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My son and I left at 8:00 A.M. Saturday morning to head to Nashville Tennessee to help with the Clark campaign. It was suppose to be a 7-7 1/2 hour trip, but the roads were so bad because of drifting snow and ice, it took us 9 1/2 hours instead. That's OK! I would go through anything for Wes Clark! We arrived in Nashville at 6:00 P.M. and were so tired and hungry, we ate and went to bed.
First thing Sunday morning we found the Clark headquarters and were met by some of the nicest people I've ever met....I wasn't surprised by that by the Clark supporters here on DU. ;) I knew they would be warm and welcoming and they were. We were immediately seated at a table with a phone script and started calling voters for support. We did that for about an hour and were then sent out with about 8 other Clarkies for "visibility." That's the technical political term
for "stand on a corner and freeze your ass off." :7 We did freeze our asses off, but had a BLAST! We were sent to a street where there was a HUGE church and heavy traffic and stood with signs that read.."Meet Wes Clark at a Rally at the Downtown Sheraton, Nashville".....we had a lot of honks for Wes. It was a lot of fun! We were there for about 3 hours....a lot of people saw those signs!
Then, back to the headquarters to make more phone calls about the rally that was going to be held on Monday evening. After that, off to the Tennessee Democratic National Convention. WHOA! I've never seen so many Democrats in one place! We found our way to the Wes Clark hospitality room which was jammed packed with people! Wes Jr. was in there to meet and greet people until his dad got there. People were like sardines in the entire upstairs of the Hilton. It was so packed with people and getting hot, I stepped outside on a patio to smoke a cigarette and who appears? Wes Jr.! We stood out there talking for about a half an hour. I told him I was so proud of him for blasting the media and he said..."The media needed to be blasted. They had not taken the time to portray his dad as the man he is. The media never talked about his dad's policies. He said "There are people in the race who are portraying themselves to be something they aren't and the media is letting them get away with it." We talked about his mom's SC speech and how great she was. He is his father's son....a very sweet, kind and warm young man. While we were talking, people started asking for autographs which he graciously signed UNTIL a KERRY supporter walked up to him with one of the round Kerry "The Real Deal" signs and asked Wes Jr. to autograph it. He said "SURE! but I won't autograph THAT! I'm a Clark, this is the Clark campaign." The guy was sufficiently embarrassed and red faced and huffed off. LOL! That was GREAT! The nerve! :eyes:
Then it was time to go stand outside in front of the hotel to welcome the General! WooHoo! There were probably 40 people standing at the end of the entrance road when the General arrived. We all had signs and headquarters had made HUGE Clark letters that were outlined in bright lights and they were lit up...big "CLARK" in LIGHTS! It was awesome! His bus came and he got out at the end of the drive and shook EVERYONE'S hand as he walked all the way up the drive to the hotel. He was like a rock star! I kid you not! He walked in the main entrance only to be greeted by MORE supporters....it was just so much fun and very exciting! After that, he went upstairs only to be mobbed by HUNDREDS of people and he gave autographs and did a short stump speech. Then off to the ballroom where he was to give a speech for the convention. We didn't have tickets for that, but were told he ROCKED the house! Al Gore was there and spoke just before the General...I guess he really got the crowd going. :) We had gone back to our hotel by then.
Monday....we headed back to the headquarters and spent HOURS calling people about the rally that evening. My 10 year old son made 100's of calls that day. He loved it! He had one lady tell him that he should practice his speech before he called people and told him he had wasted his breath because "I'm a republican!" Damn republican wench! :grr: Around 6:00 P.M. we went to eat and then headed over to the Sheraton for the most WONDERFUL rally! Nashville country music star, Jamie O'Neill was suppose to play live, but got sick so a supporter who was always at the headquarters, Bobbie Messano, played for Wes. He is a Grammy nominee and plays the Blues. His band was AWESOME and the crowd enjoyed him very much. Then, in walks Wes, Gert AND Wes Jr. and a group of local politicians and other people who supported Wes. His speech that night was one of his BEST! We got to shake Gert's, Wes' and Wes Jr.'s hand. It was a very successful, well attended rally and the people seemed to LOVE him!
Tuesday....Primary day. We went to a High School that was a polling place and we were to stand outside for visibility, but a police officer informed me it was an "early voting" venue and we were too late. :( Off to headquarters, again. We walked in and were told we were JUST IN TIME!!!! The General was on his way over! WooHoo! Sure enough, 20 minutes later he walked in with Wes Jr. and the female officer who travels with him and speaks on his behalf...I can't remember her name, sorry! He was followed by the local media and about 3 TV cameras. Then we were informed that Wes would be available to talk to any "undecided" voters we were talking to. Sure enough!...he sat down right in front of me :loveya: and talked a man into voting for him. :bounce: Then my son and I were introduced to him because we had traveled from Illinois to help his campaign. He says to my son, "I want to ask you just one question. (Both hands on my son's shoulders) Why aren't you in school?" My son explained that his teacher had given him his homework to do while he was gone so he could go to Nashville to help the campaign." Wes said..."That is absolutely wonderful!" This is one little boy who cares about his country." All of THAT was filmed by the media. :) Then I told the General we would see him in Chicago on Thursday at his fundraiser and he seemed very excited and genuinely grateful for the support. Little did we or HE know that he would be out of the race. :cry: He visited a while and shook the volunteer's hands and left.
Next, I was sent to pick up an elderly gentleman who didn't have a car and needed a ride to go vote. I took him to vote then I headed over to a library, polling place, where Bobbie Messano, the musician, was standing and needed other people there so he could go to a church that was a polling place and had no Clark presence. We stood at the library for 2 1/2 hours greeting people. Then, off to watch the returns....*sigh* We know how that ended up. :cry:
I must say, those 3 days were some of the most exciting and worthwhile days I've ever had. I only wish the ending had been different. :(
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