Here is Dan Wofford's commentary about the Pa election. Dan Wofford is the son of frmr Sen. Harris Wofford and an Obama supporter. He acknowledges that "bittergate" was a big deal. There are two emails. He wrote the second one after the first one leaked to the public.
From: Dan Wofford
Sent: Wed Apr 23 14:18
Subject: RE: Wa d f happened?
John and interested friends:
You ask "what went wrong" — I assume that's what you meant by "Wa d f happened?" Here's my hangover-colored answer:
He visited San Fransisco two weeks ago. That's what happened.
* Message to all Democratic Candidates: Never to go San Fransicso, unless incognito;
* Message to Barack: Don't think out loud at fundraisers in San Fransisco if you're stupid enough to go there.
* Message # 3: If someone in SF asks you about those "strange rural people in PA"...don't indulge their liberal, latte drinking bull shit...Just tell them if they want to understand rural and ethnic PA that they should get in the Prius's and drive down to Bakersfield or any of the other mid state towns in California where there are people who actually lead ordinary lives and care about God and own guns....That's what Barack should have done and then not apologized for making remarks that while poorly worded were fundamentally accurate on one level (while not others...since when times are bad, people actually start caring about the 'big" issues like jobs and health care....that's why HW could win the senate seat in 1991...)
To answer your question more specifically:
1. Bittergate hurt a lot — bc is slowed down and then with the poor debate performance stopped what was truly real closing momentum. No question had he not gone to SF or said those comments, we lose by 3-4 pts.
2. Debate hurt him for same reason as #1, and bc it cost us a couple days and didn't help with undecideds. Thank god we had a brillant state wide tour that was very effective or this could have been a real blow-out...as it is she just got 8 more delegates than we did out of PA.
3. Field Operation didn't put all the possible assets on the table: As much as admire the campaign's field leadership (and I mean that, some very capable and good folks who have a fantastic organizational model). I do believe they were overconfident about their ability in Philly to get the vote out without paying street money or sucking up to the ward leaders so that party regulars along with BO volunteers would get the job done.....too reliant on the massive number of "volunteers" in the city — but many not true locals or party stalwarts.
4. I would have paid "street" money... See (Legendary Philly Inquirer columnist) Tom Ferrick's op-ed in yesterday's NY Times....paying volunteers to work a whole day in the city is a long held tradition and frankly is a sure way to see that you get every possible vote. Danger of course is that Ward leaders skim some of the money, which some do or that they give it out and then help the other candidate. Well that's the risk you take. I felt it was bullshit for the Obama campaign to say they weren't going to play that "old" politics game. Yet we played the "old politics" game of massive amounts of paid TV — and of course a nice percentage of that goes to the media consultants...but of course we can't pay some hard working local african american ward leaders and precinct captains and volunteers to spend 14 hours doing GOTV and watching the polls. Makes no sense.
5. So Message #4: Play by the local rules, unless they are actually corrupt, which they aren't. Harris Wofford, Bob Casey, John Kerry...even Howard Dean..have all paid street money...Barack couldn't? Did this cost us the election?...of course not, is it one the things on the margin that held our total down, yes...in my humble opinion.
6. Overconfident in the field — our household got literally 15-20 robo calls and mailings from Bill or HRC at our home. Mailings for Barack — I think zero. Robo calls from Barack, ONE and guess when it came on my phone — 4 pm on Tuesday. I am not a fan of robo calls and direct mail is increasingly less effective. But they are tools in the arsenal...and I don't know why we didn't use them. I know my Dad made a Robo call at the campaign's request that went out on Monday....don't know how extensive, but I heard from folks about it.
7. Don't write off senior citizens....campaign perhaps wisely didn't invest time and strategy to win over seniors...they are so entrenched for HRC, campaign felt there just wasn't time to do this and still do what was needed to move our base and swing voters we had a real chance with......That said, we've just got to find a way to reach seniors, since BO has a great message for seniors and great narrative about his own grandparents.....I suggested doing a lot of intergenerational stuff that could reach young and old at the same time....
8. Working class PA folks, esp those over 45, don't trust Obama...this is a problem and other than getting them to meet Obama retail style...don't know how we solve it, unless we can get him to do a quick tour of duty in Iraq...
9. Losing the Catholic and Jewish vote: Way to cautious in outreach to Jewish community...did not put enough assets out on the table...not enough Jewish folks involved....self perpetuating problem...Think the same is true for Catholics.....A friend close to the campaign said she was surprised to see how few Catholics and Jews there were on the campaign...don't know how true this is...but most campaign's we've been on, Catholics and Jews seem to predomoinate....As a proud Wasp, I have been an oppressed minority in many a campaign...
Much of this we can correct...some we can't...I think BO wins NC and then we just have to hope he can pull off a win in Indiana. It might be over then, but I doubt it. I now believe that HRC will stay in to the bitter end.
With that in mind, I will be in Denver as a Delegate to cast my ballot for Barack. I finally won in the PA 6th CD (not counting my primary win in 2002)....I got elected as one of three delegates going to Denver representing Obama and the vaunted 6th CD....
Would trade that for 5 more percentage points for BO.
All for now.
Danny
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Email to the Politico from Dan Wofford:
...As I've told you, the email that you posted today was meant to be a confidential, but accurate expression of my immediate thoughts on a fairly gloomy post election afternoon. I made the mistake in judgment in responding to roughly 15 separate emails from close friends and family members with one single email giving my initial analysis of what I thought had happened in PA . Everyone on the email was a good friend or family member. Nonetheless, it was a mistake to send this out and to sound glib about a campaign that is better than any campaign I have ever been connected with in 30 years of political activity. I am heartsick that my friends on the campaign, who worked so hard for many weeks here have to see these observations, accurate or not, in print and on the web.
I hold no one but myself responsible for not being more careful, though this was sent to a group of trusted friends. One of them inadvertently shared the email beyond the intended circle of recipients and then we lost control of it. I have learned a hard lesson.
I do not intend to engage in any back in forth with your readers, who like me, are entitled to their opinions and to criticize mine now that you have posted the email. I do want readers to know that the tone of some parts of the email was intentionally tongue-in-cheek and humorous (or attempting to be) -- meant to lighten up a group of close friends disappointed by the results here. My sixteen year old son has already upbraided me for using foul language in a couple of places. I've told him that life is about learning from mistakes and hopefully not making them a second time.
As for my comments about San Francisco -- a city I love for its beauty, its people and its rich history -- I view that gathering Sen. Obama attended no differently than one that could take place in my hometown of Philadelphia, where we have just as many so-called "elites" who don't know much about people who live in rural Pennsylvania. I did not mean to insult San Francisco or the decent folks that live there, including many friends of mine.
To the extent my email conveyed that I think I have a complete or accurate handle on what happened here -- please know that I have been proven wrong too many times to try to be the "smart guy" who had all the answers whom no one listened to. I was lucky to be included in the campaign's effort here and for that reason am deeply pained that this email became public.
Thanks for allowing me to put this email in some context. I will go back to eating my humble pie in the doghouse.
Dan Wofford" |
