What Would Obama Do?

Last of the What Would Obama Do Wrist Bands

2008-12-02T00:12:00.004-05:00

Less than 100 left. Get yours now before they're gone. No more will be produced. It's a piece of history after this amazing positive Obama campaign.

What Would Obama Do? Wrist Band

What Would Obama Do? Win!

2008-11-06T14:25:00.003-05:00

Yes We Did!

With a clean and respectful campaign, Barack Obama and the Democratic Party have proven the old-school Rovian tactics of lies and smears no longer work. The American people are smarter, savvier, and more concerned about issues than the Republican Party had predicted.

By following the What Would Obama Do? philosophy, we as a massive group of supporters showed America what can be done using light instead of dark. Politics are forever changed.

Thank you to all my readers and supporters for all the comments, emails, and for helping me raise funds for campaign activities by buying wrist bands. There are still some left if you want to order some for the historical significance. This will be my last post, most likely, at least unless I find another reason to write!

Stay in touch!

1. Connect with me on LinkedIn at: http://www.linkedin.com/in/doubleplus. Choose to connect as a friend, and use email address chuck@chucklasker.com.

2. Connect with me on Facebook at: http://profile.to/chucklasker/

3. Follow me on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/chucklasker

4. Friend me on MySpace at: http://www.myspace.com/ichuck

Or, just email me at chuck@chucklasker.com.

The Obama '08 Historical Archive Project

2008-10-26T11:25:00.005-04:00

I am starting an archive of this historical election and asking for help. After the election, the site will be at www.obama08.org. The archive will be made up of stories, photos and videos from Obama supporters sharing their experiences. If you'd like to be kept informed, sign up for our newsletter at http://69.16.213.75/~obama/.

I've also created a Yes We Did! store to help raise funds for the project.

http://www.cafepress.com/yeswedid

Sign the Petition for A Fair and Honest 2008 Presidential Election

2008-09-08T17:11:00.004-04:00

"American's deserve a fair and honest Presidential election. The tactics being used by the Republican Party and Karl Rove inhibit fair journalism, fair reporting and fair elections.

Show your support for a fair and honest 2008 Presidential Election."

They're trying for 1,000,000 signatures, so please sign and pass it on! This is EXACTLY what WhatWouldObamaDo.info is about!

Sign The Petition!

Are you taking a stand, or are you afraid?

2008-09-04T11:22:00.005-04:00

Tim Ferris, author of the book "The Four Hour Work Week," just posted a blog that is very inspiring. It's not original, it's a speech by Dr. Martin Luther King. Oh, it so applies today during this election season, especially to Obama supporters, who are trying to change Washington and are fighting against the status quo.

http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/2008/09/04/stop-rationalizing-and-make-hard-decisions-learning-from-dr-king/

“I say to you, this morning, that if you have never found something so dear and precious to you that you will die for it, then you aren’t fit to live.

You may be 38 years old, as I happen to be, and one day, some great opportunity stands before you and calls upon you to stand for some great principle, some great issue, some great cause. And you refuse to do it because you are afraid.

You refuse to do it because you want to live longer. You’re afraid that you will lose your job, or you are afraid that you will be criticized or that you will lose your popularity, or you’re afraid that somebody will stab or shoot or bomb your house. So you refuse to take a stand.

Well, you may go on and live until you are ninety, but you are just as dead at 38 as you would be at ninety.

And the cessation of breathing in your life is but the belated announcement of an earlier death of the spirit.

You died when you refused to stand up for right.

You died when you refused to stand up for truth.

You died when you refused to stand up for justice.”

-Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
From the sermon “But, If Not” delivered at Ebenezer Baptist Church on November 5, 1967.

How committed are you to your beliefs? Would you die for them? How about lose a job, or simply risk your reputation by displaying a yard sign or bumper sticker? I've had people tell me their car was keyed after putting an Obama sticker up. I've had many people tell me about their Obama yard signs being stolen or destroyed. I am constantly vilified for being a Republican for Obama. What are you risking? Are you alive?

Obama - What He'd Do With All This Palin Stuff

2008-09-02T10:34:00.006-04:00

So the MYBO lists are still flurries of anti-Palin activity (I call it "Palinating"). We're completely engrossed by this ridiculous selection of Vice President. But in the name of this blog, I wonder, What Would Obama Do? Here is an excerpt from a speech from last night, while Hurricane Gustav has been slamming the Gulf Coast:

That spirit of looking out for one another, that core value that says I am my brothers’ keeper, I am my sister’s keeper, that spirit is most evident during times of great tragedy, it’s most evident during times of great hardship, it’s most evident when natural disasters strike because we understand that only God has control and so it takes it out of the realm of politics. We all understand that we have to come together.

But that spirit can’t just be restricted to moments of great catastrophe. Because as I stand here today and look out at the thousands of folks who have gathered here today, I know that there’s some folks that are going through their own quiet storms.

[…]

There’re people out there who’ve seen their jobs shipped overseas. There’re people out there who don’t have healthcare, maybe they’ve been trying to pay it on a credit card but mostly they’ve just been putting off trying to see a doctor. There’re seniors out there that don’t know how they’re going to pay their home heating bill this winter. There are folks out there that don’t know how they’re going to fill up the gas tank. There are young people in this audience right now that have graduated from high school, have the grades and want to go to college, but don’t have the money. There are young people being born in the inner cities, right here in Milwaukee, that don’t see any prospects for the future that think the only path available to them is a casket or a jail cell.

All across America there are quiet storms taking place. There are lives of quiet desperation. People who need just a little bit of help. Now, Americans are a self-reliant people, we’re an independent people. We don’t like asking somebody else to do what we can do ourselves but you know what we understand is that every once in a while somebody’s going to get knocked down. Every once in a while somebody’s going to go through some hard times. When we least expect it tragedy may strike. And what has always made this country great is the understanding that we rise and fall as one nation, that values and family, community and neighborhood, they have to express themselves in our government. Those are national values. Those are values that we all subscribe to. And so that the spirit that we extend today and in the days to come as we monitor what happens on the Gulf that’s the spirit that we’ve got to carry with us each and every day. That’s the spirit that we need in our own homes and it’s the spirit that we need in the White House. And that’s why I’m running for president of the United States of America.

Because if there’s a poor child out there, that’s my child. If there’s a senior that’s having trouble, that’s my grandparent. If there’s a guy who’s lost his job, that’s my brother. If there’s a woman out there without healthcare, that’s my sister. Those are the values that built this country. Those are the values we are fighting for.

So, what would Obama do? He'd keep moving on, talking about the issues, talking about a new dawn in America. Palin is a non-issue, so let's follow Obama and shape the future together.

Obama to Media, Politicos on Palin Pregnancy Story: 'Back Off!'

2008-09-01T19:42:00.001-04:00

What Would Obama Do? Here's the answer:

http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/09/obama-to-media.html

September 01, 2008 2:28 PM

At a brief press availability in Monroe, Mich., ABC News asked Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., if he had any response to Gov. Sarah Palin's statement that her unmarried 17-year-old daughter Bristol is pregnant.

"Let me be a clear as possible: I have said before and I will repeat again, I think people's families are off limits," Obama said, "and people's children are especially off limits.

"This shouldn't be part of our politics," he continued, "It has no relevance to Gov. Palin's performance as governor, or her potential performance as a vice president.

"And so I would strongly urge people to back off these kinds of stories," he said. "You know my mother had me when she was 18, and how a family deals with issues and, you know, teenage children, that shouldn't be the topic of our politics and I hope that anybody who is supporting me understands that's off limits."

Asked about the insinuation from the McCain campaign that the liberal bloggers trafficking in rumors about Palin write for websites that mention Obama, the senator said, "I'm offended by that."

The Democratic presidential nominee said, "There is no evidence at all that any of this involved us. I hope I am as clear as can be – so in case I’m not, let me repeat: We don't go after people's families, we don't get them involved in the politics. It's not appropriate and it's not relevant."

Concluded Obama before getting on his campaign bus headed to Milwaukee, Wisc., "Our people were not involved in any way in this and they will not be. And if I ever thought that it was somebody in my campaign that was involved in something like that, they'd be fired."

-Jake Tapper and Sunlen Miller

Obama Supporter Team Meeting: Focus Focus Focus!

2008-08-15T21:11:00.004-04:00

I’d like to have a little team meeting with my fellow Obama supporters. If you’re not an Obama supporter, I’ll ask you to leave the room for a few minutes, please, while we talk.

Okay, now that we’re alone, I want you to know you’ve been doing a great job. Senator Obama is consistently higher in the polls than McCain, at a 5-7% level that would mean an electoral sweep in November if the numbers stay the same. Keep up the good work! However, we need to talk a minute about something important.

People, we need to focus! I am a member of dozens of MYBO groups (my.barackobama.com member groups for those that don’t know), and I’ve been noticing a large number of discussions that have to do with obscure policies, rumors, smears, Obama’s speeches, Hillary Clinton, John Edwards, racism, the flag, who should be VP, whether “the campaign” is treating us right or doing the right thing, and sometimes even tin-foil-hat level conspiracy theories. Many discussions have become argumentative, devolving to Republican-esque name calling. Some members have become so involved in individual issues, they’re pushing their positions throughout the lists, hoping to influence Senator Obama somehow, as if he’s reading the thousands and thousands of posts on all groups each day.

Remember, these MYBO groups exist to help us help Senator Obama get elected. That’s it. Period. After the election, we can argue the fine points of policy. It’s not feasible that anyone in the campaign is reading group emails, there are just too many, so we’re just talking amongst ourselves. And McCain supporters are clearly in many groups trying to cause strife and division amongst Obama supporters. Don’t take the bait! If we stay focused on one goal, to get Barack Obama elected, and not let anything else distract us, we will win in a landslide. If we lose focus, start fighting amongst ourselves, and go off-message, we’ll have a Kerry-level loss and pundits will be discussing the issue for years as the Republicans continue the current disastrous path.

My good friend in Germany, Dr. Steffen Seidel, today pointed out that, while we’ve lost focus by fighting amongst ourselves, McCain supporters have been overtaking us for Internet superiority. Steffen’s basis for this is the poor Digg results for Obama blogs, such as this one. We need to take the time we would have spent typing a 900 word homily on why Obama should choose Rachel Maddow for VP, and, instead, go into forums, blogs and news sites and Digg, Buzz Up, del.icio.us, rate, and comment with positive Obama messages.

Even better, let’s go out to register new voters, especially young voters at colleges, concerts and public events. We need to stop bothering trying to change the minds of closed-minded family members, neighbors and people who send out smear emails. In the 20 hours we spend trying to change one person’s mind, we can register 200 new voters who want change in America. Contact your local Obama office and volunteer. It’s harder, sure, than popping off opinion emails, but it’s the most important thing you can do as an American today.

I’ll leave you with this thought. In 1992, Ronald Reagan created “The Eleventh Commandment” for Republicans. It was, “Thou shalt not speak ill of any fellow Republican.” It has worked extremely well in winning elections. We need the same kind of Commandment, “Thou shalt not speak ill of Barack Obama or other Obama supporters.” If we follow that, and get back to focused work, we can fight all we want under the new President Obama.

That’s it, teammates! Let’s get back to work. Everyone else can come back in now.

Central Indiana Republicans for Obama In Home Social

2008-07-16T19:41:00.000-04:00

My wife, Sharon, and I, active Republicans for Obama, invite all Republicans, recently ex-Republicans, and independent conservatives to our home for a casual get together. We'll chat about issues to reassure each other we're not crazy, we'll discuss ways to talk with our Republican friends about Obama, but mostly we'll just feel better knowing we're not alone. We'll provide snacks, iced tea and coffee, but feel free to bring your own favorite drinks. If you want to bring a dessert, I'm sure nobody would complain. This is a campaign encouraged event with campaign staffers in attendance.

http://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/4g4qy

Positive Blogging Movement

2008-07-12T12:32:00.002-04:00

Allison Ruby Reid-Cunningham, an Obama supporter, has a great idea for positive action.

http://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/44hkg

"I'm asking bloggers to make a commitment to post at least once a week about Obama for the next 10 weeks (starting Friday July 11). This additional webtime for Obama will help get the information out there and continue to build the movement. Let's each teach one person how to create a blog: it is so easy! I'll post the links to all the bloggers taking part in this at http://rubycrushonobama.blogspot.com"

I'm participating, as this fits perfectly into my "What Would Obama Do?" purpose. Is it cheating that my first positive post in this movement is about doing positive posting? Maybe!

Obama Supporters Gone Wild

2008-07-08T00:30:00.003-04:00

I am a part of several MYBO groups. I've noticed a trend lately. McCain supporters have been hopping onto the lists, posing as Obama supporters, and posting something along the lines of, "I was an Obama supporter until Obama xxxxxx." Usually it's emotional and divisive issues, like the FISA Bill, abortion, separation of church and state, etc. Unfortunately, Obama supporters respond to these trolls with defensive and emotional responses. The troll wins and the group members lose. This success emboldens the trolls, creating a downward spiral. Then, when a true Obama supporter expresses an opinion that someone else disagrees with, people respond negatively due to the highly charged emotions caused by the conflicts.

I have developed a mantra to repeat when you see this happening:

I do not have to respond to every post I disagree with.
I am not personally responsible for defending Barack Obama against every attack.
The campaign will be fine even with people disagreeing in this or any group.
I will not let someone else's emotional post force me into an emotional response.
I like the Delete key.
I am one with the Delete key.
What Would Obama Do?

Try it, it works! Get the wrist band if you need help - you can even snap it as a physical reminder when you mess up, as we all do from time to time. It's a few bucks, net proceeds go to the campaign, and your heart will thank you for it!

http://www.whatwouldobamado.info/WWODwristband.htm

To be clear

2008-06-16T16:17:00.005-04:00

I'd like to clarify my position on "being positive." I am not in any way advocating saying only nice things about Senator Obama's opponents. Instead, I'm suggesting, tell the complete truth, but do it respectfully. The "What Would Obama Do?" concept is not literal, either, in that, as grass roots campaigners, we can and should talk about issues in detail that often Obama cannot.

For example, Senator McCain has clearly stated that one of his essential goals is to appoint Supreme Court justices specifically to overturn Roe vs. Wade.

http://www.johnmccain.com/Informing/Issues/95b18512-d5b6-456e-90a2-12028d71df58.htm

It is not negative campaigning to point this out. It is not "dirty" to provide truthful and complete information on the opponent's positions. With the above issue, it is also not negative to mention that no previous modern presidential candidate has admitted that they would select Supreme Court justices based on a "litmus test" of this kind, either for or against an issue. It would be negative, though, to say something like, "John McCain hates women," which would not be productive or influential at all.

Negative campaigning about McCain would include, for example, his age, his personal relationship/marriage issues, his temper, or the Internet-based "Manchurian Candidate" issue. You'll never hear Obama talk about these things, but, instead, you'll hear him honor McCain's military service, then talk about the issues McCain has stated his position on.

Cindy McCain is off limits, other than her public statements, such as her comments about Michelle Obama. The reason is, if the Republicans bait us into attacking Cindy, it will blur the evilness of their attacks on Michelle. We MUST take the high ground, and let the Republicans look like fools throwing their poop at us like chimpanzees as we march proudly to the White House.

The key is, we don't need to go negative to win, and, in fact, it would only serve to hurt us. We're winning now, and we will continue to do so as people finally get to know McCain for who he is now (versus the "maverick" he was in 2000), and as people who were not paying attention to the primary start listening to Obama and learning who he is. We should be positive, hopeful, respectful, and understanding that there are valid other viewpoints than ours, so we can use this new form of campaigning to usher in a new era of politics along with a new President.

The Step Back, Take a Deep Breath Event

2008-06-11T22:30:00.001-04:00

On June 28th, many of us will host or attend a "Unite for Change" house meeting. The "Step Back, Take a Deep Breath Event" is a pre-event event of sorts.

Barack Obama has made it clear that he would rather lose with integrity, than win with a negative, dirty campaign. He has set an example of calm, positive, respectful campaigning that is unprecedented and inspiring, even in light of so many personal attacks against him, his family, his friends, and his supporters. Senator Obama is a model for us as we deal with people in our lives and on the Internet.

The general election has begun. We've just ended an emotional primary. We're up against an opponent more than happy to use old school, negative, dirty campaigning. It is so easy right now to get angry, to respond negatively, to get caught up into a downward spiral of name calling and fighting, even amongst ourselves.

We need to reset, reboot, take a deep breath and restart our brains and our emotions. This "event" is a moment, a few minutes before our house party, to do just that. Wherever you are, close your eyes, take a deep breath, let go of the past, clear your heart, and visualize how you intend to represent Barack Obama during the house party AND for the next five months. Commit to thinking, "What Would Obama Do?" every time you feel the urge to retaliate, whine, attack, or respond-in-kind to negativity.

Republican Operation "whatevers"

2008-06-09T16:44:00.002-04:00

Someone forwarded a link to an interesting article about yet another Republican Operation something that is designed to cause disruption amongst Democrats.

http://www.mydd.com/story/2008/5/18/84042/4327

I witnessed Operation Chaos myself - Rush Limbaugh's plan to disrupt the Democratic Primary by asking Republicans to cross over and vote for Hillary in the Democratic Primary instead of voting in the Republican primary, so I know these things are real. So how do we respond to this?

Remember this - as these people lurk for the sake of hurting us, they're also seeing us be friendly, fair, intelligent and caring. Read Barack Obama's book, The Audacity of Hope, to see how he handles racists comments, etc. These people are simply uninformed. They've been told we "liberals" are elitist godless monsters, and tend to stick to a couple of "news" outlets - FoxNews, Limbaugh, etc. that reinforce those mistaken stereotypes. So this is an opportunity! By doing what Obama would do, being respectful, staying out of baited arguments, giving intelligent discourse, we have the opportunity to reveal ourselves to be who we really are. It's unlikely, but still possible, to move some of these people over while they lurk, or at least diffuse their anger. It's simply another good reason to stay on point and stay positive.

Before you respond to any emotional, divisive post or comment in groups, blogs or forums, ask yourself these things:

1. Could this be a troll (someone who is just trying to cause trouble)?

2. Am I reading this right (often we read into things what the person didn't intend - a weakness of the typed word versus the spoken word)?

3. What would Obama do in the same situation? Would he attack?

Hillary and Positive Campaigning

2008-06-07T17:24:00.004-04:00

As a reformed Republican, I understand the high level of emotions our race against Hillary Clinton created. Senator Obama brought me to the Democratic Party after 27 years as a Republican. It's been 16 months of grueling, face to face, heated campaigning. During this time it's been difficult to remain positive and respectful, as Senator Obama has requested we do.

When our football team wins, we often get in the faces of opposition fans. It's only natural in our competitive society. Just as it's easy to "go negative" against an opponent, it's easy to gloat when we win.

At this moment, though, we are in a different situation. We didn't win against an opposition party, nor against a set of policies we were strongly against. Instead, our candidate was selected over the other candidates, who all had similar positions, within the same party. We're all part of the same team, now with the same goal, to get Senator Obama elected to the Presidency of the United States.

So, in the name of "What Would Obama Do?", I suggest we put the past completely behind us and join with the Hillary supporters who are now Obama supporters. Senator Obama has asked us to do it, and it only makes sense to welcome new team members with open arms. Close your eyes, breathe deep, release the past, and let's move on to November as a unified group.

Yes We Can, Together!

The Past is Past

2008-06-06T20:00:00.005-04:00

After creating this site, I started conversing with some fellow "reformed Republicans" about the old school politics we used in the past. Of course Democrats play the same tricks, but Republicans are pros at the attack ad.

1988 Bush Sr. against Michael Dukakis - The "Get Out of Jail Free" cards we handed out to make it seem that, because Dukakis let Willie Horton out of jail early, he was pro-criminal. ''Mike Dukakis has furloughed more than one murderer per day,'' said the small yellow card. It was headed, as in the game Monopoly, ''Get Out Of Jail Free, Compliments Of Michael Dukakis.'' It went on to say: ''Mike Dukakis is the killer's best friend, and the decent, honest citizens' worst enemy.''
1992 Bush against Clinton - starting with Gennifer Flowers, list is too long to mention.
1996 Dole against Clinton - same ol' same ol', but the added "fun" of attacking Hillary for her health plan, and even rumors of her murdering Vince Foster.
2000 Bush against Gore - Captain Planet, "I invented the Internet," "Lock Box..." All we did was mock him and make him into a cartoon.
2004 Bush against Kerry - Remember Kerry in the "bunny suit?" But it was the swiftboating that is a model for negative campaigning.

I am so excited that Obama has been able to get this far without any personal attacks, rumors, or fake issues (like flag pins). It's inspiring, and I'm enjoying the new political world. When Obama wins this general election, it will be a message to everyone, especially Republicans. However, it appears, based on the Republican Party failing multiple times this season in special elections using dirty politics, that they will not learn. That's okay - because right now we're supporting a Democrat!

Welcome to the WWOD blog

2008-06-03T22:54:00.002-04:00

It's difficult to remain positive during this campaign! Senator Obama wants a new kind of campaign, and has asked his supporters to join him in being positive, respectful, and sticking to the issues. So I've created this site to help us think before we speak, "What Would Obama Do?"

I am a reformed Republican. My family and I have been working on the Obama campaign in Indiana for many months. I've been a supporter since before Senator Obama announced his candidacy, after reading his book, The Audacity of Hope.

As a Republican during past elections I have been a participant in Republican attack-politics, what I call Old School Politics. Through Obama's leadership, I have seen the light, but it's like suddenly never swearing again - not a quick and easy process. Here is what we should NOT do:

Attack other candidate's personal lives or personalities.
Spread rumors or insulting jokes.
Get caught in arguments about "fake" issues like gaffes, pastors, flag pins, etc.
Get angry or confrontational, no matter how others are acting.
Use foul, divisive or racially charged language.

It will be difficult, as I've slipped several times just in the last few weeks. Won't you join me in this new world of positive campaigning?