RTWH 2020 Planning Trip -- September 2019 -- Sen. Elizabeth Warren -- Manchester HQs (Canvass Kick Off) and NHDP Conventionon

I visited Senator Elizabeth Warren's Manchester Field Office and met with her political and field directors there.

When we made the appointment - and the field director said we could meet at the Canvass Kick Off that Sunday - that made my heart sing. Grassroots! Canvassing -going door-to-door talking to voters - is the most effective persuasion (after direct interaction with the candidate).

on this wall in the NH field office you can help yourself to aaaaaaaaaall the plans!              

I will post separately about the NHDP Convention (where I enjoyed 7 hours of political speeches, including hearing from 19 Democratic presidential candidates) -- but -- in this post about the Warren operation in NH -- I have to mention the NHDP Convention.

The video I wanted to share is too long to upload (!) -- but you can get an idea from watching this one.  No one can organize Convention vis like a Massachusetts Democrat.

Clearly Team Warren got there early to carve out their spot(s) for Convention vis!
(chanting "Win With Warren!")

and, of course, it was great to see old friends

There are already 8 field offices around the state -- in Laconia, Keeene, Concord, Portsmouth, Nashua, Manchester, and Lebanon. Again, our students will likely be working in Manchester or Nashua - but - I will work with the campaign to make sure our students are working where the need is greatest (and that we can coordinate a good drop-off and pick-up route with my other students and their internship placements).  Clearly there is a strong field organization with Team Warren, and our students who select this campaign for their placement will be put to work. They will also learn from Massachusetts organizing experts, training that will serve them well if they choose to work on future campaigns.

The Manchester Field Office:

This is not an endorsement, but, I LOVE this slogan: Dream Big, Fight Hard

Yes -- Warren *definitely* stood out at the Convention!

these thundersticks were given out at the NHDP Convention -- Warren absolutely owned that convention hall -- I will post a video so you can get an idea of what the reception was like -- with the sea of these thundersticks

this was my favorite giveaway at the NHDP Convention -- the Warren campaign was giving away planners! -- as in, she's got a plan for that

of course - the primary and caucus dates are noted in the planners!

RTWH 2020 Planning Trip - September 2019 -- Mayor Pete Conway Office Opening and Manchester field office

So.... I decided to drive up to Conway for an 8:00 am office opening (!) on Sunday morning.  

Conway is in the scenic Mount Washington Valley, on the southeastern edge of the White Mountains, about a 2.5 hour drive from the hotel.  I checked out at 4:30 AM to load the car and head up to the office opening.

Yes -- I made the most of every single minute I had in NH on the planning trip. The beauty of campaigns:  they operate around the clock -- even in September leading up to the first-in-the-nation primary scheduled for February.

Back to the Conway office opening. My first priority was to meet with staff on every campaign and to see the field offices and to make the necessary arrangements for my students' internship placements.  However, I was able to squeeze in a few candidate events as well -- to see the campaigns in action.

Conway Office Opening with Mayor Pete and Chasten:

I had the opportunity to speak with Mayor Pete - and to snap this selfie

And I met Chasten, too

Chasten working the rope line ....how adorable is this?

Mayor Pete working the ropeline....I enjoyed hearing what people were asking/wanted to share with Mayor Pete

 

It was a beautiful Sunday morning in Conway

 

 The Conway HQs: 

This was the office opening - but I am sure this will soon be abuzz with volunteers

 The Office Opening was held outside -- but here is a view of the Conway Field Office:

 

  

We will be based in the Southern Tier -- my students will be working in offices in cities and towns such as Manchester, Nashua, Concord, and Salem.  No one will be placed in this Conway office (about 2 hours drive from Manchester).  Still, I decided that I could attend that 8:00 am Sunday morning event since it did not conflict with other meetings -- and I'd have the opportunity to see more of the Granite State.  As with the trip to the Lakes District for the Biden Town Hall in Laconia, I did not have the chance to get many pictures while on the drive - but - I did have the chance to drive the Kancamagus Highway for the first time in a long time - and to take in the stunning views of the White Mountains. By law there are no billboards along the highways in New Hampshire -so you can really appreciate the scenery as you drive around the state. 

 

 The Manchester Field Office

I met with the Manchester Field Organizer when I visited Mayor Pete's HQs on Elm Street in Manchester:

Every election I ever worked on  I was obsessed with the countdown to Election Day -- always aware of the urgency of now.  I was surprised how few of these countdowns I saw when on this planning visit.  Seeing this sign in Mayor Pete's Manchester HQs warmed my heart

RTWH2020 Planning Trip - September 2019 -- Senator Bernie Sanders State Headquarters and Manchester Field Office

I met with the Bernie Campaign's State Director (at the State HQs) and several staffers in the Manchester field office.  It was good to have the opportunity to meet with the team to talk logistics for my students.

Although I have since read this article (link below), and some I met with while in NH have since been re-assigned.  That said, it was good to be in NH, to find the Bernie offices, see what the interns/volunteers would be doing for the campaign, and to have the chance to meet with staff members in person to make arrangements for my course.

https://www.politico.com/story/2019/09/15/bernie-sanders-campaign-new-hampshire-1497448

RTWH 2020 Planning Trip - September 2019 -- Senator Cory Booker

I visited the Sen. Cory Booker's HQs in Manchester.  They have this whole house -- and it is filled with rooms of staff and volunteers.  I met with the Deputy Field Director (2nd CD) to arrange for the internship placements for students in y RTWH2020 course.

I also had a chance to hear Sen. Booker speak at the NHDP Convention while I was in NH. (I will post separately about the Convention.)

getting a tour of the office

the Booker HQ faces the highway -- so the HQs also doubles as good vis

and there is a community garden out back...this will be under snow when we come back in February!