| Subject: Re: Campaign Assistance |
| From: Gary Kephart <kephartforsmwd@cox.net> |
| Date: 8/27/08, 01:47 |
| To: Barrett Brown <barriticus@gmail.com> |
Mr. Kephardt-
Howdy. My name is Barrett Brown, and I'm working with Ellen Johnson of
GAMPAC on some ways in which we can advance the organization's
influence a bit. It's my understanding that they're helping you out a
bit with some funds, but that you understandably wish to keep your
distance from the organization, being a candidate in Orange County and
all. I'm originally from Dallas myself, and worked on my first
non-partisan race there when I was a teenager, so I can sympathize with
the difficulties you're going to face. Ellen also forwarded me your
e-mail so I'm caught up on some of the pecularities of this campaign.
I'd like to help you out a bit more, but in a way that won't get you
burned at the stake, so to speak. Although I'm helping out Ellen
Johnson, I'm not officially connected to GAMPAC in any way. I'm a
freelance writer based in Brooklyn, and my work has appeared in dozens
of publications including National Lampoon, McSweeney's,
The Onion A.V. Club, and plenty of lesser-known public policy
journals, trade pubs, and regional magazines. My first book, Flock
of Dodos: Behind Modern Creationism, Intelligent Design, and the Easter
Bunny, was released last year to praise from Alan Dershowitz, Rolling
Stone, Air America Radio, Skeptic, and other sources. I
also do some freelance marketing work here and there and work as a
community organizer here in Brooklyn.
Everything I'm going to offer you will be on a pro bono basis, and, of
course, you're free to reject it. Most of it will be information -
opposition research, advice on campaign talking points - but I can also
do a simple-yet-effective viral video for YouTube which will, I think,
manage to turn a few heads in your direction and take care of the
problem with name recognition and incumbent advantage. Additionally, we
can easily turn you into a "netroots" candidate with a couple of posts
on Daily Kos and MyDD, where I am fairly well-known among the
administrators - which is to say we can get you some additional
campaign cash by way of donations from activists across the country.
What I'd like most to stress to you for the moment is that the five
board members will not be prepared for what I'd like to inject into the
race.
If you'd be interested in discussing this further, e-mail me back or
give me a ring at 512-560-2302 at your convenience.