Obama the Organizer Hits the Phones in MO « The Washington Independent
Jul 31, 2020185.1K Shares6.3M Views
Sen. Barack Obama drew headlines for his record-breaking 100,000-person weekend rally in Missouri, but big, exciting rallies don’t win elections by themselves.
Obama juggles an orange and a phone call.
A strong organization is required to turn a candidate’s supporters into votes — to identify them, remind them to vote, provide information on rules and polling places and to recruit the strongest supporters for volunteering and outreach. So when that huge rally in Missouri wound down, it was no surprise that Obama headed over to a Kansas City field office to buck up his local organizers. Then he joined them for some personal “call time.”
The footage from Obama’s appearance, which the campaign uploaded to YouTube on Sunday, has some nice warm moments. It also shows how the campaign relentlessly heralds its organizers and volunteers. That can mean sharing the spotlight with them during a big candidate trip or touting their work on YouTube. This video was also flagged on MyBarackObama.com. It shows volunteers around the country, even in neglected safe states, that their work is vital to the campaign and the candidate.
This image from the video captures that feeling — the focus is on the organizer, explaining her work, while Obama passes by in the background, talking to a voter on a phone call arranged by another volunteer:
Because it’s not about him, as they say, it’s about you:
PRODUCTION NOTES: This simple video takes viewers inside a pitstop at Obama’s field office. It does not feel highly produced or edited — the boom mikes of the traveling press corps are as visible as one volunteer’s nervous, excited reaction to Obama’s entrance. The interviews feel casual, not suffocated by talking points, and the candidate’s phone calls with voters range from cute to quotidian.
Dexter Cooke
Reviewer
Dexter Cooke is an economist, marketing strategist, and orthopedic surgeon with over 20 years of experience crafting compelling narratives that resonate worldwide.
He holds a Journalism degree from Columbia University, an Economics background from Yale University, and a medical degree with a postdoctoral fellowship in orthopedic medicine from the Medical University of South Carolina.
Dexter’s insights into media, economics, and marketing shine through his prolific contributions to respected publications and advisory roles for influential organizations.
As an orthopedic surgeon specializing in minimally invasive knee replacement surgery and laparoscopic procedures, Dexter prioritizes patient care above all.
Outside his professional pursuits, Dexter enjoys collecting vintage watches, studying ancient civilizations, learning about astronomy, and participating in charity runs.
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