Taking a page
from MeetUp.com and other online organizing pioneers,
supporters of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton will host 400
house parties to watch her square off with her
Democratic rivals in Monday's presidential debate.
The parties are
sponsored by Club44, an effort by the Clinton campaign to
recruit younger women supporters.
Ann Lewis, who
heads the campaign's women's outreach effort, said the
idea came from California, where Clinton supporters have
hosted informal debate-watching parties throughout the
campaign. It's been steered at the national level by a
group of campaign interns, using weekly e-mails to
Clinton's mailing list. The parties will take place in
Washington, D.C., and in most states.
Clinton spoke by
conference call to party organizers Wednesday, Lewis
said.
Actors Mary
Steenburgen and Ted Danson will do a predebate warm-up call
to the parties, and other notable Clinton supporters will
phone the parties afterward.
The debate, in
Charleston, S.C., is being hosted by CNN and YouTube, the
online video sharing site. (Beth Fouhy, AP)