My posts on yesterday's rumble in Corning were tongue-in-cheek for a reason. I don't think much of what is said in campaigns in August resonates with most voters.
Politics is a bit like the Olympics in that regard. Some people follow swimming or curling closely. The rest of us pay attention for two weeks every two years. Between Olympics, some great achievement might register, but it's mostly background noise.
Since politics has more impact on our daily lives, and is more widely covered than, say, synchronized swimming, this analogy isn't perfect. That said, I do talk to a wide variety of fairly well-read and well-educated district residents who have no clue who represents them in Congress.
Keeping that in mind, I think yesterday's dust-up probably made its biggest impact on those who already have a set view of either candidate. For tuned-in Massa supporters, it shows that he's a fighter. For Kuhl supporters paying close attention, it shows that Massa is an upstart.
For everyone else, it's like beach volleyball in May. We know it exists, but we're going to wait for the Olympics to pay attention.
Comments
Personally, I enjoy watching beach volleyball year round. But if the participants looked more like political candidates, I'd probably fee differently.
Ha!
In what appears to be a very tight race, something that happens in August could certainly make a difference.
You're right -- something big that would linger around for the rest of the campaign could make a difference. Is Kuhl going to make a negative ad about this little event? Is Massa? I don't think so. That's why I think it will be forgotten before most voters start paying attention.