We're here at the volunteer HQ in Manhattan. Actually, it's super-supporter Jeff's apartment; for the last few days, Jeff has turned his home into our makeshift campaign center in New York.
After a little redecorating from fellow volunteers, his apartment already has the feel of a genuine campaign office. Fellow supporters James S. and Quinn B. painted the O and local arist Mirv K. painted the bird in the middle.
Staffers have been crashing on his couches and his bed, so Jeff literally slept on his roof last night (yes, that's his bed in the picture).
Jeff describes how he got involved initially:
My neighbor and friend Raj, who lives right next door, asked me what I thought about Senator Obama in the beginning of January, and I didn't really know anything about him. Then I saw footage from an old interview with Barack in 2002, where he was voicing his opposition to the war, and it really got me interested. Raj started a Meetup group and then started ObamaNYC.com and all of these people came together and started talking about Obama and it made me realize that this guy was really special. I haven't met an Obama volunteer that I don't like -- it's really unique -- and I've been actively involved ever since.
Several weeks ago, Jeff attended the NYC Camp Obama, where he learned about community organizing skills and how he could step up his involvement in the campaign. All week, he's been helping distribute tickets and coordinate volunteers out of his apartment. He works as a lawyer at the same law firm that Barack Obama worked for when he met Michelle, but he's taken an unpaid leave of absence since the beginning of the month, and he says he won't return to work until Barack wins the primary.
Volunteers are floating in and out of Jeff's place all day to pick up flyers, stickers, and voter registration forms. They're getting the word out all over the city. We're headed out soon to meet up with some of these folks, many of whom have taken a day off from work to be a part of the effort.
See you soon!
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