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© 2010 Columbia University Democrats
Activist Council comings, goings, doings, and plannings.
We are prepping for Kentucky over election break! We’ll be leaving on Friday, November 2 and returning after polls close on Election Day, November 6. This is the epic political journey of a lifetime, and we want you there. If you’d like to be on the list to receive more info or to sign up, please e-mail kentucky@cudemocrats.com.
We are also planning a major healthcare event to 1) educate students about universal healthcare, and 2) lobby Congress to override President Bush’s veto of SCHIP. If you haven’t been following Bush’s battle to keep children from having healthcare, check it out now.
We recently made a great campaign trip to Long Island, as part of our efforts to take back the State Senate from evil Joe Bruno. If you’d be interested in future local campaign trips, please e-mail your lovely Lead Activists at ac.cudems@gmail.com.
We are launching a major voter registration effort, and if you’re interested in planning it, the meetings are Mondays at 9:00 on the 4th floor of Lerner. Meet this week in the Tasti Lounge there (part of Ferris Booth).
And…
COME TO OUR MEETINGS! We’d love to see your shining faces every Sunday at 5:00 PM in Lerner 502.
Hey activists! If you read the Spec, or at least had a chance to check out QuickSpec during lecture (hi Bwog!) you may have noticed this article chronicling the many, many walkouts called each year on Columbia’s campus. Its author(s) seem to think that Columbia kids are plum-tuckered out from all the walkouts and student strikes, and note the failure of activists to achieve measurable progress on issues like immigration, the Iraq War, and grad student organizing. While the College Dems have traditionally chosen more constructive, or at the very least entertaining modes of protest, we’re always open to new ideas.
So what say you? Is the walkout DOA, or just in need of a little TLC from an activist community that knows how to get this campus organized?
Glad to know the former mayor of our polyglot city (40 languages and counting!) is a proud patron of Philly’s best-loved, English-only cheesesteak establishment.
Flip. Flop.
Over the past two fundraising quarters, the Obama campaign has far outpaced the Clinton campaign in fudraising, despite its lower stature in national polls. The Obama campaign has been using this fact as a means to downplay Clinton’s frontrunner status, arguing that the campaign’s fiscal health would allow it to compete on Tsunami Tuesday (when most primary races will occur) on a level unattainable for Clinton.
Last week, it seemed like the Obama campaign would get to keep making this argument. That’s before the Clinton campaign successfully managed a textbook execution of the expectations game. For over a week now, the Clinton campaign has been insisting that it would raise between $17-$20 billion during this fundraising quarter. When the Obama campaign announced that it raised $20 billion this quarter, Clinton’s spokespeople claimed the best they could hope for would be that the two campaigns would draw even for the quarter.
Then, SURPRISE! Clinton raised $27 billion ($22 billion for the primary). Now the campaign has achieved something even better than a cash advantage for this quarter: process stories. Instead of talking about the intricacies of policy, the press will write stories all week about how Clinton exceeded expectations, outraised Obama for the first time, and has solidified her lead as the frontrunner. Obama will have significant difficulties stealing the spotlight during this week.
These are two very media savvy campaigns, but Clinton ‘s campaign won this match. Keep your eyes pealed for more expectation game follies. If you notice this or other media strategies employed by campaigns that you think are effective, post it on the blog, and let’s discuss it.
~Jonathan
Just more proof that when Fox News hates you, you must be doing something right. Props, Josh.
