First grassroots Richardson meet-up day sees some success, but organizers have a lot of work to do

Posted 2/07/2007 08:07:00 AM

Gov. Bill Richardson’s first national grassroots meet-up day, organized via the Internet by volunteers not affiliated with his presidential campaign, saw success in some states and revealed in others that there’s a lot of work to do.

In Boston, more than 100 people turned out at an event organized by Jeff Gulko, a former Richardson staffer in the U.S. Department of Energy. In Minneapolis, Minn., a group also had high turnout.

But in Olympia Washington, despite an article in the local newspaper promoting the event, only four people showed, said organizer Ken Camp.

Camp and Emmett O'Connell, the two Olympia organizers who have been doing a lot of national organizing for the grassroots group, will focus primarily on their state in the future, Camp said, and let others focus on the national organizing.

They’ve set March 6 as their next meeting date, and brainstormed on Tuesday night ways “we will reach out to our community and spread the word about the governor,” Camp said.

Leaders of several local groups spent more than 30 minutes on a conference call with Richardson on Tuesday night. It was an example of how a candidate can use the Internet and other communication means to their fullest.

Here were a group of grassroots supporters, who organized across the nation via the Internet, speaking on a conference call with their candidate, and the entire event didn’t cost the Richardson campaign any money. Richardson pledged to make time to speak with the grassroots organizers approximately every two weeks.

“I want to thank you for your support,” Richardson told the group.

Richardson said donations to his campaign through the grassroots network’s site, americaforrichardson.org, have topped $10,000.

He also spoke of his success at last weekend’s Democratic National Committee winter meeting. His speech so impressed pundits that he is now being placed by some in the top tier of candidates alongside Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and John Edwards.

But, Richardson said, he still won’t be able to raise the money the other top candidates have. He said he will beat them by outworking them.

“I’m going to need your guys’ help to spread the word and build on the tremendous momentum,” Richardson told the group.

During the call, Richardson answered questions about his candidacy and his views on the Iraq war, immigration, education and other issues.

Even the conference call was not without its bugs. It was, to some degree, disorganized, and each time Richardson finished answering a question, a free-for-all erupted as others fought to be the next to ask a question.

And, just as I was able to get my hands on the phone number and code to listen in on the conference call, so was a man from Nevada who doesn’t want Richardson to be elected president.

The man didn’t identify himself by name, but claimed he was a military veteran and said Richardson “stole my dog tags.”

Richardson was still on the call during the man’s first rant, but Gulko quickly moved to another question. Immediately after Richardson got off the call, the man began a second rant. Others tried to tell him they didn’t believe Richardson would steal his dog tags, and he yelled. Some told him to get off the call, and he barked back at them.

“I am not going to be disconnected,” he said. “I’m going to work against him.”

Those who were still on the call then discussed ways to prevent such ambushes on future calls.