Message and media operated on one track. The other track focused on identifying, registering, mobilizing and ultimately turning out Obama voters. At the Chicago headquarters, these efforts were guided by Messina and Jen O’Malley Dillon, the deputy campaign manager, along with a sizable team of political organizers and tech-savvy newcomers.

“There’s always been two campaigns since the Internet was invented, the campaign online and the campaign on the doors. What I wanted was, I didn’t care where you organized, what time you organized, how you organized, as long as I could track it, I can measure it, and I can encourage you to do more of it.”

Jim Messina, President Obama’s 2012 campaign manager

The first steps toward building the reelection operation around a single target — maximizing turnout to reach 270 electoral votes — were taken in the months after Obama’s 2008 victory. Campaign staffers compiled a series of after-action reports. “We did a very detailed postmortem where we looked at all kinds of numbers, looking at the general stuff like the number of door knocks we made, phone calls we made, number of voters that we registered,” said Mitch Stewart, who would direct the campaign’s 2012 effort in battleground states. “But then we broke it down by field organizer, we broke it down then by volunteer. We looked at the best way or the best examples in states of what their volunteer organization looked like.”

The project produced a three-ring binder that contained nearly 500 pages and was filled with recommendations on how to strengthen what was already considered a state-of-the-art field operation. Another early step was the decision to massively expand the investment in technology, digital, cable, new media and particularly analytics.

Great. More anti abortion, anti gay & pro gun campaign talk.

Just caught a blip of him speaking at Liberty. He claimed that half the evangelicals stayed home in 2012. Problem Mormon hate but regardless that is a lot if true. I think Republicans have to play to that vote even if just with a wink and fingers crossed behind their backs. The problem how to lie to them and keep the more normal right?

pittmike, who do you like on the right for Pres?

Again, too early for everyone but the media. Lay back and see.

[ She isn't all the bright (neither is Hillary) of a bulb..

I do not see any scenario where a Republican candidate wins...not Jeb, not anyone. I don't think it matters who runs on the other side.

Expound please. Given the mid terms I am interested in your thought.

Expound please. Given the mid terms I am interested in your thought.

In the midterms, there is a low voter turnout. Seniors vote, which helps Republicans. There was 36.4% voter turnout in the 2014 midterms. There was 62.3% in 2012 elections, where the D's had a huge advantage in the popular vote. After the 2014 elections, Orrin Hatch said the people have spoken. He couldn't have been more full of shit, if he was a Porto-John after a three day music festival.