Live from OH-2: Stop the Calls!!! (It's too successful!!) UPDATED

Hint, Hint....

Update [2005-7-31 12:18:26 by Tracy Joan]: Look for an important update around 1 p.m....

From Hackett Headquarters:

The response from the national Kos community has been tremendous, but at the time we need to ask that anyone who has been phonebanking from home, stop making calls to Ohio.

At this time the campaign is asking that your wonderful time be re-directed towards new efforts.  

Keep reading to see how you can help...

In just a few short days the number of calls made has reached into the thousands from people willing to work from home all across the country to send Paul Hackett to Congress.  The residents of Ohio's 2nd district have heard from California, Texas, New York, Michigan, Florida...the list goes on and on...

We can't thank you enough - but we need your help with a few more things....

Write a letter to the editor of:

The Post:
[e-mail]

AND

The Inquirer:
http://www.enquirer.com/editor/letters.html

Call in to radio stations like WLW with Bill Cunningham - who needs to hear how many people are supporting Paul Hackett for Congress.

700 WLW AM: Talk Lines: [phone] or toll-free (*800) 843-2441. You can also dial #700 on your Cingular Wireless phone if you live in the area.

http://www.700wlw.com/contact.html

Contact any friends you have in Ohio and tell them about Paul.  Then ask them to call their friends.  

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

[Update] Things are hoppin' here. I just got off the phone with a guy from Colorado, who wants to do what he can.

I got a call from a grandma in Mass who donated $500.00 because her sister is "wild" about Hackett and lives here in Ohio.

We are feeling the love.

•  p.s....

  There is also still time to make it to Ohio before election day!!!!

  by Tracy Joan on Sat Jul 30, 2005 at 10:03:59 PM PDT

  •  I'm Confused

    Sorry I'm not trying to bash, and I'm dying for Hackett to win - just a little perspective. Wasn't it Ohio that rebuked the British effort to effect the election with letter-writing, and didn't our storming efforts ultimately have a negative impact on Dean's Iowa results? I know we all want to help, but it seems as if the message has been clearly sent that "outsiders" trying to influence elections not only doesn't help, but can actually hurt. It sounds as if the Hackett campaign here it trying to gently suggest positive things to do while also obviously asking folks outside Ohio to stop calling people.

    Sending money and talking to folks we know who live in that district, even going to volunteer, all sound useful. But if I was listening to local talk radio and heard a string of out-of-staters call in, I think it would make me grimace.

    by DonBinTN on Sun Jul 31, 2005 at 10:12:38 AM PDT

•  If you insist!

  What time should we call?

  Are there particular shows to call in on?

  Are there links to live feeds for the stations in question so we can hear the discussion and prepare to call.

  I'll E-mail those that are heading up the phone from home drive here at Dkos.

  by Tomtech on Sat Jul 30, 2005 at 10:05:04 PM PDT

  •  Shows to Call

    55KRC - Cincy
    Morning Show with Jerry Thomas and Craig Kopp
    5am-9am 513 749 5800

    700 AM - especially Mike McConnell

    [phone]

    Jim Scott - Weekdays, 5 - 9AM
    Mike Mconnell - Weekdays, 9AM - Noon
    Bill Cunningham - Weekdays 12:20 - 3PM
    Gary Burbank - Weekdays 3:00 - 6PM
    Scott Sloan - Weeknights 9PM-Midnight

    Let's get a pro-Hackett, positive message out in full force.  

    by Tracy Joan on Sat Jul 30, 2005 at 10:12:08 PM PDT

    •  be warned:

      This guy...

      Scott Sloan - Weeknights 9PM-Midnight

      ...is a vile, lying Hannity-wannabe who has already tried to slime Hackett repeatedly.  

      Come prepared.

      by chumley on Sat Jul 30, 2005 at 11:23:31 PM PDT

      •  People calling from NYC

        Don't say you're from New York or Manhattan or Queens.

        Say you're calling from "Kips Bay" or "Long Island City" or "Sunnyside"

        Because you are.  That's your little neighborhood.

        by Ptolemy on Sun Jul 31, 2005 at 04:37:35 AM PDT

        •  Smart idea but ...

          somehow I don't think the "Upper West Side" will be taken as a nice little neighborhood.

          Think I'll say I'm just visiting. I'm actually from Manhattan ... Kansas!

          by matt n nyc on Sun Jul 31, 2005 at 09:45:53 AM PDT

          •  It's not the Upper West Side

            It's Westside or Westpark.

            by Ptolemy on Sun Jul 31, 2005 at 11:04:10 AM PDT

    •  National Folks: Please stay national

      Encourage local people to call in please. And BTW, the Burbank show is comedy, people tune in for comic relief. Try calling Springer in the morning, 1230 the Buzz, the Af-Am talk station (there may be black voters and swing voters there). If on Monday morning, the Diane Rhem show picks up on this race, you can call her show and give comments-WVXU 91.7 is a local station that reaches everyone.

      Do not call people before noon, and ask if someone has already called first-or better yet, call the Hackett campaign and ask if calling is needed. Sunday is a sensitive day around here.

      by CarolDuhart on Sun Jul 31, 2005 at 06:22:57 AM PDT

    •  PLEASE, PLAEASE be careful about this

      The enthusisim is wonderful, the desire to do something admirable, but please be careful what you do.

      Calling either Gary Burbank or Jim Scott to talk about Hackett is a mistake.  They never talk politics and trying to bring it up on their shows will look ill-informed and out of place.

      Be prepared to know specifically what you're talking about if you call.  These guys are tough and can make a fool of you if you're not.  Out of town calls to radio shows probably don't help.  All politics is local after all, and voters here are pretty parochial in a lot of ways.

      Poorly informed calls to the wrong shows can do more damage that they can help.  

      by calebfaux on Sun Jul 31, 2005 at 09:54:14 AM PDT

  •  Live feed for 700 AM

    http://www.700wlw.com/billcunningham.html

    by Tracy Joan on Sat Jul 30, 2005 at 10:13:35 PM PDT

    •  Caution

      Cunningham, quite simply put, is the lowest scumbag right winger in this country.

      He called Kerry a child rapist during the presidential campaign.  I called in to argue with him but waited 30 minutes on hold and finally gave up.  

      Be prepared to have to fight like hell to get on the air with Cunningham, and be prepared to call him on whatever lies and vile shit he is likely to throw at you.

      by daveriegel on Sun Jul 31, 2005 at 08:37:57 AM PDT

  •  Don't call

    Please see above - it can hurt more thatn help

    by calebfaux on Sun Jul 31, 2005 at 01:58:54 PM PDT

•  Recommend this diary!

  by Fran for Dean on Sat Jul 30, 2005 at 10:07:04 PM PDT

  •  I'm glad you saw this

    I was about to draft an e-mail to you since you are spearheading one of the efforts. Thank you for the effort.

    by Tomtech on Sat Jul 30, 2005 at 10:16:51 PM PDT

  •  Recommended and I got your email.

    Kinda bummed -- I was planning on doing most of my calling tomorrow afternoon.

    It was still a great idea from you, Francisco, and thank you for all the work.  Maybe we should consider it a dry run for 2006 -- a way to organize last minute GOTV pushes in tight races all over.  We could call it a phonebank swarm.

    by martianchronic on Sat Jul 30, 2005 at 10:48:13 PM PDT

•  Scoring points with moderates and soft GOP

  When people call, it might help to remark how Schmidt has had to call in outsider help from DC to try to stop Hackett.  In other words, a vote for Hackett is a vote to thumb your nose at outsider big-wigs who think they can tell Ohioans how to vote.

  by Jonathan on Sat Jul 30, 2005 at 10:39:41 PM PDT

  •  Yeah

    If you're calling from far outside Ohio when you do this, you score triple hypocrisy points too!!! :)

    by Steve M on Sat Jul 30, 2005 at 10:43:57 PM PDT

    •  Well, OK

      Probably a bad idea if you're calling from Ohio.  On the other hand, you can say the RNC tried the same thing where you live, too.  They're out of control, and it's up to OH-2 to do it!

      by Jonathan on Sat Jul 30, 2005 at 10:54:21 PM PDT

    •  Let's remember

      that the number of Rs in congress working as accomplices to DeLay's corruption hurts us all - this race affects us all.

      by JLFinch on Sat Jul 30, 2005 at 11:22:18 PM PDT

    •  Exactly what I was thinking, but...

      Spin it with this:

      Schmidt has pulled in hundreds of thousands of campaign dollars from corrupt politicians like Tom Delay to buy advertising that tells lies about Iraqi War veterans.

      Paul Hackett has pulled in thousands of grassroots independent volunteers that believe in democracy from across the country to help spread the word about this solid, moral hero who volunteered to lead his troops into harm's way while serving his country in Iraq.

      by Timroff on Sat Jul 30, 2005 at 11:31:55 PM PDT

    •  no, no, no, steve...

      we're the outsider little-wigs, so it's all good.

      by Cedwyn on Sun Jul 31, 2005 at 11:04:30 AM PDT

  •  You mean...

    Call as an outsider from another state and complain that Schmidt is... using outsiders?

    I think we need to be careful.

    by Bensch on Sat Jul 30, 2005 at 11:43:53 PM PDT

    •  For the record...

      I was thinking of Ohioans saying this when I wrote it :)

      However, there are a number of ways for outsiders to spin this sort of thing.  I suggested one, above: note that this isn't anything new for the RNC.  They've tried it elsewhere (if they've done it where you live, so much the better), and note that it's an opportunity for Ohioans to tell DC bigwigs to buzz off.

      by Jonathan on Sun Jul 31, 2005 at 06:38:02 AM PDT

•  When I worked with ACT in 2004...

  ...it seemed like people were getting really pissed at all the phone calls and visits they were receiving. In some cases it made them not want to vote. This was in Las Vegas, in a swing state.

  I hate receiving calls at home too. That's why I don't ever work on phonebanks. Period.  It may succeed in notifying a few people here and there, but it also pisses off a lot of people.

  by existenz on Sat Jul 30, 2005 at 10:41:54 PM PDT

  •  Who were you calling?

    Registered Dems, or everybody?

    by Steve M on Sat Jul 30, 2005 at 10:44:49 PM PDT

  •  Could it have been...

    ...that ACT and others were duplicating efforts? (I mean, I know this was a problem, and to my mind it had to have hurt, not helped, with voters).

    Gotta get these things organized and streamlined to avoid problems like that.  And even then, phonebanking is tricky business.

    Direct mail and canvassing (again, if organized and streamlined) has more potential, IMHO.  And word of mouth from neighbors is much better, still.

    by Jonathan on Sat Jul 30, 2005 at 10:57:39 PM PDT

  •  I had the same experience here

    in Cleveland. People were fed up with ACT and MoveOn knocking on their doors, calling repeatedly, etc. I got several earfuls, particularly from elderly voters who were home all day. The best: "I'm not fucking stupid, okay? I know goddamn well when and where to vote!"

    That said, I've been in touch with my wife's grandparents, who live in OH2. Grandpa is a WWII vet, they live mostly on Social Security income. I don't think they've ever voted Dem. I don't know if I've prevailed, but they are listening at least.

    by pilgrim99 on Sun Jul 31, 2005 at 03:21:13 AM PDT

    •  Confessions from a paid 527 organizer

      I was with one of those groups in Ohio. The problem wasn't annoying people tho we did; it was that we didn't coordinate w/ other 527s. Had we been on the same page we could have cast a wider net, reaching more voters. (Because we had identified Kerry voters, no one ever said, I'm so annoyed w/ all these calls, I'm not voting." Still, not a good way to build relationships.)

      Our leaders wouldn't listen when we complained about quadrupling efforts in some areas while not doing enough in others. This must STOP NOW. 527s can and should be on the same page. This is rehearsal for 2006.

      BTW, Repeat visits on Election Day are needed only after a particular voter's name has not appeared on the lists that get posted throughout the day at the polling locations.

      Good luck. Wish I had time off.

      by darcarama on Sun Jul 31, 2005 at 08:05:59 AM PDT

      •  Agreed

        Although 527s are forbidden from coordinating with the party organizations, it's perfectly OK for them to coordinate with each other. Screw-ups like the one you describe should NOT happen.

        by clarkent on Sun Jul 31, 2005 at 09:42:22 AM PDT

        •  How?

          Sure it's legal. But 527s weren't willing to fully collaborate in '04. How do we prevent that from happening again? People running the 527s are decent and have solid politics, but they aren't always accessible. Maybe there's a way to send them a kind and gentle message? Perhaps this should be its own diary.

          by darcarama on Sun Jul 31, 2005 at 10:29:18 AM PDT

        •  a 4 for

          one of my favorites...

          While preachers preach of evil fates
          Teachers teach that knowledge waits
          Can lead to hundred-dollar plates
          Goodness hides behind its gates
          But even the president of the united states
          Sometimes must have
          To stand naked

          by Cedwyn on Sun Jul 31, 2005 at 11:10:51 AM PDT

  •  Shades of "The Perfect Storm"

    Dean learned it can be overdone by "Outsiders", and got some backlash.

    It's a thin line between "helping" and "hurting".

    It may be time for us to step back into the shadows and be the support, but not the face or the voice the voter sees, before we become "those people" telling the people that live there how to run their lives and lose this.
    

    by Sherri in TX on Sun Jul 31, 2005 at 05:01:11 AM PDT

    •  Exactly.

      Dr. Deans efforts to build a 50 state/435 district Dem organization reflect the hard lessons of the Iowa primary and the general election in Ohio - people are most likely to be persuaded by their neighbors and not by well-meaning activits from the other side of the country.  

      by Sam I Am on Sun Jul 31, 2005 at 05:35:53 AM PDT

  •  I had the same problem workin phone banks to

    Thats why I rather call registered Dems to make sure they vote. Then once they said they will vote just a followup call on election day.

    My worse nightmare is a person gets bombarded with calls and it pisses them off to vote for the other side!

    by spanner on Sun Jul 31, 2005 at 07:21:48 AM PDT

  •  I can understand

    I was even beginning to get annoyed, and I supported Kerry. I'm in Florida, and I got phone calls, mostly prerecorded, at least once a day for about three weeks before the November election. That increased to two or three times a day in the week before election day.

    At first I was impressed. I didn't get a single call from the Republicans, and it seemed that the Democrats were much more on the ball. But then as it continued, and continued, and continued, and then even started to increase, it began to get really annoying to have to keep answering the phone several times a day to hear again and again someone asking me to vote for Kerry.

    I heard several local people say they had been on the fence but they decided NOT to vote for him because they felt as though their space was being violated by being inundated with so many phone calls. Some also pointed out that they were on the "Do Not Call" registry, thinking that this was a violation of that.

    by chantedor on Sun Jul 31, 2005 at 08:00:40 AM PDT

    •  Do Not Call

      Political campaigns (and some other stuff, too) are exempted from the "do not call" list.  It is one of the areas of the law in which commerical communication and non-commercial communication bring distinct sets of rights and responsibilities.

      by Frontier PAC on Sun Jul 31, 2005 at 08:32:56 AM PDT

      •  That may be true

        but it doesn't make those calls any less annoying. I got them in Ohio for about a month as well. Some days we recieved four or five calls and I was canvassing for the local dems. If you were in a swing state like Ohio you would know that everyone was aware that the election was Nov 2. A more useful method for GOTV would be to drive people to polls that need a ride, put on events for children and the elderly, and volunteer within communities. These are ways to present information to receptive voters and to do something for the community. The Republicans use their churches in this manner very effectively.

        by nater on Sun Jul 31, 2005 at 09:29:02 AM PDT

  •  I agree.

    At this point it will be get out the vote.

    I'll have my car gassed up and I am driving voters to the polls on Tues.

    by Gator on Sun Jul 31, 2005 at 08:07:30 AM PDT

  •  Yeah

    I guess you can thank the telemarketers and the religious pests (LDS, JW, etc.): I really hate both phone calls and door-to-door canvasers. Even the first one. Doesn't matter which party it is, my knee-jerk response is to tell them, "Congratulations. For bothering me in my own home, I'm going to vote for your opponent. Have a nice day."

    I understand on an intellectual level that phone calls and canvasing are supposed to work, but my gut level says counterproductive.

    by Hastur on Sun Jul 31, 2005 at 08:12:35 AM PDT

•  A bizarre feature of Schmidt's campaign..

  website.

  Check this out. I went to Jean Schmidt's campaign website to see if there's anything weird or stupid or incriminating there.

  There's a link on the front page to  Press Releases / News Articles. If you click on that link it takes you to all kinds of great stuff the Schmidt campaign wants to brag about. You know, to show her in the best light and all.

  So about half way down on that page there's a link called  "Schmidt enjoying insider perks in 2nd District race" which takes you to this Chillicothe Gazette article.

  Here's the weird part. The article describes how Schmidt attended a "$500-a-person fundraiser held in her honor" to raise money for her campaign while

  "Hackett held two small fundraising lunches that didn't require a campaign contribution, stopped at a softball game in Milford to talk with voters and went door to door to hand out campaign literature"

  So the Schmidt campaign is bragging that Schmidt is a big-time Washington insider who hobnobs with wealthy Washington lobbyists and big money types while Hackett spends his time going door to door meeting constituents and doing grass roots fundraising.

  Go read the article. Remember...the Schmidt campaign is proud of this.

  Frickin weirdos!

  by Manix on Sat Jul 30, 2005 at 10:45:13 PM PDT

  •  Oops! Link error. Here it is for real....

    Press Releases / News Articles

    I'm new to this fancy embedded link stuff. Sorry for any inconvenience.

    by Manix on Sat Jul 30, 2005 at 11:08:07 PM PDT

  •  I didn't realize she

    had spent 200,000 of her OWN money.  This must be before she gave another 20,000 recently.
    220,000 smackers.  I think anyone would look like the wicked witch, if they spent almost a quarter million and will probably lose anyway.
    Sucks to be her.
    Just think if Paul wins, every official in Washington will be scratching their heads and soon realize that all they have to do is say "CHICKENHAWKS", rip the president and stand up to power, to be a winner.
    Oh this could be fun.

    by OregonCoast on Sun Jul 31, 2005 at 12:18:13 AM PDT

    •  Probably a loan

      I didn't read any of the articles, but candidates are allowed to loan money to their campaigns.  Then the campaigns can repay the money later (candidates are also allowed to draw salary from their campaign accounts, they just have to disclose it).

      So she put in $200k of her own money.  After the election, should she win, they just find 100 wealthy republicans who can kick the campaign $2000 donations and then the campaign pays her back.

      Unless she's a "wealthy Republican" too, in which case 200k is chump change.

      -Fred

      by FredFred on Sun Jul 31, 2005 at 05:53:35 AM PDT

    •  reprecussions

      I wish that the result would be that people "realize that all they have to do is say "CHICKENHAWKS", rip the president and stand up to power, to be a winner."

      But I expect that if Hackett wins the MSM will cast about for a reason and conclude that his military service was the key, and there will be pressure from all quarters, especially on the Dem side, to run vets. (Good for Clarkies, too) In other words, the moral might be that you can only criticize the war if you served in it. I don't know whether that would be good or bad in the end.

      by MarkC on Sun Jul 31, 2005 at 07:41:58 AM PDT

  •  look at the biography

    and see the picture of her, her husband and daughter, and the other part of the family, their two adorable poodles!  how fucking precious!

    gross.

    by als10 on Sun Jul 31, 2005 at 05:14:27 PM PDT

•  I hope the calls didn't backfire...

  especially with the people of Ohio...the last 3 days before an election many people have had it with their doors being knocked on and the calls coming in...some could get pissy with people from Calif and New York calling them and telling them how to vote or who to vote for. (We forget how middle America feels about us city folks) I noted this earlier in a diary about how careful people have to be when making calls this late in the game..I called swing state folks for Kerry for months and the last 3 days were brutal...most of the people I called were not happy with all the calls and door knockers by that point. Anyway...I hope Hackett upsets the bitter, angry, evil rural Bushwoman.

  by Chamonix on Sat Jul 30, 2005 at 10:46:10 PM PDT

•  Gotta Agree

  Never thought that was a good idea anyway.

  by Chris Bowers on Sat Jul 30, 2005 at 10:50:43 PM PDT

  •  yup

    Shades of enthusiastic orange-hatted wunderkids.

    Hold your fire folks. I was one of the Frostbitten for Dean in Iowa and saw firsthand how badly outsiders were received during the caucus onslaught.

    I'd kindly suggest that only Ohioans (and preferrably only OH-2 folk) write letters, do local radio call-ins, and participate in personal GOTV. Out-of-towners can and  should be put to work in the office out of sight, quite honestly, or given tasks that can be done remotely--updating voter file, creating GIS mapping for easy election day persuadable GOTV, oppo research, etc.

    And I say that as a not-so-recently-departed Ohioan who has done a fair amount of organizing there.

    by em dash on Sat Jul 30, 2005 at 11:25:19 PM PDT

    •  Ummm...NO

      I don't think out of state folk need to be sent to the corner.  

      No one is asking where you are from when you knock someone's door and often the fact that you have come from out of state to help a candidate only speaks to the candidate's worthiness.  It's impressive that he can motivate so many, so quickly, to go so far out of the way.

      Furthermore, the more that the Ohio papers and press hear that HAckett has national support, the better it will be.  And, in the case of talk radio, where they might be less then eager to see Hackett win, it is good to make sure the listeners get an opinion other than the hosts (Mike McClennon, anyone?!?!?)

      So with that said, it's not an us vs. them.  It's middle America, and as a girl who has been on the coasts her whole life, I have to say, it's not much different - just different landscape!

      The people of Ohio have been wonderful.  They deserve a Congressman like Paul Hackett and the Dems here, who have had to suffer Republican control of their district, deserve to know we are behind them!

      by Tracy Joan on Sat Jul 30, 2005 at 11:34:49 PM PDT

      •  I wish you all the best

        but bringing in outside help has never been successful in my 25 years of grassroots political organizing in Ohio.

        Your volunteers may not be stating their home residence status but regional accents and collaquialisms give away an awful lot. Folks in Ohio aren't stupid. And rural folk are doubly wary of "outsiders".

        Really, I am pulling for you guys so let's just chalk this up to a difference of opinion.

        by em dash on Sat Jul 30, 2005 at 11:43:49 PM PDT

        •  And with that....

          Agree to disagree.  

          Thanks for the support!  Ideas are the lifeblood of the blog revolution afterall...this one clearly needs to be debated and tested and planned, as elections are changing so quickly in these times.

          Ok, officially getting off online right now so I can get a few hours of sleep.

          Thank you everyone, for everything you have done today.  T.J.

          by Tracy Joan on Sat Jul 30, 2005 at 11:50:15 PM PDT

          •  Perhaps you missed it ,,,

            but there was this little test case called "the Dean campaign."  It didn't go well. But they did manage to blow through $45 million!

            by msanthrope on Sun Jul 31, 2005 at 05:47:51 PM PDT

            •  And it's shaping up to be

              a time-compressed version of what happened when Goldwater lost.

              I'd rather have had him as president, all things considered. But what we've gotten for our money is well worth it.

              by Bill Rehm on Sun Jul 31, 2005 at 08:56:45 PM PDT

        •  end result

          This may sound mean-spirited but the goal of the campaign is to get people to vote. Lots of people consider voting a chore, and more of those folks are likely to be our identified supporters than for the other side.

          If they get annoyed that we ask them to vote its largely because they didn't want to vote in the first place. If they get annoyed but then go vote, its a sign that we're doing our job; if they aren't annoyed us because we didn't call them but don't vote, we've screwed up.

          Its a normal response to phone banking that lots of people say they don't want to be called anymore. The answer should always be to say that this election is very important, every vote matters, and we're calling because we want to be sure your voice is heard.

          People complain about tv ads too but we can't stop running them.

          OR a better example, lots of people (in OH2) will complain today about being told how to vote by their preacher and about all the mean things the minister said about that nice young marine. They may even be annoyed by it. Then they'll go vote for Schmidt.

          by desmoulins on Sun Jul 31, 2005 at 08:53:57 AM PDT

          •  Call me, lose my vote.

            Period.  No exceptions.

            -7.75 -4.67

            "Freedom's just another word for nothing left to lose."

            by Odysseus on Sun Jul 31, 2005 at 04:52:12 PM PDT

          •  because lecturing people always works

            That's right lecture them on how its their duty to vote and they shouldn't be annoyed at the call b/c its good for them.  

            jeebus - we wonder why lose election after election.

            by goblue72 on Sun Jul 31, 2005 at 05:14:12 PM PDT

        •  funny

          you have 25 years of grassroots organizing experience - you'd think that would count for something...

          i totally agree with you - the airdropping a bunch of eager twentysomethings from California and New York into the middle of the Midwest is, quite frankly, assinine,  There's a reason the Democractic machine used to make sure every block and every precinct had its captain.  Because politics IS local and people listen to what their neighbors have to say in a way that they just don't when it comes to outsiders.   Heck, even in blue state, coastal Boston it was the same way.

          I'm the same way - I don't know how many times some fresh faced kid has asked me sign some petition for a cause I supported but I refused - because I didn't know them, they weren't from my neighborhood and why should I trust what they had to say.

          by goblue72 on Sun Jul 31, 2005 at 05:18:42 PM PDT

      •  In 04 the pleas out-of-staters never worked

        ... for me.  

        I just really resented safe-saters knocking on my door and all the time calling to tell me to do what I was already going to do -- 50 times a frickin' night. (Or so it seemed.)

        I argee with whoever said it up-thread -- these things have to be coordinated and pobably with the local DNC folks on the ground. And there will be DNC folks on the ground for 08 if not 06.

        I'm trusting Dean for that.

        And, for that matter, maybe we should spend some of our steam reminding the good doctor that we have the energy, but we need the local coordinators.

        -- Nancy

        by Nancy Varian on Sun Jul 31, 2005 at 12:27:25 AM PDT

        •  Excellent point!

          Phonebanks should be coordinated with LOCAL folks. They know their people

          by spanner on Sun Jul 31, 2005 at 07:24:19 AM PDT

•  think it has potential

  just needs to be organized better.  it is certainly something dems should consider taking advantage of in the future.

  by Stampy51 on Sat Jul 30, 2005 at 10:55:41 PM PDT

  •  You're right

    The concerns are genuine, but if callers are merely calling on the issues, it really shouldn't make a difference, ethically, where they're from. Still, that kinda thing bothers many voters, outsiders telling them who to vote for in their local election. So, I suggest not saying where you are calling from and using blocked lines so it doesn't show up on caller ID. I don't feel this is misleading, just merely keeping the call on the substance of the issues rather than having a voter make a decision based on something wholly irrelevent to how the candidates will perform if elected. Just my .02 cents.

    GDoyle

    by GDoyle on Sat Jul 30, 2005 at 11:11:10 PM PDT

    •  If you block Caller ID...

      ... you are going to see a significant dropoff in the number of people who answer. Caller ID is pretty widespread now, and most people I know won't even pick up the phone for an "unknown caller".

      Sean

      by Sean Peters on Sun Jul 31, 2005 at 04:15:11 AM PDT

•  I'm pretty worried about overkill.

  I've gotta say that I'd be getting pretty sick of constant calls and door knocks regardless of who I supported. Especially if it was from people outside my area, let alone state.

  This is a very GOP controlled area. Isn't anyone worried about backlash from unwanted calls from rabid Democrats?

  by Mike S on Sat Jul 30, 2005 at 11:21:11 PM PDT

•  Some research needs to be done on this...

  many people do indeed get pissed off when they receive one of these calls. If it's from someone from outside the district or state, it can even be more annoying. I'd like to see someone come up with some real research as to whether phone banking works.

  It has its place with getting out registered supporters, but then again, most of these would be voting anyway. But it can annoy undecideds and invigorate those against who might not have voted otherwise.

  Phonebanking grew out of a particular set of social, cultural, and economic circumstances in the society. It grew at a time when only a few companies did surveys and telephone marketers were few and far between. It also came about at a time when households had more time.

  None of this is the case anymore.

  Anecdotal support that phonebanking works is not helpful except to help the researcher gain some first questions; we need real marketing research. Is anyone aware of any?

  The calling into radio shows is interesting, but likely only to work if one is from the district/state. I know plenty of those in my parents' community who would hit the roof if someone from some big city tried to tell them what to do. It would only reinforce their perceptions.

  We have to be creative here...and fast...2006 is not that far away.

  by gradinski chai on Sat Jul 30, 2005 at 11:21:52 PM PDT

  •  What Fran for Dean organized...

    ...was pure GOTV.  The calls were made only to known Dems and Kerry voters and were not issue calls -- just voting reminders.

    Yeah, data on the effectiveness of phonebanking would be a great thing, but the effort at issue here was not one of outsiders calling to debate and cajole undecideds.

    by martianchronic on Sat Jul 30, 2005 at 11:37:20 PM PDT

    •  I understand that...

      but unless one is a very disciplined (and maybe even trained) phone banker, one is sometimes led to in effect debate with whomever is on the other end of the phone.

      I have nothing against remind to vote calls, though as someone later down in the post notes, even these can be tricky without coordination.

      by gradinski chai on Sat Jul 30, 2005 at 11:56:00 PM PDT

      •  not true

        It's pretty easy to be a disciplined using the phone bank, especially GOTV.

         Ask for the voter on your list. If they are there, tell them your name, and that you're calling them to remind them to vote for Candidate A on Date B.

        If you get the machine or voice mail, say that you're leaving a message for the voter on your list, and leave the same message as you would if you spoke to them in person.

        The only answers you need to have are the phone # and website of the Board of Elections and the campaign you're representing. You can refer any questions to those two resources.

        Remember, on these sorts of calls you're just reminding people to vote!!!

        by clarkent on Sun Jul 31, 2005 at 11:51:58 AM PDT

  •  Callers who have a "connection"...

    There has been some research done on this, mostly at Yale I believe (don't have it in front of me).  The results were that people who receive calls regarding voting tend to respond well ONLY IF they feel some connection or relationship to the CALLER.

    The most influence was if they knew the person.  The second most influence was if they and the person had some identifying social group in common.  So, one example of an identifying social group was being able to say "as your neighbor living here in [town name], I'm calling to urge you to vote for __." This was very effective.  SO ARE OTHER SHARED IDENTIFYERS. Not just location.  For example, "I'm calling you, a student at xx college, as a student here myself" or "Like you, I am also a family farmer, and that is why I support...."

    by Reb Kaplan on Sun Jul 31, 2005 at 07:05:15 AM PDT

    •  which is what the repubs did

      In the presidential election they very muched pushed the "amway method" of getting friends to call friends etc etc. Stolen election or not, it was apparently very successful and ties in with the study you cite and with pretty much any research on "sales", which is effectively what getting votes is. Trust has to be established before anything else. A Dem calling a registered Dem on GOTV will have the benefit of the start of a connection. An out-of-town Dem calling up an Undecided or Repub will quite possibly have the opposite effect. Think about when a salesperson tries to "sell" you something in a store. Or even a close friend tries to convince you of something different to what you're leaning towards or even neutral too. Your instant reaction is to defend, no matter what the logic of the friend or sales person.

      I'm just a foreigner on the other side of the planet, but my few months living in Florida with the phone going off the hook from telemarketers plus my psychology and sales training tells me that strangers from out of town calling non-democrats is almost certainly overall counter-productive. To be honest I was a bit surprised to see the call-to-arms here. On afterthought though, from following the presidential election, Democrats in general really do not seem to have the same understanding of the psychology of sales that Republicans do. It's possible the Democrats are better educated, and dare I say it, more intelligent, so they believe that what's most important is the facts. Alas for we mere humans this isn't always so.

      Nobody cares what you know until they know that you care.

      by icerat on Sun Jul 31, 2005 at 10:51:26 AM PDT

•  agasdg

  1.  How do they know where you are calling from?

  2.  Aren't Repubs big on outsourcing anyway?  Tell them it's a CAFTA thing.

  by JLFinch on Sat Jul 30, 2005 at 11:26:29 PM PDT

  •  Caller ID

    Unless you block it.

    by lemuel on Sun Jul 31, 2005 at 12:00:47 AM PDT

•  Call Concern...

  Kos Friends -

  I don't think the calls have had a negative impact at all!  It is fantastic that so many people were reached out to so quickly, but their are smaller, more targeted phone banks that will be happening on the ground and the number of people making calls in the district is huge!  There are at least 4 phone banks scheduled tomorrow alone.

  Another general campaign observation...when out of state calls are made, there is a lot of difficulty getting the results back to the campaign for the purpose of culling voter lists.  (this is my experience from Kerry - which was on a larger scale, but same kind of thing...)

  More on how Dems can integrate the national into the local after we win!

  Phone calls will likely get back into gear Monday, and when that happens, the Hackett campaign knows it can count on the blog community to come through!  Stay tuned.

  Also, thank you Francisco - you were awesome today!

  by Tracy Joan on Sat Jul 30, 2005 at 11:28:32 PM PDT

•  Tracy Joan -- or any other Hack campaign official

  was just about to e-mail for names but - - -

  I have experience in polling and could do a q&d poll IF someone could help me get a sample from a list of ALL voters. I am a statistician and have done low cost political issue polling that has been very effective in getting prime PRESS coverage.

  While the effort must be immpecable the decision whether to publicize would be up to Paul Hackett.

  The benefits are getting an idea of who is planning to vote, are they pro schmidt or pro hackett. Are there pro hackett folks who are not planning to vote (work them) etc.

  we could also harness the demonstrated effort of Kossacks etc.

  Sam at 505 830 4404 That's New Mexico.
  eljason at unm dot edu
  

  by samddobermann on Sat Jul 30, 2005 at 11:28:47 PM PDT

  •  Friendly Advice

    Don't post your phone # here--or anywhere else online.

    by inside 4ll on Sun Jul 31, 2005 at 05:12:27 AM PDT

•  Can't help pointing out

  The experience everyone recounts from the 2004 presidential campaign of swingstaters resenting the constant canvassing, the out-of-staters.  That's all the consequence of the Electoral College.  Scratch that monstrosity, and we could all campaign in our backyards.  Wouldn't that make too much sense?

  by sharman on Sat Jul 30, 2005 at 11:32:22 PM PDT

•  Schmidt as anti-living will extremist

  Talk radio would be a great vehicle to point out the radical (and dishonest) approach Schmidt has taken with respect to end of life issues.  While it's her right as an American to hold these beliefs and practice her faith accordingly, voters need to know if her extreme mindset is something she will support if elected.    

  From Digby, pointed out by Armando earlier...this is directly from Right To Life of Greater Cincinnati, of which she is  currently on leave as President:

  Why are Legally Binding Living Wills Unnecessary?

      * People already have the right to make informed consent decisions telling their family and physicians how they want to be treated if and when they can no longer make decisions for themselves.

      * Doctors are already free to withhold or withdraw useless procedures in terminal cases that provide no benefit to the patient. Some people fear that medical technology will be used to torture them in their final days. But it is more likely that the "medical heroics" people fear are the very treatments that will make possible a more comfortable, less painful death.

      * Doctors do not need Living Will laws to be protected from malpractice suits. However, if Living Wills are legally binding an attending physician who fails to comply could be sued or prosecuted

  What strikes me as particularly odious about this is the misleading statement bolded above.  Schmidt is perfectly aware that the Right To Life groups have been active in every state (and as we recall on the federal level) lobbying to give the government the statutory right to interfere with a decision by a family member to decline life support where no Living Will exists:

  Not quite two weeks after Terri Schiavo's death, states including Alabama, Louisiana, Michigan and Ohio have introduced end-of-life legislation to clarify proceedings for cases in which a patient has not left a living will. Perhaps not surprisingly, most of the proposals have a pro-life slant; Alabama's bill is called the "Starvation and Dehydration Prevention Act...

  Btw, take a wild guess here as to which national organization helped draft this particular model legislation.  

  But back to Ohio's proposed law on how to treat a patient where no living will exists:

  ...The sponsor of that proposal, Rep. Derrick Seaver, R-Minster, would give decision-making power to the first family member on the list who seeks to "sustain the life of the individual," provided that the family member in question is also willing to "incur the cost of [the individual's] medical care."

  See Salon.  

  by willowby on Sun Jul 31, 2005 at 12:00:54 AM PDT

  •  I have a great name for this legislation

    "willing to "incur the cost of [the individual's] medical care."

    The Right to Life for Anyone with a Fantastically Wealthy Pro-Life Relative Act

    These people are living in a dream world. Does this guy have any idea what the bills are for keeping someone in this condition alive? You think Terri Shiavo's parents could have met this test? Sure they could have raised funds from outsiders - for awhile.

    by Bruce Webb on Sun Jul 31, 2005 at 07:46:05 AM PDT

•  is this legit?

  does this come directly from the campaign?

  by TexasDemocrat06 on Sun Jul 31, 2005 at 12:31:39 AM PDT

  •  yes

    I've spoken with Tracy; this is actually from the campaign.

    by Fran for Dean on Sun Jul 31, 2005 at 06:29:57 AM PDT

•  cold calling a message

  
  More important than the media used in getting the message out (cold-calling, press or talk show) is to clearly understand the mentality of the enemy.

  The real enemy here is the mentality that says "a person who has served does not have the right to come home and turn against the Army in which he served". This is treason. According to this way of thinking, when you serve, you are disqualified from speaking out. Agree or disagree, that's the way many people feel. And it is these people that have a problem with Hackett.  

  So the focus of any message has to disarm the "turncoat argument".

  Is it turncoat to stand up against terror that we ourselves are inflicting on defenseless populations? Is it turncoat to reject policies that bring suffering and destruction on innocent civilians? Is it turncoat to point out that our policies play into the hands of terrorists on the other side? Is it turncoat to insist on the illegality and the deception of this war? Is it turncoat to examine how we got into this mess in the first place?

  Eventually the message has to get through.

  by Humpty Dumpty on Sun Jul 31, 2005 at 12:42:45 AM PDT

  •  Turning the turncoat argument

    A turncoat is someone who will vote to send others off to war, but is not willing to put their own life, or those of their family, on the line.

    A turncoat is someone who will send others off to war, and not make sure they have adequate armor or equipment.

    A turncoat is someone who will send others off to be injured or die, but will not provide decent healthcare for veterans or benefits for war widows.

    A turncoat is someone who urges others to make the ultimate sacrifice, and then insults them for doing so.

    A turncoat is someone who says this war is important, but then thinks it is not important enough to learn about it from those who have actually been there.
    

    by Reb Kaplan on Sun Jul 31, 2005 at 07:10:58 AM PDT

•  i need to know

  if this is 100% for sure ... email me at [e-mail]

  by TexasDemocrat06 on Sun Jul 31, 2005 at 12:45:09 AM PDT

•  Get The Word Out

  I think Kos and other blogs have been most valuable in getting the word out about the OH-02 campaign and encouraging money contributions.  Phonebanking should be left to the local organizers, who can keep a handle on who has been called, caller responses, and known supporters to call with a reminder.  
  Phonebanking is not the best vehicle for outreach and persuasion.  GOTV is important, but Ohio dems can't regain leadership, even in the face of the Ohio GOP meltdown, without winning the hearts and minds of suburban and rural voters.  The party will need to have ongoing local grassroots activity in districts like OH-02 to win statewide in 2006.
  As an aside, the AFL-CIO situation may force ODP to reach out beyond its urban base, and that would be a good thing.
   

  by Munibond on Sun Jul 31, 2005 at 04:37:54 AM PDT

•  The Cincy Enquirer

  To absolutely nobody's surprise who knows that paper, found a way to endorse Mean Jean today:

  http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/frontpage

  by ericinmadison on Sun Jul 31, 2005 at 05:51:14 AM PDT

•  Dirty Trick?

  How do we know that Schmidt's little helpers from the RNC aren't robocalling voters pretending to be Northeastern liberal elites calling for Hackett?  I'm not saying we might not have ticked off a few Ohioans as they were ready to sit down to dinner but c'mon, is it impossible to believe the rethugs haven't flooded the phone lines with multiple annoying Hackett calls?  Maybe someone in Hackett's camp should hold a press conference and demand an investigation.

  by goldberry on Sun Jul 31, 2005 at 05:59:22 AM PDT

  •  That crossed my mind too.

    I only called the first page on my list - out of those 6, one woman complained about getting way too many calls, and another said I was the 8th person to call for Hackett on Saturday.    

    by Reality based mom on Sun Jul 31, 2005 at 08:30:48 AM PDT

•  leaders don't listen

  I live in SE Ohio and tried to tell Kerry's people to stop the phone calls 3 days before the election because they were pissing people off...told the main office in Columbus tells them what to do and they were told to make the phone calls.  The people in Columbus should start listening to the people on the ground and do what is best for each area. I was working for Kerry and getting calls from people out of state and I felt what a waste of time and money...yards signs every where works.

  by Mary Anna on Sun Jul 31, 2005 at 06:13:20 AM PDT

•  Jean Schmidt

  watches the buzz of activity from hundrends of volunteers for Paul Hackett from her deserted campaign headquarters:
  

  by acuppajo on Sun Jul 31, 2005 at 06:31:35 AM PDT

•  My letter (sent to both papers)

  Support the troops: Elect Hackett.

  If we're ever to get out of Iraq successfully, we need smart veterans of that war who are not afraid to speak truth to power like Paul Hackett in the government. There is so much misinformation being spread (intentionally and naively) about what is really going on over there, that it will take someone like him to cut through the clutter and focus on what really needs to be done.  For example, his answer on "Hardball" about why our efforts to train the Iraqis to defend themselves aren't working and how they need to be changed was a real revelation. I hope SE Ohio will have the wisdom to send Mr. Hackett to Congress for the good of the entire country, as well as our troops in Iraq.

  by Jim in Chicago on Sun Jul 31, 2005 at 07:14:33 AM PDT

  •  correction

    make that SW Ohio, of course.  (Correction sent to both papers.)

    by Jim in Chicago on Sun Jul 31, 2005 at 07:22:19 AM PDT

•  Outside Calls

  From what I've seen of Schmidt's campaign, outside calls may indeed be playing into her main theme: that it's she, not Hackett, that's talking about  the issues that are of most concern to her district.
  Iraq, it seems, is just one of those. Turning this into a "national" campaign may hurt more than it helps. Is Hackett saying anything about, say, ethanol, which Schmidt seems to be a big exponent of  (and which is a big issue in the Corn Belt)? He might ought to...

  by JDRhoades on Sun Jul 31, 2005 at 07:37:53 AM PDT

  •  except that

    this is a national race.  ethanol is a local issue for the state house.  it is inappropriate for jean to be highlighting that in this campaign, not the other way around.

    by Cedwyn on Sun Jul 31, 2005 at 11:35:00 AM PDT

    •  National?

      Not to the poeple of OH-2 it's not. And they're the only ones who get to vote. Check out the diary entitled "OH-02, ALL POLITICS IS LOCAL, Please be careful" which says it better than I could.

      by JDRhoades on Sun Jul 31, 2005 at 02:50:26 PM PDT

      •  then they're a daft lot

        this is an election for federal office - the people of OH-02 can have their preferences and druthers, but the u.s. congress is not the venue to be addressing some random corner of ohio's ethanol questions.  

        hackett need only concern himself with his constituency's opinions on national issues, since that will be his sphere of influence.  i mean, schmidt doesn't really imagine that federal action is appropriate for ohio's corn-related ethanol issues?  talk about the antithesis of (truly) conservative politics.

        i do see your point about politics being local, but hackett will represent OH-02 at the national level on issues of national signifigance.  unless OH-02 took over the country while i wasn't looking, this is a national race, no matter how self-important the residents of OH-02 are feeling.
         

        by Cedwyn on Sun Jul 31, 2005 at 05:08:20 PM PDT

        •  You have a peculiar notion

          of how Congress works. The reason that Representatives come from Congressional Districts all across the country is so that they can represent their consituents at the federal level. The whole point of the process is to provide that local voice in national politics.

          by Bill Rehm on Sun Jul 31, 2005 at 09:08:14 PM PDT

          •  right

            on national politics - ohio's ethanol issue is not "national politics."

            by Cedwyn on Mon Aug 01, 2005 at 12:55:31 PM PDT

•  Sent my $25, sent a LTE to...

  the Cincy Enquirer.  I pointed out the glaring inconsistency between their hailing Schmidt as the "fiscal conservative" and their glossing over the differences between Schmidt and Hackett on the war.  Spending hundreds of billions on a war that was started under false pretenses and that shows no signs of a potentially successful outcome any time soon is the antithesis of fiscal conservatism.

  I was going to do some phone banking today, but now, I'm told that we shouldn't.  Please let us know if there's anything else that we can do.

  by RFK Lives on Sun Jul 31, 2005 at 07:50:12 AM PDT

  •  Thank you!

    I hope you guys can keep the letters following.  Make sure they know what a huge mistake they have made in endorsing a Republican who has no hope of actually helping the citizens of Ohio-2.  

    Will post an update later in the day to let everyone know how they can help!

    Kossacks Rock!

    by Tracy Joan on Sun Jul 31, 2005 at 08:13:24 AM PDT

•  What we should really think about

  for 2006

  Is using the community to run push polls and the like in districts where the GoOpers are doing it, to scare them off this tactic.

  Call in to solid R voters.

  We must find an effective method of dealing with thier cheap and dirty tactics and i think giving them a taste of theri own medicine 10 fold just might do it.

  by Pounder on Sun Jul 31, 2005 at 08:21:16 AM PDT

•  Bruce Springsteen in cincy!!

  Bruce is set to play in Cincinnati tomorrow, Aug. 1. i am sure he would love to endorse a guy like Hackett!! Any way we can get him to mention him at the concert? I will be at the concert and hopefully can scrounge up a Hackett t-shirt to wear, along with some campaign fliers.

  by ihlin on Sun Jul 31, 2005 at 08:40:03 AM PDT

•  I'd say call ins to radio are better than letters

  Letters to the editor usually have peoples adresses on them and thus will make it look more like outsiders are telling people in OH-2 how to vote. Radio on the other hand doesn't have that drawback, especially if theres an online feed you can listen to so you can get a general idea of what's going on on the show.

  by Lavoisier1794 on Sun Jul 31, 2005 at 08:49:17 AM PDT

  •  Overall though

    I'd say that having locals do these things is much better.  I'd be very cautious doiung any of this from out of staters.

    by Lavoisier1794 on Sun Jul 31, 2005 at 09:00:43 AM PDT

•  Cincy Enquirer is a mini WSJ

  I lived in Cincy for 25 years and can't ever remember the Enquirer endorsing a non-Republican.

  They are owned by the same company that owns the Cincy Post, though (Gannett), and a lot of people, like my parents, have this deal where you get the Post during the week and the Enquirer on the weekends. Sp maybe some of these Enquirer readers have read the Post's Hackett endorsement also.

  "If the world were to end, I would want to be in Cincinnati -- everything happens there ten years later." --Mark Twain

  by Blindfish on Sun Jul 31, 2005 at 08:55:27 AM PDT

•  I'm in Oregon

  and I want Hackett to win.  

  BTW, any five people currently living in Ohio can call and quote me on that.  Please call!

  by smugbug on Sun Jul 31, 2005 at 09:37:08 AM PDT

•  Stop the calls???

  If they are successful we should do more not less!

  by mattes on Sun Jul 31, 2005 at 10:21:34 AM PDT

  •  I think she was being

    diplomatic. Also I have a feeling that people in Ohio, getting calls from out of state people either asking them to vote for Hackett or just reminding them to vote on a day of worship (Sunday) could backfire very easily. This is a local race (if this were a Statewide Senate Race, I would be calling them NOW) and I am sure Hackett's people put on the brakes after some complaints from voters.

    by Chamonix on Sun Jul 31, 2005 at 10:48:02 AM PDT

•  A couple of tips

  One of the local talk radio hosts (Mike McConnell) is saving up calls from Hackett supports that sound like ignoramuses to play back later to illustrate how wacky folks from all over the country are calling in to put in their two cents on issues that they know nothing about. So if you're going to call, arms yourself with the facts first. To be honest, some of the calls McConnell played back on the weekend were pretty goofy.

  Second, keep an open mind and be willing to admit when you're wrong or uninformed. Last week I had a pro-life organization calling to request I write the US senators from my state to support Judge Roberts' nomination to the US Supreme Court because he is pro-life. So I asked her if she knew his stance on capital punishment. She stopped and checked and couldn't find any information. So she gave me a couple resources where I could follow up to find out for myself and promised me that she would look into the matter herself. The point being, her willingness to not have a snap answer to every question and her willingness to admit fallibility went a long way in instilling confidence. If you don't know something, don't make crap up, but offer resources where people can find out for themselves or at least admit ignorance. It goes a long way to helping those who are undecided make up their minds.

  Lastly, I think we would all do well to bear in mind an observation made by Thomas Paine, Time makes more converts than reason. With regards to talk radio and other populist media, the left is way behind the right. The right dominates in the number of hours of broadcast in most (if not all) regions of the US. The right has the benefit of experienced talking heads. The right has the advantage of having their message repeated day in and day out for decades. It will take time to counteract that. The left has a good start on making up for lost time, but we need to do this in a smart way. Inform yourself first. Don't just call in with one talking point. Be reasonable. Be willing to concede ignorance. Be friendly and polite. And stay on message.

  by Lee Malatesta on Sun Jul 31, 2005 at 10:45:21 AM PDT

•  As someone who came from out of town to help Sat.

  I would suggest that those working with volunteers ensure that they have all their ducks in a row and ensure that their walk lists are in order and properly sorted.

  It was a great experience but you are making some of the same mistakes the Kerry group made where they did not know how to use volunteers wisely and where difficient in knowing how to treat them well.

  We want Hackett to win but you need to ensure that when people do volunteer that you use people wisely and properly thank them for their efforts!

  by midwestmom on Sun Jul 31, 2005 at 10:52:13 AM PDT

  •  100% agree

    I drove in Saturday too. It was a long 8 hour drive from Maryland. And while I've been to parts of Southeastern OH before (I have family in the area),  clearer organization re: contact lists, maps, and the like would be really helpful.

    I'm very familiar with farm district. But it's really really easy to get turned around.

    I agree with Mom. We do want him to win. Use us wisely...and remember that we traveled a good distance to get here to help.

    by kredwyn on Sun Jul 31, 2005 at 08:30:50 PM PDT

•  Over-campaigning

  There is real danger of over-campaigning in OH-2, as happened in several other states. Basically, if you annoy voters with too much campaigning, they may very well get pissed off and decide not to go to the polls and/or not vote for your guy.

  We found this happening in some neighborhoods in Portland, OR, because we had four or five organizations canvassing the same neighborhood simultaneously. Not good.

  by maxomai on Sun Jul 31, 2005 at 11:14:11 AM PDT

•  Hacketts Getting National MSM Play

  Just showed a Snippet of a coming report on Hackett on ABC News!!!

  Should be coming up in a few Minutes

  by jimstaro on Sun Jul 31, 2005 at 03:31:06 PM PDT

•  If I called a talk show

  I think I would say that I was from out of state but I wish I had a candidate that were as honest and brave as Hackett running where I was at and then hang up.

  by flounder on Sun Jul 31, 2005 at 03:36:29 PM PDT

•  What to do?

  I wrote an off-the-cuff letter to the Cincinnati Inquier and sent fifty bucks to the Hackett campaign, thanks to the alert from the Dailykos.  I hope this guy wins.  If he does I think it will boost morale of reasonable Democrats and Independents everywhere.  And, we DO need a morale booster!

  by Janie on Sun Jul 31, 2005 at 03:51:09 PM PDT