DNC Weblog

With an event in New York City tonight, the Democratic National Committee is launching Generation 44 (Gen44) in the Northeast -- a project harnessing young people’s historic involvement in the 2008 election by cultivating the next generation of fundraisers for the DNC and Organizing for America. To coincide with tonight’s event, Gen44 is unveiling its new website, which you can check out here for updates from New York and to find out more about the project and how to get involved. At tonight’s event, attendees will hear from Gen44 Honorary Chairs Newark Mayor Cory Booker and Pennsylvania Representative Patrick Murphy, as well as Organizing for America New York State Director Melissa DeRosa and New Jersey State Director Samantha Gordon. As President Obama has said, our work for change didn’t end on Election Day – rather, it’s just begun. Gen44 was established last year as a council to cultivate and empower young leaders in the Democratic Party. Working with those under age 40, Gen44 serves as a platform for political organizing and ensuring that President Obama has the resources and support needed to make real change.

Good afternoon. President Barack Obama greets a boy after speaking about strengthening America's education system, at the Wright Middle School in Madison, Wis., Nov. 4, 2009. Photo by Pete Souza.

In this week's address the President talks about his first year fighting against special interests and barring lobbyists from his Administration. Additionally the President talks about the fight to come in the wake of a recent Supreme Court decision.

In today's Washington Post, Obama for America campaign manager David Plouffe penned an op-ed in which he looks ahead to the 2010 midterms and outlines a few key principles the Democrats can use to be successful in a difficult election environment: With few exceptions, the first off-year election in a new president's term has led to big gains for the minority party -- this was true for Harry Truman, Dwight Eisenhower, Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton. After two election cycles in which Democrats won most of the close races and almost all of the big ones, Democrats have much more fragile turf to defend this year than usual. Add to that a historic economic crisis, stubborn unemployment and the pain that both have inflicted on millions of Americans, and you have a recipe for a white-knuckled ride for many of our candidates. ...We still have much to do before November, and time is running short. Every race has unique characteristics, but there are a few general things that Democrats can do to strengthen our hand." The steps Plouffe focuses on include passing a meaningful health insurance reform package without delay, focusing on job creation, and better articulating the positive impact American Recovery and Reinvestment Act on the economy. Plouffe also argues that Democrats should "accept [no] lectures on spending:" Republicans' fiscal irresponsibility has never been matched in our country's history. We have potent talking points on health care, honest budgeting and cuts in previously sacrosanct programs. Republicans will try to win disingenuously by running as outsiders. We must make them own their record of disastrous economic policies, exploding deficits, and a failure to even attempt to solve our health care and energy challenges. During the campaign, who will be whispering in Republican ears? Watching GOP leaders talking about health care the past few days, it was easy to imagine lobbyists and big health insurance executives leaning over their shoulders, urging death to health insurance reform. When it comes to cracking down on the banks and passing tough financial regulatory reform, GOP leaders will be dancing to the tune of Wall Street lobbyists and opposing tougher oversight, as if the financial crisis never happened. We need to lay it out plainly: If you put the GOP back in charge, lobbyists and huge corporate special interests will be back in the driver's seat. Workers and families will get run over, just like they did in the past decade. Finally, Plouffe urges Democratic candidates to "run great campaigns:" Our campaigns can leave no stone unturned, from believing in the power of grass-roots volunteers and voter registration, to using technology and data innovatively, to raising money -- especially with big corporate interests now freed up to dump hundreds of millions of dollars to elect those who will do their bidding. Democratic candidates must do everything well. Each one must make sure that the first-time voters from 2008 living in your state or district -- more than 15 million nationwide -- are in their sights. Build a relationship with those voters, organize them and educate them. On Nov. 3, many races are sure to be decided by just a few thousand if not a few hundred votes. These voters can make the difference. We have to show them that their 2008 votes mattered, and passing health insurance reform is one way to start. But in the short term, Plouffe argues that the most important thing is for "Democrats do what the American people sent them to Washington to do." If Democrats will show the country we can lead when it's hard, we may not have perfect election results, but November will be nothing like the nightmare that talking heads have forecast. Read the full op-ed...

Hello Saturday. President Barack Obama and Congressional Members, Senator Richard Durbin and Rep. Steny Hoyer eat lunch with Vice President Joe Biden and Assistant to the President for Legislative Affairs Phil Schiliro in the Oval Office Private Dining Room 3/12/09. Photo by Pete Souza.

Good morning. President Barack Obama jokes with Special Assistant Eugene Kang, Personal Secretary Katie, Johnson and Personal Aide Reggie Love in the Oval Office. Photo by Pete Souza.

Earlier today, DNC Chairman Governor Tim Kaine sent out an email to supporters, inviting them to host State of the Union Watch Parties across the country next Wednesday night: It goes without saying that we are disappointed by the result of the special election in Massachusetts. There will be plenty of time to dissect this race and to apply the lessons learned from it in elections to come. But in the meantime, we will continue to work tirelessly on behalf of the American people, and we will redouble our efforts to lay out a clear choice for voters this November. And while the path toward change has never been easy, there is always a way forward. This Wednesday, the President will be delivering his first State of the Union address, where he will lay out that path -- and Democratic Party and Organizing for America supporters will be gathering together at State of the Union Watch Parties across the country. Can you help out, by signing up to host one? All you need is a place for folks to gather, a phone, and a TV to watch on. I'll be attending an event in St. Louis, and we'll help recruit supporters from your area to come to yours. Then we'll launch the next step in our work together. Can you host a Watch Party? These State of the Union Watch Parties are a great way for us all to play a role as we forge a path forward. No experience is necessary to host a successful event -- once you sign up to host, a local organizer will be in touch about what to do next. I know that folks are feeling down after Tuesday's loss. But our nation faces real challenges, and with your help President Obama will continue to tackle them head on. Please sign up to host a State of the Union Watch Party, and help move us forward. Thanks, Governor Tim Kaine Chairman P.S. -- I want to thank our state parties and our DNC and Organizing for America staff and volunteers all across the country who worked tirelessly on the Massachusetts campaign. Together, we generated more than 2 million calls to Massachusetts voters in the final week of the election.

Democratic National Committee (DNC) Chairman Tim Kaine released the following statement after the Supreme Court’s decision on the Citizens United campaign finance case today: “The Supreme Court's ruling today will allow the money of corporate interests to flood the political process, will undermine free and fair elections and further erode voters' confidence in our system of Democracy. It is a major victory for oil companies, banks, health insurance companies and other special interests that already use their power over Washington to drown out the voices of regular Americans. "As we said in our amicus brief on this case, restrictions on corporate influence over elections are necessary if we are to have a system that allows actual voters and candidates to be heard and if we are to encourage the record number of small donors who participated in the 2008 election to remain involved. This ruling changes the rules just as more small donors are beginning to play a greater role in the political process." "Voters are angry and anxious because they believe the system is tilted against them and instead is designed to benefit the special interests. The concerns of voters are well founded - as we have seen over and over again how armies of corporate lobbyists descend on Capitol Hill to fight everything from health care and financial regulatory reform to efforts to lower energy costs and reverse the effects of global climate change. This ruling undermines the free speech rights of citizens whose views will be drowned out by wealthy corporate interests whose aim will not just be to influence which candidates get elected - but how they vote once they are in office. "Not surprisingly, Republicans have hailed this decision - the same Republicans who have stood with corporate America year after year to block any measure that would benefit Middle Class Americans at the expense of the corporate bottom line. Republicans are tone deaf if they believe that the anger and disgust that voters have right now towards our political system is not borne in large part out of their rightful belief that the corporate special interests have too much sway over elected officials and public policy. On this, Republicans are again taking the side of the special interests over the people's interests. "President Obama has said that his Administration will immediately work with Congress to develop a forceful response to this decision which, in the public interest, simply must not be allowed to stand." You can read the full text of the opinion here http://my.democrats.org/page/-/pdf/Citizens_United.pdf.

Good morning. President Barack Obama reads the newspaper in the Outer Oval Office. Photo by Pete Souza.

Tomorrow afternoon, DNC Chairman Governor Tim Kaine and Newark, New Jersey Mayor Cory A. Booker will take part in a national conference call to kick-off Generation Forty Four. Gen44 is a program that will cultivate and empower a rising generation of leaders for the Democratic Party. Gen44 will work with this groundbreaking group, all under the age of 40, to serve as a platform for political mobilization and to ensure that President Obama has the resources and infrastructure needed to implement the change we want to see. The call will take place at 2:45 P.M. Eastern. Click here to RSVP and to receive call-in information.

Good morning. President Barack Obama fixes the tie of Secretary Ray LaHood. Photo by Pete Souza.

Democratic National Committee (DNC) Chairman Tim Kaine issued the following statement on the results of the special election in Massachusetts tonight:“I want to congratulate Scott Brown on running a strong campaign and Martha Coakley on being a strong voice for progressive values. "It goes without saying that we are disappointed in tonight's result. There will be plenty of time to dissect this race and to apply the lessons learned from it those to come this fall - but in the meantime we will continue to work tirelessly on behalf of the America people and we will redouble our efforts to lay out a clear choice for voters this November."I want to thank our state parties and our DNC and Organizing for America staff and volunteers all across the country who have worked tirelessly on this campaign and who will continue to support President Obama and work for the change we all believe is essential to getting our nation moving in the right direction again."BarackObama.com has a look at some of the incredible work done by volunteers over the past few weeks:In the last four days, OFA volunteers made more than 2 million calls to Massachusetts voters to ensure they get out to vote for Martha Coakley. OFA volunteer leaders ran more than one thousand phone banks across the country to get out the vote in Massachusetts. Supporters used OFA’s online phone banking tools to call folks in Massachusetts and ask them to get out and vote, and used our text messaging tool to look up polling place locations and make phone calls. No matter what the final outcome, we witnessed incredible energy from OFA supporters across the country eager to lend a hand in the final push in Massachusetts. Here are a few updates from across the country: Brigid from Massachusetts: In the past week, we have seen the OFA volunteer community come together in a way that we've never seen before to work to get Martha Coakley get elected. We've held seven phone banks in the past week in Arlington alone and recruited over 220 volunteers to make thousands of calls to our neighbors and voters across the Commonwealth. OFA provided us the opportunity to flex our organizing muscle in coordination with the Coakley Campaign, which was evidenced by the high turnout in Arlington.From Bill in MA: The determination and persistence of our organization here in Boston is truly inspiring. This is the last mile in this race, but there will be many more ahead, and the energy and activism that we have put into this race in the final push will send a clear message that OFA is up to the challenge.Noah from Colorado: We've had a lot of inspiring stories from volunteers calling today for Martha Coakley. Our favorite comes from Alfredo F., who talked to a 77-year-old Spanish-speaking woman who voted for the first time in 2008 for Barack Obama. She wasn't planning on voting today because she didn't have a way to get to the polls. Alfredo gave her the number for the Coakley rides to the polls program. She was so excited when the ride finally showed up that she called Alfredo back and thanked him for the encouragement to get out and participate in this important election. Dustin from Washington: Every single phone and computer in OFA HQ in Seattle taken up by Organizing for America volunteers. Volunteers were on cell phones, sitting on the floor, doing whatever it took to get the vote out for Coakley! Sean from California: Despite being a rainy Tuesday afternoon, volunteers committed to ensuring Massachusets turned out for Martha packed into every nook and cranny here. Throughout California, phone banks called thousands upon thousands of Massachusetts residents. Christina from Ohio: Ohio OFA volunteers made over 11,000 calls to Massachusetts voters on Monday, and are making even more today. One woman, Marion H., from Marblehead, Massachusetts was so touched that a man from OFA called her yesterday to ask if she was voting for Martha, she wanted us to pass along the message to Martha herself. She was amazed that people all over the country care so much about this election.Thanks to everyone who pitched in, on the ground in Massachusetts or across the country. No matter what the outcome, you can be proud of your incredible efforts.

We're about to enter the last hour of call time before polls close in Massachusetts, and it's all hands on deck at OFA national headquarters here in D.C. A number of Democratic representatives have stopped by today to thank volunteers for their work, and to make calls themselves, including Bill Foster (D-IL) and Sheila Jackson-Lee (D-TX), as well as Donna Brazile. Polls close at 8:00 P.M. Eastern.

Across the country, volunteers are making calls to help get out the vote for Martha Coakley in today's Massachusetts special election. Here at the Democratic National Committee headquarters, it's no different.Polls close in just under three hours. If you have five minutes, can you call five voters?

Photo: Volunteers at the Democratic National Committee headquarters in Washington, D.C. making Get Out the Vote calls for Martha Coakley.Polls close in just over three hours. There's still time to help out by making calls from home using our online "Call 5" tool.

In addition to our online phonebanking tools, voters in Massachusetts and throughout the country are using our text messaging program to help get out the vote today. If you're a Massachusetts voter, you can find your polling place information by texting PLACE to 62262. And no matter where you are, you can text CALL to 62262 and we'll call you back with talking points and info, and then connect you to a Massachusetts voter. You can make as many or as few calls as you like. Polls are open for another four and a half hours.

Today’s the big day in Massachusetts – and the Martha Coakley campaign is in full Get Out the Vote mode. At the campaign headquarters in Boston and across the state, we’re making sure each and every voter gets out to cast their ballot for Martha before the polls close at 8:00 p.m. Eastern tonight. Wondering how you can lend a hand to help fill Ted Kennedy’s senate seat, even if you’re not in Massachusetts? Wherever you are, it’s easy to make calls from home (or anywhere else) using our online call tools. If you’re in Massachusetts, you can join a local phone bank to call Bay State voters and make sure they get to the polls: It’s been a great final stretch. Here are just a few scenes from on the ground in Massachusetts over these last few days: On Sunday, President Obama came to rally for Martha, with more than 4,000 folks in attendance. As you can see from the excitement of the attendees below, it was a great success. Congressman Ed Markey stopped by to rally the troops at the campaign headquarters in Boston: All weekend, volunteers have been making calls, knocking on doors, and getting ready from early morning to late each night. From Saturday until last night, volunteers have made a staggering 1.2 million calls to Massachusetts voters. It’s been an amazing few days, and we’re going to make sure we do everything we can to finish strong in these last few hours.

Good morning. President Barack Obama views the Emancipation Proclamation with a small group of African American seniors, their grandchildren and some children from the Washington, D.C. area, in the Oval Office, Jan. 18, 2010. This copy of the Emancipation Proclamation, which is on loan from the Smithsonian Museum of American History, was hung on the wall of the Oval Office today and will be exhibited for six months, before being moved to the Lincoln Bedroom where the original Proclamation was signed by Abraham Lincoln on Jan. 1, 1863. Photo by Pete Souza.

The polls opened at 7:00 A.M. Eastern this morning for the Massachusetts Special Election to fill Ted Kennedy's Senate seat. If you live in Massachusetts, you can find your polling place now at Pollingplaces.Democrats.org. You can also recieve polling place information by text message by texting PLACE to 62262.The polls are open until 8:00 P.M. Eastern tonight. As long as you are in line by 8:00 P.M., you have the right to vote.  This morning, President Obama sent out a the following message to Massachusetts voters: Right now, the polls are open to elect a new senator to the seat that my friend Ted Kennedy held for 47 years. The choice could not be more stark, and the result could not be of greater consequence -- for Massachusetts or the nation. The Bay State can send progressive champion Martha Coakley to Washington to fight for everything we believe in -- health reform, getting all of our money back from Wall Street, and holding corporate interests accountable. Or the Senate can get one more person already walking in lockstep with Washington Republicans. The polls are still open, the choice has not been made, and you still have a crucial role to play. First, please make sure you get out and vote for Martha Coakley before the polls close at 8:00 p.m. Click here to verify your polling location, and then please call as many voters in your area as you can. Opponents of change and progress have been pouring money and resources into the Commonwealth -- they want to keep things just as they are. So once you've cast your vote, the most important thing you can do is call other voters and urge them to get out to vote for the leader we need representing Massachusetts. In a race as close as this one, calling just five voters in your neighborhood could tip the balance. So please do everything you can today. Start calling voters in your precinct now. If you were fired up in the last election, I need you more fired up in this election. Thanks for everything you've done, and for your efforts in this final push, President Barack Obama P.S. -- There are Election Day canvasses and phone banks across Massachusetts -- if you can, please join one near you.

Hello Saturday. President Barack Obama talks with, left to right, Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, Deputy National Security Advisor Tom Donilon and NSC Chief of Staff Denis McDonough in the Oval Office. Photo by Pete Souza.