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I had never seen anything like this!
So many people from so many backgrounds were in the downtown headquarters on Lamar Street working for change. The volunteers were of different ages, races and classes, but they all shared the same dream - electing Barack Obama as president of the United States. I was honored to have the opportunity to intern at the office and with my field organizer.
I went into my internship with Obama for America wanting to do whatever I could to help Barack Obama win the Democratic nomination, but I got much more than what I expected.
After two months of a primary that was dangerously close, the vote was coming to Texas. Obama had won eleven primaries in a row, and I wanted to help him kill any chance that Hillary Clinton had of winning the Democrat party nomination.
I applied for an internship at the Dallas Headquarters, and starting 10 days before the Texas Primary, I was making phone calls and going door-to-door asking for votes and more volunteers.
My responsibilities were not an easy cake walk. While canvassing, I would sometimes have to visit over one-hundred houses in the scorching sun, trying to encourage others to support Obama. While phone banking, I made many phone calls asking for votes. I got pretty nasty responses from some of the people I spoke with, but overall most people were polite.
Many times I would leave my house at around 10 a.m. and return late at night. At the office, I also helped organize files and print maps for other volunteers to go canvass. I had the opportunity to meet many famous politicians, such as Mayor Adrian Fenty of Washington, D.C., Former Dallas Mayor Ron Kirk, Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT) and Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano.The people I worked with at the office and in my precinct were wonderful. Many people came from across the United States to help Obama win on the Texas battleground.
I met college students who took a semester off to campaign, and I have an awful lot of respect for people who would make such big sacrifices for a cause they are passionate about.
I had several meetings with other captains from my precinct, of whom I was by far the youngest. But, everybody was committed to working hard, and commitment was necessary to win the election. A big challenge that we had was spreading awareness of the Texas Two-Step, or the system by which Texas Democrats elect their nominee by voting and then attending a caucus from which one-third of the national delegates were determined.
Barack Obama is the first candidate who I have ever been very excited about, probably because he is honest, consistent, and charismatic. He opposed the war from the beginning and vows to end it. He has been able to take so much fire from his rivals, but he himself has not made ugly, personal attacks. He has not made false promises that he knows can’t be fulfilled, and he is ready to lead on Day One!
The hard work of the Dallas volunteers ultimately paid off. Obama won DallasCounty by a landslide, and although he lost the popular vote, thanks to the caucuses he emerged as the candidate who walked away from Texas with the most delegates - making him the victor.
Story written by Parish Episcopal senior Al Haidar.
