Joe Lieberman-Campaign Organization, Oklahoma
Joe Lieberman for President, Inc.
Senator Joe Lieberman announced his presidential campaign and filed papers with the FEC establishing his presidential campaign committee on January 13, 2003.  Craig T. Smith is national campaign director and senior advisor.
Oklahomans for Joe
launched Dec. 15, 2003
Joe Lieberman for President, Inc. Oklahoma Leadership
Campaign Headquarters: 114 N.W. Sixth Street Suite 101, Oklahoma City
State Director Josh Geise
(announced June 26, 2003)  Managed two congressional campaigns during the 2002 cycle: Richard Romero in New Mexico and Jill Long Thompson in Indiana (both unsuccessful).  Successfully managed the Albert Pollard for Delegate campaign in Virginia.  A graduate of Indiana University, he also served as communications director to Congressman Peter Visclosky (D-IN).
 
 
Political Director Russell Griffin
(announced October 29, 2003)  Originally from McAlester, Oklahoma, Griffin has worked on numerous campaigns in Oklahoma; most recently he was the southeast Oklahoma field director for the 2002 Statewide Democratic Coordinated Campaign.
 
 
Field Director John Pettis, Jr.
(announced October 29, 2003)  An Oklahoma City native, Pettis previously worked as an intern for State Senator Angela Monson. He currently serves as the President of the Oklahoma NAACP Youth and College Division and Vice Chair of the NAACP Region 6 Voter Empowerment Taskforce.
 
 
Press Secretary Emily Snooks
(announced October 20, 2003)  Snooks last served as Communications Director on Chet Edward's congressional campaign in Waco, Texas.  She has also acted as Southeast Texas Field Director for Tony Sanchez for Governor, and worked for Congressman Nick Lampson.
 

Endorsements 
Statewide Elected Officials
Attorney General Drew Edmondson
State Treasurer Robert Butkin
State Auditor and Inspector Jeff McMahan

Federal
U.S. Representative Brad Carson

State Legislators
Senate Majority Whip Sam Helton
State Sen. Angela Monson, First Assistant Majority Floor Leader
State Sen. Stratton Taylor (former Senate President Pro Tempore)
State Sen. Robert Kerr (Altus)
Speaker of the House Larry Adair
House Speaker Pro Tempore Danny Hilliard 
State Rep. Dan Boren
State Rep. Abe Duetchendorf (Lawton)
State Rep. Ron Kirby (Lawton)

More
-Oklahoma City Friday ("Oklahoma's Largest and Award Winningest Suburban Weekly Newspaper") -Dec. 12, 2003.

-On November 20, 2003 the campaign announced the endorsements of State Reps. Abe Duetchendorf and Ron Kirby of Lawton, Comanche County Democratic State Delegate James Fullerton, and Cleveland County Democratic Party Secretary Toby Friesen.

-On October 14 2003 the campaign announced the endorsement of State Sen. Angela Monson -- First Assistant Majority Floor Leader.  Immediate past president of the National Conference of State Legislatures, and chair of the Oklahoma Legislative Black Caucus.

-On June 26, 2003 the campaign announced 15 more supporters.

-On March 11, 2003 during an appearance at the State Capitol Hadassah Lieberman announced some key supporters: Attorney General Drew Edmondson, State Treasurer Robert Butkin, U.S. Representative Brad Carson, Speaker of the House Larry Adair, State Sen. Stratton Taylor (former Senate President Pro Tempore), Senate Majority Whip Sam Helton, House Speaker Pro Tempore Danny Hilliard, State Rep. Dan Boren

 

Here's a December 11, 2003 summary from the Lieberman campaign:

JOE LIEBERMAN'S STRENGTH IN OKLAHOMA 

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 KEYS TO VICTORY 
 ·       Joe Lieberman will win Oklahoma’s Feb. 3 primary because of his early support from all the state’s leading Democratic officeholders, and his stance as a fiscally responsible, pro-defense Democrat with strong personal faith.

 ·       Roll Call wrote, “Lieberman has devoted considerable time and resources to the Sooner State, locked up the vast majority of the state’s elected officials, and seems a solid ideological fit for the state where moderate to conservative Democrats rule the party roost.”

 POLLS: JOE JUMPS INTO FIRST PLACE 
 ·       The most recent poll, by the Daily Oklahoman, shows Joe leading the field there with 10 percent.  Lieberman jumped from third to first place since the previous OK Poll.

 STRONG IN-STATE PRESENCE 
 ·       Joe Lieberman was the first candidate to hire in-state staff and open a state headquarters. He and his family have made 8 visits, including stops on Joe’s “Leading With Integrity” tour.

 ·       Joe is also the first candidate to send his sister to Oklahoma -- his sister Rietta Miller and husband Gary have lived in Norman for 12 years and have played an integral part in the campaign.

 ·       Lieberman has traveled widely throughout the state, campaigning in the eastern Democratic strongholds, meeting with oil producers and displaced airline workers, and visiting with African-Americans in central Oklahoma City and Tulsa. 

 LEADING IN MAJOR ENDORSEMENTS 
 ·       Brad Carson, the state’s only Democratic Congressman and a supporter of Joe’s, told Roll Call that “[Lieberman] has a great base of support from elected officials that filters down to the grassroots,” 

 ·       Lieberman locked up early endorsements from every leading statewide Democrat who has endorsed a candidate, including Attorney General Drew Edmondson, Treasurer Robert Butkin, Auditor Jeff McMahan, House Speaker Larry Adair, former state Senate President Pro Tem Sen. Stratton Taylor, and Black Caucus Chair Sen. Angela Monson.

 ·       Though he can’t endorse Lieberman, former Okla. Senator, current OU President, and influential state leader David Boren has praised Lieberman, telling the Norman Transcript, “I just want you to know there will never be a finer human being or a more honorable human being occupy the Oval Office than Joe Lieberman.” 

 “OKLAHOMA DON’T LIKE LIBERALS” 
 ·       Joe’s moderate profile and personal faith make him a perfect fit for Oklahoma Democrats. 
 ·       Roll Call wrote that “state political insiders say that Dean and Clark, Lieberman’s closest competitors [in OK], face an uphill battle in the primary.  “Dean is perceived to be so liberal and even Democrats in Oklahoma don’t like liberals,” a Democratic source said, while former party chair Pat Hall said that “Clark fizzled” in OK.

 ·       Joe is catching on - during a Veterans Day visit to OK, Johnny Bianco, an Army veteran from Oklahoma City, told AP that he was a Republican who had backed Bush but is switching his support to Lieberman.  "I like what he says. I can understand him,” Bianco said. 

Copyright © 2003  Eric M. Appleman/Democracy in Action