Some of Nothing

Tales from the Telephone
Tuesday, May 6, 2008

I've been making a few more last minute phone calls to North Carolina for Obama today (It's simple. Try it!). Talking to people who are still undecided always surprises me. But I just got off the phone with an anybody-but-Hillary woman and was struck with the recollection of just how divisive Hillary can be. In the Democratic Primary fishbowl, it's an easy thing to forget. Nonetheless, I'm still convinced that Hillary will get many more McCain Republicans out to vote just to be able to vote against her than Barack will--even after all the Wright and Ayers characters they continue to halfheartedly flog.

That said, in my phone conversation with this woman, I was reminded once again why I rarely should be allowed out of my cave. After talking to her about why I like Obama's position on the war and his foreign policy strategy for a minute, I got a flat "uh huh" in response. Realizing that I was not being overly convincing, I closed with a "no matter what you decide, please don't forget to vote" and hung up. Dissatisfied with my inability to make a convincing connection.

I'm sure some of this goes away with experience, but I am generally unnerved when talking to people I don't know. When they want help from me, it's no problem. But when I feel like I'm trying to sell something to them, big problem. It seems the trick is to completely internalize the fact that I'm not actually selling something but, instead, am actually trying to help. Helping is easy...selling is hard. Got to remember that.

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Nothing New byslag at 11:03 AM