Democratic Activists Still Up for Grabs: Primary Place Part Four
By Jon Greenberg on Wednesday, April 18, 2007.
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It is almost a law of politics that a presidential candidate without hundreds of active supporters on the ground doesn’t have a chance in the New Hampshire primary. This gives a special status to the people who are willing to do that work for free. They control –if only in a small way- something that no amount of political money can buy.
In Exeter, a group of friends – all Democrats – have been meeting every two weeks to help them decide which candidate deserves their time and energy. New Hampshire Public Radio’s Jon Greenberg has the latest installment in our series, Primary Place.
The Loaf and Ladle restaurant features homemade breads and a down home style that invite informal conversations.
SFX of chairs and talk
This morning, six friends, ages ranging from 68 to 73, pull together a couple of tables in the restaurant’s sunny back room and try to pick up from where their last discussion left off. Frank Hefron jokes about getting two emails.
CUT Now, we haven’t discussed among ourselves which of these two agendas we’re going to talk about/laughter / I want to remind you though that at the last meeting – and you were here Frank/You’re right.
Pat Yosha, a veteran of campaigns from Kennedy to Howard Dean, shows why she’s a valuable organizational commodity.
CUT We did say, and I took notes, that we would talk about issues. Which is why I sent out // OK// So that’s where we should be today.
The issues are core Democratic ones. End the Iraq War and re-build that war torn country. Fix health care. Restore America’s reputation in the world and so forth. But this morning, the talk about issues morphs into talk about the qualities a person would need in order to make progress on those issues.
For Frank, and others, a key quality is the ability to win.
CUT I’m going to mention a candidate’s name. It’s looking to me like the most electable candidate as of today would be Barack Obama. He’s caught up with Hilary Clinton in what is her most outstanding characteristic which is her ability to raise money so now he’s up there. And I think he would appeal very broadly.
This isn’t an approach that sits well with Pat.
CUT I think that’s a concern, a huge concern the electability is/It’s just a deep desire/I know that but it’s not an issue or issues that we want a candidate to address//Pat, you’re right, it’s not an issue but the NY Times today had an editorial about the significance of money in the political situation right now. And they say, this isn’t right. Nobody’s thinking about the issues. All anybody’s thinking about is who can raise the most money and get elected. And I’m sorry to contribute to that kind of thinking, but I do – I certainly do – what I don’t want //.
What he doesn’t want// is a Republican in the White House.
No one around the table is happy with this talk about money and frontrunners. Least of all, Richard Dasbach, a retired lawyer with many years of Washington experience. Under President Jimmy Carter, Richard headed the Federal Maritime Commission. Richard really wishes that his friends would give New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson more attention, because for his money, Richardson has what Obama and Clinton lack. Richard encourages his friends to imagine that they are hiring a CEO.
CUT The corporate board selecting this chief executive ought to be looking for someone who has the experience, who has the already exhibited qualities to run this operation. And clearly, the two front runners in the Democratic Party, I don’t know that they have the qualities to run this operation. I just think we’re looking for the wrong quality.
The others hear Richard’s plea and affirm that they must give experience more weight. Pat notes that Chris Dodd of Connecticut has an impressive resume.
At the end of this process, whenever it ends, these people plan to put some effort into their chosen candidate. Which raises the question, in the context of a fast, national primary, is their impact limited to simply choosing among the leaders in the money race. Frank and Pat recast the question in more personal terms.
CUT You have to doubt whether grassroots organizing can overcome the lack of money. It’s very hard to consider that it really can. But it would be a wonderful hope to think that it could possibly do so.// It’s still important to me because it’s a way to examine the issues and the candidates. And not just sitting back and letting the money roll over us. I mean, I want to do whatever I can, whether it’s talking here, writing letters, working on campaigns, I don’t want to be passive. So I’m trying to ignore the big money.
In the final analysis, only the person who gives of their time has the right to decide if that time was spent meaningfully. In Exeter, it’s a bit easier to assert that the grassroots do matter. The area’s new Democratic Congresswoman Carol Shea Porter would not be in office without them – a fact clearly relevant to any Democratic presidential contender. That campaign left the area with a large number of potential volunteers. But Frank says those people are still sitting on the fence.
CUT I just don’t know what they’re thinking or what they’re doing or if they’re going to get active. But if they do, something will happen. No question about it my mind.// do you think there’s much prospect that those people would get active on the side of Hilary Clinton?// No, I don’t think so. No, I could only see them getting active on the side of Obama, or Richardson, or Edwards. Sure. But I think the problem is, a lot of them are pretty unsure of what they want to do in the presidential race.
The candidates are well aware of the opportunity here. Frank and Pat were both specifically invited to a small house party with Hilary Clinton this past weekend. The Obama campaign asked if they could meet with the group this coming week. They agreed of course.
For NHPR News, I'm Jon Greenberg.
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