Subject: Re: Feedback Letter
From: Amanda Renteria <[email-masked]>
To: John Podesta <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 12 Oct 2015 18:37:22 -0400

tnx. John was my ride in Chicago. He's a good guy.  Will connect with
Marlon.
How did your conversation go with Maura?  I'm asking her to put together a
group of Chiefs for a meeting on Wednesday with Phil, etc.

On Mon, Oct 12, 2015 at 6:22 PM, John Podesta <[email-masked]>
wrote:

> Our Chicago super-volunteer. He's a pretty smart guy and some of the
> suggestions here on lower $ fundraising are worth considering. Very
> negative on LGBTQ hire. I reported on my last Chicago visit that there is
> also a lot of ethnic agitation there. Probably a place Biden will try to
> play so we should pay some attention.
>
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> From: *John West* <[email-masked]>
> Date: Sunday, October 11, 2015
> Subject: Feedback Letter
> To: John Podesta <[email-masked]>
>
>
> Dear Chairman Podesta,
>
> First of all, I just want to thank you and the team for all you are doing
> everyday for our party and our Champion, Hillary :)  It's assuring to see
> all the social media activity from the campaign staff from top to bottom,
> bottom to top, working so hard and sharing such a strong message of support
> and enthusiasm.
>
> The grassroots’ volunteers have been working really hard with Adam
> Parkhomenko. His responsiveness and attention to what we can only imagine
> -- an endless number of questions and inquiries/requests which has been
> just stellar. I wanted to express my gratitude upfront. The conference
> calls and letting us know what's in the works is appreciated and I know
> more tools to empower the grassroots are forthcoming.
>
> I'd like to begin with my concerns on the LGBTQ hire that was recently
> announced.  This is my personal opinion and feeling; though these
> feelings/concerns are shared by a number of activist friends, who are also
> supporters of Hillary.
>
> As you know, this summer was a big deal for marriage equality and the
> LGBTQ community; and it seemed like so much opportunity was lost when no
> director or team of LGBTQ outreach/coordinators were hired.  We were left
> waiting and wondering until the end of September when the hiring of Mr.
> Lowell was announced. No doubt he is wonderful person and looks to have
> some solid work experience, but at the same time his hire is confusing and
> underwhelming. Where was Hillary on this hire?  It feels and looks like she
> had no part in this hire and that is extremely upsetting!
>
> ·  This is a hire we would expect for a Senate or Governor’s race, not
> for an important & #Herstoric candidate like Secretary of State Clinton.
> Coming on the heels of the most important ruling for LGBTQ civil rights in
> the history of our country, while the LGBTQ community is splintering into
> progressive equality movements of race, immigration, transgender, women's
> issues, and other forms of discrimination facing everyone else, except for
> the exclusive white and affluent gay male community that dominates the
> LGBTQ D.C based organizations.  The optics of this hire are highly
> problematic within a rapidly changing political environment in the LGBTQ
> community.
> · The feedback from my friends, many of whom are highly involved in the
> discussions and debates that are currently happening along the lines of
> gender, race, immigration, homeless youth, HIV, Trans-persons, etc. view
> this hire with cynicism, reacting with “eye roll” and accompanied by
> significant disappointment over the lack of any boldness in this choice.
> · The feedback about this hire from my friends who are donors is deep
> disappointment because he appears to lacks requisite gravitas expected when
> soliciting political support and money from a highly sophisticated
> community.
> · Optics – of this hire evokes the exclusionary white male dominated
> Human Rights Campaign. Even at the HRC gala this past weekend in D.C
> people, were expressing their disappointment to outright anger with respect
> to the audience, which had very little diversity present.
> · Where are the 'movement' hires? Surely there were folks with
> credibility and breadth of experience who applied for this very important
> hire? I know from a grassroots perspective, many of us have experience
> working with Jeff Campagna. Even my contacts in Labor and Equality
> California seemed behind Mr. Campagna, so I'm confused as to why someone
> like Jeff would be overlooked. Was this an oversight? I'd think if Hillary
> was serious about the LGBTQ community she would have had a role in this
> very important hire, and it feels and looks like she had no part in this
> hire and that it was left to perhaps the talent director and that doesn't
> feel or look good.
> · Wouldn’t a campaign task force for the LGBTQ community with a strong
> director at the helm be more appropriate to aggressively court and tie in
> the various components to build and consolidate community support for
> Hillary? I see no evidence of this reality.  It must happen.
>
> 3: Second concern:  The figure of $1,700 is the AVERAGE campaign donation
> from Illinois, reported for last quarter.  That is a PROBLEM! As a
> grassroots organizer and a max donor and someone who helps raise money and
> has also attended a number of the high dollar events, it's my observation
> that these events are missed opportunities and leave a considerable amount
> of money on the table. These events should be opened up to:
> · 10 $1,000 spaces (this would allow for greater diversity at these
> events);
> · 5 spots for local volunteers/ college leaders/organizers  - the
> infusion of youth and the energy they bring really makes the event better
> and inspires Hillary's hardest and most important workers to carry on;
> · Small Business Host Events $500/small business owners - this is
> affordable by a number of small business owners/many bring women employers;
> 4.  Low Dollar fundraising needs support - each state/finance team should
> have a staff person dedicated to supporting these events and help get the
> lower dollar surrogate events going for the $50 - $250 a head;
> ·    Create an incentive for Hill-Raisers/Blazers to recruit and help low
> dollar fundraisers that commit to raising $2,700 for these events (do
> $5,400, $10,800 levels as well);
> ·    Reinforce that incentive for those low dollar fundraisers that raise
> $2,700 by inviting them once they reach their goal to a high dollar event
> to meet Hillary/photo op :);
> ·    The emails asking for donations need to get on a cycle that works
> with everyday Americans, like  $5 Fridays.
> ·    The amount of emails and follow ups asking for more money makes it
> feel like my contribution isn't enough, that's the impression the
> experience leaves one feeling badly;
> 5: Ethnic Outreach:  Would it be possible to get a brief audience on November
> 2nd with some of the Chicago ethnic leaders: re: Maureen Pikarski who you
> met in Chicago.  I see Hillary has a window in her busy schedule from 3-6
> p.m.  Also, it seems we have had little traction on the Bosnian American
> outreach and that is a HIGHLY strategic in Iowa and Missouri and
> enthusiastic supporters of Hillary. Our Missouri HRC super volunteer has
> asked the Midwest Fundraising team to schedule a side meeting with Hillary
> and the leadership of the St. Louis Bosnian community during her next trip
> to Missouri.  The feedback I'm hearing is that folks have mixed feelings
> about the campaign’s response so far and I recommend hiring asap and engage
> aggressively through the Ethnic Outreach department - more of a TASK FORCE
> with liaisons to court and engage the diverse constituencies with the
> sensitivity and respect they deserve. It would be most unfortunate to see
> another young D.C organizational hire that isn't up to the task for each of
> the assigned 10 desks.
>
> 6: Hillary's 2007 delegates - have they been contacted yet? I shared an
> updated list with David Huyhn at the DNC Summer Meeting and I hope outreach
> is happening. I think it would be a wonderful gesture to do some special
> outreach there. *(update David Huyhn says that is underway! :) )*
>
> Consider the following issues:
>
> 7: Messaging:  Hillary's four fights seem to get lost and aren't front and
> center (we need easy print outs for folks to hand out that are shrunk down
> so you can print and cut a page into 4 that has four fights on it).
> Hillary lacks a slogan like Trump: Let's Make America Great Again or
> Bernie: Not for Sale etc. etc.  perhaps Hillary: A fighter in your corner
>  (you get the idea)  Bernie has cornered the market on income equality but
> Hillary can really pounce on Civil Rights and Social Justice as part an
> parcel of good economic policy. *(As of today, a four fight print out was
> provided for the debate watch night! THANK YOU!)*
>
> 8:  Disability outreach and mobilization - again that should be a special
> task force - especially targeting caucus states and swing states. Getting
> them engaged in volunteer activities and identifying ways to get them to
> the polls! Dr. Janice Lehrer Stein in San Francisco has spoken to you and
> Robbie I believe on this matter.
>
> 9:  Many people would like to contribute to this campaign in other ways
> that do not include money.  CREATE incentives!  Like 1,000 sign-ups gets
> someone an autographed book by Hillary! 5,000 sign ups by one person gets
> them to a high dollar event, 10,000 sign ups gets the person a professional
> autographed and framed photo with Hillary and 50,000 sign ups gets you a
> dinner with Hillary (have this set up like Hillraisers and Hillblazers with
> recruitment so that folks get credit for the efforts of their recruits)
>
> 10: Create another incentive for merchandise:  Like Hillraiser Links -
> provide HillMerchandiser Links so that folks get an incentive/credit for
> every sale made via purchases on those links...this helps encourage folks
> to sell and promote the merchandise store!  Again - a certain number of
> sales gets someone free merchandise, an even greater amount of sales gets
> you an invitation to a fundraiser event with Hillary or Bill or Chelsea,
> etc.
>
> 11:  St. Louis is the largest Bosnian American community in the U.S.
> --around 80,000.  Angie Acree, HRC Super Volunteer and the Clinton Campaign
> volunteer rep in Missouri has asked the Midwest Fundraising Team to arrange
> for a side meeting between Hillary and the Bosnian American leadership in
> Missouri during her next fundraising trip.  It is the belief of Ajla
> Delkic, the executive director of the Advisory Council for Bosnia and
> Herzegovina (based in D.C.) that it would take little attention by Hillary
> to light this community on fire.  Mr. Vajrovic is the leader and is locally
> connected to the Democratic Party. But no one has ever met with them from
> the Democratic Party at a senior level.  Barack Obama lost Missouri to
> McCain by 3,903 votes in 2008. These votes are to be SOUGHT aggressively.
>
> 12:  At the recent Ethnic Council Meeting with Amy Dacey, CEO of the DNC
> here in Chicago, the talk among the ethnic leaders of Chicago area was the
> lack of outreach to their constituencies....People were highlighting the
> absence of aggressive outreach since Bill Clinton's campaigns in 96 and
> Obama's in 2007 - November 2nd - Hillary is in Chicago ALL day for
> fundraisers - would be nice if an Ethnic Round Table could be arranged
> (small one) with Maureen Pikarski who could help make that happen
> 1-312-718-9351 and if it could be filmed by various news outlets that
> cater to these constituencies - would be huge in audience reached and for
> mobilizing the ethnic communities to help in IOWA and in IOWA!
>
> 13:  Lastly swag:  I know and appreciate how much frugality is being
> exercised in the primary (in stark contrast to 2007) but if perhaps
> something could be worked out so that grassroots point people in each state
> are not encumbered with the expense of providing the basics like bumper
> stickers (that provides free advertising!) lapel stickers at a minimum.
> This would be for commit to votes/commit to caucus but would really help at
> the tables/booths so many volunteers do (which many cost money to do) and
> provide incentives. It really is what is required in getting sign ups. The
> most successful efforts over the summer were ones that had folks who could
> afford to buy supplies like this for handing out in exchange for sign ups.
>
>
> Thank you for your time reading this.  Line item one is a very personal
> observation that has been shared with me from a number of sources involved
> in the LGBTQ movement/leaders etc - particular midwest to west coast. The
> rest are number of observations and feedback I've heard from multiple folks
> along the way.
>
> Thank you for all you do to support Hillary’s historic campaign for the
> presidency.  Those of us in the grassroots and a growing contingent of
> volunteers continue to work hard for our Champion, she is worth it!
>
> Best regards,
>
> John West
> 'Volunteer and Supporter'
>
>

-- 
Amanda Renteria
National Political Director
Hillary for America #Hillary2016
650-868-1188 (c)
Facebook <https://www.facebook.com/renteriaforcongress> or Twitter
<https://twitter.com/AmandaRenteria>