Birddogging: What is it?

It’s a tactic that activists use to get politicians on the record. “Birddoggers” show up at candidates' and politicians’ events and ask pointed questions about the issues they feel most need attention. There is an art to being an effective birddogger, and it includes everything from standing in the right spot to coming up with rhetoric-busting questions that politicians can’t evade. See our 8 tips to become an expert birddogger, as well as our sample questions on Iraq. (WARNING: This tipsheet features very low-budget videos).

9 Tips on Becoming an Expert Birddogger

1. DON'T do this. 

Can you spot what went wrong in this video? Cara, Becca, Jim, Leah and Terry star in this video featuring vague questions that make it easy for "Sen. Bigglesby" to slide by without answering the questions. Also a couple of the questioners were overly emotional. While they had good reason, your audience is less likely to write you off if you keep a cool head. Keep reading to see what else these bird-doggers could have done differently.

2.  Spot your targets.

Find out who the representatives and senators are for your area, and who will be running against them in November. The entire House of Representatives is up for reelection, as well as a third of the Senate, so there will probably be challengers as well as current members of Congress making appearances in your area. The presidential candidates are doing fewer intimate events, but it’s good to keep an eye out for town hall meetings and fundraisers where you can get an opportunity to pose your questions on ending the war in Iraq.

3. Find out where the candidate will be.
      
Try to get your information straight from the candidates’ offices—call them, join their e-mail lists, and check their websites. If you have media contacts, you might be able to get information from friendly journalists, or those with a progressive point of view. Also, if you’re a member of a political club, the candidates or officials may come to you. Stay up-to-date with local newspapers and political websites, because they often publish calendars of candidate events. Often these events are publicized last minute or are not widely advertised, so it’s important to use multiple avenues to get this information. Find out as much about each event as you can, so you know what to expect ahead of time.

4. Get to know the candidates.

The more you know a candidate’s views on the issues, the better prepared you will be for his or her appearance in your area. Click here for voting records of current members of Congress. Look at their websites, ask for position papers from the campaign office or directly question the staff, and follow the campaign in the local papers to glean candidate positions. Google news alerts are an easy way to get information delivered right to your inbox. Integrate their positions into your questions!

5. Work in teams.

Bird-doggers often find it easier to work in teams. Bird-dogging can be really challenging, so going in teams of two or more will create a support base. It will also allow you to share responsibilities, resources and most importantly keep you focused. Your team can help you discuss issues, come up with good strategies and share concerns with like-minded friends. It also increases the chance that your questions about ending the war in Iraq will be asked. Recruit friends and family to join you in your campaign.

6. Prep your questions ahead of time.

The perfect question becomes the central part of an effective bird-dogging campaign. The better the questions are, the better the answer will be. You will need to have your questions ready before the event. That way you’ll be the first with your hand in the air, while every one else is thinking of what they want to ask. Make a list of questions and prioritize them, so if only 1-2 people in your group are picked you’ll still be able to ask the most important questions. Click here for sample questions and tips on writing good questions.

7. At the Event.  

In our next "film," Becca, Cara, Leah, Manuel and Jill show us how to turn a handshake line into an opportunity for a pointed question.

• Be proactive. If you aren’t called on during the event, you still have some opportunities. For instance, make sure you get to the “handshake line” so you can ask your question while the candidate is interacting with the crowd. It is especially important to get these kinds of interactions on tape.
  
  In fact, some of our organizers have perfected the classic bird-dogger “handshake” demonstrated in the video: firmly holding the candidate in place with one (cordial) hand, a recording device in the other, and a pointed question at the ready. 
  
• Get there early. Make sure you grab the best position(s) in the room and check around to talk to and get a feel for the other people there. It’s good to have people positioned in several key areas: near the media, on the path the candidate is likely to take through the audience, and spread out within the audience to increase the likelihood of being called on.
• Always keep it cordial. You will get a better response from candidates, and make a positive impression on the media, if you are calm and respectful. Hardly anyone will be 100 percent opposed to your views, so try to come up with a compliment on a candidate’s position that you can mention before you ask your question.
• Maximize your question’s impact. Think about the likely responses to your question before you ask it. If you anticipate the candidate’s response, you can be ready with a follow-up question that will dig deeper and keep the candidate from avoiding the answer. Polite persistence is a key skill in being an effective birddogger.
• Make a lasting impression. Wear No Soldier Left Behind t-shirts and bring signs if allowed, so the candidate gets the picture that a lot of people want to know where he or she stands on the war in Iraq. It’s good to have some members of your team go incognito in case they don’t want to call on people who are clearly with the campaign.
• Record your interaction. The best way to build accountability around your bird-dogging is to get a video of the interaction.  This prevents the candidate from being able to backtrack, and distribution of the video on the internet can generate lots of attention for the candidate (good or bad) and the issue.  Cell phones are great for video, photos or audio, because they are unobtrusive.  If you don’t have a video camera, make sure someone is taking notes.  Photos are great too.

 8. Talk to the Media.

Getting media coverage of your question can greatly increase the impact of your bird-dogging. Since the reporters work under deadlines, they often cover the most convenient aspects of a story. Introduce yourself to the reporters in the room to increase the likelihood that your questions will be highlighted. Be prepared with soundbites about your question or why you attended the event and try to position yourself near reporters and TV cameras.

Here Cara, Manuel and Reva (as Lisa Bobisa) demonstrate how to get your message across to a reporter.



9. Report back to Peace Action West.

Whenever you interact with a candidate or the media, especially if you’ve gotten a juicy response from a candidate, don’t keep it to yourself! The work you are doing, and the information you are gathering is incredibly valuable. When you share your experience with us, we can help share it with the widest audience possible. Post your video, photos and the information you’ve gathered to your Meetup group and our MeetupAlliance. We’ll highlight your work on the Peace Action West blog, website and in email alerts. If you are not signed up with one of our Meetups, then email your information to Rebecca Griffin, Political Director.

Now we put it all together for some top-notch bird-dogging here: