FL Obama volunteers asked to make 50,000 calls.....already over 125, 000.

[madfloridian]

David Plouffe was on a conference call with Obama campaign volunteers Thursday. Adam Smith has a brief blog post in the St. Pete TImes.
This is amazing.

Plouffe hails FL ground troops

Barack Obama campaign manager David Plouffe held a brief conference call with Florida volunteers tonight, noting that the campaign challenged them to make 50,000 phone calls in 48 hours and they are now at "more than 125,000 calls and counting, which how this campaign is going to be won - people like you in the communities talking to your neighbors and colleagues about Barack Obama,'' he said. "At the end of the day we believe this election in Florida and nationally will be won one door knock, one call at a time."

"In the last 48 hrs you've showed what this campaign is going to be capable of in the fall,'' said Plouffe, noting the demographic shifts and voter registration trends make Florida a strong opportunity for Obama.

More good stuff about his organization on the ground in Florida.

McCain, Obama Florida machines get cranking

Well, when you read it you find Obama's team is cranking a whole lot more than McCain's.

Republicans have been getting antsy. Amid the growing visibility of a huge Obama campaign under way in this must-win state for McCain, loyal Republicans have been waiting for signs of life on their side.

"Whatever they're doing on the grass roots campaign clearly is not working,'' said Republican consultant Doug McAlarney of Tallahassee. "It's clear if they want to run a grass roots campaign, they have to do something different."

Getting antsy, huh. Maybe because McCain just does not inspire.

The worry by Florida Republicans is justified 90 days out from election day, with the huge Obama operation under way here. It's also probably premature, given signs that the GOP machine is revving up with more canvassing events and phone banks like the one where Riley works.

But with well over 200 full-time staffers in Florida — four times as many as McCain and the Republicans — and some 150,000 Florida volunteers registered online, Obama is building a Democratic campaign machine that could finally challenge the GOP's mastery of ground-game tactics.

"In a volunteer-driven movement like this, our role in a lot of ways is customer service oriented. We have to make this campaign as accessible to regular voters who want to help Barack Obama as we can,'' said Steve Schale, the veteran Florida strategist leading Obama's Florida campaign. "Our challenge really is how to structure the campaign in a way to empower people who want to help Obama but not get in their way."

So sometimes there is good news from Florida.

[writes3000]

1. GO FLORIDA!!! This is huge, huge, huge!

Best news of the day.

[muryan]

13. We had to put up 48,000 on Obamas birthday

In ohio, think we ended up with 137k. That was for one day, step it up FL :D

[SwampG8r]

2. see what i mean? informative ...thanks mad!

[babylonsister]

3. I'm giggling! Wonderful! nt

[madfloridian]

4. Lots of stuff going on on the ground.

Bypassing the media. You just never know anymore what will happen.

[grantcart]

5. I also heard on a television report that while Obama has not been buying much media in particular

states he has ploughed $ 6 million into Florida while McCain has not bought any.

[madfloridian]

6. Obama "flooding the zone" in Florida

"Plouffe, meeting with reporters in Tallahassee, said his team is flooding Florida with staffers and volunteers to build a grassroots network rivaling the GOP machine that has dominated the state. Winning Florida, said Plouffe, is "central to our strategy," but to do so, the campaign will have to energize its base and win a heavy dose of independents and swing voters.

By the end of August, Plouffe said, the campaign will have more than 40 offices opened around the state. It will establish some 1,500 neighborhood teams which will politic at the door-to-door level registering voters and delivering Obama's message.

Here are some of the figures the campaign laid out today.

Number of “Neighborhood Team” Leaders already in place, responsible for three to seven precincts each: 1,500+.

Number of online fl.barackobama.com grassroots groups in Florida: 456.

Number of grassroots events (canvasses, phone banks, etc.) planned online for this weekend: 179.

Number of phone calls made by Obama’s Campaign for Change volunteers in the past 48 hours: 185,000+."

http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/news_politics/2008/08/obama-flooding.html

[csziggy]

14. In Tallahassee we're still recruiting new volunteers

And I know that many of the strictly campaign events here in Tallahassee are not listed online.

I'm doing data entry (that is my big role ;) ) and have input over 5000 call results just myself - and there are stacks of pages of calls that I had to leave yesterday still to be put in.

When I tried to volunteer for the Kerry campaign at this time of year in 2004, they did not even had a headquarters running in Florida. I could not get anyone to find work for me to do until the end of September! A month ago the Obama campaign here outgrew the facilities that the Kerry campaign used for their entire 2004 campaign. We moved into our new headquarters about two weeks ago. We do not have enough phone lines for all the volunteers to use to make calls!

We're not just raising money, we are involving people - more every single day.

[Hope And Change]

7. K & R!

[madfloridian]

8. Ah, good move by the Obama campaign.

People in Florida know that The Villages is a community that has been filled with Bush loyalists, the political home to George and Jeb Bush and other assorted Republicans. I don't know if it is changing now, but this is a great move by the Obama campaign.

Villages woman will be "Backstage with Barack"

Marsha Shearer, a resident of The Villages who is a retired assistant principal and special education administrator, was named by the Barack Obama campaign as one of 10 supporters who will be “Backstage with Barack” at the Democratic National Convention. The 10 were selected from 10 different states, and each will be able to bring one guest. They'll get airfare, accommodations and will attend two days of convention activities -- including a private meeting with Obama before he accepts the Democratic nomination in a speech at Invesco Field in Denver on Thursday, August 28th.

The Obama campaign noted that "Marsha is an enthusiastic supporter who lives in a majority-Republican retirement community, but she believes this election transcends bitter partisanship."

The campaign said Shearer has been an Obama volunteer since February, working as a phone banker and canvasser, and helped organize two successful rallies in Sumter County.

[Spazito]

9. WTG!

That is VERY impressive and wonderful news!

Recommending (if the time to do so has not passed)

[madfloridian]

10. I have been amazed at the organization.

It is person to person, utilizing all of us, not just the connected Democrats here.

We are sort of persona non grata since we took up for Dean during the primaries. We don't do local stuff since then.

But we get calls from the campaign people to house volunteers or to do other stuff.

[Spazito]

12. I think you people are doing amazing work!

I congratulate all of you and want you to know you all have my highest respect. You are DOING what is needed to win, and in a less than welcoming environment on top of it, not just talking about it!

[JohnnyCougar]

11. This is awesome.

I have been volunteering here in Polk County a lot. I can't wait until it cranks up full steam.

[Top Cat]

15. Way to go Florida

[madfloridian]

16. Campaign opens offices in Cocoa and Port St. Lucie....

http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/news_politics/2008/08/obama-campaig-3.html

"In yet another indication that the Barack Obama campaign is dead serious about carrying Florida in November, his campaign is opening offices today in Cocoa and Port St. Lucie. Both are in reliably Republican counties who haven't voted for a Democrat for president in years.

"Barack Obama is committed to the state of Florida and we continue to open offices statewide as we assemble the largest campaign team Florida has ever seen," Florida State Director Steve Schale said. "We want to hear from Florida's communities and give our grassroots volunteers the support they need to bring change we can believe in to Florida."

The Cocoa office opening is at 5 p.m. today at 640 Brevard Ave., Suite 101."

[madfloridian]

17. Keep up with Florida/Obama news at Flobama...

http://www.flapolitics.com/#flobama

In the right hand column.

[Cha]

18. This is wonderful news, mad! And,

well deserved after such a long long road!!

[GoesTo11]

19. Lack of discipline. They were asked to make 50k, not 125k

happy :sarcasm:

[rockymountaindem]

20. But how are we working to prevent a 2000 recount redux?

That is the real question, if you ask me.

[madfloridian]

22. Very good question.

Our Sec of state recently announced that there is no manual recount in close elections..despite what people think.

[flamingdem]

21. I think calling Florida is fabulous, in fact some of us Spanish speakers are planning to do this

The lists are available through the web site. It's important to target Latinos who need information and would be swayed by the facts. The Cuba issue is kind of sensitive, but the Cubans in general want to be able to travel to the island, and the young people want to see the embargo lifted for the most part.