 |
Faith. First Americans
|
|
|
|
Faith
Staff:
Name Role Email Phone
- Joshua DuBois Director jdubois@barackobama. com 312-237-0322
- Paul Monteiro Staff pmonteiro@barackobama. com 312-485-9347
- Mark Linton Staff mlinton@barackobama. com 312-343-6465
- Rev. E. Terri LaVelle DNC Staff lavellee@dnc. org 202-787-0699
- Dr. Shaun Casey Staff scasey@barackobama. com 571-643-3241
- Minha Husaini Staff uscminha@yahoo. com 408-839-8295
Targets:
- White Evangelicals
- Latino Evangelicals
- African American churchgoers
- White mainline Protestants
- Key states
- Missouri, Ohio, Indiana, Colorado, New Mexico, Virginia, Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Florida
Achievements to date:
- Organizational Infrastructure: The Religious Affairs department has worked hard to have a full-time or at least part-time organizer in each of the targeted states to coordinate faith outreach on the ground.
- Faith Vote Coordinators
- OH: Rick Barga/ Keith Magee
- IN: Vanessa Waserman
- MI: Allison Pulliam
- NC: Rudi Schenk
- PA: Donnel Baird
- GA: Nia Phillips
- PA: John Kelly
- Communications: The Religious Affairs department has maintained a consistent presence in media outlets with staff interviews in print and on conservative Christian and African American gospel radio. A faith news summary is sent out daily and the American Values Report provides all subscribers with a weekly update on our efforts and news items of interest related to issues of faith.
- State Support: We have provided state specific faith outreach manuals to each state coordinator to guide to reach suggested goals. Through weekly check-in calls Chicago HQ is kept informed of the needs on the ground in various states and kept in consistent communication with organizers.
- Online Tools: We have launched Believers For Barack targeted at young people of faith and witnessed the launch of 10, 000 Catholics for Obama as well as a revision of our main faith page, www. faith. barackobama. com. Additionally, an online tool to generate letters to the editor is currently being added. A regular blog is maintained sharing current faith events and interviews with people of faith who support the campaign.
- Daily Prayer: A morning interfaith prayer call for Senator Obama and the campaign. It is led each day by clergy or lay supporters or staff.
- American Values House Parties and Forums: Our department has developed a curriculum and a weekly training session to equip hosts with the information they need to hold an American Values House party and ensure that participants are directed to field. We’ve held over 300 House Parties and 200 Forums
- Advisory Working Groups: Individual advisory groups have been formed that meet weekly via teleconference to provide insights and counsel to the campaign in its outreach to their respective communities. Groups exist for white mainline Protestant and evangelical leaders, Catholics, and African American Protestants.
|
|
|
Plan for the next 60 days:
We will host a tour of battleground states with values-related town hall forums and national surrogates. The purpose of these tours is to convey message about Senator Obama’s family values and actively pre-/rebut attacks from the Christian Right. This tour combines outreach to all faith constituencies
We have ID’d surrogates who will be good for these forums and we’ve received several requests or interest from states for these forums (Indiana, Missouri, Wisconsin, Virginia, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Colorado, Iowa, Michigan, Florida, and Georgia).
To proceed, we need to:
· Get message approval from political / communications
· Finalize message / branding (fliers)
· Draft packet and get guidance out to states on how to host a forum
· Work with states to finalize date(s) and surrogate(s)
· Do national press release highlighting tour
· Execute forums
Key Dates
· Monday, September 8th: Message approval from communications and political
· Monday, September 8th: Finish descriptive packets for states and fliers
· Tuesday, September 9th: Lock in dates and surrogates with states
· Wednesday – Thursday, September 10th -11th: Lock in locations
· Friday, September 12th: Advise tour
Mail and Email
- We are getting direct mail out to pastors in battlegrounds on Friday, 9/12 and in the beginning of October.
- We will send a direct email ask to 150k faith contacts on Wednesday, 9/10.
- We are also considering a direct mailing from a prominent Catholic supporter to problematic Catholic parishes, advising on the limits of electioneering.
Women of faith are integrated into every program, especially FCC, Af Am voter registration and Call to Chapel. In addition, we will have a national Women of Faith conference call with Michelle Obama.
Key Dates
· Thursday, September 11th: Receive call date from MO staff
· September 11th – Call date: build call
First Americans
Staff:
Name Role Email Phone
- Wizipan Garriott Director wgarriott@barackobama. com 312-339-8900
- Nicole Willis Dep. Director nwillis@barackobama. com 312-339-8674
Targets:
- American Indians nationally: 4 million self identified; 2 million enrolled.
- Key states
- North Dakota: are over 34, 000 Americans Indians making up roughly 6% of the state. There are four reservations in the state.
- Montana: There are 55, 000+ American Indians making up roughly 6% of the population. There are a number of counties where American Indians make up 15% or more of the population, including Big Horn, Lake, Roosevelt, Rosebud, Blaine, Glacier, Hill, Pondera, and Chouteau. In all there are 7 reservations.
- New Mexico: There are over 190, 000 American Indians making up about 10% of the state. Albuquerque has the largest population, followed by the Navajo reservation. The pueblos are smaller, but have dense concentrations of populations.
- Alaska: There are over 100, 000 Alaska Natives making up 15% of the population. Alaska Natives have a strong presence in every county, with many being over 40% Alaska Native. Anchorage has the largest concentration with over 22, 000 Alaska Natives.
- 2nd Tier States
- Colorado: 54, 000 (1. 1%)
- Michigan: 61, 000 (0. 61%)
- Minnesota: 59, 000 (1. 15%)
- Nevada: 34, 000 (1. 3%)
- Oregon: 51, 000 (1. 3%)
- Washington: 103, 000 (1. 6%)
|
|
|
Achievements to date:
- Organizational Infrastructure: The First Americans voting desk has worked hard to implement on the ground infrastructure in target states. Native vote coordinators have been hired in Montana, North Dakota, and New Mexico where the Native vote could prove to be the difference. Everyday grassroots activities are taking place in these states according to state Indian vote plans.
- Native Vote Coordinators
- ND: Jodi Gillette
- MT: Gyasi Ross
- NM: Amber Carrillo
- Michigan and Wisconsin Coordinator (Volunteer basis): Larry Roberts
- Alaska: While an Alaska Native vote program is being implemented in the state, an Alaska Native Vote Coordinator has yet to be named.
- Surrogates: Several surrogates have attended events on behalf of the campaign with Tom Daschle serving as the primary resource. However, no big name surrogates have attended any of the major identified events.
- Need for Major Event: The campaign has still not committed to a major American Indian event where Barack can roll out his American Indian policy and secure support in Indian country. Because tribal nations are political entities rather than an ethnic designation, the need is heightened. Barack first promised this event on a conference call last July and has discussed it at several political clutches. Unlike with other constituencies, rarely will BO have an opportunity to reach out to tribal leaders at other events. Furthermore, the selection of Palin as the Republican VP candidate (her husband is part Alaska Native) is causing support in Indian country to waiver. A major event like the proposed policy forum is needed where BO can galvanize support in Indian country.
Plan for the next 60 days:
· Important Dates and Events:
o October 4 – Shiprock, NM - Northern Navajo Nation Fair and Parade. Surrogate and major event needed.
o October 19-24th- Phoenix, AZ- National Congress of American Indians Annual Convention. All presidential candidates commit to some activity for this event. It would be appropriate for BO to do a video conference. It would also be appropriate for either Biden or Michelle to attend.
o September 22-25th-Pendleton, OR- Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians Annual Conference. Surrogate needed.
o October 23-25th- Anchorage, AK- Alaska Federation of Natives Annual Convention (or similar visit to AK). Surrogate needed.
o October 23-26th- Seattle, WA- National Indian Education Association Annual Convention. Surrogate needed.
- Work Ahead:
- Continue to support Native vote programs in AK, MT, ND, and NM.
- Organizing native programs in 2nd tier states with focus on voter registration, early voting, and GOTV.
- Increase and improve press relations with Indian country press.
- Develop media ads in national and target communities.
- Goals:
- Voter Registration: Voter registration in Indian country generally lags behind 30%. Our goal is to decrease that gap by 15%.
- Voter Participation: Voter participation in Indian country generally lags behind 15% from states. Our goal is to meet in state average voter participation rates for our target communities.
- Dem. vs. Rep. : Indian country votes around 75% democratic, with some communities voting as high as 85% democratic. Our goal in Indian country is 80%.
|
|
|
