[Dialogue] Adventures with the Obama campaign

[Janice Ulangca]

A Day That Changed History
 

Anticipation.  Nail-biting suspense.  Hope and worry.  Will it happen, or won’t it?  Sometimes it’s a decisive military battle - or the World Series.  Or sometimes an election that might have gone either way.  Would doubts and old fears and guilt prevail in the privacy of the voting booth?  Oh, Americans, you are capable of so much in either arrogant cruelty or life-changing generosity!  Which will it be this time?

 

Now we know.  There can be a new start, for this nation and for its role in the world.  Two days ago we did not know - we only hoped.  So I had to travel about two hours down into Pennsylvania to do what I could on Monday and election day.  It was part just wanting to be part of history.  But also - I would always regret it if I hadn’t given what I could, to help in this state that both Obama and  McCain had declared critical to winning.  

 

The Obama campaign organization was really fine.  There were many ways to get involved, and effective tools - both on-line and out of campaign offices.  Encouraging e-mails let you know that your efforts were part of a bigger strategy that could make a great difference.  And always, always there was sincere gratitude for everything you did.

 

What did I do in Pennsylvania?  I said when I was available, then was nationally assigned to the Wilkes Barre area by the “Border States Team” and out of the Wilkes Barre office to Kingston, PA, just across the Susquehanna River.  The two biggest tasks were walking through neighborhoods, delivering last minute literature to homes with Obama supporters, and phoning Obama supporters to give a quick message about the importance of their votes. Excellent neighborhood maps were given to each team of 2 walkers, with names, ages, and voting location for each previously-identified supporter. 

 

People came in by car, bus and plane to regional offices all over Pennsylvania to help.  In the Kingston office, it was mostly young people and seniors - though a few people had taken the days off work to help.  New York City area folks were well represented.  They both inspired, and were inspired by, the local folks, who as progressive Democrats had usually felt overwhelmed in this mostly Republican area.  

 

Snapshots of people:

 

-- C.J. Kersey, a young social studies teacher in a Kingston high school who took time off to coordinate that Obama office.  C.J. was aware of everyone who came in, warmly greeting them, and asking if they were up to door to door walking or would rather phone.  He held brief training sessions for the groups of 20 or so walkers for each 4-hour shift.  Through these two days he was constantly strategizing with the regional office - best practices were immediately implemented.  A great guy.

 

-- Helen, my first walking partner Monday afternoon.  A home-health nurse, she came at 3:30 Monday and Tuesday after work.  From a nearby town, she knew the area and navigated while I drove.  A delightful redhead.

 

-- Chris, a local high school senior who had worked with C.J. since the primaries, going door to door with him.  He was my Tuesday morning walking partner, and what a fine young man.  He talked about how tough it was during the primary, when the Democrats in town were so strong for Hillary, and sometimes hostile to Obama people.  Chris  walked two 4-hour shifts on Tuesday, while I could only last for one, so I made phone calls the second shift.  The son of a factory worker, Chris has his heart set on medical school - and with two fine local colleges, he just might make it.  But he says he'll always be active in politics.

 

-- Te (with an accent over the e) - pronounced “Tay” - to rhyme with day.  Animated, competent, probably in her 60s, with her own international consulting business, from the NY City area.  Between phone calling and sandwiches Tuesday noon, she mentioned that she was on the NY State Board of a group called Citizen Action.  She was overjoyed to know that I am a member.  We talked about the need to bring faith and organizing for justice together after mentioning my work with the Council of Churches and hers with her synagogue.

 

Other sights I remember:  A lady in her 50s wearing an Obama button beside another button that said “Hillary Sent Me.”  Everybody under 50 happily sitting on the floor as there weren’t that many chairs in the 2 good-sized rooms of the rented campaign office.  A sign over a crockpot on the food table that said “Minestrone Soup by Bev Williams”.   The deeply concerned look on the tired face of Teresa, the waitress who served me a late dinner in a Pennsylvania diner as I travelled home. She noticed the Obama button on my jacket.   “What time do you think we’ll know how the election will come out?  Do you think we might know by 11 tonight?  I hope I can know before I just have to go to bed.”  Well, Teresa, you knew by 11.

 



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Janice Ulangca
3413 Stratford Drive
Vestal, NY  13850
607-797-4595
aulangca at stny.rr.com
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