We did it!! We all did it!!! Anyone reading this blog was part of history. And its not that we elected a black president, its that we elected a great president.
President Barack Obama's ability to inspire and motivate people was on full display the past three days in West Palm Beach County. Over 1000 volunteers had spread out across the county to Barack the Vote, outnumbering the McCain support greater than 3 to 1. We had people all across the nation working together to get every single vote to the ballot box.
At this point in our nation we need a President who can inspire and President Barack Obama showed to the world today that he has the ability to do that.
Enjoy the pics and videos from the celebration at McCrays Backyard BBQ in Mangonia Park, Florida.
I LOVE IT WHEN A PLAN COMES TOGETHER
Videos:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-_DDLqlon8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGDGXd-iEGw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47cT4p5xvQs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2wnOCCLsuFk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rooqE7cqN3s
We pounded the pavement the final day in Riviera Beach and West Palm Beach with Suzie, a 70+ plus grandma driving a Mercedes. We definitely stood out even more today than on Sunday. But indications of victory were early when during our first packet of houses it seemed everyone we spoke to had already voted and vote Obama.
Our objective was to get every registered Obama supporter to the polls. We identified two that were planning to go later and tagged them for follow-up.
After getting lost a few times and taking a side trip to an old hotel that I guess is a landmark in the area, we did a final push for votes in a trailer parker outside West Palm Beach. There was some enthusiasm:
But it was little and it seemed we were making little impact. It was almost 6 and only an hour to the polls closed. We were about to stop canvassing when one person told us that this was like the 3rd time the Obama campaign came to her house that day. But we decided to do a few more trailers.
That's when we met Ricardo Garcia. He grew up a son of Salvadorians in New York and just moved to Florida. When he got his drivers license he checked the box to register to vote.
When we met him, 1 hour before the close of the poll, he told us he was not gonna vote. He said he had never voted and seemed too difficult. We asked if he supported Obama and he said he does and even waived banners for him. We told him the best support is the vote. He hesitated and then asked "what do I need to do?" We told him get in the car and we would take him to the polls.
Ricardo was reluctant. He was told how long the lines were, that votes don't get counted, that it's just too difficult. After a little more urging, he grabbed his brother and hopped into his car and followed us to the poll.
We arrived at the polls and there was not line. I informed the old ladies manning the sign-in that "we have a first time voter". They got excited. A first burst of claps took place when they found his name and address (that's always a concern). Ricardo then filled out his ballot. When he slipped it into the ballot box, the entire poll station erupted in cheers!!! It was awesome!!!!
When Ricardo walked out of the poll station, he turned to his brother with a big smile on his face and said "that was easy!"
We introduced someone to the voting process in the US. I think he will vote again. And with the results that were to be announced in just a few hours, I bet he felt that he was involved in something special.
Thanks to Ricardo Garcia, I also felt I was involved in something special. It was finally clear the impact we were making. Sure it was only 1 vote, but it was only one meeting. When we multiply that by 1000 volunteers in West Palm County alone and multiply that with the number of volunteers across the nation, the results we were to see in just a few hours really were just inevitable.
And besides, every vote counts!!!
Wow. Today is the day. Definite excitement and nervousness fills the air.
News came in last night that our precinct hit 100% goal for early voting numbers!!! Some information behind that data point.
Those are good numbers. We have 7 million people to get to the ballot today. If we get all registered dems to the ballot, Obama most likely carries Florida!!
For me, that means off to Riviera Beach. I'm focusing on Pro-Obama neighborhoods - especially the neighborhoods other volunteers may be a little nervous going to. We are going to get everyone to that ballot box!!!
Don't forget to Barack the Vote!!!!!
There was no voting today in Florida. Early voting had closed mid-afternoon on Sunday. Today we focused on getting people we believe are voting Obama information on where to vote. That meant door hangers.
Beth (my co-worker at Grameen) and I visited a neighborhood she lived in 20 years ago. Door hangers is a boring job. We are not interfacing with the vast majority of homes we visit, we are simply leaving an informational. Still, we ran into people. Only one was negative. The rest were Obama supporters (though one said his Mom is voting McCain and another said his wife is voting the "wrong way").
We met a couple from Turkey eager to send in their absentee ballot. In Florida, the ballot must be received by Nov 4th, not sent by that date. So this couple was going to the county administrator office. We offered to deliver the absentee. The husband was ecstatic, the wife thought we were McCain supporters trying to suppress votes. I provided all my information (including this blog) and they gave us the ballots and, I assure everyone, the votes were delivered!!
I definitely understand the concern, after the last couple elections, I doubt I would've given my ballot to anyone but the ballot box.
A few blocks down, I got my cigar for Tuesday night!! After handing the supporter an Obama water (I'll explain later), he gave me the one thing I still needed to find for Tuesday night (notice, it is still in the wrapper. No smoking it until results are official).
After finishing that neighborhood, we went to a neighborhood in (or near) the swamps. It was dark out and so we didn't really run into people on the streets, though I did need to take on a raccoon to deliver one door hanger.
Overall, the door hanging experience provided another data point of overwhelming Obama support down here. We definitely ran into more Obama supporters than McCain.
After dinner and filing, Richard - a Polish volunteer by way of New York to Florida - and I were sent on a midnight mission to get the Obama yard signs out by the voting centers.
The picture below is an example of a trend we noticed - can you tell what is missing from this picture? (Hint: it starts with McCain and ends with Palin):
Any time we did run into a McCain sign, we buddy up to it with two Obama signs. Just a reminder of the sheer numbers - Obama volunteers are said to outnumber McCain by three to one in Florida.
We finished our midnight mission at about 2:30AM. By the time I returned to the office, it was locked. So I crashed at Richard's house, minus my luggage (after a few beers - that's right bars stay up way past 2AM here - I like that).
In retrospect, my first day in Florida was a very positive day. Canvassing in a Pro-Obama neighborhood is very invigorating, but I took away from my visit much more than just a connection made through our common support for a candidate.
Voter Enthusiasm and Turn-out: I didn’t do the official count, but it seemed more than ½ the people we talked to in Riviera Beach already voted. That is awesome!! It is a poor, African-American neighborhood. From what I have read, it fits a description of a neighborhood that usually does not show up in large numbers at the polls. The sheer enthusiasm was overwhelming. In all honesty, it does leave a question of how many where telling the truth when they said they already voted (early voting lines were queuing at 4 hours waits), but my gut tells me the majority were telling the truth.
The Children have a hero: It’s not too often that white people could walk a neighborhood like Riviera Beach and be greeted let alone embraced. There was skepticism, but the overall there was enthusiasm. What was truly touching was handing a flyer with Barack Obama to a young African-American child. Their eyes lit up and smile spread across their face. A generation truly has a hero.
From my experience yesterday, I have optimism for the first time about this election. I’m still concerned, because I believe the polls can’t be accurate because the variables (voter demographics, voter turnout, etc) are so different than any other year and long voting lines have to impact the final vote (again, they are experiencing lines of over 4 hours for early voting in S. Florida). People are motivated to vote.
However, I saw firsthand the excitement and motivation Barack Obama has brought to a neighborhood that most likely normally is not politically active. As a volunteer, my greatest impact can be made by making sure this enthusiasm shows up to the poll.
I set out on a red-eye from Seattle Nov 1st @ 11:55PM PST. Goal is to get Barack Obama elected by impacting the final days of campaigning in the most important and closest fought battle ground state - Florida.
I finally arrived at 1PM Nov 2nd after 5 1/2 hours in the air and a layover where I slept on the floor of the Dallas/ Ft Worth airport for 4 hours. I was picked up by two voluteers that represent Obama's base - Jewish, Harvard grad, elitists from NYC - and brought to the Jupiter Floride Field Office.
We were sent to Riviera Beach, where went to an Obama bungaloo to get our assignment.
We were given a five block by five block area within the neighborhood. Riviera Beach is a African-American, Pro-Obama neighborhood. Four white Jewish kids hiking around the neighborhood definitely stood out.
We initially got a few shout-outs:
"White fellas!!"
"Hey, you don't look like your from here?"
"What are white guys doing in Riviera?"
As we started to spread the word that we were with the Obama campaign, the excitement spread around the neighborhood.
If you visit Riviera Beach and see young African-Americans kids running with the sticker below (Barack Obama written in Hebrew), you will be witness to my work in the neighborhood:
We came back to the Jupiter Field Office for hardcore paperwork and data entry until 1AM.
A surprise visit by the man himself made it all worth it!!!!
Thank you Barack!! And his response is thank you to all of his supporters, thank you!!! For it is all of us that must get involved to creating change. Yes We Can!!!
