Final appeal

All of this being said, WE CAN'T LET UP.  LET'S BRING THIS HOME!!!  Here's Jeremy Goldberg's final appeal (I plan to be at the party tonight that he mentions below):

Hi all:

Today is election day.  After 20 months, we're a matter of hours from knowing our next President.

Reflect for a moment about the past eight years. The fear and uncertainty brought about by 9/11, followed by anger over an unneccessary and bungled war in Iraq.  The sadness over what America had become when we're wiretapping conversations of our own citizens without warrants, indefinitely detaining people in Guantanamo, torturing and posing with our prisoners and transfering suspects, many times innocent, to countries who could do things we could not.   The shame you felt traveling abroad when you were supposed to hide the fact that you were American.  And consider, you were one of the lucky ones.  Having traveled around the country for the year and a half for the campaign, I've met so many people where universal health care is not an ideal but the prospect of not having to choose which days to take the medicine you need to stay alive.  Where education reform is not a debate but the only real chance a family has in getting a child through high school, let alone college.  And just think about the number of times you listened to President Bush and Vice President Cheney and asked yourself, "this is the best America has to offer."

What would you have done if you had been told you could have given an hour of your time, or two hours of your time, and history would have been different? 

Today, you're presented with an opportunity to both make history, and shape history.  Barack Obama stands on the cusp of being elected the next President.  Imagine what tomorrow will feel like when we wake up with a President-elect Obama--what it says about how far America has come, and what it says about where we want America to go.

Does it look like Obama will win?  Yes.  Are we sure?  No.  I am down again in PA and I'm telling you the amount of misinformation about voting, not to mention an overwhelming number of attack ads and flyers, means victory is hardly assured.  And I'm hearing the same thing from colleagues in FL and OH. 

I am sure about this fact:  this outcome is not assured if everyone who wants to see an Obama presidency does not pull together and act today.  Like Gandhi famously said, you need to be the change you want to see in the world.  Do not rely on someone else to deliver the outcome that you want. 

Here's what you can do.

1)  Vote.  Now.  Even if you live in New York.
2)  Tell your friends to vote by forwarding this email, writing your own, calling them up, etc.

3)  Make calls TODAY to a battleground state.  The campaign has a tremendous need for callers from their central phone bank locations.  They are relying on us to reach hundreds of thousands of voters, especially first-time voters, to make sure they have the information they need and the campaign knows whether they've already voted to allocate precious resources elsewhere.  Find an hour or two over lunch, sneak out on a long coffee break, come immediately after work. 

Here's the MEGA Phone bank location, where I'll be going after arriving back from PA later today.  I anticipate seeing you, your friends, and anyone you can recruit there for whatever time you can give.

What:  Election Day GO Phone Bank
When: All day Monday, 9am-9pm
Where:  Mansion, 530 W. 28th Street (between 10th & 11th Ave)
How:  Bring your cellphone (and CHARGER if you can)
RSVP:  Just show up!  We'll take an hour, two, whatever you can give.
What else:  Snacks served and food available all day

If you can't make this location, go somewhere (like The Bowery Hotel,335 Bowery, or Touch on w.52nd st).  Or consult this link http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/nylastcall/ and find somewhere near the office.  Or if you're out of state, go to www.barackobama.com and it'll direct you.

4)  Reward your hard work and watch the returns together.  What better way to watch history made than to be in a room full of people who have all worked to make it happen. 

Here's the campaign party everyone wants to be at.  It's free, but space is limited, so sign-up now and share with your friends.

Details (attached):
What:  Election Night Afterparty
Date:   Tuesday, November 4
Time:  9:00pm-4am…
Location:  Mansion, 530 W.28th St (between 10th and 11th aves)
RSVP:  http://electionafterparty.eventbrite.com/
Free snacks and cheap drinks
Preferred access for phonebankers--come early, make calls, and then watch the returns come in. 

Please spread this email to 50 friends, in honor of the UNITED STATES of America.

Best,
Jeremy

Jeremy S. Goldberg
M: 646.228.5338
jeremy@jeremysgoldberg.com