Tucson Region

Tapping into technology

Tim Sultan stood by his parents' refrigerator, holding the phone as Howard Dean's voice squeaked through the tiny speaker. About 50 Dean supporters huddled around him, straining to latch onto every word as the former Vermont governor thanked the volunteers who helped propel his campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination. Two pots of chili were on the stove. A platter of homemade corn bread was on the counter. Politics was in the air. House parties such as this one at the West Side home of Cheryl Lockhart and Roger Wolf were held recently at 1,400 homes across the country. About 40 were in Arizona, and 16 of those were in Tucson. Speakerphones made it possible for Dean to attend every single one of them. Grass-roots politics is no longer simply a matter of yard signs, kissing babies and whistle-stop tours. Technology - from the lowly telephone to the Internet - has become indispensible for any candidate who hopes to harness voter support. All nine major Democrats running for the White House and President Bush have tapped into technology to raise money and generate buzz. Dean's thorough exploitation of the Internet has created headlines as well. Writing in the Los Angeles Times last week, columnist Ronald Brownstein marveled at how Dean "has proved that the Internet can revolutionize the way campaigns are funded by mobilizing a mass base of small donors." The house party at the Lockhart-Wolf home was a perfect example. Many guests were like Hussein and Doris Kamel, both 69, who learned about the event online and decided to attend because they've found in Dean a candidate they can actively support. "This is the first time we felt strongly enough about a candidate that we felt we had to do something," said Hussein Kamel, a professor at the University of Arizona's Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering. The necessity of capturing that desire to get involved was not lost on Sultan, a student at Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government who greeted guests as they entered his parents' home. He graciously pointed out the chili and the corn bread, and then added that contributions to Dean's campaign could be made by check or credit card. By the time the evening was over, the party had raised $3,348 for Dean. "The great thing about this campaign is that it has brought out people who've never been active before," said Sultan. Supporters of Gen. Wesley Clark make the same argument. They gathered last week at Zachary's Pizza to hear Kirk Whittig, the campaign's field coordinator for Pima County, tell them how to get involved. About 20 or 25 people were expected. Nearly 50 showed up. A harried waitress negotiated through the throng, delivering pitchers of beer and trays of pizza as Whittig went through a list of upcoming events. Listening intently in the audience were John and Jeanne Oehler. They drove 85 miles from Cochise just to find out how they could help get Clark elected. "We've never had the enthusiasm for a candidate before Wesley Clark," John Oehler said. A few days later, the Clark campaign opened its Tucson office. Another standing-room-only crowd. Hovering near the door, Theresa Bubbens said that she visited all the candidates' Web sites and reviewed their positions before she decided on Clark. "This particular election is absolutely critical for people to get involved at the grass-roots level," the retired real-estate broker said. Her involvement will include calling a list of voters - in New Hampshire. A similar sentiment is shared by Lianda Ludwig, co-chairwoman for the Dennis Kucinich campaign in Tucson, which has held house parties in Green Valley, Sierra Vista, Bisbee and Tucson. "Grass roots is everything," Ludwig said. "It's really a matter of touching hearts."