A Sad Report from the Webb Campaign

NLS,

Please, this is not for attribution, but the Webb campaign is in the midst
of a real meltdown. All of the reports of disorganization in the campaign
during the primary were right on the mark, but it was actually worse than
reported. Talk of a much needed post primary campaign shakeup has actually gone in the other direction with the campaign manager consolidating power
and plans to hire inexperienced out of state rookies like herself. This is
someone who will be running, in essence, a "national" campaign, having
graduated from a small Iowa college in 2000 and with maybe a year of actual
campaign experience!  This a disastrous combination with a real novice
candidate. Campaign manager Jessica Vandenburg is now particularly incensed with blogger comments questioning her competence, and as a result, she is purging anyone from the campaign suspected of "disloyalty" and posting unfavorable blogger comments.

Who knows, maybe Jim Webb will get lucky and win, but it won't be with the present dedicated army of volunteers who will soon be leaving in droves, and with little or no prospect of new recruits to fill the void. This is not a good sign for a campaign desperately in need to get off the ground against a seasoned popular pol like George Allen, whose campaign roster includes tough political veterans like Dick Wadhams, Mary Matalin, and Swift Boat creator Larry LaCivita . I will keep you posted, but keep your ear to the ground.

-Deep Throat

P.S. My motivation in writing is, I am actually trying to help the candidate,
whom I regard as a great American who deserves a fair shot at George Allen.

Comments

[Bubby]

This would all seem alittle more "inside" and correct if you had spelled the lady's name correctly.

[Not Larry Sabato]

I change it everytime she is mentioned here, so someone googling her in the future doesn't cause her to lose a job.

[Joseph]

I am hearing the same things. All I can say is that Jessica V. must have the political instincts of a chicken. It's all very sad and unnecessary, because Webb could really pull this off if he had the right people advising him.

[webb fan]

seems right. I tried to get a bumper sticker and it took two months. i actually tried to canvass a large event (10,000 peopole) for the campaign, but never heard back from them. All i wanted was a t-shirt and literature to hand out!!!!!!!!!!

"Vandenburg" is not the campaign manager, right? Just the vol coordinator, right? Vol coord has to do effective job on tight budgets AND act as a babysitter for some whiny egos. It's a thankless job. Some whine about organization but this is the Democratic Party which has waged civil war with itself for the last 200 years. If you want something done, do it yourself.

[Dannyboy]

I hope the Webb Campaign is able to fix these ridiculous inner problems. Jim Webb is a good man, and that's exactly what we need in Congress right now.

[Lowell]

It's CHRIS LaCivita, not "Larry LaCivita."

Is it "Deep Throat" or "Swift Boat" ?

Quick, Lowell, Jim's in trouble! Rapid response! Aggggghh! Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain!

[Southsider]

I hate to pile on but...I called the campaign today to find out about an upcoming event. After being on hold for about 10 minutes and being subjected to a very intense cross-examination, I was finally told that no one in the office knew what Webb was up to and I'd have to speak with the press folks.

I then asked why no events showed up on the website. I was told the website had been locked down for 2 days for updates. When I pointed out that it had been updated last night he said "oh, well someone told me it was locked down."

No events on the website and staff with no knowledge of upcoming events is very frustrating.

[Joseph]

Every campaign has hiccups. And when it's just volunteers answering the phone, it's understandable that they don't know every detail of the candidate's sched. That does not surprise me.

But I'm hearing that they ARE hiring out-of-state kids to run this thing, and that's NOT the way to do it at all.

I heard that the grassroots and volunteers were getting almost no campaign materials to hand out because of the focus on big media like TV and Radio. Those are important but so is the face to face with voters.

She is in over her head and no one around her is willing to do what needs to be done.

[J.C. Wilmore]

NLS jumps the shark

[SouthernPol]

As a former democratic political operative, I never heard of such ridiculous personnel decisions!

Where are the consultants- general, media, fundraising etc. As I said in an earlier post, Webb should have been raising money and putting a professional campaign team together at least two years ago if he thought about having a chance to defeat Allen.

Hiring someone to manage a US Senate Campaign with less than one year of experience to take on the likes of a Dick Wadhams is insane if that is in fact the case.

With four months left before the election I sincerely hope the campaign can correct itself to at least be competitive.

[VADem]

Ignore this guy. Especially if he doesn't identify himself. He is probably sour now that he is on the outside looking in.

[Southsider]

Joseph - Here's the problem, I wasn't talking to a volunteer. The volunteer that answered the phone passed me off to a staff person. When he couldn't answer my question I actually asked him if any other people were around who could and he said "no, I'm the staff person in charge of these types of issues."

I dunno, getting fired from two U.S. Senate campaigns in one election cycle is no easy feat. Think she can she do it?

Maybe she'll move to Connecticut to try for a hat trick...

[Southsider]

Looks to me like "this guy" is NLS.

[VADem]

Don't worry, you all. I know who this guy is.

[Fan of Integrity]

Democratic Unity! Here, here.

Oh.

Thanks for doing your best to divide our already fractured party. Good Job not Larrie.

[Fan of Integrity]

PS: Your motivation is far more transparent than what is alleged.

[Joseph]

Southsider, yeah, that's pretty bad if a paid staffer doesn't know what's going on.

I'm hearing about this "meltdown" from too many sources to discount it.

[asmith]

There's some good Virginia veterans that can be called on to help the campaign. Many Democratic campaigns are ran by the General Consultants where the GOP lets it's managers like Wadhams, Ken Hutcheson, run the show.

[Norbert]

Look Ben, quit dogging Jessica just becase she won't go out with you... seriously though, the Webb campaign just got the best national press any Democratic Senate Candidate has gotten in years.

Get off their back and support the fight.

[Fan of Integrity]

Amen Norbert.

Has Mudcat Saunders slept with Jessica yet? That's always good for creating a little friction within a campaign

[Mason Conservative]

I actually want Webb to fix this, too. Virginia deserves a real competative campaign. But a campaign starts and ends with the candidate. Its up to Webb to fix this.

http://www.google.com/search?q=%22george%20allen%22%20~gay%20~staff
Maybe the campaign is too straight?

[phriendlyjaime]

Has Mudcat Saunders slept with Jessica yet? That's always good for creating a little friction within a campaign

Posted by: | June 29, 2006 at 04:48 PM

You're a piece of trash.

Why did we get stuck with the incompetent one?

http://www.gwu.edu/~action/2004/graham/grahia062003f.jpg

[phriendlyjaime]

Nice...hiding behind a "no name." What's a matter, you can dish it out, but only in secret? Can we see a pic of YOU so we can all point? And laugh at your expense?

Such immaturity.

Ben, I adore you, but sometimes coming here is like reliving junior high.

[notfriendlyjamie]

I just can't handle all of this. I'm going to go take a bubble bath.

[asmith]

Anon 5:00pm,

You should have put down on your post that Jessica is the one on the right. The one on the left is managing a top tiered congressional in Iowa-1.

[Virginia's Right Stuff]

I am not the least bit surprised. The Webb campaign is being run very much like Howard Dean's was, and is likely to impload at any moment. The campaign has lacked any substance, and is just being fueled purely on hype. Unlike Howard Dean, the hype lasted through the primary. However, it will not last the 4 plus months to the general election.

It's Allen's Presidential campaign that's imploding: the guy is blowing the nomination to McCain and is running feel good ads targeting the DC power elite and which are failing.

[Ajacied]

Can someone please take down the picture of Sarah Benzing above? No matter what your problems may or may not be with the Webb campaign, Sarah Benzing kicks ass, ask anyone on the Kaine campaign last year.

Whether anyone wants to hear it or not, Deep Throat speaks the truth. At least one high-level campaign worker is leaving, because he/she can't handle the disarray. I am very sad to say this, because I am a HUGE Webb supporter. But I really am worried.

Who is leaving? Any hints?

[Josh]

I actually want Webb to fix this, too. Virginia deserves a real competative campaign. But a campaign starts and ends with the candidate. Its up to Webb to fix this.

Posted by: Mason Conservative | June 29, 2006 at 04:54 PM

I agree...

[Karma is calling!!]

HAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAH!!!!!!!!

I think it is pretty obvious that the "campaign worker" leaving is the person who wrote this note to NLS. I think he was "high-level" in his mind only. He is a disgruntled person with a huge ego..My guess is that it is also the anonymous post at 4:00 pm, 4:48 and 5:46 pm.

" maybe Jim Webb will get lucky and win, but it won't be with the present dedicated army of volunteers who will soon be leaving in droves, and with little or no prospect of new recruits to fill the void."

HMMMM....didn't you Webbloggers ridicule those of us who opposed Webb in the primary for failing to run a good campaign or know domestic issues? Now you all are going to cut and run because he has the same manager who ran the campaign in the primary? Very loyal of you.

The quote about all of the Webb volunteers leaving is both unsubstantiated and untrue. We are loyal to Webb and have no plans to "cut and run."

[VADem]

Anon 06:09PM, you are right. I happen to know who this disgruntled person is. That's all he is: disgruntled because he didn't get his way.

I'd like to see the person who posted at 6:09pm substantiate his claims.

[DemTilDeath]

I'm not going anywhere either, nor are any of the people who volunteered alongside me since the signature drive in Hampton Roads. I'm sticking with Webb to the end. I know I won't regret it.

[outside observer]

I see two things in all of this: (1) there seems to be a faultline between some of the Miller folks and the Webb hardcore elements; and (2) RK is increasingly becoming an echo chamber to the point where dissenters are routinely disciplined and given orders from someone operating under the pseudonym of "bubby."

What in the hell is going on over there?

Is RK bought and paid for by Webb for Senate? Let's just get that out there on the table.

And, what kind of compensation is Lowell receiving? Are there any finance disclosure issues that we should concerned about? Should RK's efforts be reported as an in-kind campaign contribution?

My point is that RK increasingly seems to be the mouthpiece for the Webb campaign.

If that is the case, that's fine provided that it is disclosed as such. But, please remove any pretense or notion that RK welcomes any debate, dissent, or straying from the reservation.

Lowell is probably not the "man behind the curtain." That position is held by someone else.

We can all guess who it might be and some of us probably do know who it is.

The beautiful thing about NLS is that the debate is free and open. And, supporters and detractors alike will come here because everyone gets a fair shake.

[asmith]

I kinda remember some of this talk last year when Kaine was down by 10 on Kilgore. Webb's camp will get it together. Voters are going back to sleep and they will wake up again after Buena Vista/Covington.

[George Templeton]

I know you have to take whoever this statement by this mystery individual with a grain of salt (because of the anonymity of the person). But isn't the central point (that the Webb campaign has been mediocre at best to this point) dead on and that all of us who post on here agreed that it needed to get better and soon.

[Alarmed]

A couple of obvious suggestions if 50% of this is true:

1. Get some gray hair in charge. Lots of it nearby with lots of experience. Amateur hour is way over if we expect to win.

2. Get over the kool aid primary attitude. The Miller team that we were talking about in February is starting to drift away out of state. Stupid.

The rest is fairly obvious to anyone who has ever run a serious campaign.

And a serious campaign is not one promoting a big effort to reach $100,000 when your opponent has $7mm in the bank, nor thinking that "blogging on Koz right now!" is actually campaigning.

[Virginia's Right Stuff]

Often when I've watched the Webb team in action, I can't help but think, "What the hell are they doing?" It's not just that the campaign lacks structured leadership, but it's a bunch of amateurs who do not understand how to run a campaign.

I bet many Democrats are kicking themselves for not voting for Harris Miller.

[Webb Defeats Allen]

OO:
Nobody at RK has gotten a dime from the Webb campaign. We're loyal supporters seeking change for the good of Virginia and the nation.

As for the rest of what you're saying in your 6:40 post - your paranoia is bordering on psychosis and you might consider seeking help.

[Alarmed]

WDA - If you are a loyal supporter, what are you doing about this issue of campaign management? The fact that this post exists is alarming. Please explain.

[Webb Defeats Allen]

I've got faith in Webb and Jarding. If there are changes to be made, I'm sure we'll see them soon.

In Virginia there's a great opportunity for change and victory. We've got the best candidate in the nation and a campaign with an opportunity to shore up support and effectiveness. This will be a very telling couple of weeks. If handled well, the campaign will emerge much stronger.

What am I doing? Everything I can.

[Alarmed]

WDA - I agree on the opportunity and that the next couple of weeks will be telling. I am mostly concerned with the "if."

Props for you efforts.

[Brannon]

I will admit this much..the Webb Campaign is run a whole lot better than that Cooter Campaign.

[Not Larry Sabato]

Agreed Brannon

WDA, Are you Lowell in drag?

No, it's just Lowell.

[Webb Defeats Allen]

No comment:
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--------------------

[James Young]

Don't be sad, Ben. Sounds like GOOD news to me.

[Lived in Iowa Once]

I don't particularly care about the innerworkings of the Webb campaign one way or another, I just want Allen out in January 2007. Still, don't you think the line "graduated from a small Iowa college in 2000 [...]" is gratuitous? There are plenty of good, small colleges in the midwest, including Iowa and there is nothing particularly negative about this particular college - Central College. Why is a small school in Iowa any worse than say, Yale? I mean, the President graduated from Yale and we all agree that his intellectual ability isn't in the top tier. If she graduated in 2000, then that makes her 28 years old. She has worked campaigns in every cycle since then, so it looks like she has some experience. In fact, she even won some which a lot of Democrats can't say.

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