I live around the corner from the Obama campaign office in Minneapolis. The office faces University Avenue, fully apparent with its large, plate glass windows & decorative text, bold in its reds, whites, and blues. Just a week ago, I noticed that the two large trees which had previously guarded the office and its sidewalk from traffic had been unceremoniously cut down. Cynically, I couldn’t help but notice the irony of the local office of the Democratic incumbent—the default “green” candidate—chopping down a couple of “green” trees in order to increase its visibility to the public.

Of course, this is a conspiracy theory.

I walk by the office at least a couple times a day: usually when I’m half a sheet to the wind, head down, tired—especially the last few days, now that I’ve been riding my bicycle. The people that work there—volunteer?—they’ve got to know that I’m on the team. But looking at me, I wonder how they feel about that.