It was 10° above zero in January 2007 when about a hundred of us rallied in uptown Minneapolis to urge Barack Obama to run for President. I carried a pair of running shoes on a stick, and everybody thought it was pretty cute. Obama announced not long after that. I was fired up and ready to go.
In June of '07, I drove down to Algona, Iowa to hear Obama speak. I looked on barackobama.com for a campaign stop in northern Iowa, no too far to drive, hopefully a small town where the crowd would be small. Fat chance. Algona has about 5000 people, and about 3000 showed up in the high school gym. In those days, he didn't have the huge entorage of handlers and secret service that he does now; Barack just strolled into the gym alone, walked to the center, introduced himself, and began his speech. Very impressive, the cool intelligent cat we've all come to know since. I waited in line afterward to shake his hand.
"Senator, I drove three hours to see you today," I said as I shook his hand.
"Well, I hope it was worth it," replied the next president.
"It was!" I almost gushed with enthusiasm. But it was worth it.
During the primary season, I door-knocked for Obama in four states: Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and South Dakota. I was there with 20,000 at the Target Center in Minneapolis in February, and I was there with another crowd of 20,000 at the Xcel Center in St. Paul in August when he wrapped up the nomination. I met so many great and wonderful people along the way I can't recount them all here. The middle-aged black woman from Minneapolis, a political independent who had grown sick of corruption in the Democratic party and had voted for Bush; she reminded me that power is nothing if we don't use it wisely. If we get complacent, corrupt, or stupid, we deserve to get thrown out as much as they do; let's remember that in coming years, folks.
I was out of work during most of this time, so I wasn't able to give as much money as I would have liked. But I did hit the pavement. One person I want to mention is Steve Sarvi, an Iraq veteran and former mayor who's running for Congress in MN-02. I met Steve and his family several times in this campaign, and he's a great guy. MN-02 is an uphill district, but in a year like this anything can happen.
So it all comes down to this, today, election day. It has been uncommonly warm, perfect fall weather in Minnesota this week, and my wife and I got up early to vote, figuring there would be a line even in our rural area. The voting place is our township shed, where the township has a garage for road maintenance equipment. In the gray light of dawn, the cornfield to the south stood high and ready for harvest, while across the road low fog lay across the swale.
At 6:30, half an hour before the polls open, the lights were on inside as the six poll workers, all retired ladies who have been doing this same job for decades, organized the materials for registration and voting. A guy had opened the garage door and was getting the tractor ready for the day's work. My wife and I were first in line below the American flag waving in the gentle breeze. Another couple showed up soon after, and then another. We stood in line and struck up a conversation. A Smart Car rolled into the parking lot and we commented on it. Dixville Notch had gone for Obama, 15 to 6.
There were about 50 people in line by the time the doors opened at 7 and I was proud to be the first person through the door. The poll workers, having seen me through the window, recognized me on sight and had the registration book already open to the page with my name on it. I complimented them on their efficiency, even though I'm embarrassed to say I don't know any of them either by sight or by name. So let me just take a moment to tell you, poll workers everywhere, but especially to those in Watertown Township, Carver County, Minnesota: you are the best.
I got my ballot and read down: For President and Vice President of the United States: I proudly filled in the circle for Barack Obama and Joe Biden. For Senate: Al Franken. For Congress: Steve Sarvi.
And so on, down the ballot, until I reach the race for school board, Independent District 111. Five names on the ballot, not counting write-in slots, and you may vote for four. I had seen the yard signs around town, a chartreuse green with an unfamiliar face but a familiar name: John McCain for school board. I checked him out in the local paper and he seemed okay to me. So he got my vote too.
I had to cut through the growing lines to make my way to the optical scan reader, where the LCD display said:
VOTES: 0
I placed my ballot in the reader and smiled as it changed to
VOTES: 1
On the way out, a woman I had met at Steve Sarvi's house stopped me; she had bought a Golden Retriever puppy from us in August, and wanted to tell me how well the puppy was working out for them.
Outside, the clouds on the eastern horizon had turned from pink to orange. The sun was rising. It reminded me of the Obama logo. It's going to be a great day.