Inside the Campaigns

Leave aside the messaging for a moment (which you may or may not buy into). The Obama Campaign seems to be run much more efficiently and effectively than the Clinton Campaign ...as these two stories from reporters-posing-as-campaign-volunteers (from Philly's finest alternative newsweekly!*) illustrate.

Way back when (and I'm not going to bother to look it up), I voiced that I'd be most interested in the candidate who exhibited managerial competence, in addition to having the ideological slant I agree with. I bet you can guess which way I'm leaning now.

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*Disclaimer: My name appears on the masthead of said publication.

Comments

[B.D.]

First of all, nice work by both reporters.

I recall speaking with my partner about this subject just before the Texas two step primary/caucus. A couple (or more) of weeks before the voting, I heard on NPR and read in the paper that Clinton's campaign was still trying to figure out how the Texas 2 step worked. Obama was already giving speeches at that time that told his supporters what needed to be done. As I pointed out to my partner, the Texas system (leaving aside an opinion of it's wisdom) has been in place since the mid 70s. Clinton's husband ran in that state's system twice and many of her campaign advisers worked on his campaigns, so how could it possibly be that they were still trying to figure it out (as Clinton herself said at the time)? To my mind that could only happen if the campaign were being poorly managed. Around the same time we heard about her loaning her campaign money - nothing wrong with that, but why wasn't the campaign managing money better? I asked my partner, "How does she expect to manage the federal government if she cannot demonstrate competence in managing her campaign?"

Now, I realize that the candidate does not manage the campaign, but s/he does hire the people who do that job just as s/he will hire the people to do similar jobs in the Federal government. It is not a good sign for Clinton that she's having such issues. And it's no better for McCan't either.

[Tony Iovino]

I wrote a post about this--I think only Obama can say--hey, forget about new laws--I'll enforce the ones we have--ones neither the Clinton nor the Bush administrations have enforced. Obama could break this open by talking about GOVERNING-- mundane stuff like hiring auditors and inspectors and making sure planes and products, food and drugs, toys even--are safe--and that taxes are paid and immigration laws (yes, if he's going to capture more than just liberal Dems he's got to talk about enforcing ALL the laws) and accounting rules are followed.

If Hillary says she's going to enforce the law, everyone will laugh. If McCain says he will, he'll sound like an uncool old fogey.

This is Obama's issue if he wants it.

http://redmindbluestate.blogspot.com/2008/03/governing.html

Si tu puedes! I've turned to the dark side. Of course there are three days left to decide and I'm nothing if not fickle this time around. I wish I could really believe in one of them but that won't happen. I'll feel like a sucker no matter which one I vote for. I'm hoping that by November I'll be a true believer. I love it when that happens.

[eRobin]

That was me immediately above.