RK ARCHIVE - Thank You Josh Chernila

Josh Chernila is a long time community organizer who recently became involved in partisan politics it began in in 2002, he managed Waldo Jaquith's campaign for the Democratic nomination for City Council in Charlottesville.

Chernila, a graduate of the University of Chicago with honors in Economics and a MBA from George Washington University he has dedicated his life to building new enterprises in the private sector.

Chernila began his political experience in the grassroots area as a volunteer and blogger during the Kaine campaign in 2005. He carried this even further in assisting Lowell Feld and a few others to Draft James Webb in early 2006.

After Jim Webb won the primary in June, Chernila was hired as the campaigns grassroots coordinator.
Unlike getting to know his counterpart Lowell Feld on a personal level, I got to know Josh Chernila in a more professional level. Especially with my work in grassroots on Myspace, Facebook, and eventually Generation Webb.

I have never met anyone in politics or otherwise that were more dedicated to something than Josh Chernila. He spent literally hours upon hours in his office while serving as grassroots coordinator during the campaign.

Without Josh Chernila's tireless work on the campaign and leadership in the grassroots mission none of this may have been possible. I believe along with Feld, Chernila is one of the campaigns unsung hero's and that's why I felt it so necessary to highlight his work and thank him.

Thank you Josh!

Whatever he does next, I am sure he will be a strong asset to that organization!

Josh represented the grassroots in the campaign, and I am very glad that I have got to know him. He was a great leader, and always first he is a great person.

Comments

Thank you Josh! (drmontoya - 12/7/2006 5:42:03 PM)

We gotta get a beer brosef when you come back from Denver!

Make a movie! (Rebecca - 12/7/2006 8:43:08 PM)

I'd love to see a movie made of the story of the Webb campaign. Its pretty remarkable. Webb has never run for political office. A few netroots people, including Josh, recruited him. The primary. Allen's mistakes. Webb's speeches. There is a lot of drama here. Its really a story of the rise of grassroots heros. Webb, Josh, Lowell, and others would play themselves. I don't know who we could get to play Allen. Exerpts from Raising Kaine could be added as voiceovers in places. Its full of drama and can give people faith in democracy again. The people at Fairfax public TV might be interested in the project.

Thanks (Kindler - 12/7/2006 8:46:53 PM)

Thank you Josh for all of your dedication and hard work.

And thanks to drmontoya for putting a face to the name, even if Josh looks a little flattened in this picture...

I especially miss his posts here (Jambon - 12/7/2006 8:55:29 PM)

so I hope he will rejoin us on RK in the near future.

Missing Josh (drmontoya - 12/7/2006 8:57:30 PM)

I miss him as well! =)

Josh (Kathy Gerber - 12/7/2006 9:30:51 PM)

I met in Charlottesville when his son was running up and down the sidewalk because I recognized him from a picture on RK. Josh is extremely responsible, and at the time I got the impression that it was difficult for him to take on the risk working a campaign with his responsibilities to his family. Thanks so much for doing that, Josh.

And thanks for telling us about his Chicago background!

Thank you, Josh (Teddy - 12/7/2006 9:35:50 PM)

You were a great blogger and volunteer coordinator, and I have great respect for you. Please send us posts from Denver. Y'all hurry back, now!

The Real Beginning... (Harry Landers - 12/7/2006 11:49:28 PM)

"Chernila began his political experience in the grassroots area as a volunteer and blogger during the Kaine campaign in 2005."

Not exactly the beginning. in 2002, Josh managed Waldo Jaquith's campaign for the Democratic nomination for City Council in Charlottesville.

I had no idea. (Kathy Gerber - 12/8/2006 1:02:24 AM)

I voted for Waldo at the caucus. I went there to support my cousin, and had NO idea about anyone else. I remember bits and pieces of it.

Josh is the man. (tokatakiya - 12/8/2006 12:21:59 AM)

Kudos! And kudos again!

Excellent work.

God bless.

How about being recognized at the JJ Dinner? (Dianne - 12/8/2006 8:27:19 AM)

Yes, everything I've heard and read about Josh says he's a special, talented, and devoted Democrat. Wouldn't it be nice to have him and his work recognized at the JJ Dinner....