Anatomy of a Mass Rally in the Hills of Western North Carolina
By Al Giordano
ASHEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA; OCTOBER 5, 2008: You watch a presidential candidate on TV or on the Internet in front of cheering crowds, reported by national and international media.
You see him frame the day's message through his words.
You read the headlines...
Obama: McCain "Running Out of Time"
And...
Obama in Asheville to Hit McCain for Adviser's "Turning a Page on This Financial Crisis" Remark
And...
Obama accuses McCain of sordid attacks amid economic peril
If you think such messages seep into the political datasphere simply because a candidate announces he'll be at a place at a specific time, and invites ten or twenty thousand supporters show up to cheer, and he just talks and the media dutifully writes it all down and films it, think again.
Today's Obama appearance - like all the others with big crowds that have taken place during this campaign - involved hundreds of trained volunteers and dozens of intensely prepared staff members.
When you gather tens of thousands of people together, so many things can go wrong that can either trip a candidate off his message of the day, or leave local supporters disheartened or feeling abused as props, or miss opportunities to organize all the people who show up to expand and get out the vote on and before Election Day.
Like any presidential campaign, Obama's has an advance team: staffers that go from town to town ahead of the candidate to make sure these events go as planned, without distracting or harmful incidence and for maximum organizing impact.
They build a stage, erect risers for the TV cameras, pitch a tent for the traveling press, wire a mega sound system and, in case of a cloudy day or a nighttime event, put up lights so that thousands can hear and see the candidate in the flesh, and millions more through the media.
They strategically locate placards with slogans - "CHANGE THAT WE NEED" - and "visuals" - in today's case, as in other places, some bleachers erected behind the podium so that cheering supporters can be seen behind the candidate, and a four-story American flag draped down a school building to which allegiance would be pledged - in order to reinforce the message that will be spoken.
Before the candidate arrives, the microphones and teleprompter are tested, the campaign posters are fixed in position... and those are just the easy parts of the set-up.
The harder part could be called "herding cats."
You've got thousands of supporters, but many of them haven't thought a whit about how to package a message through the media for mass public consumption. And all of them have their own human needs when they wait and stand for hours under a hot sun. They include children and elders and everybody in between. Most of them want to get as close as possible to the candidate, touch him, speak with him, take his photo up close.
Today, The Field attended its umpteenth appearance by a presidential candidate this year, this time paying special attention to how these massive events are put together. For that, too, will soon become part of the ground-level history of the 2008 campaign: The Organizing of The President TM.
On the Saturday night before the event, the Obama staff convened more than 200 volunteers for a training session at the Asheville High School basketball arena, next door to the huge football stadium where the candidate and his supporters would convene on Sunday.
Two national staffers - a young woman (her name, either Polly or Paulie) and a young man named Frankie - trained the volunteers for the various jobs that would need to be done to pull the event off effectively.
One team would work the parking lots: they would instruct those arriving that they couldn't bring in pets, chairs, umbrellas, signs or banners. They would direct the disabled and the press toward their separate entrances. They would inform the smokers of the school's anti-tobacco policy ("buy Nicorette," yours truly took a mental note). And direct them toward the entrance, where twelve Homeland Security airport-style "MAG" machines (you know them as metal detectors) would check each and every attendee's belongings under the watchful eyes of law enforcement agents.
The Secret Service would, of course, be on hand. Its job is to protect the candidate. But there were many other public safety and security tasks that federal, state and local police agencies would be present to handle. Members of the school's ROTC corps would also be helping out at the entrances.
Other teams would work the lines of people waiting to get in, making sure that each attendee filled out a ticket with his and her name, address, and contact info, to be used in the get-out-the-vote drive ahead. Each ticket would come with a stub that the supporter would be able to take home as a souvenir.
They instructed the volunteers that as members of the campaign team they must decline press interviews during the event, wear "official" campaign tee-shirts if they had them, and that "playground rules" applied: "No running, no shouting," since either activity is the sort that can spread panic in a crowd.
Members of the public would be allowed to bring cameras or video equipment and, as they entered the stadium, would be asked to turn the devices on to prove that's what they are. No tripods would be allowed outside of the cordoned-off press area.
Another team would be assigned to "ADAs" (acronym-speak for the Americans with Disabilities Act): to escort and aide people in wheelchairs, on canes, or with other needs, guide and bring them along the school running track to a special seating area by the side of the stage. They were to treat these rally-goers as "the most important attendees" and show them every courtesy.
Another team would be assigned to the press, to guide us toward a specific area, and keep us out of the general population (the press area abutted various sectors of of civilians and there turned out to be plenty of access to interview the folks). "We like the press," explained the national staffer. "We just want to like them in one place."
Two teams of "ushers" would be stationed throughout the stadium and at each entrance and exit point between sections. They were given smart instructions on how to direct people into the 7,000 bleacher seats on each side of the field; one row at a time, and by section (and at today's rally, that's exactly how it happened).
Another team would be responsible for staffing and refilling "water stations" throughout the stadium, to keep the crowd hydrated as it waited three hours under a the beating sun. All volunteers were asked to keep an eye out for anybody that might be looking feint, to get water to them, and, if need be, escort such a person to a seated area.
There were instructions on how to deal with protestors (it turned out there were none inside the stadium, just a few McCainiacs that never made it inside the gates) and coaching on how to get an enthusiastic Obama supporter to give up his homemade sign (this, they said, would be a tougher task than dissuading protestors).
The advance team from the national staff had arrived the day before the event to build the stage, bring in 500 chairs, the sound system, hundreds of yards worth of temporary barriers, and other such tasks. Volunteers were recruited to help unload the chairs and barriers into the night. All volunteers were to report at 9 a.m. to their posts for an event that would open its gates at or shortly before noon.
At almost two hours into the Saturday night training session, the 200 volunteers broke into those groups, each with designated team captains, to begin a walk-through of their tasks.
On Sunday morning and afternoon, every single team complied with its task flawlessly, with the exception of whatever police agency decided to put only a dozen metal detectors at the entrances. Only about 10,000 of the people made into the stadium before Obama began his speech shortly after two p.m.. The Asheville police estimate 28,000 people inside or trying to get into the venue today.
Many who stood on line for hours and didn't get in were at least able able to see and hear the event, as the line formed from up a big hill overlooking the field.
An additional group of volunteers - that did not attend Saturday night's training session - walked up and down the long lines of people heading into the stadium. They brandished clipboards and asked everyone if they were registered to vote or needed to update their voting addresses. And they registered hundreds of new voters.
You see these events on TV, or in the next day's newspaper, or maybe on YouTube, and it's a sound bite or two about Obama clocking McCain over wanting to tax people's health care benefits and shift the subject from the economy.
But a mass event - if it goes well, as it did today - is much less simple than it appears.
If good organization wins elections (and it most certainly does), I'd say that the Obama campaign in Western North Carolina is poised to turn at least two "red" counties "blue" on Election Day, and perhaps a few more.
When we get done investigating and crunching the numbers, you'll be among the first to know.
Update: We saw today, again, the intense investment of the Obama campaign in a "red" state that until a week or two ago, the hotshot political reporters thought wasn't even a battleground state, much less capable of turning "blue."
Well, well, well: Guess where Obama is headed, first thing, after Tuesday night's debate?
The Indiana State Fair Grounds in Indianapolis.
All this playing of offense has got to be driving the McCain camp bat crazy. While they pull back to defend a shrinking list of swing states, Obama's advancing into enemy territory, where he'll force his rival to spend resources he doesn't have to defend "red" states that are no longer in the bag for the Republican.
Update II: Jonathan Martin, meanwhile, is doing an excellent job of reporting the denouement of McCain in Michigan and Virginia. Such is the epidemic of Chicken Little-ism. Many Republicans, never inoculated, are succumbing. (And none of their bloggers have figured out the coveted recipe in the cure!)
"How on earth are we to get people to work for McCain here, when he has already, publicly, in the media, given up on Michigan?" says one GOP leader up there.
“He didn't take threat seriously soon enough,” said a GOP leader in Virginia.
Tomorrow is the last day for new voter registration in both states. It will be interesting to see how the final results might bring more panic.
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Nice report, Al
Submitted on October 5th, 2008 by Norm W. (not verified)Thanks Al--
I'd attended a few of these events, and always have wondered how the thousands of moving part seemed to work so well at Obama events.
I've got a little better idea now -- but I'm still amazed.
I put a few ducats in the pot -- wish it could be more!
Norm from CO
Back in '92
Submitted on October 5th, 2008 by Bill R. (not verified)I was a volunteer in the Clinton campaign. I did a number of things including help get out crowds for campaign appearances in Portland, Oregon. The logistics of an event in a presidential campaign are incredible. And every volunteer who has close involvement has to have a background check and wear ID provided by the secret service. Among other things I drove in Bill Clinton's motorcade, Gwen Ifill was one of my passengers, as she was just getting known on the national scene. It was an exciting activity, brief and intense, and then back to the phone banking, canvassing, etc. The van I drove had to be searched and check out by bomb sniffing dogs, enormous security issues, along with police motorcades, traffic control etc. There are lots of background issues, including local politicians and their posturing about who get seen and who doesn't. I had one state co-chair threaten to pull out in the phone call I took if they didn't get more prominent exposure. Needless to say I gasped and passed the telephone to the political director for the state campaign.
Thanks, Al, for pointing out
Submitted on October 5th, 2008 by Rachel Q (not verified)Thanks, Al, for pointing out the hard-working staff and volunteers at these events. I've volunteered at two events where Senator Obama appeared, and they were both mind-bogglingly (is that word?) time-consuming and exhausting. I can't imagine what the advance team's life must be like.
A giant thank-you to everyone who helped at the rally today... the message Obama gave in the video up above is fantastic, and I only get to see it because of you.
The ticket stubs
Submitted on October 5th, 2008 by Anonymous Fieldhand (not verified)Is Georgia the first sign of the revolution?
Submitted on October 5th, 2008 by Michael in NYC (not verified)Al and others -- I'm curious as to what you think about the early voting numbers coming out of Georgia.
http://chronicle.augusta.com/stories/100408/met_478220.shtml
Its early days yet -- but black turnout up over 50% since 2004. In fact, blacks making up 33% more of the electorate than they do of the population. Now it may be it's just an example of enthusiasm and organization, but that the numbers are not representative. however, if it is a canary in the coal mine, think what it represents. It would mean Obama sweeping the South.
motivating
Submitted on October 5th, 2008 by Dulce Mia (not verified)Excellent time to gain insight like this. For me this race has been and still is so emotionally charged. The freakish complacency I encounter can be at times exhausting. It really gives me a good shot of energy to think about the enormous amount of work going on behind the rallies. It's like gaining new resolve in the final mile of a run.
The Team is SO organized!
Submitted on October 5th, 2008 by John Quentin HeywoodJust got back from canvassing in Middleburg, Virginia...very, very, wealthy horse country. Our family's first canvassing foray outside of our Silver Spring, MD, neighborhood. The Obama Team is SO amazingly organized. We were called and asked to go to VA for part of this weekend, and when we showed up this morning in Bethesda, MD, they sent us through a rolling introduction and sign-in, and then sent us off an hour or so away to Leesburg, VA. When we got to Leesburg, some more extremely organized volunteers trained us and sent us off to Middleburg. It was not quite what we expected....the homes (mansions, outbuildings and grounds) are city blocks (or more) apart. Most of the folks in our packet were listed as Republicans. That, and the extreme wealth of the area, led us to assume we would get a lot of doors slammed in our faces. Not so at all. No one was hostile, perhaps because it was three generations of our family, from ages 5 to 70. We had two households who were clearly McCain supporters, but polite. We had two split households (one split husband/wife, another split parents/adult children). We had two undecideds...one militantly so (she wasn't registered, and didn't want to be....go figure), the other I think we convinced, or at least made headway. And all the rest were enthusiastic Obama supporters begging for the ever-elusive yard signs. If this reflects the rest of deep red, wealthy, horse country Virginia, Obama will turn the state blue.
The folks at the Leesburg Obama office impressed us so much, we are going to be doing our GOTV work on Election day there, rather than in our own, guaranteed Obama neighborhood. If anyone else in the DC Metro area is looking for a good place to make a difference, go to Leesburg!
Michael in NYC
Submitted on October 5th, 2008 by Catherine CainI know I'm in the minority in this thought but Georgia has a chance just on pure GOTV, IMHO. There is very little enthusiasm for McCain/Palin and a complete opposite story for Obama. That's true most everywhere this year but I think it is much more extreme in Georgia than similar states that are not solid red or blue. I think the Obama campaign saw it being too much of an uphill fight and there were easier red states to pick off.
The most recent two polls had Obama within striking distance. Insider Advantage had him down by 6 and SUSA had him down by 8 points. SUSA, in my recent education of polls, has a history of underpolling AA support in the southern states. So, like you, I would love to get Al's take on it as well as an updated reliable poll.
Georgia
Submitted on October 5th, 2008 by ABM (not verified)Michael in NYC, I've been doing some voter registration in a county with high African American population. It's amazing how many folks have not only registered, but have taken advantage of Georgia's Absentee in Person voting. I voted the 2nd day of early voting and the line was really long. Also, we're hoping the enormous enthusiasm will also help kick Saxby Chamblis out of the Senate.
Indiana Voter Registration
Submitted on October 5th, 2008 by Brendan CorcoranWith Al's update about Indiana and offense, I just wanted to share briefly my experience today registering voters in sports bars all around Terre Haute. In a few hours of canvassing local watering holes while the Colts were playing, we pulled out nearly 20 new registrations. Most folks are registered it seems, so this number on the last day of registration was pretty good, in my book. The thing that interested me, though, was the reception. With Obama tee-shirt and clipboard, the vast vast majority of persons approached were genuinely appreciative of the efforts, even if already registered. Sure, some of these were old-school Republicans who value the democratic process in a patriotic sort of way (as opposed to the newer vintages of vapid and fearful conquistadores of the Republican party), but the majority (again, mostly middle class white men wearing NFL jerseys) were genuinely glad to see an Obama volunteer even at this semi-sacred time. I got more high-fives and thumbs-ups and covert signs of encouragement than I knew what to do with. All in all, Indiana is, from this entirely unscientific sampling of Colts fans on a day of surprising victory, entirely ripe for the picking.
Expanded electorate
Submitted on October 5th, 2008 by Michael in NYC (not verified)Hi Catherine --- yes, Georgia has promise. The most recent polls are close. The Bob Barr candidacy is usually not included in polls. And in general most polls seem to be assuming that the 2008 electorate will look very similar to the 2004 one.
But if these early voting patterns hold out, it will be very different. Obama would only need 15% of the white vote to win Georgia. And if African-Americans turn out at a similar rate across the South, Obama would win not only win FL, VA and NC, but Georgia, Mississippi, South Carolina and Louisiana. It would also make solid Obama Nevada, Indiana, Ohio..
The Trademark?
Submitted on October 5th, 2008 by Christi DemuthThe Organizing of The President TM....Al's book in the making?
Great Ground reports from Al and others. I am praying this
Submitted on October 5th, 2008 by Agoram Muthukumaranjuggernaut gains momentum and crashes the repugs' party (literally and figuratively) come Nov 4th.
amk
@Michael in NYC and Catherine Cain, thanks
Submitted on October 5th, 2008 by Mikell HagoodI just got back from another day of registering voters at two rapid rail stations in South Fulton County, right outside Atlanta. I heard from one of the volunteers entering the VR data that we had registered another 800 voters today by 6pm. There were many volunteers who hadn't reported in yet. Tomorrow is our last big push. The deadline is midnight Monday. The excitement on the street is unbelievable and palpable.
Last week, I met a middle-aged African-American woman who, unconnected to the Campaign, had registered 565 new voters from the back of her SUV where she sold Obama gear and incense. She said her goal was 700. I haven't seen her any more, but it would be hard for me to believe she didn't make it. She said she went by the Secretary of State's office herself and got the forms and turned them in. Of course, I'm sure the campaign would've loved to enter the data before she turned it in, but you can't have everything.
Oh yeah. Hey cousin James Haygood. As far as I know, my grandfather, Walter Hagood, was born somewhere around Augusta, either in Georgia or South Carolina. He moved to Allendale County, South Carolina, where he met and married my grandmother, Sarah Villard, and settled on her family's farmland, which my cousin still grows trees on. Cousin Jackie Frazier, a big Obama supporter, also has a small farm in Frogmore, SC, where he markets his produce and is known as "the barefoot farmer." He is one of the few surviving black farmers in that area.
I will ask another of my cousins, sort of a family historian, where Grandpa Walter came from exactly. I do remember when we were young and traveling in coastal South Carolina, seeing signs for "Hagood's Pecans," but I never knew where they were based or who they were. We just knew they were white and assumed that their family may have owned our family at some point in the antebellum South.
Mikell Hagood
Go Mikell!
Submitted on October 5th, 2008 by Christi DemuthI am so glad to hear of yours & all the efforts in Georgia. This is the most exciting time in our history and to be able to share it with all of you... not enough words to express how grateful I am. Is it ok that I got a small chuckle out of the last sentence in your post? We have come along way baby! Yes We Can!
@Brendan
Submitted on October 5th, 2008 by Catherine CainI hope you get a chance to read Sean @ 538 posting tonight about Indiana and the ground game and Birch Bayh's visit to a campaign office. Very good story. And glad to hear the Colts guys were onboard! If it was anytime before the 4th quarter when they came back from a 17 point deficit to win, that's an even better sign!
Al, I really like the name of that book!
This is essentially exactly
Submitted on October 5th, 2008 by Jason YoungThis is essentially exactly what happened when I volunteered for the rally in East Lansing last Thursday. Although I was out there with a clipboard at first, I ended up directing the line across a road the entire time. The national staffer who trained us put a lot of emphasis on keeping the line moving smoothly. This is because they calculate how many metal detectors they'll have, and how long it will take the place to fill up based on that number, and then schedule opening the gates based on that amount of time. If every metal detector isn't being used every second, then there will still be empty space when Obama appears.
It was absolutely amazing to see thousands of people led into the area over a 3 and a half hour time span, and then see the place fill up as soon as Obama took the stage.
KeatingEconomics.com
Submitted on October 5th, 2008 by Bill R. (not verified)The Obama campaign is going to give a little friendly reminder to America about McCain's allegiances to financiers who defraud America.
http://www.keatingeconomics.com/
"Fraud is the creation of trust, and then its betrayal"
Submitted on October 5th, 2008 by Something New (not verified)Keating Five has just become an issue... John McCain is a fraud.
On the advance team's work
Submitted on October 5th, 2008 by Allan BrauerI attended Obama's speech at the University of Nevada-Reno campus on Tuesday morning. While lined up to enter the rally site, the Quadrangle, many of the locals around me were perplexed why the rally wasn't being held in their arena, which holds about 20,000 people.
But as soon as I entered the Quad, I knew why we were there. At the end of the Quad where the podium was placed was a magnificent brick Victorian building with white wooden porches and railings, festooned with red-white-and-blue bunting, looking like a backdrop from a Disney movie set in turn-of-the-century Americana. There were two camera platforms set up, and there were risers opposite each where selected attendees would fill the frame behind Obama as he spoke.
And the Quad was mostly in shadow from the buildings surrounding it, but as the moment for the rally approached, the sun's movement between two buildings cast a ray of sunshine precisely across the podium, illuminating Obama from behind, making him stand out against the shadow like one touched by God.
My only thought was, damn these Obama folks are good!
OT - Keating Documentary
Submitted on October 5th, 2008 by Catherine CainAnyone going to watch the release of this documentary at 12 Eastern tonight by the Obama campaign? Wow. The suspense. Don't mess with Barack I think is the message. http://www.keatingeconomics.com/
Note the use of the word "gambling" re McCain around at 3:09
Submitted on October 5th, 2008 by Russell JosephNote Obama's subtle use of the word "gambling" re McCain and "his operatives" around at 3:09 into this video.
My friends (heh!), Obama is a truly savvy politician, and we're privileged to have him.
I can't wait to elect him in 30 days!!
I got the time incorrect on the documentary release -
Submitted on October 5th, 2008 by Catherine Cain- it will be 12 noon tomorrow ET. http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/
emails will be sent notifying everyone tonight.
You gotta read this (rather long) WaPo piece on Johnny boy.
Submitted on October 5th, 2008 by Agoram Muthukumaranhttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/05/AR2008100502589.html?hpid=topnews
The whammer at the rear-end (sorry for the imagery)
amk
Oh My!
Submitted on October 5th, 2008 by Christi Demuth@Catherine--sending it far and wide. Hopin (no g) y'all do the same. Now I know why I registered to become a Democrat again:
Barack Obama's Campaign for Real Change.
Digg it
Edit: @Carol Gaupp, great observation! This comment might before yours?
interesting timing on the Keating documentary
Submitted on October 5th, 2008 by Carol GauppI'm thinkin' that the timing of this Keating documentary is very interesting - the day before the next debate. This is going to enrage McCain and it will make it that much harder for him if he was going to try and look Obama in the eye to offset the criticism he received last time for not doing so. He'll be even more clenched, hunched and growly.
We will turn Nevada blue
Submitted on October 5th, 2008 by Eric in SF (not verified)I've got great news from the State of Nevada, Washoe County, where Reno is located, the dems have outregistered the repubs for the first time in a generation or two as of this weekend. Over 1000 of us from Northern California flooded Northern Nevada this weekend, it was awesome! So many of us were there, they had to move the Obama Reno office to a warehouse of a local supporter to stage all of us. The well organized team had the entire state mapped out door by door, neighborhood by neighborhood. Nothing was missed they sent us to every inch of the state that had a door to knock on or a crowd to work for new voters. The group I was with, knocked on every single door in Carson City, NV over this weekend to tell the about early voting and register and canvass those who had maybe been missed the first time. A friend of mine in LA, said they found the same massive crowds of Californians had flooded the Southern part of the state as well. We snuck a peak over at the McCain office in Carson City for example there was only one guy working there on Saturday and it was closed on Sunday. The Carson City, NV office had over 150 California volunteers both days!
Really?
Submitted on October 5th, 2008 by James HaygoodIs that doc really connected to the campaign? Something doesn't look right to me...
@ James H.
Submitted on October 5th, 2008 by Catherine Cainit's real. It's on the home page of the barackobama.com website. It's just going to be on the internet to make it viral. The fact that it is released as a documentary is brilliant.
I was there
Submitted on October 6th, 2008 by Terra (not verified)I was there and I have to say that one thing they forgot about was doaling with the people in the line.
There might have been restrooms and water inside the event, but outside there wasn't and those people were standing in the sun for hours.
Something to keep in mind as some people (like myself) came in completely unprepared and had lots of trouble.
Wow!
Submitted on October 6th, 2008 by Russell JosephWhen I heard that the Obama campaign might be bringing up the Keating 5 scandal now that McCain's camp had announced (like idiots) that they were going to try to "turn the page" from the economy to smears on Barack, I thought that maybe the Obama team was just firing a warning shot. That is, don't go there (Rezko, Ayres, Wright) or Keating will get brought back into the spotlight.
Well this "documentary" (and the dedicated site) ain't no warning shot... Wow. Bringing out the big guns. But Plouffe does make a good point in the email I just received that:
"The McCain campaign has tried to avoid talking about the scandal, but with so many parallels to the current crisis, McCain's Keating history is relevant and voters deserve to know the facts -- and see for themselves the pattern of poor judgment by John McCain."
Seems a bit risky to me (certainly a riskier move than I've ever seen Obama make in the past year and half--perhaps that's what you were sensing James Haygood?).
I hope it doesn't backfire, but Plouffe and Axelrod have seemed to have almost flawless radar detectors for public and press sentiment. I imagine they felt that Obama needed to take control of the media narrative for the last month of the campaign and not let McCain and the 527s get any oxygen.
Plus, check out johnmccainrecord.com
Double-wow.
expect McCain to do a
Submitted on October 6th, 2008 by Alfa (not verified)expect McCain to do a Hillary á la ABC-debate and talk about Obama and Ayers and Wright.
the question is: how much respect does McCain wants to retain past Nov4.
McCain needs and likes the "liberals" press these are the people who will write history and the guy is obsessed with history, is he going to let "his" campaign turn him in to a Bill Clinton by Nov4.
Ayers
Submitted on October 6th, 2008 by Anne CrumptonWillliam Ayers has posted an open letter to McCain/Rove on Youtube
h/t Jebreport
Latest Fournier piece
Submitted on October 6th, 2008 by D.Quayle (not verified)Has everybody seen the latest Ron 'Racial Arsonist' Fournier piece? Its a blatant attempt to reintroduce race into the conversation by claiming Palin's attacks are racist (they aren't particularly, they're just stupid). Obviously wingnuts are doing the faux outrage thing and blaming Obama for pushing this. Do you have any more tactics for getting him fired? To be honest there might be bipartisan agreement for a letter writing campaign.
Who you callin' maverick ? From the original Mavericks.
Submitted on October 6th, 2008 by Agoram MuthukumaranGreat read.
Achtung : Corporate media warning - may require a login.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/05/weekinreview/05schwartz.html?_r=1&ei=5070&emc=eta1&oref=login
amk
Checkmate: McCain's New Attack Strategy...an Obama Trap
Submitted on October 6th, 2008 by Susan KitchensA good diary on DKos analyzes how Obama is, indeed, playing chess, and how with McCain losing options, it's looking like checkmate.
Working the Events...
Submitted on October 6th, 2008 by Pamela Hilliard...I have been a volunteer @ 2 Obama Events (along w/good ol' 84-yo Mom!), and I agree--it is amazing, as well as fun!
People don't realize how important it is how Obama inspires people to be their best!
Last July '07, just an email went out for volunteers for the NAACP Nat'l Convention. RSVPs to the emails were followed up with more emails and phone calls. When we got to Cobo Hall @ 7 a.m., there were hundreds of men, women, and children. The head honcho asked for people to be "team leaders" (you know I was one) and gave them TLs his cell # and marching orders! Whoever didn't have an O shirt got one.
There were so many of us, the Hillary people complained to security (after giving us dirty looks). The Edwards people had a band; but that wasn't enough to drown us out! It was heart-warming to see the Moms and Dads who pulled their teenagers out of bed at daylight to be a part of history! It was even more heartwarming to see people just walk up to us off the street to ask to be a part of the fun--and register them to vote on the spot!
It was flawless...and this was when Obama was supposed to be a naive newcomer who would be buried by Hillary!
None of the other campaigns did this bottom-up electronic organizing...
BTW: the only Republican who showed up at the NAACP National Convention was Tom Tancredo...everyone else had "scheduling problems"...like fundraisers that same day in nearby Republican counties...
BTW2: all of the *haters* out there think Black People are voting for Barack just because he's Black...NOT! He didn't have majority Black support until Iowa through South Carolina...we support him because he is the BEST candidate who we are so happy and proud just happens to be Black...
ooops, sorry, Al about the caps...trying hard to break that habit!
waterprise2 AKA Pam
Liberal with a Capital L!
"Barak"...
Submitted on October 6th, 2008 by Pamela Hilliard..."A Naphalite, who with Deborah, defeated Sisera, the leader of the Canaaanites, and obtained a great victory over him..." B.C. 1296 (See Judges Chapter 4, Verse 6)
from Young's Analytical Concordance of the Bible.
I put this here to remind people (including the trolls on comments on other sites) that "Barack" is a Hebrew name as well as an Arabic name and means "light" or "lightning".
Deborah called on Barak to help her lead the army she needed to defeat invaders in her country...
Our Barack is also a "light" for us and the people of America, who is leading the army of people who want America out of the hands of the neocons and back in the hands of the people...
waterprise2 AKA Pam
Liberal with a Capital L!
The Organizing of the President (tm)
Submitted on October 6th, 2008 by Suzy ShureThe Organizing of the President (tm). Al, will you please let us know as soon as we can preorder a copy. Will the book launch gatherings be part of the Field Hand Concerts for Change? Must remember to make sure you get your new guitar in time for tuning.
Wonder if the Boss will be available???????
Yes We Can
Yes We Will.
Another "read all about McCain here" portal of BO camp.
Submitted on October 6th, 2008 by Agoram Muthukumaranhttp://www.johnmccainrecord.com/
amk
Ayers to McCain embedded
Submitted on October 6th, 2008 by Joel WiensGreat news all around
Submitted on October 6th, 2008 by Karen DesmondThanks Al for the excellent report from Asheville. I've heard it's a beautiful place and I personally know five transplants from the communist areas of Northern VA who live there now, and I believe there are many more. It's funny - I was volunteering before Super Tuesday in NoVA with a woman from NC (black in her mid 30s) whose whole family still lived in NC and she was absolutely steadfast in her opinion that there was absolutely no way NC would go blue - I wonder what she thinks now? Your sentence on the chess of the campaign made me laugh out loud:
Great comments and news from many states (Nevada, Indiana, Georgia). Michael in NYC and others talking about Georgia did you read the story in 538.com today about Georgia?Does Nate Silver read Al at "The Field"?
Submitted on October 6th, 2008 by Catherine CainOf course he does! So in my little crazy head I want to believe (and don't trample on my little fantasy here) that me posting about Georgia on his website and here caused him to write a little story about it this morning. Yesterday I asked him (very nicely of course) to color Georgia light red versus dark red. So he did. What state should I ask for next? Darn. Looking at the map, there aren't that many solid reds left! Oh and... Good Morning!
@ Joel
Submitted on October 6th, 2008 by Russell JosephIn my opinion, that Ayers video is an unhelpful mess. The second half makes some perfectly credible, thoughtful and PERHAPS helpful ('perhaps' because they are philosophical) points which are completely negated by the first half which is a mish-mosh of rambling, sensationalistic, incoherently presented images and text.
Ayers comes across as a loon, and anyone propagating this video, I think, is doing the Obama campaign a deep disservice. Let them decide how best to address (or MINIMIZE) the discussion of Ayers. The more he talks or is talked about, the worse off Obama will be. Undecideds are highly unlikely to give Ayers the benefit of any doubt.
All a matter of time and money
Submitted on October 6th, 2008 by Karen DesmondNews from Ed Shultz
Submitted on October 6th, 2008 by Melissa (not verified)Sunday night I was told by Capitol Hill insiders the polling after Tuesday's debate will determine McCain's next shift in resources. McCain will trim operations in Minnesota this week and may be out of the state by the end of the week.
Obama has opened a solid double digit lead in the Gopher state. Some McCain insiders feel the state is already lost coupled by the fact that Al Franken is now leading Sen. Norm Coleman.
Sources with knowledge of the campaign are telling me this will be a crucial week for McCain. All Minnesota efforts will be reallocated to Ohio, Florida and possibly Virginia.
The McCain camp is now expecting the 527's to attack Obama on character in an attempt to shift the conversation and focus off the economy. One source told me tonight, "We are definitely in need of a game changer."
http://www.bigeddieradio.com/
Wow, Dow Jones plunging like a double anchor.
Submitted on October 6th, 2008 by Agoram MuthukumaranHitting 9700 mark already. Repugs must be so proud right now.
amk
report from PA
Submitted on October 6th, 2008 by oona (not verified)The Ayers video is a train wreck
Submitted on October 6th, 2008 by Tien Le (not verified)I agree with Russell. That video is a disaster area. There are barely two coherent thoughts strung together throughout. The visuals are worthless, the text makes no sense. It tells us nothing other than an interview he gave was used against him by someone in the press. Big deal. So what. Who cares? I'm disappointed. I was hoping that maybe this guy had grown up and moved on, but it's clear he's just as stuck iin the 60's as McCain. Pathetic.
My photos from Asheville Obama rally...
Submitted on October 6th, 2008 by Edgy Mama (not verified)here: http://www.mountainx.com/gallery/category/C88/.
Thanks for coming to Asheville!
The advance organizer's name is Paula.
The volunteers did a great job, except for some confusion in the press pen. We were sorely dehydrated for a while!