Bradley in DC
09-30-2007, 09:21 AM
This has been a really hectic week for me regarding Dr. Paul:
As some of you heard, I organized the Free World Media center's production of our debate commentary and analysis over RonPaulRadio.com on Thursday. I was going on constant changes (who got press credentials, who was commentating, transportation, equipment, the bailing of my arranged puppysitter that morning, etc.) all week. Those changes and all of the arrangements (and stress) provided little sleep all week. After three hours of sleep on Thursday night, I had to get up to pick up the dogs before the one who watched them went to work. After a long nap on Friday, my schedule was way off but I was feeling better. MDH stayed at my house for a few days helping to get the technical side of the production together and helping our think tank, the Liberty and Privacy Network, get some websites up quickly.
Saturday, MDH and a friend and I went to lunch, MDH headed back home, and the friend and I went to the Washington Monument. I hadn't been to the top since I was a kid on a visit here. While at the observation window looking towards the Capitol, I end up talking with an older man who, coincidentally, is also from Ohio--actually, also from Cincinnati (we were both born in Price Hill even!). His daughter works for Rep. Walter Jones (who is close with Dr. Paul). "Oh, I used to work for Dr. Paul." (funny how often I seem to be able to work him into random conversations) Long story short, while waiting for the elevator down, he, his wife, daughter and I are all talking about Dr. Paul and his run in front of everyone else. Knowing Cincinnati as I do, everyone there will hear of this incident. Priceless.
Saturday day, members of the metro DC Meetup groups manned a booth at Clarendon Days (a big street festival in the neighborhood in Arlington near the HQ) getting ballot petition signatures, passing out literature, answering questions. Several shop owners came over to get yard signs to put in their stores! I'm told that there was a lot of support there--even from people getting paid to gather petitions for two of the other candidates at the adjacent Republican booth! Dr. Paul had his own booth (the only candidate) "staffed" with volunteers! I showed up with friend (who signed the ballot petition) at the very end on my way to our fundraiser.
Saturday evening, the area Meetup Groups had a fundraiser in a bar in Clarendon a few blocks from the booth for Clarendon Days. Given how last minute everything was, we had a good showing (maybe 50 people including some kids--one of whom kept playing with me and ended up falling on the ground in front of everone but I got him up and he stayed on my lap during the auction). We raised a good bit of money with a really cool gimmick: The organizers (kudos to James, Stephen, Matt and Nancy) had a laptop set up for people to make online donations directly to the campaign. That laptop was hooked up to a big screen in the sportsbar so we would watch as the names of people at our fundraiser would appear as donors on the campaign web site (and we'd all cheer!). Very cool. Between the online donations, checks and cash, auction proceeds (a pocket constitution signed by Dr. Paul, some silver ounce "Walking Liberty" coins that went for WAY over spot price--I paid multiples of that for one, an original oil painting of Dr. Paul, some Ron Paul Congressional campaign cookbooks put together by Carol Paul, etc.) and donations to help pay the cost of the room, extravagant food spread and drinks, etc., we raised roughly $3,000 in three hours. (Oh, and I gave a rousing VIP speech on "Unity through the Constitution" just before the auction.)
One person there explained that he had donated the maximum but that he would be willing to host and pay for the next fundraiser at his house (ours last night cost about $1500--we bought enough food for a small army). That cost does not count toward donation limits so we can start capitalizing on more effective fundraising. I think we're going to have more than one a month from here on out to make sure we do our part.
I recruited some people, including a big name in libertarian circles, as hosts for shows for RonPaulRadio.com so look for additions to the schedule soon. After the auction, we switched the laptop and big screen from the donation site to listen to our own DjLoTi on RonPaulRadio.com and watched the donation thermometer rise. After a while we packed up the leftover food (which was really great, btw) and took that and the donations over to the campaign HQ.
As luck would have it, Stephen and I were there when the donations hit $1 million dollars. Unbelievable. About ten staffers were in the office including Kent, Jesse, Jeff, the fundraising director Jonathan, et al. EVERYONE WAS SO PUMPED! They appreciated our donations of food and cash and checks. We had been joking only minutes earlier that we were hoping our drop off of the fundraising proceeds would put us over the mark. I overhead them say they raised $230,000 in the past 24 hours and that that was a new record (just online donations, me thinks).
Jesse said he'd help us get promo recordings for RonPaulRadio.com, "Hi! This is Ron Paul, and you're listening to RonPaulRadio.com." We'll see how quickly we can get that to happen and who all we can get to do it. (Oh, and bug MDH about any delays, not me--I do policy not tech.)
In addition, and don't tell them, but Kent said he would try to get Dr. Paul to autograph and personalize the two cookbooks that sold sight unseen at the auction (I forgot to bring them: but I did a pretty good sales job explaining how popular the recipes are, how the cookbooks have family pictures and stories of the Ron Paul family and how when I was at Dr. Paul's birthday BBQ bash many years ago when I was a Congressional staffer that everyone had brought their cookbooks for Carol to sign and how at the end of the evening SHE was the celebrity signing everything and Dr. Paul was working HER line shaking hands, thanking people for coming, etc.!). The cookbooks are available on the campaign website--well worth the money for gifts! [When I interviewed Carol on Thursday after the debate, we talked about the cookbooks, and she gave us a scoop that she's working on a national one for this campaign!]
While still at HQ, I shared my concern about the lack of progress on the ballot access and delegate selection question. They're going to try to set me up with the person who is supposed be handling it on Monday. Monday night, I'm also meeting with someone here in DC for drinks to get our plan for the DC ballot access and delegate selection off the ground. She and I are going to run for the RNC National Commiteewoman and National Committeeman spots to try to take over the party...They are voting "superdelegates" at the national nominating convention--I'm not conceeding any ground to the opposition.
I congratulated Jonathan, the fundraiser, and asked him what the next gimmick was going to be. He looked puzzled so I explained, first the quill, then the thermometer... He said, magnanimously, that the quill idea wasn't his and that he didn't know what they were putting up next. I suggested they set up a competition among the grassroots on what to do--fittingly Hayekian approach. Perhaps that should be it's own thread...
And, I think finally, some of the techie staffers were talking about the hack attempts on the web site and Lew Rockwell's blog about it. Beyond that, I have no more information. [EDIT: oh, after that, Stephen and I went to join some die-hard supporters at a bar near the fundraiser and HQ. I didn't stay very long, very long week and getting too old for this perhaps.]
My best update attempt....keep up all the great work! :)
As some of you heard, I organized the Free World Media center's production of our debate commentary and analysis over RonPaulRadio.com on Thursday. I was going on constant changes (who got press credentials, who was commentating, transportation, equipment, the bailing of my arranged puppysitter that morning, etc.) all week. Those changes and all of the arrangements (and stress) provided little sleep all week. After three hours of sleep on Thursday night, I had to get up to pick up the dogs before the one who watched them went to work. After a long nap on Friday, my schedule was way off but I was feeling better. MDH stayed at my house for a few days helping to get the technical side of the production together and helping our think tank, the Liberty and Privacy Network, get some websites up quickly.
Saturday, MDH and a friend and I went to lunch, MDH headed back home, and the friend and I went to the Washington Monument. I hadn't been to the top since I was a kid on a visit here. While at the observation window looking towards the Capitol, I end up talking with an older man who, coincidentally, is also from Ohio--actually, also from Cincinnati (we were both born in Price Hill even!). His daughter works for Rep. Walter Jones (who is close with Dr. Paul). "Oh, I used to work for Dr. Paul." (funny how often I seem to be able to work him into random conversations) Long story short, while waiting for the elevator down, he, his wife, daughter and I are all talking about Dr. Paul and his run in front of everyone else. Knowing Cincinnati as I do, everyone there will hear of this incident. Priceless.
Saturday day, members of the metro DC Meetup groups manned a booth at Clarendon Days (a big street festival in the neighborhood in Arlington near the HQ) getting ballot petition signatures, passing out literature, answering questions. Several shop owners came over to get yard signs to put in their stores! I'm told that there was a lot of support there--even from people getting paid to gather petitions for two of the other candidates at the adjacent Republican booth! Dr. Paul had his own booth (the only candidate) "staffed" with volunteers! I showed up with friend (who signed the ballot petition) at the very end on my way to our fundraiser.
Saturday evening, the area Meetup Groups had a fundraiser in a bar in Clarendon a few blocks from the booth for Clarendon Days. Given how last minute everything was, we had a good showing (maybe 50 people including some kids--one of whom kept playing with me and ended up falling on the ground in front of everone but I got him up and he stayed on my lap during the auction). We raised a good bit of money with a really cool gimmick: The organizers (kudos to James, Stephen, Matt and Nancy) had a laptop set up for people to make online donations directly to the campaign. That laptop was hooked up to a big screen in the sportsbar so we would watch as the names of people at our fundraiser would appear as donors on the campaign web site (and we'd all cheer!). Very cool. Between the online donations, checks and cash, auction proceeds (a pocket constitution signed by Dr. Paul, some silver ounce "Walking Liberty" coins that went for WAY over spot price--I paid multiples of that for one, an original oil painting of Dr. Paul, some Ron Paul Congressional campaign cookbooks put together by Carol Paul, etc.) and donations to help pay the cost of the room, extravagant food spread and drinks, etc., we raised roughly $3,000 in three hours. (Oh, and I gave a rousing VIP speech on "Unity through the Constitution" just before the auction.)
One person there explained that he had donated the maximum but that he would be willing to host and pay for the next fundraiser at his house (ours last night cost about $1500--we bought enough food for a small army). That cost does not count toward donation limits so we can start capitalizing on more effective fundraising. I think we're going to have more than one a month from here on out to make sure we do our part.
I recruited some people, including a big name in libertarian circles, as hosts for shows for RonPaulRadio.com so look for additions to the schedule soon. After the auction, we switched the laptop and big screen from the donation site to listen to our own DjLoTi on RonPaulRadio.com and watched the donation thermometer rise. After a while we packed up the leftover food (which was really great, btw) and took that and the donations over to the campaign HQ.
As luck would have it, Stephen and I were there when the donations hit $1 million dollars. Unbelievable. About ten staffers were in the office including Kent, Jesse, Jeff, the fundraising director Jonathan, et al. EVERYONE WAS SO PUMPED! They appreciated our donations of food and cash and checks. We had been joking only minutes earlier that we were hoping our drop off of the fundraising proceeds would put us over the mark. I overhead them say they raised $230,000 in the past 24 hours and that that was a new record (just online donations, me thinks).
Jesse said he'd help us get promo recordings for RonPaulRadio.com, "Hi! This is Ron Paul, and you're listening to RonPaulRadio.com." We'll see how quickly we can get that to happen and who all we can get to do it. (Oh, and bug MDH about any delays, not me--I do policy not tech.)
In addition, and don't tell them, but Kent said he would try to get Dr. Paul to autograph and personalize the two cookbooks that sold sight unseen at the auction (I forgot to bring them: but I did a pretty good sales job explaining how popular the recipes are, how the cookbooks have family pictures and stories of the Ron Paul family and how when I was at Dr. Paul's birthday BBQ bash many years ago when I was a Congressional staffer that everyone had brought their cookbooks for Carol to sign and how at the end of the evening SHE was the celebrity signing everything and Dr. Paul was working HER line shaking hands, thanking people for coming, etc.!). The cookbooks are available on the campaign website--well worth the money for gifts! [When I interviewed Carol on Thursday after the debate, we talked about the cookbooks, and she gave us a scoop that she's working on a national one for this campaign!]
While still at HQ, I shared my concern about the lack of progress on the ballot access and delegate selection question. They're going to try to set me up with the person who is supposed be handling it on Monday. Monday night, I'm also meeting with someone here in DC for drinks to get our plan for the DC ballot access and delegate selection off the ground. She and I are going to run for the RNC National Commiteewoman and National Committeeman spots to try to take over the party...They are voting "superdelegates" at the national nominating convention--I'm not conceeding any ground to the opposition.
I congratulated Jonathan, the fundraiser, and asked him what the next gimmick was going to be. He looked puzzled so I explained, first the quill, then the thermometer... He said, magnanimously, that the quill idea wasn't his and that he didn't know what they were putting up next. I suggested they set up a competition among the grassroots on what to do--fittingly Hayekian approach. Perhaps that should be it's own thread...
And, I think finally, some of the techie staffers were talking about the hack attempts on the web site and Lew Rockwell's blog about it. Beyond that, I have no more information. [EDIT: oh, after that, Stephen and I went to join some die-hard supporters at a bar near the fundraiser and HQ. I didn't stay very long, very long week and getting too old for this perhaps.]
My best update attempt....keep up all the great work! :)