I have a little story to tell. Originally, it was just a nice little tale, but when I got home today I realized that it was a LOT more interesting than I had originally thought. My story is not about changing minds or persuading a voter, but it is about how the netroots can be powerful in the most remote of places.
I work at Damon's Grill in Canton, Ohio. I am in charge of their marketing department and I also am one of their servers on the weekends. I really like both positions, because I always was good at connecting with people and the marketing position gives me a great opportunity to implement new ideas into a saturated restaurant market (plus, both it's a great way to keep things going until I can get back into campaign mode next year).
This afternoon, I was talking to a fellow server who casually mentioned that a family at one of his tables was from Connecticut (they were watching the Red Sox game during their lunch).
I don't know many people in CT, and the ones I do know are already voting for Ned Lamont, so I don't really have any chances to persuade a voter to cast their ballot next week for Ned. So I saw this as a great opportunity.
I approached the table and said "I hear you're from Connecticut." When the father resonded in the affirmative, I asked if they were politically active. Another 'yes' followed. So I went for it.
"Can I ask you to do me a favor and vote for Ned Lamont on August 8th?"
The father smiled and told me that they already planned to. With a handshake, we began a short discussion about Nedrenaline. Apparently, my guest knows Campaign Manager Tom Swan, and therefore already knew everything he needed to cast his ballot. With my own tables needing a little attention, I thanked the man and his family and left them to their lunch. I never saw them leave, but I thought that it was nice to have made a connection.
I know I didn't change a vote, and I didn't provide any change today. But i did think that it was neat to have that opportunity and I was happy to have done it.
Then I got home and realized the impact of the netroots.
The father called the Lamont campaign and told them about the chance encounter. Tim Tagaris (who was my Communications Director in 2004) posted it in the above diary on the Lamont blog. That's when I started to think about it.
And this conversation happened at about 2pm today! By the time I even got home from work at 8, the story was already at Lamont HQ and on the blog! That's pretty cool.
This family was on vacation from CT, visiting the Pro Football Hall Of Fame. Probably not being bombarded with TV ads and mailers and robo-calls, and relaxing away from it all. They never expected to even HEAR the name Ned Lamont, let alone have some random waiter ask them to vote for him.
Without the netroots, I would never have been motivated to ask for their vote on the 8th. Hell, I wouldn't even know who Ned Lamont even IS without the netroots.
I don't know exactly what message this story provides. But it's pretty darn cool.
Oh, and by the way.....two topics that NEVER came up in the course of the conversation with the family.
-Joe Lieberman
-The War In Iraq
Do you need any more proof that this is NOT an anti-Lieberman or an anti-war campaign?
And to whoever my mystery family was, have a happy vacation, and thanks for making a difference on August 8th.
Jeff Seemann