Turn off your computer. Action is the antidote to anxiety.
Kari Chisholm
This is it. The final weekend. What's the most important thing you can do to help make progressive change this weekend?
Hint: it ain't reading BlueOregon.
If you've already volunteered to knock on doors or make phone calls, it's time for one or two more shifts. If you haven't, now is the time.
Turn off your computer and go talk to some voters. There's an unprecedented grassroots operation in Oregon this year -- with 23 voter-turnout operations (including both the DPO's Forward Oregon and the Obama Campaign for Change offices.)
You don't need to call ahead. Just drop by and volunteer. Remember: America is run by those who show up. This is our time. Do your part.
| Astoria | 375 11th St. | 503-325-5620 |
| Beaverton | 14025 SW Farmington Rd | 503-619-7583 |
| Bend | 117 Northwest Oregon Ave. | 541-312-0070 |
| Bend | 709 NW Wall St. | 541-323-2425 |
| Corvallis | 116 SW 4th St. | 541-504-6330 |
| Corvallis | 223 NW 2nd St. | 541-754-4045 |
| Eugene | 1178 High St. | 541-686-3504 |
| Eugene | 150 West Broadway | 541-505-3378 |
| Florence | 494 HWY 101 | |
| Gresham | 1304 E. Powell Blvd. | 503-328-8477 |
| Gresham | Hood Center, 1665 NE Division St | 503-667-6851 |
| McMinnville | 448 NE 3rd St. | |
| Medford | 105 E. Main St. | 541-227-5107 |
| Medford | 40 S. Central Ave. | 541-494-0114 |
| Newport | 414 SW Coast Hwy | 541-265-2038 |
| North Bend | Pony Village Mall, 1611 Virginia Avenue | |
| Oregon City | 611 Main Street | 503-657-6624 |
| Oregon City | 619 Madison St | 503-722-2954 |
| Pendleton | 21 SW Frazer Ave. | 541-278-7932 |
| Portland (N/NE) | 1516 NE Killingsworth St. | 503-281-0783 |
| Portland HQ | 3016 SE Division Street | 503-236-2008 |
| Salem | 210 Liberty St. SE | 503-362-5781 |
| Salem | 250 Liberty St. SE |
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connect with blueoregon
3:09 p.m.
Oct 31, '08
Or...you can leave your computer on and call at home --see post below. Just friggin do something, y'all.
Oct 31, '08
I will try and take your advice. Right now, I can't read, listen to music, or even watch a video. Maybe a couple hours of hard walking will do it.
Oct 31, '08
The Forward Oregon number for Salem is 503-327-3837. The Dems HQ number (same address) is 503 763-3012.
Nov 1, '08
I'm stuck at home recovering from surgery and can't get out there and ring doorbells. Electoral anxiety is KILLING me in these final days! If you can get out of the house and do something, by all means DO IT! It'll make you feel a lot better than sitting around stewing.
3:48 p.m.
Nov 1, '08
Dartagan,
Go to www.barackobama.com, click "make calls" and go from there...you can do something, even from your sick bed. Really. It'll make you feel better!
6:02 p.m.
Nov 1, '08
Kristin:
Exactly. And you can also contact your favorite campaign to see about getting calling lists as well.
I've spoken with so many voters around town (on the phone and in person) that my voice is (once again) gone. So I'm back to being at the computer, pulling new lists for tomorrow. A night's rest of little talking and the voice will be back and ready to go again tomorrow.
6:39 p.m.
Nov 1, '08
Anxiety? Over the most historic rollover of conservative ideology in 40 years? What's to be anxious about. Even the lowball estimates are complete bloodlettings for the Republicans. And the most likely and upper end outcomes are almost a joke. Obama in ARIZONA?
Even in Oregon things look pretty sweet. No worries!
Nov 1, '08
TorridJoe: Your ebullience is taken and glad of it. I"m baking apple-and-pear deep dishes to get my mind off things.
But don't forget computer voting machines and the "man in the middle" systems (cf Democracynow.org interviews); the proactive setting of a loss-legal action narrative by the McCain campaign. The successful purging of thousands of new voters that may or may not have been corrected so that these voters may go forward. The nasty little October Surprise that just popped. The fence sitters are a sensitive, reactive bunch still able to be moved one way or another. They are not True Believers willing to overlook in one man what is being touted as poor character in another.
I gave up working too hard with my son - he's my canary in the coal mine -- when he comes home asking why everybody is so mad at Sizemore, I know what the common man electorate is thinking. When he believed the Smith "furniture" bullshit in the end, that was what the common man understands of what is presented him. And so it is I listen to him now, daily, sometimes hearing a liberal/progressive mind - he's disgusted with Amerikkka's terror around immigration and colour; but not so predictable about other things that go to character.
Electoral politics can upset popular votes.
There is still plenty to worry about.
11:02 p.m.
Nov 1, '08
"But don't forget computer voting machines and the "man in the middle" systems (cf Democracynow.org interviews); the proactive setting of a loss-legal action narrative by the McCain campaign."
You can sue when you've lost by a percentage point. There's nothing to help you when your ass has been monumentally kicked. In any case, I'd say the 500-strong legal team already deployed by the Obama campaign can handle it. We've seen the difference this time, as several suppression attempts have been thwarted.
I'm also curious as to the "October Surprise." What is it?
There aren't any fence sitters left to speak of. True undecideds are in the low single digits. "Definite" voters for Obama now approach and in at least one case exceed 50%.
The race was over months ago; the media just didn't want to admit it. They're still trying to hedge their bets for ratings points, but the most excitement on Tuesday will come from 60/not 60, and whether Prop 8 passes in Cali. President Obama is a foregone conclusion.
Nov 2, '08
I don't live by the polls. I wait until the facts are in. It's not won until it is won. Polls are indicative only, speculative and based on key informant report.
As to OS - well, it's interesting to note the timing on the exposure of Obama's auntie's deportation status, her living situation in Southie...
It may not be "strong-strong", but it's in perfect alignment with post-911 xenophobic concerns; it's in good alignment with understandable nationally-unstable job market sufferers concerns. It may be pretty lame as they go, historically, but it works for our times.