Sex, Jogging and Politics

Caryn Schenewerk was hanging out with some friends at the Washington, D.C. International Wine & Food Festival in late February when talk turned to politics. Everyone agreed that "Bush is a threat to our privacy rights, health and security," said Schenewerk, a 26-year-old attorney who hails from New Boston, Texas. Then an idea occurred to them: Why not form a group and call it Women Against Bush?

Schenewerk and friends talked more the next day and started thinking about ideas. They wanted to make the group fun, such as offering free panties to members who pay $25 to join. Think of it as "Sex and the City" meets politics: "It was one of those ideas that you can't just leave alone because it's so good," Schenewerk said.

So Schenewerk created a website, and she and her friends planned a launch party at a Washington club, hoping 100 people would attend. "There were a lot of sleepless nights and early mornings involved in that," Schenewerk said. The idea spread, thanks to the Internet and email. (A mention in the Washington Post didn't hurt, either.)

On April 1, about 300 people attended WomenAgainstBush.org's kickoff bash. The group raised more than $5,000 in one week for its political action committee, Running in Heels. (WomenAgainstBush.org is a project of Running in Heels.)

Babes Left and Right

Schenewerk isn't alone. Across the country, Americans are forming coalitions that combine politics with non-political activities to get people excited about voting this fall. There's Babes Against Bush – which offers a regime change countdown calendar that runs until Inauguration Day ($11, plus $1.95 shipping) – as well as Babes for Bush, whose calendar goes for $20, plus tax and shipping.

The Bush campaign Web site is offering Republicans the chance to buy event packs, including navy caps, bumper stickers, buttons and a yard sign. The campaign is hoping supporters will host 2,004 "Parties for the President" on April 29; 1,675 events had been scheduled as of April 6, according to the website.

The rise in such groups can be traced in part to the success of Howard Dean's grassroots Internet campaign and Meetups, and the empowerment they gave voters. But with the electorate essentially split between the two parties, Democrats and Republicans are looking for any help they can get at the voting booth.

"Each side is trying to prime the pump for themselves," said Brad Bannon, a Democratic political consultant in Washington, D.C. "Both sides understand that this could be a very close election." Bringing new voters to the party "could very much dictate the course of the election."

Grassroots Games

Voters aren't the only ones taking the election into their own hands. The presidential campaigns are focusing on grassroots efforts, which both parties recognize as important. "Fewer people get their information from the three major television networks than they used to," Bush campaign manager Ken Mehlman told the Los Angeles Times in February.

Non-campaign affiliated groups make it easy for members to join by arranging low-cost, local events. WomenAgainstBush.org plans to hold get-togethers the first Thursday of every month. Members get to choose a pair of panties – a blue thong with "Bush Free Zone" written in red, or a black bikini with "Kiss Bush!" and lips on the front and "Goodbye! 11.02.04" in hot pink on the back.

Rich Khoe and his seven co-founders began discussing the idea of Run Against Bush in October; it opened for business in February. Despite the group's name, only half of the founders are runners; the others are light joggers and walkers. "The one thing we have in common is the 'against Bush' part," said Khoe, a 33-year-old consultant in Washington, D.C. Members of Run Against Bush, which schedules runs regularly in major cities, pay $20 to join and get a free T-shirt.