Hillary Clinton bringing small-scale campaign event to Portland, Maine

[portlander23]

Hillary Clinton bringing small-scale campaign event to Portland

Billed as a “grass-roots organizing meeting” the event will include Clinton delivering prepared remarks, making a pitch for campaign volunteers and then likely answering questions from the audience, said Phil Bartlett, Maine Democratic Party chairman. About 400 people will be in the auditorium, and Clinton is expected to appear at about 4:15 p.m.

Before the event, the candidate is scheduled to attend a private campaign fundraiser at an undisclosed location in Cape Elizabeth. According to the event’s Facebook page, tickets are priced at $1,000 for “friends” and $2,700 for “champions,” who gain admission to a reception.

The Clinton campaign is purposely organizing low-profile events, in contrast to the large rallies held by Sanders.

“She does not want there to be any comparisons between the number of people who show up at her events and who show up at Sanders’ rallies,” Fried said Thursday. “She is staying away from large-scale events.”

Fried said Clinton, more of a centrist, tends to perform better at smaller-scale events where she can relate more intimately to the audience.

Kathleen Bouchard, King Middle School principal, said while the event is being held at the school, it is not tailored to showcase the school and Clinton will not interact with a classroom of students.

I'm not a supporter of Mrs. Clinton, but if I were I'm not sure I'd be thrilled with this approach.

Mr. Sanders' visit to Portland was legitimately a grassroots event. Volunteers put up plain flyers all over town as if he were some high school garage band. He was what people were chatting up leading up to the appearance. There was a communal feel to the event as people from all over the peninsula walked together to the arena. That's not to mention the thousands who drove in from all over the state.



It had almost a festival feel, though instead of a party, everyone went to hear a serious discussion of policy.

Mrs. Clinton's forthcoming event has been largely unheralded, and her first stop is one of the wealthiest communities in the state for a private and exclusive fundraiser. I'd say it was terrible optics, but I doubt people even know it's going on.

I think Mrs. Clinton is making a tactical mistake. I bet she could pull a huge crowd; it's not as though she's not well known or is lacking in fans. Maybe she wouldn't get an overflow crowd, and maybe there'd be some snarky comments in the media comparing crowd size, but I don't think that would matter to her supporters who'd actually show up nor her supporters around the country. I'd go to hear her out. She's going to get compared to Bernie's crowd even with an intentionally small event anyway.

Honestly, we could use some help as a community. Right now, there's a local push for a $15/hr minimum wage. The push has largely been the the work of the Green Party and movement activists, but getting a shout out by Mr. Sanders as a Democratic candidate was a big deal. I'd love it if Mrs. Clinton did so as well.

Across the river, South Portland has been fighting the fossil fuel industry, which wants to run a tar sands oil pipeline through town, putting Portland Harbor at grave risk of spills. Mr. Sanders didn't call that particular issue out by name, but having a national Democratic candidate making a public and impassioned appeal for renewable energy is a big help. I'd love it if Mrs. Clinton gave us a shot in the arm as well.

With a glaring lack of debates and low key events like this, I think she's missing a real opportunity to fire people up and shine light on some local causes. Regardless of who the nominee ultimately is, this is the time to fire up the base.

[Fawke Em]

1. I'd take the picture down, though.

That's Portland, Oregon, not Portland, Maine.

Otherwise, I agree with your post.

[portlander23]

3. That picture is Portland, Maine

Monday night's campaign appearance by Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders of Vermont packed the Cross Insurance Arena. Robert F. Bukaty/Associated Press

http://www.pressherald.com/2015/07/06/presidential-hopeful-bernie-sanders-rallies-supporters-in-portland/

[riversedge]

4. Read the article-the event is free.

[Fearless]

6. That'll generate enthusiasm for sure

400 people in a staged meeting. Sounds like an IRS audit would be more fun.

[NorthCarolina]

7. I'm quite sure she'd LOVE to be able to draw a huge rally

in response to the turnouts that Bernie is experiencing BUT, it ain't gonna happen and she and her handlers know it. Plan B (massage the truth a bit and voila'): We are PURPOSELY just doing small rally's so there won't be "any comparisons between the number of people who show up at her events and who show up at Sanders’ rallies"

I personally believe that Bernie has this election in the bag at this point in time.

[bigdarryl]

8. Hillary is smart she knows Crowds don't mean shit unless you can get those people out to vote

Dean had very much more larger crowds than Kerry and Obama crowds were off the hook in NH when Hillary's were almost non existence she won NH when every poll showed she was going to lose.