I ring the bell, step back off the porch so I'm not crowding the door, and begin my silent count:

[struggle4progress]

one thousand, two thousand, three thousand ... I always allow folk a bit of measured time to answer, and when nobody shows up, I move along

Nobody answers. So I glance at my clipboard and start walking to the next address, several doors down

I pass a house, and another, and then there's a yell: Yes? What is it?

I turn around. He's finally answered the bell. I'm fifty or maybe seventy-five feet down the road. So I trudge back and when I can do so comfortably, I shout back I'm a volunteer for the Dems

There's no obvious adverse reaction, so I stroll back near the porch, and explain who I'm looking for. Truth be told, I actually have no idea how to pronounce his name -- but yes, that's him -- so I run why I want him to vote Democratic

He listens. Asks me to repeat a few things. Yes, he'll definitely vote and vote Democratic.You got me, he adds. I double-check how to say the name: he says I got it right, though in fact I mangled it slightly and he's being nice about it. You got me, he repeats, and I'm on my way again

It's not all wine and roses on the street, of course

Half an hour later, I'm driving up a dirt road looking for one house. When I find it, I turn around, park, and prepare to walk up

I've barely closed the car door when a guy comes out and hollers from the porch, What seems to be the problem? I toss back that I'm a volunteer, looking for <insert woman's name>

This, somehow, does not make his day; in fact, he becomes agitates and unhappy: Democrats? No thanks! Get out of here! I apologize for bothering him

I'm opening the car door to leave when she comes out to ask what's going on. It's the Democrats,, he tells her. The Democrats ... she says. After a pause she shouts at me No, we're not Democrats! I reflexively toss back Have a lovely day, ma'am! and slide back into my car, where I sit a moment, making my notations and looking up my next stop. I don't glance back, but I'm pretty sure he glared daggers at me until I was out of sight

And a minute or two later, at the next house, the woman comes out as I stride up. As soon as she knows what I'm doing, she's all delighted smiles

[tabatha]

1. Thank you !

[napi21]

2. God bless you & good luck to you. I can't do tat kind of volunteer work..

I think maybe I might feel a little different if I lived somewhere else, but here in north Ga, I could go for days...weeks...without ever hearing anyone smile and say YES, I'm voting Dem! A it is, I don't even speak about voting around any neighbors. I'm hoping they'll just stay home on election day. My hubby & I are both voting for all the Dems on the Ga. ballot and ther ARE quite a few from Atlanta who will as well but the reswt of this state are extremely closed minded Pubs and most can't even tell you why.

[Froward69]

3. The wife at the second house

Takes special silent glee at canceling out her husbands vote. The Husband hasn't a clue.

[struggle4progress]

5. Yes, that might be my guess

[Froward69]

19. I have seen it many times.

the husband always wonders. "Why do Democrats Always come around wanting to talk to you?" then rationalizes "it is because Democrats target Women with their bleeding heart rhetoric."

I realized this once in a gas station. I winked approval to the woman. the Husband thought I was hitting on her. LOL
goes to show how paranoid and insecure republicans actually are.

[struggle4progress]

21. I did phone calls for a local nonprofit once. There were supposedly no cold calls on the list:

every name/address represented a donation within the last year. Moderate stack of call sheets. Hundreds of numbers. Probably took me a week or ten days to get through it as a volunteer activity, nights and weekends at my kitchen table

There was something weird about it. The women on the list were almost uniformly pleasant and supportive. But lots and lots of the men on the list were hostile: Boy, do you have the wrong household, buddy! How did you get my name? Take my name off the list and don't ever call back!

Finished the list and handed it back to the organization. But it bugged me. After a few weeks, I finally remarked about it. The person I was talking to broke out laughing: You know what's happening, don't you? That's women giving money at the door but asking that their husband be listed as the donor!

[Froward69]

28. Thats funny.. I have no doubt it is true.

an old friend from HS married a guy with lots of Old money... in 2009 I was skimming the Huffpost list of gop donors. I noticed her married name AND her maiden name were on the list at the maximum amount. along with His name and both their names together as a married couple donation. (from all of their properties across multiple states. 6 of em total) I thought that was odd, as she and I have been ardent (albeit conservative) Democrats since we registered to vote together right next to each other in line. Well the next time we had coffee I asked her about it. she laughed and said those were all HIS donations to the gop. she then said I should look up all those names on the Democratic side as those donations were hers. and if I looked up her kids names I might find a laugh.
Puzzled I checked.
She was correct she donated just as much as he. but took it a step further... she donated (Dem) under all her kids names too! The really funny part is, it was using her allowance or HIS FAMILY'S MONEY! (she is a stay at home wife) as she is the accountant of the family her Husband never had a clue the family donated more to us Democrats than gop... in fact, in doing the math a full third more.

I asked and she said that the Dems were looking out for the future. SO it only makes sense her children donated for their futures...

SHe is actually unhappy, fell out of love with him just after their second child was born, learned of his cheating on her as far back as when they were dating. She also suspects her husband is gay but will NOT divorce him. because she says "I have a perfect life, I do not have to go to work, I get to raise my kids full time without having to worry about money. I sleep alone in my own bed. My Husband seems to not care if I should have an affair, I am totally free."

I say he may be happy and Free but unfulfilled.

[live love laugh]

4. You're doing God's work. nt

[struggle4progress]

7. I try hard not to confuse my political views with theology. I dislike it when conservatives

identify their politics with religion, so I prefer not to make the same mistake myself. On the other hand, I do admire Karl Barth's dictum The proper way to read the Bible is with the newspaper in your other hand

[Subdivisions]

6. How completely

inspirational. You're motivating me. And I'm sure you're motivating others too.

You keep up the damn good work you're doing.

[struggle4progress]

9. Five weeks to go. Get out there and meet some folk. Wear out some shoe leather,

stuff some envelopes, jingle some phones ...

[Subdivisions]

11. Yea, I have Rep. Chet Edwards. And we have a very promising gubenatorial

candidate in Bill White. Things are exciting for Dems here in Texas this election! :bounce:

[struggle4progress]

13. I promise to jump up and down for joy when we turn Texas blue. It's been a long time coming,

but Texas seems to be changing slowly from the place I remember forty years ago

[lib_wit_it]

25. I'd love to stuff envelopes or do any kind of (non-programming) computer or other office work for a

Dem, but they claim to need only phone bankers or canvassers, and I am entirely incapable of being either of those things. I *have* frequently called my congress-critters, but I feel as though they have to listen to me. And even then I get very nervous and sometimes lose my cool. Can't really predict how it will go until it's happening.

If I were able to canvass, your story would have had me out in the streets. I sure hope some of the more composed DUers will get a spark of enthusiasm from this. Maybe I'll try again to get a local Dem office to accept my offer of my worker-bee skills.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

8. What you're doing takes courage...

Thank you for having it!

[struggle4progress]

12. It takes surprisingly little courage, I think. Practice helps a bit. But most people aren't jerks,

and they'll respond well if you treat them with friendly respect, remembering always that you're at their door asking for a moment of their time: if the property is posted, I try to respect that

People often do this in pairs, and there are parts of my town I'd prefer to walk with a canvas partner. But a good rule, in my experience, is Fear breeds fear: if somebody answers their door, nervous and uncomfortable, being pleasant and calm in response almost always cures everything. In one neighborhood I walked earlier this week, I had relaxed conversations with several people who ended with Be careful! -- but nobody there caused me any problems, and my second day there a few people tooted and waved when driving by

[Arctic Dave]

10. My wife has been walking our District for the last couple of months for

her campaign. We are almost finished with our entire area. YEAH!

Campaigning isn't all commercials and interviews. It's these day in day out activities that get people elected.

Kudos my friend.

[struggle4progress]

14. That's the way to do it

[The_Casual_Observer]

15. I helped my son do this in 2004. It was rewarding. We increased

Dem voting in our precinct markedly. Got to meet & get to know a lot of neighbors too.

[Richard Steele]

16. K&R

[BrklynLiberal]

17. I cannot thank you enough for what you are doing!!!

[galileoreloaded]

18. These feel like those Infiniti ads from the 90's. Are you in advertising? Good stuff....n/t

[struggle4progress]

20. It's just what stuck with me after a bit of yesterday's doorknocking on the east side of my town

I don't have the mindset to be a good adman

[madmax]

22. Your efforts are greatly appreciated

by those of us for one valid reason or another simply can't. :hug: :loveya:

[Liberal_in_LA]

23. what a stressful activity! Approaching people who react in such different ways! n/t

[femrap]

24. Door to door is the

best way to get the Dems out to vote. Thank you for your hard work.

[classof56]

26. You have my sincerest admiration as you carry out this critical mission.

Sowing the seeds that will lead to Victory. Blessings!

[cliffordu]

27. Truly an activist.

One who can call themselves progressive.

And brave.

:patriot: