Barack Obama’s SNHU Commencement Address

Obama tells students to build character
Boston Globe - Boston,MA,USA
Barack Obama, D-Ill., takes questions at the Rye Elementary School from area residents in Rye, NH, Friday, May 18, 2007. Obama is campaigning in the …

Canvassing For Obama In New Hampshire
National Journal - Washington,DC,USA
Alinsky is the legendary organizer and theorist who Barack Obama reportedly counts as an inspiration. Heck, the journalist who wrote The Essay on Obama and …

MANCHESTER, NH - Officially, the event held in a large, muddy parking lot north of the city was called a statewide grassroots canvas. Unofficially, let’s call it the first of many "Saul Alinsky" days. Alinsky is the legendary organizer and theorist who Barack Obama reportedly counts as an inspiration. Heck, the journalist who wrote The Essay on Obama and Saul Alinsky — The New Republic’s Ryan Lizza – was there.

To "canvass," means to go house-to-house and collect something. Today, Obama’s team is collecting signatures to to pressure Sens. Gregg and Sununu to end the war in Iraq. Unoffiically, the event serves another,more Alinskian purpose. There are so many Obama volunteers statewide that the campaign itself cannot accomodate all the solicited help. So today’s event is a place-holder of sorts, a way for those thousands of volunteers to invest their time for Obama’s greater cause. The canvass cements their link to Obama by appealing to another part of their political self-interest.

A side benefit: big early grassroots events impress reporters. I was impressed.

Obama hits Sununu, Gregg for war votes
Concord Monitor - Concord,NH,USA
residential candidate Barack Obama launched a two-day offensive on Republican Sens. John Sununu and Judd Gregg, telling New Hampshire voters yesterday that …

Obama stresses anti-war stance
Chicago Tribune - Chicago,IL,USA
MANCHESTER, NH — The volunteers were wearing Barack Obama buttons and handing out literature about the Democratic candidate for president, but the explicit …

COMMENTARY: Barack Obama’s Military Proposal Clashes with Some …
HNN Huntingtonnews.net - Huntington,WV,USA
Senator Barack Obama’s remarks to the Chicago Council on Global Affairs caused some liberals to question Obama’s progressive values on matters of war and …

Our next President should be competent, someone who uses good judgment and wisdom, but he/she must also demonstrate a willingness to use force against opposing threats if necessary. A few days ago, a terror plot to kill U.S. soldiers at Fort Dix in New Jersey by 6 Islamic radicals was foiled on Monday. No one knows what might happen in 4 or 7 years, and because the threat of terror is real, the democrats must make the case they too are strong in combating terror. Their case must be that they believe in fighting smarter– oppose to not fighting at all.
 
Although some liberals disapprove of Obama’s military plans, it is a mistake to think he shouldn’t have one– an antiwar campaign will only get one so far. Progressives can debate Obama’s views on foreign policy but it is inaccurate to think he can win being antiwar alone.

Obama & Brownback together on another issue — this time, Iran
USA Today - USA
Though they’re running for the presidential nominations of competing parties, senators Sam Brownback and Barack Obama do seem to like to work together on …

Fast Talk: The Selling of a President: Barack Obama’s Secret Weapon
Fast Company - USA
Kim Mack, 44, a manager for the county of Sacramento, helped start one of the largest and most active grassroots Barack Obama groups in the country (Mack’s …

Kim Mack, 44, a manager for the county of Sacramento, helped start one of the largest and most active grassroots Barack Obama groups in the country (Mack’s husband, Vince, in the background, is a member). Her group is using online social-networking tools to organize and has quickly mushroomed to more than 300 members.

"I have a son who is in Iraq, and I am very displeased with the policies of this administration. Honestly, there wasn’t a candidate who inspired me until I really started to pay attention to Obama. After he made his announcement on February 10, I searched online and my.barackobama.com came up. Whoever came up with that Web site was brilliant–the ability to completely network, get in touch with people who are organizing, and be able to set up events yourself.

I posted on the site, and I figured maybe 10 people would show up at the first meeting. Fifty-five did. At the next one, another 200 people came. If it were not for that Web site, this group in Sacramento would just barely be organized. Now we’re able to effect change all across the country. I got an email from a woman in Arkansas who wanted to find out how we’ve accomplished so much. A couple of weeks later, she had a house party with 70-plus people and three TV cameras. Instead of hitting brick walls, we now have an inspirational process."

‘Camp Obama’ lures young volunteers to campaign
Chicago Tribune - Chicago,IL,USA
Those staffers work in tandem with Students for Barack Obama, a group of Obama supporters who met up via Facebook and formed their own independent group but …

Michelle Obama in the News

Obama’s Wife: ‘It’s His Time’
ABC News - USA
Despite questions about the country’s readiness for a black president, Barack Obama will win the race for the 2008 White House if he connects with Americans …

Michelle Obama: I’m his wife, not adviser
Chicago Tribune - Chicago,IL,USA
Barack Obama, Michelle Obama talked with people at a suburban coffee shop and toured a residential program for women being treated for substance abuse. …

Obama’s wife targets Iowa’s female voters
DesMoinesRegister.com - Des Moines,IA,USA
Barack Obama of Illinois, one of the frontrunners for the Democratic presidential nomination, last month helped launched "Women for Obama. …

Press Releases

Weekend Canvas for Obama a Success
Campaigns & Elections (press release) - USA
“As someone who got his start as a community organizer, Barack Obama inspires people to believe that they can have an impact, and that together we can …

Barack Obama: Obama, Frank, Lantos Introduce Iran Divestment Bill
All American Patriots (press release) - Taeby,NA,Sweden
May 16, 2007 — WASHINGTON, DC – US Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) and US Representatives Barney Frank (D-MA) and Tom Lantos (D-CA) today introduced the Iran …

Barack Obama: Obama Raises Concerns Over Nomination of Industry …
All American Patriots (press release) - Taeby,NA,Sweden
May 17, 2007 — WASHINGTON, DC – US Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) today sent the following letter to Senator Daniel Inouye, Chairman of the Senate Commerce, …

Barack Obama: Obama Statement on Immigration Reform Developments
All American Patriots (press release) - Taeby,NA,Sweden
May 17, 2007 — WASHINGTON, DC — “Over the past two years, I have worked hard for a comprehensive immigration bill that would provide strong border …

Barack Obama: Obama Calls on House to Pass Ethics Reform …
All American Patriots (press release) - Taeby,NA,Sweden
May 17, 2007 — WASHINGTON, DC –“Today, we moved one step closer toward sweeping ethics reform in Washington. The House Judiciary Committee approved a …

Barack Obama: Obama Statement on Today’s Iraq Vote
All American Patriots (press release) - Taeby,NA,Sweden
May 16, 2007 — WASHINGTON, DC – “Today, 1519 days after it began, the war in Iraq rages on, with no sign of a resolution.” …

Barack Obama: Key Report Highlights Advantages of Insuring Adults
All American Patriots (press release) - Taeby,NA,Sweden
Senator Barack Obama: “SCHIP’s expansion to cover Illinois parents has allowed 55000 more children to gain access to health care coverage. …

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Begun in January 2007, the Barack the House Link Party is a regularly produced compilation of news items highlighting the many reasons why Barack Obama will be the 44th President of the United States.

It’s also intended as a resource for people working to ensure that accurate and positive information about Barack gets out to the public. If you’re interested in helping out with this effort, please consider joining the Obama Rapid Response group on my.barackobama.com.

Don’t forget to go to New Hampshire this weekend to canvass for Barack Obama!

Obama Disputes Claim of Sharing Clinton’s Stance on War
New York Times - New York,NY,USA
Senator Barack Obama yesterday directly challenged former President Bill Clinton’s assertions that Mr. Obama and Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton hold the …

Mr. Obama, of Illinois, was asked in an interview on MSNBC yesterday about Mr. Clinton’s point that the two senators have voted mostly the same way on Iraq.

“Well, I suppose that’s true if you leave out the fact that she authorized it and supported it, and I said it was a bad idea,” Mr. Obama said. “You know, that’s a fairly major difference.”

Mr. Obama then suggested that a fundamental question of judgment was at issue.

“I think very highly of Senator Clinton,” he said. “I think she is a wonderful senator from New York, but — and I think very highly of Bill Clinton. But I think that it is fair to say that we had a fundamentally different opinion on the wisdom of this war. And I don’t think we can revise history when it comes to that.”

Mr. Obama has repeatedly noted on the campaign trail that he opposed the Iraq war as far back as the fall of 2002, when Mrs. Clinton was voting to allow military action. But until yesterday, Mr. Obama had not been so direct in contesting Mr. Clinton’s claims that there was little difference between the two hopefuls.

The Audacity of Hope, by Barack Obama
Independent - London,England,UK
The Democratic contender Barack Obama, in writing a fairly chunky book exploring the matter, and publishing it as he hits the presidential campaign trail, …

As modest proposals go, it’s a tricky one: getting across the idea that the certain conviction one should be the "leader of the free world" is born of nothing beyond a humble wish to serve. The Democratic contender Barack Obama, in writing a fairly chunky book exploring the matter, and publishing it as he hits the presidential campaign trail, has chosen to offer a fairly comprehensive exposition of his paradoxical position.

It helps, of course, that he can write, in an easy, casual, but careful style. Mellifluous and friendly, it hints rather than boasts at an underlying intelligence and determination rather more steely than this gentle, scrupulously fair-minded, but sweeping and generalised text might necessarily confirm. It helps, too, that he has no hesitation in becoming intimate with the reader, offering a touching vignette here of the courtship of his wife, Michelle, and a moving glimpse there of the all-conquering wonder of breathing the scent of a little daughter’s hair.

He does jokes too, self-deprecating ones that acknowledge the distance from ordinary experience that senators inevitably develop, like when he has to admit that his first experience of flying by private jet was "nice". Edgier ones suggest a refreshing relaxation about political correctness, like when a senator turns to him during an impassioned speech by a black firebrand about racism and its iniquities to confess that the speaker’s trouble is that he makes him feel "too white". Obama doesn’t want anyone to feel too anything, except perhaps too lucky not to want to share it round.

Obama opens affirmative action debate
Albany Times Union - Albany,NY,USA
Barack Obama doesn’t think anyone should cut his two daughters any slack when they apply to college — not because of their race, at least. …

Barack Obama: Obama Statement on Iraq Redeployment Plans
All American Patriots (press release) - Taeby,NA,Sweden
“Today, 1518 days after it began, the war in Iraq rages on, with no sign of a resolution.” “The Iraqi people appear no closer to the settling their …

Michelle Obama Adds New Role to Balancing Act
New York Times - New York,NY,USA
It was a triumphant moment for Barack Obama: He was walking through the Capitol for the very first time as a United States senator in January 2005, …

Broncos WR an Obama disciple
Denver Post - Denver,CO,USA
During the past year away from football, Broncos receiver David Terrell picked up Barack Obama’s memoir, "Dreams from My Father," and was so inspired, …

Obama vs. Clinton represents refreshing choice for black women
San Jose Mercury News - San Jose,CA,USA
Barack Obama on the Larry King show, Oprah has brought some extra attention to a familiar and not always welcome question. Are African-American women, …

___________________________________________________

Begun in January 2007, the Barack the House Link Party is a regularly produced compilation of news items highlighting the many reasons why Barack Obama will be a great President of the United States.

It’s also intended as a resource for people working to ensure that accurate and positive information about Barack gets out to the public. If you’re interested in helping out with this effort, please consider joining the Obama Rapid Response group at my.barackobama.com.

Rick Sharp is probably best known outside of Vermont as Howard Dean’s partner in the campaign to build Burlington’s waterfront bike path back in the very early 1980s. An effort which marked the beginning of Howard’s storied political career.

Well, the same Rick Sharp penned this inspiring letter to the editor that appeared in the May 17th, 2007 edition of the Burlington Free Press.

Sharp writes…

Obama exudes hope, optimism

After reading Barack Obama’s book, “The Audacity of Hope,” I must say that I agree with William Swenson’s statement that Barack Obama is the first presidential candidate in a long time who reminds him (and me) of Bobby Kennedy (”Obama top Vt. Fund-raiser, too,” April 19). Like Kennedy, Obama exudes a hope and an optimism about our future that I find missing in other candidates for president this year.

We simply cannot afford to continue to make the kind of mistakes we have made over the past six years due to the election of a third-rate president like George W. Bush.

We need someone who is very smart, has good judgment, has a diverse background and is compassionate about the problems of ordinary people. Barack Obama fits that description.

Barack was editor of the Harvard Law Review. That position is strictly reserved for the very best of the very brightest. Unlike some other Democratic candidates for president, he has already demonstrated good judg- ment by opposing the disastrous war in Iraq from before the invasion. His family reunion is said to resemble a United Nations conference, with black, white and Asian members. His work as a community organizer to Constitutional law professor, Illinois State legislator to U.S. Senator has prepared him well for the presidency. In my opinion, he will be a great president. He deserves our support. Before you decide who to support, read Barack’s book. I think you, too, will be a Barack Obama supporter when you have finished.

RICK SHARP
Colchester

Couldn’t agree more. Do yourself a favor and read The Audacity of Hope.

Dear Supporter,

Barack has been traveling across the country asking people to speak out and let their Senators know that it’s time to end the Iraq war.

One Republican colleague has already called this "not Senatorial". But this isn’t about Washington etiquette, it’s about bringing our troops home.

This isn’t a game. We need just 16 additional votes to override the president’s veto and bring to a close this sad chapter in American history.

It’s going to take some convincing, but Senators need to hear from people in their states that they can join us to bring a responsible end to the war.

That’s where you come in. There are 20 incumbent Republican Senators facing re-election battles in 2008. They will have to make clear very soon whether they will continue to block efforts to bring the troops home.

Now is the time to hold them accountable for their choices on the war. Their constituents are making their voices heard, but they need to hear from all of us. Will you speak out now and add your voice to the growing public pressure to end the war?

http://my.barackobama.com/16votes

But don’t stop there, keep the pressure on.

On Saturday, May 19th, we’re taking the message to the streets. Come join Barack and hundreds of others for our first statewide canvass in New Hampshire.

Barack will kick things off Saturday morning in Manchester. Then we will fan out across the state to talk to New Hampshire voters about the 16 votes that can end the Iraq war and how their Senators can help. It’s time to end this war, and it will take all of our energy to do it.

Will you join us to help make it happen on Saturday, May 19th?

http://nh.barackobama.com/canvass

No one of us can do it alone, and it’s not going to happen tomorrow. But a movement to create the kind of change we need starts with you.

Thank you,
David

David Plouffe
Campaign Manager
Obama for America