Have you pounded the pavement to support your candidate?

I am somewhat ashamed to say the extent of my efforts are limited to a sign in my yard. To be continued…

I’m a democrate and I was talking to this republican at Salmon Days (it’s a festival we have in Washington). I walked by him and he’s like “don’t be afraid to vote for McCain” Then I said “no thanks. I’m going to vote for the right person.” Then he got in this argybargy and went off about all this stuff and I had to correct him on how to say Iran and Iraq (it’s pronounced Eron and Erock). It was so funny because everytime he said it wrong even in the middle of his sentance I would correct him, then she would try to say it in a cool way. But everything that he said really just went in one ear and out the other.

He asked me to give him one reason why I was voting for Obama and I said that I was a Democrate. Then these two older guys came over and started a HUGE argybargy and it looked like it was going to turn into a fist-fight, so I went between them and said to the Republican “I thought of reason number 2. John McCain’s face scares me.” and he said “yeah it is a little pasty.” lol. Then the two other guys left.

The Republican guy had braces (and he looked like he was in his late 30’s early 40’s) so I really wanted to do what they did on family guy. The guy asks stewie, “aren’t you a little young to be traveling alone?” then stewie asks, “aren’t you a little old to be wearing braces?” I wanted him to say, “Aren’t you a little young to vote?” so I could say, “aren’t you a little old to be wearing braces?” I wouldn’t really have said that though, because that would be rude, but I would have had the satisfaction of thinking it lol.

Plus, on the way out I got like 10 Obama stickers and placed then all over the front of me and as I walked by him I had my front facing toward him and was waving and I said “see ya later!” It was awesome!!! lol

That’s just my two sense (or cents(whatever it is)) lol.

no, i don’t do anything other than voice my opinion, when asked.
Mainly because, there’s enough stuff out there all ready and I never contribute money to campaigns. It takes a millionaire to be President – let them pay for it.

I did buy a button…

Just for the record: I’ve done both. I phone banked one weekend and traveled to a nearby swing state to canvass another. I intend to continue canvassing until the election.

I have pounded the virtual pavement (you know, on the information superhighway) for about 2 years spreading pro-Obama information and fighting back attacks that I thought to be baseless and unfair by presenting counterarguments with logic, fact, and reason.

I have supported Obama by making 6 donations to his campaign, even though it’s hard for me to give away money.

I have argued face to face with people with whom I’ve disagreed.

When receiving emails with smears and lies, I have immediately responded to them with the facts.

On caucus day, I sent out an email to everyone I knew encouraging them to get out and participate, no matter who they supported, and explained who I supported and why.

But I have not picked up a phone.

I have not gone door to door.

Why?

Because that’s not my personality. First off, I don’t like to bother people. I’m the type to screen my calls and not come to the door if I don’t know who is knocking. I don’t want to disrespect anyone’s right not to be bothered, any more than I want them to disrespect mine. Second, my understanding is that one out of 4 people will come to the door, and one out of 12 of those will be potentially a voter you can get to vote for your candidate. So, it seems to me that if I have to bother 50 people to get one vote, that’s a lot of work for a little payback. Yet, I respect and admire those who do it, because if you have tens of thousands of people knocking on hundreds of doors, you very well might get several hundred or even several thousand people to the polls in any given state, and that could swing a state when looked at collectively. And not having this kind of organization is like leaving yourself undefended, where a campaign feels it’s close enough to do such an undertaking, it’s stupid for the other campaign not to do so.

But I’m just not a salesman. I’d have a hard time persuading people even if I could get past the sense that I was bothering them. And surely, for every McCain voter I came across who said something just to infuriate me, it would make me feel all defensive and weird for quite some time…the whole idea just turns me off. But again, I’m SO glad people do it. But there’s another reason. I live in Minnesota, and though the McCain camp insists it’s a swing state, if you believe that, I’ve got a bridge in Alaska to sell you. There is no way Obama will lose Minnesota, I’m as sure of that as of anything, and I remember that Bush treated Minnesota like a swing state. But when they didn’t win, all the Republicans in leadership positions in Minnesota went on TV to gloat about how they got Kerry to spend a ton of money here that if he’d spent in Ohio instead, he might have won. So I know that Minnesota is a ruse, and even though the Obama campaign would love to have me get more deeply involve, and even though I’ve felt like his most passionate, long standing supporter (I was rooting for him to join the race for months before he did), I will not canvas.

As for phones, OK, that’s a little more my speed…maybe I can do that…and I haven’t completely decided that no way, no how will I do this. But it’s about the same thing…you only get so many to answer the phone, and very few are moveable…it might actually be harder than door to door in some way. Indeed, I did this 2 years ago, I volunteered for about 2 hours on election day for Move On in 2006 for the Congressional election, and I felt the numbers they gave me were wasted resources. They had me call the most conservative district in Minnesota to try to convince people to vote for a non incumbent Democrat in the House…she lost by a 2 to 1 margin. I think I called 150 people and I was able to report how much support each candidate was getting, but I don’t think I changed a single mind. And what did I get for my trouble? A $90 cell phone bill. So, I’ve decided I’d rather just give that money to the candidate so they can better target their efforts and recruit people who are actually GOOD at going door to door and being persuasive.

Now in the past, when I was a kid, I sold several things door to door. As an adult I canvased for the 1990 census. I called people to do election polling in the 1992 elections. I’ve done this kind of thing, I know how tough and thankless it is, and I know that I’m just not cut out for it. But what I am cut out for is combating ignornace whereever I see it, be it on here, on blog comments, or other sites, emails or what have you. I do my best to try to give people facts and perspective and make them think. I in fact believe I have directly influenced more than one person’s decision in this election cycle by being vocal while in my element…and I think that’s a better result than I’d get by pounding the pavement.

Or maybe it’s just a cop out, but I’ll keep giving money and I’ll keep fighting the good fight…and I’ll do what I feel is necessary. But I am very confident Obama will win, and I guess the only thing that will bother me is if the election hinges on Minnesota and it is lost to McCain by a couple of votes…then maybe I’ll say I didn’t do enough.

I have pounded the pavement for many candidates. I’ve done leafletting, fundraising, poll watching, and more. I’ve spent days from six in the morning until 2 in the morning working for candidates.

It was this last that finally broke me. I can’t stand those kind of hours. In those days, it was very smoky, too, and I was allergic to cigarettes.

For this campaign, and many others these days, I give money. I pay for other people to pound the pavement. When I did that myself, I was single and had no kids. Now neither of those statements are true.

I am not allowed to do so due to the job I hold. As a firefighter I can’t even put a sign in my own yard. If I could it would be a McCain/Palin one though.

When someone shares their unsolicited political opinions with me, I tend to lean hard the other way. I give everyone else that same respect by keeping my mouth shut unless it’s relevant to the conversation. I would never go out an advertise my beliefs and try to convert others.

I will however advertise logic and facts. Draw your own conclusions I say.

@gooch: Whoa, you really can’t express an opinion either way? Where do you live? Here in Columbus, Ohio I’ve seen a few “Firefighters for Obama/Biden” signs.

In Louisiana we can not express our political opinion with only one exception and that is if no candidate is involved like for or against a tax.

Not this time around, unfortunately. I’ve just given a little money to the Presidential campaign. There is too much else on my plate these days. Besides, I’ve logged a lot of campaign miles in the past, and I don’t have the enthusiasm I once did. I guess I’ve been on the losing side too often.

@bodyhead: do you mean like when you see a sign in someone’s yard or a button on their bag? Or do you mean if they call your and try to convince you one way or the other?

If they call me. I’ll bring up what has happened in any conversation. I try to base my opinions off the candidates and the current administration. I’ve got leftist and rightist leanings but I’ll vote for the person who agrees with me the most. I’ll defend my stance but I won’t go on the offense unless someone asks me straight out.

I’ll one-up you: I’m a voter contact coordinator for the Obama campaign.
Any of you Columbusites want to volunteer?