Shortly after receiving his diploma from this university in May 2007, Eric Zoberman packed his bags and traveled west to Iowa. He didn’t head out to the frontier because he studied agriculture; Zoberman headed to the Hawkeye State to harvest votes for then-Sen. Barack Obama.
Zoberman wasn’t sure exactly what he wanted to do after graduation, and many of his peers gave him a curious look when he told them he was off to Iowa. But Zoberman knew he wanted to support and campaign for the senator from his home state of Illinois.
Located in eastern Iowa, Zoberman started his work for January’s caucus in June. He spent most of his time in a town of a few more than 6,000 people, and embodied President-elect Obama’s impressive ground game. The alumnus cultivated good relationships with the people in his city and hosted an event where Obama spoke in mid-December, just a few weeks before the caucus.
Zoberman was so closely connected to his work that he lived directly above his office. He’d roll out of bed in the morning, walk down a dark and narrow staircase and be in his campaign headquarters.
In the county where Zoberman worked, Obama received 44 percent of the caucus-goers’ support, easily besting John Edwards and Hillary Clinton. The Iowa victory is often pointed to as the most significant win for Obama, proving him to be a viable black candidate who could win the support of white voters. From there, his campaign launched into even greater national prominence, and Zoberman continued to play a role in the field.
He traveled to St. Louis, Mo., to work for Obama before the Super Tuesday primaries early in February. Obama narrowly won that state, thanks in part to a great showing in St. Louis County. From there, Zoberman traveled to Texas, where Obama performed well in his area, and then on to North Carolina.
Soon after Obama became the official Democratic nominee, Zoberman headed back to the St. Louis area. There, he worked on the general election campaign in one of the nation’s most hotly contested battlegrounds. His county played host to the vice presidential debate and a massive rally for Obama last month that drew around 100,000 people.
Although Sen. John McCain (R – Arnarrowly edged out Obama in Missouri, Zoberman’s county had nearly 80 percent turnout and went blue by more than double its result from the 2004 election.
It was a rare defeat for Zoberman during his campaigning, but the national result couldn’t have been better. Obama launched his 22-month campaign February 2007 in Illinois’ capital of Springfield. Zoberman joined Obama for 18 of those dizzying months, introducing the candidate at several rallies and helping push the Democratic agenda of change.
The intricate ground-level organization displayed by Obama’s campaign was unprecedented and will serve as a model for future campaigns. Sure, there were thousands of field workers and volunteers similar to Zoberman. But his work and dedication over the past year and a half show what’s possible with a good education (he was a government and politics major, of course) and a devoted work ethic.
He spent months living out of a suitcase. The former Terp ate, lived and breathed politics, but managed to have fun along the way and make an impact in the communities in which he worked. Although at times Zoberman grew tired of his nonstop working schedule and shifting locations, his dedication never wavered and all the work paid off Tuesday night when Obama gave his acceptance speech in Grant Park in Chicago.
So does that mean one person within a massive, national organization can have an impact by working hard and connecting with people?
Yes, he can.
Michael Gluskin graduated in 2007 and is a former Diamondback news and sports contributor. He can be reached at mdgluskin@gmail.com.
