Price for Obama tickets? Activism (Denver Post)

[highplainsdem]

http://www.denverpost.com/telecom/ci_9976737

The crowd enveloping Barack Obama when he accepts the Democratic nomination for president at Invesco Field at Mile High will be asked to get to work for the privilege of witnessing the historic event live.

In a half-hour interview Wednesday with The Denver Post, Obama's deputy campaign manager, Steve Hildebrand, said he wants to use the ticketing process as a massive recruitment tool meant to bring in supporters from all 50 states and energize them to carry the campaign into the final 60 days of the general election.

"We're going to ask those 80,000 people in that stadium to march out of there and go with very specific instructions and goals to register millions of new voters," Hildebrand said.

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The Democratic National Convention Committee will work with the campaign and with state party officials to distribute the community credentials. Formulas for the states and longtime supporters and a small percentage of overflow, or standby, credentials are being worked out.

Hildebrand said that to ensure that the campaign fills the stadium, the application process becomes in and of itself a recruiting tool.

"Every single person is going to be a level of seriousness," Hildebrand said. "You know, 'Tell us how you're going to get there from Maine. Tell us how you're going to get there from Florida. Give us a sense of whether or not you're really serious about this. If you're not, we're going to provide someone else with this.' "

Those who want a seat will begin the process at their local Democratic Party office. While demonstrating their ability to attend, they also will be encouraged to sign on to the campaign as volunteers.

"They fill out a form; there's a conversation," Hildebrand said. "We ask them and encourage them to register voters and to get out the vote and those activities that are important to us. It's not a requirement, but it's going to be an encouragement."

-snip-

More at the link.

[peace13]

1. I'm all for activism but when will Obama reach out to those folks who are already registered?

In Ohio we have registered voters who may or may not vote for him. Don't get me wrong, these people will vote and that is the concern. As a person in the trenches I see this tactic as flawed. Sooner or later he will have to add some meat to those potatoes. Please don't flame me. I have done the house party route, walked the community fair for signatures and finally purchased 500 buttons and bumper stickers to do this thing my way. Keep up the good work guys! peace, Kim