1. No volunteers are men and only I am white.
2. I thought we would be phoning locally but we are phoning the upper Midwest.
3. I am far less comfortable with this than with local get out the vote phoning.
4. This really is work and I am not in my element with telemarketing.
5. These upper Midwesterners are, however, very nice.
Axé.
coldhearted scientist وداد 
I think one of the purposes of this is to figure out whether MoveOn has people’s phone numbers right.
It is weird, calling people elsewhere to ask them to sign up to be phone callers. Shouldn’t we just call directly … but no, the point is to have locals calling locals in every town, I suppose. Still I think the O campaign might be the best bet, not MoveOn.
I am not sure. In any case, out of the 1st 60 people I called one person said they were no longer voting for O because of his votes on FISA and the bailout. I should have tried to talk her back to O but I did not have the heart, since I don’t actually disagree with her. I have merely decided this time to vote Democratic.
Sounds interesting.
When telemarketers phone me, they usually define themselves as such by asking to speak to “Mrs Armstrong”. Then I swiftly apply that, “She isn’t here.”
If they persist, I tell them I’m not interested.
Yes but I only say telemarketing in an arch way. This is MoveOn calling MoveOn members, people who have *asked* to be called to work on the Obama campaign.
It’s hard – but it works.
Good luck.
thanks for doing what you do ~
Isn’t that what MoveOn says, or is it “thanks for all you do”? I haven’t actually figured out which is better to volunteer with, them or directly with the Obama campaign, but I went to this because I was so amazed to see there was an MoveOn “party” right in my zip code (a first, I think).
I coined the phrase “thanks for all you do” during my brief calamity-ridden stint as chair fo the English department. It’s all mine.
At the time, most of my colleagues were signing their missives with “respectfully,” or “most respectfully” or “with utmost respect” – it was an epidemic of academic respect! – and I just couldn’t do that.
Hence, “thanks for all you do” was born. Whew. Saved me.
Meu Deus – they were saying “with utmost respect” – ?!
Very interesting story.
I always say, in informal memos – Best – PZ.
In letters I become courtly and say Yours very truly (if it’s true) or else just Yours.
That’s a brilliant phrase for a chair though.
I don’t like phone banking – unsurprising since I don’t really like the phone!
But I particularly dislike calling people about voting. I did some for Clinton and even here in MA which was favored for her, if people told me they weren’t supporting her I was like ok, thanks! and hung up. I was much more helpful driving pp to the polls, holding signs, providing info, etc.
I did some calling to people in WI for the campaign and felt even less comfortable. It feels invasive to me, asking pp about their voting preferences, and calling Sheboygan Falls (sp?) – an area of the country I know nothing about – I was even less inclined to ask people anything about their primary plans. So I didn’t last too long trying that out.
MoveOn in LA! Go PZ!
Yes – I don’t know why they tell you to ask people about their preferences. I don’t ask – or ask how they are – that is all very invasive. I just get to the point. I also don’t like the MoveOn strategy of having you call places you don’t know. It may be a good idea and I’m sure they have their reasons for doing it but I’m much better with getting out the vote, period. I dislike knocking on doors even more.
Yes, the respect thing just drove me over the wall. Up and over. Generally, I too an a “best” girl, or “all best.” Now that I am no longer chair, I am less thankful with everyone. Ha.
It occurs to me we should thank chairs more.
Meanwhile on the election, don’t miss Hattie’s links in this post, they are amazing:
http://hattie.typepad.com/hatties_web/2008/10/mccain-our-next.html
They (MoveOn) DO say “thanks for all you do” – !
Check it out:
“If you’re interested, sign up today. Then make arrangements to get the long weekend off. Closer to Election Day, we’ll follow up with instructions on how to volunteer. Just click here now to tell us you’re interested:
http://pol.moveon.org/obama/electionday/?id=14235-2852710-x2AZxWx&t=5
Over the course of 72 hours in early November, the future of our democracy will be decided. Don’t miss it.
Thanks for all you do.
–Adam, Michael, Andrea, Justin and the rest of the team”