2008 Presidential Campaign Blog

Chris Dodd Endorses Barack Obama For President

Chris Dodd e-mail to supporters announcing his endorsement of Baack Obama.

We have been through a lot in this past year and your friendship and support have meant so much to me.  That is why I wanted to let you know of my decision to endorse a Democratic candidate for President - and that I have decided to support Barack Obama.

We all understand how much is at stake in this election and that it is more important than ever that we put a Democrat in the White House.

And while both of our Party's remaining candidates are extremely talented and would make excellent commanders-in-chief, I am throwing my support to the candidate who I believe will open the most eyes to our shared Democratic vision.

I'm deeply proud to be the first 2008 Democratic presidential candidate to endorse Barack Obama.  He is ready to be President.  And I am ready to support him - to work with him and for him and help elect him our 44th President.

Put simply, I believe Barack Obama is uniquely qualified to help us face this housing crisis, create good jobs, strengthen America's families in this 21st century global economy, unite the world against terrorism and end the war in Iraq - and perhaps most importantly, call the American people to shared service and sacrifice.  In this campaign, he has drawn millions of voters into politics for the first time in their lives and shown us that we are united by so much more than that which divides us.

That is why I believe the time has come for Democrats to come together as a Party and focus on winning the general election.  The stakes are too high not to.

The last seven years have been as difficult as any I can remember. More than ever, we need a President who will inspire us to take part in the political process and change our country's path.

Today, when we need it most, we are hearing a new call from Barack Obama.  And I hope you, like me, will answer it in the affirmative.

Please get involved in Barack Obama's campaign now.

Sincerely,

Chris Dodd

Obama Campaign Airs New TV Ad In Texas: "Need"

Obama Campaign Airs New TV Ad in Texas: "Need"
In new TV ad, Obama Vows to Cut Taxes for Working Americans and Seniors

Austin, TX - Senator Barack Obama's Texas campaign began airing a thirty-second spot, entitled "Need." Obama describes American workers as the "bedrock" of our economy and offers his plan to reverse the widening gap between the middle class and the wealthy.

For more than two decades-as a community organizer, a civil rights attorney, a state legislator, and a United States Senator-Obama has been fighting to improve the lives of working Americans. As President, Senator Obama will provide middle class Americans tax relief by cutting income taxes by $1,000 for working families to offset the payroll tax they pay and eliminate income taxes altogether for seniors who make less than $50,000 annually.

VISUAL
VOICE

BO VO

BO town hall:

BO Interview:

Get a Copy of Obama's Economic Plan:
Call 866-675-2008

CG: The Obama Plan:

- Close corporate tax loopholes
- $1,000-per-family tax cut
-  No taxes on seniors making under $50,000

Texas.BarackObama.com
Barack Obama. President.
Vote March 4th
Or Vote Early Feb 19-29th
866-675-2008
Texas.BarackObama.com

I'm Barack Obama and I approve this message.

This Administration has further divided Wall Street from Main Street.  You got CEOs who are making more in ten minutes than ordinary workers are making in a year.

The bedrock, the foundation of our economy is our workers.

And the middle class have been treading water or worse. 

My plan says let's return some balance to our tax code.  Close these corporate loopholes the lobbyist put in and let's make sure that tax breaks are given to people who really need it.

Paid for by Obama for America.

Barack Obama: The Debate Review Are In

Barack Obama: The Debate Review Are In

MSNBC (Jonathan Alter): Obama won.

Hotline – On Call: …Barack Obama wins the night -- and the momentum in his direction continues.

Atlantic (Marc Ambinder): … The Debate Belongs To Obama LINK

TIME (Mark Halperin): Mark Halperin’s Grades:  Obama B+, Clinton B

NBC (Chuck Todd) : …Obama set the tone LINK

CNN (Donna Brazile): …And look, Barack Obama tonight was exceptional- he was presidential, he was poised, he was calm. He had the poetry, but he also had the prose. He put the substance ahead of, you know, perhaps some of the rhetorical flourishes that he's capable of giving. He was good; so, you can’t deny him that.

CNN (Gloria Borger): …Tonight, you saw Barack Obama as a very credible commander in chief.

Politico (Ben Smith): Obama has come prepared to talk about substance, and offers detailed personal anecdotes, not more abstract oration, for most of his opening statement, before pivoting to the question of who can unify the country to get it done. LINK

CNN (David Gergen): … Barack Obama is dramatically better as a debater than he was a few months ago. I thought he was excellent.

Obama Campaign Manager David Plouffe On The Debate

Obama Campaign Manager David Plouffe On The Debate

"Barack Obama showed tonight why millions of Americans from all parties and regions have cast their vote for change – because they know that our problem is not a lack of good ideas, it’s that Washington is a place where good ideas go to die.  Barack Obama is the one candidate who can change that by taking on the division, the point-scoring, and the lobbyists so we can finally provide struggling families with affordable health care and college, a middle-class tax cut, and an energy plan that creates millions of new green jobs."

Change to Win Union Coalition Endorses Barack Obama For President

Change to Win Fired Up, Ready to Go
Union Coalition Endorses Barack Obama For President

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Change to Win chair Anna Burger announced today the organization’s endorsement of Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., for president on a news conference call with reporters, calling him the candidate with the best vision and plan to restore the American Dream for America’s workers.

“For workers, this election is about changing America to win a better future for our children,” said Burger. “Sen. Obama not only shares our vision and dream, he is uniting Americans in building a movement for change that will have the power to turn that dream into reality.”

“He will fight to protect the right of workers to have a voice on the job, guarantee quality affordable health care, create good jobs through rebuilding and expanding our nation’s infrastructure, and fight for fair trade policies to promote job growth,” continued Burger.

The Change to Win endorsement activates an aggressive grassroots political effort in the upcoming primary states where Change to Win has more than half a million members. A grassroots army of thousands of volunteers and members who are the workforce of the future will help mobilize workers to vote for Obama in Ohio, Texas and Rhode Island. "American Dream Teams" will knock on doors, distribute information, and talk directly to working families, in addition to making phone calls, sending out mail, and barnstorming worksites to educate and mobilize members to vote for the American Dream candidate - Barack Obama.

“Sen. Obama is building an election coalition that will bring the change this country needs to restore the American Dream for America’s workers. We believe we can make a difference in helping build this new movement. With our six million members, Change to Win unions will play an important role in making sure Barack Obama is the next president of the United States. Our members are active, involved and determined to make a difference.”

The endorsement decision follows a meeting this morning of the Change to Win leadership council.

Teamsters Endorse Barack Obama

Teamsters Endorse Barack Obama

(Washington, D.C.) – Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa announced today the union’s endorsement of Sen. Barack Obama for president. The endorsement is the first step in mobilizing the union’s 1.4 million members and their families to elect Obama.

“Senator Obama understands the challenges working people face every day,” Hoffa said. “He is the candidate in the best position to lead our movement to restore the American dream for working people in this country. Senator Obama will fight for better wages, real health care reform, stronger retirement security, fair trade and an end to the outsourcing of good jobs. He understands the importance of giving workers a voice at work and will fight for strong unions to help rebuild America’s middle class.”

The endorsement decision follows a meeting in Austin, Texas, between Hoffa and Obama, and completes a months-long process that included scientific polling of Teamster members, surveys of local union and joint council leaders and deliberations by the union’s democratically elected General Executive Board.

“We have been fortunate to have candidates throughout the Democratic primary who are friends of working families and the Teamsters Union,” Hoffa said. “We are pleased that all of the Democratic candidates have focused on issues of importance to working people, including wages, health care, retirement security, fair trade and outsourcing.”

The union’s endorsement immediately activates the union’s 50-state election program, with special emphasis on swing states.

“Senator Obama will stand with the Teamsters when it comes to fighting for working families,” Hoffa said. “This endorsement begins a partnership to change America. Together we will reinvent the political process and give a voice to those who have been ignored by the Bush administration for the past eight years.”

Hoffa emphasized Obama’s commitment to rebuilding and strengthening the national transportation infrastructure, a key priority of the Teamsters Union.

“Senator Obama will fight to rebuild our transportation infrastructure,” Hoffa said. “He will work with us to address critical issues from our ports to our highways, rails and airports. We need a president who is focused on rebuilding America and Barack Obama will be that president.”

The International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents more than 1.4 million hardworking men and women throughout the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico.

Statement Of Senator Barack Obama On Fidel Castro Stepping Down

STATEMENT OF SENATOR BARACK OBAMA ON FIDEL CASTRO STEPPING DOWN

CHICAGO, IL - Senator Barack Obama today released the following statement on Fidel Castro stepping down.

Statement from Barack Obama:
“Today should mark the end of a dark era in Cuba's history. Fidel Castro's stepping down is an essential first step, but it is sadly insufficient in bringing freedom to Cuba.

“ Cuba's future should be determined by the Cuban people and not by an anti-democratic successor regime. The prompt release of all prisoners of conscience wrongly jailed for standing up for the basic freedoms too long denied to the Cuban people would mark an important break with the past. It's time for these heroes to be released.

“If the Cuban leadership begins opening Cuba to meaningful democratic change, the United States must be prepared to begin taking steps to normalize relations and to ease the embargo of the last five decades. The freedom of the Cuban people is a cause that should bring Americans together.”

New Obama Ad In Wisconsin Responds to Clinton Ad On Debates

New Obama Ad in Wisconsin Responds to Clinton Ad on Debates

Even Bill Clinton’s Labor Secretary Says Obama’s Health Care Plan Covers More People

Madison, Wis. – A new statewide television ad from the Obama campaign today highlights the 18 debates that Senator Obama and Senator Clinton have held – with 2 more on the way – and dismisses Senator Clinton’s attacks as “the same old politics of phony charges and false attacks.”

Senator Clinton is attacking Senator Obama in Wisconsin over debates, even though she said two days ago in Ohio that there have been “a lot of debates” and that “there are a lot of opportunities for us to debate.”

Script and visual of the ad “Debate”:

Visual
Audio

CARD:

18 Debates

2 More Coming
ANNC VO: After 18 debates, with two more coming, Hillary says Barack Obama is ducking debates?

It’s the same old politics, of phony charges and false attacks.

Obama covers “more people” than Hillary

Robert Reich

Clinton Labor Secretary

Saves $2500 for a typical family

Barackobama.com

On healthcare, even Bill Clinton’s own Labor Secretary says Obama covers more people than Hillary and…

does more to cut costs, saving $2,500 for the typical family.

Obama’s housing plan “stems foreclosures”

AP, 1/14/08

Cracks down on crooked lenders

Barackobama.com
Obama’s housing plan, it stems foreclosures and…

cracks down on crooked lenders

CARD:

Change we can believe in
That’s change we can believe in.

Approved by Barack Obama.  Paid for by Obama for President.
BO VO: I’m Barack Obama and I approve this message.

“Superdelegate” Stan Gruszynski Endorses Senator Barack Obama

“Superdelegate” Stan Gruszynski Endorses Senator Barack Obama

Former Assembly Representative from Stevens Point Could Play Key Role in Deciding Democratic Nominee

Stevens Point, WI -- Former 71st District Assembly Representative and “superdelegate” Stan Gruszynski today announced his endorsement for Senator Barack Obama. In the battle for the democratic nomination, Gruszynski’s endorsement as one of Wisconsin’s 18 “superdelegates” brings the Democratic nomination even closer within reach for Senator Obama.

“Senator Obama will bring the change we need here in Wisconsin and across America to strengthen the middle class and standing for regular Americans,” Gruszynski said. “From saving jobs from being sent overseas and creating new ones for our hardworking families, to creating universal health care and making college affordable to all, Senator Obama is a leader who will change America.”

Gruszynski joins Governor Jim Doyle, Congresswoman Gwen Moore and Congressman Dave Obey in the list of Wisconsin “superdelegates” standing with Senator Obama.

Senator Obama has tremendous grassroots support in Wisconsin. Here, and across America, Senator Obama is uniting Americans. People of all backgrounds and all generations are coming together to stand up for change we can all believe in.

Governor Jim Doyle to Cast Vote for Obama Today In Madison

Governor Jim Doyle to Cast Vote for Obama Today In Madison

Governor Highlights Ease and Importance of Wisconsin's Early Voting Law, Encourages Supporters to Vote Early for Obama

Madison, Wis. – At noon today, Governor Jim Doyle will vote early and cast his vote for Barack Obama for President in Madison. Governor Doyle and the Obama campaign are urging Wisconsin voters to take advantage of Wisconsin early voting and vote for change ahead of primary day, Tuesday, February 19th.

Wisconsin permits voters to vote early in person at the offices of municipal clerks or at other satellite voting locations.  Registered Wisconsin voters may vote early without stating a reason or needing any excuse.  Wisconsin has same day registration. To register, bring a piece of official mail sent to you at your current voting address.