It was a brilliant, warm autumn day with lots of people from all over the globe walking along and choosing from all kinds of locally grown, baked, crafted and political flavors. The Obama table is one feature to many at what the New York Times mentioned "The Dane County Farmers' Market in Wisconsin is now recognized as the largest in the nation, and is still growing."
With the University of Wisconsin Badgers playing the Iowa Hawkeyes in a late day football rivalry later in the day (Badgers won 17-13), there was a huge crowd of people from Iowa in the crowd. It was particularly crowded later in the day around 11am with many people checking out the market and meeting up with others before wandering slowly to the game, which is usually sold at with 80,000+ fans.
The night before the tabling, I made sure the weekly war scorecard was updated and very visible. I would assume that the candidates who voted for Bush's war are well aware of the results of their "experienced" decision. Here's this week's sad news:
Weekly War ScorecardCost of Iraq Occupation:(running total):
$453,546,741,517
American Deaths:3,794
American Wounded:27,936
Iraqi Body Count:73,390 (Min) 80,000 (Max)
As of September 22, 2007 at 12:00AM
Sources:
www.iraqbodycount.net
www.defenselink.mil
www.antiwar.com/casualties
www.costofwar.com
(Friend who helps out with new sign and Obama table)It was indeed the busiest day so far since last April. Having a new sign (2x4feet) on a ten foot stand certainly upped the visibility. You could see the sign from pretty far away and it made a huge difference. The PVC pipe and connectors cost about $20 and the canvas sign (using an Adobe Illustrator logo for clean results) cost about $50. It is well worth it if you support a candidate and want to get a large, durable sign done.
At some points in the day, there were ten or more people in line waiting to sign up and get a bumpersticker (or four for them and their friends), buttons or stickers for the day. People from all parts of the country were signing up and very enthusiastic about getting information about the campaign and Obama merch for the day or for their car. Internationally, some people from Germany, Japan and England wanted Obama bumperstickers to bring back with them. There were also many who had been on the Obama site and had signed up who wanted Obama stuff and didn't sign on the list. After quizzing them a bit, we were pretty certain they were diehard fans.
In the oddball and freeper category, there were a few that reared their Bushie heads. You can always tell by the body language. While most who approach the Obama table have a smile on their face and want to engage politely if not in a certain hurry, the oddball/freeper types always appear to be loners with aggressive body language and usually say something stupid and run off like chickens fearing an actual intelligent discussion.
While there were several people signing up and talking about the campaign, one person who Central Casting would identify as an "aging, creepy basement dweller bachelor living in hismommy's house" walked up and chortled "Obama bin Ladin..." A few people there just gazed at him in amusement and disgust. It was like they just saw the first caveman in real person. I wanted to grab a net and capture him to bring over the Museum Of Natural History for analysis.
Another Republican guy came by and took issue with the War Scorecard sheet. He asked "what would it have cost us if we hadn't gone to Iraq?" as he fingered the numbers of dead and the cost. I asked him how many Iraqi were on planes crashing to the buildings (if believe that story), and he replied "there were enough to send a signal to out President". I corrected him that there were ZERO Iraqis involved in 9/11. I asked him how he feels knowing that the war is costing about $4,000 a second. He did the usual Republican Bushbot response and mumbled something under his breath as he hindtailed away like his fearless leader.
On a positive note for Republicans, I talked to eight different people who described themselves as such and said they would vote for Obama. They all signed up for email information and grabbed a bumpersticker or button. One man said that Obama was the first Democrat he would vote for in years.
As the morning had gone along, a United Nations-sponsored Day Of Peace rally was going on behind the Obama table near the foot of the Capitol building. A PA system had drowned out the Obama discussions at various points with some singers singing tone-deaf versions of religious songs and an unfortunate rendition of "This Land Is Your Land".
Then, suddenly, an anti-war protest group came by where we were and chanted for a bit. Very nice people and certainly a spectacle was created.
As a bonus for those of you who have read this post this far, here is a link of me walking up to the Obama table with the new large sign, some of the protest march and a couple of many who signed up for information on the campaign and distribution of some buttons and a bumpersticker:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZSeHg-dAZcAfter the protesters left, it was as though the Obama table went into hyperdrive. There soon became a line of a dozen people at a time. Two clipboards were not enough and people kept wanting to talk about why they hated Hillary and when Obama was coming to Madison (mid-October).
On the
many people who wanted to bring up how they can't stand "Hillary" (there were dozens), I came up with a theory, called the "
D.R.A.G." principle.
- D stands for dynasties. Do people want political dynasties? Bush-Clinton-Bush-Clinton? This opens people's eyes when they suddenly see the obvious.
- R stands for Republicans. What this means is you have to wonder why Rupert Murdoch has held fundraisers for Hillary Clinton and why many if not all RNC operatives have admitted that they would love to have Hillary Clinton as the nominee to run against. Additionally, such a nomination would firmly enliven the Republican base and make races where Democrats could easily win due to Republican animosity now have to fight hard to stop the flood of Republican party loyalists.
- A stands for arrogance. When you have people like Terry McAuliffe claim that those who don't support Hillary Clinton will get the wrath from the Clinton family later when he said "We're ahead, we're going to be the nominee - and we will remember who our friends are." Many oddly also feel that Hillary Clinton is entitled to be President due to the unfortunate lecherousness she had to deal with when First Lady to her husband's extracurricular cuckoldry. We're also supposed to chalk up that personal perspicacity she had as "experience to lead".
- G stands for grandstanding. Are we supposed to believe someone who was a cheerleading hawk and vociferous supporter of Bush's war in Iraq as someone who now has the validity to say that that very war she has never apologized for voting for is somehow to end on her watch? There are many other examples where grandstanding and transparently narcissistic political theater plays to "the center", particularly after saying branded and precisely screened twaddle massages the "base".
I've tried mightily not to engage in bringing anything about other candidates when asked for answers by either those on the political fence or those that are undecided. I refer to the "
D.R.A.G." principle mentally only when needed and I frankly don't care if Clinton supporters are offended. I've heard people ask about issues about Obama that were lies and those untruths are generally from Clinton supporters.
They can get a table out in the street if they want...and it appears from all I have heard that the Clinton campaign has to outsource supporter tables to marketing companies that do conventions for insurance companies. It seems that Clinton supporters don't have the courage to face the crowd out in the streets. Where are they? I would love to see a Clinton grassroots table somewhere just to engage in discussion.
There were so many people that came by that it becomes hard to recall all of the people who stopped by. They are from all over the World and all over the country. What can be said is that they all care very much for this country and want to get involved in voicing their views on this next election, which is so important to win for the Democrats.
The fight continues full force rain or shine. There is much more to come with the new mini-documentary about the Obama table...coming soon.
Printer-friendly format
Email this thread to a friend
Bookmark this thread
(1000+ posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
