Some observations re: Iowa

[sandnsea]

Our little group of folks who called and visited Iowa during the primaries came up with some observations at the time. I thought I'd share them, take them or leave them as you see fit.

People generally were not impressed with "I took two weeks off work" OR "I came all the way from..." They either thought you were screwing with their election or you didn't relate to them because they sure as hell couldn't take time off work. We ended up trying to relate to the local community instead. At least as far as I'm aware of. If you go out of state, do what they tell you to do. They know where you're best suited to help.

Stay on message. Whatever the campaign's message is, that's your message. Every person has their own opinion, I actually do have opinions on how I think this campaign could do even better. Doesn't matter, I stay on message (and drive y'all crazy). Alot of the time, what they're doing doesn't become clear until later anyway. You're for buying into the federal health plan, for full funding of federal education requirements (it reduces local taxes too), stopping corporate tax loopholes, raising the taxes on only the top 2%, bringing the world to our side again. These strategies have been tested, use them.

Put your emotions in the trash bin. Don't think about tomorrow. Don't even think about Nov 2. It's today, what can I do today to get a vote. Can you look yourself in the mirror and say you did everything you could do today to win this election?

As my sig line has said for a year now...

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. Be RELENTLESS. NO Retreat. NO Surrender.

[sandnsea]

1. just a little kick

for those headed out for the day.

[TexasSissy]

2. Here's a tip I saw on TV after the Iowa caucuses.

TV talked to some Iowa residents about why they didn't vote for Dean and the like, all the boots on the ground helpers, etc.

A couple of Iowans made the comment that they resented young people (Dean's boots on the ground helpers were young, for the most part) coming to their doors and presuming to tell them, middleaged people, who they should be voting for.

I think it would be helpful for the young volunteers to be sensitive to this issue and respectful to those Iowan voters who are older than they are, possibly phrasing things in such a way as not to "tell" them who they should vote for (suggest, point out why THEY THINK a vote for Kerry would be the right thing). Just passing it along.

[sandnsea]

3. Not just Iowa

any state they go to. That's what the point of the post was, stuff we learned from Iowa that I'd like other primary supporters to know.