It Starts with a Crash!

Today got off to a rough start and is just now ending, with only 2 hours before it begins again but the rough start is long in the past and part of what feels like another day or even another week.

I went to CVS near the headquarters in pursuit of a remedy to my much worsened cough. The cashier there asked if my “Hillary” shirt was in fact a “Hillary Clinton” shirt. I took this opportunity to talk to her about the election. Turns out she didn’t know about the Texas two-step process and hadn’t planned on going to the precinct convention. Her government class in college lets out at the time the conventions begin and she told me she was going to let her professor know she needed to get out early and also let her class know. Telling one person can sometimes be the same as telling thirty. I was elated as I have been so often today.

Then, I crashed…literally. No more details but my car and another car became intertwined (ok, that’s dramatic, but it was scary) and all I can say is that I am a fortunate person. The driver is a Hillary supporter and so is his wife who came to get him. They wished me luck and said they were going to be at the polls and the precinct convention. I can’t say that I’m happy about the costliness of this accident nor that it didn't scare me but I can say again that I am so very lucky.

I am also lucky because the rest of the day was brilliant. I made a ton of calls to Precinct Captains, helped ready fliers, helped compost and email to the PC’s (one of the highlights of my day because I was using skills that I feel are strengths of mine), ran errands (yes, I drove fearlessly!) and did everything I could. There were some wonderful people on calls and some great conversations came out of them including those talks with my peers when we all took time to breathe for a moment and say hello to each other.

The dedication of the regular staffers is not unfamiliar to me as I’ve experienced it on my own team at work. It is wonderful to observer that dedication elsewhere and to also contribute to it. I didn’t want to leave this evening because in simply watching and being there I have learned so much.

Today I had the opportunity to meet one of the women who founded the TX chapter of NOW. She has worked with many other female leaders in TX and I am inspired by her courage. I also had a chance to speak briefly with Dolores Huerta. These people are in the office making calls like everyone else. Even Christine Lahti and Melanie Griffith signed in as out-of-town volunteers and made calls yesterday!

I believe in this fight as I’ve said and I feel I’m repeating myself but I had no idea how I really felt until I was on my way here. I knew I loved the Clinton’s in general but it is so much more than that. It is a love for this country that began when I was a child, a love for public service, hope for what can be (that hope President Bill Clinton inspired when I was 11), admiration for a woman who is close to making reality what some thought would not be possible for many years to come and resurrecting of my own dreams to one day serve the public. Admittedly, it is one of a few dreams.

We’re doing Good Morning America early so I should depart and try to grab 2 hours but I wanted to let everyone know that it is going great out here and despite what external sources are saying to me, I have nothing but confidence that we are going into this Super Tuesday 2 with only victory intended. I have talked to some non-supporters and have hopefully convinced them to vote for Hillary (when they have listened).

Another thing, I’m going to see HRC (Hillary Rodham Clinton) at an event in the morning which means I’ll have seen her and President Clinton in-person in the same week. Extraordinary! I look forward to seeing her speak as I have heard that she is best seen and heard exactly that way.

I hope this makes sense!