In 2002, I did the unthinkable. I campaigned for two Democratic candidates.
I also gained a frightening insight into the mind of the Democratic party in our strategizing sessions.
The campaign was interesting. As we were in Wisconsin at the time, there was no true incumbent. The governor at the time, Scott McCallum, was promoted to the post when our former governor, Tommy Thompson, went on to Washington to take the HHS cabinet post. Where Thompson had been a reasonably good governor, McCallum was a miserable failure. For that reason, I worked towards his ouster and for the local assembly candidate who was running against a 6 term incumbent.
When we began strategizing our campaign plans, we discussed canvassing different areas of the city. The Democratic party's local golden boy strategist was there, and we began discussing phone polls. As we discussed where we needed to focus our campaign, I volunteered that our candidate would win my district (as I lived in the poor section of town).
"Well, we'll see what the phone polls tell us", mr. Golden Boy replied.
"You're ignoring a simple fact," I answered him, "Many of the poor don't HAVE phones."
"Then they don't matter."
THEY DON'T MATTER?!? All that mattered to this dolt was what the polls said; he had no goal or inclination of approaching and canvassing the poorer sections of the community. Sadly, I have found this attitude to be pretty consistent among many Democratic strategists, and it appalls me, as they have always tried to sell themselves as the party of the common man.
I'm afraid that the Presidential campaign is headed in the same direction; all the Democrats care about are their poll numbers.
I will give the Republicans credit for being a tad more honest about their agenda.
signing off,
Gideon MacLeish