Thursday, October 27, 2005
Is it wrong to be bad?
"Even if there was a "no-commercial" agreement, I'd air it anyway. This race has already been dirty enough, and filled with enough lies, distortion, and vitriol to make that fair game."
Apparently the Kaine campaign has been reading my stuff. I wrote the above quote on Sept. 14th, and now it looks like it's coming true.
In case you haven't heard, the Kaine campaign is "secretly" polling to see whether using video from the Fairfax untelevised debate would leave a bad taste in voter's mouths. Oh yeah, that's because they signed a "no-use" agreement before the debate. Otherwise it would be a no-brainer, and you would have seen this about three thousand times already. It's the video of Kilgore looking incredibly stupid, and completely outsmarted by Tim Russert.
Would it be unethical to air this video even though they agreed not to? Well, yes. Would it be wrong? Some would make the argument that it wouldn't be.
Kainefolk feel that their positions have been so distorted by the Kilfolk that any means are fair game in winning the election. This includes breaking a promise between politicians (like that hasn't happened two thousand times in the last hour).
My prediction? You are going to see this video in an ad right before the election. Something about "Jerry Kilgore can't make up his mind and isn't that smart. Do you really want him in control of the finances of this state?" Your basic depress the opposition's turnout move. Aired two days before the election, this wouldn't give the Kilfolk time to respond in any meaningful way.
This race is too close not to bend some rules, whether you think it's right or wrong. Both sides have already done it. In the final week and a half of a deadlocked election, nothing is sacred. Even a promise written on paper.
Apparently the Kaine campaign has been reading my stuff. I wrote the above quote on Sept. 14th, and now it looks like it's coming true.
In case you haven't heard, the Kaine campaign is "secretly" polling to see whether using video from the Fairfax untelevised debate would leave a bad taste in voter's mouths. Oh yeah, that's because they signed a "no-use" agreement before the debate. Otherwise it would be a no-brainer, and you would have seen this about three thousand times already. It's the video of Kilgore looking incredibly stupid, and completely outsmarted by Tim Russert.
Would it be unethical to air this video even though they agreed not to? Well, yes. Would it be wrong? Some would make the argument that it wouldn't be.
Kainefolk feel that their positions have been so distorted by the Kilfolk that any means are fair game in winning the election. This includes breaking a promise between politicians (like that hasn't happened two thousand times in the last hour).
My prediction? You are going to see this video in an ad right before the election. Something about "Jerry Kilgore can't make up his mind and isn't that smart. Do you really want him in control of the finances of this state?" Your basic depress the opposition's turnout move. Aired two days before the election, this wouldn't give the Kilfolk time to respond in any meaningful way.
This race is too close not to bend some rules, whether you think it's right or wrong. Both sides have already done it. In the final week and a half of a deadlocked election, nothing is sacred. Even a promise written on paper.
Wednesday, October 26, 2005
The Plural of Doofus is Doofi
(pronounced doof-EYE)
As we wind down the last two weeks of this election, I'm struck by the lack of attention paid to it. Yes, the candidates have had to deal with other issues, like a slew of hurricanes and a political mess in Washington, but this is truly amazing.
The lack of interest has to be related to the fact that this race has been boiled down to its worst. Practically, the death penalty is not THAT important, nor is abortion, gun rights, or the slew of other ancillary issues that have dominated this campaign.
The most important voters still care about those issues that will affect their homes the most. Economy, education, and transportation. Unfortunately, these issues don't get people elected too often. There's a reason the attack ads are airing so much: they work for the most part. But I've yet to see a concentrated and positive ad campaign on any of these real and urgent issues. In this race, right now, I think that would translate better than the negativity we've seen.
The staffs are concentrating too much on wedge issues, or deflecting the latest salvo from their opponent to draw up anything clear, concise, and important. We've got less than two weeks to go, folks. Now's the time to make your push.
To the political doofi: Show some vision, and you'll have jobs come January.
As we wind down the last two weeks of this election, I'm struck by the lack of attention paid to it. Yes, the candidates have had to deal with other issues, like a slew of hurricanes and a political mess in Washington, but this is truly amazing.
The lack of interest has to be related to the fact that this race has been boiled down to its worst. Practically, the death penalty is not THAT important, nor is abortion, gun rights, or the slew of other ancillary issues that have dominated this campaign.
The most important voters still care about those issues that will affect their homes the most. Economy, education, and transportation. Unfortunately, these issues don't get people elected too often. There's a reason the attack ads are airing so much: they work for the most part. But I've yet to see a concentrated and positive ad campaign on any of these real and urgent issues. In this race, right now, I think that would translate better than the negativity we've seen.
The staffs are concentrating too much on wedge issues, or deflecting the latest salvo from their opponent to draw up anything clear, concise, and important. We've got less than two weeks to go, folks. Now's the time to make your push.
To the political doofi: Show some vision, and you'll have jobs come January.
Saturday, October 15, 2005
This Will be the Death of Me...
Well, if you haven't seen Jerry Kilgore's latest ads, you're missing a treat. In one of them, a father laments the loss of his son and daughter in law who were shot to death in a cocaine deal gone bad. Kaine worked as a defense attorney for a total of 48 minutes on the case, and he's being attacked for it.
Whether you like it or not, and no matter how hideous their crimes, defendants in Capital Murder cases deserve legal representation. The lawyers that take their cases are woefully underpaid, and horribly overworked. Most attorneys who represent these defendents consider the work to be pro-bono, the pay is so bad. It's a whole lot more involved than volunteering at the local soup kitchen, or to pick up trash on the side of the road. These attornies have a responsibility to represent their clients in the most effective manner possible. This service should be seen as a positive, and not a negative.
Innocent men have been put on death row. Earl Washington comes to mind, as the most famous case in Virginia. There are still many people who are convinced that Earl Bramblett did not commit the murder for which he was executed.
Capital murder trials are open to the public, yet almost nobody sits and actually watches them. I've been through three, from jury selection to sentencing. Even in the most clear cut case, the burden that a jury feels is extreme. In the most grisly murder in which I've heard evidence, I saw 11 out of 12 jurors bawling as they sentenced a young man to die for his crimes. It was not a decision they took lightly. I must admit, I had serious reservations about the sentence myself, even though this man took no mercy on his victim, stabbing her dozens of times.
Kilgore seems to have no conscience about it, and wants to swing the death penalty around like a bullwhip. There is a time for severe punishment, but this is the ultimate punishment, and should not be handed down lightly. (as a side, note in the debate when Kilgore wished for the death penalty in the Behl case, before there was evidence of a murder in commission of another felony, or even a murder at all.) He's using this emotional and highly complex issue as a simple election tool, and it's far too complex for that.
Plain and simple, these are very effective, biting to the bone ads. Of course, they are highly offensive, and in horrible taste. (I think too much is being made of the Hitler reference)
This is what you get when you have the ad team that created the not-exactly-truthful Swift Boat Ads that changed the face of last year's presidential election. (notice they look exactly like them, same lighting, same music, just different words)
This is the point where this race has gotten uglier than Gary Busey after a three day binge. I feel like I need a shower.
Whether you like it or not, and no matter how hideous their crimes, defendants in Capital Murder cases deserve legal representation. The lawyers that take their cases are woefully underpaid, and horribly overworked. Most attorneys who represent these defendents consider the work to be pro-bono, the pay is so bad. It's a whole lot more involved than volunteering at the local soup kitchen, or to pick up trash on the side of the road. These attornies have a responsibility to represent their clients in the most effective manner possible. This service should be seen as a positive, and not a negative.
Innocent men have been put on death row. Earl Washington comes to mind, as the most famous case in Virginia. There are still many people who are convinced that Earl Bramblett did not commit the murder for which he was executed.
Capital murder trials are open to the public, yet almost nobody sits and actually watches them. I've been through three, from jury selection to sentencing. Even in the most clear cut case, the burden that a jury feels is extreme. In the most grisly murder in which I've heard evidence, I saw 11 out of 12 jurors bawling as they sentenced a young man to die for his crimes. It was not a decision they took lightly. I must admit, I had serious reservations about the sentence myself, even though this man took no mercy on his victim, stabbing her dozens of times.
Kilgore seems to have no conscience about it, and wants to swing the death penalty around like a bullwhip. There is a time for severe punishment, but this is the ultimate punishment, and should not be handed down lightly. (as a side, note in the debate when Kilgore wished for the death penalty in the Behl case, before there was evidence of a murder in commission of another felony, or even a murder at all.) He's using this emotional and highly complex issue as a simple election tool, and it's far too complex for that.
Plain and simple, these are very effective, biting to the bone ads. Of course, they are highly offensive, and in horrible taste. (I think too much is being made of the Hitler reference)
This is what you get when you have the ad team that created the not-exactly-truthful Swift Boat Ads that changed the face of last year's presidential election. (notice they look exactly like them, same lighting, same music, just different words)
This is the point where this race has gotten uglier than Gary Busey after a three day binge. I feel like I need a shower.
Sunday, October 09, 2005
Yo Mama!
Well, did you watch?
Did you see what you expected? Of course you did. Hope you enjoyed hearing the canned campaign lines, practiced over hundreds of pancake breakfasts, and small town fairs.
I'll withhold my comments for the moment, and share the following:
I watched with two people: a staunch conservative, and an undecided voter. And if their views are similar to the rest of the public, Kilgore's in for a lot of trouble after this.
At the end, the undecided plainly said, "Well, I know who I'm voting for." The staunch conservative was clearly depressed, and very unenthusiastic. After the debate we got into a conversation about what's wrong with the Republican Party. If she was registered to vote in Virginia (resident of another state), she might not show up at the polls. She was that down on Jerry.
Their views? Jerry was evasive, smarmy, and evasive again. Kaine clearly had more zingers, better lines, and just plain looked more like a governor than Kilgore. "When is his head going to explode?" was the best comment I heard...
Both were disappointed about the negativity of the debate, but both clearly said Kilgore responded with more vitriol, and were turned off.
My personal feeling is Jerry did not present a case as to why people should vote for him, instead just saying why they should NOT vote for Kaine. It almost looked like there was a hint of desperation in some of his answers. Like he knew it was slipping away. Offhand, I anticipate a 2-4% bump for Kaine. Whether he can hold it through election day is another question.
Of course, not known is how many people actually watched it. The Redskins game was finishing up, the NASCAR fans were still in a sausage and malt liquor induced coma from an afternoon race, and the baseball playoff game literally set a record. This was a sports nut's dream. And then there was the debate.
I'll be very interested to hear about the overnight ratings in the metered markets. That will determine the true impact.
Now here's my Best, Worst and Most Unusual of Sunday's debate:
Best Dressed: Kilgore. (That snazzy blue tie was just to DIE for!)
Worst Dressed: The woman from the Virginian-Pilot
Most uncomfortable on camera: (see above)
Best Presentation: That Kaine feller, with them cityfied words
Best Panelist: AP Bob
Worst Panelist: Sabrina Squires
Most Unusual Question: Anything from Sabrina Squires
Most Rambling Question: Anything from Jay Warren ("I have just one question... in 26 parts.")
Best Answer: -"No."- by Tim Kaine on repealing the one handgun a month law
Worst Answer: Somebody narrow the field down to 50 for me, and I'll pick one
Worst line: Kilgore "I'll be the governor who won't raise the gas tax."
Worst goof: Kilgore saying "When he's governor..."
Worst Ad: TIE. The Jib-Jab looking ad for Kilgore shown immediately after the debate was too scary, and Kaine's attack ad came after he had just pledged to play nicer the rest of the way. Oops!
Most unusual statistic: I THINK Kaine said "liberal" more times than Kilgore. I halfway kept count, but would be floored if this truly happened (by the way, Kaine did say "Warner" more than a dozen times. Kilgore? Less than five.)
Best Unusual Answer: The last one, where Kaine approved of Kilgore's plan to make absentee ballots more accesible to the public. Tim said this with an obvious wry smile on his face. Perhaps a not so subtle jab at Scott County Registrar Willie Mae Kilgore's legal problems? Anybody else pick up on this one?
(Feel free to add your own superlatives, but only if they're funny. This politics stuff has gotten way too serious!)
Did you see what you expected? Of course you did. Hope you enjoyed hearing the canned campaign lines, practiced over hundreds of pancake breakfasts, and small town fairs.
I'll withhold my comments for the moment, and share the following:
I watched with two people: a staunch conservative, and an undecided voter. And if their views are similar to the rest of the public, Kilgore's in for a lot of trouble after this.
At the end, the undecided plainly said, "Well, I know who I'm voting for." The staunch conservative was clearly depressed, and very unenthusiastic. After the debate we got into a conversation about what's wrong with the Republican Party. If she was registered to vote in Virginia (resident of another state), she might not show up at the polls. She was that down on Jerry.
Their views? Jerry was evasive, smarmy, and evasive again. Kaine clearly had more zingers, better lines, and just plain looked more like a governor than Kilgore. "When is his head going to explode?" was the best comment I heard...
Both were disappointed about the negativity of the debate, but both clearly said Kilgore responded with more vitriol, and were turned off.
My personal feeling is Jerry did not present a case as to why people should vote for him, instead just saying why they should NOT vote for Kaine. It almost looked like there was a hint of desperation in some of his answers. Like he knew it was slipping away. Offhand, I anticipate a 2-4% bump for Kaine. Whether he can hold it through election day is another question.
Of course, not known is how many people actually watched it. The Redskins game was finishing up, the NASCAR fans were still in a sausage and malt liquor induced coma from an afternoon race, and the baseball playoff game literally set a record. This was a sports nut's dream. And then there was the debate.
I'll be very interested to hear about the overnight ratings in the metered markets. That will determine the true impact.
Now here's my Best, Worst and Most Unusual of Sunday's debate:
Best Dressed: Kilgore. (That snazzy blue tie was just to DIE for!)
Worst Dressed: The woman from the Virginian-Pilot
Most uncomfortable on camera: (see above)
Best Presentation: That Kaine feller, with them cityfied words
Best Panelist: AP Bob
Worst Panelist: Sabrina Squires
Most Unusual Question: Anything from Sabrina Squires
Most Rambling Question: Anything from Jay Warren ("I have just one question... in 26 parts.")
Best Answer: -"No."- by Tim Kaine on repealing the one handgun a month law
Worst Answer: Somebody narrow the field down to 50 for me, and I'll pick one
Worst line: Kilgore "I'll be the governor who won't raise the gas tax."
Worst goof: Kilgore saying "When he's governor..."
Worst Ad: TIE. The Jib-Jab looking ad for Kilgore shown immediately after the debate was too scary, and Kaine's attack ad came after he had just pledged to play nicer the rest of the way. Oops!
Most unusual statistic: I THINK Kaine said "liberal" more times than Kilgore. I halfway kept count, but would be floored if this truly happened (by the way, Kaine did say "Warner" more than a dozen times. Kilgore? Less than five.)
Best Unusual Answer: The last one, where Kaine approved of Kilgore's plan to make absentee ballots more accesible to the public. Tim said this with an obvious wry smile on his face. Perhaps a not so subtle jab at Scott County Registrar Willie Mae Kilgore's legal problems? Anybody else pick up on this one?
(Feel free to add your own superlatives, but only if they're funny. This politics stuff has gotten way too serious!)
Why you should watch...
So, tonight's the one and only televised debate in the Governor's race. You really should watch, but not to be informed. You really need to watch to see the lack of orginiality in this race.
Count the talking points that we've all seen before. Count the instances of mindless repetition and lack of creativity. Count the same ol' cliches that we've seen over and over again.
And then tell me you're not sick of what you saw.
I, for one, am still waiting to hear some ideas that can actually be put into place. I'm tired of hearing promises that can never be put into place. This race has become a high school government election, with one promising more drink machines, and the other promising better toilet paper.
It's become clear to me that no matter who wins this election, the real person leading in Richmond is Sen. John Chichester. Whether you like it or not, he's the one wielding the power when it comes down to the state budget.
So sit back, with a bag 0f corn tonight. Don't cheer, don't scream at who you don't like, and for pete's sakes, don't get your hopes up for tonight's debate or for the next four years.
Of course, I'll have my thoughts on the debate sometime later.
Count the talking points that we've all seen before. Count the instances of mindless repetition and lack of creativity. Count the same ol' cliches that we've seen over and over again.
And then tell me you're not sick of what you saw.
I, for one, am still waiting to hear some ideas that can actually be put into place. I'm tired of hearing promises that can never be put into place. This race has become a high school government election, with one promising more drink machines, and the other promising better toilet paper.
It's become clear to me that no matter who wins this election, the real person leading in Richmond is Sen. John Chichester. Whether you like it or not, he's the one wielding the power when it comes down to the state budget.
So sit back, with a bag 0f corn tonight. Don't cheer, don't scream at who you don't like, and for pete's sakes, don't get your hopes up for tonight's debate or for the next four years.
Of course, I'll have my thoughts on the debate sometime later.
