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NPAction Staff

Monday, January 07, 2008

Candidates successfully bird-dog in NH on nonprofit issues

An article in the Chronicle of Philanthropy reports that voters have successfully "bird-dogged" presidential candidates on issues facing the nonprofit sector. Bird-dogging is a tactic used to directly engage policy makers when they make public appearances at campaign events, town meetings, or speeches. The aim is to put tough questions to elected officials or candidates and force them to answer when they are in front of their constituents, voters, and the media.

In New Hampshire, according to the Chronicle of Philanthropy article, a voter successfully bird-dogged Senator Hillary Clinton, asking at a packed campaign rally, "What would Mrs. Clinton do to promote the nonprofit sector as a whole, which makes up a big segment of the economy?"

Senator Clinton responded, “It is essential that I as president do everything I can to expand the nonprofit sector." She promised to draw attention to the work of charities, and also said she was looking for suggestions as to what else was needed to ensure the vitality of the sector.

See NP Action's recent article on bird-dogging, for more information on the value of the technique and how its done.