Quick Diary from the Front in TX: shenanigans!

Hi, all -

I am home for only 15 minutes - I'm about to head back to the polling place to encourage the last-minute voters, and to get ready to CAUCUS!

I have been out all day (since 7 A.M.) to stand for Obama at my precinct.  I will be an elected delegate tonight, and I'm thrilled about that!

I just wanted to share what happened to us today... and then I'll come back to this diary tonight to fill you all in on the caucus.

We wanted to get out with signs at the entrance to the school (where my two small boys attend) - it's our polling place, as well.   So, I got there bright and early and help set up an info booth.  Our tent blew down midday (it's really, really windy here today), but otherwise, it's been great!

The ugly event of the day was a collection of comments by a woman who was across the parking lot, stumping for HRC.   Now, most of the folks over there were not local - they'd been brought in from Galveston and other places to stump at our school.  Fine - good.  Apparently, though, this woman didn't get the memo about our EXTREMELY DIVERSE neighborhood.  As we waved our "Honk If You Support Obama" signs, we got some good honks from the parents taking their kids to school.  

The first nugget of joy out of her was when she saw my "Obama Mama" shirt.  Mind you, I'm a white, middle-aged woman, standing with a Hispanic woman and an older African American woman, holding our signs for Obama.   She sneered at ME, and said "I'd vote for McCain before I'd vote for him!  Didn't you read Michelle Obama's thesis?  She HATES white people."   I smiled at her and said, "Well, as a loyal Democrat, I will vote for the party's nominee."   I didn't go there with her at all.

Every time this woman heard a honk, she'd peer into the car to profile the people therein.   If it was an African American at the wheel, she'd roll her eyes.  If it was an Asian, she was heard to say "the Asians are SUPPOSED to be voting for Hillary!" - and then there was the kicker... when she saw a white person honk, she'd say "I can't believe any white person would support him."  (loudly, to get my goat).   Finally, I had had enough.  I said to her, "Could you BE more racist??"  Her reply? "No, no I couldn't."   Well, at least she's not a hypocrite, right?

Later in the afternoon, it got worse.   We had our honk sign out, and if a car honked, the Hillary people took note, and wouldn't bother trying to connect.  Fine.   So, the toxic woman was going up to one car, and a colleague said not to bother - it's an Obama voter.   So toxic woman popped out with, "Oh, another n--- traitor"     Even the other HRC supporters out there (one of whom was a young African American woman) stood with jaws agape.  I felt sick, and the older lady in our group wiped away tears.   That's how far some of them have sunk.   McCain can have her - she's perfect for his party.
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But I'm going to sign off for now with the good news:  the kids in grades 4 through 6 at my sons' school held a mock election today.  The results?

Obama:  475
Clinton: 78
McCain: 11

THAT'S THE NEWS FROM BRAZORIA COUNTY, TEXAS at 5:00 P.M. Central!

As I said, I'll check back when I'm home after the caucus, and add an update and perhaps some pictures.  Check back, and until then, keep the faith!