Oct. 7, 1999

Bradley's supporters in Iowa
are "true believers," his staffers say

By Becki White
CyberCaucus 2000 News Service
Drake University

DES MOINES, Iowa--Bill Bradley supporters are different from those in other campaigns, they say, because they really believe.

"The response we've been getting is overwhelming," said Maureen Monahan, press secretary for the Bradley campaign in Iowa. "Bradley people are true believers. It's not 'I'll follow the institution.' It's 'I want Bill Bradley to be the next president'."

Bradley's state director Dan Lucas said since this summer, more than 500 people signed up on Bradley's website to volunteer and 15,000 more people signed cards pledging support and offering to volunteer.

"We're getting a lot of support from people who normally wouldn't be involved," said Dan Leary, Polk County field organizer for Bradley. "People are saying Bill Bradley is the reason."

Many Democrats are switching their loyalty to Bradley, Lucas explained, because they believe in his policies and him as a person. Bradley is different from the other Democratic candidate-hopeful, Vice President Al Gore, because he is not just campaigning to the party regulars but to the people, Lucas said.

"I believe in the principles (Bradley) espouses about what it means to be a Democrat at the end of the century," Lucas said. "I'm not into centralist politics. It should be about people - not business."

Leary said he expects a good turnout for Bradley in Iowa. "People are looking for a change. Bradley just offers a new kind of leadership."

Monahan said people from Virginia, New York, Washington and "all over the nation" came to Iowa to help find support for Bradley in the caucuses. She said people have left good jobs "on Wall Street" to help with the campaign. "I wouldn't have done it for anyone else," she said. "I had a good job - Bradley is the only person who could take me away from that."

The Internet is one of the main sources the campaign is using to get volunteers. Bradley's web site, http://www.billbradley.com, gives visitors the opportunity to sign up for volunteering or donate money. "It's a very effective new tool. Lots of candidates are using it, from running for city council to president," Monahan said.

She said they are also recruiting volunteers on a grassroots level by calling homes or visiting people and asking for their support. "A lot of people just walk in the door and say, 'I want to help'," she said.

However, the greatest way for people to help, Monahan said, is to go to the caucuses. "There's an interesting twist in this campaign. We're not just recruiting people for the campaign, we're recruiting people to go to caucus and vote for Bill Bradley," she said.

Lucas said all of the volunteers' work is paying off. He said a poll taken this summer showed Bill Bradley at about 30 percent for caucus attenders. These are great results, he said, because Bradley is the underdog in the race for the nomination.

"Gore has been running for president since 1988," Monahan said. "He has the party regulars. If he doesn't get 75 percent on caucus day, he loses."

In the past, numbers weren't the only important things in the caucus results. Often, a candidate needs only to win more than expected to be labeled a winner.

Monahan credits Bradley's success to the efforts of the staff. "I see how hard our staff works, and I see the enthusiasm in Iowa," she said. Lucas agreed. "We're happy with our growth," he said. "I thought things would be slower, but we're doing our best to keep up."

Although they have several volunteers, they're still looking for more, Monahan said. "What do they say? You can never be too thin or too rich. We always want more help," she said.

"We could do better," Lucas said. "We're going to try to do better, we're going to try to get bigger."

Bradley officially announced he would run for the Democratic ticket Sept. 9. He has been to Iowa 17 times since the beginning of the year and is going to Redfield, Iowa, to visit a rural health care clinic and an American Legion hall this weekend. Those interested in volunteering can call Bradley's office in Iowa at 255-0550 or visit his website at www.billbradley.com.