2004 Presidential Election and Beyond: The Giuliani Years (GAME THREAD)

[badgate]

Hillary Surrogate Schedule D

Senator Debbie Stabenow

February, 28, 2004

GOTV in DuPont, Ohio

GOTV in McComb, Ohio

GOTV in Van Buren, Ohio

Speech in Fostoria, Ohio

It's been a long hard slog since the 1970's for most of this region, and the Clinton Campaign is sorry to say that it's unlikely that your prior jobs will return, as the world becomes more and more automated. But what we can say is that we will spare no effort to make you able to become a functioning worker in the hyper-technology era, a person who can go from an assembly line to repairing microchips in a computer, and we will spare no expense to be able to build Ohio from solely manufacturing, to a mixture of industries.

Statement from United Automobile Autoworkers
For Immediate Release in Ohio, Maryland, California, Pennsylvania & Minnesota.
Feb. 28, 2004



We knew when we first endorsed Joe Biden that he was the right choice, but today's statements by Hillary Clinton surrogate Debbie Stabenow has only served to magnify the severity of our other options. Unlike Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden hasn't thrown in the white flag on the autoworkers. Joe rides the Amtrak train from Delaware to D.C. every morning to work at the Senate. And we can trust him, as President, to protect our unions when Hillary Clinton has admitted she would throw unions under the bus. Now is the time to come together around a nominee, and the choice couldn't be more clear: Vote for Joe Biden on Super Tuesday.

[badgate]

Biden Surrogates

Governor Mario Cuomo
-Feb. 25 - Mar. 2 - GOTV in Ohio

Senator Mark Warner
-Feb. 25 - Mar. 2 - GOTV in Maryland

Senator Arlen Specter
-Feb. 25-26 - GOTV in Maryland
-Feb. 27-29 - w/ Sen. Biden
-Mar. 1-2 - GOTV in Ohio

Senator Olympia Snowe
-Feb.25-29 - GOTV in Connecticut
-Mar. 1-2 - GOTV in Rhode Island

Senator Jay Rockefeller
-Feb. 25 - GOTV in OH-6 w/ Rep. Strickland
-Feb. 26-29 - w/ Sen. Biden
-Mar. 1-2 - GOTV in Maryland

Senator Maria Cantwell
-Feb. 25-28 - GOTV in California
-Feb. 29 - Mar. 2 - w/ Sen. Biden

Sen. Max Clealand
-Feb. 25 - Mar. 2 - GOTV in Maryland

Sen. Max Baucus
-Feb. 25 - Mar. 2 - GOTV in Ohio

Sen. Mark Dayton
-Feb. 25 - Mar. 2 - Chief Surrogate & GOTV for Biden in Minnesota

Gov. Gary Locke
-Feb.25-29 - GOTV in San Francisco
-Mar. 1-2 - GOTV in Los Angeles

Sen. Daniel Inoyue
-Feb. 25-29 - Rest
-Mar. 1-2 - GOTV in San Francisco

Gov. Jerry Brown
-Feb.25-28 - GOTV in SoCal
-Feb. 29-Mar. 2- w/ Sen. Biden

Rep. Ben Chandler
-Feb. 25-26 - GOTV in Ohio
-Feb. 27-29 - w/ Sen. Biden
-Mar. 1-2 - GOTV in Ohio

Sen. Herb Kohl
-Feb. 25-Mar.2 - Sporadic surrogate in Minnesota

Sen. Ted Kennedy
-Feb. 25-26 - w/ Sen. Biden
-Feb. 26 - Mar. 2 - GOTV in Connecticut

Mayor Marion Barry
-Feb. 25 - Mar. 2 - GOTV in Maryland

Vincent C. Gray, candidate for Ward 7 City Council
-Feb. 26 - Mar. 2 - GOTV in Maryland

Mayor Anthony A. Williams
-Feb. 26 - Mar. 2 - GOTV in Maryland

Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick
-Feb. 26 - Mar. 2 - GOTV in Ohio

Rep. Tammy Baldwin
-Feb. 25-29 - GOTV in San Francisco
-Mar. 1-2 - GOTV in Los Angeles

Mayor R.T. Rybak
-Feb. 26 - Mar. 2 - GOTV in Minneapolis

Mayor Randy Kelly
-Feb. 26 - Mar. 2 - GOTV in St. Paul

Rep. Betty McCollum
-Feb. 25 - Mar. 2 - GOTV in MN-4

Rep. Martin Olav Sabo
-Feb. 25 - Mar. 2 - GOTV in MN-5

Rep. Barbara Lee
-Feb. 25-28 - GOTV in CA-9
Feb. 29 - Mar. 2 - w/ Sen. Biden

Rep. Henry Waxman
-Feb. 25-28 - GOTV in CA-30
-Feb. 29 - Mar. 2 - w/ Sen. Biden

Mayor James Hahn
-Feb. 25-28 - GOTV in Los Angeles
-Feb. 29 - Mar. 2 - w/ Sen. Biden

Sen. Jack Reed
-Feb. 25 - w/ Sen. Biden
-Feb. 26 - Mar. 2 - GOTV in Rhode Island

Rep. Patrick J. Kennedy
-Feb. 25 - w/ Sen. Biden
-Feb. 26 - Mar. 2 - GOTV in Rhode Island

Rep. Jim Langevin
-Feb. 25 - w/ Sen. Biden
-Feb. 26 - Mar. 2 - GOTV in Rhode Island

Rep. Ed Markey
-Feb. 25-26 - w/ Sen. Biden
-Feb. 27 - Mar. 2 - GOTV in Rhode Island

Rep. Richard Neal
-Feb. 25-26 - w/ Sen. Biden
-Feb. 27 - Mar. 2 - GOTV in Rhode Island

Rep. Ted Strickland
-Feb. 25-26 - GOTV in OH-6
-Feb. 27-29 - w/ Sen. Biden
-Mar. 1-2 - GOTV in OH-6

Sen. Paul Sarbanes
-Feb. 25 - GOTV in Maryland
-Feb. 26-27 - w/ Sen. Biden
-Feb. 28 - GOTV in Maryland
-Feb. 29 - w/ Sen. Biden
-Mar. 1-2 - GOTV in Maryland

[badgate]

TV Ad: Cabinet for Sale

[Black Screen]

YOUNG MALE VOICE: Circumventing democracy. Making back-room deals. Promising patronage to consolidate power. Sound familiar?

[Image of Bush & Clinton appears]


That's because we've seen it before. America didn't want a second term for President Bush, so why would we want a continuation of his corrupt practices? In the Democratic primary, Senator Hillary Clinton has ignored calls to raise the minimum wage, and promised Republican Jon Huntsman a place in her cabinet to secure his endorsement. Mrs. Clinton claims she will work for the people, but actions speak louder than words, and the actions taken by Mrs. Clinton have been for herself only.

TV Ad: Raise The Wage (New Version)



MALE FACTORY WORKER: An honest day's work.
WOMAN IN OFFICE: If it's 9 to 5.
30-YEAR OLD CASHIER: Or 2 to 10.
MALE FACTORY WORKER: It deserves an honest day's pay. That's why Joe Biden is going to raise the minimum wage. In the Senate, Joe Biden made our neighborhoods safer with the Biden Crime Law.
WOMAN IN OFFICE: He wrote the Violence Against Women Act, and made sure it was signed into law.
FEMALE COLLEGE STUDENT: He passed restrictions that stopped the spread of date rape drugs.
30-YEAR OLD CASHIER: And he's a true Democrat. Of all the candidates he is the only one supported by the League of Conservation Voters-
FEMALE COLLEGE STUDENT: The National Education Association-
MALE FACTORY WORKER: -and the United Automobile Autoworkers. So of all the candidates asking for our vote, we know we can count on Joe-
WOMAN IN OFFICE: - to raise the wage.
30-YEAR OLD CASHIER: -  to raise the wage.
MALE FACTORY WORKER: -  to raise the wage.


IMAGE: [Biden for President] I'm Joe Biden, and I approve this message.

[badgate]

Biden Campaign Schedule, pt. 1

February 25, 2004 Rhode Island, Massachusetts, & Connecticut
-8:15am - Satellite interview with Good Day LA (Los Angeles & surrounding media market morning show)
-9:00am - Meet & Greet with volunteers for Providence, Johnston, Cranston, Pawtucket, Woonsocket, and East and North Providence. With Sen. Jack Reed, Sen Ted Kennedy, Rep. Patrick Kennedy, & Rep. Jim Langevin RI
-9:30am - Barnstorm in Cranston w/ Sen. Reed & Kennedy, Rep. Kennedy & Langevin RI
-10:45am - Rally in Warwick w/ Sen. Reed & Kennedy, Rep. Kennedy & Langevin. Rep. Jim Langevin endorses Biden for President RI
-12:20pm - Rally in Norwich, w/ Sen. Reed & Kennedy, Rep. Kennedy & Langevin CT
-1:45pm - Meet & Greet with volunteers from Yale University, New Haven, Norwich, Hartford, Waterbury, New Britain, and Menden, w/ Sen. Reed & Kennedy, Rep. Kennedy & Langevin CT
-2:00pm - Student Forum at Yale University, w/ Sen. Reed & Kennedy, Rep. Kennedy & Langevin CT
-2:50pm - Rally & GOTV at Yale University, w/ Sen. Reed & Kennedy, Rep. Kennedy & Langevin CT
-3:45pm - Rally in New Haven, w/ Sen. Reed & Kennedy, Rep. Kennedy & Langevin CT
-5:00pm - Town Hall in Hartford, w/ Sen. Reed & Kennedy, Rep. Kennedy & Langevin CT
-5:50pm - GOTV in Hartford, w/ Sen. Reed & Kennedy, Rep. Kennedy & Langevin CT
-7:30pm - Rally in Springfield w/ Sen. Reed & Kennedy, Rep. Kennedy, Langevin, Markey, & Neal. Rep. Richard Neal endorses Biden for President. Rep. Ed Markey endorses Biden for President MA
-8:15pm - Town Hall in Chicopee/Springfield MA

(local affiliates invited to every stop)

February 26, 2004 Connecticut & Maryland
-8:15am - Pre-recorded interview with The Morning Mix. KPFA 94.1 FM Berkeley, CA
-9:00am - Meet & Greet with volunteers for Hartford, Windsor, Vernon, New Britain, Cromwell, Bristol, Windsor Locks, & Waterbury, w/ Rep. Neal & Markey, Sen. Kennedy CT
-9:45am - GOTV in New Britain, w/ Rep. Neal & Markey, Sen. Kennedy CT
-11:10am - Town Hall in Meriden, w/ Rep. Neal & Markey, Sen. Kennedy CT
-12:00pm - Town Hall in Waterbury, w/ Rep. Neal & Markey, Sen. Kennedy CT
-12:30-1:30pm - Fly from Waterbury to Baltimore
-1:45pm - Rally in Baltimore, w/ Sen. Sarbanes. Sen. Paul Sarbanes endorses Biden for President MD
-3:00pm - Town Hall in downtown Baltimore, w/ Sen. Sarbanes & Rockefeller. MD
-4:00pm - Town Hall in Elkridge, w/ Sen. Sarbanes & Rockefeller  MD
-5:20pm - Barnstorm in Towson, w/ Sen. Sarbanes & Rockefeller MD
-7:30pm - Town Hall in Rockville, w/ Sen. Sarbanes & Rockefeller MD
-8:45pm - Town Hall in Silver Spring, w/ Sen. Sarbanes & Rockefeller MD
-9:30pm - Fundraiser in Baltimore, w/ Sen. Sarbanes & Rockefeller MD

(local affiliates invited to every stop)

Excerpts from Town Halls, Barnstorm & Rally

I know that many of you may still be undecided in the coming Super Tuesday primaries. More of you still may be currently committed to another candidate, but want to hear what I have to say. I respect that and am eager to say why I am the best Democrat to win in November.

In the Senate I've been a leader on issues concerning our national security, including negotiating international arms control treaties and chairing the Senate committee on Foreign Relations. I am currently the top ranking Democrat on that committee. When the SALT treaty for arms control fell apart in the late 70s, I personally met with Russia's Foreign Minister and worked out a compromise so that our world would be safer. I stood up against President Reagan's attempts to violate the second SALT treaty, and again against Reagan's dangerously conservative Supreme Court nominees. In 1994 the President signed a sweeping crime bill into law that was drafted by my office. In that same year I wrote and passed the Violence Against Women Act, making sure America is a safe haven from gender-based hate crimes.

I support raising the minimum wage and indexing it to our inflation rate to ensure the hardworking among us are not left behind. I have introduced this business-friendly law in to the Senate, and in a matter of days, my leadership inspired Senator Edwards and Congressman Kucinich to follow my lead in support of raising the wage. I am sorry to say, however, it took Senator Clinton days to respond. For five days, she was ignoring the hardworking among us and only responded because we got to a point where she had to. Look, I believe the President should be a leader, first and foremost.

The challenges we face in the next four years are not insurmountable. We can end the war in Iraq and fulfill the responsibilities expected of a global leader by holding fair and free elections and stabilizing their government. We can restore the international prestige of our name. We can raise the minimum wage so that work pays fairly and ensure the work place is a level playing field. But "can" is for the runners up. Vote for me, and we will.

February 27, 2004 Maryland & Ohio
-8:00am - Pre-tape satellite interview with Good Morning San Diego. Morning show in San Diego, CA
-8:45am - Student Forum at Johns Hopkins University MD
-10:00-11:20am - Fly from Baltimore to Cleveland
-11:45am - Rally in Cleveland, w/ Rep. Ted Strickland & Ben Chandler, Sen. Jay Rockefeller & Arlen Specter. OH
-12:30pm - Town Hall in Cleveland, w/ Rep. Ted Strickland & Ben Chandler, Sen. Jay Rockefeller & Arlen Specter. OH
-2:15pm - Town Hall and Barnstorm in Akron, w/ Rep. Ted Strickland & Ben Chandler, Sen. Jay Rockefeller & Arlen Specter. OH
-4:20pm - Meet & Greet and Speech in Mansfield, w/ Rep. Ted Strickland & Ben Chandler, Sen. Jay Rockefeller & Arlen Specter. OH
-5:20pm - Rally in Columbus, w/ Rep. Ted Strickland & Ben Chandler, Sen. Jay Rockefeller & Arlen Specter. OH
-6:00pm - Town Hall in South Columbus, w/ Rep. Ted Strickland & Ben Chandler, Sen. Jay Rockefeller & Arlen Specter. OH
-7:50pm - Rally in Athens, w/ Rep. Ted Strickland & Ben Chandler, Sen. Jay Rockefeller & Arlen Specter.. Rep. Strickland endorses Biden for President
-9:15pm - Rally & Fundraiser in Columbus, w/ Rep. Ted Strickland & Ben Chandler, Sen. Jay Rockefeller & Arlen Specter. OH

(local affiliates invited to every stop)

February 28, 2004 Ohio
-9:00am - Meet & Greet with volunteers from Cincinnati & surrounding suburbs, w/ Rep. Ted Strickland & Ben Chandler, Sen. Jay Rockefeller & Arlen Specter. OH
-9:30am - GOTV in Cincinnati, w/ Rep. Ted Strickland & Ben Chandler, Sen. Jay Rockefeller & Arlen Specter. OH
-10:15am - Town Hall in Norwood, w/ Rep. Ted Strickland & Ben Chandler, Sen. Jay Rockefeller & Arlen Specter. OH
-11:20am - Town Hall in Hamilton, w/ Rep. Ted Strickland & Ben Chandler, Sen. Jay Rockefeller & Arlen Specter. OH
-12:00-1:00pm - Fly from Cincinnati to Toledo
-1:15pm - Town Hall in Toldeo, w/ Rep. Ted Strickland & Ben Chandler, Sen. Jay Rockefeller & Arlen Specter. OH
-1:50pm - Rally in Toledo, w/ Rep. Ted Strickland & Ben Chandler, Sen. Jay Rockefeller & Arlen Specter. OH
-2:30pm - Town Hall in Perrysburg, w/ Rep. Ted Strickland & Ben Chandler, Sen. Jay Rockefeller & Arlen Specter. OH
-4:10pm - Town Hall in Sandusky, w/ Rep. Ted Strickland & Ben Chandler, Sen. Jay Rockefeller & Arlen Specter. OH
-5:00pm - Barnstorm in Elyria, w/ Rep. Ted Strickland & Ben Chandler, Sen. Jay Rockefeller & Arlen Specter. OH
-6:00pm - Town Hall in Lakewood, w/ Rep. Ted Strickland & Ben Chandler, Sen. Jay Rockefeller & Arlen Specter. OH
-7:30pm - Student Forum in Case Western Reserve University, w/ Rep. Ted Strickland & Ben Chandler, Sen. Jay Rockefeller & Arlen Specter. OH
-8:30pm - Rally in Cleveland, w/ Rep. Ted Strickland & Ben Chandler, Sen. Jay Rockefeller & Arlen Specter. OH
-10:00pm-12:00am - Fly from Cleveland to Baltimore, rest

(local affiliates invited to every stop)

[badgate]

Biden Campaign Schedule, pt. 2

February 29, 2004 Maryland, Ohio, & California
-8:00am - Pre-tape interview with Maryland Morning with Sheilah Kas, to be aired Monday (March 1) morning MD
-8:45am - Meet & Greet with Maryland volunteers from Baltimore, Germantown, Silver Spring, Hagerstown, Gaithersburg, Ellicott City, and Annapolis, w/ Sen. Sarbanes, Specter, & Rockefeller, Rep. Strickland and Chandler. MD
-9:30am - Town Hall in Annapolis, w/ Sen. Sarbanes, Specter, & Rockefeller, Rep. Strickland and Chandler. MD
-10:15am - GOTV in Baltimore, w/ Sen. Sarbanes, Specter, & Rockefeller, Rep. Strickland and Chandler. MD
-11:00am-12:00pm - Fly from Baltimore to Cleveland
-12:15pm - Rally & Major Speech on the minimum wage on Cleveland tarmac, w/ Rep. Ted Strickland & Ben Chandler, Sen. Jay Rockefeller & Arlen Specter OH
-1:00-5:45pm - Fly from Cleveland to San Francisco
-6:00pm - Rally in San Francisco & Major speech on domestic issues, w/ Sen. Cantwell, Gov. Brown, & Reps. Lee and Waxman CA
-7:30pm - Town Hall in San Mateo, w/ Sen. Cantwell, Gov. Brown, & Reps. Lee and Waxman CA
-8:00-8:20pm - Talking to commuters on bullet train from San Mateo to Palo Alto, w/ Sen. Cantwell, Gov. Brown, & Reps. Lee and Waxman CA
-8:30pm - Town Hall in Palo Alto (for Redwood City, Palo Alto, and Mountain View residents), w/ Sen. Cantwell, Gov. Brown, & Reps. Lee and Waxman CA
-9:30pm - Rally in San Jose, w/ Sen. Cantwell, Gov. Brown, & Reps. Lee and Waxman CA
-10:30pm - Conference call with California volunteer leaders & field organizers, thanking them for their hard work CA

(local affiliates invited to every stop)

Excerpt from Yale, Johns Hopkins, & Case Western Reserve University Student Forums


QUESTION: What would you do as President to curb the rising tuition rates?

BIDEN: Well I've looked at a number of options in my time in the Senate... One law that sounds particularly promising would be a mirror of a healthcare reform proposal. For people's healthcare plans, we would require insurers to make sure that 80% of money Americans spend on healthcare goes directly and only to their medical care, limiting the often-inflated overhead costs from health insurance companies to 20%. I would support a similar requirement of accredited universities, that 80% of your tuition must be spent on hiring the best teachers and providing for you an education in the best facilities possible. This would in turn make sure universities do not spend student's money on superfluous administrative positions.

Another option would be to cut out the middle man for student loans. At present, you receive your loans through banks, who receive grants from the Department of Education to support the loans. My plan would cut out the banks, who plus up their prices and apply gratuitous interest rates. We would give college grads better repayment options, including being able to limit your payments to 10% of your monthly income. And interest rates, let's talk about that for a minute. Banks borrow from the Federal Reserve with the lowest of all interests rate. It doesn't make sense to me that we give banks a break and charge students like you double. So there are a lot of things we can do to curb the cost of college and ensure that everybody can pursue the education they desire to achieve their American dream. These are absolutely measures that I will pursue in the White House.

March 1, 2004 California
-8:00am - Interview with Mike & Kim Morning Show; WDRC-FM, for greater Hartford area (Hartford, CT)
-8:30am - Meet & Greet with volunteer leaders in Sacramento, leaders from Sacramento, Woodland, Elk Grove, Roseville, Citrus Heights, & Yuba City, w/ Sen. Cantwell, Gov. Brown, Mayor Hahn, & Reps. Lee and Waxman CA
-9:00am - Rally in Sacramento, w/ Sen. Cantwell, Gov. Brown, Mayor Hahn, & Reps. Lee and Waxman CA
-11:00am - Town Hall in Vallejo, w/ Sen. Cantwell, Gov. Brown, Mayor Hahn, & Reps. Lee and Waxman CA
-11:50am - Town Hall in Concord, w/ Sen. Cantwell, Gov. Brown, Mayor Hahn, & Reps. Lee and Waxman CA
-1:15pm - Rally in Berkeley, w/ Sen. Cantwell, Gov. Brown, Mayor Hahn, & Reps. Lee and Waxman CA
-2:15pm - Rally in Oakland, w/ Sen. Cantwell, Gov. Brown, Mayor Hahn, & Reps. Lee and Waxman CA
-3:00-4:15pm - Fly from Oakland to Los Angeles
-4:45pm - Rally in Los Angeles, w/ Sen. Cantwell, Gov. Brown, Mayor Hahn, & Reps. Lee and Waxman CA
-5:30pm - Town Hall in south Los Angeles, w/ Sen. Cantwell, Gov. Brown, Mayor Hahn, & Reps. Lee and Waxman CA
-6:40pm - Town Hall in Long Beach, w/ Sen. Cantwell, Gov. Brown, Mayor Hahn, & Reps. Lee and Waxman CA
-7:50pm - Town Hall in Anaheim, w/ Sen. Cantwell, Gov. Brown, Mayor Hahn, & Reps. Lee and Waxman CA
-9:00pm - Rally in Pasadena, w/ Sen. Cantwell, Gov. Brown, Mayor Hahn, & Reps. Lee and Waxman CA

(local affiliates invited to every stop)

March 2, 2004 California
-7:00am - Satellite interview with The Today Show (NBC)
-7:45am - Satellite interview with Good Morning America (ABC)
-8:30am - Meet & Greet with GOTV volunteers in Los Angeles, w/ Sen. Cantwell, Gov. Brown, Mayor Hahn, & Reps. Lee and Waxman
-10:00am - GOTV in CA-30, w/ Sen. Cantwell, Gov. Brown, Mayor Hahn, & Reps. Lee and Waxman
-12:00-1:15pm - Fly from Los Angeles to Oakland, w/ Sen. Cantwell, Gov. Brown, & Rep. Lee
-1:30pm - GOTV in CA-9, w/ Sen. Cantwell, Gov. Brown, & Rep. Lee
-3:45pm - GOTV in San Francisco, w/ Sen. Cantwell, Gov. Brown, & Rep. Lee
-5:00pm - Interview with California drive-time radio
-5:30pm - GOTV at UC Berkeley, w/ Sen. Cantwell, Gov. Brown, & Rep. Lee
-6:00pm - GOTV in CA-9, w/ Sen. Cantwell, Gov. Brown, & Rep. Lee
-9:00pm-12:00am - Speech when states are announced

[badgate]

Sorry, but more than ten events in a day is pretty unrealistic. Other election games have docked players off for that. Everyone else has around five or six events normally.

I check the travel times between every stop.

[badgate]

Biden GOTV Strategy

Since Feb. 13, the Biden campaign had neighborhood volunteer teams in the major cities of California, Minnesota, Ohio, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and Maryland.

Each neighborhood team organized phone banks and block walks with an average of 9 volunteers attending and completing each event. Phone banks were held between 6p and 9p on week nights, and block walks were held from 11am to 3pm on Saturdays and Sundays. Phone banks averaged 765 calls per phone bank, with an average of 15% conversation rate. Block Walks averaged 715 doors knocked, with a 25% conversation rate overall. Phone banks were held to both persuade voters, inform voters of early voting times and provide them with their early voting location, and on Feb. 20-24 encouraging voters to vote on the day of the primary. Block Walks included persuasion conversations, volunteer recruitment, and GOTV efforts mirroring those of the phone banks.

On March 2, volunteers held phone banks in their areas calling registered voters who had voted in previous Democratic primaries, but who had not been reached yet in the campaign (or who had been previously reached but said they were undecided). They reported a 19% conversation rate for the overall day. Shifts were 10am-1pm, 1pm-4pm, and 4pm-7pm.

The GOTV targeted those on the voter rolls who had previously voted in a Democratic primary. The effort had volunteers emphasize that they were neighbors with the voters they reached, and share a personal story that explained why they supported Senator Biden. The persuasion tool also had volunteers give a contrast between something Senator Biden had done and a contrasting negative anecdote about one of his opponents. The main issues pushed were the minimum wage (state-wide), ENDA (urban areas), and highlighting Senator Biden's endorsement from the National Education Association, League of Conservation Voters, & United Automobile Autoworkers (state-wide).

The campaign's field organizers have been led by Karen Johanson, who was hired first by the campaign to win Rep. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI)'s congressional district and therefore the Wisconsin primary. Johanson has surpassed the campaign's wildest dreams, getting them a come-from-behind win in Hawaii on Feb. 24. The campaign is betting that Johnason can manage the same feat twice, thus her employment through Super Tuesday. Field organizers have been allocated thusly since Feb. 25: California - 8, Massachusetts - 1, Rhode Island - 1, Connecticut - 2, Maryland - 1, Ohio - 3.

Senator Biden also made personal appeals to his elected backers, to make use of their intimate knowledge of their cities or congressional districts to make sure as many voters as possible are reached and come out to vote on March 2.

[badgate]

"It's not over yet!"

I'll admit, I had hoped to be speaking to you here in California under different circumstances. We campaigned hard in the most strongly Democratic areas of the state, hoping that enough people would come out to support us at the polls today. So congratulations to Senator Clinton, Senator Edwards for his job well done in Ohio, and Congressman Kucinich in Vermont.

But it's not over yet!

We did not lose California because Hillary Clinton is a great candidate. We simply need to make sure that our message is heard, and that the Democratic voters in this primary know there are more options than the "inevitable Senator Clinton."

I believe that we need to work harder, speak louder, and aim higher. My record was made for this election, with voters focused on war abroad and trouble brewing here at home. I will end the war in Iraq and fulfill America's responsibilities there. I will make sure that college is affordable for everybody willing to work for it, and that working for it pays fairly by raising the minimum wage. I will sign the Employer Non-Discrimination Act into law to ensure supreme fairness for our gay, lesbian, and transgender neighbors in the workplace. I am the Democratic nominee that you've been searching for, and going into the southern states ahead, I believe firmly that the results on March 9th will show that. Congratulations, Bless you, thank you for your hard work, and we'll see you in Boston!!


Statement from Biden Campaign

The campaign has reallocated its remaining field organizers to the following areas:

Texas:
-1 in Austin metro
-1 in Rio Grande Valley (heavily Democratic/Hispanic)
-1 in Houston metro
-1 in Dallas/Ft. Worth metro
-1 in Lubbock metro
-1 in El Paso metro

Mississippi:
-2 in MS-2
-1 in MS-4

Florida:
-2 in Orlando metro
-2 in Miami metro
-1 in Tampa metro
-1 in Tallahassee metro
-1 in Jacksonville metro

[badgate]

New Biden Endorsements


Ann Richards, Frmr. Governor from Texas

I know what some of y'all may be thinking. 'Why isn't Ann endorsing the woman? What about Ann and Hillary?' Well I would love to see a woman be President. But I tell ya I might die of boredom if Hillary Clinton is our nominee.

Senator Joe Biden is the candidate Texas Democrats can be proud to vote for in Boston. He's always been a strong proponent of women's rights, and wrote the Violence Against Women Act in 1993, back when I was in office. We here in Texas know better than most the mess that George Bush has got us in. Well I am completely confident in my support for Senator Joe Biden! Judging from his proven record, he can clean up the mess in Iraq and the messes Bush has made here at home! My fellow Texas Democrats, I implore you to vote for Senator Joe Biden in the Texas primary on March 9!


Lloyd Doggett, Representative from the 10th Congressional district of Texas

You all know I think the Iraq war was a mistake, but there is only one candidate we can count on to win in November, represent our Progressive values here in Austin, and bring our troops home. I am endorsing Senator Joe Biden for President in the Texas primary and will be asking as many of my constituents in my old district as well as the voters in the 25th district to vote for Joe as well.


Gene Taylor, Representative from the 4th Congressional district of Mississippi

You didn't really think I'd endorse a Clinton did you? We all know that Hillary Clinton is running for president, but she's not the only candidate and she's not even the best candidate. In my district we will be supporting Senator Joe Biden, a proven vote-getter and lawmaker that has the record and work ethic to do the job of President far better than the current occupant or other contenders.


Bennie Thompson, Representative from the 2nd Congressional district of Mississippi

An overwhelming number of Mississippi Democrats live here in my district, so I feel obligated to state my support in the coming Presidential primary. I will be voting for Senator Joe Biden. I've worked with Joe in Congress; he's a hard worker and one of the most passionate and selfless public servants we have. From Jackson to Clinton, to Greenville and Greenwood and Clarksdale and Vicksburg, we need you to vote on March 9th! And vote for Joe!

[badgate]

Excerpts from Good Morning Texas
on March 3, 2004 in Dallas, TX

QUESTION: So, you are coming off of two wins on Super Tuesday, but before that it seemed like you had the momentum. You'd won big on the two contests before, but couldn't overtake Hillary Clinton in the big state of California and John Edwards won in the medium-sized state Ohio. Some have speculated that you stretched yourself too thin, should have focused on the states you won and just California, or something else. So I have to ask, why are you still in this?

BIDEN: Matt, I've been a Senator for a while. (smiles) I was elected the year that Richard Nixon was reelected, and including our current President I've seen seven administrations come and go while I was representing my state in the Senate. I know how to work with people on both sides of the aisle on issues where we can find common ground. I will come into the White House with an experienced hand and clear vision of what a Presidency is capable of. I'm running because the average American didn't have a voice in this primary. That's where the support from my campaign started, and I've shown through the primary season that I can win in states all over the country. And I am confident that on March 9 the people of Texas will back our cause.

QUESTION: Rudy Giuliani recently became the presumptive Republican nominee. Do you see yourself nominating John Edwards, or another southern Democrat to be on the ticket with you, should you be the Democratic nominee?

BIDEN: First of all, I believe that voters of all stripes will know in November that they and I share values. Jill and I are devout Catholics, and my family has always been supremely important to me. I am firmly of the opinion that the nominee should be chosen by Democratic voters, and so I don't think it is seemly for any contender, with the field still divided such as it is, to be offering any sort of running mate options.

QUESTION: You seem confident that voters in the south would give you consideration of their vote, can you at least say you'd want to consider a Southern Democrat?

BIDEN: Regional balance is important for a ticket, but I'm focused on uniting the Democratic party around my candidacy. For years I have held the line on Social Security and Medicare, fought for a higher minimum wage, and can lead us through the challenges ahead in Iraq. That's why I'm still confident that the party will come to unify around my campaign.

Excerpts from Student Forums at UNT, Baylor, TA&M:CC, FSU, & UT
March 3 & 8, 2004, in Denton, Waco, Corpus Christi, Tallahassee, & Austin, respectively.

QUESTION: I read online that you talked about student loans and tuition at Yale, but it didn't quote what you actually said...

BIDEN: Right. Well I talked about two different areas where I would pursue progress to keep tuition from rising and make student loans more affordable.

There's a healthcare proposal being kicked around by some Democrats, that I support, and it could have a place in education as well. The way it works is for people's healthcare plans, we would require insurers to make sure that 80% of money Americans spend on healthcare goes directly and only to their medical care, limiting the often-inflated overhead costs from health insurance companies to 20%. I would support a similar requirement of accredited universities, that 80% of your tuition must be spent on hiring the best teachers and providing for you an education in the best facilities possible. This would in turn make sure universities do not spend student's money on superfluous administrative positions.

The other area for progress is to cut out the middle man for student loans. At present, those of you with student loans, you receive your loans through banks, who in turn receive grants from the Department of Education to support the loans. My plan would cut out the banks, who plus up their prices and apply gratuitous interest rates. We would also give college grads better repayment options, including being able to limit your payments to 10% of your monthly income.

And interest rates, let's talk about that for a minute. Banks borrow from the Federal Reserve with the lowest of all interest rates. It doesn't make sense to me that we give banks a break and charge students like you double. So there are a lot of things we can do to curb the cost of college and ensure that everybody can pursue the education they desire to achieve their American dream. These are absolutely measures that I will pursue in the White House. Thank you, great question.

QUESTION: Do you support medical marijuana, and why or why not?

BIDEN: Wow, I don't think anybody's asked a single candidate about that during this whole campaign. Yes, I do. Anybody here ever taken medicine and gotten some sort of side effect from it? (most people raise their hand)

Well, many cancer treatments give patients side effects that are most easily curbed with the use of medical marijuana. This medicine doesn't have the nasty side effects. But conventional medicine, the only option for cancer patients here in Texas, has all kinds of side effects that only serve to compound the suffering people are already enduring. If we can, in a safe and legal way, make that healing process better, then we absolutely need to do it.

[badgate]

TV Ad: The Candidate of Experience

JOE BIDEN (in button down, no tie, sleeves rolled up, light blue shirt with black backdrop): Hello. I'm Senator Joe Biden, the only candidate of experience in this Presidential primary race. In the Senate my work on successful legislation has swept criminals off our neighborhood streets, stopped the spread of "date rape" drugs, and secured arms control treaties with nations like Russia who were once our greatest and most dangerous rivals. Today we are in a dangerous world, and I know you'll see that it is my leadership on the issues of immediate importance to our national security, that I can pull us through. It's time to look forward and finally begin building the twenty-first century America. Together, we can. I'm Joe Biden, and I approve this message [soft, heroic music]

TV Ad: Raise The Wage (New Version)

MALE FACTORY WORKER: An honest day's work.
WOMAN IN OFFICE: If it's 9 to 5.
30-YEAR OLD CASHIER: Or 2 to 10.
MALE FACTORY WORKER: It deserves an honest day's pay. That's why Joe Biden is going to raise the minimum wage. In the Senate, Joe Biden made our neighborhoods safer with the Biden Crime Law.
WOMAN IN OFFICE: He wrote the Violence Against Women Act, and made sure it was signed into law.
FEMALE COLLEGE STUDENT: He passed restrictions that stopped the spread of date rape drugs.
30-YEAR OLD CASHIER: And he's a true Democrat. Of all the candidates he is the only one supported by the League of Conservation Voters-
FEMALE COLLEGE STUDENT: The National Education Association-
MALE FACTORY WORKER: -and the United Automobile Autoworkers. So of all the candidates asking for our vote, we know we can count on Joe-
WOMAN IN OFFICE: - to raise the wage.
30-YEAR OLD CASHIER: -  to raise the wage.
MALE FACTORY WORKER: -  to raise the wage.

IMAGE: [Biden for President] I'm Joe Biden, and I approve this message.

[badgate]

12 is a ridiculous amount of endorsements. Is Easley begging for a primary challenge?

OOC: I can remember when I thought colin farrell was hot....bleh

[badgate]

New Biden Endorsements



Barack Obama, state Senator from Illinois
--Obama released an e-mail to his donor/supporter list endorsing Senator Biden, and inviting people to an upcoming event with Senator Biden in his state Senate district. Obama's Senate campaign simultaneously released a press release announcing its endorsement.


Sheila Jackson Lee, Representative from the 18th congressional district of Texas
--Rep. Jackson Lee used her office's good relationship with the Houston Chronicle to get her endorsement mentioned on the front page, above the fold on Thursday March 4. Rep. Jackson Lee also invited her district out to see the endorsement events in Houston later in the week.


Al Sharpton, reverend and civil rights activist from New York
--On March 3, Sharpton issued a press release endorsing Senator Biden and inviting people to Houston, Dallas, and Miami to see them appear together.
--Sharpton released an op-ed to the Chicago Tribune on March 3, The Clarion Ledger (Jackson, MS) on March 4, the Miami Herald on March 5, and the Times-Picayune (New Orleans, LA) on March 7. In the 3/5 piece Sharpton invited people to an upcoming rally where he would endorse Senator Biden in person.


Jesse Jackson, former shadow Senator from the District of Columbia
--On March 3, Jackson issued a press release endorsing Senator Biden and inviting people in Jackson, Miami, Houston, and Dallas to see them appear together.
--Jackson released an op-ed to the Miami Herald on March 3, the Chicago Tribune on March 4, The Clarion Ledger (Jackson, MS) on March 5, and The Times-Picayune (New Orleans, LA) on March 6. Jackson stated in all three that Joe Biden was the best candidate to tackle global and domestic poverty, and that after the March 9th contests Senator Biden would be speaking at the Rainbow/PUSH headquarters (joined by Jackson, Sharpton, & Obama) in Illinois.




OOC: I'm deleting the schedule I posted, and will repost it with the changes I need to make.

[badgate]

Statement from Senator Joe Biden



Good evening. I just finished speaking to Senator Clinton on the phone, congratulating her on the superb campaign she ran and offering my sincerest wishes for President Clinton's health and full recovery.

Events like today's announcement are a reminder that we must do all we can with our limited time on Earth to leave a better world for our children. I believe President Clinton will make a full and speedy recover, but it is clear that as President he accomplished that goal. It was former Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm, a brave woman who ran for President against all odds in 1972, that said that public service was the rent we pay for our time on earth. Those words could not ring more true today. President Clinton is a laudable public servant and I am confident he will be around for years to come. Thank you.

[badgate]

Statement from Biden Campaign

The campaign has expanded its ad buy for the TV Ad "Candidate of Experience" to include American Samoa.

[badgate]

Biden Surrogates

Governor Mario Cuomo
Barnstorm and GOTV in Florida

Senator Mark Warner
Barnstorm and GOTV in Mississippi

Senator Arlen Specter
Barnstorm and GOTV in Florida

Senator Olympia Snowe
Working as Senator
Fundraising in New York

Senator Jay Rockefeller
Barnstorming in West Virginia

Senator Maria Cantwell
Fundraising in Seattle, Los Angeles, & Austin

Sen. Max Clealand
Barnstorming and GOTV in Florida

Sen. Max Baucus
Working on legislation

Sen. Mark Dayton
Fundraising in Chicago

Gov. Gary Locke
Working

Sen. Daniel Inoyue
Working

Gov. Jerry Brown
Fundraising in San Francisco, Berkeley, & Los Angeles

Rep. Ben Chandler
Barnstorming and GOTV in Mississippi

Sen. Herb Kohl
Barnstorming in Illinois

Sen. Ted Kennedy
Barnstorming and GOTV in Florida

Mayor Marion Barry
Barnstorming and GOTV in Florida

Vincent C. Gray, candidate for Ward 7 City Council
Campaigning for City Council

Mayor Anthony A. Williams
Barnstorming and GOTV in Mississippi

Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick
Working

Rep. Tammy Baldwin
Working

Mayor R.T. Rybak
Working

Mayor Randy Kelly
Working

Rep. Betty McCollum
Fundraising in Twin Cities

Rep. Martin Olav Sabo
Fundraising in Twin Cities

Rep. Barbara Lee
Barnstorming and GOTV in Dallas & Houston

Rep. Henry Waxman
Fundraising in Los Angeles

Mayor James Hahn
Fundraising in Los Angeles

Sen. Jack Reed
Barnstorming and GOTV in Texas

Rep. Patrick J. Kennedy
Barnstorming and GOTV in Florida

Rep. Jim Langevin
Working

Rep. Ed Markey
Barnstorming and GOTV in Florida

Rep. Richard Neal
Barnstorming and GOTV in Florida

Rep. Ted Strickland
Barnstorming and GOTV in Texas/Mississippi

Sen. Paul Sarbanes
Barnstorming and GOTV in Mississippi

Gov. Ann Richards
Barnstorming and GOTV in Texas (when not campaigning w/ Sen. Biden)

Rep. Lloyd Doggett
Barnstorming and GOTV in Texas (when not campaigning w/ Sen. Biden)

Rep. Gene Taylor
Barnstorming and GOTV in Mississippi (when not campaigning w/ Sen. Biden)

Rep. Bennie Thompson
Barnstorming and GOTV in Mississippi (when not campaigning w/ Sen. Biden)

State Sen. Barack Obama
Barnstorming in Illinois

Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee
Barnstorming and GOTV in Texas (when not campaigning w/ Sen. Biden)

Rev. Al Sharpton
Barnstorming and GOTV in Mississippi/Florida (when not campaigning w/ Sen. Biden)

Sen. Jesse Jackson
Barnstorming and GOTV in Mississippi/Florida (when not campaigning w/ Sen. Biden)

[badgate]

Biden Campaign Schedule

March 3, 2004 Texas
Issues pushed: ENDA, Raise the minimum wage, bring home our troops & clean up the mess in Iraq.

-7:45am - Live interview on Good Morning Texas, filmed in Dallas (WFAA)
-9:00am - Student Forum in Denton, TX at University of North Texas
-11:00am - Town Hall in Dallas.
-12:00pm - Rally in Dallas, w/ Gov. Ann Richards. Gov. Richards endorses Senator Joe Biden for President
-2:45pm - Student Forum in Waco, TX at Baylor University, w/ Gov. Richards
-3:45pm - Town Hall in Waco, w/ Gov. Richards
-6:30pm - Town Hall in Austin, w/ Gov. Richards & Rep. Doggett
-8:00pm - Rally in Austin, w/ Gov. Richards & Rep. Doggett. Rep. Lloyd Doggett endorses Senator Joe Biden for President
-10:00pm - Fundraiser in Austin, w/ Gov. Richards & Rep. Doggett, Mario Cuomo, Ted Kennedy, & special guest speaker Dr. Jill Biden

(local affiliates invited to every stop)



Sen. Biden at the rally in Jackson, MS

March 4, 2004 Mississippi
Issues pushed: Raise the Minimum Wage, experienced candidate who will get things done, bring home our troops and clean up the mess in Iraq.

-9:00am - Meet & Greet with volunteers from all over MS-2 (meet & greet located backstage at Jackson rally), w/ Rep. Bennie Thompson
-10:00am - Rally in Jackson, w/ Rep. Bennie Thompson. Rep. Bennie Thompson endorses Senator Joe Biden for President
-11:30am - Town hall in Clinton, w/ Rep. Bennie Thompson
-1:15pm - Town hall in Vicksburg, w/ Rep. Bennie Thompson
-2:00pm - Rally in Vicksburg, w/ Rep. Bennie Thompson
-3:30pm - Fly from Jackson to Gulfport
-4:30pm - Rally in Gulfport, w/ Rep. Taylor. Rep. Gene Taylor endorses Biden for President
-5:15pm - Town Hall in Gulfport, w/ Rep. Taylor
-6:30pm - Rally in Biloxi, w/ Rep. Taylor
-8:00pm - Meet & Greet in Biloxi with MS-4 volunteers, w/ Rep. Taylor

(local affiliates invited to every stop)



Candid photo from the meet & greet in Lubbock

March 5, 2004 Texas
Issues pushed: Raise the minimum wage, bring home our troops and clean up the mess in Iraq, experienced candidate who will get things done, Immigration Reform (but not in Lubbock).

9:15am- Meet & greet with voters in Lubbock Breakfast House, a diner.
-10:00am - Rally in Lubbock, w/ Gov. Richards
-11:15am-12:15pm - Fly from Lubbock to Dallas/Ft. Worth Airport
-12:45pm - Town Hall in Ft. Worth, w/ Gov. Richards
-1:45pm - Rally in Ft. Worth, w/ Gov. Richards
-2:50-3:50pm - Fly from Dallas/Ft. Worth Airport to Houston
-4:15pm - Town Hall in North Houston, w/ Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee
-5:30pm - Rally in downtown Houston, w/ Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee. Rep. Jackson Lee endorses Senator Joe Biden for President
-6:45pm - Town Hall in Westside, w/ Rep. Jackson Lee
-7:45pm - Rally in Southwest Houston, w/ Rep. Jackson Lee

(local affiliates invited to every stop)


March 6, 2004 Texas - Rio Grande Valley Tour
Issues pushed: Joe Biden is Catholic, Raise the Minimum Wage, Immigration Reform.

-9:45am - Meet & Greet with Rio Grande Valley volunteers in Brownsville, w/ Gov. Richards
-10:45am - Rally in Brownsville, w/ Gov. Richards
-11:20am - Town Hall in Harlingen, w/ Gov. Richards
-1:00pm - Town Hall in McAllen, w/ Gov. Richards
-2:00pm - Rally in McAllen, w/ Gov. Richards
-3:30pm - Town Hall in Edinburg, w/ Gov. Richards
-5:30pm - Speech on the environment & water infrastructure at Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge, w/ Gov. Richards
-7:45pm - Town Hall in Rio Grande City, w/ Gov. Richards

(local affiliates invited to every stop)

Excerpt from Town Halls, GOTV, & Rally

I know that many of you may still be undecided in the coming primaries. More of you still may be currently committed to another candidate, but want to hear what I have to say. I respect that and am eager to say why I am the best Democrat to win in November.

In the Senate I've been a leader on issues concerning our national security, including negotiating international arms control treaties and chairing the Senate committee on Foreign Relations. I am currently the top ranking Democrat on that committee. When the SALT treaty for arms control fell apart in the late 70s, I personally met with Russia's Foreign Minister and worked out a compromise so that our world would be safer. I stood up against President Reagan's attempts to violate the second SALT treaty, and again against Reagan's dangerously conservative Supreme Court nominees. In 1994 the President signed a sweeping crime bill into law that was drafted by my office. In that same year I wrote and passed the Violence Against Women Act, making sure America is a safe haven from gender-based hate crimes.

I support raising the minimum wage and indexing it to our inflation rate to ensure the hardworking among us are not left behind. I have introduced this law in to the Senate, and in a matter of days, my leadership inspired Senator Edwards to follow my lead in support of raising the wage. While I truly, deeply appreciate his support for my bill...look, I believe the President should be a leader, first and foremost.

That is why I am also out front on the need for an ongoing discussion about the issue of medical marijuana. Too many cancer patients suffer double from the side effects of legal medication; side effects that don't exist under a medical marijuana prescription. We can surely find a way to legally implement this and keep the drug, like all legal drugs, out of the wrong hands.

And I've proposed new measures to lower college tuition and make student loans more accessible and affordable, to ensure that anybody who wants to pursue an education has the opportunity. We will make sure that 80% of tuition fees goes directly to things for students; forcing universities to do away with superfluous fee hikes, administrative redundancies and legacy posts. We will cut out the big bank middle men in the student loan process, and ensure that loan repayment for a college graduate reflects their income so that it is not a burden to those just starting their careers.

The challenges we face in the next four years are not insurmountable. We can end the war in Iraq and fulfill the responsibilities expected of a global leader by holding fair and free elections and stabilizing their government. We can restore the international prestige of our name. We can raise the minimum wage so that work pays fairly and ensure the work place is a level playing field. But "can" is for the runners up. Vote for me, and we will.

March 7, 2004 Florida
Issues pushed: Raise the Minimum Wage, experienced candidate who will get things done, immigration reform, bring home our troops and clean up the mess in Iraq.

-9:00am - Meet & Greet w/ Florida volunteers in Miami, w/ Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson
-10:00am - Speech in Miami Gardens Community Center, w/ Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson. Al Sharpton endorses Senator Joe Biden for President. Jesse Jackson endorses Senator Joe Biden for President
-11:00am - Rally in Miami, w/ Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson. Sharpton & Jackson repeat their endorsements.
-11:50am-12:50pm - Fly from Miami to Tampa
-1:10pm - Rally in Tampa
-2:45pm - Town Hall in Lakeland
-4:45pm - Rally in Orlando
-5:40pm - Town Hall in Orlando
-6:55-7:55pm - Fly from Orlando to Tallahassee
-8:15pm - Student Forum at Florida State University
-9:30pm - Interview with statewide news media, some aired live w/ evening news, all stations replayed interview clips the following morning and night

(local affiliates invited to every stop)



Sen. Biden after the Student Forum at Miami International University in Miami

March 8, 2004 Florida
Issues pushed: Raise the Minimum Wage, experienced candidate who will get things done, immigration reform, bring home our troops and clean up the mess in Iraq.

-9:40am - Meet & Greet with Tallahassee & Florida panhandle volunteers.
-10:00am - Barnstorm & GOTV in Tallahassee
-11:00am-11:50am - Fly to Jacksonville
-12:30pm - Barnstorm & GOTV in Jacksonville
-1:20pm - Fly to Orlando
-2:00pm - Barnstorm & GOTV in Orlando
-3:15-4:15pm - Fly to Miami
-4:45pm - Barnstorm & GOTV in Miami
-5:45pm - Student Forum at Miami International University
-7:30pm - Barnstorm & GOTV in Fort Lauderdale
-9:00pm - Conference call with statewide volunteers and field organizers in Florida, thanking them for their hard work and encouraging the necessary extra push on election day to get Biden over the top.
-9:30pm - Conference call with statewide volunteers and field organizers in Mississippi, thanking them for their hard work and encouraging the necessary extra push on election day to get Biden over the top.
-10:00pm - Conference call with statewide volunteers and field organizers in Texas, thanking them for their hard work and encouraging the necessary extra push on election day to get Biden over the top.

(local affiliates invited to every stop)


March 9, 2004 Mississippi & Texas
Issues pushed: Raise the Minimum Wage, experienced candidate who will get things done, immigration reform (Texas only), bring home our troops and clean up the mess in Iraq.

-10:00am - GOTV in Gulfport, w/ Rep. Taylor, Jesse Jackson, & Al Sharpton MS
-12:00-1:00pm - Fly from Gulfport to Jackson
-1:00pm - GOTV in Jackson, w/ Rep. Thompson, Jesse Jackson, & Al Sharpton MS
-2:00-3:20pm - Fly from Jackson to Dallas/Ft. Worth Airport
-3:45pm - GOTV in Dallas, w/ Gov. Richards, Jesse Jackson, & Al Sharpton TX
-4:45-5:45pm - Fly from Dallas to Austin
-6:00pm - GOTV in Austin, w/ Gov. Richards & Rep. Doggett, Jesse Jackson, & Al Sharpton TX
-9:00pm-12:00am - Watching results come in/speech, w/ Gov. Richards, Rep. Doggett & Jackson Lee, Jesse Jackson, & Al Sharpton TX

(local affiliates invited to every stop)


ooc: I am going to repost my GOTV/Talking Points entry.

[badgate]

GOTV Strategy/Talking Points

The Biden Campaign has put all its eggs in the states of Texas, Florida, and Mississippi. Joe Biden spent most of his campaign time in Texas, with one day in Mississippi's 2nd and 4th congressional districts, where he was strongly endorsed by their Democratic representatives, a pair of politicians that represent the two major factions of the state Democratic party, and two days in Florida.

In Texas, Senator Biden has strongly touted the endorsement of Ann Richards, the last Democrat to win Governor who is still adored by Texas Democrats. Biden also strategically secured the endorsement of Austin's congressman. While the 2003 redistricting/gerrymandering of Texas has forced Doggett to run in the newly created 25th congressional district, he has significant influence among Austin Democrats all over the area of his former 10th congressional district. (the new 10th district is strongly Republican) This strategy should give Senator Biden optimal exposure to the Texas Democrats most likely to vote in the March 9 primary.

In Mississippi, Biden has made a hard play for a majority of the black vote, a significant bloc in both states' Democratic primaries. The campaign has also taken the "Wisconsin" approach to Mississippi, by garnering and touting the endorsements of the Democratic representatives from the state, and campaigning heavily in those congressional districts alongside the representatives. Biden also took a more populist tone, focusing on ending the Iraq war and raising the minimum wage in Rep. Gene Taylor's district.

The Biden Campaign has again made a hard play for a majority of the black vote in the Florida primary, campaigning in Miami Gardens and elsewhere alongside two high-profile African American surrogates (Jackson & Sharpton). Biden spoke on campus at Miami International University, which has 50,000 students, as well as Florida State University, which has 40,000 students.

The campaign has recruited volunteer teams in the following cities of Texas: El Paso, Lubbock, Denton, Ft. Worth, Dallas, Amarillo, Tyler, Waco, Austin, Houston, Galveston, San Antonio, Brownsville/McAllen (Rio Grande Valley), & Corpus Christi. In Mississippi: Greenwood, Clarksdale, Greenville, Vicksburg, Clinton, Jackson, Gulfport, Biloxi, Ocean Springs, Laurel, & Hattiesburg. In Florida: Tallahassee, Jacksonville, Orlando, Tampa, Miami, Gainesville, Miami Gardens, St. Petersburg, Fort Lauderdale, Lakeland, Gainesville, & Daytona Beach.

Volunteer teams have held phone banks on week nights, from 6pm to 9pm, and block walks on Saturdays from 11am to 3pm and Sundays from 2pm to 5pm. Phone banks averaged 9 attendees, with an average of 789 dials and a 18% conversation rate. Block Walks averaged 7 attendees, with an average of 648 doors knocked and a 29% conversation rate.

At these events volunteers persuaded undecided voters, made the case for Biden to committed Clinton and Edwards voters, and closer to March 9 the events also had GOTV purposes. Registered voters who had previously voted in a Democratic primary were called or reached door-to-door, and provided with their voting place and literature promoting Senator Joe Biden for President.


The campaign has allocated its remaining field organizers to the following areas/center]

Texas:
-1 in Austin metro
-1 in Rio Grande Valley (heavily Democratic/Hispanic)
-1 in Houston metro
-1 in Dallas/Ft. Worth metro
-1 in Lubbock metro
-1 in El Paso metro

Mississippi:
-2 in MS-2
-1 in MS-4

Florida:
-2 in Orlando metro
-2 in Miami metro
-1 in Tampa metro
-1 in Tallahassee metro
-1 in Jacksonville metro

Talking Points: Since Hillary Clinton has exited the race, the campaign is pulling back to the strategy used with Senator Biden's minimum wage proposal: using the issues to feed into the campaign's pre-existing narrative (one that voters have internalized from the campaign's ads) of Biden as the only qualified or experienced leader in the Democratic primary. The campaign and surrogates have turned to a more subtle tactic of promoting parts of Biden's record, which in turn subconsciously provides a contrast against the other candidate.

Senator Biden's proposal to raise the minimum wage might be becoming one-note, and as such Senator Biden has proposed new policy to curb the cost of tuition, strongly appealing to college students, and was recently asked about his support for medical marijuana. The campaign is betting that these issues and Senator Biden's position on them feed into the same narrative of him as the only qualified and experienced leader in the primary. In short: he is the only candidate if we actually want to see any of these things get done. PLEASE NOTE: Surrogates, you are advised to use your political discretion to discern which issues will appeal to or turn off the voters in front of you.

Though Biden himself declined to comment on Kucinich's endorsement of Edwards, chief surrogate Mario Cuomo quipped: "To be honest, Dennis isn't influential in the House and his endorsement hasn't had much influence in this primary."

Surrogates in the states that are voting on March 9 have been tasked with appealing to their connections in the state or district to get out the county machines for Biden.

Surrogates are also asked to make the case that Joe Biden is the best candidate against Rudy Giuliani. This is the crucial contrast. Despite Giuliani's experience as a Mayor, the events of 9/11 put him on a higher national stage and Edwards will be severely vulnerable to criticisms of inexperience against him. Biden, however, is immune and can match or possibly exceed Giuliani on foreign policy. Biden's appeal to the working class, as well, will make him more competitive against Giuliani who seems aloof and bums out evangelical voters.

Election Day GOTV

All volunteer teams held phone bank shifts from 11am-3pm and 3pm-7pm on March 9, calling voters who had been previously reached or who had been undecided and imploring them to go vote, and vote for Joe Biden. The reported conversation rate for the election day phone bank was 25%, high for a phone bank, with an average of 9 volunteers at each bank, and an average of 915 dials at each bank.

[badgate]

Wouldn't this be seen as kinda a blatant power-grab on the part of Giuliani and the GOP?

OOC: Yeah, but it's kind of hard to publicly point it out when Cheney resigned after a sudden heart attack.

[badgate]

OOC: Is it possible to get an extension until noon tomorrow?

[badgate]

OOC: Is it possible to get an extension until noon tomorrow?

That's fine.

Round will close on Monday at 12:01 PM EST

OOC: Oh thank God! Thank you! While I was happy that this round was shorter, yesterday and today were not conducive to putting my posts together. Thanks again.

[badgate]

Biden Speech
March 10, 2004; 12:31am




Thank you Texas! Congratulations to all of you across the state who were a part of our primary campaign; without you we would not have beaten Senator Edwards by a whopping ten points here!

And congratulations Mississippi! We are proud to have your 33 delegates going forward!

This primary has certainly been tumultuous. We have seen many contenders rise and fall. But now is the time we should finally come together. I have been a steadfast Democrat in the senate, and I am ready to take on the special-interest spin machines and the right-wing rabble rousers that start more arguments than they do pass more bills. I'll be a president of the people, one you can be proud of and know the right thing is being done.

To this day, I am whipping more and more support for my bill to raise the minimum wage. This is a living example of my experience working in Congress that will translate to solid results as President. And to this day, Mayor Giuliani has refused to support raising the minimum wage. He won't support our bill. He won't support hardworking Americans. And I swear here tonight, he won't get away with it.

In Kansas and Illinois the voters will truly decide if it is finally time for Biden. I trust they will make the right choice. God bless you all, thank you, good night!!

New Biden Endorsements


Carol Moseley Braun, former Senator from Illinois


Anthony Hensley, State Senator from Kansas & Minority Leader of the Kansas Senate


Bobby Rush, Representative from the 1st congressional district of Illinois


Jesse Jackson Jr., Representative from the 2nd congressional district of Illinois


Luis Gutierrez, Representative from the 4th congressional district of Illinois


Rahm Emanuel, Representative from the 5th congressional district of Illinois

All surrogates endorsed Biden through local media including newspapers, magazines, and television, as well as sending e-mails to their supporter/donor lists calling for "Unity" around Senator Biden's candidacy for President

[badgate]

Biden Surrogates

Governor Mario Cuomo
Stating support for Senator Biden after Biden's speech on the floor of the U.S. Senate
Barnstorm and GOTV in Illinois

Senator Mark Warner
Stating support for Senator Biden after Biden's speech on the floor of the U.S. Senate
Barnstorm and GOTV in Kansas

Senator Arlen Specter
Stating support for Senator Biden after Biden's speech on the floor of the U.S. Senate
Barnstorm and GOTV in Illinois

Senator Olympia Snowe
Stating support for Senator Biden after Biden's speech on the floor of the U.S. Senate
Working as Senator

Senator Jay Rockefeller
Stating support for Senator Biden after Biden's speech on the floor of the U.S. Senate
Barnstorming and GOTV in Kansas

Senator Maria Cantwell
Stating support for Senator Biden after Biden's speech on the floor of the U.S. Senate
Working in D.C.

Sen. Max Clealand
Barnstorming and GOTV in downstate Illinois

Sen. Max Baucus
Stating support for Senator Biden after Biden's speech on the floor of the U.S. Senate
Working in Montana

Sen. Mark Dayton
Stating support for Senator Biden after Biden's speech on the floor of the U.S. Senate
Barnstorming and GOTV in upstate Illinois

Sen. Daniel Inoyue
Stating support for Senator Biden after Biden's speech on the floor of the U.S. Senate
Working in D.C.

Gov. Jerry Brown
Fundraising in Oakland, Sacramento, & San Diego

Rep. Ben Chandler
Stating support for Senator Biden after Biden's speech on the floor of the U.S. Senate
Barnstorming and GOTV in Kansas

Sen. Herb Kohl
Stating support for Senator Biden after Biden's speech on the floor of the U.S. Senate
Barnstorming and GOTV in Illinois

Sen. Ted Kennedy
Stating support for Senator Biden after Biden's speech on the floor of the U.S. Senate
Barnstorming and GOTV in Illinois

Mayor Marion Barry
Barnstorming and GOTV in Chicago

Vincent C. Gray, candidate for Ward 7 City Council
Campaigning for City Council

Mayor Anthony A. Williams
Barnstorming and GOTV in Chicago

Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick
GOTV in Chicago

Rep. Tammy Baldwin
Stating support for Senator Biden after Biden's speech on the floor of the U.S. Senate
Barnstorming & GOTV in Illinois

Rep. Betty McCollum
Stating support for Senator Biden after Biden's speech on the floor of the U.S. Senate
Fundraising in Twin Cities

Rep. Martin Olav Sabo
Stating support for Senator Biden after Biden's speech on the floor of the U.S. Senate
Fundraising in Twin Cities

Rep. Barbara Lee
Stating support for Senator Biden after Biden's speech on the floor of the U.S. Senate
Barnstorming and GOTV in Chicago

Rep. Henry Waxman
Stating support for Senator Biden after Biden's speech on the floor of the U.S. Senate
Working in D.C.

Mayor James Hahn
Fundraising in Los Angeles

Sen. Jack Reed
Stating support for Senator Biden after Biden's speech on the floor of the U.S. Senate
Barnstorming and GOTV in Kansas

Rep. Patrick J. Kennedy
Stating support for Senator Biden after Biden's speech on the floor of the U.S. Senate
Working in Rhode Island

Rep. Jim Langevin
Stating support for Senator Biden after Biden's speech on the floor of the U.S. Senate
Working in D.C.

Rep. Ed Markey
Speaking on House floor, March 10
Asked not to surrogate for Senator Biden this week

Rep. Richard Neal
Stating support for Senator Biden after Biden's speech on the floor of the U.S. Senate
Barnstorming and GOTV in Kansas

Rep. Ted Strickland
Stating support for Senator Biden after Biden's speech on the floor of the U.S. Senate
Barnstorming and GOTV in Kansas

Sen. Paul Sarbanes
Stating support for Senator Biden after Biden's speech on the floor of the U.S. Senate
Barnstorming and GOTV in Kansas, Illinois after March 13

Gov. Ann Richards
Stating support for Senator Biden after Biden's speech on the floor of the U.S. Senate
Barnstorming and GOTV in Kansas, Illinois after March 13

Rep. Lloyd Doggett
Stating support for Senator Biden after Biden's speech on the floor of the U.S. Senate
Barnstorming and GOTV in Kansas, Chicago after March 13

Rep. Gene Taylor
Stating support for Senator Biden after Biden's speech on the floor of the U.S. Senate
Barnstorming and GOTV in Kansas, downstate Illinois after March 13

Rep. Bennie Thompson
Stating support for Senator Biden after Biden's speech on the floor of the U.S. Senate
Barnstorming and GOTV in Kansas, downstate Illinois after March 13

State Sen. Barack Obama
Barnstorming in Illinois (when not campaigning w/ Sen. Biden)

Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee
Stating support for Senator Biden after Biden's speech on the floor of the U.S. Senate
Barnstorming and GOTV in Illinois

Rev. Al Sharpton
Stating support for Senator Biden after Biden's speech on the floor of the U.S. Senate
Barnstorming and GOTV in Illinois (when not campaigning w/ Sen. Biden)

Sen. Jesse Jackson
Barnstorming and GOTV in Illinois (when not campaigning w/ Sen. Biden)

Carol Moseley Braun, former Senator from Illinois
Stating support for Senator Biden after Biden's speech on the floor of the U.S. Senate
Barnstorming and GOTV in Illinois (when not campaigning w/ Sen. Biden)

Anthony Hensley, State Senator from Kansas & Minority Leader of the Kansas Senate
Stating support for Senator Biden after Biden's speech on the floor of the U.S. Senate
Barnstorming and GOTV in Kansas (when not campaigning w/ Sen. Biden)


Bobby Rush, Representative from the 1st congressional district of Illinois
Stating support for Senator Biden after Biden's speech on the floor of the U.S. Senate
Barnstorming and GOTV in Illinois (when not campaigning w/ Sen. Biden)

Jesse Jackson Jr., Representative from the 2nd congressional district of Illinois
Stating support for Senator Biden after Biden's speech on the floor of the U.S. Senate
Barnstorming and GOTV in Illinois (when not campaigning w/ Sen. Biden)

Luis Gutierrez, Representative from the 4th congressional district of Illinois
Stating support for Senator Biden after Biden's speech on the floor of the U.S. Senate
Barnstorming and GOTV in Illinois (when not campaigning w/ Sen. Biden)

Rahm Emanuel, Representative from the 5th congressional district of Illinois
Stating support for Senator Biden after Biden's speech on the floor of the U.S. Senate
Barnstorming and GOTV in Illinois (when not campaigning w/ Sen. Biden)

[badgate]

TV Ad: The Candidate of Experience

JOE BIDEN (in button down, no tie, sleeves rolled up, light blue shirt with black backdrop): Hello. I'm Senator Joe Biden, the only candidate of experience in this Presidential primary race. In the Senate my work on successful legislation has swept criminals off our neighborhood streets, stopped the spread of "date rape" drugs, and secured arms control treaties with nations like Russia who were once our greatest and most dangerous rivals. Today we are in a dangerous world, and I know you'll see that it is my leadership on the issues of immediate importance to our national security, that I can pull us through. It's time to look forward and finally begin building the twenty-first century America. Together, we can. I'm Joe Biden, and I approve this message [soft, heroic music]

TV Ad: Unity

FEMALE VOICE OVER: Only one candidate in the Democratic primary can truly bring unity to the party. And that candidate is Senator Joe Biden. Joe's a proven, effective leader with a history of getting things done in Congress. We know that as President he'll do the same. In seeking endorsements during this primary, Senator Biden has already united three core constituencies of our party: The League of Conservation Voters, The National Education Association, and the United Automobile Autoworkers. Joe is a proud union man, who will raise the minimum wage to $7.25 an hour and ensure that tipped workers, the people we as Americans interact with every week, don't get left behind. And with the threat of terror abroad, Senator Biden has a proven record of securing arms control treaties from nations that were once our most dangerous rivals. He can do that again and secure peace in the land, both foreign and domestic. So on [Month, Date]*, cast your primary vote for Senator Joe Biden.

IMAGE: [Biden for President] I'm Joe Biden, and I approve this message.

* the ad states the date of the primary based on which state it is playing in, to ensure accuracy and successful GOTV on the various election days.

[badgate]

Statement from Senator Joseph Biden's Senate Office
March 10, 2004; 3:23pm

On Thursday, March 11, Senator Biden will speak at a press conference at Capitol hill at 4:00pm, and has secured 30 minutes to speak on the Senate floor about the Vice Presidential nomination of Rudy Giuliani.


Statement from Biden Campaign
March 10, 2004; 6:00pm

Today, Mayor Rudy Giuliani finally caved to the public outcry against his blatant opposition to hardworking Americans and raising the minimum wage. But while millions were disappointed by Giuliani's silence, millions more can now be disappointed by the lukewarm proposal he announced today after being pressured by Senator Biden to finally make a statement on this vital issue. The Giuliani plan announced today imposes massive federal mandates on small businesses that is simply not part of the American way of life we hold dear. Big City Mayors should not be allowed to become Big Government Presidents, and that is why Senator Biden will stand for the everyman in the 2004 Presidential election, supporting a real minimum wage raise and protecting the American public from Giuliani's big government mandates.