...but I had to lie and say that I was going to vote for Hillary by May 20th to get in. I decided that my personal ethics overruled any desire I had to see a former president speak.
Is this sort of thing common? We had a form that had to be filled out in order to get in to the campaign area. You had to sign it and date it under a section labelled "I will vote for Hillary by May 20th".
So much for trying to sway the undecided voter. I guess they just want to preach to the choir (or force people to make a statement that they might feel bad about going back on later).
I haven't ever gone to one of these before (Still haven't, I guess). Is this a common thing, or is the Oregon for Hillary group off in left field?
I would think it would depend on what kind of function it was. I'm sure they're doing things for undecided voters, but this may have been meant more as the daily pep rally for national news soundbites and you're going to want all loyal supporters there.
I've seen Bill Clinton speak twice, and Hillary Clinton once - and I never had to declare my voting intentions. In fairness, I got access to two of these events because we were broadcasting the speeches - but I know others who attended the events as spectators, and they didn't have to declare their voting intentions, either.
Hillary's speech was a HUGE dog-and-pony show - and anyone holding an Obama sign or worse was escorted out by security.
Dubya did that too for some of his "town hall meetings" when he was running for re-election.
I can't back it up with a clipping or anything since *I'm* goofing off at work, but that leads me to think that it's common procedure. At least to the Machiavellian polticians (all of them).
I'm guessing they did it so they could jump up and down on TV and say "LOOK EVERYBODY! WE HAVE ALL THESE SIGNED PLEDGES FOR VOTES ON MAY 20! SEE? PEOPLE ARE TOTALLY GOING TO VOTE FOR ME!"
If you are having a rally as a candidate, why would you want anti-you people there (signs and all)? The declaring your vote thing is odd but if your campaign has rented a hall, couldn't you decide who gets in? Since every move of a candidate is on the news or the internet, I would want to very carefully conrol events also.
As the first and probably only primary election in Oregon that means anything there is a good amount of excitement about the upcoming election. My wife and I are getting called almost every day by Clinton's campaign. Chelsea has called me twice. Obama isn't calling as much but has a lot more tv and radio commercials.
Marge I am just trying to get into heaven not run for Jesus.
This wasn't a rented hall - it was an open air event (which is risky in Oregon if you know the weather) held next to a parking lot at Tillamook Cheese.
People that went later in the day (I went when he was supposed to be there, not when he actually showed up) said they never saw these. Either they thought better of it (unlikely) or they ran out (most likely).
Welcome home, men of the 2nd Bn, 127th Inf, 32d "Red Arrow" Brigade, WI Army Nat'l Guard! Good luck to those down south.
In 1996, President Clinton spoke at a local park up here. I didn't have to sign anything to go see him...good thing, 'cause I was voting for Dole anyway.
There were Dole/Kemp signs from my fellow CRs way in the back...Bill acknowledged 'em from the podium. Of course, he also pointed out a "Republicans for Clinton" sign. :-)
Bill's been doing 7 to 9 stops on his "Bubba Across Small-Town America" tour, so if you're not going to the first stop of the day, it's a good chance you'll be waiting around. The form looks a lot like they want to build a database of supporters to put the touch on - hopefully you didn't give them a valid phone number, and transposed some digits in your address. Unless you like junk mail.
So what's the word on the streets? I've heard good polling for Obama, but good results (about even) in submitted votes so far - I imagine not in small reason because of all the "Bring Your Ballot" events Bill, Hil, and Chelsea are doing. This is really the one last chance the Clintons have to make people possibly take another look at her, winning Oregon.
If you watch the returns tonight, watch for the talking heads to do a lot of concern trolling about "popular vote". Next week's story is Obama clinching a majority of the pledged delegates people voted for, which appears to be the top measure these Superdelegates are going by.
Odds of Sen. Clinton declaring victory in WV, and conceding the race tonight... 100:1
I'm not sure that the word on the street here will reflect Oregon in general... that said, it really is a bit strage that it hasn't come up very much in conversation in general, which of course it wouldn't with those that are likely voting Republican, but even those I know who are voting in the Democratic Primary, it just hasn't come up. I'm not sure if that's because people will vote for either come general, if everyone assumes it is mostly over, or if people are avoiding causing conflicts when there is going to be needed healing along party lines.
The local issues are getting a little more play conversationally.
Also Oregon has it's weird vote by mail so I and most everyone else got our ballots week ago. While it makes voting easier it is less exciting to discuss at the same time.
Marge I am just trying to get into heaven not run for Jesus.
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