Yeah, yeah, I know, I've been a member here for about a year and never got around to posting a diary. What can I say, I'm not a big diary writer.
We all know Florida is the biggest of the swing states, and the I-4 Corridor through Orlando and Tampa is the swing area of the swing state.
But I just got back from canvassing in Orlando and I am just really really stoked. Let me tell you why.
I've done some previous phone banking and canvassing in Orlando before, for League of Conservation Voters and other local campaigns. What distinguised those days from tonight was who we were speaking to.
The last time I canvassed it was for Turn Out Florida and they were trying to reach out for support on gay rights issues. While I'm straight, I thought it was important. On that day, we specifically targetted a very upscale gay neighborhood in Orlando. Lots of Kerry/Edwards signs, and lots of very motivated people ready to vote against Bush and his hateful crowd. But these were all supervoters who always voted and whose support for Kerry was expected. I was glad to speak to them, but it didn't give me a big boost like tonight did.
Tonight was different because as part of the MoveOn Leave No Voter Behind, I was canvassing in my own precinct. It's an area of West Orlando that is heavily minority and lower middle-class. The walk list had no supervoters -- these were all new voters and voters who had not voted in 2000.
These people are not showing up on any poll, answering any phone surveys, or part of any newspaper column.
And they were ALL big Kerry supporters, and all voting.
A good third of them had already voted in early voting, and perhaps another third planned to do so before next Tuesday. The other third were saving their vote for 11/2 or absentee voting.
Let me restate -- these people did NOT vote in 2000, and this heavily minority neighborhood was not only planning to vote, they were excited about it. They were all happy to see us and promised to call our precinct chair if they needed help with absentee voting, early voting, rides to the polls, etc.
We're taking Florida, folks. And it's not gonna be close. Those 1.5 million new voters since 2000 are going to make it a big Kerry win.
I'm in a GOOD mood.