Mary Detweiler: Netroots Superstar

By: Lowell
Published On: 7/15/2008 5:26:37 AM

Among the 10,000-strong "ragtag army" of volunteers for Jim Webb in 2006, it's hard to pick the best of the best. Having said that, Mary Detweiler certainly has to rank very close to the top. In fact, it is highly likely that without Mary Detweiler's heroic efforts, Jim Webb's name never even would have made it on the Virginia primary ballot in the spring of 2006. If that's all Mary Detweiler had done for Jim Webb's campaign, it would have been extraordinary, but her contributions go far, FAR beyond that. Truly, Mary Detweiler was an indispensable part of Jim Webb's 2006 netroots victory. The following interview between Mary Detweiler and me was completed on April 12, 2007.

See the Netroots Rising website for the complete interview with netroots superstar Mary Detweiler. It's fascinating, particularly as an insider account of relations and division of labor between Webb's grassroots/netroots "ragtag army" and the professional/"top down" campaign.  And thank you Mary Detweiler; you have never gotten the appreciation you deserve, but hopefully with the publication of this interview, more people will know that without your incredible energy, talent and perseverance in 2006, Jim Webb would not be in the U.S. Senate today.

Comments



Volunteer of the Year (code - 7/15/2008 8:14:48 AM)
It should be noted that Mary was honored with Arlington County Dems Volunteer of the Year award on Friday night. Yes, she's that awesome.

And to second Lowell's comments, as somebody who was at HQ every day, I'm 100% certain that Jim Webb would not be a senator today had it not been for the work Mary did during the campaign.



She has a nice LTE in today's Daily Press... (Eileen Levandoski - 7/15/2008 8:36:44 AM)
"Keep developers out" by Mary Detweiler.

Thank you for the editorial "Loudoun pledge," July 8, about the role developer money plays in the official decision-making process. As you say, all needs to stay above the table and the relationships need to be known. This is significant in light of the current decision-making process for the future of Fort Monroe.

We have had enough of developers benefiting from our natural assets and of the public losing them. Developers say the waterfront will be public, but we have Salt Ponds, Grandview and now Buckroe with, yes, public waterfront, but access is severely limited, parking is severely limited and public space is severely limited.

Read the rest here... http://www.dailypress.com/news...



Not Mary (code - 7/15/2008 8:44:07 AM)
That's Karen Detweiler, not Mary.
Mary doesn't live in Hampton...


Thanks for recognizing Mary! (jesyke - 7/15/2008 9:59:08 AM)
I volunteered on the Webb campaign and thought Mary was one of the brightest people in the room most of the time. Thanks for recognizing her!


Mary made you want to volunteer (Teddy - 7/15/2008 2:10:02 PM)
Even when you were tired or over-committed, you showed up because Mary was there expecting you to live up to your promise to do everything you could to get Jim Webb elected.  


One Of My Finer Moments (Lee Diamond - 7/15/2008 2:19:59 PM)
I am very proud of the fact that I recruited Mary to the Draft.  She was one of the first people I called.  Mary rocks as does Arlington.


Mary Detwiler (seamusotoole - 7/15/2008 5:36:14 PM)

Mary Detwiler is the very best.  She absolutely deserved to be awarded
Volunteer of the year.  Thanks so much Lowell for your interview with her.
May the Webb Brigade live on!!

Mary Lee Cerillo



Mary was my volunteer coordinator. She was a powerful inspiration for me. (Tom Counts - 7/16/2008 8:48:27 AM)
From the day I first met Mary when she became my volunteer coordinator, her inspiration for me (and many others) energized me even more than Jim Webb himself. Mary accomplished the nearly impossible when she took on the task of teaching me what I needed to know in my "on-the-fly on-the-job" situation.

I think I'd have to write a grassroots volunteer book as a companion to Lowell's "Netroots Rising" to come close to a complete description of Mary's many contributions to the campaign.

Thank you, Mary, for all you have done and have continued to do to Turn Virginia Blue. This state and country owe you a debt of gratitude. I hope we will soon find a way to begin repaying that debt.

                       T.C.



The epitome of grassroots leadership (Kindler - 7/16/2008 9:57:03 PM)
Mary is absolutely the best of the best, a class act and a great leader in her own humble, nice, unassuming way.  She was the heart and soul of the Webb campaign, without which he likely would not have won, meaning we would not have won the Senate, meaning that Mitch McConnell would be the Senate Majority Leader right now -- think about it!!!

As we gear up to elevate a former grassroots activist to the White House, let's hope that this movement continues to awaken more people like Mary to get active in their communities.  That's the best news for the future of democracy we can get.