A Picture…

Is worth a thousand words.

Sidwell Friends Private School For Mahalia & Sasha

I think Barack and Michelle made a good decision by opting for private school for their girls.  Considering the massive Secret Service operation around them their presence in public school would have turned it inside out, possibly diverting much needed attention from other students. 

Sidwell Friends is a private Quaker school located in Washington, DC, sitting nestled in a corner of Northwest Washington.  Here a bit about the school from their site:

Sidwell Friends School is committed as an institution to the ideal of diversity with regard to age, economic background, ethnicity, gender, physical disability, political affiliation, race and sexual orientation in its student body, faculty and staff.

But quite frankly, I really am not concerned with where they send their girls to school or what dog they get…I am an Obama girl, but I will not fall into this Obama mania that seems to be going on. 

The school they chose for their girls is Sidwell Friends, a private school in Washington, DC (I must drive by someday, I have never seen it).  But anyway, I just happen to flip over to their tuition and fee’s section…you have to see it to believe it http://www.sidwell.edu/admissions/tuition.asp. 

Another thing I noticed is that the only offer after school care (for an additional fee) and not before school care.  This means that there is probably one parent who stays at home (or an au pair or nanny) or parents find other alternatives for before school care.  Something tells me its more of the former than the latter.

Can I just say this tuition was more than my college tuition.  I went to Penn State as an out of state student and that wasn’t cheap.  I like most of America, probably couldn’t send our children here if we wanted to (not without a scholarship or the sale of future children and/or body parts).  $30,000 a year?  Two words…good grief.

I wish the Obama’s the best and since the girls will be spending 8 years in this school (yes, I said 8 years not 4) I know they made the best choice for them.

I wanted to end this with God Bless America!  But why do we say God Bless America?  Does the rest of the world not need or deserve his blessings too?  So I will just say God Bless!

Obama A House Negro? Yes, it’s True! Just Ask Al Qaeda

Al Qaueda’s 2nd in command, Ayman al-Zawahri (can’t pronounce it? me
neither, just call him crazy fool #2), issues a recorded statement today calling Obama a “house negro”. Even says “the direct opposite of honorable black Americans” like Malcolm X. What? I thought they hated us…they think some American’s are honorable now? Maybe they like black folks better than whites…maybe they get BET in their caves.

When I heard about this, I laughed out loud. Not because it’s funny, but it’s sad. Terrorists calling names…I guess the next statement will begin something like this “Barack, yo momma is so fat…” Really, now…do they think this is going to phase Barack? I mean what is their point? They are useless group of radicals who are so for and proud of their cause they hide in caves of torn countries. Yeah, thats pure bravery right there…They are scared, and with Obama in charge, they know their time is short.

This is a short post, as I won’t be giving these fools too much thought. But I can only wonder what the supporters of McCain and Palin are thinking…they thought Barack was the terrorist…

These people are sad and pathetic. I can only think that after he made this recording he turned on his iPod and walked off singing “hit me baby, one more time”. I can just see his cave plastered with posters of Halle Berry, Janet Jackson and Angelina Jolie. I wonder if they all get together from time to time and do the Thriller zombie dance?

Secret Service Code Names for the Obama’s

I was watching the news yesterday and they did a segment on secret service names for the Obama’s.  They also went back as far as the Kennedy’s and listed their code names as well.  Now, I am not sure why they would release this if it’s meant to be top secret.  But I guess not, otherwise they would have kept this close hold.  So anyway, here are the code names for the Obama’s

Barack – Renegade
Michelle – Renaissance
Mahalia – Radiance
Sasha – Rosebud

Isn’t that cute!

Obama’s Stance on GLBT Issues

Here is what I gleaned from his campaign website: http://obama.3cdn.net/9bbadf2e4222f1de03_5humvyu4s.pdf

Too bad he as nothing about GLBT rights on his president-elect site: www.change.gov.

I still hoping Obama advances America for all people, not just some.

Bittersweet Election Victory

Last night’s historical election of Barack Obama will forever be a bittersweet memory for me. As a black woman, who is not old enough to have lived through the civil rights movement or segregation, but who is old enough to realize that racism is alive and well; I know that America’s election of the first African-American as President will forever change this country’s landscape. I know that the election of a man with a “funny sounding” non-traditional American name is remarkable. The election of a man whose father was Kenyan, whose mother was an unwed, young and white, woman pregnant by an African man; lets me know that people can get past their bias, prejudice and unfounded convictions for the greater good.

Barack is a man who made whites and blacks alike stare their prejudices in the face. We had a choice on Tuesday. We could have chosen to continue to walk along the line that divided us all, for each of us, what that line represented was uniquely different. One persons line may have been a lot wider than another’s; do we dare face ourselves and make that leap over these self-imposed lines or stick to the tired, old thoughts and ways that have kept us apart in the past? Baracks win last night is not only a win for all of America but for all of the world. He won for those of us who are different, those of us who some consider less-than seasoned and lacking the proper amount of gray, he won for those of us who were counted out and told that we could not succeed, that we weren’t light enough or smart enough, pretty enough or had enough money. He won for the son’s and daughters of unwed moms and dads, he won for the unwed moms and dads. He won for my son and other young black men who may have seen the only route for black men to be successful is either on the basketball court or in music videos. Barack won for each and everyone of us who was told that would weren’t good enough or weren’t qualified to do that which we wanted to accomplish. Barack has inspired a new generation and breathed a breathe of fresh air into those who once thought that all was lost. Yes, America, we can!

Despite this, despite all the hope and inspiration that a Barack win brings, I am left wondering about the state of our country. A place where we can shed innocent young blood over oil, a place where we can ignore the ethnic cleansing in African countries and the cry of the poor from our own city streets. I sit here today looking for a reason why I can be denied the right to love by the same people who have made history in electing a black man as President. I am staring at the news of a successful measure in both Florida and Arizona that has banned the marriage of consenting adults who want to pledge their eternal love and devotion to one another.

Half of me is elated…the other half divided.

I am black.
I am a woman.
I am a lesbian.

And in the eyes of those in this country who has just made history, I am not entitled to the same rights as others, because of my sexual orientation.

This win is bittersweet…as I know we have a long way to go. So what do I do? Can I be any less of a lesbian than I am a woman or black? Contrary to what some may think, I didn’t choose to be a lesbian. I can deny my love for my partner as much as I can deny my gender or the color of my skin.

Will we ever see the election of a lesbian to the highest office of the land?

Not that I can see…as long as we are thought of as second class citizens who are not worthy of the rights enjoyed by straight men and women.

This country believes that it is O.K. to deny a human being their basic rights due to their gender, color or their skin or sexuality.

I know some people hate it when gays compare their fight to that of blacks in America. I know, I know…

What I don’t know is how we can stand the hatred and dehumization of anyone. No, I don’t have a big L for lesbian on my forehead. You will know that I am a black woman when you see me and my sexual orientation is not something you can tell by my appearance. If you can like me when you think I am straight and can hate me when you know otherwise, when I can legally lose my job for being a gay woman and my partner in love and life is denied benefits because of her sex, when my car is keyed and the windows of my home are busted because I am different…then that is prejudice too and it is no greater or no less of a prejudice than any other group. Hate is hate.

America reminds steadfast in her resolve to deny my rights.

In this great country, I remain separate and unequal.

But my fight continues, as I remember that women were not welcome at the voting booths, but they showed up anyway until America had no choice but to legally extend the right to vote to a group that should have never been denied in the first place.

I know that blacks weren’t even counted as a whole person, until they stood up and America had no choice to count them because they wouldn’t sit down until they were. The men and women who knew that the “whites only” and “colored” signs were cruel and just wrong; reminds me that what people think is right, isn’t always right. People who weren’t afraid to lay down their lives so that those who come after them will never have to experience a life of hatred that they endured, inspire me to keep my head up.

Barack’s win is a reminder that while we have come far, the fight for me and for others is far from over. We keep on.

I have to stand on the belief that just because the law denies me my rights today, doesn’t mean that I won’t win tomorrow. What today seems like an outrageous notion, will be a given tomorrow. As long as I keep standing for what I know is right and just and true my voice will not be silenced and I will not be deterred.

Not by people who hate just for the sake of hating;
Not by people who believe the crazy notion that there is some “gay agenda” of “spreading” homosexuality to young children;
Not by people who believe that I am going to hell for loving who I love; as I know that some people who sit in church faithfully have no idea who God is;
And not by anyone who believe they can regulate my life and who I love.

So I thank Barack Obama for leading this historic rise as the first black man to lead the free world. I am grateful to others we came before him who refused to be moved, they refused to sit “over there” or “back there”, they refused to believe that they were somehow less of a person because of the arbitrary class system imposed by imperfect people.

I know that people once thought the world was flat until someone was brave enough to sail the deep blue sea in order to prove to the world it was round. So let’s just continue to go and fight and continue to move America to a truly free country where everyone has the same rights as everyone else. So yes, today is bittersweet, but this is just the beginning of a brighter future. Yes we can, yes we have and yes we will!

Help! Barack’s Supporters Are Harassing Me!

Barack’s supporters call me constantly, they text me and show up at my home. They stop me on the streets and fill my mailbox with marketing materials. Are they are harassing me…or, they are just doing their jobs? Probably the latter, but still!

Now, with the big Obama-Biden sign up in my front yard, I do wish they would spend the time to visit some homes with no signs or worse, homes with McCain signs. In the last week, volunteers showed up at my home 3-5 times, I lost count. Twice in one weekend. Every time I come home there is a door hanger on my door and a postcard in the mail. I voted for Barack this morning and I had 2 phone calls from Obama volunteers in less than 2 hours, after I voted. I got 2 phone calls yesterday, one after 9pm reminding me to vote…that’s after about 3 text messages. Guys, believe me I am on it. Now, I support Obama 125%. I purchased decals for my car, stickers for my body and signs for my home. I do my part by spreading the word via email, text and my social networking sites. I have even made a few monetary contributions to the campaign. Now, I know they want to be sure I get out and vote, which is all fine and dandy. A big turn out is good for the Obama campaign. But good Lord! I feel like every time they knock on the door I need to duck and hide!

I do admit, they do a damn good job. I have received so many flyers, calls, emails and text messages telling me where to vote and what time the polls open and close and who to call if something goes wrong, I would be a damn fool not to have my act together. Really, everything I needed to know the Obama campaign provided. And if I forgot, you best believe that they were there with a reminder (they must have ESP!).

So yes, while I felt a little uh…smuggled,snuggled , by the influx of attention I received from the Obama volunteers, it’s for a noble cause. As we stand on the brink of making history, and electing the person is by far, hands down the best man for the job, I am overjoyed that others share the same sentiment and have volunteered their time to get out the vote. These people were unrelenting, educated, informed and passionate. I commend the Obama campaign for doing such a great job, from A to Z, from strategy to fundraising…they, for lack of a better term, did the damn thing! If Obama can run a campaign this sharp, imagine what he will do as President of the U.S.!

Funny though, I never received a call, knock on the door, email or any outreach attempt by the McCain campaign. Which is interesting because I am a registered Independent! While the polls show Barack with slight leads over McCain, based on my experience with the tenacity and strategies of the Obama campaign, I am expecting a landslide!

Looking back at what the last eight years of failed policies have done to this country, I am looking forward to better days that Barack will help usher in.  So, Senator Obama, you can call me anytime!

Gotta go…my phone is ringing. I’m betting it is  Barack’s campaign on the line!

Worth A Thousand Words…

Barack Obama: A Marketing Machine…Take Notes!

I got this email today from Steve Harrison at freepublicity.com.  I love it!  Barack has created a marketing
machine that we have never seen before and Steve's email below does a good job with summing it all up.
This are not my words, these are Steve's.  But this is so good I just had to share. For more information
on Steve, please visit his site at:
http://www.MillionDollarAuthorClub.com/?10667

Six marketing lessons from Barack Obama

(Note: This article originally appeared as part one
of a two-part series in my Book Marketing Update
print newsletter. For info go here now: http://www.MillionDollarAuthorClub.com/?10667

"Barack is worth millions now. It's almost all based on
these two books. Being able to take your life story and
turn it into this incredibly lucrative franchise, it's
a stunning fact."
       -- Peter Osnos, former publisher of Times Books,
          as quoted in the New York Times.

No matter which candidate you like (or dislike) in the
current presidential race, one thing is obvious: Barack
Obama is one heck of a marketer.

Think about it. Back in 2003, who would have thought
back then that today the Democratic nominee for the highest
office in the land would be someone who has yet to even
serve a full term in the Senate?

He's never been a mayor, governor or corporate
executive. He's never served in the military. He's
never led a large organization. He's never drafted a
landmark piece of legislation. Prior to now, he'd never
run a national campaign. And he even admits to having
used marijuana and cocaine!

Add to that a name like Barack Hussein Obama, and you
can see why back in 2003, he would have been considered
"most unlikely to succeed." And that's really the first
lesson to learn from Obama.

=> Lesson #1: Don't let any perceived lack of
qualifications stop you.

I regularly talk with authors and experts who know
a lot about their fields and have great information
to share with others.

But many are held back by a belief they're not
"qualified" simply because they're not the world's
leading authority on their topic.

Others stagnate for years because they don't have a
particular degree (which usually most of their
prospects don't even know exists).

You need to be competent at what you do, but the
fact is you don't need to be the MOST accomplished,
MOST knowledgeable, MOST credentialed expert in your
field to be successful.

You do however need to be very good at marketing
yourself and your message. Rightly or wrongly,
marketing is more important than qualifications.

Think about it. Would you ever take relationship advice
from a former celibate monk, who then married, and
divorced?

Yet, John Gray has sold 40 million copies of
"Men Are From Mars Women Are from Venus" with that
background. People buy his message, not his resume. Same
thing with Obama.

Obama hasn't let any apparent lack of qualifications
stand in the way of making himself a wealthy, best-
selling author (3 million copies in print to date) and
the Democratic nominee for the highest political office
in the land. You shouldn't let any hole or flaw in your
resume stop you from getting where you want to go.

=> Lesson #2: Work at becoming a master storyteller--
especially when telling your own story.

People don't care nearly as much about your credibility
as they do about your story and how you can help them.
Obama first intended to write a book about race
relations. He soon realized he could make his points
more profoundly by sharing them in the context of his
own life story.

In his first book, "Dreams From My Father," he shares his
experiences and challenges of growing up as a biracial
child in two different cultures. He acknowledges using
composite characters, approximated dialogue, and even
taking events out of chronological order to make his
points through effective storytelling.

How about you? Are you making the most of your "before" and
"after" story?

Are you telling your own personal story about why you
do what you do in a way that connects with your
audience?

Are you telling stories which agitate people's pain and
shows them how much they need what you provide?

This kind of effective storytelling is so important
that I devote a significant part of my Quantum Leap
Publicity & Marketing Program to helping my clients
simply tell their stories in a more memorable,
compelling way.

=> Lesson #3: Focus on building your mailing list.

When it came time to announce Joe Biden as his running
mate, instead of doing the standard press conference
type announcement, Obama used the pick as a way to
build his email mailing and text message contact list
by promising that those on his list would be the first
to know his choice.

It was a brilliant move because like any sharp
marketer, Obama knows "the money is in the list" and
everything else being equal, the more people on your
list the more you'll sell.

By giving millions of people a compelling incentive to
sign up for his list, he's able to stay in regular
touch with them and raise a lot more money than he
would otherwise.

=> Lesson #4: Whenever possible, meet the media face-
to-face.

The New York Times recently wrote a great article about
Obama's rise and success as an author. It talks about
how, back in 1995, Barack Obama was totally unknown. He
contacted the publisher of N'Digo, a magazine aimed at
Chicago's upscale black readers. and asked if he could
drop by.

Why? Because he wanted the publisher to review his
book. Like all great politicians, he knew the value of
meeting face-to-face.

Later, this same editor, who initially decided NOT to
review his book, became the first to run Obama on the
cover of her magazine.

That's the kind of "good luck" that happens when you
stand out from the media's daily barrage of emails,
press releases, faxes and phone calls by actually
pressing flesh.

=> Lesson #5: Be determined and pleasantly persistent.

Back in 1995, Barack Obama was relatively unknown and
trying to get whatever publicity he could.

So even though he wanted to meet the N'Digo book
reviewer, he ultimately failed to persuade her to
review his book. But here's the key. He didn't give up.  He
persisted. "He would call me every week and say,
'Did you read my book?'" the publisher told the New York
Times.

Let me ask you, do you have that kind of persistence?

In 20 years of helping authors sell more books, I've
discovered 95% of all authors give up way too quickly
and easily. They're not determined and persistent.

But Million Dollar Authors are the ones who know how to
be pleasantly persistent. They're not considered pests
because they're always friendly, always patiently
staying in touch and continually giving the media some
new information or slant worth considering.

=> Lesson #6: Get feedback and act on it.

Most authors write a book and say, "I'm finished."

But that's not what Obama did. He did what Million
Dollar Authors do. He knew once his manuscript was
finished his real job had only just begun.

Obama sent several dozen drafts of his second book "The
Audacity of Hope" to friends, media, legislators and
followed up with them and asked them for feedback.

More importantly, he listened to what they had to say,
and made changes based on their feedback. If anyone
could have said, "I don't have time" to do this, it
would be a first term senator. But he didn't.

Like most Million Dollar Authors, he knows this
concerted effort to solicit feedback and make changes
to the manuscript is the key to creating a book that
connects with people's hearts.

It's also the key to writing a book that others
recommend to their friends. No wonder Obama's message
of "Change" has been so on target. He's a good
listener, and he adapts to feedback he receives.

One last thought. John McCain's campaign has been
stunned by Obama's success at fundraising and
campaigning. To date, they have been seriously
outmarketed and don't know what to do about it.

They remind me of unsuccessful authors who complain
that they're more qualified and have better material
than others who are more famous and established.

Resist the temptation to dismiss others as simply being
"great speakers" or "good marketers." Instead, watch
them and learn. Because if you're really serious about
making a difference, you need to realize you're not in
the publishing game. You're in the marketing game.  Barack
Obama knows it ... do you?

“That One”

Yup, that’s what John McCain said when referring to Barack Obama in tonight’s presidential debate. He couldn’t even call Senator Obama by name! This goes to show the hatred and utter contempt Senator McCain has for the next President of the U.s.

Senator McCain continues to distort the truth and spread lies about Senator Obama even after they have been disproved by the fact checkers. McCains smear campaign attempts to skirt the issues and distort the truth. John McCain insn’t interested in helping the majority of Americans, but rather seeking to win the election by throwing mud.

I hope that come Election Day Americans prove they are smarter than this and can see through the smoke screens that Republicans continue to use to blind the American people from who they really are and their harmful agenda.

Check out Huffington Post at http://www.huffingtonpost.com for more coverage on the election and presidential debates.

Obama-Biden 2008
Learn how Barack Obama wants to help you at www.barackobama.com

Tami

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