Just a quick note to let people know what's going on here. I arrived Saturday with a friend to do canvassing/GOTV followed by poll watching on Tuesday. It's been tremendous
After 8 hours of driving we arrived in Cleveland. We were directed to the Bedford Heights Office because it was behind in voter contacts and needed help. We got there at 3, picked up a packet of homes in the working class neighborhood, and immediately started canvassing. Folks were so happy to see us and to talk to us! Very positive vibe and a good number of folks already voted. We finished 80% of the packet even though we started so late. Sunday, we went back to the Bedford Heights office and picked up two packets, this time for apartments. The morning packet was tough because the apartments were in two-level buildings with separate entrances for six units. That meant getting someone to answer or let us in at dozens of entrances. But we hit every single apartment in the packet, spoke with folks at 65% of the places and left campaign info at the other 35%. A good number had already voted and many had already figured out when they would vote. From there we went to two high-rise apartments, seven floors each. Once we got in, we tore through each floor. People were so grateful to see us working their building, the response was great. Although some folks were annoyed at having someone knocking on their doors on a Sunday morning/afternoon, once they saw we were Obama volunteers, they stopped being annoyed and were grateful for what we were doing. Beautiful, beautiful people.
Monday morning we checked out our polling places, a school and a Unitarian Church. Then to a Presbyterian Church for poll watching training with hundreds of other lawyers and non-lawyers. What was most touching was the large number of people who came from NYC and New Jersey, despite the impact of hurricane Sandy on them and their neighborhoods. Nothing was going to stop them from their commitment to the campaign.
I am greatly encouraged but what I'm seeing here on the ground and by what I'm seeing in polling. Tomorrow, all our hard work comes to fruition. Good luck to everyone who is working this campaign tomorrow. Every contribution, big or small, will have an impact. Forward March!