If you're running for office in western Massachusetts, then you want
Corinne Wingard on your team. A retired social worker, Corinne devoted
30 years to the students enrolled in Hartford, Connecticut, schools.
Now she's back in her hometown of Agawum, Massachusetts, and dedicating
her considerable energy to the campaigns of the candidates who inspire
her. Do-Gooder caught up with Corinne as she was cleaning up after a Women's Brunch for Barack on a Sunday afternoon in the run-up to Super Tuesday.

So, how was brunch?

We
had some quiche and fruit and veggies for a small group of about 19
women. These are all women who are working on the campaign. We were
able to talk about strategies and the efforts we were making to
identify voters. All of us left just feeling terrific.

Why Brunch for Barack?

These brunches were statewide. I believe our governor went to one in
South Boston.

What's your role in the campaign?

I’m coordinating Hampden County. We have some big towns: Springfield,
Holyoke, Chicopee, Westfield. My town, Agawum, has about 28,000 people.

How did you become active in politics?

I grew up here, and
then I lived in Connecticut for about 30 years. When I moved back
here, I didn’t know that many people. I went to see [former secretary of labor during the Clinton Administration] Robert Reich
speak at a local bookstore. He’s such an inspiring speaker. The event was cosponsored by Progressive Democrats of Massachusetts, so I joined the
organization.

One of the women in PDM told
me about a man named Deval Patrick. When I went to hear him
speak in August ’05, I said, This is the
man for me. I think Deval Patrick is one of the most extraordinary human beings
I’ve ever heard. He’s so real; he’s so genuine. I said, Okay I’m going
to work on his campaign [for governor of Massachusetts]. My friend who had been coordinating this area
was moving to North Carolina. She talked to the campaign organizers in Boston, so I
took over. I had to change my registration from unenrolled [independent] to
Democrat!

My town is conservative and we had a landslide [victory]. Deval said
that when he won Agawum, he know he could do it. I was coordinating this area,
and then I became the regional desk for Western Mass. I think the
most thrilling night of my life was when he won the
primary [on September 19, 2006] and then the election [on November 7].

So what exactly do campaign coordinators do?

It’s
a matter of identifying team captains and organizing volunteers to get
out the vote. We work with them to set up phone banks in each of the
towns and organize stand-outs. That’s when a whole bunch of supporters
stand outside with signs and wave and yell. They’re actually a lot of
fun. We get a lot of honks.

What's the secret to a successful campaign?

You have to believe wholeheartedly in what you’re doing. We’re all reaching out to our personal
networks of friends and acquaintances and telling them why we support Obama and asking them to do the same.

[Corinne offers a more concrete secret, then asks me not to publish it because she doesn't want "the other side" to use it.]

Why Obama?

Because I think he is our absolute best choice. It’s a matter of his personal integrity and his
character. And his leadership skills. And his ability to bring people
together.

Somebody gave me this great quote, from Abraham Lincoln's first inaugural address, about the "better angels of our nature." [Obama has quoted
that phrase.] Barack Obama brings out the better angels of our nature.
He inspires people to be their best and do their best for the country
and to think of the overall good instead of their own personal gain.