On the campaign trail in Oregon today, Barack stopped at Luis's Taqueria in Woodburn. He was joined by his brother-in-law Craig Robinson (who was recently hired as the head basketball coach for the Oregon State Beavers). The two sat down for a quick meal of chicken tacos:

Natasha of Purcellville, VA, became a U.S. citizen so she could vote for Barack. She has lived in the United States for more than twenty years and loves her adopted country dearly but always had hesitated when it came to shedding her Australian citizenship. That is, until she heard speculation that Barack Obama might run for president. She filled out her application in late 2006 and was just sworn in last week. As she writes on her My.BarackObama profile:

He is the only candidate who can bring our country and the world together to solve all of the problems we now face. As a mother of two small children, I always have their lives and well-being at the forefront of my mind. I worry about every detail of their lives. Barack Obama is the best candidate for their future, which means less for me to worry about when he is President of the United States. As he says, "We are the ones we've been waiting for."

She missed her opportunity to vote in the Virginia primary but that didn’t hold her back from tirelessly campaigning for him. Along with all her fellow Loudon County for Obama members, she has helping turn her Republican-dominated county “purple.” Tomorrow she is going to a kick-off event for the Vote for Change registration drive with her four-year-old daughter in tow to continue bringing more people into the process.

Natasha plans the community service projects for the Loudoun County group to “spread the good word” -- as she says -- about Barack. This Monday she'll launch their food drive and has plans in upcoming months to collect supplies for our troops and to organize a children's book drive.

Get involved in your local group and continue to grow the movement. Attend a Vote for Change kick-off event in your area tomorrow to register and mobilize voters.

This weekend, grassroots supporters in West Virginia and across the country are working to Get Out The Vote in the final push before Primary Day. We're fighting an uphill battle in West Virginia, but by ensuring that all of our supporters make it to the polls, we can add to our delegate lead and continue to close in on the nomination.

Earlier today, West Virginia Field Director Rachel Sigman sent out the following email:

Right now, thousands of people in West Virginia are thinking seriously about which way they'll vote when they go to the polls on Tuesday.

You can make their decision easy.

The West Virginia primary is coming up on Tuesday, May 13th, and we have an opportunity to secure some of the final available delegates and move a big step closer to the nomination.

We can't do this without your help — and you can make a difference right from your home.

Our team has put together a list of the potential supporters here in West Virginia whom we most need to reach by Tuesday. Your voice could persuade them to cast their votes for Barack — but only if you use our simple online tool right now and give them a call.

We have thousands of potential supporters to reach, and no time to waste — please pick up the phone and start calling for Barack right away.

Barack had a big night on Tuesday because people like you, not just from North Carolina and Indiana but from states near and far, decided to take action, reach out to potential supporters, and build this movement one voter at a time.

You can carry our momentum forward in West Virginia — and with Election Day just four days away, we need your help now more than ever.

Even if you have never made a call for Barack before, you'll be able to make a difference. Simply log in and get started — it's easy!

I hope you'll make a few calls every day between now and Tuesday — start right now.

Thank you,

Rachel

Rachel Sigman
West Virginia Field Director
Obama for America

Hawaii Congresswoman Mazie Hirono announced her support for Barack Obama today, citing his ability to unite the Democratic Party and bring about real change:

Today I announce my endorsement of Senator Barack Obama for President of the United States. I do so after watching these historic campaigns unfold across our country, where hundreds of thousands of people participated as never before. It is clear that Americans want our country back on a course of hope and opportunity.

I make my announcement with deep respect and admiration for Hillary Clinton. She is an extraordinary woman. However, it is time to unite the party behind Senator Obama and to use our energy and resources to defeat Senator John McCain. Barack Obama can unite our Party and our country and bring about the positive changes Americans want.

Of course, all of us are especially proud of Senator Obama's deep roots here in our state, and overwhelmingly embraced his candidacy in our recent caucus. His love for Hawaii and understanding of its diversity have given him a foundation for understanding the diversity of our country. I am proud to endorse Senator Obama and I look forward to a winning campaign.

Hirono is the 271st superdelegate to endorse Barack Obama. Obama is 160 delegates away from securing the Democratic nomination.

The New Mexico Independent has just announced:

Laurie Weahkee, New Mexico's newest -- and most coveted -- super delegate, just threw her support behind Obama.

"After the primary elections in Indiana and North Carolina, it is now absolutely clear that Barack Obama will be our nominee," Weahkee, lead organizer for the Native American Voters Alliance, writes in a statement e-mailed to the Independent. She adds, "Obama has proven that he can campaign in a difficult environment and still inspire thousands of new voices to take part in the democratic process."

You can read the full interview with Weahkee in which she explains how she decided to endorse Barack. 

Laurie Weahkee is the 270th superdelegate to endorse Barack Obama. Obama is 161 delegates away from securing the Democratic nomination.

Today, Wilber Lee Jeffcoat, the Democratic Party Vice Chair in South Carolina and Democratic superdelegate endorsed Barack Obama. In endorsing Barack, Jeffcoat explained:

Barack Obama inspired thousands of new voters in my state of South Carolina to get involved in our democratic process and I am proud to announce my endorsement today. With Barack Obama as our nominee, we can bring more and more new voters out to become involved and have their voices heard. Obama has worked his whole life to unite people from all backgrounds and walks of life for change, he has done that in this campaign and he will continue to do that as President. I am excited to join his campaign today.

Jeffcoat is the 269h superdelegate to endorse Barack Obama. Obama is 162 delegates away from securing the Democratic nomination.

Barack is campaigning in Oregon today, and this morning he held an economic discussion with workers in Beaverton. During his speech, Barack outlined some of the important policy differences between himself and John McCain.

Here is the full text of Senator Obama's remarks, as prepared for delivery:

It’s great to be back in Oregon. Over the last fifteen months, we’ve travelled to every corner of the United  States. Now I know that if you listen to Washington or pay attention to the pundits, you hear a lot about how divided we are as a people. But that’s not what I’ve found as I’ve travelled across this great country.

Everywhere I go, I’ve been impressed by the values and hopes that we share. In big cities and small towns; among men and women; young and old; black, white, and brown – Americans share a faith in simple dreams. A job with wages that can support a family. Health care that we can count on and afford. A retirement that is dignified and secure. Education and opportunity for our kids. Common hopes. American dreams.

That’s why this election is so important. Because for far too many Americans, those hopes and dreams are slipping away. We just came through the first period of sustained economic growth since World War II that saw incomes drop. People are working harder for less. You’re paying more for gas, and groceries, and tuition. Millions of families are facing foreclosure. We’ve already lost hundreds of thousands of jobs this year.

To be sure, some of these problems are a result of changes in our economy that no one can control.  But instead of helping, Washington’s  policies have made it worse. Instead of expanding opportunity for working people, we’ve tried to grow our economy from the top down, and eventually that pain trickled up. Instead of making sure that people can live their dreams on Main Street, we’ve tilted the scales for special interests and Wall Street. Instead of saying “we’re all in this together” as Americans, Washington has sent a message that says – “you’re on your own.”

John McCain has served his country with honor, and I respect that service. But it was dead wrong when he said recently that he thinks our economy has made “great progress” under George Bush.  Is there anyone outside of Washington D.C, who could truly believe that? Do you?  Senator McCain is running for President to double down on George Bush’s failed policies. I am running to change them, and that will be the fundamental difference in this election when I am the Democratic nominee for President.

We have a difference on taxes. John McCain wants to continue George Bush’s tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans; I want to give a tax cut to working people. I admired Senator McCain when he said he could not “in good conscience” support the Bush tax cuts. But now, as the Republican nominee, he’s fully embraced them.  He wants to give a permanent tax cut to the wealthiest Americans who don’t need them and didn’t ask for them while working people are struggling. And for all his talk about fiscal responsibility, he’s proposed $400 billion in tax cuts without any word about how he’ll pay for him. That’s exactly the kind of attitude that has shifted the burden on to the middle class, and mortgaged our children’s future on a mountain of debt.

I think it’s time to restore fairness and responsibility to our tax code. We need to reward work – not just wealth. We need to stop giving tax breaks to companies that ship jobs overseas, and put a tax cut in the pockets of middle class Americans. That’s why I’ve proposed a “Making Work Pay” tax credit of up to $500 for workers, and $1,000 for working families. This will cut taxes for 150 million Americans. It will help you deal with rising costs, and give our economy a boost by easing the burden on Main Street.

We have a difference on health care. John McCain wants to continue a George Bush approach that only takes care of the healthy and the wealthy; that allows insurance companies to discriminate and deny coverage to those Americans who need it most. This is exactly the kind of approach that has left out tens of millions of Americans. It’s why you are struggling with rising costs. And it’s why we have failed to solve our health care crisis year after year after year.

I think it’s time to finally make health care affordable and accessible for every American. We need to stand up to the insurance companies and the drug companies. We need to bring Americans together. And we need to pass a plan that lowers every family’s premiums, and gives every uninsured American the same kind of coverage that Members of Congress give themselves.

We have a difference on gas prices. John McCain has embraced a gas tax gimmick that – when it’s said and done – will save you less than thirty dollars this summer. This is a classic Washington fix that’s more about getting John McCain through an election than solving your problems. It will put more money in the pockets of the oil companies. It’s bad for our environment. And it won’t bring down gas prices over the long term – most economists think it will send those prices up.

I believe we owe the American people the truth. That’s why my plan to lower gas prices raises fuel efficiency standards on cars; invests in alternative energy to end our addiction to oil; and creates millions of new Green Jobs while saving our planet in the bargain. That’s the kind of change we need in Washington.

We have a fundamental difference on our priorities for the presidency. John McCain wants to continue George Bush’s war in Iraq, losing thousands of lives and spending tens of billions of dollars a month to fight a war that isn’t making us safer. I want to end this war. I want to invest that money in America – in our roads and bridges and ports. And I want to invest in millions of Green Jobs, so that we finally develop renewable energy, end our addiction to oil, bring those gas prices down, and save our planet in the bargain.

There will be real differences on the ballot in November. And that’s what elections should be about. John McCain will stand with Washington’s tried and failed approaches of the past; I will stand with the American people on behalf of a new direction for working people. Because I believe it’s time for America to once again be a place where you can make it if you try. I believe it’s time for Washington to work for your hopes, for your dreams. That’s the choice I’ll offer in this campaign. And that’s what I’ll do every day as President of the United States.

You can read Barack's economic plan here, and you can download a copy of the Blueprint for Change:

Tomorrow is the official kickoff of Vote for Change, an unprecedented 50-state voter registration and mobilization drive. In over 100 cities across America, from Anchorage, Alaska to Miami, Florida, grassroots supporters will hit the streets to register voters. With events planned in every single state, no matter where you live, you can find an event near you.

As Democratic Governor Kathleen Sebelius of Kansas explained,"This could change the face of American politics for decades to come."

Our efforts across the country have already yielded incredible results. According to a recent Associated Press survey, over 3.5 million people registered to vote in the first three months of 2008. Now we're expanding our approach to every single state, as part of a sustained, six-month effort that could reshape the electoral map.  

Most events will begin in the late morning or early afternoon, and will run approximately four hours. No prior experience is necessary, and materials and training will be provided at each location.

There is no better way to start your weekend tomorrow, and no more important work to be done right now than bringing more voters, and more voices, into the political process. Click on a state below to find an event near you:

Chicago, IL – Today, California DNC Member and superdelegate Ed Espinoza endorsed Barack Obama, citing his judgment, character, and ability to unite our country for change. 

Espinoza is the 268th superdelegate to endorse Barack Obama.  Obama is 163 delegates away from securing the Democratic nomination. 

Espinoza said, “I am endorsing Barack Obama today because throughout this process I have seen him show a judgment and character that we need in our next president.  From day one he opposed the Iraq war and has a plan to end the war in a responsible way and bring our sons and daughters home.  He has shown he has the character to lead our great nation, from his choice to spend his career serving people in the poorest communities in Chicago to his commitment to speaking truth to the American people, even when it isn’t politically convenient to do so. To unify the country at this time in our history we need a president who has these qualities, and that is why I am proud to endorse him today. My good friend Bill Richardson, who backed Obama some weeks ago, knows what it takes to lead and I trust his judgment in this decision as well.  I look forward to working with this great movement to bring victory in November.”

We just launched a new constituency site, Americans with Disabilities for Obama. Check out the inaugural blog post from Seth H. from New Jersey...

For Americans with disabilities, "hope" is an important idea.  People with disabilities face barriers every day of their lives.  Some barriers are physical.  Others are built on unwarranted fears and stereotypes.  And there are institutional barriers at work and school and when dealing with health insurers, government, and other organizations.

When you face stubborn barriers day in and day out, hope is the only antidote to despair.  Hope keeps us going.  Hope is a beacon in an unwelcoming world.  And hope keeps us fighting for the full integration of people with disabilities into American society.

That’s why so many Americans with disabilities support Barack Obama for President of the United States.  He is the candidate of hope for Americans with disabilities and so many others.

Barack understands that we must build a world free of unnecessary barriers, stereotypes, and discrimination.  Listen to him talk about it in the video posted at www.BarackObama.com/issues/disabilities.  He embodies the change our country so desperately needs.  And, perhaps most important, Barack wants to bring us together -- all of us -- to build a society in which each person can achieve to the limits of his or her abilities.

Barack has a Plan to Empower Americans with Disabilities.  It’s available at www.BarackObama.com/issues/disabilities.  He's also got a plan for Americans with Autism Spectrum Disorder that’s available at www.BarackObama.com/issues/disabilities.   

Please read these materials, review the rest of this People page and, if you want to discuss the Plan or just get to know other Obama supporters from the disability community, go to http://My.BarackObama.com and join one of the many groups of people with disabilities who have organized themselves to help elect Barack Obama.

Thanks for joining the Americans with Disabilities for Obama!