May 20, 2008 - 7:19am
Beanbags in the dirt
By David Paulson
Category: HouseTags: Andy Harris, Frank Kratovil, Jennifer Dougherty, Bill Foster, Don Cazayoux, Travis Childers, Peter DunneTop Story: Opinion
Chicago humorist Finley Peter Dunne coined the phrase “Politics ain’t beanbag” long ago. But, sometimes in politics no matter what you throw, beanbags in the dirt are all you get.
We don’t know what type of nasty Karl Rove/Newt Gingrich campaign to expect from our local GOP candidates this year. It’s possible they’ll change course. It’s possible they’ll grow up. It’s possible a wacky out-of-state third party will choose not to spend $500,000 or more in October. It’s possible they won’t have the money to do what they want.
But if it’s true that past performance is the best predictor of future behavior, we can expect the worst. After all, Andy Harris & Friends just hit a popular incumbent in the back with a hardball in the nastiest campaign we’ve seen in decades. And that’s how he treats a member of his own party.
Yet, that’s SOP for many GOP campaigns. This year they’ve spent millions in 3 so-called Republican districts with typical Republican attacks designed to jam Republican fears into the heads of mostly Republican voters. They used taxes, liberals, government, “less” freedom, white flags, failing the troops, Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, illegal immigrants and the new faux hot-nasty on the block, “San Francisco liberal” Nancy Pelosi.
See for yourself.
--
Louisiana Sixth District
National Republican Campaign Committee #1
National Republican Campaign Committee #2
National Republican Campaign Committee #3
Winner: Democrat Don Cazayoux
Mississippi 1st District
National Republican Campaign Committee #1
National Republican Campaign Committee #2
Winner: Democrat Travis Childers
Illinois Fourteenth District
National Republican Campaign Committee #1
Winner: Democrat Bill Foster
--
They were trying their level best to throw hardballs in friendly “home” stadiums. They got goose eggs. It seems the Republicans have lost their “good stuff.”
Now we hear about the bickering and the “reassessing” of the message. The GOP is even burning their losers saying, “We had terrible candidates while the Democrats had good ones.”
That excuse probably has the added value of being true. No word yet on how they plan to address “GOP failure” and “GOP out of touch” issues.
But, what’s the difference between those “bad” Republican candidates - on which millions were spent - and the Republicans running in Maryland’s 1st and 6th - on which millions won’t? What’s the difference between the winning Democrats in those three districts and Frank Kratovil or Jennifer Dougherty?
To the naked eye, not much. Not in 2008. Not with the Republicans “good stuff” falling like beanbags in the dirt.
In fairness, Democrats – especially the winners mentioned above - are no strangers to hardball campaigns. If you’re a Republican does that make you feel better or worse?
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Mr. Paulson, Politics, and
Mr. Paulson,
Politics, and in particular both races you speak of, is all about numbers. They simply don't add up for Democrats. Take CD1 for example. Even if Mr. Kratovil manages to break even on the entire Eastern Shore, he would have to win 2 of the 3 Western Shore counties. Given his weak primary showing there, and Mr. Harris' excellent primary result in Baltimore, Harford, and Anne Arundel Counties, I don't think your pipe dream is possible. Mr. Harris is a proven fundraiser and tenacious campaigner. He knows his base and had an excellent GOTV effort in the primary. I believe Mr. Kratovil is using this as a jumping point for state Senate or Attorney General. He will not be the next Congressman from CD1.
David, David, David . . .
You've got the softest job in this one-party state. Why are you so paranoid about the chances of (the non-existent) Team Elephant here? Why continue to beat the deceased equines of Gingrich and Rove? Why aren't you rejoicing that you can almost taste all eight House seats being in Team Donkey's hands? After all, I live in the 6th District, and if Jennifer Dougherty campaigns half as hard for Congress as she did for Frederick mayor, she'll have Roscoe Bartlett turned out to stud in his Buckeystown farm.
Oh, that's right: If you weren't so paranoid, you'd be out of a job.
What is hypocritical about the facts you just don't like
I am still trying to figure out why it's hypocritical to discuss the failures and embarrassing details of the GOP's defeat in three GOP-dominated districts where the Republicans tossed everything they had and none of it worked.
You think I need to write about MD's 4th district race? Al Wynn's seat will remain in Dem hands. The funny thing is you're totally ignoring the real reasons that turned out as it did. (Hint: It had nothing to do with recent 100% scorecards.)
As I said, Democrats fight hard, too. The difference is our messages are working. Apparently the GOP doesn't have one, positive or negative that resonates.
Now, all this might be democracy in action. But it appears more like Democrats in action and Republicans in free-fall.
Democracy at work
I don't live in either of those districts, but I thought it was great that Wynn and Gilchrest got tossed.
They were vulnerable because they were so out of touch with the voters in their districts. All that the "wacky out-of-state third parties" (Club for Growth, LCV, SEIU) did was level the playing field. What's wrong with democracy in action?
The hypocritical nature of
The hypocritical nature of the argument above is staggering. Apparently the author forgets a very nasty democratic primary that resulted in Congressman Wynn losing.
The ads were ugly. Outside groups attacked Wynn even though Wynn had 100% voting records on their issues.
People in CD1 fired Gilchrest because they did not agree with his issues. Democratis voted against Wynn even though he agreed with them on the issues.
Paulson, when are you going to write a column about the Wynn race?
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