I have been with John McCain since the Exploratory Committee. I have served on the Michigan Finance Committee and I have part of Michigan Veterans for McCain since March of 2007.
Hank Fuhs is Chair. I am co chair and we have a large organization that has reached out to several hundred thousand veterans in the state. Most recently we have been sending our contacts by list to Lynn Aronoff and Al Rebeiro, as well as Von Millard in Virginia.
I appreciate your script but to be frank we have already been moving and reaching out via the internet (emails and bloggin) radio, press, television, and phones.
In Grand Rapids alone, we have reached out to over one thousand veterans (list submitted) and the additional 28 Victory Centers has had similar successes. We estimate that from our actual experience, the average volunteer for Michigan Veterans for McCain is submitting a minimum of 35 veterans on board with McCain.
We also know from my experience on the US Navy Recruiting District Advisory Council, there are 849,000 veterans in Michigan. If you include their dependents the number is 1.3 million.
We have followed the following assumptions in guiding our strategy,I know from Navy career and my career in the financial industry that the average person know about 350 people. I also know the population of Michigan is 11 million. We have initially 17 veteran victory centers and the average contacts has cumulated presently to 1000 people per center. We have rounded down the population average to assume that ten percent of the Michigan population is a veteran.
From these assumptions, the reach of the victory centers in the primary contact circle (first contact to pro McCain veteran) is potentially 17,000. Applying the ten percent assumption of veterans in the general population against the amount of people known by an individual (35); the potential reach of the victory centers is 595,000 supporters (17,000 x 35).
To echo Dan Butrie of the campaign, essentially birds of a feather flock together, ie veterans are talking to veterans. For us that has been a good thing. Each night and afternoon at the Grand Rapids Victory Center I we have seen veterans constantly coming in for signs, stickers, volunteering, etc. And most come in for signs for their friends as well.
Some justification to consider against our assumptions; the lists I have seen in Western Michigan have ranged from a low of four supporters to a high of 481 supporters. We have a blog site established with current info and comments. We have interconnected the blog site with other prominent blog site is Michigan including the most widely read blog RightMichigan.com. We have had radio interviews broadcasting to all of western Michigan. We have had a press conference which was covered by local television and press. We have had two articles in the written paper (Grand Rapids Press) and the internet version of same. We have e-mail chains and regular communications going. We have individuals purchasing signs for veterans and McCain. We have volunteers calling for veterans. We the support of several flag level officers and Command Master Chiefs and Command Master Sergeants. We have reached out to friends of veterans and magnified our supporters for McCain ( Women for McCain, Jewish American for McCain, Catholic for McCain, Sportsmen for McCain). We also have reached out beyond Michigan to the other States and overseas to deployed forces.
You could consider that the second level of contacts (those that are contacted from the first contacts) produces an average of 2 more people per secondary contactor. That would add even larger numbers of a potential aditional 1,190,000 contacts for Mc Cain. Or a total reach for our organization of 1,785,000 veterans and friends of veterans for McCain.
What we don't have is the Michigan list of veterans from the Voter Vault. If you can get us that, that would be excellent and we would put it to good use.
We believe that the veterans of Michigan could deliver Michigan to McCain. We also believe that w e have the best veteran organization in the states! And by the way, we vote. And we don't get polled.
By the way, I am one of three hundred enlisted endorsing John McCain and we have the General and Admiral list.
What can we do to help?
October 2, 2008
Greetings from Veterans for John McCain 2008 Headquarters Arlington, VA:
As the 2008 Presidential campaign enters into its final month no one can deny it has been a hotly contested fight. The polls show that the contest can go either for Senator McCain or for his opponent. That is why the mobilization of Michigan's veterans can very well decide the margin of victory
We urgently need Michigan's veterans to aid us in an all out grassroots effort to ensure victory in the state of Michigan.
Join our fight to elect an American Hero John McCain and his running mate Governor Sara Palin (AK) against Obama and his liberal media supporters attack. Would you be willing to serve as a Veterans Post Captain?
Thank You
Richard Scott
PS: I will contact you by phone soon.
Veterans for John McCain-Palin
1235 South Clark St.
Suite M
Arlington, VA 22202
Main: 703-650-5950
Direct: 703-349-99 54
Fax: 703-413-0740
Your job as a Veterans Post Captain
Your job is to be the face Veterans for McCain-Palin for veterans in your area, to ensure that the veterans voice is heard in this election, help provide absentee ballots to those who need them (where appropriate) and to encourage their support for John McCain and Sarah Palin.
Visit the post (or posts) to which you are assigned as often as possible.
Talk to post members. Answer questions they may have about John McCain. Ensure that those not able to make it to polling stations on November 4 get their absentee ballots in.
Distribute literature: We will supply you with the following:
· Veterans Fact Sheet
· FactCheck.org piece refuting AFL-CIO ads attacking McCain on veterans.
· Press releases announcing: 300 Generals and Admirals Endorsing McCain, 300+ Enlisted Leaders Endorsing McCain, 21 Past National Commanders of the VFW and American Legion Endorsing McCain
· Other info as available
Recruit more supporters. Depending on the rules of the posts, you may not be able to do this in the post; do it outside if need be. Respect any requirements the post leadership impose on your activities – you want their support, so be cooperative. Remember, the post leadership cannot help you in their official capacity. There's plenty for new supporters to tackle; be sure to note what they're interested in doing:
· Becoming a Post Captain like you
· Helping at early voting locations (where appropriate)
· Helping our get-out-the-vote efforts (making phone calls and knocking doors)
· Helping out on Election Day
Report your results. It doesn't count if you don't report it. Send any new volunteer information to ____________, and report the number of absentee ballot requests to ____________. { NOTE – this will vary depending on the rules in each state
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