Organizing

Obama’s the One: Are You Really Surprised?

I’m not. Call me smug, but I’ve been saying since Barack Obama’s 2007 announcement of his candidacy in Springfield, Ill., that he would take the Democratic nomination. At the risk […]

I’m not.

Call me smug, but I’ve been saying since Barack Obama’s 2007 announcement of his candidacy in Springfield, Ill., that he would take the Democratic nomination.

At the risk of sounding like the pre-shock-and-awe Bush/Cheney chorus, it was a simple matter of connecting the dots.

Unconvinced?

Read David Moberg’s great Shelterforce piece on Obama’s formative organizing experiences in Chicago, and you’ll see it all laid out right there: how Obama gained the tools he’d need to complement his natural gifts as a leader. The seeds for his victorious primary climb and clinching of the nomination germinated in the streets of Chicago.

About the Author

Alice Chasan

Alice Chasan served as editor and associate publisher of Shelterforce from 2007 to 2008.

Tags

Comments

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Related Articles

All

  • A Catalyst for Change in Oakland: Annette Miller

    • Shelterforce Staff

    March 20, 2024

    Community organizer Annette Miller has turned personal tragedy into a force for good. This video is part of Shelterforce’s Women of Color on the Front Lines series.

  • A sign on a brick wall advising drivers of a steep hill. The sign is all-caps black lettering on a white background.

    How ‘Tenant Stewards’ Are Using TOPA to Form a Co-op

    • Roshan Abraham

    January 26, 2024

    Organized by a pandemic-era mutual aid group, this housing cooperative is taking advantage of D.C.’s pioneering Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act. But the pressure of paying back a loan with mounting interest could stymie the group's plans to provide affordable housing.

  • A streetscape of a town on a partly cloudy day. Cars travel the main road toward and away from the camera. In the middle distance is a tall radio tower. Identifiable businesses include a laundromat and beauty supply store.

    A Fifth of This Town’s Homes Were Saved from Demolition—And Kept Affordable

    • Amy De La Hunt

    January 18, 2024

    The decision to demolish Wellston's public housing had already been made when residents and the mayor decided to fight for it, but persistence, luck, and a financing structure with some unusual twists brought them back from the brink.