Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

"Real" American values in action

My polling place was so disorganized that I went rogue and started a "telephone" chain down the line with the information that the unmarked "information" table wasn't providing. If downtown Manhattan is this chaotic, I can only imagine what PA and Ohio will be like today.

See you at the phonebank......

Monday, November 3, 2008

VOTE - and then phonebank to swing states


Vote. Then help mobilize voters in swing states.

We'll be making GOTV phone calls at the Bowery Hotel from 11 a.m. until the campaign tells us to go home tomorrow. Over the past few days, we've heard from voters in Florida that the lines are 6+ hours - some have given up in exhaustion and frustration, and our encouragement and support can make the difference. The energy and camaraderie in a room of 75+ people calling swing state voters is utterly inspirational. Every first time phonebanker has commented how much better they feel after doing it; our veteran callers are also having a great time - and there are few things that beat talking to a senior citizen in western Pennsylvania who has organized bus transportation to the polls for her retirement community.

The neighborhood has been fantastic - an anonymous supporter ordered 15 pizza from Lombardi's for us today, Think Coffee has our posters by the register.

Not to showboat, but we've made more calls this weekend than any other Manahttan phonebank. We passed our three day target in one day. Let's make this the first of two landslides.

GOTFV



"Don't think for a minute that power concedes. Power doesn't concede."

Friday, October 31, 2008

California get out the vote: Every single vote matters

I swear to god, if you Californians let Prop 8 pass I am never visiting you again.

Get those Obama voters to the polls, and remind them that "NO" on Prop 8 protects marriage equality.

Thursday, October 30, 2008

3,000,000 CALLS FOR OBAMA/BIDEN - YES WE CAN, YES WE MUST

Before you read any further, please start making the list of 10 or more people you are going to forward this post to.

I have just returned from Get Out the Vote (GOTV) Leadership Training at Obama Headquarters. The Obama/Biden campaign has given the responsibility of calling swing states voters to supporters in three solidly blue states (New York, Illinois, California) and Texas (large numbers, no hope of winning the state). New Yorkers are leading GOTV phone banking for Pennsylvania, Ohio, and North Carolina, and any other state where our work is needed as voter turnout numbers roll in on Election Day.

Tonight's message from the New York State campaign director can not be any clearer: people in our target states are trusting New Yorkers to make GOTV phone calls so that they can go door to door and be at the polls to ensure that every voter is allowed to vote and that every vote is counted.

New York State is responsible for making 3,000,000 - that is THREE MILLION - Get Out The Vote phone calls to voters in swing states between Saturday morning and when the polls close on Tuesday evening. We need your help.

From Sunday noon until they send me home on Tuesday, I will be part of the team staffing the Bowery Hotel phone bank, which will be responsible for making over 225,000 GOTV calls during that time. I am asking every one of you to join me for at least one three hour shift - or whatever you can manage - to help us make these calls, partial shifts are totally acceptable. Bowery hours will be: Sunday from noon to 8, Monday from 11-8, and Tuesday from 11 until we are no longer needed. If this location doesn't work for you, please show up at one that does. At the bottom of this post, I have attached a list of all the Manhattan and Brooklyn phone banks and their hours. If you want to know where I'll be working on Saturday, let me know and I'll forward the info tomorrow. You don't need to RSVP, just show up with a cell phone (and charger), and your passion. You can find the full New York State list of phone banks here.

DO NOT BELIEVE THE POLLS. The race is much closer than it looks. We do not have a choice - we must do everything we can from November 1-4 to make sure Obama wins this election.

I have sent this in email form to 100 people, and asked them to send it to 10 people, etc. If you do the same, 3,000,000 calls doesn't feel so daunting.

We have four days to make a difference. Period.

(Apologies for going AWOL, I've been a "Data Entry Captain" @ headquarters 2-3 days per week.)

MANHATTAN LOCATIONS

Uptown

Guastavino's
409 East Street
New York, NY 10027
Sun noon-9pm
Mon 10am-9pm
Election Day 9am-9pm

Alhambra Ballroom
2116 Adam Clayton Powell Blvd
New York, NY 10027
Sat 10am-6pm

Touch
240 52nd Street
New York, NY 10019
Sat 10am-9pm
Sun noon-9pm
Mon 10am-9pm
Election Day 9am-9pm

583 Park Avenue
583 Park Avenue
New York, NY 10065
Sat 10am-9pm

Downtown

The Bowery Hotel
335 Bowery
New York, NY 10012
Sun noon-8pm
Mon 11am-8pm
Election Day 11am-8pm

40/40 Club
6 W. 25th street
New York, NY 10010
Sat noon-6pm
Sun noon-9pm
Mon & Election Day 10am-9pm

Mansion
530 W. 28th Street
New York, NY 10001
Election Day 9am-9pm

Obama / Biden HQ
52 Broadway 5th Floor
New York, NY 10004
Sat 10am-9pm
Sun noon-9pm
Mon 10-9pm
Election Day 9-9pm

The Living Room
154 Ludlow St.
New York, NY 100
Sat 10am-5pm
Sun noon-5pm
Mon 10am-5pm
Election Day 9am-5pm

Teamsters Local
216 West 14th St.
btwn 7th and 8th Aves
New York, NY 10011
Sat 10am-9pm
Sun noon-9pm
Mon 10am-9pm
Election Day 9am-9pm

NYC Carpenters Union
395 Hudson
New York, NY 10014
Sat 10am-9pm
Sun noon-9pm
Mon & Election Day 9am-9pm

The Home of Virginia Davies
299 West 12th Street, Penthouse
New York, NY 10014
Sat 10am-9pm
Sun 12pm-8pm
Mon 10am-9pm
Election Day 9am-9pm

BROOKLYN LOCATIONS

Brooklyn Academy of Music
30 Lafayette Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11217
Sat 10am-3pm
Sun noon-9pm
Mon 10am-3pm
Election Day 9am-9pm

Brooklyn Masonic Temple
317 Clermont Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11205
Sat 10am-9pm
Sun noon-9pm
Mon 10am-9pm
Election Day 9am-9pm

Grand Prospect Hall
263 Prospect Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11215
Sat 10am-8pm
Sun noon-8pm
Mon 10am-8pm
Election Day 9am-8pm

Cafe Omar
1744 Nostrand Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11226
Sat 10am-9pm
Sun noon-9
Mon 10am-9pm
Election Day 9am-9pm

The Lab
1428 Fulton St
Brooklyn, NY 11216
Mon10-9
Election Day 9am-9pm

Cacin Hall
15 Rochester Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11233
Sat 10am-4pm
Sun noon-4pm
Mon 10am-9pm
Election Day 9am-9pm

Poly Lounge Cafe
530 Sutter Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11208
Sat 10am-9pm
Sun noon-9
Mon 4pm-9pm
Election Day 9am-9pm

3rd Ward
195 Morgan Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11237
Sat 10am-9pm
Sun noon-9pm
Mon 10am-9pm
Election Day 9am-9pm

Brooklyn Lyceum
227 4th Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11215
Mon 10am-7pm
Election Day 9am-6pm

Find your polling place and check your registration status at Google

It's the Help America Vote app! Except unlike the similarly named law, it actually does help people vote.

maps.google.com/vote is a great link to send around to everyone you know. Plug in your address and it tells you your polling location. It also provides additional election board information for your state (including phone numbers) and allows you to check your registration status.