Sign in or 
Share this
Dan Roy
| Hello, my name is Daniel D. Roy, Ph.D. (Dan) dan@grandparentsforobama.com PCO Belfair 1, Mason County, 35 LD, 6 CD Please note: Responses to questions asked by delegates is below under "More About Me" | |
| | |
The background of the photo is the famous "old bridge" in Mostar, Bosnia-Herzegovina on the Neretva River. This photo will be included with others taken in 30 or more countries in a video on Obama's international support and his theme of "building bridges" that will presented at the national convention, pending Howard Dean's approval.  | Who am I? Baby-boomer I am a 60 year old baby boomer who was greatly influenced by my father, an immigrant who never finished elementary school, but was a union activist (AFL/CIO, Retail Clerks Union Local 770) and John F. Kennedy campaign worker. He taught me about the importance of service to community and country. Democrat A long-time political activist who has worked on electing Democrats at the city council, school board, legislative, congressional, state and Presidential levels for over 30 years, including active involvement in the Kerry campaign, and most recently on the school levy initiative and passage of significant "One Sky Washington" environmental legislation. Educator 34 years as a university administrator, I served as an Associate Dean of Students and Director of Student Special Services and Advising Services responsible for initiating and developing programs for disadvantaged students including: Services for Students with Disabilities, Transfer Opportunity Program (for community colleges) and Reservation for College for low-income minority school students (in elementary, junior and senior high schools). My education includes a M.A. in Political Science, MS in Rehabilitation Counselor Education and Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration Disability Advocate Having had a strain of polio at three years old (I have no residual physical disability today), I was motivated early in life to addressing issues of disability and have become a strong advocate for people with disabilities. I created the University of California, Davis's first program for students with disabilities that now serves students with physical, learning and psychological disabilities. Grandparent My wife (of 34 years) and I are proud of our first grand child who motivates us everyday to make our country's future a better one filled with hope! |
WHY I'M A DELEGATE FOR OBAMA:
2. Message--- Barack Obama cannot be elected without the support of older people. Our grassroots campaign "Grandparents for Obama" is leading that charge. I am asking each delegate to join our group. If you are a grandparent, have had a grandparent, or would like to involve your grandparent, you can join. That's everyone! I am planning to attend the national convention and my wife and I have already made reservations. Being inside the Pepsi Center rather than outside, would give our effort greater visibility. More importantly, it would help to communicate and reinforce the importance of Barack Obama's message of change especially for FUTURE generations.I believe that Barack appeals to BOTH the youth of our nation as well as those who are not so young. He appeals to ALL Americans who want a better future. He directly addresses the issues that will have the greatest impact on our future, our children's future and their children, our grandchildren. They include five key issues: the war, economy/jobs, education, health care and the environment. Obama's positions on these issues are clearly described on his web-site and also on our web-site grandparentsforobama.com |
MORE ABOUT ME
I will be at the Democratic Washington State (Spokane) and National Conventions (Denver) where Democrats can join our effort and pick up a campaign "Grandparents for Obama" button!
Answers to Delegate Questions:
1.Instrumental in getting Obama nominated?
At a Democrats Abroad international conference in Germany, March, 2007,
I had a conversation with Philip Murphy, National Finance Chair for the
Democratic party that influenced my future direction. Based on that
conversation, I decided to reschedule my flight reservations, return to
the United States and devote my full time energies to the Democratic
party and changing our nation's politics.
I got involved in my local community, was selected PCO for Belfair 1
(Mason County), participated in local and state-wide training sessions,
coordinated monthly "Democratic Chats," and hosted various programs in
our home, including a "Live Earth" event in which our Congressman and
his wife attended, and an annual County fund raiser. I chaired our
precinct caucus and served on our County credentials committee. I also
spent time in Olympia on lobbying efforts directed at education, health
care and environmental issues.
Since February, I have been actively involved in Barack Obama's
campaign and was elected a delegate at our precinct caucus. I have
directed my efforts at communicating Obama's message of change and hope
to potential voters at the local and state levels through the Internet,
media and phone calling. It became apparent to me, particularly after my
phone calls to voters in Texas, that older voters, (often Clinton
supporters) were not "comfortable" with Obama. Some even suggested that
Obama was a Muslim. I decided then to spearhead my "Grandparents for
Obama" campaign. This effort recognizes the following two factors that
need to be considered if Obama is to win in November:
"Democrats must convince skeptical swing voters that Obama is
safely on their side."
"Obama... barely leads McCain in the polls. In Obama's case this
is not mainly because he fails to reach out to independents. Instead
he has a hard time consolidating some Democrats. To bring these
Democrats home -- and further expand his base among independents -- he
needs to make people feel "safe" that he is on their side, that he
understands their lives.
He needs to communicate that message through his own speeches,
appearance and behavior. But it will be communicated most effectively by
a field operation comprised of people's neighbors and friends -- people
who go door to door to tell their neighbors that they feel safe with
Obama. Nothing is as
persuasive in communicating that someone understands you and your needs
as a testimonial from a person who is just like you." 1
"Nationally, the campaign must create a mass movement."
"We also need mass mobilization that relies on "chain
reaction contact" -- where campaign activity explodes virally --
geometrically -- to involve millions and millions of self-initiating
campaign activists. We need a campaign where millions of Americans wear
an Obama buttons, where people self-report to walk precincts and use
online voter contact tools in droves.
Obama's primary campaign provides a model, but now that model needs to
explode into a social movement that defines the identity of its
participants in the way the civil rights and anti-war movements did for
an earlier generation. When they consider their role in this campaign,
activists need to think about their participation the way volunteers in
the civil rights movement thought about their roles at Selma -- that
they will proudly tell their kids and grandkids that they were there --
that they played a part -- in the transformational 2008 presidential
election. 2
2. Plan to go forward to get Obama elected?
I plan to organize "Grandparents for Obama" in each of the 50 states and
internationally through Democrats Abroad. This campaign will be directed
at creating a mass movement that will focus on convincing skeptical
older swing voters and building a coalition among young and old by
asking young voters to do "outreach" to grandparents (their own and
others) and grandparents to do outreach to their neighbors, friends and
seniors at retirement communities, senior centers and other focused
events (e.g. AARP). Outreach and field operations work will include
convincing skeptical older swing voters, making sure they are registered
and getting out their vote.
3. Contribution... making the delegation stronger? Challenge the status
quo... Excellence, rather than "politics as usual" ?
I believe my political activism, disability advocacy, and 34 years of
university leadership and organizational skills will make the delegation
stronger. In addition, my experience in bringing administrators and
faculty together with students are critical to a campaign initiative
that builds coalitions and brings young and old together. Grandparents
for Obama challenges "politics as usual" since it is non-partisan and
includes all groups regardless of gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic
status, sexual orientation, and disability. Lastly, the message of
"Grandparents for Obama" challenges the status quo by emphasizing
Obama's positions on five key political issues, change on the war,
economy/jobs, education, health care and the environment and reinforces
his messages of change and hope for FUTURE generations.
4. Use experience leading up to Denver and to general election?
I plan to work tirelessly in June, July and August on establishing this
grass roots effort nation-wide. Whether I am chosen as a delegate or
not, I plan to be in Denver during the convention and have already made
reservations. Being a delegate and present inside the convention would
add to the legitimacy and visibility of this effort as we move forward
to the general election.
I plan to tell my kids and my grand kids that I was there... I "played a
part--- in the transformational 2008 presidential election." 3
1,2,3 Footnotes taken from Robert Creamer, "Ten Steps to Put Obama Over
the Top," Huffington Post, Wednesday, June 4, 2008.
Add text, pictures and/or or video showing you or your favorite Obama stuff.  |
SAY HELLO!
Leave me a comment below, or send me a private message or compliment!
danroy |
Latest page update: made by danroy
, Jun 8 2008, 7:50 AM EDT
(about this update
About This Update
Edited by danroy
8 words added 2 words deleted view changes - complete history) |
|
Keyword tags:
None
More Info: links to this page
|
There are no threads for this page.
Be the first to start a new thread.
