Volunteers Make the Difference

Last Friday I went to a lunchtime gathering of political volunteers. These are the people who man the phones, stuff the envelopes, deliver the yard signs, etc. About 30 people were there, from college kids to senior citizens.

Quite a few politicians were there too. Most were candidates, now in the last week of the campaign season. They were there to rally the troops for the final push. And to draw a bigger crowd, they had a special guest of honor: US Senator James Webb.

For those of you who don't know him, Senator Webb is a Naval Academy graduate, Viet Nam veteran, and former Secretary of the Navy. He's the most decorated Marine I've ever met, with heavy medals like the Navy Cross, the Silver Star, two Bronze Stars, and two Purple Hearts.

Jim also wrote "Fields of Fire," one of the most gut-punching war novels ever. And he's the only member of Congress with a son who served in Iraq. This man's shadow has more balls than most people ever will.

But today he was there to speak to us ... the troops on the front line of the political battlefield ... the campaign volunteers.

Of the many things he said, one thing in particular stood out. Referring to his come-from-behind victory against incumbent Senator George Allen in 2006, Jim said this ...

"They had us outspent by 2-to-1. But we had the volunteers, and that made all the difference. You make that difference."

Everybody knows that legislators are powerful. They make the laws that we must live by, and must live with.

But it's the campaign volunteer who has the power to "make" a legislator. That's why they listen to us. Pay attention to us. Take care of us. Represent us.

Everyone in that room had more political power than everyone who wasn't.

Bikers need to be in that room.