Journal Your Campaign Volunteer Experiences for HuffPost's OffTheBus

At HuffPost's OffTheBus, our specialty is covering the presidential campaign in new and exciting ways by having people on the ground write about their experiences. Today, James Camner, an antiquarian bookseller and appraiser, journaled his experiences as an Obama phonebanker dialing undecided voters in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. From his entry on OffTheBus:

"But the most effective response to an undecided voter, the one that always gets an 'I think I'm leaning to Obama,' is to mention Governor Sarah Palin. She's the magic bullet. I have not talked to a single person who has a favorable opinion of her, not even among McCain supporters. In going door-to-door in Pennsylvania (my weekend activity), bringing up Palin is always met with a furrowed brow and a troubled look. The typical comment I hear is, 'How could he have picked her? She really worries me!'"

From James we learn how voters targeted by the Obama campaign in a few northeastern states respond to Palin, but - more importantly - we get a glimpse of his life as a campaign volunteer. Think about what the mainstream media reveals to you about the campaigns -- fundraising figures, big hires, attack ads, policy changes, internal squabbling, polling numbers. Is that all there is? Shouldn't we know more about the experiences of modern supporters and activists, especially during an election cycle with record-breaking grassroots involvement and technological advancement?

That's where you, like James, come in. Would you journal your experiences once a week as a volunteer--for either the Obama or McCain campaign--for our HuffPost readers?

Sign up here to be a grassroots correspondent.

We'll follow up with guidelines for your first journal and instructions on getting a publishing account here at the Huffington Post.

We are NOT asking you to reveal campaign secrets with us. What we want is your story -- who you are, what you do, and what you learn from your time on the trail.

Not sure you've got what it takes? Read the rest of James' first entry, "Canvassers Use Palin as 'Magic Bullet' In Swaying N.J. And Pa Undecideds," to get a sense of what we're looking for.

Check out the full directory of journal entries from OffTheBus' Grassroots Correspondents.

Follow Amanda Michel on Twitter: www.twitter.com/AmandaRMichel

Comments

[CousinJimmy]

The disconnect is getting worse up here. I live in the "Alabama in the middle" part of Pennsylvania as James Carville described it in 2000 and I volunteer on the McCain campaign.

It seems like up here its 10-1 McCain/Obama, but I work in Philly and it seems like its the other way. When I'm on the phone with a local and they mention Sarah Palin's lack of experience and I explain that Barack Obama was a Senator for 3 years, half of which he spent running for president, so in essence Palin's 2 years as governor of Alaska is more experience than Obama has.

When they bring up the community organizer issue, I ask them whether they have been to the South Side of Chicago lately. News flash, its still a hell hole. What exactly did Obama organize? Attack me if you will, but you asked for all sides of the story, this is what Pennsyltuckey is thinking right now. As for me, military guys stick together, that is what is keeping me on this side of the fence... there are more of us out there than you think.

[brokerthanu]

"More of you" will vote for McCain then there actually are, that's for sure.

What I understood by your run-on sentence to nowhere (2nd prgph.) is that three minus two is greater than three.

My question is whether Republican mathematics will be mandatory in public schools if McCain manages to swindle the election.

[kmdippenger]

These are great!
I've never worked for a campaign before but have worked for Obama in Lansdale, PA since January. This past Saturday, I knocked on a door of a simple home. A woman answered, she was 36. She was missing all her teeth and had a severe speech impediment. I learned that she had never voted because noone had ever taught her how to do it! We talked about the election and this woman had such a rich insight into the reality of the 2 candidates and I was sad that this woman has never felt that her opinion mattered before. We sat on her step and filled out the forms so she can vote for the first time and for intelligent reasons, she's chosen Obama/Biden. I have learned soooo much about my country as a result of this experience and am a much richer person as a result.
We will win in PA as well...every night new faces show up at our office.

[heiwa-peace]

I've been volunteering for just a few weeks but, after reading these wonderful posts, I'm sorry I didn't start volunteering sooner. It's amazing the number of people who have registered to vote! I'm so inspired by them.

For those who felt that their one vote wouldn't matter, I hope they know that they do matter and that one vote can change the world.

Good work, everyone!

[Leebot]

I'm a 40-something white female, and was doing a shift at a voter's registration table in a public location. A young black man who appeared to be in his late teens and wearing a hoodie, decided to fill out the registration form. He hesitated at the party affiliation question, clearly stumped. I told him that he did not have to choose a party and could mark Undeclared if he preferred. Finally he asked me in a quiet voice, "What party is Barack Obama?" "Democratic," I answered, and he marked that down.

[cre8ive]

I got a txt about a new campaign office opening in South Cobb county, GA. I was late. It didn't seem like anything I had to be on time for, and I figured, they'll be happy to see me and the dozen or so people with nothing to do on a Saturday morning.

It actually took me awhile to get in the door. The place was packed. People were being sorted into groups according to their preferred method of volunteerism. We listened as our leaders explained what we needed to do. And we all wanted SOMETHING to do.

We didn't have all things in common. I chatted with twenty-somethings, children, and a woman having a menopausal hot flash. "Are you having one?" I asked. Furiously fanning herself, she whispered, "Girl, between this going through 'THE change,' I can't win!" "Well," I said, "when people ask, just tell them your inner child is playing with matches." It would make sense to say we shared a hearty laugh, but it felt more like we "laughed a hearty share."

A room without walls, I thought. A beautiful, sunny room painted with excitement, connection, and a common vision for the future. For reasons I can't remember, someone mentioned Barack's name, and the whole room cheered.

What would McCain/Palin say about community organizers if they could see this gathering right now? I wondered if they would see what I saw. Would they bathe in it as I did?

[williamina]

wierd

[Lolotehe]

We had our voters' registration drive last Sunday, noon to seven, out at an Albertson's in Grand Prairie, Texas. It went well; we got 100 or so new voters. The Walmart teams scored 500+ that weekend.
For the most part, people were either already registered or more than willing to sign up.
One guy wasn't interested because he said politics was boring. I asked him where he lived and after he told me, I pointed out that a vote to go wet (allow alcohol sales) in that area had recently failed. Signed him up on the spot.
One kid had just turned 18 and his buddies steered him over to the table. I gave him his registration receipt, and as he put it in his wallet, his friends noted, "You a MAN now, dawg."
My favorite was the older gentleman in cowboy hat and boots. He sided up to the table, "I bet y'all is voting Obama."
"This is a non-partisan event, sir," I countered. "We're just getting people registered to vote. You don't have to join a party to get a voter's card."
"Yeah, but don't yew think it's kinda _fishy_ that only one party is getting people registered?"
"Don't you think it's kinda fishy that one party _isn't_?"
And I signed him up right there.

[VAforObama]

A couple of weekends ago in southeastern Virginia I was told: "we gotta get the brother elected." And this from someone who was not another brother. Just a concerned voter.

[musselmanm]

No matter the color of one's skin, many of us white people are and always have been brothers!
For much of my life, I have been an angry black man, even though I am white. There are so many of the white ilk that have always been far more connected to the black community than the upper crust whites.
If we can learn to trust one another, we can learn to love one another.
Just talk to each other in a civil manner and ask the questions that will lead to your own understanding.
Peace, love, Obama/Biden '08

[peaceplumber]

Today doing voter reg.

I was asker "if I'm regeistered as a republican do I hve to vote for a republican"

[StandingStill]

My favored story was when I was registering people in Las Vegas. I registered a man of about 50-55, he walked with a cane and he didn't have health care. He had never voted in his life. I asked him why, he said he never believed in any candidate and he didn't think his one vote would matter. He walked away and went inside the store. Less than a minute later he came out and asked for a registration form. It took all of 2 minutes for him to feel out the form. Then he smiled at me. I smiled back and noticed he had tears in his eyes.

He asked if he could use my phone. He made no less than fifteen calls to relatives and friends to say he'd registered to vote. The pride in voice, warmed my heart and brought tears to my own eyes. Before he ended each call, he demanded the person on the other end of the call come and register.

Within fifteen minutes...nieces, nephew's, cousins, brothers and friends showed up, they brought friends and relatives.

I have never been so proud of one and man and of myself. One person can make a difference. I got him to register...he got close to 30 people!

I have never done something this important in my life. It's been the best experience I have EVER had. I guarantee we will take Nevada!

OBAMA/BIDEN 08

[pinkfirefly]

What a wonderful story! Thanks for sharing it! Brought tears to my eyes too.

[readyfornewleadership]

fabulous

[marlawee]

I was in Minden NV this weekend. I so wanted an experience like this one here. Unfortunately it didn't quite measure up to my expectations. The Obama headquarters was bustling and FULL of people all ready willing and excited to work for this awesome candidate. My new friend John and I knocked on something like 50 doors. About 6 people answered. And alot had been canvassed before. We were able to give out early voting info to a couple of folks that needed it and that felt good.

But oh how i wish I'd had an experience like this post here.

When I got to my hotel I still had on my Obama/Biden pin the young woman checking me in said how glad she was to see so many people supporting these men. She proudly told me she would be casting her first vote ever for this great duo. She was probably around 25 years old and said she never cared enough about the candidates to ever feel the need to vote before. I happily shook her hand and gave her some voting info and a cool bumper sticker for her brand new car. We talked and exchanged stories and I left feeling so much better about the days efforts.

So all in all I'm glad I went to NV this last weekend. And if Barack and Joe take the State I'm gonna take a wee bit of credit.