Transatlantic Dialogue Luncheon: The U.S. Presidential Campaign 2012

Transatlantic Luncheon Dialogue

A joint event series of the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom and the AJC Transatlantic Institute

The U.S. Presidential Campaign 2012

The Obama Campaign 2012 was the largest grass-roots effort in the history of campaign management, according to Obama’s campaign manager Jim Messina. It was also the most technology-heavy campaign. The strategy, which achieved Obama’s re-election, mobilized record numbers of volunteers and used new innovate technologies. As the youngest female national director on the Obama campaign in 2012, Sara el-Amin oversaw training and campaign curriculum development for staff, volunteer leaders, volunteers, and the fellow/intern training programs in all 50 states. For the last three months of the race, she successfully ran Virginia’s “Get Out The Vote” operation. What were the most significant elements of the new campaign strategy? What distinguishes it from past election campaigns? Is Europe ready for US-style elections?

Welcome: Joshua Goodman, Communications Director, AJC Transatlantic Institute

Speaker: Sara el-Amin, National Director of Training, 2012 Obama Campaign

Moderator: Claus Gramckow Representative USA and Canada, Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom