I was out canvassing with my wife and seven year old son. And I ask some people sitting on their steps if they had decided who they were going to support. And in 60 seconds, I find out I am talking to Kid Oakland.
THE Kid Oakland. How neat is that? He calls me out in his Diary today.
Kid Oakland's Diary
I've been a daily visitor to Daily Kos since the beginning. But I've never written a diary.
Mostly as a parent, I don't have free time. I find that most of my creative energy in life is taken up by creating a consistent, loving home for a child to grow up in. I have a hard time understanding how Barack and Michelle, or John and Elizabeth can have young children and have the kind of creative energy to run a campaign for the presidency.
So, much of my involvement in the campaign is as a spectator. I follow the news. Although this is my first Diary I have have been a daily visitor to Daily Kos since the beginning. I may comment occasionally and maybe I contribute in a small way to a digital conversation. But I experience that mostly as passive and powerless.
It is much more satisfying to do some volunteering work, no matter how small. I have more energy after canvassing or phonebanking. Following the election on the news feeds a mental obsession. Campaigning on behalf of a candidate feeds my whole self. I feel more connected rather than more isolated.
It was satisfying too, to canvass together as a family. Usually, I am the political junkie. In the past, I have had to urge my wife simply to vote. Politics held little interest for her, while I spent hours on Daily Kos.
And in the beginning, I overlooked Barack Obama -- looking ahead to Al Gore or to Wesley Clark. I was surprised when my wife became very excited about Barack Obama a year ago. She bought his books and read them. And I started to pay attention, because I understood that to reach my wife Barack Obama must be talking in a way that is different. And to see my wife excited about poltics is hot.
And it was nice to have my son there. I grew up in New Hampshire and Democratic Primary politics was part of growing up. I was almost named after Eugene McCarthy after my father introduced him at a rally for the New Hampshire Primary, two days before I was born. I licked envelopes for the McGovern campaign when I was 4. Mo Udall taught me how to shake hands when I was 8. I presented an award to Ted Kennedy at a rally when I was 12 and worked my whole school vacation for him. I hustled for Gary Hart...
So, it was nice for me to see my son have some contact with political action. He supports Barack Obama 'because Barack Obama will stop global warming so we don't die.' He made us all become vegetarians a year ago.
For all of us, volunteering is about having creative, embodied participation in history.
And the canvass today? Lots of Barack Obama supporters. Lots of nobody home. Some undecided, all leaning Obama. And some supporters of Hillary Clinton. One said he was supporting Hillary Clinton because Barack Obama supports drivers licenses for illegal immigrants. There is a lot of excitement about Barack Obama.
And I'm not worried. In 2004 I offered to trade the Red Sox winning the World Series in exchange for the victory of my candidate, John Kerry Senator of Massachusetts, over President George Bush, a few days later.
The Red Sox won the World Series. Give thanks to God. And my candidate from Massachusetts lost. The gods did not accept my trade.
This year, again I offered to trade. If I must choose a victory, let it be for my political candidate rather than for my sports team. The New England Patriots failed to win the Super Bowl and achieve a perfect season. It was a stunning upset that bent the mojo of the universe. The Senator from New York will be burdened by a powerful karmic debt of her state.
And my candidate, Barack Obama, will not be denied.