President Barack Obama’s campaign has no intention of quitting the President just because he won his second and final term. Instead the group will continue on as a tax-emempt group community organizing group called ‘Organizing for Action.’ The group is in no way related to the Democratic National Committee’s organization of a similar name, Organizing for America.
The First Lady announced the transition Friday morning in a YouTube video on the Obama campaign’s YouTube channel, calling it the “next phase in our movement for change.”
“So if we wanna finish what we started and truly make that change we believe in, we can’t stop now,” she said, adding that the group will be supporter driven because it is the campaign’s volunteers who “have given ordinary people a place in our democratic process again.”
Politico reports that former Obama 2012 campaign manager Jim Messina will head the new group and other top Obama campaign officials, including Stephanie Cutter, Robert Gibbs and David Plouffe will serve on the board. But other specifics, such as the purpose of the group (other than to serve as a cheerleader for the President and his ideas) is still up in the air.
“A lot of that is up to you,” Michelle Obama said in the video. “Going forward, it can be whatever you make of it.”
In an email to supporters announcing the move, President Obama reiterated that it will be up to them to keep the movement alive. “You’ll have questions about exactly what Organizing for Action will look like — and over the next few months, you will be the ones to come up with many of the answers,” Obama wrote, adding that at the very least the organization will do three things:
First, Organizing for Action will support the legislative agenda that Americans voted for on Election Day. That means making meaningful progress on growing the economy from the middle out, and fighting for issues like immigration reform, climate change, balanced deficit reduction, and reducing gun violence.
Second, OFA will build a lasting movement by empowering the next generation of leaders. This community’s skills, talents, and technological advantage will endure and grow.
Third, and perhaps most importantly, you’ll organize through Organizing for Action in your neighborhood around the issues you care about. You’ll decide what your local chapter of Organizing for Action will work on — and you’ll get the resources you need to be successful.
Obama supporters will have their first opportunity to shape the agenda of Organizing for Action at the ‘Obama Legacy Conference this Saturday in Washington, D.C. According to a letter included in the event’s welcome packet from Legacy Conference director Sara El-Amine, one of the goals of the conference is to, “Roll out what’s next for our movement.”
What role, if any, the President himself will play in the organization also remains to be seen. But knowing the President, who has been dubbed by conservatives as the campaigner-in-chief, it’s unlikely that he’ll stay on the sidelines.
Watch Michelle Obama’s video announcing the creation of Organizing for Action below.
About Francesca Chambers
he has done little, to nothing, since he first took office. time for someone that will work with congress and not bury us farther in the hole like barack. three u.s. credit falls since he took office? yeah, time for someone new, and barack, YOU BUILT THAT!!!!
What’s with the historical re-write? They didn’t vote for gun control on voting day in November. That was before gun control had even been unveiled as part of the plan. This is revisionist history- more lies from Obama.