As many of you already know, I'll be offering an action-oriented workshop next week entitled,

"Get Ready to Volunteer:  Canvassing and Phonebanking for Introverts, Neophytes, Skeptics -- and You!"

The folks at NN liked the idea so much that they've asked me to do it twice, so we are on the schedule for Friday at 10:30AM and Saturday at 4:30PM.  Here's a quick description that I recently sent out to announce the session to Kossacks for Obama:

Yup, so technically this is not a diary.  Think of it as a public service, if you will.

I have a reservation at the Hilton Hotel in Austin for Netroots Nation that I am not going to be using.  I will be there -- fear not -- but will be rooming with a friend coming to the convention for the first time (so be nice to her, please :)

In any case, the reservation is at the original block rate and could be perfect for someone who is at one of the overflow hotels but wants to be at the center of things.  If you have an interest, please comment below AND e-mail me (since my inbox sometimes overflows and I miss some e-mails) and we'll do the old switcheroo with the hotel.  (I may not get back to you until tomorrow or Saturday, as I am going to sleep shortly and have the day from Hades tomorrow.)

Thanks, all, and see you in Austin!

Update:  As of earlier this evening, my friend pickandshovel also still had his res at the Hilton to pass on to some lucky kossack.

I am reposting this diary, which got lost in the shuffle last night since it was published at exactly the same time as the dozen or so "breaking" diaries re: John McCain.

I am a Precinct Captain (operating remotely, though not from an "undisclosed location") for Barack Obama in South Texas and am looking to find a co-captain or three or four to help the campaign blast through my calling/contact lists over the next 3 - 4 days -- say, by Sunday.  

This is a "quiet" (loose lips sink ships and all that jazz), special program devised by the campaign to identify strong supporters on the ground who can begin to assume and/or share traditional precinct captain responsibilities in largely hispanic, largely rural counties that are largely leaning towards Hillary.

I am a Precinct Captain (operating remotely, though not from an "undisclosed location") for Barack Obama in South Texas and am looking to find a co-captain or three or four to help the campaign blast through my calling/contact lists over the next 3 - 4 days -- say, by Sunday.  

This is a "quiet" (loose lips sink ships and all that jazz), special program devised by the campaign to identify strong supporters on the ground who can begin to assume and/or share traditional precinct captain responsibilities in largely hispanic, largely rural counties that are largely leaning towards Hillary.

Mornin', Kossacks.  So glad you could join us for today's All-Texas/All-the-Time histrionics and hoopla on DailyKos.  

To start the day off right, kath25 has invited y'all to a free breakfast at the grand opening of the brand new Obama HQ in Austin, TX. Don't miss her live-bloggin' and be part of the fun and merriment as thousands of Texans (and transplants) discover that they really are not all alone in a red state wilderness.

And there's lots more to see and share, if you'll mosey on over the jump for a kossacks' tour of TX.

Earlier this week, I was on a conference call with the National Call Team from the Obama campaign to review nationwide phonebanking strategy for the next few days. At the request of the campaign, (c)all-stars from around the country spent the latter part of the week dialing into caucus-goers and voters in LA, ME, NE and WA, and bringing home every challenge we have faced since Super Tuesday!  

Yesterday was a particularly special victory.  In the morning, I wrote:

Maine will caucus today and its going to be a tough one for us, which is why we still need your help connecting with supporters there and getting them out to caucus/vote.

And call we did --  making over 40,00 calls from all around the country on Sunday -- and win we did, too!

Earlier this week, I was on a conference call with the National Call Team from the Obama campaign to review nationwide phonebanking strategy for the next few days.  Durng the call, the campaign expressed an urgent need for calls to be made into Louisiana and Washington, which as you all know by now, held their caucuses and primaries yesterday.

Among others, we heard from the Louisiana State Director, who was particularly concerned that, given all of the hype surrounding Super Tuesday, many  dems in LA we not even aware that there was a primary in the state yesterday. The campaign had a great presence in the state but needed increased levels of phonebanking to boost awareness and GOTV.

Update as of 3:30PM EST:  WA is caucusing now so there are no more lists on the website for WA.  Please continue to help us with Louisiana and Nebraska (caucuses in NE are staggered throughout the day and don't end until tonight).  And of course, we still need help in ME, which caucuses tomorrow.  The call team will probably be putting up lists for the Potomac Primaries (DC/MD/VA) shortly, which gives us just three days to GOTV (contests are Tuesday, February 12).  Thanks everyone and let's keep at it.  

Yes. We. Can.

A couple of days ago,  I was on a conference call with the National Call Team from the Obama campaign to review nationwide phonebanking strategy for the next few days.  Durng the call, the campaign expressed an urgent need for calls to be made into Louisiana and Washington, which are holding caucuses and primaries today (Saturday, February 9).

Last night I was on a conference call with the National Call Team from the Obama campaign to review nationwide phonebanking strategy for the next few days.  Durng the call, the campaign expressed an urgent need for calls to be made into Louisiana and Washington, which are holding caucuses and primaries tomorrow (Saturday, February 9).  

I recently bought a new laptop after about five years of procrastinating because I hate dealing with anything related to technology.  I finally bit the bullet when my old laptop died (duh!)and forced my hand.  But what really amazed me was how quickly and readily I made my decision after angsting about it for years.  And that, dear kossacks was because of you.

I hope y'all will give me a pass for posting a completely selfish call for help, but I just know that lots of fellow kossacks are savvy enough to sort me out on this lickety-split.

Okay, this is really an annoucement rather than a diary, but it is important and could be helpful to someone in the community attending Yearly Kos.

I currently have a reservation at the block rate at the Hilton Hotel that I am not going to be using for YK.  It is for arrival on August 1 and departure on August 5, but you can probably lengthen/shorten the stay.  I have not yet spoken to the hotel about exactly how to transfer the reservation to another person, but I recently did this successfully with a room that I was holding at the Hyatt McCormick Place, so I am going to presume that where there is a will, there is a way.

So if you are kicking yourself for not acting fast enough to get the block rate at the first of our overflow hotels, comment below and we can hopefully sort out a switcheroo.

Remember, convention registraton closes on Bastille Day, so this is a great chance to get your room sorted out if you are in that group of kossacks who will certainly be piling in just before the deadline.

Hasta Chicago!

I'm not convinced that this is the best day/time to do this but I have had a lousy week and know that doing something nice for someone else will lift my spirits, so...

I currently have reservations at the Hyatt McCormick Place and at the Hilton (one at each hotel) at the block rate that I am not going to use for YK.  They are for arrival on August 1 and departure on August 5, but you can probably shorten the stay.  I have already spoken to the Hyatt (onsite reservations not central reservations) and they would be more than happy to just switch the reservation to anyone I authorize.  I have not spoken to the Hilton but I am going to presume that where there is a will, there is a way.

So if you are kicking yourself for not acting fast enough to get the block rate at either of these hot spots, comment below and we can hopefully sort out a switcheroo.

Helping you out will do me good, so please...make my day.

Hasta Chicago!

This will be probably be the briefest diary on record, so I'd appeciate some slack since I am posting for the collective good.

I just got off the phone with the Hyatt McCormick Place and was able to book four nights at the convention rate tonight.  To be absolutely clear, I booked at the Hyatt McCormick Place, which is the hotel adjacent to the convention center and the hotel at which the original block was sold out as of May 31.  This is the second evening in a row that rooms have become available at the block rate, so keep trying if you are determined to get into this hotel.  (I have been calling every other day and as recently as this morning, there was no availability. I was finally successful tonight, so you just have to keep trying.)

Okay, I'm ready for the guff about this not being an appropriate diary, so bring it on.

And even if you don't have a comment, a rec would help so that those still hoping to book a room will have the chance to see this.

Hasta Chicago!

(Thanks to casperr for organizing this and for crafting this post originally.  As casperr cannot post today and I am pressed for time, there are no links and no pics in this hasty last minute reminder, but the details are all here.  So don't be shy and come by tonight.)

Today's the day, folks!!
Tuesday, April 24
7:00 - ???
Prey, 4 West 22nd Street

Come help us congratulate Jeffrey Feldman on the publication of his new book, "Framing the Debate."

Best known at DailyKos for his Frameshop series, which he crossposts at his own blog, Jeffrey is also a regular poster at The Huffington Post.

This is it, Kossacks!

You know it.  

You've heard it from a hundred other diarists this week.

We are coming down to the wire and everyone knows that the key to carrying this election is GOTV.

Our very own NYBri is running a terrific people-powered campaign for state senate in the Hudson Valley just north of NYC.  You've seen his groundbreaking blograisers, extraordinarily executed by our very own Tom Ball, you've read lipris's brilliant diaries documenting the magic of a people-powered campaign, and you've read pontificator's excellent summation of the reasons that this campaign matters to each and every progressive regardless of where you live in this great country of ours.

This is it, Kossacks!

You know it.  

You've heard it from a hundred other diarists this week.

We are coming down to the wire and everyone knows that the key to carrying this election is GOTV.

Our very own NYBri is running a terrific people-powered campaign for state senate in the Hudson Valley just north of NYC.  You've seen his groundbreaking blograisers, extraordinarily executed by our very own Tom Ball, you've read lipris's brilliant diaries documenting the magic of a people-powered campaign, and you've read pontificator's excellent summation of the reasons that this campaign matters to each and every progressive regardless of where you live in this great country of ours.

This is it, Kossacks!

You know it.  

You've heard it from a hundred other diarists this week.

We are coming down to the wire and everyone knows that the key to carrying this election is GOTV.

Our very own NYBri is running a terrific people-powered campaign for state senate in the Hudson Valley just north of NYC.  You've seen his groundbreaking blograisers, extraordinarily executed by our very own Tom Ball, you've read lipris's brilliant diaries documenting the magic of a people-powered campaign, and you've read pontificator's excellent summation of the reasons that this campaign matters to each and every progressive regardless of where you live in this great country of ours.