Today's Note points to Adam Nagourney's article in the Times on Dean's ill-fated volunteer effort in Iowa and the purported changes made for the New Hampshire campaign:
Karen Hicks, the New Hampshire state director for Dr. Dean, said Monday that she would prefer to rely on people who actually lived in New Hampshire.I suspect Mr Nagourney could not actually be in New Hampshire, as all one has to do it walk out onto any street and find a few dozen out-of-town Dean volunteers. I myself have spoken with many, none of them driving shuttle busses, however many carrying canvassing bags and waving signs at street corners."The core of our organization is in-state people who have been working in their community to get out the vote," said Ms. Hicks, who has methodically organized more than 1,000 house meetings to build a base of support that Dr. Dean's advisers believe may be their best hope for turning around the election.
Ms. Hicks diplomatically demurred when asked if she thought the use of out-of-state volunteers in Iowa contributed to Dr. Dean's 20-point loss to Mr. Kerry.
But, she said, "it is much more effective for people to talk to people they know about why they are supporting Howard Dean. I believe you need a corps of in-state people, and they are in the best position to deliver the message of this campaign."
Ms. Hicks said she did not want to discourage out-of-state people who turn up at the door, bright orange caps in hand — there were two Monday afternoon. "We welcome their help," she said.
But they should not expect the choice assignments. The out-of-staters, another official said, had been put to work driving the shuttle between a parking lot downtown and the campaign headquarters.
I find this bothersome because it's fits into the pattern of disinformation that seems to have become part and parcel of the Dean campaign's modus operandi over the past 48 hours. I, for one, expect Dean to do very well tonight, probably a well-placed second. And while many can argue that they're merely playing the media's own game, spinning a momentum which may or may not be there, putting out the message that the campaign has headed it's BFA commentors and "changed", for those us on the ground, sadly, much of it's smoke and mirrors. There is a genuine outpouring of grassroots support for Dean, both in New Hampshire, and through the country. As I mentioned previoiusly, effectively nurturing that support is the current and future challenge for Dean. Spinning in this manner the first step in the wrong direction.
Posted by MB Williams at January 27, 2004 04:21 PM | TrackBack