Rapid Response needs digital video volunteers in states below reGOP visits

[papau]

*Dean Rapid Response (RR) Editor's note - we've talked with these folks and believe this idea has real potential - take a look and contact them if you have expertise to contribution in order to help make this happen*

PLEASE NOTE IF YOU ARE IN A SPECIFIC STATE LISTED
BELOW.

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Call for Talent:

As you know, the Bush-Cheney campaign has been making every effort to circumvent the national media, so as to control their media coverage (and bypass all that so-called "fair and balanced" stuff!) in the important battleground states.

This is evident in their "Ask President Bush" campaign events, but it's equally evident in the interviews and coverage by the local media. This call signals an effort to counteract that rather unbalanced coverage by providing the local media in ten battleground
states quality footage of experts in their market or man-on-the-street interviews.

We are looking for teams of people with digital video cameras, sound techs, producers/editors and researchers in the major media markets in the ten most important battleground states where Bush & Co. are
likely to campaign this fall -- their hope, of course, is to campaign there unchallenged.

Why?

"How much coverage the campaigns get in the local media in key states could determine who wins the White House in November, according to no less a political expert than former president Bill Clinton." <1>

And it's not just shadowing the Bush-Cheney04 campaign that prompts this effort, it is also needed to counteract the independent campaign of the Swift Boat liars, who: "are developing a database of former swift boat veterans, "focusing on people from each state,"
who can keep questions about his service three decades ago in the spotlight. Originally buoyed by a $200,000 donation from a major Republican backer in Houston, the swift boat group now says it has raised $1.56 million from more than 24,000 donors, mostly since the
organization began running ads attacking Kerry after the Democratic convention.

"'Our media strategy is to follow him," both with paid advertising and press conferences,' O'Neill said..."
<2>

How?

Local media are always overwhelmed by a presidential or vice-presidential visit (especially if they are given lengthy access to them). Rarely do they have either the resources or the expertise to put the campaign message to which they have thence been exposed in
context. Often, local media figures are overwhelmed by the "honor" of being in the presence of national political figures.

That's where this rapid response effort comes in. Knowing the opponent's schedule will result in a mobilization of our response teams in the targeted markets. They will go out and create a high-quality, digital video response that we will then provide to the local television and radio media, offering another side to our opponent's message. These teams will record expert or man-on-the-street responses, edit them to useable portions and then provide them to local media on the same day before their local
broadcasting schedule.

Researchers will develop a local database of veterans sympathetic to Kerry and other experts in health Care, the economy, terrorism and the war in Iraq beforehand, so that they can be recorded when needed.

Teams will be alerted to the Bush or Cheney visits (or SBVFT efforts) at least 24 hours in advance by our national video response coordinator, Gill Pionkowski, who will provide them with information on the expected theme/message by our opponents.

If you have digital video recording equipment of decent quality in the states and cities named below -- we NEED you!

If you are a sound tech in the states and cities named below -- we NEED you!

If you are a producer and/or video editor in the states and cities named below -- we NEED you!

If you are a good researcher/people person in the states and cities named below -- we NEED you!

We are taking rapid response to a whole new level --to counteract the long-standing advantages enjoyed by Republicans and this White House in manipulating public debate and local news coverage. To do this, we need YOU!

If you are one of these people, then please email [e-mail] with Video Response Team in the subject line. Thanks!

States/markets where we need responders:

1.) Florida:
- Orlando
- Tampa
- Gainesville
- Tallahassee
- Jacksonville

2.) Iowa:
- Ames
- Cedar Rapids
- Davenport
- Des Moines
- Dubuque
- Iowa City

3.) Minnesota:
- Twin Cities
- Duluth

4.) Missouri:
- St. Louis
- Kansas City

5.) Nevada
- Las Vegas

6.) New Mexico:
- Albuquerque
- Santa Fe
- Las Cruces

7.) Ohio:
- Toledo
- Cleveland
- Columbus
- Akron
- Dayton

8.) Pennsylvania:
- Philadelphia
- Pittsburgh
- Allentown

9.) Michigan:
- Detroit
- Lansing
- Flint
- Grand Rapids

10.) Wisconsin:
- Milwaukee
- Madison
- La Crosse/Eau Claire




<1> Local media's clout rises in battleground states,
by Mark
Memmott; USA TODAY
(8/24/04) p. 8A
<http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/news/20040824/a_localmedia24.art.htm>

<2> Bush rips third-party ads, is mum on anti-Kerry
push, By Anne E. Kornblut;
Boston Globe Staff 8/24/04)
<http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2004/08/24/bush_rips_third_party_ads_is_mum_on_anti_kerry_push?pg=full>