I'm REALLY mad
Posted January 7th, 2008 by docsulo
output
I spent about two hours and $100 to hook my computer up to my TV.
I invited 25 undecided voters over my home to watch the 5PM "Town Hall" broadcast.
Needless to say, I'm not happy.
The campaign needs to get on the ball. Don't say things are going to happen that aren't. PERIOD. NO EXCUSES@!
They should have known what the capacity was for the streaming. They should have anticipated a large online audience.
If they knew that the online streaming was unsustainable (or even thought it could be a possibility) they should have taped the show and made it available on YouTube an hour or so later.
They should have a team of people ready to put it YouTube the minute the speech is over. We are an UNDERDOG campaign. In fact this is a GUERRILLA campaign. What they don't get in respect they should make up for with speed, efficiency, and resources that other campaigns neglect.
ONE SUCH THING WOULD BE TO HAVE EVERYTHING READY TO MAKE SURE THE SIMULCAST WAS EITHER RECORDED OR STREAMED AT THE TIME THEY SAID.
(rant over)
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The Campaing has nothing to do with NH local TV station
server capacity!! The videos were up ASAP. It takes some time for You Tube to process videos once they are uploaded. I hope you used the time with your guest to inform them about Dr. Paul's campaing platform.
If you ranted and complained about the campaign in front of your guests you really hurt Dr. Paul and the campaing.
I AM TOTALLY PSYCHED ABOUT HOW WELL THINGS HAVE GONE THE LAST 48 HOURS. RON PAUL DID AWESOME IN THE ABC DEBATE, CNN INTERVIEW WAS AWESOME AND THE N.H. TOWN HALL AWESOME.
I just signed up for a precinct captain. OYE! WHAT DID I GET MYSELF INTO. If not me then who? Lord Help Me..
“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 and comes short again and again; because there is not effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, 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 he fails while daring greatly. So that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.”
Theodore Roosevelt quotes (American 26th US President (1901-09), 1858-1919)
Why don't you read you're TR
Why don't you read you're TR quote.
I was DOING something.
Not only was I doing something but I was doing it based on a SCHEDULED broadcast.
I agree fully with the above
I agree fully with the above post.
There has been a lot of criticism of the campaign lately, but this one is warranted because the fix is so easy.
They have unlimited resources in all of us if they would only tap them. We have lots of volunteers doing the boots on the ground work, but what we don't have is advisers from within the revolution who could help with just this situation.
Think about it, there are thousands, if not tens of thousands of techies out there, myself included, who would be more than happy to advise the campaign on certain matters that they in the campaign cannot be expected to know.
Choose a small group of individuals that the campaign can turn to in situations that need technical advice, such as streaming a live broadcast over your site (even if through proxy), and advertising that broadcast in the header section on every page of said site. Think about it. You have the most widely searched for and visited website of all the presidential candidates and you advertise a live web cast of the candidate on said site. You need to anticipate the outcome, and buffer that outcome by at least 30%. If you don't, you are setting yourself up for failure. This is not an Internet startup where these types of things are commonplace and excusable, this is a presidential campaign. People are less forgiving, especially those who may just be tuning into the message. It reflects poorly on the candidate.
There were a lot of disappointed people out there tonight, including myself. I sent an email out to every member of my family and quite a few unconverted friends (though I have been working on them) to tune in tonight and felt the same way as the poster of this topic. Everyone here takes Dr. Paul's campaign seriously, we know this, but if we want to sell him on others, things like this cannot happen, not now at such a crucial time. Time is running short and Super Duper Tuesday is just around the corner. If we don't do well there, guess what, game over.
This is not the time for mistakes or skimping on production or depending on a public access channel to manage the possibility of over 2,000+ concurrent streams. Experts in politics do not know this of course, but those that specialize in Internet technologies would (and many who simply use the Internet a lot).
I think the campaign does a fine job in their area of expertise, but again, they need to tap us out here on the shoulder once in a while for help with areas they may be unfamiliar with. We can do more than wave signs and knock on doors, we are the revolution after all.
My .02.
Hear hear
Great idea about organizing a group for tech problems or advice. Maybe someone could make up a website for this, and group it by 'problems', like techs, marketing, advertising etc. People can sign up and be available thorough a mailing list, and HQ need only to email/phone when they need support.
It's internet age. Proxy works.
You should have taken a deep
You should have taken a deep breath and shown them this.
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If you visit one link today, make it this one: http://digg.com/2008_us_e...
link
http://www.teamster.org/a...
Give me Liberty or Give me death
Just a thought ....
Ok, now it's time for MY little rant. I am getting really tired of the incessant complaining about campaign HQs. If you feel that you can do that much better, why don't you pack up your stuff and head down to Texas for the duration and tell them how to run a proper campaign? Or, join up with Operation Live Free or Die. This armchair quarterbacking is really frustrating. Perhaps you could start a separate forum consisting of ideas on how you would improve things at RP 2008. I know I'm gonna get slammed for saying all of this, but I just have to get it off my chest. I'm done now.
No offense. But, inviting
No offense. But, inviting people over my house to watch a SCHEDULED broadcast is NOT armchair quarterbacking.
I'm not trying to run the campaign. I'm trying to USE what the campaign is offering to CONVERT people.
You might want to think that through.
Granted I don't know to run
Granted I don't know to run a campaign, however a live video internet stream is not rocket science. Throw a little money write up a contract, put some sort of penalty if they can't handle it. Look for a company who have done it before??? A good IT guy would have ensured the live feed worked. Call me armchair quarterback guy, but they did drop the ball on this.
Did any of the 25
people watch the ABC debate on Saturday? I was especially happy to see a debate on network TV, as many people don't have cable or satellite to watch the debates on the 'pay stations'.
The ABC debate was great, IMHO.
"One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors."
- Plato
CNN Replayed it tonight
there was no need to watch fox if anyone didn't know about the fox debate they watched CNN unknowingly that those neocons were on
Give me Liberty or Give me death
What did you do?
Did you complain and complain or show them youtube video's like "A New Hope" - the "Bill Moyers interview" the "PBS documentry on the RP rEVOLution?"
Sorry, just wondering if it was turned into something positive?
---- ---- ----
Find information on your State - vote for Ron Paul and become a Delegate and or Precinct Chair!
http://www.ronpaul2008.co...
Do you KNOW how to become a Delegate for Ron Paul? -- Do it!
http://www3.webng.com/ron...
I didn't complain at all. I
I didn't complain at all.
I had a BBQ and I had the video playing on the TV.
The show never came on and we just had a good time.
I had over 50 people that wanted to come but can only fit about 28 people max in my home.
I just thought it would be great to have a captive audience rather than have them try to watch it themselves.
Oh well.
It was an expensive day and didn't work out the way I wanted but we had fun anyway.
I'd just like the campaign to get on the ball. SCHEDULING IS IMPORTANT. COMMUNICATION IS IMPORTANT.
Good job! Glad you all had a good time anyway and I do
understand being upset.
I like to give the campaign the benefit of the doubt - they did have to use a service for the audio stream, it may not be their fault - but rather our fault (folks other than in NH) who should have stayed off as to not overload the stream.
I think the bad planning could be blamed on us supporters sometimes just as often as we complain about the campaign.
I sure hope everyone had a good time at your house and will be voting for RP :)
Cheers!! Good luck!!
---- ---- ----
Find information on your State - vote for Ron Paul and become a Delegate and or Precinct Chair!
http://www.ronpaul2008.co...
Do you KNOW how to become a Delegate for Ron Paul? -- Do it!
http://www3.webng.com/ron...
i hope you showed them endless youtube videos
there are only 83,000 videos available
Wasn't it broadcast on TV in NH?
Wasn't it broadcast on TV in NH?
I have to commend you
for having the foresight to invite over 25!!! people to watch Dr. Paul. I'm so sorry it didn't work out, because your idea was a great one.
What did you end up showing
What did you end up showing them? Any of the other youtube videos? Did they all leave ready to vote for Paul?
Need for some "Top down" management
I understand your frustration. I feel that this was a pretty serious breakdown in communication. Of course things can go wrong (even if there has been proper planning). However, if you are going to promote an event there is an obligation to communicate if problems arise. There is still no notice on the campaign website indicating that was a problem...that shouldn't have happened. Someone should have posted on the website as soon as the problem came about.
It is great that this campaign is being driven so much by a grassroots effort. I do feel that more "Top-down" management will be needed in the near future. We (as volunteers) can assist by signing up and working as precinct captains.
I, for one, appreciate your effort to get 25 undecideds to come over with the intent of listening to Dr. Paul's message of Freedom.
There is another problem as big as not showing the debate.
Why did not they say something on their site? Like we are sorry, we can't. Or we'll show it in an hour. Something!
This problem is not technical. Any other candidate, I would not have voted for him after that.
I concur
We need to petition the campaign to improve its staff.
Again, campaign not internet savvy
C'mon, they've had DAYS to work this out. Anybody at all familiar with internet streaming and the Paul campaign should have known a certain capacity was needed. A server that would crash upon 2000 viewers nationally...you gotta be kidding!
If Paul comes in third on Tuesday, this campaign better get ready FAST for the big time. No more hokie crap.
I'm going to have to agree
I'm going to have to agree with the "trolls" here.....
the campaign seriously f'd up! This is 2008 the Internet is a serious medium for delivering live content all of the time. The campaign did this all wrong. I say they should have taken a million bucks ensured live streaming with a well known vendor that could deliver. Advertised the crap out of the event, created a huge buzz. Maybe even have a huge endorsement or some major announcement during it. This should have been an event that the media should have been dying to get to, to completely take attention from Fox. If there was ever a time to spend spend spend it was for tonight!
I am just so pissed with fox, with CSPAN!!! And whoever planned the logistics for this town hall. Especially the live internet stream. Ask any slashdotter or tech savvy person, and they will tell you live internet streaming
9 million people watch live internet concert
I imaging there are hundreds of thousands of other examples. Whoever there Technical coordinator is screwed up. Nothing should have went wrong today, it was just too important.
Entire program links
at this thread
http://www.dailypaul.com/...
I guess we've forgotten the PRE-internet days...lol
We're living in the microwave (instant) society now where "I want it, and I want it NOW!" Guess I'm getting old as I remember where we had to wait a whole DAY before we got a lot of our news via television or print.
Oh well, situations like this just remind those maybe younger what it's like to have "patience."
That's very nostalgic,
That's very nostalgic, however THE CAMPAIGN HAD A SCHEDULED TIME and made it clear that they would be streaming live on their site.
I represented Dr. Paul to 25 people at my house and lost credibility with all 25 due to this.
I don't take it lightly.
As I said, if there was ANY doubt that the streaming wouldn't work they should have said they would post the recorded version at a later time. I could then SCHEDULE my event properly.
Even when you got your news by television or print - IT WAS SCHEDULED - No?
Hey, if all "25 people"...
...can't understand that s**t happens, it's highly unlikely they'd be fair and open-minded enough to comprehend the good Doctor's message, in any case. Hope they (and you) get over it real soon....
I got over it real quick. I
I got over it real quick. I had a bbq and didn't talk about politics.
Me "getting over it" has nothing to do with the reason I had people over.
They were willing to watch the show because of my explanation of what happened with the FOX debate and RP's exclusion.
It did not look good that his campaign couldn't deliver (regardless of whom you or they would like to pass the blame to).
Sorry to hear that things
Sorry to hear that things fell apart for ya with the viewing. Were you able to show the 25 people some of the youtube highlights out there? There's pleanty of good material that might have sufficed given the fubar situation with the broadcast.
I'm glad!
A bbq sounds MUCH more fun than politics, anyway... :-)
This sort of thing has been happening from the beginning
Live webcasts have always been a problem. Justin.tv has screwed up every time I have tried to log on. There was some other carrier that they tried for the Chicago rally a few months back. It screwed up. The only time a web-streamed video has worked for me, it has been when one of the major networks happened to be broadcasting it on their website. You can't trust web videos unless they were recorded.
It was recorded...
and will be available asap. It aggravating, but I'm having to be patient.
Meanwhile, see...
http://www.youtube.com/wa...
for the first half of it....
Reminds me of the HQ
Reminds me of the HQ announcement that Dr. Paul would be featured on that evening's Larry King Live. Didn't happen, and then it disappeared from the HQ website... I understand things happen, but this has been happening a lot lately.
Positive thoughts for Dr. Paul - stay warm and best of everything for Tuesday in NH.
I'm going to watch the YouTube version of the Town Hall now to make me feel better.
http://www.youtube.com/wa...
Correct me if I'm wrong ....
But wasn't the stream that went down not the campaign's but the public access channels?
Correct me if I'm wrong, but
Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't the campaign HQ pay for this Town Hall event? That means they are responsible for making sure we can watch it, making sure we know about it, and making sure everything is done to promote Dr. Paul to as many new supporters as possible. We already know about the Good Doctor, this was for everyone else, right?
If we're spending supporters' money for this Town Hall, shouldn't it be at least on a server than can handle the masses of people expected to watch it?
Excuses, excuses.
right
it was the station, NOT the campaign
if u are REALLY MAD, everyone, become a precinct captain
You're missing the
You're missing the point.
I'm a Ron Paul supporter. I will do whatever I can to get him elected.
However, when you bring people to your home to watch a live SCHEDULED broadcast in order to CONVERT them it looks really bad when you get nothing but still pictures on your screen.
I'm understanding, but why should people who have no interest in Ron Paul other than my word that they should see him AT 5 PM?
People,
You are talking about flooding the servers of a community access television station. Shocker that they weren't prepared for a swarm of unexpected traffic from out of the NH region.
Some of you need to get a grip. You act as if the Internet is the perfect machine that never sputters. I've worked in IT for the past fifteen years in one capacity or another. I'm more surprised when things work than when they don't.
Hopefully, you adapted on the fly and showed these people one of the other dozen or so town halls that are available on the Net. I can't believe your friends would be that upset about that, seeing as you say they aren't even interested in Ron Paul. Of course, if upon learning you couldn't access the stream you shouted, "Man, Ron's HQ just sucks, why can't they get their act together and be more like me!," you probably lost them.
Don't you think the campaign
Don't you think the campaign should've asked what their capacity online was? ESPECIALLY considering that most of his support is ONLINE?
Call me crazy.
Damn, sorry! I have never
Damn, sorry!
I have never run a campaign so I'm not sure WHAT something like this entails. How many campaigns have you run?
actually
they ARE a tv station. You wouldn't think you would need to ask.....please do not channel your frustration on the campaign. You might run a campaign differently, but then again, you may not. Right now we need to unite. If you want Ron Paul for President, go to grassroots central and GOTV
I've run businesses. A
I've run businesses. A campaign should be run like a business.
CHECK EVERYTHING. ANTICIPATE PROBLEMS.
Have a checklist. Ask questions.
These are VERY simple things to do.
Oh yes, of course, because businesses never misstep
Have you built a business with physical presence in all the states in the country in about a year's time with absolutely nothing to start with, no people, no buildings, no infrastructure, and oh ya, no money? If not, don't talk about how a campaign should be run like a business.
I work with dozens of Fortune 100 companies and have for years. I know what business operations look like. Trust me, this campaign hasn't made errors like I've seen from the supposed "best" of the business community.