Spending time in Africa

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POCATELLO -- It took John and Donna Looze an extra 10 minutes to get through customs on their way from South Africa to Botswana because the official wanted to hear their thoughts on the presidential election campaign.

The Loozes, of Pocatello, spent the first six months of this year in the southern countries of the continent. They were in Africa to help build and run a school. John was its principal, as well as the construction manager, and Donna developed the curriculum and trained the teachers.

And while in Africa, they noticed a recurrent theme.

Everywhere they went, people wanted to know about the election.

It's evident, the Loozes say, that this election has got the world's attention, and seldom have the stakes been so high.

So they're planning to leave the Gate City yet again.

They head to Greeley, Colo., on Tuesday to campaign for Barack Obama.

"From our experience in South Africa ... this election has been watched around the world," said John, who has spent time in 40 countries. "In one day, I had six conversations (about the campaign in South Africa)."

John also got out of a speeding ticket in South Africa because the police officer asked him his opinion on the U.S. presidential race, and he told the cop he supported Obama.

John and Donna plan to spend about two weeks working for the Obama campaign in Colorado.

They were given the option of finding their own housing or staying with a willing family, and they've opted to find lodging.

Though most Americans have already made up their minds about whether to vote for Illinois' junior Democratic senator or Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., they've been told volunteers will be vital in recruiting new voters and motivating registered Democrats who don't vote often to head to the polls.

"This will be the hard push in a battleground state," Donna said.

The Loozes aren't die-hard Democrats, and they don't often campaign for politicians.

In the past, they've voted for Ross Perot and Libertarian candidates. And John is a former Illinois Republican, though he said his trips to other countries have made him more socially liberal.

"You travel around the world, and you see incredible poverty and how American policies contribute to that poverty," John said. "You can't see it and help but become more socially liberal."

Back in high school, Donna campaigned for John Kennedy, and they both campaigned for former Idaho Sen. Frank Church. But they've never done anything quite like this.

"We feel this election is so very important to the future of America that we can't just sit here and do nothing," Donna said. "We have an energy crisis. We have global warming. None of these have been addressed, and we don't have much time to address them."

By John O'Connell

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