Together, we met the goal of 25,000 new WakeUpWalMart.com supporters by Labor Day. Amazing!

While traveling across this country and talking with thousands of people about Wal-Mart, we saw firsthand, over and over again, that the American people support affordable health care and fair compensation for hard work. Democrat or Republican, city or country dweller, Easterner or Westerner, Americans believe large corporations like Wal-Mart must live up to their responsibility to workers and communities.

Whether it was a weekday in downtown Philadelphia, the state fair in Iowa, or the Bumbershoot Festival in Seattle, people were eager to learn about WakeUpWalMart.com – and eager to sign up!

The total number of supporters, as shown on the website, does not yet reflect all these new supporters. That total will increase as the new sign-ups are entered into the database.

Thanks again for all your hard work recruiting your friends, family and neighbors to help reach this goal... and congratulations!

After 35 days, 19 states, more than 35 cities, 840 hours, 54 events, about 8000 miles, over 25,000 new supporters, and one exhausted, but inspired, team, this amazing journey, the �2006 Change Wal-Mart, Change America� bus tour ends today in Seattle. We have to say it has been one incredible ride from coast-to-coast.

In just five weeks, the American people and so many of our nation�s great leaders have stood up, spoken out, and called on Wal-Mart to change into a responsible employer.

We have been moved by our elected officials and their powerful words, but also by the countless people across the country who waved us over to their pick-up trucks, started conversations at gas stations, approached us in coffeeshops, diners, and on the street to ask about this tour and this movement... and to sign up!

So today, in Seattle, Senator Patty Murray, Senator Maria Cantwell, and Congressman Jim McDermott will host our final town hall at the Town Hall (no, we are not kidding, our last town hall is at the Town hall � how fitting is that). It will be a fantastic event and we invite you to come and enjoy the last tour stop, and join with us as we begin the next phase in this movement and America�s campaign to change Wal-Mart for the better.

And, we couldn�t imagine a better place to end the tour than Seattle.

How wonderful a city is Seattle? In just the last two days, folks in Seattle have signed up to this campaign in droves. In just a few hours, on Saturday and Sunday, over 2000 new supporters joined the movement! People just kept walking right up to us, grabbing clipboards, and signing their names. Yesterday, one new supporter asked if there was a space on the petition where he could write a message to Wal-Mart CEO Lee Scott to let him know he must immediately raise Wal-Mart workers� wages. We told him that once he joined the movement, he would have infinite opportunities to tell Wal-Mart how and why the company must change.

And, with our supporters out in full force again today, all across the country at Labor Day festivals, rallies, and picnics, we know it will be an incredible day in the growth in the national movement to change Wal-Mart and change America for the better.

But today is also the last ride we will have on our beloved bus, �Smiley,� that has weathered the ins-and-outs of our tour (we�ll spare you the details of how dirty a bus gets after 35 days, but we will say that Paul and Chris wore bio-level 4 hazard suits just to clean it out.) While we have experienced our share of bumps and bruises that come from being bounced around in a big bus (next time we will wear padded suits to minimize the pain), there was probably no better way to meet thousands of Americans than in a big patriotic, colorful wrapped bus.

Our bus was a head-turning event all across this nation, and from restaurants to truck stops, from public squares to parking lots, it has helped build our movement in ways we could never imagine � so thanks, Smiley.

And now, as we prepare for our last Town Hall event in Seattle, we are as excited as ever about the future of this movement. From New York City on August 1st to today in Seattle, the American people, the ones that count, have supported this tour in amazing ways, and while we are little sad that this is the end of the tour, we are ready to have one more extraordinary event this evening.

So, if you�re in Seattle, see you tonight.

After two amazing events in Oregon, we have made it to Washington � the 19th and last state of the tour!

Yesterday we had another huge success at the Oregon state fair in Salem. As people noticed us with our WakeUpWalMart.com petitions demanding good health care for all Wal-Mart workers, they walked right up and said, �I want to sign that!�

In a few short hours, we signed up several hundred Oregonians from all over the state. In the words of one new supporter, �Who wouldn�t sign this?�

The fair was a blast. We couldn�t find any fried Twinkies or cupcakes at this one, but there was an unbelievable 395 pound pumpkin. I�m not kidding.

Before leaving Salem, we stopped for a quick photo shoot with the bus in front of the state capitol. (Smiley did great.)

Today, an enthusiastic crowd gathered for our picnic in Portland at Overlook Park. Portland Commissioner Sam Adams and State Representative Elect Tina Kotek spoke powerfully about the local and national fight to change Wal-Mart.

Then, on the way up to Seattle, we stopped for a brief visit in Vancouver, Washington, with local groups that are working hard to keep Wal-Mart out of their communities until the company changes its business practices. Bridget Schwarz, one of the leaders of Wal-Mart Watchdogs, and others signed the �Better America� pledge.

We�re excited to join dozens of WakeUpWalMart.com canvassers tomorrow at the Bumbershoot Festival in Seattle� and then finish off with a town hall with Senators Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray on Labor Day. And we�re eager to get back to DC so we can finish entering all those new sign-ups. By the time they�re all added to the database, it will be well over 25,000 from the tour.

-LT

What a great trip to California. From 200+ in Rosemead on Sunday night to over 200 again on the steps of the State Capitol yesterday, we are continuing to spread our message all across this country.

After Oakland, on Tuesday morning, we went to San Jose. We were greeted with our first home cooked meal of the tour at Antioch Baptist church. The pastor blessed our food and our tour and I have to say I sure do miss mom�s cooking. Then we all piled on the bus and went over to City Hall. If you have never been there, you have to check out this building (click here for photos!) It is something out of Star Wars and is absolutely gorgeous.

At the San Jose town hall we were greeted by Congressman Mike Honda and other local elected officials. But, the coolest part about it was that I finally met one of the women responsible for the Hercules community fight. For me, Hercules vs. Goliath was the greatest headlines of the year and to hear their story of how they beat Wal-Mart and protected their community was truly uplifting. Rock on Brenda!

After the town hall was over, Laura (our jack of all trades) was presented with a birthday cake by her sister and close friends who drove all of the way there to see her. Now, anyone who knows Laura�knows about her sweet tooth. So, I guess I shouldn�t have been surprised when�within seconds, the cake was gone. But, I only have one question, Laura, �Did you eat the whole thing?�

After San Jose, we drove off to Sacramento for a rally on the steps of the Capitol. Moments before the rally, the California state legislature passed two bills to protect residents and communities from the potential negative impact of Wal-Mart. And, Sen. Alarcon gave a great speech about the need for corporate responsibility. We were also joined again by Phil Angelides. The best line of the day, though, was when one of the speakers said, �Schwarzenegger pocketed Wal-Mart�s money and then terminated two bills that would have helped working families by stopping employers from being able to lock employees in the stores (it should have been a no-brainer) and exposing the cost of shifting Wal-Mart�s health care costs onto taxpayers.

Once the rally ended we went over to the state fair and staffed a booth! Now, we are making the long drive to Salem, Oregon. I can�t believe we only have two states left.

By the way, some of you have been wondering about the sign ups so I want to give you a little update on that. Here�s the deal, we have over 10,000 signups on sheets of paper that we have collected over the past 31 days that have not been entered yet. We also have the 5k signups from Wisconsin that we got on fair share health care and we should be adding another 5k from Labor Day events across the country. Given that we already have over 9400 signups that puts us well above our 25k supporter goal. So congratulations. Now, the question becomes how do we get all of that data in so you can see the needle move. As soon as we figure it out, we will let you know.

Thanks for everything. This tour is incredible and although we are definitely tired�the homestretch is here!

The following statement is attributable to Paul Blank, campaign director for WakeUpWalMart.com:

�Wal-Mart�s decision to run political ads is proof-positive that the Wal-Mart debate is now one of the most significant political issues in America today. Despite spending $1.6 billion on marketing and advertising, Wal-Mart�s campaign director and former Big Tobacco lobbyist, Bob McAdam, now admits, �it has been troubling that we cannot get our message out.� Wal-Mart�s failure to improve its declining image is not from a lack of advertising, it is because the American people aren�t buying Wal-Mart�s right-wing agenda which is taking America in the wrong direction.

The American people oppose Wal-Mart�s policies of shipping U.S. jobs overseas, paying poverty-level wages, failing to provide company health care to over half of its employees and even lobbying against strengthening our national security by securing America�s ports.

We are confident that Wal-Mart�s decision to try and sell the American people on its right-wing agenda is not only sure to fail but will alienate a significant portion of its customer base because most Americans, whether they are Democrat, Republican, or Independent, want rich and powerful corporations, like Wal-Mart, to be responsible and put America first.

We would hope that Wal-Mart, instead of buying more TV ads, hiring more public relations firms, and using our political system against the best interests of the American people, will pursue real change and help us build a better America.�

Just 7 days left...after 28 days of one of the most incredible experiences you could be part of...it just keeps getting better.

Last night, we had one of the best crowds we have had on our tour across America. A high-energy town hall in Rosemead, CA where hundreds of Republicans, Dems, Independents, and people from all walks of life, gathered to fight for their community and a better America.

Allow us to fill you in on last night's phenomenal event in Rosemead. For the past four years, residents of Rosemead have been fighting to keep Wal-Mart out of their community. Unfortunately, two City Council members voted against the interests of the community to allow Wal-Mart to build its store, and Rosemead citizens decided to fight back. So, they have called for a referendum to replace those city council members.

Now that's what we call democracy and a real movement, folks.

The referendum vote takes place in three weeks (September 19). Everywhere we drove yesterday, there were signs in support of the referendum. Save Our Community, the local group, is fighting to protect their community from Wal-Mart's jobs that pay below the poverty line and do not provide health insurance.

It was great to see their campaign war room and dozens of volunteer canvassers hitting the streets on a Sunday prior to our town hall meeting with Congresswoman Hilda Solis and local political leaders.

Then it was on to San Francisco...a long exhausting drive to one beautiful city.

We kicked off week 4 on another high note with a town hall featuring Gubernatorial candidate Phil Angelides at noon in the gorgeous Women's Building.

Hundreds showed up to take part in a great town hall meeting. In fact, the crowd overflowed into the hallway - again. Phil brought the house down when he called for a better California where all families would have a job with good wages and affordable health care. Sadly, the only ones not listening were Wal-Mart.

Now, we digress again for our daily message to the "paid paid critics" who work for Wal-Mart (also known as Edelman, also known as the really rich PR people who pretend to be "Working Families," also known as the Kevin Sheridan show).

Of course we don't pretend to know everything, but here is our Wal-Mart PR tip of the day: Aside from it not being the smartest thing to fake the whole "working families" angle (I mean c'mon, what working families do you know are former right-wing attack dogs, wear pearls and look like they fell off a GQ magazine), it might be more important to inform your local Edelman stalker that they actually work for you... I mean today we had to let your stalker know the name of the group she works for. When we let them know they work for you and what they are doing here, things are going from bizarre to surreal.

But now back to the movement...

With just six days left, we are as jazzed and excited as ever. It has been an incredible experience, and while we are a little tired, every event makes us stronger and more passionate that we will change Wal-Mart and America for the better.

So on to Oakland...

Once again, over 200 people turned out this morning for an amazing event at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Santa Ana, California.

As part of the service, the pastor led us in a beautiful bilingual prayer for justice at Wal-Mart:

"Oracion de los Fieles"/"Prayer of the Faithful"

For Wal-Mart, to wake up and help lead this nation to a more just and healthy society through their wage and benefit policies.

Para que Wal-mart se despierta y ayudarnos a hacer una sociedad mas justa y mas sana. Roguemos al Senor.

For all businesses in relationship to their workers, that their dignity and safety be held as a high priority.

Para que todos los negocios en relacion con sus empleados, pongan como prioridad, su dignidad, seguridad y salud.

That, in particular, the workers of Wal-Mart may experience the solidarity we are sharing with them today so that they may be encouraged in their struggle to achieve justice in the workplace.

Que, en particular, los trabajadores en Wal-Mart experimenten hoy nuestra solidaridad con ellos en su deseo para cambios y que siguen por la justicia.

That we might respond generously in this Call to Action to sign up, expressing our encouragement.

Que nosotros podamos responder generosamente con nuestras firmas que expresen nuestro apoyo.

Amen.

(WARNING TO READERS!!! Since its well over 100 degrees outside, in the shade, and since the momentum of this bus tour is "red hot" we will be using way too many heat-related jokes throughout this blog - we apologize in advance�)

The heat is on.

The last two days in the desert have been so hot and so amazing.

We just finished an early morning press conference in Vegas with over 150 people and U.S. Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, Nevada Gubernatorial candidate Dina Titus, Congresswoman Shelley Berkley, U.S. Senate Candidate Jack Carter, and Nevada Democratic Party Chairman Tom Collins.

Now, I don't know about you, but over 150 people at 9:30am on a hot August Saturday morning in Vegas...wow!

The momentum of this campaign is heating up, and hotter than ever, and the list of great leaders speaking out just keeps growing...

All of the speakers talked passionately about why Wal-Mart can and must change for the better. They made great points about how our country needs more corporate responsibility, and why we deserve to live in a nation where all Americans have affordable health care and decent paying jobs.

Best of all, these true leaders joined our growing movement that is calling on America's largest employer, Wal-Mart, to stand up, do what is right, and help lead the way to that better America we all care about.

Now about Phoenix...

First, it was hot, real hot, hotter than, well, Vegas (but to be frank, once it breaks 100, is there really any point in comparing?)

Now sorry about the delay in posting about yesterday's event in Phoenix, but have you ever driven up highway 93 from Phoenix to Las Vegas? It is incredibly beautiful, but the spotty internet access was causing a few fiery outbursts and heated discussions.

The Phoenix press conference was great though. We were joined by U.S. Senate Candidate Jim Pederson and Reverend Trina Zelle. Then we hopped onto the bus and went down to City Hall to be greeted by the Mayor of Phoenix, Phil Gordon.

The truth is that desert heat is blazing, but so is the 2006 Change Wal-Mart, Change America bus tour. The campaign to change Wal-Mart and change America is on fire.

With great crowds and an incredible turnout by some of the nation's most prominent political leaders, our bus tour roared through the state of Nevada and is on its way to Los Angeles, California.

Now, we digress for a moment and would like to pass along a very quiet message to all of the "paid paid critics" over at Wal-Mart's PR firm, Edelman, who were suggesting that our Vegas events would go pfft.

Now we know it's hard for some of the Edelman folk (that is if you define hard in terms of making loads of money off the backs of hardworking Wal-Mart shareholders, sleeping in till 10, having weekends and evenings off, drinking lattes made from llama milk shipped in from China, or being fed fois groi sandwiches every day -- ok, we made that last one up -- and not having to be locked in a bus for 35 days� oh wait, Wal-Mart does know something about locking in employees) to face the facts. But let us describe to you our Vegas tour...

The stop in Vegas were "pfft-astic," it was "pfft-nomenal," and it was beyond our wildest "pftt-asties." So for those meanies over at Edelman (aka the Wal-Mart right wing war machine, we say pfft-you, but we say it with love.)

Now a few words of wisdom to Wal-Mart, since we're feeling really upbeat and generous today. If you want to reach out to Democrats, maybe start by not having one of your spokespeople refer to them as "Hezbocrats,". Now call us crazy, but calling Democrats terrorists is not going to win you many friends. But then again, who knows, what real "strategery" is part of the great Wal-Mart/Edelman machine.

Now as a side note, funding right-wing causes, shipping American jobs overseas, opposing expanding health care to families, and opening up a communist party office in China, probably aren�t the smartest PR moves either, but what do we know.

So back to the tour...its day 26, with 9 days to go.

We're rolling on to Los Angeles right now because we have over 50 WUWM supporters and volunteers on the Santa Monica Pier signing up new supporters to the campaign. We'll be around L.A. all weekend, with a special town hall in Rosemead before heading north to the Bay Area for more incredible events.

Trust us, you want to come to the events in LA - they will scorching hot! (Sorry, last one).

- The WakeUpWalMart.com Team

Wow. Wow. Wow.

Over 400 people poured into the Smith-Brasher Auditorium at Central New Mexico Community College in Albuquerque for a town hall meeting tonight. It was one of the most amazing events we have had on this incredible journey across America. The crowd was fired up and ready to fight for a better America.

New Mexico's leaders also came out in force. We were joined by Lieutenant Governor Diane Denish, Candidate for Attorney General Gary King, Attorney General Patricia Madrid, and Candidate for Secretary of State Mary Hererra. With Governor Bill Richardson joining us a week earlier in Iowa, we were privileged to hear from some of New Mexico's finest political leaders.

What folks heard tonight was the positive message of how we - the American people - can join together and fight to change Wal-Mart and America for the better.

As we have heard all over the country, true leaders are speaking out, not to bash or attack Wal-Mart, but to call on Wal-Mart, with all its billions, to stand up and do what is right for its workers, their families, and America.

Thanks to New Mexico...our movement grew rapidly over the last two days.

Over 400 tonight, and yesterday we had a great crowd for a film screening at UNM, with a lively discussion to boot.

But best of all, the folks that came to our events, who signed up, were real people from all walks of life. It is amazing. Aside from a few incredibly well-paid executives at Wal-Mart, and the company's well paid PR folks (and you know who you guys are. By the way, we've really missed you at our events the last few days; some people would call it stalking. We just call it Edelman), the real people who count, the American people, know that Wal-Mart can and must do better. And, that is what our campaign is about.

Now on to the tough part - a long drive to Phoenix.

Hopefully we can spend some time to enter in all of the stacks and stacks of signup sheets we have on the bus. The funny part is that we've actually devoted one of the beds on the bus just for sign up sheets...so Blank is now sleeping on the couch - the high price you pay to change Wal-Mart.

On to Phoenix, Arizona...and the last 10 days of this incredible ride across America.

- jbird

On tuesday, August 22nd, Herman Cain published his inflammatory article comparing Democrats to Hezbollah terrorists. Within hours, Senator John Kerry and Congresswoman Rosa DeLaura issued strong statements in response.

Sen. Kerry said:

I won't stand for the 'Swiftboating' of working people and Democrats who ask tough questions of big corporations. Wal-Mart has a choice to make. Either denounce the unacceptable and offensive attacks made in their defense, or admit that they represent a proxy in Wal-Mart's lavish public relations war against its workers.

Make no mistake, those who push and prod Wal-Mart to be a decent corporate citizen are standing up for the American worker. Decent wages and affordable health care aren't too much to ask for from the largest employer in the United States. Fifty-four percent of Wal-Mart's employees are not covered under the company's health insurance plan and 46 percent of the children of Wal-Mart's employees are either uninsured or on taxpayer funded public assistance. That's over 700,000 Americans and their families who have been told by their employer they're on their own. Americans expect better than that from a company with $11 billion in profit and that's what this broad coalition is fighting for.

Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro responded:

Comparing the acts of Members of Congress to those of a terrorist organization is simply out of bounds. Mr. Cain's comments not only belittle the international crisis taking place in the Middle East today - they also imply that raising questions about whether America's largest employer should show more of a commitment to rising wages and a growing middle class is somehow unpatriotic. I would hope people see these comments for what they are: overheated rhetoric by a pro-Wal-Mart public relations campaign.

This is not the first time members of Wal-Mart's front group have come under fire. Earlier this month, Andy Young resigned as head of Working Families for Wal-Mart's national steering committee after making disparaging remarks about Jewish-Americans, Arab-Americans, and Korean-Americans.

Read this article from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution for more

Help us fight back against Cain's outrageous comments: Sign our petition!

Yesterday, Herman Cain, a member of Wal-Mart's front group Working Families for Wal-Mart, posted an outrageous column attacking Democrats who have called on Wal-Mart to change, describing them as Hezbollah terrorists.

Here is our press release in response to this latest attack:

WakeUpWalMart.com Calls On Wal-Mart to Renounce Latest Attacks Describing Democrats As Hezbollah Terrorists

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- Yesterday, Herman Cain, a member of Wal-Mart's front group, Working Families for Wal-Mart, wrote an audacious column posted on Townhall.com, a popular conservative opinion website, viciously attacking Democrats and describing Democrats as Hezbollah terrorists. Specifically, Cain renames Democrats who are calling on Wal-Mart to change into a responsible employer as "Hezbocrats." In response, WakeUpWalMart.com issued the following statement attributable to Paul Blank, campaign director for the group:

"Just days after Ambassador Andy Young, the former chair of Wal-Mart�s front group, Working Families for Wal-Mart, was forced to resign because of derogatory statements he made about Jewish-Americans, Korean-Americans, and Arab-Americans in defense of Wal-Mart�s business practices, yet another member of Wal-Mart's front group, Herman Cain, launched a vicious and derogatory attack against Democrats.

"In the column, posted on TownHall.com, Herman Cain, the former CEO of Godfathers Pizza, and an official Georgia steering committee member of Working Families for Wal-Mart, not only personally attacks Democratic leaders, like Sen. Evan Bayh, Sen. Joe Biden, and New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, but actually has the nerve to compare them to Hezbollah terrorists.

"In the column, Cain writes, 'The Hezbocrats, armed with nothing more than Katyusha-grade class warfare rhetoric, descended upon Iowa earlier this month determined to take down Wal-Mart, a company they consider the nation�s largest capitalistic oppressor of the proletariat.' In the column, he clearly describes Democrats, again and again, as analogous to Hezbollah terrorists.

"Sadly, this is the second time in a week that a member of Wal-Mart's front group, Working Families for Wal-Mart, has used outrageous language to defend this company. In this case, Cain has used the 'terrorist-card' to attack and besmirch the integrity of some of America�s great leaders and it is simply wrong.

"Herman Cain's column is a disgusting display of how the politics of personal destruction now runs rampant through Wal-Mart's right wing war room.

"For the good of the country, and Wal-Mart itself, we call on Wal-Mart to immediately and publicly denounce Cain's comments and, in the same manner as Ambassador Young, immediately ask for his resignation from the Wal-Mart group.

"We also once again call on Wal-Mart to immediately shut down this pointless attack group, end its association with the cadre of right-wing operatives it currently employs under the made up name of Working Families for Wal-Mart, cast aside its misguided political threats against so many Democratic leaders, and realize that only through real positive change will Wal-Mart become a better company."

Help us fight back against these ridiculous comments: sign our petition today and please be sure to tell your friends.

Herman Cain's column can be found here.

Day 22, and here we are in hot, sunny Denver...and every day the movement grows.

What is still incredible about this tour is the number of folks - Republicans, Democrats, Independents - who come up to us and want to join the campaign.

You see the most powerful thing that resonates with people - and it resonates because it is what we all believe - is that all Americans want Wal-Mart to change into a better employer. All Americans realize that Wal-Mart can be wealthy and responsible. Sadly, Wal-Mart still refuses to change; but, the energy and the passion of the people we meet will fuel our campaign until the day Wal-Mart does change for the better.

In Denver, the sun and the heat didn't keep Mile-High citizens away from our rally downtown on 16th and Market. Over 200 folks joined us for a great press conference/rally. It was a beautiful location, with great speakers, in the heart of a beautiful city.

The lineup of speakers was impressive. State Senate President Joan Fitz-Gerald led off the list, followed by State Representative Judy Solano, Candidates for State Senate Chris Romer and Keely Marrs, Author David Sirota, and Colorado State Democratic Party Chairman Pat Waak.

And nearly to a person they all asked the proverbial question - the question Wal-Mart does not want to answer - why can't Wal-Mart change into a better employer that does what is right for its workers, their families, and America?

David Sirota really said it well when he talked about the broad coalition of support on this issue from all political parties. The coalition of small business owners, taxpayer advocates, and others certainly came out in force today. Because contrary to what Wal-Mart's "paid paid critics" say, Republicans in Idaho, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, and New York have spoken out about why Wal-Mart's burden on state taxpayers is unacceptable.

We also had guests from the Littleton, Colorado community group that has been fighting to keep Wal-Mart out of Littleton until the company becomes a more responsible employer.

We're off for out second stop in Colorado tonight with our Pueblo town hall meeting at Colorado State University at Pueblo.

A special thanks to the chef at Watercourse in Denver for the best lunch any of us could have imagined.

Last night we concluded our swing through Iowa with another great town hall meeting, this time in Council Bluffs. Patty Judge, Candidate for Lieutenant Governor, spoke at last night's town hall just as her running mate, Chet Culver, did earlier this week in Davenport.

We are pulling out for a breakfast meeting with supporters at Grace United Methodist Church in Omaha, Nebraska this morning. Omaha's Pancake Man will be serving breakfast.

Today marks the beginning of week three on the Change Wal-Mart, Change America Tour. By the end of this week we'll have been in Denver, CO, Pueblo, CO, Albuquerque, NM, Phoenix, AZ, Las Vegas, NV and southern California. We thought we'd take it easy this week...

For all of you out west, we'll see you soon.

Update I: Great breakfast town hall in Omaha. The famous "Pancake Man" served up some yummy flapjacks and the crowd was impressive, especially for a 9:00 AM Monday morning.

Republican state senator Doug Cunningham joined us at the church. Senator Cunningham spoke eloquently about Wal-Mart driving down overall wages, the burden placed on taxpayers, and the need to change Wal-Mart into a responsible business. It's great to see the Change Wal-Mart tour bringing together such a diverse coalition of community and political leaders.

We're off on the road to Denver now. Longest drive of the Tour thus far. We'll be working during the stop. Email us at field@wakeupwalmart.com if you want to send us thoughts or let us know the best place to stop in Nebraska for lunch.

We've been spending the day at the internationally-acclaimed Iowa state fair. Last year, over 100,000 Iowans came to the fair on this Saturday. It might be even more today.

We had an army of canvassers out at the fair as we continue to build our movement and reach our 25k Tour goal. In a few short hours, we signed up hundreds of Iowans. Our only mistake: we should have had four or five clipboards for each canvassers. The response was, once again, overwhelming.

We talked to a current Wal-Mart worker who, like thousands of other Wal-Mart associates, is suffering from the news of Wal-Mart's wage cap policy.

We met thousands of Iowans who think it's unfair that taxpayers spent $10 million in taxes on health care for Wal-Mart workers while the company made $11.2 billion last year.

The Wal-Mart debate is hitting Iowa hard this week. This morning's Des Moines Register has an entire editorial page devoted to the issue. Anna Burger's op-ed , "Wal-mart can afford to change, pay family-supporting wages," puts the issue in context:

That's why the Change Wal-Mart, Change America Tour is bringing together Iowa's community leaders, members of the clergy, elected leaders, students and other common-sense citizens to call on Wal-Mart to change the way it does business.

We are calling on Wal-Mart to help build up communities, by offering wages that can support families, by offering health insurance with premiums and deductibles that can be afforded on Wal-Mart wages, and by treating its employees with the respect that they deserve.

Sue, who stopped to sign our health care pledge, wanted to know if we had heard of the people coming in on the change Wal-Mart bus she had heard of on TV. She was happy to know we were those "people on the bus!"

I think we might leave soon for some rest before heading to Council Bluffs. Don't worry, we are not leaving without trying the famous fried Twinkies, snickers and Oreos.

- jbird

Today�s event at the Iowa City public library attracted a large crowd and several reporters, as usual. We heard from Congressional Candidate Dave Loebsack, Gary Sanders of the successful site fight group �Stop Iowa City Wal-Mart�, and State Senator Joe Bolkcom, who called for an end to �corporate welfare as we know it.�

But as a former camp counselor, my favorite part was all the young WakeUpWalMart.com supporters in the audience.

Will, age ten, came to the town hall meeting with his parents. He told me, �I think it�s bad Wal-Mart is paying their employees so little. It�s really not fair.� Will was so excited about the tour that he tried to stow away on the bus, but his mom found him in a bunk, hiding amongst the sign-up sheets.

Will could hardly wait to put up his new WakeUpWalMart.com rally sign in the front yard � it�ll be perfect when the whole family invites their friends over for a screening of �Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price.�

Then there were Colin, Emily, Celeste, and Andy, all very impressive thirteen year-olds. Daniel, one of our canvassers, met them on the sidewalk this afternoon. He told them about the event and they said, �Hey, we�ve been reading about Wal-Mart. They do a lot of unscrupulous things!� (Like I said, smart kids, big vocabularies.)

This evening all four bought WakeUpWalMart.com T-shirts, sat at the front of the room, and absorbed all kinds of information. After the presentation, I asked what they had learned. �I knew they keep a whole bunch of people living in poverty, but I didn�t know they cost taxpayers $2.5 billion each year,� Colin told me.

Colin, Emily, Celeste, Andy, and Will are five of several hundred Americans who joined the movement today. They are eager to help spread the word and get their friends involved.

After all, as Andy says, �Activism is fun!�

-Laura

Last night, Andrew Young, chairman of Wal-Mart's front group "Working Families for Wal-Mart," resigned after what are being referred to as "racially offensive" remarks.

Below is our release on the situation:

Today, the chair of Wal-Mart's front group, Ambassador Andy Young, was forced to resign because of racist statements he made about Jews, Asians and Arabs in defense of Wal-Mart. In response, WakeUpWalMart.com issued the following statement by Paul Blank, campaign director:

Ambassador Andy Young's statements about Jewish-Americans, Arab-Americans, and Korean-Americans are outrageous and incredibly hurtful to countless Americans. As a former civil rights leader and public spokesperson for Wal-Mart, it is even more shocking that he would use this hateful demagoguery to defend Wal-Mart's business practices which put so many small "Mom-and-pop" businesses out of business.

While Ambassador Young has now resigned as chair of Working Families for Wal-Mart, a front group established and directly financed by Wal-Mart, these hateful statements only serve to raise more serious questions about the recent attacks this same group has volleyed against some of America's great leaders.

In just the last week, Wal-Mart has needlessly used an army of right wing operatives, under the name Working Families for Wal- Mart, to attack countless Democratic leaders who have stood up and called on Wal-Mart to become a responsible and moral company.

We hope in the aftermath of Ambassador Andy Young's resignation, Wal-Mart will immediately shut down this pointless attack group, end its association with the cadre of right-wing operatives it currently employs, cast aside its misguided political threats against so many Democratic leaders, and realize that only through real positive change will Wal-Mart become a better company.

It speaks volumes that the current leader of the Democratic Governors' Association (DGA) and the former head of the DGA spoke out with us today in Waterloo. Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack and New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson both joined us for a town hall. Both talked about the need for Wal-Mart to change into a responsible employer.

Today, Governors Vilsack and Richardson sent a clear message to Iowans and all Americans: you can be both wealthy and responsible. You can be a successful business and treat all of your employees with respect and dignity. You can make money and provide affordable health care.

Once again, we had a packed room of local citizens from all walks of life to hear the message. We continue to be floored with the turnout.

What is even more unbelievable is that we had our first tour rally without the bus in a city we were not even near...That's right - in Houston today over 250 Texans rallies in support of the tour, for Wal-Mart workers, for health care and for a better America.

We're off to Iowa City, where we will canvass the streets before our town hall meeting tomorrow night.

-jbird

As our tour rolls across America, public figures are becoming increasingly critical of Wal-Mart's impact on America.

Today, in a front-page article, the New York Times reports that progressive policy makers are uniting in the fight to change Wal-Mart:

DES MOINES, Aug. 16 � Senator Joseph R. Biden Jr. of Delaware, a likely Democratic presidential candidate in 2008, delivered a 15-minute, blistering attack to warm applause from Democrats and union organizers here on Wednesday. But Mr. Biden�s main target was not Republicans in Washington, or even his prospective presidential rivals.

It was Wal-Mart, the nation�s largest private employer.

Six Democratic presidential contenders have appeared at rallies like the one Mr. Biden headlined, along with some Democratic candidates for Congress in some of the toughest-fought races in the country.

�My problem with Wal-Mart is that I don�t see any indication that they care about the fate of middle-class people,� Mr. Biden said, standing on the sweltering rooftop of the State Historical Society building here. �They talk about paying them $10 an hour. That�s true. How can you live a middle-class life on that?�

Another supporter of our movement, Senator John Edwards:

�Wal-Mart as an example of the problems that exist in America today is a powerful political issue,� he said in an interview on Wednesday. �I think our party pretty much across the board agrees that people who work hard should be able to support their families. When a company like Wal-Mart fails to meet its corporate responsibility, it make it impossible for that to occur.�

Senator Evan Bayh jumps into the fray:

�It�s not anti-business,� said Senator Evan Bayh of Indiana, a former head of the moderate Democratic Leadership Council, appearing at an anti-Wal-Mart rally on Tuesday. �Wal-Mart has become emblematic of the anxiety around the country, and the middle-class squeeze.�

You can read the entire article here.

Wow. I wish you could see this scene right now. The United Neighbors hall in Davenport, Iowa is packed. And, I mean packed. People are standing in the hallways, cramming into the doorways, overflowing from the meeting hall.

Gubernatorial candidate Chet Culver has joined us to talk about Wal-Mart being a more responsible corporate citizen.

Coming on the heels of our events with Senators Bayh and Biden (and following many other national and local political leaders), Iowans are buzzing about the movement. I gotta say, it is so encouraging to sit here and listen to some of our nation's most respected political leaders stand up for working families.

Tomorrow, a few more national leaders will add their voices to the chorus for change. We'll be joined by Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack and New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson for a town hall meeting in Waterloo.

While all of the events have been going well, the untold story is the stacks and stacks of sign up sheets we've been collecting for canvassing the streets from New York to Iowa. We're working on entering all of the names, but I'd say we've already signed up a few thousand. Like the field nerd I am, I'll keep you updated on the numbers. People-to-people on the streets. That's how a movement builds.

- jbird

Senator Joe Biden (D-DE) joined us for a press conference today in Des Moines. It was a beautiful, sunny day in a beautiful location - on the third floor terrace of the Iowa State Historical Building, overlooking the state capitol.

State Senator Jack Hatch and State Senator Matt McCoy also addressed the large lunchtime crowd. Senator McCoy talked about the $10 million Iowans pay each year in state health care costs because Wal-Mart chooses not to provide health care for its workers in Iowa.

Michael Glynn, a nurse from Broadlawns Medical Center, talked about how that irresponsible business practice hurts Iowan familes and taxpayers from a personal perspective.

After the event, a current Wal-Mart worker, who came to the event in support of our effort, told Senator Biden that she and many other associates are glad he and other political leaders are standing up for Wal-Mart associates. She brought the letter Wal-Mart sent to all of its Iowa workers, attacking politicians like Senator Biden. The letter only makes her more committed to standing up and fighting for health care and a better America.

We're on the road now to a town hall meeting tonight in Davenport with Gubernatorial candidate Chet Culver, Iowa's Secretary of State. We're trucking down highway 80 to make it in time (don't worry, we're not speeding).

More later from the Quad Cities.

- j.bird

We just came from a great press conference in Cedar Rapids with Senator Evan Bayh, who spoke eloquently about standing up for working and middle class Americans. He talked about how Wal-Mart can be "both successful and respected" if they do the right thing.

On the heels of our great event with Senator Bayh, Wal-Mart announced that they will begin "educating" their 18,000 Iowa associates. And, here we thought the caucuses were more than a year and a half away.

Here is our press release in response:

*For Immediate Release*

WakeUpWalMart.com Launches Voter Education Campaign
Responds to Wal-Mart's Letter to Employees

The following statement is attributable to Paul Blank, campaign director for WakeUpWalMart.com:

"We welcome Wal-Mart's attempts to try and defend itself with its employees, political leaders and the American people. The debate over Wal-Mart is of critical importance to the future of our country. Sadly, not one single employee or any citizen will ever hear the truth from Wal-Mart about the negative impact it has on its workers or working families because Wal-Mart does everything it can to hide its real record.

The truth is that Wal-Mart, a company with over $11.2 billion in profits and owned by the wealthiest family in America, should be embarrassed to attack those want this company to change for the better. The real truth is that Wal-Mart fails to provide company health care to over half of its workers, ships good American jobs overseas, costs taxpayers as much as $2.5 billion every year, and fails to reflect the best of American values every single day.

Now, every American is going to have to answer one simple question about the debate over Wal-Mart, 'Do we want to live in an America where the largest employer pays poverty level wages, fails to provide affordable health care to its employees, ships American jobs overseas, and give workers in China more rights than it gives its own workers in America, or do we want to live in an America where our nation's largest employer helps to build and to protect the middle class and all working families? T he answer is simple. The American people and their elected leaders want Wal-Mart to stand up, do what is right, and change for the better.

Democrats, from Sen. Hillary Clinton to Sen. Evan Bayh, are uniting all across this country to ask Wal-Mart to change, not just because of our campaign, but because the American people desperately want large profitable corporations, like Wal-Mart, to reflect the best of our nation's values. Our campaign is not about attacking Wal-Mart; this is about growing a movement to change Wal-Mart and America for the better.

What Wal-Mart does not understand is that no elected leader or American, whether they are Republican, Democrat, or Independent, will allow Wal-Mart to take America down the wrong path.

Over the next few months in 2006 and leading into the campaigns of 2008, we plan to launch a comprehensive, nationwide, voter education program of our own because the American people are sick and tired of big, powerful corporations like Wal-Mart taking our country down the wrong path. The truth is that when voters, as well as Wal-Mart's employees, learn that Wal-Mart is using more than 70% of its employees political money to support right-wing causes and politicians who vote against raising the minimum wage, who vote for shipping U.S. jobs overseas, and who defend special interests like Exxon and Halliburton, it will be clear to all that Wal-Mart has the wrong agenda for America and that, for the good of our nation, it will wake up and realize it must change for the better."

So, we pulled into St. Paul late last night, got up early for breakfast with supporters at 9:00 AM, and met well over 100 Twin Cities citizens for a town hall conversation.

Minnesota Secretary of State Candidate Mark Ritchie joined us along with other Congressional and local politicians. A Minneapolis Wal-Mart worker also joined us to talk about her experiences with the giant. It takes a lot of courage for people like Dana to stand up, and that's exactly what the crowd did when she stood before us.

While we weren�t able to stay long, the good folks from Minnesota made us feel more than welcome. We are blessed to have such great local organizers and volunteers in the Twin Cities.

We�ve just crossed the Iowa state line. We�ll be here until Sunday, criss-crossing the state for health care and good jobs.

In a few hours, we�ll be in Cedar Rapids for a press conference with Senator Evan Bayh. Come join us outside the Linn County Courthouse at 3:00 PM or join us tomorrow in Des Moines or Davenport, Thursday in Waterloo, Friday in Iowa City, Saturday back in Des Moines, or Sunday in Council Bluffs.

- j.bird

Well, our Wisconsin swing just finished on a high note. Two weeks in, and while we might be tired, events like the town hall meeting we had tonight continue to rejuvenate all of us.

We had a full room at the University of Madison-Wisconsin to see Kathleen Falk (candidate for WI Attorney General and current Dayne County Executive) sign the better America pledge.

While our town halls in Milwaukee and Madison were inspiring, the best part for me was the dialogue on the streets. Yesterday, at the state fair, I was completely overwhelmed with the level of support for the movement (we ran out of sign up sheets and had to make more copies).

Today was more of the same. As I stood outside the student union building tonight, I was amazed at how many young people knew about the campaign and the issues involved.

I�ve done a lot of canvassing in my day, but I have never had so many people ask me if they could sign up before I even had a chance to ask them.

And, it is not just on campus. We just stopped for sandwiches in Lodi (thanks Stephanie, the sandwich was great), and a guy approached us, saying the same thing we have been hearing again and again in Wisconsin: "there is no reason the largest company in the world can't provide health care for its workers and stop pushing costs onto taxpayers."

So, Smiley continues rolling on highway 94 west, headed for St. Paul, Minnesota. After our breakfast with supporters tomorrow (yes, we do eat a lot), we�re off to Iowa for a six-city barnstorm. Check out the AP article just out about the upcoming Iowa trip.

- j.bird

Picture this. We walk into the hall where we are about to have our community meeting and there is a box on the stage. The box is overflowing with sign up cards. Literally, the cards are all over the place.

I go running up to our field director Jeremy Bird and ask him, in my normal calm way, �Why are all of these cards here? Don�t you know the event is about to start?� Bird assures me all is good and says, �Guess what all of these cards are?�

It turns out the cards were being presented to us by Wisconsin Citizen Action. What a great surprise! Over 5,000 petitions asking Wal-Mart to pay its fair share for health care.

Just when I thought my day couldn�t have gotten any better, I had the best cream puff ever at the Wisconsin state fair (kudos to my girlfriend�s family for that idea!), it did. The smile on my face was ecstatic. This is grassroots action at its best. People, community groups, and elected leaders coming together and going door-to-door to take back America from corporations like Wal-Mart so we can have health care for all and economic security.

Now it is on to Madison. Can�t wait!

Business Week reports on what Bentonville has been hesitant to admit: Wal-Mart's new "Pay Hikes" result in wage freezes for many workers. Furthermore, employees at the top of their pay range will see the value of their wages go down every year, as they will be ineligible for cost-of-living adjustments.

"There's no talk here about any raises, and no one here has gotten a raise. All they've talked about are the caps," says Rosetta Brown, who works at Sam's Club, the warehouse club division of Wal-Mart Stores, in Cicero, Ill.

Well, it's Day 13 on the "Change Wal-Mart, Change America, Eat Badly" tour. (Eating on the road well is about as difficult as changing Wal-Mart into a responsible company. The choices usually involve "deep fried breaded something with ranch and a side of fries" - but I digress.)

Our stop in Chicago was pretty incredible. After canvassing on Michigan Avenue (Kofinis, by the way is really "confused" and won't stop calling it Madison Ave - someone needs some sleep), we headed to St. Gregory's High School where we were expecting a small crowd for a late afternoon meeting. But, over 200 showed up for our "Better Chicago, Better America" town hall meeting with Representative Jan Schakowsky.

It was a great event. As we go from town to town, it's obvious that folks really understand the whole fight to change Wal-Mart is truly a fight for a better America.

Ok, but the real excitement of the day began after the event.

Here is the timetable (and we may need this for legal reasons, since
Kofinis is thinking about suing Blank) of what we call the "Big Baby Bruised Incident."

5:15 - Wrapping up to leave the event.

5:20 - We get loaded on the bus, but because there is always one straggler, we keep re-enacting the scene from "Last of the Mohicans" (c'mon you know the one, "I won't leave you behind." Ok, not as funny if you're not here in person.)

5:21 - We back up the bus and conduct a three-point turn (actually, more like a 9-point turn in this 45-foot bus!)

5:22 - Kofinis is in the front of the bus giving directions (first mistake.)

5:23 - We start driving down Bryn Mawr away from the school at about 15 mph.

5:24 - Blank stands in the aisle, making another really bad joke or trying to be funny (we can never tell which one it is.)

5:26 - A car pulls out suddenly from a driveway in front of a 45-foot bus (smart move, whoever you are.)

5:26:01 - Smiley engineers a sudden stop (by the way, do you know a bus when it stops suddenly sounds an awful lot like Paul Blank screaming - oh wait it was him screaming.)

5:26:02 - Blank flies two feet in the air and right into Kofinis who almost goes right through the windshield (yes, Edelman/Wal-Mart folks you almost got your wish.)

5:26:03 - Kofinis' left arm becomes the cushion or "air bag" for all 150 lbs of Blank's flying body.

5:26:04 - Kofinis starts his whining - with all this blather about his "bruised arm" or "it really hurts" or maybe "it's broken." (What a big baby.)

5:27 - Kofinis gets tons of faked sympathy from the tour staff (no one really cared, but we felt we had to, just to be semi-decent.)

5:28 - Kofinis heads to the back of the bus and, for the legal record, decides to apply a cold compress (also known as the frozen bottle of Pepsi we have kept in the freezer for some unknown reason) on his arm.

5:30 - Blank starts making jokes about how cool it was to fly into
Kofinis (not funny, but kind of funny.)

5:31 - Everyone gets bored of the whole thing and moves on (except for Kofinis who tries to milk it for another 30 minutes in the back room.)

Anyway, we are now on our way to the Wisconsin State Fair to canvass, and then into the city for a town hall with Joe Trippi.

All in all, another great day in the "Change Wal-Mart, Change America" Tour in what is an exhausting but truly amazing experience.

-Laura

It's day 12, and now we are in The Windy City of Chicago (ok, we have 23 days left, and we have a running pool who will not make it, my bet is on Paul).

Today, so far, we've canvassed Michigan Ave, and are preparing for a great town hall/community meeting with Rep. Jan Schakowsky.

The fun part of the day other than complaining about really bad coffee, is trying to figure out how to get a bus that needs 13 foot clearance under a bridge with 10 foot clearance. Now we're not trying to be all conspiracy-minded, but one of us, I wont mention who (ok, it was Paul), thinks Wal-Mart reduced the bridges in Chicago to keep our tour out - that's just crazy talk, but if you know any information about the so-called "Chicago-bridge/wal-mart conspiracy" please email us at info@wakeupwalmart.com.

Actually, we're here in Chicago at an important time. Wal-Mart is fighting tooth and nail to overturn the Chicago Living Wage Ordinance. There is a lot of talk from Wal-Mart as to why this is so bad, but let me put this into perspective for folks:

A full-time worker in retail would earn, under the new ordinance, around $20,000 a year. Now if anyone in America thinks that someone working full-time shouldn't be able to earn around 20k while living in one of the most expensive cities in America has never had lived on $20,000 or in Chicago. This is about people, families, having a decent job that may actually provide a little more than the basic necessities. How anyone in America with conscience can be opposed to this is beyond me.

So it's kind of ironic that those opposed to this living wage ordinance,(i.e. Wal-Mart) are talking about how unfair it is for them, but don't mention the part about Wal-Mart' s 11.2 billion in profits, tens of millions paid to top Wal-Mart executives, or that the Walton family is worth over $77 billion. Now I don't know about you, but the last time I checked there were never many Wal-Mart millionaire executives standing in line at the food bank, or the unemployment office, or the public hospital. But, there are a lot of Wal-Mart associates. What does that say about Wal-Mart's values?

The truth is that Wal-Mart can both make money and take care of its
employees at a level that supports the basic necessities (were talking food and rent here, not Ferraris.)

So if you are in Chicago, come this afternoon and join the fight for a better America. We'll be at St. Gregory High School at 3:00 PM. RSVP now and come sign the better America pledge.

- CK

Wow � what a day in Missouri. It�s Day 11 of the Tour, and while we are tired, cranky, and irritable (then again, what do you expect from folks who are locked in a bus for 11 days � of course, the only thing missing to make this trip �extra special� is a bunk for all the PR folks from Wal-Mart who keep trailing us)� it was another fantastic day in the movement to change America.

We had an incredible event in downtown St. Louis, with the arch in the background and over 200 supporters for the event � we like to call it a press conference/rally with U.S. Senate Candidate Claire McCaskill - on why Wal-Mart needs to change for the better. It really was an incredible sight to see.

Unfortunately, the new security rules and lines in Kansas City held Claire up. Still, she sent an incredible statement of support for the movement and the fight for a better America � it was read by State Representative Clint Zweifel.

Well, were off to Chicago, one of the great cities in America, for Saturday's town hall with Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky. Hopefully, with some sleep (actually, who�s kidding who) we will be ready to go ...

�either way � the bus rolls and on � and so does the movement.

Well over 100 people gathered at Schlafly�s Bottleworks in Maplewood, Missouri tonight for a community meeting. The crowd was yet another example of broad-based social movement emerging all across this country. We had ministers, teachers, politicians (and candidates), small business owners, health care workers, grocery workers, former Wal-Mart workers, and others.

People from all walks of life came out to hear the message and to share their thoughts about changing Wal-Mart and America for the better. The conversation at the end of our �A Costly Truth� power point was fantastic. More than anything, people wanted to know what they can do to change Wal-Mart. We talked about joining the campaign, adopting a store, and taking part in WakeUpWalMart.com mini-campaigns. When we left, we knew St. Louis was ready for change and that troops are ready to take action.

We were also joined by Jeff Smith, who just won a primary election for state senate. Jeff and other local politicians will join U.S. Senate Candidate Claire McCaskill for a special press conference tomorrow at noon with the arch in the background.

Hundreds turned out in front of Cincinnati�s City Hall at noon today. Five hours later, hundreds more converged on Dayton�s beautiful Montgomery County Courthouse Square.

In both cases, our press conferences just missed Mother Nature�s rain showers. But, the skies are clear now as we head to the cornfields of Indiana and Illinois on our way to the Show Me State (that�s Missouri for those of you who don�t keep up on your state mottos).

Dozens of local politicians spoke out in support of WakeUpWalMart.com at today�s press conferences, including three Congressional Candidates (John Cranley, Victoria Wulsin and Stephanie Studebaker).

The bus is full of energy and excitement as we cross the Indiana state line. We were expecting a relatively small crowd for two quick press conferences, and hundreds of people showed up in Cinci and Dayton.

If you live near St. Louis, come on out tomorrow night for a community meeting at Schlafy�s Bottleworks. We�ll be holding a press conference on Friday at noon downtown as well. Can�t wait to see the Gateway to the West.

After a great community meeting in Elyria with Congressional Candidate Betty Sutton, we had one of the most touching experiences of the campaign.

When we pulled off the road to grab a bite to eat, a middle aged guy came over to us and asked, "What's this all about?" We explained the tour and he asked if he could hop on board the bus. "I want to talk to you about something personal," he said. When he sat down, he told us his wife had come home crying today from work.

Guess where she worked? You guessed it, Wal-Mart. And, she had just had her in-store meeting to learn that she is now capped out and will never get a raise working at Wal-Mart again. The woman was literally in tears and her husband had come over to the diner to get her some food so she wouldn�t have to cook dinner after such a long day.

Her story is the real Wal-Mart story and it breaks our hearts to hear it. Some of the workers are so upset, despite Wal-Mart�s intimidation tactics, the workers are calling in and coming forward. We appreciate their support, because, when we work together, we can reverse these cruel policies. As always, we promise to keep everything confidential so please keep calling so we can show, not tell, the American public what a heartless company Wal-Mart really is.

By the way, I just got off the phone with a store manager and he was not only upset about the salary changes, but also told me that he hasn�t been allowed to hire a full-time person for months as Wal-Mart tries to replace all of its full-time workers with part-time, lower paid employees.

It�s so disappointing. Wal-Mart may think it�s pulled a fast one on the American people, but the company will not get away with it. First, Wal-Mart supposedly improves its health care spending, but the company says it won�t increase its health care costs one penny. Now, Wal-Mart says it is supposedly increasing its wages, but the company once again says it won�t increase its labor costs one bit. There�s just no way! The numbers don�t add up, because the truth is every single one of Wal-Mart�s changes was designed with two things in mind: 1) cut costs and 2) generate a publicity stunt to try and grab a headline to salvage its declining public image.

That�s the real Wal-Mart story and we will continue to tell it. Stay tuned for more!

Busy day today in Columbus.

This morning we joined the Ohio Minimum Wage Coalition for a press conference at the state house. Then, we hit the streets, signing up supporters near Ohio State University and the Ohio state fair.

It is amazing how responsive Ohioans have been to the campaign. We have a huge stack of new sign-ups to help us in our march to 25,000 new supporters this month.

It's also amazing how many Ohioans support the minimum wage increase.
This morning, organizers presented over 700,000 signatures to the Secretary of State's office in support of a minimum wage increase. 700,000! More than double what was required. Amazing.

WakeUpWalMart.com supporters came out in support of the issue because for too long Wal-Mart's lobbyists and the politicians they support have fought against minimum wage increases.

That's right. As we have mentioned before, 42 of the 46 Senators who recently voted against the minimum wage increase all received money from Wal-Mart. Today just showed that people across this country are tired of Wal-Mart's corporate agenda.

So, we're pressing on towards Cincinnati now, encouraged by the support in Columbus and now a little heavier with the boxes of sign up sheets.

In probably the most outrageous move I�ve seen since I started working on this campaign a year and half ago (which says a lot), Wal-Mart just announced to its workers that the long-term associates will never get another raise again, not even a penny.

But, the most disturbing part, is that Wal-Mart coupled this cruel announcement with what would have otherwise been a good thing by slightly raising the starting salary of its employees (and they probably thought they were going to get away with it).

So, if you are a Wal-Mart employee here�s the message you just got: Do not apply here if you want a career, and if you have worked here for awhile, please leave because you cost us too much.

I just hope this story gets reported for what it is, a total national disgrace. There used to be a time when company�s valued their employees and their experience. Now, Wal-Mart wants to cut full-time workers, push out more senior workers and slash its labor costs because the company is suffering from sluggish sales as a result of its declining public image.

What Wal-Mart doesn�t understand is that these kinds of announcements are providing the fuel for our movement! The more severe or cruel Wal-Mart�s decisions become, the faster we grow. And, we will not stop, we will not rest, we will not sleep until Wal-Mart changes into a responsible and moral employer.

That is my promise on behalf of everyone here at WakeUpWalMart.com to Wal-Mart�s employees, our lawmakers and every American who believes in fighting to build a better America.

You can read our press release here.

In front of at least 75 supporters at a press conference this morning, Congressman Sherrod Brown joined the fight for a better America and talked about the need for good paying jobs that provide affordable health care.

You might not know this, but Ohio has lost over 200,000 manufacturing jobs. Those job losses have simply devastated many workers and even entire communities and towns. That�s why companies like Wal-Mart should be protecting American jobs instead of shipping U.S. jobs overseas.

It always amazes me that Wal-Mart says it creates new jobs. Because the facts prove exactly the opposite is true. Wal-Mart�s trade agenda and race-to-the-bottom business model has destroyed more than 3 million American manufacturing jobs. In fact, even in the retail industry category that Wal-Mart is a part of, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of people employed in that sector has actually fallen.

So, here�s the truth behind Wal-Mart�s fuzzy math. If I give you $1 but take $2 away, do you have more or less money? Exactly, you have less! That�s why it is so important that Wal-Mart wake-up and stop trying to defend itself and, instead, start putting America first. The American people deserve it!

By the way, at the event we had several bloggers show up and even someone who worked with me on the Howard Dean campaign. So here�s a shout out everyone and now it is off to Elyria.

More than 70 people packed into an overcrowded room on a Sunday night (incredible) to hear about the movement to change Wal-Mart. And, as I looked out at the group, I realized the power of community coalitions. Because, whether you were a member of Jobs with Justice, Acorn, a local union, the Democratic Party, or just a grassroots supporter who wanted to get involved, these groups play a critical role in how we get things done in America. Building from the bottom up, town-by-town, we can truly change this country for the better.

At the event, Congresswoman Kaptur told a couple of powerful stories of the economic devastation that has happened to Toledo and how she is working so hard to protect American jobs and create economic security for the families and workers she represents. The Congresswoman talked about her recent trip to Mexico to try and create a tri-national coalition to reverse the devastating impact NAFTA has had on Ohio. Her story couldn�t have rung more true, because yesterday the Arkansas Democratic Gazette wrote an incredible story about Wal-Mart�s poverty level wages in Mexico. In fact, the average Wal-Mart worker in Mexico makes just over $7 a day.

Prior to the event we had some fun on the rides at the fair. We even all got on the swing ride (since Ohio is after all a swing state) and took pictures!

Then we hit the road again and headed to Cleveland. At a diner along the way, we ran into a young guy who had worked at Wal-Mart for 5 years and his mother still works there. He told us that he was forced to leave Wal-Mart because he just couldn�t afford to live on his salary. After 5 years of service, he only made $7.60 per hour. Every time I meet or talk to a Wal-Mart worker I am reminded of why we are traveling non-stop, with basically no sleep, to change this company and this country for the better.

Because, what�s great about America, is that no matter how worried this guy is about where he�s going to get health care from and how he is going to take care of his family, he believes that tomorrow will be a better day. And that is the spirit that makes America great, because when we win this campaign, and change Wal-Mart, it will truly be a better day for America!

I love Sundays. Picnics, river festivals, church events, it�s all about communities coming together. And, that�s exactly what WakeUpWalMart.com is doing � building a community of supporters who want to fight for a better America.

This morning we started in downtown Toledo. I have to admit, all of the ribs, barbecue chicken, funnel cakes and dippin dots were tempting. But, in between bites, people were talking about Wal-Mart and signing up to our campaign. Ok, don�t tell anyone else on the bus, but while the other canvassers weren�t looking, I snuck in a pulled pork sandwich. Having spent years in North Carolina, I just can�t resist it.

Now that our clipboards are a little greasy (as you might imagine), we are off to Regina. This event should have less food (thank God for my diet) and more rides. I can�t wait to get on the ferris wheel!

Believe it or not, it feels as good as it tastes to know you are doing something positive for millions of workers. And, don�t forget to join us tonight for our town hall with Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur if you live in the area.

In an historic church, in the heart of Detroit, we just held a community meeting with over 100 people. The church was a meeting ground in the struggle for civil rights in the 1960�s.

We were so psyched when Congressman John Conyers stopped by. Conyers talked about how important it is that, as Americans, we all get involved and fight for the causes we believe in. Conyers was joined by Congressional Candidates Nancy Skinner and Tony Trupiano along with others.

But, the most moving part of the event was a speech by the Reverend Markel Hutchins. You know that feeling you get, when all of a sudden you feel those uncontrollable goose bumps because a preachers� words and voice are moving your soul, that�s exactly how I felt. Before he talked, someone told me he is often referred to as the next Martin Luther King, Jr. and I can see why. With a riveting voice, powerful images and a passionate soul, Rev. Hutchins preached from the pulpit and reminded us how important the struggle for economic justice is to achieving a good and moral society.

After a great event in Detroit with a packed crowd, now it�s on to Toledo, but first hopefully we can find a Cracker Barrel.

After the Pittsburgh town hall with Senator Edwards, we headed for Detroit for the sixth stop of the Tour. The drive was smooth sailing minus one small snafu. At the truck stop in Ohio, we left Ben Brandzel from MoveOn.org. (Ben has been riding the bus with us since Philadelphia).

You could say we �moved on� without MoveOn. Ah, the jokes just keep on coming.

I think Ben is afraid to get off the bus now. He hasn�t left the bus since the incident. Even when we went to dinner last night, Ben stayed on the bus. Ben said that he had �work� to do, but we know better. He�s just afraid we will move on again.

Now, we are off to New Bethel Baptist church for a town hall with Congressional Candidate Nancy Skinner and the Reverend Markel Hutchins. We�ll post photos from the event later this afternoon on our way to �Ribs on the River� in Toledo. I can�t wait to get my hands on some of those yummy ribs!

Pittsburgh was rocking today. Over 400 people packed into the Hill House to hear Senator John Edwards talk about what it means to fight for a better America. And, although I have now lost every one of the females on my staff (damn he's charismatic and good looking), Senator Edwards did an amazing job talking about how important it is for corporations to be responsible corporate citizens.

Here are some highlights from Edwards' speech:

�This is one of the great moral causes of our time.�

�We need to make sure companies like Wal-Mart step up to the plate.�

�Every consumer should know when they walk into Wal-Mart their tax dollars are going to provide health care for Wal-Mart workers�.while the people who own Wal-Mart are making billions of dollars.�

�It�s a double whammy.� (Edwards said referring to the rising health care costs we are paying because 46 million Americans are left uninsured on top of the tax dollars we pay to subsidize Wal-Mart�s poor health care)

�It�s about responsibility and basic human morality.�

The best story of the speech was when Edwards talked about his son Jack. When Jack learned someone had bought something at Wal-Mart, Jack politely reminded the person that Wal-Mart doesn�t treat its workers fairly. As Sen. Edwards said, �If my 6 year old son can understand, then every American can understand.�

I have to say I was truly moved by Sen. Edwards� remarks and I am now more encouraged then ever that by joining together we are truly going to change Wal-Mart and change America.

By the way, it was a funny scene this morning. When we pulled up at the hotel to pick up our bus driver, all of the people in the lobby wanted to sign up! We were almost late for the event, but we never turn down a chance to spread the word and build the movement.

Now, if they had only offered me their muffin I would have truly been in heaven! Okay, gotta run. The sandwiches just got here and we are starving. We�ll check in tonight from Detroit.

The momentum is growing and you could feel the energy and excitement this afternoon in Baltimore. With a Wal-Mart in the background, a hospital to our left, and over 100 people in the crowd, Maryland�s Democratic leaders came out in full support to join the fight for health care and make sure that large, profitable companies like Wal-Mart pay their fair share for health care.

There is so much interest in our tour that Wal-Mart even sent people to our event to try and defend itself. But, there is no defense against the facts. And, our facts come right from Wal-Mart�s very own website. So, here it is. Fact: Despite $11 billion in annual profit, Wal-Mart doesn�t provide company health care to over half (54%) of its employees at a cost to taxpayers of at least $1.39 billion every year.

The funniest moment came when we asked Wal-Mart�s right-wing liar in chief, Kevin Sheridan (one of the stars of www.abunchofgreedyrightwingliarswhoworkforwalmart.com), to tell us what the average part-time worker at Wal-Mart makes. Guess what? He refused to answer the question.

After the event, we hit the road to make it to Pittsburgh tonight. And even though the staff is tired, we just decided to do an early morning canvass before our event with Sen. Edwards. So, it�s off to Denny�s to fuel up, even though I�m not really that hungry because Chris� wife brought us all ice cream (thanks Peggy!), and then on to stop number 5.

By the way, I forgot to mention this yesterday, but last night we broke 250,000 supporters. Amazing! Congratulations everybody, we now have over a quarter of a million Americans who have joined our fight for a better America.

Okay, it�s time to sign off. We are going to all crawl into our cubby holes (the sleepers on the bus are stacked 3 bunks high) and try to sleep, if we can only get Karl to stop snoring.

See you in Pittsburgh!

It�s amazing the people you meet during a morning rush hour canvass� It�s great to know that people who are rushing to get to work on time still have a few minutes to stop and listen to what we have to say.

This morning we woke up bright and early and hit Center City Philadelphia armed with sign-up sheets, flyers and our tour bus �Smiley.� We spread out in the shadow of City Hall to reach as many morning commuters as possible and ultimately passed out more than 3,500 flyers.

The very first person I met had seen our television ad last night and thanked us for coming to the city of brotherly love. She said it makes her sick that so many Wal-Mart employees are forced (and many times encouraged by Wal-Mart) to sign up for government health care� and she should know. She works in the local Medicaid office.

After about an hour of signing people up on clip boards I met a woman whose sister works at Wal-Mart. She told me a story I�ve heard far too many times. Her sister works long hours (though not enough to be considered full time)� she struggles from pay check to pay check but every day she shows up on time to do her job. And, in reward, Wal-Mart doesn�t even pay her enough to live above the poverty line.

I could probably go on and on talking about the people we met today� their stories only embolden our commitment to bring change to Wal-Mart and America.

If you have a story, be sure to go to share it with us in the comments. We�re on the bus right now heading to Baltimore and we�d love to know what you think.

At the friendship meeting house in historic Philly, 150 people gathered to see our new power point and to hear from Patrick Murphy, one of the most targeted Democratic congressional candidates.

Our event was only several blocks away from Independence and Constitution Halls, which was a fitting location given how much our founding fathers talked about their fear that one day economic power might seize political power in this country. And, think about what�s happened to our democracy today. Wal-Mart and other large, profitable corporations are contributing millions of dollars to use our democracy against the best interests of the American people and take America in the wrong direction.

Well, in the spirit of the founding of America, we pledge to take our country back from the Wal-Mart�s of the world and return power back to the people so we can have health care for everyone and economic security.

Tomorrow morning we are going to canvass in Philly and then it�s off to Baltimore for an exciting rally on the need for Wal-Mart to provide affordable health care. There is lots of interest in this event given the judge�s recent ruling on fair share health care legislation. And, let me be very clear. No matter what one judge rules, if there is one thing I know from years of political campaigns, when there is such a dramatic need (over half of Wal-Mart�s workers without company health care) coupled with such strong public support (77% in Maryland), lawmakers will find a way to hold corporations responsible and make sure profitable companies pay their fair share for health care.

Right now it�s 11:45 pm and we are just pulling in, so tune in tomorrow and if you live near Baltimore get ready to join the fight for health care!

I wish you all could have been in Connecticut this afternoon. Over a 100 people turned out for an incredible press conference with Sen. Lieberman, Ned Lamont, Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro, Dan Malloy and others. The press conference proved one thing � no matter what differences Democrats may have, everyone is united in our fight for a better America.

Check out the pictures of people signing the Better America pledge.

Right after the event we had to rush on the bus and book it down to Philadelphia for our community meeting. An amazing thing happened to us on the road. At a toll booth, the toll booth operator asked us what the bus was all about. We told him it was to change America by changing Wal-Mart and without hesitation he asked for one of our t-shirts! Needless to say, we put a t-shirt on him.

Despite the sweltering heat, over 150 people packed into a church in the Bronx for our first community meeting.

Rocking to a singing reverend, everyone in the room was clapping to the music as we kicked off the 2006 Change Wal-Mart, Change America tour. After the music, we presented our new power point called �A Costly Truth.� Taking a page from Vice President Al Gore, the presentation shows how important it is to change Wal-Mart if we want to build a better America.

In addition to the Northwest Bronx Community Coalition leaders, we had Congressman Elliot Engel drop by. He�s just one of the many elected leaders calling on Wal-Mart to step up to the plate and do the right thing by providing affordable health care and good-paying jobs to its employees.

The funniest part of the night was trying to get the bus out of the Bronx. With power outages blocking off a lot of the streets and alternate side parking not in effect, we were constantly popping off the bus and directing traffic as we made our way down the narrow streets.

Now it�s off to Connecticut, which is already getting a lot of attention because both Ned Lamont and Senator Joe Lieberman will be there joining the fight for a better America. The war may have divided them, but changing Wal-Mart is uniting Democrats all across the country. Then it�s a mad rush to Philadelphia for our 2nd town hall with targeted Congressional Candidate Patrick Murphy.

See you in Connecticut!

Wow. The tour is hot and so is the weather. I am dripping with sweat, but someone once said, "Change isn't easy." I signed up so many people that I actually ran out of sign up sheets and had to use the back of my clipboard. There are 21 people out here with us and even though it is over 100 degrees, we are going to keep the heat on Wal-Mart to change.

Believe it or not, while I was talking to someone about the need for affordable health care, I got a little wet because I was apparently standing too close to a NYC park worker who dumped an entire bucket of water from the pump on his body. I only wished he had dumped it on me.

On a more serious note, I can't believe how many people in NYC already know about the Wal-Mart issue. So many people yelled out in support of our cause as we drove by in our 45 foot long bus.

The most interesting person I met told me he would love to shop at Wal-Mart, but wouldn't until Wal-Mart did the right thing and paid its workers a living wage and provided its employees with affordable health care. He lives in the Bronx and said he would meet us there tonight. So Allen, if you read this, can't wait to see you again.

Then, at lunch, the guy next to me saw my t-shirt and asked me where I got it. I told him WakeUpWalMart.com and then I asked him why. He told me that he just bought the Robert Greenwald documentary on Wal-Mart called "Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Prices." He is a professor at Penn State and concerned about Wal-Mart's effect on America.

As soon as we have internet on the bus (no later than tonight), we will upload the pictures from this morning's canvass. By the way, the video of signing up real New Yorkers is pretty cool too. Ok, it's back to the street to keep the heat on Wal-Mart to change!

Ok. We are officially off and headed up highway 95 to NYC. Did you catch the AP story this morning about the bus tour? If not, you can read it here.

And, by the way, the movement to change Wal-Mart is gaining amazing momentum today. First, Sen. Dorgan wrote a book where he talks about Wal-Mart shipping U.S. jobs to China and the grave danger that poses to American workers. Second, Sen. John Kerry spoke out about Wal-Mart and it's "unconscionable" failure to provide more than half of its employees with company health care. Third, former Sen. John Edwards has agreed to keynote our bus tour event in Pittsburgh on Friday. And, fourth, but maybe most significant, both Sen. Lieberman and Ned Lamont will be joining our bus in Connecticut on Wednesday.

Apparently, all Democrats can agree on the need for Wal-Mart to change and become a better business that lives up to the best in American values!

We'll keep you posted on more details as we go. For now, get on the bus, sign up for your city, and get your friends to join our fight for change!