Mobilization

Here's a nice article on the work the presidential campaigns are doing to get people involved and to make sure they vote. While reasonably even-handed, the article can't help but note the organizational advantages that Democrats appear to have this year.

Personal anecdote: this weekend, my parents did some phone banking for Obama, and my brother actually held a phone banking session at his house. (People bring their cell phones, the campaign provides the lists, the host may provide food.) While my brother cares about politics, it's hardly his bread and butter. It would be like me organizing a fantasy baseball league or a March Madness betting pool.

So I am impressed on two levels. First, that my family is so eagerly involved. Second, that the Obama campaign is organized enough to tap these people who are hardly seasoned activists and get them working for the campaign. I imagine that cell phones were universal enough that campaigns could have done similar activities four years ago. Did Kerry ever ask anyone to host a phone banking session in her home for his campaign?

The Obama campaign will, I think, be studied for years for its organizational innovations.