It doesn't get much more high profile than this

When he announced his campaign for President of the United States, Senator Barack Obama put the need for universal access to high speed internet front and center:

Let us be the generation that reshapes our economy to compete in the digital age. Let’s set high standards for our schools and give them the resources they need to succeed. Let’s recruit a new army of teachers, and give them better pay and more support in exchange for more accountability. Let’s make college more affordable, and let’s invest in scientific research, and let’s lay down broadband lines through the heart of inner cities and rural towns all across America.

While he has yet to release any specific plans to achieve this goal, Speed Matters is working to make sure he's got all the information to move us in the right direction. At a recent campaign stop in Waterloo, Iowa, members of the Communication Workers of America met with Obama and gave him Speed Matters materials and contact information.

So far, most of the progress toward expanding high speed internet access has been made at the local level. Local governments and organizations across the United States have taken matters into their own hands, and they're doing a terrific job.

But at some point, this scattered, inch-by-inch progress must be reinforced by a comprehensive national plan, and that requires national leadership. We need more high-profile politicians to speak to the whole country about this important issue.

Senator Barack Obama's Announcement Speech for President