Last Sunday morning my friend Barb and I jumped up and down in our motel room in Cortez Colorado as Colin Powell endorsed Barack Obama! (He also soundly put the McShame/Palin campaign in their place which made me love him even more.) To hear a devout old Republican soldier and FFB (former friend of Bush) take a stand for the man we were spending our weekend campaigning for was sweeter than hot syrup on pancakes!
We then went took ourselves to Pippo's, ate a huge celebratory breakfast and started up one street and down another knocking on doors. It was a beautiful autumn day and many people were not home but we had a few fascinating conversations. Some people were still undecided, still carefully gathering information, asking questions, pondering how they would spend their vote - because that is exactly what it is like for people in swing states like Colorado - their one vote is as precious as gold, its worth rising daily for the next two weeks.
One of the wonderful things about this election (which at this point does feel as though it has been going on for most of my adult life) is how seriously people are taking it, the huge increase in registrations, the understanding that this next president will change our lives - for better or worse.
Something else I've loved seeing is the youth and vigor of Obama's campaign. True, we voluteers were of all ages, but the Obama coordinators and leaders I've worked with have been young enough to be my children (had I had any) - and they are just like the kind of children I would have hoped to have had - passionate, intelligent, energetic, working hard to do the right thing.
I've not gotten anywhere near my thousand call goal for Obama. But I did get close to 400, went to Colorado twice (Barb and I canvassed in Grand Junction two weeks ago) and feel good about my work in the Nevada caucus last February (I'll never forget pleading with two undecideds in the room who thought they were for Obama over Clinton but weren't quite sure - "just help us get this far" - and they did.)
For now I'm passing the torch - to those "kids" I mentioned - and to anyone else who hasn't taken a turn at it - and feels called to get the vote out for the best man for America.
Barack Obama got me to do something no one else, not even John Kennedy, got me to do in my whole life - work hard for the man who should be president. That's another thing I'm grateful to him for.
Yes, for now I'm passing the torch . . . but in these last few days, should I feel the flame is dimming, I'll pick it up again . . . and will be ready to take it up for good in January.
