What I told an undecided voter at lunch today

[scheming daemons]

There's this guy at work named Mike that I eat lunch with everyday. He voted for Perot in '92 and '96 and for Bush in '00 and '04.

He's a registered independent who is fiercely libertarian in his viewpoints. He's a good guy, but he's the "bitter" guy that Obama talked about months ago.

He doesn't like McCain... and he was talking about the Keating 5 a year ago before the primaries. He's very anti-corruption.


He's consistent.


He likes EVERYTHING about Obama, except his "big Government" leanings. He wants VERY badly to vote for a "man of color", but he's scared to death that he'd be voting for a change away from capitalism. He's convinced Obama is going to win anyway.


I asked him... "30 years from now, what do you want to tell your grandkids about the 2008 election?"

He said, "that I made the right choice."

I replied, "Kennedy won in 1960 by about 1%. But 20 years later, nearly 60% of the public 'claimed' they voted for him. People want to be on the right side of history. Vote for Obama, then take a digital photo of your vote. Save this photo for your grandkids. They will live in a world where they will be proud that their grandfather was on the right side of history. They'll probably frame it."

He said, "I never thought of it that way."

I replied, "How cool will it be to be part of something like this? To be like those that rejected the anti-Catholic rhetoric in 1960. To be like those that rejected the laissez-faire rhetoric in 1932. To be like those who bravely rejected the pro-slavery rhetoric in 1860. And you have the technological means to prove to your descendants that you did the right thing."



He's voting for Obama.


He's 43 years old. I'm 41.


When we're old and living in some nursing home playing checkers, the world will be different in a positive way. We'll be two small parts of why it happened.

[jtrockville]

1. For some reason, we're not allowed to have cell phones in the polling place.

I always assumed we weren't allowed to have cameras either, but your suggestion makes me want to verify.

[scheming daemons]

2. In PA, I know of no law that says we can't take them in.

...and behind the curtain, I know of no way they can stop me from taking a photo.

[Divernan]

9. I'm an election judge in PA, and have heard of no restrictions on cell phones OR cameras.

You can even wear political tshirts, hats, buttons, etc. while you're voting. You DO have to be 10 feet away from the entrance to your poling place to hand out literature or ask someone for their votes/talk about the candidates. As an election official, I can't wear my Obama gear.

We're hoping for 80% turnout - it is gonna be a looooooooooooong day. I have to be at the polling place (a 45 minute drive from my house) at 6 a.m., and have until 2 a.m. to print out the votes from my 3 machines, open and count all the absentee ballots, close everything down, and drive the results to a central office. Anyone in line by our closing time of 8 p.m. gets to vote.

[jtrockville]

10. Very good luck to you on that day.

I was an election judge for the primaries (which is how I know we aren't allowed to have cell phones - probably just for the noise disruption). We had an ice storm that day, and had to stay open even later than usual so everyone who wanted to could vote. I wish I had the stamina to do it again but the memory is all too fresh. I also wish they'd let us take split shifts.

I plan to do it next election though.

A big thanks to you (and all those who volunteer)!

[Kokonoe]

3. If your taking a picture, its a camera. eom

[Donald Ian Rankin]

4. Old people vote Republican more. It's plausible that 20 years on, 60% of those left went Dem.

N.T.

[lazyriver]

5. Cool way to persuade the undecided. Non-confrontational. n/t

[madmax]

6. Most excellent. n/t

[MadMaddie]

7. Nicely done scheming daemons!

It really is all about common sense isn't it?

[Blue Belle]

8. What a great idea!

We have vote by mail in Oregon, so I'll be taking a photo of my ballot too! :)

[Laelth]

11. Nicely done. n/t

:dem:

-Laelth