I spent the day in Gary and Merrillville, Indiana with the Obama campaign drive voters the polls. Afterwards, the campaign held a BBQ for volunteers and early voters. I noticed a few things from my time on the ground there:
- No one is absolutely confident Barack Obama will win Indiana. Indiana is extremely conservative, they warn, and they fear that Republican crossover voting will occur, and at the very least, secure Clinton a few extra points.
- Northwest Indiana is as important to Obama in Indiana as St. Louis was in Missouri. To win the state, he needs to drive the numbers up here. I was in St. Louis right before Super Tuesday, and the city was crawling with Obama volunteers. But Chicagoans are NOT out in full force here like they were in Wisconsin, Iowa, and Missouri. So if you're in Chicago, please volunteer next weekend for what could very well be the final push.
More words and pictures...
- I helped bus local voters to the polls and noticed something very disturbing. The people entering the polls were divided between Obama's core constituencies (African-Americans, young voters) and Clinton's (older white women). We drew not one, but many, dirty looks from Clinton supporters as we drove up to the building. I'm hoping this simply reflects the enthusiasm for those motivated enough to vote early, but I'm afraid the calcification of support runs deep, and so does the enmity. I find comparisons to past primaries completely delusional at this point, and I'm afraid super-delegates may not be in touch with what's going on on the ground. Anyone who thinks this campaign is comparable to the enmity between Deaniacs and Clarke supporters in 2004 has spent too much time in the DailyKos bubble.
- From what I can tell, Obama supporters are extremely disturbed by Clinton's tactics and will sit out the election in the fall if she wrestles the nomination away from him. This is not a joke--every single person I talked to stated this. And their understanding of the situation was extremely nuanced. Far from being "sore losers', they are upset about what they feel is Clinton's sense of entitlement and, yes, her attempts to tarnish Obama's image as the only path to the nomination.
- Finally, I was struck by the diversity of the group. We had one kid who was out posting signs on the highway all day. He's an 18-year-old gun fanatic, who so avidly collects historical guns that he has stored photos of them on his cellphone. He is voting for Obama because he believes that Obama will uphold the Constitution and support working-class people. He doesn't believe Clinton should be forgiven for her role in NAFTA.
A Plea
So next weekend is D-Day in Indiana, and while we love to play delegate math around here, I think it's fair to assume that if Obama wins Indiana, this thing is over. If he does not, we're in for more nastiness, and possibly a brokered convention. So I implore everyone here to get involved, and if you are in Chicago, to contact the campaign and volunteer to canvass next weekend.
I will be taking a van from Chicago to Indiana next weekend and am looking for volunteers to canvass Saturday. If you are at all interested in coming along, please contact me at nkm1981@gmail.com. Also, if you have any friends in Chicago who are supporters, pass this invitation along.
Thanks for your time, and please recommend this diary so it gets top viewing.