She came into the office with her walker at 8:00pm. She was looking for a list of neighbors to call to get out the vote.
Today I probably called at least 60 or 70 people to ask them to volunteer in the final six days before the election. Jennifer is 76 years old and can’t withstand the rigors of door-to-door canvassing. I gave her a call today because she was on our list as an Obama supporter who might be interested in volunteering. When I asked her if she could canvass, she told me that she uses a walker and can’t do it. When I said, how about making phone calls, she said “well, yes, I believe I could do that.” You wouldn’t believe the people I’ve met in the short five days I’ve been here.
It’s not an exaggeration when you hear people say that this campaign is changing the country. It’s changing people. I just got done watching this moving video of Charles, an 86 year-old volunteer in Boulder who recently had the chance to meet Obama:
I haven’t met anyone quite like Charles, but I’ve met so many people that share parts of his story here in Gainesville. People are working so hard that tensions can run high and people get frustrated. People get upset that our data isn’t perfect and we’re calling people who’ve already been called. They get impatient because they’re tired and there aren’t always enough leaders around to explain to all of the volunteers what to do. But it’s the moments that someone shares their story of why they are volunteering that keeps everyone going.
Today two folks from London who have been canvassing for Obama in Philadelphia since June arrived here to help. That’s on top of the many volunteers from Alabama, Texas, and California who have uprooted their lives to work in Gainesville. Yesterday a cheery guy with special needs named Josh came into the office to draw inspirational posters. He reminds us all not to take ourselves too seriously. The leaders in the office have a hard time with that sometimes, working until 2am two out of the first three nights this week and coming in at 9 or before the next day. Most of them are new to activism themselves but have shown a special commitment that caught the eye of the campaign.
These people are all different. They all came here from a different place and have a different story. But all of us share something in common. We’re all ready to take a chance. We were all moved to take a chance, to believe in something greater than ourselves. Listening to Obama’s speeches, these things are almost becoming cliche. But the fundamental fact of it is undeniable. We are in a bad way in this country. Nobody thinks we’re doing okay right now. They’re scared and they’re looking for something. And the thing that people are reaching for that is giving all of us so much hope is not a specific policy or position. It’s a common purpose. It’s a challenge to bring some unity, and comraderie with each other to our lives. That’s happening in this campaign. It’s happening in Gainesville.
