With only a few weeks to go before Election Day, Jaclyn Urness, State Field Director of Barack Obama's Minnesota Campaign for Change, explains the importance of getting involved. Learn more at http://MN.BarackObama.com/

Author: BarackObamadotcom
Keywords: barack obama minnesota voter registration michigan
Added: October 7, 2008

Gene, a lifelong Republican and active Obama supporter, introduced Barack Obama at the Senator's recent visit to Harrison County, Ohio. He talks a bit about why he supports Barack. Music by Eric Lindley.

Author: BarackObamadotcom
Keywords: barack obama ohio voter registration early vote
Added: October 7, 2008

TO:      Interested Parties

FR:      Bill Burton, National Press Secretary

RE:      The Town Hall Presidential Debate

DA:     October 7, 2008


"'When are you going to take the gloves off?' a John McCain supporter wanted to know this afternoon.  'How about Tuesday night?' McCain replied, grinning and looking ahead to his crucial second debate with Democrat Barack Obama." Washington Post, 10/2/08

John McCain is running out of time for a game-changing event.   In the latest sign of desperation, his campaign admitted just yesterday that if they "keep talking about the economic crisis, they're going to lose."  It's our view that the American people are already worried about losing – their homes, their jobs and their health care – and it's up to the candidates at this debate to demonstrate who is best equipped to make sure that they can get ahead again.

In order to change the dynamics of this race, we anticipate that McCain will launch his nastiest attacks and continue to lie about Barack Obama's record and his vision to fundamentally change our country.  We don't know if McCain will continue his refusal to even look at Obama on stage -- like in their first debate -- but we fully expect that his "turn the page" strategy to ignore the economy will be seen in full view for 90 minutes of character attacks against Barack Obama.

The fact is, McCain has erratically been all over the map in recent weeks, telling Americans that the fundamentals of the economy are strong only days before claiming to suspend his campaign and warning of another depression.  John McCain just doesn't get it. The American people aren't interested in nasty, false attacks, and they're not interested in four more years of Bush policies. But that's all he's offering. 

If all he does is attack Barack Obama, as he's said he'll do, it will be yet another colossal missed opportunity.  In the face of those attacks, Barack Obama will continue to offer steady leadership, and talk about his plan to give real relief to the middle class and create good jobs here in America. 

When it comes to sheer format, we enter today's debate the decided underdog.  John McCain does extremely well in town hall settings. It's been his favorite format throughout his career and we think that he will of course do very well.  See below for more reviews of John McCain's town hall performances.

From the Wall Street Journal:

The Town Hall Format Of The Debate Favors McCain. "McCain finally gets his long-demanded joint town-hall meeting with Democratic rival Sen. Barack Obama on Tuesday night in Nashville, Tenn. The Republican's performance in the second of three presidential debates -- the only one held in the format he tends to favor -- could help determine his ability to stay competitive in a race that seems to have moved against the Arizona senator over the past week."

From the Washington Post:

McCain Is Engaged In "Especially Serious Preparations" For The Town Hall Debate, Which His Former Campaign Manager Said Is "Probably Going To Be The Best Kind Of Forum He Is Going To Be In." "McCain appears to be engaged in especially serious preparations for Tuesday's debate, one of his last opportunities to change the trajectory of a race that may be slipping out of his control. He is certainly doing more formal preparation than he did before last month's debate in Mississippi. … 'McCain has done so many of these over the years that it's probably going to be the best kind of forum he is going to be in,' said his former campaign manager Terry Nelson. 'It's a great opportunity for him and the campaign.' … An open question is how aggressively McCain will take the fight to Obama on Tuesday night. One senior McCain adviser said Sunday that he expects both candidates to draw contrasts with each other on the economy, but he seemed to suggest McCain would stay away from personal attacks. This official said McCain is looking forward to the debate because he likes the freewheeling town hall format, and he expects it to focus on the candidates' economic plans."

From Reuters:

Fordham Professor Paul Levinson: "The Town Hall Debate Is McCain's Best Debate Format." "The town hall debate is McCain's best debate format," said Paul Levinson, a professor at Fordham University in New York. "Obama ... clearly is a much better speaker to a huge crowd or an interviewer (than he is at a debate)."

From the San Fransico Chronicle:

Communications Expert Ruth Sherman Said That McCain Has The Advantage In Town Hall Formats And Is Far More Comfortable And Experienced In What Can Be A Challenging Setting. "Communications expert and author Ruth Sherman said that, in normal times, McCain would have an advantage in Tuesday's town hall format- he's done more than 100 such meetings, and is far more comfortable and experienced in what can be a challenging setting.

TO:      Interested Parties

FR:      Bill Burton, National Press Secretary

RE:      The Town Hall Presidential Debate

DA:     October 7, 2008


"'When are you going to take the gloves off?' a John McCain supporter wanted to know this afternoon.  'How about Tuesday night?' McCain replied, grinning and looking ahead to his crucial second debate with Democrat Barack Obama." Washington Post, 10/2/08

John McCain is running out of time for a game-changing event.   In the latest sign of desperation, his campaign admitted just yesterday that if they "keep talking about the economic crisis, they're going to lose."  It's our view that the American people are already worried about losing – their homes, their jobs and their health care – and it's up to the candidates at this debate to demonstrate who is best equipped to make sure that they can get ahead again.

In order to change the dynamics of this race, we anticipate that McCain will launch his nastiest attacks and continue to lie about Barack Obama's record and his vision to fundamentally change our country.  We don't know if McCain will continue his refusal to even look at Obama on stage -- like in their first debate -- but we fully expect that his "turn the page" strategy to ignore the economy will be seen in full view for 90 minutes of character attacks against Barack Obama.

The fact is, McCain has erratically been all over the map in recent weeks, telling Americans that the fundamentals of the economy are strong only days before claiming to suspend his campaign and warning of another depression.  John McCain just doesn't get it. The American people aren't interested in nasty, false attacks, and they're not interested in four more years of Bush policies. But that's all he's offering. 

If all he does is attack Barack Obama, as he's said he'll do, it will be yet another colossal missed opportunity.  In the face of those attacks, Barack Obama will continue to offer steady leadership, and talk about his plan to give real relief to the middle class and create good jobs here in America. 

When it comes to sheer format, we enter today's debate the decided underdog.  John McCain does extremely well in town hall settings. It's been his favorite format throughout his career and we think that he will of course do very well.  See below for more reviews of John McCain's town hall performances.

From the Wall Street Journal:

The Town Hall Format Of The Debate Favors McCain. "McCain finally gets his long-demanded joint town-hall meeting with Democratic rival Sen. Barack Obama on Tuesday night in Nashville, Tenn. The Republican's performance in the second of three presidential debates -- the only one held in the format he tends to favor -- could help determine his ability to stay competitive in a race that seems to have moved against the Arizona senator over the past week."

From the Washington Post:

McCain Is Engaged In "Especially Serious Preparations" For The Town Hall Debate, Which His Former Campaign Manager Said Is "Probably Going To Be The Best Kind Of Forum He Is Going To Be In." "McCain appears to be engaged in especially serious preparations for Tuesday's debate, one of his last opportunities to change the trajectory of a race that may be slipping out of his control. He is certainly doing more formal preparation than he did before last month's debate in Mississippi. … 'McCain has done so many of these over the years that it's probably going to be the best kind of forum he is going to be in,' said his former campaign manager Terry Nelson. 'It's a great opportunity for him and the campaign.' … An open question is how aggressively McCain will take the fight to Obama on Tuesday night. One senior McCain adviser said Sunday that he expects both candidates to draw contrasts with each other on the economy, but he seemed to suggest McCain would stay away from personal attacks. This official said McCain is looking forward to the debate because he likes the freewheeling town hall format, and he expects it to focus on the candidates' economic plans."

From Reuters:

Fordham Professor Paul Levinson: "The Town Hall Debate Is McCain's Best Debate Format." "The town hall debate is McCain's best debate format," said Paul Levinson, a professor at Fordham University in New York. "Obama ... clearly is a much better speaker to a huge crowd or an interviewer (than he is at a debate)."

From the San Fransico Chronicle:

Communications Expert Ruth Sherman Said That McCain Has The Advantage In Town Hall Formats And Is Far More Comfortable And Experienced In What Can Be A Challenging Setting. "Communications expert and author Ruth Sherman said that, in normal times, McCain would have an advantage in Tuesday's town hall format- he's done more than 100 such meetings, and is far more comfortable and experienced in what can be a challenging setting.

Watch "The Subject" below...

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The presidential campaign of Sen. Barack Obama for the first time criticized Sen. John McCain for his role in the "Keating Five" savings-and-loan scandal yesterday, saying the issue is fair game after a weekend of attacks by Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin over the Democrat's ties to Vietnam War-era radical William Ayers.

Attempting to link the early-1990s scandal to the current economic crisis, the Obama campaign launched a Web site devoted to "Keating Economics," including a documentary-style video of McCain's involvement and news clips of his Senate testimony. The campaign also sent an e-mail to millions of supporters arguing that then, as now, the Republican lacks judgment on financial oversight during a crisis.

"With so many parallels to the current crisis, McCain's Keating history is relevant and voters deserve to know the facts -- and see for themselves the pattern of poor judgment by John McCain," Obama's campaign manager, David Plouffe, wrote in the e-mail.

...ng the Keating scandal fulfilled a promise by the Obama campaign to revive the matter if it felt the McCain campaign ventured too far down the path of personal attacks.

Obama aides also said the current financial meltdown brought fresh currency to the savings-and-loan scandal, elevating it above an ordinary guilt-by-association charge. The collapse of Charles Keating's thrift cost taxpayers billions and required a large government bailout package.

In the video, William Black, a former deputy director of the Federal Savings and Loan Insurance Corp., said the Keating Five scandal "involved all the things that have brought the modern crisis."

"Senator McCain has not learned the lessons and has continued to follow policies that are going to produce a disaster," Black said.

The Senate Ethics Committee exonerated McCain in 1991 after a two-year investigation of whether he and four other lawmakers used improper political influence to protect Keating's failing Lincoln Savings and Loan from regulation. But the committee did fault him for exercising "poor judgment" in his dealings with Keating, an investor who gave McCain $112,000 in contributions as well as lavish gifts.

Keating later went to prison for fraud, and McCain said the ordeal showed him the value of political reform.

From the Associated Press:

...Obama and McCain faced cameras Monday with harsh words for each other. Obama, taking a break from debate prep in Asheville, N.C., accused McCain's campaign of "smear tactics."

... Obama, meanwhile, has learned the lessons of Michael Dukakis and John Kerry. The two Democrats lost presidential elections after hesitating to counter hard-hitting and factually dubious attacks on their character and judgment. The shorthand terms for those attacks—"Willie Horton" and "Swiftboating"—have become a call-to-arms for Democratic activists who vow always to return fire with fire.

"I just don't think that John McCain wants to take this nuclear strategy," Democratic activist Hillary Rosen said Sunday.

She was one of several Democrats who warned on Sunday talk shows that Obama's campaign would revisit McCain's long-ago involvement in the thrift scandal if the personal attacks on him continued. Within hours, the Obama campaign released a memo and Web video doing just that.

... A 13-minute Web video released by Obama's campaign Monday revisits McCain's ties to Charles Keating, a former friend, campaign contributor and savings and loan owner who was convicted of securities fraud in 1991.

As a senator, he participated in two meetings with banking regulators on Keating's behalf. He became one of the "Keating Five" senators investigated by the Senate ethics committee. The panel cited McCain for a lesser role than others, but it criticized his "poor judgment."

From the Asheville Citizen-Times:

U.S. Sen. Barack Obama stopped by the popular 12 Bones Smokehouse on Monday to grab a takeout lunch of barbecue, making his third appearance in public since arriving in Asheville on Saturday.

Just before heading to the River Arts District restaurant, he called for a new economic stimulus package while speaking to reporters outside the Grove Park Inn, where he's staying while preparing for tonight's debate with U.S. Sen. John McCain.

He expressed concern over a global stock sell-off that would end with a record one-day decline.

“It is a reminder that the rescue package that was passed last week is not the end of our efforts to deal with the economy,” Obama said. “It is just the beginning.”

Obama said a new stimulus should include relief from high gas and food prices, help for state and local governments to maintain their payrolls and an extension of unemployment insurance.

...At 12 Bones, Obama greeted diners and took ribs, brisket, pulled pork, corn pudding and sweet tea back to his motorcade. “That's a lot of food. That's not all for me,” he told restaurant staff.

...Making his way around the crowded eatery, he talked to customers including Rachel Doebber, 32, and Palmyra Romeo, 24, who were taking a break from work at nearby RiverLink.

Told that Romeo is an AmeriCorps intern, Obama told the Asheville women that his wife, Michelle, once led an AmeriCorps program in Chicago. “I didn't know he was going to be staying around” after the rally that both women attended Sunday, Doebber said.

The speech at Asheville High School was “very inspiring, very realistic. You know, this is exactly what our country needs right now,” she said.

Obama supporters Jonathan and Namurah Blakely, a day after handing out water at the rally, lucked out by getting a seat beside the window at 12 Bones before the motorcade pulled up.

The owners of a janitorial-service company, the Fletcher couple have watched stock market declines with alarm, and the bipartisan, Obama-backed Wall Street bailout with reluctance.

“We didn't agree with it, but something had to be done,” Namurah Blakely said.

From the Richmond Times-Dispatch:

The numbers in the corners of the Express Mail envelopes told the tale: $16.50, $14.65, $12.60 - the price some Virginians would pay to make sure their voter registration forms made it in before Monday's deadline to register to vote in the November election.

More than 306,000 new voters already have registered in Virginia this year, and local registrars and state elections officials spent Monday taking in thousands more through the mail and in person.

They came in flip flops and in three-piece suits to the State Board of Elections office in Richmond, carrying backpacks, briefcases or expensive handbags.

While some, like 18-year-old Sneha Kondragunta and 19-year-old Toshie Ahluwalia, were there to register for the first time, others simply wanted to make sure their voter information was correct so there would be no problems when they went to the polls on Nov. 4.

Gina Burgin and a friend organized a voter registration drive and registered about 300 people in their Catholic church and in their community. Burgin stopped by the elections board office Monday to check the voting status of her mother, who recently moved to Virginia from Maryland.

"A lot of people really feel invigorated," said Burgin, a commercial real estate attorney who still is deciding between Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain. "I don't really care who anybody votes for, it's just nice to see everybody getting involved in the process."

...Kondragunta and Ahluwalia, both Obama supporters and premed majors at Virginia Commonwealth University, downloaded the forms online and dropped them off on Monday.

Like them, Michael Paparo said he didn't want to be one of those young people who talked about politics but didn't vote.

"Most of the people I know my age, they have a lot of opinions but they're just too lazy to register to vote," said Paparo, a 24-year-old community college student.

Obama blanketed the state with e-mails Monday reminding supporters of the deadline and encouraging them to forward the message to friends, family and neighbors.

"This election is going to hinge on unprecedented voter turnout - especially in Virginia," the e-mail read.

...Final registration numbers won't be available until next week, elections board secretary Nancy Rodrigues said. Mailed registrations had to be postmarked by Monday.

...A registration table was placed in the hallway on Friday to keep people from crowding the board's office. On Monday, 16 volunteers manned a call center, answering questions about polling places, registration status and directing those wanting to get their registration in by the deadline to their local registrar's office.

"We are in the business of democracy, so we just want to make certain that everyone who is qualified to vote has that opportunity," Rodrigues said.

As she talked, workers in a back room opened envelopes and stuffed each registration into one of 134 cubbyholes along the wall tagged with each of Virginia's localities.

"We've got 13 buckets of mail sitting at the post office," a worker opened the door and shouted.

"Thirteen buckets, that's great," she replied. "That's what it's all about."

Saturday was a gorgeous day in Newport News, as thousands of people flocked to the water's edge in Victory Landing Park to hear Barack Obama speak. The rally overlooked the James River, with a Navy ship serving as an austere backdrop. The theme of the speech was healthcare issues.

Folks were energized by Barack's call to action to register and to vote. He proclaimed that Virginia has a chance to help change the course of the country -- to save the failing economic system and guard against the privatization of health insurance.

Please enjoy photos from the day and listen as four Virginians from the rally share their views on why it is imperative for people to vote for Barack.

Sharon Barnes
October 4th, 2008
Asheville, North Carolina

Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton has raised more than $8 million for former rival Barack Obama's presidential campaign since July and plans to barnstorm the country for even more cash, as the New York senator works to show she is aggressively helping the candidate who cut short her White House bid.

"I am using every tool that I have to help Democrats win," Clinton told USA TODAY. She was between fundraising events in Texas and California that brought in another $1.5 million for Obama and congressional candidates on Friday and Saturday.

Later this month, Clinton will headline Obama fundraisers in Chicago, Philadelphia and Little Rock along with 11 events to raise money for Democratic congressional candidates and state parties.

... The former first lady said in the interview late Friday that her goal is straightforward: "We have a lot to repair in America, and I believe that Democratic leadership is essential to fixing the damage that we are going to inherit."

... "I'm looking forward to going to the White House someday and standing there when President Obama signs a bill guaranteeing quality, affordable health care for every American," she said, citing an issue that was a signature of her campaign

... Clinton has hit 40 campaign events for Obama in battleground states from New Hampshire to Nevada in the past two months.

Last Wednesday, Bill Clinton made his first campaign stop for Barack Obama in Orlando, Florida. In front of an enthusiastic crowd at the University of Central Florida, he urged voters to support Obama, saying:

He's got better answers -- better answers for the economy, for energy, for healthcare, for education. He knows what it will take to get this country back on track.

Here's the full video of Bill Clinton's speech:

On the air...

Author: BarackObamadotcom
Keywords: The Subject final OBAMAFinal
Added: October 6, 2008

Barack took a break from debate prep today to get lunch at the 12 Bones Smokehouse, a famous BBQ joint in the River Arts District of Asheville.

It was easy to tell this place was good. "There was a line even before I got here," Barack commented before ordering a mess of food, including the house specialty, blueberry ribs.

But on the campaign trail you never really get a break. Twelve Bones was full of voters, and though many of them had seen Barack at yesterday's rally at Asheville High, there were plenty of folks who wanted to share their thoughts and concerns.

A local doctor had seen Barack speak about healthcare at Sunday's rally. He was excited to have a chance to tell the candidate about his experiences up close. "That's why I'm talking about health care," Barack told him.

All too soon it was time to get back to work, prepping for tomorrow night's debate. There's still time to find a debate watching party in your area. For now, enjoy the day in pictures:

Arun Chaudhary
October 6th, 2008
Asheville, NC

On the air...

Author: BarackObamadotcom
Keywords: Buster
Added: October 6, 2008

In the comments today, a supporter in Georgia reported:

I live in a heavily Republican city: Rome, Georgia. Well, I went to the Democratic headquarters today and was blown away. It sits on Broadstreet, right across from the Republican headquarters. NOBODY was at the Republican headquarters. I walk in to the Democratic HQ and there were over 20 people crammed into the small room/building.

So many people registering to vote... I went to the Floyd County Administration building where people were registering and early voting... and there were over 50 people there. The line was out the door.

In Virginia, a supporter e-mailed today:

My wife called last week to make sure she was a confirmed registered voter. They said there was no record of her registration. She just called the Obama Campaign Office and someone drove to our home to register my wife at the door. She is so pleased with your service. Our automobile is at the shop, and we are a one car family. We are a middle class Main Street family, as Senator Obama would say, and she was made to feel like a special concerned citizen. Thanks to you and to so many others who are supporting voters, and not rejecting and condemning them.

And in Ohio, the Kent News Net reports:

Voters in the Kent State community who still need to register to vote or request an absentee ballot before tonight's 9 p.m. deadline need to look no further than the reference desk at the University Library.

Led by Joseph Salem, head of the reference area and associate professor of government information services, the staff at the reference desk will be handing out and accepting voter registration forms until 9 p.m. tonight.

... "We anticipate that it will be busy. We are going to be staffed well Monday night. People always tend to do things right before deadlines, but we are going to help anyone as long as they get here and are filling out their forms before nine o'clock."

On Saturday, Bruce Springsteen performed in Philadelphia at a voter registration rally with over 50,000 people, where he explained that, "Now is the time to stand with Barack Obama and Joe Biden."

If you, or anyone you know, is not registered, visit VoteforChange.com before it's too late.

Vets Constituency Director AJ Gales and other veterans explain their support for Barack Obama.

Author: BarackObamadotcom
Keywords: Barack Obama veterans Iraq health care Colorado
Added: October 6, 2008

Last weekend we asked supporters to get creative and send us their ideas to promote VoteforChange.com. We received an overwhelming response of ideas, pictures, designs and videos.

Here are just a few of what we've received, and we'll continue to highlight more this week.

This week is the last opportunity for many people to register. Visit VoteforChange.com to register if you haven't already, and make sure everyone you know is registered.

Go to http://www.VoteForChange.com to get registered or to request an absentee ballot. Be heard!

Author: BarackObamadotcom
Keywords: barack obama
Added: October 6, 2008

Talk to your family about why you're voting Obama. There is no more important voice than your own. Check out http://my.barackobama.com/thetalk for suggestions, resources, and more information.

Author: BarackObamadotcom
Keywords: barack obama
Added: October 6, 2008

Amanda --

John McCain wants you to forget about his role in our country's last major financial crisis and costly bailout: the savings and loan crisis of the late '80s and early '90s.

But voters deserve to know that the failed philosophy and culture of corruption that created the savings and loan crisis then are alive in the current crisis -- and in John McCain's plans for our economic future.

We just released a short documentary about John McCain's role in that financial crisis -- watch it now and share it with your friends:

http://my.barackobama.com/keatingvideo

Voters should know the facts about John McCain's poor judgment -- judgment that has twice placed him on the wrong side of history.

Please forward this email to everyone you know.

Thanks,

David

David Plouffe
Campaign Manager
Obama for America 

Manchester, New Hampshire – Michelle Obama, wife of Democratic presidential nominee, Senator Barack Obama, will return to New Hampshire Wednesday for a “Change We Need” Rally at Keene State College.  With less than thirty days left until election day, Michelle Obama will talk with students and community members about the Obama-Biden blueprint for change and share why she believes her husband will be an extraordinary president. 

As part of the Obama-Biden campaign’s 50-state VoteforChange.com Campaign, Mrs. Obama will emphasize with voters about the importance of registering to vote, and participating in this year’s historic election.  At Wednesday’s event, Mrs. Obama will also discuss what’s at stake for members of the Granite State community in this year’s election, and will share her perspective on the clear choice that voters have in this election – to cast their ballot for the Obama/Biden ticket – the only candidates who understand the challenges of everyday Americans.

Mrs. Obama has hosted rallies focused on voter registration and outreach to young people over the last several months, as young people have already had an incredible impact on this campaign.  In addition to rallies similar to the one scheduled at Keene State on Wednesday, Mrs. Obama has also focused her campaigning on roundtable conversations with working women and military families all over the country – discussions which she started in New Hampshire during the primary.

 “On Wednesday, Michelle Obama will visit Keene State to talk about Senator Obama’s plan to provide real relief for hard working Granite Staters and put an end to the Bush economic policies that have devastated the middle class,” said Sandra Abrevaya, New Hampshire Communications Director.  “Michelle will also encourage students to vote with the town clerk, who will be present in the student union during the event, or vote by absentee before leaving for winter break.  As a state that was decided by one percentage point in the last two Presidential elections, Michelle will stress how much every vote counts.”

CHANGE WE NEED RALLY WITH MICHELLE OBAMA

Keene State College

LP Young Student Center

24 Madison Street

Keene, NH 03435

Doors open:  10:30 AM

Program begins: 11:30 AM

The event is free and open to the public.  Free tickets are available at the ticket distribution locations listed below. Tickets are not required but strongly encouraged.

For more information contact the Keene Campaign for Change office at 603 352 2836. Located at 305 Park Ave Keene NH, 03431

Ticket Distribution Locations:
Campaign for Change Office - Keene
305 Park Avenue

Keene, NH 03431

Tickets are available Tuesday, 10/7, 12 Noon – 9 PM

Student Center at Keene State

Near cafe entrance

24 Madison Street

Keene, NH 03431

Tickets are available Tuesday, 10/7, 12 Noon – 8 PM

The Works Bagel
120 Main Street
Keene, NH 03431
Tickets are available Tuesday 10/7: 12 Noon- 8 PM & Wednesday 10/8: 7:30 AM-10:00 AM

Public parking is not available on KSC's campus. Downtown street parking is available. Carpooling is suggested or taking the Campus Community Shuttle. Also the City Express Trolley or Bus Unit #5 will stop at Riverside Plaza to pick up the Campus Community Shuttle.

There is ADA parking available on campus. For specific Handicapped parking questions on KSC's campus, please call Deb Williams at 603 358 2227. www.Keene.edu for further information.

***For security reasons, do not bring bags.  Please limit personal items.  No signs or banners allowed.***

Supporters in New Smyrna Beach, Florida held a voter registration event this weekend to catch last minute residents who weren't registered. Tara sent us these pictures from the event...

Today is the last day to register to vote in Florida. Visit VoteforChange.com to register and make sure everyone you know is registered.

Supporters in New Smyrna Beach, Florida held a voter registration event this weekend to catch last minute residents who hadn't registered.

Today is the last day to register to vote in Florida. Visit VoteforChange.com to register and make sure everyone you know is registered.

I think it is very important for Secretary Paulson and Federal Reserve Bank chairman Bernanke to move swiftly and try to restore confidence as quickly as possible to effectuate the plans based on the authority that has been given to them by Congress. I think it is still critical for us to move forward on an economic stimulus package that can provide people with some relief from high gas prices, food prices, help states and local governments maintain their payrolls. I think we have to extend unemployment insurance after the statistics showing that 159,000 additional jobs were lost just last month. And we are going to have to then move on an aggressive plan to deal with some of the underlying structural problems in the economy, including the continuing decline in the housing market.

... I was a little surprised over the last couple of days to hear Senator McCain say, or Senator McCain’s campaign say, that we want to turn the page on discussions about the economy and the campaign, a member of Senator McCain’s campaign saying today that, if we keep on talking about the economic crisis, we lose. I have got news for the McCain campaign, the American people are losing right now. They are losing their jobs, they are losing their healthcare, they are losing their homes, they are losing their savings, I cannot image anything more important to talk about than the economic crisis, and the notion that we would want to brush that aside and engage in the usual political shenanigans and smear tactics that have come characterize too many political campaigns, I think is not what the American people are looking for.

Ohio isn't the the only state that has early voting this week. Indiana, Wisconsin and Montana started the early vote push today.

Voters in Indiana have today to register and vote before tonight's registration deadline. Montana residents have until October 14 to register and vote in one stop.

Newspapers in these three battleground states highlighted the importance and impact of voter registration and voting early...

From the Journal and Courier in Indiana

More than 100 voters have already visited the Tippecanoe County Courthouse today to cast an early ballot.

Today is the first day of early voting for the Nov. 4 election - and also the final day that residents can register to vote.

...Donna Kemper of Lafayette joined roughly 50 other supporters of Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama in a procession to the courthouse, led by a fife and drum, to cast early votes.

"I want to show people that they need to get out and vote, especially women and seniors," Kemper said of her decision to vote on the first day.

Early voting is being touted by the Obama campaign and others as a way to avoid long lines and waiting on Election Day, when record turnout is expected.

From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel in Wisconsin:

In Wisconsin, voting begins Monday for the fall election, with each side pushing to lock in votes by absentee ballot long before Nov. 4.

State officials expect about 15% of all ballots this year to be cast as absentee votes, including by those who visit local election offices and vote in advance in person.

A Journal Sentinel review of statewide registration data shows an increase of about 4.75% so far this year, with some of the largest numbers in counties that went Democratic in 2004.

...The Obama campaign also is advocating early voting, but a spokesman said it is less of an issue in Wisconsin than in many other states.

"Same-day registration means there's not as much of an urgency to get people registered and voting early," said Matt Lehrich, a state Obama spokesman.

From the Great Falls Tribune in Montana:

Though Election Day isn't until Nov. 4, election officials expect tens of thousands of voters across the state to retrieve their absentee ballots from their mailboxes this week and begin casting their votes.

Monday marks the first day electors in Big Sky Country can begin voting by absentee ballot either through the mail or by visiting their local elections office.

For voters, absentee voting offers the convenience of voting from home or the flexibility of showing up at their elections office anytime between Monday and Nov. 4.

...Democrat Barack Obama, who launched a field operation in the state in April, has 20 field offices and more than 40 volunteers working throughout Montana. Obama's campaign staff, along with a small army of volunteers, has been busy identifying supporters, registering them to vote and encouraging them to vote early.

"We're going to be pushing people to take advantage of the early vote option. Starting Monday, we will be encouraging our supporters to get in and cast their ballot," said Caleb Weaver, Obama's Montana spokesman. "It's a way of making sure that people get to the polls and cast their ballot. This way, they have a month to do it, not just one day. We want to make sure they don't miss their chance to vote."

An informal survey of elections officials in 35 counties found that the significant portion of new voter registrations are the result of efforts by the Democratic Party and the Obama campaign.

Yellowstone County election clerk Barb Cox told the Billings Gazette that her office is receiving about 100 registration cards a day from the Obama campaign. Cox said Republicans are turning in between 50 and 100 cards each week.

Find your early vote location and vote today. If you, or anyone you know, is not registered visit VoteforChange.com to register before it's too late.

Springsteen spoke in Columbus about the connection between his music and Barack Obama. The deadline to register to vote in Ohio is TODAY, October 6th. Early voting continues every day up until Election Day. Visit http://www.VoteForChange.com for full info.

Author: BarackObamadotcom
Keywords: barack obama ohio voter registration early vote springsteen the boss
Added: October 6, 2008

Learn more at http://www.keatingeconomics.com (corrected audio version)

Author: BarackObamadotcom
Keywords: Keating John McCain economy economic banking regulation deregulation scandal crisis 2008 election president
Added: October 6, 2008

Women from all over Colorado tell why Senator Obama is the best choice for women in this election. Music by Dirty Three

Author: BarackObamadotcom
Keywords: Barack Obama women for choice health care education Colorado
Added: October 6, 2008

Barack Obama gives a press avail on the economy in Asheville, North Carolina on October 6, 2008.

Author: BarackObamadotcom
Keywords: barack obama press avail asheville north carolina economy
Added: October 6, 2008

In the video, Kal asks everyone to visit their local office.  We have over 40 offices across the state, and we're working in them everyday-- so come on down and join us!

It took Nathan Laney, 19, of the East Side, 90 minutes to register and vote at Veterans Memorial today. "I like the convenience of it - to do both at the same time," Laney said.

Margie Davis voted early today because she'll be working the polls on Election Day. It took her 90 minutes to vote, which was a refreshing change from 2004 when long lines forced her to take the day off work.

Here are some pictures from yesterday's event...

Even though voting early in Ohio continues from now until Election day, today is the last possible day to register. Those who register today will have the opportunity to vote today, tomorrow, or any day of their choice.

Hip-hop mogul Russel Simmons and Cleveland Cavaliers basketball star Lebron James talk about the importance of voting in the video below...

Vote today -- and take along your friends and family to make sure they are registered and vote for Barack.

--Dr. Charles D. Moody

Dr. Moody likes to tell a story about the birth of his first son. Soon after his marriage to Christella Parks in 1955, the young Army captain was assigned to duty in the Panama Canal Zone. Christella followed him there, but after becoming pregnant with their first child, she insisted on returning to her parents in Chicago to give birth. "She was aware of the fact that you had to be a natural-born citizen" to be eligible to become president of the United States. "He might want to run," she insisted, "and if I go to Chicago no one can say he wasn't natural born." What did Dr. Moody think of the audacity of her hope? "I believed her, she's a very brilliant woman!"

Today, his eldest son Charles Jr. owns his own construction firm--consistently ranked as a Black Enterprise Top 100 company--and Dr. Moody is supporting another young black man for president of the United States. Now retired from his position as Vice Provost for Minority Affairs at the University of Michigan, he has resettled in Las Vegas and comes five days a week into the Durango Campaign for Change office to help in the election effort.

Click Here to Continue Reading...

--Dr. Charles D. Moody

Dr. Moody likes to tell a story about the birth of his first son. Soon after his marriage to Christella Parks in 1955, the young Army captain was assigned to duty in the Panama Canal Zone. Christella followed him there, but after becoming pregnant with their first child, she insisted on returning to her parents in Chicago to give birth. "She was aware of the fact that you had to be a natural-born citizen" to be eligible to become president of the United States. "He might want to run," she insisted, "and if I go to Chicago no one can say he wasn't natural born." What did Dr. Moody think of the audacity of her hope? "I believed her, she's a very brilliant woman!"

Today, his eldest son Charles Jr. owns his own construction firm--consistently ranked as a Black Enterprise Top 100 company--and Dr. Moody is supporting another young black man for president of the United States. Now retired from his position as Vice Provost for Minority Affairs at the University of Michigan, he has resettled in Las Vegas and comes five days a week into the Durango Campaign for Change office to help in the election effort.

Click Here to Continue Reading...

Ross predicated much of the rationale for his endorsement of Obama on his conviction that the current administration's Middle East policy has been a failure. "Today the U.S. is not liked, feared, or respected in the Middle East," he stated. While our international standing has diminished, the need for cooperative effort has never been greater. "We cannot solve the problem of Iran on our own. We cannot solve the problem of Pakistan on our own," he said, yet according to Ross the U.S. no longer has the political power to elicit cooperation in these pressing matters. While President Bush may be a great friend of Israel, he argued, the practical effects of his policies have left Hamas, Hezbollah, and especially Iran much stronger today than when he took office.

From this example of a failed leadership model, Ross went on to describe what he sees as Obama's strengths. Ross noted that he had taken at least 20 presidential overseas trips with Reagan, George H. W. Bush, and Clinton. "I know what it takes for a president to be effective," he said. After accompanying Obama on his multi-country tour this summer, Ross believes that "Barack Obama is not just good. He's exceptional." He cited Obama's eagerness to hear opposing viewpoints, the selfless teamwork he engenders in those around him, and his genuine and subtle understanding of Middle East politics.

Regarding Iran, Obama has convinced Ross that he understands the "existential threat" Israelis feel from a nuclear-armed Iran, yet, unlike Bush, Obama also understands that the threat of force should be leveraged by the promise of peace; that we must "concentrate their minds on what they can lose, then show them what they have to gain. If you don't pursue peace, you produce disbelief," and therefore cannot bargain from a position of strength.

Ross closed by urging his listeners to support Obama because "we can't afford not to. We need a leader who understands the world we actually live in. We need a leader like him."

As the financial crisis unfolds, more and more Americans are concerned about the economy.

Barack Obama has a plan to restore America’s economy by creating new jobs and providing much-needed relief for ordinary Americans.  The Obama-Biden plan will turn the economy around by providing a $1000 emergency energy rebate to help middle class Americans pay the costs of their rising bills, and give a sizeable tax cut to working families. The Obama-Biden plan also includes a $1000 tax cut for working families. 

At JohnMcCainRecord.com, you can learn more about John McCain’s record on the economy, including McCain’s plan to give a $4 billion tax cut to big oil companies, while leaving more than 100 million hardworking Americans without relief. Visit JohnMcCainRecord.com, and let the facts speak for themselves.

Getting the economy back on track is critically important. Read the Obama-Biden plan for America and see Barack’s plan to put working Americans first.

Here are the details:

Debate Watch Party
With Senator Tom Daschle
Sierra Gold
680 S Meadows Pkwy
Reno, NV 89521
October 7, 5:30pm
Click here to RSVP

Senior Issues Discussion
With Senator Tom Daschle
2475 Chandler Ave
Suite 4
Las Vegas, NV 89120
October 8, 10:30am
Click here to RSVP

In North Carolina you can register and vote from October 16 to November 1. Duke Blue Devils can go to the West Union Building in the Old Trinity Room, or visit http://NC.VoteForChange.com for more info.

Author: BarackObamadotcom
Keywords: barack obama north carolina early vote grassroots voter registration
Added: October 6, 2008

Do you live in Michigan, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania or Virginia? If so, today is your last opportunity to register to vote.

If you don't register today you cannot vote on November 4.

This election is critical, and close, which means we need all the support we can get. Every vote can make the difference in who wins on election day. No one can afford to sit this out.

Sign up to register today.

Then call all of your friends, family members, neighbors and co-works to make sure everyone you know is registered to vote. It only takes a minute to use our invite form to email people you know to make sure they are registered. They can even check their registration status in case they've moved recently or don't know if they are registered.

For those in the eight battleground states listed above there is no second chance. This is it. Register today.

NOTE: Some users are experiencing audio drop-outs during playback which we are currently troubleshooting. Please visit www.keatingeconomics.com to download a high quality Quicktime of the video in the meantime. Learn more at http://www.keatingeconomics.com/

Author: BarackObamadotcom
Keywords: keating McCain economy economic regulation deregulation scandal crisis 2008 election president
Added: October 6, 2008

Kal Penn reminds Iowa students that this entire campaign started in their state., and that they can influence the outcome of this race again by visiting http://www.VoteForChange.com

Author: BarackObamadotcom
Keywords: barack obama iowa voter registration
Added: October 6, 2008

Bruce Springsteen asks you to stand with Barack Obama and Joe Biden, by visiting http://www.VoteForChange.com today. Even if you think you're registered, visit the site to check.

Author: BarackObamadotcom
Keywords: barack obama pennsylvania voter registration the boss rising
Added: October 6, 2008

October 6 is the last day to register in Ohio, and you can register and vote all at once. Go to http://www.VoteForChange.com to get all the info you need.

Author: BarackObamadotcom
Keywords: barack obama ohio voter registration early vote
Added: October 6, 2008

Tim from Noblesville, Indiana is excited to be casting his first vote ever for Barack Obama.

The 20-year-old junior political science major at Purdue University is excited that his vote is going to count in this election.

It means a lot to be casting my first presidential vote for Obama. And I’m excited that Indiana is a swing state. My vote’s going to make a difference. I want to say that I voted for him. He’s a historic candidate and the right candidate.

I support Obama because the politics of the past eight years – the politics I few up with -- have been a nightmare, but he restored my hope in American politics. He believes that we can rise above and accomplish something bigger and better than ourselves.

As a college student, tuition is a big issue for Tim.

College tuition is out of control. I want to go to law school, but there’s no way my family can afford that. My sister has $70,000 in loans, and she just wanted to be a teacher. Now she’s teaching and making $35,000 per year. How is she supposed to pay that off?

Barack Obama has a plan to help every American student afford college. Obama’s plan will give a $4,000 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. Read more about the Obama-Biden education plan.

The economy also concerns Tim, since he and his classmates will be joining the workforce soon.

My classmates are terrified about going out into the economy. That’s a clear indicator that something is very wrong.

Tim says his whole family is voting for Obama.

My sister is voting for Obama, my mom is voting for Obama… even my dad, who used to be a Republican. I can guarantee seven votes in my family for Obama. And now I’m trying to convince my Republican roommates. I think I can do it!

Though he’s struggling on a student budget, Tim donated to the campaign a few weeks ago, and says he plan to donate again.

I don’t know how much I can afford, but I believe in his campaign and believe he will do great things, so I’ll do what I can. This is important.

Make sure you’re registered to vote by visiting VoteForChange.com.

And if you can find a little to spare in your budget this month, join Tim and contribute to our movement for change. Because Tim’s right – this is important.

Over the weekend, John McCain's top adviser announced their plan to stop engaging in a debate over the economy and "turn the page" to more direct, personal attacks on Barack Obama.

In the middle of the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, they want to change the subject from the central question of this election. Perhaps because the policies McCain supported these past eight years and wants to continue are pretty hard to defend.

But it's not just McCain's role in the current crisis that they're avoiding. The backward economic philosophy and culture of corruption that helped create the current crisis are looking more and more like the other major financial crisis of our time.

During the savings and loan crisis of the late '80s and early '90s, McCain's political favors and aggressive support for deregulation put him at the center of the fall of Lincoln Savings and Loan, one of the largest in the country. More than 23,000 investors lost their savings. Overall, the savings and loan crisis required the federal government to bail out the savings of hundreds of thousands of families and ultimately cost American taxpayers $124 billion.

Sound familiar?

In that crisis, John McCain and his political patron, Charles Keating, played central roles that ultimately landed Keating in jail for fraud and McCain in front of the Senate Ethics Committee. The McCain campaign has tried to avoid talking about the scandal, but with so many parallels to the current crisis, McCain's Keating history is relevant and voters deserve to know the facts -- and see for themselves the pattern of poor judgment by John McCain.

So at noon Eastern on Monday, October 6th, we're releasing a 13-minute documentary about the scandal called "Keating Economics: John McCain and the Making of a Financial Crisis" -- it will be available at KeatingEconomics.com, along with background information that every voter should know.

Watch a preview right now and share it with your friends.

The point of the film and the web site is that John McCain still hasn't learned his lesson.

And this time, McCain's bankrupt economic philosophy has put our economy at the brink of collapse and put millions of Americans at risk of losing their homes.

Watch the video to see why John McCain's failed philosophy and poor judgment is a recipe for deepening the crisis:

http://my.barackobama.com/keatingvideo

It's no wonder John McCain would rather spend the last month of this election smearing Barack's character instead of talking about the top priority issue for voters.

But if we work together, we can make sure the focus stays on the economy -- and how to fix it.

Please forward this email to everyone you know.

Thanks,

David

David Plouffe
Campaign Manager
Obama for America

Below is a special preview of the 13-minute documentary will be live at noon Eastern today at www.KeatingEconomics.com:

Speaking to thousands of voters Sunday afternoon at Asheville High School, the Democratic nominee argued that McCain shares President Bush's economic philosophy.

"Sen. McCain and his operatives are gambling that they can distract you with smears rather than talk to you about substance," Obama said. "They'd rather try to tear our campaign down than lift this country up. That's what you do when you're out of touch, out of ideas and running out of time."

... In North Carolina, Obama warned that his opponents wanted to change the subject.

"His campaign has announced that they plan to, and I quote, turn the page on the discussion about our economy and spend the final weeks of this campaign launching Swift Boat-style attacks on me," he said, referring to a group known as the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth.

..."The American people are too smart for that," Obama said Sunday. "On Nov. 4 you and I are going to turn the page, not on talking about the economy; we're going to the turn the page on the disastrous economic policies of George W. Bush and John McCain."

...Obama arrived in this town Saturday night to prepare for his debate with McCain in Nashville on Tuesday night.

From the Blude Ridge Times-News:

A roar went up from the overflow crowd as Obama came down the steps leading into the stadium, greeting people as he made his way up to the stage.

“I can tell this is God’s country as I look at this day that the Lord has made,” he said. “What a spectacular place to be in Asheville, North Carolina.”

North Carolina is a battleground state for Obama as he took the opportunity at the rally to give support to another Democratic candidate, State Sen. Kay Hagan, who is running for the U.S. Senate against Sen. Elizabeth Dole.

The economy was a focus of Obama’s remarks to the crowd as he noted the issue and its effect on everyday people.

“We are facing the biggest economic crisis since the Great Depression,” he said. “You’ve seen your incomes go down as the price of just about everything has gone up.”

He added that everyday Americans don’t have to be told through ads or newspaper articles about the current economic problems because “you’re living them.”

...“We don’t need another president who doesn’t get it,” Obama said.

...Obama outlined his plan for making health care more accessible to Americans by reducing prescription drug prices; focusing on preventative programs such as smoking cessation and weight loss programs; reducing waste and inefficiency by using technology to reduce paperwork; and having the government pick up the tab for some of the more catastrophic illnesses. Under his plan, Obama said people can still use the health care plan they have, still visit the doctor they wish to see, or if they want to change their health care plan, they can do that as well. He said “the only difference is, costs will go down.”

He added that he would cover the costs of the $65 billion per year program by “ending George Bush’s tax breaks on those making a quarter of a million dollars a year.”

Obama said that under his plan, people would not be turned away if they had a pre-existing condition and promised that health care would be accessible for all by the end of his first term in office. “This is one of the great moral crises of our time,” Obama said. “It’s not who we are.”

...Canton resident Josh Batenhorst, a teacher at ArtSpace, a charter school in Swannanoa, said he was glad to see the “groundswell of support” for Obama in North Carolina.

“His stance on education and his plan to cut taxes for the middle class are what I like about him,” Batenhorst said, adding that Obama is the “first person I’ve ever donated money to before. I used to think there was no difference between a Democrat and a Republican, but this year, I do.”

From the Richmond Times Dispatch:

Sen. Evan Bayh, D-Ind., told a Henrico County audience yesterday that Sen. Barack Obama is best equipped to correct the abuses that led to the $700 billion Wall Street bailout.

"Who do you think is going to do a better job of protecting the taxpayer, putting into place the reforms, the regulation, the oversight to make sure this never happens again?" Bayh asked a crowd of 150 in an outdoor plaza at J.R. Tucker High School.

Bayh said Sen. John McCain, the Republican presidential nominee, "wants to deregulate health care so the same thing can happen to health care that happened to the financial markets."

Bayh filled in for Sen. Joseph R. Biden Jr., the Democratic vice presidential nominee. Early in his 15-minute stump speech, Bayh said he had just learned that Bonny Jean Jacobs, the mother of Biden's wife, Jill, had died.

"I know them well enough . . . to know that what they would want to say is that they appreciate your thoughts and prayers, but they want us to stay focused on doing right by our state and [by] this country," he said...

From the Washington Post:

As the deadline for voter registration arrives today in many states, Sen. Barack Obama's campaign is poised to benefit from a wave of newcomers to the rolls in key states in numbers that far outweigh any gains made by Republicans.

In the past year, the rolls have expanded by about 4 million voters in a dozen key states -- 11 Obama targets that were carried by George W. Bush in 2004 (Ohio, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Virginia, Indiana, Missouri, Colorado, Iowa, Nevada and New Mexico) plus Pennsylvania, the largest state carried by Sen. John F. Kerry that Sen. John McCain is targeting.

In Florida, Democratic registration gains this year are more than double those made by Republicans; in Colorado and Nevada the ratio is 4 to 1, and in North Carolina it is 6 to 1. Even in states with nonpartisan registration, the trend is clear -- of the 310,000 new voters in Virginia, a disproportionate share live in Democratic strongholds.

...The Obama campaign says it expects the numbers of new voters in swing states to swell even more later this month as elections offices process the tens of thousands of registrations still pouring in. And it exudes confidence about its ability to turn the new voters out with a vigorous follow-up operation. "This a lesson we learned. The old-fashioned way of registering voters was to stand on the corner of the street, stand on the campus quad and register one by one, which we still do," said Jon Carson, the campaign's national field director. "But another important component is getting people the information they need to participate."

Obama, who led a major voter drive in Chicago in 1992, has stressed voter registration from the outset of his campaign, seeing younger or disaffected Americans as a crucial pool of support. The campaign intensified its outreach over the summer, dispatching hundreds of staff members and volunteers to states with large percentages of unregistered voters.

The deadline to register in many states is midnight tomorrow (Monday) night. Deadlines in the remaining states follow shortly after. This will be an historic election, one of the most important of our lives. It will also be a incredibly close election.

Tonight there is nothing more important that you can do than reach out to that friend our family member who isn't registered to let them know that this is their last chance to be part of this election. 

It only takes a minute.

You can use our invite form to email friends and family to let them know about VoteForChange.com, where they can find all the information they'll need to register before the deadline.

If you have a Facebook profile, you can use our Obama Facebook application to send voter registration reminders to your friends in just seconds. 

If you have an iPhone, you can download our free Obama 08 iPhone application, which organizes the numbers in your phonebook by state and helps you keep track of who you've contacted. 

Or you can just pick up a phone, or send an email on your own. It doesn't matter how you do it; what matters is that you do it.

As Greg in Herriman, New York explained earlier this evening in the comments:

TRUE STORY. Close friend of mine, very intelligent, after 4 years of marriage, discovered that her thoughtful news-watching husband was NOT registered to vote.

TRUE STORY. Political activist friend of mine, always talking intelligently about political maneuvers and the mechanics of government, DOESN'T ever bother to vote.

I know you don't think you need to consider this, but there are people you know that you'd bet a paycheck are registered to vote, that are not! Trust me on this.

Ask!

Ask tonight!

Be kind & humble, but ask.

Be humble, be kind, but ask tonight.