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   A local group of fellows began training to register new voters, and mobilize them during the course of the campaign this summer and fall.
    Most of them are local students and are expected to devote 30 hours a week to work in conjunction with other grassroots organizations and the campaign staff. Above are some locals attending the training classes at Hampton University through June 26.

   Former Gov. Mark Warner captured the Democratic Party’s nomination for the fall’s senatorial race during the party’s recent convention. He has told the Obama campaign that he is not interested and is continuing his campaign to win the seat held by Republican John Warner. Photo by Harry Jones.

Mr. Gleason Williams, Sr. Photo by Joseph Ricks

Posted Date: June 18, 2008

Obama Begins Drive For White House

By Leonard E. Colvin
Chief Reporter
New Journal & Guide
 
The first time Mr. Gleason Williams, Sr. voted for a president, he was a 21-year-old supporter of Franklin Delano Roosevelt. President Roosevelt captured many black voters because some of his New Deal policies had helped Blacks economically.
       Over the years since then, 12 men have run for president, with mixed results for the country economically and socially.
        Mr. Williams, who has lived on Craig Street in Norfolk’s Berkley community for most of his life, says he never thought that he would have a shot at voting for a Black man for president of the United States.
       This time, the 88-year-old Williams is counting on joining many of his generation and younger to cast a ballot for Illinois Senator Barack Obama.
       Mr. Williams says he knew this time would come. He recalls the days when the poll tax and other obstacles allowed only a few Blacks to vote in Virginia during any election.  He says he witnessed the days when Jim Crow segregation barred Blacks from holding any political office, employment or attending schools with Whites.

   “I have seen a lot of change over the years,” he said. “The Lord has allowed me to see Black people advance and make a lot of history. We have  acquired positions and power that a lot of my generation never thought was possible. We have come a long way to get to this point. I hope we can make this opportunity come true in my life time.”
       It has been over two weeks since Senator Obama secured the number of regular and superdelegates to become the first Black man to run for the White House.
       New York Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, during a very  passionate speech in the nation’s capital, ended her historic bid to win her party’s nomination and gave her blessing to begin Senator Obama’s historic quest.
       “In all my days I never thought I would see the day come,” said Mr.  Williams.  “I am so proud of  him. We all are proud of him. She could have made history, too. I just hope they do not try to destroy him to keep him from making history. But I think he is tough enough to withstand anything they can throw at him.”
       As the leader of the party, the entire fiscal and administrative operation of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) is now under the control of Senator Obama.  He has pulled all of the party to his headquarters and home town in Chicago,  until the election on November 4th. For the first time, a Black man will have financial, policy and operational control of national political party.
        One of Senator Obama’s first edicts was that the DNC would not take any money from lobbyists. Obama can afford to reject public financing of his campaign during the general election race, since he has developed an awesome fundraising machine, via the internet and raised over $300 million from small donations.
       Early polls show that Senator Obama got a small bounce from his end of primary season drama and leads his  GOP rival for the White House, John McCain, by six points in a Gallup Poll. Daily tracking polls show a real close race brewing.
       Obama made his first serious campaign stop of the season in Bristol, Virginia, which borders West Virginia, in Appalachia, which is full of poor working class Whites that experts say he must persuade to forget Hillary Clinton and vote for him come November.
  In tow was Virginia Governor Tim Kaine, Former Gov. Marker Warner and Senator James Webb.
        Obama hopes to win Virginia during the fall and all three Democrats are very popular in the state and on the top Democratic list of vice presidential candidates.  
Warner has told the Obama campaign that he is not interested and is continuing his campaign to win a Senate seat held by Republican John Warner.
Senator Obama  and McCain have been testing various messages to the public on foreign policy,  the economy, taxes and health care. Both realize they have to fine-tune the messages to ensure that voters already supporting them and those they want to lure to their camp understand where they stand.
       Supporters of  Senator Obama did not have to wait long to see just how nasty a general election campaign can be.
       Obama has set up an entire operation and a website to clear up disinformation that he is a Muslim and soft on support of the state of  Israel.
      Also, the Obama operation has called for a halt on attacks by conservatives on  his wife, Michelle. In a recent Fox News interview with conservative commentator Michelle Malkin, for example, the network flashed the following caption “Outraged Liberals: Stop Picking on Obama’s Baby Mama”.   
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