Last night was amazing. Obama supporters started pouring into our super caucus site very early. We were shocked: 75% of the people showing up wanted Obama stickers, and none of them were on our lists of 1s and 2s. But almost all of our 1s and 2s arrived, also. I was handed a check for $100 for the campaign by a woman waiting in line. The lines grew and grew, and finally, the party officials gave up and told people to caucus without checking in.
I was the super site chair at Monarch K-8, just east of Boulder proper. This is suburbia--middle class with 2.5 kids, and just a few of us late 20s, early 30s types thrown in. I didn't know what to expect for turnout at our site. We ended up with over 500. I thought it would be close between the campaigns, but every time I turned around, someone was asking, "How can I help Barack?"
The Obama crowd was energized and enthusiastic. They were young and old. After the rules, there were the speeches. And the speeches said everything about these two campaigns.
The Clinton person took the bullhorn. She read off of a printed email. There was some tepid applause. It reminded me of a golf tournament.
Then, it was my turn.
During that dull Clinton speech, I decided we needed to show how enthusiastic the Obama supporters were. We needed that overwhelming energy. I set down the bullhorn and put my teacher voice to work. A friend told me she heard me clearly out in the hall.
I called out, "Let's hear it for Barack Obama!!!" The room erupted.
I worked from my notes, largely cribbed from campaign materials. I've inserted the crowd reactions in parentheses.
I want a president who can re-unite our country—that person is Barack Obama.
Past vs. Future
The politics of the last 16 years have divided Americans. Obama is moving us past this. By drawing in Republicans and Independents, Obama will build a new democratic majority that will transform American politics and create real change we can believe in.
Barack’s Experience
Barack Obama has twenty-five years of experience rooted in the real lives of real people. He brought jobs to the jobless, as a community organizer. He stood for opportunity and equality, as a civil rights lawyer. And he brought Democrats and Republicans together to expand health care and give working people a tax cut, as a State Senator. As US Senator, he passed the first comprehensive ethics reform since Watergate. (lots of cheers here.)
Iraq
I want a president who had the good judgment to declare in 2002 that the war in Iraq was wrong. (The room went WILD here.) Obama will begin withdrawing troops right away. And I believe him when he says that the first thing he'll do as President is to end this war. (LOTS of cheering here.)
Health Care
Obama’s Universal Health Care Plan will provide more insurance to more people. His plan will lower costs for the average family by $2,500, making more insurance more affordable for the most people.
Bringing People Together
Barack Obama will win in November. (pretty good applause. I told them we could do better, repeated the line, and they showed how strongly they back Obama!) Barack unites Americans, drawing the new voters, independents, and republicans needed to win soundly. It is time for us to win with a solid majority. It is time for us to unite behind Barack. Unite behind hope and change. We need you. Join Barack. Stand with Barack Obama tonight. We can change American politics. We can bring change. YES WE CAN! (and we all called out the last line together....then more strong cheering for Obama)
I was really nervous. My hand were a bit jittery (sorta forgetting to eat could have had an impact there!). I really wanted to do well. So much to say in so little time--and so important, too. Later, I tried to defer as a delegate, but our Obama people wouldn't let me. I guess I did ok.
The crowd was into it. They wanted Obama to win and win big.
There was then some chaos, since our site was overwhelmed with people, but we won by 3-1 across the seven precincts caucusing there. Across the county, we won 74% of the vote.
We see a strong Obama showing across the Rocky Mountains. Utah, Idaho, New Mexico, and Colorado all fall in our column. Across the rockies, Clinton is not popular. The average person on the street does not like her. And, Obama draws huge crowds and enthusiastic supporters, here.
I am very impressed with the Obama staffers who worked at Boulder HQ. They were consummate professionals who worked hard to answer every question and organize the thousands of volunteers who flooded the office, which was one of 12 offices in Colorado.
One of the reasons that we won across the state was because we were so well organized. Our people knew what to do. The Obama supporters were the leaders.
The Clinton folk were organized, but unenthusiastic. They strongly supported their candidate, but it seemed that they didn't really care.
Is that who we want in November? Someone who draws a lifeless response? We can do better, and the better candidate--by orders of magnitude--is Barack Obama.
::
The after party was a blast. They picked a great downtown sports bar--which had CNN on every screen. Lots of cheering and so much excitement. Yeah, many people had expectations that were too high. That's ok. WE WON. We needed a strong showing, and we more than did that.
After a couple of beers, I got an idea. I told the five friends around me that I'd match their donations. They came up with $112. So, I'm putting in $113.
One of my best friends was the first to accept the matching donation offer. He threw in $50. This is the first time that he, in his early 30s, has cared at all about politics. More than anything, HE is why I know Obama will win in November.
So, I'm challenging everyone, you all included, to match us. Do what you can and then do more. I want to see our little group of non-profit workers, teachers, and CU students turn $225 into over $2500. Here is the fundraising page.