Interesting contrast between the Lieberman and Dean campaigns offered in this quick note on Josh Marshall's blog.
talkingpointsmemo.com
(August 13th, 2003 -- 6:55 PM EDT // link)
An interesting email from one of my favorite New Dem-leaning correspondents in Washington DC.
We'll call him Mr R ...
Hi Josh. Great string of posts this a.m.! Glad to see you're back in the swing.
I thought you might be interested in my recent experience as a Democratic contributor. In the last year I've given $100 each to (1) Joe Lieberman, since he's a New Dem from way back and his DLCish instincts generally match my own, and (2) more recently, Howard Dean, because he's interesting and smart and, while I don't much like his current lefty trendline, at bottom I think he's a moderate.
Well. I got a couple of half-hearted follow-ups from the Lieberman camp last year (I think I sent a brochure to you), but absolutely nothing in the last six months or more, even though now is when they're starting to need the money, and a candidate's prior contributors are the folks he should be putting the strongest touch on. But, from Joe, at least to me, silence. Reminds me strongly of the hapless Gore operation - I gave thousands of dollars to Gore, even going back to his Senate years, and it took his campaign forever even to get my name right and figure out I was a supporter. I wonder if Lieberman has inherited some of the not-too-swift Gore back-office operations.
But from the Doctor! I've gotten half a dozen (correctly addressed!) follow-up letters in the couple of months since I sent him a check, and I'm obviously on his main direct-mail list, all on the strength of one contribution. VERY impressive operation on the technical side, and it certainly makes me more likely to contribute again. Wonder where Dean's people came from? Are these the tech-savvy people who are also staffing his Internet operation?
Anyway, a telling contrast, and I though you should have this report from the political contributors' trenches.
Regards, (Mr R.)
Very revealing about each campaign.
-- Josh Marshall |
