Camp Wellstone - an AMAZING experience

[AWD]

So, I was missing in action most of the weekend.

I was in Cleveland at Camp Wellstone, a training camp for politics. They had three tracks to it....candidates, campaigns, and grassroots activism. It's all put together by Wellstone Action, working for progressive change.

Of course, I spent my weekend in the Candidates section (my wife spent a day divided between Campaigns and Activism). Many, MANY things I learned, and had an incredible time.

Got to meet Jeff Blodgett and Dan Cramer (who both worked heavily on Wellstone's campaigns and are quoted in Franken's new book), and many many other people in progressive politics....all of whom had specialties that can help us take our country back.

Camp Wellstone will be in Columbus in 2 weeks, Cincinnati in 4 weeks, then moving on to Detroit and beyond. I advise you to attend, even if just to understand the process better. 35 bucks for three days (hell, the meals alone were worth 35 bucks!) was the best money I ever spent.

Plus, I've now begun to conquer my biggest weakness on the campaign....organizing a schedule. They showed me how easy it can be, and I've cracking down on one now!

http://www.wellstone.org/index.aspx

[Democat]

1. Thanks for the post!

:)

[Kolesar]

2. The Progressives are on the march

It was excellent for someone like me who had scant knowledge of grassroots organizing. They presented comprehensive training on the fundamental aspects of building and sustaining a grassroots base. There were many experienced organizers there learning also.

Most importantly, the Partnership for American Families is developing a comprehensive plan to fight the 2004 election in key states (such as Ohio). We should present this to the DU because the members here could really get involved in it. The time for talk is over. It is time to act.

I loved the way Dan Cramer ended the program with the last lines from Tennyson's Ulysses:

We are not now that strength which in old days
Moved earth and heaven, that which we are, we are -
One equal temper of heroic hearts,
Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will
To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.

[mark0rama]

3. Great news!

As a proud supporter of Wellstone Action (though only to a modest degree, so far), I'm really happy to read you've found Camp Wellstone worthwhile.

[gully]

4. Thanks, that's great news! Paul would be so proud of what his sons

friends and family are doing to 'carry on'...

[shance]

5. Thanks for the post. Glad the Wellstone camp is up and running!

Glad to hear that a fellow DUer is running for office!

Thats great***

Keep us posted.

[gratuitous]

6. Excellent!

Use what you've learned, and don't play small -- you're representing a mighty force in this land. But it's good to know how to schedule, too.

[West Coast Democrat]

7. Excellent!

I was happy to make a donation to Wellstone Action at the time of its inception. I'm eager to become more involved in the future.

[blm]

8. Wellstone will live on.

Thanks, AWD.

[Nobody]

9. You are Paul Wellstone

and so are all the other people who took part. Paul Wellstone's ideals live on in all of us who continue working to make the world a little better than when we found it.

Good luck on the campaign!