Pauline Beck

Good evening. My name is Pauline Beck. I’m a homecare worker in Oakland, California, and a very proud supporter of Senator Obama for president!

I’m here tonight because one year ago, Senator Obama spent a day with me, doing my job. That’s right, doing homecare with me. He helped me take care of an 87 year-old man named Mr. John. Mr. John is a proud man, and I help him stay in his home.

You know what he did, the next President of the United States? Senator Obama did laundry. He mopped floors. He made lunch. He changed the sheets. He did dishes. And he talked with Mr. John about his family and his career as a cement mason.

Senator Obama spent the day in my shoes. He didn’t want to talk politics or pose for pictures. Senator Obama wanted to work. That’s the kind of president we need, someone who really understands working people.

My job is to help people, and I love my job. But being a homecare worker is hard. The wages are low, the hours can be long, and the work can be physically challenging. Our union, SEIU, is a great help. But workers need a president who stands up for us.

All his life, Senator Obama has understood the importance of work. First from his single mom, then struggling families in Chicago, now all Americans. I’ll never forget the day I spent working with Senator Obama, and I know he won’t either. He was my co-worker, he is my friend, and next November, he will be our president.