603, 503, whatever, just vote
I got a call at home in Portland this morning, and the number on my Caller ID started with 603, which is the area code for New Hampshire, that quirky New England state where I lived more than 20 years ago. I pounced on the call, imagining some long-lost friend on the other end – the ideal distraction from actually working.
Me: (excitedly): Hi!
Stern Female Voice: Hello. I'm calling from the Clinton campaign. Will you be voting for Hillary Clinton tomorrow?
Me: Well, I won't be voting tomorrow, because ...
Stern Female: (urgently) Oh, it's crucial that you participate in this important primary because ...
Me (more urgently): No, wait, it isn't that, I just ...
Stern Female: ... this vote gives you a voice in a time of ...
Me (loudly): OK, listen, first, I don't give out information about who I vote for and second, I won't be voting tomorrow because I don't ...
Stern Female: Fine. That's your right. (Click.)
Getting hung up on by a Clinton volunteer would have been unsettling enough, but then I couldn't get a dial tone for the next two hours. Coincidence? Hmmm. You can be sure of one thing, from now until Wednesday morning, I'm not answering any calls from 603.
Comments:
Posted Mon, Jan 7, 6:05 p.m. inappropriate
I am genuinely shocked at the imploding nature of her campaign! Until the past few weeks, I always regarded her as the ultimate in focused and disciplined; if she could survive Bill and Monica, she could survive anything.
But she's getting blown out of the water by something that seems so alien to her it's as if it does indeed come from another planet: reality. Barack Obama comes across to people as real, unscripted, genuine, and unassuming. With HRC, it's all a put up show. We know her warmth strategy was just that, a strategy, not the real thing. Many were willing to tolerate it as long as she polled like a winner. But now? Watch many of her supporters begin to bail.
While they have a deep attachment to a Democrat in the White House, they don't have one to her personally. Obama's people seem to care about seeing him as the Democrat in the White House, so they're in this all the way.
Fascinating!
I'm not a Democrat (regulars at Crosscut probably know this), but I'm finding what's going on in both parties the most entertaining politics in years and years! I can't wait until tomorrow night to watch New Hampshire returns!
This is as good as it gets!
The Piper
Posted Tue, Jan 8, 10:19 a.m. inappropriate
RE: Meltdown...: I would have pegged you as a Republican actually - mathematically literate democrats are my personal favorites, starting with Sonntag on down, including his friends on the right side, perhaps starting with McKenna.
Perhaps the two of them could make a good fill in for everything Gregoire lacks as an executive?
Anyway, Obama. I think the current play in the corporate media is to defeat Hilary and have Obama lose to the Republican. If that's McCain (and Lieberman?) that's great.
Although I do think that it is good for Hillary to get a wake up call, including the vast legions of supporters who were, to use Marlowe Hartnett's word getting a bit too 'stern' - the scenario plays itself out better Gregoire takes the fall and Clinton recovers.
A Clinton/Obama candidacy would most likely get my vote over all comers. Without Obama there would be a good chance I'd vote for McCain, probably definitely with the (I), Lieberman. Without McCain, probably Clinton, regardless. Romney, Huckabee, and Giulianni are not without their merits, but I think they all carry baggage from supporters and history that is a concern.
In anycase here's to the Crosscut buzzsaw, with it's individual 'teeth' all spinning at 10k RPM! 2008 should be a good year.
-Douglas Tooley
Lincoln, Tacoma