In the early 1980’s I was working for a community organizing when Ronald Reagan came into office and did a good job of de-funding much community organizing.  Up until that time, most community organizers (and community organizations) had steered totally clear of being involved in electoral politics – mostly because we thought it was too corrupt. But Reagan's election was a wake up call, and we started sniffing around the edges of electoral politics. 

One day Paul Tully, (of blessed memory now), who had worked for the late Senator Kennedy and other Democrats, came to give us a training session.  He was the Irish politico out of central casting, brash, extroverted, with a big belly.  “I don’t know or understand what you guys do,” he said bluntly.  Then he went on to explain his business: getting people elected.

Up until that time I thought electoral politics were about what I had read in the papers: about polling, numbers, advertisements, speeches, and personalities, including celebrities like the Kennedys.  But Tully said something that gave me a whole new perspective.  He said, “You want people to talk about your candidate the way they talk about movies.  You want them to recommend your candidate like they recommend a movie.” 

“How do you decide what movie you are going to see?” he asked us.  Almost all of us said we see movies on recommendations of friends.

“It is the same with candidates ...   more »