THE CAMPAIGN AND THE UNDISCOVERED COUNTRY

GREETINGS FROM A PROFESSIONAL POLITICO!

I'm sorry I've been AWOL here for more than 2 months.....there was this little thing called a campaign going on. I had the pleasure of being a Deputy Field Director for the President's Re-Election Campaign, as Senior Member of the Akron Strike Team, "The A-Team Wolf Pack". In my job description, I was not allowed to socialize or post any internet things during the Campaign, so as to avoid all problems, such as opposition trolls trying to link things to the President. But that directive is over, and I am free to socialize, post and blog now. So here I am.

I want to tell you how wonderful of a time during the Campaign. My teammates were among the nicest and most awesome people I have ever know. I truly have a new platoon of lifetime friends. I have gown and learned so much, and gained so much, from having know these people and working with them. We all had the pleasure of driving up the margins in Northeast Ohio, so high, that Mr. Romney wouldn't have a snowballs chance in hell of being elected. In the end, we won Northeast Ohio by 14 points! Had we only won it by 13 points, we would have lost Ohio, and we would have had President Elect Romney, since I believe that Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Florida would have also flipped.

On election night I was fully satisfied for one of the first times in  my life. I was going to be okay, no matter what the outcome. For, I knew that I had done EVERYTHING I could have possibly done to ensure the re-election of POTUS, Barack Obama. I was completely and utterly spent! I left everything on the field! I had absolutely nothing left in the tank. I have never worked so hard in all my life. We were a well oiled machine going into GOTV (Get Out The Vote, Sat, Sun, Mon, and election day). During those last 4 days, I did double duty, as a Blue Team Captain, AND lead Canvasser. We had three shifts, during each one, after getting all my canvassers trained, equiped and out the door, I set out with my own walk lists. Only, I didn't walk them, I ran them....seriously! I ran between each targeted house. That way I got back to the staging location, mine was the main office in Lorain, Ohio. I didn't miss a beat. All my packets were passed as required, in fact I achieved 215% of all my assigned goals.  I typically walked and ran a combined 8-12 miles a day, for the past 9 months, but the last 2 weeks it was bumped up to 12-15 miles daily, and during GOTV, over 20 miles. Four Stop and Go Marathons, on my calibrated pedometer.

I was informed I was the top Campaigner in the State of Ohio, measuring several metrics. Most new voters registered, most doors knocked, most early vote commit cards, most conversations, most volunteers recruited, most volunteer shifts filled, most GOTV shifts filled, and most miles covered. I've been doing this every year since I was 12 years old back in 1975 helping my Mom work on Governor Jimmy Carter's campaign. I've knocked on over 350,000 doors, most of them volunteering for free. It was nice to this year be compensated, and be recognized for the professional I am. I think I inspired many on my team to step it up, and to be their best as well. We had a good number of fantastic people with fantastic productivity. My team alone is responsible for gaining more than 50,000 votes that otherwise would not have existed. All the teams in Ohio accounted for an additional 250,000 votes, which just happens to be the margin of victory in Ohio. And we all know, AS GOES OHIO, SO GOES THE NATION!  No Republican has ever won the Presidency without winning Ohio. We were all determined never to let that happen, including THIS MORMON!

I had a wonderful angle when talking to constituents. I would often say, "I wouldn't vote for Mitt Romney if he were my Ward Bishop!" That line usually got a broad smile and a laugh. I was so proud to see and witness that the vast majority of anti-Mormon bigotry comes from the right. I didn't witness a single individual  that judged me harshly for being a Mormon, or a single Obama supporter that thought of Romney as the standard bearer of the Church. However, had Romney won, I firmly believe he would have brought shame and disgust upon the Church, and done much to Turn Souls from investigating or coming to Church. It was interesting that in no place that Romney has ever lived believes in him or trusts him. Massachusetts is pissed off he lied to them to get himself elected Governor. It's quite clear why he pulled a Sarah Palin, and decided not to run for re-election. Michigan despises him for denigrating the auto industry, and being a Chinese patsy. Even the Salt Lake newspaper endorsed Obama, when they could have remained neutral...that should tell everyone a lot.

To wrap up this post I want to say how much my life has been enriched by this Campaign. THIS CAMPAIGN HAS CHANGED MY LIFE! I am so much a better person because of it. I came out to hundreds of people, all of them openly accepted me, and gave me hugs and affection. I am more affirmed as a transgender woman, as a Transsexual, in fact. I gained so much confidence in myself. I know I can do anything. I know great things and great people are out there for me to discover. I will be knocked down, but I will always get up again, and be thankful and grateful for the experience I had on the Akron Strike team 2012, helping Obama get re-elected. We were the #TipOfTheSpear  and we pulled it off. Election night was among the happiest most euphoric times of my life. I am determined not to let this experience slip through my fingers. I have plans to seek a position on the inauguration committee, and a later job with the Administration or Government.  I AM SO EXITED FOR THE UNDISCOVERED COUNTRY!!!!!

Life Is Good, LIFE IS GREAT!
Peace Out!  Love To All!
Your Friend, Leah