Where'd All the Obama Volunteers Go?

The rookie president asked his loyal minions to take part in house parties this weekend to encourage support for the Porkulus Bill. The turnout is, shall we way, underwhelming:

Results in on Obama's grassroots appeal: It's a bust

WASHINGTON — Few supporters are answering President Barack Obama's call for nationwide house-party gatherings this weekend to build grass-roots support for his economic stimulus plan.

A McClatchy survey of sign-up rosters for a score of cities across the country revealed only 34 committed attendees in Tacoma, Wash., as of midafternoon Friday; in Fort Worth, Texas, only 54, and in Sacramento, Calif., just 78.

"Before the election, we would have had 500 to 800," said Kim Mack, 46, a Sacramento city-facility manager who's hosted house parties for political figures and causes since the mid-'90s.

Even in Washington, policy-wonk capital of the nation, only about 500 people had signed up.

Damien LaVera, a spokesman for the Democratic National Committee, called the interest level "considerable" for what he described as "the first national call to action aimed at helping to keep people informed and active in advancing the president's agenda."

Obama the candidate used house parties to recruit volunteers and raise money with great success, but this is the first time that a president has tried to mold his supporters into a post-election lobbying force.

It promises to be an uphill battle, several supporters said.

During the campaign it was all rainbows and unicorns, and of course, people flocked to be one with The One. Now that reality is setting in and The One turns out to be just another liberal Democrat with a big government agenda, and a bit of an inept one at that, suddenly past memories of rainbows and unicorns aren't enough.