It's been about 2 wks

So here's some comedy to tide you over during this long, hard battle. Keep the faith guys - we're almost done, and then the REAL work begins. First we work, then we celebrate, and then we rest.

1.5 wks to go!

Ron Howard, Henry Winkler, and Andy Griffith came together and reprised DECADES OLD characters bc they're so passionate about Senator Obama being President.

And I laughed.

See more Ron Howard videos at Funny or Die

Rednecks for Obama

'Rednecks for Obama' want to bridge yawning culture gap

by Michael MathesThu Oct 9, 9:50 AM ET

When Barack Obama's campaign bus made a swing through Missouri in July, the unlikeliest of supporters were waiting for him -- or rather two of them, holding the banner: "Rednecks for Obama."

In backing the first African-American nominee of a major party for the US presidency, the pair are on a grassroots mission to bridge a cultural gap in the United States and help usher their preferred candidate into the White House.

Tony Viessman, 74, and Les Spencer, 60, got politically active last year when it occurred to them there must be other lower income, rural, beer-drinking, gun-loving, NASCAR race enthusiasts fed up with business as usual in Washington.

Viessman had a red, white and blue "Rednecks for Obama" banner made, and began causing a stir in Missouri, which has emerged as a key battleground in the run-up to the November 4 presidential election.

"I didn't expect it would get as much steam and attention as it's gotten," Spencer told AFP on the campus of Washington University in Saint Louis, the state's biggest city and site of last week's vice-presidential debate.

"We believe in him. He's the best person for the job," Viessman, a former state trooper from Rolla, said of Obama, who met the pair briefly on that July day in Union, Missouri.

The candidate bounded off his bus and jogged back towards a roadside crowd to shake hands with the men holding the banner.

"He said 'This is incredible'," Spencer recalled.

It's been an unexpectedly gratifying run, Viessman said.

Rednecks4obama.com claims more than 800,000 online visits. In Denver, Colorado, Viessman and Spencer drew crowds at the Democratic convention, and at Washington University last Thursday they were two of the most popular senior citizens on campus.

"I'm shocked, actually, but excited" that such a demographic would be organizing support for Obama, said student Naia Ferguson, 18, said after hamming it up for pictures behind the banner.

"When most people think 'redneck,' they think conservatives, anti-change, even anti-integration," she said. "But America's changing, breaking stereotypes."

A southern comedian, Jeff Foxworthy, defines the stereotype as a "glorious lack of sophistication".

Philistines or not, he said, most rural southerners are no longer proponents of the Old South's most abhorrent ideology -- racism -- and that workaday issues such as the economy are dominating this year's election.

"We need to build the economy from the bottom up, none of this trickle down business," Spencer said. "Just because you're white and southern don't mean you have to vote Republican."

To an important degree, however, race is still the elephant in the polling booth, experts say, and according to a recent Stanford University poll, Obama could lose six points on election day due to his color.

Racism "has softened up some, but it's still there," Viessman acknowledged from Belmont University, site of Tuesday's McCain-Obama debate in Nashville, Tennessee.

Despite representing the heartland state of Illinois, and having a more working-class upbringing than his Republican rival John McCain, Obama has struggled to shoot down the impression that he is an arugula-eating elitist.

Surely he alienated many rural voters earlier this year when the Harvard-educated senator told a fundraiser that some blue-collar voters "cling to guns or religion".

But Viessman, who says he owns a dozen guns, said Obama "ain't gonna take your guns away."

The South traditionally votes Republican -- victories for southerners Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter were exceptions -- but with less than a month to election day, four states in or bordering the South are considered toss-ups: Florida, Missouri, North Carolina and Virginia.

Viessman says he'd like to think his grassroots movement could sway enough people in small-town America to make a difference.

"There's lots of other rednecks for Obama too," he said. "And the ones that's not, we're trying our best to convince them."

I just don't get it

I just don't understand why someone would WANT to vote for McCain. I don't understand. I don't get how someone could listen to Senator Obama speak and NOT be inspired. Not want the best for your country and its people. Not want better for this generation, MY GENERATION, and those to come after me. I don't get how someone can call Senator Obama "naive and unexperienced" and NOT laugh when they talk about Gov. Palin's experience. I don't get how someone can believe that every single person in this country really does have an opportunity without actually offering them an opportunity.

I don't understand how anyone wouldn't want to vote for Senator Obama.



We have a month of work to do.

SORRY!

It's been a busy couple of weeks...things have shifted across the country (including buildings over in Houston/Galveston) and idk what's going on now in people's heads...Republicans I know that were pro-Obama are suddenly pro-McCain w/ the addition of Palin. Wth? She's talking the same nonsense Bush has been talking, and THEN some. You've got to be joking.

In other news, this article makes me sick to my stomach.

Race may be a bigger factor than previously thought

Now I hate polls, only because people can say whatever they want and do something differently. (See: The Bradley effect) Also, pollsters only ask certain types of people. where's the poll for "educated Blacks" or "educated Hispanics" or "young Asians" or whatever else? It's always the same "rural, uneducated Whites" (so they say) or "educated Whites" or "Blacks (in general)" or "Hispanics (in general)".

Your thoughts?

History books

So all week, and all year, everyone's been talking about how historic this moment was. How Senator Obama is now the first African-American to be nominated for president by a political party. However, it's all been talked about from the perspective of the past; in a reflective way, from the shadows of Dr. King.

Chelsie, Kendrah, and I were talking about it yesterday, about how now Senator Obama will be in the new history textbooks in school...how even though Black History Month usually only talks about Rosa Parks, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.; and Harriet Tubman, that now they'll talk about President Obama...and how crazy that is. Crazy, not in a bad way, but meaning how impossible that seemed. I can't imagine what that would mean to me to have a history book/class/lesson that talked about the first African-American president when I was younger. I can't imagine that even being possible 10 years ago, before I even knew that black ppl had run for president before.

And I can't imagine how different this convention would have been, if that were the norm.


All I can say is sometimes, it's good to be there first.

Disappointed

Sometimes it's NOT good to live in a 24-hr news cycle. There was something special to be said about sending an announcement via text msg to supporters, so that we really did feel like we would be learning something FIRST from the campaign, not the news.

Who are these "sources close to the campaign" who felt the need to deny us of that joy? How often are politicians willing to let us in on something that even the news media doesn't know first?

By the time anyone reads this, everyone will know who the next VP will be. At least it should help the ticket. I'm all about Obama/***** for the win.

U.N.I.T.Y.?

Sorry, I'll make this one quick. This article just has me sick to my stomach...I thought we were working towards unity. Not ONCE have I ever heard an Obama supporter, field organizer, or other campaign worker say "we don't need [Clinton supporters]." I also don't understand how if a candidate has since endorsed his/her former opponent, why he/she would want to put her name on the ballot? I feel that would divide more than unite. Also, this whining of "she's not getting what she deserves" and "they're shutting her out" I just DON'T understand. Obviously, Senator Clinton is going to be a major part of the Democratic party as she has been since she was the First Lady. I just...I guess I just don't understand. I mean, if the shoe was on the other foot, I'm sure I would be kinda upset that my candidate lost, but once he endorsed his opponent, agreed that her plans and policies would work for us domestically and abroad, and was out CAMPAIGNING for her, I would just LET IT GO. Idk. I just think it's been 2 months already, and if the opponents can work together, then why can't we?

"The One"

Haha, so I was reading about how hard it is apparently to make fun of Senator Obama. (Jimmy Kimmel said to talk about his ears, lol.) Then the blog (where I found the article) mentioned the ads that McCain is releasing... This one is called, well, "The One."



I actually thought it was kinda funny, except the part where Senator Obama is talking about "a light will shine upon you" is when he was poking fun at Senator Clinton mocking him. The funniest part is that, even after they use the clip from "The Ten Commandments," they admit that "ok yeah, he may be the 2nd coming of Christ, but can he lead?" lol...it's like the tire gauges all over again.

The Olympics = A Welcome Distraction

Yes, this election is about the issues and getting Americans out to vote and work together to bring about a better nation and world.

But sometimes, you need a break from the heaviness of it all.

Thank GOD for the Olympics.

Personally, I've always loved watching all the sports. Of course, I get excited when my home team is competing, but I'll watch almost anybody in my favorite sports (gymnastics, volleyball, beach volleyball, trampoline, and rhythmic gymnastics). In swimming and basketball, it's just the US teams that I like to watch.

Either way, "polls" are saying that 48% of Americans are tired of hearing about Senator Obama. Something like 16-22% of them also said that the increased coverage has created a less, not more, favorable view of the senator. That is NOT what we need right now...especially with the convention coming up, we need that to be a kickoff point. We need his speech to be a catalyst for those who haven't gotten involved yet. We can't be burned out at this point; we're less than 90 days away. This is when we have to fine tune the message and get out there and fight for ourselves. Fight for change. (Not physically.)

On that note, the US women's indoor volleyball team is playing now. And hopefully the back and forth of the ball doesn't constantly remind me of all the silliness that has been happening in the campaign arena over the past few weeks.

And they say Barnum & Bailey is "the greatest show on Earth!?" Try the Olympics. And then American politics.

Home again, home again

...and ready to work.

Sort of.

Tomorrow night, Thursday, August 7, there is a volunteer rally being held by the group VICTORIANS UNITED FOR CHANGE to gather and motivate volunteers to help us work toward electing a Democratic majority in 2008. The event is from 7-9pm at the Victoria Electric Co-op (102 S Ben Jordan) in Victoria, TX.


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I'll be speaking about my experience trying to become a delegate, as well as giving some info from the national campaign, and other fun stuff. It should be a good time. Plus I'll have my new buttons to sell as well as some of the free stuff I got from the Obama campaign.

In other news, I didn't get to go to HQ. :o( I didn't realize Google Maps really DOES know everything. All I had to do was search it on my phone and it found it for me. CRAZY. I'm debating on flying back up there JUST so I can go to HQ, lol, but I don't really have the time. I do, but I don't. We'll see.

Anyone have any ideas for events to get people excited about the fall election? (Besides having Senator or Mrs. Obama or the Clintons.)

OMG!!!!

KANYE WEST IS PERFORMING AT THE DNCC!!!! (Source)

wow. They have TOTALLY stepped it up this year, lol.

SOOOOO EXCITED. This means I'll get to see Kanye perform twice in a month.

Also, I got a letter in the mail about a special TX delegation reception hosted by Union Pacific from a John Sharp. (No idea, but thanks, Mr. Sharp!) The letter states:

My friends at Union Pacific Railroad have agreed to host a "Texas Reception" on Monday, Aug. 25th. They have agreed to pull one of their large, completely outfitted passenger trains up to Union Station which is very near the convention site. We will have plenty to eat and drink for this special "Texas Reception." The time for this reception will be in your packet at the convention with all of the necessary information and you should receive a formal invitation in the mail from Union Pacific very shortly...The very top executives of Union Pacific, including the CEO, will be there to greet you.

To quote Flavor Flav, "WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOW."

Yay for another new dress!!!

I'm Keisha, and I'm an Obamaniac.

Last night's meeting of the Victoria Democrats Club was very interesting and informative. Darlene Ewing, Dallas County Dem Party Chair spoke about how they turned Dallas County blue in 2006 and elected 47 of 47 democratic officials. (I don't remember the specifics on that one; sorry.) The high points were:
-Unite all democratic candidates under one message
-Actively campaign EVERYWHERE; be seen in every community
-Encourage people to vote down ballot (all democratic)
-Pool funds, resources, and campaign materials

One of the questions that was raised (credit to Mrs. Barbara Allen-Lampley) was, "Where did you find your volunteers?" Darlene said that most of them came with each of the candidates, but that this year especially, the Obama campaign has tapped into a core base of youth volunteers. Exact quote, "Senator Obama has thousands of youth...eagerly waiting to volunteer."

Crowd response: laughter and glances at Kelli and I.

Really? That's how it's viewed? Lol, I feel like it sounds like we're part of a cult...at any moment, Senator Obama could tell us to hole up in a cave until Nov. 5, and we'd do so. Lol, I guess we are self-professed Obamaniacs.

But is that really a problem?

Hi! How are you? BBQ?

Eventful week this wk, no?

1. Jesse Jackson's remarks are EVERYWHERE. Fox has replayed them over and over...idk how I feel about repeating them, but if you want to watch, here's the vid:



Btw, that's the hopefully the first and last time I have to positively reference Bill O'Reilly, even though it's not positive...yeah...

Some people are saying he probably did it on purpose, to kind of show this rift in the community and that there isn't one massive voting bloc (idk if that makes sense to me either). Others are saying it is a good example of this murmured "old school vs. new school" feud amongst black leaders, as if those that paved the way don't want to step down or those that had their way paved for them don't want to acknowledge the older leaders' contributions. Heck if I know. All I know is that it was rude, and how does this man NOT know that the camera and mic are still on? Hasn't he been doing interviews for like 40 yrs?!

2. Everyone plz welcome fellow SD-18 national delegate MICHAEL FLOWERS to the mix! This way you don't have to read my random posts all the time...hopefully he has a lot to say. He's also accepting donations on his personal political blog, which I can't find the link to at the moment, but I assume he'll include it in his first post.

*************UPDATE*****************
Michael's blog is linked on the right-hand side. Take a peek!

3. Senator Obama's acceptance speech will now take place OUTSIDE of the convention center! Me thinks the senator enjoys making history. :o) Wherever it has been relocated to, they plan to host 75,000 ppl, and make it open to the public by giving away tickets. CRAZINESS. I'm really excited for it, but I can only hope I have priority seating or a standing section...I mean, all this hard work for the back of the crowd? But really, it should be a great time, and I bet the speech will be powerfully moving and inspiring as always.

4. Lastly, I'm having a benefit BBQ to fundraise on Saturday, July 19, and I'm asking for a $6 donation per ticket. I'll create a new post with more details.

Any thoughts out there on the internets?