Obama to mobilize supporters after Gustav to help.

[SirNitram]

Link

Sen. Obama gathered the pool outside after services at St. Luke's Lutheran Church. He told us that his camapaign plans to mobilize its huge e-mail list of supporters to volunteer or send money once the impact of Gustav becomes apparent and authorities know better what kind of help is needed. He said his campaign is coordinating with local authorities.

"We can activate an e-mail list of a couple million people who want to give back," he said. "I think we can get tons of volunteers to travel down there if it becomes necessary."

Your pooler asked him if McCain's visit now is appropriate.

His response: "A big storm like this raises bipartisan concerns and I think for John to want to find out what's going on is fine."

"The thing that I always am concerned about in the middle of a storm is whether we're drawing resources away from folks on the ground because the Secret Service and various security requirements, sometimes it pulls police, fire and other departments away from concentrating on the job."

"I'm assuming that where he went that wasn't an issue. Were going to try to stay clear of the area until things have settled down and then we'll probably try to figure out how we can be as helpful as possible."

I happen to agree: McCain's going to draw people from where they could be more productive, and frankly, I think it's just a photo-op.

[Einhander Sn0m4n]

I predict a McCain attack ad calling Obama a coward who didn't want to endanger himself to put in an appearance. The other side of that decision would be an attack ad stating Obama needlessly squandered resources to put in a completely unneeded apppearance for cheap political points.

I think McCain's overall strategery in this campaign can best be described by the phrase 'damned if you do, damned if you don't'.

[Mr Bean]

There's a simple way around that.

Simply contact the Red Cross or your disaster relief agency of your choice, find someplace down there you could be useful and start filling sandbags, don't tell the media, the SS will know, you don't have to be driving around in a boat in the 9th Ward in order to make an impression, just quietly go down there and start helping out, giving out water or what ever is required.

If the media follows berate them for being useless, if you want to come, then come to help, not to film me helping people. This is not a photo op.

Of course while people will attack him for "acting Presidential" you can be damn sure Bush(Does not care about poor people) or McCain(Physically can't) won't be down there helping out. Even if it's something as simple as delivering supplies to people in shelters it will make a huge impact. I have no question McCain will speak atop the rubble of somone's house, meanwhile he's Obama DOING something rather than just giving a speech.

Also it gives Obama the chance to flex his donation muscle again and appeal directly to people for cash for the Hurricane victims. Considering the number of small time doners he has, he might get 100 million if he asked. And that would be a second kick in the teeth to the administration if he outdoes federal funds for a little while.

[CmdrWilkens]

All he needs to do is exactly what he did with the midwet floods...send out mass e-mails to solicit donations while also bringing his whole staff down to help fill sandbags (or an equivalent post Hurricane action) for a day.