2008 Presidential Campaign Blog

Barack Obama 2008 Announcement Tour Photos Ames Iowa

Barack Obama 2008 Announcement Tour Photos Ames Iowa

Tom Miller And Michael Fitzgerald Endorse Barack Obama

Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller and State Treasurer Michael Fitzgerald Endorse Barack Obama for President
Officials Say Early Iowa Endorsement "no Ordinary Occurrence," but Obama is "no Ordinary Candidate"

AMES, IA - U.S. Senator Barack Obama's campaign today announced that Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller and Iowa State Treasurer Michael Fitzgerald have endorsed Barack Obama for President.

"Between the two of us, we have served the great state of Iowa for nearly 50 years, and we share a deep respect for this state and for the Iowa caucus process," Miller and Fitzgerald said in a joint statement. "Endorsing a candidate this early is no ordinary occurrence in the Iowa caucuses - but Barack Obama is no ordinary candidate. He spoke out in opposition to the war in Iraq before it started, and today he has an aggressive plan to redeploy our troops out of Iraq by the end of March of 2008. We believe that Senator Obama has the vision to meet the challenges America faces, and that his message of hope and unity will lead us to a new kind of politics where we are not defined by our divisions but united by our love of country."

Attorney General Miller and Treasurer Fitzgerald will join Obama Sunday at a campaign rally in Ames. On Saturday, Obama attended packed events in Cedar Rapids and Waterloo.

"I am honored and humbled that two public servants with such distinguished records of service have offered their support, their counsel, and their endorsements to my campaign," Obama said. "I look forward to working with them, hearing their ideas, and listening to the hopes and concerns of thousands of Iowans as we work together to change our politics and our country."

Barack Obama 2008 Announcement For President Speech Text

Remarks of Senator Barack Obama
Announcement for President
Saturday, February 10th, 2007
Springfield, IL

Let me begin by saying thanks to all you who've traveled, from far and wide, to brave the cold today.

We all made this journey for a reason. It's humbling, but in my heart I know you didn't come here just for me, you came here because you believe in what this country can be. In the face of war, you believe there can be peace. In the face of despair, you believe there can be hope. In the face of a politics that's shut you out, that's told you to settle, that's divided us for too long, you believe we can be one people, reaching for what's possible, building that more perfect union.

That's the journey we're on today. But let me tell you how I came to be here. As most of you know, I am not a native of this great state. I moved to Illinois over two decades ago. I was a young man then, just a year out of college; I knew no one in Chicago, was without money or family connections. But a group of churches had offered me a job as a community organizer for $13,000 a year. And I accepted the job, sight unseen, motivated then by a single, simple, powerful idea - that I might play a small part in building a better America.

My work took me to some of Chicago's poorest neighborhoods. I joined with pastors and lay-people to deal with communities that had been ravaged by plant closings. I saw that the problems people faced weren't simply local in nature - that the decision to close a steel mill was made by distant executives; that the lack of textbooks and computers in schools could be traced to the skewed priorities of politicians a thousand miles away; and that when a child turns to violence, there's a hole in his heart no government could ever fill.

It was in these neighborhoods that I received the best education I ever had, and where I learned the true meaning of my Christian faith.

After three years of this work, I went to law school, because I wanted to understand how the law should work for those in need. I became a civil rights lawyer, and taught constitutional law, and after a time, I came to understand that our cherished rights of liberty and equality depend on the active participation of an awakened electorate. It was with these ideas in mind that I arrived in this capital city as a state Senator.

It was here, in Springfield, 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. I made lasting friendships here - friends that I see in the audience today.

It was here we learned to disagree without being disagreeable - that it's possible to compromise so long as you know those principles that can never be compromised; and that so long as we're willing to listen to each other, we can assume the best in people instead of the worst.

That's why we were able to reform a death penalty system that was broken. That's why we were able to give health insurance to children in need. That's why we made the tax system more fair and just for working families, and that's why we passed ethics reforms that the cynics said could never, ever be passed.

It was here, in Springfield, where North, South, East and West come together that I was reminded of the essential decency of the American people - where I came to believe that through this decency, we can build a more hopeful America.

And that is why, in the shadow of the Old State Capitol, where Lincoln once called on a divided house to stand together, where common hopes and common dreams still, I stand before you today to announce my candidacy for President of the United States.

I recognize there is a certain presumptuousness - a certain audacity - to this announcement. I know I haven't spent a lot of time learning the ways of Washington. But I've been there long enough to know that the ways of Washington must change.

The genius of our founders is that they designed a system of government that can be changed. And we should take heart, because we've changed this country before. In the face of tyranny, a band of patriots brought an Empire to its knees. In the face of secession, we unified a nation and set the captives free. In the face of Depression, we put people back to work and lifted millions out of poverty. We welcomed immigrants to our shores, we opened railroads to the west, we landed a man on the moon, and we heard a King's call to let justice roll down like water, and righteousness like a mighty stream.

Each and every time, a new generation has risen up and done what's needed to be done. Today we are called once more - and it is time for our generation to answer that call.

For that is our unyielding faith - that in the face of impossible odds, people who love their country can change it.

That's what Abraham Lincoln understood. He had his doubts. He had his defeats. He had his setbacks. But through his will and his words, he moved a nation and helped free a people. It is because of the millions who rallied to his cause that we are no longer divided, North and South, slave and free. It is because men and women of every race, from every walk of life, continued to march for freedom long after Lincoln was laid to rest, that today we have the chance to face the challenges of this millennium together, as one people - as Americans.

All of us know what those challenges are today - a war with no end, a dependence on oil that threatens our future, schools where too many children aren't learning, and families struggling paycheck to paycheck despite working as hard as they can. We know the challenges. We've heard them. We've talked about them for years.

What's stopped us from meeting these challenges is not the absence of sound policies and sensible plans. What's stopped us is the failure of leadership, the smallness of our politics - the ease with which we're distracted by the petty and trivial, our chronic avoidance of tough decisions, our preference for scoring cheap political points instead of rolling up our sleeves and building a working consensus to tackle big problems.

For the last six years we've been told that our mounting debts don't matter, we've been told that the anxiety Americans feel about rising health care costs and stagnant wages are an illusion, we've been told that climate change is a hoax, and that tough talk and an ill-conceived war can replace diplomacy, and strategy, and foresight. And when all else fails, when Katrina happens, or the death toll in Iraq mounts, we've been told that our crises are somebody else's fault. We're distracted from our real failures, and told to blame the other party, or gay people, or immigrants.

And as people have looked away in disillusionment and frustration, we know what's filled the void. The cynics, and the lobbyists, and the special interests who've turned our government into a game only they can afford to play. They write the checks and you get stuck with the bills, they get the access while you get to write a letter, they think they own this government, but we're here today to take it back. The time for that politics is over. It's time to turn the page.

We've made some progress already. I was proud to help lead the fight in Congress that led to the most sweeping ethics reform since Watergate.

But Washington has a long way to go. And it won't be easy. That's why we'll have to set priorities. We'll have to make hard choices. And although government will play a crucial role in bringing about the changes we need, more money and programs alone will not get us where we need to go. Each of us, in our own lives, will have to accept responsibility - for instilling an ethic of achievement in our children, for adapting to a more competitive economy, for strengthening our communities, and sharing some measure of sacrifice. So let us begin. Let us begin this hard work together. Let us transform this nation.

Let us be the generation that reshapes our economy to compete in the digital age. Let's set high standards for our schools and give them the resources they need to succeed. Let's recruit a new army of teachers, and give them better pay and more support in exchange for more accountability. Let's make college more affordable, and let's invest in scientific research, and let's lay down broadband lines through the heart of inner cities and rural towns all across America.

And as our economy changes, let's be the generation that ensures our nation's workers are sharing in our prosperity. Let's protect the hard-earned benefits their companies have promised. Let's make it possible for hardworking Americans to save for retirement. And let's allow our unions and their organizers to lift up this country's middle-class again.

Let's be the generation that ends poverty in America. Every single person willing to work should be able to get job training that leads to a job, and earn a living wage that can pay the bills, and afford child care so their kids have a safe place to go when they work. Let's do this.

Let's be the generation that finally tackles our health care crisis. We can control costs by focusing on prevention, by providing better treatment to the chronically ill, and using technology to cut the bureaucracy. Let's be the generation that says right here, right now, that we will have universal health care in America by the end of the next president's first term.

Let's be the generation that finally frees America from the tyranny of oil. We can harness homegrown, alternative fuels like ethanol and spur the production of more fuel-efficient cars. We can set up a system for capping greenhouse gases. We can turn this crisis of global warming into a moment of opportunity for innovation, and job creation, and an incentive for businesses that will serve as a model for the world. Let's be the generation that makes future generations proud of what we did here.

Most of all, let's be the generation that never forgets what happened on that September day and confront the terrorists with everything we've got. Politics doesn't have to divide us on this anymore - we can work together to keep our country safe. I've worked with Republican Senator Dick Lugar to pass a law that will secure and destroy some of the world's deadliest, unguarded weapons. We can work together to track terrorists down with a stronger military, we can tighten the net around their finances, and we can improve our intelligence capabilities. But let us also understand that ultimate victory against our enemies will come only by rebuilding our alliances and exporting those ideals that bring hope and opportunity to millions around the globe.

But all of this cannot come to pass until we bring an end to this war in Iraq. Most of you know I opposed this war from the start. I thought it was a tragic mistake. Today we grieve for the families who have lost loved ones, the hearts that have been broken, and the young lives that could have been. America, it's time to start bringing our troops home. It's time to admit that no amount of American lives can resolve the political disagreement that lies at the heart of someone else's civil war. That's why I have a plan that will bring our combat troops home by March of 2008. Letting the Iraqis know that we will not be there forever is our last, best hope to pressure the Sunni and Shia to come to the table and find peace.

Finally, there is one other thing that is not too late to get right about this war - and that is the homecoming of the men and women - our veterans - who have sacrificed the most. Let us honor their valor by providing the care they need and rebuilding the military they love. Let us be the generation that begins this work.

I know there are those who don't believe we can do all these things. I understand the skepticism. After all, every four years, candidates from both parties make similar promises, and I expect this year will be no different. All of us running for president will travel around the country offering ten-point plans and making grand speeches; all of us will trumpet those qualities we believe make us uniquely qualified to lead the country. But too many times, after the election is over, and the confetti is swept away, all those promises fade from memory, and the lobbyists and the special interests move in, and people turn away, disappointed as before, left to struggle on their own.

That is why this campaign can't only be about me. It must be about us - it must be about what we can do together. This campaign must be the occasion, the vehicle, of your hopes, and your dreams. It will take your time, your energy, and your advice - to push us forward when we're doing right, and to let us know when we're not. This campaign has to be about reclaiming the meaning of citizenship, restoring our sense of common purpose, and realizing that few obstacles can withstand the power of millions of voices calling for change.

By ourselves, this change will not happen. Divided, we are bound to fail.

But the life of a tall, gangly, self-made Springfield lawyer tells us that a different future is possible.

He tells us that there is power in words.

He tells us that there is power in conviction.

That beneath all the differences of race and region, faith and station, we are one people.

He tells us that there is power in hope.

As Lincoln organized the forces arrayed against slavery, he was heard to say: "Of strange, discordant, and even hostile elements, we gathered from the four winds, and formed and fought to battle through."

That is our purpose here today.

That's why I'm in this race.

Not just to hold an office, but to gather with you to transform a nation.

I want to win that next battle - for justice and opportunity.

I want to win that next battle - for better schools, and better jobs, and health care for all.

I want us to take up the unfinished business of perfecting our union, and building a better America.

And if you will join me in this improbable quest, if you feel destiny calling, and see as I see, a future of endless possibility stretching before us; if you sense, as I sense, that the time is now to shake off our slumber, and slough off our fear, and make good on the debt we owe past and future generations, then I'm ready to take up the cause, and march with you, and work with you. Together, starting today, let us finish the work that needs to be done, and usher in a new birth of freedom on this Earth. 

New Barack Obama Website Launched

The new Barack Obama website was launched with this welcome message.

Welcome to the new BarackObama.com!
By Joe Rospars

Hi, my name is Joe Rospars. I'm the New Media Director here at Obama for America. As we build out the team, I'm also going to be blogging here about the campaign, the evolution of the web site, and anything else you want.

This is your campaign, and we're all here to serve you. Indeed, we're here early. I'm actually writing this on late Thursday night as we ready the new BarackObama.com. If you're reading this, it's probably a few days later after we've launched. I'm writing now because we're making the final tweaks on the initial set of tools and functionality that will hopefully help a lot of people like you hit the ground running and start this campaign off with the culture of self-organizing that Senator Obama wants to build.

Earlier tonight I was with Senator Obama taping a short video message that will go out to folks on Friday, reminding them to watch the live video stream of his announcement speech.

That speech will be when the action really starts here. It will kick off Saturday morning at 10:55 AM Eastern, 9:55 AM Central, when the live stream of the big announcement starts. Senator Obama will be live from Springfield, Illinois, where thousands have already RSVPed to brave sub-freezing temperatures to be part of history. You'll be able to pull up the live video from the front page of the new BarackObama.com.

Before we shot the video tonight, Senator Obama got his final look at the web site to give the thumbs-up. As we put together the final pieces of the puzzle that is launching a new grassroots-driven web site, I can only say that I hope you're as excited as he was about the opportunities you have here to take this campaign into your own hands.

This site -- and this campaign in general -- will always be a work in progress. We're going to experiment, we're going to try new things. Sometimes it will inevitably be a little rough around the edges, for sure, but that's the risk we're going to have to take if we're going to run this campaign in a new way.

Tom Vilsack Unveils List of More than 1,100 Iowa Caucusgoers

Vilsack Unveils List of more than 1,100 Committed Iowa Caucusgoers
Strong Early Support Reflects Superior Ground Organization

DES MOINES, IA -- Today, Democratic candidate for President Tom Vilsack hosted a conference call with reporters to highlight the unprecedented early strength of his field operation in Iowa. To demonstrate that early strength, Vilsack released a list of 1,159 Iowans who have publicly agreed to caucus for Vilsack. In addition, Vilsack told reporters today that his campaign has already opened seven offices across Iowa to recruit volunteers and build on his strong organization.

"Our campaign is making the kind of early investment of time and resources to secure more early support than any presidential candidate in either party," said Vilsack. "We'll use this organization to talk to Iowa voters about our plan to bring change to America, make us independent of Mideast oil and get our troops out of harm's way in Iraq."

Earlier this week, the Vilsack campaign announced that National Field Director Travis Brock has re-located to New Hampshire to build a similarly strong ground operation in the first-in-the-nation primary state. Last week, Vilsack was the first Presidential candidate to call on Congress to act on their constitutional and moral responsibility to get our troops out of harm's way in Iraq.

Jerry Crawford, former chair of the Polk County Democrats and Iowa State Chair of the John Kerry Campaign in 2004, said the Vilsack campaign was building the kind of grassroots support that's critical to winning the Iowa caucuses: "Tom's organizational advantage in Iowa will enable him to win the Iowa caucuses over rock star candidates with more money to spend," said Crawford. "The Vilsack campaign's early strength is evidence that Iowa Democrats are beginning to view Tom as the strongest general election candidate in the Democratic field."

Gordon Fischer, former Chairman of the Iowa Democratic Party, said Vilsack's courage to create change in America and commitment to getting American troops out of harm's way in Iraq is resonating with Iowa voters. "Iowans recognize that as an outsider, Tom is the Presidential candidate best prepared to move our country forward," said Fischer. "His strong call for an immediate end to the war in Iraq is winning him the support of voters all across Iowa."

Vilsack was the first Democratic candidate for President to announce his candidacy, the first to question the McCain Doctrine, and the first to urge Congress to stop funding the war in Iraq. Vilsack is a Washington outsider with a proven track record of expanding access to healthcare and early education, as well as making Iowa a national leader in renewable fuel production.

Listed below are the locations of Vilsack campaign offices across Iowa:

Des Moines/Polk County, Ames/Story County, Cedar Rapids/Linn County, Davenport/Scott County, Waterloo/Black Hawk County, Sioux City/Woodbury County, and Council Bluffs/Pottawattamie County.

Bramante and Hurst to Co-Chair Huckabee for President Exploratory

Bramante and Hurst Co-Chair Huckabee for President Exploratory Committee in New Hampshire
 
   Nashua, NH – Mike Huckabee announced Friday that New Hampshire State School Board member Fred Bramante and former City Chair of the Manchester Republican Committee Cliff Hurst will serve as the New Hampshire Co-Chairs of his 2008 presidential exploratory committee.
   
“Fred and Cliff have a long history of dedication to the Republican Party in New Hampshire ,” Huckabee said today during a lunch for New Hampshire business leaders in Nashua . 
   
The former Arkansas governor said: “Cliff and Fred are very well-respected in the Granite State and across the country for their commitment to community service.  I’m honored to have them on my team.”
   
Bramante, a two-time GOP gubernatorial candidate, worked on John McCain’s 2000 presidential campaign.  Last week, he announced his endorsement of Huckabee.

Bramante, the founder of Daddy’s Junky Music stores, says he appreciates Huckabee’s passion for education and the role the arts play in it. “Mike Huckabee understands that in order for America to compete, we need to have a creative economy and that comes from arts and education,” Bramante said.
   
Hurst served as a civilian clergy in the military in Europe and has worked in various leadership positions in human resources, sales and marketing and public relations.  He recently sat on the executive board of the New Hampshire State Republican Party.
   
“I first met Mike Huckabee in August of 2005 and I’ve never known a person at that level who was so open and had such compassion for people,” Hurst said.  “I feel that character matters, and once you get to know Mike Huckabee, you realize he is truly a man of character.”

Barack Obama Ames Rally With Students And Community New Location

The Barack Obama Rally with Students and Community in Ames, Iowa will move for the second time. Originally scheduled for Beyer Hall and then Howe Hall, the event will now take place Sunday, February 11th at the much larger Hilton Coliseum at Iowa State University. Doors open at 11:00 AM.

2008 Candidates Vying For Voters On The Web

Candidates Blaze the Campaign Trail...Online
Internet's Superhighway is the New-Age Road to the White House

By JENNIFER PARKER

Feb 9, 2007— Blogs, podcast, web video — these and other Internet technologies have fast become must-have political tools for the 2008 presidential candidates — and campaigns without them are scrambling to catch up.

With an increasing number of Americans saying they get their political news and information from the Internet, and broadband spreading across remote communities, a number of contenders are vying for voters and the White House on the Web.

ABC News Story

Team McCain Adds Leading Rhode Island Republicans

TEAM MCCAIN ADDS LEADING RHODE ISLAND REPUBLICANS
House Minority Leader, RNC Committeewoman, State Legislators & GOP Leaders Align With Arizona Senator

ARLINGTON, VA - U.S. Senator John McCain's presidential exploratory committee today announced that House Minority Leader and state Rep. Robert Watson will serve as Chairman of the Arizona Senator's exploratory committee in Rhode Island.  In addition, Republican National Committeewoman Eileen Slocum will serve as Honorary Co-Chair of Senator McCain's committee in the Ocean State.

Watson and Slocum join Rhode Island legislators and Republican leaders, which are also endorsing Senator John McCain.

Rep. Watson served as chairman of Senator McCain's team in Rhode Island in 2000.

Rep. Watson stated that he was proud to be part of Senator McCain's team again.  "Senator McCain has the support of many Republican legislators and leaders in the state and today's announcement is just the beginning," said Rep. Watson.  "His support in Rhode Island is tremendous and I look forward to communicating his reform agenda."

Eileen Slocum was a leading supporter of then Governor George W. Bush in 2000.

"Senator John McCain has consistently advocated for fiscal responsibility in the nation's capital, while always sticking to his common sense conservative principles," said Slocum.  "I am honored to be a part of Senator McCain's team and will work to build an organization in our state that is second to none."

Senator John McCain stated he was pleased to have the support of these influential Rhode Island Republicans.  "The support of such respected and trusted leaders, like Bob and Eileen, is a deep honor," said Senator McCain. "These distinguished supporters have a profound knowledge and understanding of grassroots politics in Rhode Island.  These are important additions to my team and I look forward to working with them."