Michigan Draft Gore Needs Your Help

by: NYPopulist

Wed Oct 03, 2007 at 23:48:35 PM EDT

Here's a report on our 14-hour day of Ann Arbor activity in the petition campaign, yesterday.  I'm also sending it to the America for Gore steering committee members, as a run-up to tonight's conference call, and to a few of our Washtenaw Gore activists. 

1)  In yesterday afternoon's Washtenaw County Democratic Party "Electionfest" fundraiser, 90 Dem activists voted in a presidential straw poll.  (In advance I had insisted that Gore be included on the pre-printed ballot.) The results:  Gore, 25;  Obama, 25;  H.Clinton, 15;  Edwards, 11 Kucinich, 7; Richardson, 4; and Biden, Dodd, and Gravel, 1 each. Three-minute speeches were given, for each candidate; copies of my 8-Gore-points for '08 speech are available.

2)  Working in teams of three at the Farmers Market in the morning, at Electionfest in the afternoon, and as people entered an Ann Arbor Symphony concert in the evening) collected over 150 petition signatures during the day -- over 50 in each of the three locations.

3) During the day I provided petition kits and instructions to 6 new petition circulators. I have their contact info and will keep in touch with them.

You read that right, they're pulling 14-hour days to pull this off.  Their work hasn't gone unnoticed either - major news outlet after news outlet (after news outlet, after news outlet) have picked up on the story, as had Michael Moore, a Michigan native, on his website.

But they need your help.  As you can imagine, with such a tight deadline looming, costs of running such an operation as their are very high.  Supporting our Michigan team is a high priority right now, so any help you could provide, whether it be volunteering or donating, is much appreciated.  Here are the instructions to donate:

1) Click on this link to go to the proper PayPal page.
2) Either sign in (existing PayPal users) or simply enter the information in the box on the right.
3) The email address to send money to us VolstoDraftGore2008@gmail.com.
4) Choose Service/Other.
5) Click continue and follow any remaining instructions.

Just to give you an idea of what their schedules are like - and if you'd like to stop by one of these locations to help/sign - here is their upcoming schedule in southeast & east Michigan:

SE & East Michigan, Tuesday afternoon  Oct. 2, 9, 16, & Mon. 22

10:15-10:45  Livonia at Panera Bread, 37085  6 Mile Road at Newburgh, se corner.
11:25-11:55  Dearborn, at Famous Hamburger, 5808 Schaefer Rd., north of Ford Rd 
12:25-12:55  Detroit, Wayne State U.,  McDonald's or Wendy's, ne corner of Warren & Cass - location yet to be finalized
1:25-1:55  Royal Oak, at Caribou Coffee,  401 S Main St. 
2:35-3:00 Clarkston, at Caribou Coffee,  6315 Sashabaw Rd, south of I-75 
4:00-4:30  Flint, at Valley Family Restaurant, Miller & Linden Roads in Flint Township
5:00-5:25  Perry,  at the Coffee & Donut shop, SW corner of M 78 and M 52.

SE & East Michigan, Friday late afternoon  Oct. 5, 12 & 19.

4:20-4:35  Livonia at Panera Bread, 37085  6 Mile Road at Newburgh, se corner.
5:15-5:35  Dearborn, at Famous Hamburger, 5808 Schaefer Rd., north of Ford Rd 
6:05-6:25 Detroit, Wayne State U.,  McDonald's or Wendy's?, ne corner of Warren & Cass. 
6:55-7:15  Royal Oak, at Caribou Coffee,  401 S Main St. 
7:55-8:10 Clarkston, at Caribou Coffee,  6315 Sashabaw Rd, south of I-75 
9:00-9:20  Flint, at Valley Family Restaurant, Miller & Linden Roads in Flint Township
9:50-10:05  Perry,  at the 7 Eleven Coffee & Donut shop, SW corner of M 78 and M 52.

And here is their schedule for locations in the northern and western parts of the state:

North & West - Sunday afternoon, Oct 7, 14 & 21

10:15-10:40, Mt. Pleasant, Grand Traverse Pie Company, 1218 S. Mission;  989-779-2743.
11:50-12:15, Grayling at the Grayling Restaurant, 211 E. Michigan Avenue,  989-348-2141.
1:15-1:45, Traverse City at Horizon Book Store on Front Street.
2:35-2:55, Cadillac at the McDonalds on the ne corner of  M-115 & M- 55 
3:45-4:05, Big Rapids  at the McDonalds at 1020 S. State Street,  231-796-3655
5:10-5:35, Grand Rapids, Bagel Beanery, 455 E Michigan NE at College, 616-235-7500

And the south and southwest:

South & SW  -  Monday evenings, October 1, 8, 15, & Sun 21.

5:30-6:00pm, Jackson at the Dem Headquarters,  218 S. Mechanic,  517-783-4458
6:30-7:00pm  Battle Creek at the new Starbucks,  5997  B  Drive North, behind Walgreens. one block south of I-94, and one block east of I-194 south,  269-979-3818
7:30-8:15pm, Kalamazoo  at the Dem Headquarters,  3254 Westnedge Road

State-chairs Bob Alexander and Doug Kelley want you all to know they are extremely grateful for any support you can provide.  Please, please contact one of them if you are willing to help.  Contact them even if you just want to sign yourself.  Their emails are:

Bob Alexander:  alexjuliea(at)aol(dot)com
Doug Kelley: kelleyvill(at)comcast(dot)net

If you truly want Al to run and know deep in your heart that he is the most qualified man or woman in the country for the presidency, please help however you can.  With as few as two to three weeks remaining before Gore makes a decision, every single day and every single volunteer is incredibly crucial to the effort.