Obama Counting On The Web For Turnout

Washington Post: Democratic Candidate Tries New Tactics To Get Out Vote In Iowa

(Washingtonpost.com)  This story was written by Peter Slevin and Jose Antonio Vargas.

---

In Sen. Barack Obama's Iowa headquarters, young staff members sit at computers, analyzing online voter data and targeting potential backers. They zip one e-mail to an undecided voter and zap a different message to a firm supporter.

Depending on the voter, they follow with Facebook reminders, telephone calls, text messages and, most important, house visits. The effort will culminate in what state director Steve Hildebrand calls "the largest grass-roots volunteer operation that Iowa has ever seen."

Whether Hildebrand's boast proves true on Thursday, Obama's campaign has taken a markedly different approach to identifying its supporters and getting them to the caucuses than those of his two main opponents, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York and former senator John Edwards of North Carolina.

With turnout likely to be decisive in a Democratic race that pollsters call a three-way tie, Obama (Ill.) has built an Election Day operation that combines an apparent edge in technology with the tried-and-true grunt work of a traditional Iowa campaign. Edwards and Clinton have also assembled formidable ground operations, with outside help from labor unions and political interest groups.

Edwards, who has been campaigning virtually nonstop since finishing second here four years ago, is depending on caucus veterans. Strategists for Obama and Clinton are counting on a record turnout, which means inducing caucus neophytes to gather on a cold January night.

The chances appear good that more Democrats will participate than ever before.

"It's more money, more staff, more TV, more of everything," said Jean Hessburg, a former executive director of Iowa's Democratic Party. "We had a record turnout in 2004. I'm sure we'll break it in 2008."

Obama began organizing in Iowa by deploying more staff members earlier to more counties and by building tracking mechanisms to identify and retain supporters. For example, the campaign mines data gathered online: Which petitions did people sign on the campaign Web site? Which e-mails have they answered?

If the Internet is like a big grocery store, Obama's aides made sure he appeared on every aisle. As some campaign workers built mailing lists and telephone trees according to political, professional and personal interests, others created the first groups and profiles on sites as varied as Eons, the MySpace for baby boomers, and LinkedIn, a site mostly for white-collar professionals.

They also used BlackPlanet.com, MiGente.com, AsianAve.com and GLEE.com -- the MySpace and Facebook for, respectively, the African American, Latino, Asian and gay online communities. They have posted more than 350 videos on his YouTube channel, twice as many as Clinton, and his videos have been viewed nearly twice as often as hers. Obama has more MySpace friends than any other Democratic candidate, and he lists more Facebook supporters than all other Democrats combined.

Looking ahead to caucus day, the campaign is setting up a "catch-all queue," in which caucus-goers could get an answer within minutes after texting a question such as "Where's my precinct in Des Moines?"

Four years ago, another Democrat, former Vermont governor Howard Dean, came into the Iowa caucuses as "the Internet candidate" and finished third, all but ending his candidacy. Obama's campaign flatly rejects that comparison, arguing that today's Web is vastly different, that Iowa is much more wired, that they have learned that electronic touches are only part of the picture.

"We don't think we could be any more different than the Dean campaign," said Hildebrand, a veteran political strategist. "We get everyone who signs up with us online to get involved in person. It's not just a computer-to-computer relationship -- it's a person-to-person relationship. This is Iowa, after all."

Unions have their own 2004 precedent to avoid. That year, then-Rep. Richard A. Gephardt (D-Mo.), who won the caucus in 1988, was considered a favorite because of his strong union backing. Instead, he finished behind Dean and his candidacy was also ended.

Chuck Rocha, national political director of the United Steelworkers of America, has spent much of the past six months in Iowa, directing labor volunteers for the Edwards campaign. Over the weekend, about 130 steelworkers were in Iowa, spending eight hours a day on union time, then working the rest of their long days directly for the Edwards staff.

This time, Rocha said, his members are targeting union members more, engaging them on their doorsteps and at the gates of 21 Iowa factories instead of just passing out leaflets. The outsiders concentrate on identifying Edwards supporters and urging undecideds to see him in action. "What they're saying to our members is, 'You have a voice that I don't have. Use it,' " said Edwards precinct captain John Campbell, a steelworker and an Iowan. "We learned from our mistakes that a caucus is a different critter."
Clinton's campaign has its own target group: female voters, including many who have never caucused. In one ambitious effort to expand her base, Clinton launched an effort to reach women -- especially over 65, under 30 or single -- registered as independents or as Democrats considered unlikely to caucus. She taped a call to them and told them to expect an envelope in the mail.

The packet, less political than other Clinton mail, included a card that said, "If you're itching for change, scratch here to win." Those who sent it back received a blue travel mug that said "I'm standing with Hillary." The campaign collected the names of thousands of potential supporters -- so many that it needed a tractor-trailer to haul all the mugs.

"This is a huge experiment," said Karen Hicks, a senior campaign adviser. "We have no idea if this will work or not."

For weeks, the Clinton campaign has been doing much hand-holding of its newest recruits, pairing them with experienced caucusgoers to boost their confidence and inspire them to show up.

Along the way, the campaign has had considerable help from its union supporters. Emily's List, the women's political fundraising group, spent more than $400,000 to design an elaborate marketing program aimed at Iowa women. Strategists identified a large subset who described themselves as predisposed to support Clinton and having a six in 10 chance of caucusing.

"We realized it wasn't that we needed to spend our time building the support in Iowa for Hillary -- we just needed to turn out the support that she had," said Emily's List spokeswoman Ramona Oliver. "We looked at why they wouldn't go -- what were the barriers?"

The strategists found that many women simply found the caucuses confusing and intimidating, so they took several steps to counter that. At the same time, Emily's List designed an online advertising strategy that popped up a link to its Web site every time a computer in Iowa searched Google or Yahoo using specific terms. Some of the search terms were politically oriented, such as "2008 caucuses." Others aimed at the presumed interests of Iowa women, such as "recipe," "stocking stuffer" and "post-Thanksgiving sales."

By the end of the week, about 20,000 visitors from 613 Iowa towns had clicked on the ads.

"We really were trying to get to women where they live," Oliver said.

The group decided not to send out-of-state volunteers to knock on doors in Iowa. "It just felt wrong," said Maren Hesla, director of the group's Women Vote program. Instead, Emily's List sent names of targeted women to the American Federation of Teachers, a Clinton supporter, which sent its own literature promoting her.

All the organizational work is just a prelude to what will happen the night of the caucuses, which won't even begin until 6:30 p.m. Anything from bad weather to a sick child could prevent someone from leaving home, and that's why campaigns have been urging Iowans for months to bond with like-minded supporters at barbecues, house parties and mock caucuses. And that's why the ground armies are arranging rides and babysitters, and the candidates are returning again and again to Ottumwa, Davenport and Mason City.

The key of keys, Hildebrand said, is to knock on doors.

"Working the ground, going from house to house, talking to supporters and those leaning towards us and to undecided voters, is what we'll do all day Thursday," he said. "Nothing beats that door-to-door contact."

Staff writer Matthew Mosk and staff researchers Alice R. Crites and Madonna Lebling contributed to this report from Washington.

[kevzgrl]

"it was Colorado that recently junked all the electronic voting machines the feds (GOP) coerced them to buy (with fed money) during the Bush reign of tyranny.

They were junked due to their unreliability and inabiliity to be secure from fraud and tampering."

posted by tuckerndfw

Here in OH, the Sec of State wants to do away with those expensive machines and set up "voting centers" in shopping malls and school buildings, that will be open for around 2 wks so everyone will get a chance to get there and cast a (gasp) PAPER BALLOT. Visions of the "hanging chad" anyone??? I was a presiding poll judge this past Nov. and I KNOW the machines that we had at our precinct were secured and not tampered with before/during/after. If there were some way to make sure that ALL the precincts were that way, and ALL the machines were that way, there wouldn''t be a problem. However, the NEWSPAPERS in this area were printing stories left and right before the election about how (and what equipment was needed) to tamper with the machines to affect the votes/totals. Why not just STORE the machines/software where party officials can get at them to jimmy with them while you are at it??? DUH!!!

[bywill]

America doesn''t want the truth! Look at our history; it reeks of deceit and out right lies. Our truths our based around little white lies. And the world wants stand around waiting for us to get our act together for long. OBAMABIDDEN 08. Like Elvis said%u201D It%u2019s now or never"

[gilbsh]

Interesting ya''ll. I think that you all have a lot of good points, but you may generalize your opinions too much. I know plenty of people who would agree with the director of Obama''s campaign, that online relationships are still people to people. That is how many would view Obama, as one who is making choices like these, efficient, low-waste, and what most say will be very effective in reaching his potential voters. Secondly, I know that I represent a number of people who are believe that Obama "speaks well", not as a matter of oration, but one of articulating your position well and judging complex issues on the spot and with honesty.
I live in Illinois and honestly, some of the work he has done here has been monumental (look up his work to change law enforcement practices and the children''s insurance leg.). He helped along negotiations that others had long ago given up as a bad job. Just so you all know, there are many who disagree with the opinions previously shared.

[gilbsh]

Interesting ya''ll. I think that you all have a lot of good points, but you may generalize your opinions too much. I know plenty of people who would agree with the director of Obama''s campaign, that online relationships are still people to people. That is how many would view Obama, as one who is making choices like these, efficient, low-waste, and what most say will be very effective in reaching his potential voters. Secondly, I know that I represent a number of people who are believe that Obama "speaks well", not as a matter of oration, but one of articulating your position well and judging complex issues on the spot and with honesty.
I live in Illinois and honestly, some of the work he has done here has been monumental (look up his work to change law enforcement practices and the children''s insurance leg.). He helped along negotiations that others had long ago given up as a bad job. Just so you all know, there are many who disagree with the opinions previously shared.

[gilbsh]

Interesting ya''ll. I think that you all have a lot of good points, but you may generalize your opinions too much. I know plenty of people who would agree with the director of Obama''s campaign, that online relationships are still people to people. That is how many would view Obama, as one who is making choices like these, efficient, low-waste, and what most say will be very effective in reaching his potential voters. Secondly, I know that I represent a number of people who are believe that Obama "speaks well", not as a matter of oration, but one of articulating your position well and judging complex issues on the spot and with honesty.
I live in Illinois and honestly, some of the work he has done here has been monumental (look up his work to change law enforcement practices and the children''s insurance leg.). He helped along negotiations that others had long ago given up as a bad job. Just so you all know, there are many who disagree with the opinions previously shared.

[gilbsh]

Interesting ya''ll. I think that you all have a lot of good points, but you may generalize your opinions too much. I know plenty of people who would agree with the director of Obama''s campaign, that online relationships are still people to people. That is how many would view Obama, as one who is making choices like these, efficient, low-waste, and what most say will be very effective in reaching his potential voters. Secondly, I know that I represent a number of people who are believe that Obama "speaks well", not as a matter of oration, but one of articulating your position well and judging complex issues on the spot and with honesty.
I live in Illinois and honestly, some of the work he has done here has been monumental (look up his work to change law enforcement practices and the children''s insurance leg.). He helped along negotiations that others had long ago given up as a bad job. Just so you all know, there are many who disagree with the opinions previously shared.

[gilbsh]

Interesting ya''ll. I think that you all have a lot of good points, but you may generalize your opinions too much. I know plenty of people who would agree with the director of Obama''s campaign, that online relationships are still people to people. That is how many would view Obama, as one who is making choices like these, efficient, low-waste, and what most say will be very effective in reaching his potential voters. Secondly, I know that I represent a number of people who are believe that Obama "speaks well", not as a matter of oration, but one of articulating your position well and judging complex issues on the spot and with honesty.
I live in Illinois and honestly, some of the work he has done here has been monumental (look up his work to change law enforcement practices and the children''s insurance leg.). He helped along negotiations that others had long ago given up as a bad job. Just so you all know, there are many who disagree with the opinions previously shared.

[jkojs]

NO more Clinton dynasty, McCain''s Politics of Fear, Edward''s Phony tactics and corrupted Health Industry.

ITS SICKENING.


Also its time to end 20 years of Clinton/Bush political
dynasty.

!!! ITS TIME FOR CHANGE !!!

Hillary Clinton Voted for War on Iraq.
Barack Obama opposed this and he was right.

Hillary Clinton recently labelled Iran as a terrorist country.
Barack Obama opposed this and he was right.

Hillary Clinton supported Bush on aid to Pakistan for wrong reasons.
Barack Obama opposed this and he was right.

BARACK OBAMA''s JUDGEMENT TRIUMPHS OVER HILLARY''s WRONG EXPERIENCE.

!!! VOTE FOR BARACK OBAMA !!!

[gilbsh]

Interesting ya''ll. I think that you all have a lot of good points, but you all generalize your opinions too much. I know plenty of people who would agree with the director of Obama''s campaign, that online relationships are still people to people. That is how many would view Obama, as one who is making choices like these, efficient, low-waste, and what most say will be very effective in reaching his potential voters. Secondly, I know that I represent a number of people who are believe that Obama "speaks well", not as a matter of oration, but one of articulating your position well and judging complex issues on the spot and with honesty.

[apolloknowsa]

In Washington State that would work. You don''t need to be a citizen to get a drivers license and dogs have been registered to vote...welcome to the socialist (banana) republic of Washington!

[prairiefox1]

I''''ve been hearing stuff about how Hillary''''s all but plans on kidnapping her ''''base'''' on caucus night - keeping tabs on them, shovelling their snow, offering babysitting and rides, dinner, and repeat calls/visits if they don''''t report to caucus by a certain time. Scary to hear how she''''s strongarming seniors, but unfortunately it''''ll probably keep her competitive.

Unless Obama has similar plans, I would guess he''''s going to come in 3rd.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by SamTheTVCat :::::
###################
Any way she can to buy a vote!

[prairiefox1]

LOOK AT THEIR RECORD AND LET THEIR RECORD BE THEIR PLATFORM! YOU CAN TELL HOW A PERSON WILL BE JUST BY THEIR RECORD!
PLEASE DO NOT VOTE BY THEIR LOOKS, PROMISES , RACE, OR GENDER! AND REMEMBER PROMISES MOST LIKELY CANNOT BE KEPT! THE PRESIDENT DOES NOT HAVE THE POWER TO DO SO UNLESS HE IS A SEATED MONARCH! IT TAKES THE COOPERATION OF CONGRESS TO DO SO!

[prairiefox1]

Obama speaks so well and people will vote for him!
A snake oil salesman in a medicine show also speaks well! Does that mean that snake oil will really cure everything?

[prairiefox1]

Senator Obama doesn%u2019t HAVE a record. At least not much of one in the Senate. He
is among the overall leaders in Senators who miss votes. Of the last 60
opportunities to participate in making the laws of the land, the Senator has voted
only 6 times. Forget HOW he voted. His recent record shows a 10% interest in the
job the people of Illinois hired him for. (Voting records available on the Senate
web site or the Washington Post.)
Granted he is a good speaker and has a good personality, but I do hope this nation
doesn''t elect someone on that basis!
Let us look at his record and at its best it is pitiful! I will vote for a person that has
the best past record! with that you will know how he will be if elected!
I have talked to people in Illinois and they do not think much of him! and Illinois
will never re elect him to the Senate!
So that means if he doesn''t get to be President then he is just unemployed!
and with a job reference that he has he will be lucky to get on at McDonalds!
So with that information which can be verified, just what kind of person would
vote for him?

[grazinggoat]

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/d3dcbc10-b71a-11dc-aa38-0000779fd2ac.html?nclick_check=1

''She added that her husband would have a central role in her administration. %u201CI%u2019m going to rely on him, I%u2019m going to expect that people in my administration will turn to him and rely on him, as we do with many people who have experience,%u201D she said.''

Is Bill candidate for election in here?

-I have a lot of admiration for this guy (Bill) and I would agree on a change to the constitution in order to bring him back in presidency run/election. But here we have a three-neck-a-neck run that has to be cut/won by the most competent and change-capable candidate.

-Again, Bill would be a great asset in favor of Hilary, but he could as well be in favor of Obama. Obama may be tempted by appointing him in a cabinet, for International Policy making, and more profound national policy making orientation. Hilary has a history of siding with traditional (not much different) repukons'' policies.

-Barack should consider pulling the carpet under Hillary''s feet, get closer to the starry Bill...

[mudrose-2009]

They all seem to be so pathetic. All of them.

[samthetvcat]

"Won''t work. What WILL work is John Edwards'' campaign. He actually has real people calling voters. No recorded messages, no e-mail deluge...just a live voice on the phone, asking what you think and willing to listen to what you say.

That''s what works in Iowa."

Posted by creeper00

Phone messages could even start to feel invasive after a while, but I agree text messages and emails don''t take a lot of effort so they won''t get a lot of effort in return.

I''ve been hearing stuff about how Hillary''s all but plans on kidnapping her ''base'' on caucus night - keeping tabs on them, shovelling their snow, offering babysitting and rides, dinner, and repeat calls/visits if they don''t report to caucus by a certain time. Scary to hear how she''s strongarming seniors, but unfortunately it''ll probably keep her competitive.

Unless Obama has similar plans, I would guess he''s going to come in 3rd.

[creeper00]

Won''t work. What WILL work is John Edwards'' campaign. He actually has real people calling voters. No recorded messages, no e-mail deluge...just a live voice on the phone, asking what you think and willing to listen to what you say.

That''s what works in Iowa.

[gkc99]

"Washington Post: Democratic Candidate Tries New Tactics To Get Out Vote In Iowa.
Perhaps he should try previous Democrat stratgeies, like registering dead people and giving out free cigarettes to potential voters"--Posted by mike71067


Or maybe Repug strategies, like paying off corrupt local officials, putting pet judges in place who can elect per curiam, having party operatives counting votes, putting crooked voting machines in place, and obstructing the voting of people who might not vote the way you like!

[solomonred]

How can Obama be the uniter of Democrats and Republicans if he can''t even convince a significant amount of people age 35 and over to vote on a caucus?