Progressive Democrat Issue 185

I am going to begin with a blog entry by someone new to blogging but very experienced in life. Helen is an 82 year old grandmother who has started blogging...and she is saying what we are all thinking about Sarah Palin:

Who can turn the world on with her smile?
Who can take a nothing day and suddenly make it all seem worthwhile?

Well it’s NOT you girl…

Look. I am going to say what everyone at CNN, CBS, ABC and NBC is thinking but is afraid to say. Governor Palin is a stupid, conniving bitch. And it’s not because she is a strong woman - I like strong women… worship them… It’s actually the opposite. She is a weak, pathetic woman who thinks big hair, winking, baby talk and self deprecation is somehow becoming of a woman who wants to lead the free world. My god, where is Margaret Thatcher when you need her!

But what really makes me mad is the hypocrisy. She claims to be a Washington outsider and yet is the worst kind of politician. She will say anything and avoid answering any question instead choosing to spout whatever line or soundbite some adviser put into her mouth a few hours earlier. And exactly when did sounding like a hick make someone “more like us”. Last time I checked we were a country striving to educate our children to be intelligent and honest. I think I would die if my daughter came home from school and said something like “I gotta tell ya. Change is a comin’.” At the very least I would remove the Beverly Hillbillies from her approved TV viewing list.

And it gets better from there. Thank you Helen! Most of America agrees with you!

But best of all, in the comments Helen responds to someone saying America is too racist to elect a black president. Helen's response:

Oh Honey. If an old woman originally from Georgia can see the light. Anyone can. Have a little faith.

Have a little faith. From an old woman originally from Georgia to, as I cover in this issue, West Virginia miners to the Stockton Record and Seattle Times, America is seeing the light. Keep in mind this is also the week that West Virginia polls show Obama ahead for the first time...and 8 points ahead!

But we're not there yet...we have a few more weeks of hard work ahead of us. Once again I am going to continue to push a few ideas from recent weeks on how each and every one of us can participate in Obama's victory. First off, on Daily Kos there is an effort to do virtual phone banks to voters in North Carolina on behalf of the Obama campaign. Virtual phone banking can be done by anyone in any place from their own home and was an extremely successful strategy in winning Congressional races in 2006. This strategy basically brings Americans together one-on-one by phone. To join in, please email kim (dot) yaman (at) gmail (dot) com and ask how. You can also read about it here.

Next, I want to urge my readers to take some time and help our friends in North Carolina elect Kay Hagen to the US Senate right from your home. This is the kind of project that won big in 2006. Let's repeat the same success in 2008. Winning North Carolina is important in four ways. There is a close House race (Larry Kissell), a close and ever-tightening Senate race (Kay Hagen), a close governor's race (Bev Perdue), and there is a shot at Obama winning the state. Some effort now could have huge results in November. This race is now officially a toss up.

Another way you can help is virtual phone banking for Jill Derby for Congress in Nevada:

You call the voter and read the easy-to-follow phone script, record the responses of the voter and click ENTER. The information is automatically recorded in the
campaign’s database. If you reach an answering machine or voice mail, you can leave a short message for the voter. Make as many calls as you can and if you finish them all, you can sign up for more.

Questions? Want to organize your friends as a team to call for Jill? Call Derby for Congress Field Director Julie Wedge at 775-770-2008.

Finally, from Marjorie I get the following:

MORE OBAMA VOLUNTEERING

You'll need to apply for an Absentee Ballot if you want to work the battleground states.
http://www.elections.state.ny.us/NYSBOE/download/voting/absentee.pdf

PENNSYLVANIA: The campaign would like our part of the state to concentrate on Pennsylvania. The voter registration deadline is 10/6. Sign up using this link: http://my.barackobama.com/page/s/PAborder For other questions, contact Paige Gebhardt, Border States Director at pgebhardt@paforchange.com

OHIO: Contact Rosie Goldensohn, Out of State Director. Long-term volunteers should call her directly at 614-743-4365. rgoldensohn@ohioforchange.com or volunteerohio@ohioforchange.com

NEW HAMPSHIRE: Contact Mike Cassel, Out of State Coordinator in the Manchester office. Tel: 603-668-2008 or email: mcassel_at_nhforchange.com

If you are a Woman for Obama traveling to NH and need housing, please contact Ann Greer by email The_Greers_at_mns.com Her mobile number is 603 860-2092.

Do whatever you can, even if it's just for a day or only a couple of hours of phone banking. As Howard Dean says, "You have the power." As Jim Dean says, "We must take ownership of the process."

Here is this week's newsletter:

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

440 WEST VIRGINIA MINERS WALKOUT IN SUPPORT OF OBAMA

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN FOR OBAMA: "I Want My America Back!"

REPUBLICAN CORRUPTION IN MINNESOTA: Norm Coleman

REPUBLICAN CORRUPTION IN WASHINGTON STATE: Dino Rossi

NORTH CAROLINA FOCUS

VIRGINIA FOCUS

GEORGIA FOCUS

OREGON FOCUS

NEVADA FOCUS

MINNESOTA FOCUS

NEW YORK STATE FOCUS

WASHINGTON FOCUS

OHIO FOCUS

MICHIGAN FOCUS

IOWA FOCUS

CALIFORNIA FOCUS

PENNSYLVANIA FOCUS

COLORADO FOCUS

NEW JERSEY FOCUS

ARIZONA FOCUS

WISCONSIN FOCUS

FLORIDA FOCUS

MISSISSIPPI FOCUS

ILLINOIS FOCUS

ALASKA FOCUS

TEXAS FOCUS