I have the great privilege of Representing Illinois' 9th District in Congress. The 9th District is one of the most diverse in the country, stretching along the Northern part of Chicago's lakefront, including my home of Evanston, and west through suburbs North of Chicago, like Skokie, Niles, and Hillary Clinton's hometown of Park Ridge. The 9th district could serve as a microcosm of the UN, with new Americans and immigrants from all over the globe speaking many languages, and practicing many faiths.
I'm also proud to say that the 9th District is "Solid Blue," going 68% for Both Gore and Kerry. In the 2004 contest, my Campaign organization, working with the Kerry Travelers, a group of grassroots volunteers, worked to capitalize on all that Democratic energy in the district by organizing bus loads of volunteers to travel to nearby Wisconsin. While Illinois was a relatively "Safe" state for John Kerry, the state of Wisconsin was a crucial battleground state, where more boots on the ground would could translate to a Kerry victory, and it did.
In 2006, we replicated that effort, again in conjunction with grassroots volunteers worked to send volunteer all over Illinois to help with Congressional elections in the state, and leading up to 2008 election, I'm proud to say that we helped organize hundreds of volunteers to campaign for Barack Obama to travel out of state to volunteer for Obama for America.
Yesterday, we officially kicked off our efforts for the November General Election. Over 500 people came out on a beautiful Sunday afternoon to a rally and find out how they could help bring about Democratic Victory in the Fall.
These are the remarks that I delivered to this crowd of over 500:
Are you fired up and ready to go? I know I am. Next year will mark 40 years that I have been an activist in the progressive movement, and I have never been more optimistic than I am now, especially when I see all of you.
Are you ready to do what it takes to make Barack Obama President?
I can’t tell you how ready I am! Most of the 40 years I have been an activist, have been conducted from a defensive crouch – trying to hang on to hard fought gains for women, for labor, for the environment, for poor people, for civil and human rights -- against an avalanche of greedy special interests and right-wing forces. Yes, there have been some very important victories along the way but even those, like the Americans with Disabilities Act, have been eroded over time.
But now, at this very moment, we stand on the brink of what could be a new Progressive Era in our country, and because we are the United States of America, in the world. Who among us didn’t get "goose bumps" seeing a confident and elegant Barack Obama walk out in front of 200,000 Europeans waving American flags and chanting "Yes we can!" When is the last time we’ve seen that? Like so many Americans, people around the world who have been so damaged by the policies of the last 8 years of George Bush, are once again hopeful and excited about the future.
Today, most Americans think their children will do worse than they do. Imagine that, in a country that through its history has been defined by optimism, a belief that if we work hard, the next generation will have an even better life. It’s practically in our DNA, and it is certainly is the hearts of the many immigrants who sacrifice so much to come here. Yet there is reality in that gloomy prediction right now. Most Americans are worrying about affording health care; they can’t send their kids to college but can send them to war; can’t afford to fill up their tanks, are losing their homes and their pensions and their jobs.
But Barack Obama is telling us something different – that we have a choice -- that it is not an act of G-d or nature that such a reality exists today. This is not a hurricane or flood. What we are seeing now are the consequences of bad decisions made by the wrong leaders. Barack Obama is telling Americans and the world that the best IS yet to come!
"Yes we can" conquer diseases that are killing us. Yes we can build a green economy that gives us jobs, and national security, and affordable energy, and a healthy environment for our children. Yes we can guarantee every American health care, and end homelessness, and really leave no child behind in quality schools, and, yes we can be citizens of a more peaceful and healthy world in which the United States is respected and appreciated for its leadership.
It won’t be easy and it won’t happen overnight. And we can’t stop organizing and advocating even when Barack is President. But after 40 years, it will be such a joy to be able to stand tall again, roll up our sleeves and debate the specifics of a health care plan and the federal budget. We will do it knowing that we have a President who shares our priorities, a President that we can count on never to take us into an unnecessary, tragic and unspeakably costly war. We will have a President who not only respects the Constitution of the United States, but as a Constitutional scholar will be able to repair the damage that has been done to it.
The task will be made easier if we are able to expand our Democratic majorities in both the House and the Senate – and the prospects are looking very good. Illinois is shaping up to be ground zero for House races. In fact there are five districts that we can change from red to blue, just like we did when Bill Foster took the seat that Dennis Hastert, former Speaker of the House, occupied for 20 years. This was considered the redest of red, but Bill won by speaking to the kitchen table issues that impacts all Americans and having a strong grassroots campaign. His victory caused a political earthquake and Democrats won two more special elections in Louisiana and Mississippi after that. Bill will still need our help in the fall.
Dan Seals is running in the neighborhoods to our north, a fantastic candidate who almost won last time, and has an outstanding chance this time with Barack at the head of the ticket and strong support from the national party. He is running against Mark Kirk who voted against extending unemployment insurance benefits saying that it was an issue in his wealthy district and last voted against relief from the foreclosure crisis when even President Bush agreed to sign it. Dan will represent the entire district, not just the richest part. We will be sending people and money to help Dan, so be sure to sign up for that.
Debbie Halvorson, the current Democratic Majority Leader in the Illinois Senate is running in the open seat in Will County that Jerry Weller is vacating. She is running against a self-funding millionaire and could use our help to win.
Running against Peter Roskam, the far right-winger who beat Tammy Duckworth, is Colonel Jill Morganthaler, former head of the Illinois Department of Homeland Security and a wonderful woman and candidate, running a strong campaign.
Scott Harper is challenging Judy Biggert for Congress in the Naperville area. We are seeing the suburbs including DuPage County moving more and more Democratic and Scott is precisely the new face that can appeal to these voters.
Finally, in the Peoria area, Colleen Callahan is running in the open seat left by Ray LaHood. Colleen has been the Agriculture and Rural voice on the radio for decades in that district and has a good chance of winning.
That would leave only three remaining Republicans in Illinois’ 19 member delegation, down from 10 in 2003. I say let’s go for it!!
I would be remiss not to mention that our other pride and joy Senator, Dick Durbin is running for re-election and we never want to leave any stone unturned to assure his victory. And we some fabulous opportunities in the state legislature in the 9th District. Candidates Daniel Biss of the 17th and Aurora Austriaco of the 65th Districts represent the next generation of progressive and independent leadership that, may I say, is so desperately needed in Springfield. They will be joining the rest of our own fabulous legislative team including State Senators Jeff Schoenberg and Heather Steans and our State Representatives Julie Hamos, Harry Osterman and Lou Lang. We are working on Daniel’s and Aurora’s races and need your help.
Finally, let me say, I have the enormous honor of being one of the National Co-Chairs of Barack’s Presidential campaign. I have traveled around the country and spoken on his behalf. Most of the time I am concentrating on the day-to-day specifics – efforts like ours today that will help him win. But sometimes I allow myself to imagine January 20, 2009, inauguration day.
Let me digress for just a minute. In 2001 as a relatively new member of Congress, I sat on the platform as George W. Bush was sworn in as President. Fortunately, it was a rainy day, because bitter tears were streaming down my face. I watched Bill Clinton and Hillary, Al Gore and Tipper take their seats while the wrong man took the oath of office.
I am sure that I will be crying again in 2009, but these will be sweet tears of joy. Yes we will see George and Laura Bush, Dick and Lynn Cheney, and they will be there watching Barack and Michelle Obama, Malia and Sasha step forward and witness Barack take that oath of office. And the instant he raises his hands and says those historic words – the first African American every to do so -- the narrative about the United States of America both at home and abroad will change. The opportunity will be laid out before him and us to create the kind of world some of us have been struggling for for decades – or maybe for just months.
But we are not there yet. There are many obstacles over the next 100 days that must be overcome. But the beauty of the Obama campaign is that they have put their trust in us. This campaign for President will be won or lost on the ground. Many of you have already traveled to other states on his behalf. In Des Moines, after he won the caucuses in Iowa, he said to me, "This grassroots stuff really does work, doesn’t it?" He was talking about us. So make sure you have good walking shoes. Save some money to fill up the tank so we can travel to Iowa, to other Districts in Illinois or anywhere else we are asked to go. And then we can all have a good cry on January 20, 2009 after one heck of a party 100 days from now on November 4!