Obama's shock troops training in N.C.


Barack Obama's field organizers are getting an education.

About 180 Obama Organizing Fellows went to a three-day training session last weekend at a fraternal organization hall in Durham. The volunteers, mostly students and recent graduates, had been chosen from thousands after writing essays.

At the session, they were trained on how to make sure a voter-registration form is properly filled out, how to organize voter registration drives and how to find volunteers, among other things. One of the trickier topics: How to talk to Hillary Clinton supporters.

Lakeisha McCoy, a hostess at the Sheraton Atlantic Beach who recently moved to Morehead City from New York City, said she applied because her family is politically active and she is still "naive enough to do that sort of thing."

Like other fellows, she works part-time at the hotel, so she has the 30 hours a week required to meet with local politicians, organize house meetings and set up local Obama support groups. She said her job is to help Carteret County, which is "still pretty polarized" from the election.

"That's the Obama strategy: Try to mend the fences with Clinton supporters and get the voters out," she said.  

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Re: Obama's shock troops training in N.C.

really ?
well my kid is working 7 days a week, 12 hours/day as a volunteer in North Carolina and gave up a paying summer job to do this. Should he or I be embarrassed that he is foregoing spending money and free evenings and weekend to work for Obama? I work and I am glad to contribute to Obama by supporting my kid's efforts.
No one is denigrating a kid that can't afford to make this effort but why denigrate a kid who is able to and willing to. Twelve hours/day seven days a week is pretty tough stuff.

Re: On shock troops

Ah yes, Wikipedia backs up the nimble fighting force reference :) Good show RTB!

Re: Obama's shock troops training in N.C.

I will be out resisting the invaders!

On shock troops

The "shock troops" reference was to the fact that they were designed for mobility and infiltrating enemy terrain, as Ms. McCoy is cleary doing with Clinton supporters.

Perhaps I overthought that one.

As for the purpose of the post, well I thought pointing out that she works at the site of the debate — where I've been blogging for several hours — made it clear how the topic came up...

— RTB

Re: Obama's shock troops training in N.C.

I don't understand the shock troops reference. Are you referring to the fascist battalions in WWII?

Anyway, Obama's sending in a bunch of volunteers to do voter registration. Ok, and...?

Here's where we get into the meat and potatoes of Obama's NC activity. We have few if any real Obama political operatives on the ground. Virginia and Ohio have dozens. Obama's campaign is sending these rich white kids whose parents bankroll thier eight-week "organizing fellowship" to meet with local pols and make a bunch of promises they aren't responsible for keeping once they leave in two months and head back to college or a real paying job.

It's telling that Barack Obama would not have been able to be an Obama organizing fellow as he came from a single-parent household and had to take out loans to pay for school. Hypocrisy much?

I, for one, am not impressed.