…The predominately elderly, white organizers who have run the county Democratic Party here for a generation were uneasy about integrating their operation with the Democratic presidential campaign, which was filled with new, unknown faces, many of them minorities….
…"now when I see the way people have really worked together and banded together, I see a different way."
"It’s a different era," she muses. "I accept it."
John "Big Dawg" Saunders is less sentimental. Now engaged in a union battle over 800 layoffs, he is watching the stock market in horror.
"Look, race is still an issue," blurts Saunders. "We’re not nearly where we should be, but when it got to your pocket book, that became the determining factor in this race."
"For now the race issue went away," he declares, with both eyes opened wide. "Race is gone, OK?"
You grow, you reach out, you learn, and you hopefully do better. I am so glad that Obama’s grandmother, whose backbone of steel and love of family reminds me so much of my own beloved granny, lived to see this all happen for her grandson.
And for all of us. Whatever the outcome, calling to something better in all of us is exactly what this nation needs more of these days.
PS — If you can, think about donating to Larry Kissell – or any of our other fine Blue America candidates – today. The NRCC has gone all in for a lot of races, including pounding Larry’s district with ads for the odious Robin Hayes. He could use a hand if you can give him one! Better yet, get out there and work for candidates in your community.
Less than two weeks until the election — what are you doing to make things better today?
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Zed and good morning
Morning! It’s freezing outside here this morning…thank goodness for hot coffee!
Would that Big Dawg’s words – “Race is gone, OK?” become reality in this country for now and forever.
Christy, what’s your feeling from inside WV? Last week some pollsters said it was in play or even slightly leaning to Obama, but this week fivethrtyeight has you back to red. Is there hope (besides the wonderful development you highlight in the post, that is)?
I think it’s totally up in the air, to be honest. WV is going to go down to the wire…
Christy, Thanks for the post. Last night I received the move on internet ad blaming me for Obama’s loss, (for those who have not seen it, Atrios has it up on his site). The idea of an Obama loss is just not something our beautiful country can withstand.
Would be awfully nice, wouldn’t it? Hillary Clinton was here in WV last week doing a campaign stop for a House candidate — Anne Barth, who used to be Sen. Byrd’s long-time chief of staff — and Clinton did a big push on voting for Obama/Biden with party folks in Charleston. Biden is going to be here on Friday, and I’ve gotten two push poll calls in the last two days, so WV is clearly in play at this point based on internal polling somewhere…
The morning guy on LA’s Rush station is really searching for a poll that gives Cindy’s little man hope.
Who would of thought that we’d be watching WV in the last days of this campaign? Amazing! I remember discussing with you WV’s role in this election during the primaries. It’s been a long haul! BTW, I did the surname map thingy…apparently my family settled in WV when first coming to the States.
Morning, Christy — chilly, gloomy and damp this morning in Upstate New York.
Here in CO things are looking good. Got a call from Obama HQ last night so I have to go in today. Got to remember NH
Back in the summer, I wouldn’t have honestly given Obama a chance here in WV, based on how they seemed to have written us off and weren’t campaigning here at all. But it’s been a grassroots push here the whole way through that has kept things pushing forward…that’s been really nice to see.
Christy, Thanks for your encouragement. WE CANNOT afford to lose. And, yes, thank you for calling us to our better selves. Good morning and keep the faith (and us too).
Hillary Clinton has done yeoman service. I don’t think anyone can say that she did not do more than her part to elect Democrats from the top to the bottom of the ticket. (and people may not like her pantsuits, but they are hers and she bought and paid for ‘em)
Mornin’ Christy and Firedogs,
ah jaysus, cryin like a baby
was all but shouting this in front of the hometown crowd last saturday -
pointing to the Republics booth – “Don’t you buy in to any of their divisive nonsense again, the only color that should matter on 11/4 is the color of your money!”
It’s really, really crucial in these last few days that folks get out and work for local candidates and make GOTV calls. Whatever we can do to prevent a nailbiter this year…nothing is ever certain, and you don’t want to be the person sitting back wishing they’d done more at the end of this.
Need to get out and refill the bird feeder this morning. Little winged hogs have nearly cleaned it out…again.
Sorry to be a sourpuss but calling West Virginia should be fairly easy. Just one question, does WV have electronic voting? If so, any tossup state will automatically go red.
Great post Christy! Am keeping my fingers crossed for the election….and especially for WV and NC.
Have seen the same evolution here in NC re the Democrats and their embrace of the “new” organizing. The local headquarters is a beehive of activity — a true American melting pot of ages, classes and races.
The locals were so proud when the volunteer field organizer, “a Yankee”, was put on salary by the Obama campaign. And I loved it when one of them took me in the back to see his Obama sign with the name Obama written in Hebrew.
The message, tone and structure of the Obama campaign is making a difference down ticket and willbring lasting change to how subsequent Dem candidates view organizing.
Yes, let’s hope Larry Kissell wins but also, a shout out to Daniel Johnson, a young military hero who is facing the odious DeLay clone, Patrick McHenry (NC-10).
Hilarious. Our dachshund just nipped at the cat for trying to sidle up to the heater vent with her. PJ has been laying with her belly toward the heater vent all morning, and she’s refusing to share her toasty spot.
Cat stalking off and pouting to find another vent…
That GOTV effort is pretty sophisticated. As a pollwatcher I will check off the list who has voted. This will then be phoned in by phone touchpad to computer then new lists generated within minutes. These are then distributed to field where people will be going to houses of those who have not yet voted.
Here’s more on the WV race and Biden’s visit on Friday:
…”"Sen. McCain had a huge lead in West Virginia. It’s eroded, but we are still the underdog, and will fight as hard as we can,” David Plouffe said on a conference call.
Plouffe said the race in West Virginia is now “razor-close,” which is why the campaign is pouring more resources into the state, launching ads on West Virginia television stations and having vice presidential candidate Joe Biden make the campaign’s first appearance in the state on Friday.
Biden will hold the rally on in downtown Charleston at 10:30 a.m., according to the campaign. The rally will be on Summers Street between Lee and Quarrier streets, and the public entrance will be from Capitol Street via Fife Street/Brawley Walkway, beginning at 8:30 a.m.
Tickets are not needed, but attendees are encouraged to RSVP at http://www.wv.barack
obama.com.
Plouffe said the race is much closer than recent polls that have shown McCain with a lead of several points.
He said Obama made great strides as the primary focus of the election shifted last month to the economy and jobs, and said West Virginia voters are becoming more comfortable with Obama’s positions on social issues including gun rights and abortion.
“People who are concerned about these social issues, they’ve gained a lot of comfort about where Sen. Obama is,” Plouffe said.”…
Morning Christy! That youtube gave me tears.
Morning Toby…it’s just the opposite where I live. It’s 80 already and completely blustery. The good news is the blackened hills are not so black, but have spots of brown earth showing through. The bad news is all the soot is in my yard, on my porch and in my bathtub.
In addition to race, local Dem HQs can be territorial or threatened by a platform. The incumbents running for office for the zillioneneth time may be concerned only for themselves and may have a less “librul” platform than say that new person who’s running for US Senator, or president.
Lovely post, Christy. This is what it’s really all about. WHy Obama resonates with people. They’re sick of being scared of each other now that we’ll all need each other to survive the coming economic tsunami. I wonder if Obama would be so far ahead were it not for the Wall St meltdown. One way to see it as a good thing?
Thanks for the PJ visage. Our Molly (RIP) used to expect the front door to be left open even on the coldest days so she could bask in the AM sun while squiggling on the carpet.
It was impossible to keep the storm door glass clean of nose prints. *g*
It’s going well here, too. They reported 17,000 door knocks in our county on Saturday.
I see we have the same doggy. LOL
did ya know even with no transportation, no spare cash, barely any spare time, you can help ?
MoveOn is asking for phonebanking help (did it for Lamont in 06 from Texas no less)
check with local/State candidates to see if they have similar opportunities
MoveOn
It can be incredibly territorial and very much “who you know” and “what can you do for me.” Ran into that a lot when I was making calls for the Kerry campaign in 2004. It’s not so pronounced this year, or at least it doesn’t feel that way. That has to be a good thing in the long run…
Wow! 17,000! That’s really impressive…
I’m going to do phone calls on Monday or Tuesday…prolly calls to Pennsylvania.
The ground organization that the campaign has put together is great. Rethugs that think Obama isn’t a leader ought to pull their heads …..
The numbers are looking really good in PA. Of course, you can never tell until actual votes are cast, but OH, PA and FL look good at the moment. Not going to breathe until after all the results are certified, though — if we learned nothing else from 2000 and 2004, it’s that we have to sprint all out all the way through the tape or else…
Georgia is in play also. I would love to see Saxby ousted. The advance voting lines are still long and next week, when they officially have early voting, more polling sites will be open.
After hearing the MSM talking heads recently sounding in awe of Obama’s “ground game” it occurred to me that what he has done is simply treat The United States of America as a community. And organized it. Very successfully.
A delicious thought in light of the Republican talking point criticizing him for being a community organizer. His strength. Their weakness.
Love hearing all the local reports, gang! Thanks much!
Sometimes I think there should be a Spinal Tap type movie based on local campaigns going head to head with statewide, national. The egos too.
Saxby is so odious. His ouster would be very good indeed. Contemplate getting rid of Bachmann, Chambliss, and Mean Jean Schmidt in the same election cycle. Boo yah!
Morning Ya’ll! I sent Larry Kissell some money love a couple of days ago after what doofus Hayes said. I guess the Rethugs haven’t learned about keeping their mouths shut Thank Gawd!
HAHAHAHAHA That would be hilarious. Like A Mighty Wind for political junkies. *G*
OT – McSame yapping on CNN
“I am so proud of Sarah Palin my friends. I look forward to draining the swamp and cleaning up the mess (in DC)”
That ‘community organizer isn’t sh*t’ line of attack failed miserably. Obama has built and presides over the largest national community this country has ever seen…his resume come to life.
I’ll check out the current trends on Monday before I select which state to call. Can’t afford to make the long distance calls from my house, but a friends said I could use her phone. She even offered to paint my toenails while I was calling.
Oh, the things we do for our future. *g*
Morning, Christy. WVa is in play because of Howard Dean and his people who thought it was a really good idea to campaign in all 50 states. They have done a great job and I’m sure the people in WVa who care and work appreciate the support. Will be watching on 11/4 to see what happens.
McLame: Joe the Plumber, Joe the Plumber, Joe the Plumber, Joe the Plumber, Joe the Plumber, Obama wants to spread the wealth around. Lots of talk about pie.
I believe in a collective unconscious. I swear, I thought the same thing just yesterday. Only I was thinking of the Best In Show movie — same producer though.
What a clever girl you are.
Race is an issue that needs to go away. The religious people who profess to believe the bible should read it. It says that humans originated in the Baghdad area. Baghdad..the cradle of civilization.
National Geographic’s the Journey of Man is a great documentary. It is online..two hours long.
Genetic evidence traced throughout the world proves that we all originated from Africa. Translation: we all have some Black blood flowing in our veins.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Journey_of_Man
Because he’s been so successful at it hanging with his lobbyist crony peeps the last 25 years in DC. Ahem.
Took me a minute — Christopher Guest. The movie he made about 60’s folk musician was really good too.
Yes, just think of all the parallels between rockstars and pols. Appearances that fall flat. The self-importance. Accusations flying around about whose campaign is getting more attention at Dem HQs. Petulant candidates.
Sky’s the limit.
Doesn’t this constant Joe The Plumber thing seem like one of those overly-long, really bad SNL skits that you just want to end but it keeps on going like the energizer bunny of crapola?
Great minds think alike? Maybe we should come up with a script. Heh.
Yes. The crowd yesterday at Michelle’s rally was a bit restless when one of the early speakers was a professor from the UF School of Law who is co-lead counsel for the Obama campaign in Alachua County. She told us how they have 100 attorneys signed up to observe the polls in our county alone and over 5000 across Florida.
I don’t think the Obama campaign is going to take anything for granted. Better yet, they appear to be generating real push-back against the illegal techniques Republicans have been getting away with for years.
Yes, A Mighty Wind. I missed that Christy just said that.
Comedies and Musicals usually do well during bleak times — war and depression.
if this country, including democrats, had any interest in coming to terms with how we think about race and what that means we would have been willing to listen to the good reverend wright earlier this year. i’m glad people are willing to put their financial interests ahead of their racism, but that’s not the promise of america i dream of.
That’s really good to hear. I know there are some good people in place at the top of the legal heap as well — much, much more organized this year than I’ve seen it in ages. Thank goodness, just in case.
Dana Millbank is well worth a read this morning – In Real America, Shining a Light on Faux Pas
It would be extremely difficult to compete with C. Guest, but since he hasn’t come out with a new movie in a while, maybe he’s working on one. Collective Unconscious and all.
You know, this ’spread the wealth’ mantra is gonna backfire. At some point listeners will start to get that it’s a good idea.
thanks again, christy for the video. I sent it to my exhausted daughter up in the tough second district of maine who is regional director for dems there. she’s gonna play it for her volunteers when they come in for phone banks.
s’more feel good stuff
did everyone see this Peter Daou piece ?
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA I missed that this morning. Excellent! Will have to go read that one…
Sorry I can’t find this ad. Can you be more specific or provide a link. Nothing on Eschaton seems to fit the description of a “move on internet ad blaming me for Obama’s loss.”
I posted this a few hours ago..yes..the wealth needs to be spread around…
http:www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7012734983
Heh…hopefully, more like “Best in Show” :)
NPR had a substantial piece on the huge turnout for early voting….some places already waiting for hours. I think that wait is not true here in TX, but the turnout is good. I bet vote day is hugely record on the 4th.
OT – Waxman hearing to begin in about 10 min: “The Financial Crisis and the Role of Federal Regulators”
Greenspan, Snow and Cox scheduled to testify. details at oxdown.
i’ve been reading about Greenspan’s long role in fighting against financial regulation and i’m especially interested to hear what he has to say today – will he be in the least bit willing to reconsider his attachment to neoliberal dogma?
So glad to read this Christy. I do think this year we are all energized and enthusiastic far beyond the Rethugs’ worst nightmares.
And speaking of the Rethugs’ worst, I got an email from the Obama campaign this a.m. which many of you others may have gotten, too, about a postcard the RNC is sending out, “Terrorists.”
Maybe it was because I was still feelin’ good about the postcard campaign for Obama’s Grandmama which I diaried about this morning.
But that RNC postcard really hit a raw nerve. The exact opposite of good and warm is vile and evil, and the Rethugs are outdoing themselves these days in the vile and evil dept.
Three words come to mind for the Obama campaign, for all the Democratic candidates and their supporters: Pour It On.
And for John McCain and Co: Shame on You.
Good morning Christy, over here in Martinsburg the Obama signs outnumber the McCain signs and the Obama bumper stickers are everywhere. Although I realize we are not really indicative of the rest of the state, it is hard not to be excited! It seemed like the whole town turned out for the Apple Harvest Parade last Saturday and the crowd was full of Obama signs. I can also see the split among the Catholics when I pick the kids up at school or at church, lots of Obama bumper stickers! Keep up the great work…even the hubby is hooked on the website now.
We should believe in ourselves.
I listened to Wright. I thought his sermons were inspiring and agree with most of his points.
I admire your idealism, Selise. But, I will also take political gains even when they are inspired by less than pure motivations.
Read this morning there were some problems with machines in Martinsburg for early voting now, too. Great to hear that the signs are all over out there, though. Boo yah!
Greenspan testimony ought to be interesting this morning. *g*
pie? they have their boot in the pie and they’re kicking it around like a hockey puck. Pie stuff is flying around the room and sticking to the walls, the floor, and the ceiling. The pie is dead.
265,968 homeowners received foreclosure filings in September.
A big salute to Hillary. She has earned my respect and gratitude for her vigorous campaigning for Obama. She was up on the Iron Range of Minnesota in Hibbing for him this week.
Randi Rhodes said yesterday that in So. FL (Palm Beach area), they will not allow anyone “to get in line to vote” after 3 PM. On the first day, they weren’t through with voting at her polling place until after 10 PM.
She waited almost two hours yesterday, the line moved hardly at all and she had to leave for the studio.
Sticker in the rear window of a car in the staff lot on campus:
—————————–
ATTENTION Sarah Palin
MLK was a community organizer
George W. Bush was a governor
—————————–
Yes and I do. I really wasn’t doubting yours and my genius. I just finished writing a screenplay with a partner. It’s soul-wrenching and exhausting work. It went to producers last week.
They’ve been sending her to a lot of the small town venues where she plays really well — and it’s been off the radar of a lot of the national press, but catching a lot of air time on local teevee and radio. I think it’s a really, really good use of resources with her and a number of other surrogates.
OMG — that’s amazing!
Yes, and the whole W thing worked out really well, didn’t it? O.o
Oooh, Waxman zings Greenspan right at the outset.
There is one thing I’m confused about. So people are saying that race is only an issue if there is no bigger issue such as the economy? How can people be contingent racists? So racism is now a luxury good? It seems kind of weird to me.
I have seriously been missing Ann Richards and Molly Ivins lately. Imagine the field day both could have had with Sarah Palin’s crapola alone…
Waxman: Regulators became enablers rather than enforcers.
We voted on Tuesday and had absolutely no problem. Asked the clerk then and he said there had been no problems….have not seen the latest. Scary.
Just keeping fingers and toes crossed that Indiana goes blue this year. My son is taking his two youngest (ages almost 10, and 12) to the Obama rally this morning (kids are out on Fall break). The oldest (14) is a McCain supporter….a bright kid, so I’m guessing a bit of teenage rebellion against the parental units. I will see them this weekend and I’m looking forward to asking him why.
i agree – imo, any progress is good… even if motivated by financial self interest or partisanship. but i remember how wright’s comments on what it means to be black in america were not welcomed here and that’s why it now pains me to see support for obama falsely portrayed as some righteous fight against racism.
I think what they are saying is that they’ve realized that there are bigger things to worry about which, in turn, sort of puts the race issue into perspective for them. You can’t expect someone to learn the whole lesson all at once all the time. Any change for the better, though, means they’ve opened their mind and heart t something greater in terms of understanding and compassion. And that’s a huge step forward, don’t you think?
A lot of the folks in the article about Wheeling hadn’t ever really interacted with different ethnic groups. Sad, but true. I have found in my lifetime that when I’ve introduced gay friends to folks who were a bit homophobic, once they got to know each other, suddenly the “gay” part of the equation didn’t matter so much because they were thinking of them as a great person and not just a “gay” person. The personal relationships make a huge difference. Just getting folks to reach out to the unfamiliar can be next to impossible sometimes.
But they have here. And it’s no longer unfamiliar…which may lead to more growth down the line, eh?
My son is doing a paper due at the end of this month about the election. He is doing a comparative study on Why Obama-Biden and not McCain-Palin. He has tried to be even in his research and has done a point by point comparative study. Obama is showing a strong lead in his research as is Biden. McCain fails in his history and experience on racial concerns and so does Palin. My son made a clear statement at the dinner table. “McCain fails on the race issue on so many levels and Obama exceeds him. If you want a country to make it out of serious times, you need a leader who is working for both the 1/3rd of the population as well as the 2/3rds, because it will take leadership for the 3/3rds, or the whole, for a democracy success effort. Otherwise, the US fails as a democracy and we mean nothing as a light of freedom for all. Obama’s personal story is a 3/3rds narrative. It is a clear leadership role for him. Not that this campaign is about race. Unfortunately, the Mccain-Palin ticket has made it that. So, thinking in that regard, Obama-Biden is the “unity in diversity needed during adversity” and McCain-Palin have nothing.”
Kids.
Go Waxman!
I can imagine. Writing alone for hours, I tend to be a major self-doubter. Working on a manuscript (on the editing end) with someone I am waay too close with. . . The disagreements can evolve into something personal.
I guess that makes a little more sense to me… that this is part of the beginning (hopefully) of an attitude change instead of “I can’t wait to go back to being a racist when I can afford it.” Thanks for the perspective.
no kidding!
i’ve been reading up on the history (just from the early ’90s) of how OTC derivatives (and other things) came to be deregulated. greenspan played a leading role and i wonder what he will have to say today.
The history of the Bush administration wrapped in a nutshell.
I had no wait yesterday around 11 am, although the facility was running at around capacity with what seemed like around 20 booths for marking our optical scan ballots. The scanner registerd around 2100 ballots when I fed mine in. My county has three early voting sites and mine is the farthest out, so I would guess we’ve had around 10,000 early votes so far.
Oh, Selise, I remember that well. And, that’s not the only issue that blows with the prevailing wind here. *g*
(watching Tom Davis on Waxman’s panel right now gives me a sour stomach.)
sounds like the Rs are going to be playing their stupid disruptive games today.
Oh, my. You and I have a lot in common, although my partner and I are mostly beyond any disagreements. Best of luck to you on your endeavor.
What was the food fight about? I was in the other room when it was going on.
Obama’s issues ads, where he is on the issue from his perspective only and no comparative statements, are playing extremely well in Ohio. Especially when he ties his policy to the personal values he was raised with.
Although I am all for expedience, persons changing their own narratives, if we can oust the Rethugs. And yes we have to work on the Dem party.
Yeah, the guy with the really bad hair, sitting next to Issa. Who tries to shout down Henry Waxman? D’oh.
That was a past endeavour. But thanks.
Good morning Christy.
Water froze overnight, but the sun is wonderful.
I went to McGill university yesterday, and I was surprised to see so many young adults proudly wearing Obama buttons. There was a table, put up by a couple of kids from Boston, distributing posters, buttons and stickers. Nothing from the republics was available.
Looks good in Montreal.
Dean and his folks have done an amazing job. WV, in my humble opinion, would not be in play at this late date, if not for their efforts.
Short Greenspan (this is a forecast): Who could have guessed?
Woohoo!! The truly odious Randy Kuhl(the Rep. for the Corning/Rochester area of NYS, who has his offices lock the doors and refused to talk to war protesters)is getting cleaned up by Eric Massa, a career Naval guy who is a progressive. Mass is up by 7% – a huge number since physically most of the district is rural and hardcore Repub. I’m sure there are lots of people there who are humiliated that they elected Kuhl after their very moderate Repub Amo Houghton retired. The DH and I will be going out there to make phone calls with the unions before election time.
http://www.realclearpolitics.c…..t-966.html
Interesting you mentioned surnames. I’ve noticed a movement afoot to do away with them and go back to more serfish references, like Joe the Plumber, Will the Baker, Rob the Fletcher and Tom Crookshank. It’s seems that the Republicans have done a pretty good job of taking us back to the Gilded Age and are now aiming at a somewhat earlier period.
Christy – when you do that – take away the surname – you turn the person into a thing really, which is something the Rethugs are really good at.
i couldn’t even tell. using a petition to distract and disrupt from what i heard. moving on to the next thread….
The Pentagon pays $50,000 for a portrait of a war criminal..aka..Rumsfeld…
http://blog.wired.com/defense/…..pends.html
Listening to Greenspan. He still talks down to people. Unrealistic credit rating encouraged demand for the subprime paper.
Brilliant take on this Crosstimbers. I knew there was something subliminal about these references that really bothered me. Generally am not watching the news but saw some campaign footage of Palin last night and her shoutouts along these lines made my skin crawl.
Now we know she/they did not pay attention in civics or history classes.
Thanks!
Oh jeez, who’s the lucky artist? Maybe they should hire this sculptor instead. *brain bleach*
I had to be a serf at my 6th grade medieval banquet. I was NOT happy.
ms. molly, sorry that I was busy.. here’s a link to it at Oliver Willis.. http://www.oliverwillis.com/20…..crewed-up/
Thanks!! That is wonderful!!! Hits the complacent Obama supporters right in the gut.
Kitsch deserves Kitsch, I mean.