It’s 10:30 am on Thursday, and I just got off the phone with a very aggressive phonebanker for Barack Obama. I don’t know where this guy was from. It sounded like his accent was from somewhere in the northeast, and it sounded like he was calling from a phonebank, and not working as a volunteer from his home.
I explained at least 10 times that I am not going to give money to Barack Obama’s campaign this year, because I don’t feel that he needs my money, and I am going to focus on supporting state and local candidates who need my money more.
This guy was tenacious, though (some would probably find his manner obnoxious). He kept telling me that Obama does need my money more, that this is the most important thing, why can’t I give to Obama and local candidates, it’s going to come down to every last dollar, etc.
Finally I just started laughing. I told him that he and I have a respectful disagreement, but I’m still not giving Obama any money this year.
I wonder if their scripts tell them to be that insistent when someone has already said more than a half-dozen times that she is not going to contribute. I did emphasize that I will certainly vote for Obama.
Obama has been raising money hand over fist all year, and he recently passed 1.5 million unique donors. John McCain has underperformed in fundraising since becoming the presumptive Republican nominee. If Obama loses the general, it’s not going to be for lack of resources.
2 Comments
Well
When you let anyone phone bank you get some people who are very, um, committed.
The scripts are like all others. If they say maybe make a case once. If they say no say thank you.
We do need to give to more than Obama though. Specifically we should be giving to local canidates and groups such as Progressive Media USA that will spend the money going after McCain. Obama wants to try to stay positive as much as possible but McCain’s record needs to be exposed.
populista Thu 8 May 10:54 PM
I am donating to groups that are advertising against McCain
such as the DNC and Democracy for America. I agree with you–it is essential not to make Obama do most of the anti-McCain advertising.
In general, my philosophy of giving is to focus on causes that other people will not support. So for example, I don’t give to the United Way, but I give to many environmental groups that are relatively obscure.
I truly feel that the Obama campaign will do just fine in fundraising without my money. At a certain point there is a diminishing return with campaign spending anyway. He outspent Clinton in OH and PA and still lost those primaries. I don’t think any amount of money could have won him those primaries.
Obama may outspend McCain and still lose. But he won’t be outspent by McCain.
desmoinesdem Thu 8 May 11:28 PM