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PolitickerOH Partners
August 9, 2008 - 9:12am
News
Democratic Party without faith outreach program despite insiders' proposals
By Justin Miller, PolitickerOH.com ReporterUPDATED: With three months until Election Day, the Ohio Democratic Party doesn't have an official effort to court uncommitted religious and values voters, despite receiving proposals last year from three veteran Democratic operatives.
The party has caucuses and outreach programs for various constituencies, including women, veterans, families, Jews, Asian-Americans, but not for Christians specifically.
Republicans hired staffers last week to do outreach among religious constituencies.
When asked about outreach programs for religious voters, a spokesman for the Ohio Democratic Party pointed out the recent hiring of Matt Ratner as "Jewish Outreach Coordinator" and referred further questions to the presidential campaign.
Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama's campaign signaled its belief that speaking about faith is important for a rural-vote strategy when he announced his expansion of federal faith-based initiative programs last month in Zanesville, gateway to Appalachian Ohio. The campaign said Rick Barga is primarily occupied with faith-outreach in his role as Ohio director of constituent outreach.
Obama's national faith outreach director defended the Democrats' faith outreach efforts in Ohio. While touring the state this week, Joshua Dubois said Gov. Ted Strickland is reshaping religious-voters' impression of Democrats and faith.
"One of the phenomenal things is that we have such a great governor in this state. He did a phenomenal job in his own campaign with reaching out to religious constituencies and we have just an outstanding office of faith-based and community initiatives whose director is also very engaged and involved in making sure the religious community is part of the governor's operation," Dubois said. "We've created a situation where people of faith in this state are used to hearing from a Democrat now which may have not been the case before."
Last November the state Democratic Party was given proposals for a religious outreach program but never acted on them, according to the people who proposed it, two of whom are veterans of Democratic faith campaigns.
Democratic fundraisers even volunteered to foot the bill, according to the planners.
Eric McFadden, former director of the Office of Faith-Based Initiatives in Gov. Ted Strickland's administration and Mara Vanderslice, faith outreach director for John Kerry's 2004 presidential campaign and member of Strickland's 2006 campaign, both made a proposal to the party to hire a faith-outreach coordinator.
McFadden and Vanderslice said they originally approached the party but it didn't show interest in starting a program.
"We had put in a proposal to the ODP and tried to reach them several times and never heard back, but I don't know what they were actually considering or not considering," Vanderslice said.
McFadden said while he was working on Sen. Hillary Clinton's (D-N.Y.) presidential campaign earlier this year, the party gave him the impression that it was interested in hiring someone to do faith outreach.
"I was in conversations with them and they indicated that they were going to have a position," McFadden said.
Democratic fundraisers in Washington, D.C. told the party they would raise money to fund its faith outreach effort, specifically for the coordinator's salary and additional program costs, according to McFadden, who declined to name those fundraisers.
"There was an effort under way to fund this initiative if they were willing to accept it but they never really followed through," McFadden said.
McFadden and Vanderslice were not the only ones to be rebuffed by the party.
Catholic Democrats of Ohio chair Lisa Schare said she and Hamilton Co. Democratic Party Chairman Tim Burke both contacted the party about faith outreach, especially among Catholics in southwest Ohio, but to no avail.
"Let's just say there wasn't a lot of traction there," Schare said, adding that the party never talked to her.
Republicans hired staffers last week to do outreach among religious constituencies. Former Ohio presidential campaign manager for Gov. Mike Huckabee (R-Ark.), Jeff Longstreth, will be the statewide coordinator for "values voters." Political consultant Dick Hammersmith will coordinate outreach to Catholics in southwest Ohio. Hammersmith is from Green Township, the heart of Cincinnati's west side Catholic population.
In the absence of an official effort by the state party, Democratic groups focused on Catholic outreach have sprung up, namely Schare's Catholic Democrats group and Vanderslice's Matthew 25 political action committee.
Schare said she's upset that the party isn't focusing on Catholic voters.
"The largest swing voters in Ohio are, as we all know are Catholics. The idea that it was not part of the strategy, I find, from where I'm standing, disappointing," Schare said.
McFadden said a shift among Catholic voters probably helped Bush win Ohio four years ago.
"I would point out that 150,000 Catholics voted for Al Gore in 2000 and shifted to George W. Bush in 2004 under similar circumstances: a heavily organized religious outreach effort on the part of the Republican side and little or no outreach on the Democratic side. History and facts are on their side," he said.
ALSO on PolitickerOH.com:
Related topics: Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, Republican Party, 2008 Election, Democratic Party, Ted Strickland
Syndicate
Fascinating article
Permit me to suggest two reasons why the Obama campaign rejected "help" from McFadden, Catholic Democrats and Mara Vanderslice.
1. Their candidates always lose.
2. The above-mentioned initiatives conduct their affairs by scandalmongering,intimidating with sociopathic/pscychotic stalking and threatening, divisive demands that those with opposing views be obstructed from the public square and public service - and the country has rejected these Clintonesque techniques.
If Obama has justifiably said "no, thank you", this begs the question: Who is financing these loose cannons?
Crazy Carol
Hey is that crazy Carol McKinley from Boston posting here? The internet stalker? The woman who has stalked Priests in Boston? With the crazy rambling blog. The same medicated Carol?
Crazy!Weird! Obsessed!
Seems like somebody at the
Seems like somebody at the Democratic Party is asleep at the wheel. Duh!
Crazy Carol
Oh yeah - here is Crazy Carols blog - read for yourself - http://carolmckinley.blogspot.com/
This is just sad. Who is
This is just sad. Who is making the decisions at ODP? dumb dumb and dumber?
You are not helping yourself
Eric,
You are not helping yourself get a shtick with Obama.
Vade retro Satana. Nunquam suade mihi vana.
Actually...
"This is just sad. Who is making the decisions at ODP? dumb dumb and dumber?"
Actually, I am taken back that the Obama camp had the right judgment to pass on the caustic politics of these groups. Perhaps his mission to fumigate the gargoyles of divisive politics is sincere.
From what I read, it was the
From what I read, it was the ODP that dropped the ball here, not the Obama campaign. It seems this is about the state party not reconizing a need for faith outreach. Carol, you are coming off as a little unstable.
Carol wrote: "Actually, I am
Carol wrote:
"Actually, I am taken back that the Obama camp had the right judgment to pass on the caustic politics of these groups. Perhaps his mission to fumigate the gargoyles of divisive politics is sincere."
I read your blog Carol. I would not call people divisive from within your glass house.
Oh, and TJ...
I will say a prayer this evening, petitioning Our Lord to grant your intentions should they benefit His people and His Church.
:)
Not too late!
If the Repugs just hired people last week, it certainly can't be too late for the Ohio Democratic Party to hire someone to do faith out reach, esp. Catholic. This is too important! I am going to call them.
Good point Helen. The Obama
Good point Helen. The Obama campaign is having to pick up the slack.
You too Terry M..
I shall include you also in my petition to Our Lord.
Getting back to the story - if the ODP is under the leadership of Obama and they have now declined to include the tactics of these above-named "veterans", the Clinton dynasty of rabid political war may indeed be over.
Very encouraging!
Vade retro Satana. Nunquam suade mihi vana.
This may require a novena
"From what I read, it was the ODP that dropped the ball here, not the Obama campaign. It seems this is about the state party not reconizing a need for faith outreach. Carol, you are coming off as a little unstable."
Helen,
Why is it that everyone in the group you affiliate with is unable to make a point without using a tactic of intimidation and insults?
You have spooked the Obamas and proving the point that they need to keep the above initiatives away from the "politics of hope".
Vade retro Satana. Nunquam suade mihi vana.
Cast not the first stone
Carol,
You claim that I have used "a tactic of intimidation," however; your tirades are very insulting and scary. I just stated the obvious fact that you have shown yourself to appear unstable on this blog.
Question
The article says that Jason Dubois and the party are focusing on Ted Strickland's faith-based initiatives and states Eric McFadden was the "former director". How come McFadden only served a few months in Strickland's administration and why is so out of the loop that he can't get a return phone call from anybody?
Wasn't "Eric McFadden" also in charge of the "Catholic Democrats" initiative in Ohio? What happened that Lisa is now heading it in Ohio?
McFadden also used to work with Alexia Kelly and Chris Korzen, if he's such an icon of political success, why haven't they scooped him up now that he is a free agent?
Why did McFadden leave the Paula Brook's campaign so abruptly?
With all these connections, there is a reason why he can't get any takers even when he is stumping for a job for free?
How strange
"Carol,
You claim that I have used "a tactic of intimidation," however; your tirades are very insulting and scary. I just stated the obvious fact that you have shown yourself to appear unstable on this blog."
Hi Helen:
Do you find offers of prayer scary and insulting?
It's part of the game
Lena,
Don't try to rationalize. "Helen" is playing the game of projecting her own flaws into the stratosphere. Prayer and truth causes anxiety and rebellion.
Peace!
Oh dear...
Can't a girl take a phone call from a friend without a blogodrama sucking up all the oxygen from the room?
Helen,
I'm simply saying if Obama is truly ushering in a new era of politics excluding the rabid exercises of intimidation and malice practiced in the above-named squadrons, this is a move in the right direction to convince Catholics of his sincerity. I don't think the Harvard graduates will buy into your claim to be quivering in the corner over it all, but hey, you go girl!
p.s.
Permit me to clear up a little misunderstanding. While I thoroughly sacrificing myself to your character assassinations to prove the animus that drives your faction, neither the Obama camp nor I are entertaining a mutual collaborative effort of the upcoming election.
The subject matter of the article is why Eric McFadden is out of the loop and can't get a return phone call on his offer to perform "catholic outreach for Obama for free.
Goodnight and God Bless.
Aaron Pickrell has more authority than the ODP
My understanding is that the Obama state teams are making all budget decisions for state level work. Obama's state director Aaron Pickrell has more control over resources than the ODP, although this position may be better suited for the ODP.
Strange
Looks like the blog trolls from ODP have struck on this blog entry. ick
Lena? Carol? Troll?
Whoever she is - can't her facts straight.
Yeah?
Sure seems to me like they made mincemeat out of y'all.
RE: Aaron Pickrell has more authority than the ODP
I think you are right Catholic Voter and it looks from the article that nobody is questioning the Obama Campaign. It looks as if the party did have the resources to take care of this long ago. That is a problem. The article indicates the Obama campaign is stepping in and doing something at least. The ODP is the failure here.
No failure at ODP
Read this paragraph:
"One of the phenomenal things is that we have such a great governor in this state. He did a phenomenal job in his own campaign with reaching out to religious constituencies and we have just an outstanding office of faith-based and community initiatives whose director is also very engaged and involved in making sure the religious community is part of the governor's operation," Dubois said. "We've created a situation where people of faith in this state are used to hearing from a Democrat now which may have not been the case before."
The current director faith-based office and community initiatives is engaged and reaching out to the religious community and is doing an outstanding job.
That may be true, but no one knows about it
The state director of Faith Based initiatives may be doing a good job, but the Catholic community hasn't heard about it. If it is going on, those that need to know about it don't. Also, it's problematic that we would consider using a state agency for political outreach. This work must be done by either the campaign or the state party. The fact that neither have invested in this work is a major concern. 85 days.
Catholic Community
Believe it or not, Catholics are showing up at Democratic events. They're on our mailing lists, our phone and electronic databases.
With the disasterous Doug Kmeic chronicles and the Catholic Bishops being more aggressive in pursuing pro choice politicians, the deja vu of the caricatures and wars of the 2004 election will hurt, not help Obama at the polls.
Relax. Things are going along smoothly.
The Strategy of Relaxing
Wow, ODP anonymous, you must know that Prof. Kmeic has been a great asset to the Obama Campaign, not a deterrent. There have been no "disasterous Kmeic chronicles." He speaks to the conservative and middle of the road Catholics about the many issues that are important to the Catholic voter and in turn will help to convince them to vote for Barack Obama. His endorsement of Obama is a god-send. I can't remember reading about any Ohio bishops going after pro-choice candidates. So, your strategy is to sit back and relax, I think I will say the rosary now...
You are WAY out of touch with the Catholic voter.
attracting bees with honey
Rachel,
While the expectation was that many high profile Catholics would join Kmeic, and voters would follow, the numbers did NOT materialize and actual results have been a disaster, producing negative press and nasty squabbles on every level. The Bishops are being more aggressive nationally. Kmeic was even denied Communion as a result. During the Pope's visit Kennedy, Kerry and even Guiliani were called to the carpet.
Obama can't win a battle with the Catholic Pope. The doctrine is what it is and the campaign wants to avoid nasty attacks on the faithful.
Attracting Catholics through the democratic portal and emphasizing our social justice platform is the method of choice for 2008.
regarding the strategy
You implied above that the campaign's strategy is that Catholics should sit home and relax. That is not at all the strategy.
If we were to hold an event at a Catholic Church or using the Catholic name, it would draw national attention and publicity with the sound bite of how a vote for Obama is a mortal sin, etc. We lose a majority because of the calling of the conscience.
However, holding the same event in a public civic center and inviting Catholics along with people of other faiths, there is no Catholic Crusades against the event.
Understand?
Catholic Vote
Dear Anonymous from the OPD,
The GOP has been rallying their faith base for well over a year and once again, we are caught with our pantaloons down. As a social justice Catholic, why can't the ODP talk about its own "values voters.” Dealing with gripping poverty, the dignity of work for the struggling middle class who have witnessed factories being sent overseas, providing healthcare for children and every Ohioan, ending unjust wars, and being stewards of our environment: these are values too! Catholics have never been solely one issue voters until the Repugs told them they were. In the Bishops document of Faithful Citizenship, voters are warned not to vote on just one issue. It is ridiculous to argue that we can't woo Catholic voters with the Democratic Platform – it hits more of the full spectrum of Catholic Social Teaching. There are many clergy that are more social justice oriented. The Catholic progressive movement is growing. I wish you would consider the progressive Catholics view and not "cower" to a very few vocal conservative bishops. And if you are fearful of the abortion issue, abortion actually declined under a Democratic president. Catholics are fed up with the current situation and are ready for a dialogue – my worry is we may have missed the boat here.
Catholic Vote
Ignoring 26% of the electorate because you don't like the idea of offending a bishop is not a great strategy. How are 26% going to find the "Democratic Portal." There are many Jewish relgious leaders who think Obama is soft about supporting Isreal -- did that stop you from hiring a Jewish Outreach Coordinator? Please reconsider hiring a Catholic Faith Outreach person in Ohio.
The boat
Rachel,
We have not missed the boat. We're in good shape.
I'm not at all saying we can't woo Catholic voters. In fact, we are on the same page about wooing them with our social justice platform.
This is more complicated than a few vocal Bishops. The pressure on the Bishops is coming straight from dicastries of the Holy See following the directions of the Pope. Catholic pols do NOT want to be formally told they must refrain from Communion. Several of them have been placed on notice that they will, and from Bishops you would never expect. Did you ever expect Egan to pull the rug from under Guiliani?
We set airborne the trial balloon for "values voters" with Kmeic early on. We have less support from Bishops, less support from Catholic pols and overwhelmingly the Catholic voters are telling us they've had it with the nasty goonsquad bickering.
Catholic Outreach Person
Rachel,
I'm not sure why I've been unable to get the point across to you. Historically, Catholic Outreach has turned out to be a firing squad, an us vs. them, a political fistocuffs that we've decided did not benefit Kerry and will definitely not benefit Obama.
outreach
The Jewish constituency doesn't split and declare Jihad on each other with the candidate having to take a stand against the head of the Jewish religion in the donnybrook.
We are not abandoning Catholic outreach. We are just not going about it in the same way that has failed historically.
Faith Outreach
Kerry did not benefit from the faith outreach efforts because he never found his voice. Obama and many other Democrats across the state have a strong voice on faith issues. Given the alignment of Democratic principles with Christian ideals plus the fact that the state is 98% Christian and 85% say religion is very or somewhat important, not having a faith outreach coordinator makes no sense.
Important discussions
Kerry made the mistake of trying to have a Catholic voice. Kerry's voice was drowned out by the head of the Catholic Church.
If the same group of faces attempts to give Obama a Catholic voice, Obama's voice will also be drowned out by the head of the Catholic Church and the Catholic vote will be lost to McCain.
We do have a religious outreach and intend to reach out to Catholics but we must do it in a way that avoids the altercations that drowned out Kerry's voice.
You confuse the Church with the Republican caricature
Any attempt to expand the religious discussion is drowned out by the Republican noise machine, not the Church. The head of the Catholic Church has said, "War is a defeat for humanity." JP II called the Iraq war "'immoral, illegal, unjust." He expressed concern over "the human inadequacies of capitalism and the resulting domination of things over people".
nonsensical
JS,
Not a single one of our politicians have been warned that they will be prohibited from communion if they support the war.
Your citation just doesn't make sense.
Catholic Ourtreach in PA
Dear ODP Anonymous
I read that there is a Catholic Faith Outreach strategy in PA, are they quivering at the thought of "wafer wars," or are they going to be smart and woo the Catholic vote. Also, this "jihad" that you speak of in which Catholics unleash on each other is a complete distortion. Yes, the Rovian machine has successfully created division within the Catholic community, but prior to that, Catholics were civil within their differences. It is our job as citizens to push back the tactics of Karl Rove and the Neo Cons. The Pope has never come out and denied communion to anyone. Why does the Obama campaign have a "National Faith Outreach Coordinator," if you say that it is a lost cause? They see the importance. BTW, the recent Pew study has more Catholics identifying with the Democratic Party by a sizable margin. Now is the time to keep it that way. The other side will be aggressive to change the outcome of the study. Please understand the Catholic vote and the constituency before you make insensitive blanket statements about us.
Anonymous at ODP - "young and naive"
Anonymous at ODP? I would say more like "young and naive at ODP", and very unaware of the situation, history and the demographics surrounding the Catholic vote.
To say that John Kerry tried to have a "Catholic voice" and simply inaccurate, not based on fact and just wrong. Had he had a Catholic Voice, he would have won Ohio.
"Anonymous at ODP", is simply like the rest of the staff at ODP. Secular and not concerned with people of faith.
To put this on the shoulders of the Governors office is a further example of how out of touch ODP is. I checked out the web site of that office for faith based, and it looks like they deal in grants, not outreach.
To not have an outreach person on staff for the largest constituency in the state - "People of Faith" is inexcusable and arrogant. "Anonymous at ODP" can spin it anyway they want - but you can not spin the truth.
And to claim that people of faith are showing up at rallies as evidence of support, simply confirms the notion that people of faith are being ignored by the party and also confirms just how naive and and arrogant "Anonymous at ODP" the rest of the staff at ODP have become. How sad. Maybe if the staff was actually from OHIO, they would understand the state better.
Keep an eye out on the exit polling on election day. Maybe Obama gets lucky and wins Ohio without the faith vote. I seriously doubt it. But the long term consequences of this failed strategy by ODP will hurt the party and its candidates going forward.
Hardly Faith Outreach
I see where the reporter updated the story to mention that ODP hired a Jewish outreach person in a state with a very low population of jews. This is their faith outreach? Then they mention Rick Barga? Who is he? Has he ever accomplished a thing in the faith outreach arena?
"Rick Barga is primarily occupied with faith-outreach in his role as Ohio director of constituent outreach."
He is constituent outreach, but primarily occupied with faith. If nobody in the faith community knows him, then how will he accomplish this?
This is sad.
ODP Seved up...
Looks as if Rachel has "served" "Anonymous at ODP".
Time for the ODP trolls to pack it in. You can not spin the truth.
Catholics will not be fooled
Catholics will not be fooled by the typical issues that the Dems use to try and move serious Catholics away from their faith. Obama supports Infanticide and that is all Catholics need to know when they go to to the voting booth this fall.
Until the dems decide to quit supporting measures that kill babies, they will continue to lose elections.
Interesting
This is an interesting tid bit from a CBS story.
"Obama is running nearly neck-and-neck with McCain among white voters in most polls, a major cause for optimism considering that John Kerry and Al Gore lost the white vote by 17 and 12 points respectively. Among whites, he does well with women, the affluent and college grads but fares poorly among low-income earners and Catholics - key swing groups that handed Hillary Clinton stunning blowouts in West Virginia and Kentucky."
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/08/11/politics/politico/main4336774....
Neither Young Nor Naive
Let me see if I have this straight
We, at the ODP are young and naive
-We are arrogant
-We are all stupid
-We were all 'served' by Rachel
-We are cowards
-We are spin artists & trolls
-We are all secular pagans
-Rick Braga is a know-nothing
-Republicans are boogeymen
-Karl Rove is beazabul
-Neocons are everywhere
-The Pope doesn't know his faith
-Catholics won't vote unless we hire Vanderslice and McFadden.
People are tired of the curmudgeons.
Your candidates lost with your tactics.
Somebody else might know something besides you. The outreach position is filled.
Good day to you.
Catholic Curmudeons
Have I made myself clear?
It's not pining.
It's passed on.
This parrot is no more.
It has ceased to be.
It's expired and gone to meet its maker.
This is a late parrot.
It's a stiff.
Bereft of life, it rests in peace.
If you hadn't nailed it to the perch, it would be pushing up the daisies.
It's rung down the curtain and joined the choir invisible.
THIS IS AN EX-PARROT.
Seriously,
Seriously,
I do hope you review all I've said above in prayer. We looked at all the previous voting patterns. Kerry was torpedoed by the backfiring of the Catholic vote demographic.
We are not going there.
We're fu*ked
If the attitude of Anonymous at ODP speaks for the prevailing convention wisdom, the Dems just moved backwards four years. I'm not encouraged.
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