Stop Whining, Get Busy

The democrats need to stop whining about Senator Obama, get off our butts and help him win. Enough with the all the hand wringing, with all the "what Obama NEEDS to do NOW" advice and Hillary comeback fantasies. Obama WILL win but he needs YOUR help.

Let's focus our energy on getting Obama elected. What have you done today to help Obama win? Stop whining, get busy.

If your ignorant friend keeps forwarding those "Obama is a secret Muslim who wasn't born in the US and by the way, did you notice that he's black?" e-mails, delete the e-mail and register a few voters to cancel out the ignoramus vote. Don't get mad, get even.

Dems worry that whites won't vote for a black man. That means we need to focus on registering more people who WILL vote for a black man. Stop worrying about those who would never have supported the ticket for whatever reason and focus on making the case for Obama-Biden with the others.

Obama needs your help to win and he's asked you to get in your friends and neighbor's faces:

"I need you to go out and talk to your friends and talk to your neighbors. I want you to talk to them whether they are independent or whether they are Republican. I want you to argue with them and get in their face," he said.

"And if they tell you that, 'Well, we're not sure where he stands on guns.' I want you to say, 'He believes in the Second Amendment.' If they tell you, 'Well, he's going to raise your taxes,' you say, 'No, he's not, he's going lower them.' You are my ambassadors. You guys are the ones who can make the case."

Keep It Simple. McCain Equals Bush. Period.

McCain = Bush means we win. Continuing to whine about Palin means they win. Let's continue to weave the narrative that a vote for McCain is four more years of the failed Bush policies. Remind voters that McCain voted 90% of the time with Bush. We need to point out just how dishonorable this once honorable man has sunk by saying and doing anything to win. With McCain, it's politics first, country last.

Please don't be distracted by the new shiny thing called Palin. If you insist on talking about Palin, focus on McCain's poor judgment. Focus on McCain - a 72 year old, four-time cancer survivor, who picked a corrupt, lightweight to be a heart beat away from the Presidency. Tie them both to Bush: "What the difference between Palin and Bush? Lipstick. As far as we know."

Sarah "I Can See Russia" Palin is dropping like a rock. The media is starting to do the vetting the McCain camp didn't. At some point, she has to do a press conference. Doesn't she?

We just need to keep focusing on the economy and pointing out that the "Anything But Straight Talk Express" full of good old boys can't fix what ails us:

"Yesterday, John McCain actually said that if he's president he'll take on, and I quote, 'the old boys' network in Washington.' I'm not making this up. This is somebody been in Congress for 26 years, who put seven of the most powerful Washington lobbyists in charge of his campaign. And now he tells us that he's the one who's gonna take on the old boys' network," he said. "In the McCain campaign that's called a staff meeting!"

Obama Has Earned Your Support

Senator Obama beat the Clintons - the best known brand of the Democratic Party. Obama raised more money, he worked the delegate rules to beat them and built the finest field operation that has been up and running for months. The McCain field operation is a joke compared to ours.

The "No Drama with Obama" campaign was well-run by professionals without the drama and back-biting of the Clintons. They stayed on message, made adjustments when necessary and won the primary.

In Denver, despite all the carping about the Clintons, Obama unified the party. The Clintons did an amazing job helping him to that end! It was an amazing and inspiring convention. We must remain unified in the face of the recent attacks, smears and lies. Hillary has her nose to the grindstone for Obama and so should you.

Obama's Getting His Groove Back, He's Barack On Track

Obama is getting his groove back. Obama is a marathoner who is sometimes a bit slow on the pivot. During the primary, there were bumps in the road but he always managed to adjust. He started as a weak debater but thanks to Hillary he improved during the dozens of democratic debates. John McCain and the repugs only had eight debates to prepare him for battle.

However, we need to continue to up the ante for the GOP ticket, "McCain and Palin are skillful politicians." Ratchet up expectations for their debate performances. Resist repeating the GOP talking point that Biden has to be gentle because Palin is a girl.

Obama is pivoting and punching back now. The Obama campaign is unleashing more surrogates. They are running lots of new ads.

Throw him a bone please. Roderick Spencer nails it. Obama is GOOD at this. We need to calm down:

There is a consistent story out of the Obama campaign. It goes like this: an attack is launched by one of his opponents. The attack appears to be working. Poll numbers change. A gap widens, or narrows. Dismay starts to surface as the candidate and his closest advisors don't seem to be doing anything. Eventually, there is a meeting, or a conference call. Suggestions of how to respond come in thick and fast. Voices clamor to be heard. Then, through the noise comes this directive, "Okay, let's everybody just calm down. Here's what we're going to do." The conversation quickly goes from clamorous to orderly, from strident to strategic, and the campaign moves forward. Since Iowa, remember Iowa!?, this has been happening. Yet it seems that with each new punch thrown by the opposition, his most avid supporters, especially those on the chattering Left who supposedly know better, seem to forget... that Barack Obama is GOOD AT THIS.

Hillary Won't Be Our VP. Enough Already. Seriously.

You have to admire the tenacity of the Hillary supporters who still she a way she can get on the ticket. OK. Repeat after me, "Hillary is not and will not be Obama's VP!" We've moved on. So should you. Oh and embrace Biden...and his gaffes. Biden will continue to make gaffes. We should continue to shrug the gaffes off, "Oh that's just Joe!"

Stop Whining, Do Your Part and Register Voters to Win

We need to register voters while we can. Many states cut off registration in early October.

The key to winning is registration and turn out. Thanks to the contentious battle with Senator Clinton, since 2006, the dems have registered 2.1 million voters while the repugs have lost 440,000.

At a minimum, contact your "fab five", confirm they are registered and talk to them about why you support Obama.

Use the Obama website or blogs as a resource to educate them about your candidate. Focus on these key dates to mobilize your base:

September 26, 2008: Presidential debate with foreign policy focus, University of Mississippi, Oxford, MS

October 2, 2008: Vice Presidential debate, Washington University, St. Louis, MO

October 7, 2008: Presidential debate in a town hall format, Belmont University, Nashville, TN

October 15, 2008: Presidential debate with domestic policy focus, Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY

You have a few days to pull together a debate watch party and raise money for Obama. Despite record breaking fundraising, the RNC maintains a cash advantage.

From Obama's Website: Here's How to Make Change:

The Obama campaign asks you how do you want to get involved: "I'll talk to anyone", "I'll talk to my friends, family, and neighbors" or "I want to help on my own". Read through the options at the Obama Action Center and figure out how you will spend the next five weeks getting him elected.

Enough whining. Get active. Let them pry this election from our cold dead hands. The Obama campaign has 2,400 staff members and offices in all 50 states registering voters and getting out the vote. Obama needs more volunteers in your home town to maintain the edge in his superior field operation.

Help pay for it all.

We are the change we've been waiting for. Let's get busy.

Comments

[MM216]

Karen, I couldn't agree with you more!
It's time to quit the whining, moaning, and groaning about Hillary. She put up a good fight and she's now backing Obama. I can NOT for the life of me understand why some of her "supporters" don't see that.
A vote for McCain/Palin is a step backwards for those who hold the Democratic issues dear to them....especially DEMOCRATIC WOMEN!

[parvo63]

You cannot win by registering Democrats. You can only win by de-registering Republicans.
However, I don't see how you can do that.
It seems to me that I spot some despair among the Dems.

[JoePalooka]

Keep repeating to all your friends and neighbors that Obama is *not* vacillating, and Biden *isn't* a gasbag!

[garcohsf]

Thanks, Karen. I attended an all-day "Camp Obama" training on Saturday, and will be going to Nevada (from the SF Bay Area) on three weekends in October and then from the 31st through Election Day to do canvassing and GOTV work. Each of us needs to think about how much this election means to us and then give as much as we can in every way we can, and then give a little more. Let's not allow this election to be close enough so that anything like what happened in 2000 is possible.

[sarge]

Amen! Thanks, Karen.

Speaking of Amen, I just got home from the Eastside Democrats fundraiser, headlined by Governor Chris Gregoire, Congressmen Jim McDermott & Jay Inslee, Netroots superstar WA-08 Congressional candidate Darcy Burner, fire breathing radio talk show liberal Ed Schultz, and, the highlight of my evening, a performance by one of my favorite people in the world, the Reverend Pat Wright with her Total Experience Gospel Choir. They performed "fired up and ready to go".

See the popular youtube version here, people, get fired up, and get off your ass!

http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=BergevinBrothers&feature=iv&annotation_id=event_82272

Now go out there and get some votes for Obama!

http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=BergevinBrothers&feature=iv&annotation_id=event_82272

[wandering_girl]

great article!

I've given money to the campaign - a first for me in my over 60 years.
I volunteer one afternoon a week at my local Obama HQ.
I don't go *anywhere* without my OBAMA button, which generates a lot of interest and conversation.
I am knowledgeable enough about the issues to be able to show my best friend that Obama did *not* endorse infanticide or overturning the 2nd amendment, and minimize Palin's attractiveness to her by pointing out Palin's abominable stance in re polar bears and wolves.

let's get out there and work it!!

[NoDrama]

There are two kinds of people in the world, those who create positive energy and changes, and those who are more interested in tearing others down. I prefer to be one of the former, and it's clear to me that of the two candidates Obama is of the same mindset.

Will he get everything he wants to accomplish done? Probably not, but he'll move us in a better direction. We face a plethora of choices, but we have gone badly astray trusting the administration currently in power to act in our best interests since September 11, 2001. Senator McCain, with all due respect, has judged those plans mostly harmonious with his world-view. Senator Obama has respectfully suggested another course time and time again.

I'm a fiscal conservative, I have voted for members of both parties over the years, and I am all in for Obama this time. He demonstrates vision AND integrity, which his opponent... well, let's say he's not as impressive.

[escorpion]

Yes!!! Amen!!! This is just about the only post I've seen recently that's worth reading. It seems like everyday I see some self-appointed political genius here who cries "Obama campaign: Follow my advice, or you're going to lose!" Enough already. We all have to get with the program now.

[larry278]

Karen, enough of this Republican spin about progressives being whine-os. Check out the mealy mouthed neo-con spin on the melt down, whine, whine, whine.
Obama has a grass roots organization of dedicated, competent volunteers who are talking up Obama, registering voters & will get the Obama voters to the polls or get them absentee ballots. I get calls from Obama's supporters weekly.
You may be listening to the chattering class & not picking up your phone to talk with Obama's supporters. Obama's volunteers are working to dispell doubts about Obama. Put your phone # on Obama's site & you will get short, friendly calls every week. If you have questions, ask them when Obama's volunteers call. They listen & answer. There hasn't been a campaign like Obama's ever. Not even JFK's supporters were this organized, helpful & dedicted.

[CRT4Obama]

Karen, Thank you so much. I registered 27 voters Sat. My friends made hundreds of calls Sat and Sun. One friend even recruited 10 people by wearing an Obama t-shirt. Let's get ready for fight night on Friday!

Fired Up and Ready to Go!!!!

[Karen Russell - Huffpost Blogger]

See Karen Russell's Profile

Good for you! Registering more dems is crucial! Wearing Obama gear is a great tip! Thanks, Karen

[LizM]

I have some advice for you, if you don't mind, that will also help Barack Obama get elected! Enough already with the media-created and driven national myths of epic proportions about Joe Biden that appear to be so easily taken up by people - hook, line and sinker!

Get to know who Joe Biden is and what he is all about and you will then know why Senator Obama selected him. Barack wants to get elected, too, ya know. Geesh!