04/07/09 - Braving the downpour of rain yesterday afternoon, Rep. Raymond J. Sullivan Jr. (D-Coventry) visited with University of Rhode Island students to discuss his work with President Barack Obama's campaign. "If you have a desire to change things, you should get involved," Sullivan advised the approximately 30 students gathered to hear about his experiences breaking into the world of politics. The lecture was part of the Communications Department's Public Relations Summit.
Before entering the political arena, Sullivan worked as a journalist, earning an undergraduate degree from Roger Williams University in 1999.
"I chose journalism because I believed, like many people 20 years ago, that I could expose things that needed to be changed," Sullivan said.
At 20 years old, he began working as a full time reporter at the Kent County Daily Times, which covers Coventry and West Warwick, an experience he recommends for aspiring writers.
"Go work for a small community paper while you're young," he said. "I learned how to be a better writer and listen to people."
Sullivan eventually became a copy editor, but found the world of "corporate journalism" stripped him of the purpose he found in reporting. Eventually, he transitioned from working as a journalist to a career in public services and politics.
"I think about the stories I wrote, the people I touched. I think the same motivation that brought me to journalism brought me to politics," Sullivan said. "I wrote stories about people who led tough lives. Instead of writing about how bad things were, I wanted to change things."
This led to his position with AmeriCorps, a national program that networks volunteers with community service groups and non-profit organizations. Through AmeriCorps, he helped to run an after-school center for at-risk youth, which included community services, a GED program and a program with juvenile offenders.
It wasn't until Sullivan was approached at a friend's birthday party that he began his foray into the political spectrum. He was asked to interview for a job as a press secretary in an upcoming Congressional campaign.
"I had covered politics and government, but never saw myself working in it," Sullivan said. Despite reluctance, he accepted the position. Just 45 minutes later, Sullivan was speaking at his first press conference.
"There was no, 'Hey, this is Ray!' It was literally, show up and do the work. I didn't know what to do. If anyone reads the transcript of what I said that day, they know," he joked.
Sullivan first ran for office when he was 26-years-old, and is now serving his third term as the Democratic representative from Coventry.
As a young politician, Sullivan often had to work to get his voice heard. "As a young person, when you walk into a room with people who have been there, it's a battle," he said. "Even at 32, it is."
During 2008's presidential race, Sullivan decided to throw his support behind Obama during his keynote address at the Democratic National Convention.
"For someone like me, who has worked in the system, you're jaded to a degree," Sullivan said. However, during Obama's speech, he recalls staring at his television, captivated by the message of wanting to "fundamentally change America."
"I thought, 'I don't care whether he wins or loses. I just want to help, whether anything comes of it, that's for the electorate to decide," he said.
While he initially pictured his role in the campaign as being a smaller volunteer, Sullivan was approached to run Rhode Island's effort to support the Obama campaign.
This opportunity, however, took place during Sullivan's own reelection. This meant that he had to sacrifice his own campaigning on Obama's behalf-a choice he was willing to make.
"If I lost my own election to support someone I thought would make America better, I could live with that sacrifice," Sullivan said.
Sullivan became the state director for the Obama campaign, working with the national grassroots program to help reach undecided voters.
"He was willing to get on board with that campaign before others were willing to get on board," Robert Beagle, vice president for University Advacement, said. "He has become known as a risk taker."
Sullivan credits Obama's succesful campaign to his ability of reaching out and mobilizing Americans to support his cause.
"We took folks that never had any role in the presidential campaign, and said, 'come here and make a difference,'" he said. "It was the first time in our generation that folks thought they could be connected on a personal level to the person they thought would be the next leader of the free world."
At the Rhode Island headquarters, Sullivan recalls the office being packed with volunteers, having to sit on the floor, making phone calls to undecided voters nationwide.
"Kids from Brown and PC would make calls between classes," Sullivan said. "This campaign showed how regular folks could give a couple hours of their time."
By the end, Rhode Island had thousands of volunteers, lwanting to make phone calls or knock on doors, to speak with undecided voters.
"You don't get people willing to get up on a Saturday morning to make phone calls, unless you've got a great candidate," Sullivan said.
On election night, Sullivan was awaiting his own election results, as well. However, he was glued to Obama's electoral results-not his own.
"I knew Obama won the election before I knew I won the election," he said. He related his passion of politics to the public relations profession as a whole.
"In PR, you're only as good as your word when you're talking to a reporter. That relationship is built on trust," Sullivan said.
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