2/24/2008
Fasten Your Seatbelt
And click on the all new, extraordinarily snazzy, relaunched Denn campaign web site, www.mattdenn.com. From now on, new blog entries will be found there rather than here.
2/22/2008
Well, I'm Getting At Least 82 Votes
Later today I am going to be formally announcing something that I think is pretty significant: the names of 82 people who have agreed to be honorary co-chairs of my campaign for Lieutenant Governor.
Why eighty-two? Because I wanted to have two co-chairs from each one of the 41 Representative Districts in the state. And they are not supporting me just because I am so good looking. They are supporting me because I have been up and down this state for the past three years doing my job—trying to visit every senior center in the state once a year, exhorting every civic association and business group that will hear me about the need to press their legislators for insurance reform in Dover, and helping individuals who have been treated unfairly by the insurance industry.
Some of them are people I have known most of my career. Tony Allen, one of my co-chairs from the 4th district in Wilmington, met me in 1993, the year the Phillies went to the World Series. I was so addicted to the team that I had every game on the radio in my office, something that was a little bit unusual in the high-powered law firm where Tony and I were both fairly new employees. Tony heard the game on, wandered in, and sat down. Tony went on to become the first executive director of the Metropolitan Wilmington Urban League, at the same time as I was working as legal counsel to the Governor, and we worked together on some tremendously important issues such as racial profiling and business opportunities for minority and women owned businesses. Tony is now a big shot at Bank of America, still a force in the community, and I am proud to know him and to have him as one of my co-chairs. Ironically, the other co-chair from the 4th district is Sally Coonin, a leader in the teaching and education community, who used to be Tony’s high school teacher.
I have known Senator David Sokola, one of my co-chairs from the North Star/Pike Creek area, even longer. Back in 1990, while I was still in law school but spending part of the summer and fall in Delaware, I asked former county Democratic chairman Joe Reardon which campaign needed an energetic young guy willing to roll up his sleeves and work for a Democrat. He said there was a guy running an uphill race in a Republican district who might just have a shot because he was smart, honest, and the hardest campaigner he had seen. So I went to work for David Sokola in 1990, he won, and I have never regretted it—one of the straightest shooters in the Delaware General Assembly, and someone I am proud to have on my side.
Some of them, frankly, are people who weren’t always my political allies. Kay Ryan, a Democratic activist and one of my co-chairs in the 38th district down at the beach, worked as hard as anyone to be sure I wasn’t the Democratic nominee for Insurance Commissioner in 2004. But she has watched me at work, and now she is one of my biggest advocates. I am glad she is on my side, not only because it is the ultimate form of flattery, but also because she is as tough as they come and I still have some tire treads on my back from her in 2004.
Some of them are friends of mine from organized labor. They know that I was a leader in reducing workers compensation insurance premiums, which was absolutely critical to retaining jobs here in Delaware, but also a leader in making sure that the premiums weren’t reduced by keeping injured workers from the best medical care. Others such as Darlene Battle, who is a leader of a Delaware organization that fights for housing and other rights for low-income residents of our state, and Ed Speraw, the head of an organization that fights for the residents of manufactured homes, are people who know that I have fought alongside them.
The list goes on—elected officials, businesspeople, health care providers, leaders of the African-American and Hispanic communities, leaders of the gay/lesbian community, Democratic party activists….What all of them have in common is that they have seen me at work, they know what I have done as Insurance Commissioner, and they know how important it is to apply the same energy and focus that I bring to my current job to the Lieutenant Governor’s office, so I can be a force for the welfare of children in our state.
Why eighty-two? Because I wanted to have two co-chairs from each one of the 41 Representative Districts in the state. And they are not supporting me just because I am so good looking. They are supporting me because I have been up and down this state for the past three years doing my job—trying to visit every senior center in the state once a year, exhorting every civic association and business group that will hear me about the need to press their legislators for insurance reform in Dover, and helping individuals who have been treated unfairly by the insurance industry.
Some of them are people I have known most of my career. Tony Allen, one of my co-chairs from the 4th district in Wilmington, met me in 1993, the year the Phillies went to the World Series. I was so addicted to the team that I had every game on the radio in my office, something that was a little bit unusual in the high-powered law firm where Tony and I were both fairly new employees. Tony heard the game on, wandered in, and sat down. Tony went on to become the first executive director of the Metropolitan Wilmington Urban League, at the same time as I was working as legal counsel to the Governor, and we worked together on some tremendously important issues such as racial profiling and business opportunities for minority and women owned businesses. Tony is now a big shot at Bank of America, still a force in the community, and I am proud to know him and to have him as one of my co-chairs. Ironically, the other co-chair from the 4th district is Sally Coonin, a leader in the teaching and education community, who used to be Tony’s high school teacher.
I have known Senator David Sokola, one of my co-chairs from the North Star/Pike Creek area, even longer. Back in 1990, while I was still in law school but spending part of the summer and fall in Delaware, I asked former county Democratic chairman Joe Reardon which campaign needed an energetic young guy willing to roll up his sleeves and work for a Democrat. He said there was a guy running an uphill race in a Republican district who might just have a shot because he was smart, honest, and the hardest campaigner he had seen. So I went to work for David Sokola in 1990, he won, and I have never regretted it—one of the straightest shooters in the Delaware General Assembly, and someone I am proud to have on my side.
Some of them, frankly, are people who weren’t always my political allies. Kay Ryan, a Democratic activist and one of my co-chairs in the 38th district down at the beach, worked as hard as anyone to be sure I wasn’t the Democratic nominee for Insurance Commissioner in 2004. But she has watched me at work, and now she is one of my biggest advocates. I am glad she is on my side, not only because it is the ultimate form of flattery, but also because she is as tough as they come and I still have some tire treads on my back from her in 2004.
Some of them are friends of mine from organized labor. They know that I was a leader in reducing workers compensation insurance premiums, which was absolutely critical to retaining jobs here in Delaware, but also a leader in making sure that the premiums weren’t reduced by keeping injured workers from the best medical care. Others such as Darlene Battle, who is a leader of a Delaware organization that fights for housing and other rights for low-income residents of our state, and Ed Speraw, the head of an organization that fights for the residents of manufactured homes, are people who know that I have fought alongside them.
The list goes on—elected officials, businesspeople, health care providers, leaders of the African-American and Hispanic communities, leaders of the gay/lesbian community, Democratic party activists….What all of them have in common is that they have seen me at work, they know what I have done as Insurance Commissioner, and they know how important it is to apply the same energy and focus that I bring to my current job to the Lieutenant Governor’s office, so I can be a force for the welfare of children in our state.
2/19/2008
Testify!
As we get ready to launch the campaign’s new web site, one of the things that we are doing is gathering up some of the thank you letters that I have received from consumers that I went to bat for as Insurance Commissioner. You will be hearing from these consumers during the campaign, because I think that the way that I fought for people in my current job says a lot about how I view being a public servant and how I will act as Lieutenant Governor. Some of the ones that I came across yesterday (names changed until we get the families' ok to use real names):
“Without your help, Mary would have been unable to go to Sloan-Kettering hospital in New York. Sloan Kettering is the only hospital that could provide the treatment Mary required. As of November, Mary is in remission. It is highly unlikely that remission would have been possible if it were not for your help and God’s. There are so many people that fall through the cracks because they are not aware that there is help through you and your office. We cannot thank you enough for your help.”
“I don’t know what you did, but whatever happened, you certainly got results! My uncle started receiving checks within two weeks…This has been so hard on all of us, but especially my dear uncle. I hated watching him struggle without any way of helping him and you gave me that way.”
“My mom received her chemotherapy pills the next morning at 10:00 am. They must have flown the prescription, because I emailed you at 5pm the night before with the problem. Anyway mom was happy. She looked at us and said ‘What do people do, that don’t have a Matt Denn?’”
“Without your help, Mary would have been unable to go to Sloan-Kettering hospital in New York. Sloan Kettering is the only hospital that could provide the treatment Mary required. As of November, Mary is in remission. It is highly unlikely that remission would have been possible if it were not for your help and God’s. There are so many people that fall through the cracks because they are not aware that there is help through you and your office. We cannot thank you enough for your help.”
“I don’t know what you did, but whatever happened, you certainly got results! My uncle started receiving checks within two weeks…This has been so hard on all of us, but especially my dear uncle. I hated watching him struggle without any way of helping him and you gave me that way.”
“My mom received her chemotherapy pills the next morning at 10:00 am. They must have flown the prescription, because I emailed you at 5pm the night before with the problem. Anyway mom was happy. She looked at us and said ‘What do people do, that don’t have a Matt Denn?’”
2/15/2008
Colonmania
Last Thursday, after health insurance giant Aetna announced its somewhat less than enthusiastically received plan to prevent gastroenterologists from giving their patients full anesthesia during colonoscopies, I announced that (among other things) I would ask the General Assembly to take legislative action when it returned to session next month. You can read the original article here. Yesterday, Speaker of the House Terry Spence announced…drumroll please…exactly the same thing. You can read today’s article here. I had sometimes mused out loud to colleagues about what it would take to start bringing the House Republicans around to the cause of health insurance reform, and now I guess I have my answer: having a medical instrument inserted into their colons without full sedation.
In fairness to the Speaker, by the way, he is the only House Republican sponsor of Senate Bill 6, the bill creating a statewide health insurance purchasing pool. So if I have to be plagiarized by a House Republican, I would rather it be him than almost anyone else.
In fairness to the Speaker, by the way, he is the only House Republican sponsor of Senate Bill 6, the bill creating a statewide health insurance purchasing pool. So if I have to be plagiarized by a House Republican, I would rather it be him than almost anyone else.
2/14/2008
The Denn Campaign Agenda for Tonight
Making my wife Valentines Day dinner. I may be driven, but I ain't stupid.
2/13/2008
The Team Expands
Hiring staff people is a very tricky thing for a campaign. Do not take my word for it, look at the churning that has gone on among the senior staff ranks of the top Presidential campaigns such as John McCain and Hillary Clinton. Trying to keep a job as a campaign manager these days is like trying to cross the Bridge of Death in Monty Python and the Holy Grail.
Back in 2004 when I ran for Insurance Commissioner, I used an extremely scientific process to hire my one campaign staff member, Dana Rohrbough. I met Dana when I was giving a talk at a Political Science department event at the University of Delaware, saw how enthusiastic she was about Democratic politics, asked a few people about her, and then offered her a job. She ended up doing a phenomenal job—so good, in fact, that she was hired by Jack Markell for his 2006 State Treasurer campaign and is now his Deputy Campaign Manager.
Because that Zen style approach worked so well for me in 2004, I adopted it again this year, and I think we have found another star. Beginning Monday, University of Delaware junior Alyssa Koser will be working for the Denn Campaign. Alyssa hails from Lewes, and has the type of broad volunteer background that demonstrates her commitment to the Democratic Party and its causes, including stints with Voices without Borders and the presidential campaigns of some guy named Biden and more recently of Barack Obama. She is very active in a number of groups on campus, and her post-graduation plan is to become a school teacher in the Teach for America program. But most importantly of all, when I talked to her and when I talked to other people about her, my gut told me that this was someone who was going to bring incredible enthusiasm and commitment to my campaign. Of course, my gut has also told me for the last decade that the Eagles had a chance of going all the way, but I think I am on more solid ground here.
Please be nice to Alyssa when she calls—and trust me, she will be calling. And don’t forget, if you would like to contribute to the Pay Alyssa A Decent Wage fund (also known as the Denn campaign treasury), you can do so by clicking here.
Back in 2004 when I ran for Insurance Commissioner, I used an extremely scientific process to hire my one campaign staff member, Dana Rohrbough. I met Dana when I was giving a talk at a Political Science department event at the University of Delaware, saw how enthusiastic she was about Democratic politics, asked a few people about her, and then offered her a job. She ended up doing a phenomenal job—so good, in fact, that she was hired by Jack Markell for his 2006 State Treasurer campaign and is now his Deputy Campaign Manager.
Because that Zen style approach worked so well for me in 2004, I adopted it again this year, and I think we have found another star. Beginning Monday, University of Delaware junior Alyssa Koser will be working for the Denn Campaign. Alyssa hails from Lewes, and has the type of broad volunteer background that demonstrates her commitment to the Democratic Party and its causes, including stints with Voices without Borders and the presidential campaigns of some guy named Biden and more recently of Barack Obama. She is very active in a number of groups on campus, and her post-graduation plan is to become a school teacher in the Teach for America program. But most importantly of all, when I talked to her and when I talked to other people about her, my gut told me that this was someone who was going to bring incredible enthusiasm and commitment to my campaign. Of course, my gut has also told me for the last decade that the Eagles had a chance of going all the way, but I think I am on more solid ground here.
Please be nice to Alyssa when she calls—and trust me, she will be calling. And don’t forget, if you would like to contribute to the Pay Alyssa A Decent Wage fund (also known as the Denn campaign treasury), you can do so by clicking here.
2/11/2008
Our First Scandal
It was a busy campaign weekend, which started on Saturday morning at the A. Philip Randolph Institute monthly meeting at the Longshoremens Hall. I have been going to APRI meetings since I got elected, because I think it is one of the most credible, serious activist organizations in the state. However, this was the first time I had appeared as a candidate for Lieutenant Governor.
Everything went great. Adam and Zach came with me and were well behaved, I gave my standard remarks about my campaign’s focus on the welfare of children and fielded a lot of questions, and then the crowd serenaded me with “Happy Birthday.” Then I went to the back of the room to get my kids, and one of the members said “Hey, Mr. Save the Children. That kid’s shoes are on the wrong feet.” And he was right.
Video to follow.
Everything went great. Adam and Zach came with me and were well behaved, I gave my standard remarks about my campaign’s focus on the welfare of children and fielded a lot of questions, and then the crowd serenaded me with “Happy Birthday.” Then I went to the back of the room to get my kids, and one of the members said “Hey, Mr. Save the Children. That kid’s shoes are on the wrong feet.” And he was right.
Video to follow.
2/06/2008
Delaware Speaks: Obama Wins, My Ford Focus Loses
I stayed up late to see the California primary results come in, for no good reason that I can articulate as I sit here this morning. Good job by Senator Obama. To come from as far behind as he did to a virtual draw in delegates in a matter of just a few weeks is remarkable. And I thought the tone Senator Clinton struck last night was very good. I am obviously for Senator Obama and am proud of how well he did here in Delaware, but we Democrats are going to be in good shape in November with either of our candidates at the top of the ticket.
I have only glanced at the Delaware numbers, but I think they are interesting in terms of what they portend for the state’s September Democratic primary. Total statewide Democratic vote yesterday was 96,341—an increase of almost exactly 200% over the number of people who turned out to vote in my primary election in 2004. But the increase in turnout accelerated dramatically as the polling places got further south. In the City of Wilmington, turnout increased over 2004 by between 83% and 98%. Some of the other suburban New Castle County RDs were up by similar amounts--RD 13 up by 93%, RD 17 up by 86%. But several other New Castle County RDs had much higher turnout bumps--RD 25 up 240%, RD 15 up 473%. And the districts that really took off were the districts in Kent and Sussex County whose primary turnout is traditionally low compared to their populations--RD 31 (Dover) was up by 320%, RD 35 (Milford) up by 570%, RD 41 (furthest south RD in the state) up by 537%, RD 14 (Rehoboth) up by 590%. The net result: turnout in Kent and Sussex County was 27% of the statewide total, as opposed to the average figure of about 20%. The message is that people in Kent and Sussex County will vote in Democratic primaries in much higher numbers if they think a lot is at stake.
I intend to make this an election where people realize that a lot is at stake. I can already hear the Ford Focus groaning as it contemplates what this means for the Denn campaign.
I have only glanced at the Delaware numbers, but I think they are interesting in terms of what they portend for the state’s September Democratic primary. Total statewide Democratic vote yesterday was 96,341—an increase of almost exactly 200% over the number of people who turned out to vote in my primary election in 2004. But the increase in turnout accelerated dramatically as the polling places got further south. In the City of Wilmington, turnout increased over 2004 by between 83% and 98%. Some of the other suburban New Castle County RDs were up by similar amounts--RD 13 up by 93%, RD 17 up by 86%. But several other New Castle County RDs had much higher turnout bumps--RD 25 up 240%, RD 15 up 473%. And the districts that really took off were the districts in Kent and Sussex County whose primary turnout is traditionally low compared to their populations--RD 31 (Dover) was up by 320%, RD 35 (Milford) up by 570%, RD 41 (furthest south RD in the state) up by 537%, RD 14 (Rehoboth) up by 590%. The net result: turnout in Kent and Sussex County was 27% of the statewide total, as opposed to the average figure of about 20%. The message is that people in Kent and Sussex County will vote in Democratic primaries in much higher numbers if they think a lot is at stake.
I intend to make this an election where people realize that a lot is at stake. I can already hear the Ford Focus groaning as it contemplates what this means for the Denn campaign.
2/04/2008
It's All About Obama
OK folks, there is really no news in Delaware today other than Obama News, so that will be our focus.
I could not go to the rally in Rodney Square yesterday. Zach is fine now, but he had to spend a few days in the hospital starting on Friday so I was pretty much out of commission. Fortunately, the Obama folks were nice enough to make it possible for me and Adam to scoot into a very brief reception Senator Obama had before the rally to meet me and his four other Delaware statewide co-chairs. Adam and I did not realize that we were standing by the doorway that Senator Obama was going to come through, but we were, and when he came bursting in and Adam came face to face with the man he watches on television and emulates, Adam’s reaction was—not surprisingly—stunned silence. I said “Oh my goodness, Adam, it’s Barack Obama!” Senator Obama gave him a big smile and said “All right, who is this?” I said “This is your biggest fan. Adam, do you want to say hi to Senator Obama?” Adam said nothing. Senator Obama said “what’s your name, buddy?” Nothing. And then Senator Obama said “How about a high five?” Adam delivered in the clutch.
When it came to the pictures, Adam announced that he was going to make a “silly cheese face,” which is what they were taught to do in pre-school for their school pictures. It is apparently meant to elicit a smile, in Adam’s case as you can see it makes it appear that he is being poked with an electric cattle prod. Still, something that he will cherish when Barack Obama is President and he is old enough to know what it means.
Last week, of course, it was Barack Obama’s wife Michelle who was in town. Once again, Obama Fan In Chief Adam Denn tagged along. I had to listen to most of the speech off in the wings—Adam came up on stage with me for the first part, but wilted under the hot stage lights and I needed to get the heck off the stage before he became a news event—but she is a dynamite speaker. Very different from her husband, but a tremendously effective advocate for him.
Tomorrow we need to work on making sure that Senator Obama is our Democratic nominee, and then after that, back to the work of me being your next Lieutenant Governor.
I could not go to the rally in Rodney Square yesterday. Zach is fine now, but he had to spend a few days in the hospital starting on Friday so I was pretty much out of commission. Fortunately, the Obama folks were nice enough to make it possible for me and Adam to scoot into a very brief reception Senator Obama had before the rally to meet me and his four other Delaware statewide co-chairs. Adam and I did not realize that we were standing by the doorway that Senator Obama was going to come through, but we were, and when he came bursting in and Adam came face to face with the man he watches on television and emulates, Adam’s reaction was—not surprisingly—stunned silence. I said “Oh my goodness, Adam, it’s Barack Obama!” Senator Obama gave him a big smile and said “All right, who is this?” I said “This is your biggest fan. Adam, do you want to say hi to Senator Obama?” Adam said nothing. Senator Obama said “what’s your name, buddy?” Nothing. And then Senator Obama said “How about a high five?” Adam delivered in the clutch.
When it came to the pictures, Adam announced that he was going to make a “silly cheese face,” which is what they were taught to do in pre-school for their school pictures. It is apparently meant to elicit a smile, in Adam’s case as you can see it makes it appear that he is being poked with an electric cattle prod. Still, something that he will cherish when Barack Obama is President and he is old enough to know what it means.
Last week, of course, it was Barack Obama’s wife Michelle who was in town. Once again, Obama Fan In Chief Adam Denn tagged along. I had to listen to most of the speech off in the wings—Adam came up on stage with me for the first part, but wilted under the hot stage lights and I needed to get the heck off the stage before he became a news event—but she is a dynamite speaker. Very different from her husband, but a tremendously effective advocate for him.
Tomorrow we need to work on making sure that Senator Obama is our Democratic nominee, and then after that, back to the work of me being your next Lieutenant Governor.
2/02/2008
Mea Culpa
Sorry for the absence of new posts for the last few days. We will be back with new material Monday morning. Stay tuned. I would remind you to go see Barack Obama tomorrow if you hadn't already been reminded by a dozen other people.
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