When I got there in the morning, I was paired up with a nice retired woman from California named Helen. She was up here helping out because she grew up in Issaquah.
We headed out to a major intersection downtown and did some good sign waving. The positive/negative response was amazing. About 25:1 in favor. Even in the rain and wind.
A wonderful woman came up and joined us holding a handmade sign that said "I Want My Country Back". She joined us for the rest of the day!
A guy named Alex came over to talk to us too. He was Turkish and told us that people that he knew from there couldn't understand how America could be made up of so many evil people and yet have so many angels (like us). It was a great conversation, and he even held a sign with us for a while!
At about 1 we got a call to head over to the Costco parking lot where local Gooper Dino Rossi was holding a campaign Rally. It was a hoot to pull into a parking lot full of W-infused cars and get out and meet up with the the other Dems holding forth on the sidewalk. We all get along fine. There was a young boy holding a Rossi sign in front of me and I asked him why he was supporting Rossi. "Because the only issue that impacts me is lower taxes" was his reply. I asked him how old he was. 14. Then I asked him what school he went to. "None, I'm homeschooled." Big surprise there. I also want to note for the record that the GOP has safely wrapped up the Cletus the Slack-jawed Yokel vote. As well as the Fat White People with Brainwashed Children constituency.
With the Goopfest underway inside, we all headed back to HQ to get our next assignments.
I was paired up with a 14 yr-old named Josh. I thought he was your typical trench coat punk, complete with recently removed black nail polish and a crewcut. Boy was I wrong. It turns out Josh is a ROTC member and is joining the Marines. In his words, he "just doesn't want to go to war for George Bush". He was a bit too enthusiastic about going to war AT ALL for my taste, but I was in awe of his courage to come out and show his support for Kerry. He even said he might come in uniform tomorrow to help out. That would totally rock.
A right wing buddy of mine saw me and came back to say Hi. He was on his way to do some phonebank work for the GOP. But it was a great conversation, civil, funny and reminded me that we are all in this together, left and right. I wish our leaders (on EITHER side) were saying that more often than they are.
It was getting pretty cold and wet, so we went back to HQ to warm up and get some food. I had to go meet my wife (and get caught up on my blogging!) so I am back at home now. The HQ down in Issaquah was overrun with volunteers, making calls, repairing signs, organizing things for tomorrow. It was very inspiring.
I'm the first to admit that I am not an abject optimist about tomorrow. But today it felt good to get out and participate... to be a member of our democracy. On the right side. Fighting. Witnessing.
I don't think I will rest much between now and tomorrow, but I did want to take some time and diary my experience. Thanks for listening.
Frank