> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.chrismessina.me/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Obama Phone! - URL: https://www.chrismessina.me/blog/obama-phone/ - Published: 2008-10-02T17:55:12.000Z - Updated: 2026-03-25T03:41:05.000Z - Author: Chris Messina - Tags: barack obama, election08, iphone, obama08, Open source, Philosophy, politics, Society & economy, Technology ![Obama Phone](http://img.skitch.com/20081003-gkha5phjm2b5pu85m4d2rum251.jpg) If you haven't heard about this yet, the [Obama campaign](http://www.barackobama.com/?ref=chrismessina.me) [today](http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578%5F3-10056519-38.html?tag=newsEditorsPicksArea.0&ref=chrismessina.me) [released](http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/external%5Forganizing/gGxjBN?ref=chrismessina.me) an [iPhone app](http://www.barackobama.com/iphone?ref=chrismessina.me) that, among [other features](http://www.tuaw.com/2008/10/02/official-iphone-app-for-obama-08-now-in-app-store/?ref=chrismessina.me), enables you to call your friends prioritized by their location in battleground states. This is critical. There's nothing more important, or more influential, than friends encouraging friends to vote, and when it comes to getting informed on the issues and what's at stake, nothing is more effective than getting an impassioned plea from a personal contact or relative. Providing a tool that allows people to get in touch with people who they personally know is so much better than cold-calling phone banking (the importance of that tactic notwithstanding given the need to reach out beyond the friends of iPhone owners). You can [get the app](http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=292168926&mt=8&ref=chrismessina.me) in the iTunes App Store. [](http://www.flickr.com/photos/dominic/2906949353/?ref=chrismessina.me)The Obama '08 app development was spearheaded by personal friends of mine — co-organizers of the popular [iPhoneDevCamps](http://www.iphonedevcamp.org/?ref=chrismessina.me) that we held the past two years at Adobe's offices in San Francisco (which are now [spreading](http://www.iphonedevcamp.org/2008/08/15/international/?ref=chrismessina.me), like all good \*camp events should!). Specifically, props go to [Dom Sagolla](http://dom.net/?ref=chrismessina.me) and [Raven Zachary](http://raven.me/?ref=chrismessina.me), without whom this application might never have happened. But credit is also due to the [entire top-tier team](http://www.iphonedevcamp.org/2008/10/02/obama-08-iphone-app/?ref=chrismessina.me) that spent countless hours over the past month putting this app together (\*iPhoneDevCamp alumni): - [Raven Zachary](http://twitter.com/ravenme?ref=chrismessina.me) (Project Director) \* - [Jason Grigsby](http://twitter.com/grigs?ref=chrismessina.me) (Project Manager) - [John Keith](http://twitter.com/jtkeith?ref=chrismessina.me) (Server Development) - [Lyza Gardner](http://twitter.com/lyzadanger?ref=chrismessina.me) (Server Development, Design) - [Aileen Jeffries](http://twitter.com/aileen%5Fjeffries?ref=chrismessina.me) (Design) - [Jonathan Wight](http://twitter.com/schwa?ref=chrismessina.me) (Lead iPhone Development) \* - [Dom Sagolla](http://twitter.com/dom?ref=chrismessina.me) (QA, Community Development) \* - [Mike Lee](http://twitter.com/bmf?ref=chrismessina.me) (iPhone Development, UI) \* - [Louie Mantia](http://twitter.com/louiemantia?ref=chrismessina.me) (Design) \* - [Tristan O’Tierney](http://twitter.com/omnivector?ref=chrismessina.me) (iPhone Development) \* What's significant is not only the application, but what this move represents for those of us who live and breathe the web and open source: this app is born of both, reusing a number of [open source components](http://code.google.com/p/touchcode/?ref=chrismessina.me) and, from the outset, leverages the web with [presence](http://www.flickr.com/photos/factoryjoe/2908865968/?ref=chrismessina.me) on social networks [like Facebook](http://www.new.facebook.com/group.php?gid=28782373194&ref=chrismessina.me). This is the Obama campaign reaching out to the open source and iPhone development communities and working with us to do what we know how to do best, and giving us a space in which we can make a difference for the campaign. We're nearly a month a way from the election, and that means that if *you* want to participate, you're going to need be [registered to vote](http://maps.google.com/vote?ref=chrismessina.me) [beforehand](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VhDRVKDcXQo&feature=user&ref=chrismessina.me). It also means that if you've been waiting, or holding out, and looking for an opening to get involved, now's your chance. As Raven [says](http://raven.me/2008/10/02/obama-08-for-iphone/?ref=chrismessina.me), making a few simple calls with this [app](http://www.barackobama.com/iphone/?ref=chrismessina.me) enables even '[The Two Minute Volunteer](http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/stateupdates/gGxG5h?ref=chrismessina.me)’ to make a substantial difference by personally involving friends and family in the election. Seeing this work inspires and gives me hope; if we can keep up this kind of innovative thinking for the next 30 days, I think it's clear that the [best candidate](http://www.barackobama.com/?ref=chrismessina.me) is going to come out on top and get the country back on its proper footing. --- ### 💬 Comments from the original post **[Dom Sagolla](http://dom.net/?ref=chrismessina.me)** · 2008-10-03 07:28:15 Thanks for your early feedback and help in testing this app, Chris! I hereby put dibs on you for our next team. Infinity -- plus one! **[John Flynn](http://www.inboundinternetmarketing.com/?ref=chrismessina.me)** · 2008-10-03 11:35:23 How great is this! Very smart. Using other people's networks to sell your product. Great stuff. www.thebadsalesrep.com **[Social Branding (3 of 3) | brants](http://www.manuscrypts.com/brants/?p=555&ref=chrismessina.me)** · 2008-10-09 18:57:01 \[...\] And these days the biggest marketer online is after all Obama. He’s got himself an iPhone app, which enables you to call your friends prioritized by their location in battleground states. That nothing works better than peer recommendation is a smart understanding. Read about it here. \[...\]