Any returning Iowa "stormers" out there - wanna talk?

[Southsideirish]

I have mixed feeling about my experience. 'Worked hard, froze my butt, was hung up on, had the door slammed in my face, laughed, cried, spent money, used up time from work and 'not sure I accomplished very much.
What improvements/criticisms do you have? What was your impression of the caucuses? I only know what I saw on TV but 'know its not the system for me as I don't like to argue. I arrive at my opinions and I'm not likely to change them and definitely don't care to to be harassed as I saw a Kerry person doing to Dean people on Cspan.
Also, what were your impressions of how you were utilized by the offices?

[mandyky]

1. I am not a stormer but I'd love to talk

about this. I heard last night some of these new caucus goers weren't prepared for the horsetrading or how to convince independents and GOPers to the Dean side. Did the stormers give papers out, information, issues, etc.. ?

[Southsideirish]

2. I didn't see any special flyers for caucus goers.

at least not in my office.
From what I saw on the tube at the caucus the Kerry people were aggressive and the Edwards people were emotional - both hard to combat. I heard there was a lot of party switching (Repub veterans to Kerry Dems, also, but only have this on "word of mouth.")
The Kucinich "non- viables" went to Edwards and the same for Gep to Kerry - Howard only had the ones he came in with. Definitely don't' like that "viable" idea. Would have liked to have seen a regular vote instead.
If I lived in a caucus state I would never vote. Many of the doors I called on said they don't attend the caucuses - many more than those that were attending.

[IowaBiker]

3. A lot of discussion happened before the caucus

Remember each caucus session is held for an individual precint and many people within the precint know each other and talk amongst themselves before hand.

I think that is lost on a lot of outsiders. I knew two or three dozen people there. Worked hard to get Kerry people out, 10 of 12 neighbors, with the other 2 Edwards people and we let them "forget" to go.

--Brian

[SheilaT]

4. I was there Saturday and Sunday

and had the best time of my life.

I stayed inside, doing phone banking and then made posters that were intended to be put up in the caucus locations. I worked alongside wonderful people, especially the kids (I'm 55). The energy level was high and I'd do it again.

[HFishbine]

5. Thank you

for what you've done. It will not be in vain. You'll see.

[SheilaT]

6. I hope not.

When I see Dean on TV, I can imagine him so easily as President Dean, and I cannot see any of the others that way.

[NoPasaran]

7. Thanks to all the stormers

For going to Iowa and freezing your butts.
Okay, we didn't win. But we're not defeated by a long shot. I am committed to Dean all the way.

[mainer]

8. A question: where were the young people?

I watched some of the caucus coverage on TV, and was taken aback by how few young faces were in the caucus rooms. Since so much of Dean's support seems to be from the 18 - 35 year old age group, if they didn't go, then they weren't heard. What happened?

[Logansquare]

10. You know, I haven't seen state demographics discussed

Perhaps I've missed this kind of coverage, but Iowa has a median age of about 36 years, and nearly 15 percent of the population is over 65 years of age. People over 60 tend to have very high voter participation rates, as well.

If Trippi was counting on 18-30 yr olds to make this a victory, the numbers don't add up--not even with 100 percent turnout.

[SheilaT]

13. I can tell you that a lot of the

out of state volunteers in Iowa were young, under 25. I spent Sunday working with a bunch of them, particularly a young man named Alex from the DC area who attends college in Minnesota. I don't want to give any more specifics than that, to protect his privacy.

I was amazed and pleased by all the young people I met. Amazed because my own two kids aren't very interested in politics, and pleased because they were all so bright and interested in what's going on.

[Southsideirish]

12. The oddest thing - all of us were "energized" -except the Iowans!.

We were revved up all the way but the people we called on were by and large "ho hum"and we called on. I think Howard's TV ad (the one I saw) was terrible - it really was baaad. Just him sitting face forward talking into the camera - looked like it was done by a local junior college. In the meantime Edwards is running these fabulous ads with him jogging along with flashbacks on his background, etc. Very "Madison Avenue" but they worked!

[cms424]

20. Young supporters

"I watched some of the caucus coverage on TV, and was taken aback by how few young faces were in the caucus rooms. Since so much of Dean's support seems to be from the 18 - 35 year old age group, if they didn't go, then they weren't heard. What happened?"

I saw some pictures taken at the caucuses in the New York Times and I couldn't believe how old the crowds appeared. It gives me some hope that Dean can make a comeback since a great deal of his support comes from a younger audience - the younger audience that doesn't usually vote.

[David__77]

9. You are appreciated.

Thank you for fighting for a progressive, fighting Democratic Party. It will bear results certainly.

[askew]

11. Well, I went down to Mason City twice.

December 13th and January 9th. I felt that both trips were really well organized. I wish we could have focused on recruiting at the mall, on campus, at a boat show, etc. I think we would have had better luck thinking outside of the box. By the time I was down there the second time, these poor democrats had been seriously harassed by all of the candidates. Also, it would have been nice if they could have coordinated our trips with a local Iowan or had us help with caucus training. I think our big problem was getting our group out on caucus night and working the unviable and undecided groups at the precinct level. Something the more experienced groups had a better job of doing. As I am in a caucus state, I am a little concerned that we are going to have the same problem at our caucus.

[iowapeacechief]

14. Pleasant encounter with Stormers

I've told DU of my disappointment with Dean (mainly IWR as litmus test and the first-and-only "antiwar" claim), but I've liked most of his campaigners even when disagreeing with them.

So, let me take this opportunity to report that I enjoyed my conversation with a pair of Dean's "storming" college students who came to my door last Saturday (from Wheaton College in Illinois). They introduced themselves pleasantly and acknowledged my Kucinich yard sign, then asked me to consider joining Dean supporters in my caucus if Dennis wasn't viable.

After a few minutes of sincere conversation and considerable agreement, I wished them well and they walked on up my street.

Thanks to everyone who came to Iowa and encouraged us to get involved! Don't measure the good you did only by your candidate's caucus numbers. If you persuaded someone to get active, you did more good than you realize.

[elsiesummers]

15. I was an Edwards volunteer

Friday thru Monday.

I'm trying to decide if I want to continue on in other states, although I'm going to skip New Hampshire.

It was interesting to participate in the campaign in that the curtain was pulled back slightly on the political process.

I question how valuable the volunteer work really was - in that I'm not sure that all the phone banking and canvassing was particularly productive in that oversaturated market. I was surprised at how many people actually answered their phones and talked. Door knocking was a new thing for me - it was so bitter cold - but I lost weight:)

It seemed like a much of the data on possible Edwards voters had little to do with the actual turnout.

It seemed like many of the out of state volunteers were somehow hoping to get a leg up in politics - or sometimes local level politicians looking for a DC job perhaps - rather than simple political junkies like myself.

I do think having a campaign presence at the caucus precinct was benneficial.

The one thing I felt made a difference was when I told a woman who I spoke to on the phone - who said she had seen all the candidates but Edwards - that she could see him on cspan - that to see him is to be convinced.

I really think he is his own best salesman - that no one else can convey his message - because his message is great but it is just as much about his presentation skills.

I'm really glad I went to Iowa. I still like Edwards the best of all the candidates. I find politics as a whole, now that the curtain has been pulled back, much less interesting or exciting.

[elsiesummers]

17. One more thing

as we canvassed it was actually quite funny that we kept crossing paths with both Dean and Gephardt canvasers - and often the doors we went to would end up with literature from all three. And we would wave at the Deanies and they would wave at us - I think that we were all really in the same boat - it was pretty friendly in my opinion.

[Lisa0825]

19. I didn't see any Gephardt supporters, but did cross paths with

two Edwards supporters several times. I waved them down, as they were passing the intersection faster than me. They waited for me to catch up, and we had a nice conversation. We both wished each other luck and expressed our ABB sentiments.

[Lisa0825]

16. I was there the 16th through 19th.

I had an incredible time! I met so many great people, worked all day, and played all night. I am not so sure that our efforts paid off. I was in New Hampshire in September, and the people whose doors I knocked on there seemed SO much more interested in politics. Most Iowans just seemed like we were a pain in the ass. I don't know if that is their general feeling about politics, or if, due to the time of year, it just got to be overwhelming, and they were sick of it.

The more I read about the caucus, the more seedy it seems... all the bargaining and strategizing.... just makes it seem like votes are for barter to the best bidder.

The staff in Iowa were great! I have wonderful memories of everyone I met there, and would do it again in a heartbeat.

I was sorry I missed the DU meet up. Due to being behind schedule bigtime, we didn't get any downtime until late into the evening, and since we were staying in the Boone-ies, there was just no way to make it. But on the plus side, I got to meet Jeanene Garafaolo and Joan Jett!!!:-)

[fabius]

18. Didn't go myself but we had a friend who went for 2 weeks.

for Dean.

Some of us (locally in Portland OR) are a bit down right now but as a more seasoned campaigner (since 1980) I tell 'em not work is more difficult, frustrating or rewarding than grassroots politics.

Every vote counts. Every single one. Even if it takes you all day to get it.

I got the impression the young Stormers had a lot of enthusiasm but needed more leavening with experienced precinct leadership (from what our friend said) and the organization can be improved.

Don't be discouraged anyone! I've lived thru Nixon, Reagan and Bush 41 and the crooks seem to always get crookeder. But I've never seen a campaign better at recruiting new volunteers. Out here in Oregon Dean rules!

Scuttlebutt has it that Kerry managed to put together a more effective ground game. Plus the negative adverts mostly by Gephardt.

I've heard that other campaigns have more effective TV ads. We need to work on that.


Courage!! - fabius