Last Weekend (Prior to the Month of the Recount)

Another weekend spent with the Kerry/Edwards campaign in Wisconsin. I feel bad for the people who live in swing states, as they must have gotten inundated with phone calls, doorbells/knocks, and tv ads from both campaigns. The people I've spoken to say it hasn't been too bad, but I tend to think they're just numb to it all now, as they've all described much more than I've experienced here in Illinois. And snaps to everyone I met in Wisconsin during this campaign - they've all been so helpful and pleasant, carting me around to the different places we had to canvass etc. We're all working towards a common cause, I know, but it's so much better when everyone's friendly and gracious.

Anyway, all day Saturday I was out doing "knock-and-drops" - knocking on people's doors and leaving Kerry/Edwards fliers. Most people weren't home, and after a while I just started leaving the fliers, as I know I wouldn't want to be bothered by yet another knock on the door. There was a fierce wind blowing and occasional rain which didn't help, and as I was pounding the pavement from 9am - 4:30pm, I had some serious blisters on my feet at day's end. One incident I found funny - even though we were not stopping by houses that had Bush yard signs out, while I was walking up and down one street, a Bush supporter felt the need to come out and straighten (or perhaps more firmly entrench) her Bush/Cheney sign. Three times.

Sunday morning I got Visibility duty instead, which entailed standing on a (relatively) busy street corner, holding a giant Kerry/Edwards sign and passing out yard signs/stickers to any who wanted them. This was considerably easier in my opinion than phonebanking or canvassing, as I don't feel I'm invading people's lives. The responses I got from passing vehicles went as follows:

1 guy flipped me the bird
1 yelled "KERRY SUCKS"
1 woman yelled "GEORGE BUSH"
And a few thumbs down from people, one of whom in his sheer concentration to give me a vehement thumbs down, nearly drove into the curb. Oops.

I smiled and waved at all of them. They've got a right to their own opinion too.

I did get considerably more beeps and waves, thumbs up, big smiles, and one guy cruising past on his motorcycle, who could easily have passed for one of John Stillman's uncles, held up his fist in a salute of support. Several people stopped and asked for yard signs (of which I didn't have many since the campaign is running out up there) and stickers. One lady hopped out of her van to stash the signs in her trunk, and as I gave her husband the stickers, he said "I've never seen her this excited about anything like this!!!" So there was much to be encouraged about. Still, in my effort to present a pleasant Democratic face, I have not smiled so much since sorority rush in college. I couldn't move my facial muscles afterward - that must be what Botox feels like.

Through all of this I've remained puzzled about the sheer will of Bush supporters to defend Bush and refuse to listen to anything bad about him. You have to be a different kind of person to be a politician, and more often than not, politicians make mistakes and don't live up to their promises. (Of course there's sometimes extenuating circumstances, but you have to admit the general trend is to not trust politicians.)

So I am bewildered by this blind trust and resolute loyalty in defense of Bush. It nearly smacks of religious fervor, and to exhibit that kind of faith in a politician is not only foolish, but dangerous in my opinion. Kerry supporters generally seem to have a more rational view of things, that being that Bush has done the country a lot of wrong, and a person like that does not deserve another 4 years as our President.

Anyway, we're almost to the end, and hopefully by Christmas, we'll have a new President. One bit of potentially good news - the Redskins lost their home game before the election (Thank you Green Bay!!!) and if that incumbent statistic holds up, we'll be planting a Bush back in Texas real soon.

Cheers,
Donna