Around the World in a day!

Yesterday I attended a meeting hosted by the British Library on campaigning in the 2012 US Presidential Election - then attended a European Citizens' Dialogue at the Royal Institution - and finally headed to Parliament for a meeting about the First World War! The range of Washminster's interests in a day! (US; UK & EU).

The first meeting allowed for an exchange of views about techniques in US campaigning - which has a real relevance this side of the pond since such ideas often cross the Atlantic. One theme was that we should not be blinded by the technology - it merely allows for more effective campaigning of the type that has existed since mass democracy arrived. It is still a matter of contacting voters - particularly those who are sympathetic to your views - and getting them out to vote.

The European Citizens' Dialogue was an event for the public. Citizens were able to put questions and ideas to and receive answers from a Commissioner, Viviane Reding, and a UK Government Minister, David Lidington, the Minister for Europe. There was a useful exchange of views. A video and further information is due (at the time of writing this post on 11th February 06-13am) to be available here.

The parliamentary meeting was put on by the British Council to launch its report "Remember the World as well as the War" - about the First World War. It was a fascinating meeting, with speakers describing the research around the world about peoples' knowledge and views of the significance of that conflict. The report is well worth reading, and I learnt a lot. It is available here.

American Football - and the lessons for Politics

During the last few days of the US election campaign, Brian Moran, the Minority Caucus Chairman in the Virginia House of Delegates - and the son of a football coach - drew out lessons from American Football for those involved in political campaigning.

Precinct Captains

Key players across the USA tomorrow will be the precinct captains. Tania Blagrove, the Alexandria Democratic precinct captain for the 108-George Washington precinct explained their role

Signs

I took the video camera with me as we drove through Stratford Landing - the area I'm staying in, which is about a mile from Mount Vernon, the estate of George Washington





Today I've been out in Alexandria - trying (successfully each time!) to persuade supporters to let us replace their yard signs (16 inches by 26 inches) by bigger ones - eight foot by four foot! Later we went along the medians (central reservation) of one of the main streets putting up ordinary size yard signs. A deposit is required for the licence to put signs there (which is forfeited if any of the rules - and they are quite precise and complex in terms of size of sign and how many feet from official signs). I helped make Eisenhower Avenue very decorative.

06.00 Mount Vernon Virginia

A friend drew my attention to the following quote which appeared in the current edition of the local library newsletter - "Where is human nature so weak as in the bookstore?" ~ Henry Ward Beecher. As I was in the Borders store in Pentagon City yesterday afternoon I can confirm the truth of this. I bought a copy "Change We Can Believe In" - Barack Obama's Plan to Renew America's Promise. There were so many books about the election and the various candidates (I already have every book written by both Obama and McCain).

On my way back to the home of my friends - I stopped at the table set up by the Democrats at Huntington Metro. In fact there were tables set up at every Metro station I went to! This morning we are off to the Farmers' Market in Alexandria - and I'm told a heavy political presence is expected.

Yesterday I spent time ringing up undecided or infrequent voters - still a success rate (that is - actually talking to the person rather than their answering service) of one in six. When I did get through responses were very positive for Obama - I even signed up volunteers - which in years of 'telephone canvassing' in the UK has only happened once - it happened 3 times yesterday!