1. Good News: Wheelchair-bound, legless, Vietnam Veteran, behind door draped with US flag and various fundamentalist Christian slogans, pulled Kitty Kelley's "The Family" from his wheelchair the minute he saw my Kerry/Edwards pin. This is what he said: "I've been a Republican all my life. John Kerry will be the first Democrat to get my vote for any office. I am disgusted with what I read about George Bush and how he and his father advanced in life because of what their fathers did for them." Wow, I marvelled. "You know, when I got to church, they ask me how I can vote for Kerry. I tell them to look at what's happening to the country and stop worrying about what's going on behind bedroom doors. Do you have a Kerry bumper sticker? I'll put it on my wheelchair and drive 'em nuts at the church."
- Bad News: GOP voter suppression effort here a big problem. In Cleveland and Columbus (biggest Democratic areas) -- GOP sent out letters to newly registered voters and then challenged the registration for everyone with returned mail. Courts have put a stop to it for now, but voters likely to be challenged one-by-one at polls on Tuesday. Also, thousands of registered voters -- who voted in primaries -- today received confusing notices seeming to require them to bring proof of residence to voting booth.
- Sign of the Times: African-American laborer covered in paint and dust walks up to me on street in low-income Section 8 housing area. "I'm for Kerry. I don't understand why people don't get it. Iraq's a disaster. Jobs have disappeared. We can't afford to put gas in our cars. What do they need to see to vote this guy out of office?" Told him we needed to put him to work on the campaign. "I don't have time. I'm out of work. Can't afford the rent, so I'm working it off with the landlord."