While paying for gas, I got into a conversation with another customer at 7-Eleven. He had recognized me from the Democratic Caucus earlier this year. I told him that I had just dropped off a list at the Obama office of 700 voters that we attempted to canvas today and an intense conversation ensued.
The cashier, who obviously knew the guy, made a comment that she was undecided. She also said that someone had come in earlier and was pressing her to vote for Obama. She felt that this person assumed she should be voting for Obama because she, the cashier, was black. I made a comment that many Obama supporters feel the urgency of this election and that, while I understood her irritation, it was part of the atmosphere of this election, as it was in '04. The guy that I was talking to agreed and we started walking away while we continued to talk. Turned out that he was the uncle of some kids in my neighborhood who are friends with my own children.
He continued to talk about his sister who I knew had been deployed to Iraq in '06. He said she will likely be deployed again soon, and now has a young child. Anyway, after much conversation about the election, the issues of concern for him and me, etc., the cashier came over to us, sighed and said, "I am just so undecided. I was a Hillary supporter in the caucus and I just am not sold on Obama..." The guy turned to her and asked, "What are your top three issues of concern?" She replied, "I feel no one should tell a woman what to do with her body." He said, "Obama's pro-choice, McCain/Palin are not. What's next?" She said, "My children." I responded, "I think it's safe to say Obama and the Democrats are far better on that issue, too." Then she said, "Obama was raised a Muslim." The guy and I chuckled and said, in unison, "No, he was not." (We also both said at the same time, "And so what if he were?") We discussed that and I told her I had read both of Obama's books, the first of which details his upbringing. I also told her that I, too, was undecided in the caucus between Hillary and Obama (my guys didn't have a chance in the caucus), and that I was the very last person to cast my preference ballot. The guy said, "I remember that!" He then added that it had been his brother-in-law who had tried to convince me to vote for Hillary (I voted for Obama). I laughed and said, "Yeah, I remember that, too." He then said his brother-in-law was a 'huge Republican' prior to this election season and he will be supporting Obama.
The conversation went on a while longer and as I was leaving, the cashier said, "Well, I can't support McCain. I am going to vote for Obama." I smiled at her and gave her a :thumbsup: and reminded her how important this election is. They guy and I left together, and I told him he needs to come out canvassing with me. He'd make an excellent volunteer persuading undecided voters. He said he'd stop by the Obama office in October, when his schedule cleared.
This has been a good day. With all the wonderful California (Thank you Californians!) and local volunteers I worked with today, all the door knocks our team attempted and all the Obama supporters they found, I am feeling optimistic that Washoe County will turn blue this November.
On a related note, Washoe County, Nevada may be an important area to watch on election day. We're a swing county in a swing state:
In 2008 Election, Nev. County May Have Key Role
Listen Now (5 min 1 sec) add to playlist
All Things Considered, September 17, 2008 · Democrats have made big gains in voter registration in Nevada. Eric Herzik, professor of political science at the University of Nevada, Reno, says while Barack Obama may do well in Clark County, where Las Vegas is, to win the election, the race may come down to Washoe County, home to Reno.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=94729666Election 2008
In Traditionally GOP Nev. County, Obama Sees Gains
by Melissa Block
Listen Now (8 min 33 sec) add to playlist
All Things Considered, September 18, 2008 · Washoe County, Nev., is a swing county in a swing state. Both the Obama and McCain campaigns have built strong ground operations here. Washoe is traditionally Republican, but over the past year Democrats have made significant inroads.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=94771333P.S. I think the Republicans are lying about their "strong ground operations" here in Washoe. I have a registered Republican at my house (A BIL who never changed his address/voter reg) and have received absolutely no calls or knocks other than for one local Repug candidate in the primaries. I heard two women say they had Repug family members who went to volunteer for the Republicans and they gave up in frustration because they were so disorganized. In the past, in '04, they had to hire people to canvass and drop literature. They are lying.
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