Practical Matters: You Can Have a Refund

In a post yesterday recounting the conversation that I had with a representative of the Obama campaign, I focused on the tone of what I heard and what I believed the implications of that tone to be. I tried to avoid my initial impulse to provide a word-by-word account of what was said.

Unfortunately, in the process, I failed to share one very important practical detail of the conversation: ANYONE WHO WANTS A REFUND WILL BE PROVIDED WITH ONE. This is what Jennifer in the New York office unequivocally told me, and I'd like to share this information with anyone out there wondering.

In that call I also received an answer to my question about having purchased three tickets, but received only one email representing a "non-transferable" ticket. The campaign is under the impression that every single person standing in line provided an individual email address. When I told Jennifer that I provided the only email address for the three members of my party whose tickets were purchased in my name, she said they would take care of it (providing three tickets or an appropriate refund).

If you have questions or concerns from Wednesday that aren't being addressed to your satisfaction, or if you were simply put off by the anonymity and ambiguity of the apology email, you should know that the New York office contains the people who will be responsible for either returning your money or coordinating your attendance at the next event. The campaign clearly stated that their intention was never to discourage refunds, or to avoid individual accountability, so I wouldn't hesitate to contact them.

Apparently, the telephone number for the New York office is not published on the campaign website (so I won't publish it here), but anyone who calls Campaign Headquarters at (866) 675-2008 can be directed there just by asking. If this isn't the case, please let me know by commenting on this website or emailing me at thinkobama@gmail.com.

I should also mention that the New York office is under the impression that "no one wants a refund" based on what they've heard. I know of at least one person (my undecided voter friend) who invalidates this assertion, and had emailed them well before they had me on the phone.

I'm not trying to take money out of Barack's war chest (and I've put my share in it), but I'm troubled by the bubble of the like-minded that seems to be blinding at least part of the Obama operation. Poorly run events cost votes, and you don't hear from the people who are really put off.

They don't send concerned emails. They just walk away with a story. A bad one.

If you're lucky enough to have gotten an email address from one or two, if only because they want their money back, you have an opportunity. You can demonstrate the values you stand for by respecting their money, their time, and their right to choose a different candidate -- even on the basis of something that may seem trivial to you.

You can honor them as people by making it easy for them to walk away. That's an invitation to come back. That at least gives them a different story to tell.

Or you can reinforce the worst of their impressions, and prove that one bad night was not a fluke. You can compound your errors and alienate people more thoroughly.

I'm trying to change the story. Is the campaign going to help me help them? Can we, the grassroots, the part-timers, the concerned, wake them up and help them get the story right?

Comments are very welcome. Let's have a loud conversation.