What's going on in Iowa?!

[GMoney]

I am cross-posting this from the Ron Paul Meetup forums (http://ronpaul.meetup.com/boards/view/viewthread?thread=3809171) because something doesn't seem right in Iowa.

This is NOT to point any fingers, we'd just like to know what is going on, and make sure the paid campaign staff are doing their jobs.

If something isn't right with the paid campaign staff, it needs to be remedied, otherwise it can sabotage the entire campaign.

You can view the original thread at:
http://ronpaul.meetup.com/boards/view/viewthread?thread=3809171


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Copied from the original thread:

"If Ron Paul is polling just 1% in Iowa, why are heads not rolling?"


We have five PAID staff there, and only 3 volunteers were working the phone banks on a recent day?? There should be 5 minimum EVERY DAY, plus volunteers right now.

What the hell is going on out there!?!?!?

After Ames and the disappointing 5th place finish in the straw poll, they PROMOTED Joe Seehusen to asst. national campaign manager. How much sense does that make??

I do NOT want to see all of our efforts suffer a major setback when the Iowa results are announced, and with a 1% poll number, SOMEBODY BETTER BE FEELING THE HEAT OUT THERE..and I am not talking about volunteers...

(Cronyism is NOT a Ron Paul attribute...)
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The issue is not so much the 1% figure (we all know how these polls can be unreliable). The issue is, the paid campaign staff don't seem to be doing their jobs.

It's ok for the poll figures to be low due to biased reporting - not much we can do about the mainstream media. But it's NOT ok if it's because paid staff aren't doing their job. Not pointing any fingers because I don't know everything that's going on, but we'd just like to make sure the paid staff are doing their jobs, so hopefully we can get an answer as to what's going on.

For example, there was recently an urgent appeal for volunteers to work the phone banks in Iowa. But according to some volunteers, when they were there, there was only 3 volunteers (and NO paid staff) working the phones. What were the paid staff doing?

I don't pretend to know what's going on behind the scenes and what the paid campaign staff have to deal with.

But if something isn't right with the paid campaign staff, it needs to be remedied, otherwise it can sabotage the entire campaign.

Can someone from Ron Paul HQ give us an answer? Thanks.

[me3]

It sounds to me like you guys are getting pretty nervous over there.

Has anyone contacted Iowa HQ to ask what is going on?

Don't speculate, give them a call.

[jpinkerton]

I discovered this about needing Delegates in Iowa:

Only if RP gets thru the primaries intact.

At the 3 January precinct caucus we'll select county delegates for the 8 March convention. There we'll pick people to advance to the 19 April District. Then it's on to the 14 June State convention.

But 5 Feb is Super Tuesday. Over 30 states will have had caucuses or primaries by then and enough votes will be committed to determine who the Republican nominee will be.

But not from the Ron Paul HQ.

[therealjjj77]

My name is Jeremiah Johnson and I will be the temporary GOP chairman for pricinct 19 in Dubuque County, IA on caucus night. I am not certain what is happening in Iowa as a whole. However, my meetup group is in the works of moving forward with a very interesting strategy.

We will be going door to door in each pricinct with the goal of getting 5-10 Ron Paul supporters committed to going to the caucus for each delegate that is allowed for that pricinct. For instance, my pricinct has 3 delegates. So I would need to get 15-30 Ron Paul supporters from my pricinct at the caucuses. From the way I see it, with this strategy we will have a landslide win for Ron Paul in our county. At the same time we will also be training the Ron Paul supporters on the delegation process. We will meet up the Tuesday before caucus night to go over details with each pricinct.

I might start a new thread detailing just this. Anyone who would like to get involved in helping in my county, send me an e-mail at bubbleteaiowa AT hotmail dot com. (Change "AT" to "@" and "dot" to ".".) We certainly could use help with mailing and phone calling. I can give you a list of names and addresses.

[Furis]

Iowa is polling higher than 1% it was at 4% for Ron like 2 days ago and the Ads are just now running.

[Badger Paul]

TV ads in Iowa have just started this week, radio ads have been going for several weeks. Automated calls to voters have also started last week. Ron Paul was on WHO radio in Des Moines today, which is the largest station in the state and he'll be in Iowa this weekend. Big lit drop and canvassing efforts are planned in early December and the meetup groups student groups in Iowa have been busy organizing for the caucuses.

So that's what is going on in Iowa.

[Buck myspace.com/buckeran]

I am in Iowa, and have called campaign headquarters, and had emails with staff there.
The one guy that I was in touch with couldn't offer any help with caucus involvement. He didn't want to say he didn't know, but he didn't know.
Yeah, I think that something is a bit off here. I know that Iowa is ripe for the picking. I just went myself and put together a list of all county chairs and such so people can get involved. I'm trying to spam it now, but I'm not so hot at spamming so ANY HELP IS APPRECIATED. IOWA IS RIPE FOR THE PICKING. NOBODY KNOWS WHO THEY WANT TO VOTE FOR YET!

[Carole]

Hi,

Here is something that might prove useful:

Majority of Iowa Republican Caucus Goers Favor Iraq Withdrawal Within 6 Months

http://cmondisplay.com/2007/10/21/majority-of-iowa-republican-caucus-goers-favor-iraq-withdrawal-within-6-months/

[James Henderson]

Heads up to the Iowa headquarters. Train all your staff who answer the phone about caucus registration requirements... they absolutely need a drivers license with their current address, that is in the correct precinct, to insure the ability to vote.

I called about a month ago and whoever answered didn't give me the right information... not complaining but pointing it out as we are all on the same page.

To be honest... nobody knows how we will do in Iowa. The Paul campaign doesn't, I don't, and the media surely don't with their archaic polls.

If I had to predict, I'd go with 14-18% on January 3rd straw poll. 3rd in Iowa, 2nd in New Hampshire.

[the3AMgenius]

ok so check this out, this might get the Ron Paul circulation moving a bit in Iowa E-Mail all the independent newspapers in Iowa requesting for more positive Ron Paul coverage-the result (if enough people participate) is they will print out more coverage on Ron Paul before their state primary, coming from a small town myself I can tell you that many people believe the mainstream media is the best source for information on whats going on in the world without investigating other sources-however if their local newspaper has printed an artical on Ron Paul and they here what he stands for his name will spread like Wild Fire! the reason for that being as small towns go 2 things can be said 1. you have no secrets 2. gossip is always the topic
underneath are links to most of the local newspapers in Iowa write them voicing your concerns and support for Dr. Ron Paul
trumpet@wartburg.edu;thesimp@simpson.edu;letters@i owastatedaily.com;editor@iowastatedaily.com;news@i owastatedaily.com;letters@iowastatedaily.com;corne llian@cornellcollege.edu;cliffnews@briarcliff.edu; ccpnews@osceolaiowa.com;alban@netins.net;lori@sout hslope.net;akarr@shawnews.com;jlowe@shawnews.com;s eaton@shawnews.com;jjennings@shawnews.com;mlamb@sh awnews.com;Chris.Steinbach@MuscatineJournal.com;ne ws@MuscatineJournal.com;
Rusty.Schrader@MuscatineJournal.com;Cynthia.Beaude tte@MuscatineJournal.com;Melissa.Regennitter@Musca tineJournal.com;news@mpnews.net;mexpress@n-connect.net;letters@timesrepublican.com;klarson@ti mesrepublican.com;athorn@timesrepublican.com;news@ timesrepublican.com;kblack@timesrepublican.com;trc irc@timesrepublican.com;rbrinks@timesrepublican.co m;apotter@timesrepublican.com;mdonahey@timesrepubl ican.com;news@timesrepublican.com;dseditor@frontie rnet.net;sentcirc@frontiernet.net;sentinel@lemarsc omm.net;circulation@dailygate.com;dgcsmidt@dailyga te.com;dgceditor@dailygate.com;circulation@iafalls .com;circulation@press-citizen.com ;ahougton@dmreg.com;dafinney@dmreg.com;editor@idac ountycourier.com;dloger@idacountycourier.com;news2 @harlanonline.com;independent@humboldtnews.com;edi tor@dailydem.com;editor@messengernews.net;circmgr@ messengernews.net;editor@forestcitysummit.com;lett ers@dmreg.com;cwashbur@dmreg.com ;rbell@dmreg.com;strandberg@decorahnewspapers.com; news@decorahnewspapers.com;fromm@decorahnewspapers .com;info@rcreader.com;rick@rcreader.com ;press@qconline.com;circulation@crestonnews.com;ed itor@crestonnews.com;news@crestonnews.com;circulat ion@nonpareilonline.com;editorial@nonpareilonline. com;office@clreporter.com ;pauls@ctimes.biz;news@ctimes.biz;editor@charlesci typress.com;iowegianeditor@mchsi.com;mary.sharp@ga zettecommunications.com;kristina.andino@gazettecom munications.com ;suzanne.barnes@gazettecommunications.com;news@the hawkeye.com;circulation@thehawkeye.com;news@newsre publican.com;bdemo@netins.net;bpunion@netins.net;c collins@ant-news.com;jrlund@ant-news.com;news@amestrib.com;circulation@amestrib.co m;news@algona.com ;dave@albianews.com;kthompson@iafalls.com

[rodo1776]

hats off to Jeremiah, (the realjjj77) Your strategy is the right one. If every precinct in Iowa were doing what you are doing it will translate to a big victory. Keep your eyes on the prize THE DELEGATES. everyone has to stay till after the straw poll and get delegates. That is the prize. Good job Jeremiah

[therealjjj77]

My name is Jeremiah Johnson and I will be the temporary GOP chairman for pricinct 19 in Dubuque County, IA on caucus night. I am not certain what is happening in Iowa as a whole. However, my meetup group is in the works of moving forward with a very interesting strategy.

We will be going door to door in each pricinct with the goal of getting 5-10 Ron Paul supporters committed to going to the caucus for each delegate that is allowed for that pricinct. For instance, my pricinct has 3 delegates. So I would need to get 15-30 Ron Paul supporters from my pricinct at the caucuses. From the way I see it, with this strategy we will have a landslide win for Ron Paul in our county. At the same time we will also be training the Ron Paul supporters on the delegation process. We will meet up the Tuesday before caucus night to go over details with each pricinct.

I might start a new thread detailing just this. Anyone who would like to get involved in helping in my county, send me an e-mail at bubbleteaiowa AT hotmail dot com. (Change "AT" to "@" and "dot" to ".".) We certainly could use help with mailing and phone calling. I can give you a list of names and addresses.


I wish we would have stuck with this kind of plan. It would have equated to an easy 1st place finish.

I think it's important to address the weaknesses that were faced in Iowa so we can realistically go on to win other key states. One of the main issues I had with the campaign is that you had to hound them down if you wanted to help and even then they had no urgency. I remember in one of the conference calls one of the campaign staff saying, "I know you're not getting paid to help and we just appreciate anything you can do at all." Instead they should have said, "We need your help if we're going to win this. I will be calling each of you letting you know what you can do to make this happen." We expect leadership from the official campaign and that is not what they were providing. It seemed more like they were following the grassroots and tripping all the time while trying to keep up. I even told them in the conference call that we would do whatever it would take and that they could call any of us to help in whatever way necessary. If we signed up on the Ronpaul2008 website then we WANT to help. They should have had a plan back in September and not done any of the calling themselves except to call supporters and tell them that here is what NEEDS to be done. And give them a deadline. No pansy stuff. Get down and serious. I mean, heck, we were standing on street corners holding signs most days of the week and the rest of the time on forums checking out more on Ron Paul.

I was hoping more for something like,
"Here is what we need to do to win. You will need to take your precinct and get this many people to commit to going to the caucus for Ron Paul. Here are the tools you need and the calling lists. Can Ron Paul count on you to help him win? When you get done with this task, let us or your county chair know and we'll give you something else to help with."

This would have been very goal oriented. Instead there was a lot of passion but no focus and no direction. Going to meetup group meetings was all about talking about Ron Paul but no planning on how we would get him to the white house. The stuff we WERE planning was just things like going to the gun show, standing on street corners with signs, and other things like that. What we should have been doing was calling people and getting commitments for caucus.

Finally, 2 weeks before the caucus someone from the official campaign came to a few large cities(Davenport was the closest and 70 minutes from me) to basically say that we need to get 10 to caucus in each of our precincts by calling Republicans in our precincts. This was supposed to get Ron Paul 3rd place with 17,000 votes and they were "hoping" another 5000 democrats and independents would show up to vote for Ron Paul. Well, one problem, there was not a person to represent each precinct at that meeting or county, for that matter. Not everyone was going to be able to drive there either. Besides, people out in the country are more likely to answer their phone and to go to caucus anyway. So why focus so much on the large cities? Telephones and e-mail are a great way to communicate to the campaigners and there wasn't any of that kind of communication.

I say all of this because I want us to win Michigan and other states that we still have time for. I want us to take home the victory on Super Duper Tuesday. But were not going to do that if there is no leadership or direction. That is what this campaign needs NOW. We need a plan.

Let's take advantage of tools like votervault. If you are not familiar with this tool contact your local GOP and they will hook you up on it for free. Then you can print out your own Republican lists to call.

I just would hope that someone with some time and leadership skills will step up and lead. Take control of the grassroots and let's wield it. Let's take force of this and move it all in one direction and we will win this Revolution.