Giuliani visits Porsmouth NH: lessons learned

[margomaps]

My wife was in Portsmouth NH this morning at a cafe. She was studying with her classmates -- all PhD students at UNH -- when Rudy Giuliani walked into the cafe with a gaggle of photographers.

He walked up to their table, and asked "What are you studying here?" He picked up one of the books on their table -- John Locke's Second Treatise of Civil Government -- and says something to the effect of "Oh yeah, John Locke! The Social Contract...right?" One of the women at the table says, "Yes...that's pretty much the foundation of our constitution." He didn't have any notable reply to this.

He stayed for a few minutes, asking things like "What grade are you in?", when one of the women at the table had repeated 3 times already that they're PhD students. Apparently he's not a very good listener. Eventually he moved onto another table, and left the cafe shortly afterwards.

When he left, my wife's classmates -- all uber-liberals -- starting complaining that all the Republican candidates were the same: war, war, war. My wife pointed out that Ron Paul is a Republican who is totally opposed to the war. The reaction at the table varied from "I've never heard of him before" to "I thought Ron Paul was a Democrat!"

Unfortunately, they soon changed course and started talking about liking John Edwards because "He's so cute!" My wife pointed out that John Edwards is always going on and on about health-care and the poor, yet he built his very substantial wealth as a trial lawyer by suing the pants off doctors for malpractice. Such multi-million dollar lawsuits are often sited as an important reason why health insurance is so expensive. Now I can't say with 100% certainty, but I'm pretty sure that what followed was the sound of crickets chirping.

Lessons learned:

1) At least today, Rudy Giuliani has more cameras following him around than supporters -- by a large margin.

2) News cameras follow Giuliani around wherever he goes. Ron Paul had a rally with 800 supporters, two blocks away from the biggest TV station in Manchester recently, and the station didn't cover it. Why? Because their camera crews were busy covering other candidates. Probably following McCain and Giuliani around places like Portsmouth, "just in case" something exciting/newsworthy happened. Something noteworthy like, say...800 freaking supporters rallying???

3) Sadly, many people -- even educated young people -- have no idea who Ron Paul is.

4) And they'd rather talk about John Edwards appearance than issues of substance.

5) Ron Paul needs to take a stroll around Portsmouth, and 100 other towns in NH. He will have at least 200 supporters following him around, and if a NH station bothers to cover it, it would make a very big impression on voters in NH. (Hint: we might need to bring our own camera crew, because there's a good chance the MSM will ignore Ron).

[margomaps]

Mods, would you please fix my typo? Should be "Portsmouth". Thanks! :)

[0zzy]

An ignorant society will never be a free society.
And that's why we are where we are today.

[ItsTime]

we did do this. about 1000 people showed up and no news crews.

[work2win]

You're tellin me that 1000 people showed up for a rally in the hot-zone of NH and no news crews showed up?

Sounds like you'll just have to keep having these rallies until they can't ignore them any more! Maybe with Dr. Paul this time as a previous poster suggested.

[ItsTime]

Yes, Ron Paul was even there


You're tellin me that 1000 people showed up for a rally in the hot-zone of NH and no news crews showed up?

Sounds like you'll just have to keep having these rallies until they can't ignore them any more! Maybe with Dr. Paul this time as a previous poster suggested.

[Grandson of Liberty]

I'd say it's time to start rallying at the entrances of news stations and their employee parking lots.

[Ninja Homer]

I'd say it's time to start rallying at the entrances of news stations and their employee parking lots.

That or very mobile groups of Ron Paul supporters that follow Ghouliani & the other candidates around chanting constantly.

[QWE]

He picked up one of the books on their table -- John Locke's Second Treatise of Civil Government -- and says something to the effect of "Oh yeah, John Locke! The Social Contract...right?"

:eek:
He should know a little more than "Social Contract... right?" if he's a damn lawyer! I mean, I learned quite a bit about the Second Treatise in high school! That's just sad...

[Hope]

That or very mobile groups of Ron Paul supporters that follow Ghouliani & the other candidates around chanting constantly.

No. We don't have to stoop to that level. Being obnoxious does not win us friends in the media and it certainly doesn't win us more supporters on the ground level.

[plopolp]

Great that you share these observations!

3) Sadly, many people -- even educated young people -- have no idea who Ron Paul is.
That's GOOD news! This means that there is so much potential just in creating name recognition. Worse would've been if everybody knew about him and his views, and we still polled below 5%...

5) Ron Paul needs to take a stroll around Portsmouth, and 100 other towns in NH. He will have at least 200 supporters following him around, and if a NH station bothers to cover it, it would make a very big impression on voters in NH. (Hint: we might need to bring our own camera crew, because there's a good chance the MSM will ignore Ron).
Yes! Great idea!
A Ron Paul film crew using the internet as TV-channel! One person with one camera (at least) traveling around with Ron Paul. It's not too expensive. We don't need HD picture quality or dedicated live satellite conneciton.

It would make very clear what is happening, and what MSM doesn't report. And it would produce hours and hours of Ron Paul video clips for supporters to edit. I've said it before, Ron Paul needs to produce content for the internet.

[steph3n]

plopolp, ever seen justin.tv/ronpaul it is an internet TV channel that is live at most events :)

[Pete]

I'd say it's time to start rallying at the entrances of news stations and their employee parking lots.

Not a bad idea! This could be done with humor.

[LibertyEagle]

Margomaps,

Are NH Meetup groups actually going around handing out Slim Jims??? I guess I don't understand why there are so many people in NH who don't know about Ron Paul. I mean, NH isn't that big. Can't most of it be covered by active supporters?

I'm sorry, I really don't get it.

[Adamsa]

If only Ron Paul was mayor of New York during 9/11...

[Starks]

I was under the impression that Ron Paul had firm grip on New Hampshire, especially Manchester...

[Zydeco]

Giuliani's candidacy is entirely a CFR-controlled media and polls creation. There is no interest among the public for this candidate.

[ItsTime]

YES.....

http://ronpaul.meetup.com/6/


Margomaps,

Are NH Meetup groups actually going around handing out Slim Jims??? I guess I don't understand why there are so many people in NH who don't know about Ron Paul. I mean, NH isn't that big. Can't most of it be covered by active supporters?

I'm sorry, I really don't get it.

[erowe1]

When he left, my wife's classmates -- all uber-liberals -- starting complaining that all the Republican candidates were the same: war, war, war. My wife pointed out that Ron Paul is a Republican who is totally opposed to the war. The reaction at the table varied from "I've never heard of him before" to "I thought Ron Paul was a Democrat!"

Unfortunately, they soon changed course and started talking about liking John Edwards because "He's so cute!"

Ahh yes, the marvelous fruits we have reaped in women's suffrage. First, the prohibition, now John Edwards, and such a lovely string of pearls extending between these two illustrious endpoints.

[Mortikhi]

we did do this. about 1000 people showed up and no news crews.
Um, you're supposed to call in a hostage situation or a 3-alarm fire.

I thought you guys knew this by now :D

[ItsTime]

we called everyone, emailed everyone and still maybe 1 TV news station showed up... They were all covering McCains huge rally (about 50 people showed up)


Um, you're supposed to call in a hostage situation or a 3-alarm fire.

I thought you guys knew this by now :D

[Mortikhi]

we called everyone, emailed everyone and still maybe 1 TV news station showed up... They were all covering McCains huge rally (about 50 people showed up)

You have to call in something "exciting" like a hostage situation... :D
You gotta think on the level of a POS reporter.

[wgadget]

"Ron Paul Takes 6 Hours of Daylight HOSTAGE From 1,000 NH Voters"

[Question_Authority]

Margomaps,

Are NH Meetup groups actually going around handing out Slim Jims??? I guess I don't understand why there are so many people in NH who don't know about Ron Paul. I mean, NH isn't that big. Can't most of it be covered by active supporters?

I'm sorry, I really don't get it.

We're busting our butt here in NH, at least a core of us is. But we need ROn Paul here more often to get people ultra-excited and show up more.

I still do not know why Ron Paul is not LIVING in NH right now. He would definitely win it he was here more. But instead, I CONSTANTLY see Rudy McRomson doing tons of events here. And the dems too, RP is here once a month MAYBE.

That's what I don't get.

[margomaps]

We're busting our butt here in NH, at least a core of us is. But we need ROn Paul here more often to get people ultra-excited and show up more.

I still do not know why Ron Paul is not LIVING in NH right now. He would definitely win it he was here more. But instead, I CONSTANTLY see Rudy McRomson doing tons of events here. And the dems too, RP is here once a month MAYBE.

That's what I don't get.

You're right. Like any meetup groups, the NH groups seem to have a handful of really super activists, a significant number who show up to events once in a while, and a bunch who don't even exist so far as I can tell.

We need Ron up here. I appreciate that he's doing great campaign work in other parts of the country, but it feels like he's ignoring NH. Radio and newspaper ads help, but it's nothing like boots-on-the-ground and the associated potential for local news coverage.

Romney and Giuliani seem to be in NH every week. I don't understand why Ron can't be up here more often. Both to introduce himself to the voters of NH, and to energize his supporters up here.

Ron is polling higher in NH (4-5%) than nationally, and more than almost any other state. I think AZ has him at 5% according to American Research Group. So there's a bit of momentum in Paul's NH campaign, but it's going to be very difficult to sustain when he's not out here campaigning with us.

[Adamsa]

The message is just as important as Ron himself, just remember that. :D