Mis-Coordinated Campaigns
Didn't have time to review the editorials this morning until now -- disturbing news if the following is true as quoted in the SBNP:
There are some clear cut, well-defined rules about "coordinated" campaigns. This could spell trouble for The Slugger, Willimas and SEIU -- and more likely, any operatives involved. It's the October Surprise.
Armstrong goes on to point out that former-Supervisor Naomi Schwartz' name is still on Blum literature even though she requested to be taken off....I wonder when the request was made and if mail was in the bag or not. Still, that doesn't look good for the Slugger.
Three campaign brochures showing up in the mail appear to be an effort by Mayor Marty Blum, Councilman Das Williams and the Service Employees International Union to oust Democratic Councilwoman Iya Falcone from office.
You only have to take a look at the photos in the Williams and SEIU brochures -- with Mrs. Blum and candidates Roger Horton, Grant House and Dianne Channing in the same clothes -- to know this was a coordinated undertaking.
There are some clear cut, well-defined rules about "coordinated" campaigns. This could spell trouble for The Slugger, Willimas and SEIU -- and more likely, any operatives involved. It's the October Surprise.
Armstrong goes on to point out that former-Supervisor Naomi Schwartz' name is still on Blum literature even though she requested to be taken off....I wonder when the request was made and if mail was in the bag or not. Still, that doesn't look good for the Slugger.
posted by Sara De la Guerra | 11/01/2005 11:39:00 AM
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15 Comments:
sometimes a cigar is still a cigar...
Perhaps candidates who endorse each other simply pose for pictures together on the same day? Or, even that candidates who do NOT endorse each other still will pose for pictures together if they want badly enough an endorsement from the sponsoring group, such as police or fire associations.
The only "coordination" might have been that someone with the photos sent them out to whichever candidate or group wanted to publish them?
Certainly, though, for future photo sessions one might expect the candidates to bring extra jackets so they do not look like the photos were recorded at the same time and place.
Valerio,
Was that quote from former President Clinton? :)
Yes -- completely possible that there was one photo session and several requests for the photos. And, your point about bringing extra jackets would have been the smart thing to do if one expected requests like that...it just seems to be complicated by the picture used in Blum's ad last week and Horton's lack of approval for that ad.
We shall see what happens...
The bigger question is how much goodwill will candidates associated with Blum sacrifice to feed her hate of Iya Falcone? Her winning was never in question, she is basically unopposed no matter about Lanny, it was always in the bag. Naomi is distancing herself already, who is next? Lois Capps, Jack O'Connell? This is ugly blind hate, no getting around it.
"ugly blind hate"?!?
Maybe hardball politics is simply when a cigar is just a cigar?
Rivalries go in both directions.
People need to get real and not so naive when a city with a population of just 100,000 requires a Council candidate to raise $55,000+ to run a competitive campaign. Accordingly, the stakes are higher and the ball gets harder as endorsements also can get testy when not everyone endorses the same candidates, such as Schwartz endorsing Blum and Falcone, but Blum not endorsing Falcone and the rivals of Falcone instead, and any other of many combinations of endorsers and endorsees.
"Slugger" Marty indeed has introduced hardball tactics by endorsing a trio of Council candidates, but maybe that cigar simply is a cigar because those three candidates would be more supportive of Marty's issues during the next four years? To use another quote, "there is no there there".
This whole flurry of indignation in the daily newspaper editorials and anonymous postings here and in other discourse is quite amazing that somehow Marty is supposed to be obligated to support Iya just because they have mutual friends and endorsers, and are both Women Democrats.
Just like candidates will be bringing an extra jacket to look like group photos were recorded on different days, candidates and other politico shakers now will first have to be making pledges to each other about who they will and will not endorse, so the arrows of mutual endorsements always will point in both directions from now on.
Or, maybe the ball in the game of Santa Barbara politics has now gotten harder, and the unwritten rules of mutual endorsements have now changed?
I love the highminded bravery and accusatory tone about anonymous sources from somebody called Valerio, El Cacique. This blog is a pathetic wank fest. All sides and sources.
Carrillo, El Cacique
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Photos passed around does not a co-ordinated campaign make. Besides, there's no prohibition in law for city candidates to co-ordinate campaigns.
if we are talking about photos with people in the same clothing maybe one should look at the striking similarities between councilmember falcone's photo on the front of her massive brochure and the police officers association postcard. not only is she in the same clothing but the photo is exactly the same.
some dude
I'm so glad that the substantive issues facing the City are at the forefront of all your thoughts. The playground nature of this campaign should cause everyone involved to hang their heads. The winners and losers are all degraded.
The trouble isn't that the Mayor/Das/SEIU coordinate. It's that they deny it. Be out front with it. Be proud of it. Why pretend it isn't true?
Lass Positas
Have they denied coordinating? I didn"t see any responses in the news paper.
Travis Armstrong would actually have to have interviewed people before making his accusations.
Read the Fair Political Practice Commission regs on Coordinated campaigns. You cannot talk, you cannot share plans or strategy or you are a controlled commitee. The slugger, the union and the boy broke the law - clear as day. Travis is correct this time.
As a lonely Republican in this Bluest of towns, I am enjoying this. Keep culling the herd. Go Das go.
Hey fellow Republican Das is the best thing in a long time for us. A union loving, public safety hating, budget buster who hugs trees and ignores people.
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