Arizona Campaigns Heat Up For Final Push

Both Barack Obama and John McCain have increased staff and offices in Arizona over the last couple of weeks. On Wednesday, September 10th, the Obama campaign opened its Arizona headquarters office in Phoenix, and it spent last week ramping up volunteer operations in Phoenix and throughout the state. The McCain campaign has announced plans to open a second office in Arizona -- in Tucson -- later this week.

The Obama and McCain campaign offices in Phoenix are worlds apart from one another. McCain's Southwest headquarters is currently located in a posh office building in a high-end neighborhood and is filled with new furniture, new phones and professionally made wall hangings. The Obama campaign, on the other hand, rented a home in a dilapidated downtown neighborhood -- its wraparound porch was fitted years ago with end-to-end security bars. Homemade posters are taped to the security bars and to the walls within the office.

Like most Obama campaign events across the country, the Phoenix office grand opening attracted more people than expected, and many more than the office could accommodate. When I arrived, it took me almost 10 minutes to make my way into the building. Once inside, I could barely make my way around the crowds of excited Obama supporters. One lady commented that there were so many people crowded into the office that it was cooler outside than inside.

Volunteers were lined up at desks, signing up for phone banking, canvassing, and other activities for both the Obama campaign and the coordinated campaign with the party. A couple of ladies walked around with checks in their hands, asking over and over, "Where can we drop off donations?" When they were directed to one of the volunteer desks, they laughed and said they stood in that line for 10 minutes, only to be told they needed to find a staffer. A volunteer walking by overheard the exchange and quickly took their checks and apologized for the confusion. Smiling brightly, she said, "It's a good sign that we're busy!"

Meanwhile, the crowd outside -- the majority of the attendees -- stood sweltering even as they waited under shady trees, watching crews constructing a small stage and assembling sound equipment. When it was time for the rally to begin, the crowd was forced, reluctantly, from the shady lawn to the hot asphalt under the desert sun, a few stragglers left behind under the trees. Once there, however, they began chanting enthusiastically, even the stragglers on the lawn joined in, holding up homemade signs, yelling, and chanting.

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Images: Emily Hopkins

Follow Dawn Teo on Twitter: www.twitter.com/dawnteo

Comments

[SaltyWench]

OK, fellow Arizonans! All it takes is getting 5 people you know to vote. If they're not registered, get them registered. If they're just apathetic, get them off their butts! It's time for change!
Just think about what an alternative energy plan would do for Arizona - a state with more sunny days then we care to brag about! The jobs that would be created, the investment money coming in... If we can't become the solar capital of the country, then its only because we didn't care enough to force change.
The time is NOW, Arizona! Start rounding up your five now! OBAMA-BIDEN-'08!!

[bison1]

Go Arizona! Obama is playing hardball!

[kmswriter]

Great job Dawn - I will be there - i have been telling everyone in my 55+ neighborhood about the campaign and what it means to them to take another look at obama -

snowbirds from everywhere just seem to want to go along to get along...I explain they MUST get involved for the future of all our children and grandchildren.

Name recognition always seems to work in an election - but hopefully the issues have now been exposed and they will pay attention - no offense to +55 - i am one.

Independent white woman for obama

[knowwhatimsayin]

Check out "Will Arizona Leave John McCain Blue?" by Mike Madden on Salon.com. While I don't believe Obama will win Arizona this time, unfortunately, there is much hope for a majority Democrat congressional delegation from Arizona. We will help to make Congress bluer!!

[bison1]

By opening the office, Obama will help the down ticket in Arizona. I think this has been the campaign's apprach in several red states!

[Grandmaof3]

Thanks, Dawn. I was there that day. A group of us have been working on voter registration since June. To date, our small group has registered 391 people, who are mostly independents who will definitely go Blue. Look for events on BarackObama.com to register new voters.

Begin to carry voter registration forms in your purses or hands so that when you see (mostly young) people, ask them to register to vote. Make certain their address and name is the same if they are already registered to vote. Then mail the forms in - it is a self-mailer and requires a stamp. You can pick up forms at a library, DMV, or the post office.

Get involved in the process! Grass-roots is alive and well. My group is just a bunch of grass-roots folks, and there are more like us in AZ. Let's surprise the heck out of McCain and win AZ!

[shaytoonee]

I live in Arizona... I hope so so so so so much that it will turn blue.

Unfortunately, I ahve a bad feeling it wont. The obama campaign isnt spending lots of money in this state and on top of that they will soon direct their resources to new mexico.

if obama opened up his campaign headquarters sooner and had a massive voter registration drive in AZ... it would totally go blue...

But there is still a small chance.... we just all need to work harder

[Bitsko]

Since I grew up in Tucson (a much more democratic town than Phoenix, of course), I'm always interested in hearing about the political scene there.

Thanks for the info, and the glimpse of a palo verde tree in one of the pics.

[groucho]

I'm from Tucson too, and noticed the palo verde. They never leave my memory. Arizona is an interesting state, Barry Goldwater, John McCain and the Sanctuary Movement. The US is a great place hope we get to keep it.

[NER]

Thanks for sharing your experience with us, Dawn. Good luck, Arizona Obama supporters!

[luvangelHussein330]

I need to find out where this office is so I can sign up quick!!

[Bitsko]

922 N. 6th St., Phoenix, on the corner of Roosevelt and 6th Street.

[kellygrrrl]

Go Arizona!!!!

Tell McCain "Thanks but NO Thanks!"

[Mildmannered]

Wouldn't it be fantastic to turn McCain's state into a blue state, even worrying him and his people about the potential is great.

Thank you all for your hard work and contributions.

Sí Se Puede

[Bluejay00234]

Great stuff indeed.

[vinny]

they need to open up an office on the west side...

[dooleynoted]

It's interesting that the MSM will prattle on and on about why isn't Obama farther ahead in the polls, and why isn't Obama this and that, but if you look at the two states where the people know these candidates the best, Obama is close in McCain's home state and Illinois, where I live, will be a blowout win for Obama. I wish the national media would start asking why that is.

[Indieguy]

Because the MSM is obtuse. They would rather talk about lipstick wearing pigs and seeing Siberia from Alaska.

[luvangelHussein330]

The truth doesn't fit into thier over dramamtic narrative.

[Bitsko]

True, but the media is also incredibly lazy.

[kauffmanr]

thanks for writing this dawn!

i had the same experience in oregon when a field office opened in my county. whats even more awesome is that there are now action teams that are semi independent of the paid staff spread out all across the county organizing canvasses and phone bank all by themselves.

to Arizonans: it may seem a daunting task to turn the whole state blue on your own so find some friends in your neighborhood and work on turning your precinct or town blue. its working for me, we have a steady flow of volunteers out to phone banks twice a week and canvass once a week! YES WE CAN.