Pinko Magazine Hedonism + Activism

Hi all! I’m in Pennsylvania for the weekend, part to canvass for Obama and part for the Posters for the People expo & book launch. I have flogged it before and will again but Ennis Carter and Design for Social Impact’s Posters for the People: Art of the WPA is now firmly in my filthy pinko commie hands and it’s just beautiful. There is no reason not to buy one for yourself and everyone you can.

As far as the canvassing, Philly this weekend shares a lot of similarities with 2004. I was a precinct leader here that October and there were literally teams of canvassers and volunteers running into each other block after block, stubbornly knocking on doors with Obama signs in the window (”There are three registered voters who live here, and that sign is in a bedroom. How do we know?”) and going back over blocks that have been gone over (and over and over) for weeks. Factor in the phone calls and it feels like overkill, just like it did in 2004. Obviously it wasn’t.

The difference between 2004 though is tone. In 2004 we had a bad candidate who had run a strange campaign but we wanted so desperately to pull it out anyway. This year these volunteers are actually for something. It’s … beautiful, really. There is a “happy warrior” mood to this volunteer work, less desperation and more of a “yes, let’s get Obama in but let’s take more seats in the Senate too, and the Congress, and lets run up every vote we can and break records and PLEASE give me a list of 4 more blocks I have another hour.” In a phrase, the feeling is … yes we can. 

The other difference is that there are more of us. Everyone I know, even friends who have never been interested in the slightest in politics, are in Scranton … in Ohio … in Wisconsin … on the phone … at house parties. I’m a little worried about complacency but right now I can’t imagine people saying, “oh fuck it we’ve got this.” The feeling I’ve sensed in friends and now fellow volunteers is a determination to not just win big, but to just absolutely fuck George Bush and the outrageous Palinized McCain campaign in the face with the biggest goddamned turnout ever. 

I’m allowing myself to be a little optimistic, but anything could happen and there are 9 days to go. Also I’m in one of the most heavily Democratic cities in the country so this is easier than going door to door in Erie. My sense right now, though, is that next Tuesday will tell us what kind of country we share in a really meaningful way. At the outset of this campaign I thought that maybe Obama v. McCain would be a referendum on two differing worldviews … a real debate about liberalism versus conservatism and the role of government. What it will be instead is a referendum on fear, on hate, on race, and on possibility. If there are people out there voting for John McCain because they believe in trickle down economics or they’re pro-life or they believe in Republican orthodoxy that’s fine. But I haven’t met them. The only McCain voters I’ve talked to are people clinging to fear, to secret Muslim rumors or to this preposterous idea that Barack Obama equals the destruction of Israel. And like Frank Rich said so eloquently this morning, I just don’t think there are enough of those people anymore. 

Two quick notes: My friend Emily predicted yesterday that Sarah Palin would be the next Oprah. She is a brilliant mind … it’s apparently on the table. Also my one quibble with the Obama campaign right now is that Joe Biden, Michelle Obama and Jill Biden are all off the campaign trail today. No more days off! Go get ‘em. Also, go Phillies.

About The Author - Ben Wyskida is a writer, activist, conscientious hedonist and political communications strategist living in Brooklyn. - Visit Ben's site.