the day was health care and the message was clear: the time for universal coverage is now, and the person to make it happen is Senator Obama. Check out his health care plan by clicking here.

Rep. Schakowsky met with supporters at our recently opened Burlington field office and later at the home of committed volunteer Nancy Schulte, where the local chapter of Women for Obama met to organize their efforts on behalf of Senator Obama.

In between the gatherings, Rep. Schakowsky and the volunteers took part in the local canvassing effort, hitting the pavement and knocking on doors to deliver Barack's message of hope and change. Joining her in the effort were committed local folks who fanned out across the community engaging residents about Barack's health care plan.

United by a common dream and energized by the one man with the ability to turn that dream into something real, we showed over the weekend the solidarity of our movement and the power of Barack's message.

All in all it was a wonderful day.

You Walked for Change and America Took Note

Gray Brooks — Mon, 11 Jun 2007 15:22:55 EDT

Saturday was an amazing success. 10,000 Barack supporters fanned out in every state in the country and America watched your doorknocking in action. Be sure to check out coverage by KSL in Salt Lake City, especially the video from the nightly news (good job, Utah!). WIS TV in Columbia, South Carolina ran a great piece.

One of my favorite titles was from the Des Moines Register: Obama chooses shoe leather over TV ads.

Sacramento, California put up a great video of the all they did on Saturday -

Keep watching to see more coverage from Saturday soon.

Update: I know I already listed several great articles, but definitely check out the Denver Post's "Obama Moms" Cradle Campaign.

Sioux City Walk for Change

Adam Elkington — Mon, 11 Jun 2007 15:11:40 EDT

On Saturday, we had many volunteers gather at our Sioux City office. After everyone split up and had been trained in their respective training rooms (Hope, Action, Change, and Obama) we were ready to canvass Sioux City on a wonderful summer day.

At 80 degrees and a slight breeze we could not have asked for a better afternoon to hit the turf!

After grabbing an Obama cupcake (graciously made and donated by Taylor, daughter of super-volunteer Corey Munson) and literature, the canvass crew was ready to go out and spread the word about Barack's message of hope and his health care plan all over Sioux City.

The diverse group of volunteers spoke volumes to the broad appeal that Barack's message has in Sioux City. With doctors, BarackStars, farmers, college students and moms, we were armed to be a part of this great nationwide movement. Everyone here knew that this canvass was something special, there was a sense of excitement in the air as the volunteers began loading into their cars.

One of those volunteers was Brandy P.

Brandy desperately wanted to help but couldn't find a babysitter. So she just brought her 2-year-old son Guy along for the adventure! This is a great example of commitment to the cause! Brandy pushed Guy's stroller down broken sidewalks, roads and paths to knock the doors of potential supporters.

Throughout the day Brandy fulfilled her roles of both mother and volunteer as few could. Walking down streets she was simultaneously looking for the next house and also acting as mother to an excited Guy.

After 1,100 doors, 100 bottles of water, 50 cupcakes and many new supporters, everyone had exhausted themselves walking up and down the hills of Sioux City. They spread the message of hope to hundreds of Iowa caucus goers and every single volunteer knew that this was just the beginning. It was the start of a movement for real change, a movement to get America back on track.

Every volunteer had their reasons for being a part of the “Walk for Change” but to Brandy it was about creating a better America for Guy to grow up in, an America he can be proud to call home.

Talking Neighbor-to-Neighbor in Mason City

Annick Febrey — Mon, 11 Jun 2007 14:51:34 EDT

The skies were clear in Mason City on Saturday for Senator Obama's first national canvass, the “Walk for Change.” Many volunteers helped out in this unprecedented effort to promote the Barack’s new comprehensive health care plan, which will reduce costs by about $2,500 for the average family and provide universal coverage to every American.

Eager volunteers from 18 to 65 years old arrived at the office this morning with one common goal: connecting with fellow Iowans to unite for change.

KIMT News came and spoke with volunteers to find out what would make them give upa beautiful Saturday afternoon. One person talked about how important it is for community members to reach out and inform one another of the issues and, more specifically, about Senator Obama's campaign to change America for the better.

Volunteers returned to the office a bit sunburned, but reported that residents were both grateful and receptive to hearing firsthand about Barack’s health care plan. Together, we knocked on many doors and spoke to nearly 150 residents in Mason City about advancing the change this country so desperately needs.

Walk For Change a success in Indianola

Jeff Philips — Mon, 11 Jun 2007 12:31:31 EDT

Saturday was a great day to be outside talking to Iowans about Barack Obama. The weather was perfect and a lot of people in Indianola were outside in their yards enjoying the weekend.

A group of volunteers and I met at Vic Westerly’s house and shared our stories about why we’d been inspired to support Barack. We had a few high school students from Waukee and a few Simpson College students and recent grads, along with two teachers.

Vic is a middle-school English teacher and she canvassed with her friend and just-retired fellow teacher Peg Mikulanec. The two of them spoke about education and Barack's work on this issue and the need to revamp No Child Left Behind.

During her canvassing, Vic convinced a Republican to consider caucusing for Barack. She used her knowledge of the education system and emphasized all the issues where he and Barack agreed. It’s incredible to hear the same themes Barack emphasizes – there are more issues where we agree than disagree, we are all one people – coming from the volunteers.

The big focus of the day was health care. Before starting out on our canvass, the volunteers and I talked about how Obama’s plan will lower costs, allow more people to seek preventive care and expand coverage for everyone. One person I met while canvassing was a nurse. The thing that so impressed her about Barack was how honest and consistent he is – especially on the issue of improving access to affordable, quality health care.

At the end of the day, State Representative Mark Davitt joined us for lemonade on Vic’s front porch to thank the volunteers for all their hard work.

All in all a great day in Indianola. With the help of so many volunteers working very hard, we met many new supporters in the area and helped spread Barack’s movement for change.

Walking in the "Kingdom of Callaway"

BillinMidMO — Sun, 10 Jun 2007 22:21:56 EDT

Three people walked for change in Fulton on Saturday...a town that could really use some of Barack's change. We knocked on 129 doors and had some great interactions with folks.

That evening happened to be the Callaway County Democrats fund raising hog roast where I had an opportunity to speak to the crowd and inform them of just how well received Obama was in Fulton.

Looking forward to the next walk and to organizing a Callaway County Obama group.

Austin Barack-ed It on June 9th

I'm not Political, I'm GRASSROOTS! — Sun, 10 Jun 2007 19:48:44 EDT

I am happy to report that support for Senator Obama is as big as Texas. Obama Mama of Lakeway fashioned a group of Obama supporters to spread the word here in Austin, Texas. Being from Texas, you really don't know what to expect from our neighbors. The conversations were engaging, the volunteerism, inspiring. I had many memories from our walk that were so special, one of which was the story of Tyler K. He signed up for my walk just about as soon as I posted it. He would email me on a regular basis. I was concerned, however because he told me he was only 13 yrs. old, and he was totally into supporting Senator Obama, his exact words were he's "kick ass". Anyway, we started having members showing up before the walk, and low and behold, the cutest lttle kid introduces his mother to me and then revealed that he was Tyler. I couldn't believe how excited and motivated a 13 year old could be over politics and the "process". It turns out that not only did he walk and generated much interest from the public, but his little fingers must have been rubbed raw by the amount of brochures he passed out that day. It was one of the coolest things I had ever witnessed. Tyler is now emailing me again to see if we can charter a bus to go to the San Antonio meeting with Senator Obama. Vigilant, I tell you! He's the future! Hip, hip hooray!

Stephanie aka Obama Mama, Austin TX

Walk for Change

Nick Kimball — Sun, 10 Jun 2007 19:25:05 EDT

Wow. What an incredibly inspiring weekend. Throughout Iowa, we had more than 1,500 volunteers knocking on doors as part of 38 different canvasses for our Walk for Change. Nationwide we had more than 10,000 volunteers in all 50 states!

And we were lucky enough to have Barack kickoff the canvass here in Iowa. Check him out at Lincoln Elementary School in Dubuque.

This is just a little taste of what's to come. We'll have many more images and stories from all over the state tomorrow. But in the meantime, check out a cool video that shows Barack hitting the doors in Dubuque after the kickoff event.

Walk for Change Video -- Sacramento

Paul Kekai Manansala — Sun, 10 Jun 2007 10:57:29 EDT

Here's a video of the walk in the capital of California:

Sacramento Walk for Change

Walkin' in Charleston

Sam Graham-Felsen — Sat, 09 Jun 2007 21:06:29 EDT

A remarkable day. Thousands of people from all fifty states participating. Thousands of streets walked. Thousands of doors knocked. Thousands of conversations. A day that, without doubt, not only made a difference for this campaign, but made a difference in real communities across this country. Here's the story of one Walk for Change.

Dozens of supporters showed up at Harmon Field in Charleston this morning in the unforgiving South Carolina summer heat. Hot, sweaty, and fired up for change, they broke up into neighborhood teams, met with their group organizers, and went over their canvassing guidelines. Charleston's regional field director Kevin pumped up the crowd.

As the groups began to disperse, I decided to tag along with a passionate volunteer headed for the neighborhood of North Charleston. Reverend Scipio told that he was walking because he believes Barack will provide much-needed health care coverage for the people in his community.

Reverend Scipio was a tireless canvasser. When people didn't respond, he made sure to leave literature. When people told him they didn't want to talk, undeterred yet respectfully, he'd say "Well, ok, that's fine, I understand. Would you mind taking this literature to learn a little bit more about the Senator?"

Nearly everyone who was home, though, showed genuine interest in hearing about Barack. Several pledged to support him and many said they were leaning towards supporting him. Only one person responded with an unequivocal "Not interested!" when the Reverend approached him. As we began to walk away, though, his teenage son poked his head out of the door and said, "Hey you guys are with Obama? Can I see that? I'm interested."

The canvass was very successful. But throughout the day, it became clear that there was something else happening-- something much bigger than merely checking off names and drumming up support for Barack. People were talking about the collective challenges facing their communities. People were sharing common hopes for change in 2008. People were connecting. And in Reverend Scipio's case, reconnecting.

The very last door Reverend Scipio knocked on brought a surprise-- the man who answered was a classmate from North Charleston High School, Class of 1969. The two hadn't seen each other in nearly four decades. After catching up, the gentleman introduced Reverend Scipio to his son-- and the Reverend, ever the canvasser, made sure to sign up the young man to register to vote. Both father and son enthusiastically agreed to support Barack and spread the word in their community.

This is one of many remarkable stories from a singularly remarkable day. We know there are tons more, and we want to hear them. Please share your stories with us in the comments section below, or better yet, in your own my.BarackObama.com blog. And if you've got video or photos, upload them here.

Thanks again to all of you who participated. You made history. We won't forget it, and neither will you.

"I'm here for her..."

Michael Negron — Sat, 09 Jun 2007 15:15:30 EDT

Today, Bill Gehling of Londonderry, NH, volunteered for a political campaign for the first time in his life.

His inspiration? His 18-year-old daughter Katy's commitment to Barack, her hard work as a volunteer and Bill's concern for her future.

Bill is a husband, the father of three kids ages 24, 22 and 18, and the Athletic Director at Tufts University. Barack inspires his youngest – 18-year-old Katy – who volunteers for the campaign every week in our regional office in Nashua. She has made herself indispensable with her dedication and enthusiasm. We love you Katy!

It turns out Bill and Katy are exceptional canvassers, moving through their route with efficiency and warmly engaging everyone who answers the door. I stole a few moments of conversation during our puddle-dodging walks between houses. Either member of this dynamic father-daughter tag team would punctuate the end of our chats; Bill with a "let's go kid" or Katy's "next house is up!"

Laboring to keep my camera dry in the heavy rain, I walked and listened as Bill and Katy shared with me why Barack moves them to ignore the soaking rain and share his vision for the country with their neighbors.

It's not any one particular issue for either Katy or her Dad.

"You can have a plan for every problem," Katy explained, "but without the ability to lead and bring people together, it won't matter."

Bill concurred:

Barack is the first person I've seen in a long time to demonstrate the ability to rise above the self-destructive back-and-forth of modern politics. He is much more concerned with accomplishing things than with 'winning' a public argument. I think this is the definition of leadership.

Father and daugher went house-to-house, getting drenched as they huddled under their big-but-not-big-enough umbrella. They shared their enthusiasm about Barack, handed out shiny literature and copied down information.

Bill and Katy had a great day today, enthused by the knowledge that their efforts will help move the country towards a better future. Their greatest success so far, however, has been convincing Katy's Republican grandfather to support Barack.

Their story – a daughter's hope and hard work leading her father to take action for change – is a revealing illustration of what this campaign is about.

We had a great Walk for Change in South Beach today!

Dave Patlak — Sat, 09 Jun 2007 13:54:52 EDT

We had a great Walk for Change in South Beach today! Thanks to all those who walked, especially our two Physicians for Obama, Jeff and Bill. We knocked on 132 doors, contacted 43 people, got 8 supporter cards, 4 volunteer cards and 1 contribution for Obama.

For those who walked and those who could not make it, please come this afternoon, June 9th, to the 4pm Obama Supporters Party in the Westin Diplomat Resort at 3555 Icean Blvd. (A1A) in Hollywood just north of Hallandale Beach Blvd.

LET'S CELEBRATE A GREAT WALK FOR CHANGE AND A GREAT CANDIDATE, SENATOR BARRACK OBAMA!

Ready to Roll in Charleston, SC

Sam Graham-Felsen — Sat, 09 Jun 2007 10:05:08 EDT

Last time I live-blogged from a canvass, it was cold and rainy in New Hampshire, but that didn't keep hundreds of dedicated volunteers from hitting the pavement.

Today, I'm in South Carolina where the sun is beating down and the humidity is at 73%. Yet, despite the scorching South Carolina summer heat, dozens are showing up to Walk for Change here at Harmon Field in Charleston.

These dedicated volunteer organizers are making sure everyone's got their routes sorted out.

Here's the North Charleston contingent getting ready to hit the streets.

Reminder to everyone walking today: drink water! Even if you're not down here in South Carolina, make sure you stay hydrated-- this is hard work.

Thanks again to all the Walkers!

Get to steppin’

Marc R. Peters — Sat, 09 Jun 2007 00:37:50 EDT

I’m hungry for change. I am. And I know that many of you are too. That is why I hope that you all plan on participating in the Obama for America Walk for Change.

Right now, Barack Obama is doing something greater than running for president. He is running a campaign to change the way we practice politics in our country. He is running a campaign to change the healthcare system in our country. He is running a campaign to change the way we educate the children in our country. He is running for president to change our country. What we need to realize is that it is OUR country and he cannot change it alone. So lace up your sneakers, put on your walking boots, or your blue suede shoes and get to steppin’ tomorrow to spread Barack Obama’s message of change.

Yesterday, Senator Obama spoke to canvass leaders from all over the nation. If you want to hear what advice he had for the walk and what he had to say about his own roots in community organizing you can listen here: Conference Call

Putting on the Marching Shoes

Sam Graham-Felsen — Fri, 08 Jun 2007 16:59:03 EDT

Tomorrow, it happens.

Thousands of grassroots volunteers, taking time out of their busy weekends to make a difference and help change the direction of this country.

This is truly an historic event. This kind of thing-- thousands of people from all fifty states knocking on doors this early on in a campaign-- doesn't happen every day. It's happening because Barack has tapped into something profound-- a profound dissatisfaction with the status quo, a profound hunger for change, a profound belief in our collective ability to bring about change.

Together, we are restoring and revitalizing the American community-- something that has languished in the era of slash and divide politics, but which has not been lost. People are coming together again, knocking on doors, meeting with their neighbors, sharing their stories, having conversations.

People like Brandon Z. of East Anchorage, Alaska, who I spoke with this afternoon. "I'm real excited for tomorrow," he says. "People up here genuinely care about what's going on in the world and are willing to exchange ideas rather than just argue. People are ready to have a conversation."

Many of you who will walk tomorrow are getting involved in politics for the first time in your lives. Others, like Melissa K. of Helena, Montana, are coming back to politics for the first time in decades. Melissa grew up in a political family-- her parents used to take her to the Democratic National Convention every four years-- but she became disenchanted with poll-driven politicians and stopped actively participating in the Democratic process. On Saturday, she is Walking for Change.

"I've been rather disinterested in politics for several decades because of the character issues that a lot of candidates have," she told me, "but Senator Obama has such a depth of character and I just get the sense that he doesn't make decisions based on what polls are saying, but through his conscience. That's why I'm walking."

Everyone who is taking part in tomorrow's events has a story-- a personal calling and motivation for getting involved in something bigger than themselves. That's what's so remarkable about this campaign. For nearly everyone involved, it's deeply personal.

This is no ordinary political campaign. It's something much bigger-- a movement.

Thanks to all of you who are taking part tomorrow. This is just the beginning.

Getting Ready to Walk for Change

T. Neil Sroka — Fri, 08 Jun 2007 15:55:59 EDT

Almost all the staff here in the South Carolina headquarters (sans yours truly, thanks to a nasty little headcold) worked into the wee hours of the morning assembling the maps and packets for tomorrow's Walk for Change throughout the state. While it made for an extra long day, everyone is really looking forward to going out and knocking on doors with the 300 other sandlappers who've signed up to introduce Barack to their neighborhood.

Haven't signed up to join a walk in your neck of the woods? Find a Walk for Change near you. Can't make it this weekend, but want to get involved in the future? Don't worry, just let us know and fill out a volunteer form.

In the mean time, check out some of the pictures of our staff in action late last night.

Maps and lists are everywhere. They're taking over our office!

One of our fearless, Camp-Obama-trained interns, Bryant, puts together packets on the office floor.

His desk slowly filling up with paper, South Carolina Field Director Jeremy Bird works on "cutting" more maps for Saturday's walk.

South Carolina's Voter File Director and all around Data Guru Kyle Cox works to make sure that walk maps and lists match up. Despite the late hour, you can tell team Obama is still going strong!

Deputy Field Director Monique Perry does the hard work of putting all the maps, lists, handouts, signs, etc. into packets.

Special Thanks to Jennifer Scarbrough for her late night picture taking!

Did you receive your box?

Sam Graham-Felsen — Thu, 07 Jun 2007 21:15:12 EDT

The last of the Walk for Change boxes went out this week. Did you receive yours? Open it up, check out the goods, and let us know what you think in the comments section of this post.

Share your thoughts as one of the largest grassroots efforts ever at this point of a campaign kicks off.

Barack Talks to Walk for Change Organizers

Sam Graham-Felsen — Thu, 07 Jun 2007 18:37:10 EDT

Earlier today, Barack spoke on a conference call to over 400 Walk for Change organizers
from across the country. Barack thanked the supporters for their hard work, and told them that "change in this county always comes from the bottom up."

He continued:

While you're out this weekend, you may encounter some bad weather, some rain. Some may be in areas where there is not much knowledge about myself or my candidacy. Folks may not believe in the Democratic Party. They may be cynical and discouraged. But, when good people with strong convictions stand up for their beliefs, few obstacles can stand in way.

To read an account of the call from one of the Walk for Change organizers, check out Salt Lake City organizer Misty Fowler's diary at Daily Kos.

Boxes Arrive in 'Bama

Sam Graham-Felsen — Thu, 07 Jun 2007 18:08:22 EDT

People all across the country are receiving their Walk for Change boxes. Today, I caught up with a few supporters who just opened up their boxes and are getting organized to take part in one of the largest grassroots mobilizations at this stage in political campaign history.

One of the supporters I spoke to was Charmaine S. of Montgomery, Alabama.

"I turned 60 years old in April, and in my entire life," says Charmaine, "I have never been involved in a campaign before, never been excited about a candidate."

Charmaine grew up in the segregated South and attended an all-white high school, and became actively involved in the Civil Rights movement in college. She attended the marches in Selma, Alabama, and months ago, watched Barack commemorate those marches in Selma.

This Saturday, Charmaine is leading a diverse group of at least fifteen people to canvass in Montgomery. She feels that the work she's doing on this campaign is bringing her back full circle to her earlier grassroots activism. "I was very much an activist in the 60's," she says, "and at age 60, I'm getting that feeling back. I have that same energy and enthusiasm for change."

Conference Call with Barack

Misty F — Thu, 07 Jun 2007 17:41:57 EDT

I just got off the phone from a conference call with Senator Obama. I was invited, along with several other members of Utah for Obama, and leaders of groups from other States, to participate in a conference call with the Senator. It was a very uplifting experience, and I'm glad I was able to be a part of it.

At the beginning of the call, campaign staff let us know that this weekend's Walk for Change is being held in all 50 states. There are over 150 canvasses taking place, and over 10,000 people have signed up to walk.

Barack came on the line and spoke about how this is the largest event of it's kind this early in a campaign in history. We have an incredible opportunity this weekend to be part of that history.

We also got an honorable mention from Barack. He was speaking of how many people were signed up, and he said that even in unexpected areas like Salt Lake City, we have over 50 people signed up, and then said he wanted to give a shout out to us. I was very pleased by this, because the Senator gave us a big honor with this mention. He did not mention other areas in this way during the call. Personally, this gives me just a little more hope that he will be visiting Utah before the primaries!

Below are the notes I took from the rest of what he said. This isn't a transcript, it's just the best notes I could take while listening.

Need Your Backside in Glenside on Saturday

Inkspiration — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 17:29:01 EDT

Ouch. Ok, that was a bit of a reach on the creative Post Title. Just trying to get your attention. Sheldon Motley (Go Shel!) has been sending regular messages and postings to groups asking, no PLEADING, for warm bodies to show up at the Glenside train station on Saturday to participate in one large Walk for Change event that is endorsed and supported by the PA campaign people.
Now, I'd be the last person to tell you to abandon your very local efforts, but if you can do both, or if you weren't planning on participating in a more local Walk for Change event, please consider helping Barack and the campaign out on Saturday morning. Look for one of Sheldon's postings and you'll find all the info you need, but I think things kick-off at 10:00 a.m. at the train station. Check out one of the Philly blogs if you haven't seen one of Sheldon's postings: : Philadelphia for Obama (Link) or Philly for Obama (Link) 
The campaign needs to have at least 100 people there Saturday morning. It's critical to have a strong showing so Barack remains strong in the polls. The media will be there and we don't want the story to be: Handful of People for Obama. Some of you might not know how hard it is to gather 100 people for something. Typically, that means we need to sign up more than 200 people. Why? Because at least half the people who sign up will do something else on Saturday for various reasons, some of them actual emergenices. Often though, and I know because I've done this myself, people get sidetracked by life or something "better" to do and don't show, telling themselves that there will be enough other people there. Honestly, it never, ever works that way. The event needs YOU and your backside in Glenside. 
This campaign is about more than posting to a blog, e-mailing a few friends, wearing a button or T, slapping a sticker on your car, and/or having a profile here at MyBO. It means commiting to reaching out and actually volunteering for the harder stuff: rallies, walks, door knocking, lit drops, whatever action you can personally manage. It also means forking over some cash. Money talks and let's Barack walk: all over this nation to bring his message. Without consistent donations from people like you and me, Barack cannot run a successful campaign. I'm not talking hundreds of dollars from each of us. I'm talking the price of a couple of lattes. If even half the people registered on this site sent $10 to the campaign, we'd stop getting those fundraising messages in our mailboxes from David Plouffe. Barack would be rolling in the dough. And if you truly do not have the funds to kick in, that is where volunteering comes in. 
I'm not going to whine any longer about this. I just know that when I volunteer and donate, i have much more at stake, and I feel more a part of this campaign and the changes we will bring about. I'm invigorated, excited, and enthused about Barack and what he is trying to do whenever I help with or participate in an event. Please join us on Saturday and feel that way, too.
Sue :)

People Everywhere Are Walking for Change

Sam Graham-Felsen — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 16:34:53 EDT

On Monday night, the last of the Walk for Change boxes went out. Each box, filled with flyers, instructions, scripts, stickers, and other goodies, will make its way to a different organizer who will mobilize a Walk in his or her community.

Below on the right is office manager Pete Dagher (the guy who really runs the show around here). "Not only are these boxes going to all fifty states," says Pete, "they're going to Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, and Puerto Rico. This is a serious grassroots campaign!"

It's not too late to find a Walk for Change event in your community. Click here to find an event in your area and take part in this historic grassroots effort.

Berks for Obama will Walk for Change

Eileen Prussman — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 11:49:12 EDT

Berks for Obama will be conducting our Walk for Change at the Pleasantville Covered Bridge Festival. Its a good place to be able to speak with our neighbors about why we support, and believe in, Barack Obama.

If anyone would like to join us, or if you would just like to meet us and find out more about our group, and why we are supporting Senator Obama, please come out to the festival. Its on Rt. 73, in the village of Pleasantville, which is part of Oley Township. Its just east of Covered Bridge Rd, on the left.

Ba-Rack Tulsa! (Walk for Change)

m2violin — Mon, 04 Jun 2007 20:26:47 EDT

We'll be fanning out all over Tulsa to spread the good word about Barack Obama! Wear your walking shoes -- or you can help organize things at TCDP Headquarters!

We'll meet at 9:30 a.m. at TCDP Headquarters, get nourished by a light breakfast, get trained and psyched for our precinct walking, get our materials -- and be on our way!

We will only be knocking on doors of Democrats, so you'll be talking to friendly people. Believe me, you will meet a lot of neat people who, like you, want to take our country back from the Republicans.

We'll serve lunch at Headquarters to feed your hungry tummy after all the walking. For those very motivated souls with sturdy feet who want to walk in the afternoon -- you can, if you wish. Just make certain you conclude your walking by dusk.

We will have a prize for the person who reaches the most households for Barack Obama!

If you're unable to walk, or just very uncomfortable, we still need people to stay behind at Headquarters to answer phones, troubleshoot problems, hand out packets to people who come later in the day (or who manage to finish their first packet), enter data online -- and help serve lunch to hungry walkers!

Bottom line -- WE HAVE A PLACE -- AND A NEED -- FOR YOU ON JUNE 9!

Invite your friends -- let's hit as much of Tulsa as we can!Time:Saturday, June 9 at 9:30 AMDuration:Host:Martha MattesLocation:Tulsa County Democratic Party Headquarters (Tulsa, OK) 3930 East 31st Street
Tulsa, OK 74135 View Map:

Associated Groups:Obama08OK!Directions:Located on the south side of 31st Street between Harvard & Yale -- across the street from Tulsa Public Schools Education Service Center, and next door to Tulsa Classroom Teachers Association.

The boxes are going out...

Gray Brooks — Fri, 01 Jun 2007 21:50:01 EDT

Michael of Pennsylvania is sorting the literature. To his left, Claire of Connecticut is taking his work and forming the packets. On the other side of the conference room turned workshop, Sam methodically puts stack after stack of flyers into box after box of Walk for Change kits.

On June 9th, thousands of Americans will come together and, using the flyers, the scripts, the stickers, and so much more, knock on countless doors to spread the support for Barack Obama. Michael, Claire, Sam are part of a small legion nearing the end of a weeks long assembly process.

The boxes are stacked and waiting for pickup. Depending on number of supporters signed up for each walk, the box may be larger or leaner. And on June 9th, many of you will join this writer, the interns that make the assembly line, and other Americans who not only care about our society and politics, but also stand up and get involved. Together, we will knock on the nation's doors, introduce ourselves, and tell our fellow Americans about a man named Barack Obama.

Stay tuned to see this final week lead up to the Walk for Change. If you haven't signed up yet, you can find the nearest organized walk by just entering your zip code here. And whether you're in Iowa, Idaho, Nevada or New York – we'll see you there.

Make Your Own Walk for Change Flyer

Sam Graham-Felsen — Wed, 30 May 2007 18:26:09 EDT

Supporter Benjamin H. from Baltimore just sent in this flyer he made for the Walk for Change event that he planned in his community for June 9. Click on the image below for the full-sized flyer.

This is a great display of creative energy. If you would like to create your own flyer and have limited time, check out our Resource Center for an easy customizable flyer tool.

And remember to plan your event by midnight tonight if you want us to be able to send you the resources for your event. Get your Walk on, everybody!

Hello and Welcome!

Dalton — Wed, 30 May 2007 16:51:38 EDT

Hello to everyone who may read this blog. =)

My name is Dalton Hoffine; I'm a Japanese-Political Science double-major at Wake Forest University, in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. I've been interested in politics for a long time, and I want to make a career out of political translating. It's my opinion that words and communication are the most important tools that we have as humans, and the right to express those ideas and thoughts are what makes this country so incredibly great.

With our current administration, on numerous occassions, I find fault in the way that our government communicates with its citizens, as well as the outside world. Even if the ideas are noble and good (such as the recent immigration reform bill passed by President Bush), the language being used is damaging and polarizing to the citizens of the US, and to our relationships with others around the planet. After praising the current immigration bill being passed through Congress, President Bush went on to call those who did not support the bill unpatriotic and bleeding the soul out of America. This is just one instance of a major problem, and it's gone on for FAR too long!

That's why I support Barack Obama for President. I believe that Mr. Obama can truly change our nation in the way that we conversationalize in politics. Mr. Obama is intelligent, sharp, and articulate. When someone attacks him, he doesn't make a big political game out of it. He makes short, sharp statements that derail the logic of his opponent, and then gives clarity on what he stands for and what his opinions are. My support for him solidified after the incident with the Australian PM, and now I'm a die-hard fan (I was before, but Mr. Edwards and Mr. Biden also garnered a bit of my attention. Not much.)

Even if you don't agree with his policies, you have to admit that he carries himself very professionally, while still maintaining a connection with the average American voter. He offers hope and change, and politics on a more personal level--the level that it should be. Barack Obama wants to get every American involved in this change, because every American has a right to this great country. For too long, our administrations, both Democratic and Republican, have ruled in an elitist manner, keeping themselves out of the lives of Americans, and only letting themselves be influenced by the select. Not since Kennedy and Johnson has the government really addressed the American people on a personal level. This is what we have the chance to find again--trust and relationship with the government that affects all of our daily lives.

Won't you support Mr. Obama, too?

The other war

Rob F. — Wed, 30 May 2007 03:09:03 EDT

"Mankind must put an end to war or war will put an end to mankind." - John F. Kennedy, Speech to UN General Assembly, Sept. 25, 1961

God bless our troops. For they are our strong and brave men and women. They are overseas fighting valiantly everyday, carrying the beloved banner of our country. Many of them have homes. For some, it’s a husband or wife, some with children, all waiting for the day their loved ones returned. But as the days press on, we hear only of extended tours (now doubling in size), and troop deaths climbing ever higher. (The BBC reports that May is now the deadliest month this year for US troops)

Plan Your Walk for Change Now

Sam Graham-Felsen — Tue, 29 May 2007 19:10:35 EDT

Will you help make history and participate in a Walk for Change? If you can step up, make sure to plan your walk by Midnight on May 30th.

David Plouffe sent out this email today:

Dear Samuel,
Hundreds of thousands of Americans will have their first conversation about Barack Obama on June 9th, and you can make it a success.
Volunteers across all fifty states will be teaming up to tell their neighbors about our campaign for change. We know we can’t just depend on traditional media to tell Barack’s story, or yours. There’s no one better to share those stories than you.
Talking to your neighbors can change America. Find a Walk for Change near you, or host a walk in your community:
my.barackobama.com/walkforchange
More than a thousand people have planned neighborhood walks in communities across the country, but they are relying on your commitment to make these events a success. Help them out by encouraging your friends, family, and colleagues to join.
Walks with five or more registered participants will receive a special package of materials to engage people, so your response is crucial.
RSVP by midnight on Wednesday, May 30th, to make sure the walk nearest you receives materials:
my.barackobama.com/walkforchange
Politics in America doesn't have to be a screaming match. Our campaign is proving that people everywhere who care about our country can come together with a shared stake in our common future. Reach out to your neighbors and see just how hungry Americans are for change.
The family next door is looking for leadership on the same issues we all care about -- Iraq, health care, climate change, corruption in Washington. Together we're building a movement that will find common ground and advance the common good for all Americans.
Be part of the change -- sign up now to host or join a Walk for Change in your neighborhood:
my.barackobama.com/walkforchange
Local change is real change, so let’s go out together and connect with our neighbors.
Thanks,
David Plouffe
Campaign Manager
Obama for America

The Walk for Change

Sacramento for Obama Newsletter — Sun, 20 May 2007 13:03:21 EDT

June 9, 2007 - without a doubt the most important day to date for Sacramento for Obama.

Sacramento for Obama's ObamaFest '08: For the People, By the People was the inspiration for the national campaign to do the Walk for Change on June 9th all around the country. At last count there were more than 350 walks set up around the country, with 48 "Featured" walks - Sacramento being one of those. There are many, many opportunities to accomplish many things on this date and it is going to REQUIRE all of you to participate in our walk. Then, after you are done walking for a few hours, you can enjoy a great concert in the park with great information about our candidate and some good food available from several Sacramento eateries.

The day is going to go like this:
8 to - 9 a.m. - Walking training at Discovery Park
9 a.m. - Leave to go to your areas and start walking until about noon
2 p.m. - Concert in the Park at Discovery Park the line up is:
2 p.m. - General announcements, the CSUS African drum corp and our own Chica singing the National Anthem
3 p.m. - Funk/R&B favorites-Mercy Me
4 p.m. - Folk/Alt pioneers-Marty Cohen and The Sidekicks
5 p.m. - Rock/Pop sensations-The Kimberly Trip
6 p.m. - No. 1 Jazz Ensemble-Garrett Perkins Project

We need precinct captains for the day - please contact Dan Leahy at leahygrp@yahoo.com to volunteer.

We also need you to sign up for the walk and you can do that at: our website . Our goal is 500 walkers and I know that we can do it! Bring your family, friends, neighbors, co-workers and let's do this in grand Sacramento style!

60659's Walk for Change!

Jp — Sat, 19 May 2007 17:14:44 EDT

So I'm inviting people to the Walk for Change in June. So far most of my really close friends and family are attending, which is awesome. It's nice to finally be a part of something positive in politics, and I think Obama is the perfect catalyst for change in the U.s.

Will keep updating about my invites, so far about 20 people are coming for sure. Even though they haven't registered at the website yet.

Here's the link for more info about the event:

Link if you're in the area!

Sacramento Walks for Change

Paul Kekai Manansala — Sat, 19 May 2007 00:48:16 EDT

Here's a YouTube video of Sacramento for Obama's preparation for Walk for Change with a little musical slide show thrown in at the end.

Sacramento Walks for Change

Things are coming together

Shasta — Fri, 18 May 2007 11:31:51 EDT

5/18 - I am very excited about tomorrow! We are holding an organizational meeting/Voter Registration walk to get us prepared for June 9th. I am very excited to see who shows up. So far every Arizonans For Obama meeting I have attended has brought out some wonderfully energetic and creative people. It is so refreshing to see others that are more like myself. People who are tired of sitting on the sidelines watching every one else lead the parade. I just want to shout "GET UP!! COME MARCH WITH ME!" Tomorrow is going to be a good day. My husband has the day off work, I love it when we can work together on events like this.

So I had better get to work on the area maps and making some other notes to take along with me. Busy busy!

Oh and I HAVE A/C AGAIN!! It has been a sweat lodge at my place lately. But now I can get back into my "office" and get back to work. Hooray!

Working together in Western New York

Diana — Fri, 18 May 2007 09:15:29 EDT

Hi!

If you are reading this post you are probably from the Western New York area. I am hoping we can connect all of the groups so that we can meet under 1 umbrella and not duplicate efforts throughout the region, but instead coordinate what our individual groups are doing. There are two groups that have been meeting in Buffalo and the Falls and we have recently merged into one larger group - we would welcome members from the other area groups to join us in creating a central Western New York organization. Our next meeting is on May 31st, the location is still to be determined. Email me if you would like to join us and I will get you the info on location as soon as it is available. In the meantime we are planning to gather in the afternoon on June 9th at the Allentown Art Festival. Our hope is that there will be many small neighborhood walks and then we can meet together to show our presence at the Art Festival and to meet each other. Again, let me know if you would like to join us or if you are creating a walk in your neighborhood.

Cheers,

Diana (wnyvolunteersforobama@hotmail.com)

Hitting the Streets: New Hampshire and Beyond

Sam Graham-Felsen — Thu, 17 May 2007 17:56:03 EDT

In only a few months, over 65,000 of you have signed up on my.BarackObama.com, over 12,000 blogs have been created, and over 5,000 groups have been established. Tens of thousands of you have donated online, and the vast majority of your contributions have been under $100.

There's a word to describe this kind of grassroots action: historic.

Now we need to take the energy, passion, and commitment you have demonstrated online to the streets.

On Saturday, May 19th, Barack will be joining volunteers, supporters and campaign staff for our very first canvass of the campaign. We will gather in Manchester for a send-off with Barack before we fan out across the state to share his message with New Hampshire voters. If you are in the New Hampshire area, it's your time to step up and take this campaign to the next level. For transportation details, click here.

On June 9th, the rest of us can and should get involved too. To do your part, Walk for Change in our National Canvass Day. Click here to search for an event in your community with our interactive map.

America's not going to change on its own. Let's show the country what we're capable of.

Walking for Change on June 9th: Because They're Our Communities

Nate de la Piedra [OFA Staff] — Thu, 10 May 2007 16:35:05 EDT

You may have heard by now that on June 9th, supporters and members of our movement for change will be gathering in neighborhoods around the country (not just in Iowa or New Hampshire) and talking to their friends and neighbors.

I will be hosting a "Walk for Change" event out of my (mom's) home in McLean, Virginia because I care about spreading the message that politics doesn't have to talking heads screaming at each other on television or about special interest stacking the deck in the halls of power.

Whether you will be at home or at school this summer, please head over to my.barackobama.com/walkforchange and sign up to host a neighborhood walk or to find one near you.

As the Senator wrote in his e-mail announcing the Walk for Change:

"When politics gets local, when the person talking is your neighbor standing on your front porch, things change."

If you are a supporter of our movement for change and support Senator Obama becoming our next President I strongly urge you to attend.

Please do not worry if you have never been on a canvass before or feel like you don't know enough about the issues. The Walk for Change is about talking to our neighbors and explaining OUR reasons for wanting to change business as usual in Washington DC.

If you support Senator Obama, there must be a reason; whether your a teacher who has seen the damage caused to the public school system over the past six years, whether your a vet who opposes the war in Iraq, whether your an average American citizen that doesn't want torture committed under your name. Whatever YOUR reason is, that's the strongest message of all.

The campaign will also provide suggested scripts, literature and all other necessary material; it is up to us to provide the shoe leather for the Walk for Change to be a success.

Boy have I walked a lot today

Shasta — Wed, 09 May 2007 19:33:43 EDT

May 9th- So I am hosting this event in June, I haven't participated in an event like this in a while and I definitely haven't hosted anything of this magnitude before and I am very grateful I am not doing this alone. Gotta love my run-on sentences, get used to it ;) A little about myself. I am 26 years old and have a wonderful supportive husband and a lil 11 month old toddler. We have only lived in Tucson for a little over a year. We moved here from England (3.5 years there), where my husband was stationed with the Air Force. He has left that career behind and we decided that Tucson was the place for us. So here we are and we love it!

So, with my passion for politics and a borderline unhealthy obsession with Barack Obama (just kidding... sorta) I joined this awesome grassroots organization called Arizonans for Obama . We are kinda small now, especially in Tucson, but I have a feeling after this event, things are going to change.

For a week now I have been corresponding with Ken, an organizer from AFO (arizonans for obama) about this walk coming up, he asked if he could give my info out to the campaign to help organize this event. I thought, "why not" we tossed around a few ideas and then came Monday. The national campaign released the event information and I realized that this was going to be a huge national campaign awareness thing. I thought it was just a few groups doing a little to help. Well the e-mail arrives and I go check out Tucson's events, and BEHOLD! there was my name hosting the "featured" (what ever that means) Tucson event. OH GEEZE! What have I got myself into!! I quickly e-mailed Ken to try and lower my blood pressure. Once he assured me that I wouldn't be doing this alone, I took a few deep breaths and got to work asking a billion and one questions.

So far we have decided to hold a organization meeting/ Voter Registration Walk Sat May 19 at 10am at the location of the walk.

Well that means little ol me had some work to do.

I had to find the right spot to hold this event in a GIANT park that has over 30 reservable ramadas (as well as a stadium, a zoo, a lake, golf course and a huge pool) and I needed Voter Registration forms. Easy enough.

My day started after I got up and took my husband to work so I could use our 1 car for the day. I got dressed with a whinny toddler crawling under my feet, obviously ready for his nap, and then hit the road to find the Recorder's Office (for Voter Reg. forms) with my little Keavy sleeping soundly in the back seat. Oh wait.... I am forgetting something... ahh yes... Where in the heck is the Recorder's office?! I forgot to look up the address before I left the house. So now my son is fast asleep so I cannot leave him in the car to go ask for directions, I whip out my trusty cell phone.

Husbands not answering phone @ work

Mom (in Texas) cannot seem to get her Internet to work

Very nice woman who happens to call me for information about this event... cannot find it and everyone at her work is busy.... wow....

So I dig through my glove box and find the visitors guide that has been stashed in there since we arrived... AH HAH! The Visitor's Center has a phone #.

Here is the kicker... the whole time I am making these calls I am a block away from the Visitor's Center Downtown and cannot go in because I don't want to wake the baby. Then when I find out where it was... Its only 3 blocks away in the big courthouse! Geeze!

So by the time I get there and park, the baby is waking up. I go I fill out some paperwork in which I am praying that they don't have party bias and reject my application. I did think it was strange the woman asked what political party I was affiliated with and wanted to know where the forms would be handed out and at what events. But whatever, I can see why.

OK so now I am off to Reid Park. So after looking around and finding our original location unsuitable, I am on a mission to find a new location to meet up at. After pushing my poor baby around in the hot sun taking pictures I go in to the Parks and Rec office there at the park and get to talk to this SUPER helpful man, I would tell you his name but I have already lost his card. We found the perfect place with a covered ramada with electricity so we can show the video, lots of seating, and away from most other areas so we wont have to yell so loud. HAPPY HAPPY! I think I will treat Keavy and myself to lunch and a stroll at the Zoo. Yeaaaa!

So now I am finally back home and poor Keavy is taking a nice relaxing nap in his own crib. I got to report back to Ken and brag on my busy busy day.

Let's Walk for Change

Marc R. Peters — Tue, 08 May 2007 01:38:57 EDT

Hey guys just a quick post from me today.

-Marc

On June 9th Barack Obama supporters from all around the country will unite for a Walk for Change. It is an exciting time for the campaign when we can all come together, get involved and make a difference. I encourage you to visit Link to find a walk in your area. We can’t afford to sit around and passively support the Senator’s campaign. This is bigger than the Senator and bigger than you or me. It is a campaign for change and like Ghandi said we need to be the change we wish to see. So I hope that you will join me and Nate and many others on June 9th for this unique event. Help improve politics in your own community!

Take it to the streets!

Sam Graham-Felsen — Mon, 07 May 2007 21:58:46 EDT

Looking for a way to get actively involved? Then mark your calendar for Saturday June 9th. America will hit the streets for Obama on our National Canvass Day. Already, hundreds of canvass events are being planned across the country. To sign up for a canvass or to create your own, click here.

More details in the email sent out today from Barack:

Dear Sam,
For too many people, politics is a bad word. It's not surprising since for many people "politics" means talking heads screaming at each other on TV, or special interests stacking the deck in Washington.
We have an opportunity to change that. When politics gets local, when the person talking is your neighbor standing on your front porch, things change.
On June 9th, hundreds of thousands of people will have that experience as we take our campaign to the streets in all 50 states for a nationwide neighborhood walk.
We're calling it Walk for Change, and its success depends on you. I'm asking you for something extraordinary. I'm asking you to lead a group of supporters in your community in a neighborhood walk to let people know about our campaign.
If you agree to organize a walk, we'll mail you the materials you need to start a conversation with your neighbors about being part of this movement for change. But it can only happen if you're willing to take the leap and put together a June 9th Walk for Change event where you live:
my.barackobama.com/page/content/0609create
It's not common these days to reach out to a neighbor.
We're more likely to nod quickly and smile when unloading the groceries or walking the dog than we are to stop and talk about the things that shape our common destiny.
But the great issues of our day shouldn't just be topics to fill time between commercials on cable news. These challenges -- ending the war in Iraq, solving the health care crisis, tackling climate change -- affect each one of us personally.
And the solutions to each one will require personal investment from all of us.
That's why it's so important to create this dialogue in your community -- to have a serious conversation about what matters most to your neighbors, and to share with them why this movement for change is personal for you.
Link
We shouldn't be afraid. Americans everywhere are hungry for change, and waiting for someone to show them where change will come from.
On June 9th, if you organize a Walk for Change event, that change will come from your community, and the person showing the way will be you.
Thank you.

Barack Obama
P.S. -- As you read this, people across the country are planning their events using the My.BarackObama.com tools. If you're not ready to host your own walk, there may already be one in your community that you can join. Use our interactive map to search for one near you:
my.barackobama.com/walkforchange

Posts with the tag walk for change

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