Cottage Grove, MN

Today featured another two shifts of canvassing, more email support, and a hit-and-run. The temperature stayed a few degrees above freezing, but rain was pretty much continuous. I pulled two shifts of low-information voters, Republicans, and incredibly rude Minnesotans, topped off by being hit by an out-of-state sports car than took off in great haste.

A smart fellow once told us to “ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.” This is getting to be a bit much.

• Many of the Minnesotans I met today were astonishingly discourteous. I’m standing patiently in the freezing rain, asking them to vote in the most important election in our lifetimes. They’re stolid and silent: “Yes, I’ll probably vote. I haven’t decided who. I’ll look stuff up later — maybe Tuesday morning. Yah, Tuesday.”
• OK: you're not into politics. I’ve travelled a long way. I’m standing in the cold and rain. You’re in your nice warm house. I’m asking for a minute of your time, sure, but I’m saying both our futures depend on it.
• My hair is shorter today than on any day since 1968.
• At least one had fallen for the Republican lie that Democrats want to end Medicare.
• If canvassing is really the best tool in our toolbox, we need a new toolbox. This is very hard work for very scant gains.
• Several (Republican) men younger than I made a point of keeping me from speaking to their 21-ish Democrat daughters. I need a second business card that says, “I don’t want to date her, I want her to vote.”
• The hit and run wasn’t political (presumably): just a Texan in a sports car who cut an illegal left turn too tight and made tracks down the street before I could get my phone out of my pocket. Interesting to know a car can drive over your foot without too much damage. It got my leg, too, but a glancing blow.
• I’d say, “I’ve had it with Minnesotans.” But then again, none of my friends and neighbors has troubled to take my motion to support immigrants off the Malden Democrats’ table in the last 18 months, or to come up with a better suggestion than the fatuous proclamation that we’re a welcoming city. That means we'll welcome immigrants while building dossiers to help our chief of police round them all up when Trump asks him to. We’ve made no formal response to Parkland, or to Tree of Life
• I did have a great chat with Angie Craig, our candidate in MN-02. And as soon as she placed me, she lost not a minute to praise the wonderful Katherine Clark.
• All the little girls at the Cottage Grove staging area (and there were lots of little girls!) knew all about the Elizabeth Warren’s pinky promise. They, at least, are politically aware.