Hey --

I was there.

I watched my husband electrify a crowd of more than 9,000 Iowa Democrats:

https://donate.barackobama.com/reclaimaday

I've known Barack a long time, and it's clear to me when he's in his element.

Years ago, after we first met, he took me to an organizing meeting in a small church basement in Chicago. He was so comfortable and genuine speaking to folks in the community about the issues they faced that it moved me.

He moved me again last Saturday in Iowa.

This is exactly what he should be doing -- talking to ordinary people about the kind of change America needs, and encouraging everyone to come to the table to make it happen.

But as his wife, I also know when he's not in his element.

There's nothing Barack dislikes more about campaigning than asking people for money. Unfortunately, over the next few weeks, he's scheduled to travel all over the country on a series of fundraising trips.

You can get him back to doing what he does best. Act on David's message below and help reclaim a day of fundraising from Barack's calendar.

If we raise $850,000 on the Internet this week, Barack can eliminate a fundraising trip and head back to Iowa to build on the momentum he created this weekend.

If you haven't seen it yet, please watch his speech at the Jefferson-Jackson Dinner. It sums up a lot of the reasons we're running this campaign, and it's why I'm so passionate about this window of opportunity we have now. It was an incredible night, and that's why I'm heading back to Iowa tomorrow to build on our momentum.

Watch the video and make a donation of $25 now so Barack can share our message of change face-to-face with people of Iowa:

https://donate.barackobama.com/reclaimaday

Thank you,

Michelle

-----Original Message-----
From: David Plouffe, BarackObama.com
Subject: 'The Fierce Urgency of Now'

Hey --

Barack Obama gave what could be the most important speech of the campaign to more than 9,000 Iowa Democrats in Des Moines this weekend.

Here's how Iowa's top political analyst, David Yepsen, responded yesterday:

Should he win the Iowa caucuses, Saturday's dinner will be remembered as one of the turning points in his campaign, a point where he laid down the marker and began closing on Clinton, the national frontrunner.

Barack sparked new momentum on the ground in Iowa, where the January 3rd caucuses will be the first true test of our campaign and Senator Clinton's.

We need to react quickly to capitalize on this moment.

Here's how we can do it. Barack is scheduled to travel the country for major fundraising events over the next several weeks.

I want to eliminate at least one of those trips so Barack can spend as much time in Iowa as possible.

If we can raise $850,000 over the Internet this week, Barack can return to Iowa and build on the momentum he created this weekend.

We put together a video so you can see for yourself what happened in Iowa on Saturday.

Please watch and make a donation of $25 to reclaim a day that Barack can spend on the ground in Iowa:

https://donate.barackobama.com/reclaimaday

We try to balance Barack's schedule between raising money and talking with voters in the early states.

But after his speech on Saturday, we need to shift that balance and send him back to Iowa as soon as possible.

That means finding another way to meet our fundraising goals. We must stay competitive in the four early states and more than 20 other states that will hold their contests on February 5th. But we have to do it in a way that gives Barack more time with voters.

Something very special happened in Iowa this weekend.

I haven't seen a crowd this energized by a political leader since Barack electrified the country at the 2004 convention.

Let's rise together to meet this occasion:

https://donate.barackobama.com/reclaimaday

David

David Plouffe
Campaign Manager
Obama for America