Weenie of the Week #30 for 2006

Guest Column by Dannyboy

Now, I really hate to give this Weenie, but I feel out of all the
nominations this week, this one really deserves it.  I've been holding out on this one for a while for my own personal bias, but I can't any longer.  The Weenie of the Week is the Jim Webb Campaign for continuously poor fundraising (Allen has him beat at 16-1 odds, and no candidate, no matter how good, can win like that) and very odd press releases.  Especially these damn press releases.  Read this one:

Now, I understand the point the Webb Campaign is trying to make.  I think
it's a good point.  But I can barely read the damn thing.  I found it
annoying, and only read through the entire thing because if I was going to
give the Webb Campaign this award, I wanted to see what so many people were complaining about.  I actually agree, they're right to complain about this one.  It's a Press Release, and it's primary focus is to provide information.  It can't do that if reading it is practically painful.

Webb appears to be the type of candidate that can bring George Allen down.  But can the campaign equal the candidate?  Well, Webb's got at least a month until people really start to pay attention to this campaign.  Let's see if the campaign can turn it around: raise some cash, start campaigning like they can win this race, and learn just exactly what Craney Island is.  Don't get me wrong, I respect it when somebody admits that they don't know an answer.  But that's one that should be known if you're a serious candidate.

All of these can't possibly be helping those Mason-Dixon findings.

To quote NJH:
"Seriously, if you run for political office in Virginia you should know where or what Craney Island is. In addition, you should know when a cartoon isn't funny and when a Star Wars reference will flop. These guys are not learning from their mistakes."

They still have time to learn.  Let's not get ahead of ourselves: the campaign may have been going on for months in the blogosphere. but to many outside of it, it hasn't even started yet.  The Webb Campaign has plenty of time to turn this around.  The question is...will they?

Comments

[Not Larry Sabato]

I have to say- I disagree with this one. I think you are a couple weeks behind Dannyboy, the campaign looks like it is turning a corner to me. Agree the press releases are a little silly- but nothing to get worked up about.

[LburgAreaVA]

"By George" see http://lburgareava.blogspot.com/2006/07/by-george.htm

[lburgareava]

Corrected link http://lburgareava.blogspot.com/2006/07/by-george.html

[TCO]

shananana...hey, hey...good-bye!

This award could be right for so many reasons, but quoting NJH just destroys it.

Get your head out of your ass and stop living in the primary. Webb won it. Thats it, end of story.

To keep going back and reliving something you didn't like about it is just silly.

As for the press releases, I think it is great that Webb is giving elementary school children a chance to work in his campaign, I just don't think he needs to put them in charge of communications.

Craney Island is about as important to this race as Craggy Island (hat tip to Father Ted fans). Anyone can pick some location in this state that someone else is unfamiliar with.

I think more voters are concerned about what George Allen thinks about Tikrit, or Baghdad than they do about Craney Island.

I guess Webb should have known it but that doesn't make him less of a candidate.

What makes him less of a candidate is allowing his staff to get away with the things they do, including the press releases, extended absences, infighting, and the candidates own lack of self-discipline.

The army of volunteers they boasted about in May has dwindled to nothing. Folks are disenchanted, disheartened, and deeply disappointed.

I have worked hard for Webb, and will continue. But I firmly believe he is going to get his ass kicked in this race.

I could qualify that and say he has a chance if there is a house cleaning in senior management. but that isn't going to happen.

The only good thing to come out of this race is that after we get our asses kicked, Jessica Vandenberg will never work in Virginia again! If we get really lucky, Steve Jarding may move permanently to Boston.

[Not Jack Herrity]

Anon, don't forget: I always said Webb would win the primary. I also do not believe the Harris Miller cartoon was "Jew-baiting." All the same, it was about the dumbest flyer I have ever seen.

You are right, Craney Island currently has no strategic importance, unless they succeed in building it out as a port. All the same, you ignore that Webb's ignorance on the issue changed the subject. It was a masterful example of re-setting the agenda. No media outlet said anything about Tikrit in reporting that debate. They all seized on Webb's head-scratching moment when Allen's knowledge of Virginia geography looked "encyclopedic." Anyone who believes that does not make an impact on the average swing voter needs to read up on his psychology.

There are some pretty puffed-up people in Hampton Roads right now over Craney Island. Don't forget where Webb made an especially strong showing during the primary. That's right, Virginia Beach. Webb may have just flubbed his advantage in Hampton Roads, with a little help from Dick Wadhams.

NJH

[TCO]

I loved the cartoon. He's gonna get the "killa"! I think you all need to mix it up a bit more and go after Allen. (I'm a Repug so I'm actually giving you advice that will hurt us...but I like the entertainment of a real race.)

The only thing better then the cartoon is the Leave it to Beaver advertisement that that goofy NC rethug has.

I really think you all ought to issue some more panels of that cartoon with Webb fighting Allen. It will get picked up nationally and press-wise and get you all some buzz. God knows you need it. And God knows you don't have the money for regular methods of advertising.

"All the same, it was about the dumbest flyer I have ever seen."

But how many have you seen. The problem with the blogosphere and and you lot that sit back and pontificate is that a keyboard and mouse have made you an expert.

Who gives a damn what you think? Webb won the primary and the flyer helped him with the primary. Miller showed the lfyer to more folks than the Webb camp could have ever distributed it to.

Seriously NJH, what have you done that makes you an expert. I'm not asking if you're a voter either. i want to know what you've done in politics to make your opinion so weighty?

As for Danny, he's freshman in college.

I am glad youboth have opinions, more power to you both, but the way you assume the mantle of the expert slays me.

It is absolutely ridiculous.

YOU ARE A JOKE!