NOW TO COVID-19 AND THE IMPACT
THE DISEASE HAS ON HOW
CANDIDATES INTERACT WITH VOTERS.
ZAC SCHULTZ HAS BEEN SPENDING A
LOT OF TIME ON THE CAMPAIGN
TRAIL.
HE FOUND THERE ARE DISTINCT
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE WAY A
REPUBLICAN AND THE DEMOCRAT
CAMPAIGN.
>> HOW YOU DOING, SIR?
>> GOOD.
HOW ARE YOU?
>> GOOD.
>> ALL AROUND WISCONSIN.
>> HI THERE.
JUST WANT TO SAY HI.
I'M YOUR STATE SENATOR.
>> REPUBLICANS CANDIDATES ARE
OUT IN THE FIELD KNOCKING DOORS.
TRYING TO MAKE AN IMPRESSION ON
VOTERS.
>> I'M BONNIE LEE.
I'M RUNNING FOR STATE ASSEMBLY
IN THIS DISTRICT.
>> THE HISTORY OF CAMPAIGNING IN
WISCONSIN SAYS THIS IS HOW YOU
WIN ELECTIONS, SOMETHING
FIRST-TIME CANDIDATE BONNIE LEE
SAYS WAS MADE CLEAR TO HERE BY
THE REPUBLICAN PARTY.
>> YOU GOT TO KNOCK A LOT OF
DOORS.
AND I CAN ATTEST TO THAT.
>> DEMOCRATS ARE TAKING A
DIFFERENT APPROACH.
>> HELLO?
>> HI.
IS THIS CHARLENE?
>> HI, TIM.
I'M CALLING TINE VIET YOU TO INVITE YOU TO A
ZOOM MEETING.
>> THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC MEANS
IT'S NOT SAFE TO CAMPAIGN IN
PERSON.
>> THERE'S A LOT MORE FOCUS ON
MAKING CALLS.
>> MOST OF THE EVENTS THAT LET
CANDIDATES MEET VOTERS
FACE-TO-FACE WERE CANCELLED.
>> THE DAIRY BREAKFAST, THE
PARADES, VERY FEW IF ANY OF
THOSE ARE OCCURRING.
>> REPUBLICANS LIKE DAN KAPANKE
SAYS THAT MAKES DOORS MORE
IMPORTANT.
>> WE HAVE TO WORK HARDER AT THE
DOORS, HARDER TO GET OURSELVES
IN FRONT OF PEOPLE.
>> ASSEMBLY SPEAKER ROBIN VOS
SAYS IT IS POSSIBLE TO KNOCK
DOORS SAFELY IN A PANDEMIC.
>> THE VAST MAJORITY OF PEOPLE
IF YOU SOCIALLY DISTANCE, THAT
MEETS THE CRITERIA.
PEOPLE STILL WANT TO GET TO KNOW
PEOPLE.
>> WHEN I'M GOING DOOR TO DOOR,
I CARRY A MASK ON ME.
IF SOMEONE WANTS ME TO MASK UP,
I CERTAINLY WILL.
>> THEY STOPPED DOING DOORS IN
THE SPRING BUT STARTED UP AGAIN
IN JUNE WHEN WISCONSIN'S COVID
OUTBREAK TEMPORARILY SLOWED
DOWN.
>> WE'VE HAD SOME FOLKS WHO
ANSWER THE DOOR AND THEY'RE NOT
COMFORTABLE TALKING TO SOMEONE.
I COMPLETELY RESPECT THAT.
>> I'VE HAD SEVERAL PEOPLE UPSET
THAT I WAS THERE WITHOUT A MASK,
BUT I WAS OUTSIDE TRYING TO KEEP
MY DISTANCE.
>> DEMOCRATS SAY GOING DOOR TO
DOOR IS MORE LIKELY TO ALIENATE
VOTERS.
>> THEY DO NOT WANT TO SEE
CANDIDATES COMING TO THEIR DOOR.
>> WE ARE PROTECTING PEOPLE AND
NOT SPENDING TIME OUTSIDE
KNOCKING DOORS.
>> DEMOCRATIC ROBIN VINENY SAYS
HER WORK AT THE DOORS LED TO HER
UPSET WIN.
BUT SHE SAID HER METHODS HAD TO
CHANGE.
>> OUR METHODS HAS TO HONOR OUR
MESSAGE.
AND SO I CAN'T LOOK AT YOU AND
SAY HUMAN LIFE MATTERS AND THEN
RISK T.
>> SO WHAT DO DEMOCRATS THINK
ABOUT THEIR REPUBLICAN OPPONENTS
KNOCKING DOORS IN THEIR
DISTRICTS?
>> THAT'S THEIR CHOICE.
>> THERE YOU GO.
>> BUT WHERE DOES THAT LEAVE
DEMOCRATS WHEN IT COMES TO
REACHING VOTERS?
>> HI, TIM.
>> DEMOCRAT PATTI SCHACHTNER
SAYS THAT LEAVES ONLY ONE
OPTION.
>> HUNDREDS OF CALLS.
>> ROBIN VOS THINKS DEMOCRATS
ARE MISSING OUT.
>> I THINK BEING A TELEMARKET
ER, WHERE THEY'RE JUST TRYING TO
CALL PEOPLE ON THE PHONE, THAT'S
A DIFFERENT INTERACTION THAN
LOOKING SOMEBODY IN THE EYE AND
ASKING THEM A QUESTION.
>> THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF DOORS OR
ANY OUTREACH IS TO PERSUADE AND
TURN OUT VOTERS.
>> BEN WICK LER IS CHAIR OF THE
DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF WISCONSIN.
THEY'RE TESTING IF THERE'S A
DIFFERENT AND SAFER WAY.
>> THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS
AUTHENTIC CONVERSATIONS.
CONVERSATIONS CAN HAPPEN AT
DOORS.
THEY CAN HAPPEN ON THE PHONE.
>> HELLO.
MY NAME IS PETER.
>> THAT'S WHERE PETER AND CAROL
COME IN.
PETER IS A FIELD ORGANIZER FOR
THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF
WISCONSIN IN THE LA CROSSE AREA.
>> WELCOME TO MY LIFE FOR HOURS
ON END.
>> HIS WIFE CAROL IS A VOLUNTEER
TEAM LEADER.
>> I REALLY THINK PETE AND I
HAVE ALWAYS FELT LIKE WE COULD
MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
>> THAT'S TRUE.
>> WITHOUT BEING EVEN REALLY
IDEALISTIC ABOUT IT.
>> HELLO.
IS THIS FRANCIS?
>> THEY'VE MADE THOUSANDS OF
CALLS TO VOTERS IN WESTERN
WISCONSIN OVER THE PAST FEW
MONTHS.
>> NOT A DEMOCRAT.
>> LOOKING TO CHANGE A FEW MINDS
AND ADD VOTES TO THE DEMOCRATIC
TICKET.
>> WHAT WOULD IT TAKE FOR JOE
BIDEN TO SWAY YOU OVER TO VOTE
FOR HIM?
>> BEN WICKLER SAYS IT'S NOT THE
AMOUNT OF PHONE CALLS THAT
MATTER, BUT THE QUALITY.
>> WHAT WE LOOK AT MOST OF ALL
IS HOW LONG ARE PEOPLE TALKING,
WHAT DO THEY REPORT ABOUT WHAT
HAPPENS ON THOSE CALLS, IS THIS
A KIND OF REMINDER OR ACTUALLY
AN IN-DEPTH ENGAGEMENT THAT WILL
STICK WITH SOMEONE?
>> IN 2016 PETER WORKED AS A
POLL WORKER, REGISTERING VOTERS
ON ELECTION DAY.
HE SAW A LONG LINE OF WHITE MEN
WHO HADN'T VOTED SINCE BEFORE
PRESIDENT OBAMA.
>> THEY ACTED ANGRY AND THEY HAD
A CHIP ON THEIR SHOULDER.
I WAS PRETTY SURE THEY WERE
VOTING FOR TRUMP.
>> DON TRUMP WON WESTERN WISCONSIN.
PETER AND CAROL HAVE BEEN WORK
TO GO REVERSE THAT TREND.
>> WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING
DIFFERENT TO MAKE IT MORE FUN.
>> THEY THOUGHT THEY COULD
CHANGE MINDS ONE DOOR AT A TIME.
>> THAT'S THE BEAUTY OF
CANVASSING, IS WHEN WE CANVASS,
ESPECIALLY SINCE WE LIVE HERE,
THEN WE ARE THE FACE OF
DEMOCRATS.
>> BACK IN MARCH, THEY HOSTED AN
EVENT CALLED PHONES ON TAP,
WHERE VOLUNTEERS COULD DRINK
LOCAL MICROBREWS AND MAKE CALLS
TO RECRUIT MORE VOLUNTEERS TO
THEN KNOCK DOORS.
THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC SHUT THEM
DOWN LESS THAN A WEEK LAIMPLET
SINCE THEN, IT'S BEEN ZOOM
MEETINGS AND PHONE CALLS.
CAROL SAYS SOME CALLS ARE ROUGH,
BUT SOMETIMES SHE MAKES A
CONNECTION.
>> ONE OF THOSE AHA MOMENTS
WHERE YOU'RE LIKE, YES, THIS IS
WHY I'M DOING THIS.
>> EVERYTHING THAT'S PLAGUE OUT PLAYING OUT
AT THE STATE LEVEL MIRROR WHAT'S
HAPPENING ON THE PRESIDENTIAL
CAMPAIGNS.
WHILE MIKE PENCE VISITED
WISCONSIN TUESDAY.
>> THREE WEEKS TODAY ON THE ROAD
TO VICKERY VICTORY GOES RIGHT THROUGH
WISCONSIN.
>> BIDEN HAS KEPT RALLIES
VIRTUAL, WITH EVEN IN-STATE
SURROGATES APPEARING VIA ZOOM.
>> I REPRESENT THE 6TH SENATE
DISTRICT.
>> MILWAUKEE'S NORTH SIDE IS ONE
AREA WHERE THE LACK OF DOOR
KNOCKING MAY HURT THE MOST.
>> YOU ACTUALLY HAVE TO REACH
OUT AND TELL PEOPLE WHAT'S IN IT
FOR THEM FOR VOTING.
>> DEMOCRATIC CONGRESSWOMAN GWEN
MOORE REPRESENTS MILWAUKEE.
SHE'S WELL AWARE THAT TURNOUT IN
MILWAUKEE'S AFRICAN-AMERICAN
COMMUNITIES CRASHED IN 2016.
>> I REALLY THINK THAT 2016
REALLY WAS A LESSON IN HAVING
DEMOCRATS TURN AWAY FROM THEIR
OLD MODEL OF CAMPAIGNING.
>> DEMOCRATS CAN'T JUST TAKE
AFRICAN-AMERICAN VOAS FOR VOTES FOR
GRANTED.
>> WHEN PEOPLE HAVE SAID YOU
TAKE VOTES FOR GRANTED, THEY
MEAN T. YOU ACTUALLY HAVE TO ASK
PEOPLE TO VOTE.
>> WITH DEMOCRATS NOT DOING
DOORS, WHO IS LEFT TO SPEAK TO
THESE VOTERS?
>> WE WANT TO BUILD POWER
THROUGH OUR VOTE.
SO AGAIN I'LL SAY MORE NEXT
WEEK.
BUT WE NEED EVERYONE, EVERYONE,
EVERYONE TO VOTE.
EVERYONE, EVERYONE TO VOTE.
>> THE REVEREND DR. DONNA CHILDS
WAS RECENTLY INSTALLED AS SENIOR
PASTOR AS TABERNACLE COMMUNITY
BAPTIST CHURCH IN THE HEART OF
MILWAUKEE'S AFRICAN-AMERICAN
NEIGHBORHOODS.
>> WE'VE BEEN HERE AS A CHURCH
FOR 98 YEARS, SO WE TRULY KNOW
THAT WE ARE A FOCAL POINT OF THE
COMMUNITY.
>> REVEREND CHILDS SAYS THEIR
CHURCH SENT OUT MEMBERS TO KNOCK
DOORS.
>> FOR OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, THEY
DEFINITELY ARE AWARE.
AS FAR AS EXCITEMENT, THAT
VARIES.
MANY PEOPLE ARE THINKING THIS IS
CRITICAL, I MUST DO IT.
YOU HAVE SOME WHO ARE THINKING
WHAT WILL IT MATTER?
>> IT'S NOT A NEW PROBLEM.
THE AREA SURROUNDING THE CHURCH
VOTES DEMOCRATIC 99% OF THE
TIME.
BUT TURNOUT PEAKED IN 2012, THE
LAST TIME PRESIDENT OBAMA WAS ON
THE TICKET.
THE DROP-OFF IN DEMOCRATIC
TURNOUT IN 2014 WAS ABOUT 30%
STATEWIDE.
IT WAS THE SAME IN THE HEAVILY
AFRICAN-AMERICAN 6TH SENATE
DISTRICT.
AND EVEN WARD 149, HOME OF
TABERNACLE BAPTIST.
IN 2016 STATEWIDE NUMBERS FOR
DEMS BOUNCED BACK, BUT THE
WARD'S DIDN'T IMPROVE.
TURNOUT WAS EVEN LOWER FOR
AFRICAN-AMERICANS IN MILWAUKEE.
>> THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO
MISTAKE THAT WE WIN OR LOSE BY
THOSE MARGINS.
>> REVEREND CHILDS SAYS THIS
HIGHLIGHTS THE NEED FOR HUMAN
CONTACT.
>> PEOPLE LOVE INDIVIDUAL TOUCH.
AND I THINK THAT'S THE SAME WITH
THIS CANVASSING.
WHEN PEOPLE SEE YOU TOOK TIME
OUT TO WALK AND COME TO MY DOOR,
WHAT A PERSONAL TOUCH THAT MAKES
UPON THEM AND AN IMPRESSION THAT
THEY CARE.
>> WHICH BRINGS US TO THE CRUX
OF THE PROBLEM FOR DEMOCRATS.
DURING A PANDEMIC, HOW DO VOTERS
KNOW THE REASON YOU DIDN'T COME
TO THEIR DOOR WASN'T BECAUSE YOU
DON'T CARE, BUT BECAUSE YOU CARE
SO MUCH?
>> I THINK YOU LEAVE A LOT OF
PEOPLE UNTOUCHED AND THAT COULD
BE CRUCIAL FOR THIS ELECTION.
>> REPORTING FROM WISCONSIN, I'M
ZAC SCHULTZ FOR "HERE AND NOW."
>> THE STATE REPORTS IT'S
PROVIDING EXTRA COUNTING MACHINE
TO HANDLE THE CRUSH OF ABSENTEE