Here at DFA we're fed up with the traditional media meme that Democrats are destined to lose this November. It doesn't seem like a day goes by without some beltway bubble journalist or cable news pundit does a story about the 'enthusiasm gap' or infighting between progressives and the White House or the latest Rassmussen poll.
So tonight we're launching a 6 week online training program that will focus on how we'll mobilize progressives to get out and vote this year. DFA Night School returns below the fold!
Here's the thing. I've been working a 'professional progressive' for almost ten years now and if there's one thing I've learned it's this.
Campaigns matter.
Talk to me all you want about the historical trends or the prevailing wisdom of the pundits and pollsters. The campaign that has the best message and the best organization will win their election 9 times out of 10. With the right candidates and the right campaigns we'll do just fine in November.
DFA members have been busy all year supporting progressive Democrats in primary races who will uphold the values we all share as Americans. We've also been busy traveling the country and training thousands of people to be better staff or candidates in races big and small.
Tonight we take our training program online with the return of DFA Night School. Want to join a free training on how progressives can win this November? Follow me below the fold to find out how. DFA Night School began in 2006 as the first ever online progressive training program. Since then we've organized 37 separate online trainings on topics as diverse as 'Building a Better County Party' to 'Writing a Field Plan' to 'Getting a Campaign Job'. All of these trainings have been provided free of charge to progressives.
Tonight we relaunch Night School under a new online training platform developed by Cisco Systems. This new system is the most engaging and interactive platform I've ever seen used for trainings like this and we're thrilled to be rolling it out tonight at 8:30pm ET with an hour long training on 'Messaging for Progressives'. DFA Political Director Charles Chamberlain and Communications Director Levana Leyendecker will walk participants through the basics of creating a compelling message around their campaign that will motivate progressives to get to the polls.
We've got 955 people signed up to participate in tonight's 8:30pm ET training but It's not too late to sign up. Click here to sign up now.
This is just the first of a 6 part series we're doing on 'Moblizing Progressives'. Every Wednesday from tonight until Sept 22nd we'll be hosting a training on a different topic around the theme of turning out voters this November. Click here to see our entire Night School fall schedule.
I know a lot of you are rightly frustrated with the progress we've made in the last two years. But I'll take pressuring Blue Dogs and the White House to support our progressive values any day over helplessly watching the right wing destroy our country.
We can win this November and end up with a more progressive majority than we have now. Campaigns matter so sign up for DFA Night School and put what you learn to work on a progressive campaign near you.
-Matt
I'm proud to be the Field Director at Democracy for America