We're the Military and Airpower Guys of Jonah Goldberg of National Review Online + a stray we found wandering around looking lost. All original material JHD, BHD, JR, WT, and KA 2003-2010 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/11/gotta_admit.html Sat, 24 Mar 2012 15:11:28 Z Movable Type 4.12 en Copyright 2012 http://www.rssboard.org/rss-specification http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/11/gotta_admit.html http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/11/gotta_admit.html Wed, 04 Nov 2009 07:56:32 -0600
The GOP has to realize that the Tea Party folks are just as pissed at them as they are at the Dems. This is NOT a "conservative" movement, per se.

]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/11/gotta_admit.html#comment-95100 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/11/gotta_admit.html#comment-95100 Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:23:38 -0600 Botox ain't helpin' Pelosi ..... at all. LOL http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/11/gotta_admit.html#comment-95045 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/11/gotta_admit.html#comment-95045 Thu, 05 Nov 2009 10:52:19 -0600
Regardless of the Democratic spin, if you take a look at the down state races across the country, and especially in CT, PA, and NY, the Republicans came up big winners. As hard as the MSM and D's will try to spin it, Hoffman came from polling at 13% of the vote to nearly winning it (Thanks, Fred and Sarah).

We'll see what happens in 2010, but right now I'll take another one of these Democratic successes next year.]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/11/gotta_admit.html#comment-95044 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/11/gotta_admit.html#comment-95044 Thu, 05 Nov 2009 10:17:14 -0600
Tim Waite, Chairman of the DNC said, "It didn't go our way," about the same time San Fran Nan was chirping, "From our perspective, we won."]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/11/gotta_admit.html#comment-95041 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/11/gotta_admit.html#comment-95041 Thu, 05 Nov 2009 06:04:36 -0600
To win one needs organization...that is the reason for the Party system. It starts at County Committee level and works up. To win you must get out YOUR voters, and that is done at the grass roots level with a good organization. Obama proved that with all the caucuses victories against the Clinton Machine.

Yes the candidate is important and the message is important but if you don't energize the troops all the TV adds are wasted. Regan got out his VOTERS, Clinton got out his VOTERS and yes Bush 43 got out his VOTERS...better then their opponents.

Independents are nice for the News hour or as spoilers but the two Parties will make the difference. Find one that supports your views and work like hell.]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/11/gotta_admit.html#comment-95036 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/11/gotta_admit.html#comment-95036 Wed, 04 Nov 2009 14:40:01 -0600 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/11/gotta_admit.html#comment-95034 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/11/gotta_admit.html#comment-95034 Wed, 04 Nov 2009 13:48:37 -0600 Whoops ... previous comment being held for approval. Guess the link in it caused the quarantine. [Not anymore. Any time a comment has two or more URLs in it, it gets held as an anti-spam safeguard. Quickest way to liberate your comment is to send me an email! -the Armorer] http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/11/gotta_admit.html#comment-95033 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/11/gotta_admit.html#comment-95033 Wed, 04 Nov 2009 13:30:53 -0600
As this New York Observer article mentions, in reference to Obama vs Clinton in the Dem primaries last year, early voting may be a "well-intentioned concept that has exploded in popularity while fundamentally undermining the fairness of elections", because "two different electorates ma[k]e up their minds after watching two very different campaigns. This is a violation of the democratic spirit, which demands that all voters have access to the same basic information before rendering their judgments."

http://www.observer.com/2008/big-problem-early-voting
]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/11/gotta_admit.html#comment-95032 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/11/gotta_admit.html#comment-95032 Wed, 04 Nov 2009 13:30:01 -0600 '1. Dede forked us bad. She took it personal that a conservative refused accept the decision of the county heads and she believed that because she has been a good little soldier at the state level, she had earned the step up to the big leagues.'

Hoffman is to be commended for the guts to try. The "you gotta work your way up" mentality is thick around here. Our candidate has no political history, just one as a Marine. I can already feel the resistance from the blue blood Republicans, because he has not worked his way up from 'Chairman of the Waterboard ...or whatever"

Like Hoffman said, this is one battle not a war. Lessons learned can be survival down the road.]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/11/gotta_admit.html#comment-95028 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/11/gotta_admit.html#comment-95028 Wed, 04 Nov 2009 12:06:37 -0600
1. Dede forked us bad. She took it personal that a conservative refused accept the decision of the county heads and she believed that because she has been a good little soldier at the state level, she had earned the step up to the big leagues.
When she got beaten like a red headed foster kid, she got vindictive and tossed her support behind Owens instead of following the lead of the Jefferson county and national Republican parties.

2. She was out messaged and out campaigned by both sides. Owens and Hoffman were successful in dictating the message, and Dede didn't do squat in the race. Her signs looked bad, her commercials were weak, and I didn't see much energy from her offices.

3. Doug, while being a good guy to talk to in a one on one situation, is NOT a public speaker. I  cringed  every time he was on TV, because he is an accountant, and lives up to all the accountant stereotypes.

4. Many of us Hoffman volunteers are afraid that since Hoffman lost last night, the next election up here is going to contain another DIABLO (Democrat In All But Label Only).
]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/11/gotta_admit.html#comment-95026 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/11/gotta_admit.html#comment-95026 Wed, 04 Nov 2009 11:41:41 -0600 Some thoughts.

In two cases traditional Republican candidates defeated Democrats for a governor slot. One was in VA and one in NJ. They were the beneficiaries of the TEA Party uprising.
The one so many people had hopes for in New York went down.
“ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - Democrat Bill Owens has captured the special election for a New York congressional seat that became a fight over the identity of the Republican Party.
Owens defeated Conservative Doug Hoffman and Republican Dierdre Scozzafava (skoh-zuh-FAH'-vuh) in the heavily Republican 23rd congressional District in rural northern New York. Scozzafava abruptly withdrew Saturday and supported Owens.”
The TEA Party people were heavily invested in this one. It was a traditional “Republican” district. So what went wrong? Since everyone is entitled to his or her opinion, here is mine:
1. Doug Hoffman had one of the worst on camera presences that I have ever seen. It was as if when words came out of his mouth, he was surprised. He repeatedly referred to himself as a “Reagan Republican”. The comparison between him and Reagan visually did not compute.
2. Hoffman lacked (pardon me for using that cliché) gravitas. He lacked depth and spontaneity.
3. Six percent of Republicans voted in protest for Scozzafava. I believe a lot of “Blue Blood” Republicans sat out altogether.
4. I believe that this reinforces my contention that few if any third party candidates have a chance.
5. That also reinforces my contention that the only way to play this is to run conservative Dems and Republicans for office.
6. The Independent vote is critically important. It carried the day both in VA and in NJ.
7. Hoffman was also the exact opposite in the way of appearance of a “rock star” which this country has come to crave.
8. Summary, it is amazing that he got as many votes as he did, he appeared to be weak and unsure of himself.
The Tea Party movement made a difference in VA and NJ. The lesson learned is that not just any candidate, even when supported by the TEA Party movement, can win. I know Hoffman claimed to be a life- long Republican, but he did in fact run as an Independent. I believe a lot of people are not comfortable for whatever reason with “third party” types. Also the obvious presence of the “TEA Party” mobilizes the Moonbats.
]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/11/gotta_admit.html#comment-95022 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/11/gotta_admit.html#comment-95022 Wed, 04 Nov 2009 11:05:36 -0600 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/11/gotta_admit.html#comment-95019 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/11/gotta_admit.html#comment-95019 Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:26:18 -0600