Expats Against Bush

Run Against Bush - London - Oct 16th

I'll get to the debate once I've had a chance to actually read the transcript, but in the meantime Sarah Holsen asked me to let you know that Run Against Bush is coming to London on October 16th:

Run Against Bush is coming to London!

Looking for a fun and easy way to express your displeasure with the current administration? Do you like to exercise? We have the perfect way for you to do both at the same time.
Come jog and/or walk Against Bush on Saturday, October 16th!

Where: Hyde Park (meet at Speakers' Corner, most easily accessed from Exit 4 of the Marble Arch tube station on the Central Line)
When: 4:00 p.m. (rain or shine)

Course length: 5 kilometers

In order to make the biggest statement possible, we encourage everyone to either order a Run Against Bush t-shirt from RunAgainstBush.org (www.runagainstbush.org) or make their own t-shirt and wear it to the event.

After the run/walk we will head to a local pub for drinks and conversation. Please join us and invite your friends!

For more information about this event, please email Sarah at sarah_holsen@hotmail.com or Dan Gordon at dgordon95@comcast.net. If you want more information about "Run Against Bush", visit the organisation online at www.runagainstbush.org or send an email to info@runagainstbush.org.

Cheers,
Sarah

London, Sept 2nd: Diana Kerry Campaign Kickoff

This just in from Democrats Abroad UK:

Save The Date: September 2nd at 7pm

Celebrate the Official Campaign Kick-Off with Diana Kerry and Featured Guests!

Diana Kerry, the Chair of Americans Overseas for Kerry, and others to be confirmed, will be with us to start the sprint toward the mid September deadline for filing for absentee ballots. See Convention speeches that the networks didn't cover. Get your Talking Points for persuading friends and family to support John Kerry. Find out what more you can do to help deliver the vote for the Democrats.

Thursday, September 2nd 7-8:30 pm. Conway Hall Red Lion Square, Holborn. Admission £2 at the door.

rsvp victory@democratsabroad.org.uk

London hits the Fahrenheits

I'd just like to pass along a friendly note from Democrats Abroad:

Democrats Abroad UK is having a private screening of Fahrenheit 911 the night of its London Debut!

Come join us for this opportunity to see the film, in the company of fellow Democrats and friends. You will be offered a complimentary glass of wine upon arrival and hear from a special guest speaker after the screening.

Tickets 15 pounds (8 pounds unwaged)
(To comply with Federal Campaign Finance Laws we can accept paid admission from US citizens and Green Card holders only.)

As they say at Fox News (that's right...Fox!) "Not seeing Fahrenheit 9/11 would be like allowing your First Amendment rights to be abrogated, no matter whether you're a Republican or a Democrat."

Date and Time: Friday, July 9 at 6:40 pm.
Location: The Screen on the Hill, 203 Haverstock Hill, , NW3 Nearest Tube: Belsize Park, Northern Line Edgeware Branch Doors open 6:00. If you haven't yet registered to vote arrive early and do it there!

Book NOW at victory@democratsabroad.org.uk before the event is sold out!

(Please note – we will not be posting tickets, but will keep your name on a list for the door.)

Want a teaser? View the trailer here:
http://www.fahrenheit911.com/trailer/

I'd go and see it, even if you've read the Hitchens piece. I mean, everyone will be talking about it. Won't they?

Howard Dean in London this Thursday

I thought you might like to know about this if you don't already - Democrats Abroad is hosting an event for Howard Dean this Thursday. Meet the man who brought Election 2004 firmly into the blogosphere:

Join us for an hour with Governor Howard Dean on Thursday, June 17th from 6 pm until 7 pm. Governor Dean will meet with us that evening in support of Democratic Party Unity at The Wolfson Theatre, Royal College of Physicians, 11 St. Andrew's Place, Regent's Park NW1. (Closest Tubes Great Portland Street or Regent's Park).

Book now to hold your place. This is not a fundraiser. However, admission will be 5 pounds per person at the door, to cover the cost of the venue.

RSVP: victory@democratsabroad.org.uk

Dems Abroad Events upcoming

Hi, you UK folks, I thought you should know about the following events that DA-UK has coming up (thanks to Jamey Dumas, chairman of DA-UK):

Voter Registration Training
Monday, February 2

Democrats Abroad UK will hold a voter registration training on Monday 2 February at 7:00 pm. Volunteers who would like to learn how to register other Americans to vote and request absentee ballots for 2004 elections should contact Frances Deak for more information.

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Super Tuesday Party and Voter Registration Drive
Tuesday, February 3

8 PM at the Rothermere American Institute, Oxford

Come and watch the primary election results and register to vote or request an absentee ballot. Francis Deak from the UK DA Committee will be on hand to assist with registration, and food will be available.

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February Speakeasy
Wednesday, February 4

An opportunity for Americans in London and in Oxford to discuss current events in American politics. Our Political Speakeasy meetings are held the first Wednesday of every month. To find out more please contact speakeasy@democratsabroad.org.uk for our London meeting, or oxford@democratsabroad.org.uk for our Oxford meeting.

If you would like to join in the discussion, or just meet other Democrats and like-minded Americans in London, you'll want to be there. Everyone is welcome, so please bring along anyone who might be interested.

WHEN: The first Wednesday of every month starting informally at 7pm (show up when you can) barring special circumstances such as falling on New Year's Day.

IN LONDON AT: The Harrow, 22 Whitefriars Street, London EC4Y 8JJ, (020) 7427-0916. The McCawber Bar on the top floor of the pub has been reserved for the meeting. The closest tube is Blackfriars Bridge. To get to the Harrow, walk up New Bridge Street away from Blackfriars Bridge. After a block or two make a left onto Tudor Street and walk for a few more blocks until you get to Whitefriars Street. Make a right and walk about 100 feet to the Harrow. See map from streetmap.co.uk.

IN OXFORD AT: The Royal Oak on Woodstock Road (starting in November).

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New Hampshire Debriefing
Sunday, February 8

Please join us on Sunday February 8th from 10 am to 12 noon, when New Hampshire Senate Minority Whip Lou D'Allesandro will be in London to recap the Primary and help us warm up for the UK caucus. D'Allesandro, courted by all candidates during the New Hampshire race, is uniquely qualified to provide us an assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of each campaign as we head into our caucus the following day.

Come for a privileged look back, and an informed discussion about what it may mean for what's ahead -- along with continental breakfast -- at the Charlotte Street Hotel, 15 Charlotte Street, London SW1. The cost of this event £20.00 per person, to go to our world wide effort to get out the vote. (Students/unwaged admitted at cost: £7.00.)

RSVP here.

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Democrats Abroad UK Presidential Caucus
Monday, February 9

Jolly Hotel St. Ermins
Caxton St, London SW1H 0QW
Tel: 020 7222 7888
(Nearest Tube: St. James’s Park)
(across the street from New Scotland Yard)

Starts at 7:00 pm

(You must arrive before 7:00 to participate -- come early for a snack or drink to avoid transportation delays.)

Our caucus is where Americans in the UK can vote for the presidential candidate he or she believes should get the Democratic Party's nomination. Through the UK Caucus we will elect delegates, either committed to a candidate or "undeclared", who will represent the UK at our International Caucus which takes place 26-28 March in Edinburgh, Scotland with delegates from around the world. The International Caucus will determine how Democrats Abroad's votes for our party's presidential nomination will be cast at the Democratic National Convention in Boston during late July 2004.

This is guaranteed to be a fun and exciting evening, as the different groups try to broker support for their candidate, especially this year with so many candidates. Some of the candidates will have sent videos to tell us about their positions on various issues and a TV/VCR will be set up to watch whatever we have been sent. We will have a separate area for observers (i.e., journalists or non-Americans).

The more food and drinks we all buy, the less we have to pay for the room hire.

Mark the date in your diary and tell your American friends. We want as many people to be involved as possible and let's make sure George W. gets defeated in 2004!

PLEASE NOTE: Participation is open to all voting age Americans who are registered Democrats (you can register on the evening). As a security measure, we will need to check passports upon entry, so please bring yours with you.

Tell your American friends...

Update 6PM Friday 30th
Jamey Dumas has emailed to say that the February 9th Caucus location will be changing due to intense interest in it. More details to come.

Regime Change in the White House

I've been asked to mention to you London people an event taking place on Tuesday in London called "Regime Change in the White House":

"Regime Change in the White House"
DJs, MCs, jazz musicians, singers and poets mash it for democracy. Jazz, Hip-Hop, RnB, Spoken Word, Comedy and everything in between.

Tues 27 January 7pm - 11.30
The Market Bar, EC3
2 Crutched Friars,
London EC3N 2HT
nearest tubes: Tower Hill, Aldgate, Tower Gateway
nearest BR: Fenchurch St
Tel: 020 7480 7550

- FREE -
Attitude-free policy

contact webmaster@scribesuk.net for more info

Unprecedented screenings in London and Oxford

I thought I'd pass along news from Jamey Dumas, chair of Democrats Abroad, about screenings of Unprecedented in London and Oxford this weekend - there are still spaces available:

We will be screening the award-winning documentary Unprecedented about the Florida recount followed by a discussion with the film's co-director Joan Sekler on Saturday afternoon in Oxford and Sunday morning in London. (Details below.) As we have been fortunate enough in London to secure The Screen on the Hill we still have space for people to attend despite over 100 RSVPs. So join us this weekend and help kick off our 2004 voter registration drive.

EVENT DETAILS:

UNPRECEDENTED SCREENING WITH JOAN SEKLER

OXFORD: Saturday 17 January at 4:00 p.m. Rothmere American Institute located on South Parks Road, backing onto Mansfield College (see http://www.rai.ox.ac.uk/institute/contacts.html).

LONDON: Sunday 18 January at 11:00 a.m. The Screen on the Hill Haverstock Hill NW3 (nearest Tube Belsize Park) London Screening. Contribution: 10 pounds (or 5 pounds for students/unwaged) goes to expenses and our international Get Out The Vote fund.

RSVP here

For extensive information about the film and its contents, see www.unprecedented.org.

Dems Abroad UK - Upcoming Events

I hope everyone's settling back into the first full work week of 2004 after a much-deserved holiday break.

If you can manage to take time out from your bank account postmortems and worries over already-broken New Year's resolutions, you might want to give some thought to a couple of upcoming Democrats Abroad events.

Here's the text of the email from Jamey Dumas, chair of DA-UK:

Next week on Tuesday 13 January at 1:00 pm British time we will have our second conference call with Senator John Kerry. Less than one week before the Iowa Caucus this will be an excellent opportunity for us to hear from and question one of our Presidential Candidates.

We again need individuals to host call groups across the UK. If you can provide a meeting room with a speaker phone which can call a US number please let me know.

We will distribute details for our call locations by the end of the week and expect to host groups in London, Oxford, Cambridge, St Andrews, and perhaps elsewhere with your help. If you have a question which you would like to ask please submit it to me by Friday 9 February as questions must be coordinated internationally.

Finally, we are completing details for screenings of Unprecedented in Oxford and London on January 17 and 18. Joan Sekler, co-director of this internationally acclaimed documentary, will be joining us to answer questions and talk about what they learned about the 2000 election and recount.

You may want to put these in your calendar.

Just so you know, Expats Against Bush UK are looking into holding a screening of Uncovered: The Whole Truth About the Iraq War sometime in January here in London. I'll let you know more details as they happen.

Expats Against Bush London Meetup: Tuesday December 2nd

On Tuesday December 2nd at 7PM, Expats Against Bush will have an informal get-together at Browns Restaurant in Covent Garden. Over a pint or two, we will share our thoughts on how last week's protests went, and what we have learned from them. Also, we will be discussing our plans for the coming election year, and how we can best ensure that fellow expats get registered to vote when the time comes.

Please let me know if you can make it as I will be booking some tables this week.