Obama table in Madison: November 1 Edition (final one in 2008) - finally posted

It was the final Farmers Market Obama table for this year and was an incredibly spectacular day with a slight winter chill
with people from all over the globe walking along and choosing from all kinds of locally grown, baked, crafted and political flavors. The Obama table is one feature to many at what the New York Times mentioned "The Dane County Farmers' Market in Wisconsin is now recognized as the largest in the nation, and is still growing."

The night before the tabling, I made sure the weekly war scorecard was updated and visible.

Here's this week's ever growing sad news:

Weekly War Scorecard

Cost of Iraq Occupation:
(running total):
$566,660,420,235
- $4,681 per household.
- $1,721 per person.
- $341.4 million per day

American Deaths:
4,193

American Wounded:
30,699

Iraqi Body Count:
1,429,02

As of November 1, 2008 at 12:00AM

Sources:
www.iraqbodycount.net
www.justforeignpolicy.org/iraq/iraqdeaths....
www.defenselink.mil
www.antiwar.com/casualties
www.costofwar.com



The Obama table at the Madison Farmers Market started out in April 2007. Oddly, the weather was
about the same, since spring really has to fight hard in this region of the World and mid-April weather
can be cold with snow flurries in between sultry spring weather.

Being that it was the last Obama table before the election, there was a fair amount of people that were confident
with the electoral predictions saying that Obama would handily win and the semi-paranoid scepticism that the polls could
be as off as they were in New Hampshire in the primary season, which seemed like an eternity.



When I first showed up on the chilly morning, feeling a little sad that it was the last Obama table for a while, there were
four volunteers ready to help out. I gave them a couple clipboards and some bumper stickers to hand out to people that were
willing to get out the vote on Election Day.

The guy in the Uncle Sam suit, who was always at the Obama table (without the Uncle Sam suit) was a retired art teacher who had
gone to a watercolor seminar near Madison and told me that the convention center where the classes happened also had some ministers
who had a meeting that were handing out information about Obama being a Muslim and perhaps the Anti-Christ. These ministers were
being instructed to go back to their churches and letting their followers know "the news". He was appalled and let one minister know
he supported Obama, much to the minister's chagrin.



For being a colder day with overcast skies, the day started off a little slower but got busy once the sun started peaking through the
dramatic autumn clouds. We wanted to give away everything, so any buttons, bumper stickers, label stickers, information on the issues,
policy papers and information about voting early made it all very busy.

So many people were thankful that we had been out there all spring and summer and now the finish line with Election day was within sight.



People who had stopped by the Obama table ranged from all creeds and colors and sizes and ever political parties.



One of the biggest draws to the Obama table was the Obama cutout that people from all over the World wanted to have a photo taken
or would take a photo of themselves and send to their friends via mobile phone. With the Capital building as a backdrop, it made for
a dramatic photo. There was always a lot of laughter when the photos were taken. People were just so excited to have such a thing to
share with friends.



Of course, there were always a fair amount of European or other tourists from around the World that were visiting Madison and the Farmers
Market was on the list to go to on a Saturday morning. These women, who were absolutely in love with the idea of a President Obama, were from Spain and
the Netherlands. They both kissed the Obama cutout as they left.



I made sure they had at least a few Obama buttons and bumper stickers to take back home. Talk about having something people would envy! Real Obama merch from
the States!



So many families would have their photos taken with the cutout and I'd imagine quite a few will have them as Christmas cards.



As the day was finally coming to a close, many people were trying to get a photo with the Obama cutout and getting anything we had for them to remember.



This was the last photo I took of the Obama table before we decided to pack up and head over to the Obama headquarters to hand over signup sheets and do some
canvassing later in the day.

My efforts for doing the Obama table was way, way beyond my expectations. I think back to where people would actually shed a tear when they were handed an Obama bumper sticker
and how many times I shed a tear with veterans who supported Obama or even frustrated Republicans who were going to vote for Obama. Talking with people from around the World who
would say that we needed to elect Obama and seeing their wishes come true goes way beyond what I ever thought could have happened.

Despite all the ugliness in the election, seeing and talking to people who wanted to see change and finally were able to see it happen makes this Obama table experience so promising
and shows the enduring human spirit to want to make this World a better place. It's no accident that so many children loved to have an Obama sticker and would laugh with joy. They know.

GOBAMA!

Note: I finally was able to have some time to post this final blog on this effort. Knowing how it all ended up happening makes the memories even more powerful. And guess what... Wisconsin went for Obama 56% to McCain's 43%. We did what we had to do!

You did great in Wisconsin and the Obama vote returns out of the Madison area were incredible.

where did you get that life-sized cut-out of Obama???

http://www.hollywoodmegastore.com/frame-set3.htm?0standups.html?s=gaw&kw=Life+Size+Cut+Out&gclid=CL3sgKDk7pYCFRJ4xgodFRYtAg

I actually got mine from some site in Iowa for $25.

Thank you for everything, all the effort, and the great reports. America will be a better place because of activists like you.

I bet that would be a popular photo op too, fist bump the president. Thanks for this report and all your work! I've never been to Madison or WI, but I can tell that I just love the place, the kind of town that makes America great.

Always, they would and with great laughter!

I have hundreds of photos and a fair amount of video... working on interviewing some people I knew who were really involved and may even include John Nichols, who stopped by several times... the power of grassroots politics where YOU are the Cavalry.

Stay tuned...

they've been a real high point of following the election.

Y'all done good!

I regret that I never made it down there for the Farmers Market this year.

For all I know, I may move back to Cali by then...