Pretty Pictures...

Superstar volunteer Liz Armstrong Hall sent over these lovely pictures of The Man Himself from his rally in Prince William County Virginia.

And speaking of Virginia, I got a Facebook message today from my cousin in Norfolk, who this summer was planning on voting for McCain (no surprise - he's a pretty conservative Republican who works on a military base). He said he wanted me to know that since our conversation he had changed his mind and that he was "a part of your Virginia majority."


Now THAT's change I can believe in.

Howard Dean to Step Down As DNC Chair

Someone close to DNC Chair Howard Dean has indicated that he will not be running for a second term.

I hardly know how to respond, so mixed are my emotions about this. On the one hand:

• Howard Dean has become one of my political heroes. His aggressive pushing of a 50-state strategy, his pragmatic work to construct and maintain a genuinely national party - including decision to put party staff in every state (and, by the way, to fund a staffer for Americans Abroad - perhaps an early precursor of the Obama campaign's overseas Regional Field Directors). He has been so RIGHT, and so good for the party but I can't help but feel sad that he won't be staying in that role to carry on his good work.
  
• On the other hand, Dean's strategy and approach has been so broadly successful and so well internalised by the Obama campaign that I can't help but feel his legacy will only grow stronger, and it may be that a new party head who has learned these lessons can further strengthen the DNC in other areas. (The party, in my opinion, still has a long way to go in successfully adopting all the new media tools available - something that the Obama people could certainly help us to improve on...)

Some of the names already being bandied about for a possible day to day management role in the DNC include Obama strategist Steve Hildebrande and Paul Tewes.

As for Howard, I suspect he will have a big role in an Obama administration - or at least, that if these people are smart he SHOULD have a big role. And we know these people are plenty smart. And he's already got just the right tie...

In Which I Allow Myself to Gloat

You know, in all humility I can't claim that I predicted every twist and turn of this race. Certainly there were moments where I was wrong footed and PLENTY of moments when I was nervous, but I always believed in our strategy.

In an early post on this blog, I laid out why I believed the Obama campaign's Expand the Electorate Strategy was beyond smart - was in fact essential.

Winning Pennsylvania, Ohio and Florida would guarantee Barack a victory - but there's NOTHING we can do to guarantee that he will win these states. Don't get me wrong, the campaign is going to compete fiercely there, with an unprecedented grassroots, GOTV and advertising presence just for starters. But if the Republicans know that your whole strategy relies on these states, all they need to do is knock us out there. A well placed (metaphorical) stilletto in the final weeks of the campaign and they can spend the next four years counting up their tax cuts for millionaires.
No, what we need is planned redundancy. We're going to compete to win in the three states I named, but also to agressively pursue any one of several very plausible alternative Electoral Vote strategies that would work just as well - either as a failsafe in case something goes wrong or, in a best case scenario, to shore up a landslide.
Let's go to the maps!

Clever old me.

OK, so it's not exactly rocket science - but that's the point. Common sense approaches make sense. It's the hard, gritty work of building the volunteer base, registering the voters, and getting out the vote that is the real magic here. And you don't need pricey pollsters or millionaire strategists to work this out. If little old me can work it out, so can anyone. This party needs to compete EVERYWHERE to be sure of winning in enough places. Let's keep doing that.

Meet the Brain Trust

This 60 Minutes report interviewing the Obama campaign's senior staff literally 90 minutes after his victory is well worth watching.



These are calm, deliberative people - people who love their jobs, their country, each other. And what's also clear is that for all that this campaign had a bottom up strategy (and by the way, Davids Axelrod and Plouffe make a point of singling out their volunteers as instrumental to their success - that's you!) they also had a very top down approach in that all the important decisions about the message and tone of the campaign came from the candidate directly.

The word for that is leadership. Better get used to it.

President Obama: The Change We Needed

I want you all to remember one thing above all else: you did this. This Presidency is YOURS, it belongs to you and to the millions of Americans who took back their country tonight.

I can't possibly tell you what it means to me personally to see this man elected President of the United States - but I can tell you what it means to America.

The word is Hope. And today, for the first time in a long time it is the driving force in American life.

This is a beginning, not an end. But what a start!

Sleepless Nights

I don’t know about you, but I’ve had more than my share of sleepless nights on this campaign. From the nail biting primary to the excitement of the Convention – from my worries about Palin to my hopes for change in America, I have lost many nights of sleep.

But we’re not alone. People all across America are lying awake at night for different reasons. They’re worried about how they are going to pay their mortgage – whether they can send their children to college. Small business owners, including some in my own family, are worried about whether they can make it through another month on credit. Military families are tossing and turning as they think about their loved ones far from home.

So as much as I am personally engaged in this race, I thought it was worth taking a moment to remember something that Barack always says. This election isn’t about me. It’s not even about him. It’s about THEM – the millions who deserve better opportunities for themselves and their families. It’s about US – the millions who have decided to turn the hope for a better America into the reality of action. It’s about YOU – each of you who has amazed me every day with your determination, your commitment, your passion and your unstoppable hard work.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

I have one last thing to ask of you. Please take the time today and tomorrow to call US voters back in the States. The Obama campaign has set up an online tool to allow you to access contact details for critical voters we need to reach in this final push to Get Out the Vote. You just need to log in from the comfort of your own home. Use a US address and phone number to register on the website (perhaps of a relative of friend in the states?) then chose the targetted swing state that you want to call. One tip - we expect to be overwhelmed with volunteers using this tool, so it might be a good idea to print out your list of calls early in the day to avoid being blocked if the site slows down later.

http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/phonebankmap

I’d like each of you to commit to making 100 calls today and tomorrow. Please e-mail me to let me know when you have completed your target, for a well-earned pat on the back!

Want to learn more about how to use this online tool and get an in person update on the state of the race with just one day (!) to go? Come to our final Monday night meeting tonight:

http://www.meetup.com/barackobama-349/

ELECTION NIGHT

There are many opportunities to celebrate election night with your fellow Americans – I have listed some of them below. I’d particularly recommend the first one – hosted by a huge US expats meetup. It’s free of charge and in a very groovy space.

American Meetup US Election Night Party London
Time: from 8pm – ‘til late
Location: The Light, 233 Shoreditch High St, London, E1 6PJ (near Liverpool Street)
Info: Watch the results on the big screen all night (late license), no cover charge.
RSVP/More Information: http://www.meetup.com/americansabroad/calendar/8875408/


Chicago Rib Shack 56th US Election Viewing Party
Time: 8pm - 6:30am breakfast
Location: 145 Knightsbridge, London, SW1X 7PA
Info: Drink/Food: extended license and will be serving a late supper (1:00am) and breakfast (6:30am) Tickets: £25 pp
RSVP, and for more information: bookings@thechicagoribshack.co.uk

Progressive Vision at Yate’s Wine Bar
Time: 8pm - 4am
Location: Yates's Wine Bar, 30 Leicester Square, WC2H 7LA
Tickets: Standard: includes two complimentary drinks and food all evening £35.00 pp; VIP: Special VIP lounge with table service - £100.00pp. Buffet of food and snacks served through out the night. £10 worth of free drinks included with every ticket. Late license until 4am.
RSVP, and for more information: electionpartyuk@googlemail.com

Union of Jewish Students USA 2008 Election Night party
Time: 11pm onwards…
Location: 16 UWP – UJS Hillel Student Centre
Drink/Food: Bring your own bottle
Info: Join UJS students, friends and alumni to watch the results of the US Election roll in.
RSVP, and for more information: peter@ujs.org.uk

The East Room in Shoreditch Election Night Party
Time: 9pm – 9am
Location: 2a Tabernacle Street, London EC2A 4LU
Drink/Food: Ticket price includes food, booze, coffee and pancakes right through the night from late dinner until dawn. There are just 250 tickets available at £125 each (£100 for members), available on a first-come-first-served basis. Please declare your allegiance to your party and the flag and indicate the number of tickets you require.
RSVP: kirsten@thstrm.com

Gramaphone Election Night Party
Time: 10pm – 4 or 5am
Location: 60-62 Commercial Street, near Spitalfields, E1 6LT,
Drink/Food: Includes delicious Thai food available all night and drink specials
Info: Join us for an all night election party to watch the US returns on our big screen TV and hopefully celebrate an Obama victory. No cover charge – just turn up.
For more information, contact: 020 7377 5332

The American Bar at the Stafford Hotel
Location: The Stafford Hotel, St James's Place, London, SW1A 1NJ, Tel: +44 (0)20 7493 0111
Food/Drink: Standard bar, with food available from the hotel menu
Info: Big screen, bar open as normal, No fee, No RSVP required, open all night.

London School of Economics Democratic Society & the Student Union Election Night Party
Time: 11pm – 6am
Location: The Quad, Clare Market Building (corner of Houghton St. and Clare Market)
Info: An event with a distinctly collegiate feel – all welcome.
RSVP/More Information: A.Cohen2@lse.ac.uk


AFTER THE ELECTION

Once the results are in (and everyone has had a good nap) I’m sure we will all want to get together to talk about our new President. Join Democrats Abroad on November 5 at the Texas Embassy – because one thing we do know for sure is that tomorrow will mark the end of the George W Bush Presidency.

http://www.democratsabroad.org/node/7162

Also, as a special thank you to my Obama volunteers, I’d like to invite you all to an informal post election get together on Friday the 7th of November at the Duke of York Pub on New Cavendish Street.

AND FINALLY....

One day more.



We can do this. Oh, yes we can.

A Very London Rally

This Saturday was miserably cold, and windy, and rainy. So, this being London we of course decided to stand around outside for long periods of time.








Thanks to all the hearty souls who stood there with me. There's something in the air around here, and it's not just the weather.

As I was saying yesterday...

on the subject of overconfidence. Watch this.

The Final Countdown

Dear Obama Supporters,

One week from today America will chose a new President. Barack Obama is currently up in the national polls and doing well in most of our target state polls. Good!

This has caused many folks I know to start talking about “when Obama is President”, to ponder where they will spend their inauguration, who is going to serve in Obama’s Cabinet and even (recently, in my earshot) speculate about who he will face in a 2012 re-election. BAD! Very, very bad.

Quick reminder – the election is still one week away. One week during which anything can happen. One week during which every day must be spent continuing to deliver our vote, helping new voters cast their ballots, persuading undecideds. One week during which every second spent pre-emptively gloating about an expected victory is a moment wasted. Feeling good about our lead in the polls? Feeling energised with hope and possbility?

Good. Me too. Now take that energy and put it to work. We still need you! Here’s a step by step guide to spending every precious day productively over the next week:

Today:

1) Vote. If you haven’t already done so, there is NO excuse for not doing it right now. Seriously, stop reading this and go send your ballot. Remember, many states allow you to send your ballot by fax or e-mail – check your state’s ballot information here:

http://www.fvap.gov/overseas-citizens/fed-write-in-absentee-ballot/index.html

Remember, you don’t need to wait for your state ballot. You can vote with a Federal Write in Absentee Ballot today if you haven’t already.

2) Now call your friends and tell them to vote. Repeat as needed.

Wednesday:

Why not come in for some last minute phone calling? Our phone banks will be open until Thursday of this week at our calling center near Regents Park, and we still have many US voters here in the UK that we have not yet spoken to. Calling our voters is easy and fun – and it is a very hands on way that you can personally deliver votes for Barack. Drop me a line if you can join us: callvoters08@democratsabroad.org.uk

Thursday:

Last day for phone banking! It’s all hands on deck here at Regents Park. We’re open all day and all night from 11AM to 9PM – we’ll keep calling until we reach everyone!

callvoters08@democratsabroad.org.uk

Friday:

During the day, why not canvass all your work colleagues, fellow students, the parents at your children’s school, regulars at your lunchtime cafe – have they all got their ballots in?

At night, kick back for some fun and frolic with the Democrats Abroad screening of Barack’s 30 minute address to the nation, and a selection of top notch political comedy:

http://www.democratsabroad.org/node/7152

Saturday:

Join us at 1:30 PM for our Obama East to West Rally on Parliament Square. This final gathering will allow us to remind last minute voters that the election is just days away. It will also be your chance to get a state of the race update and to learn about last minute opportunities to help.

http://barackobama.meetup.com/349/calendar/9019317/

Sunday:

Are you In the Market for Change? Farmers markets have been some of our best sources of voters this year, so why not bring yourself down to your local farmers market with some signage and some ballots in a last ditch push? If you need ballots or other materials just write to me and I’ll make sure you get what you need. robinsonkj@dnc.org

Monday:

Time to call all your friends and family in the USA – are they ready to vote? Have they found out where their polling place is? If your great aunt Hilda hasn’t heard from you lately, now is the time to make that call.

Tuesday:

ELECTION DAY! Now the focus is shifting heavily to our get out the vote operation across the country, and you can play a big part in this effort – use the Barack Obama campaign’s Neighbor to Neighbor tool to make calls to voters in critical swing states.

http://my.barackobama.com/modules/votercontact/login_signup.php

You just need to login using your US address and they will give you some numbers to call to get out the vote on election day. All the good work we have done to find voters who support Obama all comes down to this critical moment – can we get them to the polls?

I’d like to ask all of you to commit to make at least 50 calls from your home on the day. If you have additional phone lines and wifi Internet access and you would like to welcome others into your home to make calls, please share that information in the comments field of this blog entry so that people can find each other.

ELECTION NIGHT! Once you have done everything that you can think of to do for Barack, then it’s time to gather round and start watching those results come in! There are a bunch of election night parties going on around the London, and I have listed them for your below. If you are outside London, there are a number of Democrats Abroad events going on all over the place, check the www.democratsabroad.org to see if you have a local event near you.
Obama Volunteers Election Night Party
Time: 10 pm until late
Location: The Flea Pit, 49 Columbia Road, London, E2 7RG
Info: Join a group of the Obama Campaign’s most active volunteers at this funky East London venue. Cash bar and snacks throughout the evening. Admission free, but RSVP required.
RSVP, and for more information: everyone@thefleapit.com

Chicago Rib Shack 56th US Election Viewing Party
Time: 8pm - 6:30am breakfast
Location: 145 Knightsbridge, London, SW1X 7PA
Info: Drink/Food: extended license and will be serving a late supper (1:00am) and breakfast (6:30am) Tickets: £25 pp
RSVP, and for more information: bookings@thechicagoribshack.co.uk
Progressive Vision at Yate’s Wine Bar
Time: 8pm - 4am
Location: Yates's Wine Bar, 30 Leicester Square, WC2H 7LA
Tickets: Standard: includes two complimentary drinks and food all evening £35.00 pp; VIP: Special VIP lounge with table service - £100.00pp. Buffet of food and snacks served through out the night. £10 worth of free drinks included with every ticket. Late license until 4am.
RSVP, and for more information: electionpartyuk@googlemail.com

Union of Jewish Students USA 2008 Election Night party
Time: 11pm onwards…
Location: 16 UWP – UJS Hillel Student Centre
Drink/Food: Bring your own bottle
Info: Join UJS students, friends and alumni to watch the results of the US Election roll in.
RSVP, and for more information: peter@ujs.org.uk

The East Room in Shoreditch Election Night Party
Time: 9pm – 9am
Location: 2a Tabernacle Street, London EC2A 4LU
Drink/Food: Ticket price includes food, booze, coffee and pancakes right through the night from late dinner until dawn. There are just 250 tickets available at £125 each (£100 for members), available on a first-come-first-served basis. Please declare your allegiance to your party and the flag and indicate the number of tickets you require.
RSVP: kirsten@thstrm.com
Gramaphone Election Night Party
Time: 10pm – 4 or 5am
Location: 60-62 Commercial Street, near Spitalfields, E1 6LT,
Drink/Food: Includes delicious Thai food available all night and drink specials
Info: Join us for an all night election party to watch the US returns on our big screen TV and hopefully celebrate an Obama victory. Hope you can make it! No cover charge – just turn up.
For more information, contact: 020 7377 5332

AFTER THE ELECTION

Once the result is known, I know you won’t want to miss the chance to get together with your fellow Obama supporters for a post election.... gathering.

Democrats Abroad is hosting a special post-election event at the Texas Embassy (because one thing we do know for sure is that November 4th will mean Hasta la Vista for George W. Bush!

http://www.democratsabroad.org/node/7162

But I also thought it would be important to have a post election event aimed just at you, my fabulous Obama volunteers. So I invite you to join us (and please mark your calendars now) for a special Thank You party on Friday, November 7th.

Time: From 7:00 PM
Place: The Duke of York Pub, New Cavendish Street
Map: http://www.streetmap.co.uk/newmap.srf?x=528446&y=181633&z=0&ar=Y
Why: Because I’m so awfully proud of, and grateful to, all of you.

Very best wishes,

Karin

Kolleen Casts Her Ballot...

Here's Kolleen Bouchane striking her blow for change in America.

Have you voted yet? If not, what's stopping you? Get your Federal Write in Absentee Ballot by filling out the form on www.votefromabroad.org/4

What are you waiting for?

Kat Can Vote - So Can You!

Here's Kat Callo casting her Ballot on a sunny day in Bayswater. Wherever you are, whatever the weather there - vote your ballot today.

www.VoteFromAbroad.org/4

Be Like Jeff!

Here's a picture of Colorado voter Jeff Knezovich casting his absentee ballot right here in London.

Have you voted yet? If not, why not? TODAY is election day for Americans living abroad. Get your state ballots or your Federal Write in Absentee Ballots (FWAB) in the post right now to be sure they are there on November 4. You can download a FWAB from http://www.votefromabroad.org/4 if you don't have you state ballot yet.

Important voting tips:

1. If you receive your state ballot after you send your FWAB, you can still vote your state ballot. The state will then discard your FWAB and count your state ballot instead. (So vote the FWAB today, to be safe.)
2. The FWAB must be send from overseas to be valid - so if you are planning a trip to the states, vote your FWAB before you go (like, now would be good...).
3. Although some states allow absentee ballots to be counted even if they arrive a few days after election day, we would advise you to plan on getting your ballot there well in advance of November 4th to avoid any opportunity for confusion. (That means, send it now.)

TODAY is Election Day

Here's a note from longstanding Obama supporter and activist on the occasion of her (at last!)posting her ballot for Barack:

It’s been exhilarating supporting Barack Obama as a donor, an event coordinator and as a blogger. To support him at long last as a voter, defies
description.
Don’t delay this gratification. Do it now.
I hope that the envelope containing my ballot, along with the envelopes carrying yours and those of your extended family and your alumni associates and your American colleagues will deliver a mandate for change. Polls in your State may show a commanding lead for Barack Obama. Yet your vote is crucial as proof that We the People want his administration to be able to govern unobstructed by the kind of politics plaguing this campaign.Vote. Now. You will never have known how good you can feel.

Have you voted your ballot? Send me a photo of yourself putting that ballot in the postbox (AKA - the voting booth for Americans Abroad).

Haven't voted yet? What stopping you! Election day is TODAY for Americans overseas - you need to get your ballots in the mail ASAP if you want to be sure of getting them back in time. Don't have you're state ballot yet? Vote your Federal Write in Absentee Ballot (FWAB) - which you can download from here:

www.votefromabroad.org/4

Got friends who haven't voted? Send them the link to this page and get them moving!

Friendly Competition

On the evening of September 25 there will be a major fundraiser here in London featuring DNC General Election Director Paul Tewes, Finance Director Phil Murphy and actress Gwyneth Paltrow. While the ticket price of this premier event is a minimum contribution of $2,300, I am delighted to announce that, thanks to the support of a generous benefactor, we are able to make one ticket available to one grassroots volunteer.

Here’s all you need to do: please write a short essay describing how you have worked to find and register American voters for Barack Obama here in the UK. Get creative – include pictures and videos. Write sonnets if you like! But do try to include specific information to back up your argument, such as:

• How many new voters have you registered?
• How many volunteer hours have you spent?
• How many leaflets have you handed out?
• How many events have you hosted?
• How many e-mails have you sent or phone calls have you made or blog posts have you written?

Send your entries in to competition@obamalondon.com. Our favorite entries might be posted to the popular Americans Abroad blog on the Barack Obama website – and one of the writers will be chosen to attend the Paul Tewes event as our guest and with our thanks.

South Bank Rally Success

A GREAT BIG THANK-YOU to everyone who came out for our East to West Rally on the sunny South Bank, this past Saturday 13 September. I'm told that we attracted about 70 Obama Supporters in London.

A very special thanks that almost all of you were able to stay and canvass the South Bank looking for our fellow Americans and providing information on voter registration. We reached hundreds of Americans Abroad that day, who were looking for information on how to register and request an absentee ballot. Of course you ALL know that your source for voter registration information is: http://www.votefromabroad.org/4

I have posted about a dozen photos in the Event photoalbum on our Meetup page here: http://barackobama.meetup.com/349/photos/438999/#5534075

In the meantime, here a few pictures to get you started: