You have probably by now heard about the inspiring Yes We Can video by Jesse Dylan and will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas based on the New Hampshire election night speech by Barack Obama.
It's worth a look for everyone, because it says something essential about Senator Obama's campaign and this moment in history.
In that light, I'd like to start this diary with a message, not advocating any candidate, to all the readers and participants here at Dailykos regardless of who you've supported in the primary...
We have a choice. You have a choice.
It's not solely a choice between candidates, though it is that, I won't pretend it isn't, but it's about more than that, it's a choice about whether and how each of us will help the Democratic Party choose the direction it will follow for years to come, about what message we send to the nation.
Our Democracy works better the more people who participate. The Democratic party is stronger the more of us who communicate, voter to voter, person to person, across the United States. This is one of my core beliefs. It's why we're all here at dailykos.
There has a been a revolution in participation this primary season. We Democrats are setting records in state after state. Young people have come out in record numbers to canvass and caucus and vote. That is so good for all us. Pragmatically, millenials are the future of our party, and they have sent us a powerful message this primary season with their actions and their votes.
Whomever you support for the nomination of our party for president it is better for all of us if you choose to take action this weekend in some way, large or small. It's better for all of us the more people who vote, who participate, who further this debate. Participation and engagement is what the Democratic party is all about.
When all is said and done, after this Tuesday all of us who take part in the process of our democracy the coming days will know that we will have sent a powerful message to this nation about who we are as American citizens and as Democrats.
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Now, I do have a message today specific to folks who have been persuaded to support Senator Barack Obama for President. These next four days are crucial to his campaign.
They say a week is a lifetime in politics, but this weekend is something else entirely.
I'm naturally a shy person. (juls never tires of reminding me of this after blogger meetings!) If you met me at either Yearlykos convention you'd know that's true. Doing GOTV has always meant overcoming that shyness a bit.
What I'd like to convey is that, if you support Barack Obama, and like me, are not someone who runs around bouncing off the walls at the thought of attending a rally or talking to people in a big group, there is still so much you can do. Visibility, helping at the office, getting signs out, driving people around, attending a rally with friends.
Or, even if you choose, like me, to overcome my natural shyness and to call people, to knock on doors, I think you will find that participating this weekend will be something that you will be able to tell people about for the rest of your life.
How can you get involved? It's simple.
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If you're interested in participating in this effort to help elect Senator Barack Obama President and win the Tsunami Tuesday primaries and caucuses, you should click on one of the two links below:
EVENTS or VOLUNTEER
It's that simple.
If you click on EVENTS you will be taken to a page where you can enter your Zip Code and a radius and find a list of events near you.
For example, when I enter my Zip Code, 94609, I get 159 events within a 25 mile radius of me. Some of the events involve doing visibility (I highly recommend this option for those who are shy or new to GOTV), some of the events involve rallies (yet another easy way to break into GOTV and do something social at the same time) and some of the events involve phonebanking and canvassing and also feature training sessions where you can learn to phone bank or canvass in a supportive and positive environment.
Clicking on EVENTS is a no muss, no fuss way to get involved. You can RSVP or, in some cases, just show up, but you don't have to sign up for anything. This is a way to participate and find out what level of participation is right for you.
Now, if you know you want to be involved directly in the effort to do voter outreach for Barack Obama, especially if you are a seasoned volunteer, you can click on the link that reads VOLUNTEER. Clicking on VOLUNTEER will take you to a page that explains the volunteer philosophy of the Obama campaign and allows you to register as a volunteer at my.barackobama.com.
This is the most powerful thing you can do this weekend, wherever you live in the country, to get involved in electing Barack Obama President of the United States.
When you sign up to VOLUNTEER, you join the team of activists that's been on the ground in Iowa, in New Hampshire, in Nevada, in South Carolina, and in every Tsunami Tuesday state. You can phone bank from your house, you can hold events of your own, and if you live in one of the Tsunami Tuesday states, you can join other folks just like you in Getting Out the Vote.
That's it. It's that simple.
EVENTS or VOLUNTEER
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Now, I know that not everyone supports my candidate, that not everyone will choose to participate in this primary weekends deliberations in quite the same way as me.
I can respect those decisions, I can respect that choice. That's what our democracy is about. We are richer for it.
But, for myself, I'm throwing my hat in with the optimists, the ones looking to the future, the ones moved by a man with a powerful core message:
Nothing can stand in the way of the power of millions of voices calling for change.
-Barack Obama, New Hampshire, January 8th, 2008
Yes, We Can