"I know more Democrats who are voting for this guy than Republicans"

Walking through East Boston on the final leg of our homeward journey after phone banking for Scott Brown at Boston, MA GOP headquarters this morning, we caught the heart and mind of this affable young man with our newly acquired Scott Brown lawn sign. Eye contact. Ear-to-ear smiles. Species recognition. He pointed with pride to a Scott Brown sign on his back window. We got him to pose with our sign.

"I know more Democrats who are voting for this guy than Republicans," a caller is telling Howie Carr on WRKO 680 am this evening, even as Rothenberg reports the race is a toss-up. Although we adore Howie and link his column from time to time, we've never been a fan of talk radio and will probably never tune in again after the election. But, then, we never marched with signs to town halls and city halls before this spring when we caught Tea Party Fever. One thing led to another, we blogged about it, and here we are on the frontline of the fight for the heart and soul of the Shining City Upon a Hill.

The best thing about phone banks — The jury's still out on the usefulness of phone banks themselves (see below for talking points) — is the fellowship with wonderful folks of like mind you get to shmooze with. Tina from Southie, above, and ourselves could hardly stop talking about how bad things are and how much we owe Barack Obama —  and a compliant media! — for awakening a sleeping nation. And don't get us started on the Gramscian march through the cultural institutions:

How can the mainstream media be intelligent and allow this to happen?

We guess it depends upon what your definition of intelligent is.

If you're not a gifted salesperson — our highest achievement along those lines was third prize for selling the most Girl Scout cookies in third grade — you find yourself listening with a third ear and picking up talking points and techniques from more skilled callers nearby, like retired Air Force guy Jim of Somerville, above left discussing the fine points of phone banking with Deputy Regional Coordinator for Boston Shawn Burke. But even smooth-talking Jim wasn't able to sell a majority of the folks at the other end of the line, grumpy at having received multiple calls from the campaign in the last few days. One told him, half jokingly, that if he received one more call from us, he was going to vote for the other side. Our working theory is that phone banking is in its last throes, a victim of more sophisticated social-networking opportunities for future campaigns. But just as we were starting to agree with our sis that phone banking does more harm than good, in comes Amy Kane in the comments to our previous post with this from a commenter at that lame Globe endorsement of Martha Coakley:

My family was going to go with Coakley, who for us, is a local candidate. We've received multiple calls from Scott Brown's campaign and not a thing from Coakley. We're swinging for Brown. It's time for a change of direction.

Way to go, phone bank volunteers!

It surely is nice to be appreciated. Phone banking itself may give way to something more finely tuned to the person at the other end of the line in the next election cycle, but there is no substitute for the on-the-ground fellowship of red staters bonding behind enemy lines in blue-state Taxachusetts. We are totally energized!

Update: Blog pal Dan Riehl links, and we pick up the home phone for a donation request from a Scott Brown call center in Minnesota. They wanted $50. Ask and ye shall receive. We didn't want to give our credit-card info over the phone so went to the Scott Brown for Senate web site and ended up giving $250. You give too.

Update II: Hub Politics links. Thanks, Matt!

Update III: Instalanche! "Plus: Jackpot: Brown raised a million dollars a day every day this week. 'The first-ever moneycarpetbomb?'”

Update IV: Ed Driscoll links: "That dovetails perfectly into what Erick Erickson calls 'The Story The Media Is Missing Because It Does Not Fit Their Narrative.'”

Update V: Linked at Eastboston.com: "History in the making?"

Update VI: Gateway Pundit links!

Comments

[Teresa]

Some people like phone calls, others hate them. I don't know that a phone call will really change how someone votes... but then again people always do things I don't expect.

I've had at least 4 calls where there was a message left on my machine and another 2 I've picked up and answered but that seems to be the same with every election. Heck I even get calls from the Illinois Republicans wanting me to vote for them! So I just accept them as a fact of elections.

What I have really been interested in seeing and what I was blogging today... The political yard signs or lack thereof. Very interesting and maybe telling... we'll see on the 19th.

[Cris]

Door to door (personal contact) is the most effective way to get votes. Hopefully, done by the candidate (Start early and hit ten houses in every precinct initially).

But, different people respond to different approaches, so one tries as many different methods as one can afford in time, money and volunteers. Signs, phone calls, little get-togethers, billboards, mailings, commuter stops, emails, etc.

Nothing works 100% with everyone.

But to repeat, take the time and effort to meet people personally -- they appreciate it.

[Ex Dem]

I have seen no mention of it since the campaign (and aren't elected Dems glad of that) but what do you suppose happened to those million and millions of Dems for McCain/Palin voters?

They didn't get swallowed up by the earth and they (we, i'm one of them) most certain;y DID NOT go back across the line to the Democratic party. We crossed over before the election and we never crossed back. Many of us have made donations to Brown and will vote for him.

[Amy]

Speaking of history, did you know that the horse Paul Revere rode on his famous midnight ride was named Brown Beauty? I've decided to take it as a sign. :)

[Karen]

You should check out http://hillbuzz.org. There are a lot of former Democrats over there who are pulling for Scott Brown!

It's time we stop thinking in terms of Democrat or Republican and start thinking what's best for our COUNTRY. Political parties are belief systems which can be difficult to escape from once you're brainwashed. They tell you how to think, who to vote for, what is right and what is wrong. These are things that we, as individuals, need to do for ourselves. We have been lulled into this "party line" nonsense by those in charge as a way to keep us fighting among ourselves while they have been free to pillage and ruin our country. We need to admit we've been duped and then GET OVER IT and get to work fixing all that has gone wrong. We are the people and we can do great things together!

[Mike in South Korea]

In deciding who to vote for it's really as easy as ABCD (Anybody But a Chicago-style Democrat). Good Luck Mr.Brown our hopes,and prayers for True Change are with you!!!

[ANON]

I'm one of those democrats. I do not see eye to eye with Brown on a lot of things. But I have no problem shaking hands and breaking bread with him before I vote for him now, and also before and after I vote against him in 2012. Can't say the same for Coakley.

[EF]

I don't understand it folks, plz explain how the messiah is better than the dummy bush? The messiah has tripled the budget in 1 year on the job...how is that better than the dummy bush?

[Elvin]

They didn't get swallowed up by the earth and they (we, i'm one of them) most certainly DID NOT go back across the line to the Democratic party. We crossed over before the election and we never crossed back. Many of us have made donations to Brown and will vote for him. http://www.hotfilemediafire.com