the time we have left
Dan Schneider
Mon, Oct 27, 2008 at 11:05 PM
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>



Dear Dan's Delegation –

This will be the last email I send to all of you.

Late last night, when no member of our team had heard from David Gall, we felt a responsibility to disconnect our team from all affiliation with him. We began calling airlines and this morning we contacted specific travel agencies and cancelled all reservations. All your itineraries have been removed from record. They were never ticketed flights.

This evening I spoke with all the State Coordinators for Change in the states we had targeted. I informed them, that sadly; it appears that we will not be able to deliver the numbers we promised them one week ago today.

I made sure my first phone call this evening was to the State Director for Change in Georgia. A week ago we promised him one-hundred and twenty five volunteers from Harvard College, UC Berkeley and Tufts University. Many battleground states in America are scheduled to have an influx of volunteers from neighboring blue states. Georgia is in the South. They needed us. I can't remember what I said – but I ended the conversation prematurely because I had trouble keeping my emotions together as I spoke to him.

I am enraged by what has happened.

I am currently working with members of Americans in Italy for Obama and Italian authorities to investigate this matter thoroughly, unearth the truth and see justice served.

This afternoon, the leadership team elected to disassociate all affiliation with Dan's Delegation. I completely understand and support this decision. Our investigation of David Gall has become a liability to getting volunteers where they need to go. I encourage you to continue to utilize any leadership, assistance and/or organization structure that may be available to you. We are all still fighting for the same cause, even if we are no longer on the same team.

I – however – cannot disconnect myself from Dan's Delegation.

Nor would I want to.

Another phone call I made this evening was to the State Director for Change in Missouri. A week ago we promised him just under one hundred volunteers. This conversation was different. I gave him the contact number of leader of a group from the University of Oklahoma we had originally organized and slated to go to Georgia. I was able to inform Kevin that this group was now going to caravan Missouri instead. Fifteen volunteers in Missouri this weekend who would not have been there if make every effort possible to empower them.

Furthermore, as I write this message, plans are being made for a massive bus exodus for all volunteers from California willing to go to Las Vegas this weekend.

I hope with every bit of my being that the work we have done here will have an impact on Tuesday November 4th in ways I cannot yet fully calculate or understand. Through our efforts passionate and dedicated people have been introduced to each other and given a purpose. These relationships endure as does our cause.

I have not turned on my television for two weeks. No news broadcasts, no pundits, not even the Daily Show or the Colbert Report. I have averaged less than four hours sleep a night. I don't know how much weight I have lost, buy my blue jeans no longer stay on my hips when I stand up.

I miss my kids and I miss my wife. I have been living in and working from my home and yet I have not been here.

I have given you my best effort at tremendous cost and sacrifice because I was - and continue to be – energized, honored and humbled by the commitment all of you have made. I am proud of the effort we have put forth, organization we have created, the work we have done and – above all else – the work each of you will do.

I understand if you want to distance yourself from me. But I am not going to distance myself from the task at hand or any needs any of you may have.

If there is any way I can assist you, I will do it.
If there is any way I can organize your efforts, I will do it.
If you need housing in a battleground state, I arrange it.
If you need to get in touch with a campaign coordinator, I will connect you.
If you have frequent flier miles to share, I will put you in touch with a volunteer who can use them.

This all started because I wanted to wake up on November 5th knowing I did everything I could.

There is still time left on the clock.

Circumstances have changed, but my role remains: to help you – as active citizens – make the most out of time we have left.

ds


Dan Schneider
Democratic Delegate
California Congressional District 11