Day one sort of

Got up this morn and had a huge B&B breakfast.  Redjeb made his way for a walk in Somerset and came back fairly soon saying there was no one walking on the streets, and it was really cold.  But we took off to find the Democratic & Obama headquarters, which is on the second floor of the VFW bldg.  (There is also an Order of the Elks and an American Legion downtown).

We met Lisa Leonard, our Obama contact.  She is a cute, energetic young woman, who just graduated from Washington & Lee University in the spring and went straight to work for Obama. She's really dedicated and well informed.  Makes me feel good about the up-coming generation.  Our "walking packets" for Jerome, etc. were not available cause the printer at the office was out of ink (where does all the $$$ from donations go?).  So she is printing out our lists and instructions this eve from her room in the home where she is staying.

I offered to make some phone calls and was given four sheets with names and phone numbers of undecide-eds.  We didn't stick around the office, as it is very small and 2 other women in addition to Lisa work there.  I hate making these phone calls, cause I hate getting them, but did my best:

"Hello, I'm Peggy Backman, and I'm volunteering for the Obama campaign....and we were wondering if you had decided who you were going to support".... and variations on this.  

They gave me a script and talking points to help our when your mind goes blank.

So during the day when I could I made some calls.  I must confess I liked the ones that didn't answer the phone or had answering machines, cause then I could move on.  

I only got about 6 people who were going to vote for Obama.  Some refused to say, some were still undecided, and 2 were definitely admitting that they were for McCain.  At first I assumed that the undecideds were really for McCain and didn't want to say so, but then as I got talking to some I realized that they had their own issues and feelings.  One even admitted that he might be prejudiced, but some didn't like either candidate and were for Ron Paul, or whatever.

One guy said he wanted to know where Obama got his money to go to school after he came back from the Mideast.  I was ready for him I thought, cause I had read those arguments yesterday in that newspaper on the way here.  I explained that Obama went to Harvard on scholarship.  

But the guy insisted:  "But why him???"  

I said well, "someone had to get it."  

"But why him???  There are other smart people.  He must have had someone write letters for him."

So I said, "Yes, his teachers."  

I couldn't decide if he felt it was because of his color, but I got the feeling it was this idea that he is a "sleeper" and part of a terrorist cell.  But then another level came out.  It seems that this man has a son, and he had trouble getting the money to send his son to college.  The son has now graduated from a  college somewhere in the South, and is now $40,000 in debt.  So I told him that the Obamas both had loans that they paid off over many years.  He was surprised by this.

He and I went on and on, about Social Security, veterans, the Skull&Bones Society, the Masons (I'm not sure why, but I guess secret groups are on his mind.)  Redjeb couldn't understand why I was on the phone for so long with this guy, but I found that he was well informed in many ways, but it was his interpretation that was skewed--at least to my "unbiased" mind.  In any case he was still undecided when we hung up, but I was hoping that he'd remember me when he went into the voting booth.  He, like some others, said he doesn't make up his mind till he's in the booth.  He was a big supporter of Bill Clinton....and now wishes Ron Paul was running.  And he felt the All Mighty would guide him in the booth.

I had trouble finding a place and time to make these calls, cause we are in this B&B and the owner lady was always around this morning, changing towels, vacuuming, whatever.  Maybe the people I called are not the only paranoids around.  I got the feeling that she was lurking around, trying to figure out what we were talking about. I was still remembering the McCain-Palin sign on the lawn out front. But maybe she was just wanting to tidy up our room and get on with her day.

  Actually we did spend a good part of the day in our room as we were tired out from the ride here.  But I took my Obama call list with me when we left cause I just had the feeling she'd "notice" a lot of what we have in the room.  I feel like I am in the French resistance and have to speak in code. 

Gas prices are really low here, so to speak.  We paid $2.79 today and thought we had a real bargain and then I learned from the man above that he got gas at our local Turkey Hill station for $2.42.  What I want to know is who is making these prices go down.  Someone has to say lets lower it.  The man I spoke with on the phone above says that OPEC is meeting tomorrow and they will make gas priices go up again--them and the Skull and Bones, whom he says decide which countries we invade and who is to die.   Prayer is the answer I was told.

We stopped by the local AAA today, and I happened to see a handout on the counter (not published by them) of about 8 pages called Voters Guide, on newsprint about the policies of the 2 parties.  I thought this might be useful, but was quite amazed:    Some of the issues in the list were:

McCain Obama

Supports Federal Defense of Marriage Act         Yes No

Supports Curriculum the Promotes Homosexuality No Yes

Opposes laws forcing business to favor homosexuality Yes No

Supports immediate removal of troops from Iraq   No Yes

etc.

I thought this was quite interesting how they managed to state the above.

We had lunch today late afternoon at the Coalminers Cafe, which used to be the White Star Hotel in Jennerstown.  It was kind of dismal, but quite a number of people were there.  I used to think that was one of THE places to go when I was a kid.  I liked their turkey dinners then, which came with gravy (lots of gravy), mashed potatoes, stuffing,and waffles (yes waffles with gravy, they do that in Penna.)  I had a hot turkey sandwich as a partial reminder today, and of course there was lots of gravy, so I had to skip the Coconut Creme pie, which I remember as being so good back here.

We drove around the country side for a bit, which was beautiful, the leaves are quite vivid in yellows and reds.  We drove to Jerome (my hometown) and took a quick drive around.  I still can't look at our house cause they took out all our hedges and boarded in the large front porch (to make more room inside).  The yard looks a mess, and they put ugly gray shingles on the house.  Tomorrow I hope to be back for canvassing.

They are doing major strip mining right outside of town near Berzonski's farm.  Maybe they sold the rights?  It is really ugly, like huge barren mountain in the middle of farm land.  

We drove through some country back roads and it is really pretty there.  Would you believe I got really lost.  I've had north and south mixed up since I've been here (since I usually stay in the north in Johnstown rather than in the south in Somerset--at least that's my excuse).  But thanks to our GPS we found our way back.

Sorry for running on.  Should probably write lots of short entries rather than a long rambling one.  Don't forget you can write comments by clicking on the comments little tag right below.  You don't have to register do to this.  After you write your comment you can scroll down, put your name in the name box and post it.

Nite.