Howard Dean urges door-to-door Democrats

[sabra]

http://www.fortwayne.com/mld/newssentinel/15261014.htm

Howard Dean urges door-to-door Democrats
Associated Press

FARGO, N.D. - Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean is urging members of his party to go door to door to encourage their neighbors to vote for "fundamental change."

"We need honesty and openness back in our government ... and be strong, tough and smart on national defense," Dean told about 400 people at the state Democratic "campaign kickoff" Saturday. People paid $15 apiece to attend the event, which included a barbecue lunch.

Dean, a doctor and former Vermont governor who ran unsuccessfully for president in 2004, said the Democratic Party has become "divided and not together any more."

He said he was making stops in all the states with a message of building party support. He has made 18 such stops so far, his staff said.

[INdemo]

1. I disagree about the Democratic Party being divided

..When statements like this are made by Democratic leadership it gives the Republicans and their mouth pieces (the MSM) more to use in their propaganda. The problem is there are just some Democrats that are Republican Lites and I believe the Democrats just voted one out in the CT primary..

[napi21]

2. First let me say I LOVE Dean for charging only $15 to attend the event!

That way all of us little peons can attend!!!! I HATE IT when I hear of the damn political events that charge $2,000 and more! Who the hell can go? Sure NOT ME!

I like Dean's idea of going door to door, but there's one other thing I wish he would do. I'm surch a novice at this, I would love some ideas of a script. I don't mean that everyone has to say the exact same thing, but I live in Ga! What in the world do I say when I walk up to a house of someone I don't know and they don't know me? These folks are used to having Baptists knock on their doors! They're mostly Shrub lovers. I think I wolud do more damage if I pi**ed them off than if I never went at all!

HELP ME HOWARD!!!!

[jaysunb]

3. You don't need a script.

Just introduce yourself and say what's in your heart and on your mind.

[napi21]

4. Can't do that here. Hell, I got my foot in hot water several months

ago when I was checking out at the liquor store. It was when the BS was all over the news about Brownie being fired and I said they should fire them ALL, including Bush! YEOWWW, I thought the clerk was going to have a corinary! She said "NO! MY President is doing a GREAT JOB, it's not his fault one of his underlings made a mistake!"

You do see what I'm talking aobut here? If I spoke my heart, I'd probably be shot!

[MysteryToMyself]

5. Signs to look for before you knock

Bush/Republican signs in their yard and Bush/Republican bumper stickers on their cars. :rofl:

[mitchtv]

10. If no hint ; start with a question like

have you decided who you are going to vote for? If they are Republicans, you politely excuse yourself, and go on to the next. After all, you can't waste time debating the brain dead

[Doremus]

6. Why not sit down before you embark and write some notes.

You need to be as diplomatic (read: unoffensive) as possible given the situation you describe, else there's really no reason to undertake your project.

I'd definitely stay away from obvious hot button phrases and instead stick with the general topics polls show Repugs are concerned about, i.e. the economy ("we need fiscal restraint again") and the war (perhaps approach this from the economics standpoint).

To bolster your points, add some statistics about the national debt, deficit, unemployment, any state or local issues of interest, etc.

Practice your spiel until you're confident and comfortable with it. Stay friendly and upbeat and you'll be fine. Good luck!!

[napi21]

8. You're right of course, and I know that. I would love to hear some

examples of what others do. Howard always seems to have the right words, and I do pretty good when just talking with people I know, but when you know you're confronting the enemy, it's nice to have some ideas from some others.

[jaysunb]

11. Your neighbors are not your enemy

they're your fellow citizens. And you MUST think of them that way. They may have a different opinion, but they are not your enemy.

[napi21]

20. Ohhhh, I'm not sure about that.

You see, I have a double whammy. I'm from Pa. so right away, I'm viewed as a "Damn Yankee" and there are still lots of people in Ga. who still think of yankees as "the enemy". Second, there's a weird belief in Shrub because they appear to think of him as some "really religious guy" and they take personal offense if you say anything against him or what he wants to do. They think of ME as defacto being against THEIR RELIGION!

I'm not, of course, but I have upset quite a few because when they invited me to join their local Baptist Church, I politely declined and explained that I was a Catholic and had found a Catholic Church several miles away. I could see it was like I just declared myself to be a witch directly from Salem!

I will try to find opportunities to talk to some of them about politics, but even with the greatest diplomacy, I'm not too sure I'll be able to accomplish much.

[jbm]

12. what I do..

I live in a red state area also, and we'd been neglected for so long that none of our voters are ID'd. I decided to go door to door myself and try to figure out if I could set up some sort of database.

I went to the county clerk and got a stack of voter registration cards, and then I went door to door and said, "Hi, I'm ..... ....., and we're just going door to door in this area to make sure that everyone that wants to be registered, is registered. (sometimes I would toss in a sentence about low voter turnouts).

Some people registered, others told me no, most told me that were registered, then I would say, "Can I ask if there is any particular issue that concerns you more than others?" and that usually set up a dialog. It almost always wound up being a pleasant experience..even with the repubs!

[justgamma]

13. Check this out.

It will give you some ideas.

http://www.100actions.com/a/2006/07/phone_banking.html

Good luck.

[madfloridian]

14. All of that is up at the DNC website. Ask and receive.

Downloadable sample script:
http://www.democrats.org/a/2006/06/sample_script_1.php

Tip Sheet Packet
http://www.democrats.org/a/2006/06/tip_sheet_packe.php

Democratic vision doorhangers
http://www.democrats.org/a/2006/06/democratic_visi_1.php

Democratic vision postcards (we mailed out over 1000 of them on the 29th)
http://www.democrats.org/a/2006/06/democratic_visi.php

Sample phone bank script:
http://www.democrats.org/a/2006/06/phone_tip_sheet.php

Canvass tip sheets
http://www.democrats.org/a/2006/06/canvass_tip_she.php

[MaineDem]

18. Give the local Dem Party the credit

They're the ones who set the fee, not the good Governor Dean.

And as to your other point, there's going to be a National training day at the beginning of October. I know it's a little close to election day but hopefully it'll give people the skills they did to do canvassing.

Also, check with your GA Democratic Party. They have field organizers who can help you with this.

Another thing, check http://www.100actions.com/ You can sign up for local events there.

It's great you want to get involved! :thumbsup:

[Iwasthere]

7. all well and good Howard

But much more energy needs to go into the machine problem. They are laughing at us (smirking). They know everything is in the bag already. Only reason Joe lost was because of the lever machines. WAKE UP !!! It is all fixed and no help in site.

[napi21]

9. Hmmm, I disagree with you on the lever machines.

Read some of the oosts from last Tuesday here on DU. There are people here who were poll workers, and the way those machines are set up, and the way they work, it is impossible to alter them.

I agree with you on the computerized ones. Believe me, I live in Ga. and I don't trust them at all! But nopne of those are used in Ct.

Joe lost because Joe has been on Shrubs side far too often! He needs to understand that!

Ask yourself as question.



I know BC actually trained how to stiff arm someone when he was afraid Arafat might try the same thing!

[madfloridian]

15. I have posted here before that he is calling state people ....

about the machines. They are working on it, but no one pays attention. When I post it it drops like a rock.

[JohMunich99]

16. The Democrats from North Dakota are awesome

Senators and it's one rep are all Democrats. Now if we could just get the state to vote Dem in Presidential elections...

[PBass]

17. I think the point is to do whatever you CAN do...

Some people will not feel comfortable knocking on their neighbor's doors, to talk politics. And not everybody who votes Democratic would be well-suited to do this kind of 'outreach'.

But if you do enjoy meeting people and talking with them, and if you do think you have a good grasp on the issues, enough to persuade others, then maybe you should consider this kind of door to door approach.

On the other hand, you can always try to talk to your friends and relatives... make sure they are registered to vote, and encourage them to follow through with it.

Besides knockingh on peoples doors, I wonder if a "For America's Future" or "Take Back America" barbecue or party would be a way to engage people who were on the fence.

[Vinca]

19. I had an idea long these lines, but I'm not sure if people would be

annoyed and if it would backfire. I was parking my car by the grocery store (in the bluest town in the bluest county of the bluest state - to quote Bernie Sanders) and spotted a guy getting out of an SUV that had plates from "somewhere else" and bumper stickers indicating he was a Republican and loved the NRA. One said "Vote Red." I wanted to go up to him and ask how he could support King George after what has happened over the last 5 years, but I was too intimidated. He was big, nasty looking and, of course, there were the NRA stickers. (I'm a short, unarmed, older woman.) So it occurred to me to compose a "Dear Fellow Citizen" letter to carry around and stick under the windshields of obvious Republicans. Do you think that would just make them madder and nastier? I was thinking one page, quickly read, that would hit the major failures of the Bush administration with emphasis on the lack of financial conservatism.