Ben Smith has a post up at the Politico, reprinting an e-mailed after-action report on the Pennsylvania primary by Obama backer Dan Wofford (son of former US Senator Harris Wofford (D-PA)), which leads with his comments on the impact of Obama’s “clingy” kerfuffle and poor debate performance.
But regular pw readers know I am a sucker for the undercovered topic of political organization, which is what most of Wofford’s commentary addressed. For example:
3. Field Operation didn’t put all the possible assets on the table: As much as admire the campaign’s field leadership (and I mean that, some very capable and good folks who have a fantastic organizational model). I do believe they were overconfident about their ability in Philly to get the vote out without paying street money or sucking up to the ward leaders so that party regulars along with BO volunteers would get the job done…..too reliant on the massive number of “volunteers” in the city  but many not true locals or party stalwarts.
4. I would have paid “street” money… See (Legendary Philly Inquirer columnist) Tom Ferrick’s op-ed in yesterday’s NY Times….paying volunteers to work a whole day in the city is a long held tradition and frankly is a sure way to see that you get every possible vote. Danger of course is that Ward leaders skim some of the money, which some do or that they give it out and then help the other candidate. Well that’s the risk you take. I felt it was bullshit for the Obama campaign to say they weren’t going to play that “old” politics game. Yet we played the “old politics” game of massive amounts of paid TV  and of course a nice percentage of that goes to the media consultants…but of course we can’t pay some hard working local african american ward leaders and precinct captains and volunteers to spend 14 hours doing GOTV and watching the polls. Makes no sense.
At Portfolio, Peter Feld has a piece on the Democratic “air war” to date, which I note here because he observes that in Pennsylvania, both campaigns — but moreso Obama — broke several cardinal rules of political advertising, sending mixed messages and going negative down the stretch. Moreover, the sheer volume of Obama’s advertising may have turned off some voters.
It is another reminder that success often comes when a campaign manages to have a synergy of polling with organization, media and message.
He sounds bitter.
Or it has success when it meshes well with the locals, who actually know how the area works and what is expected from the campaign. A little love in the right direction, a few good strokes, and you got the help you need. Put the wrong person’s back up, and you are hosed.
I live in a mid size PA town and am a dentist who counts many blacks (their term) as patients. Having known many of them a long time, politics is no stranger in our conversations. I can honestly say that a majority of them were tired of Big O’s commercials (esp. the radio one’s, God were they BAD) a long time before the election. He missed connecting with them big time.
Ironic, isn’t it? Obama screwed for taking the black vote for granted.
Heh.
I’m surprised by this account. My building is a weirdly-designed mixed-use structure; none of the apartments are visible from the street. Indeed, during Bob Hope’s funeral nearby, the security-conscious LAPD sealed off the doors and driveway with crime-scene tape, convinced it was an abandoned building. (They freaked when we tried to leave to go to work.)
Nevertheless, at about 9 am just shortly before the CA primary, several Obama canvassers found my door. That has never happened in any other election…
Heh. I met Dan Wofford many years ago. Been wondering what he was up to.
Everyone masturbates, that’s a given. Once or twice week, that’s probably a healthy repetition. Also healthy is to change or rotate the objects of your one-handed celebrations, the new counter girl at the library, the chick you spied in class, your sister’s best friend, etc…
What’s your hand count nowadays, Karl? Two, three, four threads a day? And Barack Obama is in every one of ’em, Karl. That gleam in your eye is supposed to be an occasional gleam, not an all-day every day glaze. Time for a new skin mag, KK, moreover, try hiding your stash from yourself. If not for health reasons, try and make the experience a little more special. You’ll notice a difference, just ask Collins.
OK, back to Barack Obama. Barack Obama won Pennsylvania. About an hour after the polls closed, each cable network news channel had their pundits gather round to tell their campfire stories. Each channel declared Hillary Clinton the winner, per the usual, all at the same time. Each channel’s moderator eventually asked the pundit pods how this day, this big Hillary win, would enable Hillary to beat Obama. The pregnant pause was golden. Even the cable drama queens have to now admit that Hillary winning is invented drama.
Fuckin’ Hillary, she couldn’t hold a double digit lead in a state where over half the population are gun and Bible clingers and bitter, aged Aunt Bee’s. And then she had to beg for money because she didn’t have a drop in the bucket left. What’s $10-mill when you have to admit you’re an additional $5-mill in debt than more that other $10-million of debt you’ve admitted to? Nothing. She’s got nothing, Karl. PA was Hillary’s Super Tuesday redux. She spent all her money winning where she was supposed to win.
From that horrid Xerox commercial: “Shocked? You’re shocked? We’re shocked. We’re shocked you even get it, pal.”