Archive (2008)

Lack of Coattails

Mon, 10/20/2008 - 07:05 — Rottenchester

I'm on the Obama mailing list, and last night they sent me an email (embedded below) urging me to vote for Eric Massa.

That's about all the help Massa can expect from the Obama campaign, which isn't spending much in sure-win New York. That's unfortunate for Massa, because Obama is deploying the most sophisticated get-out-the-vote (GOTV) operation in recent Democratic history.

Similarly, Randy Kuhl can expect little help from the cash-strapped McCain campaign, which conceded New York before the election started.

According to independent polls, Obama and McCain are running neck-and-neck in the 29th, which is a switch from 2004, when Bush took the district by 14 points. But without a GOTV effort from either campaign, neither Congressional candidate will be riding coattails.

Dear Rottenchester,

You can change politics in this country at every level -- up and down the ballot.

Our records show that you live in New York's 29th district.

There's a candidate in New York who's working to bring the change this country needs, and that candidate is Eric Massa. Get involved and help bring change now.

Eric Massa for Congress:
Visit the website

Don't wait until Election Day to support Massa. Get involved today to make sure New York has a strong representative to take our country in a new direction.

Thanks,

Obama for America

P.S. -- To get involved with Obama for America in your community, visit your state page:

http://NY.barackobama.com

D&C Endorsement Goes to Kuhl

Sun, 10/19/2008 - 08:28 — Rottenchester

The Democrat and Chronicle's endorsement of Randy Kuhl is the usual low-quality product of their opinion page. It condescends, ignores facts, and demonstrates the writer's ignorance of the most basic political truths.

Their first argument, such as it is, is that the little people of the 29th don't need a Congressman who is "encyclopedic on the issues", like Massa. We are too simple for that. We "can't afford politicians who fight the big battles". Massa is a "big-picture guy in a district with small-picture needs". The D&C apparently feels that Kuhl is the better man to keep the hicks in the 29th down on the farm.

The D&C also says that Kuhl has become "more confident" and "less defensive". No evidence is provided for these claims because the facts are in complete opposition to them. If anything, Kuhl has become more defensive since 2006. A few minor protests caused him to make his town hall meetings appointment-only events. He refused to participate in any public debates. Those aren't the actions of a confident politician.

The D&C believes that Kuhl, who has a long record of voting with his party, has "moved away from Bush". Their evidence is his words, not Kuhl's voting record. Kuhl voted against any effort to limit funding to the war in Iraq, thus handing the Bush administration a blank check, yet the D&C believes that "[h]e's challenged the administration on war issues." Kuhl switched positions and voted for the second, pork-packed bailout, but the D&C is satisfied that he "questioned the lack of accountability in the Bush-proposed legislation."

The underlying problem with the D&C is that they cling to a fool's notion of politics. They say that Kuhl "must put aside partisanship to work with Democrats." This is wishful thinking based on complete ignorance of Kuhl's leadership status and voting record. When it comes to important votes, Deputy Whip Kuhl has voted with his party 90% of the time.

The D&C has been cutting reporting staff to invest in their social networking website. When reporters don't report, the end result is fact-free editorials like this one.

20/20

Sat, 10/18/2008 - 19:45 — Rottenchester

When I heard that Randy Kuhl was going to be interviewed on 20/20, I wrote this:

Anyone familiar with Stossel's interviews might not be so quick to brag. Stossel usually a takes a skeptical, somewhat libertarian view of politics. He's death on pork-barrel spending, and he's already turned in a negative piece on the Ethanol boondoggle.

Today, Kuhl's office posted a press release with the title NY Farming Community Responds To Inaccurate Portrayal of Farm Bill by ABC’s 20/20.

Res ipsa loquitur.

Analysis

New Internet Ad

Sat, 10/18/2008 - 08:44 — Rottenchester

Reader Michael sends a screenshot of the Internet ad below, which is sponsored by the same group that sponsored an anti-Kuhl health care ad.

The ad shows the good and the bad of Internet advertising. The good is that you can figure out (roughly) where a user is from, and push ads related to the user's location. The bad is that you often can't control where your ad appears.