I'm a Hillary supporter but THIS Obama article swayed me: "Obama's Consolidation of the Party"

[BigBearJohn]

The primary has been exceptionally good for party building. Obama has created a number of significant infrastructure pieces through his campaign, displacing traditional groups the way he promised he would by signaling the end of the old politics of division and partisanship.

Voter Registration: Obama has launched a 50 state registration drive.
"That's why I'm so proud that today our campaign announced a massive volunteer-led voter registration drive in all 50 states to help ensure every single eligible voter takes part in this election so we can take back Washington for the American people."
I have heard from several sources that the Obama campaign is sending out signals to donors, specifically at last weekend's Democracy Alliance convention, to stop giving to outside groups, including America Votes. The campaign also circulated negative press reports about Women's Voices Women's Vote, implying voter suppression.


Obama Organizing Fellows: Here's Obama describing them:

Basically what we've done is we've been attracting so much volunteer talent, so many young people who have gotten involved in the campaign, that we wanted to give a handful of them an opportunity to have some more intensive training. So we've asked them to apply for fellowships. I think they're called Obama Fellows. They will get intensive training, and they will be put on staff and will have an experience, starting in June.
These are unpaid positions, and they will be used to do field organizing, message, and helping to "continue to build the movement". This is pure leadership development, though it continues the class-based diminution of talent by refusing to pay, a problem outlined in Crashing the Gates.


Money: MyBarackObama.com: With 1.5 million donors, this campaign has blown away anything we've ever seen in terms of grassroots fundraising. The technology is all centralized, so Obama knows the name, address, giving patterns, and occupation of every donor out there, as well as social networking information, like who the best raisers are. He has bypassed Actblue, and will probably end up building in a Congressional slate feature to further party build while keeping control of the data.

One email from Moveon to their full list can bring in between $100k to $1M for a candidate, with $1M being the very top end of the range. With one good email to his list, in a few months, Obama will probably be able to bring in $1-3M for a Senate candidate under attack or split that among several. 10-20% of the money going to Senate candidates this cycle might come from Barack Obama's internet operation. Stunning.


Field: MyBarackObama.com (MyBO): MyBarackObama.com is the cornerstone of the campaign, and it will have between 10-15 million opt-in members by election day. This group can be used for lobbying on legislation, GOTV, and donations. It's a cross between Moveon.org and the DNC, and with the White House, it can transform progressive politics and further amplify the power of the Presidency. As coordinated campaigns pick up, and the top of the ticket brings coattails, organizing power is going to further flow to the Obama campaign.


Message and Politics: MyBarackObama.com: Obama used YouTube to push back on Reverend Wright, something he will continue to do to move beyond sound bite politics. He has a good press shop and a way to push message out to the web. The campaign has also, despite thousands of interviews with a huge number of outlets, refused to have Obama interact on progressive blogs. The Fox News situation, where Obama went on Fox News and mismanaged communications, drew criticism from Moveon because taking down Fox News has been a key strategic goal of that organization; nevertheless, the group supported him because of overwhelming adulation from their membership.

SOURCE: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/matt-stoller/obamas-consolidation-of-t_b_100783.html

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Ok. I'm human. THIS moved me. I'm liking Obama more and more.

[SeattleGirl]

Barack is not perfect by any means.

After Edwards dropped out, I looked at both Obama's and Clinton's websites, and saw they were somewhat similar.

But what I see in Obama that I don't see in Clinton is a way to bring us together to an extent many of us have not seen in years.

I know a lot of people won't agree with that, but that's what I see, and that's what I think we need right now.

[democracy1st]

3. there's no such thing as a perfect politician,never has been never will be

they are human just like all of us

[SeattleGirl]

5. Yep!

It gets tiresome, hearing people yammer for perfection.

[democracy1st]

1. impressive K & R

thanks for the link bigbear,and come on board

[TragedyandHope]

2. Welcome!

Click this image for the voter registration drive link

[Skidmore]

4. This type of organization, both political and community, is what we saw in Iowa.

It went beyond the ability to marshal people and resources to get our votes but he left behind him here volunteer networks which did everything from planting trees to helping old ladies get places. He was teaching people how to come out to help their community and that type of organization had no political labelling attached to it. It connected the community to the political system in tangible ways. That was one of the things we like about Obama here. He spoke to us like adults, he listened to us, and he had ideas that allowed us to participate. Participation in your governance is what true power for the people is, after all.

[Boz]

6. Thank you for taking another look, Obamas volunteers are not just politically

active, take here in california. After the campaign slowed and others were busy phonebanking for other sates, other Obama groups began doing coordinated community service together, cleaning neighborhoods, building playgrounds, habitat for humanity staffing and other community restoration activities.

It really is a movement and while there have been those that have been proselytizing from a political standpoint there have been many more that when they said Hillary Clinton supporters just can't see it, they were talking about these type of things too.

His community organizing roots have already impacted small amounts all across the United states and they are rolling larger and larger daily.

This isnt just about the presidency and politics.

It really is about empowering people to help people.

[chknltl]

7. Off to greatest page with this

Well said. :grouphug: bookmarked

[futureliveshere]

8. Thats great news... Welcome... There are many more reasons

But all in good time..


:hi:

[melody]

9. Very cool and reflective post, BBJ n/t

[intaglio]

10. Damn! I was hoping to argue with you some more

In truth I know this has been a painful period for you and others who, like you, think about your politics. Remember tho' - Obama is not perfect and neither is his campaign. He is a politician with faults and weaknesses of greater magnitude than most people and despite that I think he has the chance to be a great US president.

It is said that in the Roman Republic/Empire when a General was awarded a "Triumph" a slave rode in his chariot holding the laurels over his head and whispering "Remember, you are not a God". There are no longer slaves who do that so ordinary people must take that part and remind the victor "you are no God, just President"

[eridani]

11. The notion that he is trashing outside groups is nonsense

He wants people on the same page and not duplicating work and reinventing the wheel. This is the ONLY presidential campaign which even attempted to work with our state party to avoid duplication of effort. (Not countind Kucinich--he didn't have professional staffers who might try to take over and ignore local efforts anyway.)

In 2004, the coordinated campaign just bopped in and started giving orders. They didn't care at all about which precincts weren't covered by PCOs and therefore could have used more help. They paid not the slightest attention to work already done by the legislative district and county organizations. The Obama campaign is into total information sharing. He's using the VAN voter lists and inputting anything from his campaign workers directly into our state database. The state party still has no answer from the Clinton campaign about voter registration help.

[Boz]

13. Unfourtunately Hillary Clintons campaign has an obligation to the DLC

When it comes to voter registration information sharing. The DLC purchased theirr OWN copies of the previous rolls and her campaign is expanding that data set rather than the DNC.

In addition her campaign rented/sold the data license for use to InfoUSA in December, so she may be precluded from sharing with the DNC by that obligation also.

[eridani]

14. That really sucks

The DNC project is really good.

[Boz]

12. Obamas Organization and Fundraising size has surpassed the 2000 DNC

Democratic involvement for both the primary and general combined.

He has worked with Howard Dean to operate a down ticket fundraising effort for the current DNC and it has begun showing fruit for all Democrats needs.

[uberblonde]

15. So you liked the part...

About the Obama people discouraging them from donating to any independent Dem groups, like VoteVets?

Wasn't exactly reassuring to me.

Meet the new boss...

[Zachstar]

16. Welcome

[Window]

17. K/R.

:kick:

[NashVegas]

18. Here's Another Article For You

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,922060,00.html

Read page 2 for some interesting parallels.

[shrub chipper]

19. Thanks

for being open minded!

Let's move past the rancor and kick McPain's ass!!

[Creideiki]

20. Not yet

No explanation of advisors like Meeks, Nunn, and Boren.

No apology for putting McClurkin on the stage (the most minor point).

No softening figure that he wouldn't veto civil rights from the right.

No fundamental understanding that gay people are as human as he is.

So, no, not getting moved yet.

[WillyT]

21. K & R !!!

:bounce:

[invictus]

22. K & R

[dionysus]

23. cool.

kick