Hey! We volunteered for the first time last night (great quote inside)

[underpants]

So finally my wife and I went to the Richmond Kerry-Edwards campaign HQ last night. Details follow but in short I have to tell everyone that it is not going to hurt you (GO! dammit) and they aren't going to knock on your door and plead you to come down (GO! dammit).

Okay so we get there and sign up as volunteers. The place was full of people and only one of the 20-25 phones was not being used. The volunteer coordinator put my wife on the phone (good choice). In the hour+ that we spent there she got 10 responses from a lower income area (she gathered) in Fredericksburg.
5 for Kerry and 5 for Bush
-one of the Bush supporters said "Bush! and I'll tell you why HE SAVES LIVES"
-one of the Kerry supporters said she and her whole family and everyone they knew was voting Kerry she yelled out "HEY! I have someone from the Kerry campaign on the phone!!" two of the 5 Kerry supporters gave my wife their names and said they would love to volunteer.

My wife has a excellent phone demeanor and she :-) SMILES (it CAN be heard through the phone line).

My part is saving the world from Tyranny? Stuffing pamphlets with an elderly black woman named Ruby who had quite the firm handshake.

Ruby must be fairly prominent in the party/community because the local CBS affiliate came to her house to talk to her about the AWB expiration on Monday.

She was hilarious:

On Bush- "That nasty DRUNK!"
On Cheney- "That foul mouthed evil man"
On Bush (she is very religious)- "You KNOW he sold his soul to Satan" She made several Satan references to Bush


But my favorite line from her on Bush
"He is like a lost ball in high weeds".

I am planning on going back tonight (maybe-got chores to do) but definitely on Thursday and we signed up to do three nights and one day at the State Fair which starts on the 23rd.

GO! dammit.

[Jokinomx]

1. Awesome... I am also a first time volunteer this year.

I just turned 48 yesterday and I have never felt as focused about the need to help change the direction of this country as I do this year.

Thank You and your Wife for doing your part...:toast:

[underpants]

11. Thank YOU!

:beer:

[madmax]

2. Bless you and Mrs. Underpants.

I know I sound like a broken record but, it's the ground war that will win the election. The local volunteers are the real heros in an election war.

Please keep us informed of your experiences. I'm sure we all enjoy reading 'real life' behind the scenes information.

:hug: to you and Mrs. Underpants. :loveya:

[Catfight]

3. I love that metaphor. Another one of my favorites is, "His brain is like

a pea in a box car."

[underpants]

4. "BB in a beer can"

Applies too.

[DebinTx]

13. BB on a six lane highway.

Someone used that the other day. LOL!

[farmbo]

5. Sign her up as Kerry's chief speech writer!

eom

[LisaLynne]

6. Good for you!

I also am a first-year volunteer!

[underpants]

7. I have a confession to make

I was a PAID phone banker for the Reagan campaign in '84. Hey! I was young I needed the money -plus where I was making the calls (Va.Peninsula) was a no-brainer.

ON EDIT-Congrats to you too.

[smiley_glad_hands]

8. Where is the Richmond office at?

My wife and I were considering volounteering too.

[underpants]

9. vavictory04.com

http://168.144.65.120/VirginiaVictory04/PressReleases.asp

Go North on Boulevard until it becomes Hermitage-take a left at the AP Hill statue (he is buried under that you know) onto Laburnum. It is in the office complex just before the 195 entrance -basically the last set of buildings on the right.

[smiley_glad_hands]

10. Thanks.

Lived in Richmond for a year now, don't hang out too much in the city. So the office is on North Laburnum before the 195 entrance--cool.

[cthrumatrix]

12. LOL....maybe the "weed" part is true for chimpy

[roseBudd]

14. I street canvass urban African Americans in Ohio

It's easy and fun. I keep it casual. No wonk talk. Blacks are for Kerry, we just have to increase turnout by motivating. Black leaders and ministers can only reach so many people. We are a diverse party and we should not be fearful of engaging in conversations with people of color regarding this electuion.

[SheilaT]

15. Yes yes yes yes yes.

African Americans are such an important part of this country. We need more of them voting, running for office, volunteering for political campaigns, and everything else like that.