Walking the Walk

Yesterday I volunteered on the Obama campaign, calling voters in Indiana. Shout out to Farmland, Lafayette, and the whole 765!

For those who know me, I'm a pretty outgoing girl, but I was so nervous calling people! So I just funneled that into being extremely polite. Probably too polite, because when people were undecided, instead of engaging them on the issues, I said, "Okay! Well, as I'm sure you know, election day is November 4, and I hope you take some time between now and then to go online and read up on the issues! Thank you so much for your time and have a lovely day!" This in my Nordstrom-crafted customer service voice. You'd think I was selling baby cribs.

Anyway, calling is super easy to do, and a way to actually DO something to get Barack elected rather than sitting around biting our nails every time another person acts like a complete idiot at a McCain rally.

Click here to learn how you can call right from your own home.

After the phone banking, I walked down 5th Avenue in my Obama shirt, which in my estimation, is one of the best things I can do for the campaign. I mean, people love that shirt. I imagine some Ohio tourist walking out of the Met Museum and thinking to his undecided self, "Wow, look at that really cool shirt. That girl may be a cosmopolitan elitist, but if cos-elites get to look that fashion-forward, I'm on board for Obama too!" Also, I try to wear it with short skirts. Hey, the male vote is pretty persuadable.

This technique sort of backfired back in '04 when I wore my self-designed "I [Heart] Teresa Heinz Kerry" shirt with a denim mini and purple ostrich boots, reasoning that my legs would draw the attention and the eye would move upward to get the real message. Hello, I'm in marketing.

Instead, a woman on the L Train began praying out loud for me. She was absolutely scandalized. Not sure why - I'm pretty sure the Guy she was praying to was also the Guy responsible for the very legs she was praying for. That, and three months of marathon training.

Anyway, vote Obama! He's the candidate of leggy fashion enthusiasts!

(For heaven's, can you imagine me on the real Meet the Press? Brokaw would ask me about economic policy and I'd probably respond with the top ten happy hours in Manhattan... does that make me a Jill six-pack?)