Time is running out. Where are the Bernie people?

After several weeks of all-Bernie, all-the-time diaries on the Rec List here at Daily Kos, I’m writing this diary to sound the alarm to his fans and supporters that as far as I can see, as a new Iowan, Bernie’s people are NOT getting the job done here in Iowa.

I would love to feel the Bern as many do here on Daily Kos. I love Bernie Sanders and believe he has common sense ideas that would appeal to many Americans (I also feel the same way about Hillary Clinton in the face of an off-the-rails insane GOP, however this diary isn’t about pie fighting, so please leave that out). But the fact is that after a year and a half in this state, voting in every local and state election so far, donating money to local and state campaigns, and availing myself to the local Dem party (leaving out I’m nearing 50 and have voted in every election since Dukakis, taking pains to vote even when living abroad for six years), I have NOT ONCE been contacted for a vote by the Sanders campaign.

In contrast, the Hillary Clinton campaign started sending out volunteers about six months ago. My first contact with the campaign was a high-school girl, a neighbor’s child, who shyly approached me to fill out a “commit to caucus card.” I did fill out the card as I was so touched by the political effort and courage she showed going door-to-door, though I made it plain I was open to changing my mind and June was a bit early to really commit. In recent months, probably since late August, the Clinton campaign has reached out nearly once a week, with volunteers calling to make sure I was still onboard (I have still not fully committed), asking me to donate (nope, not yet), requesting me to phone bank (not until the general), and just generally chatting me up to secure my caucus vote.

At least three other Hillary volunteers have come to the door since to talk to me, pass out literature, chat, and attempt to reconfirm my commit to caucus status. Three or four have also rung the doorbell to speak to my husband, who travels a lot for work, and has (happily, for him, most likely) never been home.

I have been waiting and waiting...and waiting for the Sanders people to do the same. I felt a big swing towards Hillary after her virtuoso performance in the Benghazi hearings where she demonstrated she could swat Republicans away like flies. But my vote is still up for grabs. I so enjoy our Democratic debates where everybody is sane and I can shake off, for an hour or two, the insanity our political process has become. I would gladly vote for either.

Over the past week, I have polled all of my left-leaning friends, family and associates to see if my experience was unique. They all report the same thing: NO contact from the Sanders campaign. My one and only experience with a Bernie supporter was at a college bar where my husband and I engaged a guy with a Bernie pin, who turned out to be a local organizer. He was awesome, but why oh why isn’t the Sanders campaign sending these articulate college kids out door-to-door? I even told this guy to put us on his list. Two months ago...still nothing.

Folks, I WANT a competitive primary, no matter who I ultimately caucus for. It is good for our side to have a robust exchange of ideas and political goals. It creates excitement, it pushes Dems to the left, it creates a national conversation instead of leaving that to the RW crazies.

I want Sanders to do better here, even if I caucus for Hillary. Why isn’t he? Why isn’t he even asking for my vote with two months to go? No one is going to feel the Bern if his ground game remains this poor. No number of rec list diaries will change that.

If Bernie stands a chance, please work where it counts.