An odd moment in a lovely morning
I did my civic duty Saturday, spending a gloriously warm and sunny autumn morning in the company of several hundred people gathered in an orderly line to cast their ballots. It’s hard to be a cynic at a moment like that, when the democratic instinct seems to have been restored in so many people. I waited an hour to vote, far longer than I’ve waited any time in the past two decades, but I didn’t mind a bit. Whatever the outcome of this election, it was a feel-good morning — aside from one discordant note.
It occurred just a few minutes before I reached the door to the building where early voting was conducted in the small North Carolina town where I live. A burly guy wearing an official-looking ID of some kind hanging from a lanyard around his neck appeared, and introduced himself to the polling place supervisor. He said he was with “Obama’s legal team,” and proceeded to quiz the supervisor about what she intended to do if people were still in line at 5 o’clock, the cut-off for early voting that day. She explained that anyone in line when the polls closed would still be able to vote.
That policy was clearly explained on a sign outside the polling place about ten feet away from the Obama legal watchdog. Maybe he didn’t see it. Or maybe he did, but asking the supervisor to repeat it was his not-too-subtle way of making sure she understood he was patrolling her turf. Whatever the case, he wrapped up the conversation with this: “Well, you won’t have any trouble from me today.” He then took up his post in the parking lot, where the line was formed.
Never has reassurance sounded so threatening.
Overhearing that conversation left me with a strange sensation. You’d think I lived in a place like Haiti or Zimbabwe, where observers are needed to ensure that voters aren’t beaten, or worse, for opposing the ruling party. Has my little town been identified as a place where voting irregularities occur? Have people been denied the right to register? Did someone within the Obama campaign have reason to believe that without a member of the “legal team” present in my town, nefarious things would unfold?
When I got inside to vote, I asked the supervisor whether the McCain campaign also had a “legal team” member present. She said no.
I understand that in some places (Ohio comes readily to mind), there’s good cause to monitor the voting process. I further understand that it’s within the rights of any candidate to have someone posted at a polling place to keep an eye on things. Neither of those things is being debated here, so save your breath if you’re inclined to point them out.
It was only significant because of how I was left feeling: That the Obama campaign apparently has decided that we all need watching.
November 3rd, 2008 at 8:52 am
Yeah, I warned ‘em you were coming and they said they’d get ready for you.
November 3rd, 2008 at 9:43 am
Sounds like someone took his “job” way too seriously. Power corrupts and that guy’s a good example.
November 3rd, 2008 at 10:03 am
there is some reason to expect things could be less than above board in the old north state. between allegations of voter suppression and voter fraud, i wouldn’t blame either party for having reps at the polls. some reports here:
http://www.thetimesnews.com/news/tuesday_19320___article.html/alamance_county.html
http://www.newsobserver.com/news/story/1255378.html
and i know that even here in true blue carrboro, the poll worker who handed me my ballot neglected to tell me to mark a presidential candidate even if i was voting a straight ticket. i knew that, but lots don’t. and i also know that poll workers are instructed to do this at training — because i’m a poll worker, too.
do i think the election’s in danger of being stolen in NC? not really. but that doesn’t mean i don’t think people should be checking up on the process.
November 3rd, 2008 at 10:11 am
Would you say that was a deciding moment for you, Dan?
November 3rd, 2008 at 11:13 am
This episode is an example of overkill by some who have worked on the Obama campaign.
Given the impossible-to-deny special treatment by the media that candidate Obama has received and the enormous amounts of money raised from billionaires like David Geffen and George Soros….to the twenty-five dollar checks sent in by ordinary citizens, you would think that by now they could chill.
I have been a supporter of Obama, but have rejected and, yes, detested, the behavior and the words of some of the people associated with him.
As I opined in an earlier post, far too many racists and anti-Semites can be found on Obama’s coattails and I trust that this element will be put inside some archaic closet when and if Obama reaches the White House.
Very glad this didn’t happen at the place where I voted last week. There was a line but we were able to get our ballots within minutes.
Everything was explained for the unwashed masses numerous times while i was there so that all voters would know about the straight ticket. They knew that a separate vote would be needed for the presidency.
One thing I did encounter was a campaign worker whose job was to hover over the machine that automatically accepted our ballots after voting.
As I arrived, I watched how she was “helping” senior citizens and others who couldn’t get their ballots to slide inside the machine at first try.
When I got there I asked her if she would move aside until I had inserted my ballot and she seemed shocked and appalled, but did move away from the machine.
There’s no doubt that some of these politically partisan workers become too instructive many times and, consequently, the privacy of voters can be violated.
I’m very glad that such a “legal enforcer” did not show up to throw his weight around at the place where I voted.
I would not have hesitated to give him the same treatment as I gave the woman standing over the voting machine.
Obama will have to cool the jets of some of these banana-republic-esque bullies.
He’d better understand that right now.
Too much largesse has already been thrown the way of his campaign when voters “looked over” the disgusting Jeremiah Wright and William Ayers….and others.
We don’t want to be sorry for doing so.
November 3rd, 2008 at 11:43 am
All of the above comments, and Dan’s as well, assume that this person was indeed an Obama worker. He may have been just some nut trying to look important, or a self-appointed “Obama legal team” worker.
If he was a real Obama worker, you can’t really blame them after Florida and Ohio. NC may not have a history of poll problems, but it hasn’t been a competative state for decades either.
As for Debrah, if she is surprised at racists and anti-Semites among Obama’s supporters she hasn’t been paying attention. Presidential politics always attracts those the candidates wish would just stay away. No candidate is free from the nut crowd.
November 3rd, 2008 at 12:00 pm
That’s just weird. I went three different times to polling places all over the state with friends who were voting (Asheville, Cary, and Raleigh) and nothing like that happened at any of them. It sounds like some kook pretending to be somebody.
I have been working at the Obama headquarters in Cary and haven’t experienced any of the racists, anti-semites, or bullies that Debrah has apparently encountered. I attended the rally in downtown Raleigh and was impressed with the patience and positive attitudes of the people around me who waited over 2 hours in line to see Obama. Not one derisive word was spoken about John McCain.
On the other hand, I was at the State Fair and walked past a gentleman ( I use that term loosely) who stated pretty loudly, ‘I can’t believe all these white people with Obama stickers on.’ At the Palin rally at the fairgrounds, people in line were pretty free with the n word, as well as ‘communist’ and ‘terrorist’, and no one knew my political leanings. It was a real eye opener.
November 3rd, 2008 at 12:22 pm
“I have been working at the Obama headquarters in Cary and haven’t experienced any of the racists, anti-semites, or bullies that Debrah has apparently encountered.”
*********************************************************
I didn’t think that my post needed clarifying, but I will spell it out once again.
I’m referring to the well-known and very questionable entourage of Obama’s throughout his career.
Not anyone locally.
I don’t have trouble like this locally.
Since I know how the little rabid Lefties operate like the back of my hand, any “intimidation” from them is instantly nipped in the bud.
Same goes for the zealous right.
Although, it’s funny. Conservatives have never tried to bully me or anyone in such situations that I can ever recall.
November 3rd, 2008 at 12:34 pm
I’m not a McCain/Palin supporter. It would be impossible for me to support Palin’s platform because I am pro-choice and do not agree with her on a number of other issues.
I do admire her skills and her ability to be a mother to five children while rising to such career success.
Not many women have ever been able to do this in politics.
She’s a natural politician.
So let me say that I think this is a lot of fabrication and hyperbole:
***************************************************
“At the Palin rally at the fairgrounds, people in line were pretty free with the n word, as well as ‘communist’ and ‘terrorist’, and no one knew my political leanings. It was a real eye opener.”
***************************************************
No, in fact, I think it’s just a damned lie invented to try to mitigate what was revealed in today’s post.
I don’t think people are that bold and crude openly and I don’t think that John McCain’s campaign has engendered such responses.
In fact, McCain and Palin shied away from all the red meat they could have used on the Obama campaign.
You’re just full of ****.
November 3rd, 2008 at 3:03 pm
Yes, they are that crude-just as you are for calling me a liar. Your opinion, out of all the people who post here, means the least to me, and your last post confirms my perception of you. Perhaps you should know someone before you tell them they are full of shit.
November 3rd, 2008 at 3:27 pm
Sheila–
Sit back and try to imagine—very slowly—how little I care about your “perception” of anyone.
You’re a flamer who operates on the slow button, hoping no one picks up on your rabidity.
Again, your gratuitous second and third-hand reporting of dialogue among strangers is evidence of the brand of low grade kibitzer that you are.
If you can’t name those people, exactly what they said, and in response to what, then understand that you come off as just another Ashley Todd.
Lastly, like the typical Lefty flamer, you assume your way into every gutter in search of momentum.
How does anyone know that my statement below:
*********************************
“You’re just full of ****.”
*********************************
…………was not “You’re just full of bunk.”
LOL!!!
LOL!!!
November 3rd, 2008 at 3:41 pm
Sheila,
I suspect that my opinion of your posts will replace Debrah’s as meaning the least to you as I suspect I have better earned your wrath and indeed welcome it. Your gratuitous post about how everyone at a NC Obama rally are polite and wonderful people while those that go to a Palin rally are racists was indeed full of ****.
November 3rd, 2008 at 9:34 pm
I was speaking from my perspective from what I actually have experienced first hand (I actually speak from what I experience, not what I pretend to). If anyone feels the need to belittle me and my opinions, more power to you I guess.
Doug-I don’t think that all Obama rallies are all full of rainbows and sunshine and that Palin rallies are all psycho, racist love fests: I was speking from what I experienced this past week, and all we can truly relay is what we indeed experience. That’s all- no more, no less.
November 3rd, 2008 at 10:08 pm
Sheila makes very good points and she has not resorted to the pathetic and angry name calling that other posters have. Good grief. Can’t we have civil discussions? I, for one, am always interested in hearing others’ perspectives and they are heightened when people can back them up with their own experiences. Come on people, step up your game and your dialogue. We can disagree passionately without disparaging others.
November 4th, 2008 at 10:49 am
We all have personal experiences that impact our thinking but you would think most of us would be able to temper that with what we see on television and read about the larger world we don’t get to see at the State Fair.
November 4th, 2008 at 1:45 pm
sheila’s a flamer???? sheila???? i find debrah to be the flamiest flame of all. yeah, you debrah. you’re a flamey flame. anyway, my neighbors use the n word all the time and send emails around about obama hating the bible and being a terrorist, communist, etc. these are decent people, a couple of whom i love. this is the attitude they’ve been born and raised with and aren’t compelled to lose. to attack sheila for noting those people and calling her a liar and saying she was full of “bunk” is just a joke. thanks! i feel better!
flame out!
November 4th, 2008 at 5:29 pm
My life experience tells me that Debrah is exactly right in calling BS to Sheila’s comment about overhearing the ‘N’ word at the NC State Fair. My career has brought me in close contact with thousands of rural people over the last 32 years and my reality is this: white people, from the Penthouse to the outhouse, do not use that word. We hear it often from blacks, but not whites and especially in public. Debrah sounds reasoned in most of her commentary and if not for the abortion issue, just might support McPalin. Obama supporters; you may be in for some serious buyers’ remorse.