MOVED UP TO TODAY BECAUSE IT IS TOPICAL
AND VITALLY IMPORTANT
ADAMS COUNTY DEMOCRATS -- MARCH 22 IS THE FIRST DAY OF THE REST OF OUR LIVES!
This local primary campaign has brought new people to democrat politics. This really happened in two ways. Some people who have never been involved have become interested. Some folks who have been involved in a relatively small way in the past have moved up to strategic and drafting roles. This is good for the local party.
Where do we go with that? If they all walk off and don't stay involved, we will have profited nothing. If they walk off, we'll also know this was just a campaign about personal enmity and grudges. If they take these developing talents to other candidates and other elections, we will be stronger for it.
With respect for both sides, whoever wins, I suggest that all of the players on the losing side of this primary make a commitment to one candidate for the fall. I also respectfully suggest that you do it within four weeks of the primary so we all know where our resources, human or otherwise, are located. I'm not asking you do anything I haven't done for the last 35 years.
At the end of the day, all this primary gets us is a nominee. There is much to do and the general election will be here before we know it. We can move forward together no matter what the outcome is. In fact, it's not optional. In the words of Bill Clinton "We go up or down together." That's our history--both ways--and our destiny now.
posted by UMRBlog @ 23:24
9 comments
9 Comments:
Not trying to start an argument but she should have let you (Tony) write her last mailer. One of the least effective mailers I have seen in a long time. No one is going to read that much on the way to the trash can. You don't have to post this if you don't like as it is totally off subject to this thread.
Anon 1048,
You have just identified one of the universal tensions between hands-on candidates and political advisers the world over. The candidate wants to get every great point out there and the advisor wants appealing white space and a few bullet points.
I've already started a piece about the advertising in this primary. Probably run Thursday.
Wasn't the Carper stuff nice looking! ;)
The last mailer was nice looking. The columnar piece was enough to give an eagle a headache. The first radio ad was not effective. The second one was very good. There's a pattern developing here. Second tries seem to be very good.
To go a little further, there's a conceptual problem with the whole Carper campaign. Dick Durbin puts it into simple words "You must introduce yourself before you attack your opponent." I think it was a tactical mistake for his first glossy (hey, no union bug!) to be an attack piece. I think it was a tactical mistake to make the "prisoner" allegation in the first glossy. I think it was a tactical mistake for his literature to attempt to pass him off as an engineer instead of putting forth his own credentials. I know it was a tactical mistake for him him to leave in those ladies' phone numbers in the probation office FOIA "bottom of a birdcage" piece. I never heard so many little, old ladies with blue hair talk about "Googling phone numbers" in my life!
But, yeah, his last piece was pretty.
Thanks for stopping by.
and the newspaper ad?
Same overview problem. Can't be in the attack mode first time in any medium. Minus one point for that. Content pretty good but should have fought for more white space. Minus one. Weak border. Minus one and I'm being generous, border's huge. April Fools Day caption made it more likely the reader wouldn't get into the ad, too indirect. Minus one.
I'm just being clinical and anwering your question, not predicting an outcome. I'd give the newspaper effort a six, which is really not too bad. I think print advertising is very challenging.
I have to admit the April Fools thing is something I would likely have had in my first draft but it wouldn't have survived.
And, make no mistake, retrieving white space is like herding cats.
BTW, I loved the automated phone effort, that was great. I think you coulda tweaked the message a little,though. "Hi, I'm EC and a vote for me is a vote for gay marriage!" was a little strong.
Please note: previous para is JOKE! Don't get all huffy.
Thank you for coming by.
I agree with you on staying involved. A person only has to look at the last democrat precinct races. I believe more people ran for that position then there were this time. A trend that hopefully will reverse itself in the near future. We need to invite new people in and not chase them out. A lot of anonymous writers seem bent on distroying the reputations of anybody that has a different belief. If this is progress then let me stay in the good old days.
DB
10-4 on the precinct committeemen. Looks like I'm the proposed destroyee. And here I thought primaries were about choosing a nominee. All the time they were about deciding who is a "real" democrat or a "true" democrat. Silly me.
Thanks for coming by.
It's copyrighted by Obie. Let's see if he's taken his web page down. You know he hasn't endorsed Spike yet. Does that remind you of any races closer to home?
Thanks for coming by.
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