Mornin', Kossacks. So glad you could join us for today's All-Texas/All-the-Time histrionics and hoopla on DailyKos.
To start the day off right, kath25 has invited y'all to a free breakfast at the grand opening of the brand new Obama HQ in Austin, TX. Don't miss her live-bloggin' and be part of the fun and merriment as thousands of Texans (and transplants) discover that they really are not all alone in a red state wilderness.
And there's lots more to see and share, if you'll mosey on over the jump for a kossacks' tour of TX.
Later today, as blue armadillo reports, the San Antonio HQ is scheduled to open at 1:30PM CST. This is just the latest in a dervish of doings in the Lone Star State, as we know from exciting recent diaries by Texas Populist (complete with lots of great links for volunteering), MelodyTownsel, checking in from the Big D, and Anna, reporting from Fort Worth. And from DrJK, who attended the welcome party in Austin for Obama staff coming to TX, we know that:
Many of the staff were there before going to other parts of the state. The number of places they were going to were mind-boggling. It demonstrated what I believe to be the Obama strategy in Texas--- win as many primary votes and caucus votes possible EVERYWHERE.
Corpus Christi, Laredo, San Antonio, Tyler. These are just some of the names I heard where staff will be going to. Texas is a HUGE state, so a ground game requires a lot of ground. It was inspiring to hear that Obama isn't conceding any ground. He will have active campaigning in all areas, regardless of ethnicity or class.
Now, in case you're thinkin' that this diary is all hat and no cattle, or roughly translated for those who live east of the Mississippi, all talk and no action, rest assured that we are gonna put each and every one of y'all to good use today on behalf of Barack Obama and the Great State of Texas. The National Call Team, of which I am an esteemed member (and you can be, too, if you just sign up on the website), has set a goal of 110,000 calls to caucus-goers and primary voters around the country between now and Tuesday. And here on DK today, we're gonna mess with Texas. So giddy up, (c)all- stars and let's get this fonebanking fiesta fired up...
On Tuesday, March 4, we have the chance to close the deal for Barack, when OH, RI, TX, and VT hold their caucuses and primaries. And I am sure that I don't have to tell anyone that TX is a biggie, because -- well, because everything's bigger in TX. We have lots of dedicated kossacks doing their darndest on the ground, but they need our firepower, our phone power to back them up NOW.
So let's have another great day today. Last week, we were on the rec list almost the entire day and made thousands of calls to bring home LA, ME, NE and WA for Barack. As I mentioned above, the campaign has set a goal of 110,000 calls between now and Tuesday. If just the Obama supporters on DK were to each make just twenty phone calls today -- that's about an hour's work for each of us -- we alone could exceed that ambitous goal by a country mile. Texas is a mighty big place, folks, and we only have three weeks to reach out to hundreds of thousands of potential supporters. Can we do it? Yes. We. Can.
In order to begin calling, just go to the campaigns's online calling tool. It's that simple.
You get twenty names at a time, and an outline of the script for TX. You'll be helping to identify supporters, persuade "leaners" and "undecideds", and recruit volunteers. You'll also be educating folks about the "Texas Two-Step" -- that crazy caucus-primary combination that exists only in the Great State of Texas. And remember, if you need to brush up on the issues or feel like you need some extra support to get into the swing of things, you can easily open the backgrounder and issues pages simultaenously, to have all the information you need at the ready.
And finally -- and this is increiblemente, muy, super importante people -- if you speak Spanish, you can call like-languaged tejanos by linking to the campaign's Spanish-language calling tool.
There has been a lot of discussion here recently as to whether we can bring in the hispanic/latino vote in TX. I am bilingual and have decades of experience in this bicultural community and feel absolutely secure in saying that we have an excellent chance of capturing a large swath of this vote -- if we do our job between now and March 4. The campaign is doing it's part -- in terms of advertising, direct mail, endorsements, events and free media -- but we are the person-to-person outreach of this campaign, and in a culture in which personal relationships are paramount, canvassers and (c)all-stars are the front lines to success.
If you've never done it, it's easy and it's fun to phonebank , and it WILL make the difference we need NOW.
For some inspiration, meet Angela Valles. She lives in NY (like me!) and has been building bridges (yup, we build bridges, they build walls) to Spanish-speaking voters. Angela is a Mexican-American, originally from Texas, who created and spearheads a grassroots effort to connect Spanish-speaking supporters in Harlem with Spanish-speaking voters in TX. Those calls have had a huge impact and yours can, too. As the campaign says:
Please join Angela and help reach out to the Spanish-speaking community in Texas. Your call -- having a real live person on the other end of the phone who cares deeply about Barack Obama's candidacy -- makes a huge difference.
And if you need some further inspiration about now, here's another peek at that pic of Barack in a Stetson:
Obama supporters on DK have the opportunity to make a huge contribution to the campaign's success via online phonebanking over the next few weeks, as the number and schedule of contests allows the campaign's and our efforts to be more focused and protracted.
So have a breakfast burrito, cook up some huevos rancheros, settle onto the sofa, and make some calls now - please! Phonebanking remotely can be lonely sometimes, but today we're throwin' a party for TX. Yeeahaw!
So, please, introduce yourself and comment below to ask and answer questions, crack a joke, tell a tale, share your strengths, and encourage others to join our effort today. Let's celebrate our community, have some fun, and CHANGE THE WORLD!
Thanks to casperr -- for moral support, promotion and public relations, and for her indomitable energy and spirit. Oh, and emergency tech support this morning at the eleventh hour.
Thanks, too, to kath25 for tech support -- not to mention everything else that she is doing to bring it home for Barack.
Yes. We. Can.
Si. Se. Puede.