I'm sorry but Meetup.com is not the end all be all of political campaigns

Website traffic and Meetup numbers only form a fraction of 1 percent of the total political support a candidate needs. Even if they've got 100,000 supporters. How about all the poor and the elderly who don't sit in front of a comp all day. They are the ones that vote. I'd be willing to bet fully half of the writers on this forum didn't even vote in 2000.

the "general public" don't do their politicking online. This is something that started out of the 2000 Florida debacle. It's great that it is a PART of the effort, but it's not the be all-end all.

I voted for as many years as I can remember - BTW.

It's not about the raw numbers; it's about each of those individuals comming together to coordinate and focus their efforts. Meet-up is not a "poll;" it's not a tally of who's voting for who, but it is an indicator of the force of a particular candidate's grassroots support. It is what happens at the meet-ups, as people are inspired to write letters, register voter, canvas neighborhoods and make other efforts for their candidate that matter.

It is a good thing that nobody has made the claim which you refute.

i have not signed up for the meetup thing and not sure if i will. but i like it that i have the option of doing it if i want to.

I just don't like how these people on cspan for draft wes clark think meetup.com supporters means their guy has a chance.

I dont have a problem with em either.

It is one avenue that can be used to attrack new people. As for the elderly and the poor, I don't know if you've noticed but the guy with the highest meetup numbers doesn't seem to care much about them when it comes to the programs he's pushing. He comes from an upper class white background and he's never had to work hard for anything in his life.

Yes I know...that's why I support Kerry, another upper class white guy but a man who fought in Vietnam and appreciates ever as he says, "extra" day of his life. He sympathizes with many poorer and elderly veterans and shares a more common connection through his wartime experiences. we all know this will prove to be a defining factor in the campaign ahead and if we really want to beat Bush we ought to accept it fully and support Kerry.

The elderly and the poor would like DK really.

No, no I'm not replying to you, John, a thousand apologies. I'm addressing my remarks to Genius. I only wish my own son, whose about your age had the maturity you exhibit here day after day.

thats ok.

and people like you who parrot the upper class = depraved, bad, never having had to work hard, etc, etc. And just how do you define upper class?

This is just as biased, though usually not as dangerous, as the opposite bias which equates poverty with stupidity and laziness.

This kind of narrow, linear thinking is dangerous. Really dangerous.
Think Cambodia and the campaign to cleanse the population of intellectuals and professionals.

If you're looking for the "be-all, end-all" I'd look to see how many people are showing up to hear the respective candidates.

I attended a couple of Reagan rallies in 1980, albeit to hold up a sign that said "Reagan Schmeagan," and they were huge. He rolled to victory. Look for something similar happening.

...we should be praising your spam-a-thon website that gets nearly 100 hits a day.

you should separate your campaign from Dean's - it may have changed a lot since I lived there, but do yourself a favor.

...will not be played up as much as it has here. I fully endorse Dr. Dean, but on the local campaign trail, I will be speaking for myself and my own campaign.

Thanks.

placement and promotion by the meetup site. So, high meetup numbers are partly a reflection of which campaign has decided that the internet is valuable way to spend their resources, in the same way that high polling numbers are a reflection of who is buying air time and airing good commercials and who is getting good press.

Cause it's paying off in spades for Dean.

$ $ $ $ $ $

I think it is a fantastic idea. It puts fun back into the grassroots effort. I'm also very impressed by the numbers Dean has been pulling. I don't think it will make a huge difference ultimately, but it makes for great press, and it is a great way to generate activist enthusiasm. Plus, it sets up a medium if - God forbid - we need to cull together another anti-war movement.

Also, regarding the "vote in 2000" comment - Kerry supporters unfairly get stereotyped as combative. Please don't lend ammunition to these attacks. Kerry is going to need the help of ALL Democrats down the road. It does nothing for his cause if you alienate everybody and their first cousin. We have to adequately plan not just to win the war, but to win the peace as well.

It is very easy to get a reputation for being unreasonable. And then people will not listen when you have valid points to make. You made a good point about the Meetup phenomenon, but did so in a way that made everybody oppose a fairly common sense idea. Which just doesn't make sense.

sorry, i know i am new here..but this place energizes me, excites me...people here i have found, no matter who they support...seem to be fully engaged...i have voted every election since 1972....that was nixon just in case you are too young to remember..the year i turned 18 years old...the first thing i did the day i turned 18 was to register to vote..i believe that was also the first year that they allowed 18 year olds to vote...