I love the way Obama's campaign is appealing to FL voters...Forest Whitaker, Diedre Hall..

[madfloridian]

even after they had to change the venue on short notice. I like the idea. I know that there have been some soap opera stars coming here as well to campaign and encourage voters.

This is just about the heart of fundamentalism in the I-4 Corridor, famous for its strong Republican base. To draw at least 300 in this area is great, and I hear there were more than that before it was over.



MICHAEL WILSON/THE LEDGER Academy Award-winning actor Forest Whitaker greets fans and supporters of presidential candidate Barack Obama after speaking at a political rally at Lake Bonny Park in Lakeland on Saturday.

Forest Whitaker Draws Crowd for Political Rally in Lakeland

LAKELAND |Reaching out to young people is something Obama has proved he does best, Whitney had said before Whitaker took the microphone. He speaks to young voters, embraces them, and that’s one of the reasons she’s been encouraging people to register to vote, she said.
That sentiment was echoed throughout the event at Lakeland’s Lake Bonny Park as Obama supporters registered new voters and practiced campaigners pumped up a crowd of about 300.

For about five minutes Saturday afternoon, Oscar-winning actor Forest Whitaker spoke about the importance of young people rallying around presidential candidate Barack Obama and empowering themselves by taking a more active role in the election. That crowd swarmed Whitaker as he arrived, many on their tiptoes to sneak peaks and quick cell-phone snapshots at the round-faced man, who’s much taller than he looks in the movies.

Accompanied by his publicist and his wife, Keisha, a tall actress with oversized sunglasses, Whitaker created excitement when he arrived.

..."At 15 years old, Tiffany Lee can’t vote yet, but she knows other people can. Her father, 41 years old, registered to vote for the first time in this election, she said.

Also campaigning for Obama...Diedre Hall was in The Villages recently.


Soap opera star Deidre Hall campaigns for Democratic presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama at the Hippodrome on Sunday.

Soap star campaigns for Obama in Gainesville

In a clear attempt to appeal to female voters in North Central Florida, soap opera star Deidre Hall and Rep. Carolyn Maloney spent Sunday speaking in The Villages, Ocala and Gainesville on a “Women for Obama” tour.

...Hall, best known for her role as Dr. Marlena Evans on “Days of Our Lives,” told the story of her childhood in Lake Worth as one of five children.

“We got lucky,” Hall said of her father’s ability to provide for the family as a postal worker.

“I know keeping your job is tough, keeping your house is tough,” she said.

Hall said she learned those lessons early.

Obama really is concentrating on the Central and North Central Florida areas as well as South Florida. The two regions of the state are worlds apart.

We get daily calls from the Obama campaign for something, a good sign to me.

[Nedsdag]

1. Holy Shit!

Deidre Hall? Interesting! Get the senior vote with the soap star!

Awesome!

[Imagevision]

2. Also, Wil Smith has pledged his help/support personally to Obama whenever he needs it

this is way back when Oprah came on board, Obama will use Smith in timing strategy...:D

[madfloridian]

6. And that cute Kal Penn

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian/2499

[Coexist]

7. who doesn't LOVE Will Smith!

[my3boyz]

11. You know they did an interview with Will Smith and they said they had heard

rumors about him playing Obama in a movie. He smiled and said that we have a little more work to do before he can do that (meaning help Obama win). That would be awesome.

[happygoluckytoyou]

27. I heard JOHN WAYNE was going to play McCain in movie, but he still has too much color in his face

[Pete2069]

30. This would only add to the republican's BS to attack Obama...

And play into their hands and punch lines for the news media
to carry 24/7
Why not push policies which the American citizens want and
need...

[Tatiana]

3. Damn... using the soap stars is great strategy! Deidre doesn't age!

What the hell... she looks the same as when she first got with Roman. Err.. I mean Marlena. Got with Roman. On Days of Our Lives. Which I used to watch religiously...

[The empressof all]

4. OMG! Marlena's in Obama's House!

That's great. Good for her. Let's just hope she's not abducted once again by the forces of the dark side, sent to a palace on a deserted island or have her mind melted into believing she's one of her sisters again. Seriously though... This could be a huge selling point for some people.

[madfloridian]

5. Haven't watched the soaps in years.

Wasn't she on a series about a family for while? Can't think of the name of it.

[madfloridian]

8. The show was in the 80s called Our House.

http://www.tv.com/our-house/show/689/summary.html

Shannon Doherty was in it, too.

[JustAnotherGen]

23. So was Wilford Brimley

:rofl:

[madfloridian]

29. I always associate him now with that ad...

for the diabetes supplies. It wasn't a bad show, though.

[Jennicut]

9. I watched Days in college religiously during the late 90's. Deidre is a really great person.

She does a lot for different charities and of course I always loved her as Marlena.

[mikiturner]

14. LOL me too

There was a huge contingent of people who would watch in the Commons area during lunch. As a guy, it was a good way to meet girls, I recall.
:evilgrin:

[Jennicut]

22. We all gathered in one girl's room and there were guys there too!

[lolamio]

19. Hehe! I was a huge DOOL fan in college and occasionally still watch. Glad to see "Marlena" supports

Obama!!! :D

[madfloridian]

10. Other surrogates in Florida..

http://www.bradenton.com/news/local/story/909034.html

"Richard Clarke, the chief counter-terrorism adviser under President Bill Clinton and a key intelligence adviser under three presidential administrations, told a room full of mostly Democrats at New College on Wednesday that Obama's judgment on national security has been "spot-on."

"Whether it was the timeline on Iraq, not going there in the first place or going after the real enemy in Afghanistan, Barack Obama has gotten an 'A' on all of these big-test issues," Clarke said. "His opponent has gotten an 'F.'"

..."Former Republican and retired Air Force Maj. Gen. Scott Gration said he decided to endorse Obama after seeing his values, integrity, honesty and family values during a fact-finding expedition to Africa in 2006. He has since become one of Obama's senior military and foreign-policy advisers.

"Who understands this complex war? Who's not going to say, 'You're with us or against us?' Who's going to be able to bring us through this tough world?" asked Gration, Joint Task Force-West commander during Operation Iraqi Freedom. "Sen. Barack Obama has an intellect to listen to his advisers and do the right thing."

The two are stumping for Obama in key swing states like Florida, Ohio and Virginia. Wednesday's talk kicked off a two-day foreign policy tour at universities around the state."

[madfloridian]

12. Remember in 2004 how the GOP made fun of "hollywood liberals"? And we let them?

They ridiculed Martin Sheen and Rob Reiner and their campaigning for Dean.

Anytime an actor or star spoke up they got ridiculed mercilessly.

I don't see so much of that this time. They are not even trying to humiliate Michael Moore like they did, as least not as loudly.

[SCRUBDASHRUB]

13. Who else remembers Deidre Hall from "Electra Woman and Dyna Girl" from the 70s?

[ann_american2004]

15. I DO!!! LOL

n/t

[madfloridian]

16. Was that really a show? LOL Who was the other woman?

I never knew that!

[FKA MNChimpH8R]

17. Judy Strangis

who was also on "Room 222." I had a brutal early teens crush on Judy. :hi:

[Raksha]

25. I noticed that too about Michael Moore.

Re They are not even trying to humiliate Michael Moore like they did, as least not as loudly.

The knuckledraggers on another board I frequent used to badmouth Michael Moore at least once a day, whether he had anything to do with the discussion or not. For some unknown reason they haven't done that for months, though.

[shadowknows69]

18. Forrest Whitaker rocks!!!

Damn it, I still haven't seen "The Last King of Scotland".

[Cha]

20. I love Forest Whitaker..and now I

love Diedre Hall! This is so Good for Buzz!

[Dr.Phool]

21. Wesley Clark will be at a VFW in Port Richey tomorrow (Mon) at 7:30pm

[Adelante]

24. Other locations in FL for Gen. Clark

General Clark will campaign for Senator Barack Obama on Monday, September 29 in Florida (multiple events)

VETERANS FOR THE CHANGE WE NEED

Melbourne, FL

Time: 11:45-1:00 pm

Location: Florida Air Academy

1950 S. Academy Dr.

Melbourne, FL 32901

Room: Gym

Osceola County, FL

Time: 3 - 4:30 pm

Location: TBD (check back for details)

Lakeland, FL

Time: 5:00-7:00 pm

Location: Oakbridge Healthcare Center

3110 Oakbridge Blvd E

Lakeland, FL 33803

New Port Richey, FL

Time: 8:00-9:00 pm

Location: Commander VFW 7845.

6315 Stone Rd

New Port Richey, FL 34668

[DallasNE]

26. This Is Part Of The Ground Game

Obama doesn't need to win the I-4 corridor. By campaigning there, however, he can cut down the normal margin. A vote there counts just as much as a vote in south Florida. I hear the voter registration efforts in Florida are making a huge difference. It might take some hand-holding to get these newly registered voters to the polls so I might suggest strong efforts to get them to vote early. When you see states like North Carolina, Virginia, Colorado and Nevada joining the traditional battleground states it is indeed good news. Go Obama!

[blonndee]

28. OMG....Marlena for Obama?

Surreal.

[grantcart]

31. I think that there is going to be a big surprise in Florida on Nov 5th