Thank You!!!

I have so much to talk about and I told myself I wouldn't blog until I cleaned my apartment and did my reading for this week, but that has just led to me neither blogging nor reading nor cleaning...and I wanted to write this because it is somewhat time sensitive. I got back from the inaugural festivities on Friday afternoon and I just wanted to say THANK YOU.

To My OFA-ers:

You guys don't know, and I hope you never have to know, what it means to me to be included in our 2012 Presidential victory. When I tried to explain to my first-time field-organizing prom date the weight of the journey between my own campaign virginity and being at the inaugural staff ball, he cut me off. When I roll my eyes at the idea that OFA was the best and the most important campaign and its organizers were better than all other organizers, my OFA babies think I'm being cynical, but in fact I'm just old. If you've never worked on another campaign you are naive, but lucky. If you keep doing this job you're eventually going to lose.

But just like falling in love, you can't really appreciate a good victory until you've had your heart broken. I will share with you that I cried twice in full ball regalia before I even left for the ball this weekend (and more than once at the event itself.) Sure, the entire bottle of wine I consumed while getting ready didn't help, but the truth is I was just so moved thinking about far we've come. (You're welcome, drunk dialed broworkers.) To go from pajamas in the office in the 2008 Iowa Caucus for John Edwards to a ball gown for Barack Obama's second inauguration was nothing short of surreal. To be with the people who have been my mentors, my organizers, my friends, my broworkers, my campaign hookups, my boyfriends, my bosses and and my rivals, who knew me at a time when I couldn't come to DC because I was so disillusioned and so embarrassed of my reputation, dressed up, accomplished and embracing each other is better than the ending to any cheesy movie. To celebrate with them and with you, knowing I was there because you appreciate my contributions to this incredible community because I have and return your love and respect...I guarantee you I have had no wine and I am tearing up writing this.

I have no right to ask to be included. I was stubbornly not on board the OFA train until well into the 2010 elections. For all of my criticism, I've always been a little jealous because let's face it, for the past four years OFA has been the cool kids. I wouldn't trade my experiences for the world, but I sometimes can't help but fantasize about what life would be like if I had taken my 2007 offer with Obama instead of Edwards. You were right. I was wrong. I fucked up and I've never been happier to admit it. It's true, OFA was not the first or the only campaign but there is no denying that it was something very special, something that changed the face of the job I love. I am humbled that you've included me in your lives, your campaigns and your celebrations. I've thought it every time you tweeted, facebooked called or contacted me, but I wanted to make sure I said it explicitly: Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.


To all my other campaign people:

As I was driving down to DC with two local New York City organizers, we couldn't help remark that after a campaign "OFA gets a ball, everyone else gets a nap." When I brought this up to a first time OFA organizer he answered, without the slightest hint of sarcasm or irony, "You know why, because we deserved it. Because we were the best campaign ever. Seriously that's what they kept telling us that no field team has ever been as good as us." By now I'm sure you can anticipate my reaction this statement because I, like you, have been on the short end of the Obama stick. Don't get me wrong, he should feel that way, every organizer should feel that way...and you should too. I agree with him, the OFA field team absolutely deserves a fancy ball with Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett, but then again so do you. This was the kind of celebration I have always wished I could give each and every one of you (but mine would have had more food.) I know it's not realistic to hope for that. To those of you who couldn't be there I wanted to say thank you too, for the part your Democratic organizing did in electing and supporting our President and for the important role you played in electing Democrats up and down the ticket.

There are really no words to express how much this community means to me. I love you guys so much. Thank you and congratulations to all of you.

Love,
Nance