My Coldest Week Ever, with the warmest people on earth. Part 1.

asdjrocky

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Mon Jan-07-08 03:52 PM
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My Coldest Week Ever, with the warmest people on earth. Part 1.

There are so many people to thank, and I want to start with the people who made it possible for me to go to Iowa.

Thank you Democratic Underground! I mean it. Without the people here, without the open engagement of ideas, without all of the fighting arguing and yelling �oh wait, I forgot you guys can�t hear me yell at my monitor- without all of you here at DU, I would have never made the trip.

You are some of the smartest, and best-informed people I have ever known. Because of reading and posting on DU, my political IQ has gone up at least 10 points, and in Iowa, it showed. Even the people I rarely if ever agree with have taught me so much here. (And you people know who you are.) Thanks for making me provide the proof, thanks for making me find the links, because of you people, I�m an even better advocate for my candidate. If someone would have told me a month ago, I would be in Iowa on Caucus night, helping as an assistant precinct captain, I would have never believed them. Hell, I might have asked for some of what they were smoking.

I joined DU in early last November, and since then I�ve learned so much. I know, by comparison to many of you, I�m very new, and I also want to thank you all for the welcome I received when I first started posting. I really just wanted to take a moment, and sincerely thank you all. Keep fighting, no matter what.

My First Days:

I arrived in Iowa (actually Omaha) on time, and Pam, a very nice Democratic Party volunteer picked me up at the airport. We spoke about the reasons we support John Edwards as she drove me to Council Bluffs headquarters. One common theme emerged, he cared about poor people, and he wanted to re-new the middle class. For us it was that simple.

Council Bluffs HQ

They wasted little time putting me to work. I was canvassing the good people of Council Bluffs within an hour, and once back at the office; I was phone banking until 8 pm. A brief note, these people don�t stop, never tire, and are always ready to move on to the next task.

Here�s a picture of our fearless leader. He looks nice, sure, but don�t let that smile fool you, inside of that friendly, honest and open exterior is a deeply dedicated and all-powerful taskmaster. He is relentless. He knows how to crack a whip while keeping a friendly grin. I can�t prove it, but I�m fairly certain he has a set of eyes in the back of his head.

And Doug, if you�re reading this, I haven�t stopped working. I promise. I have to say that because I�m still just a little bit afraid of him.

Doug, Meaner than he looks

Here�s a caution, if you ever find yourself working in a campaign with Doug, don�t let him seeing you relaxing. Ever.

Top: Becca, just as nice as she looks.
Bottom: Kayt, Nice, and never looked up from her desk.

Sunday and Monday, my first two days in the cold, were a blur of canvas, call, eat bad food, canvas, and call, eat bad food. Now sleep. Get up, and do it again.

A quick moment for my favorite canvas story- We�ll call him, oh I donno, Ted. Ted is a registered Dem, who had, at the time, made no commitment to any candidate, and the main issue for him was the Iraq war. He just happened to be the one in ten or so doors that opened to me on my second day.

I ask for his vote and he told me he hadn�t quite yet made his decision, but he was leaning toward one of the republicans.

I blinked once, maybe twice in that moment of silence. It was one of those moments of silence where you wish someone would burp, or fart, so you could at least get a laugh. But no one burped, and no one farted. I promise you.

�Can you tell me which one?� I asked in my friendliest voice.

�Can�t really remember his name,� Ted pondered.

�Ron Paul?� I asked hopefully.

�Nope,� Ted replied, I�m certain he was mulling over all the great republican candidates in his head, studying and configuring there great plans for America, and comparing them on a great spread sheet in his head.

�Rudy?� I offered hopefully, knowing Rudy had no chance.

�No, not him either.�

I found it strange that this was the one Iowan I talked to, my whole time there, that seemed to be in no hurry what-so-ever to end the conversation. Ted had a lot of time on his hands, and he didn't�t mind wasting some of it with me. I went through the rest of the democratic candidates and he said �nope�, �naw� or �uh-uh� to every single one. Or so I thought. I mean, I even tried that guy named Tancrato.

Then he said, �That actor guy.�

�Fred Thompson?� I wondered if I sounded as incredulous to him, as I did in my head.

�That guy, yeah, I like him.�

I looked on the cheat sheet to find his caucus location, something we did for everyone no matter who they supported, but I couldn�t find a precinct on Mars. I thanked Ted, shook his hand, and headed off for more doors.

When I think about Ted now, days later, I still shake my head.

My Favorite House, on the Coldest Day

Black Squirrel, Unofficial Mascot
of Council Bluffs, Iowa

I discovered many things about myself in Iowa, the first thing I discovered is that I feel cold like no one else in the world. Seriously, how do you people do it? Are you nuts? Or are you just the toughest people in this country? I had perfectly rational people tell me on my first day there that 20 degrees was a perfectly nice day in Iowa. Then they would smile and say something like, �tomorrow will be cold, down to 6, enjoy this while it lasts.�

Enjoy twenty degrees. Sure. Here�s a box of rocks, eat them and enjoy them.

The next day, I found myself hearkening back those good old days of 20-degree weather. 20-degrees was a balmy heat wave compared to 6.

But on January first, nothing, not even the hurtful winds and bitter cold, could damper our spirits. Johnny was coming; he�d be at our Council Bluffs headquarters tonight. He would be in the midst of his thirty-six hour Countdown to Caucus Event and we were his stop at ten pm.

We canvassed in the cold all day. We invited every one to the event. After a quick dinner with two great volunteers, Rob from the bay area in Californian, and Theresa who hails from New Mexico, we were off into the cold night. There was still time to leave some flyer's on the windshields of cars. There was also still time to understand it�s very hard to speak, and not sound stupid, when your lips are completely frozen. What was that guys name on Fat Albert that talked funny? That was me.

On the way back to the office we all picked a number for the turnout. I was the most optimistic, and just so ya know, I was right.

In Part Two...
Council Bluffs appearance, and the night I met my �on background source� for the Edwards campaign.

�The night was a blur, like a good drunk that goes on a bit too long. The best parts remain a little fuzzy, but warm to that deep part inside you.�