Black People : Paid election sign holders

Paid election sign holders

Staff Writer

2008-02-20

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People had no idea that the some candidates pay for volunteers to hold their signs and stand in rally groups. This was never more apparent than at pre-debate rally in June 2007 on Howard University’s campus. As individuals stood on Georgia Ave, with more than 200 in attendance, groups of supporters waited for the debate to begin and some wishful thinking that the Democratic nominated 2008 candidates would come through and say hello.

Well, Obama did just that. One could see the secret service guys standing in the street in front of the crowd like they were saving a parking space for someone. All of a sudden, after one person from the crowd shout out a Senator’s name, a black SUV pulled up and Senator Barack Obama , who is a 2008 candidate for the Democratic nomination for President, stepped out. He greeted people ,thanked people and shook many eager hands. Various crowd supporters took pictures on their cell phone. Michelle Obama even waved from the car. It was surreal. Everybody was so excited and pumped up.

Across the street from the Obama group was a group of Joe Biden supporters. They weren’t chanting very loudly and, they were bunched up holding their signs but not very energetic. As the Obama rally dispersed because the debate was beginning, Some of the Obama supporters began walking back to their cars to leave. As the Obama chanters walked through the Biden supporters that were tightly packed about 50 people which were mostly students, a young lady holding a Biden sign stopped some of the Obama chanters and asked for an Obama sticker. One of the Obama supporters immediately started digging through their bag looking for an extra sticker. Another young lady and a young man also asked for a sticker all the while holding Biden signs. All of a sudden, a young man frantically came up to the Biden sign holders and proceeded to beg the student volunteers , He stated, “please don’t put on those stickers. he’s coming”.

Those stickers refers to the ones that say Obama 08 and, Joe Biden was the individual that was approaching as the young man pointed out. Some of the Obama supporters told him to calm down. The people that asked for stickers put them in their bags. He walked away exasperated and came back again imploring them not to wear the Obama stickers while holding the Biden signs. No one was smiling in their cluster. As Obama supporters finally cleared the group, one made the following statement, “Everyone who holds a candidates sign doesn’t necessarily support that candidate. Those guys must be getting paid to hold those signs.”