learning from past mistakes...

Not to sound like a broken record, but after last night's discussion in class and finally reading the CNN.com article that so many of my classmates have commented on, I need to throw my five cents into the mix.

First of all, Jim Mergler, the former Ohio Dem, who went out and volunteered for Bush just because they were the campaign that called him? Um, obviously not a strong Dem to start with. The article was written before Election Day, so it doesn't say who he actually voted for, but I find it hard to believe that there are many people out there who are so desperate to volunteer that it doesn't matter which party calls them. Also, if that's all it takes to decide who you're going to support, I fear for our country. Do the issues not matter AT ALL anymore?

As has been said before, the Republicans used the four year since 2000 to learn from all of their mistakes in the ground game, while the Democrats apparently lounged around building useless databases. That was at least half sarcastic. Regardless, yes, the Dems lost a great opportunity in 2004. Yes, the 527s probably hurt more than they helped in the long run, but only because the Dems did not view them as they should be viewed. In other words, if the 527s existed solely to raise money and register voters and throw concerts, etc while the Democratic Party and the campaign were simultaneously forming an airtight strategic message, pimping their candidate for his own qualities and not just because he's not Bush, and getting out the vote, then we may have had a very different election.

I think what's important for the Democratic party at this point is to reevaluate how to use the 527s to their advantage. Obviously, they can't directly communicate and strategize, but form some type of understanding of who does what. And for the love of god, find a good strategist/campaign manager and stick with them!