KIDS FOR OBAMA

president-elect obama and family volunteer; obama makes surprise visit to kids at a school

Can you imagine how exciting it would be to have President-elect Barack Obama visit your school unexpectedly?  That's what he did today right after he and his family volunteered giving away food for hungry people.  Here's the full story from the Huffington Post -- an excerpt is below.  Think about what you and your family can do to help others not only at Thanksgiving, but throughout the year.

The president-elect, dressed casually in a leather jacket, black scarf and khaki pants, was in a jovial mood, calling out "happy thanksgiving" and telling everyone "you can call me Barack."

He told reporters that he wants the girls "to learn the importance of how fortunate they are, and to make sure they're giving back."

The soon-to-be first lady said the Obamas wanted to give their children "an understanding of what giving and Thanksgiving is all about."

The Obama family's activities in the courtyard quickly drew the attention of schoolchildren whose windows overlooked the courtyard. They put up a sign against the glass that read: "We love our prez" and screamed when the president-elect waved to them.

Obama then turned to his wife and suggested they go visit the kids. Secret Service agents, looking surprised, disappeared inside the building to accommodate his request.

Minutes later, hundreds of children were brought down to the school auditorium, and Obama loped onstage as they screamed and cheered.

"I just wanted to come by and wish everybody a happy Thanksgiving," he said. He then asked the children what they would be eating for Thanksgiving dinner.

Turkey? Stuffing? Green beans? Sweet potato pie?

Perhaps it was a hint at the planned menu for the Obamas, who are planning to host a holiday gathering at their Hyde Park home.

The president-elect then took questions from the children, one of whom wanted to know what it was like to be followed around all the time. It is a topic that seems to touch a nerve in Obama, who has lamented the lack of privacy that comes with his new job.

"I gotta admit, sometimes it's kinda strange ... you just want to go take a walk or go out and ride your bike or something, and you always have someone with you," Obama said. "So you don't have a lot of privacy and that's one of the things you have to sacrifice in order to run for president."

congratulations to president-elect barack obama!

Rosa sat
so Martin could walk...



Martin walked
so Barack could run...




Barack ran
so our children could fly!

This beautiful quote is a variation of one that, as far as I can tell, first appeared in this story from National Public Radio.   It seemed like a fitting tribute to our new President-Elect, Barack Obama.  What a wonderful time this is for America!  

Please click on the links above to learn more about Rosa Parks, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and Barack Obama.

Photo credits: Rosa Parks: Photographer unknown to this blogger.  Martin Luther King Jr.: United Press International. "Rev. Ralph Abernathy Walking with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., as They Lead Civil Rights Marchers out of Camp to Resume Their March to Montgomery, Alabama." 1965. New York World-Telegram & Sun Collection, Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress.  Obama family: ©Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images

take your kids to the polls

While part of a campaign called Take Our Daughter to the Polls, this video is one that should be watched by both boys and girls. They will learn that not so long ago, many people wrongly believed that women and girls couldn't do things as well as men or boys. Incredibly, many also thought that women and girls shouldn't have their own dreams, goals, or independence.

Watch this video. If you're an adult, take the kids in your life to the polls on Tuesday, November 4. If you're a kid, ask your mom or dad to take you to the polls. If you don't know where to vote, visit the Obama site.

And if you'd like to learn more about women's support of Obama, Feminists for Obama is a good place to start.

dwan from louisiana: a cool kid for obama and a president in the making

Young Dwan from Louisiana has been an Obama supporter since last spring.  After seeing the Senator on t.v., he wrote him a letter, spelling out the words on his own:

dear  mr. obama 

I   am  a   seven year old  boy    and   my   name   is    Dwan   and   I   am   your  big  st   fan   mr.  obama   you  now   I  like   you    because   I   see you  at  tv   and  in  my   dreme …  thank you  mr.  obama   …   I wish you  can  be  president.

Senator Obama wrote back to Dwan; the letter is shown in the picture of the Dwan (left). 

Dwan's mom, Addoree wrote to me to say that last weekend, Dwan was out campaigning for his candidate.  She said:

My son is 7 years old and he considers himself Obama's biggest fan!  I really feel like this is amazing because even though I am an Obama supporter, I don't let the political scene consume me.  Nevertheless, my son took his own money and purchased a magazine about Obama and he wants to visit him.  He talks about him constantly.

When he is asked why he like Obama, he states that 'he is going to make the world better.'  He also says that he is going to get more jobs and better education.  Dwan tells everyone that he is going to be President of the United States when he grows up.  He watches Obama's speeches on YouTube and pretends that he is practicing his speech. (lol)

I always try to encourage my child, but I just want Senator Obama to know that my child would probably have not had these type of aspirations if Obama would not have made this decision to make a difference.  My heart has become so full of appreciation to Senator Obama (soon to be President Obama) for the positivity and hope that he has brought to my 7-year-old son's life.

Congrats, Dwan, on your volunteer campaign work and on your dreams and aspirations!  And congrats, Addoree, on raising such a responsible, enthusiastic son!

senator obama shows kids -- and flat stanley -- that he cares!

If you're a kid, you probably know about Flat Stanley.  This is the best Flat Stanley story I have ever heard.  You've got to read it.

A boy named Aron in Connecticut sent Flat Stanley to Senator Obama, who took Stanley all around Washington.  You can get a PDF copy of the letter that Senator Obama wrote to Aron about his time with Flat Stanley here.

If you don't know about Flat Stanley, you should see this article from Wikipedia.

After you've looked at that, make a plan to go to the library and borrow the books by Jeff Brown, who wrote for The New Yorker.  They are great.

The audio recording by Daniel Pinkwater is also terrific.

If you want to do a Flat Stanley project at your school, tell your teacher about the official Flat Stanley website.

I bet Senator Obama's daughters, Malia and Sasha, wish that Flat Stanley had come to visit them in Chicago!

yes we carve: kids use halloween pumpkins to show their support of barack obama

At the very clever website Yes We Carve, you'll find many more photos of Barack O'Lanterns, as well as instructions and stencils for making them.

The site is also collecting and publishing a list of funny sayings about the pumpkins, such as "Glowbama," "The Change We Seed," and the "Squashcity of Hope."

After you create yours, be sure to send a photo of yourself with your masterpiece to Yes We Carve. (How about a Kids for Obama pumpkin?)  You might even win a prize!  Safety suggestion: Only share your first name and the name of your state.

rockabelles rock the vote for obama

Get Out the Vote

We Got the Mo

tell your grandparents why you support barack obama with a free grandparents' day card today

I just sent a card to my grandparents to explain why I support Barack Obama for President in 2008, and you can too. Send one now! And get involved in helping Barack Obama get elected.  He has smart plans for the future.  He is our best chance for a strong economy, healthcare for everyone, and the security of our country. 

Eli

don't miss the official kids for obama pages at barackobama.com

Some ideas from the official "Kids for Obama" section on barackobama.com: 

• Create a Kids for Obama Group on My.Barackobama.com, for example, Chicago Kids for Obama or DC Kids for Obama -- and throw a party! (Note, you can also find existing groups here.)
• Write a letter or editorial to your local news paper, expressing "Why Barack Obama should become the next US President."
• Find a pen pal - it could be in your school, city, state, or another state. Write and discuss different ways you can get involved.
• Draw a picture of  Senator Barack Obama or "an expression of Democracy."  For example, the Senator sitting in the White House or working on Capitol. Hill. You can send your drawing to the Obama for America Campaign Headquarters in Chicago and it will be posted for the Senator to see. (Note, the address is Obama for America, 233 N. Michigan Ave., 11th Floor, Chicago, IL 60601.)
• Implement T-Shirt Thursday. Get friends to wear an official Obama for America tee-shirt to school.
• Take an adult (voting age) to the polls on Election Day and encourage them to vote for you by voting for Senator Obama.
• Post an official Obama for America Campaign sticker/logo on your school bag.
• Wear an Obama for America Campaign button and/or clothing.
• Host a Senator Barack Obama House Party or sleep-over.
• Contribute to the Kids for Obama Blog.  (Note--I think they are referring to a blog for kids on the official campaign site, though I cannot find it.  However, this blog welcomes contributors!  Simply send an email (see the second column of the blog.)

obama-bama bo-bama tee-shirts for kids (and adults) from lowercase tee

The brilliant Chicago design firm Coudal Partners launched a spin-off business, Lowercase Tee, whose offerings include these political tee-shirts.  The red shirt, worn by Grace from Chicago, was created for the 2004 election and the blue shirt, worn by Maya from Los Angeles, was created for this year's race. 

Whether you're from a red state or a blue state, you can buy the shirts here.  According to Coudal Partners, the shirts were the kids' ideas: "They may not be able to vote yet, but kids have plenty of thoughts about how things should work. After a few conversations with our children about politics and elections, we were struck by how much they had to say. They began to come up with ideas for some t-shirts and Lowercase Tee was born. Lowercase Tee thinks that while there are plenty of kids' tees out there, you can click through a thousand of them without finding anything nice and simple and fun. Pretty soon the grownups around here began to ask for our tees and we added adult sizes to the mix. We have some great stuff planned for the future butright now we're listening to the kids."

The photos and shirts are copyrighted by Coudal Partners, with whom I have no affilition--only admiration.  Other photos of cool kids for Obama wearing the shirts can be found on Flickr.

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Know some young people or young people at heart who are Kids for Obama?  Help us spread the word.  Please forward a link to this blog and tell them they can subscribe via email by clicking here.  Thanks!

~Celeste, Eli's mom

 

nine-year-old supporter asks obama about what it takes to become president

Kameryn Garel-McCullough is the young questioner (and aspiring President).  Ginny Skalski captured it on video.

Here Kameryn describes the experience of getting chosen to ask the question.

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Know some young people or young people at heart who are Kids for Obama?  Please help us spread the word!  Please forward a link to this blog and tell them they can subscribe via email by clicking here.  Thanks!

~Celeste, Eli's mom

yes we can show you specifics

Obama has been criticized for being inspirational, but not having actual ideas. This is a false statement. Obama's hunger for change has great ideas backing it, as well as being inspirational. The Milwaukee Journal endorsed him by saying that,

The Obama campaign has been derisively and incorrectly described as more rock tour than political campaign and his supporters as more starry-eyed groupies than thoughtful voters.

If detractors in either party want to continue characterizing the Obama campaign this way, they will have seriously underestimated both the electorate's hunger for meaningful change in how the nation is governed and the candidate himself.

Here is a video that shows that Senator Obama has ideas and is not just "all talk."

Here is the actual Obama Blueprint for Change and here is a one-page flier about some of the main issues.

~Eli