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What is Bird-dogging?
Bird-dogging is a tactic that many organizations,
and concerned citizens, use to pressure candidates to take a public
stance on an issue, or to question a stance that a candidate has
already taken. It usually consists of one or more bird-doggers who
go to a public event where a candidate will appear. The bird-doggers
ask the candidate pointed questions about issues they care about
in order to elicit a response. Because members of the media often
attend candidate events, bird-dogging plays an important role in
getting candidates’ positions “on record.” We
all know that politicians don’t always keep their promises
once they’re elected, so this is a vital part of holding them
accountable to their constituents.
How to Bird-dog
Here are some tips to help you get started
on a successful bird-dogging campaign. Many of these tips come from
www.birddogger.org and our affiliate Peace Action West.
Bird-dogging Tips to help you out:
1. Identify
your targets
2. Find
out where the candidate will be
3. Get
to know the candidates
4. Prepare
your questions ahead of time
5. Working
in Teams
6. How
to Act at the Event
7. Talking
to the Media
8. Report
Back to Peace Action or your local affiliate
1. Identify your targets
Determine which candidates or officials
you want to get on record and on what
issue. Peace Action’s website
can help guide your research on specific topics like the war in
Iraq, nuclear proliferation, preventing war with Iran, and the eradication
of small arms and light weapons.
2. Find out where the candidate will be.
Try to get your information straight from
the candidates or offices--call their office, join their email list,
or check their website. If you have media contacts you might be
able to get information from friendly journalists, or those with
a progressive point of view. Also, if you’re a member of a
political club, the candidates or officials may come to you. Stay
up-to-date with local newspapers and political websites, because
they often publish calendars of candidate events. Find out as much
about each event as you can, so you know what to expect ahead of
time.
3. Get to know the candidates.
The more you know about a candidate’s
views on the issues, the better prepared you will be for his or
her appearance in your area. Check out voting records, ask for position
papers from the campaign office or directly question the staff,
write a letter to the candidate, visit the candidate’s website,
and follow the campaign in the local papers to glean candidate positions.
Integrate these positions into your questions!
4. Prepare your questions ahead of time.
Obviously, the question becomes the central part of an effective
bird-dogging campaign. The better the questions are, the better
the answer will be. This is why you will need to have your questions
ready before the event. That way, while every one else is thinking
of what they want to ask, you will already be prepared. Make a list
of questions and prioritize them, you don’t know how many
people within your, or other, groups will be called on to ask a
question, so if only 1-2 of you are picked you are able to ask the
most important questions.
5. Working in Teams.
Bird-doggers often find it easier to work
in teams. Because bird-dogging can sometimes make people nervous,
going in teams of two or more will create a support base. It will
also allow you to share responsibilities, resources and most importantly
keep you focused. A team can help you discuss issues, come up with
good strategies and share concern with like-minded friends. Recruit
friends and family to join you in your campaign.
6.At the Event: Raising the issues.
Get to the event early. You want to make
sure you have the best spots and you can check around the room/area
and talk to the people there.
Always keep it cordial. You
are likely to get more of a response from candidates, and make
a positive impression on the media, if you are calm and respectful
in your demeanor. Hardly anyone is 100 percent opposed to your
views, so try and come up with a compliment on a candidate’s
position that you can mention before you ask your question.
Maximize your question’s impact.
Think about the likely responses to your question before you ask
it. Remember, a question may be forceful - even pointed - and
still be asked in a polite, courteous manner.
Let your presence be known.
The candidates should know that peace issues have a broad support
and that a lot of people are interested in knowing where he or
she stands on the war in Iraq, Iran, nuclear proliferation and
the arms trade.
7. Talking to the Media.
Since the press is under great pressure to
meet deadlines, it often covers those aspects of a story which are
most convenient. Making yourself known to the press will greatly
increase the likelihood that your questions will be highlighted.
8. Reporting Back to Peace Action:
Well you just had a successful event, got
to ask an important question, even got a reporter interested, and
have tons of information to share. Don’t keep it to yourself.
Part of the success of this campaign will be to get that information
out there. By sharing your experience back with us, we can relay
it to other bird-doggers around the country, improve all of our
skills, and use your work most effectively. Email Barbra
Bearden to report back.
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