midterms: less than two months out
Yesterday's primary results have been well-covered at MyDD and Dailykos. I'll be interested in following how local blogs in Arizona and New York spark up now that we have defined races in those two states.
I've been busy working (I do make a living outside of blogging) and working on organizing Blogs United, so forgive my light posting. I do have a couple thoughts regarding the "state of the midterms."
First, I think the coverage of campaign ads from YouTube is spot on. It's the perfect mix of short, sweet digestible content and amplifies two things that our campaigns really need help with: getting the message out and getting feedback about what does and doesn't work. Vis a vis the ubiquitous YouTube I say, "rock on."
Second, there is motivated energy among activists on the Democratic side. However, at least from this pov, that energy has not crossed the chasm to activating the "next wave"...the sometime volunteers, the word-of-mouth wave that creates peer-to-peer pressure to vote.
There is no secret to the fall midterms: Democrats need turnout. We need that second wave. Two months out is usually the moment where that wave starts to form and galvanize. We should think about what we can do to help make that happen.
Finally, as a complete and total aside, I would like to make an observation that echoes a point I've made before: this fall Democrats who reach out to the broad middle will win suprising support from that middle. Democrats who break down the myth that you must be a "liberal" to vote Democratic will find an American electorate very willing to listen to common sense proposals for a change in Congress. In my view, fall of 2006 is about connecting with those voters. Period.
Yes, Democrats must run a politics of contrast and change against the GOP, but above all, the Democratic Party must authentically connect with mainstream voters. It's not about message or positioning and definitely not about pandering; it's about connecting...it's about authenticity. That's something for every campaign to remember this fall.
I've been busy working (I do make a living outside of blogging) and working on organizing Blogs United, so forgive my light posting. I do have a couple thoughts regarding the "state of the midterms."
First, I think the coverage of campaign ads from YouTube is spot on. It's the perfect mix of short, sweet digestible content and amplifies two things that our campaigns really need help with: getting the message out and getting feedback about what does and doesn't work. Vis a vis the ubiquitous YouTube I say, "rock on."
Second, there is motivated energy among activists on the Democratic side. However, at least from this pov, that energy has not crossed the chasm to activating the "next wave"...the sometime volunteers, the word-of-mouth wave that creates peer-to-peer pressure to vote.
There is no secret to the fall midterms: Democrats need turnout. We need that second wave. Two months out is usually the moment where that wave starts to form and galvanize. We should think about what we can do to help make that happen.
Finally, as a complete and total aside, I would like to make an observation that echoes a point I've made before: this fall Democrats who reach out to the broad middle will win suprising support from that middle. Democrats who break down the myth that you must be a "liberal" to vote Democratic will find an American electorate very willing to listen to common sense proposals for a change in Congress. In my view, fall of 2006 is about connecting with those voters. Period.
Yes, Democrats must run a politics of contrast and change against the GOP, but above all, the Democratic Party must authentically connect with mainstream voters. It's not about message or positioning and definitely not about pandering; it's about connecting...it's about authenticity. That's something for every campaign to remember this fall.
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