What explains Barack Obama’s gains among Catholics yesterday?
The Obama camp just ’round its explanation for progress among religious voters, including Catholics, in memo form:

In Indiana and North Carolina the campaign:
• Launched a series of inter-faith American Values Tours;
• Organized statewide pastor calls with Senator Obama and other prominent faith leaders;

• Held organizing meetings and listening sessions;
• Kickoff of Catholics for Obama “Call to Family” drive with house parties and front-yard barbeques around the state, where guests celebrated ties of kinship and called relatives and friends for Barack. Vicki Kennedy dialed in to talk about her own convictions and to rally supporters;
• Organized “Call to Chapel” days of worship with supporters attending services on Sunday;
• Community gatherings with Max and Ethel Kennedy;
• Targeted phone-banking and canvassing to faith communities across the states;
• Held a series of concerts to worship together in unity;
• Organized a statewide tour of pastor breakfasts throughout small towns in North Carolina;
• Written appeals, targeted media work and one-on-one outreach.
• Building statewide general election leadership teams of young adult Evangelical and Catholics through Facebook and internet sites.
Barack Obama is building one of the largest grassroots campaigns of people of faith in history. Thousands of people of faith stand ready to mobilize their communities and help Barack Obama win in November. We are building the relationships and groundwork now to ensure important American values are represented in this movement for change.

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