"I will never forget who this victory truly belongs to – it belongs to you." - Barack Obama, Election Night 2008
Read the full speech, as prepared for delivery . . .
Orlando Bloom is busy volunteering for Barack in a California office making calls to Get Out The Vote. He asks you to find your polling location at VoteForChange.com and vote right away.
After you vote, you can volunteer in your neighborhood to help get out the vote or make calls to voters in critical battleground states. Help make history today.
The campaign just sent out this e-mail:
Bradley -- Students and young people have played a larger role in this campaign than in any other campaign in history. We have just days to go, and your work is more important than ever. We've put together a video documenting some of the work young people have done in the last 21 months as part of this movement for change. Watch the video, then sign up to help get us over the finish line: For too long, the power of the young people in politics has been dismissed. But this is your election. Students have been the number one donors to this campaign, and young people are the driving force behind field and get out the vote operations. You've already changed political campaigns. Now it's time to change the nation. Watch the video and be part of this movement for change in the final days: http://my.barackobama.com/SFOgetinvolved Our future will be determined in the next few days, and you can make the crucial difference. Thank you for all you're doing, Students for Obama Volunteer to get out the vote.
The event has started with a performance by the Lincoln High school Marching Band. People are still lined up down the streets trying to get in, and their music is helping to keep everyone in high spirits.
Throughout this election, we’ve seen something special from young people getting involved—even if they are too young to vote. Just a few minutes ago, Secretary of State Michael A. Mauro released the results of the 2008 Iowa Student Mock Election. This year was a record breaking turnout with a total of 56,000 students taking part—and Barack Obama won the Election with 58% of the vote!
Now these Mock Election results won’t directly translate into turning Iowa blue, but we’ve seen thousands of Iowa students, in High school and College, put in tens of thousands of volunteer hours. It’s these efforts that are going to ensure our success on Election Day, and we need everyone out there signing up to get involved. Click here to help these students bring the change we need.
The event is heating up… more pictures coming soon.
Governor Howard Dean returned to the great state of New Hampshire today to rally students at UNH – Durham. UNH – Durham is the largest university in the state of New Hampshire, so the student population has the potential to play a deciding factor in this upcoming election. With early voting over, students in New Hampshire can still register and vote on Election Day through same day registration. Governor Dean encouraged all the students in attendance to make their voice heard by showing up and registering to vote.
Also appearing at the event were two young women who recently graduated from college themselves – Molly Shaheen (Jeanne Shaheen’s daughter) and Kathleen Shea-Porter (Carol Shea-Porter’s daughter). Governor Dean urged students to not just vote for Senator Obama, but to vote for the whole Democratic ticket, all the way down including former Governor Shaheen and Congresswoman Shea-Porter. Barack will need help as President, and we need to keep New Hampshire blue to give him the Senators and Congressmen he will need to get our country back on track.
Dean told the students assembled that they were taking part in a historic election – one that will witness a passing of the torch -
In many ways this election is similar to the 1960 election between John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon. Kennedy was running on a promise of hope and change while Nixon was running as the status quo…and we all know what happened in that election and Kennedy’s historic inauguration.
Dean wrapped up by reminding students what a great country we live in and urging the UNH students to knock on doors and make phone calls and do everything they can to help the Democrats win. You can help too. Find your local office. Sign up to Get Out The Vote. This is OUR TIME.
47 to 1. That's the number of endorsements from college newspaper editorialboards across the country that have endorsed Barack Obama, and the number that have endorsed John McCain. Who's endorsing whom? Here's the list of papers that have endorsed Barack Obama.
The Arizona Daily - University of ArizonaThe Daily Bruin - UCLAThe Daily Californian - UC BerkleyCentral Florida Future - University of Central FloridaStetson UniversityIowa State Daily - Iowa State UniversityThe Daily Eastern News - Eastern Illinois UniversityThe Dialy Northwestern - Northwestern UniversityThe Daily Illini - University of IllinoisThe Northern Star - Northern Illinois UniversityThe Indiana Daily Student - Indiana UniversityThe Amherst Student - Amherst CollegeThe Berkeley Beacon - Emerson CollegeThe Tufts Daily - Tufts UniversityThe Justice - Brandeis UniversityThe Point News - St. Mary's College of MarylandThe Bowdoin Student - Bowdoin CollegeThe Bates Student - Bates CollegeLife - Central Michigan UniversityThe Voice - Washtenaw Community CollegeThe Michigan Daily - University of MichiganThe Michigan University - University of Michigan DearbornThe Minnesota Daily - University of MinnesotaThe University News - St. Louis UniversityThe Duke Chronicle - Duke UniversityThe Lamron - SUNY GeneseoBinghamton ProspectBU Pipe Dream - Binghamton UniversityColumbia Daily Spectator - Columbia UniversityThe Cornell Daily Sun - Cornell UniversityDaily Kent Stater - Kent State UniversityThe Independent - Univeristy of ToledoThe Miami Student - Miami UniversityThe Oklahoma Dialy - University of OklahomaThe Rocket - Slippery Rock UniersitySwarthmore Phoeniz - Swarthmore CollegeThe Pitt News - Univeristy of PittsburghThe College Reporter - Franklin and Marshall CollegeThe Daily Gamecock - University of South CarolinaThe Pacer - University of Tennessee MartinThe OptimistThe Daily Texan - Univeristy of Texas at AustinThe Et Cetera - Eastfield CollegeThe Flat Hat - College of William and MaryThe Parthenon - Marshall UniversityThe Daily Athenaeum - West Virginia University
And for John McCain?
The Daily Mississippian - University of Mississippi
With only five days left to bring the change we need to Washington, join your fellow students in getting out the vote. Visit our Action Center to find five ways you can help today.
Did we miss your school newspaper's endorsement? Send us a link in the comments.
From YouTube videos to our Vote for Change posters, Obama supporters have exercized their creative talents in countless ways since this campaign started. A project by students at the University of Florida might top it all, however. I couldn't explain it if I tried. You should just check out this photo sent by UF Obama volunteer Chris Davis to Politico's Ben Smith.
Why didn't I think of that? Florida students are getting creative in the homestretch because we need all hands on deck to get out the vote in Florida and win that crucial state. From Gainesville to Tallahassee, from Miami to Ft. Myers, the Sunshine State is voting early and Obama volunteers are working overtime.
Help them get out the vote in Florida today. When it comes to door-knocking and making phonecalls, humans are still better than robots.
Young voters are going to make or break this election on November 4. Go out and vote today.
There's always talk about the impact young voters could have in choosing the next president. But this truly could be a breakout year for them.Among the factors: nearly 2-to-1 support for Barack Obama among 18- to 29-year-olds and a seasoned get-out-the-vote effort that has seen young voter participation steadily rising since 2000....When asked, "Do any of the following words describe how you feel about the upcoming presidential election?" 61 percent of the young respondents chose "interested," while 48 percent chose "hopeful."But, able to choose more than one answer, only about a third of these likely young voters said they were "excited" about the election and 47 percent were "frustrated."These are the sort of answers one might expect from a group of voters who've historically been pegged as Election Day wild cards, but who've also shown they can be counted on - helping get both Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton elected, for instance.Show up big this time - and they could put Obama over the top. A lesser youth showing, however, would likely benefit McCain."So turnout suddenly becomes a pretty big ingredient," says Peter Levine, director of Tufts University's Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement, otherwise known as CIRCLE.That's especially true in key swing states, such as Florida, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia. In North Carolina, for instance, the most recent tally available shows 579,858 new registrants who are eligible to vote this year. Many of them 20somethings, they represent about 9 percent of the state's registered voters and could be a difference-maker in a close race, particularly if they support one candidate more heavily than another....In that election, about 47 percent of 18- to 24-year-olds voted, up from 36 percent in 2000, according to the Census Bureau. While their impact was not felt as greatly because their vote was more evenly split between George W. Bush and John Kerry, no other age group increased its turnout by more than 5 percentage points.And some political scientists expect those numbers to be topped yet again, especially since young voters have been a long-standing centerpiece of Obama's campaign....They may be considered unlikely voters by some. But political scientist Molly Andolina expects many of them will make it to the polls in November."This cohort has shown a lot of resilience," says Andolina, a professor at DePaul University who studies young-voter habits. "Prior to Obama's win in Iowa - when it was known that he was popular among youth - pundits declared that they'd never make it out, in the cold of January, when college and universities were still on break, to spend an hour or more caucusing ..."But they did. And he won."
Barack Obama's Campaign for Change and the Campus Coalition for Change organized an Early Vote Day for Colby students, offering rides to and from the town clerk's office so students could avoid the crowds on Election Day and help Get Out The Vote.
Hundreds of students decided to show their support and cast their ballots early—so much for skipping the line!
To find your early vote location, visit voteforchange.com or call 877-2-ME-OBAMA. If you'd like to help the Campaign for Change Get Out The Vote, CLICK HERE.
School, work, friends and family make it a challenge to fit anything else into busy schedules, but Jenn in San Antonio, Texas found the time to make calls between studying.
I strongly encourage anybody to phone bank. I just did that for the first time in my life this Saturday. I'm a medical student with barely enough time to study (or sleep!), but I live in a state that's red through and through, and I had been contemplating for a long time about what I could do for the campaign.
With just a week till the election, making calls to young people in battle ground states like Indiana and Pennsylvania will have a big impact in ensuring undecided voters have their questions answered and supporters can find their early vote location.
After logging in, we'll provide you with a simple script and targeted list of names to call. According to Jenn, before long you'll be a natural:
The first few calls were a bit intimidating, but about 10 calls later, it became second-nature...I took three hours out of my normal studying time and called 114 people in three states!
Join young people across the country who are impacting the outcome of this election by making calls today.
For months and months, I've been trying to get young people to vote, and my main message has been it doesn't matter who you vote for -- you get out there and vote. The most important thing is that you vote. I've been saying that for so long, and I'm tired of saying that. So I'm now going to come out and say "you've got to vote for Barack Obama."
I've been watching the news and they keep saying that Colorado is the new Florida. So I said, "get me on a plane to Colorado and tell those young people who use the interweb that they got to vote." You have to vote, you guys. You can vote early up until Halloween at the Rec Center. I love the Rec Center, it's the best. You can do a lot of things at the Rec Center, I'm sure -- I've never actually been to the Rec Center. But if I were to go to the Rec Center, I would vote.
I voted because I'm tired of oil companies running our country. I want to bring to change to America. I think there are a lot of people who are suffering and it's not right. I didn't want to wait in those lines. I would have, if I had put myself in that situation. But it's so easy to vote early. Why put yourself in that situation? It could take you a couple of hours on election day, it took me 10 minutes the other day.
This afternoon, National Field Director Jon Carson sent out this message to supporters:
Ask your Boss. Ask your Professor. Take Election Day off and volunteer to make history. Watch this video and sign up to help get out the vote on Tuesday, November 4th: This election will be decided by what this grassroots movement can accomplish on Election Day. We have volunteer shifts to fill throughout the day -- make calls, knock on doors, and make sure your fellow voters get to the polls. No previous experience is required. Sign up now to take the day off and make history on November 4th. Thanks, Jon Jon Carson National Field Director Obama for America
Ask your Boss. Ask your Professor. Take Election Day off and volunteer to make history.
Watch this video and sign up to help get out the vote on Tuesday, November 4th:
This election will be decided by what this grassroots movement can accomplish on Election Day. We have volunteer shifts to fill throughout the day -- make calls, knock on doors, and make sure your fellow voters get to the polls. No previous experience is required. Sign up now to take the day off and make history on November 4th.
Thanks, Jon Jon Carson National Field Director Obama for America
If you live in Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia or Wisconsin, you can sign up now to volunteer in your community.
If you live elsewhere and are willing to travel to a neighboring battleground state to help out, you can sign up here, or you can sign up to make phone calls on Election Day to help Get Out The Vote.
Early Vote is in full swing and students across the state are casting their ballot early for Obama-Biden.
College of the Atlantic students recently organized a march to the polls, rallying residents of Bar Harbor on their way.
If you're registered to vote in Maine, you can vote early too! Visit voteforchange.com or call 877-2-ME-OBAMA to find your early vote location and cast your ballot today.
As the campaign comes to a close, you can expect to see a lot of Barack and Michelle Obama on television.
Michelle will make her first appearance on The Tonight Show tonight, at 11:30 ET. Make sure to tune in!
In another exciting note, the Barack Obama 30-minute special will be airing Wednesday night. Check below for airtimes.
NBC/CBS/Univision/BET:
Eastern: 8:00:00 thru 8:30:00 PM
Central: 7:00:00 thru 7:30:00 PM
Mountain: 7:00:00 thru 7:30:00 PM
Pacific: 8:00:00 thru 8:30:00 PM
FOX:
Eastern: 8:00:00 PM thru 8:30:00 PM
Central: 7:00:00 PM thru 7:30:00 PM
Mountain: 7:00:00 PM thru 7:30:00 PM or Immediately following World Series Game 6 (if necessary)
Pacific: 8:00:00 PM thru 8:30:00 PM or Immediately following World Series Game 6 (if necessary)
MSNBC/TV One:
Mountain: 6:00:00 PM thru 6:30:00 PM
Get some friends together and watch.
With only a few critical days left in this historic campaign, we need everyone to get out and talk to undecided voters. It's the most important thing any of us can do in these final days. Recently Chris Walla (from the band Death Cab for Cutie) took time away from his current tour to volunteer for the campaign in Wisconsin:
Chris had been finding a few hours to help out, stopping by campaign offices on his days off. Chris told us:
Volunteering couldn't be much easier, and it's been lots of fun. I was a little nervous right at first, but I figured out pretty quickly that the people I've been calling and whose doors I've been knocking on are just as concerned for our country as I am, and as Barack Obama and Joe Biden are. People all over this nation are ready for a change, and sincere, little conversations with our neighbors go a long, long way toward getting Barack into the White House.
Chris also took time to make calls to voters:
Walla continued:
This historic campaign is in its final few days, and we need your help — not just someone like you, but you! Your time and enthusiasm are worth their weight in gold — but only if you're willing to share them. I've been sharing my time and energy, and I've been amazed at what I've gotten back. I think you will too... Please join me!
Please take a few minutes out of your busy schedule to call your friends and neighbors and let them know how important it is to go out and vote. You can get started making calls from home right now, or use the map below to find a local campaign office near you:
This weekend, we're relying on our grassroots phonebankers to help out our field organization by making 300,000 phone calls to key battleground states. No matter where you are, you can get started making calls in just a few minutes. And if you are making calls, let us know what you're hearing on the phones today.
UPDATED: As of Sunday at 5:00 PM Central, we're at 240,947 calls with a few hours left of call time tonight. If you have even a half hour to help, you can join supporters across the country by making calls now.
From the beginning of the general election, strategically, we tried to have as wide of a map as possible. Our belief was we wanted to, on the morning of Nov. 4th, have as many possible avenues to as many electoral votes as possible. And we think we've been able to create that dynamic and have a lot of competitive states in play here. - David Plouffe
national polling averages as of 10/25/08 via pollster.com
With only ten days left, it's become apparent just how wide the election map is. But as the number of competitive states grows larger, so to does the universe of voters that we have to identify, persuade and get to the polls. Now more than ever, we are relying on volunteers in every corner of the country to help execute the field plan we've built over the last 20 months.
Jen O'Malley Dillon, the battleground states director, explained:
We have expected all along that this race is going to tighten up, especially in the battlegrounds states. So we have spent a lot of time building our organizational strengths, building capacity and really focusing on our voter contact and our neighborhood organizations. We really feel that in a number of these states, this election is going to come down to our ground organization and what happens in the final days of the campaign.
In almost two dozen key states, the outcome is very much still up in the air. Over the next ten days, you have an unprecedented opportunity to be part of this effort and to contribute directly to the outcome of this election.
If you live in or near one of the many battleground states, you can connect with a local office and help our field operation on the ground. Face-to-face contact is the most powerful way to get out the vote or persuade undecided voters in battleground states. Sign up today -- state staff are waiting for your help.
This weekend, we're counting on our grassroots phonebankers to make an additional 300,000 calls to voters in key states. As of 7:00 PM Central tonight, you've already made 113,762 calls. Right from your own home, on your own schedule, you can do your part in just an hour or two by calling voters in one of these crucial states. We'll give you the phone numbers and the talking points. It couldn't be easier. You can get your list of targeted voters to call right now.
Finally, supporters will be coming together on Wednesday, October 29th, to watch Barack's national TV appearance and call voters in battleground states. Talking one-on-one with potential fellow voters is one of the easiest and most effective ways for you to make an impact in this election. Find a Last Call for Change house party near you or sign up to host one.
As National Field Director Jon Carson said in an email sent out to supporters tonight, each passing day is an opportunity we'll never have again to change America. You hold this election in your hands.
Polls close in 10 days.
Early voting has started in over half the states already. Barack and Michelle both held early vote rallies in Florida earlier this week. Joe held early vote rallies in Colorado, and Jill will be holding early vote rallies in Florida this weekend. Early voting is an easy way to help the campaign. You secure your vote for Barack, you help the campaign narrow the universe of voters that we have to contact, and you free yourself up to help recruit others to vote. We will be spending a massive amount of time and money on our Get Out The Vote effort, and we need more volunteers than ever before.Barack is in Nevada today to reminded supporters to vote early. And earlier this week he was in Indiana...
If you live in Colorado, Florida, North Carolina, Iowa, Indiana, Wisconsin, Ohio, Montana, New Mexico, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Georgia, West Virginia, Oregon, Alaska, Arkansas, Arizona, Texas, Tennessee, Hawaii, Illinois, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Louisiana, Kansas, New Jersey, or Idaho, early voting has begun. Vote for Barack today.
Today marks the annual homecoming celebration at University of Missouri. As one might expect, the energy around the stadium is palpable. The streets of Columbia are filled with fans, and the tail gate parties are in full swing.Still, football isn't the only thing on people's minds these days. With the general election just ten days away, and the economy struggling, many people are also eagerly awaiting a chance to turn the page and bring real change to Missouri. That desire to shift the direction of this country is what motivated a group of dedicated students to wake up early and go march in support of Barack in the annual homecoming parade. They were joined in their efforts by members of the Boone County Democrats, along with other supporters from the surrounding community. Waving their signs, passing out stickers and collecting supporter cards as they walked, they managed to sign up many new volunteers to help get out the vote in these final days and turn Mid-Missouri bright blue.This march was just the beginning of today's activities. With the big game kicking off at 5:30 this evening, the volunteer efforts are still in full swing. As we speak, students and area supporters are canvassing the crowd gathered outside Memorial Stadium and working to fill volunteer shifts for the lead up to election day. If you're in the area, please feel free to join them, but even if you're not you can still help. In these final days, the efforts of supporters like you is more important than ever. If you haven't already, sign up to join a neighborhood team in your area, or drop by your local Campaign for Change office. No previous experience is required and every bit of effort helps push Barack closer to victory in the Show Me State -- So get involved today.
Today marks the annual homecoming celebration at University of Missouri. As one might expect, the energy around the stadium is palpable. The streets of Columbia are filled with fans, and the tail gate parties are in full swing.
Still, football isn't the only thing on people's minds these days. With the general election just ten days away, and the economy struggling, many people are also eagerly awaiting a chance to turn the page and bring real change to Missouri. That desire to shift the direction of this country is what motivated a group of dedicated students to wake up early and go march in support of Barack in the annual homecoming parade. They were joined in their efforts by members of the Boone County Democrats, along with other supporters from the surrounding community. Waving their signs, passing out stickers and collecting supporter cards as they walked, they managed to sign up many new volunteers to help get out the vote in these final days and turn Mid-Missouri bright blue.
This march was just the beginning of today's activities. With the big game kicking off at 5:30 this evening, the volunteer efforts are still in full swing. As we speak, students and area supporters are canvassing the crowd gathered outside Memorial Stadium and working to fill volunteer shifts for the lead up to election day. If you're in the area, please feel free to join them, but even if you're not you can still help. In these final days, the efforts of supporters like you is more important than ever. If you haven't already, sign up to join a neighborhood team in your area, or drop by your local Campaign for Change office. No previous experience is required and every bit of effort helps push Barack closer to victory in the Show Me State -- So get involved today.
Shawn in Tempe, Arizona knows firsthand the issues surrounding the Iraq War.
At age 25, Shawn has already completed five years as an active duty marine, some of that time spent fighting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Though he left the Marines, Shawn has remained connected to the military, now serving in the National Guard.
I think we need to withdraw as soon and as much as possible from Iraq. I’ve seen that it’s not a militarily winnable situation. I have not been to Afghanistan, but it’s obvious we need more troops there, and it should be the central front of the war on terror.
Shawn is very concerned with foreign policy in this election.
We need to get out of this unilateral, go-it-alone attitude.
He’s also concerned about domestic issues as well.
We should be concerned about the justices on the Supreme Court and fiscal policy. I think Barack has the right ideas on both those fronts. I’m not an economics major, but it’s pretty clear John McCain isn’t either.
Since returning from Iraq, Shawn has enrolled as a pre-med student at Arizona State University (ASU). He says the new GI Bill proposed by the Democrats was a huge reason to support Obama.
It’s pretty impossible to go to school full time and pay bills on the $1,250 per month the current GI Bill gives veterans.
Barack Obama has a plan to help every American student afford to go to college. For veterans like Shawn, Barack supported the 2008 GI Bill, which increases education benefits for our veterans. For other students, Obama’s plan will give a $4000 annual refundable tax credit to every American student, which will cover two-thirds the cost of tuition at the average public college or university and make community college tuition completely free for most students. In exchange, students would be required to perform 100 hours of community service – ensuring that students are not only learning in the classroom, but are learning valuable lessons through serving their communities at the same time. Learn more: http://www.barackobama.com/issues/education/.
Shawn says he’s encouraged by the Obama support he sees on the ASU campus.
There’s a lot of Obama support. We’re not all awash in a sea of red.
Despite trying to make ends meet and pay for school on his veteran’s benefits, Shawn still found it in his budget to contribute to the campaign.
If the candidate I support needs by help, I feel like I need to do my part.
Join Shawn and do your part to support bringing change to Washington.
Voices for Change is a series featuring profiles of Barack Obama's grassroots supporters from across the nation. The people who make up this movement come from all different backgrounds, but they share a common goal of helping bring about fundamental change in Washington.
I have been involved on campaigns since high school; I have worked for Rep. Schuler and other local campaigns. I am busy in school, but did not want to pass up on this opportunity. I didn't want to take a chance on him not winning.
This election is important to my generation because it is going to affect the rest of our lives.
The first election I voted in was 2004. I did not volunteer and I felt partly responsible for the results. I am from North Carolina and I love that I can be a part of it here in my home state. It's actually a battleground state. In the primaries, I knew people who travelled to Iowa and South Carolina - and the NC primary was almost an afterthought. But it mattered - and was a part of Barack's nomination. And now North Carolina matters more than ever.
