14 posts tagged “democrat”

YES WE DID!!!

One week from today, I'll be in front of the television with my husband and children, watching Barack Obama take the oath of office and become the 44th President of the United States. 

All of us were involved to some extent in his Iowa Campaign - my daughter was a member of Students for Obama and spent many an Iowa winter day canvassing neighborhoods.  My two sons helped out at several town hall meetings with Obama.  My husband stepped out of his comfort zone and volunteered to be a Caucus Precinct Chairperson, overseeing the voting in our precinct.  I spent the better part of 22 months as Chair of Women for Obama and part of Obama's County  Leadership Committee.  I lost track of the number of phone calls I made and doors I knocked on. 

I say all of this not to brag, but to proudly say that we were all part of making this historic event a reality.  None of us had been particularly politically active but we saw a candidate who embodied the values that we hold dearest.  We believed that Obama was this country's best hope for a brighter future after 8 long years of failure.  We were inspired to devote many hours to work for this goal.  There were times I didn't believe we'd be successful - it just seemed too improbable.

Listen......
Obama Iowa Caucus Victory Speech

Here's a few pictures that make me very proud....

This one is a shot of our volunteer group, after Obama visited Manchester in July 2007.  (My daughter is on the left,  2nd row in the blue shirt over a red t-shirt.  I'm next to her).

obama volunteers w/Obama

This was taken in May 2007 in Dubuque.  It was the first time we'd seen Obama in person. My daughter is in the middle wearing a t-shirt w/Obama pin.  I'm peeking out from behind her.

Delaware Group

Yes We Can!!  And Yes We Did!!

It's over.  The election happened last night and the long 22 months of work is done.  Barack Obama won the election and will be the 44th President of the United States.  George Bush and his cronies will be a thing of the past.

I'm unabashedly an Obama supporter and I have been since about May of 2006 when I signed on to work in my county.  I went on to a couple of leadership positions and was an Obama delegate to my county and district Democratic conventions.  My original Obama "Hope" sign still stands in my yard, faded and taped together.  It went through a dreadful Iowa winter but it stayed put.  It's joined by a new Obama-Biden sign and they'll both stay there until January 20, 2009 - the day of the Inaugural.

I'm so proud to be an American and very proud of the people who voted last night, both Republican and Democrat (and all the "others").  We made history and changed our country forever.  Think about it - we saw a woman, an African America, and a Hispanic as viable candidates.  I don't think many people will bat an eye in the next election when women and people of color run for office.  We've torn down that barrier and will be better people for it. 

I was a Poll Official last night and helped register many new voters who came to cast their votes for the first time.  My county had a 70% voter turnout!  I hope people's interest in the politics of this country remains strong.  We need to use the responsible given to us by the US Constitution and make our voices heard.  It's true that you can't complain if you don't vote.

I'm not so starry eyed that I ignore that Obama is a politician.  I know he doesn't walk on water.  But he's a man of intelligence and character and possesses good judgement.  I don't buy into the lack of experience arguement either.  He headed up an efficient, effective campaign made up of tens of thousands of workers - both paid and unpaid.  We worked for almost 2 years with virtually no infighting (a la the Clinton campaign), stayed on message, raised millions of dollars and prevailed when he was counted out from the beginning.  He's a CEO to be reckoned with and knows how to surround himself with very competent people.

I'm sure I'll come down to earth tomorrow but I just want to savor this time. 

"Tonight, we gather to affirm the greatness of our nation - not because of the height of our skyscrapers, or the power of our military, or the size of our economy. Our pride is based on a very simple premise, summed up in a declaration made over two hundred years ago:"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."

"That is the true genius of America -- a faith in simple dreams, an insistence on small miracles; that we can tuck in our children at night and know that they are fed and clothed and safe from harm; that we can say what we think, write what we think, without hearing a sudden knock on the door; that we can have an idea and start our own business without paying a bribe; that we can participate in the political process without fear of retribution; and that our votes will be counted -- at least, most of the time."

(from Keynote Address at the Democratic National Convention, July 27, 2004)

And then I ran across this essay by Bruce Tenenbaum on "Huffington Post". The "bold type" is mine.

America Grows Up

The "Bradley Effect" is no more. For all the talk of race being an issue in this election, it turns out that race was not an issue at all.

Half a century after "separate but equal" was shot down by the Supreme Court, the American people have shown that equality for all is not just a slogan.

Barack Obama wasn't supposed to be able to win in the "rust belt." He cleaned up from Ohio to Pennsylvania. He wasn't supposed to win with white voters. He did better with white voters than any Democratic candidate in recent history. He wasn't supposed to win the Latino vote. He was supposed to have trouble with Jewish voters. He carried both groups with ease. He wasn't supposed to win in the southern "red" states. He won Virginia and Florida and, as I write this, he stands to perhaps win more.

To be sure, we are still not done with the after effects of the American Civil War. Where most of America is headed in one direction, many of the states of the American south still appear headed in another, or, at the very least, resistant to change.

But this is not a day to talk about division. We are a great country. We fall down but we get up again. In our darkest moments, we always rise to the occasion. How can you not truly be proud of this nation tonight as we seek to rise above the tragedies of our past and to confront the problems of our present? It was, at times, an ugly campaign but it was also a historically astounding one. No matter whom you voted for, if you are an American, today is a day to unite and to prepare to face tomorrow together.

For my parent's generation, racism was an unavoidable fact of life. In my generation, we worked to avoid prejudice when we saw someone whose skin color was different from ours. The new generation no longer even sees a difference. What a terrific world tomorrow will bring.

I don't own rose-colored glasses. Obama's victory doesn't mean all is once again right with the world. There is much to be done. We have yet to elect a woman president. The fact that a candidate's religion or lack of religion is even discussed shows that we still have far to go when it comes to judging others. As African Americans achieve new heights, we still seem determined to limit the rights of another group, gay people. And, of course, Obama still needs to govern and show he can deliver on his message.

But for now we become one nation again. Now we unite and march forward and once more work on making the American Dream come true. Today we reject race as a deciding factor. Today we reject the politics of hate. Today we reject "Joe The Plumber" as the image of what "real" Americans are supposed to look like. For "real" Americans, and presidents, it turns out, can be almost anyone. Today is a great day for America. Make no mistake about it. Martin Luther King's dream is coming true. At last.

I hate Sarah Palin.  I hate John McCain.  I hate the McCain -Palin campaign.  The whole thing makes me want to vomit.

Is that too harsh?  "Hate" really is such a...hateful word.  So maybe I'll soften it a little.  The McCain-Palin campaign and their nasty slurs and lies are so despicable, so vile that, that....I don't know!  I'm speechless.

All I can hope for is that the polls are right and that Obama-Biden win by such a huge margin that it sends a message, loud and clear, that the days of republican slime are over. 

Now, I need a bath.

I hate the phrase....but it fits....I feel like I'm watching a train wreck.  Since McCain added Caribou Barbie as his running mate, Obama and Biden have been eating their dust.  It's sickening, really.  Here's a man who has nothing to run on but his horrendous 5 years as a POW.  Dont' get me wrong, I honor his service to our country, but the way he inserts that experience into every question brings nothing but dishonor to him.

And Palin, give me a barf bag. I mean, my reaction to her is that visceral.  She is the personification of everything I hate about some women.  You know the type - involved in every civic group in town, perfectly manicured lawn, absolutely gorgeous husband, picture perfect children, even her pets are the cutest in the block. They're church-going, god-fearing family, with Mom as Chairwoman of the Bible Toting Lady Warriors, Dad heading up the Men for Christ, and the kids getting perfect sunday school attendance kudos.

But scratch below the surface and you find the queen of the gossip mill;  the neighbor who makes note of every strange car in your driveway and voraciously reads the foreclosure notices in the town paper.  The woman who shows up at the grocery store, perfectly coiffed and dressed to the nines, and asks you where you got that "charming" (paint stained) outfit you're wearing.  She rules all her civic groups with an iron first and is hated by the members, all of whom are too afraid of her to cross her.  All the gossip and the juicy tidbits she gathers really come in handy when it comes time to running for Commiittee Chair.  Even her kids and husband fear her.

She's ruthless and really very savvy.  She may not be particularly bright, but she sure does know how to manipulate and scheme to get what she wants.  Everyone suffers in her wake because, while she is oh-so-involved in the community, nothing matters but her own achievements.  The sad thing is, no one has the backbone to call her out, to expose her for what she is - a hypocrite, a shrew, a liar.  And we all suffer for that.

Pig lips

In February 2008, our soon to be ousted President said at a meeting of the White House Office of Faith-Based Initiatives,  "I love being with members of the armies of compassion, foot soldiers in helping make America a more hopeful place. Every day you mend broken hearts with love. You mend broken lives with hope. And you mend broken communities with countless acts of extraordinary kindness."

Only 7 months later, VP hopeful Sarah Palin said the following in a rousing speech peppered with jabs at Obama.- “A small-town mayor is sort of like a community organizer, except that you have actual responsibilities,”

So which is it?  Community organizations commit "countless acts of extraordinary kindness"or they're useless organization doing nothing?  I guess some people will say anything to rouse the ire of supporters and win a few votes.

"Community organizing is missionary work in the country of your birth."
"Isn't that what Jesus would do?"

Or so I read on a blog this morning.  How in world can the Republicans justify condemning the work done by thousand of citizens in numerous organization committed to improving the lives of disadvantage people around the United States?  Groups like environmental organizations, unions, women's and civil rights groups, tenants organizations, churches and school reform efforts-, for example. I try to live my life according to the words of Matthew 25:40, "That which you do to the least of my brothers, you do unto me."

In the discussion forum BeliefNet - God's Politics Discussion, Rev. Dr. Soong-Chan Rah,  Milton B. Engebretson Assistant Professor of Church Growth and Evangelism at North Park Theological Seminary said, "So why did she (Palin), Rudy Giuliani, and the Republican Party make it a point to mock a significant portion of the population that seeks to live out their faith in the public arena through community organizing?  

Although they paint themselves as the party of God fearing people, they are far from that.

I highly recommend the book, "God's Politics, Why the Right Gets it Wrong and the Left Doesn't Get It", written by American Baptist Minister Jim Wallis, who also heads up the Christian social justice organization, Sojourners. 

I'm such a politics geek!  I went to bed last night and woke up several times wondering who Obama's VP pick would be.  I finally got my email (as promised by the campaign) at a little after 2 a.m. and was very happy to see that Joe Biden was the one.  While he may be thought of as part of Washington establishment, I like what he'll bring to the ticket - working class grit, vast knowledge of foreign policy and the ability to chew up and spit out any Republican VP candidate!

I met Senator Biden's sister, Valerie, at a house party last winter.  She was much like her brother, outspoken and very direct.  On a personal note, she was very gracious to my daughter and offered to have her brother sign Katie's copy of his autobiography and mail it back to her.  It was a nice gesture.

Several months later I received a phone call from Biden's local field organizer.  She said that Biden was planning a visit to Manchester and that he'd like to be able to meet Katie.  I told the organizer that Katie had been a big fan of Biden since she's read his book and discovered that he had struggled with a speech impediment as a child.  Katie related because she's had her own struggles with a learning disability.

On the appointed day, we drove through snow and wind to get to the meeting site.  The weather had Katie worried that the event would have to be canceled.  Once we arrived, his organizer met us at the door and showed us to a side entrance where the Senator would enter.  Soon we spotted a small caravan of black SUVs and knew it was Biden.  He emerged from his vehicle and was introduced to Katie, who blushed when she got a big hug.

Senator Biden spent just about an hour talking foreign policy and domestic issues with a group of Manchester residents.  Even though the turn-out was small, he gave 100% attention to each and every question and left me impressed not only with his intelligence, but with his sincere interest in what people had to say.

After the meeting, Katie was once again taken to meet the Senator.  While a line of people waited to shake his hand, he stood talking quietly with Katie for a few minutes.  Afterwards, while people were still waiting, he sat down to write a very personal message inside Katie's book and returned it to her.  Only then did he return to the waiting crowd to shake some hands.

As we left the restaurant I asked Katie what the Senator had said to her.  She told me that Senator Biden said he'd been told of Katie's learning disability and he related to her the story of his own childhood struggle with a stutter.  He leaned close to her ear and showed her what his stutter was like and told her that with hard work, she could also overcome her challenges.

I turned and went back into the restaurant and waited at the end of the line.  When I finally got my chance, I thanked Biden for taking the time to talk to a young person first instead of the people whose votes he sought.  I also told him that his kindness would most likely make a lasting impression on Katie and as a mother, I was grateful.

Joe Biden became more than a politician and presidential candidate that day. From that day on, whenever I watched a debate, I saw someone I knew to be a kind, sincere and  very decent man.  I'll be very glad to have him be our next Vice President.

December 035

December 010

Biden with book

My take on Rev.Wright-

His demeanor yesterday seemed full of ego and narcissism,anger and an element of bigotry. I think Wright is angry that Obama distanced himself from his inflammatory rhetoric and his ego can't let him let it go long enough for Obama to recover from the initial damage. I think part of what Wright did was intentionally designed to hurt Obama because of his "betrayal". His desire to elevate the status of African Americans isn't as strong as his need to defend himself.  He'd rather throw Obama "under the bus" then to keep quiet and help Obama win. (Mika was right on Morning Joe when she said he seemed to relish the attention on himself.)

I listened to his entire speech yesterday and found the content to be interesting and mostly valid. He's a very good speaker. But I've been in enough black churches to know that while Wright's style is typical, his message is not.  I have absolutely no doubt that this will do lasting and even permanent (hopefully not fatal) damage to Obama's campaign.

Wright's words painted Obama as the type of politician he's trying not to be when he said that Obama had reacted as he did because that's the way politicians act.  He didn't refer to Obama as a friend but nothing more than an opportunist.  He said he'd "go after Obama" if he wins the Presidency because he'd then be part of the group that keeps black people down.

Clinton and McCain will use every bit of this to paint Obama into a corner and force him to continue to defend Wright, keeping him off his message of hope and unity.  He'll be damaged in the eyes of people who were undecided or even hesitant to vote for an African American.

I've wavered on how I feel about Rev.Wright and had gotten to the point where I thought I could understand why he preached his message.  Something in my gut, that I ignored, was telling me that Wright was the type of preacher whose sermons were often more about getting attention than in saving souls, I think now that I should have followed my first instinct.

I don't for one minute hold Obama responsible for this, with the exception that he denied ever hearing Wright's anti-American and outrageous sermons. All of Chicago knew Wright for what he was.  You can't be in a church for 20 years with a pastor well known for his controversial Afro-centric views and not know what his sermons contain.  I 'm not saying Obama agreed with what Wright said, nor am I suggesting that he should have left the church. I am saying that Obama should have been truthful in his response when asked about his pastor and he could have reduced this damage. Now he's caught up in the spin that he can't get away from.

I've been gone for awhile, severely neglecting my blog.  I do that sometimes, just check out and disappear.  I get depressed when I'm stressed and in emotional overload. I think I'm emerging from that, but who knows for sure.

I'm still working for the Obama Iowa campaign, although things have slowed down. We had our County Convention a few weeks ago and did really well.  We ended up with 7 delegates to send to the District and State Conventions. Iowa's final tally of national delegates will be decided at that point.  I'm looking forward to the conventions, sort of as a way to have seen this campaign to  through from beginning to end.  It's been an interesting journey and I've learned a lot about the political process.  I was also elected to a 2 year term as Secretary of our County Democratic Central Committee. Ah, the life  of a politics junkie!

My son has been very ill for the past couple of months.   His bipolar disorder has developed some psychotic overtones, both visual and delusional and this has caused his anxiety and panic attacks to escalate.  We had to have him hospitalized for 11 days, which was really hard on us all, and he came home on Monday.  Things weren't much better.

Fortunately, his case worker was able to find a small apartment designed for mentally ill adults where he can live and get some help.He's independent in that he can come and go as he pleases, bu he's required to follow a treatment plan that includes learning independent living skills and learning how to live with a chronic mental illness.

Another major stressor has been helping my mother deal with my father's recently diagnosed Alzheimer's diagnoses.   We're separated by 1000 miles  but there isn't any other family to help out.  I do what I can, such as researching support groups and preparing the various powers of attorneys. l know I'll eventually have to fly back to Virginia to tackle the hard stuff when Mom can't handle things on her own any longer.  I have a feeling I'll be there in the summer.

Now my focus has to be on finding a job, since I've been unemployed since the beginning of  October.  That's where living  in a  rural  location  is a disadvantage. Unless I  want to work on a farm, in a manufacturer plant or as a housekeeper at the nursing home, I'm out of luck.  Office jobs that I'm qualified for (manager, admin. assistant and the like) are non-existent.  The ones that exist are taken by women who'll retire from them.  No one leaves! I'm trying to think of something I can do from home.

And winter just may be over, but I may have jinxed it by saying that!  I can finally see my wet, soggy lawn and a few plants are coming up.  My vegetable garden is planned and should be able to plant by the end of May.  I'm going to attempt a technique called "square foot gardening" which is supposed to increase the yield in a much smaller area.   I'll probably end up selling my bounty at the local farmer's market...but this unemployed person could use the income.

Depressing things to write about, but isn't what life is like?  I'm a natural pessimist anyway and I like Ben Franklin's outlook. To paraphrase. I'm a pessimist so that when things go good, I'm pleasantly surprised.

Katie at the Waverly Horse Auction
My cat friends, Chloe and Willie
Snow - I won't miss this!
This is what it took to get rid of the 8" of ice in our driveway.

And what I'm looking forward to....

Garden

It's down to the wire in Iowa with just under 3 weeks before the caucuses.  The candidates are descending on small towns across the state, from the Mississippi to the Missouri Rivers, trying to win the votes of every valuable Iowan.

Our little town was campaign central on Friday, Dec. 14, with back-to-back visits from John Edwards and Barack Obama.  Edwards held his event at a local steakhouse, drawing a crowd of about 150.  Obama drew a much larger crowd of 300 and the Delaware County Fairgrounds Community Center.  Both meetings' turnouts were impressive considering they were held on a dreary, icy cold weekday afternoon.  But we Iowans like the political process and come out in droves to be persuaded to give up our precious support.

Katie, Dan, Kaitlin (his girlfriend) and I did our part to make the event a success.  Katie and Kaitlin helped greet and register attendees, as well as distributed supporter cards.  Dan and I, along with a couple of other friends (Seth and Eric), acted as ushers.  What seemed like a simple task got a little harried when it became apparent that the crowd needed twice as many chairs as had been set out.  We eventually packed the building to standing room only.  Seth, eric and I were asked to handle microphones during the Q&A session, which was a lot of fun.

I enjoyed being behind the scenes this time.  While I missed most of Obama's talk, I was able to mingle with some of the national press corps and see first hand how these things are put together.  The Obama "advance" man, Ethan, is like a hummingbird, running from one end of the building to the other and directing each volunteer with precision.  I've been observing his work at all of the Obama events I've attended since May and have been amazed at how he makes everything work.  It was nice to finally meet him.

Eric and I spoke to Obama's Northeast Iowa Field Director, Brent Welder, about what would happen to our group of volunteers once the caucus is over.  We were encouraged to continue to meet on a monthly basis and to be prepared to take an active role in the Democratic general election race this summer.  Of course, our hope is that Obama will be the nominee and that we can take the lead in ensuring his election to the White House in November '08.

So, the countdown clock is ticking and we're all prepared to put in many hours of work between now and January 3.  Our excitement (and anxiety) is growing as we hope and pray for an Obama victory.

Here's a few pictures from Dec. 14 -

1) Obama speaking to the crowd, 2) my friend Betty introducing obama, 3) our Field Organizer, Gen, 4) Dan and Katie, 5) attendees at the Community Center, 6) a news crew, 70 Katie in front of John Edwards' bus