Obama Supporter Team Meeting: Focus Focus Focus!

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.

Hillary and Positive Campaigning

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!

Welcome to the WWOD blog

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?