I try not to resort to name-calling in the title of a diary, but sometimes there is no other way to express the level of disgust I have for some of Scott Walker's supporters.
This is from an email I just received from the Barrett campaign:
Reports coming into our call center have confirmed that Walker's allies just launched a massive wave of voter suppression calls to recall petition signers. Here is what people are receiving across Wisconsin:
"If you signed the recall petition, your job is done and you don't need to vote on Tuesday."
Tom Barrett mentioned on tonight's Ed Show (broadcast live from Madison) that he had just recorded a robocall message refuting the one mentioned above.
Sometimes I just weep for Wisconsin. Our governor stabbed us in the back and turned our beautiful, neighborly state into a right-wing lab experiment for the Koch brothers, and this is the result: Tens of millions of dollars of out-of-state money buying our elections with the worst sort of dirty politicking. Deliberately misleading eligible voters into not voting is a crime against democracy and our state Constitution.
I also try to be sparing in my requests for donations, but the Barrett campaign is asking for funds to try to ...well, I'll let them explain it:
To counter this insulting attack on our democracy, we need to fire up another call center to phone every recall petition signer with the correct information. This means we have an immediate need to place an additional one million phone calls. Can you pitch in with $5 towards our Voter Protection Fund to help pay for these calls before midnight?
OK, got that off my chest.
In better news, I canvassed on Madison's north side today. Friendly territory. Lots of Barrett signs, but we were contacting people on a list of Democratic leaners who don't vote consistently. Most of the people were not home, it is a workday after all, but everybody I talked to was friendly and supportive, and I helped a few talk out their "voting plan" for tomorrow.
One very elderly woman (whose side door was open) called out from upstairs "Who is it?" when I knocked. I said through the screen door "I'm a volunteer with the Tom Barrett campaign."
"I'll come down," she answered. "It takes me a while. I live in the wrong house for being old."
I felt a little guilty at this point, hoping that I wouldn't end up annoying her or causing her any pain or inconvenience.
"What is it?" she called out when she neared the door. She didn't come close to the door and I could really only see an outline of her. I gave her my pitch, trying to sound as upbeat as possible.
"Oh, I already voted for Barrett," she boasted in a suddenly sweet voice.
"That's great. Thank you so much. Sorry to have bothered you. Have a good day"
"Oh, that's OK," she said.
I also found the only undecided voter left in Wisconsin. He was standing by the door as I approached his house and he didn't look happy. I think he had been watching me going up and down the street. I made sure to stay on the pavement and not walk on his lawn. He looked like on of those guys. I introduced myself and went through my script.
"So, can we count on you to be a Barrett voter tomorrow?" I finished up.
Pause.
"I'm not sure," he answered slowly. I could tell that what he meant was that he was unsure about the whole recall thing.
"You are going to vote, right?" I asked off-script.
"I'm not sure."
"Well, it's important to vote, no matter who you vote for. Can I give you this flyer? It lists your polling place if you decide to vote."
He took it, which surprised me, but I have no idea if he will read it, or vote. But you never know.
In all, I left a lot of door hangers and actually engaged with maybe 10 voters, but they were among the ones who have been most difficult to contact, so I felt good. Actually, except for the robocall news, I feel pretty good in general about tomorrow. We have a good chance to win this thing, and if we don't, I'm certain Governor Scott Walker will soon be frog-marched out of the Capitol by the FBI and/or local law enforcement carrying out orders from the Milwaukee County District Attorney. If we win tomorrow, it makes our job a little easier, but we've built one hell of a grassroots network. It's not going into mothballs if Walker loses. The only question is what's next on our to-do list.