A secret peek inside Obama's Iowa campaign

Behind the bright lights of the TV debates, the news sound bites and the daily attacks and defenses e-mailed to supporters and journalists, there's an anonymous army of campaign volunteers who do the grunt work of answering phones and mail, plus countless other chores -- including, importantly, soliciting friends to become supporters.

Such work is especially important in Iowa, where, despite heartfelt promises on sunny fall days, supporters must be marshaled to go out on a cold winter night during the Orange Bowl to listen to endless talking at a caucus. Every campaign has plans and procedures for accomplishing this, which it guards like state secrets.

But today, thanks to The Times' Robin Abcarian and a source of hers within the Barack Obama Iowa campaign, we get a detailed inside look at how they organize, communicate with, motivate, inform and, most importantly, listen to their network of nearly 2,000 precinct captains across the state.

The key is regular phone calls with headquarters. The captains get maybe two days' notice to call a certain number at a certain time. Meanwhile, they're encouraged to e-mail questions they are hearing on the street and would like answers to. Even if only a few hundred of them do this, those missives give the tacticians back in Chicago an on-the-ground feel for the steadily shifting sands of a campaign. And how tired or enthused their own workers are.

Such conference calls, in fact, provided Karl Rove and the 2000 Bush campaign with advance notice that they were in deep trouble from John McCain in New Hampshire. So when they lost that primary by a crushing 19 points, a comeback strategy was in place for South Carolina, beginning the next morning with a 6:30 a.m. departure for Greenville and Bob Jones University.

At the appointed time for the Obama phone meeting, most of the captains call, punch in a code that's different every time, and... 

are connected to a giant conference call. All the callers' lines are muted, but an organizer in Chicago introduces herself and thanks everyone for their hard work. She gives a brief general update on the campaign, encouraging poll numbers and the candidate's activities for a few days; reiterates the campaign's message of the week and the importance of personal front-door contact with voters; and then turns the phone over to "a guest."

Suddenly, Obama himself is on the line, thanking all the grassroots workers profusely for their hard work. He sounds enthusiastic, appreciative and genuine, and even though no one can actually talk to him, he instills a sense of conversation, of intimate contact with the guy they're all working for night and day. For new political workers, this can be a spine-tingling moment. Obama gives a general but always upbeat report on what he's seeing on the trail and then answers two or three of the e-mailed questions.

On one recent call, a question concerned how to handle what seem to be increasingly negative attacks from other campaigns. Obama said these were to be expected since recent polls showed their efforts pulling into the lead. He told the workers not to be defensive or abrasive, to answer with facts and to stay focused on the reality that they were changing the nation and the world.

He cautioned them against "faking it" if they don't know the answers and urged them to check with their assigned field organizers and get back to the individual voter. He thanked them all again for their diligence and hard work and turned the phone back to the campaign staffer, who repeated the appreciation.

Sometimes the call involves Michelle Obama. Other calls are arranged for give-and-take with a campaign policy expert providing insights and information for the volunteers to share with voters.

The elapsed time of such calls is around 50 minutes. But the impact lasts far longer. The workers return to the field newly energized and enthused. and, perhaps most importantly, feeling appreciated and less isolated going door to door, where, to be honest, they are not always welcomed.

The results? We'll know without a phone call come the night of Jan. 3, probably about the same time as we get the final score of the Orange Bowl.

-- Andrew Malcolm

Comments

[christ F]

Again proof that Obama is "the ONE": No smear tactic, no triangulation...This is real politics for CHANGE WE CAN BELIEVE IN'

[eNews Reference]

Wow, never had that insight into the '08 Candidate's field campaigns...http://www.enewsreference.wordpress.com

[serena1313]

The more I read about Obama the better I like him. I decided to vote for him months ago.

A quality I admire in Obama is his sense of justice tempered by intelligence, a sense of balance and reasoned logic. His answers are generally measured and thoughtful, not the cookie-cutter type of answers most politicians give.

His willingness to speak to other world leaders without stipulating rules beforehand demonstrates an open mind seeking to bridge the divide. He responds to each situation with cautioned reason and respect -- something non-existent in the Bush administration. In contrast Hillary's approach is too reactive, a clear indication of more of the same.

While Obama has been accused of being inexperienced, he has no less experience than Hillary Clinton. Being a First Lady does not qualify as being "experienced" nor does it translate into wise decision making or sound judgment. Furthermore her lack of candor is troubling. Comparatively Obama has been forthcoming and genuine. His life experiences have taught him well. Aside from his star power he has a phenomenal mind. His intelligence far outweighs his opponents and his philosophy has resonance. That by far trumps "experience."

There is a lot to like about Obama.

He represents the change we need.

There is no doubt in my mind that Obama has what it takes to be president.

[spring woods]

One hardly dares to believe that Obama can achieve the nomination. It would be the most exciting thing in decades politically speaking. Let's pray for it.

[Oscar]

I am afraid of an Obama nomination. We have not had time to seriously consider whether America is really ready for a blcak president in the White House, and a black first family.

Hillary has been the presumptive nominee, so people have not had enough time for these questions to really sink in. Hillary had her high-point, and people are now ejecting her more and more-sometimes because she is a woman, and sometimes because the type of person she is.

Enough democrats may be flirting with Obama in Iowa, and South Carolina, but the country may not be ready next year.

The Republicans will exploit racism and accuse him of being a terrorist, or sympathizer.

Nominating him may be the biggest mistake we could make. WE better really be careful. Be careful what you wish for.

[vwcat]

Oscar, concidering that Obama has been going up against the feared Clinton machine and the known dirty and no holds barred tactics they are known for and Obama coming away without a scratch and leaving the inevitable one looking like she's gone off the rails, I'd say the gop is not a worry.
Remember, the republicans are not any more tough than the Clintons in dirty and attack politics. Yet, Obama handled them without breaking a sweat.
And looking like the mature and presidential one in the bargain.
Obama's race is not that much a factor for the voters. It is for the media who dwell on such things but, for voters, it's just not an issue and that is probably because for Obama it is not an issue.
While Hillary keeps reminding people she's a woman and is making gender the issue, people are responding as such. Obama is running as a candidate who happens to be black and doesn't play the race card. And voters are responding in kind. Not seeing it as an issue.

[Evan]

Oscar, we can't let fear guide us. Let's have faith in the American people. Most of the people who would be swayed by Obama's race likely wouldn't vote for a democrat anyway, no matter who it was.

Barack is winning in Iowa, a state that is overwhelmingly white. Right now, he attracts more independents and REPUBLICANS to his campaign than any other candidate.

Let's not defeat ourselves with fear.

[Larry from Purdue]

Barack's organization is tightly knit. That will be important in Iowa. It's awesome that he puts so much emphasis on the morale of his workers.

Oscar, you are in the minority of people who think America is not ready for an African American or for that matter a minority president. There will always be people who wont vote for a candidate for reasons other than the content of their character - may it be religion, gender, color. But majority of Americans are ready to do whatever it takes for the greater good of the country. And if that means the best candidate does not come from the mainstream, so be it.

check out this article based on the experience of LA. For your information Obama won his senate seat with over 50% vote from whites in southern rural Illinois- highly conservative

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/07/AR2007120701776.html

[Fshy]

In response to Oscar, there are very few ways to convince people of racism, if you ask me. The people who would be swayed were not going to vote for Obama anyway, and no candidate can really publicly say something regarding Obama's race without losing a lot of centrist republicans and independents. So they'd have to rely on people not well connected to them, and those people don't carry messages well to people; they can easily be fakes, distortions, gross innaccuracies, or outright lies, and people know this. And, if these people are traced to have a direct connection and go-ahead from the candidate; then again, the candidate can kiss his rear out of the election. It would be extremely difficult for a candidate to play on racism except among the die-hard racists, who Obama wasn't counting on in the first place. And finally, even if it was possible, through some ingenius stratagem, the same stratagem could work on Hillary being female. If thats the course, then we might want to take Edwards. Unfortunately; Edwards just doesn't have anything interesting. He makes a good running mate, but....I just don't see him having done...ANYTHING. I mean, Hillary, despite the fact that she flopped health care, she tried, and of course she's been a senator. Obama has taken a good bit of public office, has written a pair of interesting books, been a lawyer, and has an odd sort of starrish appeal. Edwards...has been a senator. And...thats about it. Maybe a safe choice, but so was Kerry. And that worked out great.

[nk]

I don't think Oscar really believes what he is saying.

[RuthieM]

You know, American thinks it has come so far but has not come far at all when you hear the same unbeilevable statement, "I don't think America is ready for a black president." Do you know how backwards that sounds? Do you now how bigoted truly bigoted that sounds? Do you know how ignorant that sounds? Are the people making this statement high school educated even? Surely they must not have a college degree, or even an Associate Degree. Look into the face of the human being next to you. What the hell difference does it make as long as the person is the right person for the job. If Hillary, being a woman, was the right woman for the job, I'd vote for her because I'd love to see a woman president. It's just that she is not the right woman president by any stretch. I wish we can come out of our cocoons and open our eyes and our minds and see if the person running for president has red blood, not black skin. And if he is the right red blooded black skinned person, then great. Otherwise, we just might be missing a true historical moment in America, a great moment in America that we will be sorry for later.

[Mike Hickerson]

The poster referencing whether America is "Ready for a black family in the White House" is the reason Obama is running. His ideas and appeal transcend racial generalizations. His campaign is about HOPE, not division, and in the 21st century, which I cordially invite the poster to enter, the color of one's skin isn't an "issue" except to recidivists & kinfolk of 19th century Confederates who think there is a difference. There's more need for a new direction in this country than there is to judge the messenger based upon how deep his melanin is. While I'm not naive enough to say we are a color blind nation, I am stating for the record that the numbers bear out that race is a minority issue and those that believe race matters are probably going to vote for business as usual, which is certainly not the message of Barack Obama's campaign.

[Jen]

How much more time do we need? 20 more years? 50? 100? Another 230? The idea that we should not support the best-qualified, most intelligent, most reasonable and most emotionally able person running because he is black is utterly foolish. Barack Obama is the best candidate for President that we have seen in generations, period. The fact that he has black skin does not change or diminish that fact, and to use it as a disqualifier is insulting to the millions of thoughtful voters who would welcome Obama as our next President because of our appreciation of his experience as a legislator, Consitiutional scholar, community organizer, civil rights attorney; and because of his history of being honest and forthright with the American citizens.

If the Democrats are smart, they will nominate this exceptionally qualified man to run for the Presidency. If nominated, I am confident that the good people of this country will elect him in a landslide. There are a number of good candidates this year. But Barack Obama is of a different caliber than any of the others running. We would be wise to seize on this opportunity to elect Obama, who has the potential to help us all to work with him to restore America's greatness.