Campaign mode

The media wondered what President Obama’s campaign apparatus would do with the huge list of e-mail addresses and cell phone numbers they had from the two-year fall campaign. During the past couple of months the president’s poll numbers have slowly started to decline, and public support for some of his policy proposals and other government policies have shrunken. This past week the campaign e-mailed folks and tried to recruit us to canvass in support of some of the president’s long-term budget proposals, including health care, energy independence, and education initiatives. Even though I’m busy, I signed up for this in part because I feared that Obama’s incredible campaign volunteer base – perplexed by the shift from campaign to governance, by bailouts and projected deficits, and by Obama’s rightward, then leftward shift – would not show up for this event – and at least in Louisville I was largely right. I was only the third person to sign up for one of the three events on the Web site for Organizing for America, the campaign-type organization that is now run by the Democratic Party. When I got to the coffee shop between downtown and my old neighborhood, between work a little late, I believe I was the first person to arrive who was going to go out.

I essentially asked people to sign a petition in support of President Obama’s long-term budget proposal – including his education, energy independence, and health care initiatives – that allow us to capture – if provided their address, phone number, and e-mail address. I eventually focused on the budget/health care initiatives. My little spiel to people after they started filling out the form was I’m particularly excited about the budget’s health care initiatives, including the effort to cut health care costs by expanding coverage, so that people don’t so sick at the start. (I also handed everyone I talked with who would take it - even those who didn't sign the petition - a flyer.) I started out by asking people: Would you be willing to sign a petition in favor of President Obama’s budget, including his health care initiatives?

I started out near the Waterfront, talking with people at the end of running race. I stopped in at work to go to the bathroom. Then I headed in a long rectangle, ending up at the far end outside of the Hall of Justice, where we’ll meet Vincent and his lawyer Monday at 1 p.m. for his arraignment. There I got four people on a smoke break from traffic school to sign. On the way, I stopped at several bus stops – the campaign trainer/volunteers had suggested bus stops and got signers. Eventually, I had to resist the temptation just to ask African Americans and white young people to sign (because these were the most likely people to say Yes). Survey research suggests that Republicans (and we’re talking mainly Anglo Republicans) have soured on Obama lately, and this was evident in my approaching people. I also stopped outside Fourth Street, the downtown entertainment district where Vincent has sometimes hung out. There I even got two tourists from Missouri – who were doing a tour across the country of all the “Hard Rock Café” sites – including the one at Fourth Street Live – to sign. The “campaign” asked me to get at least 20 people to sign, and I got 30 people.

I probably approached about 60 people, and so half said Yes. Lots of people did not give their regular mail addresses, but I was surprised how many people gave not only e-mail addresses and cell phone numbers but also signed up to receive weekly text messages from Organizing for America (even those these can cost money), like Stephanie receives occasionally after she signed up to receive a text message with the vice presidential running mate announcement (that we ended up getting at about 3 a.m.) back in August.

Issues people mainly who said No asked/complained about: AIG bailout, earmarks, not concentrating on the banking crisis, and – probably high on the list of Louisville – picking the North Carolina Tar Heels – not the Louisville Cardinals (who both advanced to next weekend’s Sweet 16 with tough victories over – respectively – Louisiana State and Siena this weekend) to win March Madness.

What I learned: President Obama (who was very good – if unspectacular – on “60 Minutes” Sunday night) still has a reservoir of good will but whites are more leery of him. And Obama’s vaunted campaign base has to be re-grown and re-energized since they were largely absent (I bet across the country). Governing may be tougher than campaigning, and mobilizing support for policy proposals may be much tougher than mobilizing support for a primary election. Still – interesting talking with people – even briefly – about policy and politics this Saturday (including the half a dozen volunteers I did meet).

Next time – Join us!

-- Perry