I hadn't planned on a second diary today, but I think this one is called for.
I'm taking a break from the phones to issue a warning to those people accepting my invitation to spend today on the phone.
You may run into some mean and agitated people today. I have.
Ignore it. But, if you'd like, document it. It's probably a sign that we're winning and we might as well share a laugh or two over it.
Here are some of the experiences I've had this morning (along with some wonderful Wisconsin encouragement and thanks from Sandy Pasch supports.) I'll number these consecutively as examples, but (thank God) they were not all consecutive calls -- and they are in the minority. Essentially, if you're calling the Dem Party of WI list, you're not going to reach only Democrats -- you'll also reach relatives of Democrats, and they are pissed! I'll report on some lowlights and hijinx.
#1) The name on the listing was a woman in her early 60s. A man answered. Oblivious to the first rule of phone banking, which is we don't talk about phone banking! -- wait, no, that's Fight Club, it's "you should talk to the person listed on the sheet" -- when a man of about the same age answered the phone I launched directly into my shpiel.
"Hi, I'm Kagro (I'm not, but let him take the heat!), with the Democratic Party of Wisconsin. We're calling to encourage people to vote today for Sandy Pasch."
"Not on your life, buster!"
Emotionally prepare yourself: people may use such language with you!
I quickly recovered: "this is not my target," I realized.
"May I speak to your wife?"
"RPHLRNPHGRLNHASDORF"
And with that onomatopoeia, the call was ended. And yet still I survived.
#2) A few minutes later:
Hello, I'm Kagro and ... click!
Not that unusual or disturbing, but I needed a third example.
#3) The call that prompted this diary: 31-year-old woman, let's call her Barbin. An older female voice answers.
- Hello, I'm Devilstower (note: no, I didn't really) with the Democratic Party of Wisconsin; may I speak to Barbin?
- Barbin doesn't live here anymore.
- Oh.
- Of course I probably shouldn't be saying that because now you'll probably have someone dead vote for her!
(- Legitimately puzzled by this outburst:) Excuse me???
- Never mind. Click.
They're losing power and they are not happy about it. Put your own phone banking experiences from today, good or bad or (especially) funny, in comments.
12:33 PM PT: Recommended list? Wow -- that is unexpected. Well, if we're doing this, then y'all have to write more about some of the responses that you're getting to your calls, too!
12:48 PM PT: We're coming into the time of the day now where a lot of people will have already voted or they say that they are still planning to vote late in the day. We need them to get out! Here's what you do for each:
Already voted: "THANK YOU! This is such an important election, and it looks really close. If you can reach out to friends who also support (the Dem) and make sure they vote too, that would be fantastic!"
Not yet voted: "THANKS for going out to vote today. Hearing that from you gives me the strength to go on. We're all counting on each other today, so I'm glad you're doing your part, and I hope you can get some friends to do the same!"
In either case, you're asking for "more" of a "donation." In the latter case, you're also inducing guilt at "letting you down" if it gets late and they ask themselves "do I really want to go vote?" "YES YOU DO!" And smile and be cheery on the phone -- make them feel good about being a Democrat! To them, you're the voice of the party!
1:04 PM PT: I just saw this in Facebook from my friend and Koster Donna in Rome: be aware of this! I may start asking people about having received such calls.
"DON'T BE FOOLED: Calls are being made to voters claiming to be from Wisconsin Election Protection telling them to vote in the wrong place. WRONG - it's NOT us. ALWAYS check the VPA site for where you vote. We don't know who is making the calls, but spread the word! If you get one of those calls, call US at 1-866-OUR-VOTE (1-866-687-8683). (Please Share)"
1:09 PM PT: Just remembered that at about this time on Election Day, I add to the end of my voicemails this sentiment: "And I hope that this is the last call that you get about this election!"
1:24 PM PT: About 4-1/2 hours left of calling, and I'm getting A LOT of people who say that they've already voted (in a friendly but clipped sort of way that tells me that the conversation is over.) Does that mean that you're time is wasted making calls? NO! Assuming that you, like me, identify yourself as "a volunteer for the Democratic Party of Wisconsin" and that you, like me, are relentlessly pleasant on these calls, then even if they've voted you're sending two valuable messages: (1) the Democratic Party is full of nice, polite, engaging, respectful, and enthusiastic people and (2) the Democratic Party has it's act together well enough to call people on Election Day! Remember, these are Republican districts -- sending those messages is a good use of your time even if it's not an "on-the-fence" voter -- and some of them still might be on-the-fence voters, and the numbers don't come to us labeled as to who is and isn't worth calling! Gotta pick through some chaff to get that golden wheat!
2:21 PM PT: Interesting description just now from an elderly woman who voted at 7:15 a.m. in Germantown. She said that the voters there looked like working people on their way to work. And she said that they were serious-faced, even grim. No giggling, no light-heartedness -- they were there to do their business. This is a generally Republican area -- but you can make of that what you will.
4:12 PM PT: I've given up on calling for the Pasch-Darling race; I'm getting nothing but retirees who don't answer the phone. Luckily, there are plenty of other races to choose from! I'm switching to Clark versus Olson for now. As for you, just remember that you can switch around if need be.
4:36 PM PT: All right, that's going to be it for me. I've called four campaigns and the dregs are not proving worth it. I think that the party has gotten whatever they can out of their lists. Thank you to all who have taken part in this phone banking effort -- whatever happens, we'll know that we tried! And, my greatest thanks to those activists from Wisconsin, who have been doing for weeks what most of us have been doing for just a few days. You're our heroes.