With all the discussion of endorsements and whether or not they play a role in anyone’s decision, a question came to my mind. Does the campaign team make a decision when you are making an endorsement? Are you looking for a good fit? A place where your volunteers interests and skills are a match for the campaign’s strategy? Or is this a matter of complete indifference to you?
Progressive Man made a comment that Lynne wanted a campaign to “kiss her ring.” Lynne refuted the comment and knowing Lynne as I do, I know that she is correctly stating her thoughts. How much does it matter to you to be asked for your support?
Please share widely!
…they should have more institutional respect for the volunteers, who, IMHO, often have a better sense of things at ground-level than the spin-obsessed “operatives” that infest Massachusetts Democratic politics.
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p>Re: “asking” – a campaign that takes supporters and volunteers for granted deserves neither supporters nor volunteers. There is a difference between consideration and ring-kissing.
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p>At a time when Democrats are grossly outnumbered by unenrolled voters in Massachusetts (and self-described liberals are outnumbered by conservatives), I think it past time that the worker bees in the Party should address these issues.
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p>It would be nice, if intra-Democratic tempers and attitudes are sufficiently cool after December 8 to do so successfully.
I have a hard time supporting candidates with awful campaigns and awful organizations, because it suggests a value about how they think of voters and how they will treat them when in a position to lead.
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p>Nobody has to kiss any one person’s ring. I expect candidates to be accessible to voters and engaging on issues. Refusing to take stands on issues because it may be inconvenient for their campaign suggests a certain moral flexibility on those issues that to me is concerning. Either you know what you believe and are willing to say so, or you don’t have a position, in which case you shouldn’t be leading.
…in terms of my decision, but other factors will determine my personal level of involvement. I just recently finished volunteering for the Virginia co-ordinated campaign which was demoralizing because of lack of organization. With a Masters degree in Political Management I may well be more sensitive to the internal aspects than most. In a primary cycle the strength of a campaign may well be an indication as to how well it will do in the general, but I’m looking for efficiency rather than excitement. In the 2004 and 2008 presidential campaigns, I got the sense that those looking for the best President chose Kerry and Clinton while those enamoured with the best campaign favored Dean and Obama. I don’t need my ring kissed, but if I can’t get hired I at least want to volunteer doing something I enjoy.