Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Americans barely caring about Afghanistan is so last month.

Whatever happens next week, the fight doesn’t end.

You don’t get rid of your umbrella while it’s still raining.

So it was an October Surprise A Day, like an Advent calendar but for crime.

Let’s not be the monsters we hate.

Putin must be throwing ketchup at the walls.

John Fetterman: Too Manly for Pennsylvania.  Paid for by the Oz for Senator campaign.

“Everybody’s entitled to be an idiot.”

if you can’t see it, then you are useless in the fight to stop it.

“But what about the lurkers?”

It’s time for the GOP to dust off that post-2012 autopsy, completely ignore it, and light the party on fire again.

If you tweet it in all caps, that makes it true!

A sufficient plurality of insane, greedy people can tank any democratic system ever devised, apparently.

JFC, are there no editors left at that goddamn rag?

The truth is, these are not very bright guys, and things got out of hand.

Red lights blinking on democracy’s dashboard

Putting aside our relentless self-interest because the moral imperative is crystal clear.

Pessimism assures that nothing of any importance will change.

Roe isn’t about choice, it’s about freedom.

Infrastructure week. at last.

A last alliance of elves and men. also pet photos.

They fucked up the fucking up of the fuckup!

The party of Reagan has become the party of Putin.

Being the leader of the world means to be the leader of peace.

You are here: Home / Past Elections / Election 2012 / 36 Hours to GOTV

36 Hours to GOTV

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On Sunday I had another great day of knocking on doors in Columbus, OH. From here on out it all comes down to getting supporters out to vote. This is true for President Obama as well as for all down ballot candidates and issues to be decided by voters.

So, what are your plans?

Here are the links where you can connect with the Obama Campaign in the swing States:

Iowa  •  New Hampshire   •   Colorado   •   Nevada    •   Ohio

Virginia   •   Florida   •   Wisconsin   •   North Carolina

And here is the GOTV link for the rest: vote.barackobama.com.

Also, too, Daily Kos and Worker’s Voice have a GOTV effort that you can plug into at this link.

I’m out the door in a about twenty minutes. I’ll try and put up a report this evening. It feels great on the ground–lots of energy, excitement and above all, a serious commitment to re-electing President Obama.

Everybody can do something to help GOTV.  If we get supporters out to vote–we win. Let’s get this done.

Cheers

 

Reader Interactions

179Comments

  1. 1.

    Elizabelle

    We need canvassers tomorrow in Northern Virginia. (I volunteer in Fairfax.) Shifts from 10:00 am through 4:00, with last shift working until polls close at 7. (Anyone in line at 7:00 can vote.)

    Please sign up and let friends AND HIGH SCHOOLERS, even middle schoolers (!) who have the day off know how much we’d appreciate their crucial help.

    We’re canvassing all day today as well.

    Virginia and your president and Tim Kaine for Senate need you! Email and text your friends and family.

    Thanks.

  2. 2.

    c u n d gulag

    I’ll be calling today for Sean Patrick Maloney.

    We need to rid ourselves in this district, of Nan HayworthLESS, the Teabagging witch!

  3. 3.

    fuddmain

    I’ll be out knocking on doors this afternoon in Orlando. Plan to help all day tomorrow, since I’m looking for work and have the time.

    Saw this morning that more than 4 million Floridians voted early, either in-person or absentee. That’s just about half of the 2008 total turnout. I don’t think Gov. Chlamydia’s plan worked so well.

  4. 4.

    floridafrog

    My canvass shift starts in half an hour. Its great to see torrents of volunteers pouring into the canvass rally point. Enthusiasm high here in North Florida too. Our OFA field organizer told us yesterday that our region which includes Jacksonville led the state in door knocks and phone calls.

  5. 5.

    Applejinx

    I will be in the Keene NH GOTV place all day and night today and tomorrow, stapling a million things, collating paper, and doing mega data entry.

    Here’s how I found it-
    http://www.barackobama.com/event-search/gotv-border

    There’s gonna be lots to do! There are tons of canvassers and they’re all wonderful innocent fools who aren’t following directions very well, so their naiveness is probably helping but it means we could use plenty of help with some of the grueling stuff like data entering (which is being done onto a big website that’s tracking nationwide voter status- pretty amazing, you can even bring in your laptop and do it on that, once they give you a login/PW for access)

    We had as many as six people on cheap Linux terminals and two people on Macbooks, all joking about the crazy notes people made while entering endless canvasser reports.

    notes field read, “yelled get the fuck out of here- likely Romney voter”
    *checked Deceased AND Moved* oh no, Zomney’s minions!
    notes field says “peace sign painted on house”, hee! Not Romney voter then?

    Go to your GOTV place and help!

  6. 6.

    Fouten

    Walked and called yesterday for Tammy Duckworth (IL-8) and tomorrow I am using one of my sparse vacation days to do 13 hours of GOTV!

    When there is House majority for Pres Obama in his 2nd term, you can thank ME.

  7. 7.

    Robin G.

    Does anyone know if there’s something in MN that a person can do when she’s got a 4 year old, a 2 year old, and a 2 month old in tow?

  9. 9.

    fuddmain

    @Robin G.: Data entry would be one thing I’d imagine. You could even do it from home. I did a bunch of that in 2008. It’s important work.

  10. 10.

    Shadow's Mom

    @Robin G.: REach out to your local OFA group and ask if they can give you predictive dialer access for phonebanking.

    All you need is a computer with some type of dialback number (I use my google voice number on my computer with a headset). PD starts and requests a callback number. Then it calls you back and autodials numbers, providing a script.

    I’ve been holed up in OFA hubs providing data support to the field office staging locations for GOTV. Although they would love to have you in the office making calls, I’m sure if you explain your situation they can make an accommodation.

    I am off-shift and doing work work today, but tomorrow I’m working 5am to 9:30pm providing data support to Bay Area field offices doing GOTV calls from Florida and Virginia across the country to Nevada and Colorado.

    Let’s do this thing!

  13. 13.

    El Cid

    My deep and abiding hatred of the nation’s right wing has been freshly renewed by coverage of the various Republican governors and hacks blocking people from actually voting and an interview with one of these “tea party” Bircherite assholes pertecktin’ democrasee by using public information to declare who she thought wasn’t eligible to vote in Florida.

    I think maybe Anonymous needs to hack her financial records so that citizen debt protectors can declare her as ineligible for credit.

  14. 14.

    Violet

    I’ve lost my voice due to being sick. It wouldn’t hold up for more than one call or so and I’d probably break into a coughing spasm in the middle of that call and be unable to talk.

    Thanks to everyone who is doing the hard GOTV work.

  15. 15.

    Schlemizel

    The ads I am seeing on BJ this morning are preparing for the post election world: WHICH IS THE BEST GUN FOR CONCEALED CARRY?

  16. 16.

    Patricia Kayden

    Props to all you hardworking volunteers!!! Nice to see that you all have the President’s back.

  17. 17.

    Betty Cracker

    I’ve detailed my volunteer efforts here in FL in other threads. But if Governor Voldemort’s plan to disenfranchise voters on Election Day with endless lines pans out, I’m considering countermeasures like handing out free bottles of water or rain ponchos if the weather turns bad (likely, from what I’ve heard) to encourage folks to STAY in line and not let that son of a bitch win.

    No matter what happens in this election, Scott and his enablers in the legislature need to be held accountable for this. It is a goddamn outrage. I listened to NPR election coverage this morning and was disgusted to hear them prattling on about the horse race as if there were no blatant attempt to screw voters unfolding before our very eyes. They mentioned long lines as if they just sprung up out of the blue. It’s unbelievable.

  18. 18.

    Brother Shotgun of Sweet Reason

    @Elizabelle: Love to help in Virginia, but I’m already committed all day tomorrow to working in PA.

    This is the quietest election I’ve worked, no carloads of people coming in from out of state. It’s not the madhouse that 2004 was (and which it sounds like Virginia and Ohio are this year). I guess that means PA isn’t a swing state any more.

  20. 20.

    dr. luba

    I did GOTV calling yesterday with OFA here in Michigan. The predictive dialer kept going out–it wouldn’t allow access or ran very slowly. I suspect it was overloaded.

    I ended up calling from voter lists, getting one response per page (12 names/numbers). No one is answering their phones–I know I don’t pick up any more unless I recognize the number.

  21. 21.

    kay

    We have the biggest voter protection effort I’ve ever seen in Ohio, and I’ve been doing this since 2006. The county leads are all entered at BOE’s for the 10 days after the election, too, which we’ve never done before. If it goes well, we can use this as a template for other states.

    I’d like to put it in place in states Democrats don’t carry, non-swing states, because the central issue is letting people vote, not who wins. I wish we were doing this in Tennessee and South Carolina, for example, this time out.

  22. 22.

    shortstop

    @Applejinx: That’s hilarious. I’m a canvasser who does follow directions, but I admit to a few notes of my own, mostly warning about aggressive dogs in yards minus “beware of dog” signs.

  23. 23.

    Ben W

    I’m phone banking this afternoon for OFA, then bussing from my blue state to PA to canvas on Election Day. Four more years!

  25. 25.

    amk

    GOTV

    Vote Now! RT @shirakramer: Vote today in Palm Beach County at the SOE in WPB from 9-5 pm. Get it done! #GottaVote

  26. 26.

    jibeaux

    @dr. luba: I don’t either. I used to get a bunch of calls from an “unknown” number that never left a message. I expect it might have been OFA, I don’t know, but I just don’t answer those. If it was OFA and they’d left a message, I would’ve called them back and saved us all a lot of trouble.

  27. 27.

    Ash Can

    I’ll be hauling my laptop in to the Cubby Bear (kittycorner from Wrigley Field) for data entry work today and tomorrow. I can only do it while Bottle Rocket is in school, although I may run it a little late tomorrow and just give him a key so he can let himself in the house. Can’t believe that this shitshow fail parade of a GOP campaign is finally going to be over.

  28. 28.

    amk

    @kay: This is so comforting.

    We have the biggest voter protection effort I’ve ever seen in Ohio, and I’ve been doing this since 2006.

    The fifth columnist fourth estate with repubs have made a mockery of the democracy.

  30. 30.

    NotMax

    One thought to comfort:

    When Romney/Ryan lose, the precedent of not releasing more years of tax returns will be shattered into teensy weensy shards.

  33. 33.

    kay

    @amk:

    You get better at it every year. We used to have to get our entries signed by a local judge and then file them ourselves, but now they just have one judge sign them all and they submit them electronically to each of 88 BOE. I’ve felt like I have left…. things undone all month, and that’s because they’re doing it for me :)

  34. 34.

    Amir Khalid

    Oh, and for my American friends doing GOTV for Obama: Earth is counting on you to keep that awful man Mitt Romney out of the White House. May the Flying Spaghetti Monster reward your efforts with success on Tuesday.

  35. 35.

    John PM

    My wife got an e-mail yesterday from Republican friends of ours in Texas (Fort Worth) who said they voted for Obama. We could not believe it! We asked if the Gulf of Mexico had turned to blood…They said that the Romney campaign was a farce and they could not vote for him. We also think it helps that they now have a child in first grade and have discovered how crappy the schools are in Texas.

  36. 36.

    Elizabelle

    You guys are awesome. GOTV!!

    For Florida: can you take chairs and sun umbrellas, snacks, and beverages to protect the valiant voters waiting in line?

    I heart Floridians trapped in lines so they can vote.

    PS: Stephanie Cutter asked by Joe Scarborough if Romney could sneak a win in PA? She tells him there is no evidence for that.

    Join the real world, NBC and MSNBC.

    Their lineup tomorrow night is a shitload of fourth estate fifth column: Chuck Todd, David Gregory, Tom Brokaw, Andrea Mitchell.

    Chris Matthews is there too. He’s the best of them, but not forgetting his 1st debate meltdown. Seasons in hell for him.

    We need a pundit tax. If they want to bloviate, they can do so without excessive compensation.

  38. 38.

    aimai

    @kay:

    Can you explain what this means? Is it a form of exit polling?

    I’m poll watching tomorrow, canvassed yesterday. Poll watching is simultaneously very automated, now, and weirdly unautomated. I figure by next election cycle the entire thing will be done on ipads or with some kind of swipe-counter system that eliminates the middle men. The way we will be doing it on tuesday sounds like its still full of holes–you “listen” for the voter, look for them in your book of key voters (they may or may not be in there), cross them off the list if they have voted, manually transfer your voters to a database online, and then eventually runners will have those lists and go out and get non voters who you want to make sure you get to the poll. Its hard to believe that the middle step is still necessary–an ipad size, networked, poll list would eliminate a lot of confusion and human error.

    aimai

  39. 39.

    GregB

    GOTV everyone.

    Let’s leave the establishment with egg on their faces.

    Give the GOP sausage fondlers at Poltiico a coronary.

    Get out there and help, and vote.

  40. 40.

    Dork

    From TPM:

    Listening to a story from a friend this evening. Guy in a social setting talking to a group of Wall Street heavyweights. Every single one in the room certain Romney wins. Has Ohio locked. Has the whole thing tied up. No doubt.

    Stupid as shit, or do they know something we dont but probably should, in terms of voting machines and their associated software?

  42. 42.

    PreservedKillick

    @Dork:

    Stupid as shit, or do they know something we dont but probably should, in terms of voting machines and their associated software?

    No, they don’t know anything. They’re effectively low information voters who have been watching the national polls, not too closely, and have focused on gallup.

  44. 44.

    kay

    @aimai:

    This is election observers. There are two kinds, in-precinct and outside the precinct. To be inside (the actual building) one has to be an Ohio voter and “enter” with the County bd of election and the poll judge. We also get sworn in with an oath that is like that which poll workers take.

    What we do is observe, but that implies looking and what we’re really doing is listening. We don’t approach voters, ever, so (for example) I would listen for a poll worker asking a voter for an additional piece of ID (fairly common in Ohio, where voters can use a utility bill or “government document” and GOP pollworkers consider that hinky, so they demand something else). I would hear the poll worker doing that, and tell the poll judge, who would tell the poll worker to knock it off. If the voter is standing there I’m saying this within hearing of the voter, so I am, in a sense, communicating with the voter, inevitably. If the problem isn’t resolved I walk out to the parking lot and call the Bd of Election. This is a small county so I call Deb or Michelle, they are the two Bd of Elections staffers here, one GOP, one Dem.

    If the problem is “systemic”, I call both Bd of Election and a regional boiler room. Systemic would be long lines, not enough voting machines, a really rogue poll worker, ballot shortages, ect. We have 5 regional and then a central state boiler room. I would do that if I needed something like injunctive relief (a court order). We would also take sworn statements from voters if it’s a systemic problem, because we would need those to get an emergency order.

  45. 45.

    fuddmain

    @Elizabelle:

    For Florida: can you take chairs and sun umbrellas, snacks, and beverages to protect the valiant voters waiting in line?

    I don’t know about chairs and umbrellas, but snacks and beverages are just fine. In 2008 I was part of a neighborhood command center and we planned to head to the polling places before closing to hand out water and encourage people to stay in line. Turns out it wasn’t needed. The polls were busy all day, but word came down before the close that there were no long line.

    Our Supervisor of Elections, Bill Cowles, does a good job and things generally go smoothly. I expect the same tomorrow.

  46. 46.

    Schlemizel

    @Amir Khalid:

    What are you some kinda comnmie pansy? No gun at all?!? Heaven forfend! 8-{D

    Its going to be hard on the NRA gun lobbyists after Obama is re-elected. They already turned the BS to 11 its going to be tough to make it worse, particularly since the administration isn’t going to take away their precious peep substitutes

  47. 47.

    cmorenc

    I’m going to be a precinct election monitor on behalf of the Obama campaign. I don’t know which specific precinct I’ll be assigned to yet; probably one in an area thirty or forty miles outlying from the triangle (Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill).

    Earlier, I made some calls for OFA a couple of days.

    Went to a rally last night in Raleigh to hear Big Dog aka Bill Clinton. He was characteristically 40 minutes late, spoke for about 45 minutes, and he was in fine form, but his voice is clearly showing the wear of giving speeches several times a day for some time. For his sake, I’m glad the campaign is over after today; I don’t think his voice would hold out for another week of campaigning.

  48. 48.

    amk

    @kay: Good to know the learning curve is not so steep any more despite the rw ever inventive voter suppression shenanigans.

  50. 50.

    NotMax

    @uddmain

    My limited understanding from media reports is that chairs are permitted, within reason and so long as they do not impede pedestrian traffic.

    But that could well vary from precinct to precinct.

    Should be perfectly legal to offer to hold someone’s place while they take a potty break, so long as no electioneering is done within whatever the boundaries for that are.

  51. 51.

    Robin G.

    @jibeaux: It was so much easier in 2008. I went door knocking with the then-6 month old strapped to my chest. He was wearing an Obama sticker on his onesie and always very cheerful. Even people who hate doorknockers will be nice to a giggly infant.

  52. 52.

    Linda Featheringill

    @Amir Khalid: #31

    I’m sure many will agree with me: the best gun to carry, if your job doesn’t require it, is no gun at all.

    Absolutely!

    When fate left me alone with a child to support and raise, I considered getting a gun for defense. However, I finally decided that any weapon I had would probably be taken from me and used on me. Bah.

    [I did get some self defense instruction, though. I seldom had any reason to use it but I felt better for knowing what to do in order to temporarily stop your assailant while you run away. Highly recommend such education.]

  53. 53.

    aimai

    Thanks Kay! I’ve learned so much from you since you started posting at Balloon Juice. I remember you from your commenter days. Thank you for all you do. You will never know how important your work is all over the country –but you have definitely influenced my attitude towards GOTV and working for my candidates. You are an inspiration and your example has a ripple effect far outside the polling station where you will be working on election day.

    aimai

  55. 55.

    Jay C

    Still early here in the shattered post-apocalyptic remains of NYC, so I’m having to wait on today’s mail to determine whether I’m going to have spend the day doing a rather more personal sort of “GOTV”. The Spousal Unit (partially disabled) requested an absentee ballot months ago; which the City Board of Elections told me two weeks ago (10/23, I think) were going to be mailed “that week”. Needless to say, we haven’t got it yet, so I may have to shlep over completely across-town to apparently the only BOE office still open in Manhattan to pick up another one. Poor Party (or nonpartisan) planning…

  56. 56.

    peach flavored shampoo

    Anyone else dreading the news coverage tomorrow? They’re going to run the Horse-Race Scenerio until probably 11pm or so, give or take 42 lawsuits filed in 13 swing states that will need to be adjudicated. I fear they wont be able to declare any of the swingers for either candi, as they “will have to let the courts sort this out”, which means more controversy, ratings, and pundit work.

    In short, I expect tomorrow to be a complete, unmitigated disaster for the state of our media.

  58. 58.

    bemused

    Our 93 year old patriarch, a life long Dem, is having hip replacement surgery tomorrow. He would be glued to the tv on election day otherwise. He is hoping there will be a tv in his hospital room later. My husband teased him that he better hope he doesn’t get a Republican roommate.

  59. 59.

    PreservedKillick

    @peach flavored shampoo:

    In short, I expect tomorrow to be a complete, unmitigated disaster for the state of our media.

    As opposed to the ongoing unmitigated disaster?

    But yeah, I agree, not looking forward to tomorrow. I expect this to be an epic mess.

    Obama has a couple of paths to 270 without OH or FL and it wouldn’t surprise me if they come to pass while those two states wade through a morass of lawsuits.

  61. 61.

    Violet

    @Dork: From your quote of TPM:

    Listening to a story from a friend this evening. Guy in a social setting talking to a group of Wall Street heavyweights. Every single one in the room certain Romney wins. Has Ohio locked. Has the whole thing tied up. No doubt.

    Via Nate Silver, this headline from October 29, 1984:

    Mondale upset win predicted

    Link. Delusion and spin knows no party.

  62. 62.

    jibeaux

    @Dork: I wrote yesterday, that 52% of Americans surveyed by Gallup think Obama will win. Dems and independents think this by decent majorities, but only 19% of Republicans believe it. I mean, with 538 at 86.3% chance of winning but only 19% believing it, that’s a helluva spread.

  64. 64.

    Chyron HR

    @Violet:

    Inevitable response: “See, that just goes to show that people who predict Democrats winning elections are laughably wrong.”

  65. 65.

    Schlemizel

    @Linda Featheringill</a

    You chose wisely! Too many of these brain dead macho morans think too much about carrying a gun & too little about why, when or how they would use it. Despite all the panic (mostly generated by the lobbying arm of the gun manufactures – NRA) owning a gun is very unlikely to keep you safe or to save you. It is more likely to end up in the wrong hands & hurt you or someone else.

    That does not even take into account the stupidity it can induce in its owner, see: George Martin

  66. 66.

    beltane

    @jibeaux: Most Republicans have been so thoroughly indoctrinated by Fox News and the rest of the RW media that they are no longer capable of recognizing reality. Remember, these are the people who were able to tune out a hurricane laying waste to the NE in favor of CT nonsense about Benghazi.

  67. 67.

    jibeaux

    @Violet: According to that story, the upset win was “predicted” by Mondale’s campaign chief, probably between shots of tequila, not by American voters. =/=

  68. 68.

    Violet

    Also on predictions, Irish betting site Paddy Power is paying out on bets for President Obama to win the election:

    Dublin, November 4th 2012: With still more than two days to go before America votes, Paddy Power, Europe’s largest betting company, is paying out to punters who backed President Obama to win the US election.
    __
    Despite the national polls showing voters remain largely undecided with nothing more than a sheet of ballot paper between the two candidates, Paddy Power believes it’s a done deal and that Obama is a nailed on certainty to win a second term.

    Via Business Insider. Yeah, it’s a stunt, but still, they must figure their chances are pretty good.

  69. 69.

    Redshift

    @Applejinx: On my list from yesterday, one entry was marked GOP, with a note that said “he says he’s undecided, but his body language says GOP, I think.” WTF?

  70. 70.

    beltane

    Walter Mondale did win the mock election at my HS with something like 98% of the vote so there’s that.

  71. 71.

    wvng

    Canvassing in Rockingham County, VA. In the last two days we knocked on EVERY Dem door in the county, and talked to a fair number of those mostly very enthusiastic voters. More today.

  72. 72.

    jibeaux

    @beltane: Oh, I know. You throw in all the bizarre things Republicans believe and all the perfectly obvious things they don’t believe, and I think their best strategy, should Obama win, is to simply pretend that he didn’t. How long have they denied global warming? Four years in exile from the reality-based community should be a cakewalk for them. President Romney!

  73. 73.

    kay

    @aimai:

    It really is two different ways of thinking about voting, liberal v conservative, and it’s been that way forever. I took an election law class in school and you could split the room down the middle, between the “access” and “fraud” sides. We were practically throwing chairs it was so hot.
    I think your whole approach is different is you start at “how do I disqualify this voter” as opposed to “how do we try to get this person voted and on their way?” I think you’re likely to look for solutions if you’re an “access” person, rather than just sending people away. I think we’ve seen that again and again when conservatives are running elections. They’re oddly opposed to voters, and it’s evident in the language they use and the constant accusations of voters breaking the law. I just think it’s fucked up. The whole point is voters. I don’t know when it became acceptable in what is a state records process to assume they’re all bent on committing felonies, or right on the verge of breaking the law. Anyway, we are far apart. It’s not likely there’s going to be some compromise.

  75. 75.

    phoebes-in-santa fe

    @Robin G.: Robin, you’re doing a part right now in raising three Democrats for the future. That’s really important.

    But, maybe tomorrow, you and your kids can visit your local polling places with water and cookies – NOT home-baked as those could be “suspicious” – and passing them out to people in-line. Even if some of them are Romney voters, it gives your kids a good, quiet lesson in civic duty.

  77. 77.

    Violet

    @beltane: Someone I know who grew up in a very red area of a red state in a liberal family was punished for voting for Mondale at her high school election. She had to write a paper for her punishment. It was one of those history classes taught by a football coach, and despite her parents protesting to the school administration, the coach wouldn’t relent.

  78. 78.

    Edward_75

    We’re winning. And if you don’t like it, take it up with Neil Newhouse.

    According to a new PA poll from the Tribune-Review, Romney now TIED in that state and only 2 down in Ohio according to the Columbus Dispatch poll and UP FIVE IN FLORIDA according to the Florida Times-Union AND the Miami Herald!

    #WINNING

  80. 80.

    beltane

    @jibeaux: With their great gift for delusional thinking they may as well dispense with President Romney (they don’t really like the guy) and pretend they’re living under a 3rd Reagan administration.

  81. 81.

    Edward_75

    Heard through the grapevine is that Ohio is in the bag for Romney. Obambi is underpreforming in Ohio in early vote numbers, GOP more enhtusiastic, more engaged, according to polls.

    Dems can’t close the enthusiasm gap with only ONE DAY LEFT.

  84. 84.

    beltane

    @Violet: That is the difference between liberals and conservatives. Our HS’s mock election had a secret ballot so no one knew who voted for Reagan and even if it had been known there would have been zero repercussions because freedom generally means the right to vote for whomever you want.

  87. 87.

    GregB

    Breaking News:

    Drudge has a very dark grainy image of an angry looking Obama on his front page.

    Malik Shabazz Hussein X is coming for you, whitey!

  88. 88.

    smith

    I am definitely going to do my part in the GOTV effort. Especially since the news media is full of reports of a “Romney surge”.

    Go on Google News and most of the stories highlighted are anti-Obama and pro-Romney. Even the so-called liberal “The Guardian” has a headline saying “How Obama Could Lose.”

    Even though I am in (fairly) liberal NY, I will knock on doors and work the phones tonight.

  89. 89.

    Edward_75

    Ohio is in the bag, lock, stock, and barrel. We’ve done what we need to do be #WINNING in the Buckeye State. Pennsylvania is going to come down to the wire too. Bet on it.

  90. 90.

    TooManyJens

    I’m doing a lit drop today, but since our literature doesn’t contain polling place information (WHY?) I have no idea if it will do any good.

    I heard that the Gill people have polling place info on their lit (what I have right now is from the county Dems), so maybe this afternoon I’ll go over there and see if they need more people. Nobody seems to be knocking doors at this point, just lit drops.

  91. 91.

    Violet

    @beltane: Yep. I think her school may have had a secret ballot, but when that class had only one vote for Mondale, the coach knew who it was and decided to punish her. The administration couldn’t tell the teacher not to assign extra work because that would undermine his authority in the classroom (or so they said) and so the work stuck.

    I recall her saying that with her parents help she wrote a blistering defense of Mondale and take down of Reagan. She got a lot of pleasure out of handing in that paper to the asshole coach.

  93. 93.

    ruemara

    @kay: Wait, I thought you and Dennis G. were hacks according to a certain misanthropic attention seeker. Hacks most certainly do not do anything quite as useful as you.

    Thanks for everyone working to get out the vote. I’m hoping to get this rhino thing removed (hey that’s what it’s called) and then I hope I can do something Tuesday. Can’t believe the confluence of illness happening at such a bad time. If all I can do is light a few candles and chanting, then that’s it then.

  95. 95.

    beltane

    @Amir Khalid: The best course of action would be for the entire GOP to cram their sorry asses onto the Cayman Islands and await the comet that will carry them to their promised gated community in the sky.

  99. 99.

    Violet

    @ruemara: I feel the same way. I’m laid up with some kind of cold/flu virus that has completely knocked me out. Doing much of anything for any length of time is exhausting. Not to mention I can hardly talk and I break out into coughing spasms every so often. Not much use for GOTV efforts this year.

    I was going to vote early last week but came down with this cold thing and could not drag myself to the polls. I will vote tomorrow if someone has to wheel me in on a hospital gurney, dammit.

  101. 101.

    Scott S.

    I almost hate to say it, but it’s time to start planning for the mid-terms and 2016.

    What’s the best solution for the mid-terms? It’s a sure bet that the GOP legislators will go full obstructionist, and possibly start holding monthly impeachment votes, and the teabaggers are fairly likely to start blowing up federal buildings. Will that alone be enough to turn the mid-term tide against the Rethugs? Where are the best places to start sending money?

    As for 2016, who are the Dems’ best candidates? (I’m assuming Santorum will be the GOP nominee)

    Also, if y’all wanna nominate me for 2016, I promise to improve our space program by strapping talk radio/Fox News hatemongers inside rockets and shooting them into the sun…

  102. 102.

    Paul

    @Dork:

    Listening to a story from a friend this evening. Guy in a social setting talking to a group of Wall Street heavyweights. Every single one in the room certain Romney wins. Has Ohio locked. Has the whole thing tied up. No doubt.
    Stupid as shit, or do they know something we dont but probably should, in terms of voting machines and their associated software?

    If they truly knew something that was illegal which would push the election to Romney, they would be truly stupid to tell people about it.

    They may just be FoxNews viewers who believe in Dick Morris.

  103. 103.

    Edward_75

    @Scott S.:

    Romney will be the nominee in 2016. I assume you’re going to nominate Billary and give your party back to the Clintons in pathetic desperation.

  104. 104.

    Betsy

    I’m doing OFA voter protection in N.C. again this year.

    For me it’s a repeat of 2008. I was posted as an inside observer at a heavily minority-voter precinct and saw lots and lots of people very charged up, with lots of votes cast for our first black president.

    A very, very old gentleman, wearing a suit jacket and bent over a cane, came in with his grandson, who looked oh maybe 18 or 20 (could have been his great-grand), who was all hip-hopped out with the saggy pants, ballcap, and gold chains and teeth, etc.

    Grand-dad got to the pollworkers’ desk, and I could tell something was going sideways there: his address had maybe changed or something — I forget. But I could see that he had a hard time reading and writing.

    I was so worried he’d end up with a provisional ballot, because there was a question about his current address and whether he’d moved within the precinct.

    After 10-15 minutes that passed in silent agony for me (as an inside observer, I was not allowed to talk to any voter), I saw the election judge give him a “real” and not a provisional ballot and I CHEERED silently inside.

    (It was toward the end of a long, long day at the polls and I’d watched quite a few people get provisional ballots or be sent to another precinct — many of these people had to get back to work, or had various transportation challenges, etc.)

    Grand-dad and grandson filled out their ballots — the old gentleman needed a bit of assistance from grandson, and it took several more minutes for that. Finally, I saw them turn from the voting booths and slide their ballots into the machine and they got their “I Voted” stickers.

    At that point, I burst into tears and had to step outside for a few minutes. What a day, I’ll never forget it.

  105. 105.

    PreservedKillick

    @Edward_75:

    the Fiscal Cliff is Jan 1st and Obambi doesn’t go back to Southside Chicago until January 21st.

    Yeah, but why should he negotiate at all if he loses? Just walk away and let Romney pick up the pieces.

    But they tell you what they are thinking:

    ““Poisoning the well right out of the gate makes no sense if the goal is a productive second term,” said one senior House GOP leadership aide.””

    Yeah, they are smart enough to read state polls and an electoral map.

  109. 109.

    Paul

    @PreservedKillick:

    From that article:

    Republicans aren’t conceding that Obama will win Tuesday, but they’re warning that allowing tax rates on high-income Americans to increase at the end of the year — as Obama and Hill Democrats have proposed — will set a bad tone that would complicate major deal making in the 113th Congress.
    “Poisoning the well right out of the gate makes no sense if the goal is a productive second term,” said one senior House GOP leadership aide.

    These people have no shame, do they? From “You lie” to “we are going to make sure Obama is a one-term President”. And now these same people have the gall to accuse our President of poisoning the well. I don’t know how they sleep at night.

  110. 110.

    Surreal American

    @Edward_75:

    Heard through the grapevine is that Ohio is in the bag for Romney.

    I heard it through the grapevine
    Not much longer would Willard be fine.

  111. 111.

    shortstop

    @Redshift: Bwa ha ha. I often think that when canvassing. I don’t mark it on my walk sheet.

    Interesting, though, that a reluctance to openly state support for Romney showed up over and over in our canvassing.. In 2008, we encountered very few “undecideds.” People who supported McCain mostly matter-of-factly said so. This year, we met some frank Romney voters but many more who were pretending to still be mulling things over while broadcasting hostilityto Obama. Pro tip: if you’re ashamed to own your vote, it might not be the right one.

  112. 112.

    PreservedKillick

    @Edward_75:

    Are you smart enough to read Neil Newhouse?

    Oh, definitely not.

    I’m just watching what the republicans in the house, with access to internal Romney polls, are doing.

    They are just exuding confidence. Bursting with it.

  114. 114.

    Edward_75

    @Paul:

    Go read about Neil Newhouse for the real inside scoop on why Romney is #WINNING.

    Minority and young voter turnout is being vastly overestimated. Go read the article, and just try and refute it.

  115. 115.

    Amir Khalid

    @PreservedKillick:
    Well, Mitt’s minions do have to prepare for the possibility of victory. They’ll need a transition team ready to go first thing Wednesday morning. Negotiating with the, ahem, “outgoing” administration re vital upcoming matters like the fiscal cliff is entirely appropriate. But yeah, it’s gonna hurt to be on that transition team if your only task come Wednesday is to disband; or to be one of the fiscal-cliff negotiators, and have your work come to nothing because Mitt got trounced.

  116. 116.

    1badbaba3

    @beltane: Hells yah! They can bust out the “Hologram Reagan” that got replaced by Clint the cloud/chair/lawn yeller at the RNC. Yeah, they’ll be groovin’ on that, ‘cos they can edit out all that icky tax-raising, and amnesty-giving to brown-types, and all that messy cuttin’ and runnin’ (and they say Benghazi is bad…), and keep all the nostalgia tinged ‘memories’. Hours of fun, for the whole family.

  117. 117.

    phoebes-in-santa fe

    @Edward_75: Neil Newhouse – bless his little heart – is a REPUBLICAN pollster. Of course he’s going to say that stuff. Why should we believe Neil Newhouse if you’re unwilling to believe anything a DEMOCRATIC pollster says?

    I suppose we’ll see what happens tomorrow, which I think will be an Obama victory.

  120. 120.

    Cat Lady

    @Edward_75:

    Neil Newhouse, Romney’s pollster, who said that the campaign wouldn’t be dictated to by fact checkers? That’s your authority? WOLVERINES!

  121. 121.

    Edward_75

    @Paul:

    More ad hominem. Can you not refute his arguments?

    I know it might disturb your precious little alternate reality…but do try.

    I doubt even a single one of you has read the article yet. But on Wednesday morning Neil Newhouse will be one of the big winners in this election. And Nate Silver will have to start applying for unemployment and update his resume.

  124. 124.

    Edward_75

    Nate Silver is a Democrat, so I don’t have to listen to him, right? That’s seriously what your argument about Neil Newhouse sounds like when played back.

  125. 125.

    lamh35

    Alrighty, today is my birthday and all I want is a RT from @idriselba or @MichelleObama and a belated present of Re-electing @BarackObama. Oh and the Saints to beat dem Eagles tonight!! WHO DAT!

  127. 127.

    beltane

    I’m not opposed to our pet troll on principle but he’s taking up too much real estate in this thread. After a certain number of complimentary posts, he should be charged for each additional post because right now he’s just squatting.

  128. 128.

    shortstop

    @Amir Khalid: The most overwrought members of Team Romney will be the ones closest to Ann. Sh is not going to take this well. And because she’s unable to hide her emotions, she’s going to glare and grimace through the concession speech. Sweet.

  129. 129.

    JoyfulA

    I just got a robocall from Bob Barker urging me to vote for the Republican candidate for auditor general. Bob Barker? I’m not THAT old.

  131. 131.

    PreservedKillick

    @Amir Khalid:

    Negotiating with the, ahem, “outgoing” administration re vital upcoming matters like the fiscal cliff is entirely appropriate.

    True. But warning him that he better play ball or his *second term* will get it in the neck…well…

    Put it another way, if they were so sure of a Romney administration, they’d just hang back and let the Romney administration negotiate with the fatally wounded duck. They’d have all kinds of leverage in that world.

    But no.

  132. 132.

    lamh36

    Changing my username to lamh36. comment awaiting moderation.

    Alrighty, today is my birthday and all I want is a RT from @idriselba or @MichelleObama and a belated present of Re-electing @BarackObama. Oh and the Saints to beat dem Eagles tonight!! WHO DAT!

  134. 134.

    lamh35

    Changing my username to lamh36. comment awaiting moderation.

    Alrighty, today is my birthday and all I want is a RT from @idriselba or @MichelleObama and a belated present of Re-electing @BarackObama. Oh and the Saints to beat dem Eagles tonight!! WHO DAT!

  136. 136.

    Chris

    @Schlemizel:

    The ads I am seeing on BJ this morning are preparing for the post election world: WHICH IS THE BEST GUN FOR CONCEALED CARRY?

    Walther PPK, 7.65 milimeter, with a delivery like a brick through a plate glass window. The American CIA swear by them.

  138. 138.

    Amir Khalid

    I’m curious about our friend’s new nym. I think he explained the Edward part already, that’s his real first name; but whence the 75? Is that his IQ, his age, or the popular-vote percentage he expects for Mitt?

  139. 139.

    Lurking Canadian

    @Edward_75: Are you sure you are posting the right link? The one you posted contains the following:

    Newhouse allowed that 2012 would “not be the same turnout model as 2008,” although he has generally declined to say what this year’s electorate will look like. Newhouse, not known as a pollster bent on dictating the messaging based on the numbers, tends to give a more circumspect read on the situation, according to those on the calls.

    There are no “arguments” in that article. It essentially says, “Republican pollster disagrees with every other pollster because SHUT UP”.

    Incidentally, that’s exactly what Nate Silver said on Friday.

  140. 140.

    Amir Khalid

    I’m curious about our friend’s new nym. I think he explained the Edward part already, that’s his real first name; but whence the 75? Is that his IQ, his age, or the popular-vote percentage he expects for Mitt?

  141. 141.

    1badbaba3

    @Betsy: Stories like this are like an umbrella in the trollstorm. Thank you for sharing something so cool and uplifting. That looks like winning to me.

  142. 142.

    1badbaba3

    @Betsy: Stories like this are like an umbrella in the trollstorm. Thank you for sharing something so cool and uplifting. That looks like winning to me.

  143. 143.

    bemused

    @Violet:

    How typically republican….as if forcing a teenager to write an essay was going to convince her of the error of her liberal ways.

  145. 145.

    Linda Featheringill

    @Amir Khalid:

    The election is officially declared by some legal entity [forgot which] after the electoral college meets and votes. It doesn’t matter whether the candidates concede or not.

    The Republicans can launch legal challenges between election day and the electoral college meeting. A court [judge] can delay proceedings until things are ironed out.

  151. 151.

    Violet

    @bemused: All it did was teach her very early on about the authoritarian nature of Republicans. She’s one of the most committed Democrats I know. When she retells the story you can see the anger and fire. I don’t know if the football coach knew what he was creating when he did that.

  153. 153.

    Cassidy

    @Edward_75: Ahh, but the mock elections in elementary schools have Obama winning and he won the all important Nickelodeon “Kids Pick the President”.

  155. 155.

    Chris

    @bemused:

    How typically republican….as if forcing a teenager to write an essay was going to convince her of the error of her liberal ways.

    They don’t want to change liberals, they want to stomp on them. Actually, given that hatred of the Other is what holds them together, I’d say they need us.

  156. 156.

    Amir Khalid

    As far as the House Republican caucus is concerned, the Obama admin, if still in office, is going to get in the neck next term, no matter what. The Romney administration (FSM forbid) would get it in the neck too, if reality makes it impossible for Mitt to play ball. Because they are the rightful majority, and the majority is NOT TO BE DENIED no matter how childish or unfair its demands.

  157. 157.

    The Moar You Know

    Dennis – can the stupid troll, please.

    @amk: Disagree vehemently. If the idiot commentariat here won’t stop feeding him, they deserve to have every thread filled to the brim with this douchebag’s shit. Hell, at this point we might as well make him a front-pager, people just can’t seem to get enough of him.

    Self-control, people. How does it work?

  160. 160.

    Applejinx

    @Redshift: Yeah, ‘flipping the Obama canvasser off’ counts as negative body language in my book too :D

    Off to the Obamacave by around noon! Back God knows when- before midnight?

  164. 164.

    bemused

    @Violet:

    I’m not surprised. It’s pretty easy to predict the bulldozer tactics were going to backfire. Not only did the coach vastly underestimate the power of his authoritarianism, he also inspired a liberal to become a very involved, committed liberal. I smiled at the description of her anger being just as fresh as when it happened. Some things you just don’t forget.

    There would be no way to know the numbers but I think heavy handed tactics used by Republicans have probably pissed off many folks to the detriment of the R party such as trying to keep people from voting.

  166. 166.

    hueyplong

    I’m going to have to presume that there is some threshold number of times that Neil Newhouse’s name must appear in print in this thread.

    Allow me to assist:

    Neil Newhouse
    Neil Newhouse
    Neil Newhouse
    Neil Newhouse

    I hope the lack of bold print doesn’t disqualify these instances of the name Neil Newhouse appearing on the Internets.

    [My first thought was, “Who the hell does Neil Newhouse play for? I’ve never heard of him. Must be a Buffalo Bill or a Kansas City Chief.”]

  168. 168.

    Chris

    @Djur:

    I can’t wait until we can finally open the FEMA reeducation camps and force gay communism Sharia Law down America’s throat!

    Fixed for more consistency and logic.

  172. 172.

    1badbaba3

    Yeah, if I’m Obambi I’m just terrified of the big, bad, scary House Republicans (current approval rating south of the Mendoza Line) and their ginormous list of accomplishments since ’06. Hey, weren’t they going to repeal Obamacare? Gee, wonder how that worked out? Maybe they can invite him to their Retreat, away from the source of his strength ( it’s the teleprompter, stupid), and gang up on him and embarrass him out of office. Oh, yeah. Right.

    They’ve done nothing but try to destroy him for four years, and all they have to show for it is – wait for it – another four years of Obama. Fucking geniuses.

  174. 174.

    Betsy

    @Violet: You could have ‘walking pneumonia’. I had that once … it knocks you down when you do anything, but then you slowly crawl back to feeling like you can run an errand, and then it knocks you down again.

    Symptoms are similar to a chest cold or bronchitis most of the time.

    The real name is mycoplasma, but it’s called walking pneumonia for obvious reasons. Can linger for weeks … easily resolved with a Z-pak (antibiotic).

    One possibility, anyway. Hope you feel better soon.

  175. 175.

    Violet

    @Betsy: Thanks. I haven’t even had it a week yet, so I’m not heading to the doctor for a Z-pak yet. So far it’s progressing through all its steps–started with a very sore throat, then congestion, and now it’s in my chest. The nasal/head congestion hadn’t been bad and the worst of all symptoms has been the exhaustion. Came on immediately and although I’m feeling better, my energy is still low.

    If it lingers another week I’ll go back to the doctor. Right now I’m just going to let it run its course. I haven’t run a fever, but my temp has been as low as 97.3, and that’s after being up and moving around, not just lying on the sofa. Weird.

  176. 176.

    Kathleen

    I’ve done an average of 2 canvassing and 2 phone bank shifts for the last 6 weeks. Yesterday was my last round of door knocking when I came down with a nasty cold in the evening. I’m phone banking from home today and tomorrow, my husband will be driving people to the polls tomorrow since I’ll be home with kids who have the day off from school.

    Our oldest daughter has been putting 18-20 hour days as an F.O. for OFA here and my 13 y/o has done several canvassing shifts with me as well.

    We’re working hard to keep NV blue!

  179. 179.

    Betsy

    @Violet: grooves. I hope you feel lots better soon! Sounds like you don’t want to demand unncecessary antibiotics for a cold but to let it run its course. Good on you, and may the leukocytes soon power those bugs right out of there for ya.

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