March 9, 2008...8:40 pm
Obama’s quest for PA begins
The Obama campaign is now in pennsyltucky.
Today was the first of what I am sure will be a bunch of meetings in the effort to ensure Barack Obama is the Democratic nominee for the November Presidential Election.
We met our Obama staff person and I have to say…
ahem…
I am not particularly impressed.
Oh sure, she’s an enthusiastic person with a good Ivy League education, but she was unprepared.
She knows next to nothing about the conservative central portion of Pennsylvania.
Hellllooooooo…
It helps to know that most of the Democratic Committees in the “T” that makes up central and northern pennsyltucky are very unstructured. Some counties barely have anything resembling a committee. The area is overrun by uber-conservative Republicans who could give a shit about Obama.
Oh, to be sure, they do hate McCain and Hillary, but that does not mean they will cross party lines to cast a vote for Obama.
The fresh-out-of-college woman also was unaware of the large military presence in this area. Aside from the retirees who come here to live (and complain about school taxes), the area is host to substantial bases operated by the Navy, Army, and National Guard.
Helllloooo…
Try educating yourself about the area you are trying to organize. Otherwise, it’s Ed Rendell and his Philly backroom machine that will control what happens on April 22.
What’s up with trying to push “faith-based campaigning” when you don’t even know what denominations are in this region. The Protestant denominations are very turf conscious in this area and if you step on the wrong toes, you can expect a sermon to the congregation extolling the satanhood of the selected candidate. Try knowing something about your targets; at least know what the denominations are.
It also helps to be prepared as to your stump organizing speach. Need a pencil? Where are yours? Ooopppsss… forgot my paper in the hotel room; mind if I borrow yours? And yard signs? Campaign buttons? Bumper stickers? Nope… forgot those, too. Well, let me check my trunk and see if there are any in there. Scripts, phone lists, etc., nope. Didn’t bring those either. Yes, you did bring a bunch of words, but even those were somewhat disjointed.
Gimme a break. You want us to take you serious? Get your act organized. Get your shit together. Waste your own time, not ours.
And show up on time.
1 Comment
March 14, 2008 at 8:51 am
I just blogged about the Obama campaign’s office in Pittsburgh, the out-of-towners running the place and the social dynamics of volunteers using it. It’s over at PaPrimary.com:
http://paprimary.com/item/2008/03/obama-campaign-headquarters-in-pittsburgh
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