“Organizers of California Draft Gore, a grassroots campaign to put Al Gore’s name on the California presidential primary ballot, announced today that the campaign has volunteers located in or assigned to all of the state’s 53 congressional districts.
Originally convening on websites like algore.org, meetup.com, and draftgore.com, California Gore supporters quickly built the infrastructure necessary to take advantage of the California Election Code, which allows for a candidate’s name to be placed on the ballot if at least 500 registered Democrats’ signatures are obtained from each of the state’s congressional districts.
“In less than sixty days we have filled almost all of the campaign coordinator positions,” said Patrick McGovern, the Los Angeles regional campaign coordinator. “With estimates of over 1,000 volunteers statewide, we are a broad cross-section of Californians.”
One of the first of many Gore ’08 groups to move beyond petitions and pleas, the California campaign’s well-organized grassroots volunteers are optimistic about its chance of success. California Election Code allows signatures to be collected from October 8th through December 4th, and Berkeley campaign coordinator Gabi Baty believes that the campaign will meet that deadline because “we have people ready to hit the ground running.”
“There’s no doubt we’ll succeed. The only question is, how quickly. The sooner it’s inevitable that Al Gore will be on the ballot, the sooner he’ll take notice,” mused San Diego coordinator Ben Cooper. “We want Gore to realize that we’ve ignited the ‘new movement to rekindle the true spirit of America,’ he described in The Assault on Reason. We’re not trying to pressure him to run. We’re planning to inspire him.”
Many of the campaign’s volunteers view their efforts in this light. “We’re doing our part to help him make a decision,” said Beverly Flynn, a campaign coordinator from Turlock who had never been involved with politics until she joined California Draft Gore.
Baty agrees. “Our work to get him on the California ballot may encourage Gore. He may find himself at the front of a wave that’s pushing him forward.”
Campaign organizers are still recruiting volunteers for the signature-gathering campaign. Though California Draft Gore counts many seasoned politicos among its members, it also attracts political newcomers. Linda Morreale, is one such volunteer. Why Gore and why now? “It feels important,” she said. “Of all the choices, he’s the best.”
For more information on the campaign or to contribute to California Draft Gore’s campaign, visit www.california4gore.org.
About California Draft Gore:
California Draft Gore, a grassroots organization, is a Federal PAC. The organization and its website are not affiliated with or authorized by Al Gore, any candidate or candidate’s committee.”
This is something new in American Politics…
Don’t discount the efforts of real people doing what, for the longest time only spin machines, special interest money and professional campaign people did, pick their choice for President. We have a right to make this civic action, it’s our job as citizens. It is not the outcome that is so significant but the process being done. I think Mr. Gore will agree with that and is quite fascinated by our work. We exemplify what he talked about in the Assault On Reason. Just look at past popular movements in this country such as the Civil Rights Movement. I’m sure people discounted them in the beginning. Don’t be so quick to judge, it takes time to test out these things.
If you have a mind, use it, if you have a voice, speak it, if you have political will,
exercise it. I thank God for Al Gore. God bless America and God bless this beautiful earth.
