From the field: San Antonio!

Great day here in what I might venture to call Clintonland - i.e., San Antonio.  Got to the campaign HQ around 11 am.  Fully diverse crowd, by ethnicity, age, gender, and region.  Phone banked for a couple hours while getting to know the cadre of out of state volunteers who have descended on this city on behalf of our gal.  We are from all over the place, incl. CA, New Jersey, and a Latina nun from Nebraska whose Mother Superior warned her to “behave” before she set out for South Tx.  We held signs at an intersection in the afternoon that left me with dirty shirt cuffs from the unseasonal winds and exhaust and a wind/sunburn on my face.  There was significantly more support than not for Clinton among drivers; lots of horns and thumbs up and enthusiastic waving, with only a few thumbs down and one shout each of “Obama!” and “McCain!”

In the afternoon I assembled signs, and there was an enormous precinct captains meeting around 6pm that sent the bulk of us out-of-town volunteers packing for the evening.  This primary+caucus voting scheme has confused the sh*t out of everyone, and both campaigns have been working overtime to prep voters for the reality that yes, one’s vote counts twice here.  Vote early, vote often in Texas. 

Tomorrow out-of-staters will be working at polling stations, especially during the caucus hours.  I’m not sure what exactly we’ll be doing, though I’m certain we’re not casting votes.  I suspect we’re little more than positive reinforcement, given the fear and feasible reality that the caucus process could be chaotic and ugly.  I’d be surprised if the Obama campaign didn’t also have volunteers who are lawyers prepping for a watchdog role. 

There’s little sign of Obama down here, other than media buys.  I saw one sign.  Yet, this is where he’ll be tomorrow night as the returns come in.  I suspect this is to give him a Latino/a / South Tx backdrop of a potential state win that otherwise wouldn’t include this region unless he incorporates it into a photo op/victory speech.  This is my personal theory.

It’s been good to be off the grid for the day, a.k.a, the blogosphere.  Away from the media, it’s easier to remember that this sh*t ain’t over yet.

Vote early and often tomorrow, Texas.  Ohio, Rhode Island, and Vermont, you know the drill too.

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton for President!!!!