The big story of the 2008 presidential campaign was the massive, grassroots army of some 13 million volunteers that Barack Obama recruited with the promise of change. The big question of 2009 was how those political soldiers could help accomplish the goals they fought for. Now, more and more of those supporters say they're being left out of the action by a White House that's all too comfortable with Wall Street and Washington's ways. Did Obama raise unrealistic expectations? Has he missed the opportunity to build a movement, or is governing just different from running a campaign? We hear from grassroots supporters, both current and former.
Can Obama Woo Back the Grassroots?
Credits
Guests:
- Micah Sifry - Executive Editor of TechPresident.com
- Mary Jane Stevenson - California State Director, Organizing for America
- Marta Evry - Former Regional Field Organizer, Obama Campaign
- Bim Ayandele - WInner and Associates
- Fred Hiatt - Editorial Page Editor, Washington Post