What are you doing to help Barack Obama win the nomination?

The California poll released today showing Obama down by 12 points illustrates how difficult a path Obama has to the nomination.  After South Carolina, he has to compete in 20+ states against a rival with 100% name recognition who just happens to be married to a very popular ex-President. Senator Clinton has the establishment backing in almost every one of these states, which will enable her to tap into an already developed GOTV operation. With the exception of Illinois, Obama is building his organization from the ground up.  That is a very formidable task in such as short time.

If Obama manages to keep the delegate count close after Feb. 5th, the primary schedule tilts in his favor.  Upcoming states include - Maryland, D.C., and Virginia.  What Obama needs to succeed on Feb. 5th is all of his supporters focused on GOTV whether through talking with friends & family or through volunteering with the Obama campaign.

I believe that is why Obama supporters on dKos need to start talking more about the Obama campaign through positive diaries on "breaking" news items about Obama’s campaign; analysis of Obama’s positions; and most importantly what is happening on the ground in these early states.  I think it is disappointing to see so many diaries about focusing on Obama's rivals when I look under the "Barack Obama" tag (something I am guilty of as well). Lastly, I find reading about poster's volunteer experiences (regardless of which campaign they are volunteering for)to be really inspiring.  

So, in the hopes of steering the conversation back to where it was a couple of weeks ago - What are you doing to help Barack Obama win the nomination?

•  To start things off -

  Currently, I am working on getting my friends, family and co-workers to caucus for Obama in Minnesota on 2/5.  I am hoping to find an event somewhere in the southwest metro to get involved in before the caucus. Also, I am also donating money.  

  by askew on Tue Jan 22, 2008 at 05:41:49 PM PDT

  •  Phone banking, passing out literature,

    talking to everyone I know about O until they're sick of me.  My (few) Repug friends have either said that they're going to vote for O because the Repug candidates are a disgrace, or they quickly find the first exit.  :)

    by sqz23 on Tue Jan 22, 2008 at 05:44:43 PM PDT

    •  same here going to an office opening tonight

      and phone banking this week.

      by MadAsHellMaddie on Tue Jan 22, 2008 at 05:46:17 PM PDT

    •  Yeah!

      What state are you in?

      by askew on Tue Jan 22, 2008 at 05:50:03 PM PDT

      •  Home state of our next Pres. IL -nt

        by sqz23 on Tue Jan 22, 2008 at 07:34:21 PM PDT

  •  I worked for John Edwards in Manchester

    and will vote for him in New York.

    by olivert on Tue Jan 22, 2008 at 05:45:03 PM PDT

•  Nothing... Supporting Hillary!!!!!!

  by troysterk on Tue Jan 22, 2008 at 05:44:21 PM PDT

•  My two guys are out,

  Gore and Edwards.

  So now I'm just sitting back and watching it all play out.

  For me, Hillary and Barack are around the same level.

  We'll see who is stronger.

  by XOVER on Tue Jan 22, 2008 at 05:49:12 PM PDT

•  walking our neighborhood

  trying to keep HRC under 15% in the IL-18'th so we can sweep all 4 of the delegates in our district.

  I'll do another neighborhood sweep next weekend.

  Again, I'd also gladly meet up with a JRE supporter as well.

  by onanyes on Tue Jan 22, 2008 at 05:49:44 PM PDT

  •  How are things looking in IL?

    Chances of a clean sweep, I hope.

    by askew on Tue Jan 22, 2008 at 05:50:46 PM PDT

    •  Public polls show

      50-25, which, if applied to all of the state, would give HRC about 1/4'th of the delegates.

      But delegates are awarded by congressional district in proportion to the district's popular votes.

      Example:  IL-18 has 4 delegates up for grabs (IL-18 includes all of Peoria and some of Springfield)

      Edwards probably won't hit 15% here; right not it is O vs. "not-O".

      If HRC gets 15%, she gets one of 4 delegates.  37.5%, she gets 2 of the 4.

      She has sent some paid staff to Illinois.

      by onanyes on Tue Jan 22, 2008 at 05:58:41 PM PDT

•  Picking up buttons tomorrow.

  I'm going back to NYC HQ to pick up buttons tomorrow. Last time we went there, they were all out of stuff. About 10 virgin volunteers walked in while I got my 10 minute training session about visibility and events bla bla bla.

  Hopefully, they'll be restocked of buttons for my coat and for my friends if they promise to wear it!

  -fink

  by fink on Tue Jan 22, 2008 at 05:51:56 PM PDT

  •   Donating money and

    I bought my bumper sticker for the car and have my campaign buttons to distribute,

    by byteb on Tue Jan 22, 2008 at 05:54:48 PM PDT

  •  Sounds like Obama is making inroads in NYC.

    And I definitely need to get my hands on a button.

    by askew on Tue Jan 22, 2008 at 05:55:53 PM PDT

    •  Big in NYC.

      I see buttons on the subway all the time. From what I understand, the real struggle will be getting folks upstate organized. Maybe someone from Obama NY is around and could share a little.

      -fink

      by fink on Tue Jan 22, 2008 at 06:18:30 PM PDT

      •  Upstate is really impt because Clinton

        didn't do as well in Upstate during her last election right?  

        by askew on Tue Jan 22, 2008 at 06:42:49 PM PDT

•  Last I checked, this wasn't an Obama site

  I'm not doing a fucking thing to help him, I'm voting for Edwards.  This assumption that all "good" DKos'ers are Obama people and the rest of us are either ignorant or evil is getting very, very tiresome.

  by geordie on Tue Jan 22, 2008 at 05:56:23 PM PDT

  •  You are an idiot

    This is an Obama diary on a democratic site.  There is no assumption in this person's diary that "all good DKos'ers are Obama people."  However, you have confirmed that you're an angry jackass.  

    The diary is asking what Obama supporters are doing to help their candidate.  

    by JTA on Tue Jan 22, 2008 at 06:26:45 PM PDT

    •  No, it says "What are YOU doing"

      a statement addressed to everyone who reads the site, including many of us who are not Obama supporters at this point.  And if I have to read much more abusive crap from Obama supporters here, that day is NEVER going to arrive.  You people are insufferable.

      by geordie on Tue Jan 22, 2008 at 06:42:55 PM PDT

      •  Sorry, wrong

        using your goofy logic, am I supposed assume that every Edwards diary on this blog is specifically addressed to me?  Give me a break.  You're just being an ass but don't worry it doesn't impact my opinion of Edwards, I still like him.

        by JTA on Tue Jan 22, 2008 at 09:38:03 PM PDT

    •  Be civil folks...

      I don't care what candidate anyone is for...there is no reason to use foul language and ugly words. Stupid? Hello? Make it an intelligent conversation says more about you then anything. It also reflects on your candidate as well.
      You can disagree without name calling or language from the gutter and still get your point across.
      "nope this is for everyone not just Obama supporters but hey, keep listening and you might learn some good things to help you make up your mind." NOT call someone stupid because they are inquiring.
      If you can type, spell and read - you are half way intelligent. So use your voice in a positive way and baby you are there!
      And no I am not a born again Christian who is holier than thou - just a person wanting to see positive changes happening instead of pulling us back to the usual dismal world.

      by InMyLifeIowa on Tue Jan 22, 2008 at 07:47:52 PM PDT

  •  WTF?

    I said nothing about Obama supporters being good and everyone else being bad.  

    by askew on Tue Jan 22, 2008 at 06:43:50 PM PDT

    •  Then why title your diary as if

      we're all Obama supporters?  I give the fuck up - this place has gone to the fucking dogs, and it is simply not worth the time arguing with either Obama or Clinton people who won't listen.  I'm telling you, though, you carry this holier than thou attitude into November, if Obama is the nominee, and you might just succeed in turning off Democrats who would otherwise crawl to the polls to vote against the Republican.

      by geordie on Tue Jan 22, 2008 at 06:48:26 PM PDT

  •  slinkerwink, that's blatant rating abuse

    For fuck's sake, to troll rate my comment is simply beyond the pale - a blatant violation of troll-rating.  My comment is NOT trollish - I simply object to the assumption implicit in the diarist's title.  You can certainly disagree with that, as JTA did below, and that's fine - but troll-rating is bullshit in this context.

    by geordie on Tue Jan 22, 2008 at 06:45:43 PM PDT

  •  Uprated.

    Holy crap. This is TR abuse, plain and simple. And I'm not saying this because I'm an Edwards supporter, I'm saying this because the comment doesn't meet the criteria for a TR.

    by Archangel on Tue Jan 22, 2008 at 06:55:50 PM PDT

•  So they need to go the way of the Edwards crowd?

  Hmmm.

  by BoringDem on Tue Jan 22, 2008 at 05:56:57 PM PDT

•  I am voting for Edwards

  (Sorry!)

  by TekBoss on Tue Jan 22, 2008 at 05:57:31 PM PDT

•  You think Republicans will let Obama win. Think!

  I like Obama but I am afraid he can't win. As long as you still have Independents that voted for a stupid and bufoon like George Bush; you know what Obama is facing.

  I rate Hillary's chances 50-50. The only way she can win is 'Bill clinton'. She has no chance with out the former prresident.

  Folks, think with your head not with your heart. I am still not conveinced yet that Obama can win in general.

  Imagine McCain Vs Obama. It's just too much for Obama.

  by Texas Ram on Tue Jan 22, 2008 at 06:00:55 PM PDT

  •  Disagree 100%

    Obama is growing the base, attracting independents and firing people up.  He is an excellent contrast to McCain.  Hillary on the other hand is polarizing, does not do well with independents and can't contrast herself from McCain.  I mean what's the difference between her and McCain on Iraq, other than McCain has at least been consistent.

    by JTA on Tue Jan 22, 2008 at 06:30:17 PM PDT

  •  A troubling thought...

    I'm concerned about Hillary's hard negatives. Her candidacy will without a doubt energize the otherside to GOTV against her.

    But I find some of Obama's numbers troubling, too. The fact that he's running well almost exclusively with the party's higher-income, better educated and African-American, makes me wonder if there's not some sort of latent, unspoken racism amongst a sizable portion of the party's working class. Because to me, there's just not that big a difference between the two on the issues to have such a disparity in demographics.

    And for the record, I'm a blue collar white guy in support of BHO.

    by slatsation on Tue Jan 22, 2008 at 07:13:07 PM PDT

•  Personally

  I began phone banking into SC for John Edwards!! Sorry!!

  by RDemocrat on Tue Jan 22, 2008 at 06:02:48 PM PDT

•  Nothing, I support edwards/nt

  by flatford39 on Tue Jan 22, 2008 at 06:03:19 PM PDT

•  You asshats for other candidates.....

  This diary is directed at Obama supporters! Why are you coming in with your mean, vindictive comments about voting for other candidates? You've made me even more determined to help Obama win the nomination!!!

  by slinkerwink on Tue Jan 22, 2008 at 06:11:37 PM PDT

  •  I agree

    but don't think they deserve troll ratings, except for geordie, who is a jerk.

    by JTA on Tue Jan 22, 2008 at 06:31:54 PM PDT

  •  Thanks.

    The Clinton supporters have their cocktail hour diaries and the Edwards supporters have their evening news, can't Obama supporters have just one positive diary?  Just one?

    by askew on Tue Jan 22, 2008 at 06:45:52 PM PDT

    •  Well...

      ..check out icebergslim's "This Week With Barack Obama" series for those who can't get enough  :)

      by Archangel on Tue Jan 22, 2008 at 07:15:50 PM PDT

      •  So, we can have the 1 weekly Obama diary

        and that's it.  Maybe Edwards supporters should change their evening news to a weekly diary then.

        by askew on Tue Jan 22, 2008 at 07:25:47 PM PDT

        •  Not really.

          Just saying that there exists at least one positive Obama diary series out there. If you want to start a daily one, then by all means do so. In fact, I'll gladly support it.

          But be prepared for the influx of invasive "Obama sux" commenters, just as there are lots of "Hillary sux0rz" and "Edwards loserz" ones in their respective diaries.

          by Archangel on Wed Jan 23, 2008 at 08:07:33 AM PDT

  •  No.

    First of all, anyone who's a member who has comment privileges can comment.
    Second of all, the comments you refer to do not meet the criteria for having TR's issued.
    Lastly, the diary's title says:

    What are you doing to help Barack Obama win the nomination?

    without mentioning it's directed to Obama supporters ONLY.

    Please remove your unjustified TRs.

    by Archangel on Tue Jan 22, 2008 at 07:00:21 PM PDT

    •  It's right there in the body of the post!!!!!

      by slinkerwink on Wed Jan 23, 2008 at 10:04:26 AM PDT

•  I'm phone banking and organizing...

  ...Southern Worcester County here in Massachusetts.  We just got our shipment of lawn signs and I ordered 200 bumper stickers yesterday - we've got two weeks to GOTV!

  by AnotherMassachusettsLiberal on Tue Jan 22, 2008 at 06:18:57 PM PDT

  •  How is it going in MA for Obama?

    The last poll showed him pretty far down, but that was before Kerry's endorsement.

    by askew on Tue Jan 22, 2008 at 06:47:11 PM PDT

    •  I really don't know...

      I'm not paying any attention to the polls - we have a plan and we're executing it!

      by AnotherMassachusettsLiberal on Wed Jan 23, 2008 at 04:16:44 AM PDT

•  Well...

  For me I have been donating money and talking to all of my friends and immediate family about him. While none of them are really into politics as much as I am, I seem to have won them over. I wish I knew some other things that I could do to help. If anyone is in MD( Particularly the B-more area) and has any ideas, let me know.

  by shawnyQ on Tue Jan 22, 2008 at 06:30:17 PM PDT

•  Voted for Barack today.

  And for five delegates to the convention to vote for Barack. Top that!

  by Inland on Tue Jan 22, 2008 at 06:42:03 PM PDT

  •  Are you in NY?

    by askew on Tue Jan 22, 2008 at 06:46:33 PM PDT

    •  Illinois.

      Early voting.

      by Inland on Tue Jan 22, 2008 at 06:51:51 PM PDT

•  Donated...

  ...and started a tip jar. Also been spreading the word like crazy about Obama.

  by LizzyPop on Tue Jan 22, 2008 at 08:51:48 PM PDT