Norwich, CT Meetup had it's best experience to-date on Sep 3, 2003

[Larkspur]

Sorry to post this late, but was busy doing all the bookkeeping work associated with hosting the event and handling the press.

It was Norwich, CT’s 3rd Meetup and our most populous one yet. We had 27 people, 23 new members. The attendance size last night was almost double our previous Meetup attendance, plus we also had reporters from both local newspapers attended as well as one photographer.

The day before our Meetup, we got good press coverage from The Day, an Eastern CT paper based in New London and with a Norwich branch. Political Novices Helping To Fuel Dean's Campaign: Local Activists Hope His Candidacy Will Energize Nation's Democrats http://www.theday.com/eng/web/newstand/re.aspx?reIDx=305B0C3C-5C92-4698-AC99-A1F925A6BB7D My co-host, Frank, and I were interviewed via the telephone by the reporter on Friday, August 29, my birthday. I spent my whole birthday doing press releases. It paid off though. Many who came last night had read about the Meetup in The Day.

We had Jim Dean, Gov. Dean’s brother come and speak at our Meetup. The day started with Jim Dean doing his first radio interview with WINY 1350 AM in Putnam, CT, which is in the northeast quadrant of CT. Jim lives in Fairfield area and telephoned the Putnam station. Norwich, CT Dean Meetup covers Eastern CT from Mass-CT border down to the sound and east of Coventry, CT. For fans of NBC’s The West Wing, Putnam, CT was mentioned in one episode, the one with the Hispanic nominee to the Supreme Court being arrested and he was going to fight the racial profiling arrest. Putnam, CT is the antique shop haven for Eastern CT and that is what attracted the Hispanic Supreme Court nominee to the town. In real life, Putnam, CT is the antique shop mecca for antique buyers and dealers.

I've asked Jim Dean to please have his brother call into WINY in Putnam, CT for an interview. I know that getting Gov. Dean into Connecticut right now will be difficult, but maybe he could do telephone interviews with various radio stations in Connecticut. The talk radio host extended an open invitation to Gov. Dean to call-in or walk-in.

You can read The Day’s write up about our Meetup on Sep 3 and see a picture of Jim in yesterday's edition: Howard Dean Gets Boost From Brother At Norwich ‘Meetup' http://www.theday.com/eng/web/newstand/re.aspx?reIDx=58367700-9CB3-469C-ADE0-13411A9301A3 This story was on the 3rd page in the front section.

The Norwich Bulletin also had a story about us Dean organizing in state http://www.norwichbulletin.com/news/stories/20030904/localnews/186344.html This story was on the bottom half of the front page.
There’s an interesting paragraph about Lieberman’s Meetups meeting on the same day as Dean’s but NONE of their Meetups in Connecticut drew enough people to have one. This is the 2nd month in a row that Lieberman Meetups in Connecticut have been canceled. Interesting.

[CMT]

1. Great job

and happy belated birthday. by the way the idea of Dean working in Connecticut is a good one, the last Quinnipiac poll showed Lieberman naturally leading in the state, but under 50% and Dean was running second!! if he can get a few delegates from Connecticut it is well worth it and you never know Lieberman may be out of this by the time Connecticut votes.

[gristy]

2. Yes, great job!

Thanks a bunch!