Getting out the vote

So I finally did more than read my MoveOn email messages, and attended a phone-banking house party this weekend. I didn't know what we'd be asked to do until I got there, and was somewhat disappointed that we were calling people in another state about their senate race, rather than focusing on our local congressional races, which are also tight. Mainly, I was apprehensive about promoting a candidate whose platform I barely knew. Once inside the house, though, I couldn't back out without shaming myself, so I swallowed my fears and braved the task.

I have to say that, even though I spoke to only around 12 people out of the 54 I phoned, and fumbled through my "script" more often than not, it was an inspiring experience. Most were already planning to vote for the Democratic candidate, but a couple seemed roused out of a kind of apathy, or uncertainty about voting at all, to at least state a commitment to me that they would go to the polls on Tuesday after all. Of course, I don't know that they actually will, but still, I might have made a difference there.

One woman quite adamantly, though with a note of anxiety in her voice, proclaimed herself and her husband "values" voters whose commitment to the "family" would entail their voting for the Republican. I asked her if she realized the Democrat was, ahem, "pro-life" and she muttered something about their having done a lot of research, their being concerned about other "values" too, and their not really trusting his pro-life stance. (She spoke of her and her husband as a seamless voting unit.) I then felt very tired, and a little panicked, and ended the call quickly.

What I wish I'd done, though, is ask her to talk to me more about what these other values were, and why she's so convinced Democrats somehow lack values. And I wish I'd then articulated what my values, as a Democrat, are, and how I, too, am pro-family. I actually think she might have engaged in this conversation. While I'm sure I wouldn't have changed her mind, there's a chance I might at least have created a wedge in her thinking.

This was the first time I'd ever talked directly with someone of her persuasion about politics, which says a lot about the "political divide" in our country. Next time, I'll be more likely to try to keep the conversation going.