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DNC Chairman Tim Kaine Celebrates Earth Day

Page Gleason alupkg@yahoo.com — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 12:39:26 PST

DNC Chairman Tim Kaine Celebrates Earth Day

Washington, DC-Today Democratic National Committee Chairman Tim Kaine
issued the following statement in celebration of the 39th annual Earth
Day:

“For decades Washington has ignored the energy crisis, endangering
our economy, our security and our planet. But today, on Earth Day, a new
energy future is dawning in Washington. President Obama’s plan
recognizes that our energy future and our environmental future are two
sides of the same coin. His comprehensive energy plan will create
millions of green jobs, break our dependence on foreign oil and reduce
the threat of deadly pollution.

“The President, with the support of our Democratic leaders in
Congress and across the country, has already made clear the direct
connection between putting our economy back on the road to long-term
economic prosperity and investing in clean, renewable energy and energy
efficiency. The clean energy industry will create good jobs that can’t
be shipped overseas in high-tech research, construction and
manufacturing.

“Democrats reject the false choice between a healthy economy and a
healthy environment: Green can be good for our planet and our
pocketbooks. That’s something we can all celebrate this Earth Day.”

Signing of the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act

Page Gleason alupkg@yahoo.com — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 12:38:18 PST

THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
________________________________________________________________

For Immediate Release April 21, 2009
REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT AT SIGNING OF THE EDWARD M. KENNEDY SERVE
AMERICA ACT

The SEED School of Washington, D.C.
3:56 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you. Please be seated. Thank you. Well, what
an extraordinary day. It is good to be here with all of you.

I want to, first of all, thank President Bill Clinton for joining us
here today -- where's President Clinton? -- (applause) -- for his
lifetime of service to our country, but also the fact that he created
AmeriCorps, and that not only made this day possible, it has directly
enlisted more than half a million Americans in service to their
country; service that has touched the lives of millions more.

Now, it just so happens that one of those people who have been touched
by AmeriCorps was FLOTUS, otherwise known as First Lady of the United
States -- (laughter) -- Michelle Obama, who ran a AmeriCorps-sponsored
program, Public Allies, in Chicago. (Applause.)

I also want to thank former First Lady Rosalynn Carter for being here
— (applause) -- for her advocacy on behalf of those with mental
illness,
and for her husband's continued good works that inspire us all. I am
thrilled to have Caroline Kennedy here -- (applause) -- for carrying on
her family's long legacy of service.

To my congressional colleagues who did such a fantastic job on a
bipartisan basis ushering this through, starting with the two leaders
of
the House and the Senate, Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid, I'm grateful to
them, and obviously to Barbara Mikulski and Orrin Hatch, George Miller,
the entire delegation who helped to shepherd this through -- please
give them a huge round of applause. (Applause.)

To my outstanding Vice President, Joe Biden. (Applause.) To Dr. Jill
Biden. (Applause.) A couple of outstanding public servants in their
own right, please, a warm welcome for General Colin Powell and his
wonderful wife, Alma. (Applause.) For the outstanding Mayor of New
York City, Michael Bloomberg. (Applause.) And I've got to give some
special props to my fellow Illinoisan, a great friend, Dick Durbin.
(Applause.)

Finally -- and I know that I've got some prepared remarks -- but I just
want to go ahead and say it now. There are very few people who have
touched the life of this nation in the same breadth and the same order
of magnitude than the person who is seated right behind me. And so
this
is just an extraordinary day for him. And I am truly grateful and
honored to call him a friend, a colleague, and one of the finest
leaders
we've ever had -- Ted Kennedy. (Applause.)

All right. I want to thank the students and the faculty of the SEED
School -- (applause) -- our hosts for today -- and their headmaster,
Charles Adams. Where's Mr. Adams? Is he here? (Applause.) A shining
example of how AmeriCorps alums go on to do great things. This school
is a true success story -- a place where for four of the last five
years, every graduate from the SEED School was admitted to college --
every graduate. (Applause.)

It's a place where service is a core component of the curriculum. And
just as the SEED School teaches reading and writing, arithmetic and
athletics, it also prepares our young Americans to grow into active and
engaged citizens. And what these students come to discover through
service is that by befriending a senior citizen, or helping the
homeless, or easing the suffering of others, they can find a sense of
purpose and renew their commitment to this country that we love.

And that is the spirit in which we gather today, as I sign into law a
bill that represents the boldest expansion of opportunities to serve
our
communities and our country since the creation of AmeriCorps —
(applause) -- a piece of legislation named for a man who has not only
touched countless lives, but who still sails against the wind, a man
who's never stopped asking what he can do for his country, and that's
Senator Edward M. Kennedy. (Applause.)

In my address to a joint session of Congress in February, I asked for
swift passage of this legislation, and these folks on the stage came
through. So, again, I want to thank wide bipartisan majorities in the
House and the Senate who came together to pass this bill -- especially
Barbara Mikulski, Mike Enzi, Chris Dodd, John McCain, who's not here,
Thad Cochran, as well as, on the House side, Representatives Miller and
Carolyn McCarthy, Buck McKeon and Howard Berman.

More than anyone else, the new era of service we enter in today has
been made possible by the unlikely friendship between these two men,
Orrin
Hatch and Ted Kennedy. They may be the odd couple of the Senate.
(Laughter.) One is a conservative Republican from Utah; the other is,
well, Ted Kennedy. (Laughter.) But time and again, they placed
partnership over partisanship to advance this nation even in times when
we were told that wasn't possible. (Applause.)

Senator Hatch was shaped by his experience as a young missionary
serving others, a period he has called the greatest of his life. And
last year he approached Senator Kennedy to share his ideas about
service. Out of that conversation came this legislation. And last
month, at Senator Hatch's selfless request, the Senate unanimously
chose to name this bill after his dear friend, Ted. (Applause.) That's
the
kind of class act that Orrin Hatch is.

Now, Ted's story and the story of his family is known to all. It's a
story of service. And it's also the story of America -- of hard work
and sacrifice of generation after generation, some called upon to give
more than others, but each committed to the idea that we can make
tomorrow better than today. I wouldn't be standing here today if not
for the service of others, or for the purpose that service gave my own
life.

I've told this story before. When I moved to Chicago more than two
decades ago to become a community organizer, I wasn't sure what was
waiting for me there, but I had always been inspired by the stories of
the civil rights movement, and President Kennedy's call to service, and
I knew I wanted to do my part to advance the cause of justice and
equality.

And it wasn't easy, but eventually, over time, working with leaders
from all across these communities, we began to make a difference -- in
neighborhoods that had been devastated by steel plants that had closed
down and jobs that had dried up. We began to see a real impact in
people's lives. And I came to realize I wasn't just helping people, I
was receiving something in return, because through service I found a
community that embraced me, citizenship that was meaningful, the
direction that I had been seeking. I discovered how my own improbable
story fit into the larger story of America.

It's the same spirit of service I've seen across this country. I've
met countless people of all ages and walks of life who want nothing
more than to do their part. I've seen a rising generation of young
people work and volunteer and turn out in record numbers. They're a
generation that came of age amidst the horrors of 9/11 and Katrina, the
wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, an economic crisis without precedent.
And
yet, despite all this -- or more likely because of it -- they've become
a generation of activists possessed with that most American of ideas,
that people who love their country can change it.

They're why the Peace Corps had three applications for every position
available last year; why 35,000 young people applied for only 4,000
slots in Teach for America; why AmeriCorps has seen a 400-percent
increase in applications in just the past four months. And yet, even
as
so many want to serve, even as so many are struggling, our economic
crisis has forced our charities and non-for-profits to cut back.

What this legislation does, then, is to help harness this patriotism
and connect deeds to needs. It creates opportunities to serve for
students,
seniors, and everyone in between. It supports innovation and
strengthens the nonprofit sector. And it is just the beginning of a
sustained, collaborative and focused effort to involve our greatest
resource -- our citizens -- in the work of remaking this nation.

We're doing this because I've always believed that the answers to our
challenges cannot come from government alone. Our government can help
to rebuild our economy and lift up our schools and reform health care
systems and make sure our soldiers and veterans have everything they
need -- but we need Americans willing to mentor our eager young
children, or care for the sick, or ease the strains of deployment on
our
military families.

That's why this bill will expand AmeriCorps from 75,000 slots today to
250,000 in less than a decade. (Applause.) And it's not just for
freshly minted college grads. As I said, my wife Michelle left her job
at a law firm to be the founding director of an AmeriCorps program in
Chicago that trains young people for careers in public service. And
Michelle can tell you the transformation that occurred in her life as a
consequence of being able to follow her passions, follow her dreams.

Programs like these are a force multiplier; they leverage small numbers
of members into thousands of volunteers. And we will focus their
service toward solving today's most pressing challenges: clean energy,
energy efficiency, health care, education, economic opportunity,
veterans and military families.

We'll invest in ideas that help us meet our common challenges, no
matter where those ideas come from. All across America, there are ideas
that
could benefit millions of Americans if only they were given a chance to
take root and to grow -- ideas like the one that Eric Adler and Raj
Vinnakota had that led to this school and expanded its model to
others.

That's why this bill includes a new Social Innovation Fund that will
bring nonprofits and foundations and faith-based organizations and the
private sector to the table with government so that we can learn from
one another's success stories. We'll invest in ideas that work,
leverage private-sector dollars to encourage innovation, expand
successful programs to scale and make them work in cities across
America.

Because we must prepare our young Americans to grow into active
citizens, this bill makes new investments in service learning. And
we've increased the AmeriCorps education award and linked it to Pell
Grant award levels, another step toward our goal of ensuring that every
American receives an affordable college education. (Applause.)

Because millions of Americans are out of school and out of work, it
creates an Energy Corps that will help people find useful work and gain
skills in a growing industry of the future.

Because our boomers are the most highly educated generation in history,
and our seniors live longer and more active lives than ever before,
this
bill offers new pathways to harness their talent and experience to
serve others.

And because this historic expansion of the Corporation for National and
Community Service requires someone with both bold vision and
responsible
management experience, I have chosen Mary* Eitel -- where's Mary*?
There she is, stand up, Mary -- as its new CEO. (Applause.) The
founder and first president of the Nike Foundation, Maria is a smart
and innovative thinker, and a leader who shares my belief in the power
of
service. And I also wanted to thank the acting CEO, Nicky Goren —
where's Nicky? -- (applause) -- for guiding the corporation through
this
transition.

A week from tomorrow marks the 100th day of my administration. In
those next eight days, I ask every American to make an enduring
commitment to
serving your community and your country in whatever way you can. Visit
whitehouse.gov to share your stories of service and success. And
together, we will measure our progress not just in the number of hours
served or volunteers mobilized, but in the impact our efforts have on
the life of this nation.

We're getting started right away -- this afternoon, I'll be joined by
President Clinton and Michelle and Joe Biden and Dr. Biden to plant
trees in a park not far from here. It's as simple as that. All that's
required on your part is a willingness to make a difference. And that
is, after all, the beauty of service. Anybody can do it. You don't
need to be a community organizer, or a senator, or a Kennedy --
(laughter) -- or even a President to bring change to people's lives.

When Ted Kennedy makes this point, he also tells a story as elegantly
simple as it is profound. An old man walking along a beach at dawn saw
a young man pick up a starfish and throwing them out to sea. "Why are
you doing that?" the old man inquired.

The young man explained that the starfish had been stranded on the
beach by a receding tide, and would soon die in the daytime sun. "But
the
beach goes on for miles," the old man said. "And there are so many.
How can your effort make any difference?" The young man looked at the
starfish in his hand, and without hesitating, threw it to safety in the
sea. He looked up at the old man, smiled, and said: "It will make a
difference to that one." (Laughter.)

To Ted, that's more than just a story. For even in the midst of his
epic fights on the floor of the Senate to enact sweeping change, he's
made a quiet trek to a school not far from the Capitol, week after
week, year after year, without cameras or fanfare, to sit down and read
with
one solitary child.

Ted Kennedy is that young man who will not rest until we've made a
difference in the life of every American. He walks down that beach and
he keeps on picking up starfish, tossing them into the sea. And as I
sign this legislation, I want all Americans to take up that spirit of
the man for whom this bill is named; of a President who sent us to the
moon; of a dreamer who always asked "Why not?" -- of a younger
generation that carries the torch of a single family that has made an
immeasurable difference in the lives of countless families.

We need your service right now, at this moment in history. I'm not
going to tell you what your role should be; that's for you to discover.
But I'm asking you to stand up and play your part. I'm asking you to
help change history's course, put your shoulder up against the wheel.
And if I -- if you do, I promise you your life will be richer, our
country will be stronger, and someday, years from now, you may remember
it as the moment when your own story and the American story converged,
when they came together, and we met the challenges of our new century.

Thank you very much, everybody. I'm going to sign this bill.
(Applause.)

(The bill is signed.) (Applause.)

President Obama's video about the budget

Page Gleason alupkg@yahoo.com — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 11:14:59 PST

President Obama recorded a special message for you about the budget he's submitted to Congress and what you can do to help it pass.

Watch the video now and take action to make sure your representatives know you support this new direction:

http://my.barackobama.com/page/m2/55c13e34/6c665c36/32e0cbd3/11884c97/2144149131/VEsH/

The Reviews are In

Page Gleason alupkg@yahoo.com — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 11:18:43 PST

The Reviews Are In:
President Obama’s “Hopeful” and “Uplifting” Speech “Will
Really Galvanize” People

Washington, DC - Tonight, President Obama laid out his comprehensive
vision for addressing the challenges our nation faces, from the economy
to energy independence to health care reform, education, and laying the
foundation for long-term growth in the 21st Century. As he addressed
those challenges, he reminded Americans of the boldness and courage our
nation must now summon as we have throughout our history saying, “We
will rebuild, we will recover, and the United States of America will
emerge stronger than before.”

The early reviews are in, and a bipartisan group of commentators are
praising the President’s speech as an “ambitious,” “hopeful”
and “uplifting” performance that “will really galvanize” people.
According to early polling results, the speech resonated with the
American people too - more Americans support the President’s economic
recovery plans after watching the speech.

The following are samples of the early reviews:

CBS Poll: 79% Approve of Plans for Economic Crisis After Speech. CBS
News Conducted a Poll of 500 respondents during the speech and they
found that before the speech 62% of respondents approved of the
President’s plans for the Economic Crisis. After the speech the number
rose to 79%. [CBS News Special Report, 2/24/09:
http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2009/02/24/politics/politicalhotsheet/entry4826615.shtml?tag=centerColumn;centerColumnContent]

CBS Poll: 69% Understand President’s Economic Plans; Up From 56%
Before Speech. CBS News Conducted a Poll of 500 respondents during the
speech and they found that before the speech 56% of the respondents
believed they understood the President’s plans for the Economic
Crisis. After the speech the number rose to 69%. [CBS News Special
Report, 2/24/09:
http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2009/02/24/politics/politicalhotsheet/entry4826615.shtml?tag=centerColumn;centerColumnContent]

David Brooks: This “Was An Excellent Speech” That “Perfectly
Captured The Tenor Of The Country.” “I thought it was an excellent
speech. It’s been a long time since I’ve really been able to rave
over an Obama speech, but I thought this was a speech that perfectly
captured the tenor of the country.” [PBS, NewsHour with Jim Lehrer
Coverage of Presidential Address, 2/24/09]

Brooks: Speech Was “Outstanding,” Hits “Exactly The Right
Tone,” and “Will Really Galvanize People.” “The essential
message was ‘no more fooling around,’ and I thought that was exactly
the right tone to take…So just as a speech, as an explanation,
‘here’s what I’m going to do,’ I thought it was
outstanding. It will really galvanize people.” [PBS, NewsHour with Jim
Lehrer Coverage of Presidential Address, 2/24/09 ]

Howard Fineman: President Obama Earned “Great Applause” and Respect
from Republicans and Democrats Alike. The President “I think won
great applause, that’s a measure of respect, not only from Democrats,
but most of the Republicans in that room who realize sitting in that
chamber what a political talent they are dealing with.” [MSNBC,
Countdown with Keith Olbermann, 2/24/09]

Fineman: “The Best Budget Speech Anyone Ever Gave.” "This was the
best darn budget speech that anyone ever gave because he gave it a sense
of lift and drive and competence. The guy just has an ability to exude a
sense of confidence in very tough circumstances." [MSNBC, Countdown with
Keith Olbermann, 2/24/09]

CNN’s Dana Bash: “More Of A Bipartisan Tone” In The Chamber
During President’s Speech Than Past Eight Years. “I was also in the
chamber Anderson, during the president’s speech and certainly as
opposed to what we saw for the past eight years, particularly the past
couple years with President Bush, there definitely was more of a
bipartisan tone in terms of the kind of reaction he got.” [CNN,
Anderson Cooper 360, 2/24/09]

CNN’s David Gergen: President’s Speech Was “Most Ambitious…
We’ve Heard In This Chamber In Decades.” “This was the most
ambitious president we’ve heard in this chamber in decades. The first
half of the speech was FDR fighting for the New Deal. The second half
was Lyndon Johnson fighting for the Great Society and we have never seen
those two presidents rolled together in quite this way before.” [CNN,
Anderson Cooper 360, 2/24/09]

Associated Press: Obama “Used Address to Tap the Deep Well of
American Optimism…” that “Great Presidents Embody.” “The
president used his address to Congress on Tuesday night to tap the deep
well of American optimism - the never-say-die national spirit that every
president tries to capture in words. And great presidents embody…The
themes of responsibility, accountability and, above all, national
community rang throughout an address carefully balanced by the gravity
of its times.”[Associated Press, 2/24/09:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090225/ap_on_go_pr_wh/obama_analysis_1]

Fox News’ Major Garret: President's Speech is Bi-Partisan: "Well I
think what we’re seeing right there playing out there on the floor of
the House of Representatives is that continued efforts at bipartisan
outreach, and that will be going on be a consistent quality for this
President even when Republicans don’t respond in-kind because the
White House believes politically it puts the President in a very safe,
very productive frame of mind in relationship with the broader American
public.” [Fox News, 2/24/09]

Newsweek’s Howard Fineman: President Gave A “Commanding”
Performance. “That was as commanding performance, as confident a
performance, as in control as I’ve ever seen a President.” [MSNBC,
Countdown with Keith Olbermann, 2/24/09]

CBS News’ Jeff Greenfield “One of The Most Effective Uses” of the
Medium. "It reminded in some sense of the radio speeches FDR gave where
he talked about complicated issues in a simple way… I have to say it
was one of the most effective uses of this wonderful imposing scene, the
Congress. To talk not to the Congress, there was no ten-point plan.
Here’s where we are and this is how I am going to get you out.” [CBS
News Special Report, 2/24/09]

CNN.com: “Obama Puts Forth Ambitious Agenda in Speech.” “In his
first speech to a joint session of Congress, President Obama outlined an
ambitious agenda to revive the economy, saying it's time to act boldly
‘to build a new foundation for lasting prosperity.’ President
Obama says the United States will overcome its current economic
struggles. Obama focused on the three priorities of the budget he will
present to Congress later this week: energy, health care and
education.” [CNN.com, 2/24/09]

NBC News’ Chuck Todd: Speech “Hopeful, Uplifting.” “I think
this idea that somehow [President Obama] had not been talking hopeful
enough about the situation, I have a feeling that President Clinton
isn't going to be criticizing him, particularly for that last I'd say
ten minutes of the speech where it was all hopeful. It was all
uplifting. It was as somebody had said to me, the last part of this
speech, you're going to recognize it, is Obama-esque, and I think that
it's not hard to look at that last part of the speech and saying he
wasn't being hopeful and talking up about the economy.” [NBC, Nightly
News with Brian Williams, 2/24/09]

ABC News: President “Greeted With Thunderous Applause;” Speech
Earned "Standing Ovation From Both Democrats And Republicans." "Obama
was greeted with thunderous applause in the House chamber, as lawmakers
reached out to try and get a handshake or in some cases a kiss as the
president made his way down the narrow aisle to the podium. Obama is
enjoying a 68 percent approval rating after his first month in office,
according to the latest ABC News-Washington Post poll, and his pledge to
reverse the nation's economic woes earned him an early standing ovation
from both Democrats and Republicans." [ABC News, 2/24/09,
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/President44/story?id=6950691&page=1]

CNN’s Jeffrey Toobin: Speech “Obama’s Best Moment Yet.” “I
give him an A.” [CNN.com's Political Ticker, Jeffrey Toobin, 2/24/09]

Keith Olbermann: Speech a “Resounding Debut.” “Repeatedly
inspiring members of both parties to rise to their feet in the House
Chamber, the 44th President of the United States with a resounding debut
at that the highest stage, thus far, of his presidency.” [MSNBC,
Coverage of Presidential Address, 2/24/09]

MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow: Speech Received High Rankings from McCain and
Obama Voters in Focus Groups. Maddow noted that both McCain and Obama
voters on MSNBC’s audience reaction “stayed up at the top the entire
speech essentially.” [MSNBC, Coverage of Presidential Address,
2/24/09]

CNN’s AndersonCooper: Calls President’s Address “Highly
Ambitious.” “President Obama just finished his first address to a
joint session of congress -- highly ambitious, mixing policy, pep talk,
progress report on the economy. Saying America’s best days are ahead
of it…” [CNN, Anderson Cooper 360, 2/24/09]

WashingtonPost: “A Note of Hope at a Time of Crisis.” “Five
weeks into an administration already marked by dramatic highs and lows,
President Obama sounded a note of hope at a time of crisis tonight,
delivering an address to a joint session of Congress heavily focused on
the ailing economy and how to fix it. Offering the prospect of a
brighter future after weeks of grim rhetoric, Obama sought to put a
human face on complex policy proposals. He linked his banking rescue
proposal to the ability of a ‘young family’ to ‘finally buy a
home.’ And he acknowledged populist anger at the prospect of more Wall
Street bailouts, vowing to crack down on CEO bonuses and conduct tough
oversight of the hundreds of billions of dollars already pledged to
address the economic crisis.” [Washington Post, Ben Pershing,
2/24/09]

DNC Announces Brad Woodhouse as New Communications Director

Page Gleason alupkg@yahoo.com — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 11:02:47 PST

For Immediate Release
February 23, 2009

Contact: DNC Press - 202-863-8148

DNC Announces Brad Woodhouse as New Communications Director

Washington, DC- The Democratic National Committee today announced that Brad Woodhouse will re-join the DNC as Communications Director where he will oversee both the communications and research departments. During the 2008 presidential election, Woodhouse served as a senior advisor to the DNC while on leave from Americans United for Change -- an advocacy group he has led since February 2007. After four years, current Communications Director Karen Finney will leave the DNC for the private sector where she will start her own consulting business.

"I'm excited to welcome Brad Woodhouse back to the DNC. Brad is already one of the most highly-respected communications professionals in politics today and will be an indispensable part of our team as we work to promote President Obama's agenda for change," said DNC Executive Director Jen O'Malley Dillon. "I also want to thank Karen Finney for her outstanding service to the Democratic Party. Not only was Karen an integral part of Gov. Dean's efforts to rebuild our Party, but she's been extremely helpful to us here during the transition and we wish her the best of luck as she takes on new challenges."

"Im so proud of the work we've done over the past four years at the DNC and so grateful to have been a part of getting our party and country back on the right track," said outgoing DNC Communications Director Karen Finney. "I'm also thrilled to turn the reigns over to my friend Brad Woodhouse. Having worked closely with Brad over the years, I know he will be a strong advocate for President Obama's agenda and a fantastic leader for our Party. He is the consummate professional and a creative and strong voice in Democratic politics. I wish him the best and know he will be a tremendous asset to Chairman Kaine and the DNC."

"I'm honored to be joining Governor Kaine, Jen O'Malley Dillon and the tremendous team they are putting together at the DNC to help promote President Obama's agenda for change," said incoming DNC Communications Director Brad Woodhouse. "Being part of an organization that will not only concern itself with politics and elections - but with promoting the change Americans voted for in November was enough to convince me to leave a job I love for this tremendous opportunity. Of course, in Karen Finney's, I'll have tremendous shoes to fill and I am grateful to her for the trail she has blazed for me as I start this new chapter in my life."

Brad Woodhouse, Democratic National Committee Communications Director
Brad Woodhouse is a leading Democratic strategist and president of Americans United for Change, a position he has held since February of 2007. Most recently, while on a leave of absence from Americans United, Mr. Woodhouse worked for the presidential campaign of Barack Obama as a senior advisor to the Democratic National Committee where he also served as a surrogate for the campaign.

Americans United for Change has worked on key initiatives including protecting Social Security from efforts to privatize the program, increasing the minimum wage, re-authorizing and expanding the State Children's Health Insurance Program, improving the ability of workers to form unions and pushing for a safe and responsible end to the war in Iraq.

Prior to becoming president, Mr. Woodhouse served as communications director for Americans United and the national campaign that defeated President Bush's plan to privatize Social Security in 2005. During this time Mr. Woodhouse was also a political consultant with Hildebrand-Tewes Consulting. Before joining Americans United, Mr. Woodhouse served as an advisor to and spokesperson for then U.S. Senator Jon Corzine (D-NJ) and prior to that as the communications director for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. Mr. Woodhouse has also worked for a host of other candidates and causes including former White House Chief of Staff Erskine Bowles' (D-NC) 2002 bid for the U.S. Senate, former North Carolina Governor Jim Hunt and U.S. Representative Bob Etheridge (D-NC).

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