Monday, July 31, 2006

Creating a Ground Game From Scratch in Eight Days? Priceless.

Or about $240,000 per day. Whatever.

Smith said they now have between 200 and 300 volunteers and paid staff, to canvass daily. Democratic workers in New Haven said the campaign told them it hopes to hire up to 4,000 workers by Election Day.
...
[New Haven Alderwoman Jacqueline James, D-3,] estimated 56 young people were hired out of about 500 people who showed up, attracted by the $60 a day fee, or about $800 for the duration.


Thats a nice chunk of change. Imagine how much more effective it would be if it wasn't created from whole cloth about 10 hours ago, didn't depend on a strategy from another state, and involved people who were passionate about the candidate instead of about the 60 bucks. In other words, kind of like Ned Lamont's ground campaign.

Oh, and:
She said LGS does not know the demographics of the city at all. James suggested that they match inexperienced teens with more savvy workers, but this was rejected.

"They kept saying this is how we do it in New Jersey. I kept telling them, ‘This is not New Jersey,’" said James, who no longer volunteers for Lieberman.

(emphasis added)

Sweet. Maybe if she were a little younger...

Before the Anonymice come out in force in the Comments to claim that Lamont is buying the election, he is still being outspent 2 to 1. And he isn't picking up a hundred large a day from out of state corporate donors. And he isn't threatining to use a Millionaires' Amendment to increase the amount those donors can give to $12,600 (although I am still pretty sure he can't do that).

You are entitled to your own opinion, but not to your own facts.

Sources:

Mary E. O’Leary, New Haven Register, Lieberman tries a 'younger' pitch, July 31, 2006.

David Lightman, Hartford Courant, Big List Of Big Givers Bolsters Lieberman, July 29, 2006.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Here's a question for you - how many of those out-of-state hired guns are registering at a temporary address to vote in the primary?

Think the Lieberman campaign is above that? I don't.

Gabe said...

Or, he is being outspent because all his supporters are actual people and are donating $5, $10, $20, sparechange and their time while the Lieberman supporters are corporations and political committees:

In the first 18 months of the 2005-06 cycle, he took in $1.24 million from political committees. He got $226,819 from finance and insurance groups, $104,000 from labor, $102,500 from health care interests and $102,121 from retail and services business, according to Political Moneyline.

In the first part of July, they continued to give. Among the donors: Bristol-Myers Squibb, Phoenix Companies, the Bond Market Association, the Real Estate Roundtable, AFLAC, Qwest, PriceWaterhouseCoopers, Citigroup, Honeywell International, Credit Suisse and the National Society of Accountants.

Since the daily reports began July 20, he has received checks of $1,000 or more from the political arms of the Mashantucket Pequots, Fannie Mae, the Chicago Board of Trade, Tyco International, KPMG, the National Auto Dealers Association Eli Lilly, and others.


Wow! Feel that enthusiasim! If the Bond Market Association, the Real Estate Roundtable, and the National Society of Accountants are registered to vote in Connecticut, this could get out of hand!

And, you can't buy an election by being outspent 2-1. It simply isn't possible.

Gabe said...

It also doesn't change the fact that the people donating to Lamont can actually vote in the primary, the people donating to Lieberman cannot.

On Wednesday alone, he said, the campaign got 100 checks from people giving small amounts. The small donations are not required to be listed in the daily filings; those contributions will be in reports filed after the primary.

Imagine that, actual people instead of corporations, PACs, and Washington insiders donating to a campaign... Its almost like we live in a democracy!

An unknown is going up against an eighteen year incumbant is being criticized for not raising enough money - its like criticizing water for being wet.

Meanwhile, actual citizens are donating (but in small amounts, so it doesn't count) and volunteering in droves while the incumbant has to buy a campaign staff because no one who actually lives here wants to knock on doors for him...

Lamont supporters aren't worried about the money because it will come on August 9th, when Lamont is the Democratic nominee. Even though he "bought" the election by spending half as much as the incumbant.

Anonymous said...

here we go with the 'senior political operative' thing again.

yawn.

Anonymous said...

Joe is done! There is no argument desired or requested. I see Lamont signs in the front yards of folks in other states. That tells us the people whom Joe was supposed to represent have decided his Bush kissing, Fox shilling, Hannity hugging mug is no longer welcome “Among” the real Democratic Party. He has betrayed the people and the Democratic Party by selling out his principles for political expediency. Selling them to the likes of the faux propaganda group and the G.utless O.ld P.ricks makes me want to vomit! Telling the democratic voter he will run as an independent, if he loses the democratic primary race, is like pissing on my shoe!

This has sent a message to Clinton, Schumer and anyone in the DLC. They had better back off! “We the people” in all parties are getting damn sick of the party bosses in Washington picking our candidates, especially in the primary races. If they don’t stop this attack on democracy they will be the next ones to get the boot!!

Shame on all of you damn “Insider’s Club” Dems who came and prostituted yourselves for the likes of this sell out! We need some spine and not this, I will kiss your butt if you kiss mine.

Attention all congressional Dems you had damn well better start representing your base and tell these treacherous lobbyists that the people will one day get off their asses and vote any sellout of any party to the curb. Shame on the DLC & Co for these gutless patronizations for such an undeserving turncoat!

Kick all lobbyists out of Washington. Straight public financing of elections!
Clean the filth out of congress and put America back on track!

Anonymous said...

someone on wikipedia says Q is releasing another poll today?...anyone heard that rumor?

Anonymous said...

turf,
I suppose that's why Lamont keeps going to Lieberman events to see what its like to have real crowds of supporters show up.

I can disagree with Republican bloggers here, but I don't find their posts to be fundamentally dishonest. Yours, on the other hand.... On Joe's big bus tour, he can't get anyone but his paid Lieberyouth and a few politicians to show up. Lamont routinely gets dozens of real supporters at his events. Lieberman can only attract interest in Clinton. There is no comparison between the grassroots enthusiasm for Lamont and the tepid, bored reaction to Lieberman's tepid, boring, and fearful campaign.

And when did you see Lamont at a Lieberman event? Your credibility diminishes daily.

Gabe said...

80%? I believe you have Lieberman and Lamint confused... Please clap harder, tinkerbell is dying...

I suppose that's why Lamont keeps going to Lieberman events to see what its like to have real crowds of supporters show up.

What? When did we go through the looking glass?

Anonymous said...

It looks to me like the tide is turning; Lamont's increasingly perceived as painted by the Dean whacko brush. His early breath of fresh air could turn into a scary hurricane.

Anonymous said...

Turfgrrl yet again illustrates why Lamont would be a better Senator than Lieberman. According to her, he is buying the Senate seat at half the price that Lieberman campaign has been spending.

Yet again, we see a successful business person making better use of his money than an entrenched politicians. He can buy things at half the price. We need that sort of leadership in our government

Gabe said...

I linked to a Courant article that seems to say the opposite. Or do I need to put Lieberman blinders on before I read the Courant and then I will understand?

Anonymous said...

turfgrrl says that Lamont can't raise money, yet according the the Courant, Lamont has raised $1.6 million.

She goes on to say "Lamont keeps going to Lieberman events to see what its like to have real crowds of supporters show up." Yet Lamont hasn't been to any Lieberman events. Some of his more vocal supporters have because they want to question Lieberman, but Lieberman doesn't answer anyone's questions.

And the New Haven Independent reports "Joe Lieberman failed to attract even a dozen genuine neighborhood supporters to an anemic reelection campaign rally in his New Haven hometown's Dixwell section Monday"

turfgrrl, like so many Lieberman supporters seem to be utterly unconcerned with facts.