BERNIE.... BERNIE ....BERNIE!!!

   Finished my canvass route around 4pm and headed back to the bustling noisy energetic World HQ.
Not a stellar door knock. I was in a poorer neighborhood with a lot of folks who should be voting indicating their lack of interest in caucusing.  Those that were going were split between Bernie Hillary and undecided.. Its all important work .. but I like the Bernie numbers best

  I arrived at HQ shortly after Bernie made an appearance there - for a quick stop in between a Waterloo event and a trip to Ames - and some HQ interviews with media - hence the satellite truck need.  I dropped my papers - made the rounds with my buds..said hi to Stella from Greece - she seemed tired again...charged up my phone for a few minutes..to basic low level battery .. then headed to Grand View University SISAM Arena for the last official Bernie event before the official counting begins in Primary season.   . Work is done - time for fun

   I connected with Chris Lavasseur from Manchester CT who just arrived in Des Moines to work for Bernie and arranged to meet him there at the event and he found me in line inside the venue
  I arrived early to get in the front of the line and go inside close enough for some good  photos for posting here. I was near the entry door as the foyer filled up fast,

The first part worked - but alas - Chris and I were relegated to the stands behind the podium..We became "wallpaper" volunteer - you know..the happy animated background behind the podium and the speaker. We heard celebrities, staff, Jim Hightower, and others as they did warm up and an extra dance or two while we waited for Bernie to arrive...unusually late,,, from Ames.
We did get to see Bernie's walk in ...then his bald spot on the back of his head ...but heard every word and reacted as appropriately on cue as any good happy wallpaper volunteer should do... 

The side effect for the bad view of Bernie and being wallpaper was.. we were probably in every podium camera shot during Bernie's speech that left enough space for wallpaper...
The "where's Waldo" version for political events.. Did you see me on the news?

  The Arena is a basketball court - very limited seating ( we had wallpaper folk bleacher seats) most feveryone else stood for 2 hours or so..It was packed - beyond capacity ..at least a thousand people.  And a really engaged crowd filled with volunteers and people committed to Caucus tomorrow.

  After the speech - Bernie did the rope line.  He now has a Secret Service detail so his rope line regimen is approaching the political norm - he is guided by his detail according to normal regimen:
Walk off the stage where you arrived go left around the line - go out the way you entered...
So after the speech I went over to the spot where he came in - everyone rushed to the left side.

  Well After a few minutes hanging in my almost empty hand shake fishing spot I got to say hi to Jane Sanders - ( Jane says thanks to CT for the help)  said hi to the kids ...and then Bernie came by.

FLASHBACK
Well, Back in July I met Bernie at a Citgo Gas station in Berlin NH after a small venue speech in a very hot art center in town. After his speech  I headed out and stopped to gas up for my 4 hour ride home. Pulling in to the station right behind me was Bernie.  They made a pit stop and a beverage break before heading to the next location - He walked by I said hi.  He was moving fast and said hi back,

On his way out I greeted him again and he stopped for a quick chat.   I told him I was from CT and we have a great team at work there.  I handed him my Bernie Sanders CT Team business card - told him about all the great things were doing in CT and invited him to come there  -"here's my card  call me when you are ready"  I said.

 - he looked at the card looked away and did the proverbial second look and laughed - he said "I haven't been to CT yet"  I said "you know how to find me".  Can we get a picture - he said "sure"

He waved the card in the air as he walked away and proceeded to step over to his car... then stand a few feet away in what seemed to be a head clearing stare at nothing,  by himself for just a few moment as he chugged down the green Gatorade he just bought in the Citgo Store.  Then he headed off to Littleton NH and I headed home...smiling..

BIZ CARD PART DEUX
Well.. tonite at the rope line where I was waiting, he came by and I handed him my card again and said "Bernie, We met in Berlin NH and I gave you my card, here's another", I gave him the card.. He looked at it ...then at me .. then at the card again and let out a big belly laugh.." I rememba," he said and laughed again, held up the card  turned and headed out the door..

A big thanks to Carlos Camacho who designed and printed our CT Team cards - they work well as props for good stories..and also to help folks contact us...

That's my version of having fun.

Oh yea - about the up close pix...my camera battery died - no selfies or pix of Jane or close ups of Bernie or the crowd outside after the event....hope my words can paint a few of the pictures for you.

One more day of work and play in the political epicenter of the world.   Then the victory party,,which just so happens to be at the hotel where I am staying by the airport.

Blizzard update tomorrow...

Coming soon....the big day - #4  This is what its all about...

FEVER PITCH IS NEAR...
  Got in my 50 or so doors today..the router were all leftovers..places people went before and no one was home..half of the doors were answered ..but only 8 by folks I wanted to talk to...
It took about 2 hours to walk that massive turf...
Got back to World HQ and handed in my sheets...

The place is jamned...literally twice as many media types as when I left.

There's even a satellite truck now by the front door...
Bernie is in town...on my way to the big event...
Need a Bernie Fix...to read energize the tired bones

DAY 3- AMPING UP THE NOISE..

HQ was buzzing...seems like it was noisier today...maybe because there's twice as many media folk asking questions...and twice as many answering.

...except for maybe the Bernie dog...that immediately captured the attention of the deep issues based media...without comment

.note.. Simone sanders on the left...
I've seen her at her media post in unrelentless fashion ...and I'm not talking about her clothing style....which seems to be with it...

Fwiw...as I chat as much as I can with media types..those willing to answer my question, most often say the Bernie World HQ-Des moines.. is the coolest and the busiest...

Hand drawn wall decorations...themes from the heart and lighted signs for the evening shots...and scads of people doing Bernie stuff...

In 32 hourz well know if it means anything

Mean time.....off to the doors...
Were revisiting homes hoping someone is there for this knock..

DAY 3... MEDIA BLIZZARD WATCH
....snow blizzard watch tomorrow

The satellite truck caravan has begun...no traffic jams yet...but soon downtown Des Moines will be very busy.
It's all part of the Iowa Caucus texture..gotta take it all in...well as much as I can see in a very limited space in a YOUGE amount of activity.

  Got a coffee and reading the paper at Java Joe's on 4th street.. watching about 30 people on the MSNBC staff and crew set the stage. And the lights. And the cables, and the teleprompter for the Iowa kickoff of Morning Joe 6am tomorrow

I was here in 2008 with Chris Dodd...at the morning Joe show...it was 10 below zero..not a giant crowd...it'll be in the 30s Monday...heat wave

.

DAY 2 - Quick Shots

Watching tv and flipping channels as I write the posts for CT Berner Blog
At this time - near 11pm cst Bernie gets the prize for highest volume of ads - at least by my count

The World Bernie HQ - Des Moines is the bigger Des Moines office of 2 in the city - it also houses the state campaign.. With 3 days to the big event the big guns were hanging out - checking in with staff - volunteers - media...and Road Berners like me... any Jeff Weaver the National Campaign Manager for Sanders 2016 was here - and heard all about the CT Team and road berners - he says Hi

As the media waves continue some folks who look like someone show up.. Couldn't remember who this guy was - but my name/face recognition program named Al clued me in fast

John Nichols from The Nation and frequent TV news commentator was visiting and making the rounds in world HQ

THE NURSES ARE HERE - I was setting up for my canvass and there were a couple of members from the Nurses Union making calls - one of them got all excited and started yelling "THE BUS IS HERE...THE BUS IS HERE"  as the big red Nurses union bus rolled up and a pile of red shirted members got out to get dispatched out to the streets for some door knocking.

So - there is a "super Pac" that actually is spending money on Bernie - the nurses union has funded a program to help members get out in the field to campaign for Bernie - they have a bus ..red shirts.. and a TV crew producing videos about the exercises in democracy - and they interviewed me -  I told them I used to organize nurses for AFT...they liked that I was not following my unions lead on candidates ...and asked if I wanted to join their union...cool

So - after I did the Nurses Union TV interview - the bevy of reporters taking bus pictures  liked my interview so much that one by one they asked me to do an interview for them - there were 5 other crews 4 of them got me - the only one that I caught was Al Jezera international ...by the 5th interview I was really on a roll... just don't even know if my best Bernie sound bite ever got air time...hope it did...

Day 2 is done - it's 11:30pm CST - about 42 hours till we know who won IOWA!!!- posts are done - I'm tired... ready for Day 3---

 We have a YOUGE Bernie rally in Des Moines tomorrow - I'll be there after some door knocking and calls and CT Berner posts...   woo hoo more electricity...I'm in need of a good Bernie jolt now...

Hey Readers - is there something here you want me to cover?  text me 8607946075

FEEL THE BERN!

DAY 2 - THE TRUCKS ARE COMING

  

   The circadian rhythm of caucus induced satellite truck migration is now in full force and effect.

Yep - every 4 years they roll in like clock work and fire up the rhythmic hum of generators powering computer servers, lights, cameras, and microwave transmitters.  Its almost show time!

MSNBC has 2 big trucks and a pile of leser ones, crew, security and wires everywhere on 4th St 

to produce 2 shows of Morning Joe - with Mika Brzynski ( a former channel 3 reporter) and Joe Scarborough -( hes a former something too).

The scene is Java Joe's coffee shop which was packed tonite as the setup was going on and will be more packed starting around 5 am Monday for the Morning Joe Show Live from Des Moines-

I was there 8 years ago when Chris Dodd was interviewed..crowds were small - it was 10 below zero at 7am... Monday--- in the 30s.

 not sure yet when I'll be there...to say hi to Mika..

DAY 2 - Voter Contact
  I had a plan to go to the big event in Iowa City - I love big events - especially Bernie ones.  Ive been to a bunch and it is truly electrifying...so I go to more
The grand plan was to canvass quickly - get some good work in and head east to Iowa City. If I left by 3 I could be there, find a pace to park ole Thrifty rental, get to the venue and maybe even get in.
And after getting electrified maybe stop by and visit my commuter bud Bryan at the Jazz bar.
  Well I was out on my second turf in a very nice neighborhood knocking on doors and having lots of voter contact.  Not everyone was on my list but it was still good to listen.
  My Hill bud AB Stoddard asked if I'd survey some folks to see their reaction to the new Hillary e-mail hype - as it turned out voters really don't care about the issue anywhere as much as the media does.." whats new about it" was the most popular refrain.. The Bernie fans agree that he shouldn't be commenting about it until or if it is more real than hype...
  A.B. might have been focused on the issue as she referenced it a bit and since I sent her my findings...silence...maybe she's taking an evening off..or writing...

The conversations in the field became so rich ..and my list was pretty big - time flew by. And I was so committed to see this turf thru and hit every door and find as many Bernie caucusers as I cold.... my Iowa City - big event - supercharged Bernie rally - exciting story with pictures and people and everything plans...were dropped as the clock ticked past my departure deadline and I knocked on a few more doors...and talked to more voters...

   That's just not like me - I always pick fun over work...that's my life.. so the fun reward I gave myself for meritorious conduct was to finish my route - head back to the World HQ- Des Moines and make calls for 2 hours - same amount of time I would have been driving back from Iowa City...
Calls were not as great as doors tonite...but we did find more Bernie caucusers...

On my way out the door - 12 hours after the HQ started buzzing - a wave of media was finding stories - this one ZDF TV from Germany was interviewing a father and his son logging in a canvass turf...  Annette Brieger wants to do CT Road Berner story in New Hampshire - we'll meet up next weekend.   And .. the phone bank cave still had 2o people making calls - about 10 more were in the big room... And as I was bidding farewell to Donovan a couple of 20 something guys showed up to see if they could go canvassing...  As appealing as it was to get a few more door knocks in..Donovan erred on the side of caution and said come back - I'll set you up in the morning...

DAY 2 - Part Deux..  Power of the People

After a bit of writing for my heavily verbose CT Berner Blog - I headed over to Bernie World HQ-Des Moines.  All my new Bernie buds were hard at work and the place was bustling with phone callers, canvassers, data logging, waves of media and who knows what that keeps everyone in motion there....all hard at work focused on the big GOTC - get out the caucus. for Monday as the clock keeps ticking down.. All day as I went in and out of HQ, the bee hive of Berniedom was buzzing -  I finished tonight after 8pm I counted 47 people still at it on my way out the door.. For each of my visits during canvass trips or out of the phone bank cave there was never short of 40 people there doing stuff..
Stella from Greece was not as chipper as yesterday... she's a bit tired having put in 17 hours of greeting ...she mustered some

energy to say hi to all the CT Team peeps though. I have not seen her do much else but greet people and double greets for anyone bringing their pets into HQ - she really likes dogs..

The people here have been wonderful and fascinating.  London Simon greets me each time i step in the office - he almost immediately approaches me each time he hasn't sen me for a bit and tries to hustle me into an assignment.. he doe that with everyone - seeming to know if they are on task or idle.  He hopped a plane and came to America right after college, graduating with a Histrory degree ...and no job.. He fell into the Bernie campaign staff job and he'll spend 2 more days in Iowa and get dispatched maybe to Idaho next week.. He likes his adventure.

Panama Mark - my newest FB friend made the trip to Iowa, flew in last night, just so he could help Bernie win.  He'll be heading to New Hampshire Wednesday - figure I'll see him when I go.

 Panama Mark has a deep hatred of corrupt politics, which seems to be one of Panama's industries.  He really wants Bernie to win and is doing all he can to help, with the hopes that Bernie will work to make America the world leader opposing political corruption and setting a high bar standard that may drive Panama to change its ways too.  Pretty lofty - but amazing how so many people see this Bernie movement as a real fight worth fighting... a revolution with no bounds.
  Panama Mark was hard at work and when I left HQ had succumbed to fatigue..and took a nap on sitting on one of the HQ couches..

  My best bud is Donovan.  From Maryland - a bernie staffer - doesn't know yet where his next assignment is.  He is a work horse. He has a big pile of precincts to manage - 1/3 of Des Moines is his turf.  Mapping out and dispatching canvassing and outreach then setting up each precinct caucus and making sure his peeps are ready to chase votes and win Monday night in each precinct..well see how he dis as results arrive

                                                      San Jose Linda is a radiogical technologist, an SEIU member

who is deeply disappointed her union  went south on Bernie.  So she is here for a few days with her friend to help Bernie win.  She is on vacation, and as most health care folks know, you need to put in for vacation months in advance.  She knew a long time ago she need to get in the program to help bernie out,  She has another week off, as approved, and wanted to head to New Hampshire from here but settled to head home thru Nevada instead..  Absolutely astounding the depth and grasp of cause and effect on issues and politics and a determination to do what she can to rebuild America - and for her our health care system.

    

   There are more - and they will find their way to this blog.  But you may be noticing that the Bernie fans really are deeply committed to see this revolution begin.  You also may have noticed that there are no inside dems, billionaires, machine politicians or the likes of those working real hard to preserve the status quo.  High hopes - maybe dreams - matched with a fight and a revolution for a better America and even starting a fire to change the world...  

  The more I look around - the more I find great Americans oozing their passion for a better tomorrow... and they express it...door knocking...making calls...entering data....one voter at a time..

Holey moley..something is going on here....

Day 2 - Iowa - Countdown


So I never made it out to Iowa City - the monster rally - Vampire Weekend and Killer Mike.
The intense having fun part succumbed to getting the job done part...and besides word was out that  Rostam Batmanglij left the band - making it  a less than meaningful trip. - then..too late to go.. word again got out he would be there..  I door knocked and made calls... and saved a 4 hour round trip.

I'm bernin out my CT Road Berner T shirt - wearing it everywhere I go.  It elicits comments and discussions and me always asking "are you going to Caucus?"  At breakfast in the hotel the nice service staff likes Bernie.  Talked with a couple of heavily tatooed stocky big haired guys who said - maybe facetiously "go bernie" but they were out of towners and said they can't vote..
Turns out they are a part of ...

one of the hotel staff on my way out of the breakfast room said they were part of the band that's staying here at the hotel - and playing a gig somewhere this weekend in Des Moines... I know as much about Hairball as I do, really, about Vampire Weekend... But - its all part of the Caucus texture here in the political epicenter of the world.

DAY 1 - DES MOINES IA - Caucus Fever

Travel to the epicenter
Flew out of Bradley on an 8am er to Charlotte.  Charlotte to Des Moines- on the plane I sat next to a Bernie fan, Brian, who owns a Jazz bar in Iowa City near the venue for the Saturday Night Bernie rally featuring Vampire Weekend.. We talked all the way to Iowa about the changes needed to bring back the country for all of us.
In the seat in front of us  was A.B Stoddard a writer for the Hill.  We traded cards and within a few hours as I was out canvassing she was texting me about my reaction to the new info about Hillary's e-mail flap and if I felt Bernie should get in the crowd calking out Hilkary on the issue...I said i didnt like the idea and the process needs to run a course outside the super hype arena... dont think Bernie has commented yet...
I asked her if Bernie knew in advance when he met POTUS ...and was still silent?  Good point she says...
On the plane there were a bunch folks headed tpo the political epicenter and Bernie fans, many of whom chimed in to the deep conversation that Brian and I were having... that was cool..

In Des Moines - got the Thrifty rental car...checked into the Holiday inn...and headed to Bernie Des Moines World HQ...via a trip around down town and a satellite truck tour of all the media hangouts.

I was here 8 years ago when I came to help Chris Dodd in his campaign for president.  It all looks different..or maybe I didn't pay much attention last time..it was about 50 degrees cooler and I didn't go outside much...

The Bernie HQ is on Mlk Parkway in a shopping center a couple miles from downtown in the middle of a bunch of retail shops including a a grocery store to the left. and a package store to the right - I'll be well supplied on this trip..

In the doors is a reception area staffed by Stella - she's from Greece and here to help out..
beyond reception is a YOUGE room with stacks of info, boxes of canvass turfs, tables filled with  laptops for data and calling. It was busy and bustling and messy, like any incredibly active campaign office... People everywhere coming and going. Canvassers, callers, and waves of media armed with tripods, cameras and note pads..taking pix and chatting with volunteers.

As soon aas I got in there I was greeted by staff and volunteers who quickly armed me with a turf youte - quick instructions and a partner to head out to the doors with.

I was matched up with Billy - a 19 year old Des Moines native who always introduces himself as being Laotian..  People always ask if he was fom Laos and he explains he was born in Des Moines but hs parents were.. We hopped in the Thrifty rental and headed out to the doors and the kid got right into some canvassing 101 instructions.. Me and Billy the kid canvasser in the Des Moines neighborhoods working on Get Out The Caucus...

We hit the doors met a number of voters - but only 3 of the dozen we talked with were on our GOTC list - my fav was Megan - who is a rabid Bernie fan. She's ready to Caucus ...and bring her family and and  neighbors. She said the neighborhood we were in was filled with Bernie support...too bad only a few were home...But 1 great supporter fires up the Bern...Thats what I like - so I immortalized the moment ...Billy was happy too

Turf mission accomplished - we headed back to the World HQ.. This office is full of folks from all over - Stella the greeter from Greece, Simon the canvass taskmaster from London, Donovan the staffer from Maryland, - he is the master of 1/3 of the precincts in Des Moines...
I think Besides Billy the kid canvasser i met only one other person from Desmoines... but more people were on the streets than in HQ.


After our first run Billy and went back to hq - filled out out summary page and had pizza - there were racks of pizzas - soda and veggie roll-ups - fuel for volunteers - true campaign sustenance that helps you feel the heart Bern....

So I went around the room and said hi to folks and started figuring out the system and the schedule
pretty much all focus is on voter contact canvass  canvass   canvass

When I arrived at first - I said hi to a nice woman who was intensely typing on her computer and talking on a phone wedged between her shoulder and cheek - she kind of nodded her head up to say a multi task hi back....
After our first turf completion,  I got back to hq and while making my rounds I went back to say hi again to the nice lady with the phone ..now that she was freed up - it was Simone Sanders - Bernie's national press person...yep the epicenter of politics - right here in Des Moines

Turns out that this Des Moines ofice is also the Iowa state office and where its all being managed

So after a few minutes of chill - Billy the kid canvasser  and I were approached by Simon again.. he doesn't let anyone remain idle for long...and set us right up another turf.. He even remembered our names and signed us up on the log sheet ... Meantime a new wave of parade marched in the door - laded with their weapons of mass communication armed and started engaging with staff and volunteers - ...

As Billy the kid canvasser and I were heading out for our route, we were approached by a guy loaded with nikons and lenses who started asking questions about our canvass and the politics.. Fredrik.  He started asking questions,  sating his curiosity about why we were working so hard to talk to voters and reaching out at their homes,  as it was now getting dark and cold.. we explained .. he offered puzzling looks..  So it turns out our process is very foreign to Fred..   Where he comes from - campaigns are time limited - money limited and people are much more in tune with the candidates, process and vote in much higher numbers than here... and they don't have caucuses...
Figures... -  Fred Kalstveit - who is a reporter for the top national Media outlet TV 2...in Norway.. is a freakin socialist...kind of snickering at  what he's seeing... well I am too... .socialist?  or snickering...or both?  ..kind of why I support Bernie... to achieve a snicker free political system.that people participate in because it looks out for them  ..maybe we could make one that's even better than Freds....some day...

So to help Fred better understand our snickery process  Billy the kid canvasser and I grabbed out turf maps, got Fred the Red and his cameras - and headed out to the doors in the Thrifty rental car....and I proceeded to offer canvassing 101 classes to two people who wanted to learn the fine art of voter persuasion.

Fred had a blast - as he took pictures, asked questions and interviewed a few voters. We even ran into a guy who was Norweigan and like all good Americans with foreign heritage, proceeded to humor Fred with the 5 words he knew from the mother land - all swear words - Fred the Red had a good chuckle...many of the words are no longer used in modern norse conversations -- they are words used here by immigrants... from years ago...

Canvassing done - made more contacts and a couple voters persuaded to caucus.. 3 hours on the doors and I had 8 total contacts off my official GOTC list only 1 solid Hillary 1 leaning hillary and zero O Malley.

After all that fun - I made some more rounds saying hi and finding out about the campaign - staff - and weekend events,  one of which I attended af ter a stop at my hotel to begin this blog post..

Tonight was Music For Bernie - an event with local musicians at theDes Moines Social club - Kum and Go Theater - on Mulberry St.  A good crowd and leading the cheers and emceeing the event was ...Simone Sanders ---

  and taking pix for Norse consumption was Fred the Red...

 What a blast...   anyone know the word for almostfamous in Norwegian..?

So ...Saturday - more canvassing - big crowds of out of staters I'll be driving around making voter contact and GET OUT TO CAUCUS  GOTC

Theres a big event in Iowa City about 90 minutes awaythe big deal is Vampire Weekend - and maybe a visit to Bryan's Jazz Bar at The clinton St Social Club..

Sunday is a big Bernie rally here in Des Moines
Monday Caucus day and the big VICTORY Party - so go figure..made my day
I have a 6am flight on Tuesday so I booked the Holiday inn by the airport..just for convenience..and I use my points for a free room... and guess where the big Bernie Caucus watch/Victory party is...yep my house at the Airport holiday Inn - I volunteered to help with that event...since its so close to home..

Day 1 done - its actually Day 2 now - we'll see what happens

The alarm went off at 6am...this is it..the adventure has started. My second journey into the epicenter of American Politics.  The location all the political arrows have been pointing to for over a year. The culmination of campaign practice and commencement of the big race to the White House.
The Iowa Caucus...woo hook
A big fix for any political junkie..being where it's at .. injecting my energy to help Bernie Sanders win...and loving every ounce of the crazy campaign process...

More to come...felling the Road Bern....

CT ROAD BERNERS
  There is a large and growing base of CT organic activism focused on the election of Bernie Sanders for President. All efforts have been geared up to win the April 26, 2016 Democratic Primary here, but since it's so far down the road  supporters decided that our efforts need to be steered to early states to help Bernie win there and help our Primary votes count.
  The CT Road Berner Team spun out of that need and lined up CT Bernie campaigners to help out in Iowa, New Hampshire and others. And now, after a few months of action, as hundreds of CT Road Berners already helped Bernie in New Hampshire the engines are revved and the race is about to start.
  We will be telling the CT Berner story - from the road - as we point our headlights on the upcoming primaries and take a look at the action - right from the track.