I've been doing a lot of blogging over the last several months. I have Severe Blogorrhea, which is my own blog. I have a blog at BarackObama.com. I blog here and at Talking Points Memo too (username eastside93).
However, I had two incidents in the last month which have convinced me that the best thing I can do to make "President Obama" a reality is to get away from my keyboard and actually go talk to people - especially those who are hard-core Clintonistas.
If that concept sounds a little weird - like street-corner revival preaching - that's because it seemed that way to me too. However, I'm not shouting at the clouds from the corner of Fat and Chance - I'm just listening to people talk, and correcting misinformation when I hear it. In the process, I've been amazed at how receptive these "low-information" voters are. It's just that no one's taken the time to talk directly to them. As Justice Benjamin Cardozo once said, "Sunlight is the best disinfectant."
I like to think I'm good at face-to-face communication. However, going out to talk to people about Obama is a little different. My inner snark wondered if this was anything like being asked to go preach on a street corner.
What I decided to do was just wait and see what opportunities presented themselves - and then jump in with both feet. I don't generally ask for God's help in anything political, but I did say a little prayer that I would be an effective and positive mouthpiece. I prayed that my ability to talk positively about Obama would help these people see what most of us here see so clearly - that there really is only one rational choice for the Presidency.
As luck would have it, I got a call the next day from one of my IT clients. He wanted me to come out and set up a new computer he'd bought for his business, which is manufacturing pool tables and other gaming equipment. (I do software testing by day, and moonlight as a Web designer and IT consultant for extra pesos.)
Now, he's not rich, but he has had this business for 52 years. He still works every day. He served in the Korean War, and his website proudly touts that every piece of every item he makes is made in the USA. He probably can best be classified as an independent voter - he leans to the right a bit, but absolutely refuses to vote Republican this year. He lives in New Alexandria, PA, which is definitely small-town Pennsylvania.
While I work at his office, we usually commiserate about the state of the economy in particular, and America in general. The topic turned to our mutual disdain for The Decider, which naturally segued into this year's election.
He immediately stated that he didn't like Barack Obama. So, I asked him why. His first response: no flag pin. "Come here a minute," I told him. I pulled up news photos of Hillary Clinton from that day. No flag pin. He was surprised. Then I pulled up news photos of John McCain from that day. No flag pin. He was shocked. Then, I reminded him that George Bush and Dick "Mr. Deferment" Cheney wore flag pins every day.
My client then talked about Obama being a Muslim - and referencing Jeremiah Wright in the same sentence. I pointed out the contradiction, which he said he hadn't thought about. I also assured him that Louis Farrakhan only shares a city and a skin color with Obama).
Finally, he said he was upset by Rev. Wright's claims about the origins of AIDS. I just told him that the claims were extraordinary, many people were surprised by them, and that there wasn't any serious proof. I also told him that Obama had already rejected that notion out of hand.
I then took him to Wikipedia and typed "Tuskegee Experiment". His jaw dropped lower and lower as he read paragraph after paragraph. He turned to me and said, "This is the first time I've ever read or heard anything about this. Why hasn't Obama talked about it?"
At that point, I told him about Obama's refusal to get involved in sideshows and distractions, instead staying focused on major issues like the Iraq War, the economy and gas prices.
At no point in our hour-long conversation did I push him about voting for Obama, or donating, or anything else. I left his store, unsure if he'd give Barack a chance, or if I had maybe lost a client. All I knew for sure is that I'd told the complete, unvarnished truth, and answered every question he had. I hoped that would be enough to at least open his mind.
A week after this, I went out to lunch with a co-worker. We hit a Chinese buffet that we both like. Just as I was tucking into some pot stickers, though, two women sitting next to us started railing about how Obama's mistreated Hillary throughout this primary, and how they would vote for McCain if she didn't get the nomination. They also used some epithets to describe Obama - and men in particular. It was essentially the type of conversation one might expect to hear at a NOW PAC meeting.
I quietly asked my friend if he wouldn't mind me talking to these two women. He (a left-leaning independent supporting Obama) actually offered to jump in with me. So, we ventured into the lion's den.
I started with, "Excuse me. I'm sorry to bother you. I just had a question. I notice you're both wearing wedding bands. Do either of you have daughters?" One lady did, so I just casually walked them through what would likely happen to SCOTUS - and decisions like Roe v. Wade - if McCain won the general election. The other lady argued that McCain wouldn't reverse Roe. "Well, no ma'am, he wouldn't. But he WOULD select Justices like Antonin Scalia, who is known to favor reversing Roe."
Then, to explain "strict constructionist", I explained Scalia's position on waterboarding not being torture - because it isn't specifically mentioned in the Constitution. They were appalled, but not totally convinced that Roe v. Wade would be endangered.
The first lady then angrily talked about how Obama had rudely jumped in, knowing "it was Hillary's turn" to be President. Normally, I'd snark out in response. However, this is what I said (more or less).
I understand you want to see the first female President. Last year, I was backing Hillary, too. But Obama's been organized since Day 1. His campaign's had a plan, and they've executed it - without trashing the Clintons.
He had to run against the biggest Democratic political dynasty since the Kennedys, that had over $120 million raised. He's had to fight off talk about him being linked to dictators and terrorists because of his name. He's had attacks on his patriotism, his political background, his experience, his personal ethics and his family - especially his wife.
Despite all this, he's winning. What does that tell you?
Those ladies left shortly after this. But they both said that, while they still preferred Clinton, they would think more openly about Obama. The last thought I left them with was, "Just think about who you'd rather have answering that phone at 3 a.m. - Obama, or McCain."
I don't know if I made any difference with them. But again, I could feel good because I'd told the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. And again, I didn't push them to vote one way or another.
As for my pool-table manufacturer client...I went back to deliver a new printer to him on Monday. He's got an Obama sign in his store's front lawn now. He said he went online, with his son's help, and did a lot of reading. He also watched the candidates on TV, and decided that Obama's conduct was far superior to Clinton's.
Ever since, I've been fighting the good fight everywhere I go. I'm not preaching, I'm not trying to be a political operative. I'm just disseminating the truth, and letting its own power do the rest. If we want to help Obama, maybe the best thing we can do is follow Gandhi's advice: "Be the change you want to see in the world."