Just went to my first Kerry Meet Up tonight in NYC...

[bkcc]

And I have to say--what a major disappointment.

I have never been to a Meet Up before, so I wasn't really sure what to expect, but it certainly wasn't the ill-mannered, talk-over-everyone, no-sense-of-direction mess that I encountered.

The people who were there from the Kerry campaign really had nothing to say and didn't have much in the way of answers for any of the attendees. We were told that New York state was "a lock" and there are no opportunities to volunteer here because they're focusing their campaign efforts in swing states. Basically, the whole event seemed to be about one thing: donate to the Kerry campaign.

Don't get me wrong. I know that the campaign needs funds to defeat Bush, but by making this the only message of the evening, I really think that they turned off some folks. In fact, I sincerely hope that the Kerry campaign is better organized than this at the national level, or this is going to be a really lousy election cycle for anyone who doesn't like Bush.

I went in to this Meet Up really hoping that I could volunteer and help out Kerry's campaign. I came out very disillusioned. I still intend to vote for Kerry, but there's a little less enthusiasm in my support.

[Frances]

1. What I hope to do

I have lived in CA for a little over a year. I plan to call my rep in Congress. I hope that someone in her office can tell me who my precinct chaiman is (I really hope there is one). If there isn't I think I'll volunteer for the job.

Then I'll volunteer to go door to door and hand out campaign lit. I'd like to hand out lit for Boxer and Kerry at the same time.

That's what I used to do in MD. Does anyone know if people in CA campaign this way?

[curse10]

2. The way to volunteer is to call headquarters in NY

not a meet up. Most of the time the people at meet ups have no idea what's going on. Volunteering takes initiative, it's not handed to you on a platter.

Here's the NY office contact information:

373 Park Avenue South
9th floor
New York, NY 10016-8805
212-213-0220
212-213-9230 (fax)

[JohnKleeb]

4. Hey Kirsten cool

:hi: Zack met both Dean and Kerry today and did you see that we made our goal. :bounce:

[curse10]

5. Cool beans

I didn't know Zack was doing that. :-)

I was at a fundraiser tonight for a local state senator that's working in tandem with the Kerry campaign. Too bad I have no money to donate, they just get my pretty face at functions :-) LoL

[bkcc]

6. Thank you.

I plan to take some initiative. I just needed to know how to go about it.

Also, it's common sense that the campaign needs to focus efforts on the swing states. However, I don't think it's good policy to tell the people in "lock" states that there's nothing for them to do.

After all, we lost a few "lock" states in 2000, probably because we took them for granted.

[curse10]

7. NY isn't a lock state

you don't have headquarters in "lock" states. The info you got was faulty. I was just talking to Kerry campaign workers here in Massachusetts (the biggest lock state of them all) and we need more volunteers. So NY definately needs help. There is always something to do.

[grytpype]

3. It's just a fact of life.

They have to concentrate their efforts where they are needed, and apparently in New York they are not needed. It's all about getting Bush out of office. Our cause is noble.

[LynzM]

8. Mine was disappointing too

It was me and two seniors who thought it was a Clark rally that got moved. They didn't want to talk about Kerry really, and we ended up talking about my daughter, and why I should take folic acid, and very little about politics. So, I learned something, but nothing about what I can do to help the campaign :(

[smirkymonkey]

9. Thanks for the feedback - I was going to

go, but instead went to a Town Hall Forum at CUNY's Graduate Center re: Republican Convention in NYC - Why the F**k are they having it here?? It was pretty interesting, but the guests of honor, Sam Waterston & Janeane Garafolo didn't show, so a bit disappointing. Mark Green, Reno (? comedienne), Ed Sullivan and others led the forum, but it was a bit disappointing as well - people were just all over the place.

Why can we seem to stay on topic - it seems like we can't band together and focus on one issue - so many divergent agendas. After a while, you forgot what the topic of the meeting was in the first place. Anyway, sorry your night was such a disappointment. I am feeling a little disillusioned myself.

[incapsulated]

10. I'm in NYC, too

And was planning on going to a meetup soon.

hmmm, now, maybe not.

I guess we should contact HQ, instead. :shrug:

[Festivito]

11. Detroit's had about 40 people and was fun.

There were two in the Detroit area. I went downtown.

No one seemed to have expectations of major organizers giving us directions. Some were operatives from state and local government, but no one directly a Kerry operative.

We introduced ourselves noting our political histories. Someone took some notes in order to pass along so good ideas and good questions we raised.

80 people had reserved. 5 or half the people who attended the last one returned, according to an annecdotal quip. And, I counted 37 at one point. Some wandered in and out.

I'm not a member of an organized party, I'm a Democrat. (stolen quote)