Well before I pack up my computer and flee the Extended Stay I thought it would be worth it to quickly say how awesome last night was-- I didn't make it all the way to Grant Park, but simply being in Chicago was exhilarating.
I hope to come back and jot down the stories from Election Day and the thrilling news that Obama was elected our 44th President of the good ol' U.S.A.
This morning the victory became just a tad sweeter at seeing Indiana pop up BLUE!!!! It looks like a slim victory with about 24,000 votes determining the outcome. I know that it was our ground work pushing out every last voter in NW Indiana that contributed to that victory and am proud to have been a part of the effort.
Now- I'm off for a 10 day mini-vaca in Florida to see friends and family- I'm looking forward to sharing stories from the field, hearing of their election journeys, and envisioning what the next four years will hold for our lives and the direction of the country.
Signing off from Gary.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Mr. Thurman and I
There are too many incredible stories from today to relay from my phone- just know that I dragged peple out of their house with their babies, half asleep, who thought they couldnt vote- but did. Exhilarating- here is to hoping we pull out Indiana.
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Walking turf
It is a gorgeous day. International president andy stern and local 1 president tom balanoff joined us at the staging location as we set off in teams to walk turf at key precincts and make sure everyone is going to vote.
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Seiu volunteers gather at the steelworkers union
it's about to get serious!
Brandon who I brought to the polls this morning waited 2 hours to vote.
2 lawyers were at the precinct where we were and actually represent SEIU so we had a lot to chat about.
I only saw 1 person leave the line and tried to coax him to stay- he said he would come back later. I truly hope he does.
Brandon who I brought to the polls this morning waited 2 hours to vote.
2 lawyers were at the precinct where we were and actually represent SEIU so we had a lot to chat about.
I only saw 1 person leave the line and tried to coax him to stay- he said he would come back later. I truly hope he does.
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Starting the day at precinct 10 & 18 in Merrillv
The line is an hour long, but everyone is getting to vote.
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Monday, November 3, 2008
On the eve of the election: My humble thoughts.
I feel like I should say something provocative and astute, but I really only have excitement and anxiety welled up inside of me.
I can only imagine that tomorrow the American electorate will go to vote in record breaking numbers, stand in line for hours, overcome the odds and at the end of the day (or the wee hours of the next morning) it will be revealed that we got it right and elected the man who will lead this country with the vision for a better future and the sound judgment of a strategic and compassionate mind.
Having served the campaign in Northwest Indiana since October 1, I take pride in the votes cast because of my assistance, urging, and in a couple cases actually filling out the ballot or punching the machine for disabled voters. That's what I think makes this campaign unique- there are MILLIONS of us involved in so many levels who take ownership over this true movement: by donating $5, 5 hours to make calls, 5 days door knocking in our neighborhoods or the battleground state next door, or 5 weeks relocated to do whatever is necessary for an Obama presidency to be realized.
I've seen some of the best in people-- waiting in line and letting elderly voters go ahead of them in fear they couldn't wait the 4-6 hours in Early Voting lines, or a spontaneous civil disobedience where voters in Gary refused to leave the voting line and started singing gospel songs until a court order came allowing the rest of the voters to cast their ballots that evening.
I've heard about the worst in people coming out in the form of racist sentiment from radio broadcasts, from Griffin the next town over, from Cincinnati, from Colorado, from Pennsylvania, and of course Florida. Vile, disgusting slurs hurled at Obama and his supporters. I cannot focus on that now- that is disheartening and makes me lose hope that we can heal the divide starting November 5.
Instead I am focusing my energy on the individuals I have met who believe so much in Obama and the power of community organizing, the promise of working people, and a better future. People like James Strolling, 86, who left Mississippi in 1968 to work in the Bethlehem Steel factory in Gary starting at $2.44/hour. Over the past 40 years he has seen his city crumble- yet has hope that his granddaughter Erica will be able to find a job in Gary and revitalize this town. Or Angela Jones, who is working on her college degree with two little ones at home and is determined that her children will get a better education and achieve more than she can dream. We drove around her college campus recruiting others to jump in my car and go vote- right then.
Tomorrow is sure to be an incredible day. I'm getting up at 5:30a.m. to pick up a voter who needs a ride and wants to get to the polls when it opens at 6am. I'm a precinct captain and will be at my poll from the opening until the last voter comes out with a smile and a sticker.
Please- do what you have to do to ensure your vote for Obama- and if you have early voted- please go out and volunteer for the campaign. It ain't over until every vote is cast and counted- as for me- I hope to be far away from the corn fields and factory smoke of Gary and at Grant Park in Chicago by the time the decision is announced.
I can only imagine that tomorrow the American electorate will go to vote in record breaking numbers, stand in line for hours, overcome the odds and at the end of the day (or the wee hours of the next morning) it will be revealed that we got it right and elected the man who will lead this country with the vision for a better future and the sound judgment of a strategic and compassionate mind.
Having served the campaign in Northwest Indiana since October 1, I take pride in the votes cast because of my assistance, urging, and in a couple cases actually filling out the ballot or punching the machine for disabled voters. That's what I think makes this campaign unique- there are MILLIONS of us involved in so many levels who take ownership over this true movement: by donating $5, 5 hours to make calls, 5 days door knocking in our neighborhoods or the battleground state next door, or 5 weeks relocated to do whatever is necessary for an Obama presidency to be realized.I've seen some of the best in people-- waiting in line and letting elderly voters go ahead of them in fear they couldn't wait the 4-6 hours in Early Voting lines, or a spontaneous civil disobedience where voters in Gary refused to leave the voting line and started singing gospel songs until a court order came allowing the rest of the voters to cast their ballots that evening.
I've heard about the worst in people coming out in the form of racist sentiment from radio broadcasts, from Griffin the next town over, from Cincinnati, from Colorado, from Pennsylvania, and of course Florida. Vile, disgusting slurs hurled at Obama and his supporters. I cannot focus on that now- that is disheartening and makes me lose hope that we can heal the divide starting November 5.
Instead I am focusing my energy on the individuals I have met who believe so much in Obama and the power of community organizing, the promise of working people, and a better future. People like James Strolling, 86, who left Mississippi in 1968 to work in the Bethlehem Steel factory in Gary starting at $2.44/hour. Over the past 40 years he has seen his city crumble- yet has hope that his granddaughter Erica will be able to find a job in Gary and revitalize this town. Or Angela Jones, who is working on her college degree with two little ones at home and is determined that her children will get a better education and achieve more than she can dream. We drove around her college campus recruiting others to jump in my car and go vote- right then.
Tomorrow is sure to be an incredible day. I'm getting up at 5:30a.m. to pick up a voter who needs a ride and wants to get to the polls when it opens at 6am. I'm a precinct captain and will be at my poll from the opening until the last voter comes out with a smile and a sticker.
Please- do what you have to do to ensure your vote for Obama- and if you have early voted- please go out and volunteer for the campaign. It ain't over until every vote is cast and counted- as for me- I hope to be far away from the corn fields and factory smoke of Gary and at Grant Park in Chicago by the time the decision is announced.
Saturday, November 1, 2008
A clear message.
After dropping off the Strolling family (4 hours later!) I spotted this political message at an abandoned gas station in the Miller section of Gary.
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Lines are still long- but voters are tough
Though the lines at the county courthouse have remained consistently Disney World-long, people have stayed in the 3-4 hour lines. Maybe it was the encouragement from Obama at last night's rally in Highland, Indiana, calling for people to early vote, or the fear of all day lines on the fourth. Either way it is an amazing view seeing democracy in action, communities coming together and the future of a nation held in the balance waiting to hear the results.
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