I Wish I Was In Philly

Grades first :( 

But I really wish I was back in Philly with my fellow Springterns, field organizers, and SJU students.

Check out video from what happened after Obama's rally in Philly on Friday

College Vote in Pennsylvania

Check out what Politico has said about Obama and the PA College Vote.

I know it might be just me saying this, but maybe they could be wrong.

Want to Help OFA in PA?

I do!  I do!

Unfortunately, I have school and therefore will be in Boston, working only virtually through phone banks.  If you are at all interested, please contact OFA.  I had a great time over Spring Break in Philly and GOTV in New Hampshire was quite an experience.

An Email Sent to me from Obama for America:

Dear Amy,

In the past few weeks, thousands of people from all across the country have traveled to Pennsylvania to help grow our movement.

Thanks to supporters like you, we registered tens of thousands of new Democrats and built a base of support that will help Barack in the primary on April 22nd.

Now we need to make sure all these new voices are heard.

Sign up to take a trip to Pennsylvania and help Get Out The Vote for Barack:

http://pa.barackobama.com/cometoPA

Our campaign has always relied on grassroots supporters to build our movement and spread the word about Barack Obama.

The steps that we're taking right now will help us do more than win an election -- they will empower ordinary Americans to join with their friends, family, and neighbors in believing that together we can make a difference.

No prior political experience is necessary. All you need is a hunger for change and a willingness to turn your enthusiasm into action.

Make a difference right away for Barack in Pennsylvania:

http://pa.barackobama.com/cometoPA

Thank you for your continued support,

Angela

Angela Botticella
Pennsylvania Deputy Field Director
Obama for America

Hating on Hillary

This is what she is doing to our party... out of her own self-interest.  Not the type of person I want running this country and not the type of person I want to vote for.

"The only path to victory for Clinton is via coup by super delegate.  She knows this.  That's why there's all the talk about poaching pledged delegates and spinning uncertainty around Michigan and Florida, and laying the case for super delegates to discard the popular will and stage a coup.

Yet a coup by super delegate would sunder the party in civil war.  Clinton knows this, it's her only path to victory, and she doesn't care.  She is willing -- nay, eager to split the party apart in her mad pursuit of power."

- Markos Moulitsas, DailyKos

"The bigger the lie, the better the chance they think they've got.  That's been their whole approach.  She's going to lose a whole generation of people who got involved in politics believing it could be something different."

- Bill Bradley on the Clintons

Spring Break

Back from Philly safe and sound.  

It was a blast- the people were amazing; Steph's family was great for letting me stay at their house; the food, well we were campaigning, right?; the events were more than I could have asked for, the office was really cool, and the stuff we did was just what PA needed (especially SJU)!

I'm pretty tired though and I have lots of Time, Newsweek, and Public Policy Reading to do tomorrow night and Monday, as Spring Break is pretty much over now :(

Expect some procrastination updates, periodically.

Springterns in the WSJ

Wanna know what Steph and I have been up to over break, check out Ellen's article in the WSJ today.

More Andrew Praising

I would offer up a lengthy analysis of Tuesdays results, the new numbers from both the Clinton and the Obama campaigns, and new strategies for both campaigns, but I simply do not have the time between studying for my philosophy midterm (which isn't being done right now) and getting ready to head home / to New Jersey for Spring Break tomorrow.

Check this post out from Andrew Sullivan- it highlights what I think the Obama campaign should be doing in the coming weeks.

If Obama gets me on policy, Andrew gets me on everything else!

OBAMA '08

Politics of Fear

Now remind me again... which candidate is displaying Rove-ian tactics?

Why I Dislike Hillary Clinton (the short version, with video!)

I'll be the first one to say that I LOVE everything that Barack Obama stands for- unity, change, new politics, things getting done, etc.

I will also be the first one to say that if Hillary Clinton gets the nomination, I will vote for her over McCain.

However, my stance on that issue is now wavering.

To all those Hillary fans out there, I just have one question for you...

Is this the person you want to be elected president?

I fully support politicians going after those that wrongfully attack them.  It's part of politics.  It's how it's played.

I am not upset that Hillary is attacking Barack- the race it tight, I expect her to.  

What upsets me with this clip is that Hillary is not attacking Barack on the issues of NAFTA and Healthcare, but rather ranting about his sending out negative (or I would say mailings that in fact counteract little tidbits the Clinton campaign was trying to cover up about Hillary's positions and Obama's positions on these issues) mailings.

In her speech, she decries what Obama is doing.  However, it is plain knowledge that she herself does the same thing- actually to a worse extent, with mailings that are not even backed up with good facts.  To me, it is unfair and just plain wrong to criticize you opponent when you are doing the same thing to.  It's something called being hypocritical.

Now, as I said before, I would have voted for Hillary in November if she was the Democratic Nominee.  What threw me over the edge was not the video above, but what she said at a rally in Rhode Island over the weekend.

In her speech, Hillary is not only mocking Barack Obama's rhetoric.  But also his ideas.  Who's to say that what Obama talks about cannot be achieve.  Do I think that we will be out of Iraq, on peaceful terms with rogue nations, have universal healthcare, have green jobs, have a budget surplus and a strong economy, and have fixed the global warming problem at the end of Obama's first term (possibly) as President.  No!  Anyone who did would have to be completely delusional.

However, it is wrong for Hillary to scream that Barack's ideas are similar to the sky opening and celestial choirs coming down.  Barack's main theme is that he will bring people together.  This is something that can and has been achieved throughout his campaign and his years in office.  He can do this, he has shown that he can do this, and Hillary is just being damn pessimistic about the whole thing.

Hillary is also mocking me and my fellow Barack Obama supporters.  She is supposing that we have our heads in the clouds believing that change can be made in our world.  If you look at the politics of our country, change has been made- Civil Right Era, coming out of the Great Depression, the Oregon Trail, the Civil War, and the Revolutionary War.  Who's to say that change can't happen now?  If I have something that I believe in, why should anyone try to diminish that hope?

This is the reason why I am doubting my support for Hillary should she beat Barack Obama in the primaries.  I want a politician who can tell me, Amy a political science major who obviously has a lot to say about the policies and politics of our country, that change can happen in this world.  So long to the politics of yesterday and the partisan divisions of the past.  Hillary, by the plain fact that she essentially called me out for believe in what she deems Barack Obama's fairy tale has proven to me that she does not care about bringing this country together, she does not care about helping everyday Americans, she does not care what I have to say, all she cares about is getting elected and that is someone who I DO NOT want to be the next President of the United States.

We have been dealing with this type of politician for the past 8 years.  Not again America.  Not again.

Should Barack Obama not gain the Democratic nomination, I might vote for Hillary, but she has more convincing to do for me now than she ever did in the past.

Vote Obama '08!

1 Million Supporters

The Obama campaign is looking to reach towards the 1 Million supporters mark for people who have contributed to the campaign.

That's 1,000,000 people, do the math

If 1,000,000 people contributed only $100...

1,000,000 X $100 = $100,000,000

WOW!

Clinton...

Let me preface this by saying that I am extremely excited about the 10 for 10 that Obama has won in the contests following Super Tuesday.  Now... off to Texas, Ohio, Rhode Island (where I will be this weekend canvassing), and Vermont for March 4th.

Something the networks did not show at the time, before Hillary went on to speak last night in her "concession, but not a concession" speech, Machinists union President Tom Buffenbarger did a little intro for her.  Most of his speech as a tirade against Obama- worse than what Former President Clinton did in South Carolina with his "false hopes" speech.

The media, just now pick up this story is now playing Buffenbarger's remarks all over the airwaves.

Here's just a quote of what he said, "Give me a break!  I've got new for the latte-drinking, Prius-driving, Birkenstock-wearning, trust fund babies crowding in to hear his speak!  This guy won't last a round against the Republican attack machine.  He's a poet, not a fighter."

Of course, I have many objections to this remark.

First- Why did the Clinton campaign let him talk like this?  They saw how the public reacted in horror to Bill's speeches in South Carolina.  And now this?  It's worse!

Second- Supporters.  Obviously Bufffenbarger means this as an attack on all of the supporters of Obama.  As Wisconsin clearly showed, Obama supporters are men and women from all backgrounds, races, and socioeconomic platforms.  So how does Buffenbarger's generalization work again?

Third- Me.  Ok let's test Buffenbarger's theory number 1 about Obama's supporters.  We'll us me as a test subject.  Well, I don't drink lattes (I don't like hot drinks), but I do have my fair share of Dunkin Donuts and Starbucks iced coffees because sometimes I just need that extra caffine kick like every other American.  I don't drive a Prius, but I do plan on eventually owning a hybrid, not because I'm rich (I certainly am not) but because I believe in doing my part to help save the environment- is this such a bad thing?  I do wear Birkenstocks because I like the way the feel and the way that they last forever- such a good investment.  And I certainly do not have a trust fund.  So I fit in 1 out of the 4 categories.  But the question I have for Buffenbarger is- does Clinton hate people who need caffine, people who want to save the environment, people who like to make smart investments, or people who save for their children?  According to him, I guess she does.  Wow, that's something I didn't know about her.

Forth- Republican attack machine vs. Obama.  McCain's speech last night showed that it seemed like he would try to use the same attacks against Obama that Hillary's campaign has been using- but have obviously been failing.  So much for attack machine.

Fifth- Republican attack machine vs. Clinton.  She ran for Senate virtually uncontested and the Republicans "tried her" and made her "battle ready".  Hmm ok?  What about the fact that she stayed with Bill after he cheated on her repeatedly?  What about her failed healthcare plans?  What about Clinton scandals in the White House?  Yeah, they've tested her enough already... sure.  Just see how far that idea gets you in the general election.

Sixth- Fighting.  Obama doesn't stand for partisan fighting- that's his whole message.  Why do we need a fighter in government?  Obama answers his attacks, but doesn't push back in an extremely harsh manner.  Isn't it time to move on?  Grow up Buffenbarger!  Didn't your mom ever teach you the Golden Rule?

Sometimes I just HATE Hillary Clinton supporters and their stupid comments.

Quick on Results (more to come later...)

Barack Obama has gone 8-8 over the past 4 days of primaries since Super Tuesday.

Many of his wins have been decisive with 20-30 point leads over Hillary Clinton.

This, combined with Obama's money-making grassroots machine show that he's a candidate that needs to be reckoned with by the Clinton campaign.

Check out the fundraising goal of the Obama campaign (above), along with the total as of now.

I think the Obama campaign is going to have to increase their goal!

Now onto Wisconsin and Hawaii to finish out February.  Then off to Ohio, Texas, Rhode Island, and Vermont on mini-Super Tuesday March 4th.

More to come later about breaking down the recent results, personal campaign experience, and the Clinton spin.

As of right now, I encourage you to make a donation to the Barack Obama campaign.  Do something that you believe in.  Make a difference in the 2008 Democratic Nomination process.  Change America.  Change Politics.  Change the World.

OBAMA '08!

I know I said I was going to bed but first...

It is safe to say that I am hooked.

I'm hooked on the Obama train, willing to do anything in my power to get him elected.

I never thought that my love of that DNC speaker in 2004 would turn into the passion that I have for Barack Obama today and the passion that I have for the policies and the change and hope that he talks about.

Step 1: Hear DNC speech- Summer 2004

Step 2: Decide to take AP Government- Spring 2006

Step 3: Work with Joe Courtney for Congress- Fall 2006

Step 4: Stay up until 3am waiting for Midterm Election results- November 2006

Step 5: Apply to college as a Political Science major- November 2006

Step 6: Spend a week in Washington, learning the ropes and stalking politicians- March 2007

Step 7: Come to college and join BU for Barack- September 2007

Step 8: Canvass for Barack Obama in Manchester, NH- September 2007

Step 9: Do visibility for Barack Obama in Hanover, NH- September 2007

Step 10: Hear John Kerry speak about the 2008 Election- November 2007

Step 11: Apply for an Obama for America Winternship- November 2007

Step 12: Vote in my first ever election- November 2007

Step 13: See Barack Obama speak live for the first time- December 2007

Step 14: Intern for the Barack Obama campaign in Nashua, MA- January 2008

Step 14: Attend the 100 Club Dinner and see all  Democratic candidates speak- January 2008

Step 15: Intern for the Barack Obama campaign in Boston, MA- January 2008

Step 16: Send in my first political donation- January 2008

Step 17: Send in my absentee ballot for the Democratic primary- January 2008

Step 18: See Barack Obama speak at a rally with John Kerry, Ted Kennedy, Caroline Kennedy, and Deval Patrick- February 2008

Step 19: Watch February 5th results role in- February 2008

Step 20: Stand up for CHANGE!  Stand up for AMERICA!  Stand up for HOPE!- Today

Future...

Step 21: Organize (with Steph) BU for Barack phone banks for upcoming primaries- This week

Step 22: Phone bank for Barack Obama- Next 3 months

Step 23: Spend my spring break volunteering for the Barack Obama campaign- March

This is my life now.  Yeah, school is important.  Yeah, my other extracurricular activities are important.  But I want to change the face of American politics.  It is time for a new generation to take over.  I want my voice to be heard and I want the best man to be elected- BARACK OBAMA!

The intensity of the campaign that has ruled my life for over a month now is calming in the fact that I know that somehow I am making a difference.  You can too- check out barackobama.com to find out ways to participate in phone banks and canvasses in you area.

It is time for America to enter into a new era to politics- I want to be a part of that, I want to change America.

VOTE OBAMA '08 

(and don't tell my mom that I think that campaign for Obama is more important than my school work- or if you do, just tell her that even though Obama is #1 in my life right now, my work is still getting done and I am still striving to get very good grades)

CT Endorsements

I'm proud to say that my House Rep. John Larson has decided to back Barack Obama along with Connecticut's 5th District Rep. Chris Murphy.

Check out the link here

Also, new polls in for Connecticut show that Hillary's extravagant lead over the past months has dwindled and now my own home state is a Feb. 5th battleground.  I'm proud to say that the Obama campaign has some great people working for them in CT.  Keep your heads up guys, I know we're all "Fired Up!" and "Ready to Go!".

Now as for MA, it looks like Barack is going to put up quite a fight here.  Another battleground state!  The organization here is great- everyone is extremely dedicated and nice.  Please come to a GOTV training meeting TONIGHT 6:30-8:30 at Morse Auditorium on BU's campus.  Governor Deval Patrick will be there.

Also, watch the DEBATE tonight on CNN- the last one before Super Tuesday.  No time limits, just Hillary vs. Barack.  This one is sure to be interesting.

OBAMA '08

Florida Democratic Primary?!?

From the Obama Campaign: "If the Clinton campaign's southern strategy rests on the outcome in a state where they're the only ones competing, that should give Democrats deep pause."

Love It!

Fact Check Time

If you thought that the Democratic debate on Monday was full of cat-fighting and name calling, you're not alone.  But how much truth was in those attacks that the candidates were making against each other?  These are the things I wish the average American voter would see on a regular basis.

Being a political science, history, and general politics freak, I spend most of my free time watching the news, reading blogs, listening to news podcasts (CNN Politics Daily is 15 minutes of pure amazing-ness!), and reading articles online.  For these reasons, I often feel like I know more than the average voter about the "games" being played in the political arena as politicians try to distort each other's records in order to come off as the better candidate.

Every person whose door I walk up to and who I talk to one the phone is sure at one point or another to ask me a question about the recent "he said she said" on the campaign trail.  This is why factcheck needs to come out into the news circuits and out to the average people.  It is time for politicians to cut the crap and just say the truth.  Oh well, I guess only in a perfect world..., but at least for know we have factcheck, the media, and bloggers to work out all of the inconsistencies and pure lies on the campaign trail.

Media Coverage

In a perfect world, the media would report the full story, unbiased and true on every account.

In a perfect world, the media would focus less on polls and more on what the candidate are actually saying.

In a perfect world, the media would air stories about legislative achievements and the actual policies of all of the candidates.

After phonebanking for hours upon hours in both New Hampshire and Massachusetts, the question that I have gotten most has been about Barack Obama's experience in politics.  I always try to answer this question to the best of my abilities using the knowledge that I have learned after working on the campaign, reading up on Barack Obama's life, and reading his books.

However, after receiving this question along with another person questioning why Obama won't just come out and state his policies instead of bickering with Hillary, it occurred to me that the average American voter has not read The Audacity of Hope, has not read through Obama's policies, and does not watch CNN 24/7.  The average American voter does not know everything that Obama accomplished both as a state senator for eight years and a national senator for four years.

Here I will do my best to explain the major points in Obama's past legislative achievements that give me a huge clue as to how great and well-minded a president he could be.

1. Obama, as a state senator, worked on extensive campaign finance reforms- something that a freshman state senator never really wants to get his hands dirty in.

2.  Again as a state senator, Obama passed a bill that made it mandatory to have videotapped interrogation thereby protecting possible criminals from harmful interrogation tactics used by police.  Who would ever have the guts to take on the police of a state and gain support of both Democrats and Republicans to pass a bill that seemingly falls strongly on the Democratic side and less on the Republican.

3.  As a Senator for Illinois, Obama worked on a bill that made bundling transparent.  Again, I have always been told that legislator do not want to pass reasonable campaign finance reforms at it ends up hurting them in getting reelected or elected to a different office because campaign finance reforms limit the avenues to funnel money into a campaign.

Obama's work on these three issues is on a  simple sampling of the major legislation that he was work on.  These are usually the points that I explain to the people on the phone who ask me about his experience.

These programs have shown that Obama has an ability that is unique in the politics of our day- he can work with Democrats, Republicans, and Independents to pass meaningful legislation that makes all groups happy and actually accomplishes something.

To me, a great judge of character and experience, is not how much one has accomplished or how long one has been in a particular office, but rather how well one does his or her and how well one works with others.

Obama has shown that he can work with Democrats and Republicans, something that Hillary Clinton and the Republican contenders have yet to show.  If only the media would cover this part of Obama's campaign then the American people could realize that Hillary's "experience" means nothing if she is not willing to work with both Democrats and Republicans in a bipartisan manner in order to get things accomplished.

The Democratic Nomination Process Heats Up

Kornblut and Murray do an excellent job in explaining the campaign strategies for Democratic frontrunners Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.

I will quickly sum up the article for you along with adding some of my own personal ideas.

First, Clinton...

Hillary, as we have seen, has moved away from South Carolina- leaving Bill and Chelsea there, as she herself heads off to the top February 5th states: California, New Jersey, New York.

Her plan is based on the idea that Barack Obama is going to win South Carolina and she needs to be prepared to gain the major delegates in the Super Tuesday states.  This is an idea that Hillary and her strategists will try to deny given any chance by the media.

What must this look like to the people of South Carolina?  Well I've talked to enough voters in New Hampshire and Massachusetts to know that voters want to meet the candidates, they want to hear them speak, and they want to attend campaign events in their area.  By leaving South Carolina to the care of Bill and Chelsea, to me, Hillary is effectively saying that she does not have the time to waste on voters in a state that she believes is fully going to go into Barack Obama's hands come Saturday.  Too bad, maybe she could have actually convinced some people to vote for her between now and then.  

Of course the press's spin on this issue has been hilarious- a total villification of this whole entire campaign strategy of leaving South Carolina voters high and dry.  This caused Hillary to return to South Carolina for a bit today- just making a little appearance, reminding voters that she still "cares about them".  Let's hope that South Carolina voters are smarter than that!

Second, Obama...

Obama's strategy, as it has been from the beginning is to build grassroots support in the February 5th states along with South Carolina.  Obama is currently spending all of his time in South Carolina, leaving the 22 February 5th states up to his strong network of campaign staff.

Obama's campaign certainly has the capital to mount a full-fledged attack on the February 5th states after South Carolina's primary on Saturday.  I expect to see Obama flying back and forth between all of these states during the next week.  

I fully believe that a strong showing in California is exactly what Obama will need in order to secure the nomination.  As of right now, according to all of the polls (and we know how polls can be), Hillary has a wide lead in California.  However, it is my firm belief that the people in California are some of the most progressive Democrats in the United States.  These are the type of people that appeal to Obama's message of change and hope in politics and these are the type of people who will show up to the polls and vote on election day.  The Obama campaign needs to make sure that their message reaches these people in order to get the best showing and the most delegates in this state.

That's what it comes down to my friends, delegates.  If you had asked me a year ago how I thought the primary process was going to play out, I would have mentioned something that I heard all throughout my government courses- after New Hampshire, Iowa, and South Carolina, our nominee will be all but finalized, with the February 5th states mattering very little in the grand scheme of things.  However, this time around, in the extremely close races both on the Democratic and Republican sides, nothing is decided and everything is still up in the air.  Delegates are what matter in this primary season, no the big mo created in a 2-3 win in the big 3 primary states.  It will all come down to the delegate count- done for the Democrats in a confusing proportional manner (if the whole superdelegate thing was not confusing enough!).  The Obama campaign is focusing on winning as many delegates as possible to compete with Hillary's large superdelegate numbers and support in heavy delegate states such as New York and California.  Hopefully, this strategy will work in favor of my candidate.

Finally, Edwards...

Oh Edwards.  I expect Edwards to gain a strong vote from white voters in South Carolina that can identify with his son of the South attitude.  However, after loosing in Iowa, New Hampshire, and Nevada, I do not really see Edwards going anywhere towards gaining the nomination.

I firmly believe that Edwards is only still in the race to not only frustrate Hillary and Obama, but also to use his small but growing delegates as a way to gain a top position in whatever Democratic nominee's campaign, preferably Vice President.  Because the battle over the nomination may very well come down to who has the most delegates, Edwards can use his delegates as a bribing chip to gain access to the Vice Presidential ticket.  This event would not surprise me if Edwards does somewhat well in South Carolina.  

I guess we'll just have to wait and see how this one plays out!

Experience

Often while talking to my friends- the ones who are actually voting, most of them question me on my strong support of Barack Obama.

"Amy", they say, "How can you support Barack Obama? I mean I know he has good positions and his 'Change We Can Believe In' is great, but I don't think he has enough experience to be President".

Hillary Clinton vs. Barack Obama.  The fight is on about what she claims is his lack of experience.  Well, if you are still undecided as Super Tuesday approaches, take a look at this Op-Ed from Nicholas Kristof.

Maybe, in this campaign and in future elections, experience is not what the American people should be looking at while deciding who is qualified to be the next President.

But then again, maybe it is, and as Kristof puts it, Dick Cheney should just be our next President...

My Upcoming Political Future

Internship done and I am starved for more political action.

I have signed up to phone bank for the Obama campaign for the rest of the election.  3 hours a week is not too bad as compared with the 18+ hour days we were putting in in New Hampshire.

Next, BU for Barack.  We need to grow the movement and sell more t-shirts.  We are doing visibility at Marsh the week before Super Tuesday.  Finally, we need to work on a GOTV strategy to make sure that all of the kids that we registered to vote in Massachusetts from BU vote on Super Tuesday.

Because I will be back at school, my campaign activities will be contained towards Massachusetts.  So I foresee working strongly with Boston for Barack Obama and the new Barack Obama office in town to gain local support.

Before February 5th (most likely as soon as I get back to BU and find my ballot in my mailbox), I will be voting absentee in the Connecticut Democratic primary for Barack Obama.

Spring break.  If things go according to plan (and we will know for sure after February 5th), I will be out and about on the campaign trail again- wherever they need me.

Summer.  As said before, if things go according to plan, I will hopefully be interning (or maybe just full-time volunteering) for the campaign.  From lessons learned in New Hampshire, I know that I will need a car, a GPS, and a new camera for things to go extremely well.

We'll see what happens in the weeks to come and expect periodic updates.