To My Fellow Obama Supporters: A Note From Ohio

[VolcanoJen]

Greetings and salutations to all of you have committed your time, your devotion, your money and your hearts to the most unique, most uplifting, most positive Democratic Campaign for President that most of us have ever seen... Obama For America.

After 11 straight wins and a huge lead in delegates, I know everyone is hoping we can keep this trend alive in Texas and Ohio. I know that our friends in Texas are working their butts off, and I can assure you that here in Ohio, we're doing the same.

Here are a few things that the polls just don't reflect that I hope everyone will take into account as they watch the returns Tuesday night:

- Here in Ohio, we embarked on an historic effort over the weekend: the largest Get Out The Vote canvassing operation every assembled. Together, volunteers across the state participated in the One Million For Change canvassing campaign. Men and women, young and old, political activists and newbies, and people from every walk of life took to the streets and to the homes of our neighbors to encourage them to give their vote to Barack Obama on Tuesday. It was the most incredible political event I have ever participated in. I can guarantee you that no such ground effort was underway this weekend in southwestern Ohio from the Clinton campaign.

- Not only does the Obama campaign rule the ground in Ohio, they rule the airwaves. It doesn't matter if you're watching American Idol, Meet The Press, Jericho or Big Brother, you're going to see three to four Obama ads (and zero Clinton ads) within that hour. And it's been that way for two solid weeks now. Every ad is positive and persuasive, youthful and upbeat. The only Clinton ad I've seen is that "Obama will allow your children to die in their beds while he has the phone ringer on 'silent'" crap when it is played ad nauseum on the cable political shows and Sunday talk programs. I honestly do not see her on television or hear her on the radio, while Obama is just everywhere. Oh, including in two full-page Cincinnati Enquirer ads in the past week!

- The major Ohio newspapers are behind Obama. The Cleveland Plain Dealer, the Toledo Blade, The Canton Repository, The Dayton Daily News, the Cincinnati Enquirer. Not sure if the Columbus Dispatch has endorsed yet. I understand some paper down in Zanesville and another in Akron are big on Clinton, though. ;-)

- Obama wins the sign wars! You might see a few Hillary signs on public corners, but in front of houses, Obama has the clear "loud and proud" advantage.

- Obama wins the visibility wars! Every Friday and Monday for three weeks now, during rush hour, you'll see dozens of Obama supporters at enthusiastic "Honk-and-Wave" events across this area. On the way to Obama HQ yesterday (Sunday), I drove by the largest one I'd seen yet... over 100 people spread across all four corners of one of Cincinnati's busiest intersections. There was so much honking and jumping up and down that I had tears in my eyes. :cry:

- Ohio has A LOT of college students. I mean, A LOT. And of the major universities, only the University of Toledo is on Spring Break this week. ;-)

- Supporters from across the country are phonebanking Ohio in a massive effort that began in earnest last Wednesday and continues through 7:15 pm on Tuesday. OH and I forgot to mention the busloads of Chicago volunteers that flooded Cincinnati on Saturday... including our own DUer, mopinko! It was SO fun canvassing with them!

In closing, don't forget that just a few weeks ago, Hillary Clinton was leading Ohio by double-digits. We're closing this thing fast, and if we had another week, I'd be more confident in saying we'd win comfortably tomorrow. We may be victorious tomorrow, we may not... but it won't be because we didn't pour our hearts and souls into it in this state. We gave it everything we had, and then got up the next day and gave more. Please remember our effort as the returns come in. And no matter what... we're confident when the votes are counted, at the very least we will have drawn to a de facto delegate tie with Clinton coming out of Ohio while closing a twenty-point gap in a matter of days. The Clinton campaign will not take from Ohio what they had hoped to just a few weeks ago.

There is something happening in America, and it's too important and meaningful to show up in some poll. You hear it in voices. You see it on faces. You feel it in hearts.

So, my Obama friends, think happy thoughts tonight and tomorrow, and log on to MyBarackObama.com and give the Buckeye State a ring!

Yes, We Can, Ohio! Yes, We Can, Texas! Yes, We Can, Rhode Island! Yes, We Can, Vermont!

All of my love and support,
Jennifer in Cincinnati