I VOTED!!!

Thank you so much to everyone who reached out as I was worrying about my own enfranchisement yesterday. My absentee ballot did in fact come this morning, and I overnighted it to the DC Board of Elections for a 10:30am delivery!!! I am partially convinced that it only showed up thanks to the positive and supportive vibes from you all so thank you again so much. Special thank you to Travis Ballie, Councilmembers Elissa Silverman and Robert White and Raymond Bryan at the DC Board of Elections. Kind of embarrassed that it takes a village to get my vote out but mostly incredibly grateful.

Two things I wanted to highlight if you ever find yourself in a similar situation:

1) Contact your local elected officials. I can't believe I didn't think of this on my own. I am blaming it on GOTV brain. Travis connected me with Robert White and Elissa Silverman both of whom were ready and willing to help. This is what local government SHOULD BE and both Robert and Elissa can rely on my enthusiastic support in any and all future campaigns. (I actually got to vote for Robert on my ballot.)

2) It is in fact possible for the Board of Elections (at least the DC one) to email you a ballot if you waive your right to secrecy (which you know, not super shy about that stuff) as they would do if you were voting overseas.


You all know I firmly believe that voting should be as easy as checking your email but until technology and legislation catches up to our ideals, I am just very relieved and thankful. Happy Election Eve!


Campaign Love and Mine,



Nancy

Check Out Beyond the Ceiling Podcast

My incredible colleagues have created a Podcast about women doing the work they love to do and I was so blessed to be featured on their second episode. They asked me about women working on campaigns and running for office. Shockingly, I had some opinions Check it out Above or at BeyondTheCeiling.org!

How to Look Professional *and* Non-Boring! Guest Post on Your New Washington DC Look!

(Who wouldn't take fashion advice from these two? ;) Note: this picture was taken after the campaign.)

CampaignSickles,

I am super excited to share a post from my friend, political/fashion badass and plus-size fashion blogger, Renee Cafaro. When shopping my clothing mantra is basically "WWRD?" (What would Renee do?) Check out her amazing tumblr here. Below Renee gives her tips for dressing for success for job hunt or non-campaign job in Washington DC. AND if you are size 10 or higher and looking for an affordable convenient wardrobe check out my post on GwynnieBee and use my code to subscribe. Take it away, Renee!

Dear Campaignsick fans,

You do not know me but we have a mutual love for Nancy. My name is Renee and a couple years ago, I had the pleasure of working with the brilliant and revered woman behind Campaignsick on a major citywide campaign. We shared a passion for social justice and skirts, so I knew would be friends for life. I am so excited to do this crossover post between her blog and mine: plus-size fashion blog, FoxyRoxyFashion. Whether you are plus or not, a lot of these rules will apply to you. Before we begin, repeat after me: You CAN be a feminist and be fashionable. The Fox-propagated stereotype that I must be a man-hating, bra-burning troll just because I would like congressmen to stop legislating my body is truly absurd. So now that we have gotten that over with, I hope you enjoy this article.

As I get ready for another advocacy summit in my old home, Washington D.C., I am forced to re-examine my wardrobe. The Nation's Capitol,or as I fondly remember it as "The Town of Blue-Shirts-and-Khaki-Pants", is less tolerant of quirky workwear than NYC. Even with a career in politics, I can still get away with wearing knee-high boots, patterned tights, sweaters and the occasional dark-wash jean and still look work-appropriate in the city.

In the halls of Capitol Hill or power-lunching on K Street, you need to bring your business wear A game. Let's call it "House of Cards couture". Tailored. Classic. Neutral. Powerful.

The only problem is that with plus-size women this is a tall order. The crisp white button down either looks bizarrely vulgar as it strains to stay buttoned over your big boobs or it buttons properly and rest of it looks dumpy. There was an unforgettable moment in my fashion life when I found myself on the verge of tears in a Lord & Taylor while shopping for suits for the 2012 Democratic National Convention. This sent me on a quest for things that look sharp enough for the Senate floor and still kinda sexy.

SUIT UP:

Why?! Why can I not find a power suit that flatters my full figure and not plague me with baggy butt or uncomfortably tight thighs? Even my slim friends have the same problem finding a suit that fits their top half and bottom half equally well right off the rack. Well I found the answer! Suit Separates! Sounds obvious, right? Actually many do not carry perfectly coordinated suit separates in a range of sizes and lengths. I found that Anne Klein and Rafaella are the best for those who are harder to fit. Ann Taylor is spectacular if you are an 18 or under and do not carry your weight all in you middle.

PRO-TIP: Look for 2-button or 3-button jackets to avoid the lapels bunching out around the bust. If need be, take the jacket to a tailor to get it taken in around the waist since the jacket sets most of the silhouette of the suit. Speaking of silhouette, avoid wide leg or straight let pants. Boot cut or curvy fit skim your curves and balance out hips without an excess of fabric.

ACCESSORIZE LIKE A BOSS:

Madeline Albright isn't the only woman who can own a room and an Hermes scarf. You can too! I like traditional accessories like chunky gold or pearl necklaces, nicely structured handbags and some oversized shades like the ones made famous by the "Text From Hillary" picture. Now that I think of it, we have had some pretty stylin' Madame Secretaries. If you are a fan of CBS' brilliant new show, Madame Secretary you will note that Tea Leoni also always looks impeccable. Perhaps diplomacy and designer duds go hand in hand?

We digress. Again, Ann Taylor is a great resource for coordinating, quality jewelry at an affordable price and we are obsessed with Coach and Kate Spade bags. They are timeless and nearly indestructible! On a budget? Charming Charlie has something for every trend in every color.

PRO-TIP: Remember that the running around the halls of Rayburn burns your feet. ALWAYS shop Aerosoles, EasySpirit, Sofft and other comfort brands for pumps. Other shoes will not last the day without damage to your feet and we try to avoid flats with skirts unless you have long legs.

INVEST IN INFRASTRUCTURE:

OK, we know this is something you may be discussing in a budget hearing, but what we mean is: be sure to buy all of the foundations you need for a solid wardrobe. This includes smoothing foundation garments, perfectly structured dresses and control-top panty hose (NOTHING beats L'eggs control toptights for comfort, shape and wear). Any avid reader of FoxyRoxyFashion knows that we are obsessed with the style and ease of dresses. If you find one that fits well in a classic shift or 3/4 sleeved shape, you are ready for any meeting with only a few accessories. For 12+, Go to Kiyonna for a huge selection of sleeved dresses. They are the hardest working items in my closet without ever wrinkling or looking old.

PRO-TIP: Shift dresses can be boxy too, so look for ones with a bit of stretch and/or get the darts tailored like we suggested for your blazers. An ill-fitting shift can make you look heavier so it is worth the effort. Also, be sure dresses are never too tight and hit just at your knee.

You are looking fierce, woman! Now, go show the good old boys at the Old Ebbitt Grill who's boss!


PS. Want more awesome guest posts AND to help me afford the beautiful clothing Renee recommends? Help support CampaignSick!

To Washington On My 29th Birthday

Over the course of my seven years in politics, I've given a number of very legitimate reasons for not to wanting to move to DC.

When it comes to living on the East Coast, New York has DC beat in nearly every facet: food, theater, diversity, pop culture and everything in between. Even growing up as a New York City suburbanite and then a campaign nomad, I always imagined myself packing it in and moving to Manhattan. As John Updike famously said, "The true New Yorker secretly believes that people living anywhere else have to be, in some sense, kidding."

In addition, I've never shared the desire that many of my friends have to work where the sausage gets made. I got into politics as a fluke and stayed in because of the satisfaction I get out of empowering people. "Those on Capitol Hill," I would say to the approval of my Midwestern and Southern campaign constituents, "are empowered enough." Campaigns are my wheelhouse. I'm out of my element when it comes to any discussion of what happens on the hill.

There are other personal reasons I've never wanted to live in our nation's capitol. For one, the place is a veritable exboyfriend convention. I went down for the inauguration last January and ran into four people I've dated over the course of three events. DC is also less than ideal for someone who is as directionally challenged as I am. In what Earthly realm does New Jersey intersect with Louisiana? Then there are the complaints that everyone has about DC: People in DC work all the time, which is true; all anyone talks about is politics; everyone who's ever gotten a Congressman his coffee think he's Fareed Zakaria.

The thing is, the further away I get from campaigns, the more I miss talking about work all the time and being surrounded by people who get where I'm coming from. I even made a blog out of it. Besides the older my friends and I get, the more humility my social set seems to have about our livelihoods as we realize that for all of us, politicos, lawyers, and doctors alike, the brass ring will forever be a moving target. And so in my old age (I turn 29 next week) I find myself for the first time with my sights set on Washington, sending flurries of networking emails, braving the traffic on the New Jersey Turnpike and posting Facebook inquiries about DC Yoga Studios and where to find the best Bloody Mary, in an effort to convince myself that DC is livable.

And old age it is. When I left for grad school I wrote a Dear John letter explaining that while campaigns had meant the world to me, it was time to grow up and be an adult. I was intimidated, terrified really. A lease? An apartment? Living in the same place for two years? Leaving campaigns meant relinquishing my best excuses as to why my life wasn't going the way I wanted it to. Campaigns left little time for diet and exercise, or relationships, or most importantly introspection. Even scarier than the prospect of leaving campaigns for adulthood was the prospect that it wouldn't take. I knew that it was possible I would come out of those two years saying to campaigns, "it's not you, it's me." What if I couldn't be happy without the excitement of campaign life? What if I learned I had to choose between the work that has defined my life and having a life at all? In 2011 I wrote:

I looked around, thought about what I want in my life and realized that,for me, the campaign lifestyle wasn't sustainable. I'm proud that I had the courage and the wisdom to make that decision but that doesn't mean there's nothing to mourn.

I could say maybe in a couple years, who knows what will happen, but I don't want to lead myself on. In three years we both will have changed so much we'll barely recognize each other. When I do become involved again, it will be in a totally different capacity. I'm hoping we'll still be friends, but that's gonna be hard without falling back in.

In many tangible ways, I am not the adult I had hoped I would be by the time I finished grad school. I don't have a job, I'm single, if anything I weigh more than I did when I matriculated. Yet I have to tell you I have never felt like more of a grown-up.

And that leads me to the real reason I never wanted to move to DC. It wasn't the nightlife, or the (lower case p) politics or the exboyfriends. Deep down, part of me always suspected that my former coworkers who moved to Washington were leading lives of quiet desperation, spending their days at happy hours and hiking in Virginia and fantasy football to fill the void left by campaigns. You see, the true campaign person secretly believes that people doing anything else have to be, in some sense, kidding. Grad school felt like beginning adulthood, but DC felt like buying a house in the suburbs. One of my favorite comedians, Mike Birbiglia, has this line about how he didn't want to get married until he was sure nothing else good could happen in his life, and that's how I felt about DC. Just this great resignation.

Mike Birbiglia is married now and as far as I can tell good things continue to happen to him. He had a feature film produced last year. Maybe the same forces that drive men who are commitment-phobes in their 20's to get married in their 30's are what lead me to lustfully skim DC apartments on Craigslist at 29. What I know now that I didn't know two years ago is that no one really feels like an adult all of the time. (To wit, I recently walked in on my mother dressing a barbie doll as Miley Cyrus whining, "IT DOESN'T LOOK REEAAAAL.") That said, I've noticed that valuing flexibility and fervor over stability and self-care no longer feels authentic to me. Moreover, admitting that no longer feels like a betrayal. I still don't feel ready to write the eulogy on my sense of adventure, but I don't need to wear it on my sleeve to know that it's there. I can change what I want without changing who I am. After all, I could live alone on a mountain top, but I would always be a campaign person.

And that is the most valuable thing I could have gotten from these past two years: not a boyfriend, or a job, or a leaner midsection, but the confidence and sense of self to have none of those things, to be completely out of my element, and to know that I will be okay. I've had jobs and boyfriends and a waist before and I have the tools to get them again. So maybe stability is my next big adventure. Maybe it's something else. But if all goes according to plan, it may just be in DC.*



































*Unless I get the one job I am applying to in New York.

Advocate From Where You Stand: Shutdown Edition

"Hello, my name is Inigo Montoya. You killed Mike's wedding. Prepare to die."

Okay to be fair, I do not know the exact story as to how Mike and MaiLien wound up on the Colbert Report. But here is what I do know: Mike and MaiLien were scheduled to get married in DC this weekend at the Jefferson Memorial where they had their first date (Awww!!), but received a letter earlier this week informing them that due to the government shutdown they would not be able to access their venue. Then (I like to imagine) Michael used the superior organizing skills taught to him by yours truly and made his case to the public. Mike and MaiLien were on the Today Show and the Washington Post and eventually on the Colbert Report.

Michael was my organizer in Colorado in 2008 and Deputy Field Director for Claire McCaskill in 2012. I cannot stress how awesome and surreal it is to be in DC for a wedding, staying at your bro's house, turning on the TV and seeing the wedding taking place right then. On the other hand, knowing Michael it's also not surprising. He is pretty great and efficient at making things happen. Mazel Tov, Michael and MaiLien! Also excited to see the light of Michael's life (besides MaiLien) his redheaded nephew, who is featured prominently in the above video. Can't wait to celebrate with you tomorrow!

FEC to Host Campaign Finance Seminar March 20th

I think it's kind of messed up that the FEC is charging people to learn how to comply with the law, even if it's just over the web, but whatever. Capitalism! You can find the agenda here. If it was not 2 days before my Spring Break I would totally go and use it as an excuse to get my election nerd on.

Thank You!!!

I have so much to talk about and I told myself I wouldn't blog until I cleaned my apartment and did my reading for this week, but that has just led to me neither blogging nor reading nor cleaning...and I wanted to write this because it is somewhat time sensitive. I got back from the inaugural festivities on Friday afternoon and I just wanted to say THANK YOU.

To My OFA-ers:

You guys don't know, and I hope you never have to know, what it means to me to be included in our 2012 Presidential victory. When I tried to explain to my first-time field-organizing prom date the weight of the journey between my own campaign virginity and being at the inaugural staff ball, he cut me off. When I roll my eyes at the idea that OFA was the best and the most important campaign and its organizers were better than all other organizers, my OFA babies think I'm being cynical, but in fact I'm just old. If you've never worked on another campaign you are naive, but lucky. If you keep doing this job you're eventually going to lose.

But just like falling in love, you can't really appreciate a good victory until you've had your heart broken. I will share with you that I cried twice in full ball regalia before I even left for the ball this weekend (and more than once at the event itself.) Sure, the entire bottle of wine I consumed while getting ready didn't help, but the truth is I was just so moved thinking about far we've come. (You're welcome, drunk dialed broworkers.) To go from pajamas in the office in the 2008 Iowa Caucus for John Edwards to a ball gown for Barack Obama's second inauguration was nothing short of surreal. To be with the people who have been my mentors, my organizers, my friends, my broworkers, my campaign hookups, my boyfriends, my bosses and and my rivals, who knew me at a time when I couldn't come to DC because I was so disillusioned and so embarrassed of my reputation, dressed up, accomplished and embracing each other is better than the ending to any cheesy movie. To celebrate with them and with you, knowing I was there because you appreciate my contributions to this incredible community because I have and return your love and respect...I guarantee you I have had no wine and I am tearing up writing this.

I have no right to ask to be included. I was stubbornly not on board the OFA train until well into the 2010 elections. For all of my criticism, I've always been a little jealous because let's face it, for the past four years OFA has been the cool kids. I wouldn't trade my experiences for the world, but I sometimes can't help but fantasize about what life would be like if I had taken my 2007 offer with Obama instead of Edwards. You were right. I was wrong. I fucked up and I've never been happier to admit it. It's true, OFA was not the first or the only campaign but there is no denying that it was something very special, something that changed the face of the job I love. I am humbled that you've included me in your lives, your campaigns and your celebrations. I've thought it every time you tweeted, facebooked called or contacted me, but I wanted to make sure I said it explicitly: Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.


To all my other campaign people:

As I was driving down to DC with two local New York City organizers, we couldn't help remark that after a campaign "OFA gets a ball, everyone else gets a nap." When I brought this up to a first time OFA organizer he answered, without the slightest hint of sarcasm or irony, "You know why, because we deserved it. Because we were the best campaign ever. Seriously that's what they kept telling us that no field team has ever been as good as us." By now I'm sure you can anticipate my reaction this statement because I, like you, have been on the short end of the Obama stick. Don't get me wrong, he should feel that way, every organizer should feel that way...and you should too. I agree with him, the OFA field team absolutely deserves a fancy ball with Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett, but then again so do you. This was the kind of celebration I have always wished I could give each and every one of you (but mine would have had more food.) I know it's not realistic to hope for that. To those of you who couldn't be there I wanted to say thank you too, for the part your Democratic organizing did in electing and supporting our President and for the important role you played in electing Democrats up and down the ticket.

There are really no words to express how much this community means to me. I love you guys so much. Thank you and congratulations to all of you.

Love,
Nance

Rootscamp 2012!

First off, I am so bummed that I haven't be able to post a lot lately, that is what happens when you straight up leave graduate school for three weeks. The good news is, I'll see lots of you at Rootscamp this weekend! I will be leading two sessions; one special insiders' edition of my volunteer recruitment and one about women on campaigns and my very fascinating graduate work. You should totally come! (Click here to buy your ticket) But WHAT IS ROOTSCAMP you ask. Well! I know of just the interview for you to find out!

So...who are you?

I’m Jamie McGonnigal and I’m the Director of RootsCamp. [That's him, above.] I’m a bunch of other things too, but I suppose for the purposes of this interview, that’s what I do.

What is Rootscamp?

RootsCamp is the largest national progressive debrief in the country. Our National RootsCamp happens in DC generally around the end of any election. While the schedule exists based on our country’s elections, the organizing and sharing of best practices that happens at RootsCamp moves far outside our electoral cycles.

RootsCamp is a place where organizers come to talk about the challenges and successes they’ve had in the past year and figure out specifically what their next steps are. At the New Organizing Institute, we are big fans of what we refer to as “Engagement Organizing.” It’s taking organizing to a new level by encouraging people to stay involved and build movements even when there isn’t a vote to worry about. The first step in engagement organizing is debriefing. If we don’t learn from the work that we do, it’s difficult to move forward and innovate for the future.

The way it works is that when you come in, you’ll see a mostly blank agenda we call “The Wall.” During the opening events, you fill out a card for a session you’d like to present, turn it in to our Wall creators and head to the first pre-seeded session. By the time you get out, the Wall will be filled with cards from as many people as we can fit.

Why an UNConference?

An UN-conference is a place where people come together and the hierarchy is removed. We believe that everyone has something to teach and everyone has something to learn. So if you want to present on a new technology, or have a discussion about innovations in field organizing you’ve encountered, you can. This is about executive directors of national organizations learning from canvassers or brand new organizers discussing strategy with people who’ve been in the field for 50 years.

We set it up this way because it puts everyone on the same level from the moment they walk in the door. There are plenty of places in the world where we already have to deal with being separated in our work. RootsCamp isn’t one of those places.

What should I bring?

Probably a coat and scarf. It’s been chilly around here. Also bring a notebook, some resumés, and a winning smile. Well…the winning smile is optional I suppose, but I felt the need to say something cheesy.

Can Rootscamp help me get a job?

Funny you should ask! Yes! On Saturday from 12-3pm, in association with NOI’s new Work Forward program and sponsored by AFL-CIO, we’ll be hosting our career fair. There will be anywhere between 50-100 employers looking for the brightest organizing talent they can find. So bring a couple resumés and maybe a little something nice to wear. Happily we can claim literally hundreds of organizers have found jobs through our RootsCamp Career Fair.

What are some sessions you found surprising/exciting last year?

Unfortunately I didn’t have the chance to attend many sessions last time as I was running things – and this year will undoubtedly not be very different. But the few that I did stop in on briefly were sessions on how to stay healthy on the campaign trail, an excellent session on Pinterest (of all things), a Troy Davis case study and a debrief of the marriage equality win in New York.

What are you most looking forward to this year?

We have some awesome sessions already proposed and some of our partner sessions are going to be incredible. Upworthy is going to be doing their “How to win the internetz” session which I saw at Netroots and am very excited about. Also there’s a great volunteer recruitment inside edition session being done by some hot lady. There’s actually a huge variety at this point from Veterans organizers to WalMart to LGBT to Women to African American and Immigration…sooo many things will be talked about!

Why is your Twitter handle McBenefit and what's up with you and Pokemon?

I lived in New York for about 13 years and during that time I produced about 200 Broadway concerts and events. Most of which were benefits for different charities. My friends Max von Essen and Scott Nevins coined the nickname “Jamie McBenefit” and it stuck. I figured you could be nicknamed far worse things.

And as for Pokémon, I’ve been a voice actor for the past 14 years and I’ve been doing voices for Pokémon for the past 10 roughly. I’ve spent the past 6 years or so playing Ash’s main rivals, Barry and now Trip. I’ve also worked on Yu-Gi-Oh!, Viva Pinata, One Piece and a bunch of other anime and video games. It’s one of those fun things I get to talk about when we’re done debriefing at RootsCamp!

Seriously. Click here to buy your ticket to the fun!

What's Next II: Post Election FAQs

Hello and welcome back! I hope by now you've had some whiskey, sleep, shower, sex or whatever gets you feeling like a person again. Thank you for respecting my brief, but thoroughly enjoyed recuperation period. I got to do birthday karaoke, sleep for 18 hours straight and finally (after a year and a half) begin decorating my apartment...so win! Congratulations again to everyone-especially OFA Florida, talk about a field win, huh? But more on that later. For now, down to business.

I'm totally happy to answer all your post-election job finding questions, and if I don't know the answer, committed to finding someone who can. All I ask is that you read what I've already written before you ask. This helps me get to your questions more quickly and also makes me feel appreciated. So in that vein, please read this post on general job seeky resources and advice as well as the following FAQ's before submitting your question. And awaaaaay we go!

I have only worked in state/on local campaigns, but I want to branch out and work out of state/on federal campaigns. How do I make the transition?

Networking. That's going to be my first answer to a lot of these, so you should imagine "networking" before my answer to all the other questions. I lumped these two together because they have been asked together as well as individually and the answers overlap as well. If you want to get out of state OR go federal, get in touch with the DS (Democratic Senate Committee) or the DCCC (Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee). If you're looking to work in Virginia or New Jersey in the "off year" (and I would humbly suggest that you consider coming to New York City as well) get in touch with a specific candidate and/or the DLCC, Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee or a powerful endorsing organization, like EMILY's List, and let them know. I think there's a myth among people who have only worked within their state that it's very difficult to get a job as an out-of-stater. While in-staters may be preferable for a number of reasons, validation, local connections, knowledge of the area, you can easily overcome this barrier and find something out of state if that's what you desire.

I worked for a Republican in the past, but I want to work for Democrats. Will that hinder my chances?

Potentially, but you can work through it. People tend to want to hire people who remind them of themselves (a phenomenon pertinent to many of these scenarios) so that's a potential hurdle. In addition, many of us, especially those who have been partisan hacks for a long time, will have trouble seeing how someone can have Republican values one year and Democratic the next, and may question your motives or loyalty. The good news is since you know that, you can address it in a cover letter. Briefly explain why you worked for a member of a different party in the past--personal relationship, exceptional candidate, one party is the only game in town--and what skills and experiences are applicable to what you want to do now. In addition, if you are able, get an outside validator (someone you already know who knows those people) from within the Democratic party who can vouch for you to the campaign to which you're applying.

Will you post jobs/take resumes?

I will post jobs from organizations and people I already have a relationship with, but in general there are so many great websites that aggregate progressive job postings already that I don't feel the need to reinvent the wheel. You can find some of those organizations listed here. For the same reason, I am not collecting resumes, save for those from people with whom I have a prior relationship.

I want to work on the Hill. How do I do that?

I am not the best person to ask because I have never and probably will never have the urge to work on Capitol Hill. I will likely move to DC in May kicking and screaming. So, if you are a person who has gone from campaigns to Congress, I invite you to write in and share some advice. What I do know is it's hard. That's not to say you can't do it, just know there will be a lot of competition and it may not happen right away. Here is what I've seen work for people in the past. If you want to work in Washington, you should move to DC. The circular truth is that to get Hill experience, you often need Hill experience. So,even if it means taking an unpaid internship in a Congressional office and bartending until something opens up, you should do that. They say that DC is like Hollywood for ugly people and I think that's pretty apt. Just imagine hundreds of little organizers just like you wandering around resume in hand.

In addition, you should network your glittery little heart out (there's that word again). Talk to your Senators and Representatives, anyone you know who has connections to current Representatives and Senators, and the staff of any Senators or Representatives whom you helped elect. Don't just ask about their offices, but their colleagues' as well. Find out which members are newly elected and thus might be looking for staff. Think about how you might have a connection to their geographic area or issues of interest. Tom Manatos is a good source for job openings on Capitol Hill.

This was my first time working on a campaign, am I a candidate for a leadership (RFD) position next cycle?

That really depends. Sometimes when people say "working" on a campaign they mean volunteering (not to diminish the great work our volunteers do) and even "volunteering" can mean anything from putting out yard signs to working full time side by side with staff. Organizing can be similarly varied. Were you a deputy field organizer for two weeks or were you the first on the ground in your area organizing for a year? Very, very generally people are organizers for two cycles before they become Regionals on a statewide or Field Directors on Congressionals, but it varies widely in both directions and of course you could always switch departments.

I love this job, but how can I afford to do it all the time?

Some great advice on the subject from my friend, Ed, here. Also, supporter housing.

I feel like crap (physically).

Sleep it off, champ! That's totally normal. Your body was running on adrenaline toward the end of the campaign and now you're coming down, so give yourself a little time to recover. Plus if you were in bumblecrunch Texas like I was, you probably started to bleed fried chicken, so maybe get some exercise and a nice home cooked meal.

I miss campaigns! I am trying to relax but I am so lonely! How can I go back to normal life? How do you deal with this feeling?

That's why I started this blog!

Good Luck! Now that you have read these answers thoroughly, feel free to ask away. Look forward to information on career fairs and how to write a good campaign resume, plus back to our regularly scheduled programming all coming up soon!


Nancy

How to end partisan politics

President Clinton (you may know him as Secretary of State Clinton's husband), argues that if we don't want partisan politicians in Washington, we should stop electing them.

"We live in a time where there's this huge disconnect between the way the political system works and the way the economic system works. Every place the American economy is booming, cooperation is the order of the day...But conflict is still good politics in Washington. So, until the American people make it clear that -- however they voted in past elections -- they want these folks to work together and to do something, there's going to be a little ambivalence in Washington."

Great neighbors think alike.

Note: I think this article incorrectly refers to Pres.Clinton as Pres.Obama at one point. Maybe it will be fixed by the time you read this.