From a reader in the "How much more red can it be and the answer is none -- none more red" state of Oklahoma:
A transplanted Blue-Minnesotan suffering in the reddest of red in Oklahoma for the past five years. I've suffered the indignity of living in the biggest Republican slam-dunk state of them all and having James "Global warming is fake" Inhofe and Tom "I'm a doctor who believes in Creationism" Coburn as our, ahem, esteemed representatives in the U.S. Senate.
I seriously doubt that Oklahoma will ever go Blue but let me just give you the scene on the ground here...
During the run-up to '04, "W" lawn signs and bumper stickers were a nearly one-to-one ratio with houses and (large) cars, respectively.
Fast-forward to September 13, 2008. Everywhere I drive in town, wealthy neighborhoods, poor neighborhoods, and places in between I see Obama signs. I am flabbergasted by the overall number but almost as surprised at the large mansions I see with these.
Tulsa was built on oil money and has a very strong conservative elite that runs the city and owns these homes. I am literally rubbernecking driving by these homes because of the incongruity they pose with their public support of Obama. Oilmen for Obama??
So this morning was the grand opening of the new and improved Tulsa Obama campaign headquarters and my girlfriend and I strolled up at around noon to find ourselves in a looooong line of people in high spirits all clamoring to get in, sign up to volunteer, and to buy the place out of swag (four hours into the day they were nearly out of t-shirts).
The energy was amazing and I was struck at the walks of life here...young, old, black, white, Asian, Hispanic, and seemingly of all social strata. I almost started tearing up to see so many people who "get it" here in the buckle of the Bible Belt (remember, Oral Roberts University lords over South Tulsa).
Senator Obama won't win Oklahoma, true, but it doesn't matter. This means one thing: coattails. Everyone who turns out for Obama will likely vote Democratic in downballot races -- more Dems in local, state and congressional seats. So when he wins, he'll accumulate stockpiles of that much-ballyhooed 'political capital.'
Meanwhile, some more Oklahoma awesome: