Washing Dishes for Obama
Driving around Nashville you wouldn't know an election campaign was going on, or that McCain had been declared the winner in Tennessee.
Each day you see several Obama bumper stickers, but McCain stickers are rare. You usually see a Bush-Cheney sticker or two daily, but no McCain.
But in a seedy strip mall just north of downtown (other tenants are a liquor store, an independent market and a Dollar General Store), nearly every car has a bumper sticker. Hundreds of people collect each Saturday and go in squads to register voters. A dozen or so people are making calls for local candidates and to get out the Obama supporters.
They are pretty much out of t-shirts, out of yard signs, out of bumper stickers. On the other hand volunteers are busily printing and assembling buttons.
My fellow volunteer and I breezed through our assigned canvassing, registering three new voters. I returned to the office and spent the rest of the afternoon cleaning and tidying the kitchen area (there's no cleaning service).
I finished by taking the recycles to the center near my home. I picked out the cans, but I only got 16 cents from the aluminum can center.
Two years ago Harold Ford, Jr., got very close to winning a statewide Senate race. (I personally believe his bonehead move of crashing his opponent's press conference changed the momentum.) His good numbers came despite having his uncle, who had been an embarrassment for 20 years, investigated and arrested shortly before the election season began. But I suppose he was one of ours, and easier to vote for than Obama.
This campaign is gloriously successful in one way. Two years ago when we visited low-income African-American communities, all too many people refused to register to vote, saying their one vote wouldn't matter. It's a hard argument to counter, and I am not sure telling them that when a demographic group fails to vote regularly, their wishes don't get considered when laws are made (crack possession sentences are a good example). I don't know if the people registering today really expect Obama to win, but if we can get them to vote and keep them voting, I can see the potential for improving the well-being of children and families.
A power-volunteer, whom I know from the 2000, 2004 and 2006 campaigns, assured me this is the most organized we have been in Tennessee.
But in a seedy strip mall just north of downtown (other tenants are a liquor store, an independent market and a Dollar General Store), nearly every car has a bumper sticker. Hundreds of people collect each Saturday and go in squads to register voters. A dozen or so people are making calls for local candidates and to get out the Obama supporters.
They are pretty much out of t-shirts, out of yard signs, out of bumper stickers. On the other hand volunteers are busily printing and assembling buttons.
My fellow volunteer and I breezed through our assigned canvassing, registering three new voters. I returned to the office and spent the rest of the afternoon cleaning and tidying the kitchen area (there's no cleaning service).
I finished by taking the recycles to the center near my home. I picked out the cans, but I only got 16 cents from the aluminum can center.
Two years ago Harold Ford, Jr., got very close to winning a statewide Senate race. (I personally believe his bonehead move of crashing his opponent's press conference changed the momentum.) His good numbers came despite having his uncle, who had been an embarrassment for 20 years, investigated and arrested shortly before the election season began. But I suppose he was one of ours, and easier to vote for than Obama.
This campaign is gloriously successful in one way. Two years ago when we visited low-income African-American communities, all too many people refused to register to vote, saying their one vote wouldn't matter. It's a hard argument to counter, and I am not sure telling them that when a demographic group fails to vote regularly, their wishes don't get considered when laws are made (crack possession sentences are a good example). I don't know if the people registering today really expect Obama to win, but if we can get them to vote and keep them voting, I can see the potential for improving the well-being of children and families.
A power-volunteer, whom I know from the 2000, 2004 and 2006 campaigns, assured me this is the most organized we have been in Tennessee.
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Wow!!! Thanks for sharing
Rec.
HEY ALL. REC THIS POST. IT IS FAB!!
September 20, 2008 10:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
One of my daydreams is a really, really surpising - in the best possible way - result from one of the certain-to-be-red East Coast states ................... so the champagne can come out early and we can just spend the rest of the evening wondering HOW big it's going to be!! (Would sure help the memory of an awful Nov. evening in 2004.) ----------
Yeah, I have many daydreams, and nightmares, about that evening after the polls are closed and the returns start coming in. (Suspect I'm not the only one.) Thanks for fodder for one of the nicest - as a native Tennessean I would sure LOVE to see a surprise to come from there!! No, I know it's not likely -- but I bet they can do better than the current 56%-32% predictions.
September 20, 2008 11:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
There is something romantic about volunteers who work their butts off in states they know their candidate can't win. Logically, its a waste of time, but I can't help but admire them. If they make non-voters into voters, they are building the very foundation of our democracy. And who knows, those voters might also elect that one congressman, or alderman, or Sheriff, or Judge who does the right thing and make real difference.
Look at Dallas, GW Bush's real home town. Texas. Reddest state in the nation. But by just a few thousand votes, Dallas county elected a district attorney who works with the Innocence project to free people who DNA proves committed no crime. The previous Republican DA fought tooth and nail to keep those innocent, usually black men, from having a chance to test the DNA. Just a handful of votes. Now 18 innocent men, many after 20 years in prison, are free. A few votes make a real difference.
So you go, Tennessee. And Texas and Oklahoma and Nebraska and the whole damned south. Fight that good fight.
September 21, 2008 3:09 AM | Reply | Permalink
Why can't they win Tennessee? It ain't over 'til it's over.
September 21, 2008 3:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
I was visiting TN on a few weeks ago and wore my Obama button most of the time. I got a nice response. I think it is always worth the effort to register new voters!
September 21, 2008 11:53 AM | Reply | Permalink
Louise,
I live in Texas. I don't know if we'll turn Texas blue this November, but I feel pretty certain we're going to surprise the Republicans and come very, very close. I think we're going to scare the sh*t out of some very smug politicians who take Texas for granted. That makes me smile.
September 21, 2008 1:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
Here in Denton, Tx, which is a college town north of Dallas/Ft. Worth, there is quite a bit of activity. There have been registration drives, booths at local fairs, etc. The Denton County Democrats have been getting very busy.
Were it not for three of my neighbors who are still living in lala-land with their McCain signs, you wouldn't hardly know *who* the Republican nominee is. Its really quite amazing considering how red Texas is and how much they loved Shrub...
Too bad Ms. Ivins isn't around...
September 21, 2008 3:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
I live in Virginia. When I first moved here, in 2000, the Congressional seats were uncontested (i.e., there was no Democrat to vote for). Even the state seats were uncontested.
Now we have Jim Webb in the senate, and though he probably won't win, we have a Dem to vote for. We have our second Democratic governor in a row.
Today while canvassing, I met a voter who's lived here sine 1983 but never voted because there was no one good to vote for, but now she's registered because she wants to vote for Obama and Mark Warner. It takes time, but change can happen within a few elections!
September 21, 2008 4:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
Good responses all. Hope Virginia turns. I am also wondering about Ohio.
Here in Minnesota we saw a surge of McCain signs after the convention. Obama still has vastly more lawn signs up however. We are seeing plenty of McCain commercials (i.e., during football) while Obama has been dead silent. I can't picture McCain winning here, but to be safe Obama should at least throw some ads up and come to town a bit more often. The 10,000 McCain claims to have drawn here this week was probably a high estimate.
September 21, 2008 5:07 PM | Reply | Permalink
Very inspiring post. Thanks for sharing!
I live in a dark blue city, Baltimore, in a solid blue state. The Obama campaign just opened an office in town for the purpose of sending volunteers to work in PA. All the volunteers I know are focusing on VA, which is the same distance away. However, I must say that w/o McLiar signs/stickers in your face, it's sort of hard to gauge the competition on a daily basis. Not that I'm complaining, mind you....
September 21, 2008 5:28 PM | Reply | Permalink
Hey, well done!
September 21, 2008 6:13 PM | Reply | Permalink