Obama Campaign Gearing Up in Indiana and First Time Volunteers

Ahhhh, the stumbling first steps of a new volunteer (that would be me) can be embarrassing.  

In my efforts to make a bigger contribution to this historic Presidential Election, I decided to check out an open conference call with the Obama campaign last Wednesday night. Well, between work, home, and volunteering to help with an Election Results Watch Party, I managed to be a bit pressed for time.  In my haste, I managed to make my faux pas public.  

For all the ditzy details, jump the fold.

So I'm boppin' along...  thinking I've got a handle on all the demands on my time.  Then, this idea for a diary pops into my head - when I have to head out the door to work - I tossed down a few notes on what I thought was a draft diary on BlueIndiana. In the meantime, much of my free time has been spent pulling together people, places, and things for the Watch Party so I wasn't able to get back to the BlueIndiana diary til today.  

Uh oh!  

Oh, no I didn't....

DAMN! Yup, I did.

My 'draft' was published for all the world to see. Sigh. Ah well, at least I caught it and was able to flesh it out somewhat in the comments.  

I'm a newbie volunteer for the Obama campaign & participated in a campaign conference call last Wednesday.  One of the goals set was to have at least five Election Results Watch Parties in Indiana.  Three were already set.  Two in the Indy area and one in South Bend.  Considering I'm in NW Indiana and there was another Regionite on the call, we decided to join forces & put one together...  

Election Results Watch Party

I'm seeing first-hand why Obama has gained such a groundswell of support.  The campaign is very responsive to requests for assistance and enthusiastically support of everyone's efforts. I'm still stunned at how quickly this is coming together!

I was also contemplating how Indiana has noticably shifted to purple.  I now believe we may even go all the way blue in November.

Instead of going back and re-doing the diary, I thought I'd let it stand to show that even though you might make a mistake or two along the way, you can't let it stop you from jumping into the action.  And what the hell, we can all get a good laugh out of it along the way.  

So, go ahead - have some fun, don't take yourself too seriously, and make your corner of the world a little better in the process!  

•  Tip Jar...

  for not sweating the small stuff.

  by HoosierDeb on Sun Mar 02, 2008 at 10:26:56 AM PDT

  •  Top-down, bottom-up with middle support!

    The return on values: respect, empower, include. And I might add core honesty, integrity, and civility.

    Here's to a blue Indiana on Obama's coat tails.

    by Akonitum on Sun Mar 02, 2008 at 10:29:26 AM PDT

    •  hehe, "Indiana Jones",

      Go forth and excavate all those blue Obama votes.  

      Yes. We. Can. and we'll be there supporting you every step of it (gawd forbids) it gets that far.  Kudos to Obama for having a "plan B".

      by pamelabrown on Sun Mar 02, 2008 at 10:33:47 AM PDT

•  I Hate to Say It

  But Indiana has a long way to go before turning blue.

  However, I agree that only Obama has a chance to make a dent in Indiana.  The way he speaks about things resonates with people, especially the large Christian majority of most of the state.

  by billysumday on Sun Mar 02, 2008 at 10:27:02 AM PDT

  •  former Hoosier

    I think it's worth noting that it was Reagan who flipped Indiana.

    I'll join folks in bashing Reagan, but like it or not, Reagan seized the "optimism" torch from the Democrats.   That resonates in a "heartland" state like Indiana.

    One of the best movies about Indiana?

    'Hoosiers'.

    Indiana likes to feel hopeful, they like positive messages.

    I think Indiana will respond to an Obama message.

    I agree - I don't think he can quite take Indiana in 2008.... 2012, in a reelection bid :-) -- maybe!

    by zonk on Sun Mar 02, 2008 at 10:48:20 AM PDT

    •  I'm thinking it's going to be smaller margins

      than Clinton would hope for.  

      And no one, I mean NO ONE, wants McCain.  He's flat out reviled by those who've spoken of him to me.  I did have one older lady say she liked 'Hucklebee' because she met him once at some prayer function. She thought "he was a very nice man". [I bit my tongue because it happened to be at work.] In the end, though, she was leaning more towards Obama.

      by HoosierDeb on Sun Mar 02, 2008 at 10:52:54 AM PDT

      •  I think that's it

        For better or worse, Indiana goes for the "nice" message... and I think one candidate has seized the "nice" message :-)

        by zonk on Sun Mar 02, 2008 at 10:56:27 AM PDT

        •  Very much so. Polite plays well here

          for the most part.  

          by HoosierDeb on Sun Mar 02, 2008 at 11:02:14 AM PDT

  •  Indy daughter reports all friends and

    acquaintances in Obama camp---and not because of any religious connection----just a big group of 20-somethings, beginning careers and lives.  
     Also, she is a h.s. teacher in a majority AA school and said her kids are so proud and excited about Obama.
     And she often calls from her car saying she just spotted another Obama bumper sticker.
     

    by dotster on Sun Mar 02, 2008 at 11:36:18 AM PDT

    •  Very encouraging! Thanks for that peek!

      As a matter of fact, our Watch Party wouldn't have a venue if it wasn't for a certain student at Purdue-Calumet who secured a spot for us on campus!
      He's also taken it upon himself to do up some flyers for on-campus advertising.

      I'm really looking forward to the event and can't wait to meet our 'host'.  So far it's all been arranged via e-mails!  Gotta love technology...  

      by HoosierDeb on Sun Mar 02, 2008 at 11:51:14 AM PDT

  •  3# more House of Rep seats were gained by Dems in

    4.  One more and the majority of House of Represnetatives will be Democratic.  I think if we support Barry Welsh he can defeat Mike Pence.  Wouldn't that be a coup?  In 02' Pence carried his district by 85%, but in 04' the Republican margin was only about 10%.   It's time the smaller margin creeps over for a win in that Eastern IN district.

    by drmah on Sun Mar 02, 2008 at 11:59:29 AM PDT

    •  Have already sent Welsh what little cash

      I can scrape together.  If he was closer to me, I'd be able to do more.  I really like Barry's message and I sincerely hope Pence is booted out in a decisive way.  Indiana needs to wake up and quit voting against their own best interests.

      by HoosierDeb on Sun Mar 02, 2008 at 12:10:17 PM PDT

      •  I've sent cash support, too. I know I can't influ

        my District with Dan Burton, but Barry offers great progress for Indiana.

        by drmah on Sun Mar 02, 2008 at 12:32:52 PM PDT

•  Are you just trying to....

  get site hits? I don't get it.

  by leftbird on Sun Mar 02, 2008 at 10:31:53 AM PDT

  •  Nope...

    Airing my idiotic mistake and using it to encourage others who might yet be too timid to participate in the process.  You can't let fear of goof-ups get in the way of helping however you're able.

    It's also evidence of how the 50-state strategy is being applied.  Indiana is usually not 'significant' in these races because our primary isn't until May.  It's nice to know we matter this time around.

    Site hits would just be gravy

    by HoosierDeb on Sun Mar 02, 2008 at 10:40:13 AM PDT

•  Ur my.barackobama link doesn't work.

  by object16 on Sun Mar 02, 2008 at 10:35:35 AM PDT

  •  Thanks. Consider it tweaked! n/t

    by HoosierDeb on Sun Mar 02, 2008 at 10:40:48 AM PDT

•  Our little corner has been blue

  for a long time. The rest of the state can be downright scary.  Of course, we have good ol' Mitch Daniels to deal with, too.  Blech!  

  Obama speaks to many issues in the state, though. Jobs. Healthcare. NAFTA. Iraq. Immigration. Plus, being so close to Chicago, he's a little better known here.  

  Anyway, I'm in it for the long haul because that's the only way we're going to fix the horrendous damage done by the Bush cabal.

  by HoosierDeb on Sun Mar 02, 2008 at 10:36:19 AM PDT

  •  Thoughts on the gov's race?

    A year ago, I was thinking Daniels would be in big trouble, but he seems to have stabilized his numbers at just over 50%.

    Got a candidate in the gov primary?

    I think Jill Long Thompson - who always ran in a swing district - could run well on Obama's post-partisan message.

    With Peterson's loss in the Indy mayor race, I have to think she's gotta be the favorite over Peterson protege Schellinger.

    by zonk on Sun Mar 02, 2008 at 10:51:17 AM PDT

    •  I'm leaning towards Long Thompson

      and I think that the property tax issue will be the eventual deal-breaker for most folks.  Like everywhere else, foreclosures are increasing and jobs/pay are on a downtrend.  I'm thinking there are going to be some bigger surprises than we guess come November.

      by HoosierDeb on Sun Mar 02, 2008 at 10:55:41 AM PDT

•  if you had posted your mistake here...

  the elitists of the kos would have taken you to the shed and that's putting it mildly.

  by FLS on Sun Mar 02, 2008 at 10:52:06 AM PDT

  •  LOL! Yup, you're probably right.

    That's why I don't take folks to task for their efforts here.  Everyone's participation is required to make our democracy work.  That some folks are not so far along as others is no reason to shred them over it.  I'm thinking their 'elitist' status would be better served in teaching and mentoring.

    But that's just ordinary lil me.  ;-D

    by HoosierDeb on Sun Mar 02, 2008 at 11:00:39 AM PDT

•  Great work! Keep it up!

  Always glad to see any progressive action in Indiana (where I live).  And you've got a great attitude!  Good for you, HoosierDeb

  by CroneWit on Sun Mar 02, 2008 at 11:16:00 AM PDT

  •  Thank you. I'm just so tickled

    to be working for a campaign instead of against one.  It makes all the difference in the world!

    by HoosierDeb on Sun Mar 02, 2008 at 11:53:13 AM PDT

•  Among my Republican friends, there is mistrust

  McCain over the Iraq War. I was suprised hearing a discussion in Indianapolis last week where the majority of older women talked of voting for Ralph Nader.  A few admitted they might move to Obama.  These were dyed-in-the-wool, red-necked Republicans! I was amazed, but recognize McCain has almost no support.  I feel the November election can go Democratic if it is spun correctly.  Older Americans are concerned about high cost of meds and health-care and want out of this "100 Years' War. Recession is a reality for those on fixed incomes, so HOPE is a great campaign strategy.  

  by drmah on Sun Mar 02, 2008 at 12:07:18 PM PDT

  •  That's what I'm hearing up here, too.

    Between property taxes skyrocketing and the decline in the steel industry here, it's had a devasting effect on the Region.  Hell, I was out of work for nine months trying to find a job outside the mortgage industry.  All of these issues are snow-balling against the Republicans.  Hoosiers of all flavors are starting to wake up and demand accountability.  Hope is truly a powerful force in taking on these massive, inter-related issues and not to be dismissed lightly!  

    by HoosierDeb on Sun Mar 02, 2008 at 12:15:46 PM PDT

    •  Cheers to "da Region!"

      by drmah on Sun Mar 02, 2008 at 12:30:43 PM PDT

•  My Hoosier evangelical brother said he'll stay

  home if its an Obama-McCain contest. That's how much he dislikes McCain.

  But then he said "he'd jump in the car as fast as he could" to vote against Clinton if she is the nominee.

  He said he could live with a President Obama, but not another four years of a Clinton.  Most of the other members of his HUGE (seats 1000 people in a town of 10,000)church in North Central Indiana church feel the same way.

  With Obama as the Dem candidate, I think there will be low Repub turnout in Indiana; with Clinton, the rightwing nutters will turn out in droves.

  by redding888 on Sun Mar 02, 2008 at 12:20:45 PM PDT

  •  That seems to be a pretty fair assessment

    across the state.  I even mentioned that to a Hillary supporter I talked to recently that that was the very scenario I was concerned about.  Hillary will bring out the Repubs in droves! I also pointed out that after 8 yrs of GHWB, 8 yrs of BJC, 8 years of GWB, that we need a paradigm shift away from 'insider-type' politics.  It's OUR turn!

    by HoosierDeb on Sun Mar 02, 2008 at 12:46:16 PM PDT