Volunteers from suburbs stump door to door in a small Iowa town

INDEPENDENCE, Iowa -- It's not quite 11 a.m. Saturday and Ray Spencer is among the first to arrive at Barack Obama's main street storefront campaign office.But then, Spencer knows the way. This is the retired Hoffman Estates postal worker's eighth trip to Iowa on his candidate's behalf. It's at least the second outing to this state for more than half of the 21 other Northwest suburban residents who arrive by 11:30.This group supports Obama, but there are many like them across Iowa -- engaged residents, young and old, drawn to spend whatever free time they can find to promote their candidate in the state that can set the tone for the primary campaign nationwide.Here in Independence, Obama field office coordinator Audie Schmidt spells out the drill. She hands out maps, explains that streets run east-west, avenues north and south. She pairs veteran door knockers up with rookies. She hands each team a list of addresses, literature and cards that residents may sign as a commitment to caucus for their candidate on Jan. 3. "You're asking two questions," Schmidt tells the volunteers. "Who are they supporting? And do they plan to caucus? Remember, respect people's support of another candidate. Respect. Always. But if you see a Hillary or Edwards sign, knock on the door anyway #8230; definitely."By 11:40, teams are getting additional details from Matt Flamm, a Palatine attorney who organizes these outings as part of a "sister city" program that links a Chicago suburb with an Iowa town. "We'll meet at 1:30 for lunch at Two Brothers Restaurant and then we'll go out again from 2:30 to 4:30," Flamm exhorts. "OK, fire it up, team."The group applauds and cheers and files out, some noting with satisfaction that the Hillary Clinton office next door is, for the moment, dark and quiet. Clinton's campaign, of course, is not resting. In fact, longtime Hillary friend Betsy Ebeling, of Arlington Heights, and a few dozen other Illinois backers are at this moment en route to Davenport and Iowa City for weekend campaigning.Meanwhile, here, Obama's 10 teams fan out to snare as many prospective caucus goers as possible in this county seat town of 6,000.Flamm parks his van beside a snow bank at Third Street and Third Avenue. From there Ray Berry, an actuary from Arlington Heights, trudges west along Second Street. The temperature sign at the Buchanan County Farm Bureau building reads 24 degrees. But a breeze makes it feel colder walking west, a chill that deepens as Berry gets no answer at a dozen of the first 15 houses on his list.Between homes, Berry explains that he likes several Democratic candidates but chose Obama's "judgment" over New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson's "longer resume."Berry does make an occasional connection. A senior citizen flanked by her cat tells him that she favored Obama earlier but that "someone else has gotten ahead of him." Another woman says she's uncommitted but reports that her husband attended an Obama event earlier in the day. One man says politely that he'll pay attention next summer, after party nominations are settled. Berry helps one woman with a large box that UPS had left on her porch -- who knows what kindness might be remembered?Now it's 1:30 p.m. and volunteers trickle into Two Brothers, two doors down from Obama's field office. Buffalo Grove Village President Elliott Hartstein is here. So is Steve Williams, a nurse from Lindenhurst. And Chet Farley, a graphic artist from Palatine. Noise and energy build as the workers push tables together and swap stories.An animated Kari Sealund walks in with her 14-year-old daughter, Kristin, wearing a Prospect Knights sweatshirt. Sealund collects a high-five and cheers as she reports, "We got a couple that's going to caucus for him who are Republicans! We're just higher than a kite."Bringing back signed commitment cards is a coveted achievement. Iowa's successful candidates often are those best organized to turn out backers for caucus. Commitment cards are not binding, but campaign workers think signees often feel obligated to follow through.As a waitress takes orders, volunteers turn to their favorite subject and the reasons they'll spend 11 hours on the road today in order to knock on doors for four hours.Sealund expresses confidence that Obama can, as he says, bring people together. She is, she says, tired of the "bomb throwing" and hard feelings that develop between people -- even friends -- who disagree over the war and other issues.Larry Glowacki of Crystal Lake hasn't actively worked for a candidate for nearly 40 years, not since an assassin's bullet cut short Bobby Kennedy's campaign and life. Now, Glowacki says, he sees in Obama what he saw in RFK: "charisma" and the ability to unite people. Today is his third trip to Iowa.Refueled by cheeseburgers, salads and common conviction, volunteers brave the chill for two more hours before early darkness falls.Throughout Iowa, snow shoveling seems a lost art. Merri Bizjack of Palatine fell hard during her morning rounds and now walks gingerly with her 17-year-old son, Matt, and a friend from Des Plaines. She brightens, though, when one woman, concerned about health care, declares herself for Obama. Even after another woman declines to offer support, Bizjack engages her in a 15-minute talk."What a great conversation that was," Bizjack says as her group admires the neighborhood's Christmas light displays. "I could be home doing my Christmas decorating and gift wrapping, but this is so much more important."Now it's 4:30 and volunteers are back in the office, feeding information to the paid staff. One resident wants a yard sign. Another wants the candidate's view on an issue explained. Schmidt hands out post cards with instructions to jot follow-up notes to any resident who seems receptive. The five precincts of Independence, Schmidt says, will produce only about 400 caucus-goers. Every supporter counts. Flamm, Bizjack and others will be back here by New Year's Day, making more phone calls, offering rides to caucus goers.Today's work ends. The long drive and hours of walking are catching up with everyone. It's 5:30 p.m., long past dark, and everyone faces what will turn out to be a 6#189;-hour drive through a heavy snowfall. But none of the volunteers leave. They linger, trading theories and a touch of bravado: Hillary is panicking, they say. John Edwards' slip in polls will propel some of his backers to Obama. This is their time.Someone suggests a group photo. Everyone lines up in two rows across the back of the office, beyond the microwave, coffee pot and laptops. As photos are snapped on three cameras, one volunteer starts a chant that the others pick up: "O-Bama ... O-Eight!" "O-Bama ... O-Eight!"Now it is 6 p.m. and, with Flamm and Schmidt still charting plans, most of the other volunteers reluctantly pull on coats and gloves and saunter outside. The local Saturday-night dinner crowd has filled Two Brothers restaurant. A worker is busy in Hillary's office. Obama's volunteers say final goodbyes, pile into their cars and head into the darkness toward nearby Route 20 and home to the Northwest suburbs.Caucuses convene in 19 days and one hour. 512245The Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton headquarters are next door to each other in Independence, Iowa.Patrick Kunzer | Staff Photographer 512220Audie Schmidt, Barack Obama's field organizer for Buchanan County, Iowa, gives instructions to volunteers in the Independence headquarters.Patrick Kunzer | Staff Photographer 512288Volunteer Matt Flamm of Palatine rallies other volunteers during a lunch break on a Saturday of door-to-door campaigning for Barack Obama in Independence, Iowa.Patrick Kunzer | Staff Photographer