Camp Obama: Volunteers urged to avoid talking about policy, focus on how they "came" to Mr. Obama.

Yikes!

http://www.talkleft.com/story/2008/2/17/21316/3316

On Edit: I linked to Jeralyn's discussion of this on Talk Left, but the story comes from the NY Times. Here's the original link:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/17/weekinreview/17zernike.html?_r=2&pagewanted=2&ref=us&oref=slogin

<edit>

Accounts of the campaign’s “Camp Obama” sessions, to train volunteers, have a revivalist flavor. Volunteers are urged to avoid talking about policy to potential voters, and instead tell of how they “came” to Mr. Obama.

“If you don’t talk about issues in great detail, if you do it in a way that is not the centerpiece of your campaign, of your rhetoric, then you become a blank screen,” Mr. Wilentz said. “Everybody thinks you are the vehicle of their hopes.”

“To confuse this with Teddy Roosevelt or J.F.K. or F.D.R. is to make a fundamental historical error,” he said. “It’s confusing the offer of leadership with the offer of redemption. One offers specific programs, the other is hope and change. Certainly F.D.R. gave hope, but he was going to do it through these various programs.”

more...

attention span. Let Obama talk about policy; if people are interested, they'll tune in, or look his website up.

Some people are smarter than others; simple truth. I would see right through someone trying to convince me of some kind of evangelical movement using testimonials of how they "came" to something. I grew up in SW MO (Bible Belt, meet Buckle). However, many others, especially those who have been wooed by Rove, need and want people to make decisions for them. This is a manipulative strategy, no doubt, but one that can get folks from the other side to switch parties in this election and, who knows, maybe that is the first step for them to come out of the darkness and see the light.

(not an endoresement of the strategy, just an observation of the purpose of its usage.)

It reflects the fact people should vote for him but don't want them to know his policy.

You need to look up the definition of the word "fact". Prove that Obama supporters don't want voters to know where Obama stands on policy issues. LOL.

Or are you just going to piss in the wind?

There is NO EVIDENCE THAT IT IS TRUE. If you go to the link, you'll see what I mean. The poster at TalkLeft took quite a few paragraphs from other sites out of context.

NICE TRY, KARMADILLO!

nt

I'm an Obama volunteer. We're encouraged to tell people why we support Obama BECAUSE WE'RE OFTEN ASKED THAT QUESTION. We're NEVER told to avoid talking about specifics.

When I attended my local indoctrination Obama organizational meeting, we were told nothing of the sort. Everyone there had their own particular issues & were read up on them. On my way out of the meeting (we met at a restaurant), however, I found a couple of friends dining there who told me they were still undecided & really didn't care because at least whoever was going to be president wasn't Bush. They didn't want to listen to issues, so I told them why I felt inspired by the campaign. They responded to that & said they'd look more closely at Obama.

dg

I'm also a volunteer with Obama and I've never been told to avoid talking about specifics. It's all BS.

to have them talk about what's important to them rather than on specific policy that they might get wrong (which ANY candidate's volunteers might get wrong)

Every loyal Bushie has a similar story to tell. It's pure crap.

I have worked on campaigns before. No way I would encourage volunteers to talk about policy other than a few basic positions. I don't want them to mislead anyone, or force them to memorize all his positions. I would tell them to have the person look up the policy position on his website or call the headquarters.

I have talked to several Obama supporters who want to help, but are terrified at the thought of getting into a political discussion with people, because they are so new to politics and just don't think they could hold their own if confronted by someone who wants to debate them. They feel more comfortable with the idea of talking about why they decided to support him, than having to talk about policy points. So if some less experienced volunteers will feel better about that, then that's fine by me. They'll learn more and get more comfortable as they get out there.

just what makes them feel good. Oi.

A few weeks ago, I shut the door in the face of a teenager who was trying to tell me that Jesus loves me and has a plan for my life. Sounds like Obama's followers are cut from the same cloth.

Mighty democratic of you. :eyes:

These folks heard ideas they liked and they got excited for the first time and want to get involved. I won't tell them "Sorry, you failed the policy test. You can't play."

We need every Democratic voter we can get. That is how we will continue to grow the party. Yet Clinton supporters think it's bad that we have "newbies" and disillusioned Republicans supporting Obama. Well, lets see how you will grow the party with exclusivity!

To me that is why Obama is going to win. Inclusiveness, not wonkishness. This may not please many wonks here, but as you say, we need every voter we can get, and especially the independents.

The newbies are the future. :D

and who they DON'T WANT to vote for. :)

They also gave me a bunch to hand out to people.

I was expected to be able to defend my candidate on issues. I went door to door, manned button tables on corners, flew upstate to go door to door...

Of course, that was a long time ago, when Americans could read.

You should know better. Didn't your mother teach you anything?

You're outright LYING and you seem to be proud of it.
Posted by zanne


You should know better. Didn't your mother teach you anything?

<http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/obama/540781,CST-NWS-camp04.stng>

The next tip is to be absolutely ruthless," Jocelyn Woodards tells the campers. "We want you to be determined, ambitious, take a risk."

No toasted marshmallows here. This is the second day of Camp Obama, a two-day (sometimes four-day) intensive training course in becoming an activist to help get Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) elected president.

"It's not enough for you to be a supporter of Barack. You have to go out and build an organization that will deliver votes for Barack Obama," Woodards tells the 40 campers -- most in their 20s -- from around the country gathered at the campaign's national headquarters in the West Loop.

Obama is not like other candidates, and part of this training is learning to mimic the methods he used before he was an elected official -- back when he was a community organizer in Chicago following the textbook of legendary agitator Saul Alinsky.

-more-

So could QC stop insulting Hillary by showing a woman giving the Fascist salute with two brownshirts in attendance to the accompanyment of a well drilled choir?

I do not think it serves the Obama campaign well to draw such a parallel

misconceptions like mine could harm the Clinton campaign

But others see in this same language a more cynical cult of personality.

“What is troubling about the campaign is that it’s gone beyond hope and change to redemption,” said Sean Wilentz, a historian at Princeton (and a longtime friend of the Clintons). “It’s posing as a figure who is the one person who will redeem our politics. And what I fear is, that ends up promising more from politics than politics can deliver.”

From the day Mr. Obama announced his candidacy, he has billed it as a movement, and himself as the agent of generational change. He has mocked his rival, Hillary Rodham Clinton, for accusing him of raising “false hopes.” “We don’t need leaders who are telling us what we cannot do,” he said in New Hampshire. “We need a president who can tell us what we can do! What we can accomplish! Where we can take this country!”

Pity, because he's been a leading progressive voice in the American academy for many years, but none of that matters anymore: he has rejected the Obamassiah.

who have dared to resist "the movement."

I am going to an Obama organizational meeting in an hour. If they offer me kool-aid I will be sure to pass!!!!!! Ommmmmmmm Obama is the Father....Ommmmm Obama is the Father. I think that religion in politics has brought this country to its knees. I will let you know how the rival goes in Newark, Ohio today and pass our bible verses along as well. I know how important it is for us to all be on the same page. Peace, Kim

I've been practicing my conversion speech all morning! :sarcasm: LOL

In fact policy is a huge topic and drawing contrasts between his plans and the (then) other candidates.

The policy focus was health care, education, taxes, social security, housing crisis, and the military.

Michelle did talk about character and integrity once.

:rofl:

:rofl:

:hi: fellow cult member!

dg

So it's a cult now?

Great. Be sure and let me know when the next cult meeting is. I would hate to miss the mind control session. :rofl:

not until I receive proof that you've shaved your head.

:rofl: :loveya:

dg

:crazy:

VolcanoJen has been to a volunteer organizational meeting in Cincinnati, OH. We also have several other DU'ers working for the campaign in TX. One DUer this morning also mentioned that she was going to a volunteer meeting in OH.

I don't think any of us have ever heard or seen anything having to do with "conversions." If we had, we'd probably have reported it by now. In the meetings I attended, respect for and politeness towards others was emphasized.

it is Sunday in the Homeland.

But seriously I suspect it's a mixed bag.

I went into the local Obama headquarters with serious policy questions and not a single individual, four college students, was capable of answering any of my questions that were specific to Obama's policies. The questions were not arcane- Health Care, Iraq, Advisers, Tort Reform. Anecdotal but that's what happened.

But even here we find a paucity of discussion on substantive issues relating to Obama.

What's everyone so worked up about? Obama is a centrist Dem at a time when the party has veered to the right.

Obama voted to re-authorize The Patriot Act.

Voted for Condi.

Opposed Feingold's censure resolution.

Calls for 100,000 additional forces and more funding to the largest/bloated military in the world.

His "solution" for the subprime crisis is further right than even Clinton's.

His health care proposal is just another "market-based" solution to a social need.

He plans on increasing US aggression in Pakistan-Afghanistan.

Why all the fuss?

It is fascinating.

Jeez.

the other candidate sucks ass!

You lie

I see far more 'do as we say, not what you think is right' coming from the Hillary campaign. There is an arrogance in her campaign which seem to grow as she drops in the polls and the delegate count. Instead of focusing on issues and Hillary's stance, and giving us a REASON to support her, we are criticized for not swallowing her as our next great savior.

I have told about this before but I will tell it again. I am the political chair for 2 different DFA groups here. We train grassroots campaign workers. Claire McCaskill's staff told one of my groups that she would not have won this city in her 2006 election without the work and support of our group members. We are not the most powerful political group in town, but we are a player. About a year ago, we were contacted by the local reps from the Obama campaign. They have been coming to our monthly meetings ever since. A few months after the Obama people contacted us, the Edwards group contacted us. Then Kucinich. And Dodd. And Richardson. By this past September, all of those campaigns had approached both of my groups and regularly send reps to our meetings and events.

I am also active in my local county and congressional district Democratic party groups. All of the above mentioned campaigns have come to at least one (usually more) of our meetings and handed out literature and tried to sell us on their candidate.

EXCEPT HILLARY.

I can sort of understand Hillary's campaign avoiding DFA. It is a very progressive organization and Hillary seems to be appealing to the moderate and conservative wing of the party. But it makes ZERO sense that her campaign would ignore the Democratic party here.

Hillary finally opened an office here. I called and asked if they wanted to come to our DFA meeting and bring literature and maybe speak for a few minutes. Their response stunned me. I have been doing this for years now and it was the first time a campaign wasn't thrilled to hear a political group wanted more information and wanted them to come speak to our members. Hillary's campaign wanted me to sign up and send volunteers to THEM. They are just too busy to come talk to US. I said but you can sign up as many volunteers as you can get at our meetings, and network with the most active grassroots activists in the area. But no, they couldn't trouble themselves to come meet with us. The person I talked to didn't even ask for my name or contact info, which spoke volumes about their interest in me or my groups.

Bill Clinton was here a few weeks ago. I went to hear him speak and they asked for my name and phone number at the door. The next day I got a phone call from a Hillary campaign worker asking me for a donation or to volunteer. I said thanks for the call but I am supporting John Edwards. The campaign worker asked why did I go to a Hillary campaign event and give my name and number if I didn't support Hillary. I explained I went to hear Bill Clinton speak. And the worker said "BUT IT WAS A HILLARY CAMPAIGN EVENT!" I said I know but I am supporting Edwards at this time. And the worker HUNG UP ON ME.

I see this same arrogant attitude in many of Hillary's supporters here. DUers I used to like and respect have turned into Hillary activists who are demanding my loyalty because . . . well I guess because she is HILLARY.

A few days after Kucinich dropped out, I was contacted by both Edwards and Obama's people here asking for my support. Hillary didn't call me. The day after Edwards dropped out, the Obama campaign called me and not only asked me to volunteer but asked me to lend my talents and experience to the local campaign. No I am not that important but it sure meant a lot to me that they thought I could actually contribute something to the group.

Hillary has yet to call since the campaign worker hung up on me.

I know this is only one metropolitan area and DU is only one of many discussion boards. But more and more I sense this arrogant 'you are with us or you are against us' attitude from the Hillary camp that is more reflective of Republican party politics than Democratic groups and candidates. It certainly is not very progressive.

So rather than being persuaded to worship at the altar of Obama, I can honestly say his campaign EARNED my support. Since there is very little difference in the platforms of our two candidates, I honestly could have been persuaded to go either way when Edwards dropped out. No I have never been a big fan of Hillary but I could have been won over. If they had tried.

So that's how I came to be an Obama supporter. No magic, no cultish attitude, no promises. Just a few phone calls asking for my help. If Hillary tried that, she might not see her numbers dropping at this time.

:applause: :applause: :applause:

Put your helmet on. Or grab the popcorn. LOL

:rofl:

Camp.

:kick: and rec

...whenever someone would come up to volunteer to help out at an event, I would absolutely make sure they DON'T talk about policy until they talk with me first. They also don't trash other candidates either. This is done based on past experiences.

I once had someone come up to the Obama table at an event and want to volunteer. It was so busy that I didn't get to talk with the person first and I ended up having to tell the person to leave. This person was screaming at people with erroneous information as well as was trying to collect money for stickers in the venue that didn't allow monetary transactions. After this person started singing a song loudly that I thought was inappropriate, I grabbed the person and told them to scram.

Depending on the issue and what a grasp people have on facts about an issue, it can be a disaster if you just let people go on their own while representing a campaign. It's better to have issue papers to hand out with campaign merchandise.

This is typical of all campaigns, hardly unique to Obama's. They want supporters to motivate others, and talking of policy to someone who is uncommitted can just sound like noise.

Camp Obama sets on shifting sands.

I talked to one gentleman about Obama's position on immigration and Iraq for about 20 minutes or so. He liked what I had to say.

last week telling me how they came to Gawd. I told them to get the fuck off my porch.