It's party time for Howard Dean
snip>
Tonight, in living rooms across America, supporters of the Democratic presidential front-runner will gather for beer, pretzels and the opportunity, via a mass conference call, to communicate with the candidate himself.
The nationwide fund-raiser, billed as a "New Year for America," is part of the former Vermont governor's hugely successful grass-roots strategy of using a vast volunteer network to organize "house parties." Ranging from potlucks to coffee hours to gourmet dinners, the affairs are hosted by people recruited by word-of-mouth and through the Internet. They sometimes draw motley crowds of college students and senior citizens, blue-collar workers and professionals.
"It's very intimate, it's very informal, and it's really neighbor to neighbor," said Joe Magid, an Internet technology management consultant from Wynnewood, Pa., outside Philadelphia, who co-coordinates Dean house parties in Pennsylvania. "It's far from finely honed, but it works."
More than 1,300 parties are scheduled around the country tonight. Hosts who set a fund-raising goal of $311 - the amount alludes to the campaign Web site's "countdown" to the Nov. 2 election, though the actual number of days is 308 - can listen to a conference call with Dean, who will be introduced by former Vice President Al Gore. Guests from the two top-grossing parties and from two or three other parties selected at random will get to ask Dean a question.
http://timesargus.nybor.com/Story/76604.htmlI just found out that one of the parties is at a house just around the block from us and we're GOING! extra bonus: it's a spaghetti dinner so I don't have to cook.
Printer-friendly format
Email this thread to a friend
Bookmark this thread
(1000+ posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
