Democracy for New Mexico

Santa Fe Reporter Hosts Election Night Party

The Santa Fe Reporter is hosting a Super Duper Tuesday election-watchin' party tomorrow night, Tuesday, February 5th, from 7 PM to Midnight, at the Catamount on Bar and Grille on 125 E. Water Street in Santa Fe (map). Come one, come all, and share refreshments with the Reporter crew while the primary and caucus results pour in from 20+ states including New Mexico.

Even More for Obama

***Must See: Michelle Obama in Las Cruces Monday Night***

Joan Baez endorsed Senator Obama today in the San Francisco Chronicle:

Editor - I have attempted throughout my life to give a voice to the voiceless, hope to the hopeless, encouragement to the discouraged, and options to the cynical and complacent. From Northern Ireland to Sarajevo to Latin America, I have sung and marched, engaged in civil disobedience, visited war zones, and broken bread with those who had little bread to break.

Through all those years, I chose not to engage in party politics. Though I was asked many times to endorse candidates at every level, I was never comfortable doing so. At this time, however, changing that posture feels like the responsible thing to do. If anyone can navigate the contaminated waters of Washington, lift up the poor, and appeal to the rich to share their wealth, it is Sen. Barack Obama. If anyone can bring light to the darkened corners of this nation and restore our positive influence in world affairs, it is Barack Obama. If anyone can begin the process of healing and bring unity to a country that has been divided for too long, it is Barack Obama. It is time to begin a new journey.

JOAN BAEZ
Menlo Park

And in a real shocker, California First Lady Maria Shriver endorses Obama at today's outstanding and very moving rally at UCLA with Michelle Obama, Oprah, Caroline Kennedy and Stevie Wonder. I'm looking for video of this entire event, which was aired on C-SPAN. To my mind, it was one of the most moving and powerful sets of speeches I've ever witnessed for a political candidate.

Sunday Bird Blogging: NM Prez Caucus Edition

Sunny the sun conure struts and nods for Obama

We're expected to believe that Democrats are breathlessly waiting to hear whether Gov. Bill Richardson will endorse Obama or Clinton for President. And we're supposed to be tantalized by the leaked reports that Richardson is watching today's Superbowl with the other Bill in Red River. Don't believe the spin.

Bosco the peach-faced lovebird rallying for Obama with pal

What I've been hearing on the ground in New Mexico is that Democrats around the state have been on pins and needles wondering who Sunny the sun conure and Bosco the peach-faced lovebird will endorse. Now it can be revealed, in an exclusive report right here on DFNM. Both parrots are coming out publicly for Barack Obama, no ifs, ands or buts about it. Asked why, both avians answered, "Because no self-respecting Democrat should ever mark a ballot for a candidate who voted for the Iraq invasion and who is still dishonestly dissembling about the reasons she voted that way." I definitely think they have a point .... A Few Other Recent Endorsements of Barack Obama:

A Few Other Recent Endorsements of Barack Obama:

• 100+ New York Feminist Leaders
• Santa Fe New Mexican
• Albuquerque Tribune
• Albuquerque Journal
• Santa Fe Reporter
• Garrison Keillor
• Kate Michelman, former president, NARAL Pro-Choice America
• Ethel Kennedy
• Susan Eisenhower
• La Opinion, the nation's leading Spanish-language daily newspaper
• LA Times

February 5th NM Caucus
Click for a list of Caucus Sites for New Mexico's Democratic Presidential Preference Caucus on Tuesday, February 5, 2008. These sites will be open from Noon to 7:00 PM. To find your precinct, look at your voter card, contact your county clerk or call the Democratic Party of New Mexico at 1-800-624-2457. Click for a NM Caucus FAQ that explains the process.

(Updated) Confirmed: Michelle Obama to Campaign in Las Cruces Monday Night

UPDATE 8:25 PM: Details released here:

Stand for Change Rally with Michelle Obama in Las Cruces
Corbett Center Ballroom @ NMSU
University & Jordan, Las Cruces
Doors open at 6:30 PM
Program begins at 7:30 PM
MAP
For more information or to RSVP, click here, or call 505.205.6689
Download a Flier and Help Spread the Word

***********
According to a report in the Las Cruces Sun-News, Michelle Obama, wife Barack Obama, is expected to be in Las Cruces on Monday night, February 4, 2008 for a campaign rally tentatively scheduled for 7:00 PM, the campaign has confirmed. Trevor Fitzgibbon, the Obama campaign's communications director for New Mexico, said that the location and exact time of the rally were still pending, but the event is "definite, 100 percent." Check the Obama New Mexico webpage for updates or to volunteer for the campaign.

Obama Campaign Field Offices in New Mexico:

Albuquerque Volunteer HQ
1014 Lomas Blvd NW
Albuquerque, NM 87102
505-228-0496
Email
View map

Silver City Office
106 West 14th Street
Silver City, New Mexico 88061
505-270-4387
Email
View map

Shiprock Office
Highway 491 North, At the Old Conoco Gas Station across from the Shiprock Medical Center
Shiprock, New Mexico 87420
Phone #1: 505-250-9986
Phone #2: 505-947-2765
Email
View map

Gallup Office
101 West Aztec Ave., Ste A
Gallup, New Mexico 87305
505-506-9255
Email
View map

Las Cruces Office
212 W Hadley Avenue
Las Cruces, New Mexico 88005
505-205-6689
Email
View map

Santa Fe Office #1
3005 S Saint Francis Dr. Suite F
Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501
505-235-5416
Email
View map

Santa Fe Office #2
347 East Palace Avenue
Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501
505-235-5416
Email
View map

Statewide Staff HQ
1000 2nd Street NW
Albuquerque, NM 87102
505-205-5629
Email
View map

Huge Crowds for Obama in Albuquerque & Santa Fe

Crowd at Santa Fe College (Photos from Obama New Mexico)

After holding a standing room only and beyond economic forum at the Kiva Auditorium in Albuquerque yesterday afternoon, Obama headed to Santa Fe for another packed event, this time at a gym at Santa Fe Community College. Heath Haussamen has some good photos here  and here from the energized event. Marjorie over at m-pyre also has some good pics from Albuquerque's overflow room.

The hordes of people trying to get to the site reportedly caused gridlock that backed up from the campus all the way to Cerillos Road. Hundreds had to be turned away. Some who made it inside had waited in line up to five hours in the cold. Steve Terrell pegs the crowd in Santa Fe, inside and out, as about 5,600 in his story for the Santa Fe New Mexican.

In Albuquerque, Obama's event packed the 2300 seat Kiva and filled a large overflow space inside the Convention Center with another 2000 or so people. Even that wasn't enough space to accommodate everyone. About a thousand more people people gathered on the Civic Plaza across the street, where Obama stopped to speak to crowd before heading inside. New Mexico FBIHOP has an of the event.

ABQ: Everett Chavez, former governor, Santo Domingo Pueblo,
greets Obama in his native language, asks a question.

The campaign's Obama New Mexico website has several posts with photos and video on the New Mexico events:

• Albuquerque Fired Up for Barack's Visit
• Kiva Auditorium Fired Up
• Live From Albuquerque: Economic Forum with Barack Obama
• Thousands Rally for Change in Santa Fe
• Santa Fe Fired Up Ready to Vote

I'll be adding more when I find other good coverage.

(Video Update) Confirmed: Hillary Clinton in Albuquerque Tonight

KNME has video of Hillary Clinton's speech in Albuquerque. And m-pyre has a couple great photos from the rally.
**********
Hillary Clinton will conduct a Solutions for America Rally tonight, Saturday, February 2, 2008 from 8-10 PM at the Highland High School gymnasium in Albuquerque (map). No tickets necessary but you can RSVP at Clinton's website.

Obama in Albuquerque: Live Video Stream Recorded Video

You can see KNME's live feed above recorded video of the entire economic forum held today at the Kiva Auditorum in Albuquerque right here:

You can also see video clips of Obama's opening remarks and the question and answer session at KNME's blog.

With him on the podium at the "expert panel" table were former NM Attorney General Patricia Madrid, who just switched her endorsement from Edwards to Obama; two former Clinton administration cabinet secretaries who have endorsed Obama -- Commerce Secretary William Daley; and fTransportation Secretary Federico Pena; senior economic adviser Austan Goolsbee and ACORN NM organizer Bonnie Greathouse.

Bill Clinton in New Mexico for Hillary: Video

Video from KNME of Bill Clinton's rally at UNM's Johnson Center in Albuquerque can be found here.

Before holding a $2,300 per person private fundraiser for Hillary in Santa Fe this morning, Bill Clinton stopped in to wave to lawmakers and the public gallery in the House Chamber at the capitol. He made no public remarks at the Roundhouse. Later, he headed to Albuquerque for an afternoon rally for his wife at UNM's Johnson Center. The former president was in the City Different the same day the Santa Fe New Mexican endorsed Barack Obama for president.

Clinton vs. Obama
Yesterday, Bill Clinton was in Denver speaking to a crowd of 2,300 at the University of Denver. Earlier in the day, at the same spot, Barack Obama spoke to a jam-packed rally that filled the 10,000+ seats to capacity and overflowed into several adjacent rooms. See here and here. Obama, Caroline Kennedy and Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano were also in Phoenix yesterday, where 13,000+ people crammed into an arena.

In an amazing feat, the Obama campaign raised more than $32 million this month alone, adding about 170,000 new donors. The Clinton campaign hasn't released any recent numbers.

Obama is now in a statistical dead heat with Clinton in Colorado. The latest polling there has Obama at 34%, Hillary at 32% and Edwards, who left the race yesterday, at 17% -- with 14% undecided. The most recent polling in California has Clinton clinging to a 3 point lead -- another statistical tie. This one may well go down to the wire.

(Video & Photos) Ted Kennedy Packs Hispanic Center Rally for Obama

Sen. Kennedy stumps for Obama

Sen. Ted Kennedy led a raucus rally for the Barack Obama for President campaign this morning at the National Hispanic Cultural Center in Albuquerque. The crowd packed Salon Ortega, and wound down the hallway and out of the building, to hear Sen. Kennedy's stump speech for Obama. You can watch video of the speech (and Gene Grant getting a Kennedy prediction for the Super Bowl) at the KNME website. Here's coverage by the Albuquerque Tribune.

Patsy Madrid & husband endorse Obama

There were also enthusiastic introductions by local politicos like former NM Attorney General Patricia Madrid, State Treasurer James Lewis and State Senate candidate Eric Griego who have formally endorsed Obama.

Obama supporters Miss Smith, Sen. Ted Kennedy after event

It was one of many spirited pep rallies in the February 5th Super Tuesday states in recent days for the surging campaign. Fired up -- ready to go. After his speech, Sen. Kennedy headed up north to appear at another Obama event today at 1:30 PM at Santa Fe Community College in the Jemez One Room.

Sen. Kennedy: Thumbs up for Obama, big day Tuesday


Eric Griego & Miss Smith (93-years-young) want change

The video clips above were taken after the Albuquerque event. See below the fold for more photos from the rally.

State Treasurer James Lewis interviewed on endorsing Obama


Overflow crowd at Salon Ortega


Packed room at National Hispanic Cultural Center


Miss Smith and Sen. Kennedy


One of Obama's young fans


New Mexicans for Obama

Click on photos for larger images. All photos by M.E. Broderick. To see our previous coverage of the 2008 presidential primaries, visit our archive.

Guest Blog: Brian Colón on NM Presidential Preference Caucus

This is a guest blog by Brian S. Colón, who chairs the Democratic Party of New Mexico. If you have a few hours to spare, please consider volunteering to help with the Caucus.

Dear New Mexico Democrats,
The New Mexico Presidential Preference Caucus is just days away! With 184 voting locations around New Mexico, we have a tremendous amount of work ahead of us. The Democratic Party of New Mexico needs your help! If you are interested in volunteering over the next few days to make this event as successful as possible, please contact us at 505-830-3650 to volunteer.

Next Tuesday, February 5th, New Mexico Democrats will have an opportunity to choose a nominee for President and take the first affirmative step this year towards ending eight years of a Republican White House. 

I encourage you to help with New Mexico’s turnout and vote at a Caucus Site on February 5th. Voting will be held between Noon and 7 PM. Remember that although this is called a “Caucus” this is actually just like a regular election in which you will cast a secret ballot vote for the Democratic nominee for president.

To find your caucus voting site, visit our website at www.nmdemocrats.org and click on Feb 5th Caucus Voting Sites. The list is organized by County and you will need to know your registered precinct. If you need to find out the voting precinct where you are registered, you can locate this on your voter card or you can call our Albuquerque Headquarters at (505) 830-3650.

Again, DPNM will need many volunteers to help with counting absentee ballots, receiving results from around the State on Caucus Day, answering phones, and preparing materials for Caucus Day. Please volunteer a few hours of your time to change New Mexico and our country for decades to come!

Best regards,
Brian S. Colón
Chairman, Democratic Party of New Mexico

This is a guest blog by Brian S. Colón, who chairs the Democratic Party of New Mexico. If you'd like to submit a post for consideration as a guest blog, contact me by clicking on the Email Me link on the upper left-hand corner of the page.