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Thomas Ware applies his skills and drive to getting people on the phones for Biden
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Interview with a Biden Phone Bank Leader
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Thomas Ware’s first political action was when he was in high school, volunteering in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, for President Obama. As he relates, “My 18th birthday was that December, so I missed voting by one month, a fact that frustrated me to no end.”
2016 was his senior year at Dartmouth. “The night of the election, I experienced the shock and horror that we all did that night. I felt bewildered and embarrassed that it was my state that lost the election. When I learned that Trump won due to low Democratic turnout, I realized that getting people to vote was the best way to make a difference this year. I’m involved to make sure that that doesn’t happen again.”
Why did you agree to be a leader?
I believe the impact of many is greater than the impact of one, so becoming a phone bank leader (for the first time!) was a clear choice. Luckily, I have experience organizing, motivating, and leading in other aspects of my life, and I enjoy doing it. But, even without that background, the other volunteers’ enthusiasm makes it rewarding.
What does a leader actually do?
It’s pretty straightforward. I enter the event in the Biden and Swing Left calendar sites and then open the Zoom meeting at the specified time. Many volunteers are experienced; in that case, I just point them to Biden’s phone bank and they’re off and running. I stay on Zoom so I’m available to answer questions and track calls.
Some callers are new to the process. I take them through the script, talk about potential issues, and teach them to use the software. That’s a hurdle for some people. One retired gentleman needed help with everything from Zoom and the calling software to entering the data. It’s great because he’s off and running … he’s so motivated, and he has the time
What are challenges?
Most political discourse — news media, social media, and unfortunately many politicians themselves — is centered around conflict. Naturally, that makes some people hesitant to get involved. However, once callers begin, they realize the phone scripts are about finding common ground, building relationships, and encouraging people.
What are benefits?
The other volunteers and I get to have conversations with people from all walks of life, and we aren’t as different as we think. It becomes easier to understand the perspective of others, and allows us to relate to people that we might not have connected with otherwise.
Getting involved is also a great way to meet others with similar interests and passions. I’ve made Zoom friends with some who’ve invited others to join, as well. At one virtual meeting, I “ran into” and reconnected with someone I knew from high school in Wisconsin who’s moved to Boston!
To quote former Chicago Bears coach George Halas (which really pains me to do as a diehard Green Bay Packers fan), “Nobody who ever gave his best regretted it.”
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