barackobama

Message from Barack: "How this happened"

2008-11-05T21:18:00Z

Before his Election Night speech last night, Barack sent out this message to suppporters:

I'm about to head to Grant Park to talk to everyone gathered there, but I wanted to write to you first.
We just made history.
And I don't want you to forget how we did it.
You made history every single day during this campaign -- every day you knocked on doors, made a donation, or talked to your family, friends, and neighbors about why you believe it's time for change.
I want to thank all of you who gave your time, talent, and passion to this campaign. We have a lot of work to do to get our country back on track, and I'll be in touch soon about what comes next.
But I want to be very clear about one thing...
All of this happened because of you.
Thank you,
Barack

Vote Today!!

2008-11-04T14:59:00Z

Today is Election Day. Polls are open across the country, and people are already making their voices heard for change.

Now it's your turn. Get out today and VOTE. You don't want to be the only one of your friends who didn't vote in this pivotal election.

Find or confirm your polling location now:

http://www.voteforchange.com

Bring friends with you to the polls. Make sure everyone you know votes for Barack Obama and Joe Biden!

Martha @ Obama HQ

(If you have any questions or issues about voting, please call 877-874-6226)

Will you join Barack on Election Night?

2008-10-31T21:44:00Z

Barack just sent out this email...

Friend --

I want you to be there with me on Election Night when the results come in.

We're planning a big event that will include tens of thousands of supporters in Grant Park in downtown Chicago.

We're saving some of the best seats in the house for 5 people who make their first donation to the campaign before Sunday at midnight, as well as 5 people who have given before, but decide to make a donation one last time.

If you're selected, you can bring a guest, and we'll fly you in and put you up in a hotel for the night. You'll go backstage at the big event and -- no matter what happens -- you'll have a front row seat to history as we celebrate the supporters who got us over the finish line.

Any donation counts -- whatever you can afford. Show your support at this crucial time with a donation, and you could join me on Election Night:

https://donate.barackobama.com/frontrow

This movement for change has been a testament to the power of ordinary Americans coming together to achieve extraordinary things.

I look forward to having you there on Election Night.

Thank you,

Barack

One Week to Go

2008-10-28T16:29:00Z

Over the last weeks, I have focused on specific issues of how Senator Obama is the best candidate to improve the lives of Americans with disabilities. Now that we have one week to go, I want to summarize the key differences between Senators Obama and McCain. This summary leaves no doubt that if you want a President who will change lives and empower Americans with disabilities, you need to vote to make Barack Obama your next President.

INDEPENDENT LIVING

Barack Obama is a co-sponsor of the Community Choice Act (“CCA”), which provides people with disabilities the supports they need to live independently in their communities
He also is a supporter of the Community Living Assistance Services and Support (“CLASS”) Act.
You can view Senator Obama verbally stating his support for these legislative actions at: http://www.barackobama.com/issues/disabilities/
Senator McCain is not a supporter of the Community Choice Act because he claims the CCA will cost too much. You can view his statements at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQ5ewmjhkZ4

EDUCATION

We should heavily invest in early intervention educational and developmental programs for children between zero and five so Barack Obama will invest $10 billion per year for this effort.
That’s why he strongly supports full funding of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (“IDEA”), so that elementary and secondary students with disabilities will get the free and appropriate education they should have received.
Congress promised to fund up to 40% of the states’ excess costs for educating special education students, but has funded only 17% to date.
Barack Obama will start a new chapter for Americans with disabilities by ensuring full enforcement of the IDEA and the protection of students’ and parents’ rights.
Senator McCain has repeatedly voted against full funding of IDEA.

ADA AND EMPLOYMENT

We must end discrimination and increase the employment rate of persons with disabilities.
Barack Obama was an original co-sponsor of the recently enacted ADA Amendments Act, which will effectively overturn those Supreme Court decisions that wrongly narrowed the Americans with Disabilities Act.
To ensure the effectiveness of this new legislation, he will appoint judges who will respect the laws that are designed to protect and empower Americans with disabilities.
Senator McCain has promised to appoint the same type of strict-constructionist judges that narrowly interpreted the original intent of the ADA, which necessitated the passing of the ADA Amendments Act.
Barack Obama also will increase funding to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the federal agency charged with ADA employment discrimination enforcement so that the EEOC can fully prosecute cases of discrimination.
Also, an Obama administration will lead the way by hiring more federal employees with disabilities and encouraging private-sector companies to employ more workers with disabilities and do a better job accommodating their employees with disabilities.
Specifically, Barack Obama will reinstate Executive Order 13173, which had a mandate of hiring 100,000 federal employees with disabilities within five years.
Notably, Senator McCain has set forth no policies to improve the employment rate for persons with disabilities.

HEALTH CARE

Barack Obama will sign universal health care legislation by the end of his first term in office.
Americans with disabilities will have quality, affordable, portable coverage so they can take a job without fear of losing their health insurance.
Obama understands that coverage for pre-existing conditions is critical for Americans with disabilities, which is why under his universal health insurance plan, insurance companies will not be able to stop individuals from getting coverage even if they have pre-existing conditions and disabilities.
On the other hand, Senator McCain’s plan will continue to allow insurance companies to discriminate on the basis of pre-existing conditions.
Obama fully supported the recent passage of the Paul Wellstone Mental Health and Addiction Equity Act of 2007 so that coverage for serious mental illnesses is provided on the same terms and conditions as other illnesses and diseases.
Obama will fully fund the VA so that veterans who are recruited and deployed to serve our country have the health care they deserve.

Why Barack Obama is Best for People with Disabilities

2008-10-21T16:16:00Z

There has been a lot of discussion about personal connections to the disability community. I wanted to make sure you knew that Barack Obama has multiple personal connections to our community, which will help guide his policies and plans to improve the lives of all Americans with disabilities.

Accordingly, I am posting the following op-ed written by Mike Strautmanis, a long-time close personal friend of Barack and Michelle as well as the former Chief Counsel in Barack’s Senate office. Mike has a son who is on the autism spectrum. I think this op-ed will help crystallize that Barack Obama is the candidate for all Americans with disabilities, not only because he has a detailed four-part Plan to Empower Americans with Disabilities, but also because he understands the barriers that need to be broken down to level the playing field for people in our community and is personally committed to the government breaking down those barriers.

Op-ed by Mike Strautmanis, Congressional Affairs for Obama for America from Washington D.C., former Chief Counsel to Barack Obama’s Senate office

My son Jori has a disability. He is on the Autism Spectrum. Jori is a daily gift to our family, but we face challenges. Fortunately, Jori has a friend named Barack Obama. Literally. Barack has watched Jori grow up. He stands by Jori, his mother, and me as we struggle with the barriers society places in the way of people with disabilities. Every American with a disability, or who has a loved one with a disability, should be fortunate enough to have a friend --- or even a President --- like Barack Obama.

I want our country to provide support to families like mine --- the families who face the practical, financial, and emotional challenges of a loved one with a disability. Jori has taught Barack about these challenges. These days, I work on the Obama-Biden campaign after serving on Barack’s Senate staff as his Chief Counsel since he arrived in Washington. But long before that, Barack and I were friends. He and Michelle have been a big part of our family’s life and a great help to my wife and me. To them, Jori is not a statistic; he’s a kid they see around town or at the office. They see how our family, which has more advantages than many, struggles to help Jori to get the care he needs, which is sometimes more than a loving family can provide, and the education he deserves, but few public schools have the resources to deliver.

When Barack gives a friendly hello to Jori, he shows his kindness; when he accommodates my schedule to enable me to be a fully engaged parent, he shows that he understands what families like ours go through. He understands that as a leader, he has an obligation to help us to keep all of America’s promises to our loved ones and give us the tools we need as parents to ensure that our children won’t be shortchanged.

As President, Barack will begin by creating a new White House post: Assistant to the President for Disability Policy. He will press Congress to pass the CLASS Act and the Community Choice Act to help Americans with disabilities to choose to live independently in the community and to help them pay for the direct care workers, assistive technology and other tools that make independent, community-based living possible. For our children, Barack will continue his fight for full funding of IDEA so that students with disabilities are assured of a free appropriate public education. Barack agrees that funding IDEA at less than half its authorized level is a disgrace, but he also understands that merely wringing more money out of Congress is not enough. His Secretary of Education will fully implement and enforce IDEA. Local school districts’ foot-dragging and resistance to IDEA, denying teachers what they need to serve kids with disabilities in the most inclusive possible setting, will no longer be tolerated.

It’s easy for me to say that my friend Barack will do these things, but this isn’t just friendship talking. I know he will do the right thing, for two reasons. First, there is his record: As an Illinois state senator Barack Obama sponsored legislation that created an autism spectrum diagnosis program, designed to implement evidence-based best practices. Barack worked with Illinois families to build the Easter Seals academic programs that prepare students for independent living. Moreover, Barack helped pass Illinois’ mental health parity law as a State Senator. Barack understands that we need universal screening, education and early intervention strategies for all children, but especially children with disabilities. That’s why he intends to provide $10 billion per year in funding for developmental programs serving children between birth and age five. Barack has long supported the Family and Medical Leave Act; as President, he will expand it and help the states create paid leave systems to ease the tough choices that are faced every day by working families providing support to a disabled member.

But there is a second reason that I have faith that a President Obama will fight for people with disabilities, and one that I find more compelling: I have seen Barack Obama with my son and other people with disabilities. I have seen how he puts his arm on Jori’s shoulder, how he smiles at Jori and speaks to him as the person that he is. I see his understanding that Jori and every other American with a disability is a fellow child of God with potential worth developing and dignity worth protecting. I see this and I know that Barack understands why I would do anything to secure real opportunity for that precious child, why any parent in my place would do the same. I see that Barack Obama comprehends all of that, and he wants to help us get there. And I know that if we can help Barack Obama to get to the White House, he will do more than any President ever has done to help those of us who love and care for loved ones with disabilities to achieve everything they can achieve. I know this man. So does Jori. And he gives us hope.

Obama vs. McCain

2008-10-16T16:04:00Z

Doug Rogers, Deputy Disability Vote Director for Obama for America, recently spoke at a Candidates’ Forum in Ohio on October 12-13. He filed this amazing report:

October 12: Athens, Ohio

I appeared at a Disability Forum in Athens, Ohio before around 30 individuals. McCain did not send a representative, but Donna M. Jones, National Coordinator, Americans with Disabilities for McCain Coalition, sent an e-mail to Margaret Demko, one of the organizers for the event, explaining why the McCain campaign did not send a representative. Her e-mail, which was read to the entire gathering and made public, stated, among other things:

"[T]he McCain Campaign does not have a vetted disability policy to release at this time. I also do not have any further information on when we might be releasing a platform discussing the Senator's stance on issues that relate to people with disabilities. I understand that in this contentious political season, the needs of people with disabilities must be addressed as part of the policy conversation. It is my hope that we will be able to release a vetted policy from Senator McCain in the near future. That being said, I will not be able to send a surrogate to discuss a policy Senator McCain has not approved."

This statement by the McCain campaign reflects one important reason I support Senator Obama. Over a year ago in 2007, Senator Obama released his comprehensive Plan to Empower Americans with Disabilities. And, over a year later, Senator McCain still has not set forth any plan for Americans with disabilities. We are 23 days from electing the next President who will have a significant impact on Americans with disabilities in terms of health care, employment, education, independent living and many other important supports and services. I want a President who took the time to care enough and recognized the importance of setting forth detailed policies for our community of steps the federal government should take to empower Americans with disabilities. I do not want a President who 23 days before the election still has not released a plan for the disability community.

Their respective records are consistent with the Obama Plan and the McCain lack of plan. Senator Obama voted to extend the SCHIP program to provide health insurance to millions of currently uninsured children, many with disabilities, whereas Senator McCain voted against extending the SCHIP program. Senator Obama voted for full funding for IDEA, whereas Senator McCain has voted against full funding at least three times. Senator Obama is a co-sponsor of the Community Choice Act, whereas Senator McCain opposes the Community Choice Act.

Senator Obama's Economic Rescue Plan for the Middle Class

2008-10-13T21:34:00Z

Senator Obama delivered a major economic policy address to lay out his economic rescue plan for the middle class in Toledo, Ohio this afternoon.

He unveiled his Economic Rescue Plan for The Middle Class. This is a comprehensive four-part plan to deal with the immediate crisis that builds on proposals he has previously announced and includes several major new ideas.

We can’t wait to help workers and families and communities who are struggling right now – who don’t know if their job or their retirement will be there tomorrow; who don’t know if next week’s paycheck will cover this month’s bills. We need to pass an economic rescue plan for the middle-class and we need to do it now. Today I’m proposing a number of steps that we should take immediately to stabilize our financial system, provide relief to families and communities, and help struggling homeowners. It’s a plan that begins with one word that’s on everyone’s mind, and it’s spelled J-O-B-S.

We’ve already lost three-quarters of a million jobs this year, and some experts say that unemployment may rise to 8% by the end of next year. We can’t wait until then to start creating new jobs. That’s why I’m proposing to give our businesses a new American jobs tax credit for each new employee they hire here in the United States over the next two years.

We will also save one million jobs by creating a Jobs and Growth Fund that will provide money to states and local communities so that they can move forward with projects to rebuild and repair our roads, our bridges, and our schools. A lot of these projects and these jobs are at risk right now because of budget shortfalls, but this fund will make sure they continue.

...At a time when the ups and downs of the stock market have rarely been so unpredictable and dramatic, we also need to give families and retirees more flexibility and security when it comes to their retirement savings. ...Since so many Americans will be struggling to pay the bills over the next year, I propose that we allow every family to withdraw up to 15% from their IRA or 401(k) – up to a maximum of $10,000 – without any fine or penalty throughout 2009. This will help families get through this crisis without being forced to make painful choices like selling their homes or not sending their kids to college.

...For those Americans in danger of losing their homes, today I’m also proposing a three-month moratorium on foreclosures. If you are a bank or lender that is getting money from the rescue plan that passed Congress, and your customers are making a good-faith effort to make their mortgage payments and re-negotiate their mortgages, you will not be able to foreclose on their home for three months. We need to give people the breathing room they need to get back on their feet.

...It also means promoting a new ethic of responsibility. Part of the reason this crisis occurred is that everyone was living beyond their means – from Wall Street to Washington to even some on Main Street. CEOs got greedy. Politicians spent money they didn’t have. Lenders tricked people into buying home they couldn’t afford and some folks knew they couldn’t afford them and bought them anyway.

We’ve lived through an era of easy money, in which we were allowed and even encouraged to spend without limits; to borrow instead of save.

Now, I know that in an age of declining wages and skyrocketing costs, for many folks this was not a choice but a necessity. People have been forced to turn to credit cards and home equity loans to keep up, just like our government has borrowed from China and other creditors to help pay its bills.

But we now know how dangerous that can be. Once we get past the present emergency, which requires immediate new investments, we have to break that cycle of debt. Our long-term future requires that we do what’s necessary to scale down our deficits, grow wages and encourage personal savings again.

It’s a serious challenge. But we can do it if we act now, and if we act as one nation. We can bring a new era of responsibility and accountability to Wall Street and to Washington. We can put in place common-sense regulations to prevent a crisis like this from ever happening again. We can make investments in the technology and innovation that will restore prosperity and lead to new jobs and a new economy for the 21st century. We can restore a sense of fairness and balance that will give ever American a fair shot at the American dream. And above all, we can restore confidence – confidence in America, confidence in our economy, and confidence in ourselves.

Read Barack's full remarks, as prepared for delivery...

Obama's plan includes four new major ideas about job creation, relief to families, relief to homeowners and responding to the financial crisis:

Job Creation: A New American Jobs Tax Credit. Obama is calling for a temporary tax credit for firms that create new jobs in the United States over the next two years.

Relief to Families: Penalty-Free Withdrawals from IRAs and 401(k)s in 2008 and 2009. Obama is calling for new legislation to allow families to withdraw 15% of their retirement savings – up to a maximum of $10,000 – without facing a tax-penalty this year (including retroactively) and next year.

Relief to Homeowners: 90 day foreclosure moratorium for homeowners that are acting in good faith. Financial institutions that participate in the Treasury’s financial rescue plan should be required to adhere to a homeowners code of conduct, including a 90-day foreclosure moratorium for any homeowners living in their homes that are making good faith efforts pay their mortgages.

Responding to the Financial Crisis: A Lending Facility to Address the Credit Crisis for States and Localities. Obama is calling on the Federal Reserve and the Treasury to work to establish a facility to lend to state and municipal governments, similar to the steps the Fed recently took to provide liquidity to the commercial paper market.

Obama’s plan also calls for temporarily eliminating taxes on unemployment insurance benefits; keeping all options on the table to help our automakers weather the financial crisis; having the Fed and Treasury prepare for guaranteeing a broader range of liabilities of the banking system; and instructing Treasury to help unfreeze markets for individual mortgages, student loans, car loans, loans for multi-family dwellings and credit card loans.

Read Obama's full Economic Rescue Plan.

Statement of Senator Barack Obama on ADA Amendments Act Becoming Law

2008-09-28T18:25:00Z

"Today the president signed much-needed legislation that reinstates the important protections of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The ADA was a historic milestone when it was signed into law 18 years ago, but recent decisions by the Supreme Court severely restricted the scope of the Act. As a result, people with multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, diabetes, cancer, and other conditions could not enjoy the full protections of the law. That is unacceptable.

"Today, we correct that mistake. The ADA Amendments Act restores the original intent of Congress to protect the civil rights of all Americans with disabilities. But this entire process shows why we need judges who will honor the intent of the ADA and similar laws designed to protect the civil rights of all Americans.

"I was proud to co-sponsor the ADA Amendments Act and I want to commend Senator Tom Harkin and House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer for their leadership on this issue. But we must not let this milestone be the end of our journey. There is still much to do to ensure that we fully protect those of us living with disabilities, and live up to our founding promise of equality and opportunity for all Americans."

Housing

2008-09-20T00:14:00Z

Senator Obama has demonstrated his commitment to Americans with disabilities on a myriad of issues, including full support of the Community Choice Act, IDEA, the Mental Health Parity Act, just to name a few.

Housing is no different. Indeed, Barack Obama was the very first presidential candidate to answer the candidates’ questionnaire propounded by AAPD, ADAPT, NCIL and SABE. Among other issues addressed in that questionnaire, Senator Obama responded to the issues surrounding housing for Americans with disabilities.

Notably, to date, Senator McCain still has not responded to that questionnaire about housing or anything else. Those and other responses by Barack Obama can be found by clicking here.Senator Obama, as a former civil rights lawyer, understands the importance of ensuring that all Americans have the same opportunities and rights. He knows that we must ensure that the Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity within the Department of Housing and Urban Development is adequately funded and staffed so that they are able to fully investigate all meaningful discrimination claims made by individuals with disabilities.

Because he understands these housing issues for Americans with disabilities, he has a history of fighting for housing for Americans with disabilities. For example, in the Illinois Senate, he was the chief co-sponsor of a bill to include persons with disabilities within the provisions granting an assessment freeze homestead exception to senior citizens.He supports improving the supply of affordable housing opportunities for individuals with disabilities. He also supports examining additional approaches to incentivizing states to increase the supply of affordable, safe and quality housing for individuals with disabilities.

Senator Obama has time and time again demonstrated his belief and commitment to improving the lives of all Americans and Americans with disabilities. The fact that he was the very first candidate, and the only person of the remaining candidates, to answer the questionnaire and squarely address the issues facing our community, including housing, leaves no doubt that if Americans with disabilities seek to have their lives changed and improved, Barack Obama is the only candidate for them.

Statement of House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer

2008-09-10T14:22:00Z

"Last week, Sarah Palin gave a good performance, but she failed to offer any real solutions. In particular, she claimed that she and John McCain would be a 'friend and advocate' for families with special needs children -- but her rhetoric certainly doesn't match John McCain's poor, 26-year record in Washington, DC. Americans with disabilities -- of all ages -- and their families will have no stronger ally in the White House than an Obama Administration. Senator Obama is committed to ensuring that America is a country without unnecessary barriers, stereotypes and discrimination. He strongly believes that America must show the same leadership it did when it enacted the Americans with Disabilities Act - that we must empower people with disabilities to take full advantage of their talents and become integrated members of society.

"Senator Obama fully supports the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and has repeatedly voted for full funding and full enforcement. And while Senator McCain has recently made campaign promises to fully fund this vital measure, in years past, he has opposed full funding. Senator Obama also supports the Community Choice Act, a measure that Senator McCain opposes. This legislation would give Americans with disabilities, and older Americans, increased access to community-based services. Senator Obama has also called for an investment in early intervention educational and developmental programs for children, covering those with disabilities or special health needs.

"Senator McCain also opposed reauthorizing SCHIP -- saying no to providing insurance for millions of uninsured children, including those with disabilities and special needs. And, McCain's healthcare plan would not prohibit discrimination against individuals with pre-existing conditions and disabilities -- creating a huge roadblock for American families that are changing insurance companies. Clearly, Senator McCain's record doesn't match the rhetoric we heard from Minneapolis.

"As Congress goes back into session this week, federal lawmakers have a chance to pass the ADA Amendments Act. To his credit, Senator McCain has joined Senator Obama in co-sponsoring this vital legislation. But when we look at the records of these two candidates, it is crystal clear that Senator Obama has, and will continue to support, Americans with disabilities. I strongly support his vision of a society where all can live with dignity and respect."

Introducing Voteforchange.com

2008-09-07T22:53:00Z

Friend --

Turning everyone's passion and enthusiasm into votes is the only way we'll bring about the change we all want. But knowing when, where, and how to vote hasn't always been easy -- until now.

We've created a new online tool -- VoteforChange -- that will give you customized answers to all of your voting questions, personalized just for you. Try it now:

http://www.voteforchange.com

Need to find out how to register to vote? Not sure if you're already registered? Just enter some basic information and get instant answers.

Need to find out your Election Day polling location, absentee voting information, or other registration requirements? Or perhaps you want to find out if your state allows early voting or vote by mail. We've got it all covered.

Once you get the information you need, pass it on to all of your friends with our easy-to-use sharing feature. We all know people who’d like to vote but just don’t have the information. With VoteforChange.com, they’ll have no excuses.

Making sure that everyone's voice is heard in the political process is what this movement for change is all about. Make sure you and everyone you know isn't left out:

http://www.voteforchange.com

Thanks,

Martha @ Obama HQ

Help Gulf Coast residents and first responders

2008-09-01T16:45:00Z

Today, the thoughts and prayers of all Americans are with those in the path of Hurricane Gustav -- and many of you are asking what you can do to help.

We do not yet know what the impact of Hurricane Gustav will be, and we hope with all our hearts that the damage will not be as great as it was three years ago.

But we know there will be damage, and there is something you can do right now.

Your financial support will strengthen organizations like the American Red Cross that are evacuating Gulf Coast residents and planning to help communities get back on their feet.

Make a donation to support the American Red Cross today.

At times like this, it is our compassion and resilience that define who we are as a nation.

Please give whatever you can afford, even $10, to make sure the American Red Cross has the resources to help those in the path of this storm:

https://donate.barackobama.com/redcross

Thank you for your generosity, and I hope you will join Michelle and me in praying for the safety of those in the path of the storm and the first responders who are doing all they can to ensure the safety of their communities.

Barack

Video: Barack Obama at Mile High -- "The American Promise"

2008-08-30T18:57:00Z

On a cloudless August night in Denver, before a united party and thousands of grassroots supporters from all across America, Senator Obama accepted the Democratic Party presidential nomination.

Obama made the case for why America cannot afford four more years of the same failed policies and laid out his vision to bring about fundamental change at home and abroad. He reminded us of the extraordinary promise of America at its best and challenged us to continue to fight for that promise, to march ahead, to not turn back...

That promise is our greatest inheritance. It’s a promise I make to my daughters when I tuck them in at night, and a promise that you make to yours – a promise that has led immigrants to cross oceans and pioneers to travel west; a promise that led workers to picket lines, and women to reach for the ballot.
And it is that promise that forty five years ago today, brought Americans from every corner of this land to stand together on a Mall in Washington, before Lincoln’s Memorial, and hear a young preacher from Georgia speak of his dream.
The men and women who gathered there could’ve heard many things. They could’ve heard words of anger and discord. They could’ve been told to succumb to the fear and frustration of so many dreams deferred.
But what the people heard instead – people of every creed and color, from every walk of life – is that in America, our destiny is inextricably linked. That together, our dreams can be one.
“We cannot walk alone,” the preacher cried. “And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead. We cannot turn back.”
America, we cannot turn back. Not with so much work to be done. Not with so many children to educate, and so many veterans to care for. Not with an economy to fix and cities to rebuild and farms to save. Not with so many families to protect and so many lives to mend. America, we cannot turn back. We cannot walk alone. At this moment, in this election, we must pledge once more to march into the future. Let us keep that promise – that American promise – and in the words of Scripture hold firmly, without wavering, to the hope that we confess.

To all of our supporters, from those who have been with this remarkable campaign from the beginning to those of you who are just joining this movement for change: if you agree that we cannot turn back now -- that this is our moment to seize -- please make a donation today.

Continue reading for the full remarks as prepared for delivery...

Message from Barack: Did You See Michelle?

2008-08-26T17:10:00Z

Barack just sent out this email...

Dear Friend -

I am so lucky to be married to the woman who delivered that speech last night.

Michelle was electrifying, inspiring, and absolutely magnificent. I get a lot of credit for the speech I gave at the 2004 convention -- but I think she may have me beat.

You have to see it to believe it.

And make sure to forward this email to your friends and family -- they'll want to see it too.

http://my.barackobama.com/michelle

You really don't want to miss this.

And I'm not just saying that because she's my wife -- I truly believe it was the best speech of the campaign so far.

Barack

The Next Vice President

2008-08-23T08:59:00Z

Friend --

I have some important news, and I'm pleased to share it with you first.

I've chosen Joe Biden to be my running mate.

Joe and I will appear for the first time as running mates this afternoon in Springfield, Illinois -- the same place this campaign began more than 19 months ago.

I'm excited about hitting the campaign trail with Joe, but the two of us can't do this alone. We need your help to keep building this movement for change.

Please let Joe know that you're glad he's part of our team. Share your personal welcome note and we'll make sure he gets it:

http://my.barackobama.com/welcomejoe

Thanks for your support,

Barack

P.S. -- Make sure to turn on your TV at 2:00 p.m. Central Time to join us or watch online at http://www.BarackObama.com.