President Obama has 75% approval rating

Below are the results of the latest Research 2000 poll showing that 3/4 of the people of this nation view President Barack Obama favorably. Even in the South, President Obama registered a 60% approval rating. A new day in America!

PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA

Favorable: 75

Unfavorable: 22

Don’t kow: 3

Daily Kos: Weekly State of the Nation Poll
Research 2000, MoE 2%, Jan 26, 2009 - Jan 29, 2000

Saturday, January 31st, 2009

President Barack Obama has taken office, and now it’s time to get to work.

During our entire time in Washington, D.C. last week, Shonnie and I were deeply moved, often to tears of happiness, by the sense of camaraderie and solidarity we experienced there. Folks from all over the nation and beyond had gathered for a celebration, the culmination of our effort to elect Barack Obama president of the United States, and to see him take the oath of office.

The joy and excitement in the air were palpable—as we walked down the street, as we worked together during Monday’s Day of Service, as we stood in the mass of humanity with the purple tickets that we thought would grant us entry to the Inauguration ceremony, during President Obama’s Inauguration speech and later when he spoke at the Staff Ball. The media were filled with affirming stories of the days’ events. Signs in support of our new president festooned the city. Automobiles were plastered with bumper stickers, signs and flags. People everywhere sported Obama hats, jackets, shirts and buttons. Knowing smiles were exchanged, intimate thoughts were shared with strangers and assistance was offered to others spontaneously and without a second thought. Remarkably, this celebratory and compassionate atmosphere extended far beyond Washington, D.C., across this land, across the planet, with people everywhere gathering in groups large and small to acclaim this extraordinary historic event.

It is clear to me that something profound has shifted in our nation and around the world. It’s been coming on for a while, maybe since the beginning of humankind. Nonetheless many of us now have a deeper sense of the subtle energies that connect us. We know at some level that we truly are one, that what happens to any one of us affects each of us. In a sense, we are one giant organism, each cell interdependent on all the others. So it only makes sense that so many of us have expressed a unwavering willingness to work together to deal with the numerous crises we now confront—war, economic meltdown, global warming, peak oil, disparity of wealth, among others.

In times past we the people have typically been content to work toward the election of our candidate and once the deed was done, to basically wash our hands of the whole affair. “OK, we’ve elected you, now go and handle things.” Oh, perhaps we might whine and moan (maybe even take to the streets from time to time) when a president or other leader did something we didn’t like. But the times for such complacency on our part have passed. We now know that we have a responsibility to help right the course we’ve been on and to support our nation and its leaders to live up to the values and ideals of its Founding Fathers (without the slavery and wealthy white male domination, of course).

There will almost certainly be cynics and naysayers who claim that our vision is too bold or unrealistic, that fundamental change in the way our government does things is impossible. But these are a distinct minority who have not yet awakened to the possibilities that have arisen from our current challenges.

We now have a president who understands that power emanates from the bottom up. We now have an experience of our power as citizens in organizing to elect him. Let there be no doubt: We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. And now is our time.

Organizing for America will continue the work of the largest grassroots movement in history. Volunteers, grassroots leaders, and ordinary citizens will drive this organization and help bring about the changes proposed during the presidential campaign. Watch the video of President Obama announcing this effort:

Monday, January 26th, 2009

Did our inauguration plans give god a good laugh?

On this first full day of the Barack Obama administration, I’m reminded of the old adage: “Want to make god laugh? Show her your plans.”

Our time in DC for Barack’s inauguration started great. Shonnie and I were firmly ensconced in our friend Greg’s basement apartment in the Capitol Hill district, walking distance from many of our planned destinations. For longer jaunts, we planned to take the Metro.

On Monday, our first day in the District, we joined thousands of excited volunteers at RFK Stadium in assembling care packages for troops overseas. There was electricity in the air as we all joyfully went about our duties, winding up with writing notes to soldiers to accompany their packages.

Monday night we were graciously welcomed to my campaign co-worker Emma’s home in Chevy Chase for a delicious dinner with the rest of the Ohio Region 3 campaign team. It was a fun and informal affair with the retelling of stories from the front lines, discussion of what we’d been doing since the election and some talk of what’s next.

On Inauguration Day, Tuesday, January 20, however, the overwhelming numbers of folks who wanted to be a part of the historic affair, as well as what must have been poor planning by the Inaugural Committee, created snafus that totally altered our plans. Though we had tickets that were supposed to get us into a reserved area on the Capitol grounds to view Barack’s inauguration, after waiting in line four hours, the gate we were supposed to enter was closed before we could gain entry. And there were thousands more like us. Disappointed, but not discouraged, we went back to our borrowed apartment, and watched the replay of the swearing in ceremony and President Obama’s speech on CNN. The Inaugural Committee later apologized for the ticket fiasco.

That night we had tickets to attend the Youth Ball, and Shonnie looked marvelous in her black fitted gown. And I looked pretty damned snappy in my tux, as well. We stood in line outside the Washington Hilton, the venue for the ball, in bone-chilling cold for about an hour before entering the hotel and going through security. I was glad to have the opportunity to exchange warm greetings with a couple of the Ohio campaign leaders, and we were all in a festive mood hoping to get to the ballroom before the President and the First Lady arrived for their brief appearance and dance. Once again, it was not to be. Just as we cleared security and headed to the entrance of the event, a law enforcement official informed us that the Obamas had arrived and the ballroom was full to capacity, No one else could enter at this time. If we’d chosen to stick around, we likely could have gotten in eventually, but it was getting late. So we opted for a fine meal at a nice little Italian restaurant near DuPont Circle, satisfied that at least we’d been present in DC as Barack entered office. We fell into bed exhausted around 2:00 a.m

Today Shonnie is doing some work on her graduate course, and between trips to Starbucks, I’m writing this post. Tonight, the Staff Ball, a less formal affair that I hope will be better planned than those preceding it. Am I disappointed? Yes, but I’m getting splendid (if unwanted) practice in understanding, once again, that I’m not the King of the Universe, that things frequently aren’t going to go the way I’d planned. And I’m also getting practice in remaining grateful for what is: Barack Obama is now President of the United States. We have an opportunity for a new beginning. Hopefully we as a people will heed his call for greater personal responsibility and accountability, and together we will help move this nation toward one of greater compassion, justice and sustainability.

Update: The Staff Ball was great! There was lots of excellent food and an open bar. And Shonnie and I got to hang out with almost all of my work mates from Ohio Region 3. In addition, David Plouffe, campaign manager, generously acknowledged our efforts during the campaign. But most importantly, President Obama and the First Lady joined us for about 20 minutes during which the President expressed his gratitude for our work and exhorted us to keep the grassroots movement alive. Plus top musical performers. All in all, a great exclamation point to our inauguration activities.

Wednesday, January 21st, 2009

Barack’s Inauguration signals the dawn of a new era

I awoke this morning to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” speech on the radio and a story in the Asheville Citizen-Times about folks from Asheville attending the Inauguration, an article in which Shonnie and I are featured. An unanticipated but exciting start to our participation in the events taking place in Washington, DC. over the next few days. Needless to say, Shonnie and I are both excited to have the opportunity to bear witness to Barack Obama’s Inauguration, and as well, we are deeply grateful for the people and the events that supported us to be present at this momentous occasion.

We arrived in the District last night and are staying at our friend Greg’s home only a few blocks from the Capitol. Today we plan to participate in the National Day of Service at RFK Stadium, and tonight the folks who worked in Barack’s campaign in Ohio Region 3 (and significant others) are gathering for dinner at Emma’s home in DC. This will be the first chance that we’ve all had to be together since the day after our election victory in Ohio. I’m really looking forward to seeing the gang, re-hearing stories from the front lines and learning what’s next for this band of 20-something-year-old peaceful warriors.

Tomorrow, the big day, we’ll be in the purple section at the Capitol Building as Barack Obama is sworn in as the 44th president of the United States. Shonnie will likely be highly visible in the throng of excited Obama supporters in her pink hat and scarf. That night we’ll attend the Youth Ball. Yes, I know it’s for 18 to 35 year-olds, and it’s the one I was assigned to as a staff member. Plus it’s likely to be the most fun. Shonnie will look stunning, I’m sure, in her fitted black gown, and I’ll actually be in a tux for the first time in decades.

On Wednesday night we’ll be going to a Staff Ball for Obama campaign staff members across the nation, and a slightly less dressy affair. Then, Thursday, back to Asheville.

More than the events themselves, however, I am inspired by the words and actions of Barack Obama as he begins fulfilling his promise to be the president of all the people of this nation and to help us remember that we really are all one, that our similarities far outweigh our differences.

I am grateful to those who worked so diligently to help Barack gain the Democratic nomination earlier this year, especially folks in my own Asheville Precinct 3. I am grateful to all who worked in the general election to elect Barack, especially the staff and volunteers in Adams and Highland Counties in Ohio. I am grateful to all Americans who did not vote for Barack but who have now come to embrace him as our nation’s leader. I am grateful to all those who have travelled many miles to be here for this historic event, an event that moves us toward more fully realizing who we really are and propels our country toward fully embracing its highest ideals and vision for itself. And I’m grateful for folks all across the land who are celebrating with us.

YES WE CAN! YES WE DID! YES WE WILL!

Monday, January 19th, 2009

25 things you may not know (or may not care to know) about me

If you haven’t gotten a list like this before, it’s a Facebook thing, and here are the rules: Once you’ve been tagged, you are supposed to write a note with 25 random things about yourself. At the end, choose 25 people to be tagged. You have to tag the person who tagged you. If I tagged you, it’s because I want to know more about you.

[To tag other people, go to “Notes” under tabs on your Facebook profile page, paste these instructions in the body of the note, type your 25 things list, tag 25 people (in the right hand corner of the app) then click publish.]

So Facebook user or not, consider yourself tagged. You can post your list on your Facebook page or add it as a comment to this post.

1. I was a scrawny little kid and was frequently ill. One of my elementary school teachers even referred to me as “sickly.”
2. My favorite color is blue. Half the shirts in my closet are some shade of blue.
3. I went to law school after earning my undergraduate degree–½ a quarter at the University of Tennessee and ½ day at Vanderbilt.
4. For all practical purposes I quit drinking around 25 years ago, though I still enjoy a beer with my vegetarian pizza or burrito.
5. I am not a Christian, though I endeavor to follow the teachings of Christ (as well as those of Buddha, Vishnu, Confucius, Krishna, Gandhi, Bob Dylan, Howard Hanger and The Big Kahuna, among others).
6. My cat Bandit has informed me that he wants me to watch less TV.
7. I’m not sure what happens when one leaves this mortal form, and while I certainly acknowledge that we all pass that way, I often live like I’ve got all the time in the world.
8. I drink two liters of water per day, and I drink six or so cups of organic, shade grown, fair trade coffee most days.
9. I’ve backpacked almost all of the North Carolina-Tennessee sections of the Appalachian Trail.
10. I can’t carry a tune in a bucket, but I’ve got great rhythm.
11. Sometimes I have a powerful sense of my connection with every human, every living thing on the planet, and sometimes I act as if everyone is a supporting actor in my personal drama.
12. I never tire of the zany antics of Seinfeld and the gang.
13. When I play games I strongly prefer to win, though I no longer attach my self worth to the outcome of such endeavors.
14. I once considered myself a lousy dancer, but learned differently after participating in dance classes once a week for almost a year with some friends in Austin.
15. If I eat one cookie, I want three more. If I eat three, I want to devour the whole bag. Therefore I no longer indulge in desserts or candy.
16. I completed my first marathon in 1995 and met my wife Shonnie while training for it.
17. Levi 501s are the only jeans I’d ever consider wearing.
18. My intention is to never pay retail.
19. Shonnie and I have almost a three-decade age difference.
20. I devour my food with gusto.
21. Not one foot of greenway was built during my first year on the Asheville Greenways Commission for a year, and I quit since it didn’t seem to be a good use of my time.
22. The color of the bandanna hanging out of my back pocket is usually chosen to match my outfit du jour and has nothing to do with the hanky code.
23. My grandkids Molly and Jack call me Brucie.
24. I played football with reckless abandon from elementary school through college, though I rarely watch games on the gridiron any longer.
25. I once asked Norman Mailer if he was still stabbing his wife.

Wednesday, January 14th, 2009