Posts from — March 2008

[cross posted to the Pennsylvania for Obama group at barackobama.com]

Hello to Pennsylvania from a Vermonter!

I wanted to say that we carried Vermont because, among other things, there was room for every kind of support, from every kind of person. From folks organizing honk-n-waves to the political heavy hitters raising thousands of dollars. From those that love to make phone calls to those that sat quietly in the background, but kept our organizing web sites up and running. Our own Philip Baruth has a great write up, with some great pictures, at Vermont Daily Briefing in his March 4th post.

I have heard from the campaign that the most effective thing you can do is canvass - and this is probably true in a strict political sense. But I know that really, the most effective thing you can do is what you feel passionate about - and the most helpful way to put this passion to use for Obama is in the way that you feel to be the most effective.

I know that joining this campaign has stretched me beyond my comfort zone. I hate making cold calls, and I spent several evenings calling down to SC, wondering who would listen to a white boy with a new england accent - and I had great conversations, found support, and learned something about others and myself. I walked up to trailers on dirt roads in New Hampshire, dogs barking inside, knocked on the door - and found people that were eager to find a candidate that offered hope of a solution to problems they were facing. I have done what I can to surface support at work, letting people know it is OK in this apolitical office to show concern, show support, talk to each other about things besides business.

But, when you boil it down, the effectiveness did not come from my discomfort, or where or how the conversations happened. The effectiveness came from one person talking to another, listening to each other’s concerns, making connections between those concerns and the possibility of change, between those concerns and hope.

The effectiveness came from the human connection of talking to each other about the issues that are important to us, and getting back in touch with an idea that we have the power to create a solution. That we have the power to change, and that Obama is asking us to believe in that as much as he is asking us to believe in his ability to serve us as president.

One person talking to another. That is how it works - be it via canvassing, on the phone, over coffee with a neighbor, writing a letter, posting to a blog, or holding a sign and waving at a street corner. One person talking to another - something each of us can do, in whatever way we can.

I look forward to supporting all of you in PA