Marco Lowe, Dave Ross’s campaign manager in 2004—when the radio host ran against Sheriff Dave Reichert for the then-open seat in the 8th Congressional District, has an essay up at the Stranger with a game plan for winning the district.
His main point, start working on it now. Other suggestions: Talk about nitty-gritty local issues rather than the sweeping ideological headline issues and go after Reichert’s shoddy record at the Sheriff’s office (Dan Ring case and, yes, the Green River Killer case).
Lowe’s piece doesn’t look back at the Burner campaign, but rather urges Democrats to look forward. It’s worth reading.
Sounds right to me.
you don’t think we knocked on doors the last 4 years? jeez. how about some better attack ads to counter the deep sleaze and lies that reichert and the right somehow magically afford to air just before the election every 2 years. and stop buying the “moderate republican” bullshit. see even the stranger is putting that crap in print (i am assuming that piece is in print).
A little OT: to put things in perspective.
http://www.voltagecreative.com.....ut-pie.png
I guess this is the 800 pound monkey in any future politician’s drawing room.
I agree we shouldn’t give up on the district. It’s trending more bluecollar and pink collar all the time, and even if we don’t win, we can force the Republicans to spend a lot of resources there.
you sure “the new deal” cost only $500b?
5 – Apparently so.
http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/2.....ger-bucks/
Dave Reichert masturbated a lot as a teenager — make that an issue — he beat her by a bigger margin than the last run … lesson is DARCY was poor candidate
FIRST – find some better human political talent to run
I think when you attack his sheriff record it is the worst of strategies — who knows right or wrong — who cares — old old old — not personal or related to 2010, at all all all.
Bull shit advice. How about some polling from Nothern Piece County???????
YAH, real voters, real data….duh.
In other news, on January 20, Dumbya will be riding into the sunset back to the homestead in Crawford. Right?
Wrong…
http://oxdown.firedoglake.com/diary/2222
Gee. 8500 sq ft on a little over an acre. Modest. Next door to a buddy who happens to be a billionaire.
At least it’s not Paraguay. At least not yet.
Hay ..
The idea is to win. “local” is NOT the same as “doorbell.” A local campaign means establishing yourself as part of the community and identifying yourself with community problems.
In my opinion, Darcy’s effort on the plan might have worked if, going into Nov 4, Iraq was the biggie issue. It was not and even if it had been, realistically did anyone see her as a national leader in military affairs?
Reichert is not great congressman but he was the sheriff and gets his name attached to many Eighth Issues.
I ‘spect the same issue may have hurt to Dave Ross … he cam across as a Seattlite. Carpet bagging only works in NY!
The diploma issue was a low blow worthy of a Bushie. But I spect it would nto have worked IF Darcy had already made an effort to demonstrate interest and expertise rather than floating her Harvahd Diploma.
If she still is thinking about running. then I hope she does get a fed job that she can use to create more local credibility. FEMA? Some tech job? BHO says he is going to have CTO, she is not senior enough for that but would make a good staff member.
She was winning until the degree in economics comment. That was all they needed to swing the undecided (uninformed) vote to Reichert.
It was a little mistake and it made all the difference — that, and the fact that the Seattle Times was pimping for Sheriff Dave all along.
re 7: ‘Real Voters”???? What are you talking about?
This is close to Macaca.
I surely don’t know where yelling loser boy@3 get’s his data but I get mine from the Teamsters
It’s $7.6 Trillion and climbing
You know probably anybody other than Darcy Moonbat! would have beat Congressman Dave. I bet Richard Pope would have beat him.
This year she got her HorsesASS kicked!
Josh–
Don’t you think you should focus on Gregoire’s $6 BILLION shortfall for the next biennium.
Multi-tasking doesn’t appear to be your forte.
Get the Budget Shortfall squared away….then worry about how to try & cover up Darcy’s next lie.
leadhead lucy: She was winning? The polling was all done in King County in Donkey districts. Peeps I know all over Pierce County weren’t polled. Nary a peep to them. She won the early Donkey vote, but for some reason they didn’t vote often…
HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR
@8
Looks like nobody informed W that you’re supposed to take the silver spoon out of your mouth at some point.
W., Laura and a dog need 8,000 square feet? He could move everyone from one of the poor starving African villages he claims to care about in and have space leftover.
@16: Hey, that was Dumbyas plan to fix the housing crisis!
AS to congressman hairspray, who is dunb as a moonbat, he does his homework in Pierce county – and gets to all the small meetings and such. Even though he is an incompetent fool – he is the personification of a boot-licker politician. He also covers up his lousy votes well – to appear moderate. He may be tough to get rid of due to his diligence and duplicity. Even so, the whole eastside area is turning more blue. If he is too obstructionist in congress, then he could be beaten.
@ Idiot:
And exactly where would No thern Piece county be? Up in Alaska?
12 – I put the source in 6. The figures were current as of Nov 25.
MORON!
This is a pretty good rant.
http://www.thedailybanter.com/.....-away.html
I disagree with the last part. I’m sure he’ll find some group of fools who will throw money at him. At the head of line will be HA’s own village idiot: Stupes.
#11
ALL THE CONSULTANT SPECUALTION IN THE WORLD IS BLATHER AND MORE BLATHER
SURVEY THE VOTERS IN THE DISTRICT – WHY AND MORE WHY THEY VOTED – WORK FROM THERE
yelling loser boy: Clueless idiot: Wrong again stupido or is it pendejo? The $7.6 has been out earlier. Fer instance… And they got it from November 24th on Drudge. But you don’t like Drudge so you are continually ignant!
Since you try and be “mr perfect” you are just mr idiot!
#18
GET FUCKED
In an announcement today that received little attention from the media, the RNC stated it’s still adding up Palin’s wardrobe bills and the total is now $180,000 — $30,000 more than previously reported.
yelling loser boy, something GWB said he would not do…
When Obama falters and stumbles GWB will be like his father GHWB and not jump on him like Clinton did to GWB. That was always the tradition until it was broken by Clinton. Then you noticed the nukular submariner jumped in.
Maybe Pelletizer she can send you some clothes.
Michael: When you send some of your money to those in Africa you can pick on others.
@13 I’ll let you revel in Reichert’s narrow victory, puddinghead, because it’s the only thing you losers won this year. We own practically every other public office in sight. So enjoy your consolation prize, pud — the least influential congressman in the entire U.S. of A.!
The problem was that Reichert used a lot of asymmetrical warfare. With Dems in the majority, he crossed party lines whenever his vote would have been wasted anyway and touted this as independence (suckering in Joel Connelly and the rest of the media establishment). He got funding from a few local tycoons during most of the campaign (not to mention fundraisers from sitting prez. W. Bush and L. Bush). Then at the end of the campaign he laundered strategic partisan attacks through the Seattle Times and got a last-minute illegal ad loan from a Republican media company.
Did the Dem strategists figure any of that into their calculations?
Where do I sign up to start working on 2010 now?
@22 Drudge? You gotta be kidding! When has Drudge ever been right about anything? Experience has shown that pretty much anything you hear from Drudge is bullshit.
@23 Kinda looks to me like you’re the one who’s pretty much fucked.
@26 I don’t need clothes. My birthday suit is all the clothes I need! It’s not my fault you stupid humans are born as naked as boiled eggs. And that’s not your only design flaw.
Pelletizer farted:
Doofus: He won by a double 2004 margin.
Need oxygen?
Pelletizer: No one in Congress has refuted the $7.6 Trillion figger Drudge posted.
I realize you need to cum to yelling loser boy’s aid since no one else does. Butt, at least, he didn’t use a Kos link for a change. Didya notice I used the Teamsters blog.
Pelletizer remember Darcy Moonbat! raised almost $1 Million more than Reichert did. All that wasted Donkey moolah which could have gone to those poor peeps in the other thread…
re: 10
I agree with Lucy. While Marco Lowe’s approach to winning the district may be beneficial, the fundamental fact is that Darcy was going to win before the phony Harvard diploma story undermined her credibility among voters.
Maybe Marco Lowe can talk to Rahmbo (Rahm Emanuel) about how that 50 state strategy was killed by the DNC too.
#31
Hey, I get cross at the impotent grammar freaks who poke fun at a type o – you can thank them for me
My point is all the speculation in the world from consultants is blather. Go into the field with some smart young kids and do some real survey polling of voters.
Done over a year with skill – therein will be the key to a demo victory next round – if possible at all. And, dump Burner, she has nothing to offer this race in the future. Period.
By the way, her ads were horrible. Just horrible, very clunky and amateur. 2008 is the age of miracle video and images, and it is not 1985. She has NO charisma, there needed to be excitement swirling around her – energy – action – drama.
And who gives a flying fuck about her house burning, all fully insured, no one injured. God, how self centered and silly. I know how tragic it is to live in a nice motel for a month or at friends – just so so so tragic.
The diploma lie caught up to her – she and her comm. person botched it, really botched it. Her only reply the was to apoligise, or close to it, and repeat her true credentials with a lot of extra classes in econ.
Then, it would have died. Name dropping Harvard was also stupid. Ivy league is really a joke in Puget sound among VOTERS> Micro snobs are in their own world.
I grew up in Bellevue, my family is a solid progressive clan among the R’s … I know the Eastside well. Poor Darcy never had a real chance, try as she might.
22 – I just quoted the source.
ASSHOLE!
Barry Ritzholtz knows what he’s talking about. Unlike the purveyors of right wing bullshit you worship.
You’re damn right I can’t stand Drudge. That scumbag tool is a pipe wrench compared to the pea hammer you are.
Barry Ritzholtz knows what he’s talking about. Unlike the purveyors of right wing bullshit you worship.
————-
The two sets of numbers may include/exclude different things, and it’s impossible to compare them without the actual analysis for each. Interestingly, I was able to find an awful lot of references to the 7.6 trillion quote based on a Bloomberg news report, but never the Bloomsberg report itself, which not a single story bothered to reference with a simple link (very sloppy). I also couldn’t find it on Bloomberg, but perhaps it’s buried there by now. If anyone has that link, maybe they could post it.
It’s a sad state of affairs when it’s considered newsworthy that a candidate for office should be associated strongly with the district they want to represent and that they have experience in a previously held elective office.
Also, Burner WASN’T a strong candidate or she would have been in office after her victory in 2006.
Also, Burner WASN’T a strong candidate or she would have been in office after her victory in 2006.
—————–
So true. She had every advantage in this political environment and still managed to lose. Rather than focus on Reichert’s weaknesses or why Burner should have won, I’d do some honest soul searching and focus on Burner’s weaknesses and whether she’s the best person next time around.
@7 @9 @13 @38 @41 @42
Let’s look squarely in the mirror. A big part of the problem is that Darcy has no public service experience, is too immature, and her personality grated on many people.
But Joan McCarter deserves blame, too, for propping up Darcy so much on DailyKos and ginning up that small army of young volunteers (including some from out-of-state) who didn’t really understand 8th CD politics. Lots of energy and enthusiasm do not make up for a weak candidate and failure to connect with voters.
How about choosing some older, wiser heads?
Darcy had one problem as a candidate – her physical appearance. No, there’s nothing really wrong with it. It’s just that if you look in Congress, you would be hard pressed to find very many who are that short and with a somewhat mousey appearance. Her choice of clothing didn’t help – those brown pantsuits were terrible. She needed to be wearing navy blue or black skirt suits to project a more professional image.
We like our leaders tall and handsome. That brings in at least 5% of Reichart’s vote, among those who don’t really follow the issues.
It’s a shame, really, it shouldn’t be that way. But it’s reality. I learned that pretty early in Scouting, when the short guys always lost the elections for troop leadership positions.
Of course, we already have one state Senator who flouts the above rule: Patty Murray. And here in Washington State we’ve had our share of unattractive politicians (Gov. Dixy Lee Ray, Mike Lowrey). But those are exceptions to the general rule.
I’ve never been real convinced that candidate door-belling really works.
First of all, there’s a reason why you don’t see many door-to-door salesmen any more – nobody’s home to answer the door, and they don’t want to listen to a long pitch at the door.
Secondly, there isn’t time for much of a real discussion of political issues at each doorway. So it’s usually just hand-them-the-brochure-please-vote-for-me-on-election-day sixty second per doorstep.
I’m thinking more along the lines of a cell-group structure, organized by neighborhoods. It might follow the precinct boundaries, or it might follow some more natural neighbood or subdivision lines. Have a neighborhood captain set up opportunities to meet the candidate – neighborhood block parties, etc., the candidate can attend. Two or three hours munching on hot dogs or spooning up chili and listening to the gripes in the neighborhood would probably go a lot further than knocking on doors.
The Republicans have tried to get the same affect by using the churches as their organizing tools, taking advantage that they have a voters already organized (complete with mail lists) that is used to taking instruction from an authority figure and is willing to sit quietly for a 20-minute speech (or sermon). But active church attendance in this area is remarkably low, even if they are reliable voters.
And yes, the time to get working on the sort of foundation I described was at least several months ago. But a foundations such as that could last for decades, if it is not neglected in the subsequent years.
Finally, I think the Democrats wasted a lot of the youth vote in the last election. We need to target the youth better.
Many new potential voters (18~29) are wondering if they have any career ahead of them, with layoffs and outsourcing affecting their parents. The Republican mantra that they should be competing with the Chinese to have the lowest wages isn’t working to well with them. But aside from the Presidental election, Democrats didn’t take advantage of this in the Congressional and local races around here.
We need to remember that “getting out the youth vote” is not the same as a voter registration drive on a college campus, and handing out brochures there. In the first place, a lot more young people DON’T attend a large college campuses than do so. Many of them are still in high school, in trade schools, in community colleges. And a lot are just out there, trying to make a living – in retail or any variety of entry-level jobs. We need to win them over, despite their family voting record.
Voter registration of students is a rather tricky business. Those doing that job need to be trained on the details. A student who lists his/her home address as their permanant address on their school records should be very carefull about changing it to their local address while they are in school. Financial Aid packages and their parent’s tax exemptions could be affected. From a political standpoint, students might be counseled that their vote might be more valuable in their home “swing” district, rather than in a university neighborhood which votes reliably Democratic.
Finally, in this area college starts late – about the third week in Sepember. It’s too late to start an organizing campaign on campus, and in some instances it’s almost too late to even register to vote.
45 – you are just wrong about doorbelling. It is the most effective communication that a candidate can have with a voter. The reason you don’t see more people going door-to-door is that it is time-intensive. Marco is absolutely right about the need for a candidate to doorbell starting now in order to get to know the district and the hope that a few people get to know you. Also, the person who is knocking on the door makes a difference. I wouldn’t send Rep Eddy, Rep Hunter or Burner door-to-door because I think that you’d lose votes, but Chris Hurst or Rodney Tom on your doorstep is very compelling.
Overall a good article and a race that I don’t think we are going to win in 2010, but will win in 2012.
Of course as always yelling loser boy tries to kill any source other than his own.
So clueless idiot, the Teamsters are right-wing idiots huh? Well I guess they could be right of the SEIU fools.