I have been volunteering for the Obama Campaign for over four months and am a Team Leader. I've been to Pennsylvania five times doing voter registration, signing up new volunteers and now voter persuassion. It's a two and one half hour trip from my home in the Hudson Valley to Scranton and yes I'd rather be relaxing by the pool, riding my bicycle, having Mimosa's with friends or just doing mundane chores around the house. My wife is supportive and is a very strong supporter of the president but she cherishes her free time. Can't blame her she works very hard as a doctor all week. I on the other hand have retired but have been exhibiting my photography at local galleries and writing a book. Still because of my volunteer work the lawn isn't getting mowed on time, house projects go on longer than they should and everyday life in general is on a sort of hold.
This all started earlier this year when after calling talk shows, reading and commenting on Daily Kos and complaining about the rightwing were just no longer enough. I realized President Obama could lose this election! What was I going to do just sit in front of my computer and let it happen? Then in January I saw the notice for a meeting at someone's home about getting invovled in President Obama's re-election campaign. I forced myself to go on that cold night and was warmly recieved by like minded people. Upon leaving the meeting that cold crisp January night air never felt so good because I now had empowered myself to directly get involved in the battle for this nation's soul. It no longer matters what garbage Fox News churns out everday because I call people, I knock on doors and I organize my team to do battle with the rightwing nuts to turn the tide.
The experience of working on the Presidential Campaign has already been priceless. Meeting people from all walks of life and joining with them in a common goal is something that isn't for sale at Walmart. Just this past weekend I had one of those personal experiences that touches one very deeply. We were knocking on doors in PA doing voter persuassion, I teamed up with Vera (not her real name) who was 75 years old. Looking at the map of the area we were going to I told Vera that it was 1.3 miles to our destination from the present location. She looked at me and said it's not far let's walk instead of waiting for a ride. So we walked and talked it took a good twenty minutes to walk that 1.3 miles. The sun was a little warm so I was sweating when we reached the target neighborhood. We knocked on two dozen doors being well recieved at most and had only one door slammed in our faces. It was getting late as our bus was leaving at 4P so we decided to stop at one last home. We walked up the driveway to find Tom (not his real name) lying in the driveway trying to fix a garden sprayer. After introducing ourselves I asked Tom if he would be supporting President Obama in November. He looked at me and said "well I don't know I voted for him last time but I just don't know about this time." I asked if there was a particular issue that concerned him. He looked up and said he had a son in Afghanistan that had done two tours in Iraq and he wanted him home. I said the President had made a comittment to bring the troops home. Tom then said he was worried about making it known we were leaving because it might endanger the troops. He asked how it would be possible to draw down the troops instead of removing them all together, who would be the last to leave. I assured him that the president would take every precaution to remove the troops safely from Afghanistan and that all our prayers were with his son. I said that Romney was bent on starting another war with Iran even though non of his sons had ever been in a uniform. Tom said Romney's sons not being in the military didn't bother him. I then asked if his wife would be supporting the President. He said his wife couldn't even talk about the president. I told him that I had lived in downtown Manhattan on 9/11 and saw the people jumping from the towers and personally felt that now that Bin Laden had been killed it was time to bring our troops home. Tom said rebuilding Afghanistan was not our business that it was up to the people of that country. I agreed that unless everyone was willing to put their children at risk it was time for the troops to come home. Tom then said "I would shake your hand but my hands are dirty". I looked at him took his hand and thought it's an honor to shake your hand. As we shook hands Tom looked into my eyes and said "I will most likely be voting for the president in November". Tom had some kind of speech impediment so he had trouble talking during the entire conversation which made it all the more heart wrenching.
The president needs you to do more than just try and get on the rec list on Daily Kos. Here you are preaching to the converted. I don't know how many people here are working on the campaign but please signup if you are not! This election requires all hands on deck to win it's going to be close. Instead of sitting at the computer or watching TV put in an hour of phone banking or walk around signing up volunteers and doing voter registration. President Obama needs you now!