Your Official CampaignSick New Year's Countdown

After this year's election I promised to keep you apprised of the things that were making me feel good and hopeful after what we'll just call a terrible election season. I've been staying away from sharing a lot of news, mostly because I still find it pretty overwhelming but also because I have been busier than expected lo these past couple months (job hunting, I got engaged!, etc). I did want to leave 2016 with you guys on a positive note though so that we can look forward together optimistically to the New Year. So while you enjoy your holiday however you plan to spend it (ours will be on the couch eating Chinese food, because we live large) please enjoy this brief countdown of things that make me feel good going into 2017.


FIVE Inspirational Quotes

Yes, I see the irony that only one of these is from a woman, but these are the thoughts I meditate on when I am in the pits of post-election despair.

"And with this faith I will go out and carve a tunnel of hope through the mountain of despair. With this faith, I will go out with you and transform dark yesterdays into bright tomorrows." Martin Luther King Jr

"If you’re going through hell, keep going." Winston Churchill

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.” Teddy Roosevelt

"Do all the good you can, for all the people you can, for as long as you can." Hillary Clinton

"Do not be daunted by the enormity of the world's grief. Do justly, now. Love mercy, now. Walk humbly, now. You are not obligated to complete the work, but neither are you free to abandon it." Rabbi Tarfon

FOUR uplifting facts about women running for office from the 2016 Election

Hillary Clinton won the popular vote by almost 3 million votes AND became the first woman to secure a major party's Presidential nomination

The next Congress will see a record high number of Black women representatives.

The number of women of color in the US Senate QUADRUPLED.

More than 4500 women signed up to run office post-election and that's just through She Should Run's incubator!

THREE articles I have read in the last 24hrs that made me smile

Only three passengers on BA flight enjoy champagne and selfies

Giant panda no longer endangered

Eavesdropping Uber driver saves young girl from pimps, police say

TWO songs that make me feel powerful and inspired in such times as these




ONE picture my friend who is a 2nd grade teacher sent me from an exercise where she asked her students what they learned from the election.

One final thought: time is just a construct. Celebrities will continue to die in 2017. Donald Trump will be President. But we will get through this as we get through everything, as a community. Can't think of one I'd rather be part of.

Campaign Love and Mine,

Nancy

Deep Canvass Your Relatives

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I wanted to do a longer post on this but then of course time became a thing and like many of us when it comes to the election I go back and forth between being able to engage thoughtfully and turning into a ranting sniveling mess.

I first want to say that I really feel for anyone who is spending the holidays with relatives who support Donald Trump. I still feel betrayed and incensed by my relatives who voted for Clinton but propagated the misogynistic language during the primary that I feel ultimately contributed (along with a boat load of other things) to this electoral outcome. I can only imagine having to share Thanksgiving with Trumpster fires. You are sincerely in my prayers.

There has been a lot of discussion over whether its appropriate, admissible or even incumbent upon us to talk about 2016 at the Thanksgiving table. I know my boyfriend and I are dreading having these conversation with my relatives, all of whom supported Clinton, but are less politically engaged than we are and likely to come at us with their own aggressive hot takes not at all hampered by the fact that this is our field of expertise.

Our friends at the Campaign Workshop shared an interview with Episcopal Reverend Tim Schenck for those taking the "I'd rather not go there" approach.

This will shock absolutely none of my readership, but I am quite comfortable arguing with my family even on holidays. This is in part because I'm Nancy and in part because I'm Jewish. Many Jewish holidays center on wrestling with interpretations of morality, questioning what we have been taught and even arguing with God shimself. And if I can have that argument, even my relatives are a piece of cake.

One of the many things I'm thankful for this Thanksgiving is a family that loves me and whom I love unconditionally, who share my values and for the most my interpretation of how those values should present themselves in our democracy. I recognize not everyone has that privilege. I don't mean to advocate for you to participate in actions that supersede your mental health.

However, when a colleague, who it should be noted has a very different relationship with her family, shared this article with the note "deep canvass your relatives," I was immediately drawn to the idea. Deep canvass as you may remember, is a method of voter contact that essentially allows the target to persuade themselves by answering thought provoking questions. You can read more about deep canvass here. When I consider the very few people in my life who voted for Donald Trump I am inclined to ask them that which is also the title of this New York Times article, "How Could You?" which presents 19 questions to ask your loved ones on the opposite side of our bitterly fought and bitterly disappointing presidential race. Those questions are:

1. Describe your relationship to me.

2. Are we close?

3. Who did I vote for and why?

4. What was the most important issue for me?

5. Why do you feel differently about that issue?

6. How do you think our views came to be so different?

7. Has it been difficult to talk to me about this election? If so, why?

8. Do my views influence your politics at all?

9. What do you think most needs to change about this country?

10. Are you uncomfortable about any aspect of how America is changing?

11. Do you think I’m sexist or racist?

12. Do you feel ignored or misunderstood as a voter? If so, for how long?

13. What is a position my candidate held that you agree with?

14. What is a trait you find positive about my candidate?

15. What is something that you don’t like about the candidate you voted for?

16. Is there anything you are hopeful about in a Trump presidency?

17. Is there a goal Clinton talked about that you could get behind?

18. What do you think we agree on?

19. Do you still like me?

Even more fascinating, the article offers a link to The Run Up podcast, which features sets of relatives having just this conversation.

I mean this not to be saccharine but as political necessity;our current state of affairs is severely lacking in empathy. I am as guilty of it as anyone. I CANNOT put myself in the position of someone who voted for Donald Trump, insurance premiums be damned. If we can't see where the other side is coming from, we can't communicate effectively and we will continue to lose elections. As I piece together my own personal version of "what's next" I know that listening and communicating in a way that meets people where they are is essential for progress as well as my own ability to reconcile what I believe to be true about our country with what happened at the polls. I will continue to share opportunities I find to do this and most of all continue to be grateful for your friendship and your readership today and every day.

Happy Thanksgiving!


Campaign Love and Mine,


Nancy

What I Wish I Had Known At (Almost) 30 With Nancy Leeds

I love, love, love getting and giving advice. When I write "Ask Nancy" blog posts I try to think of what I needed to read 5 or 10 years ago and share that insight with you. As many of you know I am turning 30 a mere 4 months from now (yikes!) and am doing everything in my power to get the most bang for my big birthday buck!

To that end, rather than wait and tell you what to expect at 30 in retrospect, I thought I would reach out to friends with similar paths to mine who have already taken the 3-0 plunge and ask them what they wish they had known. I've learned so much in the past year from the amazing men and women I have asked for career advice in my transition to DC and I am looking forward to getting it down in writing. Some FABULOUS leaders in the field of Democratic politics have agreed to share their stories with us over the next four months. Get excited!

Before we begin, however, I thought it was only fair to share my answers to the 10 questions I asked of my guest bloggers. Here you go!

Nancy Leeds, 29, Deputy Political Director at Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund & Founder/Blogger at Campaignsick

Tell us a little about your career path.
You can learn more about how I fell into campaigns here, but my first campaign was on the Minnesota Coordinated in 2006. I worked my way up the ranks in field and management on campaigns across the country until 2011, when I moved to New York for grad school. I started CampaignSick as a way to keep in touch with the campaign world and took on short-term projects as a GOTV Director while I was in school. When I graduated I was super lucky to find a job that let me use my degree (in gender and public policy) and keep working on campaigns while living a more sustainable lifestyle.

What are you most proud of?
Professionally, my blog. It has been an immense privilege to get to entertain, advise and interact with campaign people around the country whom I would not have met otherwise. Personally, and due in part to the amazing gift that this blog has been, my confidence. I've always been an emotional, excitable person and as I've gotten older I've been able to temper the more negative aspects of that with the belief that no matter what happens I'm going to be okay. Some of that has to do with my faith, which I don't often blog about because I don't like to shove down people's throats, and some of that, like anything else, is a learned skill. Like any skill or faith, it's an evolving practice.

What is the best advice you've received?
I was delinquent in getting my regular treatment for my chronic illness when I was working on the Edwards campaign and my doctor said, "Do you think Elizabeth Edwards skips her chemo for campaign events?" Setting aside my feelings on that campaign, I've learned to prioritize my health and self-care. I know that sounds oddly specific, but if I could go back and change one thing about my 20's that would be it. I wasted a lot of time "sucking it up" and not going to the doctor because I didn't want the immediate, temporary inconvenience of taking care of myself. Consequently, I spent a lot of time in unnecessary physical and emotional pain, not being my best self. I could kick younger Nancy both for not recognizing the loss in productivity and not believing that I deserve to feel better.

What is the worst advice you've received?
"No one is going to vote for a first term Senator named Barack, go work for John Edwards." ;) Although, that one actually wound up working out okay in the long-term.

I would say any advice that discourages authenticity. There's this perception that women can't be authentic in the public sphere or they will be seen as weak. And in general political people tend to be, well, political. Many of my campaign friends will go to great lengths to avoid coping to not knowing something. In my experience, people respect when you are real and upfront with them even when that means admitting that you're imperfect or having the strength to seek advice. And also, that's how we learn. My most successful blog posts are the ones where I talk about being vulnerable because they're the most relateable. Of course there are appropriate and inappropriate ways to share yourself, but I fundamentally disagree with any advice that discourages people from being genuine.

What lesson are you still trying to learn?
Not to take other people's actions personally. When my friends/volunteers/candidates/boyfriends can't show up for me in the way that I need them to, I tend to get so frustrated and hurt. But you have to realize that everyone is making decisions based on emotions and history outside the context of your relationship with them.

I keep having to remind myself that there is no amount of loving, or coercive or good at your job that you can be to make someone who or how you want them to be. I have found that when I identify that feeling of disappointment and accept people where they are at, my relationships, both personal and professional, are much more positive.

What was the best thing about being in your 20's?
Definitely the adventures. Traveling around the country, working campaign hours, meeting all different kinds of people was a wild, amazing ride. It's not something I still have the energy for in the same way, but it made me who I am and I am eternally grateful for every moment of it, even the ones when I was sleep-deprived and tearing my hair out. It wasn't just the campaigns; I once went on a second date that was a cross country road trip. I made bold, passionate choices and I'm really proud of that.

What one thing should I absolutely do before I turn 30?
Forgive yourself. Your early twenties are for making mistakes.

What's the best thing about being 29?
Designing my own life. In my early 20's I felt like so much was out of my control because of my health and financial circumstances, and of course because campaign life can be very restrictive. The experiences I had in my younger adulthood taught me a lot about what I want and don't want in jobs and relationships. When I graduated with my masters I was very deliberate about choosing next steps that reflected what I'd learned about myself. I continue to seek out experiences that I think will enrich me or provide me the opportunity to grow. I'm very grateful to have a life that I love and to have the agency to change things when I'm not happy.

What are you looking forward to?
Security. I'll never be the kind of person who can sit still for too long, either literally or metaphorically, but I am looking forward to a time in the not too distance future when I won't have to wonder where I'll be living, who I'll be dating or whether I'll be financially secure 6 months from now.

What else?
You guys really have a lot of my "other" advice from everything I've written on the blog. In more practical information though, five things I wish I had tried earlier: kale salad, Excedrin, maxi dresses, yoga and french press coffee.


Can't wait to share more with you!

Campaign Love and Mine,

Nancy

PS. I need to get better at reminding you to do this. If you like this post, please consider donating to Campaignsick!

Just in time for 4th of July, VAN Easter Eggs!

Shout out to YDA Secretary, campaign grandbaby and FOCS, Shayna Daitch for alerting me to these!

"The first one is if you try to search for something multiple times in the Help Wiki, even it it tells you the article doesn't exist."

"The second is the last article after searching for 'administrator.'"

Thanks, Shayna!

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Happy Thanksgiving, my amazing, beautiful friends! I know I say it all the time, but I can never stress enough how grateful I am for you sharing your lives with me and allowing me to share mine with you. You are the 1's in my call list and the cold beer at the end of my canvass. My life would be so much less fun without you. I just made 5 holiday desserts and did 7 loads of laundry because on top of Thanksgiving, I am moving tomorrow, so I am unable to expound on your wonderfulness at this time.

I did want to share this YDA link on fact checking your Republican relatives, since I get questions about this every holiday. Use it at your own risk!

Happy Thanksgiving, Happy Hannukah and of course...

Campaign Love and Mine,

Nancy

Virginia GOP Candidate Is a Big Bucket of Crazy

Just in time for Halloween, Politico shared this story from the National Review of Lieutenant Governor candidate, E.W. Jackson weaving tales about the devil and...yoga?

“When one hears the word meditation, it conjures an image of Maharishi Yoga talking about finding a mantra and striving for nirvana. … The purpose of such meditation is to empty oneself. … [Satan] is happy to invade the empty vacuum of your soul and possess it. That is why people serve Satan without ever knowing it or deciding to, but no one can be a child of God without making a decision to surrender to him. Beware of systems of spirituality which tell you to empty yourself. You will end up filled with something you probably do not want.”

Oh good. That's just the kind of clearheadedness and religious tolerance I look for in my leaders. The election is this Tuesday.

Namaste.

Taking Back Religion: I Don't Swim in Your Toilet, Please Don't Jew in My Job.

Tonight at sundown begins "Days of Awe," one of the holiest times in the Jewish calendar. This is a time when Jews look back on the year behind us and forward to the year ahead, atone for our sins and ask God to inscribe us in the Book of Life. For me, as with everything else, it's impossible to separate these events from the election cycle, since I tend to imbue campaigns with an almost spiritual significance anyway. Coincidence that the High Holidays coincide with the final push toward GOTV? Debatable. That said, I want to make an impassioned plea for my rabbi to leave the election out of his sermon this holiday season.

One either under or over reported aspect of the Democratic National Convention (depending on where you get your news) was President Obama's insistence on including God in the Democratic platform. Glossing over my feelings on that as a politico (Anti! What is this, the McCarthy era? There's this little thing called separation of church and state! And what we just do stuff because the right wing dares us to now?) and my feelings on including Jerusalem as the capital of Israel (Pro! Either we recognize a government as legitimate or we don't. Plus Democrats do need the Jewish vote.) I was offended as a religious person. Who are you to assume we have the same concept of God? And who are you to use the Creator of the Universe to score political points? Bringing the election into religion cheapens both.

Last week I went to a seminar at my synagogue to get edJEWcated about the upcoming holidays. The presenter went on a long metaphor about how God is like Barack Obama and we've elected him our leader and now he makes the decisions. What? No! No! No! No! No! No! First of all, I'm pretty sure we didn't elect God. If we did, we certainly wouldn't be Jewish, since we make up .2% of the world's population. (Also, we didn't choose him, he chose us. That's what makes us the Chosen People.) Setting aside my religions beliefs, what really upsets me is that this metaphor absolves us of responsibility in our own government. To pretend that our relationship with our elected officials is one of absolute authority, rather than accountability is antithetical to our democracy. If our leaders have supreme power, then why do we vote? Or even if we vote, why do we engage after the election? Jewish text makes it clear that we have a responsibility to participate in the election regardless of how we vote.

Last year at Rosh Hashana services, the rabbi used our divided Congress as an example of the bickering and fray we should stay above in the upcoming year. I was LIVID. I don't want my religious leaders promoting political apathy! I don't need the rabbi at the one place I go to not think about elections using the sentiment that is the bane of my professional existence to get cheap laughs. I couldn't enjoy the rest of the service. Temple is the one place where I know I can go to concentrate on myself and my emotional well being. When you invoke elections, I feel like I have to be "on."

That brings me to another point. Religious leaders should not use modern political metaphors because they so often get it wrong. At the pre-holiday seminar I attended, the rabbinic fellow leading the conversation said the sentence ,"Let's say God gets 271 votes in the electoral college." My companion must have been relieved that I had lost my voice earlier that week because it kept me from shouting "270! He would only need 270!" It was distracting and it made it hard for me to take the rest of what he was saying seriously.

I realize I may be an anomaly, but for me elections just as much as religion are intensely personal, spiritual, and at the very core of who I am. When you blend the two together in a (no pun intended) unholy marriage, it's almost as if you're robbing me of the right to define myself. Telling me how elections work in synagogue is just as offensive as telling me how God works at the DNC. To borrow a phrase from VEEP, using political metaphors in your sermon is like trying to use a croissant as a dildo: It doesn't work and it makes a big mess. So here's the deal: You don't talk about the election at High Holiday services and I won't kick off a canvass from the bima.

L'Shana Tova,
Nancy

Happy New Year from Putin!

"Honest presidential elections in 2012," Putin told reporters in Moscow today, when asked what he can offer to Russians as a New Year's gift. The premier said he was ready for dialogue with the country's opposition groups, though they need to articulate a coherent platform.

Even though he claims that the December 4th elections weren't rigged. Pro-tip, Puty Put, generally when someone offers us a gift, it's something they don't think we already have. Let's call a bear a bear.

С Новым годом!
-Nancy

'Tis the Season

Ugly sweater party, Christmas eve 2007 with my beloved coworkers.

Me with said friend, Christmas 2007. Look at us! We were babies!

I had the absolute pleasure of visiting with one of my best friends from Edwards '08 this week. We stayed up all night drinking beer, watching West Wing Christmas episodes and reminiscing about the good, the bad, and the ugly of our days in Iowa.

That Christmas my boyfriend drove my car off an icy road into a cornfield and a friendly neighbor rescued us with a tractor. Then we drove to a former naval officer's supporter housing, ate various kinds of greasy overcooked vegetables and pies, and watched a special on the top ten most unique McDonalds. It sounds like the last place I'd want to find myself now, but at the time it was perfect. It was our first day off in months and one of the last times we'd all be together.

A week later, we'd participate in the historic Iowa caucuses. Then I'd be off to South Carolina on a losing campaign and the rest, as they say, is history. Still, if I could go back in time to tell myself one thing about that cycle, it wouldn't be that Barack Obama would win the caucus or what a jerk John Edwards was. It would be to appreciate those moments because for all the craziness, the yelling, the poor planning and the frustration, I would never be a field organizer again... and as glad as I am to have grown up since then, there are some experiences you just can't have doing anything else!

My New Year's resolution is to spend less time worrying about the future and find more things to appreciate in the moment.

I am incredibly grateful for friends I've kept from campaigns and the new ones I've had the good fortune to meet this week.

Seasons Greetings and Campaign Love,
Nancy

P.S.
Watch this Christmas themed 2008 Caucus video! I couldn't find a way to embed it.

How to buy for a Republican, if you must

Amazing gift giving guide and parry to my Field Organizer's wishlist, by Katherine Haenschen at Burnt Orange Report. Well met, Madame. (Click Here.)

Organizer Store- Holiday Edition 2011

What a year it's been! I can't believe it's been over a year since I've worked on a campaign! Grad school is incredible, but let's face it, nowhere near as incredible as my campaign family! This whole Gosling thing has reminded me of how special the people I work with are and how lucky I am to be a part of this community. I wish I could get these all, for all of you, but in true campaign fashion, I'm just going to encourage you to get some wealthy old volunteer (perhaps one who is so opposed to doorknocking he climbs down chimneys) to donate them. (And Click Here for last year's list!)

1.) The Democratic Dream Mug

Coffee is a Field Organizer's best friend. Now you can do your part to turn red states blue even as your pour yourself a mug! The map turns completely blue with heat! Big shout out to my friend (and sister), Arielle Jacobs who bought me this as a Secret Santa gift this year! From the aptly name Unemployed Philosophers' Guild.


2.) The Ostrich Head Pillow

I've often thought that campaign offices should have those cots in the back like they show in police stations in Law and Order, but that's not going to happen for a number of reasons. Behold the ostrich head pillow! Now you can nap through a conference call without ever leaving your desk! Also, I enjoy that it looks completely ridiculous.




3.) Organizer Wall Art

In case your organizer friend did not receive last year's t-shirt quilt, here's another do-it-yourself gift s/he might enjoy. Turn old campaign t-shirts into decorative keepsakes! Instructions here.


4.) Donation Alarm Clock

I posted about this over the Summer, but it deserves a second mention here. For the organizer who can't get herself out of bed in the morning, it's an alarm clock that donates money to organizations that you hate every time you hit the snooze. Kind of gives a whole new meaning to "when you're not working the other side is. "Also please note the "hateable" organization highlighted in the picture, it's like they were begging to be featured in the organizer store. As the product name suggests, you snooze you lose...literally.


5.) Doorknocking Mittens

A must-have for winter canvassing in Iowa! These are pretty pricey, but I'm pretty sure I bought mine for cheaper. Un-velcro the top to knock on a door, and then slip 'em right back on.


Hoping to have some more (potentially Gosling themed) gifts for you by the new year! Happy Holidays! Wishing you a 2012 filled with joy and success!

-Nancy

Pro-Tip: Be Thankful

Years ago, a career counselor at my alma mater advised me to write holiday cards to people who had helped me in my job search. Her logic was that this was an unobtrusive way of keeping myself on their radars, while reminding them of my impeccable charm and business etiquette should I need their help in future.

I thought this was sort of brilliant and I've adapted it to my own tastes over the years to include more than just casual business contacts and to take place around Thanksgiving rather than New Years. Every year I write an e-mail to candidates, bosses, co-workers and volunteers who have made an impact on me in the most recent election year. Yes, it's a good career move, but I'm recommending thankfulness in general. Here's why:

1) Elections are by nature a cynical business. We spend a lot of time talking about what's wrong, railing against injustice or warning about what could happen if the other side gets its way. There have been times on elections and even in school when I think about everything going on in the world and all the issues I care about and worry "how will we ever, ever fix that?" In our rush to make things better, we can spend our whole lives focusing on what's left to do and not consider all the progress we've made. This year I am thankful for (among many other things) Gilad Shalit, an end to Don't Ask Don't Tell, New York marriage equality, victories in Connecticut, continued protection for a woman's right to choose, and a plan to withdraw troops from Iraq. In the lead up to what promises to be a challenging election year, let's not forget that we have a lot to be proud of.

2) It means more to thank someone when you don't need anything from them. Any organizer worth her call list knows to thank her volunteers when they come in the office, but what about the election? I once attended a training where a now fairly prominent field director told us that volunteers are like tissues because you get as much as you can out of them, and then you throw them out. Lovely. I know, I'm such the karma police that Radiohead could write a song about me, but it seems to me that if you thank someone you should mean it. Especially if you plan to go ahead and do it again with a whole new group of people next year. You're asking people to do things that are sometimes scary, often boring and often time consuming. As we all know, volunteers come into the office for the candidate, but they stay for you. One of the things that broke my heart about John Edwardsgate was that I had asked people to give up their time and energy to help him. I put my reputation and integrity on the line to them for him. Afterwards, I felt like I had let them down. Writing them a thank you note almost a year later allowed me to let them know that even though things worked out very, very differently than we had hoped, their hard work was not unappreciated, and not in vain.

3) We stand on the shoulders of giants. Whether you're in school, on a campaign, or doing something equally important but unrelated, sometimes its hard to stay motivated. It's less so when you think about all the people who have come before you to make your job/school/life possible. I am thankful for the founding fathers and mothers and revolutionaries who risked being hung for treason so that I could be part of the longest running democracy in history, for the people who have died defending it and for the women who took part in the suffrage movement. I am also thankful for the doctors and pharmacists who made it possible for me to be alive and healthy enough to contribute to a movement I find incredibly rewarding. I have no intention of letting any of them down.

This year I am thankful to all of you for reading my blog and sharing it with others, especially my darling friend Cole Imperi who helped me with its new design (official launch coming soon). Please let me know how I can help you achieve your goals this coming year. I wish you a festive and meaningful holiday season.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Love,
Nancy