As Lee Goodall, the Georgia Campaign for Change Field Director, explained this morning in a message to supporters in Georgia:

In a runoff election like this one, it doesn't matter what the pundits and the pollsters say -- all that matters is who shows up at the polls.

The energy and enthusiasm we've seen throughout this election have proven that Georgians are ready for change. Now we just need to make sure we convert our momentum into votes.

With Jim Martin in the Senate, President-elect Obama will gain a crucial supporter, and Georgia will gain someone who will fight for the middle class and help rebuild our economy.

Supporters in Georgia can help by volunteering to Get Out The Vote tomorrow in your community. You can use our online look-up tool to find a GOTV staging area near you:

You can also help out by making calls to Georgia voters from home using the same online voter contact tools at My.BarackObama.com used during the general election. We'll provide you with a list of voters to contact and a short script, as well as the polling location info for the people who talk to.

Polls in Georgia are open tomorrow from 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM. You do not need to have voted in the general election in order to vote in the runoff, although you do have to have been registered to vote in Georgia on or before October 6th, 2008. It's possible that your polling place may be different than in the general election, but you can look up your current polling place on the Georgia Secretary of State website now.

As Lee Goodall, the Georgia Campaign for Change Field Director, explained this morning in a message to supporters in Georgia:

In a runoff election like this one, it doesn't matter what the pundits and the pollsters say -- all that matters is who shows up at the polls.

The energy and enthusiasm we've seen throughout this election have proven that Georgians are ready for change. Now we just need to make sure we convert our momentum into votes.

With Jim Martin in the Senate, President-elect Obama will gain a crucial supporter, and Georgia will gain someone who will fight for the middle class and help rebuild our economy.

Supporters in Georgia can help by volunteering to Get Out The Vote tomorrow in your community. You can use our online look-up tool to find a GOTV staging area near you:

You can also help out by making calls to Georgia voters from home using the same online voter contact tools at My.BarackObama.com used during the general election. We'll provide you with a list of voters to contact and a short script, as well as the polling location info for the people who talk to.

Polls in Georgia are open Tuesday from 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM. You do not need to have voted in the general election in order to vote in the runoff, although you do have to have been registered to vote in Georgia on or before October 6th, 2008. It's possible that your polling place may be different than in the general election, but you can look up your current polling place on the Georgia Secretary of State website now.

In the statement, he explained:

Too many people are unaware that while HIV/AIDS is incurable, it is 100 percent preventable. And far too many people have become infected because they lack basic information about how this disease is spread. I intend to confront the stigma surrounding HIV/AIDS – a stigma which is too often tied to racism, sexism and homophobia. That is what Michelle and I tried to do by taking a public HIV test in Kenya a few years ago.

We must engage in honest, open dialogue and reach out to those most at risk. My administration will educate people about HIV/AIDS, ensure people living with HIV/AIDS have access to treatment, and work with Congress to enact an extensive program of prevention, including access to comprehensive age-appropriate sex education for all school age children.

We will also keep faith with the millions of people living with HIV/AIDS around the world by continuing to support the work of the Global AIDS Fund and maintaining our strong leadership through the President’s Emergency Plan For AIDS Relief.

You can read the full remarks of the statement at Change.gov.

Mr. President-Elect, thank you for this honor. If confirmed, I will give this assignment, your administration and our country my all.

I also want to thank my fellow New Yorkers, who have for eight years given me the joy of a job I love, with the opportunity to work on issues I care about deeply, in a state that I cherish. And you've also helped prepare me well for this new role. After all, New Yorkers aren't afraid to speak their minds, and do so in every language.

Leaving the Senate is very difficult for me, but during the last few weeks, I thought often of our troops, serving bravely under difficult circumstances in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere. I thought of those other Americans in our Foreign and Civil Services, working hard to promote and protect our interests around the world. And I thought of the daunting tasks ahead for our country: an economy that is reeling, a climate that is warming, and, as we saw with the horrible events in Mumbai, threats that are relentless.

The fate of our nation and the future of our children will be forged in the crucible of these global challenges. America cannot solve these crises without the world, and the world cannot solve them without America. By electing Barack Obama our next president, the American people have demanded not just a new direction at home but a new effort to renew America's standing in the world as a force for positive change.

We know our security, our values, and our interests cannot be protected and advanced by force alone, nor, indeed, by Americans alone. We must pursue vigorous diplomacy using all the tools we can muster to build a future with more partners and fewer adversaries, more opportunities and fewer dangers, for all who seek freedom, peace and prosperity.

America is a place founded on the idea that everyone should have the right to live up to his or her God-given potential, and it is that same ideal that must guide America's purpose in the world today. And while we are determined to defend our freedoms and liberties at all costs, we also reach out to the world again, seeking common cause and higher ground.

And so I believe the best way to continue serving my country is to join President-elect Obama, Vice President-elect Biden, the leaders here and the dedicated public servants of the State Department on behalf of our nation at this defining moment.

President Kennedy once said that engaging the world to meet the threats we face was the greatest adventure of our century.

Well, Mr. President-elect, I am proud to join you on what will be a difficult and exciting adventure in this new century. And may God bless you and all who serve with you and our great country.

President-elect Obama explained:

In this uncertain world, the time has come for a new beginning – a new dawn of American leadership to overcome the challenges of the 21st century, and to seize the opportunities embedded in those challenges. To succeed, we must pursue a new strategy that skillfully uses, balances, and integrates all elements of American power: our military and diplomacy; our intelligence and law enforcement; our economy and the power of our moral example. The team that we have assembled here today is uniquely suited to do just that. They share my pragmatism about the use of power, and my sense of purpose about America’s role as a leader in the world.

Vice President-elect Biden added:

It is an honor to be a part of this team, led by the President Elect – a team that will see to it that America can lead the world not only by the example of our power, but also by the power of our example. I believe we have assembled a national security team that is poised to recapture the totality of America’s strength.

For more information on the new members of the National Security Team visit Change.gov.

President-elect Obama explained:

In this uncertain world, the time has come for a new beginning – a new dawn of American leadership to overcome the challenges of the 21st century, and to seize the opportunities embedded in those challenges. To succeed, we must pursue a new strategy that skillfully uses, balances, and integrates all elements of American power: our military and diplomacy; our intelligence and law enforcement; our economy and the power of our moral example. The team that we have assembled here today is uniquely suited to do just that. They share my pragmatism about the use of power, and my sense of purpose about America’s role as a leader in the world.

Vice President-elect Biden added:

It is an honor to be a part of this team, led by the President Elect – a team that will see to it that America can lead the world not only by the example of our power, but also by the power of our example. I believe we have assembled a national security team that is poised to recapture the totality of America’s strength.

For more information on the new members of the National Security Team visit Change.gov.

Jim supports my plan to cut middle class taxes, make sure every American has access to affordable health care, stop spending ten billions dollars a month in Iraq, and get our economy moving again. Jim Martin's a man of his word, and I know he'll do everything he can in the Senate to help me change Washington and get America moving again.

The Georgia U.S. Senate runoff vote will take place this Tuesday, December 2nd. You do not need to have voted in the general election in order to vote in the runoff, but you do have to have been registered to vote in Georgia on or before October 6th, 2008. You can use the Georgia Secretary of State's online polling locator to find your polling location.

Our supporters built an incredible grassroots movement in Georgia over the past 21 months, and many volunteers and organizers in Georgia have been working non-stop since Election Day to help prepare for the runoff. In a special elections like this, turnout is key, and there is no substitute for the type door to door, person to person contact that was at the heart of our campaign over the past two years.

Supporters in Georgia can use My.BarackObama.com to sign up for Get Out The Vote shifts from now through Election Day, or find a local field office near you. Shifts start at 9:30 AM, 12:30 PM, 3:00 PM and 5:00 PM each day and run three hours each.

You can also help out by making calls from home using the same online voter contact tools at My.BarackObama.com used during the general election. We'll provide you with a list of voters to contact and a short script, as well as the polling location info for the people who talk to.

This effort has always been about more than one candidate or one campaign -- it's about building a lasting movement for change. This Tuesday, voters in Georgia have a chance to vote for change one more time.

Times are tough. There are difficult months ahead. But we can renew our nation the same way that we have in the many years since Lincoln’s first Thanksgiving: by coming together to overcome adversity; by reaching for – and working for – new horizons of opportunity for all Americans. So this weekend – with one heart, and one voice, the American people can give thanks that a new and brighter day is yet to come.

President-Elect Obama strongly condemns today's terrorist attacks in Mumbai, and his thoughts and prayers are with the victims, their families, and the people of India. These coordinated attacks on innocent civilians demonstrate the grave and urgent threat of terrorism. The United States must continue to strengthen our partnerships with India and nations around the world to root out and destroy terrorist networks. We stand with the people of India, whose democracy will prove far more resilient than the hateful ideology that led to these attacks.

This week, President-elect Barack Obama is announcing the key members of his White House economic team who will help him tackle serious challenges and bring the change we need to Washington.

But there's still a lot of work to be done in communities all across the country -- including yours.

On December 13th and 14th, supporters are coming together to reflect on what we've accomplished and help plan the future of this movement.

Many of you have already submitted your feedback through our online survey. Our team in Chicago is reviewing an impressive number of detailed responses, and your input will help guide the future of this grassroots movement.

Sign up to host a Change is Coming house meeting and invite your friends, family, and neighbors to attend.

You'll receive everything you need to make your meeting a success, including a special DVD our team put together just for these events.

Discuss the issues that are most important to you, what you can do to support Barack's agenda, and how you can continue to make an impact in your community.

Now is the time to put aside partisanship and politics, find common ground, and work together. Please invite those who might not have been involved in the campaign, even those who might have supported our opponent.

The challenges we face demand we be as inclusive as possible. It'll take the whole country working together to get our country back on track.

Host a party to celebrate our historic achievement and take the next steps to bring the change our country needs.

Your continued involvement is crucial to the future of this movement.

As Barack said on Election Night, "This victory alone is not the change we seek -- it is only the chance for us to make that change."

The grassroots organization you built to win the election will continue to set our country on a new path.

Thank you for everything you're doing,

David

David Plouffe
Campaign Manager
Obama for America

This week, President-elect Barack Obama is announcing the key members of his White House economic team who will help him tackle serious challenges and bring the change we need to Washington.

But there's still a lot of work to be done in communities all across the country -- including yours.

On December 13th and 14th, supporters are coming together to reflect on what we've accomplished and help plan the future of this movement.

Many of you have already submitted your feedback through our online survey. Our team in Chicago is reviewing an impressive number of detailed responses, and your input will help guide the future of this grassroots movement.

Sign up to host a Change is Coming house meeting and invite your friends, family, and neighbors to attend.

You'll receive everything you need to make your meeting a success, including a special DVD our team put together just for these events.

Discuss the issues that are most important to you, what you can do to support Barack's agenda, and how you can continue to make an impact in your community.

Now is the time to put aside partisanship and politics, find common ground, and work together. Please invite those who might not have been involved in the campaign, even those who might have supported our opponent.

The challenges we face demand we be as inclusive as possible. It'll take the whole country working together to get our country back on track.

Host a party to celebrate our historic achievement and take the next steps to bring the change our country needs.

Your continued involvement is crucial to the future of this movement.

As Barack said on Election Night, "This victory alone is not the change we seek -- it is only the chance for us to make that change."

The grassroots organization you built to win the election will continue to set our country on a new path.

Thank you for everything you're doing,

David

David Plouffe
Campaign Manager
Obama for America

 

You can sign up now to host a meeting, and let us know in the comments below if you're planning on participating.

Today and yesterday, President-elect Barack Obama announced key members of an economic team tasked with creating jobs, stabilizing the economy, and getting our country back on track.

Barack is bringing together some of the best minds in the country to make swift progress on the economic challenges we face.

Timothy F. Geithner, president and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, will serve as Secretary of the Treasury. Lawrence H. Summers, former Secretary of the Treasury under President Clinton, will serve as Director of the National Economic Council.

Christina D. Romer will serve as Director of the Council of Economic Advisers, Melody C. Barnes will serve as Director of the Domestic Policy Council, and Heather A. Higginbottom will serve as Deputy Director of the Domestic Policy Council.

Peter Orszag, currently Director of the Congressional Budget Office, will serve as Office of Management and Budget Director, and Rob Nabors will serve as Deputy Director.

Watch the video of Barack's announcement yesterday and learn more about the economic team:

Barack's economic team has already begun work on a recovery plan, and he'll provide progress updates in the coming weeks. He'll also provide their initial recommendations to the incoming Congress.

You'll be instrumental in generating support to pass legislation that puts America on the road to recovery.

While we can't underestimate the challenge we face, we also can't underestimate the opportunity we have to bring the change our country needs.

Thanks,

David

David Plouffe
Campaign Manager
Obama for America

 

President-elect Obama explained:

Vice President-elect Biden and I have assembled an economic team with the vision and expertise to stabilize our economy, create jobs, and get America back on track. Even as we face great economic challenges, we know that great opportunity is at hand – if we act swiftly and boldly. That’s the mission our economic team will take on.

Visit Change.gov for more coverage of today's announcement, as well as more information on the newly announced members of the economic team.

Many of the Fellows, Andy among them, went on to become field organizers with the campaign. We've asked a few of them to pick up where we last left them, and share their stories of their time on the campaign. Andy's story is below:

I left Detroit, Michigan to move to Columbus, Ohio last June to be an Organizing Fellow with the campaign. Saying goodbye to friends and family members was tough. In spite of the difficulty, I knew their memories would keep me strong.

There was no memory of a person that was stronger in my mind than that of my stepfather. He was an honest man. He treated my brother and I like we were his own children. My mother and him always looked out for each other. He taught me to always work hard, even when times were tough.

He was an electrician for almost forty years of his life. Unfortunately he developed lung cancer from the asbestos he was exposed to on the job. He had to be hospitalized in November of last year because his health was deteriorating rapidly.

We gathered around his bed as a family one last time just before Thanksgiving. The room was absolutely silent except for the whirring noise of the machines. In this silence I thought about how thankful I was for all the times that we had shared. I was thankful for the way we took care of each other.

I just wish the health care companies had taken care of my stepfather. It seemed like every day we had to argue with them about coverage for the treatments that he needed to be comfortable and hopefully recover. I will never know if more preventative care and a better plan would have made a difference. But I will always wonder if it could have.

I can't change what happened to my stepfather, or the millions of other Americans who have had a similar a story to his. But I know that we need fundamental changes in our policies to prevent this from happening to future generations.

When I arrived in Columbus I met hundreds of other Fellows. They may have been different ages and from all across the country, but they all came for change. As Fellows we worked with volunteers in the community to organize voter registration. The days were long, but the payoff was worth it. Together we brought an historic number of new voters into the political process. The Fellows and the volunteers in these early months built the foundation of our campaign. I was sad to see many of them go at the end of July. But I was also inspired by what we had done and what we had built together.

I stayed on as a field organizer in Columbus along with several other Fellows. We had some new faces join our team as field organizers as well. Our team culture grew immediately. Even though we worked in different parts of the state we knew that we would have to work together to win Ohio.

On that solid foundation we set out to build a leadership structure unlike any other campaign in history. The campaign recognized the power of community, and we worked with local leaders to develop a team in every neighborhood across the state. These teams were unprecedented. They recruited their own volunteers and ran their own canvasses and phonebanks every week. Because of them, we were able to contact an enormous number of voters in Ohio and persuade them to vote for change.

My team leaders were amazing. They worked so many hours because they knew that the future of their children, their community, and their country depended on it.

About a month before Election Day we started preparing for our final sprint to the finish line. We had to mobilize our Get Out The Vote (GOTV) effort. At this point people were stepping up their effort and working non-stop. It culminated in the final week with canvasses and phonebanks all day, every day.

On November 4th we got up at 4 am. There was not a minute to waste. Teams across every neighborhood in Ohio opened up their staging locations and prepared for the work ahead. 

I am and always will be proud of how people in their community came together to work for a common purpose.

When all of the polling locations closed, I got nervous. Doubt ran through my mind. There was a sinking feeling in my gut. It wasn't that I thought we didn't work as hard as we could. It was more that there was no more work to do. It was out of our hands at this point. I headed back to headquarters in my car.

I didn't listen to the radio on the way back to the office. I couldn't bear it. Instead I sat listening to the whirring sound of my car engine. I thought about my stepfather. I knew the work we did would have made him proud.

When I walked into the office there was a hair-raising energy in the air. Everyone was running from room to room excitedly, explaining that we had just won Ohio. Shortly after Barack Obama won the presidency. A roar ran through the office. A change ran through the country.

Now that I have come back home I get a new positive energy from everyone I meet. There may be enormous challenges ahead, but we are ready as a nation to deal with them and make our country greater.

You can read the rest of Andy's stories about his time spent as an Organizing Fellow here. Over the next few days we'll be catching up with a number of the Fellows. If you a memorable story from your experience on the campaign you'd like to share, you can submit it online or in the comments below. 

In keeping with the President-elect and Vice President-elect’s commitment to transparency and direct communication with the American people, the address was also recorded and released online. You can watch the full address below:

You can also listen to the radio address online.

Read the full remarks, as delivered . . .

I have a special request for you.

The Obama-Biden Transition Project is a nonpartisan entity whose purpose is to facilitate the transition to a new government and prepare for the next administration.

In the past, efforts like these have often been very secretive and funded by the D.C. lobbying and corporate community.

But, like in the campaign, we've decided to do things differently.

For the first time, transition efforts won't be financed with donations from Washington lobbyists and PACs -- which means we'll need to keep asking for your help. Your generosity during the campaign helped get us here, but building a more transparent and open government means continuing to rely on a broader group of people to do this the right way.

We only have a few weeks to assess the state of the federal agencies, prepare our agenda, and staff key positions in the new administration. Your support right now will be crucial to helping us accomplish these goals.

Will you help support the urgent mission of our transition team with a donation?

You know that we got here by building this campaign from the ground up. We're committed to building the White House team the same way.

Thank you,

David

David Plouffe
Campaign Manager
Obama for America

photos from Change.gov

CNN reported:

The day before Vice President-elect Joe Biden turns 66, President-elect Barack Obama presented his running mate with 12 candlelit cupcakes after their weekly lunch on Wednesday. He also gave Biden Chicago White Sox and Chicago Bears hats as well as a bucket of Garrett's popcorn as presents.

Vice President-elect Biden spent his birthday today in his home state of Delware. You can share your birthday wishes and messages to Joe in the comments below . . . 

The following day, the Washington Post reported:

Barack Obama [on Monday] displayed once again the power of the vast online network he built during the presidential race, giving prominent display on his campaign and transition Web sites to efforts to help the victims of wildfires burning across Southern California.

...Obama's plea contributed to a surge in visitors to the site, a branch of California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's office that helps coordinate disaster relief efforts. The number of daily hits on the site increased from 15,000 Monday to 179,000 Tuesday, said Karen Baker, Schwarzenegger's secretary of service and volunteering.

Throughout the past 21 months, you've shown again and again your willingness to come together and help those in need, and this time was no different. It's a spirit that was ingrained in the campaign from the beginning, and continues on in the community that you've created.

In a speech in Iowa in December of 2007, Barack Obama explained:

I won't just ask for your vote as a candidate; I will ask for your service and your active citizenship when I am President of the United States. This will not be a call issued in one speech or program; this will be a cause of my presidency.

Relief and recovery efforts in Southern California are still underway, and you can still be take part by volunteering or by making a donation.

Visit CaliforniaVolunteers.org for more information on how you can help.

As one supporter said:

He can't do it by himself... He has to do it with each and every one of us. Just like we showed up to the polls today to cast our vote, we have to continue to show up and do what we're suppossed to do... to help this world be a better place.

Over the past two years grassroots supporters across the country have shown up, day after day, to work for change. For many of you, we know that this is just the beginning. We want your feedback on what's next and where we go from here. You can also share your memorable stories and experiences over the course of this historic campaign.

Obama supporters in Chicago talk about their accomplishments in this campaign and what they'd like to see happen next. Visit http://my.barackobama.com to help make change possible in your own community.

Author: BarackObamadotcom
Keywords: barack obama joe biden 2008 chicago election day night grant park acceptance victory speech
Added: November 19, 2008

One of the most inspiring things about this campaign was to see how generous people actually are when they are exposed to tools and information that they can use for the greater good. -- Jade from Rochester, New York

Two weeks after Election Day, supporters are continuing to use the online tools at My.BarackObama.com to gather together to celebrate, to reconnect, and to find ways to stay involved politics and in their communities.

There are hundreds of events planned for the upcoming weeks. Cambridge, Massachusetts supporters are organizing a "Thank You Party" for which over 350 people have already signed up - so many that they had to relocate the meeting to a larger venue.

In Michigan City, Indiana a "One Month Anniversary Celebration" already has nearly 60 members from a dozen local groups signed up to attend.  

In Sanford, Florida supporters are turning their attention to local issues.

Judy from Camdenton, Missouri reported that:

Camden County Missouri Obama volunteers are determined to stay together in the spirit of this movement! We are considering a community service mission. Our first projects may be helping some of the neighbors we canvassed: an elderly woman who needs someone to help with her fall leaves or another elderly neighbor who would just enjoy a post-election visit. Our field organizer David encouraged us from the beginning to keep our group together and as we grew in numbers and spirit we knew we had to keep moving forward.

And in Georgia, local supporters are using MyBO to help organize for the December 2nd Senate runoff. There are nearly 60 separate events scheduled in the upcoming days, including phonebanking, canvassing and organizational meetings (you can check out Georgia.BarackObama.com for the latest on the Georgia runoff).

Even though the 2008 presidential election has ended, the tools here at My.BarackObama.com remain active. You can still find events and groups near you, or reach out in your community and create you own. We've already seen that, as powerful as the tools themselves are, it's the relationships and groups that they've helped form that are one of the true strengths and lasting legacies of this campaign.

Please take a few minutes and help shape the future of this movement.

Share your campaign experience and your thoughts on the best way to keep supporting our agenda for change.

The inauguration is just 63 days away, and as President-elect Obama and Vice President-elect Biden prepare to take office, they'll need your support more than ever.

You've built an organization in your community and across the country that will continue to work for change -- whether it's by building grassroots support for legislation, backing state and local candidates, or sharing organizing techniques to effect change in your neighborhood.

Your hard work built this movement. Now it's up to you to decide how we move forward.

Take this short survey and share your ideas.

Thanks to you, this country has an historic opportunity. Electing Barack was the first big step, but there's a lot of challenging and important work ahead.

Together, we can keep making history,

David

David Plouffe
Campaign Manager
Obama for America

Please take a few minutes and help shape the future of this movement.

Share your campaign experience and your thoughts on the best way to keep supporting our agenda for change.

The inauguration is just 63 days away, and as President-elect Obama and Vice President-elect Biden prepare to take office, they'll need your support more than ever.

You've built an organization in your community and across the country that will continue to work for change -- whether it's by building grassroots support for legislation, backing state and local candidates, or sharing organizing techniques to effect change in your neighborhood.

Your hard work built this movement. Now it's up to you to decide how we move forward.

Take this short survey and share your ideas.

Thanks to you, this country has an historic opportunity. Electing Barack was the first big step, but there's a lot of challenging and important work ahead.

Together, we can keep making history,

David

David Plouffe
Campaign Manager
Obama for America

In case you missed it, or if you want to watch again, you can see the full interview below:

Our thoughts and prayers go out to those who have been affected by the fires.

The Red Cross and Salvation Army are coordinating relief for the victims, and volunteers on the ground are being organized to help with long-term recovery efforts in the days and months to come. If you live in or near Southern California you can volunteer now, and no matter where you live you can help by donating to the relief efforts.

Throughout the campaign, we saw time and again that when ordinary people act together, they can make a huge difference.

Visit CaliforniaVolunteers.org for more information on how you can help.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to those who have been affected by the fires.

The Red Cross and Salvation Army are coordinating relief for the victims, and volunteers on the ground are being organized to help with long-term recovery efforts in the days and months to come. If you live in or near Southern California you can volunteer now, and no matter where you live you can help by donating to the relief efforts.

Throughout the campaign, we saw time and again that when ordinary people act together, they can make a huge difference.

Visit CaliforniaVolunteers.org for more information on how you can help.

Over the past few days, wildfires in Southern California have destroyed nearly 900 homes and burned over 37,000 acres of land, forcing many more families to evacuate their communities. 

Our thoughts and prayers go out to those who have been affected by the fires.

The Red Cross and Salvation Army are coordinating relief for the victims, and volunteers on the ground are being organized to help with long-term recovery efforts in the days and months to come. If you live in or near Southern California you can volunteer now, and no matter where you live you can help by donating to the relief efforts.

Throughout the campaign, we saw time and again that when ordinary people act together, they can make a huge difference.

Visit CaliforniaVolunteers.org for more information on how you can help.

Obama's Letter to the People of Illinois

November 16, 2008

BY PRESIDENT-ELECT BARACK OBAMA

Today, I am ending one journey to begin another. After serving the people of Illinois in the United States Senate -- one of the highest honors and privileges of my life -- I am stepping down as senator to prepare for the responsibilities I will assume as our nation's next president. But I will never forget, and will forever be grateful, to the men and women of this great state who made my life in public service possible.

More than two decades ago, I arrived in Illinois as a young man eager to do my part in building a better America. On the South Side of Chicago, I worked with families who had lost jobs and lost hope when the local steel plant closed. It wasn't easy, but we slowly rebuilt those neighborhoods one block at a time, and in the process I received the best education I ever had. It's an education that led me to organize a voter registration project in Chicago, stand up for the rights of Illinois families as an attorney and eventually run for the Illinois state Senate.

It was in Springfield, in the heartland of America, where I saw all that is America converge -- farmers and teachers, businessmen and laborers, all of them with a story to tell, all of them seeking a seat at the table, all of them clamoring to be heard. It was there that I learned to disagree without being disagreeable; to seek compromise while holding fast to those principles that can never be compromised, and to always assume the best in people instead of the worst. Later, when I made the decision to run for the United States Senate, the core decency and generosity of the American people is exactly what I saw as I traveled across our great state -- from Chicago to Cairo; from Decatur to Quincy.

I still remember the young woman in East St. Louis who had the grades, the drive and the will but not the money to go to college. I remember the young men and women I met at VFW halls across the state who serve our nation bravely in Iraq and Afghanistan. And I will never forget the workers in Galesburg who faced the closing of a plant they had given their lives to, who wondered how they would provide health care to their sick children with no job and little savings.

Stories like these are why I came to Illinois all those years ago, and they will stay with me when I go to the White House in January. The challenges we face as a nation are now more numerous and difficult than when I first arrived in Chicago, but I have no doubt that we can meet them. For throughout my years in Illinois, I have heard hope as often as I have heard heartache. Where I have seen struggle, I have seen great strength. And in a state as broad and diverse in background and belief as any in our nation, I have found a spirit of unity and purpose that can steer us through the most troubled waters.

It was long ago that another son of Illinois left for Washington. A greater man who spoke to a nation far more divided, Abraham Lincoln, said of his home, "To this place, and the kindness of these people, I owe everything." Today, I feel the same, and like Lincoln, I ask for your support, your prayers, and for us to "confidently hope that all will yet be well."

With your help, along with the service and sacrifice of Americans across the nation who are hungry for change and ready to bring it about, I have faith that all will in fact be well. And it is with that faith, and the high hopes I have for the enduring power of the American idea, that I offer the people of my beloved home a very affectionate thanks.

President-elect Obama will continue to record and make available the Democratic radio addresses on video when he is in the White House, just one of many steps designed to foster more direct communication with the American people and make the White House and the political process more transparent.

You can read the full remarks of President-elect Obama's address at Change.gov.

Celebrating Glamour's "Women of the Year 2008:" Glamour magazine honored Hillary Clinton at this year's "Glamour Women of the Year 2008" Awards ceremony this week in New York. Entertainment Tonight caught up with Senator Clinton, America Ferrera and others. According to America Ferrera:

"This has been a wonderful year for women and I think, you know, in large part due to Senator Clinton and I'm always honored to be in her company and I'm very honored to be here today." Watch the segment here.

Glamour calls Hillary Clinton "The Trailblazer," writing: This year Hillary Clinton did something very rare for a politician: She won while losing. No, she didn't reach the White House—but she motivated a new generation of women of every political stripe. Read more here.

Busy in the Senate: Senator Clinton held a conference call Tuesday calling for a comprehensive new stimulus package to jumpstart the ailing economy.

In a letter to President Bush and Senate leaders, Senator Clinton outlined a series of measures that would protect those Americans hit hardest by the recession and put the nation on the road to recovery, including: extending unemployment insurance benefits, providing assistance to financially strapped cities and states to prevent cuts to critical services, and investments in infrastructure and alternative energy projects that could quickly provide hundreds of thousands of new jobs while laying the foundation for future economic expansion.

Today in Albany, Senator Clinton also called for a new national commitment to revitalizing the nation's infrastructure and expanding and improving mass transit systems.  Delivering remarks at the New York State Public Transit Industry Fall Conference, Senator Clinton urged support for a sweeping new plan to improve existing transit systems, expand public transportation to areas that currently have limited access, and overhaul the process by which public transit is planned and financed. 

Transitioning: HillPAC's Executive Director and Social Secretary during the Clinton Administration, Capricia Marshall, appeared frequently on TV this week discussing the First Family transition. Watch her discuss the transition with Wolf Blitzer here.

206 Votes in Minnesota: Senator Clinton e-mailed her supporters today re-emphasizing the importance of the recount in Minnesota and sending Al Franken to the Senate:

Just 206 votes. That's the difference separating Al Franken and Norm Coleman in the Minnesota Senate race -- 206 votes out of about 3 million cast.
In the coming days, Minnesota officials will carefully count every vote to make sure they get the most accurate count possible…

This time we're ready. The Franken Campaign is working hard to make sure every vote is counted -- but they need our help…

Help make sure this important election is decided fairly -- contribute today to Al Franken's campaign.

Virginia 2009: Clinton Campaign Chairman Terry McAuliffe announced this week that he would explore the opportunity of running for Virginia Governor in 2009. Terry's wife, Dorothy, sent the following email yesterday:

As you may know, Terry's been contemplating a run for governor of Virginia for some time now. And this week, he officially kicked off a two-month long process of touring the Commonwealth in order to initiate a conversation with fellow Virginians.

He'll make a final decision about whether to run for governor in early January.

That decision will be based in large part on what kind of enthusiasm is out there for his candidacy.

Honoring Our Veterans: Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton made the following statement marking Veterans Day:

"Today I join all Americans in honoring the brave men and women who have worn the uniform in service to our nation. These men and women have given so much for all of us. We owe them our freedom, our respect, and our gratitude demonstrated in our words and deeds. Veterans are veterans for life and they and their families deserve the support and services they have earned. That is why I have fought to improve veterans health care and to streamline the benefits claim process, and why I will continue to be a champion for veterans in the Senate. We must serve them as they have served all of us. Let us pay our respect today as we recommit ourselves to this solemn duty every day."

"These men and women are the best this nation has to offer, and they deserve to be treated as the best. We need to be there with open arms when our veterans need our support, and we must continue to stand with them over the years.  For all of these reasons, I continue to work on a variety of initiatives, including health care and beyond, to support and honor our veterans and their loved ones."

Hurry! Limited Edition DVDs Available: Contribute $50 or more today and we will send you a special keepsake: A DVD of with Hillary and President Clinton's historic speeches in Denver, the inspiring video that introduced Hillary, and a special message recorded just for you.

For $250 or more, you will receive the special "Signature" edition personally signed by Hillary.

Click here to contribute today.

Dear Friend,

Just 206 votes. That's the difference separating Al Franken and Norm Coleman in the Minnesota Senate race -- 206 votes out of about 3 million cast.

In the coming days, Minnesota officials will carefully count every vote to make sure they get the most accurate count possible. But once again, Republicans want to interfere any way they can with the vote-counting. They're setting up legal challenges and questioning the voting officials' integrity.

This time we're ready. The Franken Campaign is working hard to make sure every vote is counted -- but they need our help. Al Franken needs to keep his campaign active to stop the Republican attacks and make Minnesotans' voices are heard.

Help make sure this important election is decided fairly -- contribute today to Al Franken's campaign.

The people of Minnesota have spoken, and I don't know who will end up winning the final count. But I do know that if Republicans succeed in stopping this count prematurely, we'll lose the chance at having a great fighter for Minnesota's families join me in the Senate.

Al Franken is a good friend who will give us a stronger and more effective Democratic majority in Congress. It's up to us to make sure he has what he needs to fight back against Republican attacks and make sure every vote is counted.

Help make sure every vote in Minnesota counts -- contribute right now to the Franken Campaign!

I know I can count on you to help my friend Al Franken. Thank you for your hard work.

Sincerely,

Hillary

"The climate has made millions of Americans who haven't been involved in a political campaign ever in their lifetimes very active. We estimate that 70 percent of our grass-roots volunteers haven't worked in a campaign before. . . . We're somewhere just shy of 2 million volunteers, and we think we can potentially triple that on Election Day." - Deputy Campaign Manager Steve Hildebrand

One of the most amazing aspects of the grassroots movement that grew alongside this campaign is the number of people within it who had never been involved in politics before, had never seen themselves as political or had never known the role that an individual can play. For many of them, this campaign has provided a chance to learn not just about politics, but about their communities and themselves. 

Kimberlee from Kentucky explained what she learned from this experience:

I learned I could ask total strangers to vote for a candidate they may never even heard about. I learned about great strength with a local union volunteers. I learned about solidarity and teamwork. I learned that the voices of a few can change a city or a county. I learned how to get past my fears and call people and ask for a vote or donations. I learned you can love total strangers, even some from a different state. I learned how to persuade many people. I learned about sacrificing and donating money to a cause bigger than myself. I learned that change is possible. I learned I could survive eating doughnuts and pizza.

...I learned I had a family on a blog who was always there and where we could pump each other up or just vent. I learned I helped in change... I learned that I didn't care what neighbors thought about me when I showed my Obama and Obama/Biden sign proudly in my front yard in a sea of McCain signs. I learned that I could get and liked working in politics. I learned politics wasn't only for my parents.

I learned a lot about myself.

What have you learned along the way?

I signed up for Camp Obama thinking that I was going to stuff envelopes - not actually talk to real people....especially people across our nation. That myth was shattered quickly and happily. After my first calls to New Mexico, I became hooked. I called from the office on Shaw and Maroa, my home, and at Obama gatherings on the weekends. I talked with people in Ohio, Virginia, Nevada,Colorado, Missouri, and Pennsylvania. I have forged bonds with those who both supported Obama and were on the fence. One theme emerged after each session: the need to reduce the division and heal the broken promises. Some felt betrayed by politicians, others had a need to say everything bad about one candidate or another. Each time, I found a way to meet halfway.

I learned that the folks in Ohio were so friendly and kind. Even if they were voting for another candidate, they were nice about it. Virgina was close behind.

...I learned about the lives of so many folks. First, the pundits are wrong. Age is not a barrier to reasoning the better candidate. The wisest voters were those who were chronologically older but of a much younger spirit. One woman who was in her eighties shared that she cast her vote for Obama for her grandchildren so they would not have to die in Iraq. I think those who experience the worst of hard times know what is ahead and want to protect their families from the pain they recall.

Serving as a volunteer on the phonebank has enriched my life and left me feeling that our nation has grown into that purple majesties...the reds and blues have seeped together to form a purple hue.

Of Election Day itself, Eleanor wrote:

Today is a day to remember. Today is a day to cherish... I am proud that I could make a small -- less than small, a fraction of a fraction -- contribution to the whole that I now feel a part of.

Millions of volunteers like Eleanor played their own small part in this campaign, making phone calls, knocking doors, organizing. The online community here has provided a way not just for supporters to connect with the campaign and contribute to the work at hand, but to share their experiences as well. Together you're building a record of a moment in history. 

What part did you play, and what did you learn from your experience with this campaign?

I signed up for Camp Obama thinking that I was going to stuff envelopes - not actually talk to real people....especially people across our nation. That myth was shattered quickly and happily. After my first calls to New Mexico, I became hooked. I called from the office on Shaw and Maroa, my home, and at Obama gatherings on the weekends. I talked with people in Ohio, Virginia, Nevada,Colorado, Missouri, and Pennsylvania. I have forged bonds with those who both supported Obama and were on the fence. One theme emerged after each session: the need to reduce the division and heal the broken promises. Some felt betrayed by politicians, others had a need to say everything bad about one candidate or another. Each time, I found a way to meet halfway.

I learned that the folks in Ohio were so friendly and kind. Even if they were voting for another candidate, they were nice about it. Virgina was close behind.

...I learned about the lives of so many folks. First, the pundits are wrong. Age is not a barrier to reasoning the better candidate. The wisest voters were those who were chronologically older but of a much younger spirit. One woman who was in her eighties shared that she cast her vote for Obama for her grandchildren so they would not have to die in Iraq. I think those who experience the worst of hard times know what is ahead and want to protect their families from the pain they recall.

Serving as a volunteer on the phonebank has enriched my life and left me feeling that our nation has grown into that purple majesties...the reds and blues have seeped together to form a purple hue.

Of Election Day itself, Eleanor wrote:

Today is a day to remember. Today is a day to cherish... I am proud that I could make a small -- less than small, a fraction of a fraction -- contribution to the whole that I now feel a part of.

Millions of volunteers like Eleanor played their own small part in this campaign, making phone calls, knocking doors, organizing. The online community here has provided a way not just for supporters to connect with the campaign and contribute to the work at hand, but to share their experiences as well. Together you're building a record of a moment in history. 

What part did you play, and what did you learn from your experience with this campaign?

Former Clinton White House social secretary discusses Obama family transition

Author: hillaryclintondotcom
Keywords: Capricia Marshall Hillary Clinton Barack Obama Michelle White House
Added: November 14, 2008

Former Clinton White House social secretary discusses Obama family transition

Author: hillaryclintondotcom
Keywords: Capricia Marshall Hillary Clinton Michelle Obama White House
Added: November 14, 2008

And above all, I will ask you join in the work of remaking this nation the only way it’s been done in America for two-hundred and twenty-one years – block by block, brick by brick, calloused hand by calloused hand. – Barack Obama, Election Night 2008   

The 2008 presidential campaign was one of the longest and largest in history. With the help millions of individuals who invested in this movement for change, we were able to build sophisticated voter contact and get out the vote operations in over a dozen battleground states. But from Iowa onward, the foundation for it all was a grassroots, door to door outreach effort not seen in presidential politics for a generation. 

In mid-October, weeks before the final GOTV push even began, a volunteer named Jason knocked on a door in Ohio and spoke to the 10 millionth person contacted by the Obama campaign:

Jason and Johnny's meeting is just one of countless stories from the past 21 months, but in many ways these small stories are the story of this campaign – the story of ordinary people reconnecting to politics and to their communities, finding a voice and the means to make a difference.

These are stories worth telling, worth sharing and worth remembering. They're the key to understanding not just what happened over the course of these last 21 months, but what can happen next. 

Take a moment tonight to share your own story about your experience with this grassroots campaign, what you saw and the part you played, what you learned and the lessons you'll take away.

For many people, their first real connection to that network was here on this site, either through the blog or through the groups and events on My.BarackObama.com. Together, these supporters used the online tools to communicate, raise money, make phone calls, and organize. More than 1.5 million users formed over 30,000 groups and created over 200,000 offline events, culminating in a massive Election Day get out the vote effort unlike any that had ever been seen before.

One week later, even as offices across the country are being closed down and cleaned out, the MyBO group listservs are still active, the comments on the blog remain lively, and offline events continue to spring up on My.BarackObama. As Dan in Phoenix, Arizona explained:

[MyBO] is just too dynamic and has been truly home to so many people over the past 22 months that it just couldn't die. Kind of reminds me of the famous line from Frankenstein, "It's Alive!"

One week later, MyBO is in fact very much alive and well.

In addition to the countless inauguration parties and election victory celebrations being planned across the country, a number of people have been inspired by the call for community service and volunteerism that has been a part of Barack's message from the beginning. 

In Seattle, a small group is meeting this Saturday for a community service project to clean up Rainier Valley.

In Los Angeles, Blue Star Family Members for Obama are planning to attend as a group a benefit concert for the USO. 

In New Orleans, grassroots supporters are organizing a "Fathers Meeting" to discuss how men in their community can become more active in the lives of their families. 

In Florida, a group is using MyBO to promote pet adoption, inviting people to the Alachua County Animal Service's "Adoptahon" and Open House, and a supporter in Highland Park, Illinois is using MyBO to organize a new book club.

As Chris Hughes explained last week:

What has made My.BarackObama unique hasn't been the technology itself, but the people who used the online tools to coordinate offline action. My.BarackObama has always been focused on using online tools to make real-world connections between people who are hungry to change our politics in this country.

You can still find events and groups near you, or reach out in your community and create you own. The tools here are your tools now -- they always have been.

Your donation will help provide resources for the Democratic National Committee, whose 50-state field program played a crucial role in this election. It took unprecedented resources to staff up all 50 states, train field organizers, and help build the infrastructure for our field program, and the DNC held nothing back. We saw the results on Election Night, and we'll continue to see the legacy of those efforts in an electoral map that now looks much different than the ones before.

From the beginning, this campaign has been an investment -- in people and resources that have created an infrastructure to accomplish real change. Our grassroots supporters are part of that infrastructure now, and through your work we've shown that change can happen. 

• Federal Lobbyists cannot contribute financially to the transition.
• Federal lobbyists are prohibited from any lobbying during their work with the transition.

• If someone has lobbied in the last 12 months, they are prohibited from working in the fields of policy on which they lobbied.
• If someone becomes a lobbyist after working on the Transition, they are prohibited from lobbying the Administration for 12 months on matters on which they worked.
• A gift ban that is aggressive in reducing the influence of special interests.

Norm Ornstein, from the American Enterprise Institute, said in relation to the announcement:

Restoring trust in government is a prerequisite to enacting good policy and the tough choices the country needs. This ethics policy for the transition is a far-reaching, bold and constructive step to do just that. The policy may exclude some good people with deep experience in their fields, but it will also exclude those who see government service as a springboard to financial success, or who are more intent on pleasing future potential employers or clients than making tough choices in the public interest. As much as anything, this ethics policy is a statement about the tone and tenor of the Obama administration. It is a good sign.

Read more reactions to today's announcement . . .

As we mark Veterans Day, all Americans are united in honoring the extraordinary service and selfless sacrifice of our nation's veterans. Our veterans are part of an unbroken line of heroes who have defended the American people and stood up for American values - from the beaches of Normandy to the battles in East Asia; from the deserts of Kuwait to the skies above Kosovo; from the cities of Iraq to the mountains of Afghanistan. Since 9/11, a new generation of American heroes has borne a heavy load in facing down the threats of the 21st century, and their families have been asked to bear the painful absence of a loved one. These Americans are the best and bravest among us, and they are all in our thoughts and prayers.

"On this Veterans Day, let us rededicate ourselves to keep a sacred trust with all who have worn the uniform of the United States of America: that America will serve you as well as you have served your country. As your next Commander-in-Chief, I promise to work every single day to keep that sacred trust with all who have served. May God bless our veterans, and may God bless the United States of America.

"Our strategy