Washblog || Uncoordinated Campaign

Uncoordinated Campaign

By The Left Shue
Thu May 18, 2006 at 07:59:13 AM PST
Section: Diary Topic: Election news/info

On May 3rd, I wrote over at The Left Shue about Mark Wilson receiving the endorsement of the 38th LD Democrats and suggested that this endorsement might entitle Mark to a bit more access to things like the LD website and perhaps the local office of the Coordinated Campaign. I said then that I had emailed Missy Luft; our regional organizer for the CC to see about placing Mark's info in the office located in the Everett Labor Temple and was awaiting a reply. Here is the follow up to that enquiry:

-----
From :     Missy Luft <missy@wa-democrats.org>
Reply-To :     missy@wa-democrats.org
Sent :     Wednesday, May 3, 2006 6:04 PM
To :     "Chad Shue" <chadshue@hotmail.com>
Subject :     Re: Campaign Lit

Hi Chad,

Nice to see your there as well. Per your request about Mark Wilson materials, the coordinated campaign will not be able to accommodate any Mark Wilson materials in the office. I would suggest getting in touch with (the) county party and seeing if they can accommodate your request.

Sincerely,

Missy
-----

Obviously I was a concerned with this response so I requested a bit more information about why a candidate who will appear on the Democratic ballot in September and who had now been endorsed by a local Democratic Party organization could not be accommodated by an official Democratic Party office. Missy replied:

-----
From :     Missy Luft <missy@wa-democrats.org>
Reply-To :     missy@wa-democrats.org
Sent :     Thursday, May 4, 2006 8:57 AM
To :     "Chad Shue" <chadshue@hotmail.com>
Subject :     Re: Campaign Lit

Chad,

If you have any questions about our policy, I suggest that you call Marygrace Galston at the Seattle office. The phone number is 206-352-3963 and she will be happy to speak to you about it.

Missy
-----

Last night I had a conversation with Marygrace Galston (WSDCC Coordinated Campaign Director) to ask about access to the Coordinated Campaign and was quite surprised at some of the answers.

Apparently the Coordinated Campaign, despite their title (WSDCC Coordinated Campaign), @wa-dems.org email addresses and State Party website access, are not an official arm of nor are they funded by the Washington State Democrats. So how do they decide which candidates will be afforded space and support? Marygrace says that the campaign coordinates with the DNC, DCCC, and DSCC to determine the Top-Ticket and Down-Ballot candidates in each state. I asked her about their policy on contested primaries and she said that their mission in Washington was to re-elect Maria Cantwell. When I suggested that it seemed somewhat undemocratic to disregard the primary process, Marygrace informed me that Maria Cantwell was the "proven Democrat" in the race and that was simply the position of the Coordinated Campaign.

So there we have it. While I am sure this will come under the heading of "This is the way it should be." for many, it comes as a major disappointment to me. If you would like any further information on this, you may reach Marygrace at the phone number listed above or via email at:
Marygrace@wa-dems.org

Peace,

Chad (The Left) Shue

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Uncoordinated Campaign | 22 comments (22 topical)

Gee, surprise...

Top down. End justifies the means. We know what you need better than you do. Just vote for our candidates and let us take care of things for you. Trust us, we have your interests at heart.

Vote for Cantwell. Not because she is the best choice. Not because she is our choice. Because she is the only choice allowed.

And the Empire wins. I can actually hear the music.

The most important election this year is the PCO election in September. Who's running?

by chadlupkes on Thu May 18, 2006 at 08:19:55 AM PST

* 1 5.00 1 *

I hope you are! by m3047, 05/18/2006 11:58:18 AM PST (none / 0)

Just by The Left Shue, 05/18/2006 12:03:27 PM PST (none / 0)

A must by Brian, 05/24/2006 11:39:50 PM PST (none / 0)

I agree, Chad(s)...

John Ehrmann, the nice CC guy, had announced at the 34th LD caucus that he would not take sides before the primary, and would carry all Dem candidates' material.

A few weeks later when I questioned him, he seemed honestly ashamed to admit that wasn't the case after all. He'd since been told that the CC does not want to "confuse" (air quotes inserted) the voters.

by dinazina on Thu May 18, 2006 at 02:24:26 PM PST

* 4 none 0 *

Thanks...

..for the "heads up".

Somebody from the CC showed up at the 36th LD Dems' meet tonight, and it was a great question to ask. The guy was saying good things, but he didn't seem to really want to answer the question directly... and the raised eyebrows from the leadership? Priceless!

(Not that I think that was the high point of the night. I just hope y'all do something besides blog and go to DL meets.)

by m3047 on Thu May 18, 2006 at 11:07:13 PM PST

* 5 none 0 *

So what by DWE, 05/19/2006 08:33:46 AM PST (none / 0)

WASL Panel by m3047, 05/20/2006 11:54:56 AM PST (none / 0)

I wouldn't worry much about CC support or lack of

Given how quickly they can piss off the long term local activists, they might not be that much help in the end anyway.
We were told (supposedly from Howard Dean at the top) that the past behavior of autocratic operative(s) coming into our headquarters with dictates wouldn't be happening this year, as it has happened the last two cycles. And even when we and they almost got along in 2000 it was rough.
So far, it seems they are runnning the same old urban playbook. They were nice enough to get the promised materials for that April 29th effort to us on the following Thursday.
Anyway, lack of Coordinated Campaign support for Wilson isn't likely to be much of a factor on way or the other.

Dave Gibney Pullman

by gibney on Thu May 18, 2006 at 11:42:37 PM PST

* 6 none 0 *

ATM Rattle Sat. In Ballard W/ Russ

too bad this Coordinated Campaign event isn't designed to get people from heavily Dem, affluent, active precincts to help out in gibney world and kent and anywhere and everywhere lacking our surplus.

of course,

IF you make it easy for people to participate outside the command and control of the "Coordinated Campaign",

THEN pre-primary coronations about the "most electable" are a lot harder to get everyone to swallow / not gag on / not choke on

CUZ the Mark Wilson't got a chance at expressing themselves.

rmm.

http://www.liemail.com/BambooGrassroots.html

by rmdSeaBos on Fri May 19, 2006 at 05:45:07 AM PST

* 7 none 0 *

Another thing

There is nothing that the WSDCC can do to prevent PCO's or anyone else from carrying literature for any candidate or campaign. I know for a fact that there is no mechanism in either the party bylaws or operational rules, nor Washington State Law that allows them to remove an elected PCO between elections. And the rest of us are citizens free to do what we wish per the First Amendment.

One of the most important things we can do is run for PCO. And even that is not enough. Find a position in your County or LD that you want to do, and target that position. Different PCO's voting for the same people on executive boards won't make change. Only if people commit to change on every level will we really make a difference.

by chadlupkes on Sat May 20, 2006 at 12:26:30 PM PST

* 10 none 0 *

I told my Precinct about my cantwell by rmdSeaBos, 05/20/2006 02:07:33 PM PST (5.00 / 1)
After you form and run a slate of PCO's by gibney, 05/20/2006 04:40:27 PM PST (none / 0)
Getting organized to do this? by m3047, 05/21/2006 01:42:45 PM PST (none / 0)

Fred's Idea, my sentence ;) by rmdSeaBos, 05/24/2006 06:09:54 PM PST (none / 0)

Reading your posts... by willisreed, 05/24/2006 06:19:12 PM PST (none / 0)

I've subscribed to The Atlantic Monthly by rmdSeaBos, 05/24/2006 09:09:51 PM PST (none / 0)

Coordinated not for Primary

I will be the first to say that I have not always been pleased with the way the coordinated campaign works, but you have to keep in mind that it is not for the primary election. The coordinated campaign's role is to build up volunteers, establish campaign and media plans, and do field work for the general election. It is also primarily for the top ticket candidate in the State (i.e. Murray, Cantwell).

While it may seem to fall under the WSDCC, most of the structure and the funding is totally seperate from the State Party. I hope this year the cc will be better-and knowing MaryGrace I trust it will be. She comes from the grass roots and has listened to and understands the problems that have occured in the past.

While I am not supporting Mark, if you want literature out and exposure you need to work your local LDs and County Parties as well as your neighborhood if you are that passionate about him.

by Greg Rodriguez on Wed May 24, 2006 at 08:15:13 AM PST

* 14 none 0 *

Not for the Primary? by The Left Shue, 05/24/2006 10:11:51 AM PST (5.00 / 1)
Hi Greg. Good to hear from you. by Particle Man, 05/26/2006 01:39:47 PM PST (none / 0)

Endorsement at the Convention? by The Left Shue, 05/26/2006 01:56:57 PM PST (none / 0)

I'll vote for such an endorsement by gibney, 05/26/2006 06:30:44 PM PST (none / 0)

Uncoordinated Campaign | 22 comments (22 topical)

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