Walk and Chew Gum

This weekend Organizing for America is asking the neighborhood teams to show they can walk and chew gum at the same time. Translation: Knock on doors and make calls at the same campaign event. I have organized, hosted, or attended more than 60 OFA events since December 2011. Some have been phone banks; others, canvasses. This Saturday the Lake Nona/Lake Hart team will do both - sending some volunteers out to canvass the neighborhood while others stay at command headquarters to make calls to build support for President Obama's re-election. It will be a dry run for GOTV on Election Day. Can we do both? Yes, we can!

Zen and the Art of Canvassing

I had an out-of-body experience last Saturday while canvassing for President Obama. From a parallel universe, I watched my avatar walking around a desolate subdivision in the mid-day heat of Central Florida. Knocking on doors, leaving pamphlets, now and then talking to someone (supporters and not), my avatar doggedly covered her turf. We were a long way from the crowded streets and energy of Manhattan.

Now back to what passes for reality these days and the art of canvassing. After a refresher lesson on cutting turf, I am now creating maps and walk lists for the Lake Nona and Lake Hart team canvasses. We are doing our first canvass in Lake Hart on Saturday. There are lots of red dots on the maps; I am hoping for a strong turnout of volunteers. There are just five more weeks until Election Day on November 6th, with early voting beginning October 27th.

Four more years!