" Fired Up and Ready to Go " Gathering

1. "Fired Up and Ready to Go" Gathering Political Action, Democracy in Action In the past months we've all witnessed history, and we've been a part of making it. But as Obama has said, the election did not bring the change we seek – only the chance to make that change. Tonight, along with over 1,300 other gatherings like this one around the country, we'll take the next steps forward by launching our Real Voices for Change campaign to ensure that Obama can end the war in Iraq and pass a bold agenda on health care and clean energy.

2. Opening Statements Since I am not used to hosting such an event I am using PowerPoint to read off and you can read along. These first 4 slides should only take about 15 min. Thanks so much for coming this evening. Tonight we’ll be celebrating all the work we’ve done this election season, and we’ll talk about how we can help Obama enact real progressive change in 2009! The purpose of this gathering is to help make sure the change we fought for this year becomes a reality. We’re launching a massive new campaign to make sure Congress and the media know that people everywhere are standing with Obama, and we’ll keep fighting to get our country back on track.

3. Agenda of tonight’s Gathering • We’ll launch our (MoveOn.org) big new campaign to demonstrate the power behind the progressive mandate, and plan our first organizing steps, along with hundreds of other Councils nationwide. • We’ll listen to a national conference call (webcast) to get the ball rolling. (About 15 Min.) • Then, we’ll have general discussion about Step 1 Photos and discuss next steps for the Real Voices for Change campaign as a large group (About 20 min.) • Then we’ll break up into small groups to brainstorm what else we can do to back up Barack as he pushes for real change on issues like the economy, clean energy, health care and an end to the war in Iraq. We will spend some time brainstorming MoveOn.org’s National Issues, goals, events, and agenda. All ideas will get written down and sent to MoveOn.org. Then we can move into other local events that could be possible. (About 25 min.) • We’ll finish the night with some celebration. This is also the time to take some photos (20 Min) All told, it should take about an hour and a half but we have until Caribou closes at 9pm if needed

4. Rules (I only have a few small rules) • Be positive. Not everyone is going to agree about how to execute our campaign or what to do next. Everyone is going to get a chance to be heard. Let’s all agree that we can disagree. Everyone has an opinion and feelings and they can think any way they want and that might be different than your own, but that is ok. Don’t try and attempt to get everyone on the same page or enforce consensus in the group. • There are no dumb questions or answers • Let me know if you don’t want your picture taken since these and any pictures taken by other guests might end up on websites like MoveOn.org • Please make sure you have signed the Sign-in sheet. You can put as little or as much info down as you want but I do want a good count of how many people came.

5. National Webcast • http://pol.moveon.org/changeweneed/webcast.html • NOTE: The webcast includes a few silent minutes when attendees are encouraged to introduce themselves to others sitting near them and talk about what they did to help elect Obama and what they hope for from his Presidency.

6. Real Voices for Change CampaignPhotos • Scribe, can you please handout the Campaign Handout to everyone. I have digital copies of all of this info so if you need it please email me at redwingforobama@yahoo.com • As you heard on the webcast, we’re going to be reaching out to friends, family, and community groups we’re involved in to collect their photos. • We're asking people to add their name to a petition and then take a photo showing that they stand with Barack Obama for change in Washington. Starting with the gatherings on November 20th, we're asking everyone to gather "I stand with Obama" photos from people they know, or from busy locations in their community. • This is so important because we need to show the diversity and passion of the millions of Americans who are demanding change.

7. Real Voices for Change -Photos • We’ll deliver these photos to Congress so they see the faces of thousands of their constituents who are standing with Barack. • But to do that, we need to gather as many photos as we can. • Where could we get lots of people's photos? Public places. Let’s think big – friends and family, neighborhood and school groups, community centers, shopping mall parking lots, churches and other places of worship. Collectively I’ll bet we know a ton of people. So, where can we go to get a lot of photos? Some examples: going to a busy neighborhood, to a supermarket entrance, or to a farmer's market, and asking people there to participate. • I am asking everyone to commit to help gather photos somewhere in the community. (over the next 6 weeks) • In order to make this campaign effective, it will take all of us chipping in. If you don’t have a camera or a cell phone that takes pictures, that’s OK – you should just team up with someone who does. Who here can commit to collecting some photos? Please raise your hand!

8. Real Voices for Change -Photos • I’ve got the sign-in sheet that I’ll pass around again, and check off if you’re able to help gather photos for the Real Voices for Change campaign. That way we can keep in touch and track how far we’re getting as a group. • What should I say to ask someone to take their photo? You want to take their photo as part of a big new campaign pressuring Congress to support Obama's progressive agenda. Here's a sample script you can use: "Hi! Would you send a message to Congress to support Barack Obama? I'm a volunteer with MoveOn.org. We're gathering photos and petitions asking Congress to stand with Obama for real change in Washington. Will you add your name to this petition, and then take a photo holding a sign saying why you stand with Obama?" • All the instructions you need are on the handout.

9. Real Voices for Change -Photos • Please send digital copy of the photos to me at redwingforobama@yahoo.com and then submit your photos at Photo Upload page www.moveon.org/voicesforchange. Please submit them to MoveOn so we can sort them and get them ready to deliver to Congress! We'll also display many of them on our website. Please also mail in your paper petitions to MoveOn. You can and email it to voicesforchangepetition@moveon.org, OR fax it to 360-397-2645, OR mail it to: MoveOn.org Political Action, Attn: Petition Sheets, P.O. Box 9218, Berkeley, CA 94709. • We ask that you turn in your first round of photos by December 14th. • We'll assemble the names and photos into packets by Congressional District and state. We'll present them to individual members of Congress in Washington, DC in January, close to Inauguration Day. We'll also make photos available online.

10. Real Voices for Change -Photos • Make sure you don’t take any photos of people without their permission, and they must add their name to the petition. No pictures of minors! They should be holding a sign so it’s clear that they’re standing with Obama. I suggest using a black marker on the sign so it shows up good on the picture. These photos will ONLY be used for this petition, not for advertisement. They may be put on MoveOn.org’s website and will be send directly to members of congress. • I have made some preprinted signs that you can use to convey the issue of the person’s picture you take. • You can get more supplies/materials at www.moveon.org/voicesforchange • If you read the handout and still have questions please talk with me or email them to me and I would be happy to get you answers.

11. Brainstorming for MoveOn.orgThink National Issues at this point • When thousands of us go meet with Congress and present hundreds of thousands of these photos, we’ll show that real Americans are demanding big change on the issues we care about. Just showing the faces of real people who are standing for change will make a huge difference. But we know we’ll need to do more to back up Barack in achieving real change this coming year. • Our Real Voices for Change campaign is a great start to show the progressive mandate for change, but there's a lot more that we'll need to do in the coming year to make sure Obama is able to pass the ambitious agenda he laid out during the campaign. This is a time to brainstorm. Here is where we will use small group discussion or if we think we do not have enough people we can keep it to one group. • Question at hand: We know there are many important issues facing America – like the economy, energy, health care, and Iraq. Given that, what are 3 more things you think MoveOn members and other community members can do – beyond this campaign – to help make Obama successful in achieving the change we need. What issues are important to us and how would we create events (like this petitions, or letters to the editors, rally's, door knocking, public event, getting media attention) to support this?

12. Other? • If there are any brainstorming ideas that we want to act on locally we can talk about them now. • Is there anything else that the group would like to discuses before we celebrate?

13. Celebrate and take some photos • We’ve come so far and have much to be excited about – and now we also have a great plan moving forward. I will keep all of you informed. So lets have some snacks and take some time to celebrate. • While we’re having fun, we should also take the first photos of the campaign! Lets start with those of us now in the room. If you want to team up with other people and make plans to go out into the community together to get additional photos, that would be great.

14. Closing info • So you know, there will be other MoveOn.org gatherings in the future so keep in touch. They are looking at a meeting January 11th • MoveOn Councils are teams of committed volunteers who go beyond email and organize hard-hitting events in their community. We work together to hold our elected officials accountable, and lay the groundwork for electoral victories. We specialize in rapid-response events so we can act on issues while they're still hot. And our network, with hundreds of Councils around the country, gives us the power to have our voices heard! I have submitted a RedWingForObama council so keep your eyes out for that to be coming soon. • Please go online to www.moveon.org/voicesforchange and fill out an attendee survey. • Help shape the future of this movement. Share your thoughts and feedback with Obama’s team directly, take a brief survey at http://my.barackobama.com/whatsnext. Now it’s up to you to decide how we move forward. Thanks to you, this country has an historic opportunity. – David Plouffe, Obama for America, Campaign Manager (statement summarized by Jennifer) Thanks for all of your time and effort!