The truth is, we're all making this whole netroots, people-powered politics, blogosphere thing up as we go along.
I know all the big picture criticisms of the Democratic establishment and Democratic campaigns. I'm not asking for strategic advice (I get plenty of that whether I ask for it or not). The election is less than four months away. It's time to talk about nuts and bolts.
So what does a people-powered campaign ask people to, you know, do?
In the past, I've asked volunteers to make telephone calls from phone banks and from home, to hand out campaign literature door-to-door, to let us put campaign signs in their yard and to help put up signs, to let us use their name in lists of supporters, to talk to their friends, and to stand at polling places on election day to greet voters. That's an old-fashioned "field" campaign effort. Does a "people-powered" campaign look any different?
Some of the folks here have been in campaigns for longer than I have. Many more volunteered in 2004 and since. And almost everyone here has been on the receiving end of campaign contact. What do you think works, and what could we do without?
I'll be around for a couple of hours before I have to go to the airport to start the week in Washington, and I'll read all the comments eventually. Let me know what you think.
I appreciate being included as a
netroots ally, by the way. Markos didn't even ask me to cancel my subscription to the New Republic.
And did I mention that we'd love your help, both as a
volunteer and a
campaign contributor?