Thursday, July 31, 2003

Leafleting for Dean at the subway stop Well – time to act. So tonight I joined three other people to leaflet for Dean at the subway stop in Davis Sq., Somerville.  It was very low key—simply a few people wearing buttons, handing out a half page flyer, asking the question:  would you like more info about Howard Dean.   It made me feel what a tough business politics is, how vast the total number of people are, and how little most people are engaged with politics.  Nevertheless—we probably gave out about 1000 leaflets in two hours, and may people took them.   The reactions were typical leaflet reactions.  Some people won’t look at you-they walk past like you don’t exist.  Many people don’t even realize what you are talking about.  Probably half a dozen people who initially acted like this came back and got leaflets when they realized it was about Howard Dean.   Others took leaflets, some with interest.  Others said they were Dean supporters, and some said they were Kerry supporters.   Even though Iraq is a burning issue for me, one woman I talked to when comparing Dean and Kerry said she also wished Kerry had opposed the war, but that it was not the only issue.   It made me think about the difference:  of course I would support Kerry in the general election—but I am not sure he is tough enough to win.  Kerry is too much a regular politician, a Washington insider.  To defeat Bush, we will need an outsider—someone who can ride a wave of indignation and anger.  Kerry is not that kind of person—he is Al Gore II in my opinion—a cautious, calculating, not resonating politician.  That is a dangerous candidate to throw up against folksy Bush, who can make you like and forgive him even while he destroys your interests.   Bush will be defeated if an opponent can ridicule and rattle him—then his inarticulateness, his lack of curiosity, his maddening slovenly ordinary thinking will come out—and people will turn against him.   Kerry does not have the charisma to get volunteers to go out and leaflet for him—unless they are political hacks and hangers on, hoping for a job or a favor.   This election will turn on the energy and commitment of the grass roots—because that is where the anger against Bush smolders so deeply. 10:09:43 PM   comment []

© Copyright 2003 Toby Sackton. Last update: 8/5/2003; 12:19:23 AM.