« previous | TPM CAFÉ READER POSTS HOME | next »
TPM-Centered Obama Fundraiser With Live Campaign Call-in?
Following on the heels of Genghis/Mike/Genghis' call for a TPM Obama happy hour, would anyone be interested in having an Obama fundraiser themed around TPM? This would involve you personally setting up people to come to your home (or going to some other hub in your urban area), or even call in to a number yourself if you're in the outer reaches of Barackistan with no one to coordinate with?
The campaign can get surrogates, or for enough time-coordinated parties at once, even the candidate, on for brief Q&A. We could easily make this happen.
We'd have to pick a date some weeks out and also a time coordinated across time zones, and then invite folks and get RSVPs, consisting of giving through a link on the BO site.
Any interest?
Please recommend to get this discussed.
Comments (35)
Invite people....like...in PERSON???
April 21, 2008 11:48 PM | Reply | Permalink
Well, I guess we'd find out how many of us are fictitious creations of one person by doing so, at least.
I'm sticking with my Rule No. 2 of how to do a TPM post, which is, remember that 75% of us are Sim-like characters imagined by a fat guy in Paducah who's sitting in his underwear eating chips as our dialogue scrolls before him.
But seriously, I co-put together a bar party for Obama in January and it was actually a lot of fun. So stuff like this just requires trying, and the whole site is in the tank for Obama, so it seemed like a fair question.
I don't think the site would ask you to list where you are if Josh, as the deity of it, did not contemplate some form of out of site networking. This can be useful, if, like Genghis (and unlike me) you live in a fairly urban area where there will be others.
April 22, 2008 11:57 AM | Reply | Permalink
LOL!
April 22, 2008 2:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
That laugh out loud was upthread for anneeliz.
April 22, 2008 2:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
It's an interesting idea. I would organize off-line or rather, off-TPM. I imagine that Josh does not want TPM to be turned into a arm of the Obama campaign, even after the primaries have concluded. But you could basically get TPM members across the country to host events simultaneously, taking advantage of the network developed though TPM.
The Q&A would be really interesting, but it might be technically difficult. You'd have to set up a live web meeting of some sort, which sounds like a technical and logistical challenge. And it's not like people have access to conference rooms with big screens.
It might work better as an exclusively online event, like a massive skype chat. The speaker would be live, and questions would be submitted via text chat. (Although can you imagine all these aggressive TPM bloggers typing out questions at the same time?)
April 22, 2008 12:12 AM | Reply | Permalink
I actually think something voice-based would be easier to manage than a chat -- there'd just need to be a clear moderator, who could say, "ok, it's so-and-so's turn now." And doing that via Skype or some sort of call-in line is easy. Or there's always the option of (GASP!) selecting questions ahead of time.
This seems like the perfect sort of thing to use Genghis' new my.barackobama group to organize, as well...
April 22, 2008 1:31 AM | Reply | Permalink
Hey Genghis. My suggestion does not make TPM a fundraising place. It says how you can migrate to the BO TPM list, and from there, would set up stuff somewhere else. Paige is right.
The part about getting a call-in is easy. This is something the campaign does frequently. If you have a number of house parties, we set up a call in number, the houses call in, there's a campaign moderator and surrogate (or candidate, if you have enough) can take a number of questions. It's a well-established process.
But at this point, it does seem that beer generates a lot more response than house parties.
This will all come out in my novel, "Love in the Time of Obama."
I will be on a plane for many hours on a business trip tonight, and will go online around midnight ET and get the scoop. Envying those of you on the ground.
A
April 22, 2008 11:47 AM | Reply | Permalink
Are you part of the campaign?
Based on your and paige's response, I retract my logical and technical concerns. While many of us clearly love beer, the limitations of geometrical space mean that TPM beerfests won't be very large, even in NYC. So a call-in could get much better attendance. We could set it up so that people could access the call/chat on their own or at house party.
Seems like prepared questions would work better for a large, distributed group. And coming up with them would make for an entertaining and enlightening exercise.
The group only has about 20 members so far, so we'd probably need to build it up a bit for this to work well.
Regarding the use of TPM for publication of such an event, I suggest that we check with Josh about what he's comfortable with. I wouldn't want to abuse his hospitality.
In any case, I'm in.
April 22, 2008 1:11 PM | Reply | Permalink
I could cause the call-in to be arranged. Am not an employee of the campaign, but then, almost all people helping it are not.
No need to post about it here, if enough people join TPM group at BO.com, can work it through e-mails through that. I proceed from the assumption that this site does not get mad when people talk about things they do on political sites or in their political lives if this site is not inviting people to X place on Y date . . .
April 22, 2008 1:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
I knew it--articleman is "not an employee of the campaign" but he can "cause" a fundraiser to "happen."
articleman is BHO!
April 22, 2008 2:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
Fauxbama is BHO.
I am merely one of his acolytes.
April 22, 2008 4:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yes, all 60 of us. ;-)
Of course, we could never hide behind our avatars in quite the same way again! (Yes, Genghis, I know *you* haven't hid...)
April 22, 2008 12:18 AM | Reply | Permalink
Don't be so skeptical. There are all of one or two people coming to beers tomorrow.
April 22, 2008 12:27 AM | Reply | Permalink
Speaking of avatars. I like the new one. I've thought about getting myself an avatar, but it's always so confusing when people change. Like they've gone through an especially extreme episode for Queer Eye. Is that show still on?
April 22, 2008 12:30 AM | Reply | Permalink
Don't ask, don't tell.
April 22, 2008 1:51 AM | Reply | Permalink
Ted from Queer Eye is now judging Iron Chef. Maybe he could give you an avatar makeover. Not that there's anything wrong with that.
There seems to have been an explosion in 18th Century avatars lately, with Alex39 and evainne, for example.
Also, using the handle Genghis raises some obvious avatar opportunities.
April 22, 2008 12:00 PM | Reply | Permalink
PS Thanks for the props on the Kool-Aid guy!
April 22, 2008 7:54 PM | Reply | Permalink
I really like the idea, however as much as I would enjoy hearing BO I'd almost rather someone from the campaign that manages internet outreach and image. I'm not sure how much Obama wants to get into the blog universe but I would like to hear what his campaign thinks about the issues.
In general I'd rather talk to the person that can explain the Campaign's vision on the future of transparency in the Obama administration in terms of online access. I would defiantly host an event in LA if no one had a bigger venue. (this is a 2 bedroom bungalow with yard.)
In fact I'm an independant republican and if it wasn't for Obama's focus on his website from 2004 - 2006 I would not be the hardcore supporter I am now.
April 22, 2008 12:18 AM | Reply | Permalink
Love this idea.
April 22, 2008 9:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
Great idea!
Greg Sargent could moderate!
I'd spam my MyBarackobama list servs
April 22, 2008 1:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
OK, so question: When? Obviously, we'll have to see how it goes tonight, but is this something that we'd want to try to do before NC/IN?
April 22, 2008 2:00 PM | Reply | Permalink
For lead time, I'd suggest it be after then, easier for people's schedules with a few weeks in advance.
April 22, 2008 3:05 PM | Reply | Permalink
My bet is we could get more time and better/more focused attention from the candidate/campaign/whoever if we wait until the craziness subsides a bit. Also, from an event organizing perspectice, I think it's easier to pick a date a least a couple weeks out so people who are really excited can plan around it.
That said, if anyone else prefers earlier and things we can get things organized that quickly, I'm down.
April 22, 2008 3:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
The Obama supporters get together to watch the returns every night there's anything to watch, here in Los Feliz (in LA). If anyone else is interested in getting together with them/us tonight (I don't wanna compete with Diet's event, though) or May 6, let me know and I'll give you the details.
April 22, 2008 2:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
P.S. What I was getting at is that the Obama supporters you'll meet there can help hook you up with the campaign. Lots of work to be done between now and November!
April 22, 2008 2:47 PM | Reply | Permalink
That's fine with with me, but I'm thinking that the craziness will continue at least through NC/IN, and then there will be a period of regrouping once Obama finally becomes the presumptive nominee. I wonder if we should wait even longer until the focus is on raising money to oppose McCain.
articleman, could you float the idea with the people you know and find out what might make the most sense for the campaign?
Does anyone know if something like this has been done before with an online community? I'm thinking that it could make for a good feature story, so it could be possible to get some press.
April 22, 2008 3:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm probably going to meet with a contact tomorrow (random geographic coincidence), and will ask them about a call-in.
But they've already offered to set up a call-in with proxies if there are a series of house parties in my geographic market (as they've done in others), so I'm sure this is no different.
The only question is setting up a net-based group of house or location parties which have speakerphones with mute buttons, so as not to destroy the conference calling aspect. The rest is cake.
April 22, 2008 4:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
What about skype? That would allow us to see the participant as well.
One thought on questions: Each house party could ask one or two questions, plus follow up. One person at each party could be responsible for speaking to ensure that the call is orderly.
April 22, 2008 4:55 PM | Reply | Permalink
Regarding question format, I think it depends on how much time we're talking about. If, for example, we have twenty minutes and five different locations, that works out to four minutes per location, which seems reasonable for one-to-two questions plus follow up. I don't know what the standard amount of time is for this sort of thing (though maybe articleman does?) but I'm guessing it's a function of who the speaker is.
April 22, 2008 5:34 PM | Reply | Permalink
Thought: this might be an interesting thing to do on a repeated basis. You know, chat with an online policy-type, as Diet suggested, for one call... and then a month or two later, with Obama himself or another interesting surrogate.
Assuming primary season is still in full swing after IN/NC, there appears to be a bit of letup in the voting calendar mid-may, so perhaps that would be a good target date for a first go. (I don't mean to imply that WV is unimportant or anything... ) Or maybe early June, after all the primaries are over, would be more appropriate.
April 22, 2008 5:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
I think they would tell us how they like it to be done, mechanically speaking.
April 22, 2008 6:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
I received an email from Andrew Golis. They're all for us using the cafe to organize. We just have to be clear that anything we do is not endorsed or sponsored by TPM.
April 22, 2008 6:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
Note:
We frequently set up dial-in conference calls, or Net-meeting style web based collaboration events. Something like on of those might be suitable for your event.
April 22, 2008 7:38 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm just really skeptical that this is all, in the end, about Amway.
April 27, 2008 11:34 PM | Reply | Permalink
You found out our secret! It's too late now. No one will see this but the search-bots. Meanwhile, our plan to achieve unimaginable riches continues apace.
May 16, 2008 2:44 AM | Reply | Permalink
Post a Comment