Now the real work begins for Barack Obama, the nation’s Community Organizer in Chief

GoneGator    Politics     Barack Obama, Rudy Giuliani, Sarah Palin

A couple of days before Election Day, I noted the irony of a community organizer ending the Republican hold on the White House, given how Rudy Giuliani and Sarah Palin had mocked Barack Obama’s background to the cheers of thousands at the Republican convention.

Here’s a video reminder:

Obama won the presidency precisely because of his experience as a grass-roots organizer. His campaign harnessed the power of the people — and the Internet, the most democratic medium ever conceived — to inspire a nation and build a populist political machine.

This represents nothing short of a sea change in American politics and hopefully in how the nation governs itself. I think Obama realizes that he is now the nation’s Community Organizer in Chief.

From his victory speech:

The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or even one term, but America – I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there. I promise you – we as a people will get there.

There will be setbacks and false starts. There are many who won’t agree with every decision or policy I make as President, and we know that government can’t solve every problem. But I will always be honest with you about the challenges we face. I will listen to you, especially when we disagree. And above all, I will ask you join in the work of remaking this nation the only way it’s been done in America for two-hundred and twenty-one years – block by block, brick by brick, calloused hand by calloused hand.

The campaign does not end here — it only shifts its focus to fulfilling the promise of change.

To the hundreds of thousands of volunteers, including myself and many friends who pounded the pavement in the closing days: Don’t stop now. Stay active. Organize. Call and write your Congressional representatives as Obama pushes legislation to effect changes we desperately need.

Obama needs our help now more than ever.

Revenge of the community organizer

GoneGator    Politics     Barack Obama, GOP, Rudy Giuliani, Sarah Palin

Remember during the GOP convension when a smarmy Rudy Giuliani and smug Sarah Palin mocked Barack Obama’s background as a community organizer? What a delicious irony that that very experience likely will power Obama to victory over the out-of-touch Republicans.

Of Gators and presidential politics

GoneGator    College Football, Florida Gators, Politics     Barack Obama, Florida Gators, John McCain, Roanoke, Sarah Palin, Virginia

The next five days could be a boom or bust for me personally.

Saturday afternoon, my Florida Gators take on the Georgia Bulldogs in a game that likely will determine the East representative in the SEC Championship Game. Win Saturday, Gators, and you enter the national championship conversation.

Yet as great as that would be, I’d gladly accept a Gators loss in exchange for a Barack Obama victory next Tuesday.

A good friend and I will be canvassing for Obama this weekend in the very red Roanoke, Virginia region. Life as a Democrat here can be disheartening. Last night, while driving through the countryside and mountains that I call home, I counted dozens of McCain/Palin signs in yards and on rear windows. You know how many Obama signs I saw? One.

This is an area Sarah Palin would call the “real America.” You know, folks who love guns, hate all taxes (even those that pay for their schools, roads, medical care, parks, bridges, etc.), and want to bomb the hell out of every last “towel-head” on the planet. Too many still believe Obama is Muslim. That he wants to take their guns away. That he will tax-and-spend the nation into oblivion. They refuse to listen to evidence of the contrary.

Which is why I fully expect my friend and I will not enjoy the response we get to our efforts.

Please don’t get me wrong — I love the people here. They are warm, friendly, hard-working and down-to-earth. I count many McCain supporters among my best friends. I just wish they’d open their minds a bit more.

So undaunted, we will push forward this weekend. Because while I have no expectation of Obama winning in southwest Virginia, I do think he can compete closely enough to impact the statewide results.

So Go Gators.

Go Barack.

Let’s get a two-fer to remember always!