Its a red letter day. After enduring parking lot heat on a 86 degree day I’ve got 1065 signatures. Subtract at least 25 that I have doubts about and I still have 1040. I’ll add another 60 to this tomorrow morning to give me a cushion of 100 signatures. I think I turned in 1,097 in 1992. That was a really heroic one man effort. I did it in four and a half days. Its taken me eight days to match that this time. Gee, I had stamina to spare back then.
Its been delicious day in many ways. I came home to discover two signatures on a petition stuck in the door that had been printed off from my website. That’s just like the two folks yesterday who read about me being at Sidewalk days on the blog and who then came down to sign the petition. It shows me the Internet could have a power to connect me to voters which was imposible for me in 1992. Maybe I can raise money through the internet without bankrupting myself on bulk mailings.
I discovered my five “Lincoln in thought” t-shirts at home too. Now I won’t have to wash my single one every night. Abe Lincoln is a wonderful symbol. His picture puts people in a positive frame of mind even when they see me approaching them with clipboards. I’d estimate that half or better of the people I ask signed my petition. Many who weren’t eligible felt badly about it. Many cheered me on because I was going to be an independent. Of the 2,000 I talked to only a dozen or less said they were fans of Jim Oberstar. Fewer said they were Grams fans. Everyone seemed to like my talk about finding common ground. Hundreds knew who I was before I even introduced myself including the fellow at the Post Office when I went to pick up my t-shirt package even though I was wearing sun glasses. He didn’t even demand identification.
This is very cool.
Tonight I’ll fill out the State campaign forms and over the weekend I’ll finish up the federal forms as well. I may even have time to stop in and see my Mother tomorrow.
