Did you see the article in the NYT? "Obama's Young Backers Twist Parents' Arms"
During the TX and OH primaries a few friends and I started an independent effort to help elect Obama: http://www.yrmomma4obama.com.
Our goal is to get young people (18-35) who are already supporting Barack's candidacy to talk directly to their parents and convince them to support him -- like the NYT describes. We're using nontraditional political strategies -- text messaging, live events, and music industry-style street team marketing to spread the word. (Text YrMomma to 41411 to sign up and get a forwardable message you can send to everyone you know in PA! Std txt msg rates apply).
The goal of YrMomma4Obama is to take advantage of the amazing upswing in participation from young voters this election cycle.
In the upcoming PA, IN, and NC primaries, Barack will need to improve his standing among 45-65 year olds -- people who are likely to be influenced by their children's enthusiasm for Obama.
The better he does in these states, the closer we are to having a nominee.
As you may know, PA Senator Casey (also a superdelegate) recently endorsed Obama -- and cited the influence of his children as a key factor in his decision. The HuffPost feature on Christine "Roz" Samuels' decision to switch her allegiance from Clinton to Obama was another inspiration -- but mostly we noticed how our friends were talking to (and convincing) their parents that Obama was the best candidate.
We working now to get our message out as broadly as possible in PA, IN, and NC. After spending two years in LA and working on Live Earth, I'm much more aware of the power of entertainment to spark political engagement and social change.
Here's what we're doing:
- Partnering with the band the Roots (a nationally prominent band from
Philly) to get the message out to young people attending their concerts in
IN, PA, and NC
- Sending marketing teams onto campuses throughout PA to reach out to
students and get them involved.
- Sponsoring 2 concerts in PA
- Spreading this text message as broadly as possible: Is yr Mama 4 Obama?
We need our parents 2 vote 4 him 2 win PA Apr 22. Pass this on to everyone
u know -- tell your parents! (text YRMomma to 41411 to sign up)
I've set up a partnership with a Political Action Committee (votehope.org) -- they're acting as our fiscal agent so we can raise and spend money on this effort. Want to help out? You can support our work here.
This is not only a fun project, it's an innovative voter contact strategy and something that seeks to expand the leadership and influence of younger voters in this election.
Gobama!!!
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Enlightened young people trying to shake their old parents out of their prejudices.
If they'll listen to anybody, it'll be their kids.
Good stategery.
My mom and I both voted for Edwards in FLA. After he dropped out, we were both on the fence between Clinton & Obama. We are both strong feminists, extremely intelligent, working-class, artistic and creative. We know lies & hypocrisy when we see them - we've gotten plenty of examples from the Republicans over the last 7.5 years. So now, after watching Clinton run this negative, dirty, hypocritical campaign - and after attacks on our intelligence and integrity and independence from Clinton and her supporters (we do NOT believe in cults or religion in general) we're both gonna do everything we can for Obama. We're tired of the same old entrenched, corrupt politics. We want a fresh face and fresh ideas to help this country evolve.
Dad will be a little tougher to crack than mom, but I'm working on it. And Clinton is helping me out with each and every lie that comes out of her mouth, so keep it up Clinton and Penn!
I'm a registered Independent and was going to sit out the primary and vote for whoever the democratic nominee was but my outlook has changed dramatically over the last couple of months. The sexist, unequal treatment of Hillary along with the incessant drumbeat from the so-called progressive blogosphere (Huffpo, DailyKos, TPM) and the MSM for Hillary to step down and make way for Barack's coronation have totally pissed me off.
So many of his supporters are for him because he is the anti-Clinton. So they have gleefully jumped on the hate-Hillary bandwagon, using the same crazy-ass bullshit about the Clintons that the right-wing nutcases have been using for years. Mark my words, if Obama becomes the democratic nominee, Rezko will become the new Whitewater and Michelle Obama will become the new Hillary Clinton; a powerful, professional woman in her own right who has too big a mouth and expresses the "wrong" opinions (like how she's "just now" proud of America). (That's not what I think - that's what "they" will say).
And, like I told my son, if Obama is so insecure about winning the primaries that he is willing to disenfranchise two of the largest states in the country, just how the hell does he plan on winning the general election and uniting the country? Democrats, who were so rightfully outraged by the 2000 election, are now willing to disenfranchise themselves??? No thanks.
This MommaisNOT4Obama.
darrow66, I am sorry to see the feelings you expressed above. It"s certainly one thing to think that many of Obama's supporters are supporting him because they hate HRC, but I can tell you that is absolutely not true with our family. My husband, my 44 year old daughter and myself started out as HRC supporters. However, (this quote below sums things up better than I, so I am using it from another story in HuffPost today): "Senator Clinton began 2008 as the candidate with experience. After February 5th, this persona fractured and was replaced by a series of images: fighter, vulnerable, conciliatory, confrontational, and most recently, "Paulette Revere" HRC. As the aura of inevitability dissipated, . ." Once she misspoke due to sleep deprivation (lied), we knew we could no longer support her because we believe that honesty is the greatest personal trait of character. We will have to live with a POTUS for a minimum of 4 years without believing anything she would say to the people of the US. We want to know that we were being told facts not falsehoods. Please research her record and that of Obama and then make an informed decision based on fact, not anger or frustration. Please don"t support her out of anger or frustration. Your vote is precious and I would hate to think that you voted without knowing all the facts.
Darrow66........if you've chosen to support Hillary that's your tough luck,but please get your facts straight. I'm a 49 year old woman and I'm intelligent enough to see through Hillary's little games.If she's managed to pull the wool over your eyes that's your problem,but she sure as hell can't fool me. If you compare the scandals that Hillary has been involved in ,she makes Obama look like a saint. And leave Michelle out of this. She can say whatever she feels like saying,it's ignorant people like you , because of your biggotry you scrutinize every single word that a person says,and try to use it against them. When you dislike someone,you'll find any reason to critisize them,and as far as Obama is concerned, if your not voting for him because of the stupid reasons you mentioned,you wouldn't have voted for him anyway,so give me a break!......................and you talk about disenfrachise.Hillary knew the rules before this campaign,but being the coniving witch that she is,she's trying to change them because she's losing......You better take a good look at your candidate............".People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones"
Been there, done that. He got my mom's vote on Super Tuesday in CT and will get again in the general. BTW, some of us "youngsters" aren't much younger than he is (I'm 42), but our parents fall into her treasured demographic the over 60 crowd. My mom is 71.
This momma's already for Obama -- and I got my voting age son and his girlfriend on board as well!
Don' look at me--both my husband and I have already been "victims" of the Obama assault from our college kid, and I turned into an Obama precinct captain and have donated three times to the campaign!
I read the article and had to laugh. I was supporting Clinton and my husband liked Kusinich when our son started speaking enthusiastically about Obama, and making us watch speeches and the Yes We Can videos Next thing I know I've read Dreams from my Father, and Audacity of Hope.
If he hadn't been so enthusiastic, we would likely not have been so willing to look at him as a real possibility.
I've been trying to work the same magic on my mama, but she's 66 years old and way too stubborn. All she did was email me back with snippets from Clinton's website. Sigh.
Maybe when he gets the nomination it will help her reconsile...
Thank you kettletop. We started out supporting HRC, but after the lying, we switched and then talked my 44 year old daughter into supporting Obama as well! I guess the more the merrier!
Well I have a 19 year old at home that figured out that it was better for her NOT to register to vote because she knows that if she ever uttered a word in MY house about voting for Obama, she would be out. I checked and she is still not registered. Hey, while she is in my house, I do the influencing. She could vote for him but, the College tuition would then become her resposibility. Call it what you will, I guess she figured out where her bread was buttered. More power to those parents who have given in to their children. Whats next for them?
Maggieb:
You didn't let your 19 yr old daughter register to vote, because she might have voted for Obama??? And you don't let her "utter a word in your house about voting for Obama"? You must feel really proud to be an American to not let your own daughter exercise the 1st and 15th Amendments... yet you're probably one of those who got on Michelle Obama's case for "not being proud" of her country.
And you consider yourself a Democrat??? No wonder you support Clinton. You want to disenfranchise anybody who wants to vote for Obama. Your style of parenting is "win-at-all-costs, my-way-or-the-highway"... just like Clinton's style of campaigning and leadership. Your thinking is, your house is "YOUR" house, and not "our" house (including your daughter)... just like Clinton thinks the White House is "hers".
You're the perfect example of why some people aren't ready to be parents. Just like some presidential candidates aren't ready to be presidents, no matter how ready they say they are.
I feel very sorry for your daughter. She must feel really blessed and happy to have a mother who won't let her vote or even voice her own opinion in "your" house. You're doing a real "good job" of raising an independent woman who can do anything and be anybody.
What's ironic and tragic is, you probably consider yourself a feminist and have no clue as to what I'm talking about.
Your saying that you would kick your 19yr old daughter out of the house if she practices her CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT as an American citizen??!! You should be ashamed of yourself. What kind of mother says that to her child? It goes to show you the extreme lack of reality and reason some Clinton supporters have with their blind, rigid thinking.
It's nice to know the type of working class, "family folks" who support Clinton.
Sorry, you owe us this, and an apology. The Boomers and the Greatest Generation have shot their kids in the back. Those Generations have left their children and their grandchildren w/more problems than they inherited.
For the National debt alone you owe us.
Besides, you have to retire, one day you might need long term care. First what type of country are you going to retire in, 2nd is your daughter going to be able to support you even if she wants to (and it sounds like that's a big if). You do know that elder abuse is on the rise...snark (partly).
You're going to be mighty lonesome in the old folks home, maggieb. Not that you won't deserve it.
Lynn, I owe you nothing. I owe myself. My daughter is free to do whatever she wants and so am I. Yes I will retire one day, but just like how I have never needed to care for my mother she wont have to do the same for me. What are you fearful of? It is okay if you want to surrender your decison-making to your children. While you are at it, give them the Bank account, the keys to the car and that precious bottle of wine...Bounderies are set in my house and I dont need to guilt her into taking care of me. She will do that out of respect. Note what I said, ...she figured out it was better for her not to vote...her choice dear. Plus, at the rate of how things are going she probably wont be able to buy a house in her lifetime, regardless of who takes office. I am independent of my child, she is not yet independent of me, therefore I still make the calls in my house.
What makes you even think that I am not preparing for retirement and are you advocating "elder abuse?" Nevermind, children forcing their parents to support Obama, is a form of elder abuse to me. Obama is in no way more competent than my girl Hillary. We'll be fine without him. Keep waiting for that apology, maybe in another 30 years when I retire.
Sounds like you operate with your daughter on a "fear me" basis rather than on a "love and respect" me basis What a terribly sad situation. I had a mother like you, and thank God, she died about 15 years ago. All my life, from 8 years of age, I not only did what she told me, but I did all the rotten jobs she wanted done as well. From the time we are born, we are programmed to love our parents, BUT we certainly don't have to "like" them and I despised the person who was my mother. I have never been to her grave and will never go to it out of respect for myself. Thank God my daughter has a "choice" and she choses to love and respect me - she does not fear me in the least!
maggieb.....I'm sorry,but you make no sense! How can you tell anyone,let alone your own daughter that if she votes for a particular candidate that you would put her out........Tha'ts not very loving !
maggieb said: Note what I said, ...she figured out it was better for her not to vote...her choice dear.
What a choice, vote for Hillary or noone at all OR get kicked out of the house.
Nice choice............................... I hope she does become independent of you soon and treats her children with respect and dignity.
Children are not 'forcing' their parents to vote for Senator Obama. Enlightening them is more like it. You should be ashamed of yourself - any mother that says, ' I have a 19 year old at home that figured out that it was better for her NOT to register to vote because she knows that if she ever uttered a word in MY house about voting for Obama, she would be out.' What a terrible thing to say - threatening your child! My God, did you not raise your daughter to be independent and to be a free-thinker.?There are many households were members prefer different candidates. This is the first time I have hear of anyone threatening another household member. My kids thought for sure I would support Hillary - being that I am a white female, older voter. Imagine their surprise when they discoved that I, too, am a supporter of Senator Obama!
Don't forget your grandmas!
Gobama!!
My whole family will vote for Obama!
GoBama indeed. This is great Catherine. I'm proud of you! Fortunately, my parents are already firmly in the Obama-nation.
-Jordon
How will they vote when that curtain is closed, and there's no kids watching?
Well just force them to vote by mail and watch them do it. :)
Got me there. Good one. :)
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Posted April 8, 2008 | 07:14 PM (EST)