The Second Congressional District’s Democratic, African American delegates for Barack Obama
Why we are backing Barack!
Why we are backing Barack!
Editor’s Note - The Capital City Hues asked Stan Davis, Frances Huntley-Cooper and Celia Jackson to respond to three questions: 1) Why should people support
Barack Obama? 2) Why was it important to you to be a delegate/alternate? 3) What will Barack and his campaign have to do to win in November? These are
their rersponses.
Stan Davis
While I would love for everyone to vote for Barack Obama just because I say so, I think that every voter should take the time to figure out which candidate best
represents their views and will be the most effective leader of our country. After looking at both candidates, I am confident that most people will agree that Sen.
Obama is the right person for the job.
The choice is really not that complicated. If you think the last eight years have gone well and would like more of the same, you should vote for John McCain. If
you have had enough and are ready for a new way of leadership and governance, Barack is the easy choice. His ability to inspire and bring Americans together
is not just symbolic. A unified public will enable President Obama to get initiatives passed through Congress that have failed under the current system of hyper-
partisanship and a divided nation.
The election of Barack Obama will also go a long way toward restoring America’s image and reputation throughout the world. The Bush administration has
damaged the American brand and it will take either a long time, or a dynamic leader like Barack to re-introduce us to the global community. The headlines of
the newspapers around the world sang the praises of America after Barack secured the Democratic nomination, that is nothing compared to the reaction we will
see around the world when he is elected president.
Contrary to statements by his opponent, one of Sen. Obama’s greatest strengths is his experience. Senator Obama’s experience as a community organizer has
allowed him to learn first hand the impact that bad public policy can have on people’s lives and craft solutions to address those problems. His experience as a
law professor has developed a strong sense and understanding of the rule of law and how it must be faithfully applied and adhered to by our government. His
experience as an effective state legislator and United States senator has taught him how both the federal government and state government operate. Finally,
perhaps his most important experience has been spending the last 18 months or so travelling the country hearing directly from the American people about their
hopes, dreams, fears and concerns. Barack will apply all that he has learned during his many years of experience to be a great president.
Most importantly, Barack Obama has the ideas necessary to get America back on track and the leadership skills to turn those ideas into action. People should
vote for Barack Obama because he is the candidate who will lead America out of the current mess it is in and back to status as a responsible world leader.
There were many people who worked hard in support of Sen. Obama and any number of them would have been outstanding and deserving delegates. I am
honored that I was chosen to serve the party and Sen. Obama in this capacity. As a delegate, I will have the privilege of witnessing and playing a small role in
the historic nomination that will take place in Denver this August. I take the responsibility very seriously and will fulfill my obligations as best I can.
The Obama campaign will have to continue to function as the well organized and highly effective machine that it was during the primary process. It will also
be important to successfully integrate the Obama team with officials from other Democratic campaigns and those from the Democratic Party. I have every
confidence that the feelings from the primary season will heal in short order and the Democratic forces will be united as we go into the most important
presidential election of our lifetime.
As Barack continues to spread his message of hope, change and new ideas throughout the country, he will also need to be prepared to effectively respond to
the negativity that we know will be directed toward him by his opponent and privately funded groups. As we saw in 2004, not responding quickly or strongly
enough can result in a seemingly harmless issue turning into one that can lead to the defeat of a candidate that was otherwise positioned to win.
Senator Obama will be the first Democratic presidential candidate to compete seriously in states such as Virginia, Colorado, North Carolina, and maybe even
Georgia and Mississippi in many years. It will require great organization and a clear message to expand the number of states that can legitimately be
considered to be “in play,” thereby increasing Obama’s chances for victory in November.
In Wisconsin, we will have to gather all of our resources, volunteers, passion and commitment to make sure that we win this state for Obama. This state has been
won by the Democrats by razor thin margins in the last two elections, and we will have to work hard and smart to keep Wisconsin blue. Obama’s overwhelming
victory here in the primary shows that he has great support in Wisconsin, and we will be working between now and November to bring as many supporters, old
and new, onto the team to make us victorious in the general election.
Frances Huntley-Cooper
If you have an issue or two that is of importance to you, I would ask the voter to see where Obama stands on the issue(s). I am certain that you will find that his
viewpoints are closer to yours than his opponent. You want to support Barack Obama because he represents your values, opinions and will find to bring about
change to reach our goals. He is a great listener, problem solver and respected by a vast ethnic population. He is able to energize the young voter and has
respect from the older voter. Barack Obama is a young 46-year old educated American who brings his knowledge, skills and abilities in ways that gain the
respect of all Americans. It has not been an easy road for Barack Obama to travel, but through all the barriers and obstacles he has encountered, I am most
proud of how he has carried himself. He is always professional and respectful and chooses his words very carefully and cautiously as he addresses news stories
that have distracted him momentarily from the race. I admire a man who stands strong and epitomizes a statesman as he runs for the President of the United
States of America.
I am delighted to be chosen as a “pledged Barack Obama delegate” to the 2008 National Democratic Convention in Denver, CO. I have been fortunate to have
attended two previous conventions in 1988 as a Jesse Jackson delegate and in 1992 as a Bill Clinton delegate. However, being selected this time left me
breathless for at least a week.
When I think of the significance of Senator Barack Obama winning the party’s nomination for the next President of the United States of America, I am
speechless. As a former elected official and Wisconsin’s first and only African American elected Mayor, I can truly appreciate and somewhat relate to what
Senator Obama has accomplished so far. If you look at the number of young folks that he has been able to talk with, energize them to vote and work in his
campaign, this is truly unbelievable. He has not only set records with getting historic folks registered to vote, voters at the polls but being able to have a major
effect on campaign contributions. He continues to make history with blazing a new trail for internet campaigning.
If you know your American history and the struggles that African Americans have endured simply to get the right to vote and the thousands of African Americans
who have died for the “right to vote,” it is truly an honor to be in attendance at this historic event.
Barack will have to continue to re-focus the debate and strategies showing the difference between his goals with new, fresh ideas versus doing the “same old
Republican way.”
What the American people want is a better economy than what we have had the past 8 years, along with available accessible health care for the 37 million
folks who are uninsured or under-insured.
Everyone benefits when we have access to education, where all Americans are given a chance to obtain a college degree and at the same time serve the
country by working in our respective fields to repay our debt.
These are a few simple solutions to challenged issues and problems that are facing the American people today.
So “changing” how we do business can only contribute to the success of American people reaching and achieving the American dream.
Giving Barack Obama your vote in November allows for a positive change and a new direction for all.
Barack Obama will need to continue to get his message out through the numerous media outlets that have been tapped thus far. There has been no other
candidate who could register the number of voters, achieve record breaking numbers at the polls, winning unbelievable primaries and communicating with folks
from all walks of life. Who else can get the donations in all denominations to build the campaign chest but Barack Obama? These strategies and forms of
support will need to continue right through Election Day.
Celia Jackson
Every now and then we have an opportunity to be part of something bigger than us. A chance to be in the midst of energy that we never thought could be. A
chance to be part of history. A chance to be part of a movement. In essence, that sums up how I feel about the privilege of being an alternate delegate on
behalf of Senator Barack Obama for the 2008 Democratic Convention in Denver.
So, why am I supporting the Senator from Illinois? It’s not just because he has made history by becoming the first African American nominee to a major
political party. Although, I certainly acknowledge who he is and take great pride in that. Nor is it because he has ignited a movement, none of which we have
seen the likes of since the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Although, it is hard not to get caught up in the excitement. No, for me it is real simple. It is his
conversation. A conversation of authenticity. A conversation of hope. A conversation of possibility. When he speaks, you believe him and you believe in him.
He is the real deal and in battleground of politics that speaks loudly.
I am a baby boomer through and through. And I have been around long enough to know that many of us born between the years of 1946-1964 lost our way after
the tragedies of 1968. For many of us, our heroes, our leaders and our voices suffered. Our energy, our spirit, and our drive did not have the same thrust as it
once did. And, for the last 40 years we have been searching for that something and that someone to believe in. We have had children and some of us
grandchildren and certainly want to see this world in a better place for them. So, when we see them get truly excited about a political candidate, not only do
we pay attention, but it sparks something in us that has not been stirred for some time. That something is change. Change we can believe in and change we
can be proud of. Therefore, it is time to awaken the sleeping giant in all of us and engage in the chance to be part of the change that we have been yearning
for all these years.
Senator Obama is going to need all of us to help get him elected. There is no task too small and no vote that can go uncounted. We need volunteers to
register people to vote. We need people to help at the campaign office to make phone calls, to pass out literature, to do doors, to talk to their friends, neighbors
and relatives. We need people to stay informed on the issues and keep up with the ever changing political realities. We need people to speak up and speak
out. We need your donations of time and money. We need your support in any way that you can provide it.
We have all witnessed how Senator Obama, who was not very well known outside of Illinois 18 months ago, is now a household name. He and his team have
created a grass- roots movement in a way that many of us has never seen by using technological savvy and appealing to all of us, by simply engaging us at our
level. He has enamored us with his tenacity, his intellect and his honesty. And he has convinced us that change, in every sense of the word, is possible.
I can not describe how honored I am to be going to the convention as an alternate delegate. I don’t think words can adequately tell the story. I am thankful to
those who voted for me which enabled me to have this opportunity. I am also thankful to Governor Doyle for his leadership in supporting Senator Obama
resulting in a substantial victory in Wisconsin during the primary. But, I am most thankful to Senator Obama. A man who has demonstrated the courage, insight,
wisdom and fortitude to stand up for what he believes in. A man who is asserting the full measure of his citizenship. A man who is a catalyst for change standing
on the shoulders of many who have come before him. A man who has ignited this country and gives us a reason to hope for a better way and a change we can
believe in. To say it simply and proudly, YES WE CAN!
Barack Obama? 2) Why was it important to you to be a delegate/alternate? 3) What will Barack and his campaign have to do to win in November? These are
their rersponses.
Stan Davis
While I would love for everyone to vote for Barack Obama just because I say so, I think that every voter should take the time to figure out which candidate best
represents their views and will be the most effective leader of our country. After looking at both candidates, I am confident that most people will agree that Sen.
Obama is the right person for the job.
The choice is really not that complicated. If you think the last eight years have gone well and would like more of the same, you should vote for John McCain. If
you have had enough and are ready for a new way of leadership and governance, Barack is the easy choice. His ability to inspire and bring Americans together
is not just symbolic. A unified public will enable President Obama to get initiatives passed through Congress that have failed under the current system of hyper-
partisanship and a divided nation.
The election of Barack Obama will also go a long way toward restoring America’s image and reputation throughout the world. The Bush administration has
damaged the American brand and it will take either a long time, or a dynamic leader like Barack to re-introduce us to the global community. The headlines of
the newspapers around the world sang the praises of America after Barack secured the Democratic nomination, that is nothing compared to the reaction we will
see around the world when he is elected president.
Contrary to statements by his opponent, one of Sen. Obama’s greatest strengths is his experience. Senator Obama’s experience as a community organizer has
allowed him to learn first hand the impact that bad public policy can have on people’s lives and craft solutions to address those problems. His experience as a
law professor has developed a strong sense and understanding of the rule of law and how it must be faithfully applied and adhered to by our government. His
experience as an effective state legislator and United States senator has taught him how both the federal government and state government operate. Finally,
perhaps his most important experience has been spending the last 18 months or so travelling the country hearing directly from the American people about their
hopes, dreams, fears and concerns. Barack will apply all that he has learned during his many years of experience to be a great president.
Most importantly, Barack Obama has the ideas necessary to get America back on track and the leadership skills to turn those ideas into action. People should
vote for Barack Obama because he is the candidate who will lead America out of the current mess it is in and back to status as a responsible world leader.
There were many people who worked hard in support of Sen. Obama and any number of them would have been outstanding and deserving delegates. I am
honored that I was chosen to serve the party and Sen. Obama in this capacity. As a delegate, I will have the privilege of witnessing and playing a small role in
the historic nomination that will take place in Denver this August. I take the responsibility very seriously and will fulfill my obligations as best I can.
The Obama campaign will have to continue to function as the well organized and highly effective machine that it was during the primary process. It will also
be important to successfully integrate the Obama team with officials from other Democratic campaigns and those from the Democratic Party. I have every
confidence that the feelings from the primary season will heal in short order and the Democratic forces will be united as we go into the most important
presidential election of our lifetime.
As Barack continues to spread his message of hope, change and new ideas throughout the country, he will also need to be prepared to effectively respond to
the negativity that we know will be directed toward him by his opponent and privately funded groups. As we saw in 2004, not responding quickly or strongly
enough can result in a seemingly harmless issue turning into one that can lead to the defeat of a candidate that was otherwise positioned to win.
Senator Obama will be the first Democratic presidential candidate to compete seriously in states such as Virginia, Colorado, North Carolina, and maybe even
Georgia and Mississippi in many years. It will require great organization and a clear message to expand the number of states that can legitimately be
considered to be “in play,” thereby increasing Obama’s chances for victory in November.
In Wisconsin, we will have to gather all of our resources, volunteers, passion and commitment to make sure that we win this state for Obama. This state has been
won by the Democrats by razor thin margins in the last two elections, and we will have to work hard and smart to keep Wisconsin blue. Obama’s overwhelming
victory here in the primary shows that he has great support in Wisconsin, and we will be working between now and November to bring as many supporters, old
and new, onto the team to make us victorious in the general election.
Frances Huntley-Cooper
If you have an issue or two that is of importance to you, I would ask the voter to see where Obama stands on the issue(s). I am certain that you will find that his
viewpoints are closer to yours than his opponent. You want to support Barack Obama because he represents your values, opinions and will find to bring about
change to reach our goals. He is a great listener, problem solver and respected by a vast ethnic population. He is able to energize the young voter and has
respect from the older voter. Barack Obama is a young 46-year old educated American who brings his knowledge, skills and abilities in ways that gain the
respect of all Americans. It has not been an easy road for Barack Obama to travel, but through all the barriers and obstacles he has encountered, I am most
proud of how he has carried himself. He is always professional and respectful and chooses his words very carefully and cautiously as he addresses news stories
that have distracted him momentarily from the race. I admire a man who stands strong and epitomizes a statesman as he runs for the President of the United
States of America.
I am delighted to be chosen as a “pledged Barack Obama delegate” to the 2008 National Democratic Convention in Denver, CO. I have been fortunate to have
attended two previous conventions in 1988 as a Jesse Jackson delegate and in 1992 as a Bill Clinton delegate. However, being selected this time left me
breathless for at least a week.
When I think of the significance of Senator Barack Obama winning the party’s nomination for the next President of the United States of America, I am
speechless. As a former elected official and Wisconsin’s first and only African American elected Mayor, I can truly appreciate and somewhat relate to what
Senator Obama has accomplished so far. If you look at the number of young folks that he has been able to talk with, energize them to vote and work in his
campaign, this is truly unbelievable. He has not only set records with getting historic folks registered to vote, voters at the polls but being able to have a major
effect on campaign contributions. He continues to make history with blazing a new trail for internet campaigning.
If you know your American history and the struggles that African Americans have endured simply to get the right to vote and the thousands of African Americans
who have died for the “right to vote,” it is truly an honor to be in attendance at this historic event.
Barack will have to continue to re-focus the debate and strategies showing the difference between his goals with new, fresh ideas versus doing the “same old
Republican way.”
What the American people want is a better economy than what we have had the past 8 years, along with available accessible health care for the 37 million
folks who are uninsured or under-insured.
Everyone benefits when we have access to education, where all Americans are given a chance to obtain a college degree and at the same time serve the
country by working in our respective fields to repay our debt.
These are a few simple solutions to challenged issues and problems that are facing the American people today.
So “changing” how we do business can only contribute to the success of American people reaching and achieving the American dream.
Giving Barack Obama your vote in November allows for a positive change and a new direction for all.
Barack Obama will need to continue to get his message out through the numerous media outlets that have been tapped thus far. There has been no other
candidate who could register the number of voters, achieve record breaking numbers at the polls, winning unbelievable primaries and communicating with folks
from all walks of life. Who else can get the donations in all denominations to build the campaign chest but Barack Obama? These strategies and forms of
support will need to continue right through Election Day.
Celia Jackson
Every now and then we have an opportunity to be part of something bigger than us. A chance to be in the midst of energy that we never thought could be. A
chance to be part of history. A chance to be part of a movement. In essence, that sums up how I feel about the privilege of being an alternate delegate on
behalf of Senator Barack Obama for the 2008 Democratic Convention in Denver.
So, why am I supporting the Senator from Illinois? It’s not just because he has made history by becoming the first African American nominee to a major
political party. Although, I certainly acknowledge who he is and take great pride in that. Nor is it because he has ignited a movement, none of which we have
seen the likes of since the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Although, it is hard not to get caught up in the excitement. No, for me it is real simple. It is his
conversation. A conversation of authenticity. A conversation of hope. A conversation of possibility. When he speaks, you believe him and you believe in him.
He is the real deal and in battleground of politics that speaks loudly.
I am a baby boomer through and through. And I have been around long enough to know that many of us born between the years of 1946-1964 lost our way after
the tragedies of 1968. For many of us, our heroes, our leaders and our voices suffered. Our energy, our spirit, and our drive did not have the same thrust as it
once did. And, for the last 40 years we have been searching for that something and that someone to believe in. We have had children and some of us
grandchildren and certainly want to see this world in a better place for them. So, when we see them get truly excited about a political candidate, not only do
we pay attention, but it sparks something in us that has not been stirred for some time. That something is change. Change we can believe in and change we
can be proud of. Therefore, it is time to awaken the sleeping giant in all of us and engage in the chance to be part of the change that we have been yearning
for all these years.
Senator Obama is going to need all of us to help get him elected. There is no task too small and no vote that can go uncounted. We need volunteers to
register people to vote. We need people to help at the campaign office to make phone calls, to pass out literature, to do doors, to talk to their friends, neighbors
and relatives. We need people to stay informed on the issues and keep up with the ever changing political realities. We need people to speak up and speak
out. We need your donations of time and money. We need your support in any way that you can provide it.
We have all witnessed how Senator Obama, who was not very well known outside of Illinois 18 months ago, is now a household name. He and his team have
created a grass- roots movement in a way that many of us has never seen by using technological savvy and appealing to all of us, by simply engaging us at our
level. He has enamored us with his tenacity, his intellect and his honesty. And he has convinced us that change, in every sense of the word, is possible.
I can not describe how honored I am to be going to the convention as an alternate delegate. I don’t think words can adequately tell the story. I am thankful to
those who voted for me which enabled me to have this opportunity. I am also thankful to Governor Doyle for his leadership in supporting Senator Obama
resulting in a substantial victory in Wisconsin during the primary. But, I am most thankful to Senator Obama. A man who has demonstrated the courage, insight,
wisdom and fortitude to stand up for what he believes in. A man who is asserting the full measure of his citizenship. A man who is a catalyst for change standing
on the shoulders of many who have come before him. A man who has ignited this country and gives us a reason to hope for a better way and a change we can
believe in. To say it simply and proudly, YES WE CAN!
| Stan Davis (l-r), an attorney with Axley Brynelson, LLP, Frances Huntley-Cooper, a division administrator for Wis. Dept. of Workforce Development and Celia Jackson, secretary of the Wis. Dept. of Regulation and Licensing, were elected at the Democratioc Party Caucus held at the Labor Temple on May 4 to be delegates or alternate delegates for Barack Obama (left) . They will be attending the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver August 25-28. |
Sen. Barack Obama