Recap and Follow-Up

Here's an update on the rest of last week and how the Obama event actually went.  

Wednesday: 

I worked all morning at Applebee's, and some how was still in a good mood when I made it in to the campaign office later that night.  Being in a good mood made lots of other things more bearable, but it was still hard to have Escritora shut me out of EVERYTHING, because I'm just a phone-answering intern.  JKR and I were out with C. later and we talked a lot about how Escritora does that to her too.  It was nice to hear I wasn't the only one, and it was good to know that JKR liked and appreciated having me around. 

That night we ran out of tickets for the event, and we were pretty stoked about that.  They had disappeared very slowly the night before and everyone kept wondering aloud if the event was even going to partially fill. (It was that bad on tuesday).  We later found out from visitors that the press release had gone out late, which was why very few people came on Tuesday. 

We also heard through the grapevine that the "McCain people" were planning a "protest" for the newsmedia on Thursday morning before the event, so we tried to pull together a group for a "counter-protest".  We had to meet outside the fieldhouse where Obama would later speak at 6:00 a.m. for this to happen.  It was kind of a let-down actually.  "McCain people" was code for the Linn County Republicans Chair, and "protest" was code for "being interviewed"... so we just looked like extra excited Obama supporters, lining up to see him at 6:00.  Whateves.  I brought coffee and bagels for everyone from Panera so I was the cool kid that morning. 

During the event I hung out with all the press people.  I met a really cool freelance reporter from Davenport, and a guy (documentarian) from Japanese public television.  I feel kind of badly, because he really wanted to talk to me about Iowa and Coe and college, the midwest, politics and such, but I couldn't because any Obama staffer who saw me chatting with him would have murdered me.  That is so not allowed. So I had to give him the newspaper email address for him to contact me later, and I'm so sad he hasn't emailed.  I totally believe in what he was trying to report/document on, but I just couldn't talk to him while on campaign time.  *sigh* I hope he emails.  :(

I also was really impressed with what Obama said during question and answer.  His prepared talk was a lot of fluffy rhetoric, but he got specific and down and dirty when people asked questions.  That, combined with an Iowa City FO giving me a REAL, policy-driven answer about why he started supporting Obama when we were talking that evening, convinced me to climb on  the bandwagon.  So now I have an Obama t-shirt and a sticker for my binder.  I still am looking for a bucking democratic donkey for my mac though.  If you see one of those stickers, let me know. *wink*

All weekend:

I worked at Applebee's and actually had a pretty good time. 

Monday:

10-2 I was at the Campaign office.  All of the new FOs started, (add Saraswati, SMS, and Green Lady to the cast of characters), and I worked on a whole list of things D. asked me to do.  Specifically, I was creating a flyer to tell flood-affected voters about voting at the Auditor's office.  I made this probably way more complicated than it had to be, but since we are going to put it on the wall, I wanted it to be visually appealing.  I ended up finding pictures of about half of the flooded out voting locations and another picture of the mall and put them in the backround of the document, faded out with text over it.  It looks bad-ass.  The text is minorly cheesy, but I don't care.  And JKR loved it. I also created a document called "Front Desk 101" for whoever ends up manning the front desk and phone after I'm gone.  It has all kinds of information about how to answer the phone and where to  direct questions.  

2-4 I was as Coe finishing a Cosmos project I started in May.  Yeah... sending a letter to first-years took WAY too long.

4-late I was at the Bee's.  I wasn't first cut!! I stayed until almost close.  It was so cool to not be a lame first-cut person. I had a whole quarter of the restaurant to myself to wait on for a while.  Yeah... I'm a bad-ass.  I also went to my first Applebee's party that night.  'Twas a good time. Lots of laughing.

Tuesday I took a mental health day.  I started teaching an ESL class today and I needed to prepare for that, and I hadn't had a day off (as in no Democrats, and no Applebee's) in WEEKS.  Honestly. I was also way homesick for unknown reasons. 

Wednesday (Today):

I took the morning to finish prepping for ESL class (which was quite the experience), and then at about 5 came into the office.  

I spent my evening revising the two documents I sent to D. on Monday and creating a spreadsheet of all Linn County precincts and which candidates are running where.  We hope this will make giving out yard signs easier, firstly, and should prove useful in other ways.  I'm kindof worried I did the IA house and senate districts wrong, because while they match what I think the auditor's maps show, they are not what Derek had in his intro packet he gave me and the FOs about the area.  So.... we'll see what happens.

I only had about 20 minutes or so until the office closes at that point so I didn't start anything else.  And I don't understand my notes about the other things I was supposed to do that I wrote on Monday.  I guess I kind of do... but I'm not sure. 

Things that I know need to happen:

 - I need to update our contact list/office phone number list.  And it's totally not going to fit on one page anymore. Sad. 

 - I also need to finish that senior outreach thing for Linn County (and hopefully Benton... but that probably won't happen).  

 - I think one of my notes says something about a volunteer spread sheet, but I think I need to talk to D. about that one again to really know what to do.  

 - And I need to finish double checking that all the flooded homes got entered into the voter database. 

Four things in about a week... Maybe it will happen. I can't believe summer is almost over.  Wow. 

Sometimes life is anything but glamorous.

Big news this week - Obama's coming.  For some reason, this makes me angry. I think it just throws a wrench in the daily in and out that has me displeased. That, and no one I can talk to has a good reason they like him. Still. It's almost August people. There should be a reason to like your presidential candidate by this point. Also, the FO's wont let me help.  And today sucks, so I need a reason to get happy.  Handing out tickets and registering voters would make me happy. But instead I get to tell angry out-of-towners that I can't reserve them tickets over the phone. Rar.

The mailman makes me happy though. He's just such a friendly and cheerful sort of man.

Other reasons life is unglamorous: 

- It took me 35 minutes to get my coffee at Starbucks today. 

- I got a $102.86 speeding ticket on my first time getting pulled over, EVER, for going only ten miles over on the highway

- When I drove the speed limit, I got tailgated and honked at

A. Carol at AARP in Iowa also makes me happy, because he was very pleasant on the phone.  Not an ass. 

Instead of being involved with the Obama event, I am making certain we have all the flood victims properly tagged in the voter system.  Which I suppose is important, but the majority are already tagged, so it's a lot of repeating already finished work. Oh well. 

I'm so mad about that speeding ticket. And that I can't be registering people to vote.  Cause the new FO's don't know what the hell they're doing.  And I do. Grr. And I did all the work to set up for the ticket process... and they probably are going to ask me to man the office during the event, so I still won't be able to see Obama and be suaded to jump on the band wagon.

I just hate that I don't know what he stands for. I know what Clinton and Edwards stood for. I don't know what Obama stands for.  What's his policy baby?  What are his priorities, what does he want to to? No one knows. Many people are charismatic and have efficient and friendly staffs. That shouldn't be why they get elected president. As uncharismatic as Art (Nymphadora's candidate) is, I know what he stands for and why I should elect him in the fall.  I'm voting for Obama because I believe in his party and I don't believe in his opponent.  Isn't that sad?  

God, I'm so disenchanted right now. 

And now the press is here, so the Obama people are erasing all sign of other local candidates from the shot. And I'm gonna go for a walk and cry a little. 

Eureka/OS!M

Today I had a breakthrough.

I've been loving my internship. I'm working with a bunch of young, energized people who believe in what they are doing (worlds away from interning with the State of Minnesota in the Executive branch a couple years ago, and from waitressing 40 hours a week). My work is usually challenging/interesting and I feel like I'm actually accomplishing something day in and out. But I still felt some of the latent frustration that I've become very familiar with. It's a frustration that denotes some level of apathy, boredom, or discomfort/disagreement with what I'm doing or being required to do. Like upselling. I hate upselling. Why should I waste my time convincing someone to buy a drink made with a more expensive brand of vodka or buy a full sized salad when they really don't care about the brand of alcohol or only want to eat a half salad? So each time I do it... I feel slightly disgusted with myself, even though my managers praise me at the end of the night when I have a slightly higher guest check average.

Anyway, I was feeling a bit like that, despite being generally very satisfied with my Democratic internship. It was definitely not overwhelming, nor something I thought about or noticed everyday. It just kind of nagged me from time to time. A little reminder that, while I may enjoy myself this summer, campaigning may not be the career for me. I couldn't put my finger on or define the issue, but it existed. Today while talking with D. about upcoming events, I finally figured out what it was - my unending idealism is poking its head into my life once again.

I have this belief that if people are empowered and educated on politicians, parties and policies, they will be willing and able to vote, and the sum of that vote would be a pretty fair indicator of what is best for the nation as a whole. I guess I just believe democracy should work, or something. That it could and should actually function as we teach our children it does. Because when you talk about it like that, it makes sense and seems fair and... something... Anyway, campaigning deludes this, destroys it. We spend so much time trying to figure out how to con and convince or otherwise talk or bribe or trick people into voting for our candidate or party. We're basically upselling (or selling in general) our party's product. And that sales mindset just doesn't ever sit well with me. I know I'm an everyday product and victim and active participant of/in the advertising industry and market economy. I realize that. I'm just not ready to like it.

That's what's happened to me in college. In high school people could tell me I was idealistic until they were blue in the face, and I wouldn't believe them. College has taught me that I am idealistic, but while I have come to realize and accept this, I'm just not willing to give it up yet. And people think that's strange, but without idealism and striving for something better - actually better, not merely tricking everyone into thinking it's better - where will we be? Our culture and society will stagnate. Innovation, working towards a goal (an ideal), striving to become more is a cornerstone of being human and is key to human progress. So, I'm not willing to give up my idealism. I just can't. It's a pretty integral part of me. Deal with it, all you cynics.

I'm also not willing to resign myself to daily cheerfulness and not hating my job. Moving forward, I'm going to look for careers and jobs where I don't have an underlying nagging coming from my idealistic side. I'm going to look for something that satisfies that part of my personality too.

Back from Vacation

This has been my life for the last three weeks:

July 6-11th: Surviving a short-staffed Applebees Inspection

July 12-21st: Vacation in the Southwest

July 22nd & 23rd: Doubles at the 'Bees

Today: First day back at the Democratic Office

But before I could come in today, I had to deal with a lost debit card and orientation for an ESL conversation class I'm teaching in August. So instead of 10:00, I didn't get here until 12:00.

A lot of what I've been doing today is office operations related. Doing a lot of cleaning, moving some of our new Obama computers around. I also helped Bro' with a mailing, talked with JKR, was going to send out a absentee ballot request (but the dems changed my password, so I don't know how to log into the VAN (voter database) anymore, and can't do that until I see D), and now I'm working on my senior outreach stuff. I've decided Iowa has too many senior homes/apartments.

I still haven't been able to sit down with D. since I got back, so I'm not sure what all I'll need to work on in the coming days, but some things include creating a "Front Desk 101" handout - telling volunteers how to man the front desk when I'm not here - and also updating the HQ Phone List to reflect all the new Obama numbers.

Today has been a hard day. I've been working on this project so long that it is really hard to keep going on the senior outreach database. I've also been without my computer and/or internet for almost two weeks, so there was a truck-load of email and other things to go through that also provided distractions. I think I might spend my evening at the coffee shop, with my computer and my work... just kind of plow through more of it all at once. See if that helps at all.

Catch-Up

I started a second, paying, job at Applebee's which has greatly reduced the amount of time I spend at the Democratic office each week. I am still doing things around here though.

Some recent developments include taking over more of the office operations - like making sure it stays clean and that we have all the supplies we need - tending Pottsie's candidate while she does call time (calling people to ask them for money). I've also started on more community outreach projects - like the college research, but this time focusing on senior populations. Pretty exciting.

What's actually exciting is that there's been some major reorganizing of staff and a dramatic increase in the number of political staffers in our office. The drama was that the Obama for America campaign took over the Coordinated Campaign of the Democratic Party. Those of us who used to work for the Coordinated are now Obama staffers (or out of a job, cause that happened too, just not in our office). This demonstrates a shift in focus for the party. Instead of having a campaign dedicated to mobilizing voters for all candidates, we now are focused on growing and riding the wave of increased political interest Obama has been able to stir in voters since the primaries. The hope is if people are mobilized because they want to vote for Obama, there will be a trickle-down effect of mobilization for the local races as well. The office is a mix of various levels of pessimism, indifference, and optimism for this new plan of action. Now we have 12 staffers plus canvassers and two part-time junior interns. A complete list of characters follows:

Nymphadora, Campaign Manager for state house

Bro', (formerly J.), Campaign Manager for 2 state senate candidates

Pottsie, Campaign Manager for state house (easiest candidate to manage)

P-Fen, Pottsie's intern

D., formerly the IDP Coordinated Campaign Regional Field Director, now the Obama RFD and my boss

Obamapapa, Canvasser and now a regional Obama staffer (and kindof an Obama fanatic)

Newbie, Campaign Manager for a very young, boyish-looking state house candidate

C., canvass team leader

Semi-Colin, formerly a Coordinated Campaign Field Organizer, now an Obama FO

JKR, formerly a Coordinated Campaign Field Organizer, now an Obama FO

Escritora, I think she's a third Obama FO, but I'm not sure; we just met today.

Buttercup and Grey are the two high school interns. Buttercup does my job in the evenings when I can't be here and does data entry for the FOs. Grey is supposed to do things for the FOs, but has sort of been monopolized by Pottsie. One of the unfortunate consequences of the loosey-goosey thing our office has going on (which we usually enjoy) is that those sorts of misunderstandings sometimes happen. Grey's been able to do some things for other campaigns recently though.

I gotsta go to the 'Bees now though... more updates later.

They may be flooded, but the phone probably still works.

I'm dumb and forgot to tell... anyone at the office that I was in MN and not CR.  Whoops.  Pottsie just called (using his suavest phone voice) to make sure I was alive.  

New Rule: Always call before leaving town... no matter how early that would get someone that information.  Otherwise, I'll forget. 

On the plus side, I thought of tons of questions for Obama, should I ever have the opportunity to ask them.  I was listening to a podcast about the economy and the vast and growing inequality in the U.S. while I was waiting for my car to get fixed today.  The factoid burned on my brain:  

After being adjusted for inflation, the average worker in the U.S. in the 1960s earned $9.88 per hour.  Today that rate is $5.80.  Whoa.  That's an issue, especially considering worker productivity has skyrocketed in that time.  More work for less pay. A lot less pay.

Water, water, everywhere

I haven't been in the office since last Wednesday. Cedar Rapids flooded and I got sent home at about noon on Wednesday so I could get back to the west side of the river before the bridges closed. I called on Thursday and they told me to stay home... And check in on Sunday.

After pulling my hair out and watching the same episode of L&O: Criminal Intent three times over four days, I went home today to shower and do laundry, since I couldn't in Cedar Rapids. It was pretty fun to surprise my family for Father's Day and it was a great ride with KTB. Took us a bit of extra time to skirt the flood waters, but we made it. We also both felt kinda bad ditching our current home when it needed able-bodied volunteers, but we also both were going crazy... It was the first time I had been able to venture to the east side of the river since Wednesday.

These floods are so devistating. It's terrible. I don't know how the state is going to recover. Between tornados and floods... The state party postponed the state Democratic Convention. It was supposed to be yesterday, and I don't know when they'll hold it instead. Because really, a couple weeks isn't going to make much difference for people. Many of the festivals and parades we were going to campaign at are also cancelled or postponed. It's suddenly looking like a rough summer.

What follows here is an email I recieved from Democratic Senator (seeking reelection) Tom Harkin:

"Dear Heather :

"My thoughts and prayers go out to the tens of thousands of Iowans around the state who have had to evacuate their homes and businesses due to the severe weather damage and record flooding in communities and neighborhoods across our state. In addition, my heart and my sincere sympathies go out to the victims, families and friends of the boy scouts who were affected by the tornado that swept through the Little Sioux Scout Ranch near Turin.

"The news that we lost four young boy scouts was both shocking and heartbreaking. My thoughts and prayers are with the families who are grieving for their children. The teamwork and the swift disaster preparedness skills deployed by the boy scouts and local officials responding to the incident helped lessen the impact of that disaster, and for that I am grateful.

"Since the tornado hit Little Sioux Scout Ranch, large parts of Iowa have experienced immense flooding that has forced communities in Cedar Rapids and Des Moines to evacuate. My thoughts and prayers are also with these Iowans and I hope that their displacement is not prolonged and that they are able to return with their homes and businesses largely intact.

"I am touring our state with our Congressional Delegation and with officials from the Federal Emergency Management Administration to help coordinate relief efforts and I am confident that Iowa will emerge from this natural disaster stronger than ever. I know this because I have seen the strength of our communities as they have banded together to endure the devastation. Soon the waters will recede and we will begin the process of rebuilding and I will make sure that the federal government plays a robust role to help Iowans recover and rebuild.

"Iowans affected by recent tornadoes and floods are urged to call the 24-hour Iowa Concern Hotline for financial and emotional assistance at (800) 447-1985.

"Citizens who want to donate monetarily to help the victims of the storms can do so through service organizations including, but not limited to: Red Cross, United Way, and the Salvation Army.

"Due to the immense flooding and storm damage in Iowa, I have postponed the voting deadline for the final round of our "Building Blue " contest for Iowa State House and State Senate candidates. The contest - and the final round of balloting - will now run through the end of the month.

"Please keep our fellow Iowans in your thoughts and prayers and please support them if you are able. I know Iowa will emerge from the floods of 2008 stronger than ever.

"Senator Tom Harkin"


For more information on Building Blue, visit www.tomharkin.com/action/building-blue (Candidates Gretchen Lawyer and Swati Dandekar have their campaigns based in my office).