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| New Hampshire, 2015 |
You can meet the presidential candidates yourself. It is pretty simple.
You have to show up.
Candidates are in Iowa and New Hampshire, in droves, now. It is no secret where they plan to be. They want to meet voters.
I plan to be there, observing up close. I notice how long they stand. I take note of their handshake. I count the crowd and TV cameras. I notice the security people. I photograph the food, if the event serves it. I notice the body language message and tone.
Maybe you, too, think this sounds fun. Here is what to do:
In Iowa the Des Moines Register has the easiest first place to look to see where the candidates are. Their website is one click away if one Googles Iowa Candidate Tracker: https://data.desmoinesregister.com/iowa-caucus/candidate-tracker/index.php
Here is what the page looks like:
Note there is a calendar, a list of people there now and where they will be, and a filter on the left side so one can focus on specific candidates. A "political tourist" (the name Lindsay Graham gave me, in a small gathering in New Hampshire) can use this as a first step, and then to contact the various campaigns directly and confirm, for example, with the Carrol County Democratic party, that the event showing above is "on" as scheduled, that public supporters are welcome, etc. One would Google Carrol County Democratic party to get through to someone. The volunteer there surely will be helpful.
My experience is that nearly everything is open to people who identify themselves as a voter "very interested in the candidate" and what he or she has to say. It is best to arrive a half hour early, get a good seat. Often there are refreshments.
There is a problem with Iowa right now. Iowa is cold, icy, and big. Des Moines is in the middle, but it is a hundred miles to Souix City to the west and 100 miles to Davenport to the the east. A person who wanted to see Eric Swalwell (a California Congressman on TV a lot) in Carrol midmorning can do so, and then get to Mason City in time to see Amy Klobuchar (the Minnesota Senator) by 4 p.m. But there is a full 100 miles between them. Seeing John Delaney in West Des Moines would have been easier, but he is less likely to get through Iowa a winner. A political tourist has to make choices.
Careful arrangement of who to see would allow someone possibly to see three different candidates, but it is work because candidates make a point of getting out around the state, away from Des Moines, and being seen in small town media markets.
New Hampshire is easier, but colder right now. New Hampshire is smaller and the populated areas are condensed so that a campaign tourist can settle in Manchester and travel generally less than an hour in any direction and see 95% of the events. Here is the best New Hampshire Candidate Tracker website, the first spot to look: NECN.Com, a cable news network covering New England. https://www.necn.com/multimedia/2020-Presidential-Primaries-Which-Candidates-Visited-New-Hampshire-490729011.html
Here is what today the weekend's candidate menu looks like:
I plan to be there, observing up close. I notice how long they stand. I take note of their handshake. I count the crowd and TV cameras. I notice the security people. I photograph the food, if the event serves it. I notice the body language message and tone.
Maybe you, too, think this sounds fun. Here is what to do:
In Iowa the Des Moines Register has the easiest first place to look to see where the candidates are. Their website is one click away if one Googles Iowa Candidate Tracker: https://data.desmoinesregister.com/iowa-caucus/candidate-tracker/index.php
Here is what the page looks like:
Note there is a calendar, a list of people there now and where they will be, and a filter on the left side so one can focus on specific candidates. A "political tourist" (the name Lindsay Graham gave me, in a small gathering in New Hampshire) can use this as a first step, and then to contact the various campaigns directly and confirm, for example, with the Carrol County Democratic party, that the event showing above is "on" as scheduled, that public supporters are welcome, etc. One would Google Carrol County Democratic party to get through to someone. The volunteer there surely will be helpful.
My experience is that nearly everything is open to people who identify themselves as a voter "very interested in the candidate" and what he or she has to say. It is best to arrive a half hour early, get a good seat. Often there are refreshments.
There is a problem with Iowa right now. Iowa is cold, icy, and big. Des Moines is in the middle, but it is a hundred miles to Souix City to the west and 100 miles to Davenport to the the east. A person who wanted to see Eric Swalwell (a California Congressman on TV a lot) in Carrol midmorning can do so, and then get to Mason City in time to see Amy Klobuchar (the Minnesota Senator) by 4 p.m. But there is a full 100 miles between them. Seeing John Delaney in West Des Moines would have been easier, but he is less likely to get through Iowa a winner. A political tourist has to make choices.
Careful arrangement of who to see would allow someone possibly to see three different candidates, but it is work because candidates make a point of getting out around the state, away from Des Moines, and being seen in small town media markets.
New Hampshire is easier, but colder right now. New Hampshire is smaller and the populated areas are condensed so that a campaign tourist can settle in Manchester and travel generally less than an hour in any direction and see 95% of the events. Here is the best New Hampshire Candidate Tracker website, the first spot to look: NECN.Com, a cable news network covering New England. https://www.necn.com/multimedia/2020-Presidential-Primaries-Which-Candidates-Visited-New-Hampshire-490729011.html
Here is what today the weekend's candidate menu looks like:
And for the holiday:
Notice: One can see six different declared candidates over a five day period.
Some of these events are dead simple to observe--just show up at the Water Street bookstore. On some events it is best to call ahead and see how one gets a ticket to the Politics and Eggs event. (It is easy. They serve breakfast. I have a souvenir wooden egg from the Trump speech there in 2015.) The candidate's local office will tell you if you can attend the House Party. Tell them you are interested in the candidate and have made a contribution already. They will be delighted to hear from you.
(I have made small contributions to multiple candidates. I want to be on their lists and get their campaign material. I code each candidate with a different middle initial so i can see who else gets their lists.)
That is how I do it. I will be doing it in earnest when the weather is a bit warmer. I am not imposing on the campaigns. The candidates want to see interested people. They want you to do a selfie with them. They want you to post it on Facebook. They want you to write about them in a blog or on Twitter.
I like to show up and notice things. Last time there was a Republican crowd. This time the action will be among Democrats.
Anyone could do this.
Notice: One can see six different declared candidates over a five day period.
Some of these events are dead simple to observe--just show up at the Water Street bookstore. On some events it is best to call ahead and see how one gets a ticket to the Politics and Eggs event. (It is easy. They serve breakfast. I have a souvenir wooden egg from the Trump speech there in 2015.) The candidate's local office will tell you if you can attend the House Party. Tell them you are interested in the candidate and have made a contribution already. They will be delighted to hear from you.
(I have made small contributions to multiple candidates. I want to be on their lists and get their campaign material. I code each candidate with a different middle initial so i can see who else gets their lists.)
That is how I do it. I will be doing it in earnest when the weather is a bit warmer. I am not imposing on the campaigns. The candidates want to see interested people. They want you to do a selfie with them. They want you to post it on Facebook. They want you to write about them in a blog or on Twitter.
I like to show up and notice things. Last time there was a Republican crowd. This time the action will be among Democrats.
Anyone could do this.
3 comments:
Peter, thanks for doing the legwork for us. Cool to know how if we (I) had the where with all to do it myself. The information you provide on this blog is simply invaluable. Keep up your awesome work.
Best,
Sharry Teague
Peter,
Thanks for doing all of the work and sharing it with us. I didn't notice Jeff Merkley.
Try to be fair and balanced and notice who shines their shoes.
Bill
Once again, Peter you're doing the hard stuff for us, and I thank you. I'm looking forward to your reports from the trail.
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