October 27, 2008--The Ladies of Forest Trace: It's In the Bags
“I have a problem.” It was my 100 year-old mother calling from Florida.
“With what? Is it your blood pressure again?”
“No, that’s fine. 110 over 70. It’s about Tuesday.”
“What’s happening Tuesday?”
“The election.”
Knowing that on occasion she’s a little confused about time and dates, I said, “The election isn’t until next week. Tuesday, November 4th.”
“I know, I know the 4th is Election Day and that’s eight days from now. That much I still know.”
“So then what’s the problem with the election this Tuesday? Tomorrow?”
“I have a car arranged to take me to the election office.”
“What for? What do you have to do there?”
“A few things.”
“Really?” I couldn’t imagine what. She already has her absentee ballot.
“Well, you know how I’m helping people here with their ballots.” She has been telling me that for weeks—how she and some of the other ladies are doing this. “I think by now we must have helped quite a few. And you know the best part?”
“What’s that, ma?”
“The ladies here are wonderful. They are so interested in the election. Many say they are voting for their grandchildren. I don’t mean literally for them but for their grandchildren’s future. So almost all are voting for Obama. Not everyone was for him originally. Most were for Hillary. But now they have gotten to know him and his wonderful wife. Did you hear her on Friday in Ohio? She was taking his place there while he was in Hawaii visiting his grandmother. He’s such a wonderful grandson. After the girls saw how fine he is and how intelligent and after to listening to his plans, almost all say they will try to stay up late on Election Day to watch the results on CNN.”
“That’s wonderful mom, but I still don’t know what your problem is for tomorrow.”
“I’m getting to that.” I knew I needed to allow he to tell her story her way. “As I said, we’ve been helping people with their absentee ballots. You know they’re eight pages long and very confusing. You have to check here and then there and then after getting through all the propositions and amendments you finally come to the place where you vote for president and then after that you have to turn the page over and sign your name exactly as it appears on your registration form. I’m sure you’ve been watching Wolf Blitzer. He’s been talking about how in many places there is concern that election officials will declare ballots invalid unless they’re filled out perfectly.”
“I have been hearing about that and I too am worried because I think the worst problems will be in Republican-controlled states like Florida.”
“That’s why they are asking us to check their ballots—to see that they are properly filled out. I’m allowed to do that if they ask for my assistance. The ladies remember 2000 and all the problems we had here. They want to be very careful this year to do everything by the book. This is not easy for people our age with such a confusing ballot. They want to make sure every ballot is counted. Even the ones for McCain.” She chuckled at that.
“Of course.”
“So I’m helping them too.”
“Them?”
“The ladies who are still voting for him. McCain. Though I do try to convince them to think about changing their minds.”
“Is that OK to do while helping them with their ballots.”
“I always ask if they mind my talking with them about Obama and almost everyone says that’s fine. In fact, I think quite a few have changed their minds.”
“What do you say to them?” I was sincerely looking to hear what she was doing to have so much success.
“I talk mainly about the future and all the crises we’re facing here and in the rest of the world and who has the best ideas about how to deal with them.”
“And that works?”
“Not always as well as I would like. Some of the girls feel McCain, because he’s older, has more experience to deal with these. But I don’t give up. As we work our way through the propositions and amendments I keep talking.”
“So for the ones who change their minds what works best?”
“It’s when I remind them that McCain is 72 years old and has Stage III cancer. I read that last week in the New York Times. Old they understand. And cancer too. Then I ask them how they would feel if something happened to him and Sarah Palin, God help us, became president. How would they feel about her meeting with Putin and talking with Sarkozy or that president of Iran whose name I can never pronounce.”
“Arm-a-din-e-jad,” I said slowly, not sure I got it right.
“Yes, that’s the one. That gets to some of them.”
“I’ve beginning to hear the same thing from some McCain supporters I know.”
“There are McCain supporters in New York City? I though everyone up there were socialists.” I knew she was joking. “I think we may have convinced about ten people to change their minds. I’m not sure of this because when the ladies I help get to the place where they vote for president I look away. It’s a secret ballot. But I can tell from what they tell me or from the look on their faces. From their smiles who they voted for.”
“That’s amazing.”
“If that’s true, if ten people changed their minds, isn’t that a 20 point swing? Ten fewer for McCain and ten more for Obama?”
“Yes, mom, that would be a 20 point difference.”
“And by how many votes in Florida did Gore lose to Bush? About 500 wasn’t it? That is, if he actually lost.”
“I think is was 537.”
“So if between now and next Tuesday I can convince five more, all together that would be a 30 vote swing, right?” And wouldn’t that be more than five percent of 537? Am I correct?”
“Actually, if 269 people who voted for Bush in Florida voted for Gore, Gore would have won Florida and been elected president. So if you and the other ladies contribute to a 30 vote swing this time, as you’re saying that’s more than five percent of what Obama would need in Florida if the election this year there is as close as it was in 2000. And it very well could be. Some polls today are saying it’s a tie.”
“That’s what we’re thinking and why the girls and I are working so hard.”
“You, and they, mom, are remarkable. You’re doing more than I am and you’re much older.”
“Well, it’s true that you’re getting up in years but that’s no excuse not to be making phone calls and helping people vote.”
“By your inspiration I promise to do more. But again, mom, you called to tell me about a problem.”
“Yes, that. Did I tell you I arranged for a car for tomorrow?”
“You did.”
“To go to the election office?”
“You told me that much but not why you’re going there.”
“To drop off votes.”
“What? Didn’t you mail in your ballot?”
“I don’t trust the mail with something this important. That’s why I arranged for the car. For us to take them in.”
“Them? Not just yours?”
“We have more than 100.”
“How many?”
“112.”
“Filled out?”
“Of course. What do you think we’ve been doing here? Like I told you, the girls have been very busy.”
“And you can bring all of them in?” I was concerned they might be doing something inappropriate or not allowed.
“I checked and it’s fine as long as they’re properly sealed and filled out and we have written permission to turn them in. And they are. We checked every single one.”
“Amazing!”
“Remember when I and many of the girls were born women were not allowed to vote. So voting is very important to us. Especially this election. For many reasons. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if Obama was elected? And wouldn’t it be poetic justice if Florida, which was segregated, put him over the top in the Electoral College?”
“It would be.” I remembered the separate water fountains for “White” and “Colored” the first time I visited back in the 1950s. “But, again, I don’t understand why any of this is a problem for tomorrow. It sounds as if you have everything arranged. What you’ve done, what you’ve all done is wonderful, but still I don’t see what . . .”
“You know how big the envelopes are? The ones with the ballots?” I didn’t. “Quite large. In fact so large that I have four shopping bags filled with ballots.”
“Really?” I was incredulous.
“And they’re heavy for us. I don’t know how we’ll get them all down to the car. I’m not that strong any more and I’m supposed to use my walker.”
“Why don’t you . . .?”
“That’s what I’ll do,” she interrupted me, “I’ll put them in my shopping cart, the one I take to Publix, and take them that way to the car. And then to the election office. That way I won’t need anyone to help me.”
“You’re amazing.”
“But only if we can get those last five people to change their minds and vote for Obama.”
“With what? Is it your blood pressure again?”
“No, that’s fine. 110 over 70. It’s about Tuesday.”
“What’s happening Tuesday?”
“The election.”
Knowing that on occasion she’s a little confused about time and dates, I said, “The election isn’t until next week. Tuesday, November 4th.”
“I know, I know the 4th is Election Day and that’s eight days from now. That much I still know.”
“So then what’s the problem with the election this Tuesday? Tomorrow?”
“I have a car arranged to take me to the election office.”
“What for? What do you have to do there?”
“A few things.”
“Really?” I couldn’t imagine what. She already has her absentee ballot.
“Well, you know how I’m helping people here with their ballots.” She has been telling me that for weeks—how she and some of the other ladies are doing this. “I think by now we must have helped quite a few. And you know the best part?”
“What’s that, ma?”
“The ladies here are wonderful. They are so interested in the election. Many say they are voting for their grandchildren. I don’t mean literally for them but for their grandchildren’s future. So almost all are voting for Obama. Not everyone was for him originally. Most were for Hillary. But now they have gotten to know him and his wonderful wife. Did you hear her on Friday in Ohio? She was taking his place there while he was in Hawaii visiting his grandmother. He’s such a wonderful grandson. After the girls saw how fine he is and how intelligent and after to listening to his plans, almost all say they will try to stay up late on Election Day to watch the results on CNN.”
“That’s wonderful mom, but I still don’t know what your problem is for tomorrow.”
“I’m getting to that.” I knew I needed to allow he to tell her story her way. “As I said, we’ve been helping people with their absentee ballots. You know they’re eight pages long and very confusing. You have to check here and then there and then after getting through all the propositions and amendments you finally come to the place where you vote for president and then after that you have to turn the page over and sign your name exactly as it appears on your registration form. I’m sure you’ve been watching Wolf Blitzer. He’s been talking about how in many places there is concern that election officials will declare ballots invalid unless they’re filled out perfectly.”
“I have been hearing about that and I too am worried because I think the worst problems will be in Republican-controlled states like Florida.”
“That’s why they are asking us to check their ballots—to see that they are properly filled out. I’m allowed to do that if they ask for my assistance. The ladies remember 2000 and all the problems we had here. They want to be very careful this year to do everything by the book. This is not easy for people our age with such a confusing ballot. They want to make sure every ballot is counted. Even the ones for McCain.” She chuckled at that.
“Of course.”
“So I’m helping them too.”
“Them?”
“The ladies who are still voting for him. McCain. Though I do try to convince them to think about changing their minds.”
“Is that OK to do while helping them with their ballots.”
“I always ask if they mind my talking with them about Obama and almost everyone says that’s fine. In fact, I think quite a few have changed their minds.”
“What do you say to them?” I was sincerely looking to hear what she was doing to have so much success.
“I talk mainly about the future and all the crises we’re facing here and in the rest of the world and who has the best ideas about how to deal with them.”
“And that works?”
“Not always as well as I would like. Some of the girls feel McCain, because he’s older, has more experience to deal with these. But I don’t give up. As we work our way through the propositions and amendments I keep talking.”
“So for the ones who change their minds what works best?”
“It’s when I remind them that McCain is 72 years old and has Stage III cancer. I read that last week in the New York Times. Old they understand. And cancer too. Then I ask them how they would feel if something happened to him and Sarah Palin, God help us, became president. How would they feel about her meeting with Putin and talking with Sarkozy or that president of Iran whose name I can never pronounce.”
“Arm-a-din-e-jad,” I said slowly, not sure I got it right.
“Yes, that’s the one. That gets to some of them.”
“I’ve beginning to hear the same thing from some McCain supporters I know.”
“There are McCain supporters in New York City? I though everyone up there were socialists.” I knew she was joking. “I think we may have convinced about ten people to change their minds. I’m not sure of this because when the ladies I help get to the place where they vote for president I look away. It’s a secret ballot. But I can tell from what they tell me or from the look on their faces. From their smiles who they voted for.”
“That’s amazing.”
“If that’s true, if ten people changed their minds, isn’t that a 20 point swing? Ten fewer for McCain and ten more for Obama?”
“Yes, mom, that would be a 20 point difference.”
“And by how many votes in Florida did Gore lose to Bush? About 500 wasn’t it? That is, if he actually lost.”
“I think is was 537.”
“So if between now and next Tuesday I can convince five more, all together that would be a 30 vote swing, right?” And wouldn’t that be more than five percent of 537? Am I correct?”
“Actually, if 269 people who voted for Bush in Florida voted for Gore, Gore would have won Florida and been elected president. So if you and the other ladies contribute to a 30 vote swing this time, as you’re saying that’s more than five percent of what Obama would need in Florida if the election this year there is as close as it was in 2000. And it very well could be. Some polls today are saying it’s a tie.”
“That’s what we’re thinking and why the girls and I are working so hard.”
“You, and they, mom, are remarkable. You’re doing more than I am and you’re much older.”
“Well, it’s true that you’re getting up in years but that’s no excuse not to be making phone calls and helping people vote.”
“By your inspiration I promise to do more. But again, mom, you called to tell me about a problem.”
“Yes, that. Did I tell you I arranged for a car for tomorrow?”
“You did.”
“To go to the election office?”
“You told me that much but not why you’re going there.”
“To drop off votes.”
“What? Didn’t you mail in your ballot?”
“I don’t trust the mail with something this important. That’s why I arranged for the car. For us to take them in.”
“Them? Not just yours?”
“We have more than 100.”
“How many?”
“112.”
“Filled out?”
“Of course. What do you think we’ve been doing here? Like I told you, the girls have been very busy.”
“And you can bring all of them in?” I was concerned they might be doing something inappropriate or not allowed.
“I checked and it’s fine as long as they’re properly sealed and filled out and we have written permission to turn them in. And they are. We checked every single one.”
“Amazing!”
“Remember when I and many of the girls were born women were not allowed to vote. So voting is very important to us. Especially this election. For many reasons. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if Obama was elected? And wouldn’t it be poetic justice if Florida, which was segregated, put him over the top in the Electoral College?”
“It would be.” I remembered the separate water fountains for “White” and “Colored” the first time I visited back in the 1950s. “But, again, I don’t understand why any of this is a problem for tomorrow. It sounds as if you have everything arranged. What you’ve done, what you’ve all done is wonderful, but still I don’t see what . . .”
“You know how big the envelopes are? The ones with the ballots?” I didn’t. “Quite large. In fact so large that I have four shopping bags filled with ballots.”
“Really?” I was incredulous.
“And they’re heavy for us. I don’t know how we’ll get them all down to the car. I’m not that strong any more and I’m supposed to use my walker.”
“Why don’t you . . .?”
“That’s what I’ll do,” she interrupted me, “I’ll put them in my shopping cart, the one I take to Publix, and take them that way to the car. And then to the election office. That way I won’t need anyone to help me.”
“You’re amazing.”
“But only if we can get those last five people to change their minds and vote for Obama.”
posted by Steven Zwerling at
9:06 AM
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