WOW! Last night at the Va. State Fair

[underpants]

My wife and I worked the Dem booth again last night. It is stuck over on the side of the big expo hall for vendors and the like.

I had to run home to feed the cats and when I got back I turned the corner and BAM! They were three deep trying to get stickers, bumperstickers, yard signs, and buttons. The wife saw me and just gave me a :wow::shrug: look. They had been swamped the whole time I had been gone (about 45 minutes) and it stayed that way until about 8:30. Every once in a while their would be a brief lull and our co-volunteer and I would just look at each other and say "My God this is amazing"-she has been volunteering and observing voting sites since 1976 and she had never seen anything like it.

Even with the bad location people were seeking US out! Both nights we work the booth (tiny 7'X7' booth) we had three sets of people turn the corner by the vacuum sales guys and throw up their hands and say "HERE THEY ARE" and then come over to stock up on everything they could get-they were tired of seeing all the Bush crap around the fair.

We ran out of almost everything. One of the campaign staffers came by to take a cash drop ($300+) and he said that that was his third trip there yesterday-over 300 buttons were sold alone. I have an envelope with over $200 in it here now that we have to take of the HQ when they open.

Said while we were there:

"Do you have any 'Republicans for Kerry' bumperstickers?" ( twice-and no we didn't)

"My mother-in-law is voting for the first time in her life. She is 76 and she said she had to do SOMETHING to get Bush out of office"

Lots of talk about the debate (from all ages) most saying how WELL Kerry did and everyone reciting their favorites W dumbass moment.

We registered 11 news voters last night after 5 PM and yes I checked to make sure they were filled out properly.
-"Can I vote here?" We registered her.
-Just as we were leaving the mother (I think) of a one of the VERY well informed young couple came by and registered. Her husband wouldn't because he didn't want to get jury duty.

Lots of you kids coming to get stuff and ask how they could volunteer.

One women with a big Bush sign came over to get a Kerry sign-she said that she and her husband were surely going to get in a fight on the way home. I told her to make sure he knew to vote on Wednesday November 3rd (she cracked up on that one).

The ladies.... they likes them some John Edwards :loveya:

Several long discussions with people-they really just wanted to say outloud what has been on their minds for a long time. This happened both days we were there.

"How can anyone vote for Bush?" said by many people of all ages and every description you could imagine including a guy who "works at the Pentagon" (that is as specific as he would be).

Lots of Veterans (we only had 5 "Veterans for Kerry" buttons left)

As we were taking in the sights at the fair (2 hours before our shift) one of the guys working the games came over and shook my hand. He pointed to my t-shirt and said "That's my man he could lead me in battle any day of the week"-a retired Marine with 23 years in, from Little Rock originally.

The jewelers next to us (with Bush/Cheney bumpersticker on there big sign) had to sit there and listen to all this, one was two feet from our booth so she couldn't help but hear it. The shot us nasty looks for most of the night. I hope they learned something.

WOW! If this is but one small indication things really are looking good for Kerry and Edwards.

[democrank]

1. Thanks so much for your report.

Really uplifting.

[MirrorAshes]

2. Great news!

Every time I hear a story like this I can't help but just start grinning from ear to ear. The tide is turning.

[wildeyed]

3. Sounds like a GREAT event.

When the GOP vendors shot you the nasty looks, did you do the W.rong debate smirk and the blinky thing? }(

[underpants]

4. No *I* was civil

The same can not be said for several people with Bush stuff off who came walking by.

One young lady was walking by I asked if she would like a sticker and she said "Only if it says KERRY SUCKS!" Nice

There was a bit of that but mostly people were nice but there are always a few in the crowd.

[blm]

8. It's been the same here in NC, too, undies.

A parade of energized Kerry supporters and voters since Thursday night.

Thanks for working democracy, buddy.

[flpoljunkie]

5. Thanks so much for your very encouraging report!

It looks as if the tide is turning--thanks to John Kerry, who was able to speak directly with the American people, without the slanted media filter.

[underpants]

9. I detected not only people finally seeing him as he is.......

but those who already supported him had there supported lifted, they saw that they had been right all along.

[txindy]

36. Exactly!

I've found it's almost as if the debate results gave some people 'permission' to be openly supportive of John Kerry. Odd, but there you have it. :shrug:

[jlcfan]

13. Volunteering in Northern Virginia...

You see a lot of that, but it is great to see it in the Richmond area. My republican brother-in-law keeps on telling me that Northern Virginia is the only part of the Commonwealth that Kerry will win, and he has history to back him up, but you never know, especially after Thursday night.

Let's have Edwards perform strong against Cheney, and Kerry continue what he started, and who knows!

[blondeatlast]

27. Welcome to DU!

:toast:

[ncgrits]

35. There's hope in Southwestern VA too!

I grew up in the mountains of VA and my dad is still there. His care-giver is a wonderful down-to-earth Christian (in the truest sense of the word) woman--the sort you find all over in that part of the world--and she's not voting for "that man" again! And neither is her truck-driver husband!

If that's any indication--it's not just northern VA that will go for Kerry!
There's hope in the mountains! (And Edwards has been spending time in Appalachia, talking the talk and walking the walk! I'm really hopeful.)

[matcom]

6. in VIRGINIA????

WOOOOOOHOOOOOOOO

:bounce:

that is UNHEARD OF!!!!

:wow:

[indef]

12. a blue Virginia

Who'd have thought it possible?

[underpants]

17. LBJ carried Wa. in '64 (the last Dem to do so)

of course that was less than a year after JFK was assassinatied so....

Truman (NOTE:not trumad) carried Va. I believe as did FDR

and there was a guy named Jefferson

Well we elected a Dem to the governorship 3 years ago. A lot of that was lead by Republicans sick of where their party was headed.

We'll see.

[trumad]

37. What makes you think I can't carry VA?

;-)

[faithfulcitizen]

23. True for Indiana too!

Last Dem to win was LBJ. Don't necessarily expect Kerry to win, but seeing SOOOOOO many Kerry/Anti-Bush bumperstickers. When we work parades we get a VERY warm reception from the crowd. Last night, saw a "good ol' boy" driving an older Chevy truck w/ a huge Kerry/Edwards sign in his back window...the kicker was- his truck was also sporting old and faded nascar bumperstickers! he-he...

[Bronco69]

7. Great Post!

I'm going to the Texas State Fair today. I hope I see the same thing there. :-)

[leftchick]

10. that is such great news!!!

thanks for sharing and for you and your wife for donating your time!

:bounce:

[Onlooker]

11. That's great

It's not only exciting news for this election, but exciting for future ones as well!

[DrBB]

14. I honestly don't get it

I mean, I know all the CW around here about polls being biased, skewed, etc, and some of 'em truly are (Gallup). And I know the media have a bias toward a close race (sells more ad space, more fun to cover) so they push everything that way (witness headlines saying "Kerry Pulls Even!" where the actual story cites stats showing he's ahead).

I'm suspicious on both sides--we saw a lot of anecdotal postings like this thread before the 2002 debacle as well.

But still, there seems to be so MUCH of this kind of anecdotal evidence of sub-surface movement that isn't being picked up at all in the polls. I mean, W VA is supposed to be up for grabs, last time I looked, but VA is supposed to be a lock for Bush, isn't it?

I keep fighting down my hope that there's really a Kerry landslide in store that will blow away all the goddam pundits and hairdos who have been calling it close. Almost all 2nd term presidential elections go big one way or the other; they're rarely close. And the debate seems to have unleashed something, at least at this anecdotal level.

Tinfoil aside, why isn't it showing up in the polls? Still a little early for it, yet, is my theory. Takes 3-4 days for the various phone calls and chit chats to happen, so that people hear other people echoing what they themselves thought too, having it confirmed, whole thing jelling. Reichpundits are doing their best to convince us we didn't see what we saw, trying to hold it to a "tie," but is it working? Be very interesting to see the midweek polls.

I dunno. Something very mysterious is going on, IMO.

edit: a little clarification

[underpants]

19. MTP-Newsweek poll Kerry 49-W 46% Registered voters

Iraq?
W 49-44 Russert"Now that is down from 3 weeks ago..."
3 weeks ago W 54-39


War on Terror/National Security?
W52-40 3 weeks ago W 58-34 (cut in half)

[DrBB]

21. Whereas the LA Times

...I believe said "big changes, but NOT in how people said they were going to vote," and the same got repeated a few other places. Like I say, I think it's because it was premature for that--perceptions change first; minds take a few more days.

I'm really looking forward to the mid-week ones. Not sure I'll believe 'em, but I'm darned interested.

[blondeatlast]

29. Couple o' things:

Pollsters only call on likely voters. Those are voters who vote in nearly every election, even school board races, etc. That's a distinct minority.

That also leaves out newly-registered voters. It would be interesting to see how new registrations stack up nationwide compared to previous General Elections. I have a sense that there are a lot of angry people who are "registering" their displeasure at the current administration.

Also--and this is big in terms of poorer voters and students--they only call voters with land lines. I'm middle class and yet probably 40% of the people I know have elected to have only a cellular phone. My husband and I may do that soon as well.

Believe the buzz, because the "buzzers" have something to say. The pundits simply love the sound of their own voices.

[underpants]

31. In general on registering people-2/3 vote Dem

That is why the Repubs were so opposed to Rock the Vote! and registering at DMV's they wanted to make it as hard as possible to register or at least inconvenient.

As Michael Moore pointed out in "Dude...Where's my country?" across the board Americans said with "liberal stances" save for the death penalty but even that is changing rapidly.

[MaineDem]

15. Thanks!

Both for your report and your time at the booth.

We're experiencing the same thing here in Maine. We just closed up one fair after running out of everything we had there! We just got an order of bumper stickers, bottons, and lawn signs after having none for a few days.

People are very excited and enthused. I'm encouraged!

Thanks again!

[Dudley_DUright]

20. Thanks squared

Your report made me deliriously happy (except for the jerk that did not want to register for fear of drawing jury duty).

[fudge stripe cookays]

16. Love the stories, man!

Keep em coming! These are GREAT!!!

FSC

[crispini]

18. EXCELLENT!

woot!

[liberal N proud]

22. The polls are so wrong, they are so wrong.

This is going to be a landslide! I feel it.

[doni_georgia]

24. Awesome! This is so exciting!

Keep up the good work! Think I'll call my state Kerry Edwards people today and see if we can do something similar at our county fair next week.

[ewagner]

25. Same experiences

in Central Wisconsin (where Bushbots run wild and free).

At the Fair over the Labor Day weekend, we had the same experiences.

After the Debate both County Dem offices have been swamped with requests for yard signs, stickers, buttons....volutneers coming out of the woodwork. I'm not so sure it means Kerry will win our normally Repub town but there is absolutely no question that our base is FIRED UP! It may affect the results in Wisconsin in a "macro" way. That is, it may cause more dems to show up and vote whch will make a difference in the majority Kerry gets statewide even if we lose our district by a small amount.

[underpants]

28. Outstanding

bit by bit inch by inch

[blondeatlast]

26. I haven't worked a fair in many moons, but it was always lots of fun.

This is excellent news!

[bushwakker]

30. thanks dude - inspiring!!

[BlueMole]

32. Great News

Thanks for the report

:beer:

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

33. Fatigue, UP, old boy.

The Chimpinator done wore his old supporters out. All but the frothingest of the frothing.

Here in the most repuke section of NJ, I hear stories of just the same thing. Interestingly, it filters downward towards congressional races as well. At least here.

Starting to look like people are seriously examining their positions.

[underpants]

34. Good point

"Decisive" and "sure of his position" gets tiresome when the situation changes.

They are probably getting tired of saying the same things over and over themselves, eventually you start examining what it is that you have been told to say.

[in_cog_ni_to]

38. That is just AWESOME!!!

My sister lives in Va. and keeps telling me that Kerry has a TON of support there! I can't wait to tell her about this. She'll flip!

Thanks for the post....made my day!

[wicket]

39. Fantastic news!!!

Thanks for making my day :)

[helpisontheway]

40. Good to hear about this turnaround

I was at the fair on the first weekend and there were so many Bush/Cheney people! :-( I was getting so discouraged.