Please note: All reports, project descriptions and news items are published only in the original language, unless a second-language text is supplied by the author.

November 2-4, 2008

The trip to New Hampshire for Election Day

By Sergey Tantushyan (Sauvé Scholar 2008-2009)

Volunteering for Obama was the most amazing small town America experience I have ever had (of course besides having the feeling of my participation in the historic moment in the US and probably the world - all those glamorous words). Impressions came one after another, one brighter than the other.

We arrived at 10 pm just two days before Election Day, entered Obama's pre-election headquarters in Colebrook, New Hampshire, and it tuned out to be a teacher's house. Without hesitation she distributed the weapons of public influence – Yes We Can posters, Obama'08 badges, plastic posters with iron holders to be thrust in the ground. She asked us to be on the only busy crossroad in Colebrook to do the "Visibility". This mysterious word could mean anything to me, but not what it turned out to be the next morning: waving the posters at passing cars, freezing and asking big cars to honk their horns for Obama starting from 7.30 in the morning.... Well, overall, it was fun, although a bit weird.

Meeting other volunteers was impressive, too. An overly enthusiastic woman was with us at the crossroad, and to hear that she came to NH from a traditionally democratic state as she had realized that she could be more useful in Colebrook, rather than volunteering back home spoke to her real belief in what she did. Bob, the second volunteer we met there, had been a Republican for 15 years, but now decided to join the Republicans for Obama movement. Later, when volunteering was over and we were kindly invited to his beautiful house to watch the results, I noticed a big poster in his backyard saying "This crisis has been brought to you by the Republicans!". Bob developed a methodology of pre-election polling: thumbs-up to us doing our visibility - one vote for Obama; a smile – undecided; most likely a Republican, thumbs-down – will vote for McCain himself and all his family, and finally a middle finger, no comment.

Talking about reactions of people in Colebrook, besides the manual expressions of their fellow feeling we got hot coffee from Michelle, a woman whom we later met in Dixville Notch, 20 dollar bills from women (mostly) driving by for lunch, and sometimes just words of appreciation, which was absolutely inspiring. What I felt was that people realized that their personal contribution of any kind, their one single vote, food they bring to share with their neighbors at the polling stations, their five dollars or a thumbs-up can change the whole outcome of the elections. It's amazing.

After having dinner at Bob's we all watched CNN for the latest results and cheered every time an undecided state turned Democratic. But when traditionally red states started turning blue we knew it was time to open champagne. My next strongest impression was the tears in 50-year old Bob's eyes, and his promise to raise a flag in his backyard - after 5 years when he he had not displayed one - when it was announced that the 44th president of The United States would be Barack Obama. I also felt a bit worried for the new president of the U.S.A.; the next task for him then was to meet all the expectations of people who voted, volunteered ,worked, and waved flags for him.

Sergey also wrote a similar account 'with slight adjustments' which was published in a popular Russian Glossy magazine. Read it here in Russian.

November 12, 2008
Colebrook (New Hampshire) News and Sentinel covers the Sauvé Scholars’ campaign efforts