Nebraska Democratic Party: Learn How to Help Our Candidates

Learn How to Help Our Candidates

Jul 02, 03:01 PM CST

The following was sent by Matt Connealy announcing this month’s campaign training featuring Parag Mehta, Director of Training at the DNC.

If you’ve been wondering how you can help Barack Obama, Scott Kleeb, and other great candidates this election cycle, you’re in luck.

On Saturday, July 12, the NDP will be hosting a campaign training at Creighton University in Omaha. We’ll be discussing not only how to get involved, but also how all of us can maximize our contributions given our limited time and busy lives.

If you want to help Democrats win, click here to apply now for Campaign Training 2008.

This year, we are pleased to announce that Parag Mehta, Director of Training at the DNC, will be joining us and sharing his expertise on important topics from voter contact to volunteer recruitment.

The training – free of charge – has limited space available. We will be accepting applications until Tuesday, July 8, at which time we will sit down and select those who are most committed to Democratic success in Nebraska. Don’t let that deter you from applying; we expect a full house of volunteers, candidates, and paid staff from all over the state and with varying degrees of experience in campaigns.

Click here to apply now, and I’ll look forward to seeing you in Omaha on July 12.

Matt

Matt Connealy
Executive Director
Nebraska Democratic Party

– by Eric Van Horn | Send this to a friend

You would think that Omaha is the only city in Nebraska were training cold be held. What about the western part of the state?
— Rick Jul 03, 09:15 AM CST #
Please keep in mind our split electoral vote system: Democrats in District 2 (Omaha plus) and District 1(Lincoln, etc.) can make a difference in this election…giving Obama 1 electoral vote each, possibly 2 more for statewide vote total. Sadly, District 3 is highly unlikely to turn “blue”...let’s turn Nebraska Purple!!!
— Karla Mullen Laughlin Jul 03, 09:24 AM CST #
Rick-

Parag’s time in Nebraska is limited and his flight plan necessitated the training be held in Omaha.

I hope you recall that in 2007 we held dozens of trainings across all three Congressional Districts.
— Eric Van Horn Jul 03, 09:28 AM CST #
Eric,
They do have airports in the western part of the state. But I do see the underlying scheme in holding the training in Omaha because Obama has a better chance of securing an electoral vote there because he can relate to those who live in Omaha and not the western part of the state.
— Rick Jul 03, 11:33 AM CST #
Rick,
I would LOVE to have someone help me expand my grassroots group nebraska4obama.org. If you’re serious about doing something to help promote Obama in CD3, call me and I’ll definately more than match you on any resources you put forth. 402-304-0310
— Phil Montag Jul 03, 12:09 PM CST #
Phil,
I apologize for the misunderstanding of my previous statement. I was being sarcastic. You may be excited about Obama’s campaign but I am not. I will support local candidates but not Obama. The point I was making is that the Obama’s campaign continues to disenfranchise certain voters everywhere he goes while still manipulating the electoral system to his advantage. He’s calculating and ruthless which I can’t support. He’s not the candidate of change. He’s still an old style politician.
— Rick Jul 03, 01:26 PM CST #
Less than two weeks ago I attend a town meeting in rural Wisconsin which featured Senator Obama.The experience was very moving.Obama spent most of. the time listening to peoples’ concerns and problems.He certainly was not manipulative.I’m 73 years old and this is the first time in a long while that I have been excited about a candidate.HE IS NOT AN OLD STYLE POLITICIAN!
— Thomas Paine Jul 03, 02:07 PM CST #
Less than two weeks ago I attend a town meeting in rural Wisconsin which featured Senator Obama.The experience was very moving.Obama spent most of. the time listening to peoples’ concerns and problems.He certainly was not manipulative.I’m 73 years old and this is the first time in a long while that I have been excited about a candidate.HE IS NOT AN OLD STYLE POLITICIAN!
— Thomas Paine Jul 03, 02:07 PM CST #
Thomas,
Any politician can listen to the concerns and problems of the people. It’s part of the game they play in order to be elected. But if they can do something about those concerns and problems then maybe it can be moving. I don’t see Obama doing anything he has promised he’ll do. He’ll have to get past all the lobbyist and Washington insiders to get anything done but you can’t bite the hand that feeds you so in the long run he’s still an old style politician.
— Rick Jul 03, 02:43 PM CST #
wELL GEE WHY DON’T WE JUST THROW OUT THE DANG BABY WITH THE BATHWATER IF IT DOESN’T HAPPEN TO FIT OUR IDEA OF PERFECTION WE DON’T WANT IT”“”
— DAVE LOVEWELL Jul 04, 11:47 AM CST #
Rick, the general consensus among Nebraska Democratic leadership is that Obama’s candidacy is going to help all the downticket Democratic candidates. I offered you a shot at “walking the walk” and doing something instead of just whining and you gave me a cop-out. Become the change you seek in the world. If you can’t see the vast differences between Barack Obama and John McCain you truly are lost.
— Phil Montag Jul 05, 10:03 AM CST #
Rick, I have to agree with Phil and others. There is HUGE difference between Barack Obama and John McCain. If you truly cannot see that, I suggest you go get yourself a big fat McCain button, put your feet up and take a snooze. The future will be arriving in November and you can watch it from your front porch. The rest of us will be on our feet… walking toward that future!
— Maggie Jul 05, 11:51 AM CST #
http://www.cfra.org/newsletter/2008/06/Rural-Voters-See-Little-Difference-between-Political-Parties

This article, from the Center for Rural Affairs, discusses the fact that rural voters don’t see Democrats as providing a clear advantage for them on the economic front. This would seem to suggest some pretty obvious marching orders for Democratic party leaders in states like Nebraska. Why should rural voters break their conservative voting habits if they don’t see anything in it for them? Apparently there needs to be some serious education of rural voters going on by Dem party leaders.

I see many missed opportunities in winning the hearts and minds of rural Americans who should be pretty ripe for the picking these days. Case in point: the most recent economic credit on the Ne Dem Party website shows one article about minimum wage increases. This article is over a year old. Why don’t we see/hear more about how and why the Dem ticket excels on local economic issues? Why isn’t the Ne State Dem Party shouting this from the rooftops so we really can “Help Obama win Nebraska” as the home page states?
— Nancy Meyer Jul 08, 05:36 PM CST #