Dialling for Democrats

[Squeech]

Last night I had my first experience at the grunt work of politics: I worked the phones for Pat Jehlen. She's my state representative, but the state senator for the district that includes Somerville just died, and Jehlen has decided to go for it. She's a good Cambridge-style progressive; her big issues are getting funding for education, affordable housing, and worker rights. (The one time I helped her out in the past was sneaking her into my workplace to talk to our office manager when Jobs with Justice was picketing our building.)

There are several other candidates, and one of them also identifies as progressive, but apparently his commitment to the cause is kinda shaky. (At least that's what I hear from Jehlen supporters.) And my neighborhood alderman has decided to run too, but as a Republican, which means his candidacy is laughable.

Anyway, I called several dozen phone numbers. I did reach a handful of people who said they were voting for Jehlen, but all but one of those were already working on the campaign. (So why were they on my call list? Might I be more effective as a database administrator?) I also dialled a dozen numbers that were no longer in service. Mainly I left messages on people's answering machines. The coordinator of the volunteers did think my phone voice was very good-- it was the same voice I used to use on college radio.

I guess the weirdest call was one woman who said she was leaning toward Jehlen, but needed to hear her specific stance on one issue-- and she couldn't tell me what the issue was, because her phone was tapped. No, I don't think she's a loony, and I wonder what her issue is.

They want me to come back and do it again next week.