My dad went from apathetic to election judge!

[eyesroll]

A few weeks ago, I wrote in some thread that my dad wasn't even sure he was going to vote in the Illinois primary, since the Presidential race had been decided and he was undecided for the Senate primary.

Plus, he's technically a registered Republican -- he registered 30 years ago in order to campaign for a family friend. He hadn't voted Republican since, but didn't feel strongly enough to change it. This year, he wasn't even sure if Illinois primaries were open, or if he'd missed the deadline to change his registration.

Well, something happened. My dad's getting more and more fed up as time wears on. He's started to send me stuff from MoveOn and other left-leaning sources. The last one was a CBS News link, detailing how the RNC wants to invoke the power of the FCC against stations running the MoveOn ads. (The subject line: "The Bushies are running scared, aren't they?")

Not only will my dad be voting in the Illinois primaries (he's still undecided for the Senate, but leaning Obama) -- he's going to be an election judge ... for the Democrats. He joined the Democratic Party officially this weekend.

He's just decided he needed to do something.

The more stories I hear like this, the more optimistic I am for November.

[in_cog_ni_to]

1. Has he read this?

This is from an email:

Elected to the Illinois Senate in 1996, Obama has led the fight for death penalty reforms, a ban on racial profiling and a higher minimum wage. As Chairman of the Senate Health Care Committee, Obama wrote and passed a law extending health care coverage to 20,000 more children and 65,000 more families.

The first African-American President of the Harvard Law Review, Obama could likely have chosen a career at any number of pinstripe law firms. Instead, he chose to serve the community; first organizing voter registration in Chicago as Director of Project Vote and later as a civil rights attorney.

Obama is the kind of proven legislator we need in the U.S. Senate. A professor of constitutional law at University of Chicago, Obama is a passionate fighter for civil liberties against the threats posed by John Ashcroft and the right-wing judicial nominees of the Bush Administration.

For all these reasons, the Independent Voters of Illinois, Planned Parenthood, Sierra Club, Illinois Federation of Teachers, Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky, Congressman Lane Evans, Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr., Congressman Danny Davis and thousands of activists are supporting Barack Obama.

The late columnist Steve Neal of the Chicago Sun-Times may have said it best: "Before he died earlier this month, former Sen. Paul Simon had decided to endorse Obama . Obama is the most legitimate heir to Simon's legacy of doing good." (Chicago Sun-Times, December 31, 2003)

Together, we can give Barack Obama a boost that helps change America. Please get involved in Barack's campaign. You can read more about his positions on issues important to you at:

[eyesroll]

3. I'll pass that along, thanks

I live in WI, and I'm woefully uninformed about IL politics.

[Richardo]

2. Kudos to Papa Eyesroll!

and vicarious congrats to you too, eyesroll...great news indeed.

See? Bush IS a uniter...it's just that it's the Democrats he uniting. :evilgrin:

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

4. Three cheers for Eyesroll!

Great work soldier! :toast: :yourock:

[Arugula Latte]

5. Hooray for Dad!

Way to go, Sir. Welcome to the Democratic Party. You've showed you truly care for your country enough to stand and fight the scourge of Bush. Good for you!

:toast:

[Padraig18]

6. Do you live in Cook Co.?

I registered to vote downstate, and I know the form doesn't ask for party affiliation here. Maybe it's different in Cook Co.? :shrug:

[eyesroll]

9. He's in Lake Co., near Chicago,

...and now, he doesn't need party affiliation in order to vote. (I guess he did 30 years ago.) He didn't really know, until recently, whether that old Republican registration would keep him from voting Democrat in the primary (it won't).

But he actually filled out the form to become a member of the Democratic Party, which is a huge step.

[blm]

7. Sounds like my dad-in-law.

He was always a liberal, but one that gave up long ago.

He tagged along last year when we went to Kerry's announcement speech in SC, and he really liked him , but never thought he could beat the media and Dean's momentum, so he went back to feeling nothing could be done.

Well, about 6 weeks ago he reactivated and is now a precinct captain.

[radfringe]

8. kudos to your dad!

If my dad ever did that or even hinted at voting democratic I'd think the end of the world was just a day or two away.

he's sooooo conservative..

"how conservative is he?"

He's soooooo conservative that he makes Rush look liberal.

but I still have some hope for my mom....