Comments on: IL-05 and Geoghegan: The Day After http://firedoglake.com/2009/03/04/il-05-and-geoghegan-the-day-after/ Firedoglake weblog Fri, 17 Feb 2012 13:03:06 -0600 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.2 By: Mauimom http://firedoglake.com/2009/03/04/il-05-and-geoghegan-the-day-after/#comment-1848687 Mauimom Thu, 05 Mar 2009 07:28:33 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2009/03/04/il-05-and-geoghegan-the-day-after/#comment-1848687 <p>My thoughts exactly, Teddy. Thanks for saying them so eloquently.</p> My thoughts exactly, Teddy. Thanks for saying them so eloquently.

]]> By: wmd1961 http://firedoglake.com/2009/03/04/il-05-and-geoghegan-the-day-after/#comment-1848637 wmd1961 Thu, 05 Mar 2009 06:24:09 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2009/03/04/il-05-and-geoghegan-the-day-after/#comment-1848637 <p>I ended up making some calls for Tom.</p> <p>I’d seen polling that had him coming in below 4th place. The response I had on calls was bad, many of the contacts didn’t know about him. The script I was using initially had me ask if they supported Tom, assuming the voter had some knowledge of the race and Tom’s positions. It would have been very helpful to lead with positions , or to lead with asking what the voter’s biggest concern is and then saying what Tom’s position is.</p> <p>After my first 5 calls I called Tom’s campaign office and told them the script wasn’t working for me and gave them suggestions like the above. I did get more details on Tom’s positions, script didn’t change. I ended up making another 5 calls.</p> <p>Initially I had planned on making about 60 calls.</p> I ended up making some calls for Tom.

I’d seen polling that had him coming in below 4th place. The response I had on calls was bad, many of the contacts didn’t know about him. The script I was using initially had me ask if they supported Tom, assuming the voter had some knowledge of the race and Tom’s positions. It would have been very helpful to lead with positions , or to lead with asking what the voter’s biggest concern is and then saying what Tom’s position is.

After my first 5 calls I called Tom’s campaign office and told them the script wasn’t working for me and gave them suggestions like the above. I did get more details on Tom’s positions, script didn’t change. I ended up making another 5 calls.

Initially I had planned on making about 60 calls.

]]> By: mack http://firedoglake.com/2009/03/04/il-05-and-geoghegan-the-day-after/#comment-1848501 mack Thu, 05 Mar 2009 03:35:00 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2009/03/04/il-05-and-geoghegan-the-day-after/#comment-1848501 <p>Sometimes tilting at windmills is important.<br /> Geoghegan did not run a stunning ground game, but I wrote a decent sized check 2 days before the election, not because Chris Bowers or anyone else said so, but because after meeting the man I couldn’t help it.<br /> A genuinely good and smart fellow.</p> Sometimes tilting at windmills is important.
Geoghegan did not run a stunning ground game, but I wrote a decent sized check 2 days before the election, not because Chris Bowers or anyone else said so, but because after meeting the man I couldn’t help it.
A genuinely good and smart fellow.

]]> By: Teddy Partridge http://firedoglake.com/2009/03/04/il-05-and-geoghegan-the-day-after/#comment-1848476 Teddy Partridge Thu, 05 Mar 2009 02:21:24 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2009/03/04/il-05-and-geoghegan-the-day-after/#comment-1848476 <p>Thank you, Jane. I don’t regret my pittance to Tom Geoghegan, because I was quite taken with his view that Social Security benefits need to increase in the wake of the collapse of the American peoples’ pension plans and 401(k)s. His statement did an excellent job of moving the “increase benefits” position in from the sphere of deviance.</p> <p>I am sorry he lost, but I am glad he made the race, and glad I sent him a little money. I would do it again, and hope to see better races run by candidates like him in the future.</p> <p>No apology is required from Bowers, and no blame of the “netroots” need be ascribed.</p> Thank you, Jane. I don’t regret my pittance to Tom Geoghegan, because I was quite taken with his view that Social Security benefits need to increase in the wake of the collapse of the American peoples’ pension plans and 401(k)s. His statement did an excellent job of moving the “increase benefits” position in from the sphere of deviance.

I am sorry he lost, but I am glad he made the race, and glad I sent him a little money. I would do it again, and hope to see better races run by candidates like him in the future.

No apology is required from Bowers, and no blame of the “netroots” need be ascribed.

]]> By: Phoenix Woman http://firedoglake.com/2009/03/04/il-05-and-geoghegan-the-day-after/#comment-1848470 Phoenix Woman Thu, 05 Mar 2009 01:42:02 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2009/03/04/il-05-and-geoghegan-the-day-after/#comment-1848470 <p>Thanks, Jane. To win races, one must have a ground game and allies willing to help you with it. We found that out with Dean in 2003-4 and again with Edwards four years later.</p> Thanks, Jane. To win races, one must have a ground game and allies willing to help you with it. We found that out with Dean in 2003-4 and again with Edwards four years later.

]]> By: Cujo359 http://firedoglake.com/2009/03/04/il-05-and-geoghegan-the-day-after/#comment-1848446 Cujo359 Thu, 05 Mar 2009 00:08:00 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2009/03/04/il-05-and-geoghegan-the-day-after/#comment-1848446 <p>I should also mention that often times <em>when</em> you make a decision can be the difference between being right and wrong. I could see myself early in this process backing someone like Geoghegan, thinking that he was good on the issues and therefore worth backing. I can also see myself, later in the process, asking the same questions Jane did: Where’s the organization? What’s the plan? Do we have resources in place? If I could see that the answers to those questions were unsatisfactory, I’d conclude that this candidacy wasn’t a happening thing.</p> <p>Recognizing signs of trouble early on will be key to ensuring that we don’t waste time and effort on campaigns that won’t work.</p> I should also mention that often times when you make a decision can be the difference between being right and wrong. I could see myself early in this process backing someone like Geoghegan, thinking that he was good on the issues and therefore worth backing. I can also see myself, later in the process, asking the same questions Jane did: Where’s the organization? What’s the plan? Do we have resources in place? If I could see that the answers to those questions were unsatisfactory, I’d conclude that this candidacy wasn’t a happening thing.

Recognizing signs of trouble early on will be key to ensuring that we don’t waste time and effort on campaigns that won’t work.

]]> By: Cujo359 http://firedoglake.com/2009/03/04/il-05-and-geoghegan-the-day-after/#comment-1848443 Cujo359 Wed, 04 Mar 2009 23:50:52 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2009/03/04/il-05-and-geoghegan-the-day-after/#comment-1848443 <p>I think point 4) is particularly important - the campaign wasn’t organized at a time when it should have been. Assuming you’re trying to win an election, backing such a candidate really will be a waste of time, unless he can already count on name recognition.</p> <p>Anyway, not backing this candidate at this time was a good decision.</p> <blockquote><p> But before anyone writes any articles about “netroots failures,” they need to allow for the fact that the netroots is a broad and heterogeneous group that doesn’t run in lockstep. At any given time any number of people or groups with a netroots presence can get behind a particular candidate. </p></blockquote> <p>Frankly, I wouldn’t have it any other way. Discussion and disagreement produce correct decisions, not lockstep adherence to the wishes of the leaders. That’s what <a href="http://cujo359.blogspot.com/2007/08/what-about-other-guys.html" rel="nofollow">The Other Guys</a> do, and it’s not working too well for them.</p> <p>Hey, even Chris Bowers can be wrong.</p> I think point 4) is particularly important – the campaign wasn’t organized at a time when it should have been. Assuming you’re trying to win an election, backing such a candidate really will be a waste of time, unless he can already count on name recognition.

Anyway, not backing this candidate at this time was a good decision.

But before anyone writes any articles about “netroots failures,” they need to allow for the fact that the netroots is a broad and heterogeneous group that doesn’t run in lockstep. At any given time any number of people or groups with a netroots presence can get behind a particular candidate.

Frankly, I wouldn’t have it any other way. Discussion and disagreement produce correct decisions, not lockstep adherence to the wishes of the leaders. That’s what The Other Guys do, and it’s not working too well for them.

Hey, even Chris Bowers can be wrong.

]]> By: RAMA http://firedoglake.com/2009/03/04/il-05-and-geoghegan-the-day-after/#comment-1848438 RAMA Wed, 04 Mar 2009 23:36:51 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2009/03/04/il-05-and-geoghegan-the-day-after/#comment-1848438 <p>At this point, blogs are more organizational than actual campaign tools</p> At this point, blogs are more organizational than actual campaign tools

]]> By: conniptionfit http://firedoglake.com/2009/03/04/il-05-and-geoghegan-the-day-after/#comment-1848435 conniptionfit Wed, 04 Mar 2009 23:24:44 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2009/03/04/il-05-and-geoghegan-the-day-after/#comment-1848435 <p>At the risk of being rude, the DCCC makes those assessments, too. And we see the Democrats that has gotten us. And I’m pretty sure that BA assessments will garner much the same results, because, heck, “progressive ” polls about as well as “commie pinko” Perhaps instead of just money, BA could be offering expertise for running a winnable progressive campaign.</p> At the risk of being rude, the DCCC makes those assessments, too. And we see the Democrats that has gotten us. And I’m pretty sure that BA assessments will garner much the same results, because, heck, “progressive ” polls about as well as “commie pinko” Perhaps instead of just money, BA could be offering expertise for running a winnable progressive campaign.

]]> By: cosanostradamus http://firedoglake.com/2009/03/04/il-05-and-geoghegan-the-day-after/#comment-1848433 cosanostradamus Wed, 04 Mar 2009 23:15:51 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2009/03/04/il-05-and-geoghegan-the-day-after/#comment-1848433 <p>.<br /> Help change the “Mainstream” media, while you’re at it: </p> <p>Boycott the pigs: <a href="http://blog-me-no-blogs.blogspot.com/2009/03/boycott-sow-rush-limbaughs-sponsors.html" rel="nofollow">Rush & Rupert’s</a> excellent corp[orate & sponsor contact info.<br /> .</p> .
Help change the “Mainstream” media, while you’re at it:

Boycott the pigs: Rush & Rupert’s excellent corp[orate & sponsor contact info.
.

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