This is from an e-mail from a Kucinich supporter that just got back to Indiana from Iowa:
I did make the trip to Iowa last weekend, and found it immensely stimulating and interesting. I canvassed (both door to door and by phone) in Iowa City. Unlike Indiana, usually an uncontested state in which little presidential campaigning occurs, Iowa is deluged with campaign activitiy leading up to their caucus. Even given that I was in a university town and was likely dealing with a relatively well-educated population, I was nonetheless astonished at how well-informed and engaged in the political process the people I met were. The overwhelming majority of people I contacted (from a list of registered Democrat voters) expressed an intention to participate in their caucus. Many people had seen several of the candidates in public appearances in the past month or so right in their own town. Despite the barrage of canvassing the locals were subjected to, almost everyone was willing to talk about their views and many were very receptive to more information. To give a feel for what I mean by "barrage", one person answered their phone with, "Whose campaign are you calling from?" and others reported receiving 3 or more calls in a single night.
Two impressions were outstanding from my experience there. First, although "Dean" was clearly the most common response to "Who are you leaning towards supporting at this time?" everywhere I went, in neighborhoods in which Kucinich supporters had already canvassed at least once I found Dennis to solidly be in second place. Most remarkable was the comment I got over and over: "I personally like Kucinich' position best on almost every issue, and for myself he's the best and most well-informed candidate. But since he's not likely to win, I'll probably caucus for Dean (or Kerry or Edwards)." This was an especially common observation from people who had personally seen Dennis and some of the other candidates speak. Discussions often led to bitter recollections of the narrow loss of the 2000 election with Nader running as an independent, and a fierce determination not to "waste" their vote given the urgency attached to the goal of removing Bush from office. When I asked which issues were most important to the individual I was talking with, and then reviewed the expressed positions (not getting into the question of whether this was a consistent, credible, or sincere position) of the candidates, I found that Dennis' platform was what people agreed with almost every time. (Exceptions were typically persons whose strong feelings on a particular issue - e.g. - "right to life" - outweighed all other considerations in their evaluation of candidates.) To summarize this first impression, the biggest obstacle to a Kucinich victory clearly is unfamiliarity or the perception that "others" won't support him, not an authentic preference for any other candidates or platforms.
The second thing I was left with is an appreciation of how significant grass-roots campaigning is. Phone calls, housecalls, yard signs all do have a profound impact on voters' preferences. There was a direct correlation between familiarity with Dennis' candidacy and support for him as I moved between different neighborhoods. To a political uninitiate like myself, the organization and hard work behind all this is impressive. In the one small campaign office I visited there were lots of folks putting in long hours, working over computer screens updating voter lists, organizing rides, letting potential Kucinich supporters know where their caucus site had been moved to, answering phones, printing out maps of precincts with Democratic voters' names listed by street address, writing letters, getting materials from printers, organizing volunteers, etc. etc. Although there was only one paid staff member (and she was drawing only a fraction of what she originally was to have been paid) it still must have taken significant money to pay for office space, computers, phones, signs, printed materials, etc. And all of this had to be coordinated with state and national level offices, each receiving and needing to organize responses to requests for information from around the state.
I believe it is entirely possible for Kucinich to emerge as the people's choice. What everyone can do to help is:
1. First, adopt and communicate a conviction that Dennis is electable because of who he is and what he stands for. Share your enthusiasm for Kucinich whenever you have an opportunity. This doesn't have to be a full page ad in the New York Times; mere casual comments in conversations with friends all add up. Consider how there was a rush of support for Dean as soon as he gained ground in the polls, and remember that all it takes to generate a swing towards another candidate is for a very fickle "public perception" to shift slightly. Momemtum tends to build on itself and keep the ball rolling following incremental shifts. The only way to start the ball rolling in the first place is for voters to hear "some people" (instead of "no one") expressing the belief that Dennis Kucinich is the best guy to support. Once the buzz is that "more people" are supporting Dennis, his candidacy will receive greater attention, and the cycle will be well underway.
2. Donate, even small amounts, because relatively modest funds are powerfully leveraged by volunteer efforts to create a big impact. People can only vote for Dennis if they learn about him, and we can't count on the media to publicize candidates' positions and qualifications until there is some degree of public interest first. Money can prime the pump of awareness and interest.
3. Make phone calls tomorrow and urge anyone else who's interested and able to volunteer to do so. You can get a list of as few as 10 Iowans to call very easily at
http://www.kucinich.us/ The names and numbers to call will be people who have told earlier canvassers that they will be supporting Dennis in their caucus. Once a person tells canvassers they are committed to supporting a particular candidate, other candidates' campaigners quit calling. A reminding phone call from an upbeat volunteer (with an offer of a ride if needed) to each Kucinich supporter regarding the time and location of tomorrow evening's caucus will mean two things:
A. More Kucinich folks showing up. Every individual in the small caucuses of Iowa is important, and a single person may determine whether a delegate is awarded to Dennis in a given precinct.
B. Kucinich supporters will enter the caucus room knowing there is an effective campaign organized behind Dennis, and that they are not acting alone.
These phone calls do make a difference, so here's your chance to have an impact!
Tomorrow is the big day, and a surprising showing by Dennis will jump start an even bigger surge in New Hampshire and beyond.
Keep the faith!
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