November 4, 2008 at 08:00:06

Approaching the Finishing Line: Hope and Passion in Nevada

SAVE AS FAVORITE

VIEW FAVORITES

By Bernard Weiner (about the author) Page 2 of 3 page(s)

opednews.com Permalink

The most discouraging aspect of this canvassing? Hearing from a small but significant number of registered Democrats that they were supporting McCain. When we asked why the switch, several seemed to pause, as if having to think up a reason, and then came back with issues such as abortion and guns ("he wants to take away my rifles"), the latter a hot-button issue in Nevada.

But these defections were more than made up for by registered Republicans and Non-Partisans who were quite proud that they were voting for Obama this time out. When we asked them why their switches, some told us their personal tales of lost jobs under a tanking economy, which they tied to the Bush Administration, with more of the same under a McCain presidency. Others said they were appalled by the Palin choice. Other said they felt more inspired by the expectation, or at least hope, that under an Obama administration, significant changes might actually occur with regard to the economy, the war, health care, etc.

Aside from one young man who screamed loud curses at us from his pickup truck as we did our canvassing walk up one residential street, we had only a handful of negative encounters, even from those supporting McCain. This surprised us somewhat. We also were delighted when other stereotypes were broken, such as, for example, when we'd come to a house occupied by a registered Republican, with two or more American-flag decaled pickup trucks in the driveway, only to be told with enthusiasm that they'd early-voted for Obama.

FINAL OBSERVATIONS

We shall see in a few hours whether McCain saying "we've got them just where we want them" was little more than smoke emanating from a nether part of his anatomy, or a bit of obvious self-deprecating jokery, or because he knew something about the shady Roveian behind-the-curtain techniques that would snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.

Some other final observations about the election:

1. Knowing the anger, racial resentment and "patriotic" fervor stirred up by Palin and McCain among their followers, I was impressed with the Obama campaign's security operation. In Nevada, and maybe elsewhere, cell-phone numbers and locations for campaign activities were kept relatively secret, on a need-to-know basis. The central headquarters in Reno, for example, was a nondescript warehouse, with only a few small signs indicating where volunteers should enter. Our staging spot for canvassing in Sparks was in the back room of an essentially unmarked building housing an Italian restaurant, with just a tiny Obama sign in the front window to let the volunteers know this was the spot. In some ways all this secrecy seemed almost comical, but in the real world of 2008 passionate politics, I appreciated such tight security.

2. I can't tell you how many times I heard Democratic volunteers state out loud that they can't take any more of extremist "conservative" rule, and would be forced to rethink all their available options, from leaving the country to actual and undefined "revolution," if McCain/Palin were declared the winners.

I heard nary a positive word for Sarah Palin the entire weekend from any Democrat; however, while canvassing, one registered Democratic woman told us, with a smirk on her face as she watched our faces, that she would be voting for "Madame Palin." Note: One Obama canvasser had outfitted herself to resemble Palin -- spiffy high heels, striking red jacket ("bought not for 150 thousand but for a dollar and a half at a thrift store") and nice skirt, hair up, Sarah-type glasses -- and said she couldn't wait for the reactions from registered Republicans she'd be meeting.

3. The Obama campaign, more than most recent Democratic campaigns, is truly multi-ethnic, just as the candidate himself is. Those of Asian, African, European, Native American, Latino extraction are involved, which adds to the strength of the Obama teams out canvassing.

Two experiences along those lines.

A. We were having lunch at a local brewpub in Sparks with an African-American woman, a real-estate agent, and her 25-year-old daughter, who works at a publishing house; they had driven here from San Jose, California. Hearing the mother talk about her tears when Michelle Obama spoke at the Democratic National Convention, saying so much that was relevant to her life when she was growing up in Louisiana, touched our hearts. My sister and I might never had heard this story were it not for the fact that the four of us had met at the canvassing orientation in Sparks.

B. While Linda and I were out canvassing, a young African-American woman spotted us and came over to talk. She thanked us for what we were doing and then, in a spontaneous five-minute oration, delivered one of the best arguments for why voters should choose Obama. We were in awe of her command of the arguments. Her words were passionate, spot-on, and absolutely inspiring. She wasn't a campaign worker or volunteer, just another ordinary American turned on by what Obama represents in this campaign. We felt uplifted and marched to our next house even more confident in the rightness of our cause.

PHONE-SEX AND THE REAL THING

To return to the original sports analogy at the beginning of this piece, I'm glad we drove from San Francisco and Los Angeles to canvass in Nevada, especially since Obama's victory in California was never in question. Here was a genuine chance, with like-minded teammates, to make a face-to-face difference in an election (quite different from phone-calling into various states) by actually going out and talking with likely voters in a swing state, many from sub-groups we'd probably never meet in ordinary life.

Our bodies have felt the toll of competitive politics -- sore feet, painful knees and lower backs from all the miles of walking while canvassing -- but the emotional, and we hope the electoral, payoff has been well worth it.

1 | 2 | 3

www.crisispapers.org

Bernard Weiner, Ph.D. in government & international relations, has taught at universities in California and Washington, worked for two decades as a writer-editor at the San Francisco Chronicle, and currently serves as co-editor of The Crisis Papers (more...)

The views expressed in this article are the sole responsibility of the author
and do not necessarily reflect those of this website or its editors.

Contact Author

Contact Editor

View Authors' Articles

Book Recommendations for "2008 Elections Barack Obama"

People Magazine-November 17, 2008 issue-Barack Obama Election Issue. Barack Obama Makes History.
by 2008-Barack Obama Election Issue. Barack Obama Makes History. People magazine-November 17

$7.99

Number of pages:
Publisher:

Say It Like Obama: The Power of Speaking with Purpose and Vision
by Shel Leanne

$21.95
Lowest New Price $12.49
Number of pages: 224
Publisher: McGraw-Hill

The Obama Nation: Leftist Politics and the Cult of Personality
by Jerome R. Corsi

$28.00
Lowest New Price $0.84
Number of pages: 384
Publisher: Threshold Editions