Interns hit campaign trail BY GIANIiA I()HNN S]P RTPORTER For many teenagers, summer is the perfect time to catch up on some much-needed sleep and earn a little money. But for the handful of stu- dents working on the Connecticut Congressional campaigns, this sum - mer has been aperiod of political dis- covery and an indispensable experi- ence. At the beginning of the year, Sen- ator foe Lieberman '63 LAW '65 announced his decision to retire and not seek re-election in November. This declaration opened up a spot in the Senate and motivated a number of local politicians to put together cam- paigns, first to win their party nom- ination and then to compete in the general election in November. By the summer, it was clear that former WWE CEO Linda McMa- hon andformer House member Chris Shays would be competing to be Con- necticut's GOP candidate, while state representative Chris Murphy and for- mer Connecticut Secretary of State Susan Bysiewicz '83 were in the run- ning for the Democratic endorse- ment. For the candidates, campaign sea- son was a competitive and stressful time. For local students, it meant a chance to build up their political skills and get some real-world experience. "The experience was nothing but exciting," said fustin Ahern, a r7-year-oldhiglr school student from Shelton, Conn. " It was non- stop hard work, but I'm glad that I did it. It was for a great cause and that's all that matters." Ahern was just one of many young, energetic interns who worked for Shays this summer. The self-pro- claimed history buff identifies as a "conservative with a lot of libertar- ian values." He also has an admirable work ethic that propelledhimto wake up at 4 a.m. sometimes, just to hand out campaign literature to commuters at the Stratford train station. "You need to be able to free time up, wake up early on some days, and always come in excited with a mind- set of winning j'he said. But what kind of work can a stu- dent contribute to a serious political campaign? For Shays' interus, their most important job was competing to attract voters on a much smallerbud- get than Republican rival McMahon. "The job included a lot of direct communication with voters," Ahern explained. "The office was always busywithpeople coming in and out to help with phone calls, spreadsheets, fundraising . . . and trying to reach as many people as we could while com- peting against millions of dollarsl' Unfortunately for Ahern and the rest of Shays' campaign team, their candidate did not receive favorable news when Thesday's primaries con- cluded. Still, according to Ahern, the loss did not produce a feeling of fail- ure among the adolescent interns. You have to be willing to do a that you care about what ANDREW CONNERY'13 lntern for Chris Murphy's campaign "We did all we could to prove that dedication could overcome money. We were unsuccessful in that, but we are proud of what we did," he said. Although the outcome of Con- necticut's recent primaries were sub- optimal for Shays, and has eliminated him from winning a seat in the Sen- ate, it means the converse for Mur- phy. However, despite glaring differ- ences betweenthe two Congressmen, it appears that both Democratic and Republican interns have similar phi- losophies when it comes to working onacampaign. Andrew Connery' t3, a zo-year- old Yale student from Norman, Okla., said, "You have to be willing to do a lot of hard work. It really helps that you care about what you're doing . . . commitment and motivation are keyJ' At the beginning of the summer, Connery's internship was similar to Ahern's; he made calls to attract vot- ers and helped out at the New Haven office. This quickly changed as the primaries drew near. Connery's lead- ership skills were put to the test, and he became the campaign's volunteer coordinator. With this title he was able to manage the progress of the phone banks and direct volunteers who were field canvassing for Mur- phy. By the time the primaries came around, they had "knocked on about 3ooo doors with only 20 to 30 peo- ple," an impressive feat for a young college student to accomplish. Both interns said that they learned a significant amount while working for their respective candidates. Con- nery said that "campaigns are a redly interesting opportunity to take what I've studied and see what it looks like on the ground in the real world, as opposed to what it looks like in the classrooms at Yalei' Murphy ended this summervieto- riously, and his hardworking team of interns can be credited with garner- ing much of the public support for his campaign. "We were an important part of the team and helped laid the ground work for what will happen in the general electionj' Connery added. Looking back on the zoro Con- gressiond primaries, it appears that Connery could be right. Two years ago, Richard Blumen- thal LAW '73 was running for a seat in the Senate , and Kaylie Hans on, 24 , of Greenwich, Conn, worked as an intern onhis campaign. As a recent graduate from the Uni- versity of Michigan, Hanson was trusted with a myriad of difficult tasks. Her hard work, combined with the rest of the interns, paid off when Blumenthal won the general election inNovember of zoro. "I did voter research, categorized speeches, helped keep track of dona- tions with the finance team, attended rallies as a cheerleader for the cam- paign," she said. "Some internships will just give you busy work, but cam- paign interns always do work that is crucial to the campeign, and the can- didates really appreciate it." Experience in a fast-paced, high- intensity political campaign will be an asset for these interns when they applyfor jobs with similar amounts of pressrue and responsibility, Hanson said. Having a Conglessiond intern- ship has certainly helped her - she began working full-time for Senator Blumenthal in Washington D.C. after he was elected, lot of hard work. lt really helps you're doing... commitment and motivation are key.
Yale Daily News Summer Journalism Article
Mar 30, 2016
This is my piece about the CT Congressional Summer interns that I wrote for the Yale Daily News Summer 2012 Journalism Program.
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Transcript
f Yalei' She StiII eats in the dining halls and goesry of the same clubs and meetings that she wentne as a student.'continued involvement with the University has
first entered office."I haven't decided yet/' she said with a laugh. "It's a
little far away."
Interns hit campaign trailBY GIANIiA I()HNN
S]P RTPORTER
For many teenagers, summer isthe perfect time to catch up on somemuch-needed sleep and earn a littlemoney. But for the handful of stu-dents working on the ConnecticutCongressional campaigns, this sum -mer has been aperiod of political dis-covery and an indispensable experi-ence.
At the beginning of the year, Sen-ator foe Lieberman '63 LAW '65announced his decision to retire andnot seek re-election in November.This declaration opened up a spot inthe Senate and motivated a number oflocal politicians to put together cam-paigns, first to win their party nom-ination and then to compete in thegeneral election in November.
By the summer, it was clear thatformer WWE CEO Linda McMa-hon andformer House member ChrisShays would be competing to be Con-necticut's GOP candidate, while staterepresentative Chris Murphy and for-mer Connecticut Secretary of StateSusan Bysiewicz '83 were in the run-ning for the Democratic endorse-ment.
For the candidates, campaign sea-son was a competitive and stressfultime. For local students, it meant achance to build up their political skillsand get some real-world experience.
"The experience was nothingbut exciting," said fustin Ahern, ar7-year-oldhiglr school student fromShelton, Conn. " It was non- stop hardwork, but I'm glad that I did it. It wasfor a great cause and that's all thatmatters."
Ahern was just one of many young,energetic interns who worked forShays this summer. The self-pro-claimed history buff identifies as a"conservative with a lot of libertar-ian values." He also has an admirablework ethic that propelledhimto wakeup at 4 a.m. sometimes, just to handout campaign literature to commutersat the Stratford train station.
"You need to be able to free timeup, wake up early on some days, andalways come in excited with a mind-set of winning j'he said.
But what kind of work can a stu-dent contribute to a serious politicalcampaign? For Shays' interus, theirmost important job was competing to
attract voters on a much smallerbud-get than Republican rival McMahon.
"The job included a lot of directcommunication with voters," Ahernexplained. "The office was alwaysbusywithpeople coming in and out tohelp with phone calls, spreadsheets,fundraising . . . and trying to reach asmany people as we could while com-peting against millions of dollarsl'
Unfortunately for Ahern and therest of Shays' campaign team, theircandidate did not receive favorablenews when Thesday's primaries con-cluded. Still, according to Ahern, theloss did not produce a feeling of fail-ure among the adolescent interns.
You have to be willing to do a
that you care about what
ANDREW CONNERY'13lntern for Chris Murphy's campaign
"We did all we could to prove thatdedication could overcome money.We were unsuccessful in that, but weare proud of what we did," he said.
Although the outcome of Con-necticut's recent primaries were sub-optimal for Shays, and has eliminatedhim from winning a seat in the Sen-ate, it means the converse for Mur-phy. However, despite glaring differ-ences betweenthe two Congressmen,it appears that both Democratic andRepublican interns have similar phi-losophies when it comes to workingonacampaign.
Andrew Connery' t3, a zo-year-old Yale student from Norman, Okla.,said, "You have to be willing to do alot of hard work. It really helps thatyou care about what you're doing . . .commitment and motivation are keyJ'
At the beginning of the summer,Connery's internship was similar toAhern's; he made calls to attract vot-ers and helped out at the New Havenoffice. This quickly changed as theprimaries drew near. Connery's lead-ership skills were put to the test, and
he became the campaign's volunteercoordinator. With this title he wasable to manage the progress of thephone banks and direct volunteerswho were field canvassing for Mur-phy. By the time the primaries camearound, they had "knocked on about3ooo doors with only 20 to 30 peo-ple," an impressive feat for a youngcollege student to accomplish.
Both interns said that they learneda significant amount while workingfor their respective candidates. Con-nery said that "campaigns are a redlyinteresting opportunity to take whatI've studied and see what it looks likeon the ground in the real world, asopposed to what it looks like in theclassrooms at Yalei'
Murphy ended this summervieto-riously, and his hardworking team ofinterns can be credited with garner-ing much of the public support for hiscampaign.
"We were an important part of theteam and helped laid the ground workfor what will happen in the generalelectionj' Connery added.
Looking back on the zoro Con-gressiond primaries, it appears thatConnery could be right.
Two years ago, Richard Blumen-thal LAW '73 was running for a seatin the Senate , and Kaylie Hans on, 24 ,of Greenwich, Conn, worked as anintern onhis campaign.
As a recent graduate from the Uni-versity of Michigan, Hanson wastrusted with a myriad of difficulttasks. Her hard work, combined withthe rest of the interns, paid off whenBlumenthal won the general electioninNovember of zoro.
"I did voter research, categorizedspeeches, helped keep track of dona-tions with the finance team, attendedrallies as a cheerleader for the cam-paign," she said. "Some internshipswill just give you busy work, but cam-paign interns always do work that iscrucial to the campeign, and the can-didates really appreciate it."
Experience in a fast-paced, high-intensity political campaign will bean asset for these interns when theyapplyfor jobs with similar amounts ofpressrue and responsibility, Hansonsaid. Having a Conglessiond intern-ship has certainly helped her - shebegan working full-time for SenatorBlumenthal in Washington D.C. afterhe was elected,
lot of hard work. lt really helps
you're doing... commitmentand motivation are key.
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