Today was they day of the South Carolina Primary. At first, I am extremely excited and prepared for the day - a day I know will be long, tiring, and hopefully surprising to a lot of people in the end. Fred certainly has some momentum, and I hope its enough to claim victory here in South Carolina. While there are always doubts, we must remain steadfast in our belief that his ideology and beliefs will prevail.
Today we made did a huge phone blitz and made almost 14,000 calls.
We also had the pleasure of meeting Jeri Thompson, Fred's wife and Hayden, his daughter. I also met up with fellow Nashvillians Bobbie Murphy, Suzie Browning, David Mansouri, Trevor Garrett, and my man Woody Woodruff.
Around 7, I left the office to get Prina and then head over to the victory party. Fred spoke fairly early, but we did finish in third place. Although we expected to do better, we still beat Mitt Romney (always a good thing). Fred gave an excellent speech which you can watch at fred08.com.
After the event, we went to Liberty Tap Room and Bar. 'Nough said.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
South Carolina Primary Day 5: January 18, 2008
The day before a primary takes place is guaranteed to be a hectic day. People are scrambling to get out the vote, people are scrambling to put up signs, and people are scrambling to get organized enough to finish strong in the final tally. I certainly appreciate all the hard work people have to do in order to simply keep up with a Presidential campaign. Oftentimes, the things most people need is a sense of control - the ability to organize things in one's own manner regardless of outside interference. The difficult part about working in a campaign is that there are infinite variables that impact decision making and they manifest themselves every minute of every hour of every day. For example, a recent pro-Huckabee group started push polling voters against Fred. So obviously, we had to come up with a strategy to combat that very quickly, since it was happening less than two days before the primary.
Long story short - What I learned today was that not everything can be as controlled as you like it to be. Things happen and different problems present themselves as formidable obstacles to your controlled environment. Best way to deal with it? Be alert, adapt to your situation, and act quickly.
Vandy destroyed LSU. GO DORES!
Long story short - What I learned today was that not everything can be as controlled as you like it to be. Things happen and different problems present themselves as formidable obstacles to your controlled environment. Best way to deal with it? Be alert, adapt to your situation, and act quickly.
Vandy destroyed LSU. GO DORES!
Friday, January 18, 2008
South Carolina Primary Day 4: January 17, 2008 [Take 2]
In my soapbox I forgot to say what I actually did:
1. I went on a secret mission. I can't give details. It was cool.
2. I made chicken soup in 15 minutes. Mom, you would've been proud.
3. I met former Governor George Allan of Virginia who asked what my name meant since he knew that most South Asian names have meanings to them. He also pronounced my name correctly the first time, which may not mean much to many people, but it does for me because rarely anyone gets it right the first time.
4. I got to pick up one of the most dynamic and gentle people that I have ever met in Congressman Steve King. We had a fantastic conversation in the car and I know he will help us to his maximal capacity.
5. Vandy got killed. Not cool.
1. I went on a secret mission. I can't give details. It was cool.
2. I made chicken soup in 15 minutes. Mom, you would've been proud.
3. I met former Governor George Allan of Virginia who asked what my name meant since he knew that most South Asian names have meanings to them. He also pronounced my name correctly the first time, which may not mean much to many people, but it does for me because rarely anyone gets it right the first time.
4. I got to pick up one of the most dynamic and gentle people that I have ever met in Congressman Steve King. We had a fantastic conversation in the car and I know he will help us to his maximal capacity.
5. Vandy got killed. Not cool.
South Carolina Primary Day 4: January 17, 2008
Today started off fantastic! I woke up and went straight to a Meet Fred event in West Columbia. It was only a mile away from my cousin's apartment so I figured I would stop by before I went in for work. The good thing about this event, in my perspective, was that it was a radio type of event - something I have never seen before, even though I've been to what feels like a few dozen events. Usually, Fred comes on stage and preaches his consistent conservative mantra to a large crowd. He then proceeds to answer questions from the audience. In this format, Fred sits down and talks to a local radio host who asks Fred several questions. Then the questions are opened up to the floor.
One thing that I have come to notice about Fred is that he is a very refreshing politician. So often people tell me how much they are fed up with politicians who offer nothing but empty promises, politicians that change their position in order to appease an electorate, and certainly politicians they just flat out don't trust. To me, Fred is the one politician that can break this cycle of doubt and pessimism towards voters.
That being said, I wonder why people choose candidates that could reaffirm the status quo. For example, take the following conversation:
Person 1: I honestly have no idea who I am going to vote for - I am completely decided because there is no one that I believe should have my vote. In fact, I'm sick of politics - all the pundits say something and the candidates do what they say and it's all just hoop-la.
Person 2: What are you looking for in a candidate?
Person 1: I am looking for someone who is strong on national security, pro life, strong against illegal immigrants, and against lavish government spending. However, I want the person to have always had these beliefs and not changed their position.
Person 2: Well, Fred Thompson is a pretty consistent conservative that believes in all those things!
Person 1: I don't think Fred can win though - he's a great guy, but I think he go in the race too late and doesn't have much "fire-in-the-belly".
You may be surprised how many times a day I get this conversation - and frankly, it frustrates me a lot. Why do Americans want a truthful candidate and then discount that candidate because they got into the race (god forbid) only 6 months before the first primary. We, as Americans, are so caught up with the idea of a continuous election and doing things the way political pundits tell you to think that we never step back to realize that when we have a candidate that can restore dignity and honesty to a public office, our hope is pushed away by a small mention of laziness.
Frankly, its stupid. Sometimes I hope people will be able to voice their own opinions without quoting everything they read in the newspaper. Why you may ask? I think, and hope, that Americans are smart enough to look at a situation objectively. Obviously if you are looking for something or someone, and that person comes along, I certainly hope you give them more than a second look! It reminds me of an saying back in the 1990's when one campaign slogan was "Hey! It's the economy, stupid!" I guess sometimes its as simple as saying just that. To conservatives, it should be "Hey! It's Fred, stupid!" He's a candidate that doesn't have to play any defense on his positions (everyone else does), he's the only candidate that can rebuild the Reagan coalition, and he's certainly a candidate that everyone trusts.
But maybe the concerns of getting in too late and being "lazy" are valid. The situation definitely brings up some valid questions: To what extent do we, as Americans, value the Presidential Election Process? Do we want to have a constant election? Are we okay with being constantly bombarded by Presidential information? Will we actually pay any attention to all this information? Would we rather continue the trend of a candidate that placates voters as opposed to a candidate that stands up for the values of America? Are we complacent and so indifferent to change that we are not strong enough to abandon the current system?
I think its important that we also ask the question to what degree we all value change? The word "change" has been used for numerous campaigns, whether Republican or Democrat. Barack Obama and Mitt Romney pride themselves on bringing a "change" to Washington D.C. in that they have no or relatively little experience in the city. John Edwards aims to change the way Americans perceive and approach solutions towards ending poverty. Mike Huckabee, being the naive idiot that he is, says he can change everything in the world for good. However, there is an ingenuine or at least a degree to which I believe these people promise change only in order to get votes - it seems like a political ploy.
We should value change not simply for the sake of change, but rather change that aims to rectify contemporary problems. We should no be hesitant to accept change, but we should also not make brash changes. How do we distinguish between the two? I think we seek answers to that by looking at our own first principles. What type of change increases our freedom, our liberties, and our pursuits for happiness? What type of changes encourage us to step out against a system which no one completely trusts? In essence, how should we act against the status quo in a manner that will change the world in which we live in order to reaffirm our first principles?
This is certainly a discussion which I would love having with someone. But I think Fred hits it on the spot. You approach change by stepping up the challenge - by going out of your comfort zone to do what you think is best for you, best for the people around you, and if you're running for President, what's best for your country. You approach change by going beyond what is expected. You approach change by doing things your way, not by obliging to a set framework and method for action. You approach change by finding a desire within yourself to better the world and reaffirm the ideas, values, and traditions that you have always believed in.
Mahatma Gandhi once said "you must be the change you wish to see in the world." He was right.
One thing that I have come to notice about Fred is that he is a very refreshing politician. So often people tell me how much they are fed up with politicians who offer nothing but empty promises, politicians that change their position in order to appease an electorate, and certainly politicians they just flat out don't trust. To me, Fred is the one politician that can break this cycle of doubt and pessimism towards voters.
That being said, I wonder why people choose candidates that could reaffirm the status quo. For example, take the following conversation:
Person 1: I honestly have no idea who I am going to vote for - I am completely decided because there is no one that I believe should have my vote. In fact, I'm sick of politics - all the pundits say something and the candidates do what they say and it's all just hoop-la.
Person 2: What are you looking for in a candidate?
Person 1: I am looking for someone who is strong on national security, pro life, strong against illegal immigrants, and against lavish government spending. However, I want the person to have always had these beliefs and not changed their position.
Person 2: Well, Fred Thompson is a pretty consistent conservative that believes in all those things!
Person 1: I don't think Fred can win though - he's a great guy, but I think he go in the race too late and doesn't have much "fire-in-the-belly".
You may be surprised how many times a day I get this conversation - and frankly, it frustrates me a lot. Why do Americans want a truthful candidate and then discount that candidate because they got into the race (god forbid) only 6 months before the first primary. We, as Americans, are so caught up with the idea of a continuous election and doing things the way political pundits tell you to think that we never step back to realize that when we have a candidate that can restore dignity and honesty to a public office, our hope is pushed away by a small mention of laziness.
Frankly, its stupid. Sometimes I hope people will be able to voice their own opinions without quoting everything they read in the newspaper. Why you may ask? I think, and hope, that Americans are smart enough to look at a situation objectively. Obviously if you are looking for something or someone, and that person comes along, I certainly hope you give them more than a second look! It reminds me of an saying back in the 1990's when one campaign slogan was "Hey! It's the economy, stupid!" I guess sometimes its as simple as saying just that. To conservatives, it should be "Hey! It's Fred, stupid!" He's a candidate that doesn't have to play any defense on his positions (everyone else does), he's the only candidate that can rebuild the Reagan coalition, and he's certainly a candidate that everyone trusts.
But maybe the concerns of getting in too late and being "lazy" are valid. The situation definitely brings up some valid questions: To what extent do we, as Americans, value the Presidential Election Process? Do we want to have a constant election? Are we okay with being constantly bombarded by Presidential information? Will we actually pay any attention to all this information? Would we rather continue the trend of a candidate that placates voters as opposed to a candidate that stands up for the values of America? Are we complacent and so indifferent to change that we are not strong enough to abandon the current system?
I think its important that we also ask the question to what degree we all value change? The word "change" has been used for numerous campaigns, whether Republican or Democrat. Barack Obama and Mitt Romney pride themselves on bringing a "change" to Washington D.C. in that they have no or relatively little experience in the city. John Edwards aims to change the way Americans perceive and approach solutions towards ending poverty. Mike Huckabee, being the naive idiot that he is, says he can change everything in the world for good. However, there is an ingenuine or at least a degree to which I believe these people promise change only in order to get votes - it seems like a political ploy.
We should value change not simply for the sake of change, but rather change that aims to rectify contemporary problems. We should no be hesitant to accept change, but we should also not make brash changes. How do we distinguish between the two? I think we seek answers to that by looking at our own first principles. What type of change increases our freedom, our liberties, and our pursuits for happiness? What type of changes encourage us to step out against a system which no one completely trusts? In essence, how should we act against the status quo in a manner that will change the world in which we live in order to reaffirm our first principles?
This is certainly a discussion which I would love having with someone. But I think Fred hits it on the spot. You approach change by stepping up the challenge - by going out of your comfort zone to do what you think is best for you, best for the people around you, and if you're running for President, what's best for your country. You approach change by going beyond what is expected. You approach change by doing things your way, not by obliging to a set framework and method for action. You approach change by finding a desire within yourself to better the world and reaffirm the ideas, values, and traditions that you have always believed in.
Mahatma Gandhi once said "you must be the change you wish to see in the world." He was right.
Thursday, January 17, 2008
South Carolina Primary Day 3: January 16, 2008
Today was a fairly interesting day. At first I thought I was going to go door-to-door in the morning. However, I was quickly pulled off that list in order to accompany a few staffers out to a Club For Growth Press Conference outside the South Carolina State Capital (pretty cool, huh?). So I met up with our Coalitions Director, Joe Cella, and a few other people from the McLean office to walk to the capital. I learned the purpose of this CFG conference was essentially in order to inform people that Mike Huckabee should not be voted for because he has the most abysmal fiscal record ever witnessed by a Republican candidate. This was a pretty fun activity since I got to see Pat Toomey and Dick Armey. We handed out some fliers which have a comparison of candidates on fiscal policy and immigration policy. Someone was handing out cigars with a flier highlighting Huckabee's flip flop on the smoking ban - which I personally thought was hilarious!
When I got back to the office, Finnegan grabbed me to go door to door. I was pretty excited about going door to door because I have never done it before - so at the very least today was a day I got to do two new things. We headed over to Lexington, SC (a suburb of Columbia) and to a quaint little neighborhood. I'm not going to lie when I say there is something a bit sketchy about going from one house to the next giving out information (as well as anyone's intentions may be). One interesting occasion was when I met the self proclaimed "neighborhood snoop". Needless to say when she saw two guys walking around in trench coats around young kids (that had the COOLEST skateboards ever) she was like "who are you? I am the neighborhood snoop!" Overall, it was a pretty fun and exciting event and it was fun to have my first door to door experience.
Only a few more days until the primary!
Only one more day until Vanderbilt dominates UT.
When I got back to the office, Finnegan grabbed me to go door to door. I was pretty excited about going door to door because I have never done it before - so at the very least today was a day I got to do two new things. We headed over to Lexington, SC (a suburb of Columbia) and to a quaint little neighborhood. I'm not going to lie when I say there is something a bit sketchy about going from one house to the next giving out information (as well as anyone's intentions may be). One interesting occasion was when I met the self proclaimed "neighborhood snoop". Needless to say when she saw two guys walking around in trench coats around young kids (that had the COOLEST skateboards ever) she was like "who are you? I am the neighborhood snoop!" Overall, it was a pretty fun and exciting event and it was fun to have my first door to door experience.
Only a few more days until the primary!
Only one more day until Vanderbilt dominates UT.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
South Carolina Primary Day 2: January 15, 2008
First day in South Carolina was pretty exciting. After hearing the great news about our numbers in the polls and the great turnout in Simpsonville, it seems as if South Carolinians are starting to respond to Fred's consistent conservative message. We had a ton of phone calls where people seemed very enthusiastic about coming to see Fred and certainly voting for him on Saturday.
Around 5 pm, I ventured out towards Sticky Fingers for a Meet Fred event we were having in Columbia. The turnout for this event was also fantastic. The capacity of the location was 260 and we got a conservative 300 in the building. I was happy to meet up with fellow Nashville office friends: Bob Davis and Bobbie Murphy. Fred was rockin' at this event answering questions with a level of specificity that is rarely seen on a Presidential campaign. He answered questions about illegal immigration, the economy, and national security with usually a 5-7 minute response that hit points that no other candidate has touched on. For example, on the economy question, Fred analyzed various markets including the Dow Jones, mortgages, automobile loans, corporate taxes, public vs. private dichotomy, etc. Seeing that much conviction in his policies and certainly that level of interests are things that prove his viability as a candidate.
After the event, a couple of us stayed over at Sticky Fingers in order to sample some South Carolina BBQ. Now usually I have a problem with BBQ places that make theirs too sweet. So, I have learned to order the dry rubbed stuff and then put BBQ sauce on it if I so prefer. Sticky Fingers wasn't all that bad. The ribs were not as tender as I like them to be, but the seasoning was fantastic. They also had a very nice mustard BBQ sauce and a very unsatisfying Tennessee Whiskey sauce. Either way, after not having eaten all day, I was glad to eat something.
We got back to the office at about 8:30 and it was time to stuff collateral into plastic baggies for people to take when they go door-to-door tomorrow. It was nice having the Vandy crew (Gaske, Allison, and myself) cranking out hundreds of packets at a time. Go Dores. I was here until about 11:30, got home and then went to sleep.
Until tomorrow!
PS The Titans fired Norm Chow? really?
Around 5 pm, I ventured out towards Sticky Fingers for a Meet Fred event we were having in Columbia. The turnout for this event was also fantastic. The capacity of the location was 260 and we got a conservative 300 in the building. I was happy to meet up with fellow Nashville office friends: Bob Davis and Bobbie Murphy. Fred was rockin' at this event answering questions with a level of specificity that is rarely seen on a Presidential campaign. He answered questions about illegal immigration, the economy, and national security with usually a 5-7 minute response that hit points that no other candidate has touched on. For example, on the economy question, Fred analyzed various markets including the Dow Jones, mortgages, automobile loans, corporate taxes, public vs. private dichotomy, etc. Seeing that much conviction in his policies and certainly that level of interests are things that prove his viability as a candidate.
After the event, a couple of us stayed over at Sticky Fingers in order to sample some South Carolina BBQ. Now usually I have a problem with BBQ places that make theirs too sweet. So, I have learned to order the dry rubbed stuff and then put BBQ sauce on it if I so prefer. Sticky Fingers wasn't all that bad. The ribs were not as tender as I like them to be, but the seasoning was fantastic. They also had a very nice mustard BBQ sauce and a very unsatisfying Tennessee Whiskey sauce. Either way, after not having eaten all day, I was glad to eat something.
We got back to the office at about 8:30 and it was time to stuff collateral into plastic baggies for people to take when they go door-to-door tomorrow. It was nice having the Vandy crew (Gaske, Allison, and myself) cranking out hundreds of packets at a time. Go Dores. I was here until about 11:30, got home and then went to sleep.
Until tomorrow!
PS The Titans fired Norm Chow? really?
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
South Carolina Primary: Day 1, January 14, 2008
As I drove into South Carolina this morning, I felt a rush of excitement because I was not surrounded by the barren wasteland of Iowa. After seeing Fred's debate performance in Myrtle Beach, I think people are finally realizing that Fred is the candidate of the true conservative, not only in terms of consistency, but also his ability to bring back the Reagan Coalition (interesting article by the way that I found on Drudge:
http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/home/daily/site_011408/content/01125111.guest.html). It is necessary that we establish this outright because I think that so many people are undecided that they are looking for someone to look up to. That person is Fred Thompson - a consistent, strong, and trustworthy candidate.
After finally getting some good press after a tremendous debate performance, we had some great news today:
1. Fred is in a statistical dead heat for second place in South Carolina and went up four points in the Rasmussen poll. As far as I am concerned that number is only going up.
2. We had an event tonight in Simpsonville, SC. The hard count (RSVP's) for this event was somewhere near 130. The capacity of the location we were in was 250. At the door, there were over 600 people! This is unheard of for a Republican (or any for that matter) town hall meeting! The response to Fred has been fantastic and we can certainly feel the excitement out here. People were standing outside any window they could find to try and listen to Fred and get a glimpse of America's next President. Just these numbers tell you something about what is going on in the minds of South Carolinians.
This kind of news is what gets me excited about being a part of one of the closest primaries in the history of the Presidential Election process. Its not only fun and educating, but also unpredictable and surprising. Each and every day is different from the next and there is definitely value in being a part of this whole process.
Saturday will definitely be a very important day in this campaign. Fred needs to finish in a very strong position in order to have a chance at the Republican nomination, that I believe he deserves. That makes every moment of every day to help in this effort critical.
Should be interesting to see what happens on January 19. I think we're gonna surprise a lot of people.
And with that conviction, let's get to work in South Carolina!
http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/home/daily/site_011408/content/01125111.guest.html). It is necessary that we establish this outright because I think that so many people are undecided that they are looking for someone to look up to. That person is Fred Thompson - a consistent, strong, and trustworthy candidate.
After finally getting some good press after a tremendous debate performance, we had some great news today:
1. Fred is in a statistical dead heat for second place in South Carolina and went up four points in the Rasmussen poll. As far as I am concerned that number is only going up.
2. We had an event tonight in Simpsonville, SC. The hard count (RSVP's) for this event was somewhere near 130. The capacity of the location we were in was 250. At the door, there were over 600 people! This is unheard of for a Republican (or any for that matter) town hall meeting! The response to Fred has been fantastic and we can certainly feel the excitement out here. People were standing outside any window they could find to try and listen to Fred and get a glimpse of America's next President. Just these numbers tell you something about what is going on in the minds of South Carolinians.
This kind of news is what gets me excited about being a part of one of the closest primaries in the history of the Presidential Election process. Its not only fun and educating, but also unpredictable and surprising. Each and every day is different from the next and there is definitely value in being a part of this whole process.
Saturday will definitely be a very important day in this campaign. Fred needs to finish in a very strong position in order to have a chance at the Republican nomination, that I believe he deserves. That makes every moment of every day to help in this effort critical.
Should be interesting to see what happens on January 19. I think we're gonna surprise a lot of people.
And with that conviction, let's get to work in South Carolina!
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Iowa Caucus Day 7: January 3, 2008
CAUCUS DAY! Today is the big dance and I got to start it off in the best way possible. After a grueling week of long hours, thousands of phone calls, a couple hundred of miles driven, and living out of a hotel room, I think we were all in need of some motivation - a little refreshment. Well, there's no person that can energize you more than Fred Thompson on a cold Thursday morning.
At 7:45, I picked up Burger and we headed out to the Embassy Suites for the beginning of Fred's last day in Iowa. Fred was fired up this morning and delivered one of the best speeches I have seen him give since we were in Franklin at Monty Lankford's house. We had about 360 people give Fred about four standing ovations in is twenty minute address. Congressman Steve King was also there to introduce Fred. The energy in the room was electric - and it was definitely the pick-me-up we all needed to go through with the rest of the day.
Once we got back to the office, we made some last minute phone calls in order to get people to come out to the Caucus. Kristen also gave us the address of the precincts that we are going to tonight.
If you all aren't familiar with the caucus process this is how it works:
The caucus is essentially a town meeting, as opposed to a primary which is more like what we do on election day (a long line of people that go into voting booths, get their sticker, then leave). Every caucus starts at 7pm. And each caucus is divided into precincts which are based on county lines. At the local precinct, there is a chair who essentially runs the meeting. At the beginning, anyone who wants to speak on behalf of a candidate may speak. Once everyone has said what they wanted to, the chair moves to vote. Everyone is handed a slip of paper, upon which voters write down who they want to be the President. I should note that the Democratic and Republican caucuses are separate - so each precinct will be all registered republicans or all registered democrats. The votes are then collected and hand counted, sometimes twice, in order to ensure accuracy. All candidate representatives may monitor the counting of the ballots. Once the votes are counted and verified, they are called into the state party who then gives the numbers to the media.
Well, I got to speak at two local precincts (that happened to be in the same building) in Montezuma county. It was truly worth all my time here just to be able to go to this courthouse and speak at one of the most important pillars of our political system. I experienced a huge rush simply from being a part of this process.
I gave a 7-10 minute speech at each meeting. It was great looking at people - people who you could truly tell were undecided - and convincing them to vote for your candidate. I tried to stress a message of hope, strength, and resilience - qualities of Fred that I greatly admire and the message seemed to resonate with many of the local Iowans. Once the votes started being counted, I was so anxious I could barely contain myself. In one precinct, we placed second and in the other precinct, we placed first!
At this time, all the work I had put in for Fred in Iowa culminated to this very moment. There was no more I could do. I had made phone calls, I had driven around the state of Iowa, I had spoken at two precincts and gotten received excellent results. I hoped that the results I saw in this precinct would happen across the entire country.
As I headed back into Des Moines from Montezuma, I was estatic. All of my hard work and dedication had been rewarded with excellent results. I was ready for the Victory Party.
I arrived at the Victory Party at the Marriott, greeted by Woody and Gary Brown. As I got my (well deserved) first drink, I saw that we were in a very strong third place. Alas, we had reached our goal - the chance to stay in there for "the next dance."
Onto South Carolina!
At 7:45, I picked up Burger and we headed out to the Embassy Suites for the beginning of Fred's last day in Iowa. Fred was fired up this morning and delivered one of the best speeches I have seen him give since we were in Franklin at Monty Lankford's house. We had about 360 people give Fred about four standing ovations in is twenty minute address. Congressman Steve King was also there to introduce Fred. The energy in the room was electric - and it was definitely the pick-me-up we all needed to go through with the rest of the day.
Once we got back to the office, we made some last minute phone calls in order to get people to come out to the Caucus. Kristen also gave us the address of the precincts that we are going to tonight.
If you all aren't familiar with the caucus process this is how it works:
The caucus is essentially a town meeting, as opposed to a primary which is more like what we do on election day (a long line of people that go into voting booths, get their sticker, then leave). Every caucus starts at 7pm. And each caucus is divided into precincts which are based on county lines. At the local precinct, there is a chair who essentially runs the meeting. At the beginning, anyone who wants to speak on behalf of a candidate may speak. Once everyone has said what they wanted to, the chair moves to vote. Everyone is handed a slip of paper, upon which voters write down who they want to be the President. I should note that the Democratic and Republican caucuses are separate - so each precinct will be all registered republicans or all registered democrats. The votes are then collected and hand counted, sometimes twice, in order to ensure accuracy. All candidate representatives may monitor the counting of the ballots. Once the votes are counted and verified, they are called into the state party who then gives the numbers to the media.
Well, I got to speak at two local precincts (that happened to be in the same building) in Montezuma county. It was truly worth all my time here just to be able to go to this courthouse and speak at one of the most important pillars of our political system. I experienced a huge rush simply from being a part of this process.
I gave a 7-10 minute speech at each meeting. It was great looking at people - people who you could truly tell were undecided - and convincing them to vote for your candidate. I tried to stress a message of hope, strength, and resilience - qualities of Fred that I greatly admire and the message seemed to resonate with many of the local Iowans. Once the votes started being counted, I was so anxious I could barely contain myself. In one precinct, we placed second and in the other precinct, we placed first!
At this time, all the work I had put in for Fred in Iowa culminated to this very moment. There was no more I could do. I had made phone calls, I had driven around the state of Iowa, I had spoken at two precincts and gotten received excellent results. I hoped that the results I saw in this precinct would happen across the entire country.
As I headed back into Des Moines from Montezuma, I was estatic. All of my hard work and dedication had been rewarded with excellent results. I was ready for the Victory Party.
I arrived at the Victory Party at the Marriott, greeted by Woody and Gary Brown. As I got my (well deserved) first drink, I saw that we were in a very strong third place. Alas, we had reached our goal - the chance to stay in there for "the next dance."
Onto South Carolina!
Iowa Caucus Day 6: January 2, 2008
The day before the Iowa Caucus has finally arrived and we are all making our final push in order to get Fred to place in the caucus. As Bob House, our Iowa State Director, put it: "We have three tickets out of Iowa - first class, business class, and coach." Whichever one we get, we need to be on the plane and that's what we are working to do.
Today I got to drive up to a city in Iowa to coordinate another phone bank in Sioux City, IA. I had the pleasure of driving up with a fellow Nashvillian - Woody Woodruff. Woody is the corporate secretary and assistant treasurer for the Campaign. He was Fred's legal advisor to his Senate Campaign, as well as being a Partner at Waller Law.
We had a great time going three hours to Sioux City. We had a great group of volunteers helping us make phone calls and it was great to meet people throughout Iowa. We met two precint captains as well as a county commissioner. One great thing about having volunteers come out to Iowa is that we can put out a bunch of satellite phone banks around the state, which would not have been possible otherwise.
Woody and I got back around midnight. I went to sleep around 1pm. Time for the big dance.
Today I got to drive up to a city in Iowa to coordinate another phone bank in Sioux City, IA. I had the pleasure of driving up with a fellow Nashvillian - Woody Woodruff. Woody is the corporate secretary and assistant treasurer for the Campaign. He was Fred's legal advisor to his Senate Campaign, as well as being a Partner at Waller Law.
We had a great time going three hours to Sioux City. We had a great group of volunteers helping us make phone calls and it was great to meet people throughout Iowa. We met two precint captains as well as a county commissioner. One great thing about having volunteers come out to Iowa is that we can put out a bunch of satellite phone banks around the state, which would not have been possible otherwise.
Woody and I got back around midnight. I went to sleep around 1pm. Time for the big dance.
Iowa Caucus Day 5: January 1, 2008
New Years Day here in Des Moines was freeeezing. When I walked outside it was about two degrees...without the wind chill. After a thrilling night out on the town, it was time to get back to the phone bank.
Usually I spend my New Years Days watching football, so with my computer covered in different ESPN Gamecasts and a cell phone ready to make calls I prepared myself for the day ahead. Basically, all I did today was make calls, so I will give you a couple of interesting responses I got from people:
Vivek: "How are you doing today, sir?"
Caller 1: [very strong accent] "Watchin' football like you should be!"
Vivek: "My name is Vivek and I'm calling on behalf of Senator --"
Caller 2: "It's a DAMN holiday! Stop Calling"
While leaving a voicemail:
Caller 3: "Jingle Bells, Batman smells, Robin laid an egg. The batmobile lost a wheel and joker ran away. Hey ya'll! Happy F***ing New Year!"
Other than that another interesting part of my day was when I went to B Bops with John and Stephanie. I ordered a sandwich called the "tummy pleaser". It was interesting and not that bad. At least I don't have to look back on my experience in Iowa think "what if I never had the tummy pleaser". I probably won't have one ever again.
Usually I spend my New Years Days watching football, so with my computer covered in different ESPN Gamecasts and a cell phone ready to make calls I prepared myself for the day ahead. Basically, all I did today was make calls, so I will give you a couple of interesting responses I got from people:
Vivek: "How are you doing today, sir?"
Caller 1: [very strong accent] "Watchin' football like you should be!"
Vivek: "My name is Vivek and I'm calling on behalf of Senator --"
Caller 2: "It's a DAMN holiday! Stop Calling"
While leaving a voicemail:
Caller 3: "Jingle Bells, Batman smells, Robin laid an egg. The batmobile lost a wheel and joker ran away. Hey ya'll! Happy F***ing New Year!"
Other than that another interesting part of my day was when I went to B Bops with John and Stephanie. I ordered a sandwich called the "tummy pleaser". It was interesting and not that bad. At least I don't have to look back on my experience in Iowa think "what if I never had the tummy pleaser". I probably won't have one ever again.
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
Iowa Caucus Day 4: Decemeber 31, 2007
Ah! New Years Eve. A day I look forward to every year. The closing of one year - its trials and tribulations, its successes and glories - give way to a new year - filled with hope, resolutions, and dreams. Also, I cannot help but admit that I love new years eve parties - regardless of whether or not I ever remember them.
So today we were making calls - some calls for event turnouts and others for voter ID's. Kristen and Scott told us to stop calling around 6pm so that way we wouldn't anger people that are getting ready for their NYE bash. The biggest surprise of the day was that Senator Thompson and his entire entourage came in today around 3:45 to say hi to everyone. Once Fred came into the office I was the first one he came up to greet, probably because in his own words, "I'm the man". Fred went through the office and was out in about 18 minutes. I did get to say hi to Bob, Rich Galen, and Jim Rydell. I even got to meet Darrell who does all the video shoots for Fred's blogs.
Once the clock hit 6, I had to go check into another hotel (because my first hotel only had rooms until the 30th). Once I checked in and settled down, I headed back to the office to meet up with people to go out. I joined Avery and Burger to go to dinner. We went to downtown Des Moines (and yes, it was impressive to see more than 50 people out in this town). We met up with a bunch of Fred co-workers at Legends and had dinner there.
Then around 11:30 we met up with our very own Scooter Clippard and Mayor Blake Lay at the Embassy Suites. They had a balloon drop and free champagne - which is always a nice touch. I have good stories of this night which I can tell you all when I get back.
Overall, it was a very fun and exciting night - in fact, much more exciting than I would have expected a night out in Des Moines to be.
I wish you all a very happy New Year - may it be all that you hoped for.
So today we were making calls - some calls for event turnouts and others for voter ID's. Kristen and Scott told us to stop calling around 6pm so that way we wouldn't anger people that are getting ready for their NYE bash. The biggest surprise of the day was that Senator Thompson and his entire entourage came in today around 3:45 to say hi to everyone. Once Fred came into the office I was the first one he came up to greet, probably because in his own words, "I'm the man". Fred went through the office and was out in about 18 minutes. I did get to say hi to Bob, Rich Galen, and Jim Rydell. I even got to meet Darrell who does all the video shoots for Fred's blogs.
Once the clock hit 6, I had to go check into another hotel (because my first hotel only had rooms until the 30th). Once I checked in and settled down, I headed back to the office to meet up with people to go out. I joined Avery and Burger to go to dinner. We went to downtown Des Moines (and yes, it was impressive to see more than 50 people out in this town). We met up with a bunch of Fred co-workers at Legends and had dinner there.
Then around 11:30 we met up with our very own Scooter Clippard and Mayor Blake Lay at the Embassy Suites. They had a balloon drop and free champagne - which is always a nice touch. I have good stories of this night which I can tell you all when I get back.
Overall, it was a very fun and exciting night - in fact, much more exciting than I would have expected a night out in Des Moines to be.
I wish you all a very happy New Year - may it be all that you hoped for.
Iowa Caucus Day 4: Decemeber 30, 2007
We all came in a bit late today - around 12:30 since it was Sunday. I woke up around 10am and got to watch some NFL pregame and relax before we went to work again. Today consisted of making a lot more phone calls to undecided voters. Essentially, everyone still seems to be undecided. Fred is pulling fantastic numbers at all of his events - everything is packed and people seem to really be rallying around him. I watched a 15 minute message or so that he had for Iowa voters and it was absolutely fantastic.
I also got the chance to see commercials from other political candidates. While I do not hate Fred's ad, I can't say I am the biggest fan of it. Even though the add will not make him lose any votes, I doubt it will inspire undecided voters to become whole hearted supporters. I saw one of Barack Obama's ad and it gave me goosebumps because of his message of hope and a greater America. While I do not support Obama, I cannot help but applaud him not only for his charisma but his mastery of public relations. Either way, out of the field of Republican candidates, Fred's ads are better than Mitt Romney's or Mike Huckabee's. I think the Republican party should, whoever gets the nomination, have a much better advertising strategy.
Today, I got to see the second half of the Titans game and I am ecstatic that we are going to the playoffs. I didn't have my Vince Young jersey on for the first time this season during a game, so I was a bit scared. However, we pulled through even with the old man, Kerry Collins. I wish the team luck in the playoffs - Chargers, Patriots, Colts doesn't seem like an easy way to go, but the Titans, like Fred, don't play by the expert's rules. We may win ugly or not by the prescribed rules, but we will win.
I also got the chance to see commercials from other political candidates. While I do not hate Fred's ad, I can't say I am the biggest fan of it. Even though the add will not make him lose any votes, I doubt it will inspire undecided voters to become whole hearted supporters. I saw one of Barack Obama's ad and it gave me goosebumps because of his message of hope and a greater America. While I do not support Obama, I cannot help but applaud him not only for his charisma but his mastery of public relations. Either way, out of the field of Republican candidates, Fred's ads are better than Mitt Romney's or Mike Huckabee's. I think the Republican party should, whoever gets the nomination, have a much better advertising strategy.
Today, I got to see the second half of the Titans game and I am ecstatic that we are going to the playoffs. I didn't have my Vince Young jersey on for the first time this season during a game, so I was a bit scared. However, we pulled through even with the old man, Kerry Collins. I wish the team luck in the playoffs - Chargers, Patriots, Colts doesn't seem like an easy way to go, but the Titans, like Fred, don't play by the expert's rules. We may win ugly or not by the prescribed rules, but we will win.
Iowa Caucus Day 3: Decemeber 29, 2007
Eason and I had to wake up at 6am in order to leave for Cedar Rapids to coordinate a volunteer phone bank. Cedar Rapids is about a two hour drive from Des Moines and we had to be there by 10. We left the Fred office (which was quite empty due to the late night activities of the staffers) at 7:25. John, who has been suffering from nasal congestion and a slight flu, stole a box of Kleenex's from his hotel. However, the stolen box only had three tissues. Note to self: Check how many tissues are in a box before you steal them. Anyway, after about an hour on the road, we stopped by Iowa's most famous (and your mom's favorite) gas station - a Kum-N-Go. While John picked up his tissues and other cold remedies, I filled up my gas and we were off again. Despite being another boring drive, we did pass some very interesting places, such as an Adult Book and Video Store. Adjacent to that store was a huge Ron Paul 2008 sign. I'm not making any assumptions, but I'm just putting that out there.
Once we got to the Cedar Rapids Public Library, we encountered a County Chair - Peter Holme. We went into a small room in the public library and made calls with about six other volunteers. We stayed there from 10am-1pm and made over 400 calls. After this event, John and I ventured out onto Cedar Rapids stellar restaurant scene and went to the Chop House. I had the patty melt, he had the french dip and then we were back on the road to Des Moines.
At the Iowa office, we started making more phone calls upon request by Burger. We were now calling undecided voter lists and trying not only to get people to caucus for Fred, but also for them to speak on Fred's behalf at their local precinct. Overall, we made about 10,100 calls today. I feeling I get is that people seem to really like Fred - they hear his clear conservative policies and see in Fred a candidate that values the same things the American people do. The one reservation most people have is they are not sure Fred can win. So I spend most of my time on phone calls trying to explain to them how good of a leader Fred is, how his consistent record (as opposed to the major flip flops of Romney and Huckabee) allow him to be the best candidate against a Democratic one because he never has to play defense or apologize for who he is. I tell them to look at the Iowa Debate where Fred was the only one strong enough to stand up to an overaggressive moderator. If the other candidates can't step up to her, how do they plan to stand up against the leaders of Iran or North Korea? The one common theme I see between all the people I call is that they are still undecided and willing to look at all other candidates. That means the most important thing we have to do is call people and make sure they know who Fred is and what he can do, so that way on January 3, they come out and vote for him.
The Patriots became 16-0. Congrats to them, but I think the Titan's will take 'em out in the divisional.
Vandy won again. Go Dores!
Once we got to the Cedar Rapids Public Library, we encountered a County Chair - Peter Holme. We went into a small room in the public library and made calls with about six other volunteers. We stayed there from 10am-1pm and made over 400 calls. After this event, John and I ventured out onto Cedar Rapids stellar restaurant scene and went to the Chop House. I had the patty melt, he had the french dip and then we were back on the road to Des Moines.
At the Iowa office, we started making more phone calls upon request by Burger. We were now calling undecided voter lists and trying not only to get people to caucus for Fred, but also for them to speak on Fred's behalf at their local precinct. Overall, we made about 10,100 calls today. I feeling I get is that people seem to really like Fred - they hear his clear conservative policies and see in Fred a candidate that values the same things the American people do. The one reservation most people have is they are not sure Fred can win. So I spend most of my time on phone calls trying to explain to them how good of a leader Fred is, how his consistent record (as opposed to the major flip flops of Romney and Huckabee) allow him to be the best candidate against a Democratic one because he never has to play defense or apologize for who he is. I tell them to look at the Iowa Debate where Fred was the only one strong enough to stand up to an overaggressive moderator. If the other candidates can't step up to her, how do they plan to stand up against the leaders of Iran or North Korea? The one common theme I see between all the people I call is that they are still undecided and willing to look at all other candidates. That means the most important thing we have to do is call people and make sure they know who Fred is and what he can do, so that way on January 3, they come out and vote for him.
The Patriots became 16-0. Congrats to them, but I think the Titan's will take 'em out in the divisional.
Vandy won again. Go Dores!
Iowa Caucus Day 2: December 28, 2007
After settling down into my hotel and getting a good nights rest, I headed over to the Fred Office in Urbandale, IA. I was greeted by two very familiar faces - Chris Burger and John Eason. Instantly, it felt just like August when we were all together vetting Anne's endless list of contributers. However, the situation was much different - all of us had more experience, we were aware of what needed to be done to help Fred, and we certainly were willing to help in whatever capacity we could.
Our first task was to start calling people to invite them to a series of events on Fred's bus tour - Burlington, Tama, and such. While I arrived at the office pretty early, I was amazed to see all the volunteers that had come to help Fred from around the country. Volunteers walked in from Texas, New Jersey, California, Chicago, Indianapolis, and Nashville! After a few hours of making calls, I was greeted by another familiar face - our very own General Joel as well as Stephanie and Gary Brown.
Today we made about 6,000 calls. Most people that I have been talking to are still undecided voters. Fred has been steadily climbing in polls, but the response we have been getting at our events is nothing short of remarkable. I applaud Fred for not following the path of the political experts and not "singing to any man's tune". I pity the press that cannot comprehend how well Fred is doing because they are so fixed within their own framework that they appear flustered at the thought of the Thompson Campaign. One thing, as we all know, that we never have to worry about is Fred's motives - we know he knows what he's doing and we know that he will do it well. Well enough to place in the caucus? We certainly hope so!
Our first task was to start calling people to invite them to a series of events on Fred's bus tour - Burlington, Tama, and such. While I arrived at the office pretty early, I was amazed to see all the volunteers that had come to help Fred from around the country. Volunteers walked in from Texas, New Jersey, California, Chicago, Indianapolis, and Nashville! After a few hours of making calls, I was greeted by another familiar face - our very own General Joel as well as Stephanie and Gary Brown.
Today we made about 6,000 calls. Most people that I have been talking to are still undecided voters. Fred has been steadily climbing in polls, but the response we have been getting at our events is nothing short of remarkable. I applaud Fred for not following the path of the political experts and not "singing to any man's tune". I pity the press that cannot comprehend how well Fred is doing because they are so fixed within their own framework that they appear flustered at the thought of the Thompson Campaign. One thing, as we all know, that we never have to worry about is Fred's motives - we know he knows what he's doing and we know that he will do it well. Well enough to place in the caucus? We certainly hope so!
Day 1, December 27, 2007
Today I drove up to Iowa. It was probably the most boring drive of my life considering the only city I passed through was Peoria. However, there was a certain level of anxiety and excitement as I drove through the heartland of America. I was on a one way street to one of the institutions of politics and on my ride there I felt an exhilirating thrill of freedom and liberty. Indeed, while I was passing through open fields blanketed by the white snow for as far as I can see, I took some time to question what I was doing. Why was I driving up all the way to a snowstorm in Iowa? What pulled me to leave my friends and family during the holidays? In other words, what the hell was I thinking driving eleven hours to a place I had never been to and a place where I had no idea what I was about to do?
At this moment, I reflected on several things, but nothing seemed to comfort me more than the words of our late President, John F. Kennedy who remarkably noted "Ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country." Fred has certainly taken this advice to heart completely in my mind not because he has never had any personal ambition to be President, but rather because he feels he is the right candidate at the right time. Therefore, I come here to help Fred on his quest to become the next President of the United States because I believe he is the only person in the race that can restore dignity, honesty, and strength to the office that has lost credibility not only around the world, but more importantly in the eyes of the American public.
I may not be able to see the smiles on peoples faces when they meet Fred for the first time. I may not be able to see the trust he engenders every day by visiting people on his bus tour. But I do realize that every little thing I do to help Fred is something that I can do for the betterment of my country. So, with the hope that Fred will win the Iowa Caucus and my determination to help him in whatever way I can, I have taken off for Des Moines, Iowa. This should be even more fun than Mansouri's mom was last night.
At this moment, I reflected on several things, but nothing seemed to comfort me more than the words of our late President, John F. Kennedy who remarkably noted "Ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country." Fred has certainly taken this advice to heart completely in my mind not because he has never had any personal ambition to be President, but rather because he feels he is the right candidate at the right time. Therefore, I come here to help Fred on his quest to become the next President of the United States because I believe he is the only person in the race that can restore dignity, honesty, and strength to the office that has lost credibility not only around the world, but more importantly in the eyes of the American public.
I may not be able to see the smiles on peoples faces when they meet Fred for the first time. I may not be able to see the trust he engenders every day by visiting people on his bus tour. But I do realize that every little thing I do to help Fred is something that I can do for the betterment of my country. So, with the hope that Fred will win the Iowa Caucus and my determination to help him in whatever way I can, I have taken off for Des Moines, Iowa. This should be even more fun than Mansouri's mom was last night.
Day 1, December 27, 2007
Today I drove up to Iowa. It was probably the most boring drive of my life considering the only city I passed through was Peoria. However, there was a certain level of anxiety and excitement as I drove through the heartland of America. I was on a one way street to one of the institutions of politics and on my ride there I felt an exhilirating thrill of freedom and liberty. Indeed, while I was passing through open fields blanketed by the white snow for as far as I can see, I took some time to question what I was doing. Why was I driving up all the way to a snowstorm in Iowa? What pulled me to leave my friends and family during the holidays? In other words, what the hell was I thinking driving eleven hours to a place I had never been to and a place where I had no idea what I was about to do?
At this moment, I reflected on several things, but nothing seemed to comfort me more than the words of our late President, John F. Kennedy who remarkably noted "Ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country." Fred has certainly taken this advice to heart completely in my mind not because he has never had any personal ambition to be President, but rather because he feels he is the right candidate at the right time. Therefore, I come here to help Fred on his quest to become the next President of the United States because I believe he is the only person in the race that can restore dignity, honesty, and strength to the office that has lost credibility not only around the world, but more importantly in the eyes of the American public.
I may not be able to see the smiles on peoples faces when they meet Fred for the first time. I may not be able to see the trust he engenders every day by visiting people on his bus tour. But I do realize that every little thing I do to help Fred is something that I can do for the betterment of my country. So, with the hope that Fred will win the Iowa Caucus and my determination to help him in whatever way I can, I have taken off for Des Moines, Iowa.
At this moment, I reflected on several things, but nothing seemed to comfort me more than the words of our late President, John F. Kennedy who remarkably noted "Ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country." Fred has certainly taken this advice to heart completely in my mind not because he has never had any personal ambition to be President, but rather because he feels he is the right candidate at the right time. Therefore, I come here to help Fred on his quest to become the next President of the United States because I believe he is the only person in the race that can restore dignity, honesty, and strength to the office that has lost credibility not only around the world, but more importantly in the eyes of the American public.
I may not be able to see the smiles on peoples faces when they meet Fred for the first time. I may not be able to see the trust he engenders every day by visiting people on his bus tour. But I do realize that every little thing I do to help Fred is something that I can do for the betterment of my country. So, with the hope that Fred will win the Iowa Caucus and my determination to help him in whatever way I can, I have taken off for Des Moines, Iowa.
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