Puzzling article in 538.com about yard signs. Is the Obama camapign really not interested

[featherman]

or is this tongue in cheek? There certainly have been problems for us at the local headquarters in getting our signs and bumper stickers. I realize the first part of the article is sarcastic but is this really a campaign philosophy? What's this guy talking about?

"In a controversial move sure to upset millions of people, Barack Obama’s campaign has decided to forgo the traditional time-wasting distribution of chum (yard signs, bumper stickers, etc.) to try and win the election.

Settling on what they call a “get voters to register by approaching them on the phone and at the door with an army of volunteers” strategy, Obama’s senior staff has directed state, regional, and local field organizers to use their finite time to make tangible progress toward winning.

It’s an approach that has ruffled some Democratic feathers."

More on this at: http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/ (scroll down a couple of articles)

[Barack_America]

1. No, it's true. The campaign is anti-chum.

It's their belief that you show your support for the campaign by volunteering. That's why they request that people wanting signs, buttons, etc. give some of their time or a donation. The campaign, even in the primaries, was not interested in the appearance of support but actual, put your money and time where your mouth is SUPPORT.

They really see chum as a hindrance to building a grassroots movement.

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

2. Without taking a side on whether the campaign values signs, they're unusually important this year

In many places it's important for people to see that voting Obama is not a fringe idea.

[Barack_America]

4. The campaign seems to understand that.

Lawn signs in particular seem to get diverted to more rural areas. If you want a sign in Philly, you're going to have to work for it, lol.

[demokatgurrl]

15. If you want a sign in Philly, go to Ardmore office

they have lots.

[AllentownJake]

17. Really?

12 miles from work...are you sure?

[Ian David]

3. It's a new tactic apparently being taught through the Paul Wellstone training group.

The local guy who used that tactic lost twice.

[Barack_America]

5. It was the Obama campaign policy during the primaries too.

Seems to have worked out for them.

How many people do we know on DU that walked into an office looking for a campaign sign and ended up doing some hardcore volunteering? They're smart; they keep the signs in relatively short supply to keep demand peaked. People will do all sorts of things to get one, lol. I saw some Obama/Biden signs popping up around my neighborhood this weekend and immediately thought, "ooh, I wonder how much I need to volunteer to get one of THOSE!". They have me well-trained. ;)

[ellacott]

6. They had this philosphy during the primary also

I don't agree with it.

During our primary in Ohio I went to a local campaign office to donate food and request a lawn sign. They said they didn't have any even though I could see them in the other room.

When I left a volunteer walked with me outside and asked if I wanted a yardsign. She went and got one for me. She said that the campaign claims that yard signs don't have an impact on the voting. She also said they were told to only give them out to people who volunteered. She said she considered my food donatation as a form of volunteering and that's whay she snuck and gave me a sign.

[PuppyBismark]

7. Yard Signs are the single most requested item at our Obama Office

Whenever I am in the local Barack Obama office here in OHIO, the single most requested item is a yard sign. The local organizer is now collecting money from us to order them in mass. Apparently they are not going to stock them in the local offices.

If we are not going to do something for our volunteers who are clamoring for the signs, what message are they getting? Their neighbors are putting up McCain signs all over the place. What message does that give to the undecided?

Stupid. Stupid.

:grr: :grr: :grr:

[El Supremo]

8. I guess that explains it, but...

we have 100's of people in my house district wanting yard signs. Volunteers and not.

I haven't seen any since the caucuses. Many are using the cards they used at Mile High and putting them on fences or their windows. They keep telling us that new ones are coming. I think not having yard signs is a bad strategy for all the reasons mentioned in the article.

[AnarchoFreeThinker]

9. ya gotta read the whole thing

[SoonerPride]

10. I bought my signs in order to let the campaign use my donations for advertising

Buy them.

[GreenInNC]

11. County Party selling them

Our local Obama office does not have them and is not planning on getting any.

Our county party is carrying them and is selling them.

[WhiteTara]

12. they aren't giving them out

at least not in California. We have to buy ours and people are joining a list to get them when they arrive here today.

It has seemed very strange that it is so hard to get our signs and bumper stickers. I thought it might be because we are only using union shops and there are so few of them left.

:shrug:

[rvablue]

13. IMO This a huge mistake!

I live in a liberal area surrounded by a very conservative area.
Signs are just one tiny piece of the campaign, but don't they say that perception is everything?
Last election, you couldn't walk a block without seeing numerous Kerry signs and RARELY a Bush one.
Then, a couple of weeks ago, there was a HUGE street fair and there were the McCain people handing out signs and bumper stickers.
THE MCCAIN STUFF IS EVERYWHERE NOW! and I've seen maybe (this is a stretch even) 10 Obama signs.
I also don't like this idea of making someone "work" for it. It makes me think of the "E" word.

[demokatgurrl]

14. I have two Obama signs on my lawn

Of course, I did walk over to the campaign office and pick them up myself.

[AllentownJake]

16. Yep

Obama's campaign philosphy is yard signs don't vote. People want one they will either buy it or volunteer for it.

[eshfemme]

18. What's with the whole wanting free stuff deal?

If you want a yard sign so badly, buy one! Bitching about not getting freebies is stupid. I think the Obama campaign is smart in trying to limit the yard signs to volunteers because the people who want and expect freebies for nothing will most likely have that sort of complacent behavior encouraged if they do get what they want. That's not the sort of attitude that we need after the 2 elections that have gotten stolen.

So I say the Obama campaign is right here.

[AllentownJake]

20. I have a pack of Dukakis Cigarettes from 1988

Its a way to buy low information voters.

[eshfemme]

22. If the low info voters are gonna be swayed by free swag

what's to stop them from being bought by better gifts from the McCain people? It just shows a certain fickleness in attitude that I don't like to see rewarded. I'd rather hard work and dedication be rewarded over bribery.

[AllentownJake]

23. I agree believe me I'm a volunteer coordinator for two townships in PA

I'm a volunteer but I coordinate the neighborhood teams in two townships. 20% of my time is devoted to Yard sign listening and explaining.

[zulchzulu]

21. I agree completely

I just did two solid days of grassroots in the street Obama tabling at two locations and we were able to sell bumperstickers for $2 a piece and yard signs for $5... we had pooled money together to get the stuff beforehand.

I always tell people that they can get stuff online if we run out of stuff. As for people expecting yard signs for free, they are a pain in the ass to carry around a hundred or more and people that want the stuff for free usually don't want to do anything else for the campaign.

But guess what. The local Madison WI office DOES have chum that they keep closely under wraps for people who set up fundraisers and events where chum is needed. I'm sure it's the same with other HQs.

Add that most campaigns won't hand out free stuff until mid-October anyway...

On my block, there are 6 Obama yard signs. All either bought by me and given to friends or bought online by themselves.

[emmbaffa]

24. Commented on the Wis board Saturday

I walked into my local Obama office (second time in a week) to BUY a yard sign. None to be had. They directed me again to buy off the web site. I still donated the money (more than the $8 asking price) I had with me to buy signs. I don't want anything for free but if people are asking to show their support, the Obama campaign ought to listen. Is this what we have to look forward to if he becomes president?

[eshfemme]

28. What's so awful about buying off the website?

I'm not sure what the problem is. The local offices are important because of the groundwork and the whole point that Obama's been making is if you care enough, you have to be responsible for what you do. We will be responsible for electing him but we are also responsible for holding him accountable after he's elected.

If it's so hard to just put the extra effort into going online to buy a yard sign if you want it that badly, wouldn't it be impossibly hard to actually hold your elected officials' feet to the fire? I just don't get what the big deal is here. There are so many options to get you to what you want: your own Obama signage but you are plainly showing that you aren't open to the alternatives at all-- that you are claiming that you need to buy it directly off of the local office rather than any other number of ways that Obama's campaign has made it available for you.

I'm sorry but I don't see how lack of signs at a local office can translate so easily to Obama being a bad president.

Also, I notice that you only have 2 posts to your name and normally I hate jumping on a DU noob for just being a noob but seriously, you're being a total noob.

[curse10]

19. Good

I'm glad my hard earned money isn't going to stupid shit like signs. Signs don't vote. Looking at signs don't make you vote. And they sure as heck don't make you change your mind re: who you are going to vote for. I could put up 1000 Obama placards on my house/car and it still wouldn't make my crazy neighbor vote Obama.

It's a waste of time, trees and money. We have bigger fish to fry here, people. All the time spent complaining about not getting a yard sign should be spent volunteering and getting out the vote.

A small example: we just had a heated dem primary here in Boston's Second Suffolk District. The incumbent had pretty signs and fliers and stickers. Our campaign? None of that crap. Who won? We did. Despite all her money and swag and institutional endorsements. She robo-called the voters in her district. We went door to door. Called people in person. She passed out pretty fliers and stickers and it got her a whole lotta nothin'.

[flowomo]

25. signs are important in some places.... such as where I live....

we live in a red area of Central Pennsylvania, but it's not as red as is commonly believed, even by those who live here. But people who are not Republicans get the message and are sometimes shy about publicizing their own politics. But if a few Dems put out signs, others are encouraged to do so. We bought our Obama signs during the primary, and just bought the Obama/Biden updated versions. We want to show others (Dems, Indies, and even wavering Republicans) that they're not alone. Sure, we'd put out the signs if we were the only ones (and, in the past, we have been). But it's always a boost to see that you have allies.

[BlueIdaho]

26. YIMFY?

Yes in my front yard? I have to wonder - if you're like me and live on a residential street - just how much impact can a sign really have? Sign on a car - well at least the car goes to different locations - but will it really tip the tide? In my little Idaho community there are almost NO yard signs at all - and the two or three I see are Obama signs... its gotta make you wonder...

Are yard signs dead?

[stopbush]

27. I donated $50 at the local D office on Saturday to

purchase 2 bumper stickers, a yard sign, a button and two tees.

No big expense, and I'm helping the campaign.