I was just surfing around the old "Republicans for Kerry" yahoo group, looking for my old posts, when I happened upon my very first one. I hadn't found y'all yet. I still had my political training wheels on. I remember thinking how neat it was that a bunch of Republicans were putting their country over their party, so I hopped on in, despite my Democrat-ness, like that "Gorilla in the Mist" lady. (Can't spell her last name, and I don't want to make it sound like she does Broadway or something... Fose... Fosse?... fuck it.)

Anyway. This post is where I got dubbed "Little Clarkie". They liked that designation at the top.

Just thought I'd share this little blast from the past.

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"I'm just a little Clarkie for Kerry in the swing state of Wisconsin,
poking my nose in. Can a Dem join the fun if she promises to behave
herself and be civil?

I also wanted to pop in and see if any of you had read "The New War:
The Web of Crime That Threatens America's Security"
by John Kerry? What did you think of it? I've just glanced at it so
far, but I've been impressed by what I've read so far. I get the
impression that Kerry is a knowledgeable, thinking person. His
problem seems to be that he has trouble distilling all that he knows
into nice little sound bites. Thank God for Edwards.

I've also checked "Tour of Duty" and "A Call to Service: My Vision
for a Better America" out of my local library. I'm still checking out
the Chosen One, you see. So far I've found nothing that's changing my
mind.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, I have my own Bush/Kerry story to
share. I've been volunteering down at Kerry HQ, the first time I've
ever done such a thing for any candidate. It's not the prettiest
thing you've ever seen. Dingy, home-made signs everywhere, rummage
sale-quality furniture, and staff that have to hand out bumper
stickers as if they were gold.

The Republican headquarters, on the other hand, is very nice. Clean,
plenty of buttons, t-shirt, bumper stickers, etc., nice old people
who didn't yell at me and my Kerry button. God, it wasn't easy
walking in there with that button on, but dagnabit, I refuse to take
it off any more. I used to, since I live in a mostly Republican area,
and was afraid of offending. But if I hadn't worn it to church, I
wouldn't have discovered the Conservative Republican for Kerry there
who now wants me to get him a yard sign. Those are nigh impossible to
get. Apparently Kerry doesn't believe in them.

But I digress.

At the Wisconsin State Fair this week, in the main expo building,
there are 2 Bush booths. Well stocked they are, just like the HQ. And
there's the Democratic booth, half the size of one Bush booth. An
over-abundance of Feingold stickers, a dearth of Kerry ones. I
couldn't take it. I drove the 10 miles to the Kerry HQ to see if I
could finagle some supplies. I found them putting together a care
package and wondering how they would get it down there. Enter me.

Back I go to the State Fair, where several happy folks get a few
buttons. The Veteran for Kerry buttons are in especially short
supply, and pretty good demand. So much for veterans hating Kerry.

But just today I got an email from HQ saying that the Dem booth has
been told they are not allowed to give out stickers, as they may get
plastered to the newly built expo walls. Fine, we say, we'll sell
them. Not allowed to do that either. "But the Bush people are handing
out stickers like fiends, why aren't you stopping them?," we ask. So
far, no answer. The volunteers have been asked to hand out supplies
outside the expo and on the street by State Fair next to a truck with
Kerry signs all over it. I hope we have enough.

Why is the Kerry campaign so undersupplied!!??

Geez. I just scrolled up. I'd better stop here.

Anyway, howdy!

Erica (The demublican. Or is that republicrat? I can never remember)"