Jolly's Blog

Obamarama Happy Hour & Other Margarita Updates

Jolly, a person of unyielding hope who helped elect President Obama — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 13:56:56 EDT

Greetings Obamaritaville,

To our new members, WELCOME. We raise our glasses to you. A few updates:

OBAMARAMA – Happy Hour

This Friday a new member of our group, Phil, will be hosting an Obamarama Night at the Cooper Door Tavern (272 3rd Ave). He and a friend will be bartending and will be generously donating their tips from the night to the Obama campaign (SO TIP generously)! I will have NY voter registration forms for distribution at the event and it goes without saying that we do not want any New Yorkers leaving that bar unregistered (assuming, of course, they are American citizens). We should have the event cross-posted on our site soon, but in the meantime please sign up here: http://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/4459q

JOURNEY FOR CHANGE

A humongous thank you to all our book donors and book signers that took part in our Journey for Change book drive for the Bushwick kids going to South Africa. Thanks to your generosity, each kid has their own book with a positive message to take on their journey (you can read some of the messages on the Blog here http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/jolly/gGxDBc). I dropped off the books at the Bushwick Salvation Army yesterday and could not be more thrilled by our project. The kids will be writing us a letter upon return from South Africa and I will be sure to post it to the site at that time. Empowerment through global service, indeed!

WOMEN FOR OBAMA

For the ladies, if any of you would like to join the Tri-State Women for Obama e-mail distribution list, please shoot me an e-mail at obamasupporterwithamargarita@gmail.com. We will be having a conference call with Becky Carrol, the National Director of Women for Obama on Tuesday, July 29th from 7:30 pm to 8:00 pm. OBAMA SUPPORTERS WITH A MARGARITA – Chicago ChapterSome of our fantastic members in Senator Obama’s home state of Illinois are planning their first event. The wealth of talent astounds. So Illinois members or members with friends in Chicago, holler if you want to get in on the planning stage. Ok, that’s all for now. I will be at the Obama for America and DNC Platform meeting for Manhattan tonight at Cardozo, sans margarita for once. The details can be found here http://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/platformmeeting/4482z.

Cheers Ever Your HopeMonger, Jolly

SAVE THE DATE / Get Tickets-- All Points West Music Festival - Vote for Change voter registration, fun, Radiohead and us (http://www.apwfestival.com/ ).

Journey for Change – Your Messages, Our Present & Future Hope

Jolly, a person of unyielding hope who helped elect President Obama — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 20:50:25 EDT

Journey for Change – Your Messages, Our Present & Future Hope

“Empowering Youth Through Global Service”

Youth – Community – Hope – Service – Empowerment – Change – Destiny

Greetings Fellow Hopemongers, Women for Obama, Vote for Change Volunteers, Obama Supporters with a Margarita, Friends, Brooklynites, New Yorkers, Obama Family, Americans, and Global Citizens.

As some of you know, we have been collecting copies of Hill Harper’s Letters to a Young Brother and Letters to a Young Sister to send with the 15 girls (young women) and 15 boys (young men) from Bushwick, Brooklyn, that will be taking part in the Journey for Change youth service project to South Africa. (Details on this amazing project headed by Obama supporter Malaak Compton-Rock, who also happens to be the mother of my dynamic North Carolina canvassing partner Gayle, can be found on the Angel Rock Project web site at http://www.angelrockproject.com/arp/projects/journey_for_change.asp). The book drive was part of the Vote for Change registration drive we had in Harlem the night of the Montana and South Dakota primaries (with 66 voter registrations collected by our awesome volunteers.)(Details on this past event and some of my motivation for creating it can be found at http://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/4b5m).

In addition to providing books full of advice and guidance to read on their trip, Obama supporters have been writing in personal messages for these young adults that may one day be future women and men for Obama and, just possibly --with a little hope and help, future leaders of their communities and our country. As a bonus, the “Young Brother” book includes a letter from Senator Obama and the “Young Sister” book contains a letter from Michelle Obama. I have included some of the amazing messages already gathered below. Due to the generous donations by our past volunteers and donors (particularly my own Mama for Obama in Colorado and Lonny in NYC with multiple donations), it looks like we may have donors for all the books. However, I need more messages from YOU. Before you try to tell me that you are too busy, take a look at the fundraising picture and you will see that Senator Obama took the time out to sign one of the books at the Women for Obama breakfast we just had in New York!!! I have to admit, I’m going to be a little jealous handing over that treasure.

So please leave messages for the kids in the comments section of the blog. I am asking for a small suggested $5 to $10 donation to the campaign through our fundraising link to participate, but will accept positive messages from all regardless of contribution (after all economic times are hard). Link for the fundraising page and the Obama signature can be found here: http://my.barackobama.com/page/outreach/view/maingroup/ObamaSupporterswithaMargarita

“Your life is what you make it. Those who achieve don’t waste time on self-pity…Instead they strive for excellence. They take responsibility for their actions and they try to focus not just on themselves, but on others. In fact when you focus on others you realize the blessings you have…It doesn’t mean you can’t get down sometimes. Everybody does. But, always remember that being defeated is a temporary condition. Giving up is what makes it permanent….Barack” Letters to a Young Brother by Hill Harper, page 157

Obama Supporters’ Messages of HOPE --

“…Be grateful for what you have – be compassionate to those that do not have what you have – and work for quality in this world…and always LOVE.” – Sue, NYC

Always dream big, but remember to set goals. …Stand by your convictions. Don’t blindly follow the crowd…You have one life, live it to the fullest!’ Love I. Watkins, NY

“Future Ba-rack Star, I am actually a college student that is only now getting involved in the political process. Before this election I dreamed big, but my dreams were always questioned by a society that constantly dismissed my ability, and the collective abilities of young people…I write this to ask you to never allow anyone question your strength or power. Your voice is your tool, use it to be the change you seek…I find comfort in knowing that whatever you choose to do, the story that you write through living will make a mark on the pursuit of progress.” Sara, NYU Student & NY Women for Obama

“Khaljani – This is Swahili for destined to rule. In the Spirit, brother, I know that indeed, you are. Rule yourself & submit to righteous principals. Then serve greatly, young prince! --Brother Esq., NJ (a friend of Kevin Powell, who is running to be the Democratic candidate for Congress in Brooklyn, NY, District 10)

This is coming to you from NY City where we are about to see Barack Obama, who we hope will be our next President. He is truly an inspiration and proof that you can accomplish anything if you put your mind and your soul into it. Be strong, be confident, respect yourself and know you can be anything you want to be!” Dianne NYC

“Dear Young Sister, As you go on your journey to South Africa, I want you to bear in mind that it is always more gracious to give then to receive.” – P. Obetoh, NYC

“As I write this I am at a gathering of Obama supporters. Obama just clinched the nomination for the Democratic nominee for President. A historic night. I’m hoping we’ll have another historic night this November…Cherish your trip to South Africa. The world is a much smaller place than we know.” - JQ Faith, New York

“South Africa is such an interesting country. You will do and learn so much and at the same time make a contribution. Best wishes for a truly extraordinary experience.” --J. Fogurty, A Woman for Obama

May the examples that you are reading about in this book inspire you to reach for the stars! Dimitra, New York

“Good luck on your adventure. Follow your heart…it will help you decide the right thing to do…” Lara, NY, HIV Counselor

“My sister lives in a country where people don’t get to vote and she always reminds me what a great power and blessing it is!!” Ellen, NY

“Be Inspired! Enjoy! S. , NY

Independence Day - Remembering Angela and Celebrating Our Democracy

Jolly, a person of unyielding hope who helped elect President Obama — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 08:58:52 EDT

On this Independence day, as I joyfully celebrate our freedom and the birth of this great country. I am also remembering that there is still a lot of work to do to perfect our union and to protect the democracy that those whom came before us fought so hard to secure. I am remembering in particular Angela, with whom some of our older members are already familiar (and whose story keeps me chasing people down the streets, bars and concert halls doing voter registration to this day).

During the primary season I was part of the attorney Promote the Vote voter protection volunteer force in Columbus, Ohio, West Philadelphia, PA and Rocky Mount, NC. In Rocky Mount, NC, I ended up driving a voter (Lakisha) to a polling location other than my assigned location since it sounded like she was getting the run around. This was late in the day (5ish) and I got to the other location to find a line of people in front of the presiding judge including a woman with tears streaming down her face at the front of the line. The woman was pleading with the judge that she HAD to vote for Senator Obama, that she had a small child and this was so important to her family. It turns out that the DMV in this largely African American district had registered a bunch of voters as Republicans. Thus, this life long democrat and Obama volunteer was only being offered a Republican ballot (which she refused to take). Thankfully, Angela didn't give up. She had originally left, but had come back to the polls after hearing Hill Harper on the radio saying that people shouldn't let anyone turn them away! We were able to convince the judge to give her a Democratic provisional ballot and Angela was able to vote her true conviction. Sadly, the judge said that this had been happening all day long and at least five other people had left without voting. Angela touched my heart and reinforced how important it is to vote and not let anyone take this right away from you. I also learned that its a good idea to double check your registration with the Board of Elections and make sure you are properly on the rolls! So for Angela, for those 5 others whomever they be, for Senator Obama and for this country, I will continue to do my part to promote the vote. Long live Democracy, Long live Independence.

If anyone would like to join me in a symbolic donation of $17.76 to the campaign this Independence Day, our group thermometer is now fired up and ready to go. http://my.barackobama.com/page/group/ObamaSupporterswithaMargarita

God Bless America and God Bless Senator Obama,
Jolly "Hopemonger"N

Obama Supporters with a Margarita -- Goes Live on My BO

Jolly, a person of unyielding hope who helped elect President Obama — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 23:14:17 EDT

It's official.... Obama Supporters with a Margarita has been approved and is now up as a grassroots group on My BO at http://my.barackobama.com/page/group/ObamaSupporterswithaMargarita.

So let me stick my head out of the trenches of democracy for a moment to welcome all of our new members. Of course, to our long standing members I lift my perpetual glass in your direction (and a special shout out to Texas, because the supporters and the margaritas there are just so good).

We will be posting new events to the group soon, but in the meantime please feel free to share your ideas and experiences with the group on our blog. I am learning as much as I can, as fast as I can so that we are best equipped to bring about the change we seek and HAPPILY usher in an Obama presidency.

We also have a listing on Facebook which can be found at http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=17637488723&ref=mf

For the NYC crowd, come out to PS1 7/5 for the opening day of Warm Up . Music, a waterfall, dancing, art and democracy...Oh my. http://www.ps1.org/ps1_site/content/view/362/74/ I will be armed with extra voter registration forms.

Also, until it sells out, you can sign up for the Women for Obama breakfast with Senator Obama the morning of 7/10 by going here http://my.barackobama.com/July10

Thats all for now, Barack On
Jolly

Happy Father's Day Daddy

Jolly, a person of unyielding hope who helped elect President Obama — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 09:51:57 EDT

I am sure there are many here that, like me, have lost our fathers along the way. However, instead of mourning that loss, today I am celebrating the life of a remarkable man who I had the honor of calling Daddy for the first 8 years of my life. While our time together was short, the lessons of love, kindness and human decency he taught me I will always carry with me.

My father died in a car accident in the mountains of Jamaica on his way home from going to deliver the horrible news to a mother that her son had drowned. The son was a student at a school in Ocho Rios where my parents were volunteer teachers. My father's last known words ever spoken were to this mother, as he told her, "You have strength and courage. God will see you through." When times are trying, which they sometimes are, I can still find these words which resonate someplace deep within me.

My parents marched with Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King on the same South Side streets of Chicago where Senator Obama would later work as a community organizer. They answered JFK's call to service and packed their bags for service in the Peace Corps in Uganda. Then in the most transformative act of love, they adopted my brother and I and gave us a place to call home.

From his life, from his passions, from his educational excellence, from his belief in social justice, from the loving way he carried me on his shoulders and tucked me into bed at night -- from all of this and from the many more stories that I have heard from my own Mama for Obama, I know with a certainty that had he lived to see this day he too would have championed an Obama presidency.

Daddy, please know that I will work my heart out so that your grand child (and your future grand children) inherit the best America that we can give them.

Happy Father's Day, I love you always. John Wilson Northrop 1943-1980.

Ever your hopemongering daughter,

Jolly

UPDATE --It's About Democracy - Not Politics (An Independent Woman for Obama)

Jolly, a person of unyielding hope who helped elect President Obama — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 11:25:16 EDT

Some of you may have read the original blog below that I wrote to an undecided woman friend of mine in response to her asking me why I support Barack. I am reposting it now, since I am just off Skype with that same friend who called to announce that "she is out of the closet" and fully on board with Obama!!!!

She does not have a profile on the website (at least not yet), so I won't out her by name, but I wanted to encourage others with the knowledge that a seed planted in fertile ground will grow. It may take sunshine, water, nourishment and time, but Senator Obama's HOPE is a resilient plant. In her own words, "I have not been excited about politics in a loooong time." Yes We Can

Below is the response I wrote to an undecided friend as to why I support Barack Obama (NO LONGER UNDECIDED, NOW PART OF THE OBAMA FAMILY)

It's About Democracy - Not Politics

For What It's Worth: My Case for President Obama

By Jolly

Dedicated to L. and all other

undecided women of intelligence and substance

In elections past being political meant trying to be informed on the issues

and the candidates and ultimately going to the polls and voting. I

registered to vote as soon as I turned 18 and I voted and voted, but as far

as I can tell things basically stayed the same and in many respects got

worse. I never stopped voting, but at least to some degree I stopped caring and

life went on. In the words of another Obama supporter, 'For too long I had

been sleeping, but I had been afraid to dream' (Andre Useche, "Si Se Puede Cambiar" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ky8Hvq-F0U).

However, then the unexpected happened. Along came a Senator who issued a direct challenge to all

those who still care about this country and still have faith in its possibilities to actually get

involved and engage as citizens. His name is Barack Obama.

In different words and in a different time, he echoes JFK's challenge to

"Ask not what your country can do for you but what you can do for your

country." However, there is an added component, because he says by his

actions and in his own voice that it is not just ok to hope and believe in

a better America, it is essential. The question becomes can we put aside

ideological, racial, regional and socio-economic differences and find the

common ground that unites us. If the last eight years have taught us nothing

else, have they not taught us that as Americans our lot, our safety, our

future is inextricably linked to one another and that it absolutely does

matter who our leader is and who we choose as the public face of our

country in the world?

If you know me and my family, I can't imagine that it would shock you that I

would throw my lot in with the dreamers and the visionaries. My family, and

my Mom in particular, taught me that it is more than okay to believe in the better

angels of our nature. So I am an optimist and I try to live up to the name

my parents gave me. However, I'm also a pragmatist. I have learned to

guard my better nature with discernment and with the ability to make precise

and instinctual judgments about people and what they stand for. I count

amongst my closest friends people whom I consider to be giants and leaders of mind,

heart - and particularly spirit. These are the same attributes I identify in

Senator Obama.

There are some aspects of my reality that many close to me don't share. For

instance, I know what it is to force back racism by sheer willpower. It's

not that I haven't faced it, but rather that I have made the active decision

in my life to defy it. I have been taught to, when possible, feel pity for

those who would cast judgments about me based solely on the color of my

skin, as ignorance is its own prison. I would never cast my vote for

someone based either on the color of their skin or on their gender. To do so

would be contrary to my very nature. However, as someone who shares Senator

Obama's mixed race heritage and multi-cultural background, I do believe

there is an empathetic component that may allow him a clearer vision of the

diversity of his constituency. I also place great value on his expansive

and personally informed worldview, which I believe will enable him to relate to a

host of other global citizens. I believe the size of Senator Obama's margin

of victory in the Democrats Abroad contest, is an active testament as to which

candidate those who live outside our borders think would best aid us in

stemming the tide of anti-American sentiment in the world and be most likely

to restore our standing in the global community.

And then there is Mom - one of the greatest examples of a woman of substance

and intelligence that I know, as well as one of the fiercest supporters of

Senator Obama's candidacy. For me, the example has been set, the dies have been

cast. My parents answered the call of another President and served as Peace

Corps volunteers in Uganda (until the forced evacuation of Americans due to

the tyranny of one of the despots of their time, Idi Amin, made it impossible

to stay). My parents also marched with Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. on the same

South Side of Chicago streets where Senator Obama years later would work

tirelessly against voter disenfranchisement as a community organizer. They

stood for social justice and against racial inequality long before they

could have possibly known that they would one day be proud parents of brown

children. And then, in the transformative act of love that has most

profoundly influenced who I am today, when I was 3 weeks old they adopted me and made me

the heart of our family (a place I proudly share with my brother Jon). Our

household soon swelled as a family of Cambodian refugees temporarily joined

us in our home on Maple Knoll Drive in St. Paul, Minnesota.

My father died in a car accident in the mountains of Jamaica in 1980 on his

way home from going to deliver the horrible news to a mother that her son

had drowned. The son was a student at a school in Ocho Rios where my

parents were volunteer teachers. My father's last known words ever spoken

were to this mother, as he told her, "You have strength and courage. God will see you through."

I carry those words, as well as all of his other lessons of love and human dignity, with me to this day.

So I REJECT and RENOUNCE anyone that would try to claim that words don't matter. Is it not in part

social contracts made up of words such as the Constitution that bind us together and communicate

our ideals to the world? As you can see, I come from a family of words, hope,

compassion, education and action. Thus, when my mother explained to me that

it was personal to her that we as a family support Senator Obama, there

really was no other choice. At the end of the day, win or lose, I will be

able to say that I cast my vote based on my true informed convictions and

based on my best hopes for this country. I truly believe that the future

will show that once again our family has stood on the right side of history.

So to the action: as you probably know, I have joined millions of

like-minded supporters in the trenches of democracy. We are fighting for

democracy, more transparency in government, and for a President who has a

proven ability to unite, inspire and tackle with openness the real problems

that exist in this country and in this world - a President who has built his

campaign from the bottom up on the political strength, ideas and resources of

the governed and who is not beholden to lobbyists and PAC money. America needs

a President who is willing to not only listen to, but to work with, those who hold

different views - someone who is able to find and build consensus on common ground,

around common concerns and based on common convictions and beliefs. In order to pull off big

things, to bring change, you have to be able to get people to invest in working together to fix the

problems, both immediate and systemic. In my opinion, Senator Obama has

both the strongest record and greatest potential in this regard.

The fact that the generation behind me has also been emboldened to join in

this fight and are also casting their votes for Senator Obama in large

margins is just one more example of his ability to bring new voices, new

ideas and new innovations into the governing process. I know I am not an

anomaly. I have now had the great privilege of meeting and working with

Obama supporters from across the country and can say that in large part

Obama supporters are DOERS. We are people of words, conviction and action

and we are ready to cast our lot and our vote with Senator Obama. Yes, it

is in some respects a matter of trust. However, I'm not just betting on

Senator Obama, I am betting on myself, on like-minded Obama supporters across

the country, and on America itself.

So from my place of deepest conviction I ask that you join me in my support

for Senator Obama. As you can see from all I have said this is personal to me. For

Senator Obama, for my mother, for those that fight each day to protect us in

the battlefields and now for me, what this country is and what it stands for

is very personal. Thus, I ask that you join us in the battle for a better

America.

I am proud to be an American, but I could be prouder, I long to be prouder.

Senator Obama and what he stands for makes me prouder.

"In the unlikely story that is America, there is no such thing as false

hope" --Senator Barack Obama

OBAMA '08

-----------------

WE ARE THE CHANGE WE'VE BEEN WAITING FOR

I invite you to take personal responsibility and educate yourself on Senator

Obama's positions and proposed policies on the many real issues that face

this country, which can be found on www.barackobama.com under issues (as

well as in his Blueprint for Change).

Additional information on his Senate Bills

can be found through the Library of Congress website at http://thomas.loc.gov/,

which is just one more of many democratic tools that Senator Obama and his supporters have

brought me.

Just a Note to Add that we will be having a Vote for Change voter registration drive in Harlem on Tuesday (June 3rd, check out the events page for details http://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/4b5m)

Hope to see you there, let's spread some hope and democracy in New York aka Obama Country

I'm Here for Angela -- Vote for Change NYC

Jolly, a person of unyielding hope who helped elect President Obama — Mon, 12 May 2008 20:21:44 EDT

Vote for Change NYC
I'm Here for Angela

Saturday was a wonderful day here in the Big Apple. After six weekends volunteering in Pennsylvania and last week in North Carolina, it seems that I haven't been home in my own fair city on the weekend in forever. So it was great pleasure that I headed up to Harlem to join the Vote for Change volunteers at A M E Zion Church. What a sight. There were volunteers lined up down the block to get into the church. I mean when was the last time you saw people lined up down the block to volunteer for anything?! Then into the church we went, a church the pastor referred to as "Freedom Church" because of its rich history. The church was literally filled to the rafters in the upper balcony and I saw so many familiar faces in the crowd (including many of fellow NY Women for Obama members).

Then we headed out to our various locations across the city. My group headed to the East Village (Tompkins Square Park), which is my own little corner of this great country called America. There is a great picture of us riding on the Subway here http://www.flickr.com/photos/practicingmuse/ . We also registered our first two voters (a lovely couple) on the Subway. There was also an elderly Chinese women who spoke almost no English, but pointed to the picture of Barack on my sign and said "Obama" and smiled. I gave her an Obama button as she read over the Chinese section on the voter registration form. I don't know whether she is a citizen or not, but despite the language barrier, I know she is a member of team Obama.

All in all, I registered 17 voters (I don't know the count for the group as a whole as we turned in our forms to different locations), but it was great to be out in the streets hustling for democracy with some new friends and fellow hopemongers. The 17 didn't even include a number of people who didn't have time to fill out the form on the spot or wanted to do it themselves (very New York). The number did include one Republican waiter (who indicated that he would certainly consider voting for Senator Obama in November), an older European-American banker, a former Felon who didn't know that he could vote again after having served out his sentence and parole, a homeless man living in a shelter (which was actually a change of address as he was already registered but now lives in a shelter and on the streets). My number also included several people coming out of Whole Foods. We moved to Whole Foods as we were hitting a large portion of foreign tourists in the park (this is NYC after all). The amazing thing is that without exception all the foreigners said that they couldn't vote, but wish that they could vote for Obama. We also heard lots of encouraging words from already registered voters, including a few older women who said they had voted for Clinton in the primary but would be supporting Senator Obama in November. Maybe I won them over with my sign that said "100 Years Is Too Long to Wait"

I can't sign off before telling you about Angela, who I dedicate every one of my new Registrants to. I am an attorney here in NYC and volunteered with Promote the Vote voter protection in Columbus, Ohio, West Philadelphia, PA and Rocky Mount, NC. In Rocky Mount, NC, I ended up driving a voter (Lakisha) to a polling location other than my assigned location since it sounded like she was getting the run around. This was late in the day (5ish) and I got to the other location to find a line of people in front of the presiding judge including a woman with tears streaming down her face at the front of the line. The woman was pleading with the judge that she HAD to vote for Senator Obama, that she had a small child and this was so important to her family. It turns out that the DMV in this largely African American district had registered a bunch of voters as Republicans. Thus, this life long democrat and Obama volunteer was only being offered a Republican ballot (which she refused to take). Thankfully, Angela didn't give up. She had originally left, but had come back to the polls after hearing Hill Harper on the radio saying that people shouldn't let anyone turn them away. We were able to convince the judge to give her a Democratic provisional ballot and Angela was able to vote her true conviction. Sadly, the judge said that this had been happening all day long and at least five other people had left without voting. Angela touched my heart and reinforced how important it is to vote and not let anyone take this right away from you. So for Angela, for those 5 others whomever they be, for Senator Obama and for this country, I will continue to do my part to promote the vote.

God Bless America and God Bless Senator Obama,
Jolly "Hopemonger"

Independents (registered as Democrats) for Obama '08 and '12

One More For HOPE -GOTV volunteer tales from Durham, NC

Jolly, a person of unyielding hope who helped elect President Obama — Mon, 05 May 2008 10:38:45 EDT

One More For Hope - GOTV Durham, North Carolina

Greetings from North Carolina fellow HopeMongers. I won't write too exhaustively, because there are more votes to get to the polls, but I thought I'd send a few words back from the ground.

Day 1, Saturday

I flew into Raleigh-Durham from NYC Saturday morning (talked to three Obama supporters getting off the plane, a couple from Vermont and a younger woman from NC who had already early voted, but was personally following up with all her friends to make sure they voted, yes we can). Good start. I missed one of my turns and got a little nervous, since the only other vehicle at the McDonalds I stopped to ask directions at was a truck full of men with a confederate flag license plate. However, that was the last time I have felt anything but hope since I got here. I got direction from some sweet older women inside and found my way to my supporting housing where I could see a welcoming Obama sign in the yard.

My host is a wonderful woman named Andrea who has shown me such incredible southern hospitality and I couldn't be more grateful that she has been willing to open her beautiful home to me (albeit I think if she had her way she would keep me in the house stuffing me with food and discussing the greatness of Obama's candidacy all day long). By the time we got checked in, trained and out to our staging location, we only had a few hours to canvass, but we still that was enough time to identify some supporters and get the lay of the land (including one of my favorites a 92 year old woman who will be voting for Senator Obama curbside and her daughter that said she hadn't been able to early vote, but that she would be "happy" to stand in a line on Tuesday to vote because she knows it will be a line full of Obama supporters), Yes We Can. My canvassing partner was a woman named Jackie and we enjoyed a post canvass dinner at Dillards, a local Southern BBQ restaurant - pulled pork, collard greens and green beans and NC sweet tea for two -$14, warm smiles and greetings from behind the counter- free, Obama literature at the checkout - Priceless. Yes We Can!

Day 2, Sunday

I woke up in the early am (can you say restless) and caught up on the www.barackobama.com blogs a bit, listened to some morning news and also caught part of a sermon with Trinity's new pastor Rev. Moss (the sermon was about the church's responsibility to care for victims of child and sexual abuse - "When Hell is a Place Called Home"). Then I had a homemade Southern breakfast with Andrea and her fiancée (who is also a big time Obama supporter and an encyclopedia on the numbers). Caught Obama on Meet the Press (thought he was fantastic and had a little moment of indignation at the silliness of Senator Clinton's gas tax plan - as if I would sell out my fellow country men and women for ½ a tank of gas even if it was a very cool day in hell and the bill passed through Congress and was signed into law by PRESIDENT BUSH before Memorial Day, whatever…). Anyway… Then I was off to HQ and my staging location. I was a little bit early and they weren't sending out canvassers yet so I stood on the corner with my rally sign and asked people stopped at the stop sign whether they were voting on Tuesday (lots and lots of friendly beeps from the road). Yes We Can! Then actors and fellow Obama supporters Hill Harper and Kal Penn talked to us before we headed out to canvass. Hill Harper went to Harvard Law with Senator Obama and talked about how he had asked Barack to answer a question for his book about why life seems so hard (Letters to A Young Brother is the name of the book and I'm going to have to pick it up as Letters to a Young Poet by Rilke is one of my all time favorite books) and even though Hill had procrastinated in getting him the question, Senator Obama stayed up late into the night during a foreign policy visit in Israel to answer the question with his usual thoughtful insight. I now forget whether it was Hill or Kal, but one of them told a story about, paraphrasing - a man they met in Iowa who had said that he had seen politicians descend on Iowa every 4 years for forever with no change in between, but that Senator Obama was the first "Statesman" he had ever met (encouraging us to look up the difference in the dictionary):

Statesman --A person who is experienced in the art of government or versed in the administration of government affairs; A person who exhibits great wisdom and ability in directing the affairs of a government or in dealing with important public issues.

Politician -- One who is actively involved in politics, especially party politics; One who holds or seeks a political office; One who seeks personal or partisan gain, often by scheming and maneuvering: "Mothers may still want their favorite sons to grow up to be President, but . . . they do not want them to become politicians in the process" (John F. Kennedy); One who is skilled or experienced in the science or administration of government.

My canvassing partner on Sunday was a woman named Gayle with an Obama sticker decked out Prius. She was talking about her daughter taking a group of high school students from NY to South Africa and I realized I had heard about that program somewhere along the way…turns out her daughter is Malaak Rock of the Angel Rock Project (who is also the wife of fellow Obama supporter Chris Rock). Clearly Gayle has instilled her own values of service and volunteerisim in her children. Small Obama world. We found our canvassing turf (two apartment/condo complexes) and got to work. The good news is that it was overwhelming Obama supporters, but on the downside probably over 1/3 of the addresses were not the people on the list. However, we tried to record all the new updated information and lots and lots of people promised they would be going to the polls on Tuesday. Over 100 doors knocked on and only one Clinton supporter (or at least I'm assuming it was a Clinton supporter as she was pretty rude in her refusal). Anyway, NO distractions, because almost all the rest of the people that were home were for Obama or leaning Obama with two true undecideds. We even found 5 volunteers to help us GOTV today and tomorrow and several people who had either registered to vote recently to vote for Obama or who had already early voted. Yes We Can. We went back to the office to tally, talk and take a conference call with Senator Obama. There were all these people counting up their numbers and sharing their stories. Another favorite was an oral historian with a six year old daughter that had asked her Mom to look into Obama's candidacy and vote for him (at six years old she was drawn in by her love for Michelle Obama). Out of the mouths of babes, the future is here indeed. Signed up one more volunteer named David that I flagged down on my way to the car (after all I am what my own Mama for Obama calls shameless for Obama). I also met a wonderful mother (Marlene) and son on the sidewalk going to the car. The son was only just turning 18 and had already early voted for Obama and her daughter (who is away at college) was picked by Congress to go to the Presidential swearing in as a Young Leaders of America (that may not be the right name of the organization, but something like that). Personally, as part of the upper end of the "under 35" demographic, it makes me so proud how we have risen to Senator Obama's challenge to engage as citizens. Yes We Can. Got a little lost again on my way home (what can I say I'm a New Yorker that drives about twice a year), but I met a bunch of Obama men in the parking lot of a Church's chicken (every single one of them knew the delegate count down to a tee) and then a little later one disheartened never votes disheartened ex-felon named Mike who doesn't believe in any politician. I don't know if he will vote in the general, but I think I might have gotten him closer to at least registering to vote for the general (if for no other reason that it would make his complaining more effective if he was actually a voter). He left saying that Senator Obama does seem like a good guy and he hoped that "my man" did win the Presidency.

Anyway, I wanted to write this out so I have it for the future, but don't have time to edit it right now (got to GOTV). So excuse the rambling stream, punctuation, etc., but I hope you can still see the HOPE. Every vote counts (hello Guam), so I make sure everyone knows that we are the ones that need to keep HOPE alive. Keep up all the great work out there and "Let's Do This" (words from my fellow Obama compatriot Julius presently in Indiana GOTV).

Today I will be off to canvass, take part in the training for the attorney voter protection (Promote the Vote) and then heading to poll watch up in Rocky Mount, NC during the primary. Yes We Can.

Ever Your HopeMonger,
Jolly

It's About Democracy - Not Politics (An Independent Woman for Obama)

Jolly, a person of unyielding hope who helped elect President Obama — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 22:59:25 EDT

Below is the response I wrote to an undecided friend as to why I support Barack Obama