It was a great experience, and I recommend it to anyone – on either side – who wants to feel like they’re making a difference. I was sent to a neighborhood in Baltimore to knock on the doors of registered Democrats for about 3 hours, and to mark down whether they were going to vote for Obama or Clinton, and to see if I could rustle up more volunteers. A few of the people were lukewarm about voting, but everyone (everyone!) on my list who said they were voting said they intended to vote for Obama. I also got a handful of volunteers. Two conversations in particular really got me excited about the candidate. The first was with a little kid – maybe ten years old – who hadn’t ever heard of Obama. I handed him a pamphlet, asked him to give it to his mother, but to read it over. I told him Obama had a good chance to be our next president, and he looked a little surprised, and then turned to his big brother in the living room and held up the flyer and said “Look, this is his picture – he’s gonna be the President.” The other conversation was, well… here it is (with apologies to the cast of Blazing Saddles):
ME: Hi, I’m Jurph, is {NAME} home?
TEENAGE RESIDENT: No, she’s not here. What do you want?
ME: I’m going door to door reminding people that the primary is on Tuesday, and I was hoping I could count on her to vote for Obama.
TR: What’s a… a Obama?
ME: (flourishing glossy campaign pamphlet) This guy is Barack Obama. If we’re lucky, he’ll be our next president.
TR: Ohhhh, SHIT! He BLACK! {NAME}, get out here, some guy wants you to vote for my n****r Obama!
ME: … :eek: … 
… Hi, I’m Jurph! Can I count on you to vote for Obama?
{NAME}: You’re damn right I’m voting for Obama. Where do I go? Can I vote today?
ME: It’s Tuesday, around the corner at the elementary school. You can show up anytime before 8pm, and once you’re in line they can’t turn you away.
{NAME}: Nobody gonna stop me. I’m going! OBAMA!
ME: Well, thanks for your support - have a great day!
The political high is a good one, I’m glad you enjoyed yourself!
My husband and I canvassed a few times many years ago, it felt really empowering. Our guy was a lock anyway, but still, I love those “WE the people” experiences.
FTR, my husband met Mr. Obama four years ago at a small, private fundraiser during his Illinois Senate campaign, in 2003. My husband had been volunteering for the Kerry campaign and making donations, so this invitation came his way. I was at home busy being pregnant, so he went alone.
Barack Obama shook his hand and asked him personally to come volunteer in HIS campaign, too. He said no, b/c he was already busy with Kerry. ARRRGH!
But he came home with stars in his eyes and said Obama was amazing, definitely had “it”.
He said “The President is NEAR!”
BONGGGGGG!
I have to admit I’m reeling from the thought that there are people out there who have no idea who’s running for president.
“I’d like to extend a laurel, and hardy handshake to our new…”
Go, Barack!
I did go door to door once, collecting signatures so that a friend of mine, who was running for city council, could have the registration fee waived. If you get a certain percentage of voters within a district he didn’t have to pay the $50 filing fee.
Most folks were willing to put their name down, as it wasn’t actually voting. But a relative of mine, in that district, wouldn’t sign when I went to her door, because she’d heard me mention my friend was gay. Grrrr. What did that have to do with it? Dennis was running on the issue of property taxes, which he felt were screwed up.
I’m glad you had a good experience. I’ve been making phone calls. I called a bunch of people in Arkansas before last Tuesday and was not greeted with such enthusiasm.
Jurph -are you going to hear him speak on Monday ?
My first experience canvassing was in 1968, first time I could vote(you had to be 21 back then) and I was canvassing for Hubert Humphrey in Durham, NC, against Nixon. Wouldn’t trade the experience for anything, even though it was depressing.
Glad you had a good time.
Jurph, if you haven’t posted that on the Obama web site yet, you should.
Yeah, and thanks to Jurph, one of them is actually going to vote…
You think that’s depressing… I canvassed for John Kerry in South Dade in 2004. The day after was baaaaad.
Good point. I applaud canvassing fighting ignorance.
Good morning, ma’am! And what a FINE morning it is!
“Up yours, Mr. President!”
[Oof, pow, blam, gouge, maim, pummel]Secret Service response[/Opbgmp]
[Roman slave] All glory is fleeting. [/RS] (Sorry, all I can think about when I “hear” laurel is George C. Scott’s voiceover at the end of Patton. [Well, that and a girl i once had a crush on with that name.])
I hope his economic policy doesn’t involve “go back and get a shitload of dimes”.
There are two words that will rankle my fellow Dems this year. “Just because.”
People will vote for or against Hill Clinton “Just because.” she’s a woman.
People will vote for or against Obama “Just because.” he’s African American.
IMO Bush, Clinton, Bush, Clinton, does not represent the change needed in our government that seems to be clearly broken.
History will judge Hillary harshly in regards to BJ gate, that will not look good for our nation, even though she wasn’t at fault.
Will foreign nations be more apt to deal with a Caucasian female or an African American male? Globally, I’d have to choose the latter as far as cultures go.
If Hillary beats Obama, first, I’ll cry ( maybe not really, but maybe I will). Then, I’ll be torn between her and McCain.
McCain used to be a cool dude, he was a P.O.W., and spoke his mind before George Worthless Bush made him talk nice.
GL
A girl named George C. Scott? I imagine she got teased.
Or maybe history will judge us harshly for worrying about such an insignificant matter. (After all, nobody seems to have spoken badly about Jackie Kennedy and JFK’s numerous dickdips, even though she had to be aware of them during the marriage, they were so frequent.)
Unfortunately, I’m going to be in Arlington giving a presentation to my boss. My work hours are flexible, but not that flexible… and I need to take a significant chunk of Tuesday off so I can vote.