The Chicago Way

Since Super Duper Fat Tuesday various political writers, bloggers, and talking heads have been over awed by Obama's political organization. His overwhelming wins in caucus states have been all the talk. Some of the reaction is based on the realization that Hillary failed to organize well in those states but they seem genuinely surprised that Obama WAS organized.

Then again, as far as I know none of them are from Chicago.

In our politics (and our football) it is all about the ground game! Hillary supposedly has the Democratic Party machine behind her. I'll refer you to 1960 when the Chicago Democratic Party machine delivered the White House to some Bostoner. In Chicago, in the old days, a new family would move into the neighborhood. The Democratic precinct captain would show up at the door with a bit of food, you know just as a welcoming gift, and "Oh, Mr. New Arrival, do you need a job? I know a guy in Streets and Sans that could use a new driver." On election day, Mr. New Arrival sure as hell knew who took care of him.

One could imagine caucuses were invented for Chicago politicans.

I'm not for one miniscule moment suggesting that Obama is playing that corrupt game. If I thought he was I wouldn't be as big a supporter as I am. But he learned his politics in Chicago. There are lessons to be learned. Obama learned to play the ground game. And he's been doing it for a long time. He has experience!

And one thing that I've only seen mentioned one time is what this is going to do in the genearl election. A lot of these caucus states - Kansas, Nebraska, Nevada (he lost but got more delegates) - are traditional Republican states. He may not win many or even any of them, but he's got a ground game there. The Gopper nominee is will have to pay attention to them. Spend money and spend time there. That will limit his time in Ohio, Penn, and Florida.

Primary by primary, caucus by caucus, I'm growing a little more confident that Obama is going to win the Democratic nomination. If he does he will get $10s of millions more in donations. He'll have the money to keep his red state activists in literature and pamphlets, he'll be able to keep them in the message loop, and he'll be able to fight the Gopper on his home turf.



And don't forget the coattails.