14-year-old Makes 1,100 Phone Calls for Obama

[marmar]

from the LA Daily News, via MichaelMoore.com:



June 25th, 2008 1:50 am
Teen volunteer's support for Obama rings true
Boy makes record number of calls for Democrat

By Tony Castro / Los Angeles Daily News


In Barack Obama's presidential campaign, the mantra of the faithful has been that a child shall lead them - but few were taking that literally.

Now, though, they have 14-year-old Joshua Steele of Studio City, who is too young to vote but not too young to show them the way.

In the five months of the just-completed historic Democratic presidential primary campaign, Joshua personally made no fewer than 1,100 telephone calls on behalf of the now presumptive party nominee to voters in several states holding primaries as well as Guam.

Campaign officials had no idea Joshua was 14 - and neither did the people he was calling.

"No one I called ever asked me how old I was," said Joshua, whose voice on the phone sounds like it could belong to someone several years older, possibly even a college student.

Joshua's accomplishment - believed by the campaign to be among the most calls made by a single volunteer in California - underscores Obama's youthful appeal and how he has been able to attract a historic groundswell of new voters and political volunteers. .......(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.michaelmoore.com/words/latestnews/index.php?id=11745

[David__77]

1. Is this uncommon?

Just curious. I thought there were plenty of minors involved politically.

[IndyOp]

7. I made 150 calls the day of the Kentucky primary - it took me over 6 hours...

1,100 calls at 25 per hour = 44 hours if Josh was working around my speed. That would be 2 hours a day for 22 days and that is pretty good.

We had several high schoolers involved in our local Obama campaign -- one spent as much time as Josh and got to meet Senator Obama for being one of Indiana's top "scoring" callers, others were not as consistent.

We have a huge majority of adults in our country that do a lot, lost less than Josh did.

:hi:

[BigDaddy44]

12. No, not at all

There are millions of 14 year olds making thousands of phone calls for politicians.

Of course its uncommon.

[David__77]

13. Yeah, I guess I know.

I was just reminiscing on my own calls for a certain presidential candidate when I was a 13-year old. I remember other teenagers, but not many I suppose.

[zanne]

2. As a phonebanker for Obama, I know what it takes.

I bow to Joshua! The Phonebanking King of 2008! I have a feeling he'll be the happiest person in the US when Obama wins. (After Obama, of course)!

[1Hippiechick]

3. Congratulations, Josh!

[JimGinPA]

4. My 16 Year Old Son Was Second In Our Region In Calls Before Our Primary...

And there was a senior from a Mennonite High School around here that set up tables and registerred nearly 1000 students at schools all over the county.

[zanne]

5. Wow. That's fantastic.

I guess there's hope, huh?

[Kokonoe]

6. Its just like WWII volunteers.

Smart young people will change us to change their lives.

[coffeenap]

8. That's great! But, not unusual for minors to be involved. My

son worked with Andy Stephenson 17 hours a day for weeks on election fraud when he too was 14. It is so cool to see such dedication! (homeschool advantage :) )

[NatBurner]

9. he can vote for obama in 2012

i'd bet he can't wait

[Hope And Change]

10. K & R!

[progressoid]

11. Damn kids with their motivation and energy.

Makes me feel old.

:)

[CanonRay]

This actually makes me have hope for this country.

[CanonRay]

14. This actually makes me have hope for this country.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

15. And this guy will be a Democratic voter and activist for the next 50 years or more.

[Raine]

16. WOW, these are the kind of people

that we can be so proud to have!!! :bounce:

[Skidmore]

17. My six and a half year old grandson has been getting up with

grandma every morning to watch the news so he can check on what Obama is doing. We are at their home for another few days. Two days ago, he wrote a letter to Obama and literally waited by the mail box until the mailperson picked it up. Now, he checks the mailbox everyday waiting for a letter back to him from Obama. He put his address and phone number in the letter in case Obama wants to call him or stop by. My daughter's response was "Great! Bet that means we'll have to keep the house clean all the time!"

Anywa, that young man has taken to letting people know that Obama will be his president and he is ahead.