What I think sucks about Kerry Meetups and grassroots in general.

[LoZoccolo]

The idea is good, and I love you all for coming, and you know I'm way behind Kerry, but something I am really sick and tired of is people complaining about the campaign in all different directions. Like we had this thing where someone handed out some talking points, which included five reasons to vote for Kerry. The Supreme Court thing was on there, that was cool. All of a sudden people start complaining that their issues are not on the list of five things. Someone came in to talk to us about the Barack Obama campaign too and the whole time these people kept yakking about how dissatisfied they were with Kerry's strategy while someone was up there talking! We're trying to get things done and people want to hear themselves rant at the expense of our senate candidate's campaign. And when I say hear themselves rant I mean hear themselves rant - they weren't talking to anyone who could go and fix whatever they thought was wrong with the campaign, so it wasn't any use.

You know what it reminded me of? All the bickering that goes on here, but these people aren't on DU.

I don't really know what exactly I'm trying to say, but I think it has something to do with we should have enough discipline to actually get things done, know when to speak up and know when to get to work, so that we can be as organized and strategic as the Republicans if not more. Like sorry, it's not going to do you any good to complain a lot if you're gonna bring the whole thing down for everyone.

That having been said, I have a feeling I'll regret this thread tommorow morning if not in a few minutes.

[aldian159]

1. hey, were you at ann sather's?

On Belmont?

[LoZoccolo]

3. No comment.

I just realized I don't wanna say where I was cuz people might come after me, but let me just say if I wasn't, then I've hit upon a not-uncommon problem.

[aldian159]

4. no, im not gonna hurt you

I was at a meet-up at Ann Sathers and paid 2 bucks for a damn cup of coffee.

If you don't wanna tell, that's okay.

I KNEW I should have worn my DU shirt, but had a change of heart at the last second.

[LoZoccolo]

6. If you had added the eggs benedict...

...it would have much covered the loss on the cup of coffee!

[aldian159]

8. Yeah, if i hadn't ducked out at 8

I probably would have ordered something.

Small world. I know Chicago is a great D stronghold, but to have two DUers in the same place at the same time is eerie.

[Taylor Mason Powell]

2. Your tale is most disturbing.

Focus, people, focus!! Eyes on the prize and all that... There'll be time for the circular firing squad starting Jan. 21, 2005.

[LoZoccolo]

5. Part of the absurdity was that...

...if you didn't like these five talking points, you could just use your own. These five were for people who didn't really have that many to begin with, as a starting point!

[Taylor Mason Powell]

7. Yikes.

I'm glad I wasn't there! That is SO lame!

Wasn't there anyone leading the meeting? Or is that too hierarchical or authoritarian or whatever for these folks?

[LoZoccolo]

10. There was someone leading...

...and people talking anyways! And when the representative from the Barack Obama campaign came up, I'd be surprised if the people talking even knew she was up there speaking.

I guess another thing I think is it's one thing to complain about things and another thing to sit down and think "how will I get this done in a way that actually works...not necessarily the way I can cause the most noise, but what will actually eventually get me what I want".

Because the first eight letters of "progressive"...

[Taylor Mason Powell]

11. That's a good attitude.

Wish there were more who felt that way! :-)

I read a Salon article on Obama a while ago - he sounds like he'd be an incredible Senator. With Illinois trending Dem, he's got a good shot, no?

[aldian159]

12. a great shot

my best friend's dad is big in the IL GOP (what's left of them) and he says internal, unreleased GOP polling has Jack Ryan (the GOP candidate) down 250,000 votes right about now.

[LoZoccolo]

14. Oh yeah, I really like Obama.

I can definately see him appealing to those independants who don't like politics because they think politicians are mostly slick, shifty-eyed crooks or something, because he comes off as like, way opposite. Contrast that with his opponent Jack Ryan's campaign, where some guy was following Obama around with a video camera for hours, even going so far as to wait for him outside the bathroom, and I think we'll keep our comfortable lead.

[JI7]

9. i have never gone to any

of course i live in an area that is mostly democratic anyways. but i do things on my own at times . nothing big and professional but still something. i think it would be much more worth going to these if i lived in a swing state. but it's all voluntary in the end and the meetups are just a new way of doing voluntary work for campaigns. i think people will get more professional with time. and in a few years you will have people who are experienced and teach others .

[zulchzulu]

13. Next time, have a microphone/amp

The meetup I and a couple others hosted (Madison, WI) allowed for a little discussion where some people bitched about how Kerry needs to get his message out ...

I reminded them that he DOES have his message out. We had issue papers printed out from http://www.kerrysupport.com that addressed any issue that they might want to find out about. There were a couple others that chimed in that Kerry does indeed have his message out. I wanted to say that it's up to them to do their homework and not wait for his platform explanations to be confirmed in 1-minute ads on TV.

The key to this meetup was having an amp and mic so that when someone would bitch or go off topic, you could wait for a point to interrupt them so they don't take over the meeting. This is critical. Having aluminum foil tin hats should also be an option sometimes.

If people want to take over a meeting with their viewpoint, you have to remind them that the meeting allows for limited Q&A and you'd be glad to talk with them AFTER the meeting ends.

Opinions are like assholes. Everyone has one.

[Radical Activist]

15. Shut up and do something

That's what I usually want to tell those people. Obviously they are so much smarter than the campaign professionals running the Kerry campaign, but are they doing anything but sitting on their ass at home and bitching about it?
When I do campaign work I always get very irritated at people who complain a lot about the campaign but aren't willing to invest the personal time to do something about it. If Meetups were real grassroots organizing those people who complain would be doing more on their own.

Anyway, the Meetup in my location was ok. A campaign staffer was there, so it was mostly just anouncements and talking. Kind of boring but interesting to meet a few new people.

[zulchzulu]

17. Wow, I couldn't agree more

Nothing like people who bitch about Kerry (or any politician) not doing the "__________", yet they don't do shit about possibly joining in the fight and getting off their ass and helping out.

Sorry, I had to deal with a few of those people recently. Bitch...moan...say they'll help out and turn out to be a no-show.

[JDPriestly]

16. Hate to be a contrarian (Ha!)

But, we had a great Kerry Meet-up here out here in East Los Angeles -- not many people, but a good discussion about what we're going to do in our neighborhood to get Kerry elected. Great people, very positive. No weirdos. Maybe you should move out here to California.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

18. Our meetup was pretty good tonight. Since our primary is in 13 days

practically all we could talk is how we could convince Kerry to visit, lol...