What I said to the OFA fundraiser who called me

[MotherPetrie]

I told her that there was no use in asking me for a contribution because I had made up my mind and here's what I was going to do.

If President Obama bows to the Catholic bishops over contraceptive coverage, then I will NOT contribute to his campaign.

If President Obama does not bow to the Catholic bishops over contraceptive coverage, then I WILL contribute to his campaign.

I politely asked to be removed from the calling list because there is no point in calling me again.

Then I hung up while she was sputtering.

Sadly, I do not expect to be contributing to President Obama's campaign; not after the Plan B chickening out.

[NYC_SKP]

1. I got a call, too. I asked how I could help and then I made a contribution.

We'll win, we will work to win.

The party and the system imperfect, he's imperfect, but keeping an eye on the bigger picture and longer consequences I will be supporting him.

If I have to support him harder because a handful of others don't, so be it.

I can do it.

[FSogol]

3. Well said Skip. Never understand people who want to take their frustrations out on the poor schlubs

manning the phones. The caller wasn't sputtering, she probably stopped listening and didn't realize your rant was over.

[saras]

6. If they're poor schlubs, they've got no business "manning" the phones. It's too important a job.

They are, as this one discovered, publicity workers for the Obama campaign, and I think that citizens have the right to expect them to be competent at their jobs (i.e. this person should have explained how to get that message to Obama).

[MotherPetrie]

12. I have already sent that message through the WH web site. Even though I knew it was a wasted effort.

[ljm2002]

8. The OP was not taking out their frustrations...

...on the person who called asking for a donation. Rather, the OP gave them valuable information about why no donation was being made. That is part of the gig: if you're going to call people up asking them for $$, then you'd best be prepared to hear why or why not. If you are representing a politician or a political party, you should be especially attentive to the reasons they give.

Now if the OP had said they were shouting at the person on the other end of the line, that's different. But that is not what was posted. And hanging up while the other person is still talking, in the old days might have been considered impolite. These days, though, you almost have to do it, as the people in these positions are given a script and not allowed to deviate from it and they will continue talking even when you say "I'm going to hang up now" (I've experienced this many, many times). Especially if they have not yet got the answer they want, namely, Yes I'll give. If they don't hear that, they just keep right on talking, regardless of what you've just told them. Which itself is rude.

[MotherPetrie]

13. Thank you. That is exactly what happened. My portion of the call was concluded.

[MotherPetrie]

11. I wasn't ranting. I was very polite. She was the one arguing with me.

[Warren DeMontague]

30. She probably had heard the exact same thing already, about 50 times that day

so maybe it's time for our party poo-bahs to get a fucking clue.

[HappyMe]

4. Put my name on the Well Said list too.

I support the President 100%.

[MotherPetrie]

18. I don't - not when he doesn't support me.

[HappyMe]

24. Fine. That's your choice.

Who will you be supporting in the next election?

[EFerrari]

45. Is this DU? This upbraiding of someone who is standing up for contraception

in the face of a regressive White House position? Seriously? You're calling Plan B "minors buying drugs"?

[gateley]

35. That's very selfish of you. There are millions of us who will be hurt if you and others

withhold your vote.

I didn't think Clinton cared about me but he got my vote. That's real life in politics.

[MotherPetrie]

37. Where did I say I wasn't voting for Obama? I said I wasn't CONTRIBUTING to his campaign.

[gateley]

51. You're right -- I apologize.

I've grown weary of the "that's it, I'm not voting for Obama" posts and read that into yours when, as you pointed out to me, that's not what you said at all.

So I am sorry -- sincerely.

[EFerrari]

44. No. It's not selfish in the least to stand by your considered positions.

How many millions of women will suffer if the bishops win, hmm?

That's real life for women in this country.

[MotherPetrie]

10. Good for you. Glad you have the money to spare. I don't....

Especially not for a candidate who takes the Republican position on an issue that is very important to me.

[mzmolly]

28. .

[gateley]

33. Fistbump to you, NYC_SKP -- it's more than about ME and MY agenda, it's about the future of

our entire country, and withholding a vote because of a particular issue that may be important to us individually makes no statement except to fluff our own self-righteous sense of self. It hurts the rest of us.

[EFerrari]

46. Red herring. The poster didn't say that.

And in your scenario, where we stand for nothing in particular, the future of at least half of the country is at risk because they have no control over their own bodies.

Fist bump that.

[gateley]

50. WTF does this have to do with us having no control over our bodies?

And WTF do you care what I say, anyway? I know you often take exception to what I say, if you think I'm so off the mark, why even bother? Seriously.

[Bolo Boffin]

2. Do what you must.

I hate that decision, too. But I hope you'll reconsider once you see what Citizen United has empowered Operation Rescue to do.

[MotherPetrie]

15. Obama is lucky to even be getting my vote at this point.

[gateley]

34. I have to say that YOU'RE lucky he's getting your vote, MotherPetrie. If a Gingrich gets into

office, we'll ALL be the worse off for it. You don't have to like him, you don't have to appreciate what he's done, but just take a step back and look at the big picture. We sometimes have to put our ideals aside and take a step we don't like if it will serve the greater good.

[MotherPetrie]

38. Please spare me the lecture.

[gateley]

52. Too late. But I do apologize. Sometimes I piss myself off, I swear. I get on my high

horse and I just hate it.

[fredamae]

5. I appreciate how you feel, But

instead support those candidates who oppose his action with you. We do have to look at the bigger picture and it Is this thinking/single issue restrictions that cost us many elections in the past.
I Disagree with Obama on Many issues, but I am Still voting for him because it is Our collective responsibility to "hold his feet to the fire" as he, himself said we would Need to/Should do.

We allowed the radical political participants (aka: Tea Party/ Uber Conservatives/Koch Bros) to have the Loudest voice until just a few months ago. We haven't had enough time to get his "feet To the fire"---yet.

[ljm2002]

14. President Obama has been weak with women's issues...

...and he, like the rest of the party, finds it easy to waffle on these issues, and to "seek advice" from some of the most reactionary religious sorts -- surprise, surprise, mostly male. And, surprise, surprise, they are all about the "sanctity of life" of the foetus, but don't say word one about the "sanctity of life" of adult women, soldiers, or the civilian victims of illegal wars. Women's rights continue to take a back seat to all sorts of other issues. In the meantime, the right has chipped away until we are nearly back where we were 50 years ago. In this circumstance, it is important that our politicians hear from us about it. Now there are many for whom other issues are more important; fine. For some of us, this is an overriding issue. I do remember when abortions were illegal, in fact I had one. If abortions had been legal, I would have been able to have a legal one earlier, with far less drama and expense.

What is happening in this country right now w.r.t. women's rights is downright criminal. For any politician who is purportedly on "our side" to pander to the right whenever the issue is abortion or contraception or the morning-after pill, is unconscionable. Obama should be ashamed of himself.

Yes I'll vote for him, who the hell else is there? Third-party candidates are unrealistic, and primary challenges just weaken the front runner, giving an opportunity for the Republicans to make headway. And yes, the Republicans at every level are infinitely worse than Obama and the Democrats. Still, I won't be silent about women's issues nor will I give $$ to anyone who is so careless with my hard-won rights.

[MotherPetrie]

17. Bingo and thank you.

[great white snark]

19. self delete

[MotherPetrie]

22. My opinion differs.

[MotherPetrie]

16. I didn't say I wasn't voting for him. I said I wasn't contributing to his campaign if

he sided (as I fully expect) with the Catholic bishops.

Let the Catholic bishops donate to his campaign, if he's doing their bidding, not mine.

[treestar]

32. Oh FFS

Doing your bidding?

What about Catholics? Why shouldn't he do their bidding as well as yours?

Newt may actually have a smaller head.

[MotherPetrie]

39. I said CATHOLIC BISHOPS' bidding. NOT Catholics. I'M Catholic - and I'm pro-choice.

[frylock]

26. the list of "single issues" grows ever longer

[MotherPetrie]

40. Feel free to make a contribution to Obama in my name.

[frylock]

47. you got me all wrong..

quite frankly, i have no intention of even casting another vote for obama.

[CoffeeCat]

7. I will contribute to NO political candidate...

...who continues the slide of our country into Fascism. Corporations have purchased our government--and have
bribed most of our politicians. Our Congress is unable to work for "We The People". They are too busy
giving the corporations whatever is on their wish list--deregulation, relaxed policies, tax breaks, and legislation
that makes them rich beyond their wildest dreams.

I'm done. I'll donate to individual candidates, but I will not throw my money down a rat hole--and support candidates
who won't even lift a finger to save our democracy.

Social issues and wedge issues are of little consequence to me. That would be like worrying about the landscaping
on a house that is burning down.

We need to douse the fires of corruption--or democracy burns to the ground.

Any candidate works toward that--and they've got my money, my volunteer time and my support.

[MotherPetrie]

20. Until now - when he's worried about reelection - I haven't seen Obama do much to

Stop that slide. Even know he's full of talk but I haven't seen much action at all.

[grantcart]

9. well you clearly won that round.

[MotherPetrie]

21. I wish. It's not like Obama doesn't have plenty of big money

Contributors who don't care if he keeps his promise on contraception coverage.

But if I don't get any more phone calls asking for money for him, it's a win for my daily peace.

As I told the caller, if he keeps that promise I won't need phone calls to get me to contribute to his campaign.

[grantcart]

23. good for you for not contributing

[dembotoz]

25. k and r

feel same way

[MotherPetrie]

41. Thank you.

[frylock]

27. someone from a 312 area code has been blowing up my phone..

i assume that it's ofa. i just add the number to my block list.

[MotherPetrie]

36. The number I was called from had the same area code I do.

[Warren DeMontague]

29. No shit. No $ from me until he gets it right on contraceptives AND the medical marijuana raids.

Not one god-damn dime, skippy. Sorry. I'll vote for him, but I sure as shit am not contributing this year.

Ask your buddies at the Vatican, Big Pharma, and the folks on the $70 Billion-per-year drug war gravy train, if you need cash.

[MotherPetrie]

42. Thank you. Ditto on the medical marijuana raids.

[SidDithers]

43. Boy, you really showed that volunteer you mean business!!...

Well done.

Oh, and a hearty welcome to DU.

Sid

[OhioBlue]

48. I think it was rude of you to hang up on that volunteer

try making those phone calls and see how it affects you. the person making that phone call was doing it for you. I make calls and it is flipping hard to do - I hate it but I do it b/c I know that we have to take part in our elections or we will fly a white flag to the tea party and conservatives. I do it.. I hate it.. but I do it because I believe in moving this Country in a better direction and that means not having Newt appointing the next SC justices. When I reach people like you that are so combative with me.. it has an affect.. I don't like it... I don't want to make the calls anymore.. why would someone identified as a supporter be so hostile with me? Damnit.. aren't we all on the same side and don't they know I don't have a direct line to anyone? I'm just a single mom, giving up time with my kid to do something that I believe in, that I hope helps my country? So the more people I get like you... the less likely I am to keep volunteering.

Where is the solidarity???????!!!!... people that go out and volunteer, make the phone calls and knock on the doors should be treated with some freakin' respect and freakin' appreciation. Where is the solidarity and the thank you for what you do but I'm not going to donate at this time but thank you for what you do and trying to keep the SC out of the hand of the Conservatives? You hung up on the person???? that is just awful!!!!! AWFUL!!!!

[TheKentuckian]

54. So after we "compromise" away everything what will we have achieved?

You continue to do good by passing that feedback up the chain and hope that our "lords" deign to listen.

Why indeed are supporters putting you on blast? If these people cared about the country they'd at least look at why people that donated early and often or worked the campaign are fit to be tied.

Some of the people blowing up on you made the same damn calls, they know. They are trying to get their thoughts and feelings heard, someone hat and hand is an ear.

If you wish to move the country forward then pass on the feedback, if no one gives a fuck then how are we moving the country foward with arrogant or disengaged or whatever motherfuckers wearing the white hats?

[Tx4obama]

55. I agree with you OhioBlue. The folks making the calls are just Obama supporters

like most of us DUers are.

If someone is upset about something all it takes is a stamp on an envelope to send a letter to the White House.

But taking it out and hanging up on Obama supporters that volunteer to make calls is unnecessary.

[frazzled]

49. I love it when people feel compelled to tell the world what they said on the telephone

to some poor person volunteering. Like it's a big brave thing to do. Like you're bragging about it. Like the person was all, "oooooh, maybe that person is right, what are we doing wrong?"

I just wish we could get the other end of the conversation after you hung up. I spent a heck of a lot of time in past years working in campaign headquarters in NH, where its uber organized. And whenever someone would get a caller like the OP, the whole room would get the story, and we'd LAUGH. Yes, laugh. And I have a good feeling that is what the OFA office was sounding like after you hung up on them.

Boy, you really told her.

[sabrina 1]

53. So OFA is laughing at the American people telling them about issues that are important to them???

Why am I not surprised. No wonder so many people are turned off politics. What a rotten attitude to have towards the people whose votes and money you are asking for.

But thanks for the information, I was feeling bad about telling the caller we had on Monday that we would not be donating to the DNC or the Obama campaign but would be donating directly to real Progressive Democrats directly to make sure the money doesn't go anywhere else, as we do not have nearly enough of them in Congress and it is vitally important to keep the ones who are there.

She was pretty persistent. I did not hang up on her, but if she was laughing and yucking it up over the people whose money and votes they seem to think they have a right to, then I have no regrets at all and will do so without any feelings of regret the next time they call.

What horrible people. But it confirms what people have felt about this administration, that they do not care about the people except at election time. Thanks, good to know.

[StarsInHerHair]

56. good to know but depressing

[frazzled]

58. Not at the issues

At the tone and impudence. At the lecturing. To volunteers who have no influence over anything. Who might actually agree on a single issue but don't agree on the broader stakes. Who are directed not to get in a conversation. And no, I wasn't talking about OFA: I said presidential campaigns in New Hampshire (in 2000 and 2004).

I did some OFA calling before the 2010 elections to MA (though living in Chicago); about a dozen of us in an office calling to try to turn out the vote for Martha Coakley (against Scott Brown). You should have heard some of the responses I got. One woman would just not stop about how she'd been a Democrat her whole life but she was "not going to vote for that bitch!" I listened politely and patiently for five minutes to her rant (which I shouldn't have, because it's better to just get on to the next person who you might be able to drag to the polls). I could tell right away there was no convincing her--but boy was she trying to convince me.

Result: Scott Brown. That might be the result on a national level of the OPs rant about Plan B to the volunteer.

[sabrina 1]

59. Well, the statistics show that Democrats did go out to vote. But not with great enthusiasm

However it was Independents who did not and young people. That can hardly be blamed, even though the effort to do so has continued despite the statistics, on Democrats who actually did and always do vote. And that too has angered people, the continued false claim that those unhappy with the policies are to blame for the losses in 2010. Nancy Pelosi does not agree. She twice went to the WH before that election to demand that the Administration stop including Dems (moral equivalency, bi-partisan nonsense) when they were trashing Republicans. She told them it 'was hurting Democrats running for Congress since they HAD voted for unpopular legislation to support the president).

Her pleas fell on deaf ears mostly. The president continued to lecture BOTH parties, a habit the DLC wing of the party seems unable to lose, on how they were harming the country by not being able to come together. She turned out to be right, too bad the WH did not listen to her. But the rank and file did vote to keep Progressive Democrats in Congress and succeeded in doing so. Those who lost, were the Blue Dogs. By then people had learned that a real Republican and a rightwing Blue Dog are pretty much the same and they focused their time, energy and donations on real Progressives. Only two of whom lost. And hopefully again with our support will win next time.

As for dealing with the public, you meet all kinds and professional people just learn to deal with it. My experience as a receiver of the calls was that the person calling was lecturing me. But that's her job, so I listened politely, there is never any need to denigrate someone who is sincere, even if you don't agree with everything they are saying. If otoh, she is making fun of the people she is calling for expressing THEIR sincere beliefs, then that would be pretty reprensible imo.

[Fumesucker]

57. We don't care, we don't have to..

You just evoked an old but still powerful image in my mind..