Nader draws 12,000 in Minneapolis

[John Halle]

> 
> Andrew English wrote:
> 
> > The Ralph Nader/Green Party rally in the Target Center in Minneapolis drew
> > 12,000
> > last night.  I didn't go, but it was carried live on CSPAN.  From the shots
> > of the crowd,
> > it appeared predominantly made of young people.   Other speakers included
> > Winona
> > LaDuke, Michael Moore, and Phil Donahue.
> >
> > It is amazing to me that the Nader campaign can draw such large crowds for
> > political rallies
> > at $7 a ticket in several cities.   It is another sign that "the times they
> > are a-changing".
> >
> > However I am puzzled that Nader is able to mobilize large numbers of people
> > for rallies
> > but at the same time is in the low single digits in the polls.
> >
> > Either the pro-Nader vote is being discounted when pollsters screen out
> > "unlikely voters" -
> > (in which case we will see on Election Day whether or not Nader brings a lot
> > of new voters
> > to the voting booths and does better than in the pre-election polls) or
> > Nader voters are simply much more intense in their support and much more
> > likely to turn out
> > for a rally than Gore or Bush voters.  Probably both factors are present to
> > some degree.
> >
> > I have not been involved in the Nader campaign - I am presently working on
> > several
> > union organizing efforts in Florida and am headed back there next week.  But
> > perhaps people
> > who have been more involved in electoral efforts in this election may wish
> > to comment on their experience.
> >
> > -Andy English
> > Twin Cities Labor Party chapter
> 
> 

Thanks Andy, 

I'd be glad to talk about my experience trying to co-ordinate
organizing for Nader at ten colleges here in Connecticut, though judging
from what I've seen on the list there will be very little interest in this
discussion. The first thing to say is that "organize" is somewhat of a
euphemism for any aspect of this campaign.  It is run on a shoestring by
people who are often new to organizing and as a result all sorts of things
which should get done don't get done.  One of our the worst problems is
the campaign's inability to tap into the huge numbers of people who have
signed up for volunteering on votenader.com. I know many folks who have
signed up who haven't gotten called back some times for weeks, sometimes
not at all. I'm convinced that if all the people who agreed to volunteer
hit the streets with flyers they made themselves or downloaded from the
web, it would increase the visibility of the campaign enormously.
Unfortunately, they're waiting for a call from central which often never
comes.

That being said, its been really inspiring to work on the campaign-even to
sit in front of a supermarket accosting strangers.  One thing I'm struck
by is the extent to which it is impossible to predict, based on outward
appearance, who will be sympathetic. On my first day I was got an intense
pro-Nader harrangue by a guy in some sort of biker regalia who got off his
Harley. Yesterday an old lady told me about how handsome she thought Ralph
was, but also honest.

At some point I'll make a more thoughtful presentation about the
issues the campaign raises and the constituencies it seems to have
mobilized.  I've got to set up tables for a rally right now. 

I would also appreciate reading about other's experiences working on the
campaign-assuming I'm not the only one-not impossible on this group, I
would imagine, for reasons which would are worth discussing.

Best,

John Halle

Connecticut Campus Coordinator, Nader 2000