Upcoming Primaries

[Laurel Scott]

Upcoming Primaries are in Wisconsin (Feb 19), Hawaii (Feb 19), Rhode Island (Mar 4), Texas (Mar 4), Vermont (Mar 4), Ohio (Mar 4), Wyoming (Mar 8) and Mississippi (Mar 11).

If Obama wins either Ohio or Texas, in all liklihood, he wins the whole enchilada. Hillary is expected to win in Texas in large part because Latinos like her. They like her because the remember the good ol' days of the Bill Clinton administration. With more information, they may be pursuaded to change their minds. This is where we can make a real difference. The campaign needs Spanish speakers to make phone calls and canvass. If you do not live in Texas, you can make calls from anywhere. If you live in any of the states listed above, you can volunteer to canvass.

To make calls from anywhere in the US to Spanish speakers in Texas:
http://my.barackobama.com/page/contact/splash/calltxspanish

To go to a local event:
http://my.barackobama.com/page/event/search_simple

[Laurel Scott]

Hillary has already started campaigning in Texas. To me, this indicates: (a) Texas is important, (b) she's worried about not winning Texas, and (c) she doesn't seem to care much about Hawaii or Wisconsin.

If I were you, LauraFern, I'd be pissed. Hillary is ignoring you.

Barack, on the other hand, is in Wisconsin tonight. Maybe LauraFern is there now.

[Laurel Scott]

We're always talking about how the law needs to change. Getting the law changed will be a multi-step process. I believe that electing Obama is the first step. Now is the time to take some action for your situation.

Think of all the times you felt helpless, like what was happening in your life was beyond your control. Think about how you would do anything to get your husband or wife 'legal' or do anything to get him or her back. Now is your chance to do something. When you are making those calls or knocking on doors, your ultimate goal is to help your family. And that's why you need to do this. This is the first chance you've had in a long time to do something about the way things are.

[felixthecat]

Thank you Lauren for posting about this.

If anyone knows how hard this all is, you do. You have seen a lot of suffering.
Good for you for promoting the change we all are hoping for.

[losguerra]

We're always talking about how the law needs to change. Getting the law changed will be a multi-step process. I believe that electing Obama is the first step. Now is the time to take some action for your situation.

When you are making those calls or knocking on doors, your ultimate goal is to help your family. And that's why you need to do this. This is the first chance you've had in a long time to do something about the way things are.

Way more useful than any petition or protest rally. Obama is a force that will unite people and inspire Americans to do the right thing. Unfortunately protest rallies, taking refuge in churches, and signing petitions hasn't had that effect, because people's hearts must be softened, and these actions only served to harden them more.

Obama, on the other hand, has the ability to help us look beyond the present and see the better future we can help to create. Or at least so I hope.

[Laurel Scott]

Thank you Lauren for posting about this

What's my name?

[milliesmom]

What's my name?

Laurie?

[losguerra]

What's my name?

No, no, it's Laura.:wink:

[felixthecat]

sorry...I have a cousin named Lauren and that just slipped out.
I know it is Laurel.

[felixthecat]

damn edit button ;)

[Laurel Scott]

You can write "damn", but you can't write "spice"?

[Laurel Scott]

Oh, hey you can write "spice" now. They fixed it.

[felixthecat]

:D

[felixthecat]

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/APStories/stories/D8UOD1200.html

Hispanic vote crucial in Texas' Democratic primary

02/11/2008
By KELLEY SHANNON / Associated Press

It's known as President Bush's home turf, a red state, Republican ruled.

That familiar image of Texas is turning a shade of blue with its March 4 Democratic presidential primary and the legions of new, urban and minority voters choosing between Sens. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.

Hispanic support is crucial for Democrats in Texas, where 228 delegates are up for grabs and Latinos could comprise up to half of Democratic votes on primary day.

The Clinton and Obama campaigns are beginning to hit Texas hard. Clinton will campaign in El Paso on Tuesday and San Antonio, Corpus Christi and the Rio Grande Valley on Wednesday to shore up her Hispanic support. Her campaign also planned to begin television ads in Texas in Spanish and English.

Obama's campaign announced Monday it's launching television ads throughout Texas focusing on health care, Clinton's signature issue. The ads will begin on English-language stations Tuesday, and his campaign said he would begin Spanish-language advertising soon.

"Texas is about to become the center of the electoral universe," said state Rep. Juan Garcia of Corpus Christi, an Obama supporter. "It's going to be a robust, historic trip through the state."

Obama, who Garcia said would visit Texas later this month, will have to fight to overcome years of groundwork laid by the Clinton family.

Former President Bill Clinton is so popular in South Texas that his photograph hangs in many Mexican restaurants, an honor often reserved for favorite local politicians or a portrait of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Mexico's patron saint.

Hillary Clinton boasts of her own ties to Texas Democrats, dating back to her work for the ill-fated George McGovern presidential campaign in 1972.

At a memorial service for the late Texas Gov. Ann Richards in 2006, Clinton drew laughs and cheers when she spoke of her fondness for the beer and hippie music joints of Austin during the McGovern campaign: "We did have a good time ... What happens in Austin stays in Austin when it came to that campaign."

Obama may be relatively new to Texans, but he held two well-attended rallies in the past year in Austin, the state's most liberal city. He's also been lining up notable supporters in Houston and Dallas.

Television time won't be cheap in this state of 23 million people. Typically it costs $1 million per week to wage a statewide political advertising campaign that saturates the approximately two dozen TV markets in Texas.

In the Republican race, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee came out of positive showings in weekend races and said he's staying in, even though Arizona Sen. John McCain has a solid delegate lead.

Texas Gov. Rick Perry — a McCain supporter — asked Huckabee to drop out after Super Tuesday. Huckabee does well with social conservatives who tend to control the state GOP and who are unhappy with Perry for recent legislative and political maneuvers they deemed out of step with their values.

Both Democratic candidates' campaign staffers have been arriving in Texas the past few days and are setting up operations in major Texas cities.

Up-and-coming Latino state Rep. Rafael Anchia of Dallas and state Reps. Norma Chavez of El Paso, Dora Olivo of Rosenberg and Garcia all support Obama as does much of the black establishment, including former Dallas Mayor Ron Kirk and U.S. Rep. Al Green of Houston. U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, a black longtime congresswoman from Houston, backs Clinton.

Affection for her husband and Clinton's success with Latino voters in California, New York and the Southwest give her an advantage, but Obama has time to catch up, said Lydia Camarillo, vice president of the Southwest Voter Registration Education Project in San Antonio.

"The Hispanic vote is very traditional. It is Hillary's right now. But he's made some gains," Camarillo said, referring to Obama's showing in earlier primaries and caucuses.

Some Latino voters could be swayed by Obama's support by the Kennedy family, said political science professor Jerry Polinard at the University of Texas-Pan American in Edinburg. But those endorsements have not helped him significantly in other states with large Latino populations, including California, where first lady Maria Shriver is a Kennedy, or the Kennedy home state of Massachusetts, won by Clinton.

"He's going to have difficulty cracking her stranglehold on the Latino vote," Polinard said. "She is well connected."

Clinton has support from U.S. Reps. Silvestre Reyes, Henry Cuellar, Ruben Hinojosa and Solomon Ortiz and former San Antonio Mayor Henry Cisneros — a former Clinton Cabinet member — and prominent Houston politician Carol Alvarado.

Both also have prominent black and white endorsements.

"Barack Obama is black, but his support is universal," said state Rep. Garnet Coleman, a black Houston legislator who backs Obama. He says he wants to dispel the stereotype that black and Hispanic voters are divided and won't gravitate to the same candidate. "Everyone's virtues are going to be tested in terms of can they support people not exactly like themselves."

Clinton organizer Garry Mauro, a former Texas land commissioner, said either candidate can do well with black and Hispanic Texas voters if they pay attention to the culture of the groups. He noted that the late Houston congressman Mickey Leland, who was black and grew up in a black and Hispanic neighborhood, enjoyed Latino support.

Kirk pulled in support from business people and the black and Hispanic communities to be elected mayor of Dallas in 1995. He later drew Hispanic support to defeat fellow Democrat Victor Morales in a 2002 runoff for his party's U.S. Senate nomination.

Latinos comprise 36 percent of Texas' population. By far, most are Mexican-American, some whose families have been in the country for hundreds of years. Twelve percent of the state's population is black.

"Unlike other states — most states — our Hispanic community has been engaged in the Democratic Party for quite some time," Mauro said.

The GOP has held all statewide offices in Texas since 1998 and Democrats have been struggling to rebuild with help from the Latino vote. In Dallas County last year, thanks in large part to the growing Latino electorate, Democrats swept all 42 county judicial races and six other countywide offices. And the state's largest city, Houston, is mostly Democratic.

Twenty percent, or 2.6 million, of registered voters in Texas, have Hispanic surnames, according to the latest figures available from the Secretary of State's Office. Texans don't reveal race or ethnicity when registering to vote.

Education, health care and the economy are likely to be leading issues for Hispanic voters in the primary. Immigration is certainly a concern, particularly in South Texas, where binational traffic is common and where opposition to a border fence is vehement.

Clinton and Obama don't have many differences when it comes to immigration. Both voted for the 2006 bill that proposed a conditional path to citizenship for immigrants; both supported the border fence.

The two have bickered over granting drivers' licenses to undocumented immigrants. Obama has said he favors it. Clinton hedged at first but now says she doesn't.

Those issues are likely to emerge when the candidates debate in Texas, as they have said they will, before the March primary.

___

Kelley Shannon has covered Texas politics and government based in Austin since 2000.

[helloyou]

I just signed up on the website to make calls to Texas. It's easy. They really need spanish speakers for Texas. If you can't speak spanish they have other opportunities. Really Obama is our best shot at reform we have to do this now.

[Laurel Scott]

If you're making calls to a Spanish speaker in Texas and they seem to be pro-reform, be SURE to bring up the driver's license issue. That's a key one where Obama and Clinton differ. Texas is one of those many states where you have to prove immigration status to get a license. The people who vote, obviously, are citizens. But many of them - especially if they prefer to speak Spanish - have family who are not citizens. And if you wind up on the phone with someone who isn't a USC, talk to them about joining the phone effort and the canvassing effort.

[LilB]

Let us know how all of your phone calls are going...

[IBMMuseum]

"...The two have bickered over granting drivers' licenses to undocumented immigrants. Obama has said he favors it. Clinton hedged at first but now says she doesn't..."

I favor granting drivers' licenses to people that have proven they can competently drive, no matter their immigration or citizenship status...

Have a voter's card for those citizens that can vote...

And a passport for those travelling, even domestically...

New Mexico has their system set up exactly that way right now...

[felixthecat]

bump...

anybody make calls?
how'd it go?

my spanish sucks or I would
(I'm afraid people would think Obama supporters are idiots if they heard me ;))

[christytorres]

Ok Hilary is in the next town to me, and people have been waiting since 6am for her to arrive at 8am..She is in Mcallen, Texas..lets see what happens...??? Thanks Laurel for sharing...

[Laurel Scott]

my spanish sucks or I would
(I'm afraid people would think Obama supporters are idiots if they heard me )


Same here.

[felixthecat]

bump

and watch this video of Obama talking about immigration
(notice he consistantly brings up "10 years" being too long to wait)
http://www.barackobama.com/issues/immigration/

[Laura]

Hillary has already started campaigning in Texas. To me, this indicates: (a) Texas is important, (b) she's worried about not winning Texas, and (c) she doesn't seem to care much about Hawaii or Wisconsin.

If I were you, LauraFern, I'd be pissed. Hillary is ignoring you.

Barack, on the other hand, is in Wisconsin tonight. Maybe LauraFern is there now.

LOL - I am on the beach in Mexico right now.... but I´ll be back by Tuesday. No one can campaign everywhere, but I´m voting for BO regardless.

[Laurel Scott]

Must be refreshing to actually vacation in Mexico with your husband.

[Laurel Scott]

Oh! Just saw a Hillary commercial. That was the first commercial I've seen for either Hillary or Barack here in the Houston market (I've seen lots of Ron Paul for some reason). In the commercial Hillary is pushing healthcare, holding babies, and hugging Latinos.

[cm21om25]

Chelsea Clinton was here near my town yesterday and Hilary came today. I saw it in the newspaper.

I am not a political person but when it comes to the presidential elections I try to pay attention. I never thought I would ever vote but this last time I didn't want Bush for president again so I voted against him. This time I will vote again and so far it will be for Obama.

[Glühbirne]

If someone were to call me on the phone or knock on my door to tell me to vote for a certain candidate, that wouldn't do anything to change my mind. If anything, it would just make me mad that the person had the nerve to disturb me during my personal private time.

I personally do not think that sort of volunteering is a good idea at all. Pounce on me all you want for my pessimism....LOL Just had to say something.

[Laurel Scott]

Canvassing is more than that. You're not only talking about the candidates, you're also making sure the person knows when and where to go to vote and you're making sure they have transportation (especially important for the elderly). If the person isn't registered to vote, you give them a voter registration form and tell them its too late for the Primaries, but if they register now, they can vote in the generals. You do all this even if they clearly state they intend to vote for the other candidate because what's most important is that they participate in the process.

[sinfronteras]

Canvassing is more than that. You're not only talking about the candidates, you're also making sure the person knows when and where to go to vote and you're making sure they have transportation (especially important for the elderly). If the person isn't registered to vote, you give them a voter registration form and tell them its too late for the Primaries, but if they register now, they can vote in the generals. You do all this even if they clearly state they intend to vote for the other candidate because what's most important is that they participate in the process.

That is a good point. It is really important to get people involve on the procces. I work as an inspector & a poll worker, & I have been fighting all this years to make that they a holiday. Should be a day off in the US, no work, create that tradition to got & vote. Some employers do not even make the time for their employees to go & vote. It happens on my company. I had let them know, hey is my right. And what you are doing is against the law. Making it a holiday will increase the amount of voters. Is not only a big part of the Hispanic community that don't vote, there is part of the white community that does not, some African Americans, elderly that has no transportation,etc,etc,etc,...

Now, Gue..I am with you on the calling. I have no time to call people & talk about my candidate. And I will do exactly the same if someone call me.

And about working on the elections, I have seen things, well, if I tell you I never end, It is a dissaster. Starting that a big % of the persons that work are not qualified. Something common is that the # of electors that voters does not match in ths book with the machine. Meaning are void.

[sinfronteras]

I mean, that DAY a holiday, not that they & in the proccess:lol:
Edit button please....

[Ana Maria Schwartz]

Well it seems to be ground zero here in Austin in terms of politics. I, like Laurel, am volunteering for the Obama campaign. They have their state-wide headquarters here a block away from my new office. Funny enough it's across the street from Texas State Republican headquarters.

Today they opened up the Obama headquarters and they said they were expecting around 1,500 people to show up. They probably got twice that and they definitely got over 2,000. They'll probably have numbers tomorrow. People were trained on being district leaders and Cory Booker, the mayor of Newark, came to speak and fire everyone up.

The Clinton people also opened their headquarters today and while they were expecting fewer people for the opening they were expecting boatloads for when Bill Clinton turned up to speak tonight. He held two separate rallies and they estimate around 3,600 people showed up. So all in all a good day for Obama's camp I think- they just opened the place up to volunteers and they got half of what Bill Clinton got at two rallies. I know that America Ferrera (aka Ugly Betty) is going to be here tomorrow also to speak on Clinton's behalf at (strangely) a local bar.

Then on Thursday Austin will be in the spotlight for the great debate! Tickets are impossible to get. They opened it up to 100 people and in a few hours with no advance notice I think 26,000 people put their names in for the chance to get one ticket. My boyfriend and I have been asked by the Obama campaign to attend a pre-debate rally in front of the building where it's being held but we're thinking a better use of our time will be to go to the official Obama viewing party at Scholz Beergarden and relax there.

It's a really exciting time here! And while I've worked in professional politics before I have never seen as energized and organized a campaign as Obama's. It's really impressive.

Annie

[Laurel Scott]

The Precinct Captain trainings in Fort Bend County were hastily thrown together in less than a week, yet they had such overwhelming response that had to add a third training. After the first training they sent out emails asking people who don't mind walking to park in an adjacent lot because at the first training they completely ran out of parking. All this in what is supposed to be Hillary territory. I've also done political work before and I have NEVER, NEVER seen anything like this.

The Precinct Captain training had a strong contingency of African-American supporters, but also lots of white people of all ages. There were some Latinos, some Asians and some Middle Eastern people - I noted at least one who was veiling - but considering that Latinos are a plurality in the area, I think they were somewhat under-represented. We really need to hit the Latino neighborhoods.

Tuesday Obama is having a rally in Houston. Its free, but invitation only and invites have to immediately respond to get an e-ticket. I'm one of the lucky ones with an e-ticket!!!! Very, very excited!!

[Ana Maria Schwartz]

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=19055513

I thought this was great! It's just a view from the ground in Wisconsin. Warning: someone calls Obama "the black boy" around two minutes in. But they're pretty nice about it!

[Laura]

Here's a good article from Salon about Wisconsin (http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2008/02/19/wisconsin/). It kind of annoys me how much they focus on the bowling and beer culture, but it's interesting nonetheless. I'm going to vote in 2 hours.

[Ana Maria Schwartz]

Here's a good article from Salon about Wisconsin. It kind of annoys me how much they focus on the bowling and beer culture, but it's interesting nonetheless. I'm going to vote in 2 hours.

Laurafern! Where's the article?

And the NPR piece made me hungry for pie! My friend from Wisconsin usually just misses squeaky cheese.

Have fun voting!!! Let us know how it is over there!

[Laura]

Okay I added it up there.

Here too:

http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2008/02/19/wisconsin/

[olafgypsy]

OK, this is totally cheesy, but I just got choked up watching the video on Obama's website where he's talking about immigration policy . . . he just expressed all of the things I've been thinking about this issue for a long time now. Someone who has a real shot at the presidency thinks these things too! That's really heartening :thumbup:

BUT: What will happen IF he gets elected? Will he be able to stand firm against a public and politicians who disagree with him, often in virulently xenophobic terms? Will immigration reform even be an issue on the policy-making radar? I've read lots of articles talking about how immigration isn't a priority issue for most voters this election, which means that it certainly won't top the list of priorities for senators and representatives up for re-election.

In addition to supporting candidates who are pro-immigration reform, we've got to MAKE IMMIGRATION REFORM A PRIORITY ISSUE for EVERYBODY. I think most people just don't realize how much this issue affects them and people they know. How can we educate?

[felixthecat]

In addition to supporting candidates who are pro-immigration reform, we've got to MAKE IMMIGRATION REFORM A PRIORITY ISSUE for EVERYBODY. I think most people just don't realize how much this issue affects them and people they know. How can we educate?

I have been having this discussion about how to get more media attention to our plight here (my idea was to write Oprah)...
http://immigrate2us.net/forum/showthread.php?t=9773

but it seems that some members feels that attention would have backlash and make things worse.

I am really curious if that is the way most people here feel....
hmmm...
I think I post a poll.

[LilB]

The Oprah thing can be a full blown discussion. I personally agree with it. It just has to be approached the right way. It's what advocacy is all about. To get people educated. Right on. I got ur back.

[Laurel Scott]

LaureFern! I think that's the first photo I've seen of you and Mr. Laura. You guys look like a great couple!

[Laura]

Haha.. thanks. We never take pictures of each other, but on vacation we did, mostly because there was a third person with us. The funniest thing is that Fermin refuses to smile in photos... he'll be smiling and then as soon as the camera comes out he makes a real serious face. It's ridiculous. Anyway, I still like this picture of us though.

[sdeb]

How do I get a "I vote for John McCain" Logo on my signature?? LOL

[Laura]

I bet if you go to his campaign site you will find all sorts of graphics for use on forums.