My wife and I have been engaged in the Obama Campaign since early in the Primaries. We have canvassed out neighborhood, we have made phone calls, we have hosted parties, we have volunteered at rallies. One of the things that has characterized the effort of supporters of this movement is a single-minded commitment to leave no stone unturned, because no one wants to ask tomorrow, the day after the election -- "What more could we have done?"
Without this fully committed effort, there is no way a young, first term Black Senator from llinois could achieve the improbable -- to win the Democratc Party nomination. Without the small donations from millions of supporters, there is no way he could have raised more money than any Presidential candidate in history. While that seems like more of the same political influence-buying, it is something different. It is the essential resource needed to win this most improbable victory. Each small contributor and volunteer can see the effect of the total effort, and doesn't need to ask, "What more could we have done?"
Today, I spent the afternoon transporting senior citizens to vote early. My wife was volunteering at a rally. Interestingly, we called every member of our church aged 60 and over, and every single one of them was registered. Many of them had already mailed in their absentee votes. They know about past efforts when we haven't done enough. They already know the value of their vote, and they know the disappointment of asking, "What more could we have done?"
Wouldn't it be wonderful if we contacted every person we know -- every young person, every high school dropout over 18, every person who is out of work, everybody hanging out on the corner, or kicking it in the club -- and received the same result? If there is someone you know who is not registered to vote, make just one more phone call. After October 6th, it will be too late.
Let us not wake up on November 5th, and look in the mirror afterward and ask, "What more could we have done?"
Posted By: Roger E Madison Jr
Monday, October 6th 2008 at 2:44AM
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