header graphic

Obama for America

"Home for the Holidays: Share Why You're Working to Re-elect President Obama" +
  2:12 web video from Dec. 20, 2011.

[Music] Man 1: One of the things that appealed most to me about Barack Obama was the he was a politician of my generation.

Woman 1: I saw what Barack Obama stood for; I saw that he was a people's man...

Man 2: I lost someone very dear to me in Iraq.  And from that point on I said these things have consequences.

Man 3: My dad's a character.  He is stubborn and stuck in his ways.

Man 1: My stepmother, who's a lifelong Republican...

Man 4: My dad voted for President Bush twice.

Woman 1: My grandmother has spent so long saying "Oh, Barack Obama..."

Man 5: Got my citizenship a year ago along with my parents.  They don't know what the parties stand for...

Woman 2: This is my little sister Matsie [phon.].  She just turned 18.  This'll be her first presidential election.

Woman 1: For me it's a little bit difficult, but I love my family and it's always a hot debate when I go home.

Man 5: When I talk to my parents they usually start with {Spanish} did you see what the President said?

Man 3: The way that I open the dialogue with my father is, who are you going to vote for and do they have your best interests at heart.

Man 4: I started having a conversation with my dad through an email; it was just a link to a speech the president gave.

Woman 2: We Skype, I like to post articles on her facebook wall.

Man 3: One of my dad's most favorite ways of communicating with people now is through text message.

Man 6: I was able to get through to my sister...speaking to her about issues that affected her.

Man 5: The Dream Act.

Man 1: The repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell.

Man 6: The Affordable Health Care Act.

Man 3: It didn't take too long to get my dad to be on board.

Man 4: I felt like I was really changing his mind.

Man 6: It's still a work in progress.

Woman 2: She is starting to become a little more active, volunteering...

Man 5: My parents have come a long way so far...  They went from being completely disinterested to paying attention at debates.

Woman 1: My grandmother's 90.  For about 70-plus years she's been voting Republican, and recently she said, I think I'm going to vote for Barack Obama.

Man 5: Having a conversation with people that you know is more important that hearing that politician's speech because you have a greater chance of making an impact.

Woman 2: It's these conversations that can actually lead to some kind of change.

Woman 1: Read up on the issues.  Look on YouTube or some of the President's speeches; he just gave a great speech in Kansas.

Man 5: My parents are very stubborn.  I imagine most of your parents are stubborn as well, so be patient.

Woman 1: You're doing something good for the country, and maybe they'll see what you're doing and want to follow.

Notes: Looking at this video three months after it was posted, one notes a high ratio of dislikes to likes (296 to 1,401 at time viewed).  One problem with it is the viewer doesn't know who these people are.  (It might have helped to add CG "first name, initial from city, state").  More problematic is the jumbled editing: sentence fragments, clips with people holding up photos or not holding up photos, one of the speakers does not make an appearance until about half way through, another appears only towards the beginning...