Michelle and John Presta were there at the beginning of the rise of Barack Obama. They were true grassroots organizers and this is their story.
Chicago community activists John Presta and his wife, Michelle, were running their small, popular, independent bookstore, Reading on Walden, when an Obama staff member asked them to help in his 2000 race for Congress. The Prestas had a strong reputation as "community influencers," Instantly impressed after meeting Obama, the Prestas came on board and stayed on board after his loss. An engaging, detailed, first person account of the Prestas' personal interactions with Obama and how they, together with Obama and his early campaign workers, slowly and steadily built a grassroots organization around a highly committed group of some 300 volunteers. The Prestas became known as "Mr. and Mrs. Grassroots" in the Obama campaign.
This book peels the layers off the early years of Obama's political career, detailing how he, with the help of individual grassroots and "netroots" organizers, built a successful campaign—despite the Chicago political machine—and won the 2004 Senate race.
The Senate victory propelled Barack Obama onto the national stage.
With great insight into a younger Barack Obama, "Mr. and Mrs. Grassroots" shows how change comes slowly, gradually, incrementally, and suddenly, and how one person or two can make a difference that changes the world.