Subject: John Stocks Request
From: "Corina Cortez" <[email-masked]>
To: [email-masked]
Date: Fri, 21 Mar 2008 15:57:10 -0400

John,

John Stocks asked me to follow up with you regarding a conversation you
recently had about Hispanic survey and focus group research. I'm attaching
the background memo that I put together to guide a recent discussion we led
in Denver with Project New West staff. (I'm still working with NCEC on
filling in the state-specific data.) Here's where we are with regard to
planning discussions and fundraising:

1.       OUTREACH: I've touched based with Maria Echaveste, Janet Murguia,
Mickey Ibarra, Joe Velasquez and Suzanna Valdez (former WH Public Liaison).
All of these individuals played a key role in the work that we did to reach
out to the community in past cycles.  Note that  Maria Echaveste is on the
Clinton payroll, so we couldn't have a specific discussion about the effort.
She expressed interest in getting the research done and told me that she
would be in touch with me to discuss this further once she determined the
extent of her involvement on the campaign side. If she's permanently tainted
then we have to rethink her involvement.  Since SEIU has historically taken
a big lead in this work, I've also touched base with their regional VP in
the West, Eliseo Medina, and plan to talk to Dennis Rivera, the former
president of 1199/SEIU.  Dennis has historically played a big role in our
national outreach to the Hispanic community on federal races. I staffed his
operations in some of the past cycles. (In previous cycles, he and Bill
Richardson collaborated through their PAC, Hispanic PAC.) Jill Hanauer,
Project New West's ED, has been in touch with key gubernatorial staff to
ensure that the governors are aware this research might be happening.

2.       ASSESSMENTS: Of course, if we commission the research it begs the
question of who will conduct programs targeted to these communities. We need
to start doing assessments right now of who is running program, partisan and
non-partisan, in the four western states with significant Hispanic
populations.  Some groups - but not many - are part of the America Votes
table. Others are simply running their programs on their own. We need to get
a better handle on the state/local activities, as well as plans that are
being discussed by national organizations. We can do this in part by
reviewing the AV plans, asking the ATLAS consultants to help identify
activity, and conducting our own independent assessments on the ground. The
important reason for doing these assessments now is to get a better handle
on what's in front of us. It also helps us open the door with these groups
so that we can secure buy-in and investment in the actual research that will
be done so that we can be more confident that it will be used.

3.       ACCESS TO RESEARCH: If we're going to use the PNW model to conduct
research we need to think through how we're going to make the research
legally available to groups who will need it, many of whom may not currently
be subscribers. That's not hard; it just needs to be done now.

4.       QUALIFICATIONS: If you need to get a better sense of our ability to
get this done, feel free to talk to Doug Sosnik. He who works out of my
office and he has worked with us on almost every major IE and ballot measure
campaign we've undertaken in recent years.  You can also talk to Janet
Murguia, a former colleague and friend, as well as Carol Browner.  I served
as her Deputy CoS in the Administration.

If you have specific questions, feel free to call me at 202-320-2919.

Best,

Corina Cortez