Yes Virginia, We're In Play - BIG TIME!!!!

By: bruce roemmelt
Published On: 8/30/2008 3:05:37 PM

Yes Virginia we’re in play, BIG TIME…

Last Thursday, the Gainesville and Brentsville Democratic Committees of Prince William County hosted a party to watch our Presidential Nominee, Senator Barak Obama make his acceptance speech.  I was hoping for a respctable 30-50 folks to attend as has been the case with most events other than when Senator Colgan has Mark Warner coming to town.

I rented the Social Hall of my church BRUU and committed to buying beverages etc, and started inviting people.  I checked out the wireless internet access and my new Mac was chomping at the bit to stream the High Def pictures coming from the DNC site in Denver.

Then the numbers started coming in, 50 here - 75 there and 100 from canvassers.  The message was clear to me - buy more beer.  Turned out that over 230 people RSVP’ed and over 175 attended.  Standing room only!  We even had soon to be elected House of Representatives member Judy Feder in the house.

The video worked flawlesly (sorta like the Federal Government with President Obama at the helm) and a fantastic time was had by all, but these thoughts kept running through my head…

Would this have been possible last year, or during Senator Webb’s crushing victory over a sitting official, or three years ago, or when the last presidential race was run?  No way.  And definitely not in Manassas and Western Prince William County.  The times are a changing.

Virginia is really in play and that with polling numbers that don’t include tens of thousands of new voters registered or the tens of thousands that have cell phones and are not polled.  This does not bode well for McCain nor the Mayor of Moose Nose or what ever.

I was so proud to be a part of this event and the people who watched will not go away.  They will walk, they will call, they will reach out to their neighbors, they will proudly display yard signs and bumperstickers, and … they will vote for our great Democratic candidates on November 4th!

Virginia will be blue very soon.  We’re in play and even Senator McCain believes it when he says “We have a good shot to win Virginia.”

b

cross posted at www.gettingaround.org 


Comments



Great! (brimur - 8/31/2008 11:42:44 AM)
I hope you collected all their info and forwarded it along to the Obama campaign.


i hope... (bruce roemmelt - 8/31/2008 12:42:48 PM)
actually we planned the volunteer contact efforts from day one with the Obama folks.  each person was registered when they came in the door (by the Obama folks) then they were shuttled to Precinct Captains for further sign in on the precinct level to get volunteers to canvass, phone bank, write letters/post cards, do lit drops, work the polls etc.

i was the MC but our local Obama Coordinator, Lyzz Ogonwo talked to the masses about opportunities to participate as well.

we even shuttled the small amount of food to the Western Prince William/Manassas HQ so no one would go hungry.

our model is to assist the Obama/Coordinated as much as posible but primarily to let them implement their GOTV plan with out assistance.

b



On the other side of the county.. (PWC Resident - 8/31/2008 3:44:08 PM)
the rest of the local Democratic Committee held a similar event that had 250 in attendance. Prince William County is changing from a purple county to a blue county this year.


Cool (brimur - 9/2/2008 9:37:29 AM)
That sounds outstanding. Was this in lieu of precinct-level parties- or in addition to?


this is gainesville so (bruce roemmelt - 9/2/2008 9:54:08 AM)
we opted for the big one in lieu of lots of little ones.

the campaign (and other party organizers like MOVEON) might have the data but i just don't know.

one thing's for sure, when we have debate parties now or other get togethers there's going to be a big list to call through for hosters and attendees!

b