Archive - Nov 22, 2003
New York Dean Grassroots Summit
Submitted by Aldon Hynes on Sat, 11/22/2003 - 07:25(Originally published in my MovableType blog, and consolidated here.)
The Official Blog has comments on the DC Grassroots Summit but I haven't seen any comments on the New York Summit, other than on a mailing list of Dean Rapid Response Network coordinators.
So, here are my comments.
Paul Maslin spoke quite well. I loved his comments about Passionate Patriots. That is what we are, and is a wonderful response to the compassionate conservatives, whom we are finding out to be neither compassionate, nor conservative.
He spoke about a recent poll showing Dean having 23% and Kerry 22% in Massachusettes. I haven't been able to find that poll online, so if anyone can provide a pointer, I would love to see it.
We discussed a Field Organizing Guide with very helpful comments about canvasing and getting out the vote. Fortunately, CTForDean already has a good field plan in place that is doing pretty much what is described in the guide. It was good to see the Connecticut plans validated.
With all of that, I didn't find that I got much for new information from the summit, and I suspect that others who read the blogs and mailing lists regularly, and are involved in organizing, probably didn't get much new information either.
However, what I did, which I consider extremely important, was an opportunity to meet many people face to face that I had developed friendships with online.
Trippi on BOP
Submitted by Aldon Hynes on Sat, 11/22/2003 - 06:15(Originally written for my MovableType blog and consolidated here.)
Christopher Lydon has written a wonderful post about his interview with Joe Trippi. (http://www.bopnews.com/archives/000017.html#000017)
One of the questions that Lydon asks is, What makes him so sure, I asked, that George W. Bush is not "bloggable"?
Part of the answer comes as The other Republican handicap on the Internet, in the Trippi view, is that Bush and Rove have not even begun to unlearn the ancient rules of campaign command and control
The Power of Marriage
Submitted by Aldon Hynes on Sat, 11/22/2003 - 05:56(Originally published in my MovableType blog and moved here for consolidation).
For those who have not seen it, David Brook's Op Ed piece today, The Power of Marriage is a stunningly powerful arguement for conservatives to support Gay Marriage.
Here is my response to Mr. Brooks:
As a social liberal, I find that I often disagree with many of your columns. As a Howard Dean supporter, I am often upset by what seems to me mischaracterizations of his positions. Yet as a man of faith, I must applaud your column 'The Power of Marriage'. It is the best commentary on the topic I have yet read.
I hope many take up your call for moving from a culture of contingency to a culture of fidelity.
I am passing the link on to all my friends, encouraging them to read the column.
