We want a spirited contest for the Democratic nomination for House of Representatives. But, we do not need the mudslinging and BS that has been flung far and wide recently - esp. by one of the campaigns. Whoever emerges with the nomination will have a prize worth little if tarnished by lies and distortions leading a divided party.
I'm not sure who started it, but I know some have gone over the line. Judge for yourself: Rick Howell calling Sam Rasoul a "closet Republican." Or Adam Sharp's attacks on Cobalt6. Or, the subtle knife in the back style of the anonymous 81blue (which seems to have gone silent).
Enough already.
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47 comments:
What on earth are the campaign managers doing blogging?
They should both be fired!
The male ego is astounding!
Easy to see why Richardson doesn't care to participate on cobalt6. Huge Sam banner when the page loads. Kestrel has been a Rasoul supporter for a long time. Not exactly neutral territory.
Fembot,
Both Adam and Mario know better, but ultimately it is the candidates themselves who bear responsibility.
Belle Rose? You are obviously a Sam's Club member. Y'all are in for a surprize Ms. Rose.
I'm fascinated, too, by the apparent fact that Sam and his supporters can't take a little heat.....Folks, this is politics!! If Sam and his campers can't stand it now, how will they react in the fall when it's Republicans shooting at them?
When in 2003, David Mills and I sought the Democratic nomination to run for the 26th District House of Delegates, both of us spent our efforts speaking of what we planned to bring to the office, and convincing our supporters to attend the nominating caucus on our behalf. What we did not do was trash each other. Our opponent was the sitting Delegate and we knew that it would take a united effort to defeat him in November.
The opponent in this race is not Sam Rasoul, or Drew Richardson. The opponent is the individual who currently holds office. The Republican.
Those who seek this nomination have the responsibility to show us why they are the best person to represent us, not why the other person seeking the nomination is not worthy of our consideration.
That being said however, Mr. Howell does make a good point above. Whoever wins the nomination is fooling himself if he thinks the Republicans will pull any punches. At all...
My goal is to help OUR DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE win the Sixth Congressional District on November 4th of 2008.
This means that when a candidate is chosen, we must all put our backs and dollars into helping him win.
The same holds true in the run for the Whitehouse...
Richardson is just trying to take advantage of ALL the hard work Sam has done to build a district wide network.
Sam is trying to take advantage of the good will of district dem despair over not having a candidate for years. He knows he can't win the election. Richardson has something Sam doesn't, credibility.
If you want someone to tell you how something should be done, ask a man.
If you want it done, ask a woman
The practice by both the Rasoul and Richardson campaigns of sending their managers to the internet to bicker iscounter productive at best.
I've heard both men speak and while Rasoul has much energy and seems very nice, Richardson has a depth of life experience and expertise that will truly challenge Goodlatte.
Well I really don't know much about either one so I'm looking forward to the debate on Tuesday.
citydem, the Sam Rasoul banner went up on Cobalt6 long before there was anyone else running. That banner went up during the last primary cycle.
So there's something wrong with supporting the only candidate who was declared against Goodlatte? Should I have taken it down the second Dr. Richardson announced?
They were offered all the face time they wanted. Sharp advised me that they wouldn't be posting on C6 because they didn't like some of our anti-Goodlatte graphics (they don't like the John Mc Cain red button and mushroom cloud either), then, they started posting comments! :) Which they are welcome to do at any time.
Straight from the horse's mouth, the Sam Rasoul banner had nothing to do with why Adam is dissing us.
And as far as personalizing it
Kestrel has been a Rasoul supporter for a long time.
there are four C6 admins, any or all of whom can object to or propose page content. Cobalt6 is NOT "kestrel's blog." It is not also an exclusively Augusta County blog, but that seems to be the perception. Wish I could figure out how to change that.
Rick, "closet Republican" is not "a little heat." "Closet Republican" is a political tactic that is described here (with a rather indelicate term, but a fitting one, and it is a tactic that I find unworthy.
Betty which manager has the Rasoul campaign "sent to the internet to bicker"? I haven't seen that.
Joseph, Dr. Richardson took a very big credibility hit with many, many people with his last-minute entry fueled by the tactics of his surrogates.
stephen, why does cliking your name take me to an Augusta Dems site? Are you speaking for them?
On one of the threads linked from the the origional post there is someone who identifies himself as Mario, campaign manager for Rasoul.
There is also someone who identifies himself as Adam, campaign mangager for Richardson.
Is this not correct?
Seems a growing number of Dem activists are in "Sam's Club." Politics is a group activity. The candidate who draws the biggest and most enthusiastic following should be the nominee.
Former Harrisonburg Mayor and former Democratic Chairman Joe Fitzgerald announced his support for Sam Rasoul with the following statement:
"In addition to my own admiration for Sam's hard work and determination, I know from several conversations with David Layman that Sam was also David's first choice. Now that the bulk of my work is done in drawing up rules and such for the convention I don't feel as strong a need to remain neutral. I look forward to being a Rasoul delegate in Lexington and to working for him
in the fall."
Roanoke City Mayor Nelson Harris endorsed Sam Rasoul with the following statement:
"I'm throwing my support behind Sam Rasoul. I think he's got the best chance against Goodlatte"
Yeah, that's true.
I stand corrected, kinda......
But I don't know that the characterization of "sending to bicker" is entirely accurate.
Blogs, at any rate, aren't going away.
No I don't speak for them, but alot of us agree. I don't have a web page and I like the group. Some of us are put out at our chairman right now for jumping the gun on endorsements. Kinda made it look like a committee santioned action when it was really just him.
I agree, I wish the Chairs would stay out of the fray and let people decide for themeselves. Tom Long has far overstepped his authority, and has soiled his position. I thought he was a good man.
Yeah, what is up with that? The Staunton chair hasn't, the Shenandoah chair hasn't, Harrisonburg hasn't, and neither to my knowlege has Rockingham.
I actually believed in Tom till now. Too bad.
Tom Long has been the best chair this county has seen in a long time. If he believes Sam i s the right choice I am with him.
And the Anonymous comments just keep on comin'.
Why has no identifiable, known member of the Augusta County Dems stepped forward with such objections, if they are grounded in an actual sentiment?
I love the smell of astroturf in the morning.
It is unrealistic to expect chairs or other officers to not have personal preferences and express them; why bother to get involved? as long as the committee runs a fair caucus what's the problem?
O.K. 4/1/08 11:14 AM,
Is it too much to ask that chairs and other officials in the party refrain from commiting until the body of the party (all Democratic Voters) have at least been exposed to both candidates seeking nomination to be the Democratic Candidate? Last night's debate was very important, in order to give people a view of both individuals, and to allow each of our membership to make up their own mind.
The commitment you describe, Anonymous, existed well before Dr. Richardson declared his entry into the race.
Were people supposed to wait and see if there would be a late entry?
If Dr. Richardson has an exposure problem due to his last-minute entry into the race, why should that fact have anything to do with the positions taken by chairs and officers prior to Dr. Richardson's announcement?
And are you saying that those positions render the "body of the party" incapable of making up their own minds?
Are you saying that the individuals who the body of the party select in organizing election caucuses don't have the trust and faith and therefore some influence with the people who voted them into positions of responsibility? Put another way, if their (elected party officers) don’t hold some influence among Democrats, then why is their endorsement important enough to be pursued and then advertised by the candidates?
Where I come from, it is considered bad form to answer a question with a question.
In fact, "Anonymous", you answered THREE questions with a question.
Howell I react to this?
Not very sharp of you.
Our party leadership needs to have enough sense and self-discipline and patience to wait a while before committing themselves to a particular candidate in order to help the party avoid backing someone who ultimately embarrasses Democrats. To do otherwise is very irresponsible and potentially damaging to Democratic credibility among an electorate increasingly willing to consider Democratic candidates.
Example: Sisson for Senate, 2003
I think smears like "closet Republican" based on a post by a Republican blogger, put forth by a candidate's paid surrogate, ultimately embarrasses that candidate.
Don't you?
Is it true that the Augusta chair has been spotted with an Obama button and bumper sticker? He should have some patience before taking sides.
That's RIDICULOUS.
The Augusta chair has the same right to support any candidate he wishes as a private individual (his body, his car) as you do.
Now you're just flinging stuff at the wall to see what sticcks.
As the blogmaster for Augusta County Democrats I can tell you that "Stephen" is not authorized to speak for the Committee or to use the link to the website to suggest that he is.
Ever notice when little boys get caught in the act of less than sensible behavior or being required to explain why they acted irresponsibly, their responses are much the same as several on this blog.
What is so hard for you to understand in the following?
"Stephen said...
No I don't speak for them, but alot of us agree. I don't have a web page and I like the group. Some of us are put out at our chairman right now for jumping the gun on endorsements. Kinda made it look like a committee santioned action when it was really just him.
3/31/08 4:19 PM"
I don't see where he's saying he speaks for ACDC. You're trying to avoid addressing what Stephen and several others have pointed out.
If you're going to call out Rick and Adam, are you going to take Eddie Garcia to the woodshed for this Swift Boat attack?
Eddie Garcia is an independent operator, affiliated with no campaign.
Howell and Sharp can't make that claim.
No one has any authority to "take me to the woodshed."
Sucks when the shoe's on the other foot, doesn't it?
Now I don't have to play those kind of games.
Neither do they.
Where is the renunciation from Richardson of his paid operative's smear?
Sam Rasoul has picked up a couple new endorsements today: Joel Segal, co-founder of Progressive Democrats of America and Brian Lang, Chair of the Roanoke County Democrats.
A full list of each candidate's endorsements is on Coarse Cracked Corn.
So it's OK when volunteer surrogates like Bill Clinton, Geraldine Ferraro and Eddie "Kestrel9000" Garcia make nasty personal comments about Democrats, but when paid staff members make attacks it's not OK?
So what should campaign spokespeople do, just roll over and play dead?
Obama has Bill Burton who throws down with the best of them. Is he out of line because he's a paid staffer?
Are you insane? And how is calling Sam a "closet Republican" worse than you saying Drew is an adulterer?
At least Rick and Adam signed their names when they threw mud. Who is this Belle Rose, anyway?
Just showing you how it feels.
And I never CALLED anybody anything.
Do your own homework.
nasty personal comments about Democrats
Actually, the scuttlebutt is that Richardson originally planned to runas an independent. And his lack of endorsements, and his reoprted failur eto make any effort at all to connect with the Democratic structure here would tend to bear this out.
At least Rick and Adam signed their names when they threw mud.
Funny point of order for "Anonymous" to raise, is it not?
Kindly do not pee on my leg and tell me it is raining.
I own everything I say.
It can stop, here, now, today, but that is up to Richardson.
Not me.
Bit ironic isn't it for "anonymous" to demand to know who is behind the alias "Belle Rose?" Figure it out for yourself, you hypocrite. Maybe this will help:
Coarse Cracked Corn
PS Are you the same "anonymous" or a different "anonymous" from all the other ones?
we are anonymous and we are legion
We do not forgive.
We do not forget.
Expect us.
"Example: Sisson for Senate, 2003"
In the name of all that is good and wholesome, why did someone bring up this low point in local Dem choicemaking?
We have got to do a better job of vetting our candidates!
Speaking of which, how much do we REALLY know about Rasoul and Richardson?
does anybody know anything about the truth/fiction of this post from another blog?
"Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Rasoul UPDATE
According to the State Board of Elections, Sam Rasoul, Democratic hopeful in the 6th Congressional District, voted in the 2005 Republican Primary. In doing so, he skipped voting in the Democratic Primary the same day between Chap Peterson and Leslie Byrne. He also did NOT vote in the 2006 Democratic Primary between Miller and Webb.
This certainly doesn't prove that Rasoul has been and maybe still is a Republican, but it does bring into question his dedication to the Democratic Party. When will Rasoul address this issue?
Posted by Zak Moore at 11:52 AM "
I still want to know why Zak Moore, former chair of the JMU College Republicans, seems so interested in this race...or, rather, seems so interested in Sam Rasoul, and why Rick Howell was so eager to eat what Zak fed him.
Didn't Rick Howell work for Rasoul?
He did, as Sam's campaign manager. He quit after two weeks. When asked about it, Sam said Rick was lazy.
It sounds like it's personal between them.
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