ohio for obama?

I just returned from a local Call Party, organized by www.moveon.org and I can't help but feel a tingle of optimism. There were about 10 of us, in a lofty architectural studio, dialing swing states like Ohio and Florida. My entire call list consisted of voters in Ohio - about 100 total. In the two hours or so of calling, I encountered a variety of reactions - many were positive, and described their own volunteer activities. Very few were hostile.

I couldn't help but wonder what their reaction might have been if I had begun the call by announcing the name of the calling event's organizer, Gay Outlaw. I must admit that when I first saw the name on the confirmation email, I presumed it to be a sobriquet for a member of SF's thriving leather daddy community. My conjecture couldn't have been more misguided. Our hostess was actually an accomplished architect with nary a pair of cheekless chaps in sight, and the nom, as far as I could tell, was not de plume. She was charming and cheerful and even gave us clever-looking pins she had designed bearing our candidates visage.

But I digress...I hope we made a difference. A screen encouragingly displayed live coverage of our telephone tallies.
As Obama himself has said, "In the end, that's what this election is about. Do we participate in a politics of cynicism or a politics of hope?"