Tuesday, February 05, 2008

Blogging Super Tuesday: Morning GOTV in Morningside Heights

NEW YORK, Feb. 5 — Obama volunteers are out in force this Super Tuesday. I spent an hour and a half this morning at the northwest corner of W. 113th Street and Broadway in Morningside Heights.

I hit the ground at 10:45 this morning, meeting Obama campaign volunteer coordinator Dan in the Starbucks on Broadway between W. 114th and W. 115th Streets, where he had set up camp. The morning rain tapered off as I arrived to replace two other volunteers.

"Don't forget to vote today," and "Be sure to vote" were the phrases of choice, calling to passersby, while waving an Obama '08 sign covered in Vote Obama stickers, plus another sticket on my hat.

Many pedestrians responded that they'd voted already or were headed to vote as they passed; of that, a substantial majority gave a thumbs up or otherwise expressed their support for Obama:
Here's hopin'!

Obama's my boy!

He's already got my vote!

They were old-time New Yorkers, new citizens, nannies, stay-at-home moms, retirees, Columbia students and employees, a cross-section of this diverse neighborhood, of this city, of this country (with a stronger Democratic tilt than this purple nation).

A particularly memorable pedestrian, wearing a Giants' coat, hood up, on this day of the Giants' victory parade and party, carrying a busting full garbage bag, called back to me as he crossed 113th Street headed south: "Obama's the man! Unfortunately, I'm a convicted felon, so I can't vote for him."

It was at once an interesting commentary on the cross-cutting support for Obama, and also a sad statement on felon disenfranchisement, even for those back on the streets, apparently rehabilitated and engaged.

More from the field later.

1 comment:

  1. fleming you bleeding heart, you! disenfranchisement of the felon? really? think there's any bipartisan -- or even single-party -- support to be found there?

    ReplyDelete