Why you should/MUST get out and canvass for Obama

[kaygore]

I have been canvassing for Obama: In person in Virginia and via the phone while I was in California through MoveOn.org's campaign to call MoveOn members in swing states and ask them to volunteer (see http://www.moveon.org/).

Now that we are down to the final days of the campaign, it is critical that first we identify all possible Obama voters in person if possible and over the phone as a second option. We must do this to ensure that they vote...that we get EVERY vote that we can!

I realize that many people feel that such activities are far beyond their comfort zone and they seem to fear being attacked by McCain voters.

Think of the risks that Obama is taking running for president but he has stepped up to the challenge. Now it is time for each of us to do so.

I see canvassing as an opportunity to represent Senator Obama and to spread the message of reconciliation to those McCain voters I come across during my canvassing journeys. Once Obama is elected, we must start the healing and the more McCain voters that we touch now and the better we represent the Obama Campaign now, the easier that first hurtle will be for Obama.

For example, always be positive, despite the freezing rain and howling wind, in fact, canvassing in such weather seems to earn us extra points with those Mccain people.

If people ask for something and you do not have that information, keep a list of those people with contact information and get back to them immediately, whether it be a request for a button, bumper sticker, yard sign, or information. Be upbeat and pleasant. Do not engage McCain supporters in arguments but suggest that they check factcheck.org or barackobama.com against the information they are trying to share with you. Grit your teeth if necessary, but tell these voters that if McCain is elected you will give him all the support you can (operant term..."can"...) because the country is facing the greatest test in our history and we all need to come together as a nation and put our differences aside. Such a conciliatory approach will plant valuable seeds that will make President Obama's path easier.

I have had such wonderful and energizing experiences canvassing, even in largely McCain areas of Virginia Beach. In McCain areas, each Obama supporter is gold and your reaching out to them is very affirming. Your presence in that neighbor can also result in some great stories. For example, I was canvassing a very wealthy neighborhood in the city where the lowest price home is probably $3 million. At one estate, the voter came to the door and thanked me for canvassing the neighborhood and said that the whole family was voting for Obama because, in her words, "It may cost us more in our personal taxes, but with an Obama president, we may pay a bit more in taxes, but the whole country will sink like the Titanic if McCain wins. A few extra dollars in taxes is a small price to pay to avoid economic disaster."

At another house in a neighborhood in the same general area, I asked the woman who answered the door if her daughter was home as her 18 year old daughter was on my contact list. We had no voting history on her and since we do not register with a party affiliation in Virginia when we register to vote, the Obama Campaign needs to identify those potential Obama voters from among those registered voters with no voting history in the state.

The woman told me that her daughter, who attends Norfolk Academy, a private school in the area, had already voted for Obama but the rest of the family was voting for McCain. However, again in her words, "You are the fourth representative of Obama who has come by the house. I have been very impressed with each of you. While we are voting for McCain, the organization and professionalism of the Obama Campaign has reassured me that he will be a great president."

I have countless stories from my canvassing that will be special to me for the rest of my life. I encourage each of you to canvass for the Obama Campaign if you are in a swing state or to contact MoveOn.org and attend one of their house parties or simply use their phone tool to call MoveOn members who live in swing states and tell them that the greatest contribution they can make to ensuring that Obama wins is to canvass, canvass, canvass.

Fear has been too powerful a tool these last eight years. Please do not let personal fear of stepping outside your comfort zone stop you from either calling or canvassing in person. Feet on the street at this moment in time is priceless--much more so than donating a few dollars.

PLEASE CANVASS OR CALL FOR OBAMA!!!!!!

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To access the MoveOn calling tool:

Dear MoveOn member,

The election is just eight days away, and we're gearing up for the final push. We've just done a major upgrade on our calling tool, which lets you call other MoveOn members in swing states and sign them up to volunteer for Obama. Calls will now go automatically to the most promising volunteer prospects we can find—and our overhaul now lets you sign up volunteers for shifts during the final weekend.

Could you help us test our new calling tool for 20 minutes tonight? Things are only going to get more intense, and we have to make sure it's working smoothly.

And there's a happy side effect of testing our tool: you'll help sign up volunteers for Obama this week in critical battleground states.

Click here to sign up for calls:

http://pol.moveon.org/obama/teams/index.html?id=14725-10854181-xcgqq.x&t=1

Thanks for all you do.

–Justin, Tanya, Lenore, Michael and the rest of the team

[melody]

1. K&R n/t