Most fun I've had volunteering for Kerry: Visibility in Greensburg, PA

[Aunt Anti-bush]

Today, we stopped in at the local HQ and they gave us a huge plastic Kerry / Edwards sign and we got to go into the middle of Greensburg, PA and stand up with the sign in an area where there is a lot of traffic. (In front of the courthouse to those who are familiar.) Well, we had been asked to please stand a block down from where the "visibility teams" usually stand with the sign because a bunch of Bushies had gathered across the street and caused some trouble yesterday. A woman apparently came over and was spitting on Kerry supporters and the police had come and it was a mess.

Well, it was myself and my son along with a gay friend of mine and his two sons. My son's 11 and the other two boys are 14 & 16. We took our post and although it rained a bit, we didn't waiver. We held the sign for all to see and before we knew it we were getting beeps and honks and yells and thumbs up from every which way. The Bush people down the street must have felt bad that they weren't getting any beeps because they sent this guy with a big sign up to stand across from us. Well, he didn't bother us one little bit. We stood out there and got tons of support for Kerry. The Bush guys on TWO corners got a few beeps here and there but we BY FAR had more support. One nutjob came up and started screaming at us about how could we support a guy who flip flops. He kept screaming it over and over again. The Kerry campaign HQ had asked us to NOT get involved in any battle of words with anyone or allow them to get us involved in any fighting so we just smiled sadly at the guy and shook our heads and before we knew it, he points over at the guy across the street with the Bush sign and he yells, "Don't get me wrong, I'm not voting for that asshole, either!"

Aside from the one guy, we had no one really freaking out at us. 4 cars went by and yelled, "Kerry sucks" and I would just look at the boys and say, "I am surprised at how very intelligent the Bush supporters are and what great vocabularies they have." The boys would just laugh their heads off and it just made them hoot and holler louder when we'd get a positive honk.

I can't even tell you how many people pulled over to ask where HQ is so they could volunteer and get signs and get tickets for the Edwards rally tomorrow.

Funny thing is, the guy with his big old bush sign got tired of listening to all of the hullabaloo for Kerry. He couldn't stand all the noise we (and the passers by) were making on that corner so he gave up and went back to their original corner.

Kerry / Edwards 1
Bush / Cheney 0
:)

[aquart]

1. Thank you!

From the bottom of my heart. You are teaching your son well.

[Aunt Anti-bush]

3. Thank you, too.

Because if I hadn't found you all here at DU, I might not have the nerve to do such things. :)

[tech3149]

2. Thanks

for keeping your cool and hope you all had fun. I should have been there too, I just suck in public.

[Aunt Anti-bush]

4. I am not usually too good 'with people' either.

But it really was an experience that brought us all out of our shells. No one in our little group felt the least bit shy with all of the support of the passers by. It truly was inspiring.

[friesianrider]

5. LOL I love vis events too!

We did one last week in Berks COunty (not exactly a heavily Dem area) and got TONS of thumbs up, beeps, and cheers. We had maybe 5-10 "Kerry sucks" or similar, but I'd say easily between 60-100 positive reactions. It was AMAZING!

We are doing 6 events around Berks Co on Monday to get people excited!

[Aunt Anti-bush]

8. These really do work.

It seems like we were getting everyone really psyched up to vote and I wish we could get someone on every street corner in America. :) Keep up the great work! It's all going to pay off for us.

[PA Democrat]

6. Hi adaircraft!

I was at the Greensburg campaign headquarters all day today! Isn't the energy level great? I feel a PA victory!

[Aunt Anti-bush]

7. We probably bumped into one another.

Yes, the positive energy in PA is outstanding and I feel a Kerry win, too. I can't wait until the Edwards rally this morning!

[PA Democrat]

9. Please post to let us know how the Edwards rally goes

I am unable to go. ;(

Did you know that the Gore campaign did not even have a PRESENCE in our county in 2000 We had well over 1,000 volunteers working for the Kerry campaign as of a MONTH ago. I'll bet there are at least TWICE that number now.

[Aunt Anti-bush]

10. I just posted in the PA forum about it. It was seriously so wonderful.

I am sorry you couldn't make it. We were right in front and my son got to shake John Edwards hand and I told him we love them and he told us that they love us, too. We're holding a news vigil because my son may be on tv. He had a big Kids for Kerry sign and the news people kept focusing in on him. :)