Why I am an Obama supporter now

[proud2BlibKansan]

I have told about this before but I will tell it again. I am the political chair for 2 different DFA groups here. One of the groups trains grassroots campaign workers. The other groups sponsors events. Claire McCaskill's staff told one of my groups that she would not have won this city in her 2006 election without the work and support of our group members. We are not the most powerful political group in town, but we are a player. About a year ago, we were contacted by the local reps from the Obama campaign. They have been coming to our monthly meetings ever since. A few months after the Obama people contacted us, the Edwards group contacted us. Then Kucinich. And Dodd. And Richardson. By this past September, all of those campaigns had approached both of my groups and regularly send reps to our meetings and events.

I am also active in my local county and congressional district Democratic party groups. All of the above mentioned campaigns have come to at least one (usually more) of our meetings and handed out literature and tried to sell us on their candidate.

EXCEPT HILLARY.

We have a Kennedy dinner here every November. This year, all of the campaigns were there with literature and they were each given a few minutes to speak.

HILLARY'S CAMPAIGN WAS A NO SHOW.

I can sort of understand Hillary's campaign avoiding DFA. It is a very progressive organization and Hillary seems to be appealing to the moderate and conservative wing of the party. But it makes ZERO sense that her campaign would ignore the Democratic party here.

Hillary finally opened an office here. I called and asked if they wanted to come to our DFA meeting and bring literature and maybe speak for a few minutes. Their response stunned me. I have been doing this for years now and it was the first time a campaign wasn't thrilled to hear a political group wanted more information and wanted them to come speak to our members. Hillary's campaign wanted me to sign up and send volunteers to THEM. They are just too busy to come talk to US. I said but you can sign up as many volunteers as you can get at our meetings, and network with the most active grassroots activists in the area. But no, they couldn't trouble themselves to come meet with us. The person I talked to didn't even ask for my name or contact info, which spoke volumes about their interest in me or my groups.

Bill Clinton was here a few weeks ago. I went to hear him speak and they asked for my name and phone number at the door. The next day I got a phone call from a Hillary campaign worker asking me for a donation or to volunteer. I said thanks for the call but I am supporting John Edwards. The campaign worker asked why did I go to a Hillary campaign event and give my name and number if I didn't support Hillary. I explained I went to hear Bill Clinton speak and they asked for my info at the door. And the worker said "BUT IT WAS A HILLARY CAMPAIGN EVENT!" I said I know but I am supporting Edwards at this time. And the worker HUNG UP ON ME.

I see this same arrogant attitude in many of Hillary's supporters here. DUers I used to like and respect have turned into Hillary activists who are demanding my loyalty because . . . well I guess because she is HILLARY.

A few days after Kucinich dropped out, I was contacted by both Edwards and Obama's people here asking for my support. Hillary didn't call me. The day after Edwards dropped out, the Obama campaign called me and not only asked me to volunteer but asked me to lend my talents and experience to the local campaign. No I am not that important but it sure meant a lot to me that they thought I could actually contribute something to the group.

Hillary has yet to call since the campaign worker hung up on me. Well I did get a robo call that went out to all of the members of my union. But no personal contact.

I know this is only one metropolitan area and DU is only one of many discussion boards. But more and more I sense this arrogant 'you are with us or you are against us' attitude from the Hillary camp that is more reflective of Republican party politics than Democratic groups and candidates. It certainly is not very progressive.

I see far more 'do as we say, not what you think is right' coming from the Hillary campaign. There is an arrogance in her campaign which seems to grow as she drops in the polls and the delegate count. Instead of focusing on issues and Hillary's stance, and giving us a REASON to support her, we are criticized for not swallowing her as our next great savior.

So rather than being persuaded to worship at the altar of Obama, I can honestly say his campaign EARNED my support. Since there is very little difference in the platforms of our two candidates, I honestly could have been persuaded to go either way when Edwards dropped out, especially when Hillary changed her rhetoric about the war. No I have never been a big fan of Hillary but I could have been won over. If they had tried. My best friend is a Hillary supporter as are most of my co-workers.

So that's how I came to be an Obama supporter. No magic, no cultish attitude, no promises. Just a few phone calls asking for my help and treating me like I mattered. If Hillary tried that, she might not see her numbers dropping at this time.