One of my amazing discoveries in recent times is the extent of volunteers in the political system. I always have opined that our hospitals and schools' systems will collapse if all volunteers withdrew - and now I discover this is true of our political system as well. The ratio between staff and volunteers is often 1:10 to 1:100.
The passion with which volunteers work is equally commendable, and simply amazing.
http://www.youtube.com/...
I have seen the volunteers for McAuliffe - those who have made over 1,000 phone calls through phone banking. Devoting more than four hours a day, for phone banking, door to door canvassing, doing office tasks, blogging, and so on.
What is even more amazing is that there are many in the opposite camp who believe volunteers are paid staff! This ignorance is amazing - that they do not understand that a volunteer can be as passionate, or more passionate, than the paid staff.
http://www.youtube.com/...
Those who have followed my diaries will recollect some months ago when a group of out of state McAuliffe haters kept accusing me of being paid staff. After many exchanges, this was put to rest as they checked me out and conceded that I was nothing more than a regular volunteer. Now, in the last 24 hours, a new group of out of state McAuliffe haters have again been making allegations that I am paid staff.
How I wish :) I could use a few bucks and the McAuliffe campaign will surely not miss slipping me a few bucks :)
The moment I accept money, though, my credibility will be lost, as being honest I will have to admit I am paid. So, that fantasy shall remain a figment in the minds of those who dislike my objective writing of the merits of why McAuliffe is our best qualified candidate for the next Governor of Virginia.
I have seen high school juniors, seniors, college freshmen through juniors, women, men, professional, blue collar workers, young men and women, senior citizen men and women, and people from every continent volunteering for McAuliffe and working as hard as any paid staff member!
Today, I visited one volunteer location in Northern Virginia. Here is a video from this incredible location:
http://www.youtube.com/...
This is the basement of a strong volunteer couple. They host staff visiting the area for short periods of time. They provide superb meals to staff and volunteers. Husband and wife devote hours to making phone calls and canvassing door to door. They have set up a phone bank operation in their basement, where one can do nine calls at the same time! They have a volunteer "front desk manager" who manages volunteers, and to be perfectly honest, this volunteer operation is as impressive as the McLean headquarters of the campaign.
WOW!
How I wish the McAulife detractors could see this operation to understand what a labor of love can do to society. This couple is a longstanding die hard Democrat family and they work tirelessly in support of McAuliffe. They have even made their basement look like a McAuliffe campaign office and have water and snacks available for volunteers.
I consider myself privileged to work with this couple in support of McAuliffe. Just to have met them and become their friend is adequate compensation for the hours I have volunteered for the McAuliffe campaign. And, of course, I have met many other great volunteers, enjoyed bloggers' comments, am in serious discussion with a McAuliffe detractor to potentially develop a very lucrative business plan which he has promised to fund! I have also met some incredible staffers, just to watch them work and learn from them is priceless and an invaluable education.
I volunteer to save costs of psychiatric counseling! The pressures of work are so high, that I would have to visit a shrink every few months, but a few hours of volunteering in the school system, community groups, and of course political campaigns, is a great alternative and all the pressures are washed away :)
Specifically, volunteers for McAuliffe do what they do not just because they love McAuliffe and want him to win the primaries, the general election and become the next Governor of Virginia. We love him, but not THAT much.
We all volunteer for McAuliffe because we love Virginia more than ourselves and we are deeply concerned at the future of our beloved state. We volunteer for the Commonwealth, so we will have a Governor who will bring jobs to our state, help pull us out of the recession, and keep the Virginia flag flying high.
McAuliffe is a proven entity. Today alone, I made about 200 phone calls and spoke with voters, and noted their concerns. Number one on every one's mind is .... you guessed it, JOBS. We need a JOBS Governor. Have no doubt about that.
McAuliffe has documentary evidence that he saved jobs and grew jobs in the Federally Chartered Bank that he saved as Chairman of the Bank. There is documentary evidence that he turned around a sinking and failing real estate company, generating hundreds of jobs. McAuliffe has bold ideas, and great connections. Most of the voters I spoke with on Sunday had this to state, that he is the most qualified to be the next Governor of Virginia, if the focus is on jobs' creation. Some callers said they would vote for one of the other candidates, not because of any opposition to McAuliffe, but because of a long standing loyalty and relationship to their candidate. I respectfully told them to go full steam ahead and support their candidate, out of respect for their relationship. Without exception, they said when the primaries are over and McAuliffe is the nominee, they will vote for him and in many instances, volunteer for his campaign in the General Elections, to defeat Bob McDonnell. Many agreed that McAuliffe is best equipped to beat Bob McDonnell, and were apologetic that they still would not vote for McAuliffe in the primaries, and I said that was fine as I was not trying to convert them.
My target group is only the undecideds :) The McAuliffe campaign is respectful of Virginia voters, and we are not attempting to change people's minds and loyalties. We do not believe support of either of the two other candidates is opposition to McAuliffe, just as we do not believe support of McAuliffe is opposition to the other two candidates.
However, the undecided voter is every one's target and I will do all I can to convince them to vote for McAuliffe as the next Governor of Virginia, because he is best qualified to bring jobs to Virginia, which will help pull us out of the recession.
McAuliffe has run a very respectful campaign, and this is reflected in every one of his staff, and volunteers. This weekend, more than 200,000 voters have been contacted and reminded to vote on Tuesday, and when applicable, to vote for McAuliffe. Many said they have decided whom to vote for on Tuesday, and they were politely thanked for supporting the election process. Many also said they were still undecided, after our discussions, most said they would take a serious look at McAuliffe.
One voter kept me on the phone for more than half an hour, asking several questions, including McAuliffe's position on several issues- as he wanted to be sure that his valuable vote was not wasted. At the end, he said he will not only vote for McAuliffe, but he will ask his friends and family to vote for McAuliffe as he agreed McAuliffe is the best candidate to be next Governor of Virginia.
Some voters were Republican and said they do not vote in the Primary. However, they said they have been following the campaign and they found McAuliffe an interesting candidate. They expressed their concern at the state of the economy, and they opined that McAuliffe seemed to have his act together. They said they voted for Obama and they might vote for McAuliffe.
This was most gratifying, that so many Republicans on their own said not to waste my time trying to get them to vote now, but they said they would look forward to being contacted after the primaries and when McAuliffe was the nominee, they might go so far as to attend events, understand McAuliffe's approach and they might even volunteer for his General Election Campaign.
My day was well served, and I go to bed a happy camper, ready to campaign again Monday and Tuesday. All the way, until 7:00 PM Tuesday when I move to the Victory Party.
http://www.youtube.com/...
Please vote to McAuliffe and make a difference. Thank you.