Taking it to the streets

I stopped in at my local Obama campaign office yesterday, one of eleven in Nevada, and was immediately struck by the much higher level of energy compared to when I volunteered a couple of days for Kerry in 2004. What a buzz!

I went back today for a two hour shift doing door-to-door canvassing. Two hours turned into three and a half, and my partner Daisy and I stopped only because of the cold and windy weather. (Daisy is 69 and has arthritis. Today was her third day of canvassing, and interestingly she said that she had been paired with high school volunteers on her earlier shifts.)

We talked to many people and got a number of commitments to show up and vote for Obama at Nevada's January 19th caucus. I was really surprised by the breadth of support he had in the neighborhoods we visited.

Later in the afternoon I went to a mock caucus meeting to learn the caucus procedure and volunteered to be part of the Obama leadership team in my precinct. It feels good, I'm excited... and I couldn't wait to watch this evening's debate in New Hampshire.

The debate was sponsored by Facebook and an instant poll had Facebook viewers pick the most presidential of the candidates. The results:

• Obama 46%
• Clinton 25%
• Edwards 21%
• Richardson 8%

One statement Obama made during a heated discussion on change:

Look, I think it's easier to be cynical and just say, "You know what, it can't be done because Washington's designed to resist change." But in fact there have been periods of time in our history where a president inspired the American people to do better, and I think we're in one of those moments right now. I think the American people are hungry for something different and can be mobilized around big changes -- not incremental changes, not small changes....

And, you know, so the truth is actually words do inspire. Words do help people get involved. Words do help members of Congress get into power so that they can be part of a coalition to deliver health care reform, to deliver a bold energy policy. Don't discount that power, because when the American people are determined that something is going to happen, then it happens. And if they are disaffected and cynical and fearful and told that it can't be done, then it doesn't. I'm running for president because I want to tell them, yes, we can. And that's why I think they're responding in such large numbers.

Andrew Sullivan has a collection of links to some of Obama's speeches over the past year, check it out here.

A good day. :-)

LIFE IS FUNNY. Sometimes things happen without a clear catalyst. I've been living here in Vegas since August and sometime during our short trip to L.A. for New Year's Eve I found myself falling even deeper in love. Te quiero, Victor.