LA Farm Phone Banking, 10 Days to Go

[abumbyanyothername]

Shaking off an overwhelming impending sense of complacency (I have called this election as a landslide ever since Barack crossed back over following the conventions), I got on my bike and headed down to LA Farm in Santa Monica for a 2 hour shift of phone banking. I pass on the training as I am a veteran by now.

We are calling FL today, Palm Beach Co. to be precise. I made about 60 calls and absolutely everyone I talk with is a definite yes for Obama except for 1 guy who did not want to disclose (on principle) and one guy who hung up on the call after quickly saying "no thanks" which I didn't know if that was a no thanks to Barack, or a no thanks to the call. The lists were likely scrubbed as almost everyone on them was a registered D, a sprinkling of I/NP and one sole R.

This brings my call total to over 150, and the only remarkable call today was Irene, 86 years old who wanted an absentee ballot. I make a few calls (really, you have no idea how hard it can be to track down this information) and finally get the number of the Palm Beach Co. office that Irene needs to call. I call her back and give it to her. She is grateful. I wish her well.

The story today is about the volunteer turnout, however. There were so many volunteers at the Farm that people were outside working their cell phones. It was like being on a Wall Street trading floor in there today. At times too noisy to hear. There was a(nother) lawyer (I am one too!) at the table next to me who was telling people that she served for Joe Biden as counsel to the Judiciary Committee.

As I left, I bought a Barack T-Shirt, donating a little extra when they couldn't fully change my $100 bill. But when I got home, I saw that I had 2 T's, so I will have to go back tomorrow and return one. Or just exchange it for a M (to fit my wife).

Going to ask my wife if we should have an election returns party!