Greetings from the Great State of North Carolina where on Saturday Hardworking, Committed, CAN-DO Obama Volunteers knocked on THOUSANDS of doors! We dropped lit reminding our Democratic voters that it was the last day to register and early vote. And they must have been listening. Early voting lines in NC remained long up to the last day...and it was breathtaking!
Can I say the folks in NC are doin' the damn thing for Mr. Obama! I joined the BADDEST group of Volunteers in Fuquay-Varina, led by the FANTASTIC and FEARLESS Field Director Cheryl E and the AWESOME Chrissy the Field Coordinator, - add Hanna the Vol Coordinator, and Bobbie the Data Coord, and George and all of the rest of the greatest, most committed folks I have ever seen! I call them CC & Company! They have welcomed me warmly and put me to work on behalf of our Prez! We knocked on 1001 of those 150K doors yesterday! We worked from 'sun to sun.' Anyone from the South knows what that means. That song..."Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now...We're on the Move" was really in play yesterday, has been in play in NC all year long. These folks give new meaning to ORGANIZING! It is incredible watching them and they have been doing this for a looooonnnnggggg time...that's why we're going to WIN THIS STATE and WIN THIS ELECTION!
Always wanted to say this...follow me below the squiggly lines..
Awesome Field Coordinator Extraordinaire Chrissy has such a bubbly, inviting personality...everywhere we went, she tooted her horn, stopped people as they were driving down the road, walking down the street..."Hey Sweetie, have you voted yet?" She knows EVERYBODY, by name. She knows their history. She has visited so many homes, she can tell you how many times she's stopped and dropped lit, or talked to the person, she knows them inside and out. And she knows what it takes, what she needs to say, to get them to the polls. Young brothers she cajoles into voting. She will not take no for an answer. She will take down a phone number and REALLY follow up w/a phone call. Folks see her on the street...Ms Chrissy, what do I need to vote, what time do I need to be there...and so on. Chrissy and crew and the hundreds of NC organizers are the secret to Obama's success in NC.
"Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now" took on new meaning yesterday. Our car overheated, and what did Awesome Field Coordinator Extraordinaire Chrissy do..stopped at the funeral home and borrowed the Body van...yes folks...we were rollin' into neighborhoods in the funeral home van...and yes...there were LOTS of jokes..."We'll get ya to the polls, by any means necessary."
But the experience that moved me most...the reason I left Maryland to spend a week in NC... I had the incredible privilege to knock on Ms. Nancy's door, a quiet and shy older woman who, when we asked what was her Plan for Voting, she shyly stated, "I don't vote." We asked why, she said she doesn't read or write. The first thing my Awesome Field Coordinator Extraordinaire said, "Ms. Nancy we will take you to vote!" Ms. Nancy declined, saying it would be too much trouble, she hadn't eaten breakfast, needed to take her medicine and get dressed...Chrissy told her, take your time, we'll come back in an hour. And we did, Ms. Nancy was dressed and ready, but hesitant. She didn't want to take up too much of our time. We assured her, we were honored and privileged to assist her today. We ensured she had ID and a letter or bill sent to her at her home address. We piled in the car, (before it overheated :0) took her to register and early vote. In NC they have same day registration and curb-side voting for the disabled! It was a bit of a slow process...but as we waited, the glow started...Ms Nancy started to absorb the fact that she was about to be registered to vote for the first time, Ms Nancy's fear began to recede, Ms. Nancy started getting excited...it was palpable. Ms Nancy talked about praying for the President to ensure he wins on Tuesday, Ms Nancy started believing that she could effect change. When the ballot finally arrived, Chrissy assisted her in voting for the very first time. We took pictures of her voting and promised to share them with her. We laughed and celebrated her! She said she couldn't wait to go home and call her daughter and tell her she voted! She was going to call her sister and brother and ask them had they voted, because she did! It was truly amazing witnessing the change in Ms. Nancy.
The act of voting is a POWERFUL thing! This is why I volunteer! This is why I am a true believer that every vote counts! This is why I DESPISE the dishonest, disingenuous, and oh so despicable tactics of the Republican party to disenfranchise voters! This is why I am Determined, Committed and Confident that President Barack Hussein Obama will be the 45th (44th really) President of the United States! THREE DAYS...72 hours to work like hell on behalf of this President who has worked sooo damned hard on behalf of us! What are you doing to get him reelected? It really is about Voting Like Your Life Depended on It....because it does...Ms. Nancy, thank you for reminding me again...the power of of one vote! BTW...as of the close of early voting...the unofficial tally from the group Carolina Transparency D-48%, R-32%, I-20% votes cast. The Big Dawg will be in Da House today, and Mrs. O tomorrow...We are In It to Win It in NC!