Alright Barack, I Get It, You Really Love Michigan!

by: philgoblue

Mon Jun 16, 2008 at 21:24:29 PM EDT

Some evidence:

1.  On Saturday, the Obama Campaign announced that Amy Chapman will serve as its Michigan State Director for the general election.

I got to know Amy fairly well (though we only once laid eyes on each other) last year since she was essentially one of the three officially unofficial pre-HQ team for John Edwards.  From my experiences, she's wicked smart, insightful about strategy, very interested in the grassroots and netroots, and loyal to her people.  Obama landed a great asset.

Here's more from Obama's press release (emailed to Michigan supporters on Saturday):

"I'm ready to get to work building a great team in Michigan to put Barack Obama in the White House," Chapman said. "Obama supporters in Michigan are eager to roll up their sleeves and begin the sprint to November because they know that Michigan cannot afford another four years of George Bush's failed economic policies that John McCain is offering.  With the right organization we will be ready for the tough fight ahead so we can elect Barack Obama and the Democratic ticket, keep Michigan blue and bring the change Michigan families deserve."

"Amy brings the expertise of campaigns in Michigan and national campaigns, in addition to years of organizing experience," Obama campaign manager David Plouffe said. "She'll bring an unprecedented general election campaign organization to all corners of Michigan that will involve volunteers and supporters to be a part of changing the way Washington works.  We are inviting Michiganders to join Amy in the effort to work for every vote in the Wolverine state between now and November."

Chapman has held leadership positions in many statewide and national campaigns during her 25 years as a political strategist. She has extensive experience fighting for labor where she served as the National Campaign Director for the AFL-CIO, as well as Political Field Director for SEIU.  She has served as Executive Director for College Democrats of America and worked as Political Director for the League of Conservation Voters. In 1996 and 2002, Chapman was the campaign director for the Michigan Coordinated Campaign.

She will be taking a leave of absence from her current role as Executive Director of Grassroots Democrats, a national organization that builds state Democratic Party infrastructure....

(italics added)

2.  The Obama campaign is opening offices all over Michigan, including West Michigan, including a new office set to open this Thursday.

Muskegon for Obama Campaign Headquarters
3355 Merriam St
Muskegon Heights, MI 49444

I also know about the Grand Rapids Obama Campaign Headquarters
949 Wealthy Street
Suite 201
Grand Rapids, MI 49506
That's between Eastern and Fuller just west of the cornor of Wealthy and Diamond in Eastown.

I've also heard that offices will open in Kalamazoo, Traverse City, Battle Creek, and Berrien County (anyone have those addresses?).

3.  Obama is making numerous visits to Michigan and these visits are high-profile national events.  Including John Edwards' endorsement of Obama in GR a month ago and Al Gore's endorsement of Obama tonight in Detroit.

Campaign's Video of Obama and Edwards in Grand Rapids

by: philgoblue

Thu May 15, 2008 at 23:06:55 PM EDT

The paragraph endorsement:

Pretty much the full Edwards speech, but without Obama's introduction

The full Obama speech

I've talked with at least a dozen folks -- Obama-Democrats, ex-Edwards Democrats, undecideds, etc -- today and they're all fired up for an Obama-Edwards ticket.

I'm really thinking that Edwards speech about change, hope, tearing down walls, One America, healthcare, common good, unions, and bringing our brave soldiers home combined the best of Obama's campaign themes and Edwards' campaign themes.  Even John's presense seemed to make Obama more of an economic populist.  They play well together on a whole lot of levels.  I'll be back for a final wrapup tomorrow -- then it's on to the Kent County Democratic Party Gala.

A final word from Johnny Sunshine

Edwards' Endorsement Speech Transcript

by: philgoblue

Thu May 15, 2008 at 10:36:12 AM EDT

From The New York Times and CQ Transcripts (I've changed the comments in parantheses):

Thank you, thank you. So, the question is -- thank you. Thank you. So the question is what am I doing here? You know, I was promised a jet ski. And I hadn't gotten it yet. I am proud to be here with all of you, proud to be in Michigan, proud to be in Grand Rapids. During the course of this presidential campaign, I've gotten to know the candidates and the top candidates very, very well. We have all been out speaking about the causes that are so near and dear to our heart as Democrats. And now we're here down to two amazing candidates. And before I get too far, I want to take just a minute and say a word about my friend and your friend, Senator Hillary Clinton.

(Smattering of boos from folks who are in the heat of primary passions and who haven't yet realized that Edwards is here to both praise and bury Hillary and endorse Obama, however, they soon figure it out and these are the last boos we hear during the discussion of Senator Clinton)

In the past few weeks, I've got -- past few months and past few weeks -- I've gotten to know Senator Clinton very well. We've talked. We've met in North Carolina. We've talked about the things that she cares about, that every single one of you care about: about the men and women in this country who don't have health care; about the children who don't have health care; about the men and women in America who just want to have a decent job and go to work. We've talked about our own children, our own families.

And what I've learned during that time, and I've gotten to know her very well, is that she believes with every fiber of our being that America can be a better place, and that we need change to make America what it's capable of being. And I want to tell you -- and I know this is hard to understand sometimes -- but it is very, very hard to get up everyday and do what she's done. It is hard to go out there and fight and speak up when the odds turn against you.

And what she has shown, what she has shown, is strength and character. And what drives her is something that every single one of us can and should appreciate. She cares deeply about the working people in this country. She cares about the families who are losing everything because somebody got sick. She cares about our men and women who are putting their lives on the line in Iraq and Afghanistan. This tenacity has shown her strength and her determination. She is a woman who, in my judgment, is made of steel. And she's a leader in this country, not because of her husband, but because of what she has done -- because of speaking out, because of standing up.

(Edwards now moves on to the push for Democratic Party unity -- the reason he hasn't endorsed until now, when the nomination is no longer in reasonable doubt and after most voters have spoken including his fellow North Carolinians who voted for Senator Obama overwhelmingly)

And we, when this nomination battle is over -- and it will be over soon -- brothers and sisters, we must come together as Democrats and, in the fall, stand up for what matters for the future of America and make America what it needs to be. And we are a stronger party, because Hillary Clinton is a Democrat. We are a stronger country because of her years of public service. And we're going to have a stronger presidential nominee in the fall because of her work.

(Looking back on this primary, I couldn't agree more: Edwards encouraged Obama to get specific about change and hope and Hillary got Obama to show his toughness and determination and they both pushed him to more directly emphasize main street economic issues -- we're going to have a great nominee and a better President Obama because of this long, long primary)

Now, what brought all of us here is the profound --

(Cheers: The crowd knows what is coming, that they are in for a treat and that this rally is suddently major national news)

The rest of the speech on the flip.

The General Election Started Tonight in Grand Rapids

by: philgoblue

Thu May 15, 2008 at 00:10:14 AM EDT

Most of y'all know I was a huge, I mean huge, John Edwards supporter for the last five years and always will be, so maybe I overestimate his power, but what he gave tonight was a eulogy for Hillary Clinton and he gave an endorsement which signals the end of the Barack v Hillary campaign and the beginning of the Obama v McBush race.  And it was a eulogy.  There was praise for Senator Clinton, but the subtext was that it was praise for the dearly soon-to-be-departed.

Indeed in speeches that was a mutual love-fest between Edwards and Obama.  Edwards praised Obama as the man who will build One America and Barack continually refered to John in his speech and must have said "John is right" about half a dozen times. I think that we may not only have our nominee, we might have seen our ticket tonight:

Obama-Edwards 2008

And did y'all notice that Edwards came on stage to Bruce Springsteen's song "The Rising."  That's because I recommended it (it is our WMR's themse song afterall) to Johnny yesterday morning when he called me to let me know about about the coming endorsement -- he's a huge fan of West Michigan Rising and came to GR mostly so that the two of us could hang and have beers with Barack. [we no return to reality]

The full Edwards speech trascript is now here.

"And the reason I am here tonight is because the Democratic voters in America have made their choice, and so have I. There is one man who knows and understands that this is a time for bold leadership. There is one man that knows how to create the change, the lasting change, that you have to build from the ground up. There is one man who knows in his heart that it is time to create one America, not two. And that man is Barack Obama."

I did indeed get into the press area -- thanks to the Obama campaign for being so open to bloggers -- and have video and some news as well.  I got there around 4:30 pm and sometime about 5:30 the rumors started that outlets were reporting that Edwards would endorse Obama, then it was Edwards would endorse at 7:00 pm, then ... duh ... Edwards was in the building and was going to endorse Obama right here in Grand Rapids.  However, there were a good number of folks in the crowd who were inside before it broke and didn't get the news.  For them, it was a complete and utter suprise (honestly, I wish I hadn't surmized it beforehand).  FOr me personally, it was a way for me to pass the torch in my home town.  What a long strage trip it's been.

Everyone I talked was mighty impressed by Team Obama's ability to put together this event with three days notice and the strategy that went into the rally.  Clearly, from the introduction from a Lear Jet factory worker whose job is about to be shipped off to Mexico, to the setting in Michigan, to the endorsement by John Edwards and the speeches by Edwards and Obama, the theme of the evening was our Democratic nominee reaching out not just to the state of Michigan but targeting the demographic which has alluded him -- Midwest and Southern, working-class, white males.

I did get a chance to shake John's hand again at the rope-line after the rally and since he stopped, I even had a chance to toss him a question:

"John, are you going to do more stops with Obama soon?"

Edwards answer:

"Note sure, we don't know just yet."

It would be one hell of a smart idea to send them on a little tour of Kentucky together.

By the way, last night on WOOD-TV reporters made it pretty clear that Edwards made his decision and informed Obama this morning.  They did not travel together to Grand Rapids, Obama landed first, probably around 4:30 and then headed to The Van for a private reception.  Edwards came in on a private jet around 5:30 and did not get in early enough to attend the reception.

What you thought of the speeches?

Media and Blog Reports

The WoodTV report
rich's take at MichLib (and  yes, Rich, you should have called it "My night in GR with Barack, Johnny and Phil")
ScottyUrb's report
The Free Press
New York Times, Ex-Rival Edwards Throws His Support to Obama

I'll have my own video up on youtube in a few hours (say around 1:00 pm), in the meantime, here's the CNN feed that DianeS put up on MichLib.