The Oregon Obama campaign: Off & rolling
T.A. Barnhart
Oregon Wants Obama! Portland Coordination Kick-off Meeting - 7/11/07
Following up on a kick-off fundraiser that netted over $3,700, Portland area Obama supporters met on Wednesday night at Cassidy's Restaurant to strategize and organize for the upcoming campaign. "We had an inspiring kick-off meeting," said "Oregon Wants Obama!" founder Patricia Phillips, "and we accomplished a lot, including establishing the group's goals and putting an organizational structure in place."
The organizing group was a diverse group of political novices and seasoned campaigners, including a number of deaniacs, a political pro with over 50 years experience, and one 10-year-old boy who said he wants "to learn more about President stuff." After an hour of introducing themselves and kicking around a number of ideas, the group set up an intitial group of committees and agreed to meet on a monthly basis.
"I'm very impressed with all of the planning already done by the groups whose representatives came together at the coordination kickoff meeting. It's encouraging, and it's motivating to see so many people, from such a variety of backgrounds and ages and interests, come together with this much energy and enthusiasm at this early point in the campaign." said Amy Gertz, named to head the Media/Editorial team.
Other teams include Event Planning (house parties, festivals, tabling, meetups), Campus Outreach, Community Outreach and Web/Online Communications.
For more information, visit the group's statewide website, OregonforObama.net. The website will have a forum for discussion of issues, an events calendar, and links to various ways supporters can get involved in the campaign. The site's main feature will an open blog for Oregon Obama supporters. I'm the site developer and editor, and all bloggers are welcome to sign up and write. If you've never blogged before, and you support Barack Obama, it's a great way to get involved in the campaign and to develop some writing chops.
The official Obama '08 website has a number of tools for getting involved, including links to local groups and their mailing lists. To join a local mailing list, visit the "Groups" section of My.BarackObama.com (a listing of Oregon groups can be found at O4O). The main organizing group for Oregon is "Oregon Wants Obama", and local groups exist across the state.
Barack Obama's campaign has reached into American progressive grassroots as no campaign has done since the Dean for America campaign. Over a quarter-million Americans have contributed to the campaign already, and the number continues to grow. For Oregonians who believe the government belongs to them, and who want to support a candidate who opposed the war from the beignning, as well as a candidate with a proven record of understanding the lives of average citizens — Barack Obama is your candidate. Look at his record, look at his stand on the issues, and then join us. This campaign is truly about hope.
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Jul 15, '07
Best of luck to you, though so far I've noticed fairly little out of Obama besides feel-good rhetoric, which is why I'm sticking with Edwards until/unless Gore jumps in.
12:54 p.m.
Jul 15, '07
Don't forget to check-out People of Faith for Barack, part of the official campaign site.
2:45 p.m.
Jul 15, '07
This is slightly off-topic but...
I think it was last Monday (or maybe the one before) when I was listening to NPR during my lunch break at work and the topic was military members and veterans of Iraq/Afghanistan and what it would take to win their presidential vote in 2008. A truly fascinating show but one segment really caught my interest.
One of the guests was an Army special forces veteran of the Iraq Occupation who had always been more or less Republican and who is now strongly supporting Obama. Asked to sum up why he was backing Obama he simply stated that out of all of the choices facing us Obama is the ONLY one who got it right on Iraq and that the American people need a President who has a demonstrated track record of "getting it right" on critical issues.
I'd never really thought of it that way but I must say that it makes perfect sense now that someone has spelled it out for me.
I very much appreciate the honesty required for candidates like Edwards to admit that they got it wrong. That's better than intrasigence, any day of the week. But on some issues there simply are no "do overs" and Iraq is one of them. Obama doesn't need a do over. He got it right when it mattered most.
Obama 08!!
Jul 15, '07
That reminds me, I'm guessing that the early priamry bill died in Ways and Means and that OR's presidential primary will remain in May. Is that correct?
Jul 15, '07
My husband had Oh Mama! OBAMA! stickers made up months ago and stuck them on my car. I thought Obama was honest, charasmatic and my choice until he came out parroting his Business Roundtable agenda on education and started mouthing off about merit pay. He's sounding more and more like a politician sucking up to corporations all the time. He lost my vote. I need to find a way to get those bumper stickers off my car!
2:26 a.m.
Jul 16, '07
Grant, you are correct.
Jul 16, '07
I just can't get all that excited about Obama, given his stated religious prejudice against gay marriage.
"I'm a Christian, and so although I try not to have my religious beliefs dominate or determine my political views on this issue, I do believe that tradition and my religious beliefs say that marriage is something sanctified between a man and a woman." [Barack Obama]
Jul 16, '07
FYI, to begin a series on the faith of presidential candidates, the first article in the series is about Barak Obama and the church he belongs to in Chicago.
http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/0716/p01s01-uspo.html
Jul 16, '07
While it sounds like a few of you have some pecadillos, I can attest that his campaign has indeed taken off in Oregon like no other candidate. I would say that a Democratic Presidential candidate that appeals to both Dems and Repubs, and upsets some on both ends apparently, may have a good shot in the general election!
I am in Jackson County, which other than Ashland, isn't exactly a liberal stronghold. We have had several good meetings for his campaign, including one yesterday in which 16 people showed up. We had about 15 people march in Ashland's 4th of July parade behind our Obama '08 banner and received a great reception. The Jackson County Dems had a straw poll at their booth recently and Barack beat all candidates, I think he got 98 votes and Hillary only 65.
We are now preparing for a fundraiser on Barack's birthday, August 4th in Medford, and if you'd like more info on that you can find it here:
3:16 p.m.
Jul 16, '07
for people in the Jackson County area who want to join Matt's group, go to the Oregon South for Obama group (you'll need to sign up with My.BarackObama.com). there are other groups, both in that area and around the state; a full listing is on the OregonforObama.net website.
Jul 16, '07
Thanks TA, the link to our event didn't show up (can't seem to master that on this site) but it is on the link that TA posted.
Jul 17, '07
Did you buy one of his key-chains yet so the transaction could be counted as a "contribution"?
Bob T
12:32 p.m.
Jul 17, '07
nice snark attempt, Bob.
i added $5 when i bought my t-shirt; i'm thinking a lot of people round up their purchases. anyone who buys a t-shirt or bumper sticker knows it's part contribution; that's part of why we buy them. and if you read the article carefully, it's clear that these contributions are not a huge amount of the total. even if take those out, and Obama is still miles ahead of the other candidates in grassroots support.
Jul 17, '07
Barack Obama's campaign has reached into American progressive grassroots as no campaign has done since the Dean for America campaign.
Bob T: Like no other campaign since......Last Time! Gosh, that's funny.
Anyway, people keep sayiong this guy has "fresh ideas".
Can you name a few of them? I mean "fresh", not re-treads and re-dos.
Bob Tiernan
2:40 p.m.
Jul 17, '07
easy, Bob, we'll start with listening. active, empathetic listening, the kind even couples rarely do. Obama has the support of Chicago-area Dems, southern Illinois Rs, and everyone in-between because of how he listens. he takes to heart what different "sides" think and desire, and when he speaks or acts, it's with the goal of finding a solution that is true to his own beliefs yet respectful of other views. this is a rare quality, especially in big-time politics, but it comes naturally to Obama.
the whole idea of "issues" and such is pretty bogus. legislation, as we know, gets made the same way as sausage. to me, it's sufficient that Obama will work for things like health care for all, ending the war on terror (so-called), energy independence, environmental responsibility, etc. he can come up with all the new ideas in the world and write them up in the most minute detail. Congress will still beat the shit out of them. saying "I will do this this and this" is pointless cuz that's not how the legislative process works.
after this administration's horror show, we don't need ideas and details; we need hope and a reason to believe in government and our president. Barack Obama is that reason, not because of his (good) ideas but because of the person he is, the person he has proven to be in a lifetime of public service.
and as it is written in Ecclesiastes,
All things are wearisome, more than one can say. The eye never has enough of seeing, nor the ear its fill of hearing.
What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.
Is there anything of which one can say, "Look! This is something new"? It was here already, long ago; it was here before our time."
Jul 17, '07
Goodness gracious, Bob Tiernan, out trolling... Not a bad occupation for a rejected right wing politician.
Jul 17, '07
That's what i thought Bill, until this exchange from the Fourth (click link above):
East Bank Thom: Is this the same Bob Tiernan from the GOP whose political career dead ended a few years back? Tis a pity if so. As i recall, he can boast many years of service to the state and country, but on this fine Independence Day seems to be relegated to lurking about Democratic watering holes pulling stats like the above out of his... secret file.
Bob Tiernan: Nope. Different clan. Tiernan Clan of Millis, Mass.
7:54 p.m.
Jul 17, '07
Maybe we should rename him, "Tiernan the Troll"?
Sorry couldn't help it....
It's worth mentioning there will be a booth at the Division/Clinton Street Fair on the 28th and volunteers are needed.
Also don't forget to go by the Lions Club Mobile Screening unit to get your free eye test (sorry...couldn't resist again)
Jul 18, '07
t.a. barnhart:
Obama has the support of Chicago-area Dems
Bob T:
So did Dan Rostenkowski, convict # 853058305 or whatever it was.
t.a. barnhart:
...southern Illinois Rs, and everyone in-between because of how he listens. he takes to heart what different "sides" think and desire, and when he speaks or acts, it's with the goal of finding a solution that is true to his own beliefs yet respectful of other views.
Bob T:
This doesn't tell me much. On a local level, for example, how does someone like Serena Cruz-Walsh [Walsh Construction heiress] come up with such a "compromise" on those "snout houses" she hates so much, after "listening" to people's views? Ban them on some streets, but not others, all based on her busy body hangup regarding her feelings on aesthetics? I hate snout houses, too, but wouldn't even think of banning them anymore than I would mandate construction of Victorian houses.
I really doubt that Obama is going to accomplish much by listening, except to pick more losers and winners when none should be chosen at all.
t.a. barnhart:
the whole idea of "issues" and such is pretty bogus.
Bob Tiernan: I can agree there, particularly when it comes to the nation's executive office. I am, after all, a Grover Cleveland Democrat.
By the way, your description of Obama (not reproduced in this reply) reminds me of what many say of Reagan’s main qualities. Not that I think Obama is similar, but I’m interested in whether or not you attributed to Reagan those qualities in a leader that you seem to now admire, namely, a certain presence and dignity rather than where he or she stands on assorted issues.
t.a. barnhart:
legislation, as we know, gets made the same way as sausage. to me, it's sufficient that Obama will work for things like health care for all
Bob Tiernan:
Oh, there's a fresh idea!
t.a. barnhart:
ending the war on terror (so-called)
Bob Tiernan:
Now you're getting silly. Do you think that there is no conflict with militant Muslims, particularly those who use Qutub’s views to essentially create more hatred against not just the west, but against just about everything that real liberals claim to defend? The war on “terror” may not be the best definition of it, but we all know what it means – and it’s not a bumper sticker slogan as that shyster lawyer from North Carolina says. Besides, ending this war (as if it can be ended by the snap of a finger) is not a fresh idea, either.
Bob Tiernan (not trolling, but just making sure that some people have do think more than they do when they're just in a circle-jerk).
Jul 19, '07
Bob Tiernan (not trolling, but
um. bullshit. par exemple:
t.a. barnhart: Obama has the support of Chicago-area Dems Bob T: So did Dan Rostenkowski, convict # 853058305
Having the support of an active Democratic base is an obvious positive and is rightly noted by t.a. as a plus. Your mention of Danny boy is a complete non sequitur and an obvious troll.
I wasn't going to feed the trolls today, but the last crack regarding the "war on terror" got me going. It is in fact nothing more than a goddam slogan. If your greatest fear really is that the terrrorists are in ur cuntry, blowin ur buildins then by all means, sign up with Halliburton and go kick their ass. Go fight them over there so i won't have to read your nonsense here at BlueO
I saw this movie before. It was called "the Cold War." Eurasia? Eastasia? Anyone? I'm sick of war without end. (And i'm sick of trolls.)