It’s an unfortunate fact that the longer I am away from the day to day business of professional electioneering, the more detached I become mentally from the experience on the ground and – as a result – start to overlook the quiet contributions of those professionals making it all happen. Here it’s Election Day, and I realized only yesterday while on air on Vermont Edition that I have, up to this point, almost completely neglected the staffs on the ground.
There have been a lot of great jobs done this year as well that merited recognition a long time ago, come what may – especially when you consider this Coordinated Campaign is following up the unpleasant soap opera that was the ’08 Coordinated Campaign. Paul Tencher, Robert Dempsey and numerous others deserve a lot of credit for taking up the professionalism and efficiency of the operation several notches.
But the biggest star who is going to emerge from all this is Shumlin Campaign Manager Alex Maclean. Early on in the effort, the buzz was that she personally was pulling more of the weight than a single staffer should, especially for a first time CM with limited electoral experience. And in truth, she probably was. I suspect, however, that her future trail will be littered with people underestimating her intelligence and capacity. Maclean showed discipline and agility, and the inevitable missteps have been minor and inconsequential. There is no question that, win or lose, Maclean is going to be the go-to Campaign Manager in Vermont Democratic Party circles for some time to come (and I mean time… she has a lot of years to go in this business).
John, thank you for posting this much overdue post!
It all too often that those individuals, behind the scenes doing all the IMPORTANT/GREAT work to get our candidates elected, go unnoticed and under appreciated!
Thank you to ALL you unsung volunteers, too…you are way more than priceless!!!!!
Alex was great in her varied roles at the statehouse, I know from my work with her during the past several years. I first met Alex in 2006 on the campaign trail, and I have to tell you that her hard work and positive spirit was evident during that whole campaign.
Even under the most challenging circumstances, Alex is always warm, positive, and open. She may be young, but she is one of the most consummate women professionals with whom I have ever worked.
During the Shumlin for Governor campaign, one of the things that impressed me most about Alex, is that she stayed true to Vermont’s campaign traditions. There was no behind the scenes trashing of other candidates or dirty campaign slander.
And, DotsVT is right – special thanks to all the campaign volunteers. Their energetic efforts are impressive!
John, thanks for acknowledging Alex MacLean’s excellent campaign management.