Progressive Update—9/26/2008—Break's Over

About forty days to go to election day. What will you be doing during those days?
Cheerleading—The McCain/Palin bounce has ended. Obama/Biden are back on top, but only by a hair. McCain’s decision to put his campaign on hold so he can go to DC and demonstrate his lack of economic knowledge shows the low quality of his decision-making, as much as his selection of Palin.
Obama is currently ahead in projected EVs (Electoral Votes). See the site www.fivethirtyeight.com which goes a step further than www.electoral-vote.com in analyzing the projected EVs. Nearby PA is currently going blue, 49% to 45%. I lose sleep over McCain taking PA and, with its 21 Electoral Votes, the election. So what am I doing?
Working for Obama—I am one of two volunteers leading Obama operations in Newark, DE. We are about to have some space in the Snappy Auctions building (the old Wilmington Trust, 211 Elkton Road) at Park n Shop in west Newark. We will use it to launch drives to PA for door-knocking, and to hold phone banking. You will no longer need to drive up 95 to the Riverfront to help Obama.
Leaders—I need folks who are willing to commit to run a phone bank (or drive to PA) every week from now until election day, on the same day/time. Consider finding a partner, so if you are ill or on business, the partner can back you up. Work together—it is way more fun. I mean you! If you are willing to serve, but only if I can find a partner for you, let me know.
My.BarackObama.Com (myBO)—Please sign up at this site, and provide your address. Within a day or two, you should be able to phone bank into Pennsylvania (or other nearby battleground state) from your home. Look for Neighbor to Neighbor (N2N), the term for volunteers calling folks to get votes for Obama.
Newark DE for Obama Group—If you live near Newark, please join the Newark DE for Obama group. Events in Newark will be announced there. Where practical, please sign up for these events, as it ensures that we be prepared. Upcoming ones include
Debate Watch at Timothy’s in Newark, tonight at 9pm. Go to http://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/debatewatchparty/gs72kl to signup and learn more. Let’s fill Timothy’s tonight!
Drive to PA, from Snappy Auctions, this Saturday, at 9am—Go to http://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/canvass/gsxwh3 to signup.
Phone Banks—Sunday from noon-5pm, signup at http://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/phonebank/gs7887 and on Monday from 6-9pm, signup at http://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/gs7cwy. These are at Mallard Advisors, 273 E Main Street in Newark (2nd floor). We need people, if at all possible, to bring cellphones. Please signup ahead of time if possible.
State Wide—There are many, many races, with some great progressive candidates. http://www.progressivedemsdel.com/endorsements/ has the list of candidates endorsed by PDD (progressive dems of delaware). Matt Denn (http://www.mattdenn.com) is probably in the toughest state-wide race, and could certainly use your help (time and money).
To take the majority in the state house, candidates Becky Walker (www.voterebeccawalker.com), Mike Barbieri (www.mikebarbieri.net), Rebecca Young (www.young4the22nd.org), and John Kowalko (www.johnkowalko.com) especially impress me.
There are some great folks running for Senate seats (where progressive Democrats are necessary to reverse the tradition of desk drawer vetoes), most notably Mike Katz (http://www.katz4senate.com) and John Mackenzie (http://www.mackenzie4senate.com).
Please come to a talk by Villanova professor Matt Kerbel on Saturday the 4th, from 3:30-5pm, at the Newark Unitarian church (www.uufn.org). The flyer is at http://www.uufn.org/temp/KerbelOct4Flyer4Web.pdf
Please mark your calendars for Saturday October 18 and Sunday the 19th, for two candidate forums. The flyer is at http://www.uufn.org/temp/OctForum4Web.pdf
Random Extra—Consider making a $5 (or more) donation to www.plannedparenthood.org, as an honorary gift, ‘in Sarah Palin’s honor’, using address McCain for President, 1235 S. Clarke Street, 1st Floor, Arlington, VA 22202.
Obama/Biden Yard Signs, Bumper Stickers, Buttons—I have ordered a bunch of these. Only some of the buttons have arrived. I will be giving these to folks who show up for phone banks and canvassing. When they arrive, I will be selling the yard signs for $5 each and the bumper stickers for $1 each. I have NO IDEA when they will arrive.
“Break’s over.”—Get out there and make the change happen!