2012 Presidential Campaign Blog

DNC Vice Chair R.T. Rybak Des Moines, Iowa City and Cedar Rapids Schedule, November 22, 2011

DNC Vice Chair R.T. Rybak Will Visit Des Moines, Iowa City and Cedar Rapids Tomorrow

DES MOINES – TOMMORROW, Tuesday November 22, Democratic National Committee Vice Chair R.T. Rybak will visit Iowa on behalf of OFA Iowa. Rybak will visit campaign offices in Des Moines (11AM), Iowa City (3PM) and Cedar Rapids (4:30PM) on Tuesday.

Rybak was elected mayor of Minneapolis in 2001 in his first run for public office and was overwhelmingly re-elected in 2005 and 2009. He has been a DNC vice chair since September 2011. In her nomination letter, DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz wrote: "Mayor Rybak was the first mayor of a large U.S. city to endorse President Obama's presidential campaign in early 2007. He is a strong voice for mayors within the party, an incredible surrogate for the President and Democrats."

Since the launch of President Obama’s re-election campaign in April, OFA Iowa staff and volunteers have held over 1,200 trainings, planning sessions, house parties, and phone banks. OFA Iowa volunteers have made over 235,000 calls to supporters and held over 2,400 one-on-one conversations. In September, OFA Iowa opened eight campaign offices across the state for the November 2012 election- Cedar Rapids, Sioux City, Des Moines, Waterloo, Davenport, Iowa City, Dubuque and Council Bluffs. OFA Iowa also recently launched a new caucus webpage supporters and are using the Iowa caucuses as an important opportunity to continue building their grassroots organization on the ground for November 2012.

*Des Moines*

WHO: R.T. Rybak, Democratic National Committee Vice Chair

WHAT: Press Conference and Media Availability

WHEN: Tomorrow, Tuesday, November 22, 2011, 11:00 AM

WHERE: OFA Iowa Campaign Office, 621 E. 2nd Street, Des Moines

*Iowa City*

WHO: R.T. Rybak, Democratic National Committee Vice Chair

WHAT: Meet and Greet with local volunteers and Media Availability

WHEN: Tomorrow, Tuesday, November 22, 2011, 3:00 PM

WHERE: OFA Iowa Campaign Office, 321 Market St, Iowa City

*Cedar Rapids*

WHO: R.T. Rybak, Democratic National Committee Vice Chair

WHAT: Meet and Greet with local volunteers and Media Availability

WHEN: Tomorrow, Tuesday, November 22, 2011, 4:30 PM

WHERE: OFA Iowa Campaign Office, 2857 Mt Vernon Rd SE, Cedar Rapids

DNC Vice Chair R.T. Rybak Will Visit Iowa on Tuesday, November 22, 2011

DNC Vice Chair R.T. Rybak Will Visit Iowa on Tuesday

DES MOINES – On Tuesday November 22, Democratic National Committee Vice Chair R.T. Rybak will visit Iowa on behalf of OFA Iowa. Rybak will attend events in Des Moines, Iowa city and Cedar Rapids on Tuesday.

Rybak was elected mayor of Minneapolis in 2001 in his first run for public office and was overwhelmingly re-elected in 2005 to serve another term.  He has been a DNC vice chair since September 2011. In her nomination letter, DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz wrote: "Mayor Rybak was the first mayor of a large U.S. city to endorse President Obama's presidential campaign in early 2007. He is a strong voice for mayors within the party, an incredible surrogate for the President and Democrats."

Since the launch of President Obama’s re-election campaign in April, OFA Iowa staff and volunteers have held over 1,200 trainings, planning sessions, house parties, and phone banks. OFA Iowa volunteers have made over 235,000 calls to supporters and held over 2,400 one-on-one conversations.  OFA Iowa has also opened eight campaign offices across the state- Cedar Rapids, Sioux City, Des Moines, Waterloo, Davenport, Iowa City, Dubuque and Council Bluffs.

Barack Obama Campaign Unveils Redesigned Website This Evening

Obama for America Announces Launch of “Women for Obama”

Obama for America Announces Launch of “Women for Obama”

CHICAGO – Obama for America launches “Women for Obama,” a campaign initiative designed to engage women across the country to join this grassroots movement to stand with the President. 

“Women for Obama” is an arm of Operation Vote, whose mission is to expand the electorate and to maximize participation from crucial constituencies – including women.  

First Lady Michelle Obama, will serve as the groups honorary chair.  She kicked things off with a call to women across the country.

“Women are at the heart of everything we do, and they are at the heart of this campaign. You are all at the heart of your families, at the heart of your communities and your neighborhoods.”

“Issues like equal pay, family leave, child care, all the issues that we face are not just women’s issues - they're family issues.   They're economic issues because when women make less than men for the work, or when they're charged more for healthcare, that hurts entire families who need that income.“

Women for Obama will give women a voice in campaign strategy and a means of communicating with campaign leadership, so we can respond to, share and spread their insights and ideas.

Leading the effort is the National Women’s Vote Director, Heather Colburn. A Wisconsin native, Colburn previously served as a political consultant for progressive non-profits, political organizations, campaigns and candidates for public office.  Before arriving at the campaign, she worked on the Wisconsin Senate recall elections. She has also worked for EMILY’s List, Planned Parenthood and the DSCC.  Colburn is also an established trainer, having trained over 3,000 people in the fundamentals of organizing and fundraising. Heather graduated from the University of Wisconsin.

“Women have always been the heart of the Obama organization and they will play a crucial role in ensuring the President has four more years to protect and continue the progress we’ve made,” Colburn said.  “I’m honored to be on board, and look forward to working alongside the thousands of women across the country who are already dedicating themselves and their time to help deliver the women’s vote next November.”

The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Endorses President Barack Obama for Re-election in 2012

2.1 MILLION SEIU MEMBERS ENDORSE PRESIDENT OBAMA IN 2012

Working people are ready to fight for a vision of America with a strong middle class and a better future for all working families.

WASHINGTON, D.C.–The 2.1 million-member Service Employees International Union (SEIU) voted last night to endorse President Barack Obama for re-election in 2012. The endorsement is part of a broader “99 percent strategy” to create good jobs now; end devastating cuts to Medicare and Medicaid and other critical programs; require everyone to pay their fair share in taxes; and create a fair path to citizenship for immigrant workers. Today’s announcement culminates a six-month conversation among SEIU members and leaders that evaluated the candidates, identified members’ priorities, and ultimately led to a final endorsement.  

“President Obama shares our vision of a nation that invests in good jobs here at home; where everyone pays their fair share; where access to quality, affordable health care is preserved; and where there is a pathway to citizenship for every immigrant worker,” said SEIU International President Mary Kay Henry. “It’s a vision that says: Our country does better when we all do better.”

“This wasn’t a hard choice for me at all. It came down to the only candidate I trust to put the interests of the 99 percent above the interests of large corporations and the rich that make up the 1 percent,” said Samara Knight, a State Tested Nursing Assistant from Cleveland.  “President Obama is that candidate - hands down. By him being a grassroots organizer, he knows what it takes to help our communities and put people back to work.”

“I’ve watched the Republican presidential primary debates, and it’s been downright scary,” said Yvonne Richardson, an 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East retiree from Lake Worth, Florida.   “Each and every one of those candidates appears to support policies that ship good American jobs overseas; give even more tax breaks to the wealthy; and keep rewarding the Wall Street banks that crashed the economy. It’s like people like me don’t exist to them.”  

With the endorsement, SEIU is committing to a robust campaign to engage SEIU members and their families and friends as well as the general public in the fight to re-elect President Obama. This campaign will include direct voter contact and field operations such as phone banks, door-to-door canvassing, and increased COPE, or Political Action Committee, fundraising.

“I won’t rest over the next year,” said Michelle Stewart, a certified nursing assistant from Philadelphia. “I’m going to do everything I can with my co-workers to fight with President Obama and deliver on the 99% agenda for working families.  The stakes are too high for working people and our children to do anything else.”

The National Air Traffic Controllers Association Endorses President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden for Second Term

NATCA ENDORSES PRESIDENT OBAMA, VP BIDEN FOR SECOND TERM

WASHINGTON – The National Air Traffic Controllers Association today proudly and enthusiastically announces its endorsement of President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden for re-election to a second term. NATCA wants to continue to work closely with this administration, which has demonstrated strong leadership and a commitment to improving the safety and efficiency of our airspace system for the flying public.

The strengths of our aviation industry are clear. Aviation contributes more than $730 billion – or more than five percent - to our gross domestic product with almost $1.3 trillion in economic output. It drives nearly 11 million American jobs, both in the industry and as a result of it.

“President Obama and Vice President Biden are fully committed to continuing to improve what is already the world’s safest and most efficient airspace system and we stand with them,” NATCA President Paul Rinaldi said. “The next few years are critical for our country, and our National Airspace System and this country needs the President’s continued leadership. We are supportive of the steady progress being made by this administration to achieve our safety goals through a collaborative partnership, which we are pleased to report is not only resulting in successes but also becoming the way in which work is done in the FAA. This makes the system safer.”

Within his first 100 days in office, the President moved to restore fairness to the collective bargaining process at the FAA, which ended high attrition rates and stabilized the controller workforce. This allowed the FAA to begin the process of restoring safe staffing levels and effective training and placement processes. That critical work continues today. The President’s actions also immediately restored high morale in the air traffic control facilities around the country, as validated last month by PolitiFact.com.

“The relationship between the FAA and air traffic controllers has improved in tangible ways,” according to PolitiFact.com, which also gave the President credit for the progress being made in modernization and new technologies and procedures with the Next Generation (NextGen) system. “Even though NextGen will take many years to fully implement,” wrote PolitiFact.com, “the FAA under Obama is bringing it closer to reality.”

The President’s American Jobs Act would help put millions of Americans back to work rebuilding the nation’s transportation infrastructure. Additionally, the President has led the effort to urge Congress to pass a long-term FAA reauthorization bill, which would create more than 300,000 new jobs.

The President’s commitment to both creating new jobs and maintaining existing jobs was evident last summer when he and his administration were outspoken in urging an end to a partial FAA shutdown that furloughed 4,000 FAA employees – including 1,200 represented by NATCA – due to Congressional inaction on a funding extension.

 “Our aviation system is the safest and most reliable in the world,” Rinaldi said. “It is operated by dedicated, experienced professionals who understand that there is no room for error. The President understands this as well and through his leadership, and the collaborative process his administration has created, we are on the right path to building the safe system of tomorrow while we ensure the safety of all flights today.”

RT Rybak at Barack Obama Minneapolis, Minnesota Office Grand Opening Photos 3 of 3

Barack Obama Minneapolis Office Grand Opening Photos 1 of 3

Barack Obama Campaign To Open Office At 2722 University Ave SE In Minneapolis On Monday, November 7, 2011

Obama Campaign to Open Minneapolis Office

Minneapolis, Minn. – With just one year until the 2012 elections, Organizing for America – Minnesota will hold the grand opening of its first office in-state on Monday, November 7th at 5:45pm in Minneapolis. Volunteers and supporters of President Obama will join together with Representative Keith Ellison, Mayor RT Rybak and DFL Chair Ken Martin to celebrate.

Organizing for America (OFA) has been engaging and training volunteers and supporters since just after President Obama was inaugurated.  Since the launch of the re-election campaign in April, OFA-Minnesota staff and volunteers have held trainings, planning sessions, house parties, and phone banks around the state working to elect the President to a second term.

WHO: Rep. Keith Ellison, Mayor RT Rybak, DFL Chair Ken Martin, and OFA-MN volunteers & supporters

WHAT: Office opening

WHERE: OFA-Minnesota Minneapolis Office

2722 University Avenue, SE

Minneapolis, MN

WHEN: Monday, November 7, 2011 at 5:45 pm.

Program begins at 6:15pm.

Statement From Campaign Manager Jim Messina On The Announcement By The Commission On Presidential Debates

STATEMENT FROM CAMPAIGN MANAGER JIM MESSINA ON THE ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE COMMISSION ON PRESIDENTIAL DEBATES

“The President looks forward to next year’s debates. Once the Republicans have selected their candidate, we will work through the details with their campaign and the Commission on Presidential Debates.”