Women For Barack Obama
Here is a guest post from Olivia Morgan of Women For Obama. Thank you so much Olivia, for your contribution to The Political Voices of Women as a guest blogger.
“What I am hearing from women across the country is that they are looking for a leader who will put them first, who will remember that balancing work and family is a challenge for millions. When our leaders forget that fact we lose focus on what is important. The values I learned as the son of a single mother, as the grandson of a strong Midwestern woman and from my wife and two daughters are a not only a part of who I am, but a part of what keeps me fighting for change in this country.” ~ Barack Obama
Every Democratic candidate for President claims leadership on issues of concern to women. But Barack Obama offers a lifelong history of taking on the tough battles, regardless of the politics, to deliver real progress on behalf of those who most need a voice.
Hundreds of thousands of women across the country have been drawn to Barack’s message of hope and change, his record of fighting for equality for all people, and his non-divisive approach to leadership. On Tuesday, women leaders in early-voting states critical to winning the Democratic primary kicked off state Women for Obama leadership committees.
To learn more about why so many women believe their interests and our country’s interests will be best served by sending Barack to the White House, to meet other supporters, hear their stories and share your own, please visit www.women.barackobama.com
Last Tuesday, over 700 women leaders from across the country participated in a conference call with Michelle Obama, part of the day’s launch of Women for Obama leadership committees in nine states holding primaries on February 5th. The state committees join similar structures in New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina set up to lead a national network of 20,000 women who are organizing on behalf of Barack Obama.
Michelle described the energy she’s been feeling on the ground in Iowa (she was on her way to her 6th Iowa campaign event of the day, in Indianola), and how excited people are about Barack’s candidacy once they have a chance to hear him speak and get a sense of what he stands for.
“People aren’t asking for much,” she told women on the call. “They want to know that if they work hard they’ll earn a decent living, that their kids can get an education and opportunities, and that if they get sick they won’t be bankrupted.” “People want change,” Michelle said, and are drawn to Barack because he is, “the kind of man who never takes the easy road or tells the easy truth.”
Women for Obama efforts have been going strong for months in the crucial early-voting states of Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina. Yesterday new efforts were kicked off in Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri and New Jersey. And the California Women for Obama group just launched its third organization in San Diego, adding to existing efforts in Los Angeles and Oakland.
And all these efforts aren’t going unnoticed: the launch led the evening news in California’s Bay Area, the Aurora Sun Sentinel described the Colorado kick off (“Obama mamas kick off efforts in Aurora”), a local TV station covered the launch in Phoenix, and the Columbia Tribune posted news of the Missouri kick off on their web site.
On the conference call, Michelle emphasized the importance of the Women for Obama organizations to Barack’s nomination. “February 5th states are going to be key,” she said, “And women’s support is going to be key.” From Boise to Birmingham, women from all of these crucial states gathered yesterday to strategize and organize. Inspiration included viewing a new video focused on women put out by the campaign.
Since the launch of Women for Obama in April, the group has played a key role in Barack Obama’s campaign for President. By focusing on fundraising, grassroots and online organizing, Women for Obama has built a network of women who will play an instrumental role in sending Barack Obama to the White House.
