And now, a word from the uninformed but pious.

When you believe in something so devoutly that you refuse to see or hear any opposing views, that makes you, what? Crazy? Narrow minded? You bring the adjectives. What bothers me more than Rush Limbaugh being ill informed is that he is a leader of a massive political party in this country and they, gulp, want control.
And yet, they have no earthly idea what they are talking about.
Take a listen:



Man. He can't even argue because he knows that he's wrong in every respect.
Ronald Reagan was NOT the standard bearer for the Tea Party. If he was running today they would never elect him, he'd be considered too liberal.

I believe that, if he were running for office today he would say the same thing about the GOP that he did about the Democrats in the 60s: "I didn't leave the [Republican] party. They left me.

Happy birthday, Ronnie.

Land of Hope (and Dreams)

I never really wrote anything about the actual election.
I've been so busy.
I've been imbued with a sense of hope. What can I say? I drank the Kool-Aid. I'm a believer.
I cried most of last night.
When Ohio came in I readied myself and left the phone bank. I didn't care much for the people who tried to take it over. (They were PISSED when I announced that Ohio was called. Why? Because they wanted to announce everything.
Here we are in a picture that was picked up by Time's Swampland blog.



I'm all the way to the left with the red shirt, right arm bent. Talking to one of the Zamboni people (read the last post).

When I got home I kissed my wife and hugged my daughter and turned on CNN just in time for the West to fall.
Then the calls and texts started to fly in.
It's over.
I am but a humble little servant who learned how to channel his better self by following Mr. Obama's teaching. And anyone who knows me can tell you that for me to spend an entire day (let alone 2 months!!) glad handing, thanking and hugging people means that a seismic change has occurred.
I'm so proud of this nation.
I'm so proud of myself and others.
I'm exhausted.
And I just want a big bowl of ice cream. And Quisp. I want Quisp, dammit!

Here's a little Boss and a great slideshow.
You guys all rock.

California's (and my) part of the election process

Barack Obama to his entire staff of paid and volunteers:
"This has been the best presidential election in the history of American Democracy."
I've seen it in action. I've been a part of it. I concur.
Eric Garcetti to the staff of the Obama HQ on Motor Ave:
"Rare are the times in life that you get to be a part of history."
Amen.
Here are the hard numbers:
Nationwide it was requested that phone banks make 1.5 million calls into the battlegrounds.
California made 1.439 million calls.
2.1 calls were made in total.
Resulting in 1 MILLION volunteers canvassing the streets on election day to GET OUT THE VOTE.
Holy crap. History indeed.

What started with a frustrated Allen wanting to be a part of something he believed in by attending the opening of that office months ago has ended with today. How many calls have I made? I can't even begin to count.
How many callers have I shepherded through their calls? Hundreds. How many times have people mistaken me for someone who has actual control over the work that they are doing beyond stapling? More times than I wish to count. How many egos have been bruised and battered and beat up? Including mine? 6. Okay, more like 6,000.
I am tired. My feet hurt. I've met some of the best people I will ever know. I have met some of the worst. I have fundamentally disagreed with some (like putting a self-described brain tumor recoverer who doesn't make saliva and can't speak for long periods of time in charge of a phone bank....) I have been shown the light on others.
I've probably been more petulant than I should have for my own good.
I've learned that if you work in an office there are two things I can say to you: 1. I'm sorry. And 2. I suggest offing yourself before going back to that job. (vote first, of course)
I've learned that, despite my abject dislike for many people, I am fairly gregarious and do best when I am in a position to teach or edify. Go figure.
I've also learned the hardest way that I can not, under any circumstances, suffer empty egos. By this I mean: If you know from whence you speak, it doesn't matter if you are fluid, soft spoken or authoritative; I will follow you at your word. But if you speak on things with authority and it turns out to be that you are full of blue smoke and piffle, then I have no time for you. Ever. And I wouldn't blink to hear that you had been run over by slow moving Zamboni. Seriously. As Michael O'Donoghue once wrote, "I would kick you in the cunt if I didn't think it would ruin the shine on my shoes." Never have truer words been spoken than about some of the crazed, power hungry, ego driven wannabes that end up volunteering for an election. Which is weird. Since we are all volunteers. (And the O'Donoghue quote goes for men OR women in this case).
I've also learned that I prefer the company of the bawdy and loud to the smarmy and snarky. Which is odd because I've often admired the likes of William F. Buckley though I don't agree with the politics. Trust me. The left has a ton of those, too. (Like the ass who wouldn't count volunteers because "I like to be in charge of things.....")
That's it.
I would document the entire affair but I probably should have created a day to day journal. I just didn't.
There were laughs.
There were tears.
Many of them, mine.
It's all over.
See you on the other side.
Allen
Deputy Field Officer
Phone Bank co-ordinator/trainer
Barack Obama for America.

I am without words for this post's title.

This is vile.


Watch CBS Videos Online

Poor John McCain.

Just dashing this off quick:
Pity poor John McCain.
He coddled the evangelical, hate spewing right. Where once he was actually a decent man, a trustworthy man who followed his gut and whose head was not always up to the task.
So blinded by ambition that he allowed himself to wallow in the trough of partisan hackery.
Then he met the hatemongers at a rally. And found himself defending Barack Obama.
Looked right in the eye of a devout follower, one whose heart he was TRYING to win over with his attack ads.
And she admitted from the bottom of her heart that she is afeared of Barack because "He's a Arab."
John looked like he just wanted to go home. Like he made a deal with the devil and just wants to recant.

Be careful what you wish for.
It's like that trippy Twilight Zone episode where the jewish guy wishes for ultimate power and the genie turns him into Hitler.
So, Pity poor John McCain.
But not so much. Cuz he's an idiot.