Phonebanking for Obama

A few days days ago Sam & I signed up to phonebank for Obama. We had a morning soccer game to watch yesterday morning (Arsenal vs Stoke at 10am, miserable result) so we signed up for the 1pm to whenever shift. We were going to meet a fellow Arsenal fan at Jovita's Mexican Cafe on South 1st to make our calls, with mobiles and chargers in hand.

We arrived at Jovita's just after 1pm to find an empty parking lot and Jovita's doors locked. I thought, "You've got to be f'ing kidding me!" We decided to head over to the Obama headquarters on I35 to find another way to help out and when we arrived I asked to talk to the person who organized the Jovita's phonebank. When we found her she said she was surprised that there were people showing up with the same obervation, that they'd gone to Jovita's only to find that it was closed. She had listed the wrong day on the Obama sign up site, it should have been Sunday.

Come on people. There's too much at stake to make this kind of clerical mistake when people are signing up to spend their weekends trying to help out.

But I digress. We got our phone call scripts, tips on what to say and what not to say, and lists of registered voters in battleground state North Carolina. I called area codes 910 (the Fayetteville area) and 828 (the Charlotte area). I mostly got voicemails and I left detailed messages reminding the voters that if they hadn't yet voted that yesterday was the last day of NC early voting and reminded them of NC polls' hours on Tuesday.

About half of the people I spoke with had already voted which was great to hear. Three of the people I spoke with were McCain supporters; one woman's reponse made me chuckle to myself. I'd called to speak with her daughter who was out but when I said that I was a volunteer with the Obama campaign she almost gasped and said "Oh hon, we're really not interested at all. No, but I thank you for the call." She was trying so hard to be polite, which she was, but I could hear the disdain bubbling up. I thanked her for her time and wished her a lovely weekend.

The voters on the list were listed by address so couples and families were grouped together. I got to one couple and asked for "John" or "Jane". It was John who answered and after I got through my introduction he said that he had already voted but his girlfriend hadn't and he said that I needed to speak with her. He passed the phone to her and she sheepishly admitted that she hadn't voted yet and she sounded surprised when I told her that this Tuesday was election day. She committed to voting and we verified her polling place so she knew exactly where to go. I asked her if she would need a ride but she was fine, they were within walking distance. Yea, one more vote!

We may go phonebank again this afternoon although I'm tired and behind on house chores. We may try Jovita's this time since we know they'll be open this time around. The final push... we've got to do it.

Si, se puede.