obama : Thank you to everyone who United for Change.

You did it!

by Sam Graham-FelsenTuesday November 4 2008 08:00:26 PM

Thank you.

You did it. You showed America -- and the world -- that change can happen.

Thank you for the miles you walked, the doors you knocked, the phones you rang, the hard-earned dollars you gave, the spirit you committed to this campaign. Thank you for never wavering, even when the days were dark, the clouds grayed the skies, and the rain poured. Thank you for tuning out the static of the cynics and believing in your power to change this country.

Thank you for all the late nights and all the far too early mornings, for trudging through the bitter cold of winter and wading through the oppressive heat of summer to canvass in your communities. Thank you for the rain-soaked jeans, the mud-caked sneakers, the sweat-drenched t-shirts, and the snow-covered scarves and hats. Thank you for your patience; thank you for your perseverance.

Thank you to Brandi in Minneapolis, who inspired us all with her phone-banking story, and thank you to all those who stayed up all night calling voters in Guam during the primaries, helping us eek out a close victory.

Thank you to everyone who has taken part in the HQ blog conversation and livened the myBO community with your commentary, stories, humor, and passion.

Thank you to everyone who United for Change.

Thank you for painting your barns, canvassing by horseback, and volunteering alongside your Llama for Obama.

Thank you to a man who asked us to put Barney Smith above Smith Barney.

Thank you to the pioneers who risked their lives for the right to vote so that all of us could partake in the democratic process.

Thank you to Andy and Stuart and Theresa and the thousands of Obama Organizing Fellows, who helped lay the foundation for this grassroots movement and built something that can last for years to come.

Thank you to Casperr, Kath25, AdamB, Elise Elise, Icebergslim, Populista, and every Daily Kos diarist (you know who you are) who not only blogged their hearts out, but hit the streets for Obama.

Thank you to the students in the Bronx who helped showed this country that a new generation of young Americans is serious about politics, profoundly inspired, and ready to confront the challenges that face our country.

Thank you to Brittany and the millions of people in this country who have lost a loved one too soon, but have not given up hope that this country can provide affordable health care to every American.

Thank you Duffy Lyon, for your marvelous Butter Cow.

Thank you Purple Shirt Guy, for standing with Barack when he stood against the war in 2002 and standing with Barack when he spoke about the need to end the war five years later (with that same purple shirt on).

Thank you Jeff, for sleeping on your roof to house volunteers and to all of NYC4Obama for helping to put together one of the best nights of this campaign in September of 2007 in New York City.

Thank you Grace, Josh, Lauren, Reverend Scipio and everyone who helped put together a victory in South Carolina that will be talked about for decades to come.

Thank you to Rashed, our 75,000th donor, and Angela, our 250,000th donor. Thank you to every single person -- from Mike in Nevada, to Andrew and Sharon, to Rebecca to Michael Wilson in Florida, Christy, Jane, Caroleand so many others -- who helped build this house with your grassroots contributions. You shattered every record and expectation, and you changed our politics.

Thank you Charles, for telling your story and sharing your faith in the young people of America.

Thank you to everyone who took time out of your lives to work towards something bigger than yourselves.

Change can happen. You proved it.