Canvassing Rural Pennsylvania today - wow!!

[RhodaGrits]

I canvassed throughout a rural area of PA today. The majority of homes were pro-Obama and I was surprised at the number of voters I found that were "Rush" Repubs that switched their registration to Dem to vote Clinton in the primaries and today swore that since she lost, they were now voting McCain-Palin. If they were ever really going to pull a lever for Hillary Clinton, I'll eat my clipboard. I found some disgruntled women who supported Clinton but they said that they planned on grudgingly pulling the lever for Obama in Nov. I only found one Clinton supporter who was undecided and liked Palin. Her husband was strongly leaning Obama.

Overall, lots of admiration for Biden: a few wished Obama had picked Clinton for VP but not negative toward Biden.

I ended up the day at my Repub brother and sister in law's home and they confessed they were both voting for Obama (he did 2 tours of duty in Vietnam) and they want to canvass for Obama next weekend!! They said their 4 adult sons are all voting Obama. He also reported that the McCain camp called today begging for him to attend the Scranton rally and he told them he wouldn't walk across the street for McCain, let alone attend a rally :-)

My mom called this morning from NC. She and my step-father are reg'd Repubs. The Repubs called canvassing this morning and she told the that she & husband were "absolutely, positively" voting for Obama.

I got 2 more people signed up to do phone bank in Pennsy next weekend as well.

I finished my first day of canvassing excited and enthused. I'm a 52 yr old woman and I don't believe that we should let it fall to just the twenty-somethings to go door to door. I think I was persuasive and effective (although next time I'm bringing along my Repub sister in law and not going alone!)

We can win this and we can do it with enough momentum and force to prevent them from stealing it! Hit the streets.

[BlooInBloo]

1. Thanks for your work in the trenches!

[abburdlen]

2. Awesome Rhonda!

Hit the streets is right!
:thumbsup:

[madmom]

3. This 54 year old is right there with ya, doing phone banking tomorrow.

[movonne]

4. I really enjoy these stories...yours was very inspiring .. thank you..

[gateley]

5. Wow - your entire family voting for Obama!

And some great responses from the people! Good job! :headbang:

[Diamonique]

6. What an uplifting post! Thanks for getting out there! n/t

[DeepBlueC]

7. That is great to hear

Thanks for your good work. :hi:

[Cha]

8. You are so good, RhodaGritsf! NOt only do you

get out there and do the ground work but you write about it, beautifully!

Rec'd!

[flamingdem]

9. Really! That is great

thanks for your work!

[lolamio]

10. Thank you for the report...

I am a 44 year old woman living in Upstate NY. Several friends and I are planning on driving down to eastern PA in a couple of weeks to canvas as well. We don't know what to expect, but as a group of middle aged women from New York State - several of whom voted for Hillary - we are hopeful that we might reach some voters. It's really helpful to have an idea of what's ahead of us!

[firedupdem]

11. Good News and Thanks for your hard work! n/t

[Frustratedlady]

12. Interesting. My daughter and I are working Tuesday at headquarters.

I'm hoping that these polls are off because they can't poll the college kids or kids with their cell phones. Well, I suppose their phone numbers are on their registration. I'm also working on my college-aged grandchildren. They are hot for Obama.

[Indiana_Dem]

15. Don't forget about the new registrations, too! They miss them in polling.nt

[alcibiades_mystery]

13. PA by 5% for Obama

The worry-brigade is latched on to Pennsylvania like it's a nipple guard. It's just one more thing they'll be wrong about.

[Indiana_Dem]

14. Canvassed 4 hours today in Indiana!

We spent a great deal of our time today trying to find the screwy streets and the numbering system was really messed up, too. So we didn't get to as many doors as we would've liked. But--I registered 3 new people along the way that have never voted. Two were new citizens and they were excited to be able to vote for Obama!!

Yesterday I spent the day putting out signs for Dem party local candidates and Obama (only had 10 signs). One of my fellow canvassers said he woke up today to find his sign stolen. He was so mad, he made up his own signs and placed them right back up all over his front yard and porch "Obama for President".

[eshfemme]

16. That's so great to know!!!

I'm so glad that Obama seems to be doing well! I'm really hoping that it'll be a landslide.

[PerfectSage]

17. Let me express my gratitude,RhodaGrits.

:applause::applause::applause::applause::applause::applause::applause::applause::applause::applause::applause::applause::applause::applause::applause::applause::applause::applause::applause::applause::applause::applause::applause::applause::applause::applause::applause::applause::applause::applause::applause::applause::applause:

[blue neen]

18. Thanks for your work here in PA!

We have high hopes! :)

[RoccoR5955]

19. Though I live in NY, a very blue state...

... I am hearing this from friends and relatives all over the country. I really think that the pollsters are in for a rude surprise come November, and they find that their data are wrong. When we get out the vote, and win in a landslide, maybe some change for WE THE PEOPLE will come out of it.
I really hope so.

[liberalmuse]

20. Thank you for what you did today.

I love hearing the reports from the field.

I'm volunteering via Move On to register voters next Sunday in Everett, WA and can't wait!

[Patiod]

21. Good job - much more fun to canvass with someone else, tho

Also, except with the elderly, I always ask "do you know where your polling place is?"

In inevitably, several people who have just moved in do NOT know where their polling place is. You can tell them, or if you don't know, you can write it down, and a volunteer can call them and let them know.

[Eyes_wide_ open]

22. Thank you

I really admire those of you get out there and canvas that way. I'm not well suited to that myself, but I did go out Saturday for my first VR drive and that was exciting also. We had several new voters and many change of addresses too. I enjoyed myself much more than I thought I would and will joining them again next week.

There are many jobs that need doing within the campaign, and I think each of us can find something we are comfortable with.

Thanks again for doing your part.

[grantcart]

23. This may be the first actual sighting of Republican canvassers

[Top Cat]

24. Thanks for sharing your awesome day

[renie408]

25. You GO big girl!! It is DIRECTLY because of YOU that we will win this thing!! n/t

[stillcool]

26. Good job! You must feel fantastic!

Thank you!

[RhodaGrits]

27. the people i visited left an indelible impression on me -

the young man in a wheel chair who said he was a college student and was worried about how he would repay his tuition, the woman who was working two jobs, studying at nursing school to try to get ahead and was so worried about what was happening to this country, the man who worked with concrete who has seen his wages retract instead of grow and his wife who worried how they were going to heat their home this winter, the small business owners that were just barely eking a living (and bragged to me that they were 2 Independents and a newly registered Dem (18 yr old daughter) for Obama - and the 15 yr old son piped up - "me too!")). It's so tough out there for working folks.

There were lots of "no one home", lots of meandering up and down roads looking for well-hidden house numbers and there are no potty breaks out there but it was well worth it and I'll go back out asap.

[flpoljunkie]

28. Very encouraging report. Like your idea to bring your Republican sister-in-law with you next time.

[Hope And Change]

29. Great job.Keep up the good work!K & R!