Iowa Democratic Party Satellite Caucuses - here in St Pete! - and Alison Morano skypes in from Iowa to tell us more

This year the Iowa Democratic Party has tried to enfranchise more voters by organizing satellite caucuses for those not in Iowa for the Big Day (Monday, February 3rd)

24 out-of state and 3 international sites were announced - and among those Iowa Caucus sites outside of Iowa is right here in St. Petersburg. See:

https://www.weareiowa.com/news/local-politics/final-list-of-satellite-caucus-locations-for-iowa-democrats-released/

Alison Morano, veteran political operative from Florida, is now working in Iowa for Vice President Biden. She is helping to coordinate the efforts in Florida, and she skyped in to talk to our students about how the satellite caucuses would work and what she should expect in St. Pete

We plan to skype with attendees in St Pete when we are in New Hampshire watching the Iowa Caucus results come in.

Alison Morano joining us via skype from Iowa

student Jacob Terrell asks Ms Morano a question

Getting ready for Get Out the Vote - GOTV - in New Hampshire - Dr JSM Lecture

Before moving to Florida to begin teaching at USFSP, I worked in government and politics -- including work at the White House and on several presidential campaigns.   My presidential campaign experience includes several primaries in New Hampshire.  In fact, I moved to Florida from New Hampshire, where I was working for the New Hampshire Democratic Party. I directed several statewide field organizations in NH.  For example, I hired and trained dozens of organizers, developed vote goals and turnout models for several election cycles, oversaw GOTV planning and Election Day Boiler Room operations, etc. etc.

Before we leave for New Hampshire, I want all of my students to know what to expect from their campaigns and how to be prepared for GOTV during the New Hampshire Primary.  I also want to share with them more about campaigns and elections and political traditions in New Hampshire prior to our departure.

In addition to my lectures, students are assigned several reading and writing assignments related to the New Hampshire primary (e.g., selections from Professor Dante Scala's book Stormy Weather (including the chapter on the 2000 Gore/Bradley primary).  We will be meeting with Professor Scala when we are in New Hampshire.

showing a GOTV training video - some of the technology has changed - but principles remain the same

Racing against the clock!

Classic scene from "7 Minutes to a Democratic Victory" - training video prepared by former colleagues in NH in 2002

USFSP Chancellor Martin Tadlock and USFSP College of Arts & Sciences Dean Magali Michael meet with RTWH2020

As I am sure you would imagine, organizing the Road to the White House is a gargantuan undertaking -- from arranging the logistics of the New Hampshire trip (hotel, vans, drivers, group meals) as well as the itinerary (meetings with the New Hampshire Democratic and Republican Parties, with the Secretary of State, the Governor's Office and Executive Council, State House tour, and many others designed to introduce students to New Hampshire's history and political culture), and arranging all of the internship placements (this year we had students interning on 8 different campaigns in 3 cities), as well as designing the curriculum for the course (updating and re-designing every four years).....

This course requires an extraordinary degree of support - especially from the Office of the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences - everything from the individual permits for the students to register for the courses, processing the student course fees, assisting with all manner of paperwork (the insurance for the 15-passenger vans, processing payment to the hotel....the list goes on and on and on)

We wanted to invite the Chancellor, Dr. Martin Tadlock, and the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, Dr. Magali Michael, to class so that we could thank them for all of the support for the course (including our RTWH t-shirts and USF hats) -- and also so they could give us some advice before embarking on our adventure in snowy New Hampshire.

The Chancellor's visit coincided with USFSP's announcement of its prestigious re-classification of the Carnegie Community Engagement designation.

See

https://www.usfsp.edu/home/2020/01/31/usf-st-petersburg-selected-by-carnegie-foundation-for-2020-community-engagement-classification/

and

https://www.usf.edu/news/2020/usf-tampa-st-petersburg-lauded-for-community-engagement-efforts.aspx

Of course -- the Road to the White House is the quintessential Citizen Scholar course that USFSP is recognized for -- a class about US Presidential Campaigns and Elections that includes work on a presidential campaign in New Hampshire's first-in-the-nation primary.

Chancellor Tadlock greets the Road to the White House students

Dean Michael and Chancellor Tadlock

Dean Michael meeting with the students

Presidential Candidate Presentations, Parts 2 and 3

Before embarking on our New Hampshire Presidential Campaign adventure, all students learn about all of the candidates running.  

Last week, we heard presentations about Bennet, Biden, Bloomberg, Delaney, Klobuchar, Steyer, and Yang.  (See https://rtwh2020.blogspot.com/2020/01/2020-presidential-candidate.html )

This week, students presented papers about Buttigieg, Patrick, Sanders, Warren, Gabbard, Trump and Weld.

The students were randomly assigned the candidates and randomly assigned in groups - so it gave students the chance to get to know each other before we travelled to New Hampshire.

There was press in class that day - so some of the students made their presentations in front of TV cameras. No pressure!  (Good practice for when they get to New Hampshire - they will all become media celebrities)