I’ve made mention of this before, but I’m one of those on Barack Obama’s campaign mailing list. On Friday I got an e-mail from David Plouffe, who helped run the campaign. Indeed, it’s looking like the re-election campaign is already underway:
You helped build the most powerful and effective grassroots movement in America.
Now, you’re helping to define how this movement will support President-elect Obama’s agenda and continue to bring the change we need.
The more voices that are part of this process, the better the results will be.
And so far, the response has been remarkable — 550,000 people completed the online supporter survey. And this past weekend, supporters organized more than 4,000 Change is Coming house meetings in 2,000 cities across all 50 states.
Supporters like you are deciding how this movement will go forward. And your dedication is incredible.
House meetings were held in 2,000 cities. In Florida there were 302 events across the state. In Pennsylvania there were 165, and Ohio had 160.
From these meetings, survey responses, and thousands of conversations on My.BarackObama and email, your ideas about the future of this organization are taking shape.
Here are a few things you shared in the survey:
- House meetings were the primary way supporters got involved in the campaign
- People are excited to volunteer around a number of top issues, including education, the environment, health care, poverty, and the economy
- 86 percent of respondents feel it’s important to help Barack’s administration pass legislation through grassroots support
- 68 percent feel it’s important to help elect state and local candidates who share the same vision for our country
- And a staggering 10 percent of respondents indicated that they would be interested in running for elected office
This feedback is essential to our next steps, because this movement is fueled by your ideas and your passion.
(snip)
Between now and Barack’s inauguration, we’ll continue to collect your ideas and feedback.
After the inauguration, we should be able to announce a clear plan for the future of this movement — a plan determined by you.
Thanks for being a part of this journey to bring about change in the years to come,
David
David Plouffe
Campaign Manager
Obama for America
(all emphasis in original)
The advantage the Left has piled up is rooted in Howard Dean’s 2004 campaign and expanded further during the 2008 election runup. With a tech-savvy Presidential election staff and a leader who’s telegenic and has generally avoided mistakes so far that his lapdog media can’t smooth over, we on the right have a lot of catching up to do.
While whoever heads up the Republican National Committee doesn’t necessarily hold the position by a popular election (instead, the winner will be the one who draws the majority of the votes of those who sit on the RNC, a membership of 168 votes or so), for lack of an elected leader that person becomes the titular head of the Republican movement by default. Hopefully that person can also be the leader of the conservative movement as well but that may not necessarily be the case; it depends on who the RNC rank-and-file select.
In any case, one major focus for the winner will be to tailor a message that stays true to GOP principles and focuses well on the Facebook generation. We only picked up about 1/3 of the youth vote with John McCain and our side will have to act quickly before these voters become lifelong Democrats simply by habit.
With the constant barrage of e-mail that employs cutting-edge graphics and video appealing to a generation who’s coming of age with Youtube and other non-traditional media outlets, Barack Obama’s generation (which is mine as well) has already employed a cadre of idealistic youngsters to appeal to newer voters online. In large part, they were the contributors to an overwhelming ground game and had the energy to see it through. Combined with the unions who always have willing servants to the Democrats’ cause, the momentum was difficult to stop – but stop it we must in future elections.
Consider this a shot across the bow to the establishment Republicans – doing “what we’ve always done” just won’t cut it anymore. What worked for Bush in 2000 and 2004 may as well be so 20th century.