Obama Camp Asks Supporters: What Now?

Barack Obama campaign manager David Plouffe is asking supporters how to keep their network going now that the election is over, TechPresident reports.

"Your hard work built this movement," wrote Plouffe in an email. "Now it's up to you to decide how we move forward."

Early reporting suggested that some in the campaign, particularly deputy campaign manager Steve Hildebrand, are resisting the efforts of Democratic insiders to merge the network into the Democratic National Committee.

Campaign new media director Joe Rospars hasn't been named to the Obama-Biden transition team, raising the possibility that he might help oversee a grassroots organization outside White House and/or the DNC. The survey seems geared towards figuring out who, exactly, remains excited about the campaign -- and whether those supporters might be happy as part of the party establishment.

The survey asks supporters about their political self-identification -- from liberal/progressive to moderate to conservative -- and whether they reliably vote either Democratic or Republican, or fall somewhere in between. Supporters are asked whether the Obama campaign was their first time supporting a political candidate, and whether they worked for any other candidates during the primary season, be it Hillary Clinton or Ron Paul.

Cutting to the chase, the questionnaire asks the million-dollar question: "Would you like to continue to volunteer in your community as part of an Obama organization?"

The implication: that what the campaign built could stay alive as a grassroots organization, perhaps on the model of the Democracy for America organization that came out of Howard Dean's run, now operated by his brother Jim Dean.

How many people are part of this group? Marc Ambinder says there are "10 million e-mail addresses; the campaign estimates that two million people volunteered in some way and about one million volunteered to help get out Obama's vote."

Comments

[eyesus34]

Not interested in merging with the DNC. I think the common thread among Obama volunteers is a shared desire to improve their community not just get someone elected. The campaign should transition us into a civil volunteer corp. Offer us a multitude of organizations to choose from and volunteer with.

[WFV]

My thoughts exactly. I put in many hours on the campaign, and it was for more than just to see him get into office. We really started something - something that doesn't have to end because the General Election has.

[KansasWrangler]

What is next for Puerto Rico? A referendum on Puerto Rico status should be held in the first year of the presidency. It is the Democratic Party's optimal time to add 2 senators and possibly 7 representatives to the fold. It is also the best time for Puerto Rico to benefit from statehood.

[OilWarsDotCom]

Thomas Jefferson on banks and corporations -
I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies¦¦¦If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their currency, first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around [the banks] will deprive the people of all property until their children wake-up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered. The issuing power should be taken from the banks and restored to the people, to whom it properly belongs
Thomas Jefferson, Letter to the Secretary of the Treasury Albert Gallatin (1802)
3rd president of US (1743 - 1826)

[OilWarsDotCom]

Since the words inflation and deflation have now been bantered around - Here is the warning from Jefferson - Did we listen - NO? - Will America wither and fade away? Probably - You see greed and wild speculation in the stock market has sunk our ship. My wife and I recently visited the pyramids of Giza in Egypt - That once powerful civilizaiton is gone and so will the American experiment be gone - greed did us in.

[toni63]

I believe that to some extent something has died in America , but what I believe you are missing is that those worlds existed within themselves , our world now, is directly linked to the rest of the world , there is going to be a huge shift in how our world will now exist and it will be based in a fundamental understanding that we need to take care of the base of our tree...and if we are afraid to say socialism well , just look at wellfare, medicare, social security ,and if we don't recognize these as the back bone to our survival , success is not even apart of the equation , survival then you are right about the civilizations....but I like to remain optimistic , we are not going to be what we once were, but we will be better for it..and less will be the new more....!!!

[brenniewinters]

Names and Labels

America has work to do and our leaders as well as citizens need to remember United We Stand-Divided We Fall. Why not place prayer and the Ten Commandments back into our classrooms instead of armed people? Our children (who will become our future), are going hungry especially in the Summer and there is no excuse for this while rich foods are thrown away. Enviornmental issues also need more help as do the car people. Wake up.