Sanders' California director leaves campaign

[brooklynite]

Source: Politico

Bernie Sanders’ campaign parted ways with its California state director Michael Ceraso on Wednesday morning, 27 days before the primary in the state that Sanders has repeatedly said is crucial to his effort to capture the Democratic nomination.

The surprise move came after a period when Ceraso advocated for a California strategy that involved more investment on field and digital organizing than on television advertising — a staple of Sanders’ campaign elsewhere so far — he told POLITICO.

Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2016/05/bernie-sanders-california-michael-ceraso-223077

---

It occurred to me a month or so ago that Sanders was running a remarkably conventional campaign: rallies and TV ads. I seem to recall early on that this was going to be cutting edge and tailored to the millennials.

[George II]

1. "Ceraso advocated......more investment on field and digital organizing"

Lack of field organizing, one of the Sanders campaigns biggest flaws.

[ananda]

17. Agree.

Sorry to say.

[4now]

2. It is all falling apart.

[Plucketeer]

6. Oh the HUMILITY!

Sanders CRASHING in a giant helium fireball! OH - wait - helium isn't flammable!

[SheenaR]

3. Objectively

The field organization has been spotty.

Being involved with the campaign in an elevated capacity at times, you hear how some states the GOTV was incredible. Simply a work of art. And others it was uncontrolled chaos.

In RI, the field organization was a well oiled machine. I mean I have done this before and was very impressed and wrote an email to the campaign that certain people should not be cut and in fact sent on to California.

But there's no way this can be seen as positive. Leads me to believe while we have some amazing support in CA (DUer Le Taz Hot is a huge help out there) that this spells some trouble.

Should be interesting how it transpires.

[brooklynite]

4. Maybe the RI model doesn't scale up...

[SheenaR]

10. Considered this

But a far larger state like Michigan, we heard of really great targeting in the field et. al. But you certainly could be right

[RandySF]

27. Sounds like they're good with small states

As evidenced in their results. Also also explains where Hillary's money is going: voter contact as opposed to those big rallies.

[LiberalArkie]

5. I would imagine that the anxiety level on the Bernie campaign has to be intense. He moves fast and

is intense. I am surprised that more and more people come into a new state, get thing operational and just have to bail out to keep their sanity. I would imagine it would very difficult to imagine rallies with 20-20,000 people appearing sometimes several times a day in different cities. I could not imagine out the Secret Service agents in charge are handing it without going postal themselves.

Bernies methods will be studied for many years whether he wins of looses.

[hack89]

7. A campaign centered on rallies is a tried and true tactic for underdog candidates

good way to drum up media coverage and create the image of widespread support and momentum regardless of whether it actually exists. But you still need a meticulous planned and well funded ground game. That is where Bernie failed.

[CoffeeCat]

8. The Sanders campaign has had issues

with some campaign staff who were not doing their jobs. Several were so ineffective, that people who worked with them were suggesting that they were deliberately sabotaging the Sander's campaign by doing a poor job.

I don't know what is going on here--but I applaud the change. If someone isn't working out, CA this is too important to look the other way and hope for the best. Don't screw around. Get someone else on there and do it up!

Sanders has other trusted staffers in CA who are doing the work. I'm sure the Sanders campaign is capable of filling the gaps and running a successful CA campaign.

We've got almost a month to go. If this person wasn't optimal (for whatever reason), it's positive that he's gone while there's time to move forward and make progress on CA.

[progressoid]

12. According to the link...

As the campaign turned more of its attention to California and its 475 delegates late last month, it also brought in Robert Becker — Sanders’ Iowa state director and another veteran of a series of other contests since then, including New York — to work in the state.

I don't know anything about Becker.

Bernie's website has this about him:

Becker has been managing political campaigns around the world for 25 years. In 2000, he was a regional field director for former Sen. Bill Bradley’s Iowa bid and was former New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson’s 2008 Iowa state director. Becker has worked on Democratic campaigns across 2-states and managed several ground-breaking efforts, including Jared Polis’ historic 2008 victory in Colorado, in which he became the first openly gay man to run and win a seat in Congress. He has also worked extensively internationally, organizing and training political activists in countries emerging from repressive regimes, including Egypt and Libya following the Arab Spring.

[CoffeeCat]

21. Robert Becker!

I remember reading and watching videos about him. This guy is the real deal. Very talented and a terrific Progressive activist. The Iowa Staff spoke very highly of him, as if he was a legend.

He seems like the perfect man for the job. I feel better all ready.

I have no idea what happened. This man may have decided that he was burned out on politics. However, if the Sanders camp had any reservations about him, it is good that he is gone and Becker and others are heading up CA.

I feel like Bernie is on fire!! Making changes. Pressing forward and making it happen. Awesome!

If I find that video, I will post it.

[progressoid]

26. Well that's great to hear! N/T

[RandySF]

28. Wait a sec

Sounds to me like it's the guy who IS doing his job who's leaving. And they're going to replace him with the guy who oversaw Bernie's big loss in NY? Good luck with that.

[CoffeeCat]

30. Doesn't sound like it to me at all

Sounds like the Sanders campaign is putting their best people in CA.

Robert Becker was a legendary figure in Bernie's Iowa campaign. He helped run the campaign and was a big part of Bernie's successful Iowa ground game. He's a tremendous leader, and I am relieved knowing that he will be working hard on CA.

Who the hell knows what happened with the dude that left. I don't think there's evidence either way. It is certain that they moved in some of their best people to CA.

[RandySF]

31. California is not Iowa.

We have about 8 million registered Democrats, vastly different regions and we are nowhere near as homogenous as Iowa. Also, we have media markets that rival New York's and.......is he going to ignore New Jersey, DC and New Mexico that day?

[CoffeeCat]

33. Obviously, Iowa is not CA--but talent is talent

Robert Becker will do a great job. He's just one of Bernie's people that is in CA--because he's one of the best. He also worked in NY and in many other states as well, for Bernie.

I'm sure Bernie has people in NJ, DC and NM as well...obviously.

This is from Robert Becker's LinkedIn profile. He's obviously a seasoned political pro.
-----------
Robert Becker has been managing political campaigns and implementing communication strategies around the world for twenty-five years. He has worked on five US presidential campaigns — including former US Senator Bill Bradley’s 2000 bid and former UN Ambassador Bill Richardson’s 2008 campaign.

Becker has put his “boots-on-the-ground” organizing and training political activists in countries emerging from repressive regimes like Zimbabwe, Malaysia, Indonesia, Rwanda, Haiti, Libya, Nigeria and Egypt.

In the United States, Becker has worked on Democratic Party campaigns in twenty states and managed several ground-breaking efforts, including Colorado Congressman Jared Polis’historic 2008 victory. In 2012 he worked with Grassroots Solutions to help execute the largest paid Get-Out-the-Vote operation on behalf of President Barack Obama and Senator Tammy Baldwin, achieving “record breaking” voter turnout in Milwaukee, WI.

Becker, based in Cairo (now in exile), is one of the foreign nationals convicted in Egypt’s 2011 crackdown on civil society organizations. A Los Angeles Times profile described his work around the world as having “instilled a keen sense for sound bites, plotting strategy and, in countries such as Egypt, guiding activists and fledgling politicians emerging from decades of repression.”

Becker has appeared on numerous news programs advocating for civil society and democracy in the Middle East, including Al Jazeera International, BBC, and CNN International. His decision to stay behind in Egypt and stand trail with his colleagues during the NGO crackdown has been chronicled inForeign Policy, Newsweek, ThinkProgress, and The Washington Post.

He is a founder and “Organizer” with The Tanzeem Group, a Cairo-based progressive grassroots organizing and communications firm.

When he grows up, Becker wants to sing in a band and play the mandolin. To date he has accomplished the singing part… the mandolin, not so much.

Follow him on Twitter @rbecker51.

[Surya Gayatri]

9. Massive K & R. Thanks for posting. Chaos, thy name is Devine...

[jillan]

11. It might be for the better. Hard to say until more details come out.

[Eric J in MN]

13. The Clinton campaign has been better at getting people to vote by mail

...which is how a significant number of Californians vote.

[displacedtexan]

29. You're absolutely right! My CA ballot arrived yesterday, along with

three different mailings from the Clinton campaign. Stealth marketing.

[Gothmog]

14. A good friend worked on several states for Sanders and went to Calif only to be let go

My friend is a good field organizer and worked in several states for Sanders including at the Brooklyn office. It seems that Sanders is cutting back and that the small dollar donors are drying up. California is a very expensive state

[brooklynite]

15. Those rally arenas don't pay for themselves...

[mdbl]

23. Yes, we need Wall Street money!!

Bring it on Hill!

[Lodestar]

16. There were many issues in New York

so that was not a 'proved' state result, perhaps. Bernie should
stick to the people and methods that are most comfortable and reliable
for him. For California he probably doesn't want to be working with any more
'unknowns' or unproved people/situations than is possible.

[texstad79]

18. The CA primary

will probably end up a lot like NY.

[beltanefauve]

19. Got specifics?

[left-of-center2012]

20. Bernie just keeps on winning

And some Bernie haters keep on whining.

[brooklynite]

24. By "winnin" you mean "racking up 3 million fewer votes"?

[thesquanderer]

22. Although MC is leaving, that doesn't mean his advice has gone unheeded.

For example, from the same article: "Sanders himself suggested to the Sacramento Bee on Monday that he may not spend on TV ads."

I would not assume that the departure was necessarily related to a disagreement about strategy.

[triron]

25. Hillary Leads Bernie in Oregon poll

http://www.opb.org/news/series/election-2016/bernie-sanders-hillary-clinton-donald-trump-oregon-poll/

[RandySF]

32. Is BS aware that other states are voting?

Dows he think that he'll do well enough in CA, ND, SD and MT to cancel out New Mexico, New jersey and DC?