By John J. Sweeney

Read more from President Sweeney.

"I’ve never been that interested in elections before. The first time I ever voted was in the primary this year. But everything seems more important to me this year. I decided to get more involved. It’s not the time to sit and watch the world go by. We need a big change."

That's what David Landrum, who makes refrigerators for General Electric in Bloomington, Ind., told the committee drafting the Democratic platform for the 2008 elections. He's been at GE for 24 years, but his job is about to be shipped to Mexico. David was one of 22,000 who took part in 1,600 Democratic National Committee Listening to America platform hearings across the country.

"It’s crazy to me that John McCain has pledged to support every trade deal under the sun, knowing how much it’s hurt my family and others like us," he said. "I know this year with this economy, we’ve got to elect Sen. Obama. He’s the only one who I know would work to help keep my job in this country."

David was right. Obama is committed to an “aggressive strategy to create good, middle class jobs” and wants to create millions of jobs in the renewable energy sector. He's also committed to ending tax breaks for companies that ship jobs overseas and will oppose new trade agreements until more steps are taken to protect American jobs.

Misti Wells was right, too. The single mom from Eaton, Ohio, and former General Motors employee can't find a job, even though she went back to school and got an associate degree while raising three children.

"There’s no help for people trying to help themselves. Every day I spend trying to find a job, and there simply aren’t any out there," she said. "I could never vote for Sen. McCain. On issue after issue, he follows President Bush’s footsteps. Things are too bad for me to vote for another term of Bush.

"Sen. Obama seems to know what we’re going through. I’m excited about electing Obama to stop the Republicans who have destroyed so much for so many people like me."

Marcie Wozniak of Cleveland and her husband are barely scraping by with two paychecks. One of her sons had to drop out of college recently because tuition costs were impossible. She worries about today—and tomorrow.

"I don’t think I can count on the stock market for my retirement, and I keep hearing politicians like Sen. McCain saying that private accounts for Social Security may be the answer. I need to be able to rely on something. And after years of hard work, I feel like I deserve a retirement. Social Security needs to be fixed, not destroyed….I really do think that Obama is the best candidate and is going to lead us in a new direction for the next four years. That’s why my vote is going to him."

Unlike McCain, Obama opposes privatizing Social Security, reducing benefits or raising the retirement age.

In Youngstown, Ohio, Rita Bugzavich is about to have to start all over in life at age 57. GE is shutting down the lighting plant where she has worked for 39 years. The company is making energy-efficient light bulbs in China now. On Oct. 31, she said, she'll be losing everything. "All I have left is my vote," she said. "And in November, you can be sure that I’m voting for change."

Right now, the McCain attack machine is throwing dust in front of cameras and the public to conceal the reality of Barack Obama—and, count on it, their tactics will get even uglier. But the haze clears when working men and women speak about their lives, their dreams and their needs.

Obama shares the values of working families—hard work, fairness and service to community. He has a 98 percent lifetime AFL-CIO voting record on working family issues. He's committed to good jobs, a strong middle class and health care we all can count on. Obama co-sponsored and voted for the Employee Free Choice Act to ensure that workers can choose a union voice on the job and bargain with their employers for better wages, benefits and working conditions—without employer harassment or intimidation.

Working people like David, Misti, Marcie and Rita want change and know how to get it—by electing Barack Obama as our next president.

Find our more about the records and proposals of Barack Obama and John McCain.