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[except she is using her real name]
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“It wasn’t long before volunteers from the Obama campaign visited the Whislers to assign the supporters to different regions”
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Take a few steps into M.B. Whisler’s Jacobus living room.

An Obama-Biden sign covers a portion of one wall. Barack Obama’s face appears on almost every magazine on the coffee table. Campaign signs peek out from behind family photos. Obama ‘08 magnets stick to the refrigerator.

Take a second look at her outfit.

A pink Obama hat accessorizes an inauguration T-shirt.

If there’s still any doubt about who Whisler voted for Nov. 4, just ask her.

(snip)

Whisler, 60, was born in Botswana, Africa, and has been politically active for most of her life. As part of the Botswana Democratic Party, she worked to elect Seretse Khama to the presidency in 1965 during her country’s first general election. Whisler came to America in 1969 and learned the political system of her new home.

She got involved in the Rev. Jesse Jackson’s first presidential campaign in 1984. She wasn’t sure if she’d ever see another black presidential candidate. In 2004, she got involved in John Kerry’s campaign, which was another disappointment.

Whisler was inspired to become involved in a campaign again when she heard a young senator from Illinois speaking on TV more than two years ago.

Even her husband, Gary, who had never been politically active, paid attention.

Soon, the couple started hosting community meetings at their house. Twenty-five people from all over the region came to talk about a candidate no one else seemed to know about.

The Whislers downloaded information from Obama’s Web site to educate people. They watched his speeches on YouTube. They listed issues and concerns on a white board in their living room.

“No one knew who was supporting (Obama) at that time,” she said. She added that a big challenge during the early part of the campaign was the lack of support from other Democrats.

During the primaries, many people thought that another candidate — Hillary Clinton — would win the Democratic Party nomination, Whisler said.

“A lot of people we knew . . . just kept telling me, ‘you don’t know the United States,’” she said.

But her gatherings grew. More people started to believe. It wasn’t long before volunteers from the Obama campaign visited the Whislers to assign the supporters to different regions.

Then, Obama visited. On March 30, Whisler was the fourth person in line to greet him in Harrisburg.

“When he shook my hand, my whole body just became so calm,” she said. “It was unbelievable.”

She’ll be in the crowd Tuesday in Washington,
David Floyd, right, holds the door of Brunswick at Loganville open so Curvin Fortney can enter and cast his ballot on election day. (York Daily Record/ Sunday News- File)
D.C., to witness months of hard work become reality when Obama is sworn in.

“I have to hear him say (the oath),” she said. “I think that is going to be the most emotional time in my life.”

http://www.ydr.com/remember/ci_11471391